After visiting Oak Alley with its twin rows of 300-year-old oaks and impressive Greek Revival architecture, I found the modest appearance of the Laura Plantation an interesting contrast. Laura is one of several plantations off …
United States
Laura Plantation, Louisiana
There's So Much More to Detroit
There’s so much more to Detroit than what’s in the foreboding Chrysler commercials. It’s taken a beating in the press with the hard times that have befallen the auto industry, but still offers a vibrant …
May 15, 2011
Camel Lake, Apalachicola National Forest, Florida
After just a week on the road together, my friend and I found that we were living for the next set of trees, the next perfect spot to string the hammock. It may seem like …
May 14, 2011
The Grand Canyon: Phantom Ranch
The hardest part about visiting Phantom Ranch isn’t getting there, but getting back. There are no welcome signs, no strategically placed words of encouragement. In fact, just the opposite. The one and only sign we …
May 14, 2011
Padres Island National Seashore, Texas
The flag was at half-mast the Sunday morning last April when we pulled into Padres Island Visitors Center to purchase our backcountry camping permit to the largest undeveloped barrier island in the world. The National …
From Sea to Shining Sea: Charlottesville to San Diego
Is there a more fitting origin for a cross-American journey than the birthplace of explorer Meriwether Lewis and former home of Thomas Jefferson? Nestled amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville, Virginia, soon became only a …
May 8, 2011
Desert Oasis in Indian Canyons, Palm Springs
Having seen two of the palm groves at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, I was inspired to drive north towards Palm Springs to see the largest palm groves in the world at the Agua Caliente …
May 6, 2011
Sailing Newport to Ensenada
Every thirty seconds, a twenty-second countdown excites the crew, patiently waiting for our class’s race to start. We hear on the radio, “10-9-8…” At 1, “Time!” We synchronize our watches and the race has started. …
April 30, 2011
Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana
The thing about bayous is that they are humid, wet places. Very wet places. The trees that grow there know it. The things that live there know it. I knew it, too. Know it still. …
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
This year is an especially good time to visit Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the home of the National Civil War Museum, with interactive exhibits that let you intensely and personally experience the 150th anniversary of the war. …
April 29, 2011
Spring Break in New Orleans
I’m not a student anymore, but I still like to take a break in the spring to travel. My favorite place in the world to take a spring break trip is New Orleans. Who needs …
April 28, 2011
Spring in Napa
Visiting Napa Valley in the spring brings some unexpected surprises. The off-season in Napa means fewer cars on the road, giving you more time to enjoy the scenery and the tasting rooms — crowd-free. Wine …
April 24, 2011
Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina
Originally set on 125,000 (now a mere 8,000) acres in the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia, Biltmore Estate was built by George Vanderbilt along the French Broad River in North Carolina. With its original …
April 24, 2011
Smithfield, Virginia
Paula Deen has shined a spotlight on Smithfield, the tiny Southern river town off the Chesapeake Bay. Yes, this is a real place — like the head of their visitors' bureau says, “It’s not like …
Montana to Tecate: Adventures by Motorcycle
This story is dedicated to the memory of K.P. Ward, who died unexpectedly and tragically on December 22, 2010. Finally, here it is: the start of my summer vacation of 1987, and I just finished …
April 12, 2011