Niagara Falls is one of nature’s great wonders. It has three stunning waterfalls which straddle two nations and attract over 20 million visitors every year. People have gone over the falls in barrels and walked across it on tightropes but most just like to appreciate the views! With so many people arriving each year, it is no surprise the area has plenty of attractions including shopping, restaurants, shows and casinos. If you do enjoy a trip to … [Read more...]
Top 9 for 2019: What’s New in Minneapolis
Leisure travel and tourism news from the City by Nature Minneapolis – Not content to sit back and chill after one, big, football game, Minneapolis keeps building momentum and enticing more visitors with new hotels, restaurants and major sports news in 2019. In this Meet Minneapolis leisure travel round-up, here's more of what to look for in the coming year with our Top 9 for 2019. Minneapolis hosts the 2019 NCAA Men's Final Four: U.S. Bank … [Read more...]
What’s New in Minneapolis – Summer 2018
Minneapolis – Summer time in Minneapolis is festivals, concerts, biking, dining on patios, the X Games, riverfront fireworks and so much more. It’s also a booming time for new museums, water taxis and even axe throwing in this six-time #1 Park System in the U.S. winner. With this Meet Minneapolis leisure travel round-up, here are highlights of what’s new in Minneapolis and the surrounding area this summer: Bell Museum The Bell Museum, … [Read more...]
Best Summer Event Resorts in Colorado
Colorado’s mountain resorts aren’t just ultimate winter destinations. Colorado mountain resorts are also ultimate summer destinations. Blame the comfortable climate (mild temperatures, no humidity, and no pesky insects), adventurous activities and of course great events. A Colorado summer is loaded with things to do like camping, rafting, ziplining, thrilling attractions, off-roading, hiking, biking and on and on. But what really makes a Colorado … [Read more...]
Enjoying an Elvis Extravaganza at Graceland in Memphis
No trip to Memphis, Tennessee, is complete without a visit to the Graceland home of Elvis Presley, and with over 650,000 visitors each year, this National Historic Landmark is the second most visited house in America, only surpassed by the White House residence of the US President in Washington. Of course, for many fans of Elvis and his remarkable musical career, a visit to the Graceland mansion is almost like a pilgrimage, or even a once in a … [Read more...]
From Camping with Nomads to Exploring Tehran
The past few days I've been enjoying life with a group of nomads who move around the deserts of central Iran. They regularly herd large numbers of sheep and goats; I was able to join them as they moved one such herd from the flat lands up into the mountains. It is a life in motion for the herders and their animals; both are moved around continuously in search of food and water. Donkeys accompany the herds carrying shelter and additional food and … [Read more...]
Knoxville Rocks the History Trail
Tennessee is really a fascinating place, particularly for history buffs. There are sites exemplifying pioneer history, the founding of the United States, the Civil War, the Great Depression, WWII, and the Civil Rights Movement – all easily accessible from Knoxville (itself named after Henry Knox, Revolutionary War hero and Secretary of War under President Washington). Most interesting to me is that America as the grand experiment - a country … [Read more...]
Better Than Fiction 2 by Lonely Planet
Picking up a Lonely Planet book immediately begs the question, 'where to' based on their long history of producing in depth guidebooks to destinations across the globe. The company has branched out in recent years with other travel themed books in addition to their guidebook staple but did you know that Lonely Planet publishes a literary anthology once a year focusing on true short stories by excellent fiction writers? This is their latest … [Read more...]
Tasty Travel to Alabama, Florida Coasts
My love of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is unwavering. But every now and then I venture farther east to Alabama and Florida to enjoy their beautiful beaches. A few days with friends at Orange Beach’s Perdido Beach Resort was the perfect summer starter. New food finds took it to a near-heavenly level. Reality was left behind as we drove up the resort’s palm-tree-lined hill and entered terracotta stone walls. Ensconced in a glamorous cocoon of … [Read more...]
5 Unexpected Discoveries in Torrance
I’ll admit I was a little skeptical when I was initially invited to join the Taste of Torrance tour hosted by Discover Torrance, a non-profit organization funded by local hotels to help promote the city, but there can be no great discovery or adventure without an open mind, so off I went. I was fortunate to be staying at the Doubletree Torrance, whose General Manager had not only been there for the past 19 years, but was also the head of the … [Read more...]