March 21, 2018 America's happiest seaside towns Find our 2013 annual list of the best places to live on the coast, ranked by you.
March 21, 2018 10 things to do in Palm Springs When it comes to a Palm Springs getaway, thoughts of poolside pleasures and verdant fairways come to mind, but there's a lot more to this desert oasis than meets than eye. You might be surprised to learn that Palm Springs boasts a vast concentration of Mid-Century Modern architecture, or that it's the date (as in the fruit) capital of the world. Of course, you're going to want to pack your bathing suit and some sunscreen, but don't forget your hiking shoes and perhaps even a parka if you plan on going to the top of San Jacinto Mountain. From Elvis's Honeymoon Hideaway to some serious shopping opportunities, you'll have more fun under the sun than you could have ever imagined.
March 21, 2018 How to not get suckered by carnival games It’s almost that time of year again, when we stock up on cotton candy, hop on Ferris Wheels and try our hands at winning big on carnival games. While it’s always tempting to go double or nothing on the balloon pop, just remember that you don’t have to get duped into forking out a fortune to have a good time. Here are our top insider tips for not getting suckered into blowing your life savings at the carnival this summer.
March 21, 2018 Top 4 dinosaur theme parks Don’t even pretend that headline didn’t get your attention. Here's our list for the top places to pretend you're in Jurassic Park:
March 21, 2018 Top 10 Caribbean cruises Cruises have been in the news a lot lately, but usually for the wrong reasons. No company is immune to accidents, but we believe the cruise lines below do a fine job of navigating the Caribbean. With their vast (and beautiful) bodies of water and picturesque ports of call, the Caribbean islands are a cruise passenger's fantasy come true. Whether they have their own private islands or craft shore excursions just for you, the ten cruise lines we've chosen for this list are among the very best.
March 21, 2018 5 lighthouses worth a climb this summer During the heyday of lighthouses in the late 1800s and early 1900s, close to 900 manned lighthouses dotted the shores of the United States, serving as sentinels for seafarers long before the advent of high-tech navigation. While American lighthouses have long been automated, a resurgence of interest in these historically significant beacons has made them popular stops on summer vacations. There’s no more thrilling way to discover lighthouses than to climb their towers, step-by-step, on the same staircases used by lighthouse keepers and their families a hundred years ago. If your family loves lighthouses, consider purchasing a lighthouse passport from the United States Lighthouse Society (or pick one up at a participating lighthouse) and get it stamped each time you visit one.
March 21, 2018 Top 10 European sleeper cities With warmer weather on the horizon, folks are already beginning to dream about – and plan their trips to – far off destinations. Traveling abroad is an exciting adventure that can conjure up images of rich history, scenic beauty and possibly, an empty wallet. There’s no doubt about it, heading “across the pond” can be an expensive endeavor. This is especially true if you’re like most travelers who visit popular tourism hubs like Paris and London, cities with both high demand and hefty prices during the peak-summer season. However, a European summer trip doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg if you look beyond the more established tourist cities. Earlier this year, I shared a list of my favorite U.S. “sleeper cities,” a title the travel industry gives to up-and-coming destinations that feature big-city attractions without the big-city price tags. The list was so popular, and created so much conversation, that I decided to highlight similar cities for European-bound travelers. As the president of a travel company, I’m lucky enough to see trends as they develop, and I’ve found that visiting an off-the-beaten-path destination is often the right mix of value, revelation and respite. These cities offer a ton of history, incredible sight-seeing and great hotel deals (most under $100 per night). Plus, more and more European properties are recognizing the benefits of working with discount hotel sites (like Hotwire) to help them fill their unsold rooms, and that includes established international hotel chains. This means you can be sure you’ll get a great room for a ridiculously low price, leaving you with extra cash to spend on immersing yourself in the local culture. By visiting some of the following “sleeper” destinations, you can get your European adventure for a fraction of what it might cost to visit London or Paris, all while avoiding the copious summer crowds that come along with them.
March 21, 2018 6 great national parks you've never visited Last year, over 282 million people visited a U.S. national park—that’s up about three million from 2011 and the sixth highest attendance of all time. Yet despite our love for what historian Wallace Stegner called “America’s best idea,” most of us would be hard pressed to name more than a dozen of our national parks. While marquee parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains are certainly worth visiting, they come with drawbacks—namely higher admission fees and larger crowds, especially in the high summer season. By comparison, these six lesser-known national treasures can be blissfully uncrowded while still delivering outstanding natural landscapes and wildlife viewing. For children, a park visit can be extra special. Most of our national parks offer a free Junior Ranger program that typically includes a booklet of questions and scavenger hunt-like activities. Once tasks are completed, each kid receives a Junior Ranger certificate and badge. Can’t make it to a national park this summer? Some parks will even let kids earn a Junior Ranger badge online.
March 21, 2018 World’s 10 greatest hikes Whether scaling rockface, descending into caverns or traversing fjords, an epic hike creates a memory that will last a lifetime. Hiking guide and overall thrill seeker Kasey Austin and her team of backcountry experts at Austin-Lehman Adventures have pulled together a list of the world's greatest hikes. So get ready. It's time to strap on your boots and head for the hills.
March 21, 2018 5 spectacular April getaways Itching to get away in April? The door has finally slammed shut on winter, and many of us are itching to get away and dust off the cold-weather cobwebs. April is shoulder season for many North American destinations, so this can also be a wonderfully affordable time for a carpe diem-inspired break. Here are five great family destinations that beckon in April.
