Hiking Hadrian’s Wall, Virtually
I’m a purist trekker when it comes to walking long-distance designated trails. I insist they…
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European Roots Run Deep in the Fertile Soil of America’s Midwest Heartland
New Glarus, Wisconsin, is a village of 2,247 residents that takes pride in being known…
CELEBRATING AUTUMN HARVESTS WITH BROBINGNAGIAN BISCUITS AND WOOLLY WORM RACES
A farmer’s work never really ends, but there are a few breaks in the action,…
Beer is Man’s Oldest Beverage. Have a Pint With History at These Places
People have been knocking back beers together for 6,000 years. The planet’s oldest known recipe…
Off The Beaten Path In Hinohara, Japan
I went to Japan some 40 years ago to write travel articles but ended up…
New Zealand: Small In Size But Big On Drama
Perched at the edge of a precipitate drop, my first thought would NOT be, ‘Wouldn’t…
Highway Stops, Then and Now—From Stuckey’s and HoJo’s to Dinosaurs in the Desert
By Mark Orwoll Traveling every summer from New York to the Jersey Shore, my family…
Paris Wins the Gold Medal for European Cities
By Jacqueline Swartz Whether it’s your first time, or you are returning, maybe for the…
America’s Dixie Highway, the Original North-South Interstate
By Jeff Book The Dixie Highway was a big deal in its day. Conceived in…
Capt. James Cook’s Legacy of Exploration on display in Australia
By Richard Varr I’m crawling on my hands and knees in the cramped and low-ceiling…
Cambodia’s Capital, Phnom Penh, Embraces A New Generation
By John Gottberg Anderson The tuk-tuk driver reclined on a padded seat in the back…
Enjoy African Safaris By Air, Water or Land
By Karin Leperi Pezo Whether by air, water or land, an African safari can offer…
Ocean-going condominiums allow wealthy owners to keep traveling without ever leaving home.
The World is a 12-deck residential mega yacht where 150 families own 165 condominiums worth…
Oklahoma’s Indian Nations Grow Prosperous Businesses
Oklahoma is Indian Country. The US Census Bureau says 523,360 Oklahomans – about 13% of…
Cairns: Where Ocean and Forest Meet
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. It…
Teetotal Travel: Hospitality Industry Responds to Growing Sober Movement
Who are all these people who turn down wine in Italy, sake in Japan, cerveza…
To Lhasa and Beyond On the Road to Shangri-La
In Lhasa’s Barkhor Square, the weathered Tibetan woman softly intoning a Buddhist mantra fell to…
Why Spain is Hog Wild for Ibérico Ham
By Teresa Bitler By the time we break for lunch at a reservoir in the…
Mortality and the Devil’s Pool
Eight nervous travelers linked hands to form a human chain, then waded across the Zambezi…
Cycling California’s Royal Road – Part II
Cycling California’s El Camino Real is an 800-mile (1,287 km) epic adventure. The appeal of…
Up the Essequibo River Deep In Guyana’s Iwokrama Rainforest, a Wolf Fish is Waiting for You
The bifurcating channels of the Essequibo River that wind through Guyana’s Iwokrama rainforest are nature’s…
Picture Yourself In A Boat On A River
The river cruise market is expected to grow by $3,206 million over the next three…
HERCULANEUM THEN AND NOW
By Beth Reiber The first thing you notice upon entering Herculaneum is how resplendent it…
When in Mérida, Do as the Romans Did
By Richard Varr Corinthian columns stand double-stacked across a wide Roman stage, and although…
Cycling California’s Royal Road – Part I
By John Poimiroo The sonorous tone of mission bells announced arriving travelers along California’s El…
What To Look For When You Visit A Mosque
By Charles Cecil I remember the first time I ever entered a mosque. It was…
Spain’s Colonial Heart Beats Seductively in Mexico’s San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende lies in the Eastern part of Mexico’s State of Guanajuato, about…
Monterey Bay Aquarium: Take a Deep Dive While Staying Dry
By John Poimiroo Sardines circle in a never-ending silver stream above the entrance to the…
Maybe it Isn’t The Worst Thing to Spend Time in These Airports
There are over 40,000 airports worldwide where passengers are likely to spend multiple hours before…
Sunset Boulevard: LA’s Pathway to Prosperity
By MaryKate Keevins Sunset Boulevard, a 22-mile winding stretch of road, traverses a dozen neighborhoods…
Traveling Forward to Look Inward: Catholic Shrine Tourism
By Teresa Bergen Jason Spoolstra stands with his back to a mural of Jesus welcoming…
Airline Premium Economy: What Do You Get and How Much Does It Cost?
