Arizona wineries rise above desert climate

Grapes aren’t supposed to grow in the desert. But here in this southern Arizona town, surrounded by endless, rolling green and amber hills, the Callaghan family is de-stemming gigantic bins of grapes that will eventually produce a nice Petit Verdot. As Kent Callaghan, the patriarch and proprietor, tinkers with his forklift in the 80-something degree [...]

Franciscan Monastery showcases Holy Land in DC

On a Christian pilgrimage with her church group, Kristin Toorop looks up to Calvary and her eyes open wide. She listens as tour guide Gloria Harrington tells the story of where Christ was crucified, with Mary Magdalene kneeling at his feet. “I’m sure you recognize the scene of Jesus on the cross, between two thieves,” [...]

Tourist attraction: escape tunnels in Berlin

When the East German government built the Berlin Wall in 1961 to prevent its citizens from leaving, the regime failed to account for the ingenuity and creativity of those willing to risk anything to escape the communist system. While some flew over the barrier in hot air balloons, others sailed far around it across the [...]

Colorado offers ‘snow virgins’ a free 3-month trip

People who have never seen snow or built a snowman are getting a chance to do it in Colorado, in a big way. The Colorado Tourism Office launched a contest Monday to give three “snow virgins” an expenses-paid, three-month trip to Colorado, January through March. With help from local instructors and guides, contest winners will [...]

Space tourism yet to fly, 5 years since 1st flight

When a private spaceship soared over California to claim a $10 million prize, daredevil venture capitalist Alan Walton was 68 and thought he’d soon be on a rocket ride of his own. Walton plunked down $200,000 to be among the first space tourists to make a suborbital thrill-ride high above the Earth aboard a Virgin [...]

Tombstone tours: Check out these famous boneyards

Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, walking through a graveyard can be a little spooky — especially in autumn as the trees lose their leaves, flowers wither away and light fades in the late afternoon. But cemeteries can make fascinating destinations. Sometimes a few words on a tombstone can suggest a whole life story; [...]

Curry festival spices up London

Britons are famed for their love of curry and, over the years, the country’s taste for South Asian food has evolved into a unique blend of cuisine specially created for British palates. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the so-called ‘curry mile’ in London’s Brick Lane, which this week celebrates what is billed as [...]