Kayak adventure in Alaska: Wildlife and glaciers

We’re standing in a field of rocks in a dense fog, surrounded by icebergs stranded at low tide. This is the terminal moraine of Alaska’s Columbia Glacier — the rocky debris that was left when the glacier retreated — and it looks like the moon, all gray and black and icy and bleak. Wearing oversize [...]

Norwegian Epic full of Vegas-style entertainment

It’s not the largest cruise ship in the world, but the newly launched Norwegian Epic, making its maiden port call to Miami this week, has plenty of firsts and superlatives to brag about. It’s the first ship to offer studios for single passengers. It has the largest spa on any cruise ship. And its entertainment [...]

Mountains inspire in North Cascades art courses

For their 10th wedding anniversary, Kori Crane’s husband handed her a check and told her she could only spend it on an art class. Not just any art class. Crane designed and painted silk scarves in the remote wilderness of North Cascades National Park, drawing on the majestic mountains and towering pines for inspiration. Nestled [...]

Review: Travel sites take off with tools for deals

A lot has changed since I reviewed travel websites four years ago. Now the best ones reflect the new realities of travel, and offer to include luggage fees in fare calculations. That helps because $15 or $25 applied each way can turn a good deal sour. My verdict this time: I found TripAdvisor slightly better [...]

Look up when hiking Zion, down when hiking Bryce

The footfalls of hikers making their way through Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks are as different as the trails they take. Some are silent; some echo. Some squish through calf-deep water. Others are dusty and tired. But each park has dozens of trails to try, from easy, short hauls and relatively flat, mile-long loops, [...]

South African safaris during the World Cup

Lions and cheetah, check. Buffalo, check. Rhino, hippo and leopard. check. Penguins, check. South Africa has them all. The country has nearly 600 national parks and reserves — plenty of opportunity for the hordes of visitors coming for Africa’s first World Cup to do something besides watching football. South Africa’s best known game reserve is [...]

Learn about World Cup’s 9 South African host cities

World Cup soccer matches will be held for a month beginning June 11 in South Africa. Foreign ticket sales, particularly in Europe, have been disappointing, but organizers still expect up to 350,000 people to travel here for the continent’s first World Cup. Nine South African cities will host matches starting June 11, and many visitors [...]