By Casey Fahrer Premium economy seating is one of many options airlines offer passengers…
Falling in Love with Ol’ Man River
By Toby Saltzman What sounded like a pickup line turned out to be friendly banter…
Macau Hits the Jackpot
By David DeVoss For the better part of three years Macau slumbered, its public squares…
Floating Through History on the Aquitaine’s River Lot
By Nancy Wigston East of the wine-making capital of Bordeaux and north of the Canal…
Dead Yet Still Alive, Three Western Ghost Towns Beguile Intrepid Visitors
When gold was discovered in a frigid creek running through the Sierra Nevada foothills in…
Vietnam: A Hot, Humid Country that Loves Cold Beer
Drinking beer is woven into the social fabric of Vietnam. At family affairs and business…
There’s More to Romania than Transylvania, Dracula and Ghostly Carpathian Forests
Romania conjures mysterious and sinister images of Count Dracula and the Transylvanian forests. The foreboding…
Charleston Afro-American Museum Adds to Southern City’s Appeal
By Tom Adkinson As I navigated the International African American Museum’s intellectually challenging artifacts and…
California Dreaming with an Asian Twist
Southern California is renowned for picturesque beaches, iconic theme parks, Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and…
Civilizations Ebb and Flow But Petra Stands Eternal
Petra’s fascination today lies not in its association with Indiana Jones but with lingering echoes…
Airline Loyalty Wars Now Waged in Exclusive Airport Lounges
Airline loyalty programs and their banking partners have begun waging war in airport hubs around…
Four Seasons of Shopping: In Pursuit of the Perfect Memory
Travelers often find themselves seeking unusual items while on the road. These curios may…
San Francisco’s French Roots Run Deep
New Orleans is not the only French city in America. From the cafes near the…
America’s Bourbon Whiskey Takes Its Place on the International Stage
By Teresa Bitler A flight of five bourbons sits on the thickly varnished wooden bar…
A Spiritual Journey Through Vietnam From The Eye Of God To The Lady Buddha
By John Gottberg Anderson A colossal figure in alabaster rising majestically from a hilltop…
Forget Crowded Highways. Enjoy Your Next Vacation on a Houseboat
Houseboats lure thousands of families to rivers and lakes for unique, get-away-from-it-all vacations. The slow-moving…
The Butterfly Effect of the Georgia Coast
In 1972, mathematician Edward Lorenz coined the phrase ‘the butterfly effect.’ He used the term…
Tourism Takes Travelers to New Heights and Depths
World attention remains focused on the ill-fated voyage of the deep-sea submersible Titan, a tear-drop-shaped…
Milwaukee’s Beer Heritage Still Is Hopping Thanks to Wisconsin’s Germans and Their Culture
By Mark Orwoll “Have you ever closed Wolski’s?” That’s not an uncommon question in…
Airlines Are Introducing Some Luxuries to Economy-Class Seating
Want to relax on interminable transoceanic flights? Today you have to buy a business class…
Vietnam’s Central Highlands Envision Becoming a Global Coffee Capital
Vietnamese love their coffee. Credit the French. Although Vietnamese have little love for France’s colonial…
Yosemite’s El Capitan Delivers Joy, Peril and Life Lessons
We’d been climbing for three days, traversing upward across the stony face of the mountain,…
Great Lakes Cruise Lets Passengers Become Scientists
A chilly breeze blowing across the Great Lakes separating the U.S. from Canada greeted passengers…
Beyond Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap Has Floating Villages and Voracious Crocodiles
By John Gottberg Anderson I had crocodile for dinner the other night. Not the whole…
Nature, History, and Storybook Villages Fill New York’s Hudson River Valley
Ever since the pilgrims’ arrival in 1620 America has dreamed of expanding westward. A Promised…
Looking forward to an EV vacation this summer? Think again. Efficient electrical transport is a long way off.
