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Home > Travel Article Library > By Topic
Welcome to the Travel with a Challenge library of richly-illustrated feature articles arranged by topic. Or, you may prefer to browse this diverse collection by country destination or by using our heavily-browsed travel theme pages that assemble groups of articles into geographic regions or interests such as bird and nature vacations, wellness and spiritual vacations, volunteer vacations or cruise and train travel. Click on any of the topic titles below to go straight to specific article listings.
Accessible
Travel
Accommodations
Active Travel
Alternative Travel Tour Operators
Art
Bear Watching
Bird Watching
Book & Product Reviews
Cities of the World
Cruise, Barging, Sailing Vacations
Cuisine Vacations
Cultural/Historical Travel
Cycling Vacations
Driving Vacations
Earthwatch Institute
Ecotourism/Nature Vacations
Educational Travel
Elderhostel
Family Travel
Garden Tours
Health and Wellness
Hiking
Historical Travel
Home
Exchange Holidays
Horse Farm and Riding Vacations
Kayaking Vacations
Language Learning
Living Abroad
Marine (Ocean) Vacations
Mature Travel
Painting, Music and Art Themes
Photography
RV-Recreational Vehicle Travel
River Rafting
Rural Tourism
Spiritual Travel
Storm Watching Vacations
Train Travel
Travel for Seniors
Travel Tips and Strategies
Travel Operators
Volunteer Vacations
Walking Tours
Women's Travel
Accessible
Travel
Accessible Africa tours and safaris guidebook encourages people with limited mobility or wheelchairs to explore with disability-friendly tours and safaris or even independently.
Victoria, British Columbia has exciting, educational marine wildlife attractions, on land and cruising some picturesque islands, all easy and accessible for seniors and families.
Accessible travel expert, Candy Harrington, offers tips for wheelchair
and disabled vacationers looking for travel
accommodation to meet their needs.
Learn dozens of ways African elephants communicate and discover tour
operators, including specialists
in accessible travel who will lead you into elephant territory.
Go along on a nature safari with a difference to two South African parks
where tracking wildlife on foot is all part of the fun! Includes many
safari tour operator listings, including Accessible
Tours, for a variety of African destinations.
Accommodations
Cultural history and cuisine vacations
in Quebec feature historic accommodations in Old Montreal, Eastern Townships
and Old Quebec City.
South of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico's Riviera Maya offers birds, nature, authentic Mayan cultural history, as well as a taste of eco-living on Quintana Roo coast.
Learn about successful strategies for exchanging
homes for memorable, low-budget vacations around the world.
Discover Maui's most Hawaiian
hotel where guests quickly become part of
the Hawaiian family, learning about culture through a menu of free activities
and an unmistakable "aloha" atmosphere that appeal to every generation.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada boasts three
boutique hotels with personality -- luxurious accommodations, distinctive
stories, gourmet breakfasts and other pleasant treats.
Take the Evangeline Trail along Nova
Scotia’s Bay of Fundy while
enjoying historic inns, gourmet seafood and natural wonders.
Visit the famous Lipizzan horses on their Lipica
Stud Farm in Slovenia where visitors can tour, ride and even stay on
this historic, elegant estate.
Try staying at Trinidad's small-scale,
locally-owned hotels, inns and guest houses and sample the best in fresh
local Creole and Trinidad cuisine.
Long a popular day-stop on Alaska's cruise ship circuit, Juneau,
Alaska's capital, is worth a longer visit, with its character accommodations
and eateries, abundant nature and colorful native culture.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations where
nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Learn about Vancouver,
British Columbia's unusual accommodations, tours, eateries, museums and
local specialties you never new existed.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes a horseback
riding vacation and lessons in Tuscany, Italy through picturesque countryside
and well-preserved medieval towns. Her accommodations are definitely part
of the story.
While
sleeping with history in the picturesque
wilderness village of Telegraph Cove, Vancouver Island enjoy a memorable
vacation where marine mammals, including killer whales and humpback whales,
abound.
Hawaii offers much more than mainstream hotels and resorts - learn about distinctive
accommodations on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island and Molokai that will add
rich memories to your Hawaiian vacation.
Hawaii' wellness providers, planners,
retreat centers and workshops on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island offer
healthy holiday choices and accommodations to suit every taste and budget.
Visit an all-inclusive health resort near
Tucson, Arizona to discover how wellness vacations are as diverse in their agendas
and activity choices as you would experience on a cruise ship
The desert city of Tucson, Arizona
offers a host of historic hotels, manicured gardens and character accommodations
to tempt vacationers away from predictable generic hotel rooms.
Northeastern Florida's historic
accommodations and sumptuous signature breakfasts make a visit to Amelia
Island and St. Augustine unique and memorable.
Active
Travel
Thailand's marine treasures beneath the sea are revealed on a scuba diving liveaboard holiday in the Similan Islands, including a close encounter with a whale shark. Even if diving is not a priority, the images in this article are dazzling!
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, spends a day far north of the Arctic Circle with a Lapland reindeer herder, 21st century-style, and learns about the traditions and challenges of this declining profession in northern Finland.
A small-ship cruise explores Peru's Amazon River tributaries, spotting wildlife on day and night expeditions and visiting remote villages while adventure cruising.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, shares her riding
and hiking vacation in Patagonia, one of the world’s less visited
regions straddling southern Argentina and Chile.
Experience the famous Molokai Mule Ride down
a 1,700 foot cliff with 26 switchbacks to the former Kalaupapa leper
colony to learn about the settlement’s infamous past and compassionate
present. Father Damien becomes Saint Damien in October 2009, perhaps
leading to some new pilgrimage travel there?
In this inspiring, entertaining addition to our Camino collection, perennial
traveler and book author, Robert Ward, speaks about his many journeys
on the Camino: its “eternal newness” and its “deep,
persistent rhythms of the road”.
Stroll and hike the French Riviera,
western Côte d’Azur, a memorable holiday for active seniors
to discover mountain footpaths, local islands, medieval villages, and
dramatic shoreline trails.
Join a small group of seniors on an
active ElderTreks exploration of unique national parks and richly historic
towns throughout Slovenia and Croatia.
Two senior women walk Spain’s Camino de Santiago with backpacks on
and staying in pilgrim hostels for 751 kilometers from the French border
to Santiago de Compostela.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations
where nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Visit the famous Lipizzan horses on their Lipica
Stud Farm in Slovenia where visitors can tour, ride and even stay
on this historic, elegant estate.
Thousands of people, toddlers to seniors, join the Great
Victorian Bike Ride for nine days of cycling Australia's spectacularly
scenic Great Ocean Road.
Include one or more UNESCO World Heritage
Sites in your next vacation to immerse in the most precious natural
attractions and human cultural sites on earth.
From the Sierra Nevada Mountains to its deepest valley bottoms, discover
Yosemite National Park's wilderness vacations
on foot, by car and on horseback.
Trinidad is developing rural, natural area tourism, training local people
as guides and hosts, opening up lesser-known areas to adventure
travel interests like biking, hiking and kayaking.
Step aboard Cruise West's small-ship
wilderness exploration of Alaska's Panhandle and inside Passage
to discover wildlife and glaciers galore.
A helicopter ride onto the Mendenhall
Glacier leads to a thrilling new experience of hiking on Juneau,
Alaska's most accessible glacier.
For active seniors, take a hike up
Mount Aaron and experience the hospitality of Bedouin tribal people
near Petra, Jordan.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes a horseback
riding vacation and lessons in Tuscany, Italy through picturesque
countryside and well-preserved medieval towns.
From Europe to Australia, active seniors sign up for educational Sail
Training adventures or join Tall Ships' Races for an exciting vacation
at sea.
Senior travelers find walking and hiking easier and safer with trekking
poles and staffs, so learn how to choose and use them effectively.
Come along for the ride on a new zipline
adventure course high in the tropical mountain rainforest of Maui,
Hawaii where half the clients are over 50.
Island-hopping from Maine, U.S.A. to New Brunswick, Canada is a rewarding
active camping vacation for intermediate ocean
kayakers.
Learn dozens of ways African
elephants communicate and discover tour operators who will lead
you into the wild to observe them.
Go on a Sierra Club walking tour of Britain's
picturesque Cotswold region to explore nature and English history.
Go along on a nature safari with
a difference to two South African parks. Tracking wildlife on foot is
all part of the fun!
Explore Mexico's vast Copper Canyon
region in a richly illustrated three part spotlight that features the
geology, natural history and indigenous culture of the region.
Family travel is front and center as
a veteran travel writer shares his hitchhiking experiences in Ireland
with Mom and a rigorous walk across England with Dad.
Veteran travel expedition leader, Geoff Green, shares his checklist
for choosing the best adventure tours
from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Tour operator, Active Journeys, offers wise advice on physically preparing
for a walking holiday, choosing comfortable boots and daypacks.
