The 10 Best Places in the World to Retire

LOUISVILLE, KY

Kentucky’s cost of living is some 14 percent below the national average and the state is off the charts when it comes to friendliness and hospitality. Louisville is home to the Kentucky Derby, bluegrass music, bourbon, and cultural attractions aplenty (try the Speed Art Museum or the Thomas Edison House for starters). While the city itself is appealing for retirees—for its pace of life, climate, and culture—you can also head outside the city limits to hike the 260 miles of trails in Hoosier National Forest or stop into family-run restaurants and small bed and breakfasts along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. View our complete Gold List of the world's top places to stay.
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The 10 Best Places in the World to Retire

SANTA FE, NM

U.S. News and World Report calls Santa Fe one of the best places in the U.S. to “reinvent your life with retirement.” The art scene in Santa Fe is thriving, helped by the easy inspiration of the nearby mountains and Santa Fe National Forest as well as the proximity of the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the New Mexico Museum of Art. Historic architecture, a friendly community of all ages, and warm days with low humidity round out the selling points for spending a comfortable retirement in the “Land of Enchantment."

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The 10 Best Places in the World to Retire

GRAND HAVEN, MI

This town, nicknamed “Coast Guard City,” is a lakefront star with a boardwalk, 90,000-gallon musical fountain, harbor trolley, charter fishing industry, and miles of bike trails. USA Today recently voted Grand Haven State Park’s 48 acres of sand as one of the country’s best freshwater beaches, which, on a hot summer’s day is a dream dip in the clear and cool waters of Lake Michigan. It’s a popular place for retirees who split their time between two regions, as Grand Haven is best in summer when it’s warm, the days are long, and the charming downtown streets are alive with festivals and live performances.

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The 10 Best Places in the World to Retire

COROZAL, BELIZE

Belize’s official language is English, a rarity in Latin America and a remnant of the country’s past as a colony of British Honduras. Corozal’s location—it’s the country’s northernmost town—is a hot selling point; located near a duty-free zone by the Mexican border and the town of Chetumal, residents get two countries for the living of one. Chetumal offers a ferry connection to Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island and a gateway to the world-class snorkeling and scuba diving of the Belize Barrier Reef. Corozal is home to an established expat community that values the low cost of living but high opportunity for outdoor activities in the warm, tropical climate.

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The 10 Best Places in the World to Retire

CASCAIS, PORTUGAL

The seaside enclave of Cascais is only 19 miles west of Lisbon but has 10 major golf courses, a castle, miles of cobblestone streets bordered by cafes and fresh seafood vendors, a large English-speaking expat community, and housing for a fraction of what it would cost in the capital city. Portugal is already one of the most affordable countries in Europe, and AARP has this to say: "Portugal prides itself on having a quieter, more civilized pace of life than its neighbor, Spain. The Portuguese are reserved but friendly; even their bullfights are polite (they spare the bull).” With a more mild climate than the Algarve’s Mediterranean coast and within easy weekending range of Portugal’s central Alentejo wine country, Cascais is best for those who desire a view of the ocean and plenty of good things to eat and drink.

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The 10 Best Places in the World to Retire

PENANG, MALAYSIA

Thanks to a government initiative named “Malaysia My Second Home” (MM2H), foreigners can now easily apply for a 10-year visa. Once you’re in, head to Penang for the best of the country’s culinary offerings, historic architecture, a thriving art scene, international-standard health care, and an English-speaking community of expats. Penang is itself an island (with beaches!), and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town is its capital. Getting in and out is easy; the metropolises of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and the vacation island destination of Langkawi, are quick, cheap flights away.

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The 10 Best Places in the World to Retire

CORONADO, PANAMA

A two-hour drive down the Pan-American Highway from cosmopolitan Panama City lies the Pacific coast beaches and perfect sunsets of Coronado. This is a destination for the outdoorsy, with water sports out your front door and a vegetable garden out the back; at least that’s the way the long-standing expat community seems to like it. Coronado has established emergency, specialized, and routine health care clinics, hospitals, and services, and Panama's tax system allows foreigners to live nearly tax-free.

