Milky water of the Blue Lagoon
Braving the cold for some fishing on St. Petersburg's River Neva.
A remote stretch of Ukrainian coastline.
Chimney cake freshly baked using traditional wood chip fire, in Budapest. Yum!
Europe
Monterosso al Mare
Hiking trails connect this village with the rest of Italy's Cinque Terre.
Monterosso al Mare, within the popular tourist destination of Cinque Terre, Italy, is a gem. I was here in September 2012 and was struck by its simple beauty. Most tourists had gone, and those here ...
Demre, Turkey: The Sea is Free
Island-hopping in the Turkish Mediterranean.
Before my sister, Stormy, began college at UCSD, I thought it imperative that she have an adventure. So for the summer, I flew her to Antalya, Turkey, where I had been living. For her 18th ...
Shoestring Travel: Barcelona
Taking you to European destinations on a dime (6 of 7).
After traveling all around southern Spain this past year, we figured it was finally time to give some love to northern Spain. We started with 3 days in Spain's Catelonian capital, Barcelona. The minute we ...
Transylvania: A Dracula Tour
Transylvania, land of Dracula and part of the Austro-Hungarian empire for more than 1,000 years, is today in the isolated region of north-central Romania. It's been said that Transylvania sits on one of Earth's strongest ...
Midnight at Greyfriars
A visit to Edinburgh and its legendary haunted cemetery.
For as long as I can remember, I have had a fascination with cemeteries – be it their peaceful, yet morbid exteriors or the fact that I'll probably wind up in one someday. I never ...
Shoestring Travel: Milan, Italy
Taking you to European destinations on a dime (5 of 7).
After traveling via train from Florence for two hours, we arrived safely in Milan. We were grateful that the city seemed much cooler than Italy's more southern cities we had recently visited. While Milan is ...
Go Dutch in Delft
A short day trip from Amsterdam.
Breaking out of Amsterdam can be a difficult task, as there's so much to see in the vibrant city. In fact, it took me numerous visits to finally venture outside the capital. If you're looking ...
Shoestring Travel: Florence
Taking you to European destinations on a dime (4 of 7).
An easy 1.5-hour train ride from Rome got us into Florence midday. After gathering our bearings (and a map), we set off to drop our bags off at our flat before exploring the city. We ...
Land of Haydn: Burgenland, Austria
This acclaimed winemaking region holds a few welcome surprises.
Many people are largely unfamiliar with how important Franz Joseph Haydn was to classical music. He is called the “Father of the Symphony” and “Father of the String Quartet,” yet he is not as well ...
Shoestring Travel: Rome
Taking you to European destinations on a dime (3 of 7).
After several days in Berlin, the next stop on our fabulous European adventure was Rome. Neither of us had ever been to Rome before, so we were quite excited to see some of the Eternal ...
The Merry Cemetery in Maramureş, Romania
In the twenty-four years of my life I spent in Romania, I never had the occasion to visit a unique place in Transylvania called the Merry Cemetery. So, about two months ago, I called my ...
Riding the Frecciarossa
Venice: the absence of cars and Vespas… well, you just have to be there to understand the city's magic. From our tiny – but not "tony" – locanda (inn) near central San Polo, Kay and ...
Shoestring Travel: Berlin
Taking you to European destinations on a dime (2 of 7).
After venturing around London, we hopped on a plane for Berlin to continue our European adventure. (To help with the story, here’s a little background on our adventure: My husband just graduated from the University ...
Shoestring Travel: London
A series taking you to European destinations on a dime (1 of 7).
After spending a year living in Edinburgh, it was sadly time for my husband and I to pack our bags and head back to San Diego. However, we weren't going to leave Europe without one ...
Istanbul is Cheap(er)
Turkish budget tips in this enchanting mix of East and West.
A cosmopolitan blend of Europe and Asia, Istanbul is a more exotic, less-pricey alternative to Paris or London, especially during the off-season winter months of January, February and March. The city is compact and walkable, ...
Featured Photo
2011 Photo Winners
Local travel: from the top of Double Peak in San Elijo
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