An active travel exploration through Ireland's
Aran Islands and County Clare provides healing and encouragement
during a family reunion.
Walk northern Spain's Camino de Santiago
in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over more than 1,000 years
and experience the fascination of this route.
Join a two-week guided hiking tour of China's
Great Wall which includes village encounters, lots of history
and memorable meals off the beaten path.
Alternative
Travel Tour Operators
Enjoy surprising cultural heritage highlights of France's Black Paris tours and activities, with a century of impressive African-American contributions to art, music, literature.
Meet New Zealand's most rare and endangered wildlife and birds, on tours and holidays. Learn their intriguing stories, and plan to encounter them in this unique holiday destination.
A small-ship cruise explores Peru's Amazon River tributaries, spotting wildlife on day and night expeditions and visiting remote villages while adventure cruising.
Ride the rails in luxury aboard the Rocky
Mountaineer, enjoying wildlife sightings, frontier history and spectacular
scenery from Jasper, Alberta through the Canadian Rockies and across British
Columbia to Vancouver.
Eco-cruise visitors to Galapagos
Islands enter a bird and nature heaven.
Find out their Favorite Five Animals in a 2008 wildlife poll.
Learn about a luxurious Croatian
Islands cruise on the Dalmatian Coast between Split and Dubrovnik where
cultural cuisine and a deeply-layered history are highlights of visits
to Korcula, Hvar, Vis and Brac.
Experience the famous Molokai Mule Ride down
a 1,700 foot cliff with 26 switchbacks to the former Kalaupapa leper colony
to learn about the settlement’s infamous past and compassionate present.
Father Damien becomes Saint Damien in October 2009, perhaps leading to
some new pilgrimage travel there?
Demonstrating that the guide makes the difference, discover how an exploration
of Croatia’s Island of Vis comes
alive with rich culture and history from the Greeks to World War II.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, shares her riding
and hiking vacation in Patagonia, one of the world’s less visited
regions straddling southern Argentina and Chile.
Journalist, Alison Gardner, describes her first balloon adventure while
soaring and swooping over the dramatic scenery of Turkey's
Cappadocia region. Her accompanying photo essay from a return trip
in 2008 shares even more spectacular
images with readers.
Discover why archaeologist, filmmaker and tour host, Peter Sommers,
considers Istanbul, Turkey, to be the
Queen of Cities.
Meet Chef Matthew Gray of Hawaii
Food Tours while you eat your way through Hawaii’s ethnic cuisine,
tasty cultural treats for every budget.
Through the eyes of Greek American culinary expert, Nikki Rose, experience
Crete, from rugged, mountainous geography to distinctive culture
and cuisine.
Join a small group of seniors on an
active ElderTreks exploration of unique national parks and richly historic
towns throughout Slovenia and Croatia.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations
where nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Step aboard Cruise West's small-ship
wilderness exploration of Alaska's Panhandle and inside Passage
to discover wildlife and glaciers galore.
A helicopter ride onto the Mendenhall
Glacier leads to a thrilling new experience of hiking on Juneau,
Alaska's most accessible glacier.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes a horseback
riding vacation and lessons in Tuscany, Italy through picturesque
countryside and well-preserved medieval towns. Her tour operator, Cross
Country International, specializes in riding vacations worldwide.
Learning is fun on an Arizona
vacation whether you fancy archaeology, astronomy, wine blending,
hummingbird migrations or Mexican cuisine and culture.
While staying in the picturesque historic village of Telegraph Cove,
Vancouver Island join a five-day Magificent
Seven Marine Mammal Tour to experience marine mammals, including
killer whales and humpback whales, in their natural habitat.
Trinidad is developing rural, natural area tourism, training local people
as guides and tour operators, opening up lesser-known areas to adventure
travel interests like biking, hiking and kayaking.
Respected Trinidad & Tobago bird photographer,
Roger Neckles, shares his passion for some of the islands most colorful
and exotic birds. He also leads bird and nature tours of his island
nation.
Hawaii offers many educational guided
and self-guided tours to explore Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island and
Molokai that will add rich memories to your Hawaiian vacation.
Explore Mexico's State of Sonora
and its abundant marine wildlife and birds along the Sea of Cortez,
with mountains, desert and tropical forests as well as a rich native
and Spanish colonial history.
Learn dozens of ways African
elephants communicate and discover tour operators who will lead
you into the wild to observe them.
Go along on a nature safari with
a difference to two South African parks where tracking wildlife on foot
is all part of the fun! Includes many safari tour operator listings,
including Accessible Tours, for a variety of African destinations.
Veteran travel expedition leader, Geoff Green, shares his checklist
for choosing the best adventure tours
from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Bear Watching vacations offer an introduction
to these always-fascinating creatures and to some educational ecotours
where bears are the star attraction.
The Greek Islands are brilliant
stepping stones of thousands of years of Mediterranean history, distinctive
culture and cuisine, and spiritual treasures.
Walk northern Spain's Camino de Santiago
in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over more than 1,000 years
and experience the fascination of this route.
Canada's Yukon Territory and Alaska's Panhandle provide a rare rafting
and camping adventure in The Ultimate Northern
Wilderness.
Alternative Hawaii reveals an
uncommon side of this famous tourist destination, with ecological and
cultural vacation options across five islands.
Northern Ireland's famous Antrim Coast offers
a perfect week-long hiking and cultural history tour for the active
traveler.
A 19-day ElderTreks' trip
through western and central Turkey reveals a rich Greek, Roman,
Christian and Ottoman Empire history and a lively present day culture
to explore.
Join a two-week hiking tour of China's
Great Wall which includes village encounters, lots of history
and memorable meals off the beaten path.
Art -
see Painting
Barging Vacations -- see Cruise,
Barging and Sailing Vacations
Bear Watching
Bear Watching vacations offer an introduction
to these always-fascinating creatures and to some educational ecotours where
bears are the star attraction.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations where
nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Go on a Polar Bear Watching eco-vacation that
takes readers into the heartland of polar bear territory around Churchill,
Manitoba.
Grizzly Bears & Killer Whales are the main
attractions at a floating eco-lodge on a remote British Columbia coastal
inlet.
Bird Watching
Rarotonga in the Cook Islands of the South Pacific
still offers vacationers a glimpse of unspoiled nature, rare
birds and an island in transition.
Meet New Zealand's most rare and endangered wildlife and birds, on tours and holidays. Learn their intriguing stories, and plan to encounter them in this unique holiday destination.
Rural farmers in India have create a sanctuary for wild peacocks, India's dwindling national bird, while offering authentic agri-tourism experiences for international visitors.
South of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico's Riviera Maya offers birds, nature, authentic Mayan cultural history, as well as a taste of eco-living on Quintana Roo coast.
A small-ship cruise explores Peru's Amazon River tributaries, spotting wildlife on day and night expeditions and visiting remote villages while adventure cruising.
Eco-cruise visitors to Galapagos
Islands enter a bird and nature heaven.
Find out their Favorite Five Animals in a 2008 wildlife poll.
Learn about Alberta’s spectacular Jasper
National Park and its historical Jasper townsite, the most northerly
segment of the Canadian Rockies UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge,
northwest of the Hawaiian Islands, features endangered birds, plants,
marine wildlife, and significant US military history in the Pacific.
Respected Trinidad & Tobago bird photographer,
Roger Neckles, shares his passion for some of the islands most colorful
and exotic birds.
Explore Scottish history, nature and environmental challenges at Scotland's
Aigas Field Centre, where hosts,
Sir John Lister-Kaye and his wife, Lucy, welcome guests to stay on their
historic property.
Explore Mexico's State of Sonora and
its abundant marine wildlife and birds along the Sea of Cortez, with mountains,
desert and tropical forests as well as a rich native and Spanish colonial
history.
Kangaroo Island, one of Australia's lesser
known ecotourism treasures, reveals rare animals, sea mammals and birds
against a spectacular geological backdrop.
Breathtaking bird photos and personal encounters with Hawaii's wildlife
are shared by Jack Jeffrey, Hawaii's
pre-eminent nature photographer.
Book & Product Reviews
Ultimate
Adventures, A Rough Guide to Adventure Travel contains 177 of the best and most
achievable adventures on earth. Organized geographically, each option is rated on a
1 to 5 scale for physical and psychological demands, technical skill and
the WOW! factor.
The Red Hat Society Travel Guide encourages women over 50 exploring the author's choice of top US destinations "with confidence, class and style!" First-person accounts of Red Hat experiences add an element of fun and personal experience.
Two books about exploring the Canadian Rocky Mountains -- one a nuts-and-bolts hiking trail guide and one a gorgeous and affordable photographic coffee table book -- will encourage readers to visit this UNESCO World Heritage designated region.