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Top 25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

The Golden Gate Bridge is without a doubt the most well known emblem of San Francisco. Walking or biking across the bridge is a great experience, with incredible views from both sides. Start at the Bridge Pavilion, which offers a gift shop, historical information, and exhibits, including the original twelve-foot stainless steel Bridge "test tower" from 1933. If you want a guided tour, you can sign up for a free one most Thursdays and Sundays with SF City Guides.

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Top 25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco

LOMBARD STREET AND TWIN PEAKS

Eight switchbacks in one long block give the section of Lombard Street between Hyde and Leavenworth the reputation of being the “crookedest street in the world.” It’s on the Hyde Street cable car line, and while you can drive, you’ll appreciate it more if you walk it in full.
At 922 feet, Twin Peaks, a sixty-four-acre mix of grassland and coastal scrub, offers 180-degree views that will give you a glimpse of what San Francisco looked like in its natural state prior to development.

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Top 25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco

FERRY BUILDING AND FARMERS’ MARKETS

It’s hard to imagine that for years the Ferry Building was dormant and used as a simple walkthrough to get to the docks. Today it’s a vibrant destination filled with local purveyors of everything from cheese and chocolate to coffee and cookware. Take a walk through the beautiful building or visit the farmers’ market, considered one of the best in the nation, which takes place on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Many of the cooking demos and other market happenings run by the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture at the farmers’ market are also free.

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Top 25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco

GOLDEN GATE PARK

Golden Gate Park is a large manmade park full of forests, lakes, gardens, and museums. The weekend is prime time to visit because it’s car-free on Saturdays and Sundays. On Sundays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. between 8th and 10th Avenues, you can watch or participate in Lindy in the Park, a dance party with free half-hour swing dance lessons for beginners at noon.
While the museums and some of the gardens have an entry fee, the Japanese Tea Garden is free if you arrive between 9-10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and you can make a beeline for the Hamon Observation Tower in the de Young Museum for stunning 360-degree panoramic views of downtown San Francisco, Golden Gate Park, the Bay, and the Marin Headlands.

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Top 25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco

                                                                  BEACHES

The water is cold year round, but don’t let that stop you from heading to the bay. The city offers a number of outstanding beaches: Ocean Beach on the Western edge of town for watching surfers and sunsets; Baker Beach for amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge; and the Marin Headlands, the coastal trail, and Aquatic Park where you can watch Dolphin Club swimmers and see plenty of boats in the harbor.
The nearby Hyde Street Pier is great for views of the city and the bay. Aquatic Park is an urban beach, part of the Maritime Park Association and home to the Maritime Museum in the Aquatic Park Bathhouse Building. This classic art deco building resembles an ocean liner, and it’s free to check out the murals in the lobby and the views from the veranda.

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Top 25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco

RUSSIAN HILL

Enjoying San Francisco's most iconic sights, stunning natural beauty, and thriving arts scene won’t cost you a dime.
This lovely neighborhood has lots of hidden charms. Just a block from the crooked section of Lombard Street, the Alice Marble Tennis Courts are set on a steep block that offers park benches and peekaboo views of the Bay Bridge, Coit Tower, and the Golden Gate Bridge with the Marina on the other side and Alcatraz in the distance.
The Ina Coolbrith Park is named for California’s first poet laureate. It’s a tiny, grassy spot not many people know about, so it’s worth visiting for the isolated and inspiring view of the bay and the skyline, an impromptu picnic, or seeing fireworks on the Fourth of July.
If you’ve read Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, you may remember “Barbary Lane,” which is based on the idyllic Macondray Lane. It’s a heavily forested, pedestrian-only, cobbled pathway and stairs with flowers, ferns, dappled sunlight, and a fairytale atmosphere.

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10 Best: New travel adventures for 2016

© Natura Vive/Rex Shutterstock

Hanging out in Peru takes on a whole new meaning when you book a night in a transparent room suspended from the side of a mountain. "I've never seen anything quite like this before," says Hall. "You're overlooking the Sacred Valley, one of the most popular places to stay in the country." naturavive.com

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10 Best: New travel adventures for 2016

© Auscape/Universal Images Group:Ng Hock How/Moment/Getty Images; NOSHE

Why not make 2016 the year you try something completely new? While people are traveling more than ever, there are still unimagined adventures to be had, says Tom Hall, editorial director of Lonely Planet, which this week released its free e-book New in Travel 2016 at lonelyplanet.com. "People are looking for brag-worthy experiences — the excitement and the exoticism about travel that gets them on the road in the first place." He shares some favorite adventures recommended by Lonely Planet correspondents with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.

