Dave G. Houser

During his 45-year journalism career, Dave G. Houser has served as an aerospace industry technical writer, university journalism instructor, news & sports writer, corporate speech writer and, in recent decades, as a travel writer. He resides in St. Augustine, Florida.

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Articles by Dave G. Houser

• Oklahoma City’s First Americans Museum: A celebration of native culture

  Thursday, September 23, 2021

  ​The rhythmic sounds of drumming, shaking and chanting of ruffled and beaded Chickasaw dancers echoed off the looming glass and steel edifice of Oklahoma City's dazzling new $175 million ​First A​mericans Museum on Sept. 18 – signaling the opening of a repository uniquely designed to tell history through the lens of the region's tribal peoples.

• Hail to the chiefs: An in-depth look at America’s presidential libraries and museums

  Friday, September 17, 2021

  America's presidential library system includes 14 libraries administered and operated by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). These repositories preserve and make available to the public the papers, letters, records, collections and historical artifacts of every president since Herbert Hoover, whose term ended in 1933. Let's take a closer look at five of the most popular presidential libraries and museums.

• 6 unsung American wine regions

  Tuesday, August 17, 2021

  The entire world knows about the Napa and Sonoma Valleys — the nation's premier wine growing regions — swarmed by millions of oenophiles annually. That's why we are not taking you there in this report, suggesting instead some lesser-known wine regions in places you might not expect to find them.

• America’s favorite lakes for family fun

  Friday, July 23, 2021

  It's hard to imagine a better way to spend a summer day than by splashing about in a refreshing lake. America is home to thousands of them, of course, including about 200 major lakes. Checking out possibilities across the country, we've come up with seven particularly splendid lakes for family vacation fun. So grab your floaty and join the sun squad at one of these shimmering gems.

• 6 of America’s funkiest art towns

  Friday, June 11, 2021

  According to a 2019 report from the U.S. Travel Association, nearly half of all vacationers visit an art museum or gallery during their travels. While one would expect to find art on prominent display in large cities such as New York and San Francisco or in artsy hot spots like Santa Fe or Sedona, there are a number of small, offbeat and under-the-radar towns where you’ll find some of America’s most avant-garde and inspirational art. If you’re ready for some oddball ingenuity and cosmic craziness, let’s check out this select list of America’s funkiest art towns.

• National Scenic Byways get a boost from Congress

  Monday, May 10, 2021

  Just in time for an expected onrush of road trips this summer, the Federal Highway Administration has unveiled 34 new National Scenic Byways (NSB) and 15 new All-American Roads (AAR) across 28 states — bringing the total number of byways to 184 in 48 states. The flurry of new byway designations came in February, following passage by Congress of the Reviving America’s Scenic Byways Act, aimed at bringing new jobs, tourism, and other benefits to communities along these scenic routes, many of which are well off the beaten path and in serious need of additional resources.

• Are you ready to plug in?

  Friday, April 23, 2021

  If predictions from auto industry experts are right, your next set of wheels could well be powered by electricity. According to the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on U.S. roads is projected to reach almost 20 million by 2030 — up from just 1 million in 2018. There is no question the future of electric transportation is evolving at a breakneck pace. Incentivizing the adoption of EVs in the U.S. is a federal tax credit for most electric vehicles for up to $7,500. That is, except for Tesla and GM, whose output has exceeded the credit’s cutoff of 200,000 vehicles sold.

• Nicknames:  Every state has one (or more)

  Monday, April 05, 2021

  Nearly everyone knows that the United States has 50 named states. What isn’t so well-known is that each of those states has a nickname — or maybe more than one. And it’s not just because they needed a clever or unique slogan for their license plates. It’s because each state has its own history and backstory that it’s proud to share. Some nicknames come from the pages of history while others come from indigenous animals and what grows there. A few nicknames identify a prominent natural feature, and others simply want to entice you to visit. To non-residents, a state’s nickname might seem strange or mysterious — or not at all what you think it means. Let’s look at some examples.

• Here are the most oddly named towns in America

  Friday, March 12, 2021

  Virtually every state in the union has one. We're talking oddly named towns. Veteran road-trippers have probably come across some of them — like Chugwater, Wyoming; Intercourse, Pennsylvania; or Waterproof, Louisiana. But some names are rather Bland (Missouri), even Boring (Oregon) or downright Dull (Ohio) compared to some of the truly nutty names we’ve uncovered. Some towns are named for things we eat, like Chili (Wisconsin), Chicken (Alaska), Spuds and Two Egg (Florida), Fries (Virginia), Bacon (Texas) or Sandwich (Massachusetts). And we say Whynot (North Carolina and Mississippi)?

• The Social Security shell game

  Friday, March 05, 2021

  If you are one of the nine out of 10 individuals age 65 and older receiving monthly Social Security benefits — you are probably a bit ticked off at the paltry 1.3% increase in your monthly remittance for 2021. You and roughly 65 million other Social Security recipients have good reason to be irked at this puny perk from Uncle Sam. According to The Senior Citizens League, the sleight of hand behind it is a formula for calculating the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that has robbed seniors of 33% of their buying power since 2010.

• World’s first African American music museum opens in Nashville

  Friday, February 05, 2021

  The world’s first and only institution dedicated to preserving and celebrating African American music opened to the public Jan. 30, 2021, in Nashville. Tennessee’s capital city has long attracted visitors to its throng of neon-lit honky-tonks, live music venues and songwriter’s cafes — and now "Music City," as it is popularly known, is home to a monumental new attraction for music lovers — the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM).

• What to see and do in America’s newest national park

  Monday, January 18, 2021

  Hidden away in the COVID-19 stimulus package passed by Congress on Dec. 27, 2020, was a pleasing bit of "pork" that resulted in the designation of the nation’s 63rd and newest national park — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Situated in southeastern West Virginia, this rugged 73,000 acre stretch of Appalachian canyon land, coursed by the roaring New, Gauley and Bluestone rivers, has long been a world-class hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and whitewater rafting destination. It was recognized as far back as 1978 as a national river based on its natural beauty and recreational features.

• The best places to ring in 2021 with social distancing

  Thursday, December 10, 2020

  New Year’s Eve is going to look a little different this year. Social distancing and roving shutdowns promise more subdued celebrations as organizers try to stage events that minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Outdoor events, such as concerts, parades and fireworks, will take precedence, but mostly on a smaller scale than in years past. We’ve identified six NYE celebrations across the country that guarantee a good time while keeping partygoers as safe as possible.

• 10 fun turkey facts for Thanksgiving table (or Zoom) talk

  Monday, November 23, 2020

  Officially, it’s Thanksgiving Day — but we’ve all come to know it as “Turkey Day” in recognition of the most popular guest of honor at the holiday table. Honestly, however, what do we really know about the big tasty bird that has become so much a part of America’s Thanksgiving tradition? Truth is, there’s much more to our favorite holiday bird than white or dark meat. Researchers have long studied the bird, technically known as Meleagris gallopavo, the wild turkey from which the domesticated version that we serve up with mashed potatoes and gravy was derived. Here are 10 of the most fun and fascinating things they’ve learned.

• Harley-Davidson goes electric

  Thursday, November 19, 2020

  In the world of motorcycling, it’s no secret that Harley-Davidson — America’s oldest and most iconic bike-maker — has been struggling in recent years. Sagging sales have forced the Milwaukee-based manufacturer to pursue a new strategy. It’s an approach known internally as The Rewire, recently implemented by the brand’s new German-born CEO Jochen Zeitz. It paves the way for some significant changes at H-D. The antiquarian thunder of Harley’s powerful-but-dated V-twin OHV engines is being slowly but seriously partnered with the subtle whine of electric power as the company introduces its first e-bikes.

• Revolutionary voice-activated museum opens in Washington, D.C.

  Monday, November 16, 2020

  Revolutionary, both for its purpose and its cutting-edge technology, Planet Word, the world’s first voice-activated museum, debuted Oct. 22 in Washington, D.C. Dedicated to the "power, beauty and fun of language," it helps show how words shape the human experience. Planet Word is the first major museum anywhere to take a high-tech approach to bringing language to life. It features 10 immersive learning galleries that employ technology in novel ways to reimagine the typical museum experience.

• 8 great Florida botanical gardens

  Monday, November 02, 2020

  Although most tourists flock to Florida for its gorgeous beaches and fun-filled theme parks, the Sunshine State is also home to a number of the nation’s most lush and exotic public gardens. Horticulturists, gardeners and ordinary nature lovers alike will find these enticing green oases the answer to a vacation dream come true. From Jacksonville to Coral Gables to Sarasota — here are eight of Florida’s finest botanical gardens.

• America’s 4 most UFO-obsessed places

  Monday, October 19, 2020

  Data from the nonprofit National UFO Reporting Center, an organization that records UFO-related events, indicates sightings are up 51% so far this year compared to the same period in 2019. Among the more than 5,000 sightings recorded this year, most have occurred since the COVID-19 lockdowns began in earnest. With the thought in mind that we earthlings may not be alone in the universe after all, the time might be right to take up your own investigation of UFO hotspots. Here are four of them, all notably located in the Western U.S.

• Top 10 American ghost towns

  Monday, October 12, 2020

  Abandoned towns — or ghost towns as they’re most often called — are not as rare as you might think. According to GPS fleet management company Geotab, which has extensively plotted ghost towns in the U.S., there are more than 3,800 of them scattered across the country. A few ghost towns have survived the elements, looters and vandals to experience boom times once again as popular tourist attractions. So, for those seeking a glimpse of what life was like during the gold rush days, here’s our list of the top 10 American ghost towns.

• Freelance economy surges in the age of COVID-19

  Wednesday, October 07, 2020

  While the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the American economy and created high levels of unemployment, at least one element of the workforce has flourished in 2020. Freelancers have swept in to fill the jobs gap left by the rapidly spreading virus. According to a survey conducted in July by Upwork — a platform that connects businesses and freelancers –— more than 59 million Americans performed freelance work in the past year, representing 36% of the total workforce. This was a 22% increase since 2019.

• 8 of America’s favorite, authentic diners

  Monday, September 21, 2020

  Like baseball, grandma’s apple pie and Elvis, a shiny bullet-shaped diner surely plucks the strings of American nostalgia. For nearly a century, hungry travelers have relied on the classic American diner for fast, affordable comfort food. "As a uniquely American creation, diners are and always will be a melting pot of good food and good people," says Richard Gutman, author of "American Diner Then & Now." In his book, Gutman identifies 35 companies that manufactured diners (also called dining cars or lunch cars) from the early 1900s onward.

