If you fancy yourself a nature lover, there’s a habitat for elephant seals along the California coast that you won't want to miss.  About a bit over an hour south of San Francisco near Pescadero, during the December-to-March mating season, there are docent led nature walks at Año Nuevo State Park, where you can learn all about the habits and habitats of one of…

When we travel the world, we come face to face with history, some grand, and some that we would wish away if we could. This article is about the great stain on European history referred to as the Holocaust. There are many recorded stories about Holocaust horrors, and you may not be familiar with this one…

"The Blarney Stone," is also known as "The Stone of Eloquence," and it is both a legend and fact. If you have wondered about the location of this fabled icon, the answer is to be found atop the 12-foot thick walls of the bleak and eerie ruins of the magnificent Blarney Castle near Cork, Ireland. Come along and join our quest.

In early 15th…

A cruise to Spain on Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam showed us there are many contemporary reasons to consider the ancient city of Valencia as a top-notch…

On our last cruise we were delighted to meet a number of first-time cruisers in their 70s and 80s.

When they heard we were travel photojournalists, they were more than willing to offer opinions and comments that helped form the foundation for this article, which we dedicate…

After writing scores of articles about ocean cruises, we decided to see what motivates vacationers to take European river cruises. We are glad we did.

So Much to Choose From

There are endless selections of river cruise itineraries on the internet, so we sought the…

Established in the 7th century A.D., the ancient and scenic port city of Dubrovnik lies in the southernmost part of the Republic of Croatia, - almost directly across the Adriatic Sea from the "spur" in the boot of Italy. It is a beautiful city of colorful red-topped tile roofs and cobblestone streets, all of…

Much of the Oregon coast consists of miles and miles of beautiful sandy beaches, which may be exactly what you are looking for if you seek total relaxation.

However, if you crave excitement, check out the wild 40 miles of rocky shoreline that begins in the north at Waldport, Oregon and zigzags south along curvy Highway…

The USS Arizona Memorial is a national monument honoring those who served in the Pacific theater during and after the Japanese naval assault on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The memorial structure is built on and directly over the rusted remains of the sunken battleship USS Arizona. This is the final resting place of 1,177 Americans killed when a bomb penetrated the deck…

Few public inns in the United States can boast the patriotic pedigree of the Thayer Hotel at West Point, in New York State's Hudson Valley.

We paid a visit to the award winning Thayer Hotel during the holiday season, and felt it especially appropriate to write about this unique hotel on Veterans Day, when we honor the members of the…

The next time you are in Honolulu, make it a point to experience this unique site. Take a short drive up the Pali (Cliff) Highway to one of Hawaii’s most scenic points – the Nuuanu Pali Lookout.

This vantage point oversees Oahu’s lush and panoramic windward coast. The location was…

Steeped in history and culture, and surrounded by picturesque forested islands, towering mountains, a distant volcano, and soaring eagles – Sitka is what most tourists imagine when they think of Alaska’s natural wonders.

Founded by Russian explorers in the 18th century, this town (once…

The famous San Francisco sea lions that occupy prime dock space on Pier 39 first appeared there shortly after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Then in 2009, they mysteriously disappeared for three months. Where did they go? 



Oregonians believe that the celebrity sea lions…

The "Other Down Under" destination of New Zealand is on the bucket lists of many Americans -- and justly so. Problem is, New Zealand is a long way from anywhere U.S.A. Consequently, most tourists want to see as much as possible on their first visit. Our suggestion for an orientation trip to New Zealand – book a cruise.

The Rationale

A cruise will visit several ports on the two islands of New Zealand, which is a great way to get a taste of the entire…

The name “Jim Thorpe” may no longer be a household name in the United States, but in the early 1900s there was nary a child or sports fan that did not know of his legendary sports achievements.

Enrolled in the Carlyle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania in 1904, the Sac and Fox Native American from…

We love off-season travel because of the reduced crowds and bargain accommodation rates. Last winter we drove from San Francisco to the town of Mendocino to attend its annual Crab, Wine & Beer Days – a fun family experience – especially if you savor the taste of freshly cooked Dungeness crab.

Getting to Mendocino

Starting at San…

Our favorite travel season is upon us. The summer heat has ebbed, the kids are back in school, traffic is a bit more tolerable, and most lodgings are dropping their prices in anticipation of winter. Best of all, the leaves are putting on their autumnal extravaganza of color. This is an exceptionally rewarding time to visit New England.



We are particularly fond…

We were making an autumnal writing swing through New England and the surrounding states, visiting some of the regions finest B&Bs and resorts. A week or so into our trip, we hit a nor'easter just outside Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and found that a few days in a storm can be great fun – if you happen to be staying at the…

Historic Saratoga Springs in upstate New York is a fun place to visit any time of year. However, there’s a special excitement in the air with the approach of another annual opening day at the historic Saratoga Race Course – the oldest thoroughbred racetrack in America.

Health, History, Horses

That’s Saratoga’s slogan.…

If you were lucky, you went to a terrific summer camp when you were a kid. Well, now you are all grown up, and your luck is holding up – because we have found the adult luxury equivalent of your bygone summers. So come with us and relive those halcyon days of yesteryear at the Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pennsylvania.



A Region of Kids' Camps…