During the last few years, the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis have been more in the news, as the lights have been more prominent, frequent, and even showing up in the southern U.S. This has increased the interest in "skywatching" travel or "astrotourism." I have...
Editor’s note: While our focus is on luxury travel, we also champion travel that gives back. If you have participated in charitable travel, please tell us about it in the comments. As an itinerant travel writer and photographer who has set foot in some of the most...
When the opportunity to visit Oklahoma City came my way, I had no idea what to expect. My first night involved an event at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum – not exactly my cup of tea. Suffice it to say, I did not have high hopes that I would enjoy...
According to a January 2026 report on seaside winter getaways, Dubai is the best coastal destination to visit during this cold season. The study by the digital entertainment platform JB examined 30 waterfront cities across the world based on climate, affordability,...
Many visitors to Istanbul flock to explore the Grand Bazaar and gorgeous Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, which celebrate the city’s rich cultural history. Decidedly less about ancient times as fresh glam modernity, Galataport on the Bosphorus waterfront is the place to...
In 2017, I had the opportunity to partake in a 6-day Latin Trails yacht cruise in the Galapagos Islands. It was an extraordinary top-tier experience that I wrote about here. I was also the very first guest at the brand new Latin Trails 5-star hotel in Quito called the...
I needed assistance to be “tied” into my corset-style brocade dress with petticoat and layers of skirts. I was even provided with a hairdresser to give me an up-hairdo to go with my new … I mean, old look. I was among a small group of journalists visiting Quebec City...
Although not a native New Yorker, I have lived in NYC for decades. For travelers, it can be an intimidating place. It's fast, dirty, energetic, and exciting. This article includes my tips for not pissing off New Yorkers, for getting by unscathed, and for making the...
One of the first things to notice is the stunning surroundings with the tall Wasatch Mountain Range as a dramatic backdrop to Salt Lake City. These mountains with their white capped peaks have been a historic thoroughfare for many individuals seeking a better life out...
Marrakech (aka Marrakesh) is an ancient city located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in the center of Morocco. It has the largest and oldest medina (walled city) in the country which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walking through the narrow,...
Vienna is one of the most regal of Europe’s great cities. The mostly Baroque architecture creates high drama throughout the streets with imposing statues, green patina domes, and intricate detail work. In fact, the word “grandeur” in the dictionary should be...
If you’ve ever been to Thailand, you’ve probably heard about (and perhaps saw) the famous Ladyboys. Commonly referred to as "Katoeys" in Thailand, Ladyboys are individuals assigned male at birth who present themselves in a feminine manner and may identify as female or...
In 1958, I found that my grandfather had left money in his will for my higher education at a European university. At the time, I was living in Athens, Greece with my family, finishing high school and preparing for a future life of adventure. My father insisted that I...
Long ago, my wife Roxie and I made a short visit to Portugal’s Silver Coast, a spectacular stretch of beach on the Atlantic, famous for its big waves. We stayed in an old 19th century hotel turned into a guesthouse, perched on a hill overlooking the sea. In our room,...
Istanbul was called just “The City” or the “City on the Seven Hills” when it was the capital of the Byzantine Empire. It's indeed a very ancient city that straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. This both modern and ancient city has expanded along the...
Travelers rush to Japan in spring to see the cherry blossoms, and for good reason. They are truly stunning. But the crowds at that time of year can be particularly oppressive. In fact, if you haven't made plans already for late March to early April 2026 when the...
The city of seven hills offers the most picturesque “leg day” in the world, with endless charm and equally endless inclines. Fortunately, transportation via cable car, funicular, Uber, taxi, and local-ride service Bolt make exploring each unique neighborhood anything...
Athens, Greece is one of those must-see cities that truly does make you feel as though you’ve stepped into a time capsule. Here is my photographic tribute to this city like no other. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Photo by...
I recently spent a little time in Nairobi on my way to Maasai Mara. (I was supposed to visit Madagascar as well, but political unrest there caused me to cancel that part of my trip.) Nairobi is a vibrant, busy, and cosmopolitan city with much to offer the visitor. If...
Lake Nakuru is a three-hour drive from Nairobi in Kenya and is famous for its flamingos. You have to be there at the right time of year to see huge flocks of the flamingos, however. By the time I was there in early October, many of them had already migrated away from...