Washington politicians love to talk about the 2021 federal infrastructure plan that includes $7.5 billion…
Is a Galapagos cruise for you?
We’re standing in the equatorial sun on Fernandina Island’s Punta Espinosa, staring at a mostly…
Boats, beaches and music festivals make the Gallic city of Sète a great vacation destination. Here you don’t need to dress up
The Mediterranean seaside playground of the Cote d/Azur has long been known for its exclusive…
Vietnam’s Tet Holiday Brings Feasting, Prayer and Hope for the New Year
By John Gottberg Anderson I celebrated my first Tết holiday, as Vietnamese call the lunar…
American Retailers Hope Chinese Celebrating Year of the Rabbit Will Keep Their Cash Registers Ringing
By Jian Huang Shopping is as important to the Chinese as baseball is to Americans.…
History, Betrayal and Heroism on London’s Spy Trail
By Nancy Wigston On a bright autumn afternoon, Rob Smith of Footprints of London waits…
Look! Up In The Dark Sky! Is That Really The Milky Way?
By Tom Adkinson Ancient Babylonians and Greeks peered into a dark night sky and started…
West Virginia’s New River Gorge is America’s Newest National Park
By Chuck Cecil America’s newest National Park in West Virginia’s New River Gorge offers an…
Visits by Britain and France foreshadow the approaching anniversary of a Midnight Ride that Changed the World on Both Sides of the Atlantic
Last week, two old friends stopped by for a visit. French President Emmanuel Macron dropped…
Colombia’s San Juan de Pasto Offers Cosmetic Surgery, Carnival Festivities and Divine Miracles
By Teresa Bergen Vendors selling rosaries and huge striped lollipops line the steep hill down…
An Intricate Labyrinth of Tunnels Beneath Jerusalem’s Western Wall Reveals Clues to Ancient Biblical Life
By Mira Temkin Among Jewish people, Jerusalem’s Western Wall is the holiest place on earth.…
Hit the Road in an RV with Expandable Walls, Modern Appliances and Office WiFi
Gone is the presumption of “roughing it” when it comes to vacation travel in a…
Despite droughts, fires and floods, America celebrates bountiful autumn harvests
It’s the first Saturday in October at Bauman’s Harvest Festival in Gervais, Oregon and dozens…
The Áo Dài’s Flowing Elegance Mirrors Vietnamese Femininity
What images come to mind when you think of Vietnam? A peasant in the conical…
Airport Lounges Are More Numerous, Increasingly Opulent And Often Overcrowded
Airport lounges are now an essential part of travel. Virtually every major airline opened clubs…
On the Trail of Edgar Allan Poe You Will Encounter Nightmares, Insanity and Fevered Delusions
There’s a small brick basement in Philadelphia that is to mystery and horror fiction what…
E-bikes – The Anyone Can Do It Adventure That’s Healthy, Affordable and Fun
Nearly half of all American vehicle trips are under three miles, according to the Federal…
The Future of Air Travel is Here
Modern trends in airport design focus on passenger experience more than ever before. The pandemic…
Ottawa: From Timber Town to Canada’s Capital of Cool
It’s been said that Canadians speak like Americans, spell like the British, and throw in…
Relics, Miracles, and Faith Light the Way Along Spain’s Camino de Santiago
It was pure good fortune that enabled me to arrive in Santo Domingo de la…
Benedictine Monks Dispense Hospitality, Hot Sauce and Peanut Brittle in Rural Arkansas
By Jian Huang Subiaco, Arkansas is small even for a small town. Located about 100…
Summer Travel 2022: Pay Your Money and Take Your Chance
Count me among the droves of disappointed summer travelers whose vacations were devastated by long…
Elude Makes Traveling on a Budget Easy
Internet travel agencies turn the customer into the travel agent, requiring him to scroll through…
Portland’s Whimsical Creativity Trumps Grit and Crime
When I first moved to Portland, Oregon, in the early 1990s, one of my first…
America’s Motor City Detroit Roars Back to Life
In 2013, when Detroit declared bankruptcy it was plagued by violent crime and racial division.…
