Enjoy lap of luxury at nearby resorts
Visitors to the Homestead can step back to earlier times by enjoying a carriage ride or partake of the present with a video arcade, among dozens of other activities for those of all ages. The resort, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary, occupies 2,300 acres of the Virginia countryside, abutting George Washington National Forest.Photo courtesy of the HomesteadWe have the good fortune... READ MORE
Acadia National Park’s eye-popping nature
Thunder Hole is a popular attraction in Acadia National Park. At high tide, waves roll into the granite channel, forcing out compressed air from the back with a thunderous roar. Water surges up to 40 feet high. Visitors can take steps down to an observation point next to the chasm. Kurdistan/Shutterstock In Maine’s Acadia National Park, you can go from soaring granite... READ MORE
Travelers benefit from exchanging homes
Some years ago, Londoners Brian and Catriona Luckhurst were looking for an inexpensive way to vacation in Brittany, France. With young children, the cost of traveling and lodging was too high. Their solution? Swap homes with someone who wanted to vacation in London.“We swapped our four-bedroom, semi-detached house in Twickenham in west London for a six-bedroom detached house in a... READ MORE
Reserve now for next year’s solar eclipse
Where’s the best place to watch next year’s total eclipse? If you’re thinking the grand open spaces of Wyoming, you have plenty of company.Hotel rooms across the Cowboy State are going, going, gone, well over a year before the arrival of the first total solar eclipse to be seen from the mainland U.S. in almost four decades.A national astronomy convention has reserved... READ MORE
Chattanooga — beyond the choo choo
The Tennessee Aquarium attracts more than 700,000 visitors each year. It houses not just thousands of fish, but penguins, owls, frogs and butterflies as well.Photo courtesy of the Chattanooga CVBDuring the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln asserted, “If we can take and hold Chattanooga and East Tennessee, I think the Rebellion must dwindle and die.” He saw the region as... READ MORE
Don’t fall for these summer travel scams
The summer vacation season is finally here. Have you booked your trip yet?There’s actually someone who’s more excited about your trip than you are, and that’s the scammers hoping to rake in millions from unsuspecting travelers. This time of year, travel scams surge — targeting people of all ages, but especially older travelers.Here are a few tips to protect you, your ... READ MORE
National parks and sites in our backyard
The waterfalls at Great Falls National Park, in Great Falls, Va., are part of the Potomac River. The park also includes part of the C&O Canal, which stretches from Georgetown to western Maryland.Photo © NPSThe Baltimore/Washington corridor is dotted with historic sites and parks managed by the National Park Service — from Ft. McHenry, where Francis Scott Key penned our... READ MORE
Which city passes are worth the money?
You’ve probably seen the promotions for passes that promise free admission to a handful of a major city’s top attractions — often bypassing ticket lines — for a fixed price that is a lot less than you’d pay for individual admission to all of them.I know of two major programs that sell passes for lots of different cities. And some individual cities organize... READ MORE
Prague and beyond in the Czech Republic
Prague’s 14th century Charles Bridge spans the Vltava River and is accessible only to pedestrians. Prague is famed for its nearly 1,000 towers and steeples, and ranks sixth on TripAdvisor’s best destinations in the world.© TTstudio/ShutterstockMany people who travel to the Czech Republic confine their stay to its capital, Prague, and with good reason. Known as “the... READ MORE
Cowboys, art and steak in Oklahoma City
What might be Oklahoma City’s best-known attraction is also a reminder of one of its darkest days: the Oklahoma National Memorial & Museum. The site honors the 168 people who died, and hundreds more who were injured, when the Alfred P. Murrah Building was bombed in 1995. Once you’ve paid your respects, take a deep breath and spend some time exploring all the other things this... READ MORE