My time in Kenya's Maasai Mara was nothing short of sublime. I hope these photos and videos will give you a taste of what it was like. Also check out my review of Entim safari camp in the Mara. A leopard in Maasai Mara. Photo by Melanie Votaw. A superb starling in...
The scent of sweetgrass wafted past my nose as the wolf raced excitedly down the path. I was hiking in a forest in Golden, British Columbia with two wolves – a singular experience if ever there was one. The wolves are two of six captive animals at...
Made mythical by John Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row,” Monterey, California is now a tourism mecca on the unforgettable California coastline. Just outside of the famed Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the best aquariums in the world, I saw the circle of life unfold right in...
After an initial visit 35 years ago - when we had a great time and great food - we returned to Madeira, the island in the North Atlantic that was “discovered” in 1419 by the Portuguese navigator João Gonçalves Zarco, the one eyed. Even though João Gonçalves...
Thailand's culture is what draws most visitors, and there's good reason for that. But beyond the beaches, I think a lot of people miss the beauty of nature in the country. The following images provide an overview of at least some of what Thailand has to offer the...
In Florence, street vendors sell boxer shorts with an image on the crotch of the genitals of Michelangelo’s famous David sculpture. In Rome, vendors sell shorts with the same image, but enhanced with additional length. For me, these images comically sum up the...
I’m well-traveled enough to know that a city like Tulsa, Oklahoma is cosmopolitan, but I admit I had no idea how much culture and history is available in this part of the country. An art deco sign in Tulsa. Photo by Melanie Votaw. If you’re like me, you’ll be...
On my way to Churchill, Canada (see my article on that trip), I stopped over in Winnipeg. I didn't have much time, but I wanted to visit Fort Whyte Alive, a 660-acre reclaimed urban green space in the city with hiking/mountain biking trails, paddle lakes, a visitor...
In the fall of 1967, I wanted to finish writing a novel I had been working on for several years. So I found a two-bedroom apartment to rent for a dollar a day on the Balearic Island of Menorca. Over the years, a number of things have happened to me, but I have always...
As I begin to write this, it has only been a couple of days since I returned home from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, and so far, I'm still high. I don't often write in such superlative terms, but wow, what an experience! First of all, Churchill is like no other place...
The jaguar has long held a mystical and magical presence in American folklore and the spiritual realm, particularly with various cultures and indigenous tribes like the Maya and Aztec. Sightings are rare, but the symbolic power attributed to this elusive creature...
Surrounded by mountains and dotted with patina domes and regal statues, Salzburg is, without question, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. A river snakes through the center, a fortress castle watches from above, and horse-drawn carriages trot through the...
Switzerland is one of the most diverse countries in the world with regions that borrow their languages and culture from Italy, Germany, and France. The southwestern region of Switzerland is the French-speaking area of the country, and it offers stunning vineyards,...
Centuries-old live oaks draped with Spanish moss line the winding road to Brookgreen Gardens. The foliage announces that we are in South Carolina’s Low Country. Live oaks and their wispy shawls of moss command the scene throughout Brookgreen’s nearly 1,000 acres. The...
A quick jaunt to the most romantic city in the world is great at any time of year, but summer offers a special charm for visitors to Paris. A junior suite at the Hotel Edouard 7. Photo courtesy of Hotel Edouard 7. Where to Stay - Edouard 7 This gorgeous luxury hotel...
This fourth largest populous city in Australia is also the world’s most remote mini-metropolis. Friendly and easy to navigate, street art and sculptures greet you at every corner, while public transportation makes it easy for visitors to explore. Quality museums...
I recently spent a couple of days in Atlanta, enjoying unseasonably cool weather for late May. I arrived in the late afternoon and checked into the 4-star Starling Atlanta Midtown Hotel, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. There were a couple of issues with my...
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I have been around the world and visited over 132 countries and six continents, thanks in large part to my military service. Countries I visited include several times to Italy, especially Rome, Naples, and Sicily. But never once had I been to Venice. So I was elated...
I recently spent a week in St. Petersburg and found a lot of fun things to do beyond the usual "hanging out at the beach" fare. First of all, did you know the city has numerous great museums? I didn't know until I started planning my visit. During my stay, I checked...
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has the beautiful beaches, splendid sunrises, and dawn-catch seafood with one delightful difference: the Spring Break crowd doesn’t party here. This is just how the locals and discerning visitors like it. Think fine wines, not beer...
