America's coolest small towns, 2013. World's strangest natural wonders. Ever played the game of Twister on water?
The green, yellow, and brown polka dots that form on British Columbia’s Spotted Lake each summer make it look like you could. It’s a far cry from the stereotypical landscapes of clear blue lakes, rolling green hills, and white-sand beaches that inspire most travelers—and that’s part of what makes strange natural wonders like Spotted Lake so thrilling. A recently discovered cave that grows crystals the size of four-story buildings or a lake the color of a strawberry milkshake remind us that there’s plenty of mystery left to explore. 10 trips of a lifetime.
S most colorful towns. Some cities don't need neon to brighten up the landscape.
From pastel towers on the Italian coast to a crayon-colored artist colony in Argentina, these 10 towns make color the primary focus. Manarola, Italy Manarola is the oldest of the Italian towns known as the Cinque Terre—the Five Lands along the country's northwestern coast that cling, lichen-like, to the rugged rocks above the Ligurian Sea. America's 11 best day hikes offer scenery and adventure.
10 best budget-friendly all-inclusive resorts. It's a fact that all-inclusive resorts can be expensive, with the average nightly rate at some of the bigger chains running $450—per person.
And when you find one in your price range there's usually a caveat—the beach is a 15-minute drive away, or the "all" only includes non-alcoholic beverages (those margaritas by the pool really add up). We here at Budget Travel love a challenge and—though it wasn't easy—we found 10 beachfront all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America (plus one Mediterranean resort so charming we couldn't resist including it) starting at $100 per person, per night.
101 Best Restaurants in America 2012 Slideshow. 10 stunning riverfront towns. San Antonio (Photo: Bill Cobb / SuperStock ) It's almost beach time!
But the beach isn't the only way to cool off. After decades of decline and neglect, cities across America are embracing their riverbanks—and the results are refreshing. 02-JPG_172047.jpg (630×419) Best fast-food chains in the world. Fast food may conjure up those Golden Arches, but the concept has come a long way from frozen burgers.
The best fast-food chains around the world are getting serious about quality, offering up bowls of pork ramen, freshly baked baguette sandwiches, and sustainably caught fish for the masses. For travelers, fast-food chains represent a convenient, inexpensive taste of how everyday residents in far-flung cities eat. Some menus are more traditional than others: Teremok in Russia serves cooked-to-order blini; while Goli Vada Pav No. 1 in India adds modern twists like cheddar cheese to vada pav, the fried potato patty sandwich that’s an Indian street food staple. Granted, fast-food chains aren’t exactly hidden gems. But they have their own quirky appeal and dish out a quick fix of local culture and cuisine. Swimming holidays. 10 great places for summer romance. - StumbleUpon.
America's best spring drives. Remember when Dorothy dozes off among scarlet poppies in “The Wizard of Oz?”
Well, those vivid flowers weren’t just a figment of Hollywood magic. Similar poppies set California’s Antelope Valley ablaze in spring, luring road-trippers from L.A. and beyond. The arrival of spring inspires us to break out from winter’s hibernation and embrace the fresh outdoors. A road trip naturally satisfies that spontaneous travel urge, and we’ve mapped America’s best spring drives—routes that bring you up-close to nature’s finest floral displays, from a California poppy tour to Texas Hill Country’s bluebonnets. Texas Hill Country Bluebonnet TourThe Route: 87 miles. Lady Bird Johnson led a campaign to beautify American cities, and in her native Texas, vast gardens of bluebonnets were planted across Texas Hill Country.
Acadia All American Road, MaineThe Route: 40 miles. George Washington Memorial Parkway, Maryland and VirginiaThe Route: 25 miles. Antelope Valley, CaliforniaThe Route: 70 miles. 15 Beautiful Libraries Around the World. Trinity College Library – University of Dublin | Photograph via Skylark Studio Following up from last year’s highly popular post ‘15 Incredible Libraries Around the World‘, the Sifter has compiled another collection of beautiful libraries from your comments and suggestions.
Ultimately, it is the books within these buildings that make it special, but many of these pillars of learning stand as landmarks in the cities and universities they reside. For all lovers of books, these libraries deserve to be cherished and revered. 2. Kirby Library, Lafayette College | Easton, Pennsylvania, USA Photograph by LAFAYETTE COLLEGE Photograph by LAFAYETTE COLLEGE 3. Photograph by CAROL MCKINNEY HIGHSMITH The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States (1800).
S 10 most picturesque villages. Bibury, England (Photo: Travel Pictures Ltd / SuperStock) Spend a few minutes in these 10 villages and you'll realize that "quaint" and "charming" aren't just adjectives, they are a way of life.
You'll find the unique beauty in the stone cottages of what has been dubbed the most beautiful village in England, and along cobblestone streets lined with Gothic architecture in the Bohemia valley of Czech Republic. These are all functioning towns, with residents who keep local industries alive (check out the century-old trout farm) as well as preserving the town's look, which is why there's no building "taller than a coconut tree" on a certain Hawaiian island. The locals will be happy to clue you in to the best photo ops as well.