Hike the Dusty Desert of Big Bend National Park in Texas

This sparse desert landscape of Big Bend National Park in Texas is punctured in the middle by the rugged Chisos Mountains. At its base, Big Bend is cupped by three canyons with walls towering over a thousand feet in a great bend of the Rio Grande river—comparable in size to the state of Rhode Island or the Grand Canyon. In Big Bend National Park there are as many shades of brown as there are colours in the rainbow. And it is where I began my drive north on U.S. Highway 385. Hiking is one of the most popular activities in Big Bend National Park, and with almost 400,000 annual visitors, it is possible to spend the whole day in Big Bend National Park and not ...

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Watch Lava Flow at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Witness the amazing forces of nature, and some of the newest land surrounding visitors in every part of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This land is in the form of blackened, desolate landscapes that resemble the moon more than the tropical images associated with Hawaii. And that difference makes it all that much more stunning and impressive. There are also a great many other sites and spectacular experiences throughout the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that make it worth more than just a quick stop on a drive between Hilo and Kona. The Kilauea Iki Crater, for one, was active as recently as 1959. Now it is possible to hike across the 2.5-mile-wide crater and along the rim, witnessing nature reclaiming the earth in the form ...

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Remember a Loved One at the Lantern Floating Hawaii Festival

During the Lantern Floating Hawaii Festival at Honolulu’s Ala Moana Beach Park, thousands of small, floating luminaries cover the bay, heading out to sea with fond messages and remembrances for loved ones who have passed. An estimated 40,000 people are in attendance, residents and visitors alike, to honour their loved ones, as well as others who have passed as a result of troubles though war, disease, and famine, among other things. The Lantern Floating Hawaii Festival first took place on Memorial Day in 1999 at the Keehi Lagoon. It was held there annually for three years before making the move to the Ala Moana Beach Park to better accommodate the growing crowds. The practice of floating a lantern to remember loved ones lost is an ...

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Mauna Kea Stargazing

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Spend a Ghostly Night at Colorado's Stanley Hotel: The Inspiration for Stephen King's Book 'The Shining'

The Stanley Hotel creaks and groans like a hotel built in the early 20th century would. But it isn’t always the crooked doors or the old floorboards that are responsible for this. The Stanley Hotel is one of the most haunted buildings in the world. Several ghosts, from old housekeepers to young children, still call this beautifully refurbished turn-of-the-century building home. And whether you like it or not, you could have an uninvited roommate while spending the night in this charming hotel. Thousands check-in to the Stanley Hotel each year to spend a spooky, sometimes sleepless night. Stephen King, likely the most famous Stanley Hotel guest, was inspired to write his book, The Shining, in just one week after spending a night in the hotel. ...

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Hike the Badlands of South Dakota

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Get a Presidential View at Mt. Rushmore

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Explore the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

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Explore the History of Pearl Harbor

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Be a Part of World Politics at the United Nations

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Trample through Rwandan Jungle to the Mountain Gorillas of the Virungas

The gorillas of Rwanda's Virunga Mountains were thrust into the mainstream and popularized by the Sigourney Weaver film Gorillas in the Mist, which was adapted from gorilla research expert Dian Fossey's book. The critically endangered mountain gorillas of Africa almost became extinct in the same century they were discovered by outsiders. Thanks in large part to the efforts of people like Fossey, it is now possible to personally witness their powerful beauty in the wild. Dian Fossey argued against visitors and the further habituation of the mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, saying that, "Any observer is an intruder in the domain of a wild animal." But the number of mountain gorillas in the wild has drastically multiplied from 242, when Fossey published her ...

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Watch the Sun Set From the Top of the Rockefeller Building

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Wander the Halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

With over two million works of art, it’s possible to wander the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and see little of what's there in one visit. Hell, it’s possible to go to “the Met” several times and still not cover everything in the two-million-square-foot building. What makes it such a great museum to visit, is the amazing galleries and collections; so many, that it’s possible to go again and again for a new experience each and every time. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the most visited museum in the United States, with nearly five million annual visitors, and the third most visited in the world after the Louvre in Paris, and the British Museum in London. It’s quite ...