The remnants of winter still commanded the high peaks of Norway's Jotunheimen National Park, as though unwilling to be dislodged from the high ground. As days slowly grew longer, the surrounding land began to stir. Jagged, snow-capped mountains stretched before my...
To celebrate National Go Birding Day (Apr. 26), Lawn Love ranked 2025's Best States for Birdwatching.They compared all 50 U.S. states across 5 feather-focused categories. They examined the number of Audubon centers and sanctuaries, bird species, endemic bird species,...
As my small fishing skiff skimmed over the vast expanse of Lake Azul in the tiny city of São Simão on the Goiás and Minas Gerais border in Brazil, I was unaware that beneath these impressive waters lie the ruins of an old settlement once inhabited by diamond miners...
When I recently returned to Oslo, I was greeted by the familiar cultural and historic sights, from the prominent royal palace to the modern and distinct Scandinavian architectural facades that are reflections of Nordic-inspired tradition and lifestyle....
True crime is all the craze these days, but it might surprise you to learn that dark tourism in general is trending, with people indulging in travel to cemeteries (necro tourism), jails (prison travel), and paranormal travel (ghost tours, etc.). To cater to this...
Few things are worth rising at 4:00 a.m. to see. Perhaps a full lunar eclipse or Halley’s Comet, but a hot air balloon ride over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia also definitely qualifies! Cappadocia is a region at the center of Asia Minor known as Turkish...
Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada (just over the border from New York State) is a perfect place for a quiet vacation, especially if you love theater and wine. Famous for the annual Shaw Festival in summer, you can catch a musical or a classic play by George...
Near Miami’s luxe hotels is a place that drew me in with all my senses. I was in Miami, but was I really? This was Little Havana - authentic and easy. Miami has more than a million people of Latin origin who live and work there. It’s an American city with a...
Jagged white peaks speckled with pines, stretches of parched terrain alongside vast lakes, glacial blue water sliding into creeks, and black ridges iced with snow. These are among the images that stick with you when you travel through the remarkably diverse landscapes...
Picture gazing out over the unpolluted sparkling royal blue waters of the Adriatic Sea, breathing in salt-infused, pure, sweet air and the fragrance and beauty of dark-green pine forests silhouetted against the azure sky. All the while, 1,100 aromatic herbs and...
Istanbul is, without question, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Here are some of my favorite images that I took during my stay in Turkey. Istanbul. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Istanbul. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Istanbul. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Istanbul....
It’s a shame that so many tourists think only of visiting beach destinations like Cancun when they travel to Mexico. Mexico City simply has so much to offer and is a relatively safe place. No, you can’t swim or sun on a beach, but you can experience Mexican culture,...
It's a massive understatement to say that the Appenzell region of Switzerland has character. It's exactly how you hope the German part of Switzerland will be. Well-known among the Swiss as the most traditional area in the country, its inhabitants remain astoundingly...
Some 60 feet below us stretched the Irish Sea. Distant waves swept barely audible sounds onto the shore. Apart from the twitter of birds, we couldn't hear anything else. Quite a difference from New York City where we live! My wife, Roxie, and I were following a narrow...
Back in the day (1920s to 1940s), the port city of Tangier had a reputation for depravity, where everything and anything was available ... as long as you paid the price. Tangier is located in the Straits of Gibraltar, at the very tip of the African continent between...
I had occasion to visit Yosemite National Park in California recently. The only downside to seeing the park in fall is that it’s quite dry, which means the famous waterfalls are almost nonexistent. You have to be there during the spring to see the falls in all their...
When my friend told me he was leaving New York City for the much smaller city of Norwich, England to take over his dad’s fish & chips shop, I couldn’t imagine why. Wouldn’t he get bored? Then, I visited him in his idyllic town with a population of just over...
Oops! The wine I just poured tilted to one side of the glass. Most odd. Then, looking around, seeing the low, heavily beamed ceiling and taking into account the age of this place – the house was built about six hundred years ago – I realized that, most likely, the...
Liverpool has plenty of Beatles memorabilia to lure you, but you might be surprised to learn that it has much more to offer the traveler – even those who aren’t fans of the Fab Four. An old city with both new and historical architecture, Liverpool is big enough to...
My wife, Roxie, and I were heading for Ballygally, a village in county Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland. A train from Belfast had taken us to our first stop - the town of Larne, which is a major passenger and freight roll-on/roll-off ferry port....