• 7 of America’s best beer gardens

  Monday, September 14, 2020

  The beer garden (or biergarten to be linguistically accurate) is a traditional German outdoor pub that serves beer and eats at communal tables. American breweries and restaurants have added their own twist to this traditional and culturally significant gathering place. Most U.S. beer gardens are of Bavarian heritage or influence, but beer-loving Bohemians from the Czech Republic and Slovakia have maintained a beer garden tradition of their own. Here are seven of the best beer gardens America has to offer.

• Float through the end of summer on these terrific tubing rivers

  Friday, August 28, 2020

  We can't think of a better summer pastime than floating down a scenic river in a big rubber donut — with a frosty brew in hand. And with America the Beautiful blessed with so many idyllic rivers, we've taken on the task of searching out eight of the country's best rivers for tubing. We’ll start out West. But first, here’s a bit of information about tubes.

• 8 great family hiking trails

  Monday, August 17, 2020

  Taking the kids on a hike — particularly now during the relentless COVID-19 pandemic — can be great fun or far from it. To make sure it is a journey of discovery enjoyed by one and all, you’ve got to pick the right trail. We've uncovered eight trails around the country that represent some of the best family hikes in America. Hopefully, there's one near you.

• Down on the farm: 6 of the US’ best agricultural museums

  Monday, July 27, 2020

  If you've ever tended a backyard garden or tried to raise a few chickens, you know that farming is hard, dirty work. Keeping America's kitchens supplied during the coronavirus pandemic has made things even harder for farmers — earning these most essential of essential workers the respect and appreciation of an entire nation. For those interested in learning more about American farms and ranches, there are a number of farming and agricultural museums around the country. Here are six of them.

• 8 US museums you might not know about

  Monday, July 20, 2020

  America loves its museums. There are more than 35,000 of them scattered across the country, and while many are temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can look forward to their reopening soon. The nation’s museums range from opulent and influential to obscure and offbeat. It is the latter category that most intrigues us. Here are eight such museums.

• 5 of America’s top tiny house resorts

  Monday, July 06, 2020

  Tiny houses have become all the rage in America over the last several years. Widely featured in TV coverage, websites, and social media, the idea of mini-home living has ushered in an architectural and social movement nationwide. There are plenty of uses for these mini-structures beyond serving as primary residences. Microapartments and microhotels have popped up, signaling the inevitable development of tiny house resorts. A number of them have opened from coast to coast, so let's have a look at some of the most outstanding examples.

• Rare-earth elements spark resource war

  Wednesday, July 01, 2020

  Rare-earth elements (REE) — also known as rare-earth minerals or rare-earth metals — are a group of 17 chemical elements of the periodic table. Although most of them are not terribly rare, they are highly strategic substances and vital components in most of the technology we employ every day. What is rare are deposits of these minerals in high enough concentrations to be feasibly and economically extracted. Presently, about 90% of the global supply of rare-earth elements comes from just one country: China.

• What’s next for e-bikes?  An inflatable, portable form of transportation

  Tuesday, June 16, 2020

  Brilliant minds in the transportation industry worldwide are pulling out all the stops in an effort to design and develop improved personal mobility devices and systems. The trend towards communal sidewalk-based personal mobility systems such as shared e-bikes and scooters piqued the interest of engineering students at the University of Tokyo — and they took the idea and ran with it. Looking at possible ways to improve the world of urban sidewalk mobility, the students developed a working prototype for an inflatable e-bike/scooter. You read that correctly — a blow-up e-bike.

• How to fend off bugs — naturally

  Thursday, June 11, 2020

  Summer has returned — and for most of us that means two things for certain: we'll be outdoors a whole lot more, and we'll be joined by a variety of biting or otherwise irritating bugs. Since it was developed by the U.S. military in the 1940s, a synthetic repellent — DEET — has served as the primary ingredient for keeping bugs at bay. Some people, however, can't use DEET at its most effective and longest lasting strength without negative consequences. Fortunately, there’s an array of reasonably effective alternates, mostly natural oils and plant extracts that are nontoxic.

• Trails for two-wheelers: A look at the United States Bicycle Route System

  Monday, June 01, 2020

  Missouri’s Katy Trail State Park is a cyclist’s dream. Created by repurposing a 237-mile-long stretch of the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, the bicycle trail cuts across Missouri’s midriff with over half its length following Lewis & Clark’s path up the Missouri River as they launched their epic expedition of discovery. This trail is typical of a fast-growing number of long-distance cycling routes crisscrossing America that have inspired development of a national cycling route network known as the United States Bicycle Route System (USBRS).

• America’s 8 favorite mountain towns

  Monday, May 18, 2020

  There's something special about mountain towns. Fresh air and scenic eye-appeal are givens — but life in these alpine communities is largely driven by outdoor activities. There's always something happening. Summer hikes, water sports, picnics and barbeques give way in the winter to skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating and sledding. We’ve scoured the country in search of mountain towns with the most to offer visitors, and here's our list of the top eight.

• Pandemic origin controversy aside, Wuhan still harbors zoonotic viruses

  Monday, May 04, 2020

  With global cases of COVID-19 pushing past 3 million — and with approximately a quarter-million deaths — the precise origin of this stealthy virus remains up for debate. While it is certain to have emerged from the central China city of Wuhan, most but not all experts agree that the virus spread from one of the city's "wet markets." These sprawling outdoor markets are similar to farmers' markets in the West except that, in addition to produce, the typical Chinese wet market includes the live slaughter of animals and the sale of wildlife.

• Vintage trailer park resorts deliver retro bliss

  Monday, April 20, 2020

  Shortly after World War II and before the advent of modern motor homes, thousands of Americans hit the nation's highways and byways towing compact travel trailers. Well, guess what? They're back. Vintage trailer park resorts, brimming with brightly refurbished campers from makers such as Airstream, Alma, Boles, Kropf, Shasta, and Spartan are all the retro rage these days. So, please join us as we take a step back in time for a look at seven retro-chic trailer park resorts ready to book your stay — once the coronavirus goes away.

• 6 of America’s newest state parks

  Monday, April 06, 2020

  America is justly famous for its broad array of 400-plus national park sites — but the country's more than 10,000 state parks offer an even greater opportunity for outdoor adventure and recreation. Although many states have temporarily closed their parks in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, there will be a day in the not-too-distant future when the barriers come down and our urge to get outdoors will be satisfied. So how about someplace new and different? — like one of the country’s half-dozen newest state parks.

• It was inevitable: Synthetic liquor and wine

  Tuesday, March 31, 2020

  In the wake of the "fake meat" phenomenon, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Alcoholic beverages made in a laboratory are now on sale. Scientists at San Francisco-based Endless West (formerly Ava Winery) are behind a revolutionary process that Leslie Silva, the company's director of analytical chemistry, describes as "molecular engineering" to produce synthetic whiskey, sake and wine. Keep in mind, production of these beverages involves no grains, no grapes, no winery and no distillery — just water, ethanol and chemical compounds that provide flavor, aroma and texture.

• Chef Andrés to the rescue

  Wednesday, March 25, 2020

  If there's one thing you can count on during the coronavirus crisis, it is the unwavering benevolence of Chef José Andrés. The celebrity chef and restaurateur has temporarily closed his network of nearly a dozen restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area, repurposing six of them to serve as community kitchens to help feed people in need. This action is nothing new for the energetic 51-year-old Spanish-American chef and founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a nonprofit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters.

• Drive-in theaters: A blast from the past

  Monday, March 23, 2020

  With coronavirus (COVID-19) sweeping across the country, life in America is undergoing dramatic change as the populace comes to grips with the scope and seriousness of the pandemic. What's worse, the vast majority of entertainment and sporting events have been canceled or postponed to some uncertain date in the future. But there is at least one somewhat virus-proof solution to getting out of the house for the evening: going to a drive-in movie.

• 7 of the best national parks for a spring visit

  Monday, March 09, 2020

  It is always a good time to visit a national park — but certain parks are at their very best in the spring. Nature is springing (pun intended) to life, while mosquitoes, extreme heat and big crowds are mostly at a minimum. So, here's our choice of parks that reach their peak from March to May.

• Threats on tap: Why America’s water woes are even worse than you thought

  Friday, February 28, 2020

  Unregulated perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — chemicals stubbornly resistant to environmental breakdown and linked to serious health problems — are contaminating drinking water in communities across the country. Tests carried out by the watchdog organization Environmental Working Group have uncovered these chemicals in tap water samples from 44 sites in 31 states. The nation's drinking water problem, however, goes way beyond just PFAS contamination. There are three additional concerns affecting our most precious of resources.

• Are flying cars and electric airplanes the next frontiers for transportation?

  Wednesday, February 19, 2020

  The world’s auto and aviation industries and an ever-evolving list of innovative startups are increasingly entering a race to revolutionize air travel as we know it today. Flying cars and electric airplanes are the primary objectives of a host of major corporations and deep-pocketed investors. Boeing, Airbus, United Technologies, Textron, Uber, Google, GM, Ford, Porsche, Toyota and Hyundai are among the industry giants with a horse in the race — and winners will "future-proof" themselves as they develop tomorrow’s modes of transportation.

• Frank Lloyd Wright buildings gain UNESCO World Heritage Listing

  Monday, February 17, 2020

  Eight buildings designed by America’s best known and arguably most accomplished architect, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), have been officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee. The collection of buildings, formally addressed in the nomination as “The 20th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright,” spans 50 years of Wright’s influential career and marks the first modern architecture designation in the United States on the World Heritage List. Of the 1,092 World Heritage sites around the world, this group of Wright sites joins an existing list of 23 sites in the United States.

• Elevated camping in an Airstream treehouse

  Monday, February 10, 2020

  Treehouses have long been a source of youthful fantasy, promising a leafy escape from earthly demands. Today, RV camping enthusiasts can relive such reverie with a treetop stay in a brilliantly repurposed Airstream trailer. That's the rare opportunity awaiting travelers who tie up at The Mohicans, a unique collection of treehouses and cabins nestled in the quiet woods of Ohio’s Amish country 70 miles northeast of Columbus. Owners Kevin and Laura Mooney conceived this novel resort concept in 2011 following Kevin’s retirement from a career in banking.

• America’s top 10 castles

  Monday, February 03, 2020

  While fairytale castles are most commonly associated with medieval Europe, you don’t necessarily have to cross the pond to see one. America herself is home to a number of splendid castles — if you know where to look. Admittedly, most of them are copycat castles built in the 19th and early 20th centuries by wealthy individuals, not as fortresses, but as residences — and in some cases as ego-satisfying follies. Have a look at our list of America’s top 10 castles and take time to visit one or more of them during future road trips.

