Destinations

The first Ferris wheels were built for fun, but now they're being built for the spectacular views they provide. Here are 10 spectacular rides you may want to check out.

By Jesslyn Shields

From dining in the gondola of a hot air balloon to eating under the sea, here are five unique dining experiences you may not believe, but may want to try.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

Jacob's Ladder on St. Helena Island is 699 steps of straight-up climbing, so difficult that you get a certificate if you make it to the top.

By Jesslyn Shields

Nobody flies more than pilots, so who better to give us tips on packing?

By Allison Troutner

The multi-colored bands of The Wave are considered one of the most photogenic — and photographed — natural wonders in North America, but you need a permit to visit. Oh, and water!

By Laurie L. Dove

Buc-ee's is not your average convenience store. It's massive. The largest is in Texas and has more than 66,000 square feet and 71 bathrooms.

By Lauren David

Flying this summer has been, well, turbulent. So many flights have been canceled, passengers are lucky to get to their destinations. Is there anything you can do about it?

By Laurie L. Dove

Chronic overcrowding is turning the once-idyllic floating city of Venice into a nightmare of clogged canals and impassable bridges. The city is taking action, so be prepared to pay if you go.

By Laurie L. Dove

For many people, their knowledge of America's National Scenic Trails begins with the Appalachian and ends with the Pacific Crest. But there are nine other fabulous trails that deserve attention, too.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Boiling Lake in Dominica is the second-largest boiling lake in the world. The trek to get there is arduous and long, but it's well worth the effort.

By Katy Spratte Joyce

'Star Wars' super fans can now be part of their own epic voyage with Rey and Kylo Ren. How? Just board the Halcyon Starcruiser into the Star Wars galaxy.

By Allison Troutner

Proceeds from the Yellowstone Inheritance Pass will help fund park education, trail maintenance and wildlife monitoring. And what an amazing gift to pass down to an as-yet-unborn park visitor from the future.

By Jesslyn Shields

In a tale so crazy it's true, Pitcairn Island is home to just 50 people, descendants of the HMS Bounty mutineers, who hid there more than 200 years ago. And the island is now looking for more residents.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Though they are far too hot to bathe in, with temps over 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the seven hells of Beppu are renowned for their colors — and for the crocs that inhabit one of them.

By Katie Carman

Remember Crystal Pepsi, Google Glass? They're part of the Museum of Failure, a shrine to innovations that bombed with the public.

By Dave Roos

Come explore the fabulous French capital on a guided tour of the arrondissements with Rick Steves associate Steve Smith.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Whether to deepen faith or just to have some time for personal reflection, thousands of people walk, ride or bike el Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrim's route, every year. Want to join them?

By Valerie Stimac

Saudi Arabia is launching a massive theme park located on an offshore oil rig. You read that right. The country that dominates the petroleum industry is now building a theme park around it.

By Allison Troutner

Made of glass, the harrowing Coiling Dragon Cliff Skywalk will test the mettle of anyone brave enough to challenge its heights.

By Carrie Tatro

All roads on the Pan American Highway end in the Darién Gap, a dense jungle that separates Panama and Colombia. What makes trekking this area so dangerous?

By Allison Troutner

The Republic of Nirivia, an imaginary micronation comprising a group of islands in Lake Superior, was founded in the mid-1970s mostly in jest, by a small group of Canadians who wanted to see a pristine natural area preserved.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Some call it an artists colony, others a squatters' paradise. Either way, it attracts lots of visitors, billing itself as the last free place in America. So, what's it really like?

By Dave Roos

If you've always wanted to drive a high-end sports car for a day, there is no shortage of options and experiences open to you. But how do you pick the right one?

By Rebecca Treon

If light pollution has obscured the night sky over your head, check out one of 178 designated International Dark Sky Places in 21 countries on six continents around the world.

By Katy Spratte Joyce

Utah's Great Salt Lake has been in the news in 2021, but for all the wrong reasons. It's at its lowest level ever, and some say it could eventually dry up.

By Mark Mancini