ArcaMax

Pedaling along the boardwalk to the rhythmic whoosh of the breaking waves, first on a tricycle and then on a bike, is among my favorite childhood memories. And boardwalks still make me happy. They add fun to the classic American idyll of sun, sand and sea. Two of my favorite East Coast boardwalks unfurl in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Miami ...Read more

Walking home to our apartment in Venice, we shared a wave through the window with the owner of Baba, our local osteria. When we left for a day of sightseeing, a cup of my favorite pistachio gelato awaited me, despite the early hour. Later, at the Bar Dugole, we relaxed after a day of sightseeing and ordered the regular: vodka for my husband and ...Read more

Visitors to the high California hills of Calaveras County during the third weekend in May have quite a treat in store. This is when Frogtown, USA, comes to life with the annual Calaveras County Fair and Frog Jump Jubilee.

Mark Twain put Calaveras County on the literary map with his 1867 essay, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." ...Read more

A historic mansion in New Jersey, once a private home for Moroccan royalty, today is a luxurious hotel. People visiting two sites in Portland, Oregon, might imagine that they have been transported to Asia. Guests at a deluxe resort in Tennessee awaken to watch the sun rise over the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The charms of these ...Read more

I stood frozen with fear, unable to move. The terrifying image drew closer, his curved sword swinging wildly. Just as he seemed about to separate my head from my body, I snapped back to reality, left my all-too-real daydream about the pirate Blackbeard behind and moved on to the next exhibit in the museum.

This dramatic -- if somewhat grisly --...Read more

Rarely is the word "funky" used to describe an entire town, but welcome to Goodland, Florida -- all six blocks of it. Founded in the 1800s, this tiny town sits right outside a tiny harbor. A ride around the neighborhood reveals large and colorful dolphin, swordfish and flamingo mailboxes that entertain enroute. As if this weren't fun enough to ...Read more

My 11-day road trip down Baja was full of sightseeing and new memories. I went with my dad and family friends who drove us in their SUV from our home in San Diego. This would be my big summer trip before starting eighth grade.

After we crossed the border, the trip began with a stop at Rosarito to convert our dollars to pesos. Then it was on to ...Read more

When I'm heading out on a last-minute travel assignment, my go-bag is always road-trip ready so that I can leave on short notice. Here are some essentials I keep packed that serve me well on the journey and at my destination, no matter where the drive takes me.

Food first! I try to avoid the temptation of drive-throughs and truck-stop gas-...Read more

"Aren't you going to be bored?" my brother Mark (yet to take his first ocean cruise) asked me. I had just told him that my husband Carl and I had booked an 18-day round-trip cruise on the Holland America Line Koningsdam from our San Diego hometown to five Hawaiian stops (and one in Ensenada, Mexico): Honolulu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; Kahului, Maui; ...Read more

Have you noticed paintings, sculptures or murals at airports? If you are usually rushing to get to your gate, probably not. After all, many travelers don't think of airports as art galleries, but in some cases they are.

For decades, art programs at airports around the country and the world have transformed once-unadorned transit hubs into ...Read more

In spring, Washington, D.C., dazzles. That's when more than 2,500 cherry trees pop into bloom at the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. The flowers frame the Jefferson Memorial, fringing the artificial reservoir with a lush ribbon of pink and white that's subtly reflected in the water. The famous site is bucket-list beautiful. Plus, the National ...Read more

If any city gives meaning to the word "eclectic," it is Baltimore, Maryland. Are you interested in American history? Do you enjoy visiting museums? Does a wonderful waterfront setting have appeal? Baltimore has you covered.

Over the years, it has been known by a variety of nicknames, all of which are applicable. They include the Monumental City...Read more

When I heard that you could spend from dawn to dusk on the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and never get bored, I decided to take the challenge. It turns out they were right: The Malecon is a 1-mile delight in so many different ways as to make any number of hours pass quickly.

Morning begins at the Hotel Rosita, built in 1948 and the oldest...Read more

I grew up as an avid atlas and encyclopedia reader, poring over the pages during those pre-digital days, immersed in the mapped landscapes of distant lands from my tiny village in England, daydreaming of future globetrotting adventures and eager to educate myself about colorful foreign cultures.

When the pandemic made my world feel small, ...Read more

When the guide stopped our teak wagon to pull a ripe cacao fruit from its branch and break it open against a palm tree for us to taste, I knew Belize was my new favorite escape from our icy Midwest home. Juice of a sweet passion fruit dribbled down my chin, and the lingering tingle of green peppercorns I'd nibbled right off the branch still ...Read more

rom the top of El Castillo, the tallest Mayan ruin at Xunantunich and second-largest man-made structure in Belize, I could see forever, and it took my breath away. Our guide called out to my husband, who was waiting in the plaza far below with a voice that bounced and echoed off the other buildings around us. We had clambered up the ruin, using ...Read more

I was delighted when my husband and I received Betty's invitation for a picnic lunch at the Sunset in the Palms Resort in Negril, Jamaica. The setting was lush, the food and wine enticing. Conversation, though, was a tad strained. Betty was there with her kids, and it was hard for her to attend to them and focus on her guests at the same time. ...Read more

This time of the year is the perfect time to visit San Diego -- and not just for the sublime weather, beaches, award-winning craft breweries (there are more than 150) and world-class attractions that include the San Diego Zoo. Winter is also a perfect time to browse through the city's many museums.

While I'm here for the mainstay museums of ...Read more

By Victor Block

Talk about hometown pride! When I asked a grizzled waterman who lives on Smith Island, Maryland, if he would like to accompany me to one of the other nearby villages, he replied, "Nope, I've been there."

While the twinkle in his eyes suggested he wasn't serious about the reason for his decision, the fact is that ...Read more

By Victor Block

Trains chug through a town where children are enjoying swings and seesaws in a playground, musicians in a bandstand are playing their instruments and a dog chases a mailman who is making his rounds. Other workers are sawing logs, a fire truck is responding to a call for assistance and hot-air balloons are hovering over ...Read more