• An RVer’s guide to campground etiquette

  Monday, January 20, 2020

  Unless you are about to embark on your first RV road trip, you probably already practice the basic, common sense rules of campground etiquette. They simply reflect the good manners that most of us observe in our everyday lives. There are exceptions, however, and unfortunately many of us have encountered that rare individual whose rude or thoughtless behavior spoils a camping experience for others. That being said, and with the dawning of a new year that promises plenty of camping adventures, let’s take a minute to review the basics of campground etiquette.

• White Sands: America’s newest national park

  Monday, January 13, 2020

  Just before Christmas 2019, White Sands National Monument in New Mexico became White Sands National Park. The official upgrade passed through Congress with little fanfare, hidden away in the small print of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. The designation as America's 62nd national park is, however, lauded by proponents — road trippers, desert rats and photographers — who love to roam the 275-square-mile complex of sparkling, swirling white sand dunes.

• Diminishing bug populations may cause ecological ‘collapse’

  Thursday, January 02, 2020

  We have a major bug problem — and ironically it is the bugs, not we humans, that are threatened. The first global scientific review of insect populations published last February in the U.K. reveals that insect population declines around the world threaten to cause a "catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems." A follow-up report last November in the journal Biological Conservation concluded, "Insects around the world are rapidly declining. Their absence would have devastating consequences for life on the planet."

• Good reasons to visit the Badlands

  Thursday, December 12, 2019

  Protected as a national park since 1978, the Badlands are definitely a good choice for visitors. The scenery is mind-boggling, wildlife abounds and there’s plenty of hiking and camping opportunities throughout the 244,000-acre preserve. Native Lakota people named this 400-square-mile maze of buttes, canyons, pinnacles and spires in South Dakota "Mako Sica" or "Bad Land." Too dry and inhospitable for settlement or development, the Badlands eventually gained the favor of conservationists who recognized the striking landscapes and paleontological riches.

• 7 small American towns with superlative Christmas festivities

  Monday, December 09, 2019

  For some small American towns, the Christmas season comes with an invitation to light things up and throw a party. Colorful lights and festive décor set the stage for holiday parades, concerts, sleigh rides and cider tastings. For those of you ready to step outside of your holiday comfort zone, consider spending some time in one of the following seven towns that take celebrating Christmas to a whole new level.

• Food halls: An easy way to taste a city’s eats

  Tuesday, November 26, 2019

  The food hall concept is booming across America. Surveys indicate there are more than 200 of these conglomerations of casual dining stalls, most of them dedicated to artisanal, locally sourced, and reasonably priced meals and snacks. Typically housed in revamped industrial or commercial buildings with plenty of space for stalls serving a variety of different cuisines, they offer tons of great stuff to eat, all in one place. Let’s take a look at six of the nation's most popular food halls.

• Thanksgiving: It’s not just an American celebration

  Monday, November 18, 2019

  It seems like an all-American holiday, but Thanksgiving is more universally celebrated than we might think. Nearly a dozen countries observe such a day of gratitude, usually in the fall, and traditionally held in recognition of a bountiful harvest. Although dates and specific traditions vary, here are some of the countries that have a designated holiday for giving thanks.

• The cities of the future, here today

  Wednesday, November 06, 2019

  About 12,000 years ago, the Neolithic Revolution marked the transition in human history from nomadic hunting and gathering to settling in permanent communities. In all probability, from that time forward mankind has fantasized about a city of the future. Today, we've discovered a number of real-life brick-and-mortar — or rather, glass, steel, ashcrete and carbon fiber — developments that suggest that the cities of the future may be nearer at hand than we think.

• Where to see fall bird migrations

  Monday, October 21, 2019

  Just the mention of wildlife migrations brings to mind the frenzied scene of millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles racing across the Serengeti plains of Africa. It is a grand spectacle to be sure, but every fall certain areas of the U.S. play host to mass migrations of similar scale and excitement as billions of birds take wing on their way to southern wintering grounds — in flocks that are often large enough to darken the sky. For those who would like to get in on the action, here are six major stopover spots across the United States where you can see birds as they make their way to warmer climes.

• E-scooters: A blessing or a curse?

  Wednesday, October 09, 2019

  Once serving only as children’s toys, scooters have taken on a new life these days in cities across America. Powered by compact lithium-ion batteries, these stubby little two-wheelers have become the latest adult solution to urban congestion. The popularity of e-scooters is understandable. Foremost, they are easy and fun to ride. Eco-sensitive riders laud the fact that they produce no emissions and constitute a minimal carbon footprint. Nonetheless, the massive influx of e-scooters has created a groundswell of controversy. Critics cite safety issues, decrying scooters as risky to both riders and pedestrians.

• Up, up and away at 6 top hot air balloon festivals

  Monday, October 07, 2019

  Few man-made sights are as colossal and colorful as hundreds of hot air balloons ascending from a picturesque natural setting into a clear blue sky. It’s an awe-inspiring spectacle that draws millions of attendees to hot air balloon festivals across the United States each year. Balloons may be the big attraction — but these festivals offer plenty more, including live music, food and other forms of family entertainment. So, if you’re ready for a truly uplifting experience — check out one or more of these top-notch hot air balloon festivals.

• State fairs: More than just funnel cakes and Ferris wheels

  Tuesday, September 17, 2019

  Beginning in 1841 in Syracuse, New York, state fairs have convened largely to showcase and celebrate livestock and agriculture. Over the years, these fairs evolved into carnivals, notable for their "step right up!" revelry, rickety rides, freak shows, unhealthy foods and unwinnable games. Today’s modern state fairs retain some of those elements but on a much, much grander scale. And with many of them now in their second century of existence, there’s plenty of history and tradition to celebrate.

• 10 terrific American rodeos

  Tuesday, September 03, 2019

  Country music legend Garth Brooks once observed, "It’s the ropes and reins, and the joy and pain. And they call the thing rodeo." Having grown out of the cattle industry in the American West, the thing they call rodeo is purely American — and it may just be the most action-packed, rough and tumble sport you’ll ever witness. Hundreds of rodeos are staged across the country each year (mainly during summer and fall) from California to Florida. There are so many great rodeos to choose from, but here are 10 rodeos we think are among the best of the best.

• Popular European RV website launches in the US

  Monday, August 19, 2019

  Following its successful introduction in Europe in 2015, CaraMaps, a French collaborative website and mobile app dedicated to RVers, has come to the United States. Already serving nearly 250,000 travelers in six European countries with a free database of more than 60,000 locations (campgrounds, parking and service areas, tourist offices, etc.), CaraMaps is confident that its slick, intuitive online directory will find acceptance in the vastly larger U.S. market, which is 9 million RV owners strong.

• Eating insects could help save the planet

  Friday, August 16, 2019

  If predictions from United Nations food scientists are right, menus of the future might include such dishes as stink bug stew, cockroach canapés and mashed mealworms. Scoff — or gag — if you will, but edible insects could well serve to supplement the human diet in a world increasingly threatened by skyrocketing population growth and a steadily shrinking food supply. Authors of a recent report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized the need to reduce meat consumption — and trumpeted the cause for more high-protein meat alternatives. The report makes a particularly good case for the consumption of insects.

• Touring America’s musical instrument makers

  Monday, August 12, 2019

  America’s musical instrument industry is humming right along. It netted $6.2 billion in revenues in 2018, with a profit of $341 million, according to IBISWorld, a Los Angeles-based marketing research firm. A number of instrument makers across the country, including several of the world’s leading guitar and piano manufacturers, invite interested music aficionados to tour their factories and workshops. Here are eight such manufacturers.

• The 127 Yard Sale: 690 miles of roadside shopping

  Monday, August 05, 2019

  The 127 Yard Sale is commonly known as "The World’s Longest Yard Sale." It is a serial shopper’s dream come true, snaking each August for 690 miles through six states: Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. The majority of the route follows U.S. Highway 127 from Addison, Michigan, south to Chattanooga, Tennessee, switching there to trace a route along the scenic Lookout Mountain Parkway to Gadsden, Alabama. "It is a mutual exchange of cultures with a common goal: to look, buy and sell," says Alabama photographer Dennis Keim, who’s documented the event for years.

• America’s 10 deadliest national parks

  Monday, July 22, 2019

  Last September, Tomer Frankfurter, an 18-year-old student from Israel, was hiking in Yosemite National Park when he decided to go for a "selfie" standing atop a cliff next to 594-foot Nevada Fall. Sadly, the teen lost his balance and plunged hundreds of feet to his death on the rocks below. Scarcely a month later, a California couple suffered the same fate — falling 800 feet from a ledge at Yosemite’s Taft Point. These widely publicized deaths remind us that while the nation’s superb park system is meant to offer healthy, outdoorsy adventures, there's a darker side to what can happen at these parks that often goes unnoticed.

• Why meatless madness won’t be going away any time soon

  Tuesday, July 16, 2019

  There’s no doubt about it — we Americans love our meat. We eat more of it per-person than any country in the world except Luxembourg. Health experts and environmentalists tell us this is not a good thing. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that meat — red and white — contributes directly to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and various types of cancer. The heavy environmental impacts of conventional meat production are a major concern as well. Under such circumstances, it should come as no surprise that vegetable-based burgers that look like meat and taste like meat are winning over millions of skeptical consumers, taking Wall Street by storm and prompting Big Ag to jump into a potentially lucrative business that began on the vegan fringe.

• Visiting America’s industrial past

  Monday, July 08, 2019

  If you’re growing tired of conventional vacations — the beach, mountains, amusement parks, etc. — here’s an option to consider: exploring abandoned factories and industrial sites. Yes, it sounds a bit wonky, but an increasing number of folks are doing it. The Society for Industrial Archaeology (SIA) seeks to help preserve the nation’s industrial heritage by sanctioning and salvaging important manufacturing sites. The National Park Service has done its part as well by recognizing and preserving some of these industrial works as National Historic Sites or Landmarks.

• STDs: A public health crisis

  Tuesday, July 02, 2019

  It’s not exactly a topic for dinner-table conversation — but the often-unspoken reality is that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are spreading at a frightening rate around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), which refers to these diseases as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), nearly 1 million of them occur around the world every day. This is hardly a problem specific to poor, developing regions of the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the rate of reported STDs was the highest ever in the United States in 2017.

• Are you ready for a ‘nakation?’

  Monday, June 24, 2019

  Travel trends come and go — from eco travel to medical tourism and spiritual travel to tornado tourism. One of the latest trends appears to be all about stripping things down to the basics. And we mean that literally. The "nakation" — aka clothing optional tourism — is becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry. Shirking that outer layer at nude beaches and resorts and even on clothing optional cruises has become the vacation choice du jour for hundreds of thousands of free-spirited Americans.