Soleil Chic has developed a range of fashionable hats, parasols and sun umbrellas that repel Ultra-Violet rays for both women and men who like to get out and about safely in many sunny locations while minimizing skin exposure.
Europe by Mouse is a creative new travel website unveiled by Adelle and Ron Milavsky who have spent 50+ years independently traveling Europe. Their website visits 123 of their favorite European destinations in text and photos.
Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World shines the spotlight on terrific travel ideas that are not only inspiring and unusual but that actually make a real difference in the lives of local people and on the planet.
Cities of
the World
Enjoy surprising cultural heritage highlights of France's Black Paris tours and activities, with a century of impressive African-American contributions to art, music, literature.
Ten tips for exploring Vienna, Austria independently on a tight budget, around one of Europe’s most fascinating cultural, musical and historic cities.
Cultural
history and cuisine vacations in Quebec feature historic accommodations
in Old Montreal, Eastern Townships and Old Quebec City.
Brussels in Bloom flower carpet celebrates a colorful begonia festival in the heart of this beautiful city every two years. See our dazzling photo essay of past carpet designs in Grand-Place square.
Discover why archaeologist, filmmaker and tour host, Peter Sommers,
considers Istanbul, Turkey, to be the
Queen of Cities.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada boasts three
boutique hotels with personality -- luxurious accommodations, distinctive
stories, gourmet breakfasts and other pleasant treats.
Explore Victoria, British Columbia ’s world famous Butchart
Gardens in the Winter season, a time of more subtle beauty by day and
dazzling light displays and festive activities each evening in December
and early January.
Long a popular day-stop on Alaska's cruise ship circuit, Juneau,
Alaska's capital, is worth a longer visit, with its character accommodations
and eateries, abundant nature and colorful native culture.
Learn about Vancouver,
British Columbia's unusual accommodations, tours, eateries, museums and
local specialties you never new existed.
Celebrating its century of industrial heritage, Granville
Island is transformed into a destination that attracts 10 million visitors
a year, just five minutes from downtown Vancouver, British Columbia.
New accessible travel guidebook for Europe
documents barrier-free vacations in London, Paris, Bruges, Amsterdam and
Germany's Rhine River Valley.
The desert city of Tucson, Arizona
offers a host of historic hotels, manicured gardens and character accommodations
to tempt vacationers away from predictable generic hotel rooms.
Cruise,
Barging and Sailing Vacations (see also Marine Vacations)
Thailand's marine treasures beneath the sea are revealed on a scuba diving liveaboard holiday in the Similan Islands, including a close encounter with a whale shark. Even if diving is not a priority, the images in this article are dazzling!
From Montréal, cruise the St Lawrence River and Gulf to Québec's Îles de la Madeleine (Magdalen Islands) while enjoying Acadian history, fabulous seafood cuisine and a chance to explore the picturesque islands during a three-day cruise stopover. Also check out the accompanying map page to illustrate the cruise route and the configuration of the islands, as well as some very unusual geology you will want to learn about.
A small-ship cruise explores Peru's Amazon River tributaries, spotting wildlife on day and night expeditions and visiting remote villages while adventure cruising.
Eco-cruise visitors to Galapagos
Islands enter a bird and nature heaven.
Find out their Favorite Five Animals in a 2008 wildlife poll.
Learn about a luxurious Croatian
Islands cruise on the Dalmatian Coast between Split and Dubrovnik
where cultural cuisine and a deeply-layered history are highlights
of visits to Korcula, Hvar, Vis and Brac.
Demonstrating that the guide makes the difference, discover how an
exploration of Croatia’s
Island of Vis comes alive with rich culture and history from the
Greeks to World War II.
A unique 12-day river cruise from Amsterdam
to Vienna includes the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, and crossing
mountains via the world’s most modern lock system.
Explore Scottish Highland history, nature, and cuisine on a Go
Barging luxury holiday along Scotland’s Great Glen from the North Sea to
the Atlantic.
European Waterways offers a unique barging cruise
of the waterways around Venice, Italy. If you book for specific cruise
dates in Summer or Fall, you are guaranteed front row seats aboard your
barge for Venice's colorful medieval-costumed canal regattas at no extra
charge!
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, explores French
Polynesia’s Marquesas
Islands aboard a modern passenger freighter stopping at a variety of colorful
island ports to deliver supplies.
Join two senior women adventurers who explore Alaska's
Aleutian Islands from Homer to Dutch Harbor, Unalaska aboard an Alaska State Ferry.
Step aboard Cruise West's small-ship
wilderness exploration of Alaska's Panhandle and inside Passage to discover
wildlife and glaciers galore.
From Europe to Australia, active seniors sign up for educational Sail
Training adventures or join Tall Ships' Races for an exciting vacation at
sea.
While staying in the picturesque historic village of Telegraph Cove, Vancouver
Island spend every day cruising the protected
inlets and straits where marine mammals, including killer whales and humpback
whales, abound.
Explore Continental Europe, Britain and Ireland by barge
or canal boat aboard luxury hotel barges or self-skippered vessels and identify
tour operators who deliver memorable experiences in style.
Veteran travel expedition leader, Geoff Green, shares his checklist for choosing
the best adventure tours from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Cuisine Vacations
From Montréal, cruise the St Lawrence River and Gulf to Québec's Îles de la Madeleine (Magdalen Islands) while enjoying Acadian history, fabulous seafood cuisine and a chance to explore the picturesque islands during a three-day cruise stopover. Also check out the accompanying map page to illustrate the cruise route and the configuration of the islands, as well as some very unusual geology you will want to learn about.
Joe David, author of Gourmet
Getaways, shares his
mouth-watering culinary research and recipes from 50
U.S. cuisine/cooking vacations.
Escape the beach crowds to explore Maui’s
Upcountry Agri-Tourism includes a winery, a goat farm and a lavender
farm …. each with spectacular volcano views.
Meet Chef Matthew Gray of Hawaii
Food Tours while you eat your way through Hawaii’s ethnic cuisine,
tasty cultural treats for every budget.
Through the eyes of Greek American culinary expert,
Nikki Rose, experience Crete, from rugged,
mountainous geography to distinctive culture and cuisine.
Cultural/Historical
Travel
Ten tips for exploring Vienna, Austria independently on a tight budget, around one of Europe’s most fascinating cultural, musical and historic cities.
Enjoy surprising cultural heritage highlights of France's Black Paris tours and activities, with a century of impressive African-American contributions to art, music, literature.
Independent travel in Spain's Galicia province is an empowering, illuminating cultural history vacation. There's much more to Galicia than the fabulous pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela!
South of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico's Riviera Maya offers birds, nature, authentic Mayan cultural history, as well as a taste of eco-living on Quintana Roo coast.
From Montréal, cruise the St Lawrence River and Gulf to Québec's Îles de la Madeleine (Magdalen Islands) while enjoying Acadian history, fabulous seafood cuisine and a chance to explore the picturesque islands during a three-day cruise stopover. Also check out the accompanying map page to illustrate the cruise route and the configuration of the islands, as well as some very unusual geology you will want to learn about.
Explore Alberta's Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a "living museum" east of Edmonton, as well as other natural and cultural attractions in the region known as Kalyna Country.
Fifty-plus and ready for a deeper appreciation of Italy? Try a senior-friendly language learning program in Taormina, Sicily, a beautiful historic setting with active volcano, Mount Etna sighing in the background.
Rosebud, Alberta (population 100) celebrates its rural theatre roots in a tiny prairie village rich in pioneer history. In its 27th year of professional performance, 40,000 visitors annually come to see its dramas and musicals 10 months of the year.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, spends a day far north of the Arctic Circle with a Lapland reindeer herder, 21st century-style, and learns about the traditions and challenges of this declining profession in northern Finland.
Experience the famous Molokai Mule Ride down
a 1,700 foot cliff with 26 switchbacks to the former Kalaupapa leper colony
to learn about the settlement’s infamous past and compassionate present.
Father Damien becomes Saint Damien in October 2009, perhaps leading to
some new pilgrimage travel there?
Lanai is least visited of Hawaii’s big six islands despite its well-known
history as “The Pineapple Island”. Enjoy a
unique introduction by two of Lanai’s favorite sons.
Learn about a luxurious Croatian
Islands cruise on the Dalmatian Coast between Split and Dubrovnik where
cultural cuisine and a deeply-layered history are highlights of visits
to Korcula, Hvar, Vis and Brac.
Demonstrating that the guide makes the difference, discover how an exploration
of Croatia’s Island of Vis comes
alive with rich culture and history from the Greeks to World War II.
Journalist, Alison Gardner, describes her first balloon adventure while
soaring and swooping over the dramatic scenery of Turkey's
Cappadocia region. Her accompanying photo essay from a return trip
in 2008 shares even more spectacular
images with readers.