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Up, up and away: Balloon over unique Cappadocia, Turkey

© AP Photo/Courtney Bonnell This Aug. 26, 2015 photo shows hot-air balloons floating over the Cappadocia region of Turkey, near the town of Goreme. Tourists take to the sky to see the area's otherworldly sights, such as mushroom-shaped…

GOREME, Turkey — A few whooshing breaths of fire and up we went, a yellow orb rising in a sea of hot-air balloons like the sun brightening the morning sky.

Others followed close behind, climbing over craggy canyons, pink mountains and mushroom-shaped rock formations called fairy chimneys. Suddenly, our basket, packed with tourists angling for a perfect picture, bounced as it got bumped by an ascending balloon.

"Don't worry! It's OK, sometimes," our young pilot hollered out, smiling behind his Ray-Bans and turning up the flame on the balloon's burner to climb faster.

We chuckled nervously, but it got our blood pumping in the thinning atmosphere. So did what we saw next.

We slowly spanned up a hillside and hundreds of balloons exploded into view, a colorful melange hovering above the valleys cut like lightning into the Turkish region of Cappadocia.

But before the breathtaking views comes the preparation. Online travel searches are good ways to scope out top-rated balloon companies in a region renowned for the rides. You will pay more for reputable operators and to share the experience with fewer people — something you will value as you try to shoot photos that don't include an errant hand or head.

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23 stunning ocean views in exotic destinations

   23 STUNNING OCEAN VIEWS IN EXOTIC DESTINATIONS

We hate to say it, but beautiful ocean views are a dime a dozen. Now, that’s not to say that scoring a hotel room with a stunning ocean view won’t cost you a pretty penny. But since Oyster.com covers over 20,000 hotels (and counting), we’ve seen gorgeous ocean view after gorgeous ocean view at properties from Hawaii to the Caribbean. Fortunately, we never tire of these lookouts, and we get to enjoy new ones every day. And, as we expand our coverage, these ocean views also get more expansive — and can be found in more far-flung locales like Zanzibar, the Maldives and Koh Tao. So while we love a good beach stay in Miami, today we’re bringing you on a tour of 23 stunning ocean views in ... wait for it ... the world’s most exotic destinations.

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Is This The Most Romantic Restaurant in the World?

© Alamy Grotta Palazzese

Objectively speaking, the Grotta Palazzese in Puglia, Italy, is sweeping with romance: Tucked inside a limestone cavern, this seasonal spot overlooks the Adriatic Sea, and has hosted elegant dinners since the 18th century, when Italian nobility held banquets in the space. By day, sun glints off the water and naturally lights the cave, and by night, lantern lamps loom low over the tables and cast shimmering reflections onto the sea below. There are white tablecloths, flickering candles, and crashing waves.

But as with many things, looks can be deceiving—there's more to romance than aesthetics, after all. Travelers to the restaurant have noted that its quality to price to service ratio detracts from the beauty and atmosphere, lamenting it as "overpriced" and lacking in pilgrimage-worthy cuisine. But if this isn't the most romantic restaurant in the world, what is? Our readers weighed in on romantic restaurants everywhere from a Swedish archipelago to Dubai, and so can you:

"So easy! La Sponda at the unbelievable Le Sirenuse in Positano. It's the most whimsical and dream-like place with perfectly balanced service (not standoffish but friendly and charming and all of the waiters seem to be witty). The food is incredible and full of flavors from the Amalfi Coast and then of course there's that view...The most unforgettable view over Positano's bay." -Grace Tuffin

"A little place at the water's edge on Gili Trawangan—I wish I remembered the name." -Brian Strilesky

"Without question, Restaurant Lasserre in Paris. Beyond perfect service, extraordinary food, impeccable traditional decor, live pianist. And then as the evening progresses the frescoed ceiling opens magically to the Paris night sky. Magnifique! -Brian Woodland

"Definitely in the desert at Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara! Breathtaking at sunset..." -Kaz Za

