Balboa Park for Lovers Balboa Park in San Diego, California is considered the Jewel of San Diego - with over 1200 acres of attractions (including a zoo), culture, and things to do for tourists and locals alike. Fortunately for everyone, these lands were reserved for public use in the early 1800s. What a wonderful place for San Diegans and visitors to enjoy what has become
The United States is home to some of the most beautiful places on earth. If you go looking, you may discover that some states are even more beautiful than you could ever imagine. Today I am going to be taking a look at five of the most beautiful states in the U.S. and precisely what makes them so glorious. They are in no particular order
Doha, Qatar is located within a tiny Arab nation that has unbelievable architecture, a huge expatriate population, and the highest per capita income in the world! As the smallest country in the Middle East, it has grown in population super fast over the last 40 years. Back then it was a desolate desert with virtually little going on other than a lonely Sheraton Grand Hotel
Montego Bay is Jamaica's fourth largest city, located on the northwestern end of the island. Primarily a resort town, Montego Bay is home to many all-inclusive hotels and exclusive beaches. This often gives visitors a distorted view of the island's culture and its people. Beyond the resort's gates lies a pulsating city and a myriad of activities for just about every taste-- water activities, adventure
The Caribbean boasts some of the world's most beautiful waterfalls and lagoons, and I should know, as I have visited Kaieteur Falls in Guayana, Iguazu Falls in Argentina, Niagara Falls in Canada, a 100-foot waterfall in Costa Rica, Havasu Falls in Arizona, USA and even a petrified waterfall in Mexico called Hierve el Agua. I know a great waterfall when I see them! Many of
5 Places You Must See on a Southwest USA Roadtrip There is a lot to see this summer in the great American Southwest. You can take a road trip to some amazing American attractions in the Southwest and West Coast of the USA with ease. The places I highlight here have a lot of history to offer, some as many as 40 million years! The
Pay a visit to this small Caribbean island and you will be sure to be amazed. St. Martin is a Caribbean island whose administrative bodies have split the sun-soaked area right down the middle. The northern side of the island is owned by the French and is called St.-Martin. Meanwhile, the southern side is Dutch owned and operated and officially known as Sint Maarten. This
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 dreams about whales are, but I
Landing in Colombo, I had no idea what riches lie in front of me. Sri Lanka sounded to this American Girl like an exotic, far-off land. This trip for me was intriguing and mysterious all at the same time. Any country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites are always of interest to me, so I was ecstatic to learn I would take a visit to an ancient
Norway is absolutely beautiful and every traveler should include this country on their bucket list. With its snowy winters, 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. I never really
There's this petite village - really a settlement, that lies just off the scenic road to Amalfi just above the coastline. It is called Fuore, Italy. At one time, it was a fisherman's village, full of tiny boat houses that clung to the side of the mountain along the gorge. Many people admired the cluster of houses and the view overlooking the village, but no
There are a lot of different reasons that people like to travel. For some people, it’s all about relaxation and they’re never happier than when they’re lying on a beach, soaking up the sun and sipping on cocktails. Other people relish the chance to immerse themselves in a completely new culture and explore all of their customs or sample their cuisine. But one of the
Every year since I started this blog about world travel in 2012, I have written a travel year-end review showcasing world travel. I guess this year will be no different, although I do seem to get lazier and lazier about writing it and putting it off to the last minute! 2018 was a wonderful year of change, as I continued working with well-known travel brands
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
The Northern California peninsula known as the Monterey Peninsula is nothing short of spectacular and is home to the beautiful Monterey beach. With its stunning natural beauty, charming, tourist atmosphere and coastline, I am sure you can easily spend 3-4 days enjoying the outdoor activities and exploring the area. Trying to whittle my list down to 10 of the BEST things to do in Monterey CA
Truly we all have wondered what it would be like to travel to an Arabian country after watching Disney's Aladdin, a tale from the book One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights, كتاب ألف ليلة وليلة) and the joys of a camel ride in the desert! Indiana Jones also sparked my interest in Indian Jones and the Last Crusade. In his search for the Holy
Puerto Vallarta beaches are among the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico. This coastal city used to be a small fishing village and was transformed into a popular beach holiday destination in the 1960s when popular Hollywood celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton came for a visit. Today, the beaches in Puerto Vallarta are dotted with world-class hotels and resorts, although what attracts
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.
Canada is a fascinating country that lies just north of the USA. With three territories and ten different provinces, Canada is the perfect place to go on a trip. The city of Edmonton is situated in the province of Alberta and the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of Canada. The natural beauty of Edmonton mixed with the enticing adventures and shopping excursions can lead to a thrilling
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
Upper 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 Upper Antelope Canyon, the most popular slot canyon in the world! It is merely a few hours drive from the
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
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 a part of
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
Positano Beach: There is so much to say about the beloved Positano Beach, and yet nothing you can say that will give you the true essence to explain what Positano is all about. It speaks for itself, without superfluous words. It is so stunning that it makes you hunger for more. I can say that I absolutely loved the amazing drive we took down the
What is it really like on an Ecoventura yacht in the Galapagos? Moist, breezy air flows thru my Michael Kors bathing suit cover-up made of an animal print design, as I am squint my eyes looking at the sky on the yacht’s top deck. I am lying here trying to decide what to tell you first about what an amazing adventure I went on for
