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Nestled at the base of the Valley of the Ten Peaks, Moraine Lake boasts turquoise waters that change color throughout the day as sunlight refracts off the minuscule particles of glacier-ground rock suspended within. Though it has a B-list rating compared to Lake Louise’s A-list status, this spot is arguably the more spectacular of the two. It’s located a little less than nine miles from the hamlet of Lake Louise. When you arrive, you can hike up to the Rockpile (clearly visible at the front of the lake) for the best vantage point, or spend a day exploring one of the neighboring valleys.

Be forewarned: The parking lot often fills up by 10 a.m., so go early.

The Utah Brewers cooperative, a partnership between Wasatch Brewery and squatters craft beers, has an eye for where people drink. The latest proof: Wasatch Brew Pub, which serves playful beers (Polygamy Porter, anyone?) in a spot just off the new Sugar House plaza.

One of the most luxurious tented camps in all of Africa sits on an open plain within Singita Grumeti, a 350,000-acre private reserve that adjoins the Serengeti National Park ecosystem, through which vast herds of wildebeest and zebra migrate. Huge, ornate tents are throwbacks to 1920s expedition style, decorated with crystal port decanters, freshly cut flowers, decorative carpets and kilims, four-poster beds, clawed bathtubs, and wood-and-leather campaign chairs. A personal assistant organizes game drives, horseback riding, and hot air ballooning. Leased by American hedge fund mogul Paul Tudor Jones, the private Singita Grumeti concession has off-road driving rights (unlike the Serengeti National Park) and strategically placed manmade water holes that encourage resident wildlife to congregate for the guests. Opulence and attentive service don’t overwhelm the experience of immersion in nature; the tents’ mesh windows allow bush noises to come through at all hours, and zebra frequently dust bathe on the red-earth tennis court.

The natives that guide you through Canyon De Chelly are very passionate about their historical heritage: the battles that their people have survived, the ceremonies they live by, and the dwellings that they carved out of the massive cliff sides. The Navajo people had to hide in the mountains, and for extended times they weren’t even able to come down for food or water. The Human Chain is the story of how they created a chain by climbing down each other in the night to bring up baskets of water while their enemy slept. Many survived because of that daring task.

The Roman Forum is where ancient Rome began. The sprawling archaeological park gives us just a hint of what the Roman Empire once was—a dominant and diverse society. The Forum itself was the political, social, religious, and commercial focal point for the Roman Republic and eventually the whole Empire—for the most elite members of society as well as the common plebs. Walking through the Forum is a walk through history, from its beginning as a valley with small hilltop communities (8th century B.C.E.) to its rise as the capital of an empire. The ruins of basilicas, temples, public forum spaces, and shops can be explored, and the adventure leads to Palatine Hill, an area of high-society patrician homes including the house of Caesar Augustus.

While many associate them with the British Isles, the Celts were the dominant culture in Switzerland for about a millennium (from around 500 B.C.E. to 400 C.E.). The country’s lakes, particularly Lake Neuchâtel, were the epicenter of Celtic culture here during the La Tène era, when Celtic settlements could be found from Turkey to Ireland. The Laténium Park and Archaeological Museum, named after extraordinary excavations in Neuchâtel, is home to the world’s premier collection of Celtic treasures unearthed in Europe. The museum boasts an übermodern design—by a consortium of four Geneva architects—that is impressive, but the hundreds of dazzling items that it houses are the real attraction: a Gallo-Roman ship, a Celtic bridge, and finely wrought gold, glass, and stone treasures found in and around the lakes. Ongoing exhibitions provide introductions to this culture that had a huge influence on the story of Europe. As the Laténium covers some 50,000 years of local history and not just the Celtic period, allow yourself a few hours to digest it all.

Uluru, or Ayer’s Rock as many know it, is one of the most recognized landmarks anywhere in the world. This strange giant rock in the middle of the Australian Outback has long kindled imaginations, going back millennia. It may be an important tourist site today, but it also holds immense cultural value for the original inhabitants of the area, something I learned all about on the very unique Anangu Tour of Uluru.
In the Pitjantjatjara language, anangu means person or human being, and the tours are designed to teach newcomers about the native peoples. The tours are given in the Pitjantjatjara language, with interpreters translating for the guides. It’s not that the guide didn’t know English, he certainly did, it’s that they want visitors to hear the nuances of a language most of us have never before encountered.
The walk around the rock was an enlightening experience, learning all about traditional culture and the extreme importance Uluru holds in the Tjukurpa or Dream Time. Tjukurpa is Aboriginal law, culture, history, and their worldview all bundled into one. It is expansive, impossibly ancient and much of it is shrouded in mystery, transmitted only to certain people at particular times in their lives. To be a part of that was a humbling experience.

When my husband and I went to Provence last summer I, uncharacteristically, did not do much planning. When we were checking into our hotel in Aix I saw a picture of the most brilliant blue water in a brochure and I asked the woman at check-in what this was. She told me it was Les Calanques, France’s newest national park, and it wasn’t that far. We set off for the park the next day and parked in the beautiful seaside town of Cassis. What followed was a highlight of our summer. It was hot and dry but the park’s cool blue green waters provided a respite from the heat. We hiked to the first three inlets jumping in to cool off each time. I loved the tingling sensation I felt when I would get out of the bracing water and feel the dry heat start to warm my extremities. Before we knew it, we had been in the park all day and we had to rush to get to our next destination before dinner. I felt alive, I felt like a kid again and it really felt like summer.