• America’s best whitewater rafting trips

  Friday, June 14, 2019

  Summertime is clearly the best time for whitewater rafting as melting snow and dam releases power up rivers across the country. All rivers hosting commercial rafting trips are graded from mild to wild based on a rating system ranging from Class I to VI. If it’s a beginner or family-friendly rapids you seek, book a Class I or II trip. For more thrills, move up to a Class III trip. Class IV and V trips can get really rowdy and outfitters usually recommend or require guests to have previous rafting experience. Forget Class VI rapids. They are deemed unrunnable.

• Do you have a ‘Real ID’ yet?

  Monday, June 03, 2019

  Enacted in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks, a federal law called the Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005. It established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. It has taken the federal government 15 years now to implement the act fully — a gradual process that has been met by some confusion and foot-dragging as each of the 50 states has approached the process in its own way. However, all states need to be in compliance by Oct. 1, 2020. The act could present a dilemma for full-time RVers — and here’s why.

• 7 of the best living history parks and museums in the US

  Monday, May 06, 2019

  Living history parks and museums invite us to step back in time — and into our ancestors’ world — for a glimpse into what our predecessors’ lives were like all those many years ago. There are far too many excellent living history destinations around the country to include them all in one article, so we’ve chosen seven of them that truly standout for their emphasis on interactivity and hands-on experiences — and for their great visitor reviews.

• Springfield, Missouri’s Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium is a tribute to the outdoors

  Monday, April 29, 2019

  Here’s a multibillion-dollar American success story that began in the unlikely setting of a small-town liquor store. That’s where, in 1971, Johnny Morris launched his Bass Pro Shops hunting and fishing empire — selling bait and fishing tackle out of the back of his father’s Brown Derby booze shop in Springfield, Missouri. More than just an entrepreneurial retailer, Morris, now 71, is also one of America’s most renowned outdoorsmen, and his ultimate vision goes way beyond selling fishing rods, bass boats and shotguns. He is a powerful advocate in support of global environmentalism and conservation.

• Finding the right walking tour for your trip

  Monday, April 22, 2019

  Imagine yourself trekking through the geothermal wonders of Yellowstone National Park or hiking into the cliff-rimmed depths of the Grand Canyon. For adventure-seeking vacationers, there isn’t a more inspiring or exhilarating way to experience a destination than to simply walk around it. It’s the best way to connect with a place — observing details and enjoying spontaneous encounters that typical tourists miss. Walking/hiking vacations have become so popular that an entire industry has developed to organize guided tours in parks and recreation areas and other off-grid locations across the country. We've selected five of the most experienced and reputable tour companies offering walking and hiking programs in the U.S.

• The best museums for planes, trains and automobiles

  Monday, April 08, 2019

  America has a long and proud history of being at the forefront of transportation technology. Examples include the Wright Brothers' historic first flight, Henry Ford's Model T, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Panama Canal, and, of course, the first lunar landing. Thankfully, the rich, colorful history of transportation in America has been preserved at a number of fine museums across the country. Read on to learn about eight of them that are well worth a visit.

• 7 sensational sites for wildflower watching

  Monday, March 25, 2019

  Spring has sprung across much of the country, and with the change in season comes an eruption of color as wildflowers burst into bloom from coast to coast. From desert valleys to grassland prairies and alpine meadows to big city parks, you’ll find them in profusion — daisies, buttercups, sunflowers, verbena, poppies and paintbrush in all their glory. Here are seven places that have been recognized by experts and ordinary wildflower watchers alike as the best flower fields in the nation.

• 10 US dark-sky parks worth a visit

  Monday, March 11, 2019

  Since the dawn of time, the mysteries and splendors of a starry night sky have been filling us with wonder. As Vincent van Gogh once said, "I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream." Today, however, when we look up into our galaxy from most areas of the country, we are lucky to see but a handful of stars. Fortunately, there’s a group of dedicated conservationists who are trying to preserve our view of the heavens and protect this natural resource for present and future generations. To mark International Dark Sky Week — March 31-April 7 — here are 10 of the nation's finest stargazing spots.

• Top 10 US whale watching sites

  Monday, February 18, 2019

  Few wildlife watching experiences can match the sighting of a breeching whale for pure excitement. There's something just plain magical about seeing these massive creatures in the wild. Perhaps it is because we are so small compared to them (blue whales can measure more than 90 feet and weigh 150 tons or more). Or maybe it is that most of us rarely get the chance to see a whale. Whale watching can be a hit-or-miss proposition — and there's never a guarantee you'll see them in the wild. There are, however, some ways to improve the odds of spotting these majestic animals.

• Visiting the Grand Canyon during winter

  Monday, February 11, 2019

  Grand Canyon National Park celebrates its centennial season this year, and the nation's second most popular national park is expected to draw a record number of visitors — a figure that could top 6.5 million. So, if you'd like to join the 100th birthday celebration for the majestic canyon's national park, we'd strongly suggest you beat the crowds with a winter visit. While the canyon's North Rim closes to the public during the winter, the South Rim remains open, and the park's scenic drives, viewpoints, trails, lodgings and RV campgrounds are delightfully uncongested.

• 8 great national parks for a winter visit

  Monday, January 28, 2019

  Summer may seem the ideal time for visiting America’s vast network of national parks, but winter offers a surprising variety of park getaways — with activities ranging from skiing to scuba diving. Here are eight national parks scattered across the country that provide a smorgasbord of winter adventures.

• A look at 2 new institutions dedicated to civil rights in the Deep South

  Monday, January 14, 2019

  This year’s 34th annual observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday on Jan. 21 draws attention to a pair of sobering new civil rights institutions in America’s Deep South. For example, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, "Wants to make you uncomfortable," says Director Jacqueline K. Drace. Housed in a downtown complex that’s also home to the new Museum of Mississippi History, the institution, opened in December 2017, delves with surprising honesty into the disturbing truth about the state’s racist past.

• America’s dozen daffiest New Year’s Eve drops

  Monday, December 17, 2018

  It was way back in 1907 that the now-famous New Year's Eve ball made its maiden descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square in New York City. Since then the seemingly wacky process of dropping objects to celebrate the beginning of a new year has spread across the country. Here's a selection of the dozen daffiest drops.

• At last, a roadside screening test for THC

  Wednesday, December 12, 2018

  November’s midterm elections added three states — Michigan, Missouri and Utah — to the growing list of 34 states that have legalized cannabis for medical and/or recreational use. That means that about 90 million Americans live where pot is legal, so the ramifications — good and bad — affect almost a third of our nation’s population. Aside from the fact that marijuana is still classified as an illegal controlled substance by federal law — subjecting those who partake to potential criminal prosecution — the use of pot is posing a more immediate and vexing problem concerning public safety.

• Christkindlmarkts right here at home

  Monday, December 10, 2018

  Europe, and Germany in particular, is justly famous for its colorful Christkindlmarkts. In Germany alone, there are more than 2,000 Christmas markets. The earliest recorded Christkindlmarkt was held in 1434 in Dresden, which still today boasts one of Europe’s largest and most beautiful markets. Being a nation founded and largely settled by European immigrants, it’s not surprising that the Christmas market tradition is alive and well here in the U.S. Here are five of them that best capture the traditional old-world spirit of the Christkindlmarkt.

• Where was the first Christmas in the US?

  Wednesday, December 05, 2018

  Most Americans probably assume that the country’s first Christmas was celebrated in one of the original English colonies — Jamestown or Plymouth — but some historians believe it actually happened in Tallahassee, Florida. Though no records exist, experts feel certain that Catholic priests accompanying Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto’s winter encampment in the Native American village of Anhaica — the site of present-day Tallahassee — in 1539 would have been obliged by the church to celebrate Christmas mass.

• Thanksgiving trivia to enjoy with the turkey

  Wednesday, November 14, 2018

  Celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, Thanksgiving leads off the winter holiday season in America. While it has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions — beginning as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of a harvest — it has evolved into a largely secular holiday. Thanksgiving has been with us since Europeans first landed on our shores, so there’s plenty of history, some mystery, and plenty of fun facts and figures associated with the holiday. So here’s a bit of turkey day trivia to mull over as Thanksgiving 2018 approaches.

• 5 tips for planning a winter RV camping trip

  Monday, November 12, 2018

  Some RVers choose to avoid the crowding and hustle and bustle of the regular camping season by venturing out for a winter stay at their favorite RV park or state park campground. The days are short, and temperatures may plunge but if you and your RV are ready for the elements, you’ll surely enjoy the peace and quiet of a wintertime camping trip. Below are five steps vital to preparing for an offseason camping adventure.

• Winnebago surprises with its Revel 4x4 camper van

  Monday, November 05, 2018

  Best known for its larger motor homes, Winnebago has surprised the RV world with the introduction of its Revel 4x4 camper van — a Mercedes Benz Sprinter-based rig outfitted for rugged outdoor sport and camping trips. The Revel 4x4 is designed to take you and your bikes, skis, climbing equipment, backpacks or other gear out into the backcountry while giving you a comfortable retreat to rest those achy muscles and bed down for the night. Notable for its straightforward design and function-driven features, the Revel is powered by Mercedes’ 188-horsepower, six-cylinder turbo diesel engine.

• Ghost tours: Exploring the supernatural

  Monday, October 22, 2018

  Halloween is upon us once again, and there’s no better way — for those of us beyond the age of trick or treating — to get in touch with the spirit world than to join a ghost tour. Many cities across the county, especially those with long, intriguing and strife-ridden histories, hide a haunted past. Here are seven of them that offer guided tours of well-documented paranormal sites.

• Road rage:  It’s more common (and dangerous) than you think

  Friday, September 28, 2018

  Let's say you’ve just pulled out of your neighborhood Chinese restaurant when some idiot in a red Corvette suddenly veers in front of you. You hit the brakes hard. Your chicken chow mein and wonton soup go hurtling from the passenger seat onto the floor. Impulsively, you let loose with a few choice expletives, lay on the horn to get the offender’s attention, and then flip him a bird for good measure. Collecting yourself, you realize this isn’t the usual calm, collected you. Nonetheless, what you’ve just demonstrated is aggressive driving behavior, commonly known as "road rage."

• 4 new attractions open in Times Square

  Monday, September 17, 2018

  Often described as the "Crossroads of the World," New York City’s Times Square is one of the planet’s best-known and busiest pedestrian areas. But for decades, it was a seedy, crime-ridden space, most notable for its go-go bars, peep shows and adult theaters. A major cleanup of the neighborhood, led by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and a local business alliance, began turning things around in the mid-'90s. Just when the thought was that Times Square had it all, four major themed attractions have opened in this Midtown tourist mecca within the last year, vying for visitors’ attention with a variety of immersive and interactive experiences.