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Climb to the Statue of Liberty's Crown

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” says a poem by Emma Lazarus in the museum in the base of the Statue of Liberty—a symbol of freedom to many around the world. Millions of people, for many decades, passed by the welcoming beacon as they completed the arduous crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, seeking a better life in the New World on their way to Ellis Island. Today over three million people travel annually to visit the 111-foot-tall copper lady in New York Harbor; but only a handful of that number are allowed to make the climb to her crown.  The Statue of Liberty was designed by Frenchman Frederic Bartholdi as a gift of friendship from the French people. ...

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St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

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Relax the Day Away in the Luxembourg Gardens

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Admire the Historic Views of Paris from the Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is one of Paris’s most well-known monuments. The Arc is easily recognizable as a symbol of Paris, if not of France, as are the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or the Basilica of the Sacre Coeur—to name a few other such icons. The Arc de Triomphe has been seen in countless photographs, films, and described in more than a few books, so there is little wonder why it is so well known, thanks to the fantastic history surrounding the monument. The Arc de Triomphe is the centerpiece to the Place Charles de Gaulle: a massive roundabout at the western end of the famous Champs-Elysees. This is a glamorous, famous street stretching for two kilometers (1.25 miles) from the Arc de Triomphe to ...

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Take a Trip back to the Cold War at the Minuteman Missile Silo

Former U.S. Cold War missileer Craig Manson thinks the preservation of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota is “a most fitting idea because the Cold War dominated the last half of the twentieth century… [and] most of American life, in one way or another, was defined by the Cold War.” The U.S. National Park Service now controls the area, preserving it as the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, standing as a reminder of the dangers faced by a standoff between the Soviet Union and the United States after the Second World War. Following the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) of 1991 by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and American President George H.W. Bush, the launch site and the missile silo, one of 150, ...

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Hike to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park

Hiking to the Delicate Arch in Arches National Park in Utah is an experience not to be missed when in the area. The Delicate Arch trail is one of the most popular hikes, but is not for the faint of heart. As an exposed hike, the summer months and afternoon sun can be blistering hot, but it is well worth it to sit under the Delicate Arch and gaze out over huge expanses of Arches National Park laid bare before you. With no buildings to mar the panorama, it’s an amazing vista to relax and enjoy after a hard slough up the bare rock. The Delicate Arch trek begins innocently enough at the remnants of the John Wesley Wolfe house, a Civil War veteran who ...

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Climb the Devils Tower in Wyoming

The Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, best known from Steven Spielberg’s 1977 hit UFO movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, is becoming an increasingly popular destination with mountain climbers as they descend on the area to ascend a challenging icon. Each year hundreds of climbers scale its almost perpendicular rock walls in an attempt to reach the pinnacle of the column. A stunning 360-degree view of the western side of the Black Hills awaits those up to the test. It’s not for everyone though, especially as American Indian legend has it that a mighty bear couldn’t reach its prey at the top. Several Native American tribes hold the Devils Tower National Monument as sacred, still performing various ceremonies on location each year. The ...

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Explore an Engineering Marvel in the Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is a modern engineering marvel; the arch-gravity dam redistributes the force of nearly 45,000 pounds per square foot of pressure at the base of the dam back onto the Black Canyon's walls. Completed in 1936, two years ahead schedule and decades ahead of its time, the dam literally took an act of Congress - a marvel all its own - to complete. They authorized the project in 1928 after the location had been studied as a site to help prevent floods and produce hydroelectric power. The Hoover Dam - weighing in at 6.6 million tons - is comprised of millions of pounds of materials. The more than five million barrels of cement, 45 millions pounds of reinforced steel, more than 94 million ...

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Bicycle the Châteaux of France's Loire Valley

France’s Loire Valley is a beautiful landscape of historic towns, wineries, and stunning chateaux that recall the days of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment. The area is known as “the Garden of France,” and considered to be the cradle of the French language. The valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that they say is “an exceptional cultural landscape, of great beauty, comprised of historic cities and villages, great architectural monuments - the Châteaux - and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between local populations and their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself." And it is all best seen from the seat of a bicycle. The Loire Valley came to life in the 16th Century as several ...

