Sign up for our newsletter for travel ideas, deals & inspiration.
Iceland: Top 10 Surprises
Several things surprised me about my first trip to Iceland! Here are a few to keep in mind if you plan a trip.
Stay in Iceland’s Converted Water Tower
A family turned an old water tower in Iceland into a three-story home. The results are unbelievable!
Explore Iceland’s Retreating Glaciers
Katla is a sub-glacier volcano in southern Iceland, which is overdue for an eruption. Over the course of history, Katla has erupted every 40 to 60 years. It’s now been more than 100 years since its last.
From the small southern city of Vik, you can take a tour of the retreating glacier, which covers the sleeping volcano.
Driving in Iceland: 10 Things to Know
Driving around Iceland was a pleasure, but here are 10 things I wish I’d known before renting my car.
Iceland’s Remote Cabins
Iceland’s “Ring Road” circles the country. The cabins you can rent in remote areas had me wondering: who runs them, where the food comes from, and more!
Stay at this Historic French Mansion
Peek inside this 18th century building, turned into a series of full-floor flats you can rent in Caen, France.
Paris on a Budget: 10 Thrifty Tips
You don’t have to spend a fortune to experience the best of what Paris has to offer! These are tips I’ve gathered over the years, and the advice I give to family and friends who visit France.
How to spend one day in Paris
Depending on your flight path, you may end up with a day-long layover in Paris! Here’s a guide to hitting all the must-see sites in just a few hours.
Pollution in paradise, and the new efforts to clean it up
For tourists looking for more “purposeful travel,” Hawaii hotels offer a variety of environmentally-focused programs designed to educate visitors.
New rules: international travelers need to get boosted
Vaccination requirements keep changing for American tourists heading to Europe, with many countries adding booster requirements. At this point, I wouldn’t advise taking an international trip without being boosted.
Hawaii’s beautiful “rainbow” trees: pretty, but problematic
These stunning Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees were brought to Hawaii with good intentions. Less than a century after the first few were planted, they’re doing more harm than good.
These “rain-maker” trees saved a Hawaiian island
On the Hawaiian island of Lanai, I was fascinated by the perfectly-shaped pine trees which line the highways and streets in town.
It turns out, they’re more than interesting landscaping. They’re key to life on the island!
Explore Hawaii’s Shipwreck Beach
The Hawaiian island of Lanai is home to a series of shipwrecks in the reef off the northeastern shore. The main one, still lodged in the reef 70 years after it grounded, is a World War II-era tanker.
Maui’s “secret” Red Sand Beach on the Road to Hana
Kaihalulu Beach, known as the Red Sand Beach, is one of the stops on Maui’s “Road to Hana,” which is no longer a “secret.” The bright blue ocean water contrasts in a striking way against the crimson sand and cliffs, which were once a volcanic cone.
Oil and Water: An odd find in Utah
We were lured to this spot by the colors and textures in the rotting wood and rusted nails of what we thought was an old boat dock in a now dry section of the Great Salt Lake. The story behind this site was far more interesting!
Drought reveals Spiral Jetty public art
An artist created a spiral rock formation on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake, known as the Spiral Jetty, which has changed along with the environment over 50 years.
Is it safe to visit Cancun?
After a string of violence in the resort towns of Tulum and Cancun, Mexico is deploying the National Guard as part of what they’re calling a “Tourist Security Battalion.”
“There must be more than this provincial life…”
The medieval towns of Ribeauville and Riquewihr in the Alsace region of France inspired the village where Belle lived in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
Explore the Spanish castle you can live in
Tossa de Mar is the only medieval walled-off town along Spain’s Costa Brava. Walking the cobblestone streets inside the walled area, you certainly feel like you’re inside a castle. Tossa is just 90 minutes from Barcelona, and home to beautiful Mediterranean beaches and hiking trails.