Big, Two-Fisted Adventures

Paris is too expensive, the Spanish Civil War is over, and the Red Cross no longer accepts volunteer drivers during wartime. So if Hemingway were alive today, where would he go? What would he do? Here are some possibilities, from mild to wild.

Order a Moveable Feast (You Can Afford)

The euro (trading at $1.23) and EuroDisney are two good reasons to avoid Paris. But expat living has been marked down in Québec City, Quebec, which is as Old World as North America gets. What's more, the city is known for its bohemian scene and intellectual and political fervor -- just like Paris in Hemingway's day.

Practice your French with the idealist students, politicians, and philosophers who frequent the Café Krieghoff (1091 Cartier Avenue; 418-522-3711), close to the Old Town. And you can stay upstairs in one of the café's five simple rooms, starting at $58 a night.

Fish a Big, Two-Hearted River

Little Ernest learned to fish on his third birthday, which he spent at the family's house in Northern Michigan. Read his classic story Big Two-Hearted River, then check into the Rainbow Lodge (9706 County Road 423, in Newberry, Michigan; 906-658-3357), located on Lake Superior at the mouth of said river (the top-rated trout stream in the United States). They can outfit and guide you on fishing trips for $37 a day.

To hear tips on local fishing spots, grab a beer at the nearby and very local Pinestone Bar in Pinestone Junction (23583 County Road 407; 906-658-3364).

Fight a Marlin

Key West hosts a kick-ass marlin tournament every summer, as part of its annual Hemingway Days celebration (hemingwaydays.net) in July. But if your migratory urge is strong, check out Venezuela's La Guaira Bank (a small island roughly 4 miles wide and 14 miles long, off the country's plankton-rich Southern Caribbean shore), which has one of the world's highest concentrations of marlin.

Book a package through B&B Worldwide Fishing Adventures ( 888-479-2277, wheretofish.com), starting at $3,275 per person for 3 days' fishing on a 35-foot boat, 4 nights at the five-star Hotel Ole Caribe, crew, food, and airport transfers.