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Enjoy the Harbor Views from Sydney's Opera House

Sydney, Australia, with a population of nearly five million inhabitants, is one of the world's most fantastic cities. And nowhere is this more evident than looking out across the Sydney Harbor from the architecturally-impressive Sydney Opera House. Located on the south side of the harbor, all of Sydney's most impressive sites are visible from the Sydney Opera House and the nearby Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney. Glimmering in the day's sun, Sydney's skyscrapers cluster on the south side of the harbor. It is the central business district for one of the world's largest cities. It is also home to the oldest dristrict in Australia, the Rocks; just a short walk around the quay from the Sydney Opera House, the Rocks is a perfect place to ...

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Contemplate the Thinker at the Musée Rodin in Paris

The Musee Rodin in Paris is the home of thousands of works of art by Auguste Rodin, a man considered by many to be one of the greatest and most revered artists in history. Undoubtedly his most famous work is a sculpture known as The Thinker. Copies of the work, large and small, are on display elsewhere, but there’s no better place to see the grand work of art than in Rodin’s own hometown of Paris, where he was born in 1840 to a working-class family. It is in Paris where he learned to become an artist, largely self-taught, and it is here, in what was once called the Hotel Biron, that he wished his work to be displayed. The largest collection of Rodin’s drawings ...

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Be Entranced by the Hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park

The hoodoo spires of Bryce Canyon National Park are mesmerizing rock formations in the southwest corner of Utah that attracts visitors from all over the world. Or, as Ebenezer Bryce, the immigrant who settled the land after being sent by the Mormon Church, said, it’s a “helluva place to lose a cow.” The reason why is obvious as the giant spires, some reaching 200 feet (61m) in height, create a stunning panorama painted with various hues of red and orange, punctuated by the dark greens of the ponderosa pines and spruce trees; it is a maze of wonder that’s worth exploring. Designated in 1928, Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, is not a big area at just under 36,000 acres (145.02 km2), but what it ...

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Eat Lunch Ten Stories Down at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

More than 250 million years ago the Carlsbad Caverns of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park were formed as part of a huge inland sea that ran up the middle of what is now the North American continent. They were a part of a massive reef complex that now sits deep under the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert. A winding road wraps around the hills of the mountains in a small valley as it makes its way to the visitor center and entrance to the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Several stops along the way offer an insight into the surrounding ecosystem, and are definitely worth the time to learn more about what so drastically shaped this area during the Permian time in history. ...

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Watch the Wildlife on the Ice of Antarctica

Polar explorer Apsley Cherry-Garrard once said that Antarctic “exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolated way of having a bad time which has been devised.” Since Cherry’s Antarctic exploration in the 1900s a lot has changed; it is now quicker and more comfortable to travel to Antarctica than it ever was in the past. But that’s not to say the element of adventure and exploration is lost as well. It’s quite the contrary actually. Antarctica, the largest desert in the world and the least visited continent, is an inhospitable land surrounded by tumultuous seas that make getting there an adventure all its own. The ships used for transport have been upgraded from the wooden vessels of old to new icebreakers that can push ...

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Thrills & Chills of Antarctic Exploration at the International Antarctic Center

The International Antarctic Center in Christchurch, New Zealand is a fantastic way to experience the thrills and chills of Antarctic exploration without ever going to the land of snow and ice. As Antarctic holidays for many aren’t exactly practical, the Antarctic Center can act as an excellent substitute. With several opportunities to learn and appreciate the continent’s history and environment, the International Antarctic Center makes for a great stop on any trip to the South Island of New Zealand. Names like Shackleton, Scott, and Amundsen, along with so many others, are those explorers who’ve studied Antarctica for both the betterment of science and personal triumph. Life was hard for these men, and survival was questionable, as they spent full winters researching there, sometimes for many ...

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See the American Museum of Natural History Come Alive at Night

The American Museum of Natural History is a must on any visit to New York City. Its great halls receive approximately four million visitors a year; and it’s easy to see why once you set foot inside the Museum and take a look around one of its forty-six permanent exhibition halls. With all the various exhibits to explore, it’s quite easy to spend a full day there and not be bored for a single minute. One of the best experiences here is to follow Ben Stiller’s lead from the Night at the Museum movie, and spend a nocturnal adventure “sleepover” night at the Museum enjoying tours, an IMAX show, and even a flashlight fossil hunt. On the sleepovers, or any other visit to the American ...

