Braving a Night at the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast
Lizzie — Lizzie Borden was a 32-year old unmarried woman still living at home when her father and stepmother were brutally murdered in their home at Fall River, Massachusetts on a brutally hot morning of August, 1892. Lizzie was tried but acquitted for the murders. Here’s how obsessed I am with Lizzie Borden: I’ve got […]
Surprising Kansas: The Badlands and Beyond
On my quest to visit all 50 states, I always expected Kansas to be sort of an afterthought or a straggler state I’d have to check off when I was getting close to 50. As it turns out, Kansas was state number 39, and it wasn’t the uninspiring expanse of prairie and Wizard of Oz […]
Solo Road Trip: A Full Guide to Ted Turner’s Reserves
My latest solo cross-country road trip through New Mexico gave me the opportunity to discover new wide-open spaces with one revisit to a favorite spot from my first quest many years ago. My adventure included some areas in New Mexico that I’ve never explored and oh, what a journey! I’m always searching for something more. A deeper […]
Exploring the Front Range of Colorado: Isabella Bird’s Footsteps
Isabella Bird was a plucky English woman who rode 800 miles solo through the Front Range of Colorado in 1873. Horseback riding through the rugged outback while the gold rush was raging seemed a miraculous feat. I wanted to see the region she described so vividly in her book A Lady’s Life in the Rocky […]
Sailing Aboard Riverboat Discovery: Experiencing Native Culture
I am looking out from the bow of the sternwheeler Riverboat Discovery III as we glide up the calm, khaki-green Chena River. It is mid-May, 70-degrees with a blue sky and puffy cumulus clouds; I peel off unnecessary layers while listening to our guide’s lively narration on the natural history and cultural history of interior […]
Road Trip Through Alaska: Two Weeks, Seven Locations
Story & Photos by Terri Marshall and Vanessa Orr As we approach the massive ice chute, I tell Terri that we need to be quiet. Though the avalanche has already happened, you never know what sounds or vibrations might cause more ice to break. “I am being quiet,” says Terri. “I’m being very quiet.” “You’re […]
New River Gorge – America’s Newest National Park
There are all-season reasons to roam among the Northern Appalachians in W.Va. But springtime has its own special allure: the riotous blooming shrubs known as Mountain Laurel and Rhododendrons (they are different) scattered among the velvet green peaks. It usually happens in May and June. My husband and I were fortunate witnesses to the bursting […]
Dude Ranch Recipe Roundup
Let the Wild West inspire your next culinary adventure! Story and Photos by Julie Bielenberg Recipes and Photos courtesy of the Dude Ranches It’s no secret that one of the most amazing perks of dude ranch travel is the food. From generational dishes to five-star cuisine, the myriad of mealtime journeys can be just as […]
Julefest! Christmas in Solvang
Tucked away in the picturesque Santa Ynez Valley, about 30 miles north of Santa Barbara, is the charming village of Solvang, founded by Danish immigrants early in the 20th century. It is known for windmills and wineries amidst authentic Danish architecture such as thatched roofs and old-world craftsmanship, and presents Danish culture in dozens of […]
A Festival of Lights in Riverside, California
The city of Riverside, California, nestles along the Santa Ana River. A large metro area, Riverside is situated 50 miles south of Los Angeles in the area known as the Inland Empire. Founded in the 1870s, this vibrant community is a destination for arts and culture and particularly sparkles at holiday time. The temperatures may […]