Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

From Sugar Loaf to Ipanema, Latin city serves up samba, sports, scenery and scanty clothes

The people of Oplontis, near Pompeii, lived well in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, until 79 AD, when they were buried by tons of falling...

If you're looking for authentic, old-fashioned fun, a vintage restored town and beautiful scenery, head for Virginia City, Mt.

Nick and Nora love huckelberry ice cream, a roadie treat in Julian, California which they visit twice a year. "Charley is a mind-reading dog. There have been many trips in his lifetime.....he knows we are going long before the suitcase comes out, and he paces and worries and whines, and goes into a state of mild hysteria. - John Steinbeck,'"Travels with Charley." STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" WE CAN'T imagine a road trip without Nick a

Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller take to San Diego Bay and a Flagship dinner cruise, with spectacular views. TAKE YOUR PICK OF...

WE WERE delighted to discover that remains of the prehistoric culture can still be found, with artifacts and fossils in the ranch house named after those lovely "little cliffs" on the hills. A plaque denotes Rancho Santa Maria de los Penasquitos, with parts of the original walls. The ruins of stalwart structures of adobe are fascinating, and the splendid canyon and walking trails wind through 4,000 acres of the Penasquitos and Lopez canyons. It's one of the largest urban

"Daydreams" by Patrick Dougherty, under construction last fall at Tippet Rise, is part of a glorious landscape merging art and nature, with indoor and outdoor performance spaces, world known sculpture and a roster of international performers. Tippet Rise Olivier Barn concert hall going up in October. Tippet Rise CONCERTS, SCULPTURE, 'GREEN' THEME WILL ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER TIPPET RISE spared no expense in hiring the

Tippet Rise MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ARTS, MUSIC ENTERPRISE WELCOMES INTERNATIONAL ROSTER OF PLAYERS

Singapore's sound and light show attracts visitors from all over the world. Highlights are these magical "lit-up trees." The Grand Palace in Bangkok is best visited through a tour. Our Viator cut through the throngs. If you're with a tour, there's power in numbers. IF YOU DON'T MIND GROUPS, A GOOD TOUR'S THE TICKET TO MAKING THE MOST OF TIME, MONEY STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IN OUR COMBINED decades of global travel, we have always taken tours, chiefly a

The Mob Museum in Las Vegas offers a fascinating departure from gambling, and a treasure trove of crime lore. MANIA FOR THE MOB: GRIT,...

Red Rock in Nevada is famous for its towering red sandstone cliffs, ancient petroglyphs, and a 13-mile one-way scenic drive.

Step into a Vietnam restaurant and discover the vibrant world of Asian culinary traditions. Colorful salads burst with fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and bright citrus flavors, while steaming bowls of soup deliver comfort and balance. Across Asia, cuisine reflects culture, history, and a love of healthy ingredients. This Asian cuisine travel guide explores dishes that are as nourishing as they are beautiful, offering a flavorful glimpse into traditions shared across cultures

On a half-dozen visits since 2010, we've found Lake Tahoe's scenery some of the most beautiful in the western United States. Dixie II offers a fun night on the lake, even on a recent rainy evening. "It is a vast oval, and one would have to use up eighty or a hundred good miles in traveling around it. As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole world affords.” -- M

Witness one of California’s most unforgettable wildlife spectacles along the rugged shores of Central Coast, where massive northern elephant seals gather in astonishing numbers. At places like Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, these remarkable marine mammals transform the coastline into a living stage of raw nature—complete with dramatic battles, tender moments, and the rhythms of life by the sea.

ENJOY THE REAGAN LIBRARY FOR A WELL ORCHESTRATED TRIBUTE TO A DEDICATED PRESIDENT Flowers are left at the foot of Reagan's bronze each day, a docent told us. During the weeks after Nancy Reagan's recent death and burial on the site, the number of bouquets grew. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER The approach to the Reagan Presidential Library is typically "southern California" with a lovely fountain, mosaic tiles and nicely kept gardens. HIGH ATOP a Simi Valle