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Enjoy a Day in New York City's Central Park

New York City’s Central Park, which has been open since 1859, is the perfect oasis to enjoy a day’s retreat, or even a brief respite, from the asphalt, steel and glass that make up the bulk of the massive metropolitan area. At times, even for a visitor, the crowded city of millions can seem overwhelming and require a bit of a break to enjoy the outdoors and nature. And while there are other parks in the city, even on Manhattan, Central Park has everything a visitor, or even a New Yorker, could want in one spot. Many people flock to New York City for a hefty dose of art and culture. With master artists in buildings like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim ...

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Get Swept Up in Silver Screen Romance on the Empire State Building's Observation Deck

No visit to New York City would be complete without a stop at the Empire State Building's Observation Deck. Presently, it is the third largest skyscraper in the United States (behind the Willis Tower and the Trump Tower in Chicago), and towers over the city almost a quarter of a mile high at 102 floors. The Art Deco designed skyscraper draws an estimated 3.5 million visitors each year to the 86th floor’s observation deck for spectacular views of the surrounding city; Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and the famous Yankee Stadium. Since the Empire State Building Observation Deck was opened in 1931, approximately 110 million people have peered out over picturesque views of New York City. Many visitors are attracted to the ...

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A Night at the Opera, Argentine Style

Upset over the rule of Spain from afar, on May 25, 1810 the citizens of Buenos Aires, Argentina deposed the Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros in the Revolucion de Mayo and took control of the government for themselves. On Libertad Street, 98 years later to the day, a symbol of the people’s independence opened with what is said to be a very memorable performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida. And now, 102 years from when it first opened, and 200 years since the May Revolution, the Teatro Colon - the famous Argentine opera house - is set to reopen after nearly four years of renovation. The classical style of opera, translated as “work” or “labor” in Italian, is enjoyed throughout the world and in many different ...

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Explore Caminito Street's Eccentric Outdoor Gallery

The outdoor gallery of Caminito Street, Buenos Aires is an area reminiscent of the Italian city of Genoa, from which much of the population emigrated, with its brightly painted buildings. The La Boca barrio (neighbourhood) in which Caminito Street is nestled, emits a certain European air, as the people of Caminito have transformed it by brightening the housing projects and surrounding area with vivid colors, splashes of pastel, and other artworks all their own. The Caminito Street outdoor gallery is owned by the residents who created it and continue to develop the 100-meter-long street, named in homage to the popular 1926 tango song of Penalosa and Filiberto. Gentle colors of red, yellow and green wrap the buildings around Caminito Street, and the Tango is openly ...

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Felucca Down the Nile Under the Shadows of the Great Pyramids of Egypt

A cruise down the Nile on a traditional Egyptian felucca (small wooded boat) is a treat that should not be missed in a country awash in historical fortunes. It is quintessential Egypt. Skimming across the surface of the Nile River as the sun sets over the Sahara Desert can create a perfect end to a day full of interesting experiences. The father of modern history, Herodotus, said that Ancient Egypt was the gift of the Nile. Without it, the fertile strip of land that runs through the heart of the country would probably be as dry as the Sahara Desert surrounding it, and the history that existed around it probably never would've happened. But instead, today, it is lined with a great many marvels of ...

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Uncover the Temple of Karnak in the Shifting Sands of Luxor

Perhaps overshadowed by the mainstream popularity of the Great Pyramids of Egypt, a visit to the vast Karnak Temple in Luxor brings you deep into the abode of the Gods. Known as Ipet-isut (the most selected of places), this conglomeration of ruined temples and chapels pays homage to the Theben triad of Gods: Amun, Mut and Khonsu. At 447 miles (721 km) downstream along the Nile River lies the Temple of Karnak, believed to be the second most visited site in Egypt. It’s easy to see why immediately as the temple imposes a grand and stately first impression. The massive open-air complex is filled with huge statues, sphinxes, temples, pylons and impressive hieroglyphics that are sure to wow. For a country that already has such ...