"The House Without a Key at the Halekulani Hotel. We were young, visiting Waikiki for our one-year anniversary, sleeping in a 2.5-star across town and sticking to an $800/pp travel budget, but we treated ourselves to a sunset dinner here. The lighting was low, the music soft, the sunset vibrant, and the hula dancer beautiful. We had an exquisite meal here, sharing all the dishes, and promised ourselves that one day, we'd do Hawaii again and right, while at the same time, counting ourselves lucky to be there at all." -Su-Jit Lin-DeSimone

"The Esterhazykeller in central Vienna. Just knowing that this huge wine cellar three stories underground has been active since the 1680s, and the classic, traditional Austrian vibe, makes it completely worth it." -Luis MaldonadoView our complete Gold List of the world's top places to stay.

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Sail away... These cruises will give you SERIOUS wanderlust

        SIX CRUISES THAT TAKE LUXURY TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Whether you prefer to calmly bob down Cambodia's waterways or take on the likes of the Atlantic Ocean, cruising can be one of the most luxurious ways to explore the world...

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30 of the world’s most romantic honeymoon destinations

PARIS, FRANCE
Paris, the City of Light, seems made for lovers. Wander the winding streets of the Marais, stop at a sidewalk café for a croissant and café crème, and walk hand-in-hand along the Seine.Video: What your engagement ring says about youLater, you can explore the Left Bank. Visit the Luxembourg Gardens, drop by Shakespeare & Company, the modern heir to Sylvia Beach’s famous bookstore that welcomed American expatriate writers like Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce, and stop on one of city’s graceful bridges at sunset to watch the lights come on all over Paris.   SEARCH: SEE TOP SIGHTSEEING SPOTS IN PARIS

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Top 20 Honeymoon Resorts in the United States

Looking for a winter honeymoon spot? This is Aspen's only, ski-in, ski-out hotel, and the staff is unbelievably gracious. The activity options? Hole up in one of the 92 warm, earth-toned rooms, styled by famous designer Holly Hunt; borrow an Audi for a half-day mountain drive; or sip Veuve Cliquot 11,000 feet up at the world's first ski-in, ski-out champagne bar. Rooms from $380, The Little Nell

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Honeymoon Resorts in the United States

 THE WAUWINET, NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS

This warm, cozy inn feels blissfully-isolated from the world: Request a room that faces the windswept beach—perfect for sunset strolls—and don't miss dinner at Topper's, the island's best restaurant. Your five-course feast might feature diver scallop ceviche, or butter-poached lobster with a madras curry sabayon. Rooms from $225, The Wauwinet

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Best Affordable All-Inclusive Resorts

     BEST AFFORDABLE ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS

As a Manhattan assistant district attorney and mother of three, Kerry Chicon can make a persuasive case for needing a break from stress and planning. So finding a low-maintenance vacation is her high priority: “When we travel with kids, we always go with an all-inclusive vacation,” she says. Savvy travelers like Chicon aren’t just taking the easy way out—they’ve discovered that an influx of service-oriented hoteliers has raised the bar on the all-inclusive resort model, introducing more amenities and more of a sense of place. Better still, the perks and convenience of an all-inclusive vacation can be had at a great price (from $471 per night at the Ocean Coral & Turquesa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya). Keep your eye out for air/resort packages offered by big travel providers, and you may find even lower rates. One of the biggest improvements at all-inclusives like the Ocean Coral & Turquesa is the food. In years past, the cuisine at many all-inclusive resorts had all the flair of a Holiday Inn buffet, with a few slices of pineapple to signify location. Buffet lines haven’t disappeared entirely, but resorts are recognizing that showcasing fresh ingredients and local cuisine will lure guests with more refined palates. Taking the focus on cuisine even further, Azul Beach Resort on the Riviera Maya calls itself “gourmet-inclusive”: The 148-room resort operates five restaurants, several snack bars, and a lounge dedicated to tequila, just to keep foodies coming back. Gone, too, is the desperately perky social director organizing a poolside conga line. Resorts are one-upping each other with an ever-expanding roster of diversions: golf, tennis, ziplines, kids’ clubs, snorkeling trips, Spanish lessons, beachfront climbing walls, kayaking, and trapeze instruction. Even lazing on the beach has received an upgrade: you’ll find hand-carved Balinese beach beds under palapas at Meliá Caribe Tropical. Lolling on the sand used to be enough; exploring outside a resort’s gates was discouraged. But some all-inclusives now embrace local pride. CocoBay urges guests to check out the nearby national park and local museums to get a taste of Antigua that can’t be experienced from a hammock. In Barbados, Mango Bay invites local bands to play and runs casually guided excursions to area shops. Sure, you may be able to find great food, thoughtful service, and a wealth of activities elsewhere on the beach, but at what cost and after how much research? These all-inclusive resorts guarantee vacations where, for a few nights, you can count on economic stability and ease of planning. Treat yourself to one of these trips as a kind of stimulus package for your budget—and your peace of mind.