• 6 surprising fall foliage destinations

  Monday, September 10, 2018

  It’s a New England tradition as the weather cools and the leaves begin to change. Leaf peepers come out in droves to watch Mother Nature change her clothes. But the Northeast is far from the only region in the country to exhibit brilliant fall colors. Some places you might never associate with fall colors present dazzling foliage displays. Here are six of them.

• 8 great American air and space museums

  Monday, August 27, 2018

  As the very birthplace of flight — and as the world leader in aviation development and space exploration — the United States is quite naturally home to the world’s biggest and best aviation and aerospace museums. These museums showcase everything from the Wright Brothers’ 1903 Flyer to NASA’s recently retired space shuttles. Those famous shuttles — Atlantis, Discovery, Endeavour and Enterprise — are on display, or soon will be, at museums across the country. Read on to learn more about eight of America’s finest aviation and aerospace museums.

• Peppers, potatoes, pineapples: How the ‘real discoveries’ of Columbus changed history

  Thursday, August 16, 2018

  Although Christopher Columbus is credited with "discovering" the New World amid a search for riches, that wasn’t really the case. What his journeys did yield was a treasure trove of an entirely different kind — a find that probably didn’t seem of great value at the time — New World foods. Arriving in the Bahamas in 1492, Columbus and his crew encountered the Arawak, a thriving and peaceful indigenous people who drew sustenance from an array of colorful native crops that were completely new to the Spaniards.

• Big Sur back in action as Highway 1 reopens

  Monday, August 13, 2018

  California’s most famous road trip is back on. For the first time in 14 months, Highway 1 — aka the Pacific Coast Highway — is open without interruption, after a quarter-mile chunk of it in Big Sur was wiped away in a massive landslide last year. Over the years, landslides have taken out portions of the iconic highway, but none were as big as the so-called Mud Creek slide in May 2017, when more than 6 million cubic yards of earth collapsed into the sea following torrential rains.

• Going underground: America’s most amazing cave tours

  Monday, July 30, 2018

  With more than 50,000 caves within the United States, there’s a mysterious and intriguing world to explore beneath the surface. Natural caverns reveal spectacular geologic formations like you’ll never see on the surface. For some, the prospect of venturing underground is exhilarating. For others it is frightening. But as noted author and mythologist Joseph Campbell once wrote, "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." So, strike your best Indiana Jones pose — and let’s go spelunking!

• E-bikes grow in popularity around the world

  Tuesday, July 24, 2018

  Perhaps you can’t afford a Tesla, but you’d still like to avoid high gas prices and polluting the atmosphere. Then you should consider another kind of electric vehicle that’s been gaining momentum worldwide: the e-bike. An e-bike (short for electric bicycle) is essentially a standard bicycle fitted with an ingeniously integrated propulsion system consisting of a mini electric motor powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

• Tech advances, new ideas vital to feeding the world’s fast-growing population

  Monday, July 23, 2018

  In 1798, English cleric and scholar Thomas Robert Malthus published a study concluding that the world’s population would grow faster than the supply of food. Over the centuries, the Malthusian theory failed to pan out. While pockets of famine have existed off and on in some regions of Africa and Asia, the world as a whole hasn’t outgrown its ability to feed itself. Fast-forward to 2018 and we are hearing murmurs from a number of economists and agronomists warning of a potential shortfall in the world food supply — the Malthusian-connected cause behind it being rampant population growth.

• Gateway Arch National Park gets a makeover

  Monday, July 16, 2018

  A revitalized Gateway Arch National Park was dedicated during a festive ceremony July 3 in St. Louis, the culmination of a five-year, $380 million renovation project. The park was established in 1935 as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to honor President Thomas Jefferson, who turned St. Louis into the Gateway to the West by doubling the size of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. It was renamed Gateway Arch National Park through federal legislation in February to better reflect the nature of the park's main attraction.

• Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias reopens after massive restoration

  Monday, July 09, 2018

  Yosemite National Park’s most popular attraction finally reopened to the public June 14. The historic Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias — home to more than 500 mature giant sequoias — had been closed since 2015 to undertake a landmark project to protect the grove and re-establish the area’s natural serenity. The $40 million renovation began in July 2015 to replace the grove’s paved trails with natural surfaces and to relocate parking lots and visitor services to improve access to the famous 209-foot-tall Grizzly Giant and the California Tunnel Tree.

• 7 sensational 4th of July fireworks celebrations

  Monday, June 25, 2018

  For as long as America has existed, the nation has celebrated the Fourth of July by staging grand fireworks shows in public settings and lighting smaller displays at home. Cities across the country compete for the honor of having the most spectacular Fourth of July fireworks. Choosing an outright winner is highly subjective and downright difficult — so we’ve selected seven cities where the rockets’ red glare is sure to infuse onlookers with a real sense of patriotic spirit.

• America’s top fossil sites and dinosaur attractions

  Monday, June 18, 2018

  With "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" slated to open in theaters on Friday, the fifth installment of the blockbuster film series is certain to expand its already huge fan base of pint-sized paleontologists. Parents can best prepare for the dino-mania by including a few fossil sites and dinosaur attractions in the family’s summer vacation plans. That’s easier to do than you might think: there are dino-digs scattered across the country, along with a number of natural history museums that feature excellent dinosaur exhibits.

• Scandinavian countries top happiness chart: What’s their secret?

  Wednesday, June 06, 2018

  For about six months of the year, Finland has only a few hours of light per day and endures temperatures well below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. It also has one of the world’s highest tax rates. Nonetheless, Finns are the happiest people in the world according to the 2018 United Nations’ World Happiness Report — and their Nordic neighbors aren’t far behind in the rankings. By contrast, the United States is in a period of happiness slippage, fading from third place to 18th in the last two years.

• Little-known facts about Memorial Day

  Thursday, May 24, 2018

  With our minds focused on beach or pool visits, barbecuing and other activities associated with the unofficial start of summer, it’s easy to overlook what Memorial Day is really all about. Clearly, it is about much more than a fun-filled three-day weekend. Memorial Day, of course, is a solemn day of remembrance in honor of the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. But how much more do you actually know about the holiday and its origins?

• Fee increases set for national parks entry

  Monday, May 21, 2018

  First, the bad news: visitors to national parks will soon face increased entrance fees for the most popular parks in the country. The good news is that the price hikes are substantially less than proposed last fall by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Fee increases ranging from $3 to $10 will be implemented by June 1 for many parks and by 2019 or 2020 for other sites. The changes impact a total of 117 national parks — zeroing in the most heavily visited preserves.

• Yellowstone: America’s best national park for a family vacation

  Tuesday, April 24, 2018

  America's national parks are always a good choice for a family getaway, but in my mind Yellowstone tops the list. I'll say from the start that I'm biased, having grown up in Cody, Wyoming, just an hour's drive from the park's East Entrance.

• Hit the dunes: 6 super sandboarding sites

  Tuesday, April 10, 2018

  Sandboarding is a relatively new board sport, but it is skyrocketing in popularity. There are nearly 100 dune locations in more than 20 states where enthusiasts can ride the dunes — swooping down slopes with no lines, no lift tickets and no trees to get in the way.

• Best American cities for street art

  Tuesday, March 27, 2018

  Art lovers are finding that some of the most colorful and evocative art out there nowadays is not confined to the country's galleries and museums. Instead, it is seen outdoors — drawn, sprayed, stenciled and stickered on buildings and walls in towns and cities almost everywhere.

• America’s top 10 religious attractions

  Tuesday, March 13, 2018

  ​Throughout the United States, travelers will find landmarks associated with the nation's religious heritage. Given, however, that the U.S. is a country still in its relative youth, it may not enjoy the reputation of such grand religious landmarks as Jerusalem, the ornate cathedrals of Europe or the glittering temples of Asia. Nonetheless, there are quite a number of noteworthy edifices of special interest to the faith traveler or those simply seeking inspiration.

• 8 great day hikes across the US

  Tuesday, February 27, 2018

  From the red rock canyons of Arizona to the rugged coast of Maine, America is blessed with a bounty of great hiking trails. But when your time is limited, it's not always easy to find a trail you can do in a day.

• 8 US festivals that welcome spring

  Tuesday, February 06, 2018

  ​Following on the heels of the storm-plagued and frigid winter of 2017-18, Americans just about everywhere are welcoming this year's spring season with open arms. And there are plenty of festivals planned to celebrate the return of warmth and sunshine.

• The big problem with legalizing marijuana

  Tuesday, January 30, 2018

  Regardless of where you stand on the issue, the legalization of marijuana is well underway across America. As of today, 31 states and the District of Columbia have laws legalizing cannabis for medical and/or recreational use. Nine of those states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, and at least six more states are expected to follow suit within the next two years.

• 8 offbeat American hotels and motels

  Monday, January 22, 2018

  ​For a variety of reasons, most RVers will on occasion opt to park their rig in favor of a hotel or motel room. What they'll find is that the majority of roadside lodging choices these days consist of cookie-cutter, run-of-the-mill chain properties that, while adequate, can be underwhelming for seasoned travelers.

• 7 exciting winter destinations

  Tuesday, January 09, 2018

  Winter travel usually brings to mind escaping the cold in favor of warm, sunny destinations. But as temperatures drop and snow swirls across much of the nation, we've found seven exciting destinations that are best served up cold. A big plus: You don't need to be a skier to enjoy any of these places.

• Working in America’s gig economy

  Monday, December 18, 2017

  America's workforce has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. It has changed from one in which many workers had the same employers for most of their working life to one in which job changes are much more frequent — and in which many workers choose short-term gigs over permanent or long-term employment.

• 10 classic American drive-in restaurants

  Tuesday, December 12, 2017

  America's first drive-in restaurant was said to have opened in Dallas in 1921, but these classic eateries really came of age in the 1950s at a time when cars symbolized the nation's post-war economic recovery.

• Touring 8 historic American prisons

  Monday, November 27, 2017

  Reflecting the underside of society, prisons aren’t generally a pleasant topic of conversation. Many question whether the nation’s nearly 5,000 penitentiaries do more harm than good in reducing crime. Nonetheless, prisons have been with us throughout our history, serving at best to protect society from its miscreant minority. Prisons are a source of great intrigue — no doubt with the exception of those who’ve spent time behind bars. We’ve identified a group of historic American prisons — each with its story of notorious inmates, murder and mayhem.

• On location: 10 movie/TV sets you can visit

  Monday, November 20, 2017

  Movies are sometimes more memorable for the locations where they're shot than they are for their plots. Movie and TV locations and sets — both natural and man-made — are scattered across the country, and they make for intriguing visits long after the stars and film crews have departed.

