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Hotels March 21, 2018

10 quirkiest US accommodations

From a floating B&B to desert cave, TripAdvisor has rounded up some of the more unusual places where you can lay your head. 

Beach March 21, 2018

5 steps to sea turtle adventure

Resorts and conservation agencies throughout Florida and the Bahamas and Caribbean afford various opportunities for travelers to experience the primitive, humbling rituals of sea turtle nesting and hatching. Just to see one of the prehistoric behemoths, which can weigh in at up to 2,000 pounds, thrills even the most wildlife-blasé. On a recent trip, I got to witness a whole new generation of sea turtles come to life.  Three fellow travelers and I arrived to Galley Bay resort on the Caribbean island, Antigua, in midnight blackness and decided to have a nightcap in the open-air bar. As we were winding down from a day of travel, a resort staff guy popped up and asked our help with a nest of hatching sea turtles. Being Floridians, we immediately identified the turtles as leatherbacks (the largest of sea turtle species) and saw the problem was a spotlight on the beach. We repeatedly asked to shut it off, but instead he handed us a flashlight to lead the hatchlings to sea. The four of us and staffers finally rounded up the 20-some babies, determined to head toward the spotlight. The adventure exhausted and enchanted us, and suddenly there was another nest emerging, but the flashlight had burned out. So using cell phones and powers of persuasion, we coerced the hatchlings, the size and charm of a baby’s footprint, into the sea. If you're thinking about making a trip to see sea turtles hatch or see them in their natural habitat, it's good to know what to expect. This list works its way from most observational to most interactive experiences. You don’t necessarily have to enjoy them in this order, but the steps will prepare you in the best way.

Eco Tourism March 21, 2018

Top 5 places in the world for women to travel solo

Year round women are seeking trips to venture out on their own, away from daily life and the demands of work, family and friends. They want to forget about wearing make-up, truly be themselves and enjoy the experience of a lifetime. While there are travelers who want the support of a small group, some prefer to go it completely alone. There are many places in the world that I’d recommend such a journey; however, women should still keep some basic safety practices in mind. I always recommend storing your valuables in different places (hotel safe, your pocket, wallet), keeping a copy of your passport in case it’s lost or stolen and using a moneybelt instead of a purse. Plus, simply appearing confident instead of unsure can go a long way in avoiding danger. I also suggest when women first arrive at their destination that they take a guided walking tour to get acclimated, to learn where things are and to get a feel for the culture. It’s also important to dress appropriately for the country; conservative is always better and ensures you can gain admittance to attractions that may require a standard of dress. That said, here are some of my favorite places in the world where women can feel comfortable traveling solo:

Beach March 21, 2018

9 beautiful tree house hotels

Did you spend all your time in your tree house as a kid? Or were you brokenhearted because you never had one? Well, these nine gorgeous hotels can turn your childish tree house fantasies into grown-up realities. These rustic-luxe (or just luxe) tree-house-style bungalows will let you live among the birds (and, in some cases, monkeys). Who says you have to give up on your childhood dreams?

Budget Travel March 21, 2018

America's best national park campgrounds

There’s no magic formula to finding the perfect national park campground. But with 59 parks to choose from spread across wildly different terrains, there’s certainly one to suit every taste. You might be the kind of traveler who values proximity to the action, who wants to roll out of your tent and be within immediate hiking distance of waterfalls, canyons, geysers and mountain trails. Or maybe you’re heading to the parks with one very specific goal in mind: to catch a trout, to see a wolf, to spy a rare kind of bird only found in these parts, to summit the tallest mountain. Perhaps you’re a more seasoned camper who has already checked off every national park bucket list item and simply wants to find seclusion, privacy, peace and quiet. Or, then again, maybe you’re brand new to the world of camping and you wouldn’t settle for anything less than the relative luxury of a newly renovated cabin or cottage. The truth is, finding the best campgrounds is more of an art than a science. From Alaska to the Virgin Islands, Hawaii to Maine, we’ve collected some of our favorites. And we think we’ve hit the sweet spot—between rugged and comfortable, between off-the-beaten-path and accessible, between popular and underexplored. One goal we always had in mind was to find those campgrounds that best deliver on the promise of the particular national park. If we’re looking for a place to stay in the Grand Canyon, for example, we want canyon views. If we’re pitching a tent in Denali, why not do so in the shadow of the park’s namesake peak? And at a place like Hawaii Volcanoes, we want to be as close to the geological action as possible. Be sure to tell us if we’ve missed one of your favorites. Or perhaps you’re one of those happy campers who wants to keep your hidden gem truly hidden.