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The World’s Friendliest Islands

THE WORLD’S FRIENDLIEST ISLANDS

As part of Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards survey, readers were asked to evaluate islands around the world, ranking individual characteristics like romance, food—and even how friendly they are. It’s no surprise that far-flung destinations like Fiji, the Maldives, Bali, and Tasmania took the top spots. We get it: what’s not to be happy about when there’s a beautiful beach everywhere you turn?

They’re all known for their tropical surroundings, aquamarine waters ideal for a swim, and abundance of hotels that take the idea of getting away from it all to another level. Yet over and over, voters made it clear how much local culture impacts their experience. “[The] most friendly and kind people I have ever encountered,” said one T+L voter about the Fijians they encountered on their trip. “Beautiful islands, beautiful people.”

But in the world of travel, friendliness also equates to standout service, and on each of these islands, our readers found that the people working at the hotels and resorts where they stayed played an integral part in making their experience a memorable one. On a trip to the luxurious Katikies Hotel in Santorini, Greece, one voter said, “The people are the best on the planet, and Katikies Hotel in Oia is one of my favorites on earth.” It’s hard not to smile when you spend your day on a cliff overlooking the Santorini caldera basin, with views of the Aegean in the background. For many—visitors and residents alike—Santorini is heaven on earth. And even in the face of economic distress, locals remain “warm, friendly, and hospitable,” said Ed Hall, a T+L subscriber.

A handful of winners are closer to home, including Washington State’s San Juan Islands; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Mackinac Island, Michigan—proof that you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to find a getaway where the locals are warm and inviting.'

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[CHINA] This terrifying glass bridge will be the LONGEST in the world

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China's Hunan province will soon boast the longest glass walkway in the world - quite an attraction for somewhere that already claims to have inspired the mythical paradisiacal land of 'Pandora' from James Cameron's 2009 film Avatar.

© Provided by Webedia SAS

The bridge will measure 1,410 feet in length with a 984-foot sheer drop below, leaving visitors free to wander out over its glass panels into the void. The bridge will also use the enormous canyon to hold the world's highest bungee jump.

Glass walkways are the latest new craze to hit China, though not all have stood up to the test of strength. A 68m walkway, built in the same province early last year, cracked under the weight of tourists two weeks after opening, causing a mass panic. Experts have assured that the latest bridge is the strongest it can be and will hold up to 800 people at any time.

Multi-million pound constructions in rural China such as this are said to be a plan by the government to draw tourists to the abundant national parks and away from the overcrowded cities. So far, the bait seems to be working with various publicity stunts taking place on their glass surfaces.

Designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan, park authorities are hoping that the bridge will host catwalks when complete. Having already missed the planned finish date of January 2016, the Chinese construction company have been given a new deadline of May in order to catch the summer crowds. Let's hope they don't crack under the pressure...

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How to be the kind of tourist tour guides love

© Istockphoto People ride past the Eiffel Tower in Paris during a bike tour of the city.

The kind of tourist you are determines the kind of tour you get, but unfortunately, I have learned, sometimes good people are bad tourists.

In my two-and-a-half years leading bicycle tours of Paris, I’ve met them all: the social-media addict who takes selfies in the middle of traffic, the whiny cyclist who complains about the hills; the happy-go-lucky adventurer who takes off on her own and immediately gets lost.

Here are a few simple tips about how to avoid common mistakes on group tours, and be the kind of tourist that tour guides love.