• 8 great American zoos

  Monday, November 06, 2017

  ​It's difficult to imagine a more entertaining and educational family outing than a visit to a zoo. Zoos help open our eyes, minds and hearts to the wonders of the natural world. America's first zoo opened in Philadelphia in 1874. Today, the Department of Agriculture licenses 2,400 "animal exhibitors," of which 212 are accredited members of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), an organization that requires high standards of animal care and conservation.

• Are infotainment systems putting driver lives at risk?

  Tuesday, October 24, 2017

  Ever vigilant on matters of traffic safety, the AAA Foundation has just put out with another study on distractions behind the wheel — those being caused by the complex new infotainment systems being installed in an ever-increasing number of vehicles — including RVs.

• 10 top American museum ships

  Friday, October 13, 2017

  America is home to more than 35,000 museums — preserving and displaying just about everything from beer cans to barbed wire. The majority of them are brick-and-mortar repositories, but there's a genre of floating museums as well.

• Florida’s fabulous freshwater springs

  Tuesday, October 03, 2017

  Geologists have identified more than 700 springs scattered across Florida, representing the largest concentration of freshwater springs in the world. The Sunshine State's multitude of natural springs offers visitors a refreshing, low-cost vacation alternative to the state's crowded and costly mega-theme parks.

• 10 terrific food trucks in America

  Tuesday, September 19, 2017

  A food truck revolution is sweeping across America. Thousands of mobile eateries — once disparaged as "roach coaches" — have popped up nearly everywhere, turning street food into an art form and satisfying the desire for fast, tasty, inexpensive eats for as many as 2.5 million diners a day.

• America’s 10 best urban public parks

  Tuesday, September 12, 2017

  If you're like most RVers, you tend to avoid large cities. There comes a time, however, when you might feel the urge to heed the siren call of the city — perhaps to visit a museum, savor a fancy dinner out or take in some nightlife. Or it could be that you need for goods or services that require a drive into a busy metropolis.

• Wait, it’s National WHAT Day?

  Monday, August 28, 2017

  If we are to believe President Donald Trump, there's a whole lot of fake news circulating out there. But there's another kind of fakery afloat in the media — both print and online — that would have us believe virtually every day is a holiday.

• 6 tips in case you have to rent a car on your trip

  Monday, August 14, 2017

  Let’s imagine you and the family are contentedly cruising into Colorado Springs, about to embark on a Rocky Mountain RV adventure, when it happens. An unsettling sound — like grinding metal — issues from beneath your rig and the transmission begins slipping. A replacement must be ordered and repairs could take a week or more. Finding another RV to rent would be the best option — but that’s unlikely in most areas of the country — so the next best one would seem to be renting a car so that you can at least continue your trip.

• 10 truly iconic American diners

  Monday, July 24, 2017

  For nearly a century, hungry travelers have relied on the classic American diner for fast, affordable comfort food. Like baseball, grandma's apple pie and Elvis, a shiny bullet-shaped diner certainly plucks the heartstrings of American nostalgia. "As a uniquely American creation, diners are and always will be a melting pot of good food and good people," says Richard Gutman, author of "American Diner Then & Now."

• Hop in your RV and check out this historic solar eclipse

  Monday, July 10, 2017

  Solar and lunar eclipses have fascinated mankind through the centuries, and on Aug. 21, the United States will witness a coast-to-coast eclipse of the sun for the first time in 99 years. This eclipse will occur when the moon passes in front of the sun casting a dark shadow across a 70-mile-wide path across the U.S., stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. Most everyone in the country will see at least a partial eclipse, but some parts of 14 states will experience a total eclipse with more than two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day.

• Discovering Wisconsin’s Frank Lloyd Wright Trail

  Friday, June 30, 2017

  Timed to celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th birthday this year, a new trail has been established to take travelers on a self-guided architectural adventure through southern Wisconsin. Wright is widely regarded as America's greatest architect. Born in the Badger State's rugged Driftless Region, he spent his boyhood summers working on his uncle's farm in Spring Green and eventually built his now famous home and studio — Taliesin — just a mile away.

• Celebrating a half-century since San Francisco’s Summer of Love

  Tuesday, June 20, 2017

  Throughout 2017, San Francisco is reveling in a celebration of the most iconic cultural event in its history: The Summer of Love. In 1967, more than 100,000 free-spirited hippies and would-be hippies, lured by unrestrained access to a variety of pleasures, descended on the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood to join what evolved into a cultural revolution. It was a rebellion that led to some of the era’s most memorable art, fashion, literature and, of course, music — from such legends as Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Grace Slick and many more.

• 9 oddball American museums

  Tuesday, June 06, 2017

  America loves its museums. There are more than 35,000 of them scattered across the U.S., and they range from opulent and influential to obscure and offbeat. It is the latter category that most intrigues us — those wacky, oddball institutions housing collections that could only be described as weird — but we find them delightful. Here are nine of our favorite such museums.

• Collector’s 700-car stash goes on the block

  Tuesday, May 23, 2017

  Most of us are natural-born pack rats. At some point in our lives, we've collected things such as coins, comics, bottles or baseball cards. It seems that the habit of collecting is an essential human trait. That clearly is the case for Ron Hackenberger, an 80-year-old retired real estate agent from Norwalk, Ohio, who has spent half his life assembling a collection of more than 700 wheeled vehicles — cars, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, buses, wagons and buggies.

• 3 Porsches among 700 vehicles at rare car auction

  Monday, May 15, 2017

  Most of us are natural-born pack rats. At some point in our lives we've collected things such as coins, comics, bottles or baseball cards. It seems that the habit of collecting is an essential human trait. That clearly is the case for Ron Hackenberger, an 80-year-old retired real estate agent from Norwalk, Ohio. He has spent half his life assembling a collection of more than 700 wheeled vehicles — cars (including three Porsches), trucks, motorcycles, tractors, buses, wagons and buggies.

• America’s 10 most beautiful coastal drives

  Monday, May 08, 2017

  Road trips are rewarding for many reasons, but nothing enhances the experience like the scenic splendor revealed on a drive along a shore-hugging highway. To be sure, America is blessed with plenty of coastline. According to World by Map, the U.S. ranks ninth in the world for coastline length at 19,924 miles. From the rugged coasts of Maine and Oregon to the island-hopping Overseas Highway leading from Miami to Key West, you'll find an abundance of memorable vistas along our 10 favorite U.S. coastal routes.

• 8 top US wildlife safari parks

  Monday, April 24, 2017

  If an African safari is on your travel bucket list, but not within your budget, don't despair. Consider an American safari. Across the country, commercial safari parks are bringing wildlife viewing much closer to home — and at a fraction of the cost.

• 8 tasty American food and wine festivals

  Tuesday, April 04, 2017

  Food and travel go hand in hand these days, as increasing numbers of travelers plan their trips around food and beverage events. And, with food and wine festivals popping up everywhere across the country, it's becoming easier to celebrate great food and drinks as part of a vacation experience.

• Forget malls: Visit these 9 thriving pedestrian shopping areas

  Monday, March 27, 2017

  ​Dire predictions abound concerning the future of America's shopping malls. A recent CNBC report forecasts failure for about a third of the nation's 1,100 malls in the coming years. Enclosed malls are struggling, analysts say, primarily because of an overabundance of retail space and the fact that consumers are increasingly doing their buying online.

• Discovering America’s most beautiful sand dunes

  Monday, March 06, 2017

  The accumulation of windblown sand presents one of nature’s most interesting and beautiful phenomena. Windswept and rippled, sand dunes form throughout the world, from coastal and lakeshore plains to desert regions. They are nonetheless rare environments, making up only 15 percent of the earth’s deserts. They can range in height from a few feet to as tall as a skyscraper and in color from white to tan to red. Come along with us for a look at a number of major American sand dunes.

• 9 of America’s leading craft distilleries

  Tuesday, February 14, 2017

  A couple of years ago, we devoted a feature to the craft brewery craze sweeping the country, and here we are again to report on the latest tippling trend: craft distilleries. From Seattle to St. Augustine, booze buffs can taste and purchase a variety of spirits, including bourbon, gin, vodka, rum, sour mash whiskey, tequila, brandy and various liqueurs — all lovingly created from scratch by some really bold and talented entrepreneurs. With that in mind, let's look in on a cross section of the country's leading craft distilleries.

• 10 fun facts about Mardi Gras

  Tuesday, January 31, 2017

  ​With Mardi Gras celebrations set to cut loose in a frenzied parade of feathers, costumes, beads and booze, let's get ready for the party with some fun and not-so-well-known facts surrounding America's wildest and most colorful festival.

• Ring in spring at America’s best offbeat beaches

  Monday, January 23, 2017

  As winter's chill begins to fade, there's no better way to ring in spring than with a trip to the beach. But rather than settling for just any beach in 2017, let's expand our spring beach bucket list to some lesser-known strands around the country. To that end, we've zeroed in on 10 brag-worthy but off-the-beaten-path beaches where you'll find yourself well out ahead of the summer crowds — and with nary a spring break reveler in sight.

• Discovering America’s best botanical gardens

  Monday, January 09, 2017

  If poet Ralph Waldo Emerson was right when he said "the earth laughs in flowers," then get ready for a chorus of laughter as botanical gardens across the nation burst forth in blossom this spring. The cultivation of ornamental gardens goes back a long time. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, for example, are one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Laid out by French King Louis XIII in the 1630s, the enchanting Gardens of Versailles are seen by many experts as having set the world stage for formal gardens.

• 10 best year-round flea markets in America

  Monday, December 12, 2016

  ​With the holiday shopping season in full swing, creative shoppers are flocking to flea markets for those special, one-of-a-kind gifts that might never be found at a mainstream mall. They're also finding that bargaining at a good flea or antique market is far more entertaining than online shopping or stalking the aisles of a run-of-the-mill retail outlet.

• Violence on vacation: Top 9 crime tours in America

  Monday, December 05, 2016

  ​Crime isn't something most cities brag about. But a number of America's major metro areas have a history of headline-grabbing criminal activity that undeniably attracts the interest and curiosity of visitors. There's something about murder, mayhem, scandal and corruption that tempts the psyche of those interested in exploring the darker side of human nature.

• America’s most amazing Christmas celebrations

  Monday, November 21, 2016

  More than any other holiday, Christmas brings out the urge to decorate and celebrate. Much like Yuletide cards sprung to life, many cities and towns across America go all out for the holidays. They make the season bright, decking out their streets, parks and squares with twinkling lights, towering Christmas trees, dioramas and nativity scenes. Some communities stage parades, holiday markets and music fests to celebrate the season.