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, northwest
of the Hawaiian Islands, features endangered birds, plants, marine wildlife,
and significant US military history in the Pacific.
Alberta’s dramatically-chiseled Badlands offers the perfect “Holy Land” back-drop
on a grand scale for Canada’s
acclaimed Passion Play enacted each July for the past 15 years.
Cultural history and cuisine vacations
in Quebec feature historic accommodations in Old Montreal, Eastern Townships
and Old Quebec City.
Meet Chef Matthew Gray of Hawaii
Food Tours while you eat your way through Hawaii’s ethnic cuisine,
tasty cultural treats for every budget.
Discover why archaeologist, filmmaker and tour host, Peter Sommers, considers Istanbul,
Turkey, to be the Queen of Cities.
Oman offers authentic, friendly Arabian hospitality,
cultural tourism, forts and castles, desert camps, and ecotourism on land
and sea.
Oman’s heritage tourism includes authentic architectural restoration of
centuries-old forts and castles, some
in deserts, others on mountain peaks or guarding fertile valleys.
Visit southern Oman’s Salalah region, land
of frankincense, monsoons, fine beaches, fabulous bird-watching and camels roaming
the country roads.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, explores French
Polynesia’s Marquesas Islands aboard a modern passenger freighter
stopping at a variety of colorful island ports to deliver supplies.
The Creaky Traveler is back with new independent travel explorations "for
the mobile not agile" in southwest Ireland’s
counties of Cork, Clare and West Cork.
Nicaragua is an unfamiliar vacation
destination that is becoming a rewarding Central American country for short,
medium and long term living on vacation or forever!
Darjeeling's miniature mountain
railway in India is an historic
treasure recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Go along for a
ride to meet the people and see spectacular scenery.
Join two senior women adventurers who explore Alaska's
Aleutian Islands in pioneer footsteps from Homer to Dutch Harbor, Unalaska
aboard an Alaska State Ferry.
Take the Evangeline Trail along Nova
Scotia’s Bay of Fundy while enjoying historic inns, gourmet seafood
and natural wonders.
Two senior women walk Spain’s
Camino de Santiago with backpacks on and staying in pilgrim hostels
for 751 kilometers from the French border to Santiago de Compostela.
Though Costa Rica has been a popular cultural and ecotourism destination
for decades, it remains full of surprises for short
vacations and living abroad.
Through the eyes of Greek American culinary expert, Nikki Rose, experience
Crete, from rugged, mountainous geography to distinctive culture and
cuisine.
Visit the famous Lipizzan horses on their Lipica
Stud Farm in Slovenia where visitors can tour, ride and even stay on
this historic, elegant estate.
Include one or more UNESCO World Heritage Sites
in your next vacation to immerse in the most precious natural attractions
and human cultural sites on earth.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations where
nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes a horseback
riding vacation and lessons in Tuscany, Italy through picturesque countryside
and well-preserved medieval towns.
A Jewish travel writer and a Jordanian Moslem tour guide identify
similarities, not differences that must motivate their people to find
peace.
Guidebook author, David Stanley, shares 10 cultural, historical and natural
reasons for senior travelers to visit Cuba now.
Learn about Vancouver,
British Columbia's unusual accommodations, tours, eateries, museums and
local specialties you never new existed.
Celebrating its century of industrial heritage, Granville
Island is transformed into a destination that attracts 10 million visitors
a year, just five minutes from downtown Vancouver, British Columbia.
Long a popular day-stop on Alaska's cruise ship circuit, Juneau,
Alaska's capital, is worth a longer visit, with its character accommodations
and eateries, abundant nature and colorful native culture.
For active seniors, take a hike up Mount
Aaron and experience the hospitality of Bedouin tribal people near Petra,
Jordan.
Explore Continental Europe, Britain and Ireland by barge
or canal boat aboard luxury hotel barges or self-skippered vessels and
identify tour operators who deliver memorable experiences in style.
Learning is fun on an Arizona vacation
whether you fancy archaeology, astronomy, wine blending, hummingbird migrations
or Mexican cuisine and culture.
Meteora in Central Greece features towering
pinnacle rock formations topped with medieval Greek Orthodox monasteries
now open to vacationers and pilgrims.
Learn
about the pagan and Christian traditions of decorated, painted
Easter eggs in the Ukraine and Russia in this colorful, informative article.
Hawaii
offers many educational guided and self-guided
tours to explore Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island and Molokai that will
add rich memories to your Hawaiian vacation.
Explore Mexico's State of Sonora and its
abundant marine wildlife and birds along the Sea of Cortez, with mountains,
desert and tropical forests as well as a rich native and Spanish colonial history.
Northeastern Florida's historic
accommodations and sumptuous signature breakfasts make a visit to Amelia
Island and St. Augustine unique and memorable.
The desert city of Tucson, Arizona
offers a host of historic hotels, manicured gardens and character accommodations
to tempt vacationers away from predictable generic hotel rooms.
Take an independent ramble through the rugged remote Highlands of North West
Scotland with a travel-seasoned 70-something couple
who classify themselves as "mobile not agile".
Explore Mexico's vast Copper Canyon region
in a richly illustrated three part spotlight that features the geology, natural
history and indigenous culture of the region.
A fine example of Mexico's new rural tourism
shows how a whole community outside Mazatlan can deliver memorable grassroots
experiences.
A
rich Creole heritage is captured in this travel article spotlighting Louisiana.
Join a Global Citizens Network volunteer
vacation lending a hand on native reservations in Arizona and New Mexico.
Educational and culturally stimulating encounters take Hong
Kong visitors behind the scenes with its innovative 'Meet the People' program.
A 19-day ElderTreks' trip through
western and central Turkey reveals a rich Greek, Roman, Christian and
Ottoman Empire history and a lively present day culture to explore.
The Greek Islands are brilliant stepping
stones of thousands of years of Mediterranean history, distinctive culture and
cuisine, and spiritual treasures.
Walk northern Spain's Camino de Santiago
in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over more than 1,000 years and experience
the fascination of this route.
Matriarchs of Meghalaya takes readers inside one of
northern India's most unique cultural communities where women are the decision-makers.
Artist and globetrotter, Charlene Brown, takes her paint box on a solo trip
which captures Vietnam in Watercolor.
Alternative
Hawaii reveals an uncommon side of this famous tourist destination,
with ecological and cultural vacation options across five islands.
Meet Chef Matthew Gray of Hawaii
Food Tours while you eat your way through
Hawaii’s ethnic cuisine, tasty cultural treats for every budget.
Northern Ireland's famous Antrim Coast offers a perfect
week-long hiking and cultural history tour for the active traveler.
Ride the rails in bygone luxury aboard the historic Eastern
& Orient Express train from Singapore through Malaysia to Thailand.
U.S. volunteer vacation organization, Global
Volunteers, contributes challenging food for thought on encountering unfamiliar
cultures.
Join a popular Elderhostel educational study tour
in England to the home territories of some of Britain's most famous literary
figures.
Join a two-week hiking tour of China's Great
Wall which includes village encounters, plenty of history and memorable
meals off the beaten path.
Cycling Vacations
Join Arizona photographer, Lorraine DarConte, on her solo
cycling holiday through picturesque countryside and medieval towns around Umbria, Italy.
Thousands of people, toddlers to seniors, join the Great
Victorian Bike Ride for nine days of cycling Australia's spectacularly scenic
Great Ocean Road.
Driving Vacations
Learn about Alberta’s spectacular Jasper
National Park and its historical Jasper townsite, the most northerly
segment of the Canadian Rockies UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Creaky Traveler is back with new independent travel explorations "for
the mobile not agile" in southwest Ireland’s
counties of Cork, Clare and West Cork.
A new book by Ron and Adelle Milavsky shows how to take a Recreational
Vehicle (RV) holiday in Europe while
saving money and adding itinerary flexibility.
Take an independent ramble through the rugged remote Highlands of
North West Scotland with a travel-seasoned 80-something
couple who classify themselves as "mobile not agile".
Earthwatch
Institute
Globetrotting volunteer, Dorothy Conlon, shares her inspiring and educational
cheetah encounter during a 15-day Earthwatch conservation
volunteer program in Namibia, southwestern Africa.
An Earthwatch Institute volunteer vacation
in Barbados reveals an island's history and slave culture from the inside
out.
Ecotourism
Thailand's marine treasures beneath the sea are revealed on a scuba diving liveaboard holiday in the Similan Islands, including a close encounter with a whale shark. Even if diving is not a priority, the images in this article are dazzling!
Meet New Zealand's most rare and endangered wildlife and birds, on tours and holidays. Learn their intriguing stories, and plan to encounter them in this unique holiday destination.
Victoria, British Columbia has exciting, educational marine wildlife attractions, on land and cruising some picturesque islands, all easy and accessible for seniors and families.
