Overshadowed by its geological neighbors, Horseshoe Bend does not receive the attention it deserves as a nature lover’s dream. Less than two hours away is the magnificent Grand Canyon while just 15 minutes away is the world’s most famous slot canyon, Antelope Canyon. If you are in the area, don’t stop your visit to Arizona at these locations. Take a trip to Horseshoe Bend, the
I have come to discover that hiking and ebiking are both great ways to get in a workout and decrease the many risks of heart disease that many Americans are prone to with our diet. Plus, these type of activities can get you outside and into the great outdoors. Sometimes I don’t spend enough time outside! Also, I don’t know about you, but getting outside
Are you ready to escape? As many of you know, I just completed a breathtaking ebiking ride through Utah, visiting St. George, Snow Canyon, Dixie National Forest, Bryce Canyon, and ultimately Zion National Park. It was exhilarating and honestly, when I heard about this trip, I wasn’t even sure I could do it physically. I mean, who can ride 25-45 miles a day on a bicycle and
Antelope Canyon should be named the best canyon to visit in Arizona (OK, maybe second best)! You certainly know of the Grand Canyon in Arizona because of its grandeur. But don’t stop your visit in Arizona at the Grand Canyon. Take a trip to Antelope Canyon, the most popular slot canyon in the world! It is merely a few hours drive from the Grand Canyon’s
Well, there is a first time for everything. And on the agenda for this day that I was in Guayana was this: Pirana Fishing, it was staring me in the face, as I fumbled through the itinerary. I have been out of my comfort zone before, so here we go...Pirana fish are known to quickly devour any small morsel that falls into its muddy water
Let me be the first to admit that this travel experience was a little out of my comfort zone. But nonetheless, at a jungle lodge in Guyana is where the simple rugged life of the Amazon River Basin and South American Rainforest began for me. From the hustle and bustle of Georgetown, the capital city of Guyana, to the howling of the Guyanese Red Howler
A little-known gem hiding in the South American Rainforest is Kaieteur Falls. It ranks towards the top of the list for waterfalls around the world in a number of categories. It is the tallest single drop waterfall in the world at 741 feet. When combined with the steep cascades to the bedrock below, the total height of the waterfalls comes out to 822 feet. Although
In the northern part of Ukraine lies the small village of Pripyat, not too far from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near the Ukrainian border with Belarus. Chernobyl is located roughly 65 miles from the country’s capital, Kiev. Unfortunately, Pripyat was close to the site of this terrible nuclear accident in April of 1986 known as the “Chernobyl disaster”. This horrific nuclear accident took the
An area that is 16 percent larger than the contiguous United States, the Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert on planet earth. The Arabic word “Sahara” literally translates to “the Great Desert” and it truly is as it stretches over 3.5 million square miles (9.2 million sq km) across northern Africa. The desert region is incorporated into the territories of 11 African nations, each
Picture yourself in one of the over 17,000 islands in the Republic of Indonesia. One of the most notable and particularly interesting islands is known as the habitat of the Komodo dragon. It is the largest lizard on earth and known as Komodo Island. But no need to worry, the Komodo dragon is not the only species roaming around the island. There are over 2,000 people
Autumn is almost here which means that Aurora B. will be popping her green head in the nighttime sky. Who is Aurora B.? She is better known as Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights. And she a sight worth waiting for! She may be taking her time to get here, but the most comfortable place to see her is in the warm lounge of the
By Diego Maloney In what has become a worldwide phenomenon, Havasu Falls is the place to be if you love hiking, camping, and nature. The birth of the internet has also helped to boost its popularity (almost too much but we will discuss that later) making it one of the most famous hiking destinations in the United States. Located in northwestern Arizona, Havasu Falls is
By Diego Maloney There is a lot to see this summer in the American West. You can take a trip to some amazing American attractions in and around the West Coast with ease. The places I visited that I will highlight here have a lot of history to offer, some as many as 40 million years! The rocky landscapes that stretch for thousands of miles
I wake before dawn with anticipation of the day that is to follow. After all, it’s not every day you get to visit a remote tropical island with a moat-encircled abandoned fort: Fort Jefferson! My eyelids are matted and stuck to each other as I roll over again and push the alarm. This was after a night out with some crazy restaurateurs from Key West
Ruidoso New Mexico is a great escape for an outdoor adventure-filled vacation that not that many people know about outside of the state of New Mexico (I call this “unique and off-the-beaten-path”). This makes it more pristine and less crowded, so for me, that makes it an even more desirable place to visit! Discovering it tucked away in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico will
Dude Ranch Colorado: As a little kid, did you ever dream of growing up to be a cowboy or cowgirl in Colorado? For most, this dream gets put on the back burner and other dreams get pursued. But now you can actually fulfill this dream and see what it feels to be a real cowboy or cowgirl for a week! How will you do that?