Ulysses - archetypal hero of The Odyssey, Homer’s epic morality tale of folly and adventure, wisdom and foolishness, loyalty and betrayal – purportedly journeyed along the Tyrrhenian Sea off the coast of Lazio, southeast of Rome. In Homer’s day, the waters between...
The Greeks or Hellenes were never really a totally homogeneous group. Their language is considered an independent branch of the Indo-European group of languages, and the people came down in successive waves of migrating tribes from North of the Balkan Peninsula,...
North of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea, a group of seven volcanic islands rise from the cobalt-blue waters. They are called Salina, Lipari, Vulcano, Alicudi, Filicudi, Panarea, Basiluzzo, and Stromboli. The group was named after Aeolus, god of the winds, by Greek...
Recently, I decided to visit Crete to see the ancient cities that became the cornerstone of our modern culture. They were the precursors of 21st century Western civilization. We flew from Athens to Heraklion and stayed in a lovely small hotel overlooking the harbor...
Nowadays, we hear a lot about symposia. In current usage, it has come to mean an academic or scientific gathering where distinguished speakers present their insights or findings on cultural, archaeological, economic, or scientific questions. The word’s usage in...
Naples wasn't high on my bucket list, but after my recent visit, I'm happy to report that I was captivated by her scintillating charms. I visited one enchanting sight after another and still only managed to cover a fraction of the rich history waiting to be explored...
In Greece, the land beneath your feet is steeped in very ancient history and lore. Many of our current civic, as well as theatrical traditions, come to us from the city-state of Athena, in Attica. So when you visit Greece, keep all of what you'll learn in this article...
In tropical climes there are certain times of dayWhen all the citizens retireTo tear their clothes off and perspire.It's one of those rules that the greatest fools obey,Because the sun is much too sultryAnd one must avoid its ultra-violet ray. ...Mad dogs and...
Tea in the Sahara? Well, I didn't have tea, but I did enjoy myself in the remarkable desert of Morocco. It was a landscape out of the movies, and the bright colors worn by the guys leading the camels just made it all the more beautiful. A camel caravan in Morocco's...
I've seen the Rockies, the Andes, and the Himalayas, but honestly, Morocco's Atlas Mountains may be the most beautiful range of them all. Judge for yourself! Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Photo by Melanie Votaw....
I’m sure you know about Harriet Tubman, who famously saved many enslaved people during the Civil War by personally transporting them through the Underground Railroad. But I’ll bet there’s a lot you don’t know about her, such as the fact that she settled in Auburn,...
A lot of visitors and locals aren't aware that you can watch whales from Manhattan and Brooklyn in NYC. And I'm talking some major whale watching! I recently took a cruise from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn with American Princess Cruises, where we saw seven humpback...
Towering jagged peaks rise like formidable granite columns, overlooking a pristine white sandy beach that seems at first to fade into low lying clouds further beyond the shoreline and the incoming receding waves. The Lofoten Islands of Norway have many transcending...
About 66 years ago, I got my first taste of European travel when my father said, “We should instill culture in the children.” At the time, I was living in Greece with my parents and younger brother, and I was still in high school. So my mother, a couple of her...
Some of the most beautiful rugged coastlines are within striking distance of San Francisco. I embarked on a private tour of Point Reyes with Eric's VIP Tours to have an encounter with the rugged and unspoiled Pacific coastline. Instead of taking the highways, I...
Friends of ours had invited my wife and me to a three-night stay in Gloucester, Massachusetts. They were housesitting for an old friend whose seafront home was well-equipped and spacious enough to accommodate several guests. We accepted, and embarked on a number of...
Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, is one of the largest and surely one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe. Whether on your first trip or your fifth, the World Heritage Castle District draws you like a magnet to the Buda side of the Danube from which...
In the very heart of the Mediterranean Sea ̶ south of Sicily, north of Libya, and east of Tunisia ̶ lie the islands of Malta. They make up a small archipelago with a 7,000-year-old history and the stunning physical evidence to prove...
“The best thing about Milan is that it is on the way to Turin,” said one Torino to me. We were driving alongside the magnificent Alps that are a backdrop to Turin. This sophisticated, bustling city lies between better-known Milan and Bologna. I like its scale. It has...
If you’re longing for a European vacation, but it’s not in the immediate future, why not get that taste of Europe by visiting the northeast mountains of Georgia where the tiny hamlet of Alpine Helen will quell your appetite for international travel—at least for the...
