I'm tucked away in Santiago de Compostela, in the northwest corner of Spain. I have a three-part agenda: see pilgrims reach their goal in front of the cathedral, explore the market and buy some barnacles in the seafood section -- then have them cooked for me, on the spot, in a cafe.
The fall foliage has always made Massachusetts' Berkshires region one of America's most beautiful driving destinations. But lately, the thriving art scene is drawing its own share of peeps.
The changing leaves are just one lure for outdoor adventurers during the fall season. The tourist crowds of July and August have dissipated, and in many spots, the blistering summer heat has passed. And happily, an abundance of premier tour operators offer ready-made autumn adventures that are relatively easy on the wallet. They bring expert guides and top-quality gear and arrange all meals and accommodations -- you just bring your thirst for adventure.
If you're like most Americans, your image of Spain is the region of Andalucia, famous for windswept landscapes, whitewashed hill towns, flamenco and gazpacho. While visitors gravitate to the region's big cities of Granada, Sevilla and Cordoba, Andalucia's hill towns -- a charm bracelet of cute villages perched in the sierras -- offer a taste of wonderfully untouched Spanish culture.
Every now and then, you stumble upon a town that's gotten everything right -- great coffee, food with character, shop owners with purpose. These 10 spots have it all, in perfectly small doses.
The spirit of a mourning mother haunts Heceta Head, a 115-year-old lightstation on the windswept Oregon Coast. Some say the ghost, called The Gray Lady, searches for her infant daughter, who tumbled from the 200-foot cliffs to her death.
Cosmopolitan Frankfurt, while low on Old World charm, offers a good look at today's no-nonsense, modern Germany. If you're a budget traveler, you'll likely fly into or out of this major hub for discount airlines.
No offense to the nation's capital, but the landmarks of our heritage extend far beyond the District of Columbia.
Listen to the ocean from your room in one of these lesser-known coastal inns in the West.
In the west of Ireland, the local pub is much more than a place to have a pint. It's a traditional music venue, gossip headquarters, emergency grocery, unofficial tourist office, and, of course, emotional and spiritual retreat. Here are our favorites, in order from the Burren all the way up to Sligo.
Brighton is South England's fun city and the destination for students, bohemians and blue-collar Londoners looking to go "on holiday."
"Declan would like to take you up to the castle now," said Cecilia, my waitress, one blindingly clear Irish morning as I plopped down for breakfast in the dining hall at Ballinalacken Castle Hotel.
You don't have to stay at these tony hotels to experience the best of their lobbies.
Here's a snapshot of Panama's defining experiences: a modern capital on the canal, near-deserted islands, and trails for spotting wildlife and waterfalls. Get a sense of which ones fit your travel style and your budget.
You've got your spot on a lounge chair angled into the hot Caribbean sun, with tall, slender palm trees jutting out over your head. As you gaze at the calm turquoise waters and sip that refreshing rum drink, you may ask yourself, "What more could I possibly want?"
There's a buzz among travelers that humble little Montenegro is becoming a new Mediterranean hotspot. Once part of Yugoslavia and then part of Serbia, this tiny mountainous nation on the Adriatic achieved independence only recently, in 2006. This summer my film crew and I set out to capture the country for a public television show.
Who are we kidding? An African safari isn't in the cards this year. Neither is a trip to an exotic island where your gang can snorkel with every variety of tropical fish.
On your next trip, you could be checking into a wine cask, a salvaged 727 airplane, or a room where the furniture defies the law of gravity.
Breakfast, beer breaks and goat's-milk ice cream: The ultimate two-day tasting itinerary in Turkey's largest city.
If you're toting a stroller and diaper bag or home-school assignments while everyone else is waiting for the school bus, your family may be ready for some low-hassle travel.
If the two forks of Long Island's East End were sisters, the North Fork would undoubtedly be the innocent, modest one.
Standing at the end of Gdansk's long wooden pier, I realize that I can see two of the most important sites in 20th-century history: the spit of land where World War II began and the shipyard where the Cold War started its long and gradual final act.
Wearing white may not be in after Labor Day, but shoulder season definitely is.
Perhaps they're not the first place you think of when it comes to wineries, but these four regions offer character and great wine, without the hoopla.
In the face of a challenging economy, many would-be summer travelers have cut back on their usual beach getaways. But in New York, the urban tribe of sun and sand worshippers is still hitting the beach: Water Taxi Beach.