• America’s most endangered national parks

  Monday, November 07, 2016

  ​Celebrations marking the National Park Service's centennial year are winding down. If predictions hold true, the nation's 410 national parks, monuments and other sites will receive well more than the record 307 million visitors recorded in 2015.

• America’s dozen favorite Thanksgiving events

  Tuesday, November 01, 2016

  ​When the pilgrims settled into present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the early 17th century and began celebrating their harvests through feasting and religious observances, little did they know they were starting a tradition that would endure through the centuries.

• Top 10 U.S. Halloween celebrations

  Wednesday, October 19, 2016

  More than just trick-or-treat, Halloween is a huge happening across the U.S. Thousands of celebrations are staged across the country to mark this annual end-of-October observance. More than two-thirds of Americans are said to partake in Halloween activities, spending almost $7 billion annually on candy, costumes and decorations. That makes it second only to Mother's Day as the nation's largest commercial holiday.

• 11 of America’s best fall festivals

  Monday, October 10, 2016

  Cooling temperatures, changing leaves and ripening fields are signaling that autumn has arrived — and that means the fall festival season is here. As farmers bring their crops to market, it's a great time to pack up the car and follow the sights, sounds and smells to one or more of the thousands of celebratory harvest fests across the country.

• 6 American battlefield re-enactments to check out in 2017

  Monday, October 03, 2016

  ​Peering through a cloud of acrid smoke at a wave of musket-firing soldiers and cringing from volley after volley of ear-pounding pyrotechnics, I was beginning to feel like a front-line war reporter. But thankfully what I was witnessing wasn't for real. The furious action taking place just yards away was part of an amazingly authentic replay of Florida's largest Civil War battle.

• 7 sensible tips for better smartphone photos

  Wednesday, September 14, 2016

  Not so long ago, a camera was a camera, and a phone was a phone. But that all changed in the late 1990s when some crazy Japanese techies decided to integrate the two devices. Those clunky forerunners of today's "smart" camera phones didn't make good photos, but the mold was cast and the camera phone phenomenon took off around the world.

• 10 exciting new (or newly expanded) museums in the US

  Tuesday, September 06, 2016

  It seems hard to believe, but America is home to more than 35,000 museums — double the number from just 15 years ago — and they just keep coming. Museums are a vital part of the American cultural and educational landscape. They are places where we all can go to pursue the discovery of art, history, science, technology and the natural world.

• 10 truly curious destinations for science geeks and tech nerds

  Friday, July 29, 2016

  Curiosities of all kinds abound in this wacky, wonderful nation of ours. Mysterious and beguiling sites dot the landscape coast to coast. Many of these destinations reflect the innovation and entrepreneurship of the scientific and technological communities — elements of our society that always have been at the forefront of new ideas. For those of you with a penchant for science and technology, come with us on a road trip across America to visit 10 fascinating destinations that are bound to satisfy your inner science geek.

• 6 special US island getaways

  Tuesday, July 19, 2016

  You don't need a passport to experience some of the world's best island getaways. There are plenty of amazing island destinations nestled around American shores. Whether you're seeking a relaxing escape from city life, a heart-pumping action vacation or an encounter with nature or the nation's history, there's an island out there to suit your interests.

• America’s favorite farmers markets

  Tuesday, July 05, 2016

  There's no greater shopping experience than roaming about a busy farmers market, foraging for farm-fresh produce, artisanal cheeses and meats and local ethnic specialties — often at prices better than I find at my grocery store.

• 10 marvels of American architecture

  Tuesday, June 21, 2016

  ​For many of us, architecture is one of the most exciting aspects of travel. We enjoy seeing how cities convey space and how designers have played with styles and shapes to create the surroundings where we live and do our business.

• The best of America’s Shakespeare festivals

  Tuesday, May 31, 2016

  April 23 marked the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death at age 52. His plays have been performed down through the centuries in nearly every major language on every continent. To mark this year’s anniversary, festivals will take place all around the world, performed by major theatre companies and small community theatres alike. All will celebrate the legacy of arguably the greatest playwright in the English language.Here’s a sampling of what some of the leading festivals have in store for theatregoers in 2016.

• Amusement parks rolling out major new additions for 2016

  Friday, May 20, 2016

  As theme and amusement parks across the country throw open their gates for the summer season, a compilation of fresh additions reveals a mind-boggling array of new attractions vying for the attention of nearly 400 million expected park-goers in 2016.

• For auto junkies, visiting Old Car City USA is a must

  Tuesday, May 10, 2016

  Deep in the Georgia woods, about an hour north of Atlanta, there lies a sight that excites and delights old car junkies from the world over. Spread out across 34 acres in the tiny rural community of White is a vintage car scrapyard that serves as the final resting place for more than 4,000 cars, dating from 1918 to 1972. Old Car City USA is said to be the world's largest auto junkyard.

• 5 favorite fishing piers across the US

  Tuesday, April 26, 2016

  As the sun rises over the Atlantic, dozens of anglers line the Jacksonville Beach Pier. It's Saturday morning, and the king mackerel are running along one of the most popular fishing piers in Florida.

• Living large in tiny houses

  Friday, April 22, 2016

  Tiny houses have been making big news in recent years, with TV coverage on networks like CNN, HGTV and FYI, articles in House Beautiful, Country Living, Mother Earth News and BusinessWeek, and countless appearances on YouTube, Pinterest and other social media forums.

• Is the US the best country in the world?

  Monday, April 18, 2016

  Most Americans believe their country is the best in the world. In fact, a 2014 Pew Research Center study indicates only 12 percent of us believe there are other countries in the world better than the U.S. But numerous surveys and studies paint a contradictory picture.

• 8 great American jazz festivals in 2016

  Monday, April 11, 2016

  Originating in New Orleans around the beginning of the 20th century, jazz is a uniquely American musical genre. Spontaneous and infectious, it spread far and wide during the ensuing decades — and like blue jeans and Hollywood movies, it became one of our greatest exports to the rest of the world.

• America’s 10 best barbecue joints

  Tuesday, April 05, 2016

  Historians tell us that for many millennia, man has applied low, slow heat to a variety of meats to make them meltingly tender and delicious. Christopher Columbus and other New World explorers found Caribbean aboriginals cooking fish and other meats on grates of sticks lashed together and suspended over smoldering coals — dousing their food with fiery pepper sauce.

• 10 best beaches in the United States

  Monday, March 21, 2016

  Spring has arrived at last to help us shake off the winter chill — and to turn our thoughts to warm, sandy beaches. Spring also brings out the pundits, and an outpouring of "best beach" lists. If you happen to be seeking suggestions about special places to dig your toes into the sand this summer, I'm here to help.

• 7 spring road trips you don’t want to skip

  Monday, February 29, 2016

  Road trips are an American pastime, and the arrival of spring urges us to get out and embrace the fresh outdoors as landscapes across the country burst with budding trees and blooming wildflowers. Check out our list of America's seven best spring drive trips for a refreshing springtime outing near you.

• 5 under-the-radar road trips

  Monday, February 15, 2016

  It's a given that a road trip is the most fun, exciting and cost-efficient way to see the grand ol' USA. But if you're an active road tripper, you've probably already cruised the more iconic routes around the country. You've gotten your kicks on Route 66, patrolled the Pacific Coast Highway and meandered along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

• 8 of the best factory tours across America

  Friday, January 29, 2016

  Although it sometimes seems we live in an age of foreign imports, let's not overlook the bounty of goods and products that proudly bear the "Made In America" label. From jumbo jets to hot sauce — and baseball bats to blankets — we still make lots of good stuff here in the U.S.A., and many manufacturers invite you to come see how their products are made. These behind-the-scenes tours can be quite entertaining and informative — and they’re usually offered at no or very low cost.

• 6 tips for traveling safely in cold weather

  Monday, January 25, 2016

  Planning a last-minute vacation or a weekend trip to grandma's house? Or maybe you're stuck right now on the East Coast dreaming of a destination not covered in two feet of snow. Whatever your reasons for venturing out this winter, cold-weather travel presents some hazards you obviously wouldn't encounter during a warm-weather outing.

• 7 places not named New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras

  Friday, January 15, 2016

  It's Mardi Gras season once again, and while New Orleans is the American epicenter of this festive pre-Lenten celebration, there are plenty of other options for some fantastically fun Fat Tuesday revelry.

• Can you ace this US national parks quiz?

  Friday, January 08, 2016

  Visitation to America's national parks set a new record in 2015, unofficially topping 300 million for the first time. Visits to the country's 409 national parks are expected to surge to even higher levels during the 2016 centennial year of the National Park Service (NPS).

• Driving tips for slippery weather this winter

  Monday, December 14, 2015

  It's that time of year again, when rain and snow can cause slippery driving conditions across the country. Predictions for a volatile El Nino weather scenario in 2016 add to potential driving risks and make it all the more imperative to review some tips for driving safely in severe weather.

• Connect to nature at these 8 national wildlife refuges

  Friday, December 11, 2015

  Gearing up for a big 100th anniversary celebration in 2016, America's national parks are getting plenty of attention these days. But let's not forget the country's national wildlife refuges. As the name suggests, these sanctuaries were designated to protect wildlife and conserve their habitats in the face of an ever-developing world.

• 6 sensational sports vacations

  Tuesday, December 08, 2015

  If you happen to be a sports fan, you've got plenty of company. According to the latest ESPN Sports Poll, 219 million Americans profess to be a fan of at least one sport. But here's an even more amazing statistic: Of that number, 31 percent (or nearly 68 million) are classified as avid fans, actively following five to eight sports.

• 9 surprising consequences of climate change

  Wednesday, December 02, 2015

  Climate change is without question the environmental hot-button issue of our time. While scientists, politicians and industrialists have long argued whether its causes are naturally occurring or human-induced, the fact is that climate change is happening and the consequences of it are becoming widely apparent and far reaching.

• 8 great winter adventures to try before the snow melts

  Tuesday, December 01, 2015

  For those of us born and raised in the northern latitudes, snowstorms always brought long, happy days spent making angels, sledding and tossing snowballs. Sure, we're grownups now, but we can still get outside and play.

• America’s 10 most walkable cities

  Monday, November 09, 2015

  A recent government study found that more than 37 million Americans rated walking as their favorite recreational pursuit. Stepping up to serve all those strollers is a group called America Walks — a national nonprofit organization that leads a coalition of advocacy groups sharing the vision for a more walkable nation.

• You can still get your kicks on Route 66

  Tuesday, November 03, 2015

  Nat King Cole famously crooned in his 1946 hit song: "It winds from Chicago to LA. More than two thousand miles all the way ..." Yes, Route 66 — dubbed the "Mother Road" by John Steinbeck in his novel "Grapes of Wrath" — is so quintessentially American that it has become a permanent part of our cultural memory.

