Kayaking in Alaska is the holy grail of all trips. You head miles away from the nearest town — not that it’s big to begin with — into a great expanse of wildlife sanctuaries, pristine waters, and between rugged peaks. If you’re lucky, curious otters will come up to greet you. If you’re not, tidal […]
Kayaking in Alaska Among Icebergs is the Coolest Thing You’ll Ever Do Read More »
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is picture-perfect and undeniably beautiful. This is Croatia’s largest national park and is known for it’s turquoise waters throughout sixteen cascading lakes. Each lake is interconnected, separated by travertines and waterfalls, so no matter where you are in the park, you’ll hear the sounds of water and likely see it as well
The Wrong Way to Visit Plitvice Lakes National Park Read More »
Biking in Conejo Valley California is my husband’s dream come true. There are rolling hills (plus a few serious climbs), bike lanes, and drivers actually remember to make space for cyclists. It’s my dream come true, too, but for different reasons. It’s gorgeous in all directions, so different from nearby Los Angeles. And it’s the
I wasn’t exactly excited when my sister told me the only time of year she could go to Peru was smack dab in the middle of rainy season. Almost everything I wanted to do was outside, but we weren’t about to let a little (or a lot) of rain stop us. All we needed to do
Not far from Skellefteå, there’s a small village called Svansele where the moose outnumber people three to one. It’s acre after acre of forest, mostly pine and birch, with a river winding through it. In this remote part of northern Sweden, there’s a wilderness camp I can’t get out my head. The draw is twofold:
Adventure, Nature, and Eating Off the Foraged Land Read More »
For the six years I’ve lived here, I’ve been scared of Virginia wine. How could it possibly be good in a hot, muggy climate? It’s not just stereotypes: several of my friends specifically said local wineries weren’t notable, so I never felt the need to give them a chance. On the Eastern Shore of Virginia,
I Paddled My Glass Off (But At Least I Got a Bottle of Wine) Read More »
From our hotel in Lake Bled, Slovenia, we could view the mountains of the Julian Alps and knew we had to head into the national park. This protected area covers 880 square kilometers, so there are plenty of things to do in Triglav National Park, but it’s nearly impossible to narrow it down if you’re
“But Mom, it’s so far away and we’re spending so much time in the car already,” I said, annoyed that she would even bring up the option of driving to Mount Rainier for a day. We were in the midst of planning a family get-together for after my Olympic Peninsula trip ended and before my parents’ trip to Vancouver
For tourists, there’s one key difference between national parks and national monuments: there are generally far fewer visitors at national monuments than at “full-fledged” national parks. National monuments can be just as beautiful, offer just as many hiking and camping opportunities, and you still get in free with an America the Beautiful Pass. Actually, side
Chiricahua National Monument: A Perfect Day Hike Read More »
The Great Wall is the most recognizable site in Asia and hiking the Great Wall of China is an iconic experience. I had to do it, but I didn’t consider its history until I was in China. “Construction on the wall began in the seventh century B.C. It spread more than 21,000 kilometers over almost 2500 years of
Hiking the Great Wall of China from Jiankou to Mutianyu Read More »