A small-ship cruise explores Peru's Amazon River tributaries, spotting wildlife on day and night expeditions and visiting remote villages while adventure cruising.
Rural farmers in India have create a sanctuary for wild peacocks, India's dwindling national bird, while offering authentic agri-tourism experiences for international visitors.
South of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico's Riviera Maya offers birds, nature, authentic Mayan cultural history, as well as a taste of eco-living on Quintana Roo coast.
Explore Alberta's Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a "living museum" east of Edmonton, as well as other natural and cultural attractions in the region known as Kalyna Country.
Learn about Alberta’s spectacular Jasper
National Park and its historical Jasper townsite, the most northerly
segment of the Canadian Rockies UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Eco-cruise visitors to Galapagos
Islands enter a bird and nature heaven.
Find out their Favorite Five Animals in a 2008 wildlife poll.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, shares her riding
and hiking vacation in Patagonia, one of the world’s less visited
regions straddling southern Argentina and Chile.
From her newly-published guidebook, Kirsten Whatley spotlights short
and long volunteer vacations focusing on helping nature on five Hawaiian
Islands and surrounding waters.
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge,
northwest of the Hawaiian Islands, features endangered birds, plants,
marine wildlife, and significant US military history in the Pacific.
The U.S. Oregon Coast skirting the wild, picturesque
Pacific beckons explorers who love beach combing, shipwreck discovery
and eco-retreats by the shore.
Take the Evangeline Trail along Nova
Scotia’s Bay of Fundy while enjoying historic inns, gourmet seafood
and natural wonders.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations
where nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Though Costa Rica has been a popular cultural
and ecotourism destination for decades, it remains full of surprises
for short vacations and long term stays.
From the Sierra Nevada Mountains to its deepest valley bottoms, discover
Yosemite National Park's wilderness vacations
on foot, by car and on horseback.
Step aboard Cruise West's small-ship
wilderness exploration of Alaska's Panhandle and inside Passage
to discover wildlife and glaciers galore.
Long a popular day-stop on Alaska's cruise ship circuit, Juneau,
Alaska's capital, is worth a longer visit, with its character accommodations
and eateries, abundant nature and colorful native culture.
A helicopter ride onto the Mendenhall
Glacier leads to a thrilling new experience of hiking on Juneau,
Alaska's most accessible glacier.
Include one or more UNESCO World Heritage
Sites in your next vacation to immerse in the most precious natural
attractions and human cultural sites on earth.
Trinidad is developing rural, natural area tourism, training local people
as guides and hosts, opening up lesser-known areas to adventure
travel interests like biking, hiking and kayaking.
Explore Scottish history, nature and environmental challenges at Scotland's
Aigas Field Centre, where hosts,
Sir John Lister-Kaye and his wife, Lucy, welcome guests to stay on their
historic property.
Guidebook author, David Stanley, shares 10 cultural, historical and
natural reasons for senior travelers to visit Cuba
now.
Learning is fun on an Arizona
vacation whether you fancy archaeology, astronomy, wine blending,
hummingbird migrations or Mexican cuisine and culture.
While
staying in the picturesque historic village of Telegraph Cove, Vancouver
Island enjoy a memorable vacation where marine
mammals, including killer whales and humpback whales, abound.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef and Heron
Island attract vacationers who volunteer to monitor the declining health
of spectacular coral reefs.
Hawaii offers many educational guided and self-guided
tours to explore Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island and Molokai that will add
rich memories to your Hawaiian vacation.
Rarotonga in the Cook Islands of the South Pacific
still offers vacationers a glimpse of unspoiled nature, rare
birds and an island in transition.
Learn how researchers are identifying dozens of ways that African
elephants communicate up close and over vast distances, and pick an educational
safari to observe for yourself these fascinating giants in the wild.
Explore Mexico's State of Sonora and its
abundant marine wildlife and birds along the Sea of Cortez, with mountains,
desert and tropical forests as well as a rich native and Spanish colonial history.
Go along on a nature safari with a difference
to two South African parks. Tracking wildlife on foot is all part of the fun!
Explore Mexico's vast Copper Canyon region
in a richly illustrated three part spotlight that features the geology, natural
history and indigenous culture of the region.
Kangaroo Island, one of Australia's lesser
known ecotourism treasures, reveals rare animals, sea mammals and birds against
a spectacular geological backdrop.
Bear Watching vacations offer an introduction
to these always-fascinating creatures and to some educational ecotours where
bears are the star attraction.
Go on a Polar Bear Watching eco-vacation that takes
readers into the heartland of polar bear territory around Churchill, Manitoba.
Grizzly Bears & Killer Whales are the main attractions
at a floating eco-lodge on a remote British Columbia coastal inlet.
Photojournalist
and marine mammal specialist, Jean-Pierre Sylvestre, shares memorable photos
and insightful observations of the world's
sea life.
Canada's Yukon Territory and Alaska's Panhandle provide a rare rafting and camping
adventure in The Ultimate Northern Wilderness.
Alternative Hawaii reveals an uncommon
side of this famous tourist destination, with ecological and cultural vacation
options across five islands.
Northern Ireland's famous Antrim Coast offers a perfect
week-long hiking and cultural history tour for the active traveler.
Breathtaking bird photos and personal encounters with Hawaii's wildlife are
shared by Jack Jeffrey, Hawaii's pre-eminent
nature photographer.
Winter storm watching vacations on Canada's Pacific
coast are the latest adventure attraction for North American and offshore visitors.
Spend a holiday on Australia's famed Heron Island,
a magical Queensland coast eco-island where Nature rules.
Educational
Travel
Painting and sketching on your travels and tours alone or with a professional artist enhances international travel. Artist Mark Heine shares his thoughts.
Enjoy surprising cultural heritage highlights of France's Black Paris tours and activities, with a century of impressive African-American contributions to art, music, literature.
Fifty-plus and ready for a deeper appreciation of Italy? Try a senior-friendly language learning program in Taormina, Sicily, a beautiful historic setting with active volcano, Mount Etna sighing in the background.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, spends a day far north of the Arctic Circle with a Lapland reindeer herder, 21st century-style, and learns about the traditions and challenges of this declining profession in northern Finland.
Explore Alberta's Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a "living museum" east of Edmonton, as well as other natural and cultural attractions in the region known as Kalyna Country.
Escape the beach crowds to explore Maui’s
Upcountry Agri-Tourism includes a winery, a goat farm and a lavender
farm …. each with spectacular volcano views.
Lanai is least visited of Hawaii’s big six islands despite its
well-known history as “The Pineapple Island”. Enjoy a
unique introduction by two of Lanai’s favorite sons.
Experience the famous Molokai Mule Ride down
a 1,700 foot cliff with 26 switchbacks to the former Kalaupapa leper
colony to learn about the settlement’s infamous past and compassionate
present. Father Damien becomes Saint Damien in October 2009, perhaps
leading to some new pilgrimage travel there?
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge,
northwest of the Hawaiian Islands, features endangered birds, plants,
marine wildlife, and significant US military history in the Pacific.
Discover Maui's most Hawaiian
hotel where guests quickly become part of the Hawaiian family, learning
about culture through a menu of free activities and an unmistakable "aloha" atmosphere.
Through the eyes of Greek American culinary expert, Nikki Rose, experience
Crete, from rugged, mountainous geography to distinctive culture
and cuisine.
Join two senior women adventurers who explore Alaska's
Aleutian Islands in pioneer footsteps from Homer to Dutch Harbor, Unalaska
aboard an Alaska State Ferry.
Cultural history and cuisine
vacations in Quebec feature historic accommodations in Old Montreal,
Eastern Townships and Old Quebec City.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations
where nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Step aboard Cruise West's small-ship
wilderness exploration of Alaska's Panhandle and inside Passage
to discover wildlife and glaciers galore.
Explore Scottish history, nature and environmental challenges at Scotland's
Aigas Field Centre, where hosts,
Sir John Lister-Kaye and his wife, Lucy, welcome guests to stay on their
historic property.
From Europe to Australia, active seniors sign up for educational Sail
Training adventures or join Tall Ships' Races for an exciting vacation
at sea.
While staying in the picturesque historic village of Telegraph Cove,
Vancouver Island enjoy educational
ship-based cruises daily where marine mammals, including killer
whales and humpback whales, abound.
Learn how researchers are identifying dozens of ways that African
elephants communicate up close and over vast distances, and pick
an educational safari to observe for yourself these fascinating giants
in the wild.
Learning is fun on an Arizona
vacation whether you fancy archaeology, astronomy, wine blending,
hummingbird migrations or Mexican cuisine and culture.
A rich Creole heritage is captured in this travel article spotlighting
Louisiana.
Educational and culturally stimulating encounters take Hong
Kong visitors behind the scenes with its innovative 'Meet the People'
program.
