Jan 23 2026
Born on January 23, 1919, Hans Hass became one of the great pioneers of twentieth-century underwater exploration, helping transform the sea from a mysterious world glimpsed from boats into a place ordinary people could experience through photographs, films, books, and television. The Austrian biologist, diver, filmmaker, photographer, inventor, and environmental thinker spent decades exploring coral …
Jan 22 2026
Denali National Park and Preserve is the kind of place that makes even Alaska feel enormous. Six million acres of forests, tundra, rivers, glaciers, and mountains surround a single road that reaches into one of North America’s great wilderness landscapes. At the center of it all rises 20,310-foot Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North …
Dec 14 2025
Christmas in Hawaiʻi looks a little different from the snowy holiday scenes printed on greeting cards. Palm trees may be wrapped in lights, families can spend Christmas afternoon at the beach, and Santa is occasionally portrayed arriving by outrigger canoe rather than sleigh. Yet beneath those tropical details is a holiday shaped by Hawaiʻi’s long …
Nov 19 2025
There is something wonderfully different about traveling at Christmas. Cities that are beautiful throughout the year suddenly glow with thousands of lights. Historic squares fill with wooden market stalls, the smell of cinnamon and roasted nuts drifts through cold streets, churches host seasonal concerts, shop windows become miniature works of art, and even an ordinary …
Nov 08 2025
For millions of families, Thanksgiving morning comes with its own familiar soundtrack: marching bands, Broadway performances, cheering crowds, and television commentators announcing the arrival of another enormous balloon floating between the buildings of Manhattan. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has grown from a relatively modest New York procession into one of the best-known traditions of …
Nov 01 2025
There is something special about hiking in autumn. Summer heat gives way to crisp mornings, forests shift from green to gold and crimson, and familiar mountain landscapes can look completely transformed within a few weeks. Fall hiking also offers enormous variety across the United States. In Maine, maple-covered mountains rise above quiet ponds. Virginia’s Blue …
Oct 23 2025
New Orleans is a city where history never seems very far away. Centuries-old buildings line the French Quarter, wrought-iron balconies hang above narrow streets, courtyards hide behind weathered façades, and stories from generations past seem to cling to almost every block. It is hardly surprising that New Orleans has also developed one of America’s richest …
Aug 07 2025
California’s coastline seems almost designed for camping. Redwood forests descend toward wild northern beaches, Highway 1 winds above rocky coves and headlands, and farther south, sandy beaches stretch beneath warm coastal bluffs. Pitching a tent or parking a camper within earshot of the Pacific can turn an ordinary camping trip into something much more memorable. …
Jun 22 2025
For many, summer is a time for freewheeling fun, without the typical responsibilities of an academic year or simply maintaining one’s own comfort in the winter. But for the Japanese, summer is a time to reflect on those who have gone before us with gratitude and appreciation. One of Japan’s biggest festivals happens in mid-summer …
Jun 01 2025
Long-haul flights are rarely anyone’s favorite part of a trip. After eight, ten, or fourteen hours in the same seat, even an exciting vacation can begin with stiff legs, dry eyes, poor sleep, tangled charging cables, and the strange realization that you have absolutely no idea what time it is. Fortunately, a little preparation can …