Engage

Unlike at the theater, there is no fourth wall in tour guiding, and your guide will watch you just as attentively as you watch him or her. Guides who sense that their group is uninterested will quickly go into autopilot, downgrading the experience for everybody. So get involved. Answer their questions, laugh at their corny jokes and stand close so they don’t have to strain their voices.

“A tour is a dialogue between you and the guide. An interactive tour is a fun tour,” says Stephanie Paul, tour guide and specialist on Franco-Jewish history. “Put your phone away . . . look, listen and enjoy interaction with a real human being.”

Be prepared

Sometimes there truly is nowhere to buy water, a sweater or gloves once the tour has begun. Come prepared, dress appropriately and don’t expect your guide to “Mary Poppins” extra supplies out of thin air. If you don’t know what to wear or bring, ask — before the day of the tour. Should you find yourself woefully underprepared, try to bear it graciously.

Paris guide Ellen Quinn-Banville sees plenty of underprepared tourists in her job. “I know you want to wear your best outfit because it’s Paris but, like, you will be freezing — and can you walk in those shoes?”

One person in a T-shirt complaining about being cold when the season calls for a parka puts unfair pressure on the guide and spoils the mood for everybody else.

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Road Trip: Must-See Ghost Towns of Colorado

In Crystal, Colorado — Photo courtesy of Flickr user Misty Faucheux

One century’s gold is another one’s ghosts.

Gold rush fever marked many of Colorado’s mountain towns in the late 19th century, but eventually faded to dust - and took the residents with it.

Today, visitors can take a fascinating time-traveling tour through Colorado’s past, sometimes with a dash of spookiness, in these abandoned mining towns.

Even some of Colorado’s most popular tourist towns, like Breckenridge, Idaho Springs and Leadville, are former hot spots of mining action, except they managed to stay alive (or even thrive) after the crash.

Other ghost towns are completely abandoned, peppered by rickety, falling structures marking saloons, houses and shops. And others yet remain slightly inhabited, not fully dead, yet not exactly lively either, where residents today coexist with the ghosts of yesterday.

Colorado has more ghost towns than you could ever see, so choose carefully and see the best. Here are our favorite 10 ghost towns in Colorado, roughly zig-zagging from north to south.

Pro tip: This road trip is best in the warmer months, as many of these remote towns get completely snowbound at the first snowfall. 

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A Dark Sky Park: Stargazing in Death Valley

When the sun sets over Death Valley National Park, the world's largest International Dark Sky Park begins to shine.  William L. Castleman/Furnace Creek Resort

High-powered telescopes are at the ready for ample stargazing during the Death Valley Star Party, put on by Furnace Creek Resort and the park. Furnace Creek Resort

Under the darkness of night, gazing up at the seemingly millions of stars twinkling overhead, we couldn't help but pull out our smartphones and launch our star gazing apps. Scanning the sky, constellations were easily apparent and planets popped onto the screens. For those of us who live in or near cities across the USA, star gazing of this magnitude just doesn't happen.

When the sun sets over Death Valley National Park in the California and Nevada desert, about two hours west of Las Vegas, the world's largest International Dark Sky Park begins to shine. And with an area encompassing more than three million acres and exceedingly clear skies (rain is very rare here – just over two inches a year, on average), it's no surprise that the park has received that designation and is a popular destination for night-sky tourism, which is on the rise.

"Death Valley is a place to gaze in awe at the expanse of the Milky Way, follow a lunar eclipse, track a meteor shower, or simply reflect on your place in the universe," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis.

To help visitors do just that, the park and Furnace Creek Resort are hosting the Death Valley Star Party February 20 – 21. Over the course of the two days, amateur and seasoned astronomers are invited to join park rangers and the Las Vegas Astronomical Society on the resort's golf course, where telescopes of various sizes will be set up to gaze upwards. Expected to be in full display are Jupiter, Comet Lovejoy, Andromeda Galaxy, Orion Nebula and myriad other star clusters, galaxies and nebulae.

An event schedule for the two days also includes presentations and a laser-guided tour of the night sky featuring naked-eye visible objects (no telescope required!). Daytime viewing will be available, too, on Saturday, for a different perspective. A full schedule will be available at the park's visitors' center.