Airfares Are Climbing So Hit the Road And Travel At Your Own Pace
Pilot shortages, rising fuel costs, constantly changing schedules and erratic weather have lessened the enthusiasm…
America’s Children’s Museums Fascinate Youngsters while Pleasing Their Parents
The best children’s museums transfix kids, introducing them and their attentive parents to the surrounding…
Agatha Christie: The Mystery Maven Who Traveled the World
Chances are, wherever you travel, you’ll find an Agatha Christie paperback. With eighty detective novels…
Alumni Travel Is Efficient, Educational and Fun
Ah, college. Four years of meeting people you know will be friends for life. Going…
Living in the Land of New Mexico Chiles
New Mexico is a land defined by its culture of green and red chiles. Chiles…
5 Places Where International Travelers Can Find the Soul of America
Should you visit America this summer? Though statistically rare, violence against overseas guests has led…
Bling, Bourbon, Fine Dining & Parades Define Mardi Gras New Orleans
Mardi Gras is on again! New Orleans’ signature event, with its floats, marching bands and…
Troll-spotting, Art Nouveau and an Egg Reveal the Charms of Norway’s Sunnmøre Region
Walking through Ålesund in the Sunnmøre region of Norway is necessarily a slow stroll; there’s…
Sports Teams Don’t Need Games To Attract Tourists To Their Stadiums
Winning seasons pack arenas in every sports town, but that’s only the start of the…
Underground Railroad Terminus Brings Families and Genealogists to Chatham, Ontario
The Underground Railroad brought thousands of escaped African slaves to Chatham, Ontario during the early…
Yorkshire – Inspiration for Dracula, the Brontës and All Creatures Great and Small
Yorkshire is the United Kingdom’s largest county–about 3.6 million acres—and boasts a turbulent history that…
It’s Cool, Damp and Cloudy on Santa Catalina. That means no crowds, friendlier locals and hotel discounts
Why visit Santa Catalina Island at the onset of winter when it’s too cold to…
Galveston Island’s Two Historic Hotels Have Stories to Tell
By Mira Temkin Mother Nature has pummeled Galveston repeatedly since 1900, but the Gulf Coast…
Europe’s Christmas Markets Delight Holiday Travelers from all Regions and Religions
Europe’s Christmas markets are magical places. Bundled up in warm jackets with woolen scarves and…
York’s Magical History Tour, From Hot Baths to Hot Chocolate
When the London train pulls into York’s Victorian Station, doors open onto an earlier time.…
Life and Death Under the Volcano for the Bali Aga
North of the market town of Ubud, Bali’s tourist resorts and handicraft markets give way…
Laugh, Picnic & Party. Cemetery Residents Don’t Mind the Noise
Around the world, cemeteries are recognizing the importance of inviting the public inside graveyard gates.…
Cycling Ireland’s Backroads Past Churches, Castles, Sheep Farms and Pubs
Cycling the lightly traveled backroads of West Ireland affords time to intimately experience the country,…
Cycling through Ireland. Scars Left by Blight and Brutality Are Balanced by Uplifting Ballads and Gaelic Humor
The Irish have suffered Viking slavers, the Norman conquest, oppressive British landowners and famine. Despite…
Autumn Brings Cooler Temperatures, Crisper Air and fewer Tourists to America’s Northeast
By Mark Orwoll Fall just knocked on our door and didn’t wait for an invitation…
Discovering Cuba While Searching for the Emerald Hummingbird
Havana was just what I expected. A city blended with images of vintage cars, cigar-smoking…
New Zealand’s Maori of Ohinemutu Offer Visitors Hot Tea and Ears of Corn
Many Western texts say Dutch East India Company explorer Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand in…
Vienna Offers More than Mozart, Museums and Hapsburg Palaces
Dining at quirky cafes near the city’s oldest farmer’s market, dancing in a music festival…
Come from Away to Discover Newfoundland, Canada’s Colorful Rock
The taxi driver greets me with, “How’s she gettin’ on?” (How are you?), then introduces…
New Designs Could Change Where and How We Sit on Airplanes