There is something special about Lithuania, one of the old Soviet Union countries. If you haven't been here yet, you really should put it on your bucket list. Not too far from the capital city of Vilnius is a lake resort and historic town built on water known as Trakai. It is one of the most impressive cities outside of Vilnius. This town is surrounded
Have you ever thought about taking an outdoor adventures trip to Colorado Springs to unplug? Sometimes I think as a society we are so plugged in (24/7) that we often forget that we need to recharge our lives. With everything from nonstop social media and cell phone texts to 24-hour news, video games, and a constant stream of information coming our way, I think people
During my recent trip to Oaxaca City, Mexico, I had a chance to visit a natural site not too far out of the city called Hierve el Agua, Oaxaca. It is a petrified waterfall in the small municipality of San Lorenzo Albarradas. It literally seems to be in the middle of nowhere in the state of Oaxaca, which is about 6 hours from Mexico City. The
Costa Rica is one of those countries that has it all, everything from beaches and volcanoes, to jungles and national parks rich wildlife. Places like the coastal area of Tamarindo are packed full of beach bars and tour guides ready to take you zip-lining and quad-biking. Meanwhile, tranquil towns like Puerto Viejo, on the border with Panama, are perfect for laying around on the beach
I believe that Krakow is the #1 most underrated city in Europe so I won't go into the details of the lavender growing along the old city walls or the shapes of the trees that blow in the wind or even the cobblestone central square, but I do want to tell you about this unusual place found deep within its crevices: the Krakow Salt Mine. The Krakow Salt Mine
Sedona Jeep Tours ✦ Sedona Jeep Tours What better way to see Cathedral Rock and explore the red rocks of Sedona than to take a ride in the famous Pink Jeep Tours in Sedona? Sedona Jeep Tours is a tour operator in the American Southwest that offers off-road excursions in the red rocks and beyond in their famous pink jeeps. They have been around
Nestled into the Northwest corner of the Fijian archipelago, as part of the Mamanuca Islands, is Castaway Island - known to the locals as Qualito Island. Contrary to popular belief it's not where the Tom Hanks movie Castaway was filmed, but it is pretty close. The movie was actually filmed on neighboring Modriki Island. We spent a couple of nights at the Castaway Island Resort and got
Vacationing in the splendid Riviera Maya in Mexico can be a dream come true for many people. Tourists and natives of Riviera Maya can soak up the sun, go swimming, scuba diving, and be snorkeling along the stunning blue waters of the area. There are also some amazing cenotoes (limestone underwater caves or caverns) to explore such as Kukulcan (typically a private dive) and also cenotes
Have you thought about cenote Mexico scuba diving while you are in Cancun or in the Riviera Maya? The stunning Kukulcan Cenote is a 33 feet (10 meters) deep blue cavern that is part of the Chac Mool caving system in the Yucatan, Mexico. It is set in a jungle scenery with fresh and salt water, lots of fossils, and even a few stalactites. The
Swimming with Whales in the Wild: Beluga Baby! Have you ever wanted to go swimming with whales? I hadn't either until I heard about an expedition up in Canada where you could do just that! I mean, who doesn't love seeing a Beluga baby while whale watching Canada waters? On day two of my trip to Churchill, the weather wasn't as good as when I
Located in the northwest corner of Big Sky country, Whitefish sits along the Amtrak Empire Builder route, as well as being just 11 miles from Glacier International Airport. Whitefish is a “come as you are” town, where a pair of Carhartts with muck boots work just as well as designer label jeans and Gucci boots. The locals are a mix of cowboys, die-hard outdoor enthusiasts,
I recently took a fascinating trip through Asia with Hong Kong as a stop. I was on a Holland America cruise ship’s “around the world” Asia Pacific Voyage. While on the ship, I would walk the deck on a regular basis. But what joy I found when I was able to step off the ship, step out of the concrete jungle of Hong Kong’s city
Rock of Gibraltar is a limestone peninsula and mountainous rock that jets out of the end of the British territory at the southwestern tip of Europe. It is almost 1500 feet high and borders Spain and the United Kingdom. It was captured from the Spanish in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Gibraltar and its famous Rock were ceded to the British "in perpetuity"
Dreams about Whales: Kayaking with Belugas Sometimes at night, I have these vivid dreams about whales. Many times I have wondered what the meaning is and why they flash through my unconscious mind Some say that whales are symbols of strength, others say they are a sign of darkness or loss in our lives. For me, I am not sure what the meaning of the
Polar Bear Pictures on a Photo Safari: Churchill, Manitoba, Canada I knew I could get some great polar bear pictures on my photo safari expedition. Gliding in on the charter plane near Churchill Manitoba, I was in for a treat of nature. The area was full of polar bears and beluga whales during its Arctic Summer in Canada's Great White North. With over 3,000 Beluga whales
Norway is absolutely beautiful and every traveler should include this country on their bucket list. With its scenic mountain views, interesting history, vibrant architecture, and wonderful people, the sheer beauty of this Nordic country is just too compelling to be ignored. And if that’s not enough to convince you, here’s my list of 16 amazing things to do in Norway during a Norway Winter. 16
Crowded in the back of a forest green jeep with the top down, I was hanging onto the metal bars of the truck. A slight breeze touched my face in the muggy weather when suddenly light droplets began to fall from the sky. Crouching down into the vinyl black seat below the metal racks, I covered my head, iPhone and DSLR camera with my scarf.
Costa Rica is the kind of place where you can commune with nature. It provides the perfect backdrop with its hidden beaches, volcanic mountains, hiking trails, and lush tropical rainforests. In fact, 25% of Costa Rica is dedicated to wildlife and nature, in the form of wildlife preserves and jungles. Making it the perfect place... to retreat to. For many - including me - that
Plopping into my clear plastic tube at Xel Ha, I was ready for cool relief. It had been scorching and sweaty hot, as the temperatures soared to over 100 degrees for the last few days. I had come to the golden lands of a Mexican destination. I was in search of the festivals surrounding the “Dia de Los Muertos” -those lazy days in November where
