ArcaMax

Long ago I gave up looking for an untouristy, half-timbered medieval German town, but a few years back, I stumbled upon it in the sleepy town of Erfurt.

The capital of the German region of Thuringia, Erfurt has history swinging from its eaves. It's most notable as the place where Martin Luther studied and became a monk, and (by translating the ...Read more

Can art protect wildlife? Actually, it has, we learned at the unique National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Thomas Moran’s paintings of mountains, canyons and geysers helped convince Congress to establish Yellowstone as America’s first national park in 1872. Jackson Hole is the ...Read more

For Sung J. Woo (“Everything Asian,” “Love Love,” “Skin Deep”), favorite locations often make appearances in his books. His upcoming novel “Lines” – which deftly weaves a story of love, loss and forgotten possibilities – is set in suburban New Jersey, downtown Manhattan, Waimea (Hawaii), Portland and Breitenbush (Oregon). “...Read more

I always feel like a king when I get to explore the splendid châteaux near Paris. A highlight of one memorable trip was climbing under centuries-old exposed timbers through the attic of Vaux-le-Vicomte before popping out on the rooftop to a view of the spectacular garden.

There are several sumptuous palaces studding the region around Paris. ...Read more

Ready to get out of the car? Leaf peeping through the windshield is so 20 th c entury, not to mention boring. Why not zipline above the fall foliage, bike amid the changing leaves, see the foliage from a train – or a vineyard, perhaps, time- traveling back in history.

These days, there are more active ways to enjoy changing leaves. The ...Read more

For Chiara Aurelia (“Luckiest Girl Alive,” “Cruel Summer”), getting to travel is a major perk of her job. “I was recently filming a project that had to take an unexpected hiatus, which provided me with the perfect opportunity to take the European summer adventure I've always dreamed of,” said the New York-based actress. “Within a ...Read more

The ancient city of Pompeii – famously ruined in AD 79 when mighty Mount Vesuvius blew its top – is one of Italy’s most popular tourist attractions. Few visitors know that you can easily visit the summit of the towering volcano. And those who do enjoy a commanding view.

You can get to Vesuvius with a train/bus/hike journey. You start by ...Read more

Time to get away? You can — even on a limited budget. You can easily plan an (affordable) fall getaway where you get outdoors biking or hiking, seeing wildlife amid the fall colors or alternatively, exploring a new city or heading to the beach during shoulder season. Get some input from the kids on what they would like to do. Revel in your ...Read more

With a career spanning some 60 years and more than 50 albums, Iain Matthews is a veteran of touring and recording. Now based out of Horst aan de Maas in the Netherlands, the former frontman for the folk rock band, Fairport Convention, said he is looking forward to hitting the road to promote his Oct. 25 solo album, “How Much is Enough?” (...Read more

Nearly four hours south of Prague, this fairy-tale town of 13,000 is buried in the hills of the southern Czech Republic, an area much appreciated for its pastoral countryside. With its delightfully cobbled Old Town, rare Baroque theater, and colorful castle, Český Krumlov feels lost in a time warp.

The town has long attracted visitors. Tucked...Read more

Hope you have your witch’s hat and broomstick ready!

These days, whether you want to experience spooky rides, haunted houses or stay in a haunted hotel, Halloween events in many places have already started.

Just be mindful not to insist kids do anything they’re not ready for. That certainly includes homeandleisure/travel/takingthekids/s-3428135">Read more

Born in the United Kingdom to Indian parents from East Africa, multi-instrumentalist Radhika Vekaria now resides in the United States – Los Angeles to be exact. Her multicultural upbringing speaking several languages at home is evident on her latest album, “Warriors of Light,” which offers dreamy vocals in English, Tamil, Sanskrit and ...Read more

Copenhagen is a thriving metropolis and the main attraction in Denmark. But a trip here isn't complete without a swing through the cute Danish countryside. In under two hours, you can time-travel from modern Copenhagen to a 10th-century Viking ship, 17th-century castle, or 19th-century fairy tale.

While today's Denmark is small – roughly ...Read more

They must have partied really hard. The 80-plus guests were lying on the black sand beach, intermittently groaning, or taking a restorative dip in the water.

We were on day four of our two- week Abercrombie & Kent Arctic Cruise Adventure “In Search of the Polar Bear”. We hopped onto ...Read more

Becoming an astronaut was a no-brainer for Kellie Gerardi, who was born in Jupiter … Florida, that is. “I’ve always been fascinated with space, but I definitely think growing up in Jupiter with a view of the Space Coast gave me invaluable exposure to human spaceflight,” said Gerardi. “I quite literally had front-row seats to the final ...Read more

I’m in Volterra, my favorite hill town in Tuscany, sitting under rustic, noble stones at the base of a palace that made commoners feel small six centuries ago. Bats burst through the floodlights amid ghostly towers held together with rusted iron corsets. These stones have soul. The countless peasant backs they bent so many centuries ago gave ...Read more

It’s fall. Time to celebrate apples, cranberries and pumpkins. Time to appreciate livestock, scarecrows and everything chicken. Explore covered bridges. Raise a stein at a family-friendly Oktoberfest. Commemorate films, storytelling, architecture and regional foods.

Who doesn’t love a fall festival? Typically, they are free, offer all kinds...Read more

Growing up, Bobby Bare Jr. was accustomed to hitting the road with his musician parents – country artist Bobby Bare Sr. and singer Jeannie Bare. “Me and my family had a family show for a while,” said the 58-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist for Guided by Voices. “[When] we went to Miami, we had a police escort to our show. It was ...Read more

It's sunset, and I'm at the place to be in Granada – the breathtaking San Nicolás viewpoint overlooking the fortress of the Alhambra. Here, at the edge of the city's exotic Moorish quarter, lovers, widows, and tourists jostle for the best view of the hill-capping, floodlit fortress, the last stronghold of the Moorish kingdom in Spain. For ...Read more

Margaret Brown never forgot where she came from.

The child of Irish immigrants, she married a Colorado gold miner who struck it rich – very rich. When the family moved to a big house in Denver in 1894, she used that newfound wealth to help support her extended family, build hospitals, parks, playgrounds and to help found the Colorado juvenile...Read more