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Abu Simbel, the Temple Named for a Boy

Long ago, in 1274 B.C., there was a great battle in present day Syria for control of the trade routes through the area. As many as 6,000 chariots, more than any other battle in history, and 70,000 men clashed for control, and an untold number were lost. Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II claimed he won a great victory over the Hittite empire, but the true outcome of the battle is uncertain as Kadesh never actually fell. Still though, upon his return, Ramesses commissioned a great temple be built to commemorate what he considered his victory. What is left of that temple sits on what is now known as Lake Nasser; it is called Abu Simbel. A legend tells that over 2,000 years later a local boy ...

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Explore J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth on Mt. Sunday, New Zealand

The film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings novels, directed by Peter Jackson, brought an ardent rush of tourism into New Zealand. When the first movie in the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, was released in movie theatres in 2001, it ignited a general interest in touring film locations. The three movies are filmed entirely in New Zealand, and acted as a silver screen tourism brochure for the country. People began flocking to the various filming locations, spread across the two main islands of the country, in an attempt to further enjoy the Academy Award winning films. One of the more popular of these locations is Mt. Sunday, the film location for the Golden Hall of Edoras. Nestled in the mountains of ...

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Taste the Distinction of Time and Tradition at Bushmills Distillery, Ireland

During the American Revolution, whiskey was used as a form of currency. But it wasn't until the maiden voyage of the S.S. Bushmills in 1890 that the famous Bushmills brand made its debut in the United States from the shores of Ireland. As the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world, the Old Bushmills Distillery has been in operation for more than 400 years, and has built a solid reputation for producing high quality Irish whiskey. As such, in Northern Ireland's Country Antrim, the Bushmills Distillery tour attracts more than 100,000 visitors annually, who come to savour the smooth whiskey and glimpse into the secrets of traditional distilling. The Old Bushmills Distillery was officially licensed by English King James I in 1608. Many believe, despite ...

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Examine Dinosaur Fossils at the Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado

Over the years, the earth’s shifting plates drastically changed the landscape of today’s Rocky Mountain region, and 14,000-foot (4,267 meters) mountains now tower above the land that was once a great sea. Today, the Rocky Mountains, looks nothing like it did 100 million years ago when the land belonged to the dinosaurs who roamed the shores of a sea that extended from the present-day Gulf of Mexico to Canada. What was once a beachfront resort and habitat for dozens of species of dinosaurs, including the great Stegosaurus and Allosaurus, now belongs to present-day tourism in the form of ski resorts and the great Dinosaur National Monument. The dinosaurs no longer walk the ground, but they still remain an imbedded part of the area as fossils ...

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Observe Spectacular Cultural Traditions at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Oahu

The Hawaiian Islands are home to many spectacular cultural experiences and attractions, many of which can be found on the island of Oahu—home to the capital city Honolulu. One of the best cultural experiences, which is also the top paid attraction in the state, is the Oahu Polynesian Cultural Center. Located in Laie on the north side of the Oahu just off the King Kamehameha Highway, the Polynesian Center opened in October of 1963 on 42 beautiful acres of land owned by nearby Brigham Young University. Today, most of the employees are enrolled students raising funds for University scholarships. Since the doors opened more than 30 million people have visited the Polynesian Cultural Center, and that number is quickly growing each year. The Cultural Center ...

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A Sandy Desert High in the Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains are popular for their great ski resorts, but hidden in the Sangre de Cristo range in the southern part of Colorado is a unique experience where you’re more likely to find someone sledding down a sand dune than skiing. Camping, hiking and other such pastimes are also popular in the relatively unknown Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, a gem that struggles to receive 300,000 visitors a year. The Great Sand Dune's distance from the major Front Range towns like Denver and Colorado Springs helps keep it this way, making a visit an excellent experience that can be enjoyed without the hordes that are common at many of the more popular national parks. Located northeast of Alamosa, once a mining supply town ...

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Ride the Trail Ridge Road to the Top of the Colorado Rockies

The summer sun in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado offers some great opportunities for hiking and pristine mountain drives. One of the best driving experiences around happens to run right through and over the mountains in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Trail Ridge Road, also known as U.S. Highway 34, is a scenic drive with incredible views that make for an experience difficult to match. Running 48 miles (77 km) from Estes Park in the east to Grand Lake in the west, Trail Ridge Road traverses the roof of the Rockies as it hits a top elevation of 12,183 feet (3,713 meters) above sea level. U.S. Highway 34 also boasts the title of highest continual highway in the United States. Trail Ridge Road climbs a ...