Every city worth its salt has at least one great pizza joint. So why go out of your way to visit this one? Three reasons: (1) the pizza, (2) the neighborhood, and (3) the pizza. The eatery started as a delivery pop-up, with thin-crust pies made in a shared kitchen, and its hours and phone number shared among Bywater residents like state secrets. The name proved as accurate as it was uncreative; demand was vast, and the place finally landed its own spot. Pizza Delicious doesn’t attempt to be cute or overly wry with toppings, but it sets itself apart with fresh ingredients and an eye to perfection. Pro tip: Get a pie to go and head over the arching footbridge at the end of the block and enjoy dinner at Crescent Park with its waterfront view.

There is a sliver of Africa where four countries almost converge: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. The Chobe River is one of the many separation points between Botswana and Namibia and it’s also where I experienced one of my favorite wildlife adventures of all time. The boat I called home for a few days is permanently moored in the middle of a vast river system of wetlands and river grasses. The marshland is rich in wildlife; hippos, birds of all kinds, Cape Buffalo and hundreds of elephants converge on this one spot. The elephants were perhaps the most impressive, in size as well as sheer numbers. While boating along the river one day the driver shushed us, cut the engine and pointed to the riverbank. There on the shore were two young elephants walking with great purpose towards the water. I had never thought about whether or not elephants could swim , but I soon got my answer. They plunged into the river without fear and began to swim with zeal and power to the coveted river island. They also didn’t seem to care about us as they came within a few feet of our boat. Watching these majestic animals ford the river and then emerge with a great splash was extraordinary. It’s one of the travel moments that makes you feel both alive and incredibly thankful.

Located less than an hour from Dresden in Saxon-Switzerland National Park, the Bastei is a jagged outcropping of sandstone rocks that once served as the foundation for Neurathen Castle. While the castle is mostly gone now, its bridge (known locally as Basteibrücke) remains one of the park’s major highlights. Initially made of wood but rebuilt with stone, it clocks in at 250 feet and leads directly to the castle ruins, offering peerless views of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, the Elbe River, and the Königstein Fortress. For a small entrance fee, visitors can walk its length, then refuel at the Panorama Restaurant on the other end. Active travelers may even want to attempt the Golden Triangle hike between the Bastei, Wehlen, and Kurort Rathen, which also passes the ruins of Stadt Wehlen Castle.

In the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it village of Volcano, on the slopes of Mauna Loa and just outside of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, are a handful of B&Bs and cottage rentals (see also Volcano Rainforest Retreat). Among the oldest—but no less charming for its 25 years—is Volcano Village Estate (previously known as Hale Ohia).


It’s a small cottage colony, with guest quarters scattered around a two-acre estate thickly carpeted in emerald-green moss and shaded by stands of soaring sugi (Japanese cedar) trees. The main house, a quirky Queen Anne style Victorian with a miniature turret and stone chimney that make it look like it was lifted right out of a children’s storybook, dates back to the 1930s when the manager of a sugar plantation built it as a summer holiday home. The gardens were planted by the same master landscape architects responsible for the Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo (at one time the largest Edo style garden outside of Japan).


All guest quarters are sweetly decorated, in a largely Craftsman style with ceramic tiles and soft woods; some have pretty, stained-glass windows. But on a chilly Volcano night—and most of them are since the town sits at 4,000 feet—nothing is quite as romantic as curling up by the fireplace in one of the three stand-alone cottages, unless, of course, it’s sitting in the garden and watching the dazzling night sky, which is reason enough to stay on this side of the island.

There are several small towns around Alaska that make visitors of years past smile. Talkeetna sits pretty high atop that list. A good stopping point between Anchorage and Denali National Park, the town is at once a history stop, arty spot, beer fill-up, hearty food destination, and mountain climbing mecca. Talkeetna is the first step for everybody setting out to climb Denali. But it’s also the go-to for visitors who enjoy quirky little towns with huge personalities. Thanks to cruise-ship bus tours, the town does get a bit overrun during the summer months—but it’s still worth swinging in. And if you happen to be in Alaska during the winter and want to attend a very Alaskan event, don’t miss the Bachelor Auction. The entire town gets revved up and pretty darn drunk. It’s damn fun.

You’ll love the views you’ll have of the EBMUD Watershed while you’re hiking or mountain biking along Nimitz Way in both Wildcat Canyon Regional Park and Tilden Regional Park. The views really open up once you’re in the area considered the Bay Area Ridge Trail and the East Bay Skyline National Trail. I’d encourage you to grab one of the printed maps you’ll find at every trailhead in the park that is next to a parking lot. If you park in the Inspiration Point parking lot, you’ll end up exiting the lot and turning right on the Nimitz Trail. It’s a lovely, rolling, paved path that turns into the East Bay Skyline Trail. It’s up to you how far you’d like to go and whether you’d like to create a loop or do an out-and-back hike. With map in hand you can easily descend by taking a left off the Nimitz Way at several different points, such as Laurel Canyon, Wildcat Peak Trail, or Conlon Trail. Just know that your return back up to Inspiration Point via the Meadows Canyon Trail or the Curran Trail means you have some beautiful uphill terrain. If you’re a trail runner, a dog walker, or just someone that values a long walk in a beautiful spot to clear the cobwebs, Tilden Regional Park should be your go-to place in the East Bay. Happy hiking!

Opened in 2005, the Jasper Brewing Company was the first brewpub within a Canadian national park. It is now a local’s staple hangout. Seven different beers—like the Rockhopper IPA and Honey Bear Ale—are brewed on location, so make sure to order a brewery tour along with a fresh pint. The food menu is pub fare with a special flare to help bring out the flavors of the beer. The brewpub, open daily from 11:30am to 1:00am, is child-friendly, too, as the venue is divided into two, with both a restaurant and pub. Beer from $5.50. Contact 1-780-852-4111.