Summer travel is in full swing. The days of open middle seats are fading fast.…
U.S. Resort Towns Recovering from COVID-19 Rise From the Dead
The gyms are finally opening up. At Calistoga Pilates they are taking appointments for Pilates…
Enjoy Layovers in Purgatory? At Some Airports It’s Possible
Be a kid again at Changi, which features an enormous 12-meter slide for the amusement…
Costa Rica’s Environmental Alchemy Turns Green into Gold
Keep your knapsack close around this fellow. The capuchin monkey is an unrepentant pickpocket, who…
In Washington’s Philadelphia, 18th Century America is Never Far Away
Old and New Philadelphia. Built in 1747, Independence Hall has been the focal point of…
Addictive Turkish Dramas Lure Fans to Old Istanbul
Much like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Parthenon in Athens, Hagia Sophia is…
From Civil War to Civil Rights, The Freedom Trail Begins in Galveston
The Civil War formally ended on April 9, 1865 when Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered…
Social distancing could produce larger airline seats or the illusion of more space. Does it matter?
When the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020, it sent airlines scrambling. All airline companies…
Baseball is Back! How many ballparks can you visit this summer?
By Tyler Melito It happens every spring. Thirty Major League Baseball (MLB) teams take the…
Tunisian Suburb Has Local Cafes, Arab Handicrafts and Views of Carthage
The Tunisian suburb of Sidi Bou Said, a welcoming hilltop village about twelve miles north…
The Road Through America Has More Cultural Intersections Than Divided Highways
By Mark Orwoll The summer of 2021 is full of hope and promise. If vaccinations…
Saigon Soars into the 21st Century
By John Gottberg Anderson My first semi-permanent home in Saigon, better known to many by…
Away with the Fairies in Ireland
Fairies are said to calm the horses living at the Irish Stud, so ethereal sprites…
Northern Argentina has Mummies, Dancing Devils and a Train to the Clouds
By Nancy Wigston Argentines know it as Salta la Linda “the beautiful one.” Situated 3,400-ft…
Palm Springs in the Movies. Lights, Camera, more Cocoa Butter
By Barbara Beckley “This is the spot! Here on the tarmac where William Shatner, Christopher…
There’s More to Buffalo than Chicken Wings, Snow and Buffalo Bills Football
By Liz Campbell More than Chicken Wings Once one of the country’s most prosperous cities…
The Brothels Are Closed but the Whisky Still Flows in the Deadwood of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane
By Rich Grant “Wild Bill” Hickok, of Dakota’s most boisterous boomtown, was such a romantic…
Nazca’s Lines in the Peruvian desert remain a mystery after centuries
By Larry Bleiberg Everyone, it seems, has a theory about Peru’s Nazca Lines. The mysterious…
Copper, Deserts, Geysers and More: Across Chile from Santiago to Atacama
By Nancy Wigston Famously long and narrow—2,653-miles long with an average width of only 110…
Cold War Icon Now a Berlin Tourist Attraction
A wave of terror washed over me as I squinted through the windshield and drove…
TORONTO – Canada’s Big Apple Invites You To Take A Bite
Toronto’s skyline is dominated by its signature structure, the CN Tower. At 1,750 feet high,…
Buenos Aires: Drama, Diversity and Dancing
Built in 1936 to mark the quadricentennial of the city’s founding, The Obelisk is located…
Horsing Around in Arizona: Dude Ranches Aren’t Only for Dudes
Not every guest at White Stallion Ranch schedules an equine-intensive day, but for me,…
Hotels with a Past
By Peter Greenberg The hospitality industry is hurting because of the coronavirus, but despite lower…
The Artistry of Airport Design
By Justin Noah and David DeVoss No structures better captured the spirit of America than…
Bizarre, Beautiful and Beyond the Pale, Dawson is The most Colorful City you’ll probably never visit
The Greatest Show on Earth may be the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, as seen…
Shanghai – Head of the Dragon
