10 Amazing Facts about the Tasmanian Devil
Move over, cuddly koalas and cute kangaroos. Meet the Tasmanian Devil. No, not the Looney Tunes cartoon character that travels like a spinning top, drooling, snarling and terrorizing Bugs Bunny's friends. The real animal, found in the wild only in one state Down Under.In Australia's collection of one-of-a-kind creatures, the Tasmanian Devil is a stand out member. So between photo ops with koalas, and watching kangaroos hopping through wildlife parks, head to Australia's southern, island state, to get to know the Tasmanian Devil.It's...
3 Things You Have To Do on a Seabourn Cruise to Scandinavia and Scotland
Cooler climes are some of today's hottest cruise destinations. Add the warmth of Seabourn's ultra-luxury service, boutique-hotel inspired ships, world-class dining and insightful, intriguing shore excursions like Ventures' active explorations, and you've got the perfect formula for discovering gateway northern destinations like Alaska, as well as the uniquely northern-most destinations in Europe.WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR A SHIP TOUR AND HIGLIGHTS OF OUR CRUISE.And here are three essential experiences I discovered you won't want to miss on a cruise of Nordic...
6 Year-Round Festivals That Give You a Reason to Celebrate in Barbados
After winning the NBA championship, legend Kawhi Leonard toasted his huge win with a trip to Barbados. But you don't have to be a basketball hero to celebrate in Barbados. Beyond the beaches, this eastern Caribbean island, outside the principal hurricane belt, has a year round calendar of festivities that gives nearly every traveler a reason to pack a bag for Barbados. Crop Over Festival When: May to August This months-long festival is a 200 year-old tradition of marking the end of the...
This Hotel is Baking Space History
In the year of the 50th anniversary of America's epic moon landing, new space history is being made. The first food is being baked in space, and it's the signature welcome baked good of this hotel chain.Travelers who've stayed at a DoubleTree by Hilton are familiar with the hotels' famous chocolate chip cookies, offered deliciously fresh and warm to guests when you check in.Now that touch of home and hospitality will reach new heights – and become part of aerospace...
What You Need to Know to Hike or Bike Europe's Most Famous Pilgrimage Trail
It's been a physical test of spirituality since the Middle Ages. And more recently, Christian pilgrims have been joined by active travel enthusiasts on the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile (800 km) route across northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.Whether you're making a modern-day pilgrimage for your own spiritual growth, interested in retracing the most renowned historic pilgrimage trail in Europe, or just hiking or cycling this famous trail, here's what you need to know...
Happy 4th of July and Canada Day! Celebrating Neighbors and Staycations
If you've ever taken a cruise or traveled to Alaska, you may recognize this place. From sea level in Skagway, Alaska, the White Pass & Yukon railway climbs an incredible 3000 feet in just 20 miles, and all the way to the peak of the Continental Divide – which also forms the natural border between Alaska in the US, and Canada's Yukon. The train began as a route for aspiring gold prospectors to reach the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon...
6 Ways to Cruise Rivers and Waterways Close to Home This Year
It's no secret that river and small ship cruising is one of travel's biggest trends. What may still be an open secret is the boom in cruising on the inland waterways of North America, with new ships and new itineraries to appeal to every cruise traveler's interests.Maybe you want to try river and small ship cruising in your own backyard before venturing overseas. Maybe you've done it all and realized the incredible cruising experiences opening up in your own backyard!...
The World's First Underwater Ride Share: Now You Can Take a 'ScUber' in Australia's Great Barrier Reef
Forget about 'surge' pricing on an Uber ride – how about 'submarine' pricing? Hailing a 'ScUber' in Australia's Great Barrier Reef will get you a $3000 AUD charge to your Uber account – and it's worth every penny for the hour-long Uber ride of your life.It's the first underwater ride share in the largest living organism on the planet, a partnership between Uber, and Tourism Queensland. ScUber rides are available for a limited time directly through the Uber app, and cost $1500...
5 Alaska Shore Excursions That Will Make You Book an Oceania Cruise Now
Cool-weather Alaska is one of the hottest cruising destinations. It's in our own backyard, with pristine and inspiring natural wonders, and a sailing season May-September perfectly aligned with family summer vacation time.Oceania Cruises has a twist on discovering America's 'Last Frontier' by sea. Oceania ships are smaller than the mega-ships sailing Alaskan waters. That means they can cruise into small ports and fjords, and get closer to coastal vistas. Oceania's ship in Alaska is the sleek and elegant Regatta. It accommodates only...
The Longest Suspension Bridge In North America Has Opened and it Overlooks America's Most Visited National Park
More than 10 million people every year travel to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – that's more people than visit the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Yellowstone parks combined! And now there's a whole new view on this breathtaking, seven-thousand foot range of mountains and the dramatic, 'smoky', haze that gives them their name. The forests and ridges of this UNESCO World Heritage Site straddle the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. On the edge of the Tennessee side, at...