Recently when I was in Tuscany, a region fiercely proud of its beef, I sunk my teeth into a carnivore's dream come true. In a stony cellar, under one long, tough vault, I joined a local crowd for dinner.
When it comes to taking spirited vacations, wandering a vineyard falls flat in the face of handcrafted brew. With more than 1,500 breweries across the United States, beer is not just a drink -- it's a destination.
Some of my greatest travel memories are about exploring the local markets -- digging through the goods, chatting with vendors, feeling my way through the nuances of a spirited negotiation. Each time, I walk away with an earful of native lore and insider info -- on top of armfuls of awesome finds.
With Hawaii's impossibly perfect temperatures and enviable scenery, it's easy to forget that there's life off the beach.
Market days are an especially big deal throughout France. No single event better symbolizes the French preoccupation with fresh products and their strong ties to the farmer than the weekly market. And in no other region is it more celebrated than in Provence.
Travelers don't always have to fight the masses and schlep overseas to find exotic vacation thrills.
You've done Paris, France, you've done Rome, Italy, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While there's certainly nothing wrong with taking in sights at world-renowned travel locales, there are times when you want to get away from the familiar. Ironically, you don't have to leave your house to get inspired; simply flip on the TV or dip into your DVD collection.
Great things to do and see, and memories (you can still make) of summer at the lake.
We are in paradise -- really. The fish literally eat out of our hands, the water is so clear I can see seashells in the sand six feet below us and the island nearby is ringed by lush, green trees, some dripping with exotic fruits.
Hawaii may seem a world away, but there are plenty of big waves, tiny bubbles and tiki-style spots closer to home. Here are some San Diego-based ways to catch the Hawaiian spirit.
Robert Williams, 12, wasn't worried about flying for the first time or visiting a big city. He was only concerned that his manners wouldn't be up to his grandmother's standards.
Underwater photographer and adventurer Tanya Burnett-Palmer shares her favorite places to sightsee beneath the waves.
Try maneuvering a kayak through icebergs -- big ones, small ones, ones that look like alligators and flat-topped bergs that could spell trouble because they are mostly underwater.
In Budapest, Hungary's vibrant capital, you can sample spicy paprika at the Great Market Hall (designed by Gustave Eiffel), sip coffee in a genteel turn-of-the-20th-century cafe and enjoy an affordable performance at the luxurious Opera House.
The Gomez family may be one of the few in the country who won't be too disappointed if it rains over the Fourth of July weekend.
Six hundred years ago, Brussels was just a nice place to stop and buy a waffle on the way to France. Today, it's a city of 1.8 million, the capital of Belgium, the headquarters of NATO and the political center of the European Union. It may be easy to skip as you zip from Amsterdam to Paris by train, but its rich brew of food and culture pleasantly surprises those who stop. Its magnificent grand square, rightly named La Grand Place, alone makes a visit worthwhile.
With its steel-and-glass Modernist buildings and dedication to green living, Stockholm has the feel of a gleaming metropolis, but it offers a satisfying mix of old and new, from a well-preserved 17th-century warship to its glittering 20th-century City Hall.
Our most protected lands -- and the dramatic drives that give access to them --are all too often conga lines of taillights and tourists. These four itineraries revive the majesty.
Stand anywhere in the Peruvian town of Ollantaytambo and look up. If your eyes don't fix on a magnificent Andes mountain peak, then you will surely be looking at one of the Incan ruins in the immediate area.
We've found 15 water parks in your own backyard. Before the dreaded "are we there yet?" echoes from the back seat, you'll be in the parking lot.
Farmstays, villa rentals, mountain refuges. Six ways to immerse yourself in the real Italy.
Anyone who has ever tried to get any work done with young kids underfoot can only imagine what Harris Levine must have gone through -- every day of his life.
We know your summer vacation time is precious: You want to land where you can truly relax, breathe fresh air, get in some exercise and eat well -- without breaking the bank. That's why we teamed up with a panel of travel and health experts to help us find the healthiest of the nation's most popular beach and lake towns.
Summer excursions seem out of reach to many struggling young professionals, and the faltering economy isn't helping. But one New York City company, offering trips aimed at the young and thrifty, is capitalizing on the urbanite's desire to get away -- and finding success despite the downturn.
From its colorful Old Town square to sumptuous Art Nouveau facades, Prague offers plenty to see and do. But if you're willing to leave the city and explore the nearby Bohemian countryside, you'll be rewarded with extraordinary scenery, moving sights and one bone-chilling church.
