Located in the Caribbean, Barbados appeals to visitors who simply want to kick back and enjoy the sun, sea, and surf. With its aqua blue sea and powdery beaches, you are never too far away from a place to sit and relax. But when you feel like doing some exploring, Bridgetown (Barbados’ capital city) is the place to head to. It’s easy to get to from just about anywhere, no matter where you are in …

There’s something about festive Christmas lights twinkling and blinking in the night that enhances entire cities at once. Thousands of decorations, led light displays, over-sized ornaments suspended high above busy shopping areas, and magical state-of-the-art lighting that transforms everyday streets into an extravaganza. Some destinations around the world are well known for their festive lighting displays that attract visitors from near and far to stand in awe of inspiring themes.

Close to home for American …

Not all Caribbean treasures wait to be discovered in chests hidden in long-forgotten sites – a visit to the Dominican Republic can also provide a  fascinating glimpse into the world of semi-precious stones to be found around this island nation.  In fact, the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with neighboring Haiti, is renowned among gemologists for its semi-precious stones of both amber and larimar that have been uncovered here. Nowadays, the traveler …

     Before we drove to the lovely and historic Amelia Island on the Atlantic coast of Florida, I had never heard of it. Amelia Island is one of the Sea Islands, a chain of barrier islands that reaches along the east coast of the United States all the way from South Carolina to Florida. It’s only about 13 miles long and 4 miles wide, but it’s a charming place full of beautiful Victorian mansions. It’s the …

Cape Town is South Africa’s holiday city. Few urban centers could match its picturesque setting along the mountainous Cape Peninsula spine, which slips into the Atlantic Ocean. The most striking of its sights is Table Mountain, rearing up from the centre of the city and often draped in white clouds. Standing on the tabletop, beyond the mountainous Twelve Apostles, the drop to the ocean is sheer with Africa’s priciest real estate tacked to the slopes. …

It seems appropriate that the legendary French beauty Empress Josephine, known for her sense of style, spent her early years on the island of Martinique, where travelers today can still encounter an abundance of fine design, craftsmanship and style.  In fact, Martinique nowadays is home to a range of merchandise, local handicrafts and personal apparel that reflects an enduring appreciation of style.  Around city streets, suburban enclaves or at points out into the countryside, a …

Nothing says love more than chocolate – well, at least for most people. Why not plan a getaway to a destination known for chocolate? Go to a far flung part of the world where the heavenly creation of sweetened food made from cocoa beans excites your taste buds. What could be better than combining your love for travel with your love for chocolate?

Belgium

In the European Kingdom of Belgium, surrounded by the Netherlands, Germany …

Do you want to save money when you travel? Of course you do. But how far are you willing to go to do so? If you’re truly motivated to stick to a tight budget – to let the experience and spirit of a destination override the importance of vintage wine during dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant – then these tips below are for you.

BEFORE YOU GO

When you think of Christmas Markets the first place that comes to mind are the traditional ones located in Europe – specifically in Germany and Austria, where old cobbled streets decorated with stringed lights house wooden chalet stalls that sell everything festive.

Strasbourg, France

Located in the Rhine Valley, Strasbourg is a sprawling metropolitan city. It has a mix of French and German cultures because of its proximity to the German border. Here you will …

Amsterdam is the greatest small city in the world. It overflows with character, 17th century merchant houses and distinctive canals who themselves are listed as a World Heritage.

It’s impossible to escape the city’s history, like that of the quietly elegant De L’Europe, built in the 1800s on the banks of the Amstel River in the heart of Amsterdam’s canal area. Owned by Heineken International, who recently gave it a $83-million facelift, De L’Europe is …

One of the most important things I learned when I was in South Beach, Miami for a day recently is that if you are “in the know” you call it SoBe. If you find yourself in SoBe for a day and you like to shop, eat and lounge on the beach, here’s what I did to give you some ideas.

You have some choices when heading to SoBe from another part of Miami, but …

Whether you call it a souk, mercato, bazaar or market, visiting a city’s local shopping destination is a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture and get a feel for everyday life. There are countless types of markets: Livestock, produce, “wet” (meaning usually freshly killed or still living poultry, meat or fish), gold, spice, night, craft and more. No matter what you are shopping for, it is more than likely that there’s a …

“What do you think of Colombia?” my husband asked. Colombia? We were searching for a way to get to South America from the States, and round-trip flights to the most popular destinations — Argentina, Peru, Chile — were surprisingly expensive. Colombia, on the other hand, was half the cost of those routes, and schedules typically involve a stop in Miami before heading to Bogota, an easy three-and-a-half-hour flight. “Sure!” I quickly agreed.

We spent one …

Virginia has long been a reliable source of natural beauty. Preservationists have taken on the painstaking responsibility of conserving their national forest and parks, while making them available to campers and other nature lovers.  So far their success has been phenomenal.

Virginia Beach Campgrounds

There are many campgrounds available on Virginia’s pristine beaches.

First Landing State Park

Located by the Chesapeake Bay, First Landing State Park also hosts a camp store, bath houses, and a …