Forests March 21, 2018

5 stunning new UNESCO World Heritage Sites

This week marks the second and final week of deliberations for the 37th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee. So far, the committee has added 19 new locations to its list of World Heritage Sites.  Held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from June 16 to 27, the commission has selected a list of new inscriptions that span the globe, ranging from the Namib Sand Sea in Namibia to historic monuments in Kaesong, North Korea. "These valuable cultural relics are the pride of our nation, and they are precious cultural relics that show the long history of our nation," Kim Jin Sok, a researcher at Kaesong City Management Office for Preserving National Heritage, told The Associated Press. With these valuable cultural relics in mind, we have selected five stunning locations from the 14 manmade sites and five natural landmarks that have recently been added to the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Africa March 21, 2018

World's top 5 best off-road routes for seeing wildlife

Whether it’s watching iguanas sunning on rocks in the Galapagos or catching a glimpse of the rarely-spotted quetzal in Panama, spotting wildlife on a vacation can be a welcome surprise and may even be an unexpected highlight. When we venture in the open air -- by biking or by hiking -- into a destination, we often find ourselves face to face with some magnificent creatures. The noise of cars is long gone on a highway somewhere and the resulting quiet encourages animals of all kinds to reveal themselves if only for a moment. Here are 5 of the best off-road routes around the world that we’ve found for spotting wildlife great and small:  

North America March 21, 2018

40 day hikes to do this summer

In its simplest definition, a day hike is a wilderness walk you can complete in a single day. That means you can go fast and light, unencumbered by tent, sleeping bags, cooking pots and other trappings of overnight camping. It's a short, glorious booster shot of nature to tide you over through yet another work week. And, at its best, a day hike gets straight to the essence of the place. It takes you inside the canyon, beneath the waterfall and delivers you straight to the wildflower-strewn clearing at the mountain's peak. We've rounded up a collection of some of the greatest day hikes in a nation that's crisscrossed by tens of thousands of miles of trails. To be fair, we picked 20 in the East and 20 out West (OK, we cheated—three are up in Canada, another country spanned by untrammeled wilderness and chockfull of trails).  For the most part, the West—with its high altitudes, rugged peaks and generally chill, outdoorsy vibe—has quietly claimed the reputation of quintessential hiking milieu. But for those who would write off everything east of the Mississippi, the seemingly endless wilderness stretches along the Ozark Highlands, North Country Scenic Trail and Appalachians have some surprises in store. There are miles of quiet singletrack trails, panoramic views and majestic peaks. The hikes we've chosen include national parks gems, as well as more than a few you've never heard of. They run the gamut from easy, two-hour jaunts among wildflower glades and berry thickets to all-day, hope-you-brought-a-headlamp slogs that serve as one-day highlight reels for entire mountain ranges. So, whether you're an expert or a first-timer, we've got the day hike for you. Not sure how to judge your time out on the trail? First of all, know yourself and the rest of your hiking party—a group is only as fast as its slowest member. Next, apply Naismith's Rule, an old rule of thumb for judging hiking time that was developed in the 1800s by Scottish mountaineer W. Naismith. It's as simple as this: Add one hour for every three miles covered. Add at least an additional 30 minutes for every 1,000 feet you'll ascend and, in steep terrain, the same for every 1,000 you descend (I know it sounds crazy, but it usually takes roughly the same amount of time coming down).  Also, understand that Naismith was an old-school badass, who probably strode easily over almost any terrain, and that Scotland is, for the most part, very open, unbroken terrain. If you're hiking over tricky territory, it'll take you more time. With enough practice, you can come to know your hiking speed and more accurately judge future hikes.

AIR AND SPACE March 21, 2018

Top destinations for science geeks

Lovers of science, listen up: If you’re tired with the same hum-drum science museums filled with dusty models of the planets and boring films of volcanos on a continuous loop, there are a host of amazing places were you can see –up close --wondrous natural and scientific discoveries sure to spark the Einstein in you. Quench your thirst for all things scientific with a trip to one (or all) of these fascinating and noteworthy destinations.    

Hotels March 21, 2018

World's top 7 eco-friendly resorts

From handcrafted driftwood bungalows in Indonesia to remote rain forest lodges in Peru, National Geographic has circled the globe in search of the world's best eco-friendly resorts. 

Budget Travel March 21, 2018

13 beautiful natural swimming holes around the U.S.

It's almost summer, and we'll bet you want to go swimming. Lucky you, we found natural spots—gentle waterfalls, deep swimming holes, lazy rivers—where you can relax with a dip.