While Ireland's famed "Celtic Tiger" economy is more of a sickly kitten these days, the country is still vibrant as can be for travelers. And Dublin offers the best (and many would say only) urban thrills in the Republic of Ireland. Here are a few of my favorite things to do in Ireland's capital:
When I was 5, my parents went to a conference on Hilton Head Island and let me tag along, leaving my brothers landlocked in central Mississippi. Two memories stand out from my first encounter with the watery majesty of this Southern icon.
Portland, Oregon, doesn't lack for fashionable boutique hotels, but to the west, along the Pacific Ocean, the options have tended to be as primal as the shoreline. Recently, however, a group of properties has sprung up on the northern coast, aiming to seduce 21st-century travelers with designs steeped in post-World War II Modernism.
This summer, the key words are "quick" and "easy." But you still want a trip that delivers. So, hit the road! These seven drives are real getaways -- even if they take you only a few hours from home.
The goofy underwater shots of my husband and much-younger son grinning behind their masks always make me smile -- just the way a vacation photo should.
When a friend first e-mailed me about something she called "cruises for commitment phobes" -- and suggested I take one -- I couldn't help but wonder if I was stepping into the middle of an elaborate joke at my expense. I think I actually looked behind both shoulders while sitting at my computer, as if there might be a candid camera hovering somewhere out of sight.
If any European capital knows how to enjoy the good life, it's Vienna. Compared to most modern urban centers, the pace of life here is slow. Locals linger over pastry and coffee at cafes. Concerts and classical music abound. And chatting with friends at a wine garden is not a special event but a way of life.
Visiting southwestern New Mexico's Gila Wilderness is an adventure, in the this-place-would-gladly-kill-you-given-half-a-chance sense of adventure.
Face off with a giant croc! Ride the world's fastest coaster! And seven more of the season's greatest adventures.
Just a two-hour detour from Paris, the Loire was once a playground to Renaissance royals. Now its vaunted châteaux are attracting enterprising young couples and artists who have remade them into captivating -- and surprisingly affordable -- inns.
Eating and drinking in Europe is sightseeing for your taste buds. Every country has local specialties that are good, memorable, or both. Here are many of the fun experiences that stick in my mind after 30 years of travel. Seek out any of these on your next trip.
Just a minute ago I was sailing down a Texas Panhandle highway, level as a tabletop. Then I dropped off the face of the High Plains into the heart of a wild place called Caprock Canyons. It's the rough-and-tumble centerpiece of a 15,000-acre state park, 100 miles southeast of Amarillo.
It's the time of year when crowds flock to the Hamptons, but business owners are wondering whether the recession has cooled off the hot getaway destination for the rich and famous.
Race fans have a big Memorial Day weekend ahead. Open-wheel cars at the Indianapolis 500. Stock cars at the Coca-Cola 600.
You can cover a lot of territory in Scandinavia without ever checking into a hotel. Overnight luxury cruise liners stacked with saunas, smorgasbords and duty-free shopping sail nightly between Stockholm and Helsinki. Imagine enjoying a Scandinavian feast with a vista of archipelago scenery. Budget travel rarely feels this hedonistic.
Here's a snapshot of Portugal's defining experiences: beaches, cities, and food and wine. Get a sense of which ones fit your travel style and your budget.
Another day, another castle. But no one's complaining.
Tom Hanks dashes through a graceful Roman piazza, past an ancient Egyptian obelisk surrounded by fountains of water-spouting lions, his eyes focused on a church tucked into the corner of the square.
The visiting kids are shy about meeting the Arizona locals until Lance, Bailey and Sonora start showing off their tricks, wowing their young guests.
If you want to get away from it all when traveling in Greece, head for the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Studded with antiquities, this land of ancient Olympia, Corinth and Sparta offers plenty of fun in the eternal Greek sun, with pleasant fishing villages, sandy beaches, bathtub-warm water, and none of the tourist crowds that plague the much-scrambled-after Greek Isles.
A century and a half ago, Athens was a humble, forgotten city of about 8,000 people. Today, one out of every three Greeks packs into this city of about 4 million.
From open-air tropical bungalows to luxe tree houses, let these idyllic hideaways decrease your carbon footprint as they expand your horizons.
With rates as low as $36, these flashy new European hotels take the convenience of the pod concept and expand it with style.
The fiberglass head weighed 600 pounds and resembled Clarabell the Clown from the 1950s "Howdy Doody Show." Bill Ziegler, owner of the Wild Bill's nostalgia store, stumbled across it on an artist's Web site and wondered if it would work for a project he had in mind.
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