When you think of Louisville, Kentucky, you probably think horses and bourbon, but the city has a great deal to offer the traveler at any time of year – not just during the Kentucky Derby. You might be surprised to learn that it’s a large metropolitan city with a long...
“It’s so close to London. Come visit!” insisted my great-niece. “You can get around on foot or by bike on the cobblestones.” That sounded dandy, so off we went to Cambridge, England, a college town my niece assured us was full of history and charm. She had that right!...
The success of two films - Boy on a Dolphin (1957) with Sophia Loren, Alan Ladd, and Clifton Webb, and Phaedra (1962) with Melina Mercouri and Anthony Perkins - catapulted Hydra from a sleepy, quiet Greek island with a notable 19th century naval history to the...
Most Saharan Berbers are still living the same way they did 10 centuries ago in the Western Sahara and the Atlas Mountains. They are both a tourist attraction and an international lesson on “how to live in harmony with the land and the neighbors Allah gave you.” The...
The day I had to leave Rapa Nui, I teared up. I so wanted more time there. While the island is part of the country of Chile, it’s actually in Polynesia and is similar to Hawaii in that it’s tropical, very green, and filled with volcanos. Read also about the resort...
I visited Iguassu Falls in the late 1990s, and I have wanted to go back ever since. I finally got my chance. As someone who has traveled the world and seen many awe-inspiring places, I have to say that Iguassu is still one of the most spectacular of them all....
It was a dizzying way to start our trip – especially after a late night landing in Quito and only four hours of sleep. But here we were standing on a mountain more than two miles high. We were on a slope of the Pinchincha Volcano, part of the Yanacocha Reserve in the...
I did the "trifecta" in Ecuador, visiting the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon, and the Andes. It was my second time in the Andes region (the first time was about 13 years before), and it didn’t disappoint. As you can see, the bird life in particular is special in the...
Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) is considered one of the world’s premier beach destinations, prized for its exquisite sandy beaches, new hotels, all-inclusive resorts, and luxury rental villas. But its history was far less glamorous. The first European visitor there...
In only a few days, I covered a lot of terrain in Jordan. I was able to see several historical sites. Petra isn’t all there is to see by a long shot! It’s a stunning country with friendly people who are deeply saddened by the turmoil happening in the countries that...
January may be an odd time to visit Beijing because it’s very cold and dry, but the plus side is that the crowds are seriously reduced from the warmer months, when I’m told you can barely walk at the most popular sites. Since crowds are not my thing, I was happy to...
The town of Voss is within striking distance of Norway's most prominent fjords, the Hardangerfjord and the Sognefjord. Traveling from Bergen by train to Voss takes about an hour and takes in some distinct local scenery. I chose wintertime with fewer crowds and...
If you’ve never been to Asia, Singapore is a great introduction to the continent. I think of it as “Asia Lite.” Yes, you’re in Asia, but English is universally spoken and written on signs. Some Asian cities have given me a bad case of culture shock, so there’s a lot...
A couple of my friends have told me they wouldn’t want to visit Japan because of how the country came across in the 2003 Bill Murray film “Lost In Translation.” Well, I had the opportunity to go to Japan, and I can say from first-hand experience that the film did...
After flying into Manchester and spending a few days in Shrewsbury near the English/Welsh border, my driver collected me to begin my journey to the land of my father’s forebears in North Wales. My driver could speak fluent Welsh and knew the region intimately....
There’s no denying that the once-great secret of Southern European travel is now completely out in the open. Croatia, with its tumbling waterfalls in Plitvice National Park and the fairytale islands of Hvar and Mljet, has emerged from obscurity and onto many "must...
If you are a lover of art or history, then Arles in South France is definitely a place that should be visited. We recently did, as part of our latest Viking River cruise aboard the Heimdal River Cruise, and Arles was one of the significant Southern French cities we...
The visit to Cape Horn, although physically demanding, was doable and exhilarating, and The Drake (waterway that leads to Antarctica) was unusually gentle with us, which gave us false hope that it would be smooth sailing ahead. Never underestimate the gods of wind and...
When I told friends I was planning to tour Alabama, some of them said, “Really? Why?” The belief that the state has little to offer the traveler could not be further from the truth. I found out what the song, “Sweet Home Alabama,” really means. Besides music history...