Sitting just across the Santa Barbara Channel (for which they get their name) from the coast of Southern California, the Channel Islands are tantalizingly close - and yet a world away from Los Angeles life. Eight in total, only one seems to be a target for visitors. Catalina (made famous by the song, "Twenty-six miles…
A cloudy California coastal morning gives way to blue skies and sunshine as the marine layer retreats into the vastness of the Pacific. The deck of the Monterey Bay Aquarium begins to fill with eager visitors searching for life in the Bay: otters, seals and sea lions, and, for the very lucky, dolphins or whales…
When most people think of Singapore, they will rightly think of a city. They will think of a financial center, and of incredible cultural attractions. Only those who really understand Singapore will realize that what makes it truly special is the celebration of nature that occurs there. Singapore sits at one degree north of the…
The journey from Auckland to Paihia at the famous Bay of Islands in the Northland of New Zealand takes about four hours by bus, and is a destination in itself, as Highway 1 winds up the beautiful coast and drops into lovely valleys. But once there, Bay of Islands truly offers activities for everyone, no…
Visitors to the Big Easy flock to the historic French Quarter, and rightly so. The Quarter has some incredible things to do, and some amazing things to eat! But there is so much more to New Orleans. Here are just a couple of my favorite things to do outside of the French Quarter. Visit the…
If you visit Santa Cruz, California in the fall, Natural Bridges State Beach is a must-see. The park is home to a lovely rock bridge, which itself is home to a colony of pelicans. But in fall, the park's most famous residents make their appearance: monarch butterflies. Natural Bridges is a wintering home for these…
As I mentioned earlier, I didn't love Kyoto. However, it does make an excellent base for some awesome day trips! As with Tokyo, here are some of my personal suggestions, with one addition from my companion from this trip, Dan, as we did our own things some of the time. 1. See a beautiful castle…