• 8 great American lighthouses

  Tuesday, October 27, 2015

  Down through the ages, America's lighthouses have served mariners as welcoming beacons. These landmark sentinels also possess a magical attraction for visitors who come in droves to witness their solitary majesty. More than 750 lighthouses dot the nation's coastlines and lakeshores.

• Take a trip to America’s newest national parks

  Tuesday, October 20, 2015

  While conservationists have cheered President Barack Obama's unprecedented designation of 19 new national park units over the last three years, the big winners may be travelers who get improved access and interpretation at sites across the country that commemorate scenery, history and heroic figures.

• Turn your next trip into a hall of fame vacation

  Monday, October 12, 2015

  Americans love to celebrate the best of just about everything. Nothing makes that more evident than the amazing number of halls of fame scattered across the country. People, places and things — the subject doesn't seem to matter — there's probably a hall of fame among the hundreds out there to extol and memorialize its merits.

• Traveling out West? Don’t miss these 8 great ghost towns

  Thursday, October 01, 2015

  Ghost towns are among the most fascinating of all visitor attractions. Hundreds of these derelict towns and villages remain standing — in various states of disrepair — as mute testimony to better times. Most are scattered about the West, where they flourished during the 19th century as mining centers. Typically, the glory days didn't last long. When deposits of gold, silver, copper or other minerals played out, residents high-tailed it to seek riches elsewhere.

• Foodies, rejoice! These American food trails have what you crave

  Tuesday, September 15, 2015

  A recent study by the World Food Travel Association revealed that nearly 40 million leisure travelers per year journey expressly to experience the pleasure of dining out — and another 35 million consider themselves opportunistic culinary travelers. While wine trails have been around for decades, food trails are now popping up across the country, serving to satisfy the tastes of the burgeoning numbers of folks who travel to eat. So please join me on a delicious chase for the best of the best in regional eats.

• 8 great places for fall colors across the US

  Tuesday, September 01, 2015

  As the calendar turns to September today, it's time to start planning fall foliage trips as the leaf-peeping season unfolds across the country. Whether you're a dedicated fall foliage fanatic or just in the mood for a scenic road trip, you'll find the following eight locations awash with color. Peak seasons vary, so when planning your trip, check with state or local tourism bureaus for the best time to go.

• 10 waterfalls you definitely should go chasing

  Tuesday, August 25, 2015

  Waterfalls rank among nature's most alluring features, and there are hundreds if not thousands of them scattered across the country. Some are spectacular and duly famous, such as Niagara and Yosemite, but there are many more lesser known but equally remarkable cataracts.

• Literary landmarks: Inside the homes of famous writers

  Tuesday, August 04, 2015

  According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, some 76 percent of American adults said they read at least one book in the past year. Furthermore, 21 percent claimed to have read 10 or more books. The latter demographic really grabbed our attention, suggesting there are millions of avid bookworms out there — literary enthusiasts who we figure to be prime candidates for visiting the homes of famous writers.

• 5 photo safaris for shutterbugs across the US

  Monday, July 06, 2015

  Much like apple pie and ice cream, traveling and photography just seem to go together. Most of us wouldn't dream of going on vacation without our cameras. For the millions of Americans who pursue a serious interest in photography, vacations offer a prime opportunity to exercise their creative urge and to improve shooting skills.

• Napa Valley too crowded? Try these 7 wine trails across the US

  Monday, June 15, 2015

  As Benjamin Franklin once noted, "Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance." Such wisdom provides all the more reason to hit a wine trail near you — or to include some wine touring on your next vacation outing.

• 8 great auto museums across America

  Tuesday, June 09, 2015

  America's love affair with the automobile began well over a century ago, when those first ungainly horseless carriages sputtered their way into our hearts. This historic interest in cars has translated into a plethora of automobile museums — more than 100 of them in 36 states across the country.

• Hot Wheels opens traveling family exhibit in Indianapolis

  Tuesday, May 19, 2015

  All roads lead to Indianapolis as the world's largest children's museum opens its latest exhibit — Hot Wheels Race to Win — just in time for the 2015 Memorial Day weekend and the Indy 500. This new interactive family exhibit from Mattel is aimed at revving up interest in all things racing with immersive activities for multiple generations of Hot Wheels fans.

• 10 new summer attractions pacing amusement park boom

  Tuesday, May 12, 2015

  If the American economy is faltering, as suggested by certain political pundits, you wouldn't know it by reading a recent report from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). In its 11-page news release, IAAPA compiles a list of nearly 100 new rides and attractions being unveiled this summer at theme and amusement parks across the country.

• Break the chain with these 8 oddball American restaurants

  Tuesday, April 14, 2015

  With the explosion of corporate chain restaurants modeled after similar concepts, dining out in America is becoming a somewhat humdrum routine. Food alone doesn't necessarily make a meal — and thankfully there are a few eateries around the country employing offbeat and, in some cases, downright bizarre approaches guaranteed to add some fun and excitement to your dining experience.

• 7 must-see stadium tours across Major League Baseball

  Monday, March 23, 2015

  If there's anything more American than apple pie, it surely must be baseball. Since the game's first ball was tossed out in Hoboken, N.J., in a contest between the local Knickerbockers and the New York Baseball Club back in 1846, the sport has flourished to become the "Great American Pastime."

• Despite PR campaigns, distracted driving continues to be a problem

  Tuesday, March 10, 2015

  In case you haven't noticed, an intensive national campaign is being waged by the U.S. Department of Transportation, auto clubs and insurance companies to draw attention to the risks of using cellphones and texting while driving. But it turns out there's nothing really new about the issue of distracted driving.

• America’s 10 most scenic train rides

  Tuesday, February 24, 2015

  America's rugged seacoasts, rolling plains, towering mountains and colorful desert canyons serve to paint a picturesque backdrop for a getaway on the rails. The real beauty of traveling by train, however, comes with the convenience of leaving the driving to someone else while you sit back and admire the passing scenery.

• 6 of the silliest festivals in America

  Tuesday, February 10, 2015

  Americans love a good laugh — a fact not missed by festival organizers across the country who play on our intrinsic, deep-rooted sense of humor to stage some of the kookiest, most nonsensical and pop-culture kitschy events imaginable. So if you happen to be out road-tripping or simply seeking something a bit more off-the-map oddball than your local country fair, consider this list of six of the silliest and most farcical festivals ever conceived.

• 8 oddball museums across America you simply must see

  Tuesday, January 27, 2015

  According to The Washington Post, there are more museums scattered across America than Starbucks and McDonalds combined — an estimated 35,000 such institutions — ranging from grand and important to obscure and offbeat.

• Explore the US by water with these fun river cruises

  Friday, December 12, 2014

  River cruising is all the rage these days. According to the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), river boating is the fastest growing segment of the cruise industry, notching 15 percent gains annually since 2009. Europe leads the way with more than 100 vessels plying the continent's waterways, principally the Rhine, Danube and Elbe Rivers.

• 7 special places to go glamping

  Monday, November 17, 2014

  "Glamping," in case you're not familiar with the term, is what lexicographers call a portmanteau or a made-up word — in this case a clever blending of glamour and camping. The term itself may be new, but the concept of luxury outdoor living goes way back in time.

• 6 best beer cities in America

  Thursday, October 30, 2014

  There are nearly 3,000 breweries in the U.S. today. Most are microsized operations, led by creative entrepreneurs who focus on local styles and flavors, introducing new brands at a rapid pace — more than a thousand last year alone — and many at higher prices than standard brews.

• 10 best budget boat rides

  Monday, October 13, 2014

  For some folks, ocean cruising just isn't in the cards. This includes those with a tendency toward seasickness, or who face time or budget constraints. Ah, but there are alternatives. Minicruises on harbors, lakes and rivers around the country afford a low-cost means for getting out on the water to enjoy at least a brief break from the daily grind.

• Travel insurance: Better safe than sorry

  Monday, September 29, 2014

  Emergency medical situations aren't the only circumstances where travel insurance can help save the day. Most policies provide trip cancellation and interruption protection to reimburse you for nonrefundable trip payments.

• How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites have you visited in the US?

  Monday, September 15, 2014

  Posing a question recently to a group of well-traveled friends, I asked, "What do the Statue of Liberty, the Everglades, Taos Pueblo and Illinois' Cahokia Mounds have in common?" This was not meant as a trick question, but it seemed to stump my friends.

• 5 questions to ask when deciding to buy a new RV

  Tuesday, September 02, 2014

  Let's assume you're among the ever-increasing number of Americans who have discovered the many benefits of RV travel. You're sold on the idea of being able to go whenever and wherever you choose while packing most of the comforts of home — all at a cost far less than other modes of travel. Now it's time to select and buy an RV.

• 7 amazing new thrill rides across America

  Tuesday, August 12, 2014

  Driven by technological advances and intense competition among theme parks for Americans' discretionary dollars, there's a boom underway in the development of ever taller, faster and more tummy-tightening thrill rides.

• Ditch the beach and plan a thrill‑seeking getaway

  Tuesday, July 08, 2014

  ​Emboldened by the likes of ESPN's X-Games, NBC's World of Adventure Sports series or the nonstop menu of adrenaline-inspired feats seen on the Extreme Sports Channel, a growing number of Americans are forsaking traditional beach and theme park outings for hardcore action and adventure getaways.

• Take a plunge at America’s hot springs hot spots

  Tuesday, June 24, 2014

  ​Are you ready for a low-cost, relaxing — even healthful — getaway that you can enjoy summer or winter? Well then, let's go hot spring hunting. Some hot springs remain in a natural state, but most have become commercialized, forming the nucleus of resorts and health spas. So let's take a look at a variety of hot springs hot spots scattered across the country.

• 6 of the most amazing national park drives in the US

  Monday, June 09, 2014

  One of the best things the federal government has accomplished over the last 100 years or so has been establishing and reasonably maintaining America's network of 59 national parks. These enclaves are spread across 27 states and protect more than 52 million acres of real estate.

• Gateway to the galaxies: Visiting Arizona’s collection of telescopes

  Tuesday, May 27, 2014

  Cactus and sagebrush aren't the only things sprouting up on the mountains south of Tucson, Arizona. While this is a hot, arid and generally inhospitable land, it is quite inviting to astronomers from all over the world.

• 6 All-American Roads that you simply can’t miss

  Tuesday, May 06, 2014

  America's network of 150 National Scenic Byways lead to the heart and soul of this great country of ours — from the rugged tip of Maine to the California coast and from the colorful canyons of Utah to the Florida Keys. A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one of six intrinsic qualities: archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational or scenic.