The Greek Islands are brilliant
stepping stones of thousands of years of Mediterranean history, distinctive
culture and cuisine, and spiritual treasures.
Walk northern Spain's Camino de Santiago
in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over more than 1,000 years
and experience the fascination of this route.
A 19-day ElderTreks' trip
through western and central Turkey reveals a rich Greek, Roman,
Christian and Ottoman Empire history and a lively present day culture
to explore.
U.S. volunteer vacation organization, Global Volunteers, contributes
challenging food for thought on encountering
unfamiliar cultures.
Join a popular Elderhostel educational study
tour in England to the home territories of some of Britain's most
famous literary figures.
Elderhostel
Explore Mexico's State of Sonora and its
abundant marine wildlife and birds along the Sea of Cortez, with mountains,
desert and tropical forests as well as a rich native and Spanish colonial history.
Join a popular Elderhostel educational study tour
in England to the home territories of some of Britain's most famous literary
figures.
Family
Travel
Discover Maui's most Hawaiian
hotel where guests quickly become
part of the Hawaiian family, learning about culture through a menu of
free activities and an unmistakable "aloha" atmosphere. Many
loyal guests now bring second or third generations to their
Hawaiian "home".
Victoria, British Columbia has exciting, educational marine wildlife attractions, on land and cruising some picturesque islands, all easy and accessible for seniors and families.
Explore Alberta's Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a "living museum" east of Edmonton, as well as other family-friendly natural and cultural attractions in the region known as Kalyna Country.
Thousands of people, toddlers to seniors, join the Great
Victorian Bike Ride for nine days of cycling Australia's spectacularly
scenic Great Ocean Road.
Visit the famous Lipizzan horses on their Lipica
Stud Farm in Slovenia where visitors of all ages can tour, ride and even
stay on this historic, elegant estate.
Step aboard Cruise West's small-ship
wilderness exploration of Alaska's Panhandle and inside Passage to discover
wildlife and glaciers galore.
Explore Scottish history, nature and environmental challenges at Scotland's
Aigas Field Centre, where hosts, Sir
John Lister-Kaye and his wife, Lucy, welcome guests to stay on their historic
property.
Explore Continental Europe, Britain and Ireland by barge
or canal boat aboard luxury hotel barges or self-skippered vessels and
identify tour operators who deliver memorable experiences in style.
Learn about successful strategies for exchanging
homes for memorable, low-budget vacations around the world.
Take an independent ramble through the rugged remote Highlands of North West
Scotland with a travel-seasoned 70-something couple
who classify themselves as "mobile not agile".
Alberta’s dramatically-chiseled Badlands offers the perfect “Holy
Land” back-drop on a grand scale for Canada’s acclaimed Passion
Play enacted each July for the past 14 years.
Family travel is front and center as a veteran
travel writer shares his hitchhiking experiences in Ireland with Mom and a
rigorous walk across England with Dad.
An active travel exploration through Ireland's
Aran Islands and County Clare provides healing and encouragement during
a family reunion.
Garden Tours
Brussels in Bloom flower carpet celebrates a colorful begonia festival in the heart of this beautiful city every two years. See our dazzling photo essay of past carpet designs.
Explore Victoria, British Columbia ’s world famous Butchart
Gardens in the Winter season, a time of more subtle beauty by day and dazzling
light displays and festive activities each evening during December and early
January.
Health
and Wellness
Learn about the top sacred places around the world
and how to prepare successfully for visiting such culturally, historically and
spiritually significant destinations.
Hawaii is a new world-class destination for health
and wellness vacationing on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island where
healthy holiday choices suit every taste and budget.
The Hawaiian Islands is home to a wide variety of wellness
providers and planners as well as retreat centers and workshops.
Visit an all-inclusive health resort near
Tucson, Arizona to discover how wellness vacations are as diverse in their agendas
and activity choices as you would experience on a cruise ship.
Learn how to pick creative, healthy vacations
that promote physical, mental, and spiritual healing and wellness to last all
year!
Hiking
- See Walking Tours
Historical Travel - See
Cultural/Historical Travel
Home Exchange Holidays
Learn about successful strategies for exchanging
homes for memorable, low-budget vacations around the world.
Horse Farm and Riding Vacations
Experience the famous Molokai Mule Ride down
a 1,700 foot cliff with 26 switchbacks to the former Kalaupapa leper
colony to learn about the settlement’s infamous past and compassionate
present. Father Damien becomes Saint Damien in October 2009, perhaps
leading to some new pilgrimage travel there?
Visit the famous Lipizzan horses on their Lipica
Stud Farm in Slovenia where visitors can tour, ride and even stay on this
historic, elegant estate.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes a horseback
riding vacation and lessons in Tuscany, Italy through picturesque countryside
and well-preserved medieval towns.
Kayaking Vacations
Island-hopping from Maine, U.S.A. to New Brunswick, Canada is a rewarding
active camping vacation for intermediate ocean
kayakers.
Language Learning
Why should vacationers learn basic phrases in the local language when on their foreign travels? This article offers insights and tips to benefit for everyone, whether as independent traveler or on a tour.
Fifty-plus and ready for a deeper appreciation of Italy? Try a senior-friendly language learning program in Taormina, Sicily, a beautiful historic setting with active volcano, Mount Etna sighing in the background.
Living Abroad
Nicaragua is an unfamiliar vacation destination that is becoming a rewarding
Central American country for short, medium and long term living on vacation
or forever!
Though Costa Rica has been a popular cultural and ecotourism destination
for decades, it remains full of surprises for
short vacations and living abroad.
Marine (Ocean) Vacations
Thailand's marine treasures beneath the sea are revealed on a scuba diving liveaboard holiday in the Similan Islands, including a close encounter with a whale shark. Even if diving is not a priority, the images in this article are dazzling!
From Montréal, cruise the St Lawrence River and Gulf to Québec's Îles de la Madeleine (Magdalen Islands) while enjoying Acadian history, fabulous seafood cuisine and a chance to explore the picturesque islands during a three-day cruise stopover. Also check out the accompanying map page to illustrate the cruise route and the configuration of the islands, as well as some very unusual geology you will want to learn about.
Eco-cruise visitors to Galapagos
Islands enter a bird and nature heaven.
Find out their Favorite Five Animals in a 2008 wildlife poll.
Learn about a luxurious Croatian
Islands cruise on the Dalmatian Coast between Split and Dubrovnik
where cultural cuisine and a deeply-layered history are highlights of
visits to Korcula, Hvar, Vis and Brac.
Demonstrating that the guide makes the difference, discover how an exploration
of Croatia’s Island of Vis comes
alive with rich culture and history from the Greeks to World War II.
Join two senior women adventurers who explore Alaska's
Aleutian Islands in pioneer footsteps from Homer to Dutch Harbor, Unalaska
aboard an Alaska State Ferry.
Step aboard Cruise West's small-ship
wilderness exploration of Alaska's Panhandle and inside Passage to discover
wildlife and glaciers galore.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, explores French
Polynesia’s Marquesas Islands aboard a modern passenger freighter
stopping at a variety of colorful island ports to deliver supplies.
While staying in the picturesque historic village of Telegraph Cove, Vancouver
Island enjoy educational ship-based cruises
daily where marine mammals, including killer whales and humpback whales, abound.
Veteran travel expedition leader, Geoff Green, shares his checklist for choosing
the best adventure tours from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Photojournalist and marine mammal specialist, Jean-Pierre Sylvestre, shares
memorable photos and insightful observations of the world's
sea life.
Grizzly Bears & Killer Whales are the main attractions
at a floating eco-lodge on a remote British Columbia coastal inlet.
Mature
Travel Only
Join a small group of seniors on an
active ElderTreks exploration of unique national parks and richly historic
towns throughout Slovenia and Croatia.
The Creaky Traveler is back with new independent travel explorations "for
the mobile not agile" in southwest Ireland’s
counties of Cork, Clare and West Cork.
A new book by Ron and Adelle Milavsky shows
how to take a Recreational Vehicle (RV)
holiday in Europe while saving money and adding itinerary flexibility.
From Europe to Australia, active seniors sign up for educational Sail
Training adventures or join Tall Ships' Races for an exciting vacation
at sea.
Take an independent ramble through the rugged remote Highlands of North
West Scotland with a travel-seasoned 70-something
couple who classify themselves as "mobile not agile".
A 19-day ElderTreks' trip
through western and central Turkey reveals a rich Greek, Roman,
Christian and Ottoman Empire history and a lively present day culture
to explore.
Join a popular Elderhostel educational study
tour in England to the home territories of some of Britain's most
famous literary figures.
Painting, Music and
Art Themes
Rosebud, Alberta (population 100) celebrates its rural theatre roots in a tiny prairie village rich in pioneer history. In its 27th year of professional performance, 40,000 visitors annually come to see its dramas and musicals 10 months of the year.