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Enjoy Elevated Chills at the Ouray Ice Festival

Every January since 1996, international ice climbers have flocked to the Uncompahgre River Valley in southwestern Colorado for the Ouray Ice Festival. Nicknamed "Little Switzerland," the Colorado town of Ouray (you-ray) plays host to a premier ice-climbing gathering at the world's first man-made ice park. Exhibitors and spectators alike come to the Ouray Ice Festival to enjoy and celebrate the art of climbing up a sheer wall of ice (sometimes supplanted with rock, wood and plastic) in the Uncompahgre Gorge. It's an experience unlike any other. Sitting at the other end of the famous Million Dollar Highway from Durango, Ouray is almost equidistant from Denver, Salt Lake City and Albuquerque (all of which are nearly six-hour drives). It once was a booming mining town that ...

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Hatshepsut Temple, Shrine to the Queen that was King

The Luxor area is one of the premiere travel spots in Egypt, home to some of the best historical sights and experiences. There's so much to see and do here, from the Temple of Karnak to the Valley of the Kings, that it's possible to see several enjoyable days go by in the blink of an eye. One of the top attractions in Luxor is the Temple of Hatshepsut, also known as Deir el-Bahri, which is located on the west bank of the famous Nile River opposite the city. A Coptic Christian cemetery is just one of several uses this area has had over the centuries, and includes a mortuary complex for Pharaoh Mentuhotep II who reunited Egypt during the Middle Kingdom. The most notable ...

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Climb the Iconic Spiral of the Guggenheim Museum New York

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is a national historic landmark and a cultural icon. The Guggenheim New York is a work of art in its own right, and one that many come to experience for the great pieces of art it contains. At other nearby museums it's all about the art, but here the story is the building as well. Forget the likes of Picasso, Chagall and Kandinsky; the best experiences are about lounging in the shadow of Wright's beautiful building which overlooks Central Park, and walking down the internal spiral floor-by-floor. Outside, the Guggenheim Museum looks like a squat tornado of sorts, and was designed by Wright as a play on a ziggurat (a type ...

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Kick it in Kaikoura Whale Watching

Whale watching in Kaikoura, New Zealand is truly something special for those fortunate enough to experience it. Kaikoura whale watching is unlike any other whale watching mecca (whether it be Alaska, Baja or Antarctica), and should be celebrated as these huge marine mammals were once hunted near extinction here. Now, instead of hunting the whales, the town thrives on the eco-tourism industry of whale watching. Nestled between a range of the Southern Alps and the vast Pacific Ocean, about 180 km up the road from Christchurch, Kaikoura is now a welcome host to thousands of sperm whales. Cruises, flights and helicopter rides offer amazing Kaikoura whale watching experiences unlike any other, including lots of up-close encounters of these gentle giants, some of which can grow ...

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Explore the Magnificent Ruins of Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Juniper and pinon trees blanket the earth in mountainous southwestern Colorado, an area with spectacular vistas high above sea level. Hiding behind these trees is the Mesa Verde National Park: a jewel in the US National Park Service crown. Recent forest fires have thinned the trees in the area, but the title of “green tableland,” as given by Spanish explorers seeking a route from Santa Fe to California in the 18th century, definitely still fits Mesa Verde Park. While the Park is named for its trees, it’s the ancient cliff dwellings inside that are more the attraction to Mesa Verde National Park. Ancestral Pueblo people inhabited what is now Montezuma County in Colorado around the 7th century. Also known as the Anasazi, a Navajo word ...

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The Mighty Monarch Butterfly Migration

The Monarch butterfly migration “is one of the most significant biological events on this planet,” according to University of Kansas biology professor Chip Taylor. It is an awe-inspiring sight to see thousands, if not millions, of Monarch butterflies come to roost in the Oyamel forests of Mexico and the trees of Southern California. The Monarch butterfly migration route takes these insects thousands of miles from the north, some coming from as far away as Canada, making this migration a beautiful wonder, and one that no other butterfly takes part in. Each winter, as the temperatures drop in the north, the Monarch butterflies migrate south to the warmer climates of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. No bad for an insect that weighs less than a gram. ...

