ArcaMax

Jim Farber

They call themselves birders, and they come in almost as many varieties as the avian species they find so fascinating. There are the most serious, the semi-scientific birders who take part in highly coordinated documentation research and tracking. Their favorite app is eBIRD, where every day's (and night's) sightings can be ...Read more

By Jim Farber

Cambria, on California's Central Coast, is one of those special destinations. It offers a spectacular coastline with an abundance of cliff-side trails, verdant hills and valleys ideal for cattle ranching, vineyards and open-air landscape painting.

Architecturally Cambria features a remarkable collection of original 19th-...Read more

By Margot Black

Vancouver, situated on the west coast of Canada, is a stunning city with a diverse range of experiences to offer. It's a place that perfectly blends city living with easy access to the outdoors, making it an ideal destination for an international family getaway. Many activities and attractions here are suitable for ...Read more

By Victor Block

When John and Betty Price thought about taking a vacation with a tour company, they decided to do some good while they enjoyed themselves. They searched the internet for firms that offer inviting excursions, value and an opportunity to give back in various ways to the destinations they visited.

Overseas Adventure Travel,...Read more

By Lesley Frederikson

It was my brother-in-law's idea to stay in Gamla Stan for a few days during a family pilgrimage to Sweden. This old-town neighborhood of Stockholm seemed like a good place to dip into Swedish history and get a flavor for the old ways. Narrow cobblestone streets led us to our rented apartment, a 500-year-old ...Read more

By Margot Black

On our European holiday, we focused on three exceptional destinations designated in the renowned "Best of the Alps" collection: Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps, the Kitzbuhel Alps in Austria and Cortina in the Italian Alps. The local villages and towns in the collection are slightly off the beaten path, but we...Read more

By Robert Selwitz

Home to more than 26 million and increasingly popular with visitors who travel long distances to get there, Australia is the world's smallest continent and sixth largest nation in area. Whether visitors have come to start or finish a cruise, are heading off to explore the Great Barrier Reef or look for encounters with ...Read more

By Victor Block

In the 1750s, some colonists in New Jersey complained about being forced to house British soldiers who were fighting in the French and Indian War. That conflict pitted Great Britain against France for control of areas of the New World. In an effort to placate the settlers, a stone structure was built in 1758 to serve as ...Read more

By Lesley Frederikson

My husband and I recently had an opportunity to spend a long weekend in the city of Fair Winds in Argentina, Buenos Aires. This current name is an abbreviation of the city's original name, Ciudad de Nuestra Senora Santa Maria del Buen Ayre by Spanish explorers who recognized the fresh air in the original malaria-...Read more

By Victor Block

Some people love to climb soaring mountains, pedal an off-road bicycle over challenging terrain or venture into ocean caves that have lured divers to their deaths. More, however, prefer a gentle stroll through inviting scenery, steering a bike along flat paths or snorkeling to watch fish swimming below the surface.

Soft ...Read more

By Carl H. Larsen

It could be the most famous gavel in American political history. Drawing the attention of millions around the world, its commanding slap 50 years ago during the Watergate hearings signaled a constitutional crisis that ultimately would lead to the downfall of a president and raise questions on the allowed scope of ...Read more

By Victor Block

In Oregon people walk behind it. In Utah visitors swim below it. Folks in West Virginia follow a driving trail that leads to 29 of more than 200 that are scattered about the state. The goal of these nature lovers is waterfalls, and their pursuit even has a name. "Waterfalling" is a fast-growing activity among those who ...Read more

By Fyllis Hockman

Walking along the Fort Myers Yacht Basin in the center of the city, you would never know that several months ago it was littered with boats and destruction -- havoc wreaked by Hurricane Ian. The feeling of calm felt almost eerie as I remembered the horrific TV images of months past.

Lee County's Fort Myers and Bonita ...Read more

By Robert Selwitz

Among multiple choices one can use to navigate the Down Under countries of Australia and New Zealand is a 14-day cruise aboard Holland America Line's 1,918-passenger Noordam that my wife and I found to be a most comfortable option.

Arriving several days early in Auckland gave us time to explore New Zealand's most ...Read more

By Victor Block

In 1944, German warships sailed down the Danube River in an attempt to flee from advancing forces of the Soviet Union. That effort to escape failed, and many of the vessels plunged to their final resting place at the bottom of the waterway. Recently they have reappeared to serve as reminders of that chapter of military ...Read more

By Lesley Frederikson

In Iceland for just a few days en route to Sweden, my husband and I had limited time to explore, so we booked a round-robin excursion near Reykjavik called the Golden Tour. This popular route visits myriad geologic formations that created this island nation, where tourism has surpassed fishing as the main industry. ...Read more

By Lesley Frederikson

When I began to help my husband plan a family pilgrimage to a small village in Sweden 300 miles south of Stockholm, I wasn't sure what we would do beyond a visit to the local cemetery to make rubbings of his grandparents' graves. What I soon learned is that Granna, Sweden, is a quaint holiday destination with plenty...Read more

By Athena Lucero

On a summer evening after attending an exhibition at the Laguna Art Museum, my artist daughter and I walked the serene streets of Laguna Village. A grace to this town stood out from the atmosphere of other Southern California beach towns: art galleries on just about every block, a 1923 Craftsman home turned popular ...Read more

By Victor Block

When they're not partying or parading, visitors to New Orleans can enter a setting where they feel like Lilliputians in a land of giants. Some people who go to Pennsylvania immerse themselves in a chocolate-lover's dream world. For travelers to Arizona, descending into a once-thriving silver mine brings back the glory -- ...Read more