Painting and sketching on your travels and tours alone or with a professional artist enhances international travel. Artist Mark Heine shares his thoughts.
Enjoy unexpected cultural heritage highlights of France's Black Paris tours and activities, with a century of impressive African-American contributions to art, music, literature.
Globetrotter, Charlene Brown, takes her paint box and
her unique artist's eyeglasses on a solo trip that captures Vietnam
in Watercolor.
The Greek Islands are brilliant
stepping stones of thousands of years of Mediterranean history, Greek icon art treasures, distinctive
culture and cuisine, and spiritual treasures (3 articles).
Bypass those weary racks of faded, stereotypical postcards by learning
how to paint your own postcard scenes to
thrill friends and relatives.
Learn about the pagan and Christian traditions of decorated, painted
Easter eggs in the Ukraine and Russia in this colorful, informative
article.
Photography
Thailand's marine treasures beneath the sea are revealed on a scuba diving liveaboard holiday in the Similan Islands, including a close encounter with a whale shark. Even if diving is not a priority, the images in this article are dazzling!
Brussels in Bloom flower carpet celebrates a colorful begonia festival in the heart of this beautiful city every two years. See our dazzling photo essay of past carpet designs.
Respected Trinidad & Tobago bird photographer,
Roger Neckles, shares his passion for some of the islands most colorful
and exotic birds.
Photojournalist and marine mammal specialist, Jean-Pierre Sylvestre,
shares memorable photos and insightful observations of the world's
sea life.
Breathtaking bird photos and personal encounters with Hawaii's wildlife
are shared by Jack Jeffrey,
Hawaii's pre-eminent nature photographer.
RV-Recreational Vehicle Travel
A new book by Ron and Adelle Milavsky
shows how to take a Recreational Vehicle (RV)
holiday in Europe while saving money and adding itinerary flexibility.
River Rafting
Canada's Yukon Territory and Alaska's Panhandle provide a rare rafting and
camping adventure in The Ultimate Northern Wilderness.
Rural Tourism
Rural farmers in India have create a sanctuary for wild peacocks, India's dwindling national bird, while offering authentic agri-tourism experiences for international visitors.
A small-ship cruise explores Peru's Amazon River tributaries, spotting wildlife on day and night expeditions and visiting remote villages while adventure cruising.
South of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico's Riviera Maya offers birds, nature, authentic Mayan cultural history, as well as a taste of eco-living on Quintana Roo coast.
Explore Alberta's Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a "living museum" east of Edmonton, as well as other natural and cultural attractions in the region known as Kalyna Country.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, spends a day far north of the Arctic Circle with a Lapland reindeer herder, 21st century-style, and learns about the traditions and challenges of this declining profession in northern Finland.
Escape the beach crowds to explore Maui’s
Upcountry Agri-Tourism includes a winery, a goat farm and a lavender
farm …. each with spectacular volcano views.
Lanai is least visited of Hawaii’s big six islands despite its
well-known history as “The Pineapple Island”. Enjoy a
unique introduction by two of Lanai’s favorite sons.
Rosebud, Alberta (population 100) celebrates its rural theatre roots in a tiny prairie village rich in pioneer history. In its 27th year of professional performance, 40,000 visitors annually come to see its dramas and musicals 10 months of the year.
A Global Service Corp volunteer vacation
in rural Tanzania is a rewarding
first experience for one British journalist who goes on to bigger things
in Cambodia.
Demonstrating that the guide makes the difference, discover how an exploration
of Croatia’s Island of Vis comes
alive with rich culture and history from the Greeks to World War II.
Through the eyes of Greek American culinary expert, Nikki Rose, experience
Crete, from rugged, mountainous geography to distinctive culture and
cuisine.
Learn about British Columbia, Canada's
exciting aboriginal vacations, tour operators and accommodations where
nature and colorful cultures are interpreted through native eyes.
Visit the famous Lipizzan horses on their Lipica
Stud Farm in Slovenia where visitors can tour, ride and even stay on
this historic, elegant estate.
Explore Scottish history, nature and environmental challenges at Scotland's
Aigas Field Centre, where hosts,
Sir John Lister-Kaye and his wife, Lucy, welcome guests to stay on their
historic property.
Trinidad is developing rural, natural area tourism, training local people
as guides and hosts, opening up lesser-known areas to adventure
travel interests like biking, hiking and kayaking.
Try staying at Trinidad's small-scale,
locally-owned hotels, inns and guest houses and sample the best in fresh
local Creole and Trinidad cuisine.
Nicaragua is an unfamiliar vacation
destination that is becoming a rewarding Central American country for short,
medium and long term living on vacation or forever!
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes a horseback
riding vacation and lessons in Tuscany, Italy through picturesque countryside
and well-preserved medieval towns.
Take an independent ramble through the rugged remote Highlands of North
West Scotland with a travel-seasoned 70-something
couple who classify themselves as "mobile not agile".
A fine example of Mexico's new rural
tourism shows how a whole community outside Mazatlan can deliver memorable
grassroots experiences.
Sailing Vacations -- see Cruise,
Barging and Sailing Vacations
Spiritual
Travel
Experience the famous Molokai Mule Ride down
a 1,700 foot cliff with 26 switchbacks to the former Kalaupapa leper colony to
learn about the settlement’s infamous past and compassionate present. Father
Damien becomes Saint Damien in October 2009, perhaps leading to some new pilgrimage
travel there?
Alberta’s dramatically-chiseled Badlands offers the perfect “Holy Land” back-drop on a grand scale for Canada’s acclaimed Passion Play enacted each July for the past 14 years.
Two senior women walk Spain’s
Camino de Santiago with backpacks on and staying in pilgrim hostels
for 751 kilometers from the French border to Santiago de Compostela.
Learn about the top sacred places around the world
and how to prepare successfully for visiting such culturally, historically and
spiritually significant destinations.
Meteora in Central Greece features towering
pinnacle rock formations topped with medieval Greek Orthodox monasteries now
open to vacationers and pilgrims.
Learn how to pick creative, healthy vacations that promote physical, mental,
and spiritual healing and wellness to last
all year!
Visit an all-inclusive health resort near Tucson, Arizona to discover how wellness
vacations are as diverse in their agendas and activity choices, including spiritual
explorations, as you would experience on a cruise ship.
The Greek Islands are brilliant
stepping stones of thousands of years of Mediterranean history, distinctive
culture and cuisine, and spiritual treasures.
Walk northern Spain's Camino de Santiago
in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over more than 1,000 years and experience
the fascination of this route.
Storm Watching Vacations
Winter storm watching vacations on Canada's Pacific
coast are the latest adventure attraction for North American and offshore visitors.
Train
Travel
Ride the rails in luxury aboard the Rocky
Mountaineer, enjoying wildlife sightings, frontier history and spectacular
scenery from Jasper, Alberta through the Canadian Rockies and across
British Columbia to Vancouver.
Darjeeling's miniature mountain
railway in India is an historic treasure recognized by UNESCO as a
World Heritage Site. Go along for a ride to meet the local people and see
spectacular scenery.
Explore Mexico's vast Copper Canyon region
in a richly illustrated three part spotlight that features the geology, natural
history and indigenous culture of the region.
Ride the rails in bygone luxury aboard the historic Eastern
& Orient Express train from Singapore through Malaysia to Thailand.
Travel for Seniors Only
Join a small group of seniors on an
active ElderTreks exploration of unique national parks and richly historic
towns throughout Slovenia and Croatia.
The Creaky Traveler is back with new independent travel explorations "for
the mobile not agile" in southwest Ireland’s counties of Cork,
Clare and West Cork.
From Europe to Australia, active seniors sign up for educational Sail
Training adventures or join Tall Ships' Races for an exciting vacation at
sea.
A new book by Ron and Adelle Milavsky shows how to take
a Recreational Vehicle (RV) holiday in Europe
while saving money and adding itinerary flexibility.
Take an independent ramble through the rugged remote Highlands of North West
Scotland with a travel-seasoned 70-something couple
who classify themselves as "mobile not agile".
A 19-day ElderTreks' trip through
western and central Turkey reveals a rich Greek, Roman, Christian and
Ottoman Empire history and a lively present day culture to explore.
Join a popular Elderhostel educational study tour
in England to the home territories of some of Britain's most famous literary
figures.
Travel
Tips and Strategies
Lost, damaged and stolen luggage ..... Yes,
travelers CAN take steps to reduce reduce these increasing risks of this
holiday spoiler and deal with it more effectively with the airlines if
it does happen.
Painting and sketching on your travels and tours alone or with a professional artist enhances international travel. Artist Mark Heine shares his thoughts.