By David DeVoss When California architect Robert Steinberg opened an office in Shanghai twelve years…
Climbing Toward Tibet Across the Roof of the World on the Road to Shangri-La
Tibetan prayer flags flying in wind in Shangri-La. By Scott Busby It was a crisp…
Traveling through the centuries in Uruguay
Across the broad Rio de la Plata from Argentina is the 17th century village of…
Life in the Peruvian Amazon – Iquitos and Beyond
By Karin Leperi Most travelers coming to Peru head immediately to Machu Picchu, a 15th-century…
Historical Marker Staycations allow familiar locations to yield fresh discoveries
By Kirsten Hahn This is not the summer for elaborate, extended vacations. Expensive family outings…
Armenia looks familiar, but truly understanding the country takes some sleuthing
By: Susan McKee Yerevan is disconcerting. At first glance, Armenia’s largest city looks like any…
Trout fishing in California’s Eastern Sierra offers serenity, solitude and social distancing. It’s the perfect vacation for this coronavirus summer
By: David DeVoss “In the Arctic half-light of the canyon all existence fades to a…
Where in the world is Malta? Travel there and you’ll be amazed what the tiny Mediterranean archipelago has to offer
Not your average Mardi Gras. Malta’s pre-Lenten Carnival emphasizes history and culture over skin and…
Searching for Mumbai’s Silk Road
Silk vendor at D. Popli & Sons in Mumbai displays high-quality yet reasonably priced silk.…
Daughter of Burma discovers her past amid the Buddhist charms of Modern Myanmar
For the Burmese, the Irrawaddy River is a laundry, bath, source of food, and major…
Nairobi offers African History, Exotic Markets, Cosmopolitan Restaurants and Wild Animals
Tourists landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport too often are focused on starting their safaris in Kenya, and…
Getting Up Close to the Great Indian One-Horned Rhino
Driving slowly down the narrow road bordering the Kaziranga Wildlife Preserve in north eastern India,…
Bizarre, unusual hotels provide shelter, surprises and ghosts
Are you ready to travel after months of confinement and looking for a great alternative…
Escape to Cody, Wyoming, the historic gateway to Yellowstone National Park
No matter where you live chances are you want to get out of the house…
Birthplace of the Arab Spring and home to a vibrant Jewish community, tolerant Tunisia brings Mediterranean heritage to life
By Susan McKee Roman ruins surrounded me as I stood, looking out at the clear…
Baden-Baden: Germany’s Black Forest Gem Offers History, Wine, Nature & Music plus Europe’s Best Spas
Baden-Baden, the idyllic spa town at the foot of Germany’s Black Forest, draws spa-goers to…
The Ethics of Travel Writing: Can You Always Believe What You Read?
Freelance members of the Society of American Travel Writers interested in agritourism in the Tohoku…
Chinese Celebrating Year of the Rat Keep America’s Cash Registers Ringing
by David DeVoss Sinitic cultures are famed for their hard work. From Shanghai to San…
Yangzhou – A Perfect Portal into China’s History, Culture and Cuisine
Travelers wishing to truly understand China’s rich history must venture beyond the opulent gateways into…
Yangzhou’s Gardens of Delight
Because of its fertile soil, abundant water and temperate climate, Jiangsu Province is known as…
Manzanar: Both Sides Now
Revisionist history once was associated with Soviet Russia, where leaders repeatedly erased the names of…
Athens, An Artful Blend of Ancient and Modern Despite Years of Financial Crisis
By Jacqueline Swartz Returning to Athens after more than a dozen years seemed like an…
Going to Korea? Why Not Chill Out in a Buddhist Temple
By David DeVoss The PyeongChang Olympics may be over, but that no reason to stop…
Kurdistan’s Rough Road to Freedom
Kurdistan’s Rough Road to Freedom By David DeVoss Kurds in northern Iraq control their own…
St. Louis Baseball – America’s Heartland at its Best
By David DeVoss When the baseball season begins anew in April most Americans living in…