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Savour the Surreal at the Sculpture Gardens of Las Pozas

Las Pozas, which means “The Pools,” is an eccentric and surreal sculpture garden high in the rain forest outside Xilitla, Mexico. English poet and artist Edward James built Las Pozas because he “wanted a Garden of Eden set up,” and what he found on a visit to Los Angeles in the 1940s wasn’t to his liking. Instead, “Mexico was far more romantic,” he explained, and there was “far more room than there (was) in crowded Southern California.” In the lush mountains seven hours north of Mexico City, and about 2,000 feet (610 meters) above sea level, Las Pozas sits on 80 acres (320,000 meters2) that Edward James chose as the ideal location for his Eden. Prior to building the Las Pozas gardens, James planted orchids, ...

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Get a Gush of a Rush at Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park

The Old Faithful geyser is the quintessential Yellowstone National Park experience. It sits at the head of the Upper Geyser Basin, which is home to the majority of the geysers in the Park. Yellowstone on the whole holds more than 60 percent of the geysers in the world, but none more famous than Old Faithful. The Old Faithful geyser, named during an expedition in 1870, shows off the power of nature every 65 to 90 minutes, depending on the length of the previous eruption. An eruption can shoot up to 8,400 gallons (32,000 litres) of water 185 feet (56 metres) high. The internal temperature of the water has been measured at 244°F (118°C), with steam at 350°F. Old Faithful erupts about twenty times a day, ...

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Behold the Beautiful Bacteria of The Morning Glory Pool in Yellowstone National Park

There's so much to see and do in Yellowstone National Park, which is bigger than the states of Delaware or Rhode Island, that it would be easy to spend a week there and still not see it all. If you don't have a week, then some of the best experiences can be found in the Upper Geyser Basin in the southwest corner of the Park. All of the geysers, pools and wildlife make it a truly unique place to visit. One of the more popular sites in Yellowstone is the Morning Glory Pool, which sits at the end of a boardwalk trail that easily meanders throughout the geyser basin. The trail to the Morning Glory Pool begins near the parking and lodging area for the ...

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Get Apocalyptic at Mexico's Uxmal

The Yucatan Peninsula is commonly considered and visited for the warm beaches around places like Cozumel, Cancun, and Playa del Carmen. They’re great getaways that draw the sun worshipers looking to unwind, relax and have some fun; but it’s not all about the sand and surf. Visitors to the area can also explore ancient city ruins of the once powerful Mayans: a civilization that ruled a large chunk of present-day Mexico and Central America for thousands of years. The most popular of these sites is the nearby Chichen Itza; but just a bit further down the road sits its impressive cousin: Uxmal (Oosh-mahl)— an interesting and less crowded experience. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Uxmal, which is Mayan for “built three times,” is believed ...

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Feel the Cool Breeze Sweep Over You at the Cairo Citadel

The Citadel in Cairo, Egypt was built by military genius Saladin, a man who retook the Holy Land from the Crusaders, as a means to protect and unite the cities of Cairo and Fustat. Saladin planned to build a massive wall around the two cities, using the Citadel as its centerpiece, but was unable to complete it before he died in Syria in 1193 A.D. The huge wall was ultimately finished in 1238 A.D. with the Cairo Citadel prominently set on Muqattam Hill, overlooking the city. Saladin knew the hill was a great strategic location as it offered a commanding vantage point of the surrounding area, but it was also endowed with another powerful gift, wind. It was here, long before the wall or the ...

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Tango the Night Away in Buenos Aires

The Tango has many forms, from various national styles to ballroom and street styles. But no matter where it’s performed, the Tango is a very beautiful and sensual dance. The legs kick, the hips twist, hands slide over skin, it is an intimate experience shared between partners as they glide across the dance floor. And to Tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that floor can sometimes be a street where crowds will gather in voyeuristic marvel at the lithe rhythmic movements of a dance couple. Argentina is where Tango was developed, in the lower class districts and brothels of the 19th Century; the neighborhoods being predominantly Spanish and Italian in origin, like the La Boca area around Caminito Street. This is why Tango, and the music ...

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