Why should vacationers learn basic phrases in the local language when on their foreign travels? This article offers insights and tips to benefit for everyone, whether as independent traveler or on a tour.
One challenge you can remove from your travel plans is a large overloaded
suitcase, if you follow our Clutter Consultant's tips
for uncluttering your luggage and your travel plans.
Senior travelers find walking and hiking easier and safer with trekking
poles and staffs, so learn how to choose and use them effectively.
Learn how to pick creative, healthy
vacations that promote physical, mental, and spiritual healing and
wellness to last all year!
Learn about successful strategies for exchanging
homes for memorable, low-budget vacations around the world.
Journeywoman.com's publisher and travel guru shares ten
great tips for stacking the odds in favor of a secure, theft-free
holiday.
Veteran travel expedition leader, Geoff Green, shares his checklist
for choosing the best adventure tours
from Antarctica to the North Pole.
Tour operator, Active Journeys, offers wise advice on physically preparing
for a walking holiday, choosing comfortable boots and daypacks.
Learn how to streamline your encounters with Airport
Security by dealing effectively with the realities of post-9/11
travel.
Bypass those weary racks of faded, stereotypical postcards by learning
how to paint your own postcard scenes to
thrill friends and relatives.
U.S. volunteer vacation organization, Global Volunteers, contributes challenging
food for thought on encountering unfamiliar
cultures.
Travel
Operators - see Alternative Travel Tour Operators
Volunteer Vacations
From her newly-published guidebook, Kirsten Whatley spotlights short
and long volunteer vacations focusing on helping nature on five Hawaiian
Islands and surrounding waters.
Globetrotting volunteer, Dorothy Conlon, shares her inspiring and educational
cheetah encounter during a 15-day Earthwatch conservation
volunteer program in Namibia, southwestern Africa.
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, northwest
of the Hawaiian Islands, features endangered birds, plants, marine wildlife,
and significant US military history in the Pacific. There are also carefully
screened volunteer opportunities in this truly remote setting.
A Global Service Corp volunteer vacation
in rural Tanzania is a rewarding first experience for one British journalist
who goes on to bigger things in Cambodia.
Global Volunteer Network founder, Colin Salisbury, shares his vision for
this popular volunteer vacation program in India, Thailand, Ghana, Romania,
Honduras, Nepal and more.
From the Cook Islands and Belize to the U.S. and Canada, check out an ever-growing
list of volunteer vacations
suitable for senior travelers.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef
and Heron Island attract vacationers who volunteer to monitor the declining
health of spectacular coral reefs.
Join a Global Citizens Network volunteer
vacation lending a hand on native reservations in Arizona and New Mexico.
An Earthwatch Institute volunteer vacation in
Barbados reveals an island's history and slave culture from the inside out.
U.S. volunteer vacation organization, Global Volunteers, contributes challenging
food for thought on encountering unfamiliar
cultures.
Walking
Tours
Lanai is least visited of Hawaii’s big six islands despite
its well-known history as “The Pineapple Island”. Enjoy a
unique introduction by two of Lanai’s favorite sons.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, shares her riding
and hiking vacation in Patagonia, one of the world’s less visited
regions straddling southern Argentina and Chile.
In this inspiring, entertaining addition to our Camino collection,
perennial traveler and book author, Robert Ward, speaks about his many
journeys on the Camino: its “eternal newness” and its “deep,
persistent rhythms of the road”.
Enjoy our author's personal story about the challenging, rewarding
Coast to Coast Walk across
a skinny part of northern England at a pace and style that will appeal
to seniors.
Stroll and hike the French
Riviera, western Côte d’Azur, a memorable holiday for
active seniors to discover mountain footpaths, local islands, medieval
villages, and dramatic shoreline trails.
Two senior women walk Spain’s
Camino de Santiago with backpacks on and staying in pilgrim hostels
for 751 kilometers from the French border to Santiago de Compostela.
From the Sierra Nevada Mountains to its deepest valley bottoms, discover
Yosemite National Park's wilderness vacations on
foot, by car and on horseback.
Trinidad is developing rural, natural area tourism, training local people as
guides and hosts, opening up lesser-known areas to adventure
travel interests like biking, hiking and kayaking.
A helicopter ride onto the Mendenhall
Glacier leads to a thrilling new experience of hiking on Juneau, Alaska's
most accessible glacier.
For active seniors, take a hike up Mount Aaron
and experience the hospitality of Bedouin tribal people near Petra, Jordan.
Learn about Vancouver,
British Columbia's unusual accommodations, tours, eateries, museums and local
specialties you never new existed. City walking tours included!
Senior travelers find walking and hiking easier and safer with trekking
poles and staffs, so learn how to choose and use them effectively.
Meteora in Central Greece features towering pinnacle rock formations topped
with medieval Greek Orthodox monasteries now open to vacationers and pilgrims.
Hawaii offers many educational guided and self-guided
tours to explore Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island and Molokai that will add
rich memories to your Hawaiian vacation.
Go on a Sierra Club walking tour of Britain's
picturesque Cotswold region to explore nature and English history.
Go along on a nature safari with a difference
to two South African parks. Tracking wildlife on foot is all part of the fun!
Family travel is front and center as a veteran
travel writer shares his hitchhiking experiences in Ireland with Mom and a rigorous
walk across England with Dad.
Veteran tour operator, Active Journeys, offers wise advice on physically preparing
for a walking holiday, choosing comfortable boots and daypacks.
An active travel exploration through Ireland's
Aran Islands and County Clare provides healing and encouragement during
a family reunion.
Walk northern Spain's Camino de Santiago
in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over more than 1,000 years and experience
the fascination of this route.
Join a two-week hiking tour of China's Great
Wall which includes village encounters, a volunteer vacation and memorable
meals off the beaten path.
Women's Travel
Enjoy surprising cultural heritage highlights of France's Black Paris tours and activities, with a century of impressive African-American contributions to art, music, literature.
Independent travel in Spain's Galicia province is an empowering, illuminating cultural history vacation. There's much more to Galicia than the fabulous pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela!
Fifty-plus and ready for a deeper appreciation of Italy? Venetia Sherson describes her two-month senior-friendly language learning program in Taormina, Sicily, a beautiful historic setting with active volcano, Mount Etna sighing in the background.
Globetrotting volunteer, Dorothy Conlon, shares her inspiring and educational
cheetah encounter during a 15-day Earthwatch conservation
volunteer program in Namibia, southwestern Africa.
Active adventure travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, shares her riding
and hiking vacation in Patagonia, one of the world’s less visited
regions straddling southern Argentina and Chile.
Journalist, Alison Gardner, describes her first balloon adventure while
soaring and swooping over the dramatic scenery of Turkey's
Cappadocia region. Her accompanying photo essay from a return trip
in 2008 shares even more spectacular
images with readers.
A Global Service Corp volunteer vacation
in rural Tanzania is a rewarding first experience for one British journalist
who goes on to bigger things in Cambodia.
Two senior women walk Spain’s
Camino de Santiago with backpacks on and staying in pilgrim hostels
for 751 kilometers from the French border to Santiago de Compostela.
Travel writer, Margie Goldsmith, takes a horseback
riding vacation and lessons in Tuscany, Italy through picturesque countryside
and well-preserved medieval towns.
Join two senior women adventurers who explore Alaska's
Aleutian Islands in pioneer footsteps from Homer to Dutch Harbor, Unalaska
aboard an Alaska State Ferry.
For active seniors, take a hike up Mount
Aaron and experience the hospitality of Bedouin tribal people near Petra,
Jordan.
A Jewish travel writer and a Jordanian Moslem tour guide identify
similarities, not differences that must motivate their people to find
peace.
One challenge you can remove from your travel plans is a large overloaded
suitcase, if you follow our Clutter Consultant's tips
for uncluttering your luggage and your travel plans.
Go on a Sierra Club walking tour of Britain's
picturesque Cotswold region to explore nature and English history.
Journeywoman.com's publisher and travel guru, Evelyn Hannon, shares ten
great tips for stacking the odds in favor of a secure, theft-free holiday.
A rich Creole heritage is captured in this travel article spotlighting Louisiana.
The Greek Islands are brilliant
stepping stones of thousands of years of Mediterranean history, distinctive
culture and cuisine, and spiritual treasures.
Walk northern Spain's Camino de Santiago
in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims over more than 1,000 years and experience
the fascination of this route.
Matriarchs of Meghalaya takes readers inside one of
northern India's most unique cultural communities where women are the decision-makers.
Artist and globetrotter, Charlene Brown, takes her paint box on a solo trip
which captures Vietnam in Watercolor.
This
Travel Article Library page is part of the path-breaking Travel
with a Challenge website, a senior travel magazine hosting
timely articles and advice about educational adventure travel, and
unique destinations for stimulating journeys worldwide. Explore
the website via the navigation menu below. See our Privacy
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