If there is a home for the soul of America, it is almost certainly on the battlefields of Gettysburg. Here, in July 1863, the Union and Confederate armies clashed in the bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil. In three days of fighting, more than 51,000 men were killed, wounded, captured or went missing (nearly a third of all those who fought here); when all was said and done, the once unstoppable Confederate army was forced to retreat.
Lush rain forests, savannahs teeming with wildlife, fertile farmlands, and a diverse population of mammalian and plant life. Sound good? If so, a tropical vacation might be perfect for you. The tropics are irresistible to vacationers who like to go to the beach, but also want a little something extra, be it hiking, zip-lining, or snorkeling. We’ve rounded up 10 of the world’s best tropical destinations, both near and far. Read on to start dreaming about (and planning) your own tropical escape.
For centuries, the Athabascans of central Alaska looked up at this 20,320-foot mountain and called it Denali, ‘the Great One’. Then, in 1896, businessman-turned-prospector William Dickey rechristened it in honour of President William McKinley, who hailed from Ohio and had never set foot in Alaska. That’s never sat well with a lot of Alaskans. But whatever you call the mountain, its grandeur transcends any language.
Planning a backpack hike in the mountains doesn’t have to be difficult and you don’t have to have a lot of experience to do it. Following some basic guidelines and planning can make you trip to nature much more rewarding and fun.
An enormous monolith, visible for miles around the relatively flat and featureless landscape of northeastern Wyoming Devils Tower exerts such a hypnotic pull that tribes of the northern plains consider it sacred and Steven Spielberg had aliens land on top of it in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Santa Fe is one of the countries most beautiful cities. With the large amount of art work, and the unique culture of this southwestern paradise, it is hard to see why anyone would not want to move here! Here are a few of the reasons people are flocking down to the amazing experience of living in Santa Fe.
Every spring in the usually-barren deserts of Namaqualand, a mass of colors emerges from the parched landscape. The wildflowers have arrived – 1,000 of the 3000 species unique to the area – making this a unique springtime haven for knowledgeable travelers and photographers from all over the world. This is just one example of the lesser-known South Africa waiting to be discovered.
Arizona’s biggest attraction surely is the Grand Canyon, but there is so much more worth exploring. From cities to national parks to Native American monuments, Arizona has it all.