For "Star Wars" fans, there's a totally different way to see "Stars" in Death Valley. Several scenes of the original trilogy were filmed within the park, at easily-accessible sites such as Dante's View, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Desolation Canyon, Artist's Drive and Golden Canyon, to name a few.

Death Valley National Park and Furnace Creek Resort host a number of other stargazing events throughout the year, though mostly between November and April, when temperatures are lower.

Can't make it to Death Valley? The 31st Annual Winter Star Party (February 16–22) is underway on Scout Key (mile marker 34.5 off US Hwy 1) in the Lower Florida Keys. Each year, more than 600 astronomers from around the world gather for warm-weather viewing of the Southern Cross and other southern constellations; the Florida Keys are among the only places within the contiguous USA where these objects can be seen.

Though not a star, full moon hikes are offered at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Groups are small in size, and the hikes are led by park rangers – a fantastic way to see the park after dark. Not surprising, several parks within the National Park Service have opportunities to explore the night skies, too; click here to learn more.

Source by: http://experience.usatoday.com/america/story/national-parks/2015/02/17/stargazing-in-death-valley/23570411/

President Obama's three new national monuments

A utopian village that became ground zero for the labor rights movement, a Hawaiian jungle that became a hell for World War II prisoners and one of the country's most popular whitewater rafting destinations were elevated to national monument status last week. The three very different sites demonstrate the wide diversity of lands that can be protected under the Antiquities Act: Pullman National Monument in Chicago, Honouliui National Monument in Hawaii and Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado.

Browns Canyon National Monument

The Browns Canyon National Monument preserves one of the country's most popular whitewater rivers and the 21,500-acre wilderness that encompasses it. Browns Canyon includes much of the upper Arkansas River Valley and the rugged granite cliffs, colorful rock outcroppings, and dramatic mountain vistas that it traverses. Its unusual geography includes rock spires, hoodoos and a 3,000-foot range in elevation, making it an exceptionally diverse habitat for a wide range of species, including mountain lions, black bears, pine martens and a sizeable herd of bighorn sheep.

The move for protection has really been a decades-long local grassroots effort, according to Steven Hall, spokesman for the Bureau of Land Management, which will administer this site along with the U.S. Forest Service. With nearly 100,000 visitors per year, this stretch of the Arkansas River is one of the most popular whitewater destinations in the country, and Browns Canyon is at the heart of that, said Hall.

"The local community is very attached to this river and very attached to the landscape, and so it makes sense that the idea of protecting Browns Canyon started in the local community," said Hall.

The Arkansas River Valley has evidence of human habitation dating back more than 10,000 years, and archaeological surveys have revealed at least 18 significant archaeological sites including open campsites, culturally modified trees, wickiups, tipi rings, chipped stone manufacture and processing sites, a possible ceramic pottery kiln, and rock shelter sites that date to the Archaic Period and possibly the Paleo-Indian Period, between 8,000 and 13,000 years ago, making it among the earliest known sites in the region.

This remote and very rugged series of canyons and ridges provides a backcountry experience, particularly in the higher elevations.

"You have some of the nation's best views of the Collegiate Peaks, located nearby, and of the entire Arkansas River Valley. It's a truly spectacular landscape," said Hall.

The monument has a good mix of backcountry, whitewater and fishing opportunities, but it's also a perfect spot for leisurely sightseeing and picnicking; the "frontcountry," as the more accessible part is called, includes a variety of easy access points. "You can go on a short hike and enjoy the views, or a longer and more strenuous hike and get to some of the higher elevations," said Hall.

The new monument lies about two and a half hours west of Denver in Central Colorado, with the closest town being Salida. For more information, including maps, see the Friends of Browns Canyon site, or the official site.

The Pullman National Monument

This 203-acre site on Chicago's South Side lies at the heart of America's labor movement. Pullman National Monument preserves America's first planned industrial community, designed by pioneer industrialist George Pullman for the comfort of the workers to cure the social ills of the day – a social experiment gone wrong, however, when the economy soured.

Pullman, who revolutionized train travel in the late 1800s with his elegant sleeping cars, hired freed house slaves to serve as porters. His own factories designed and manufactured the train cars, and he built a model community with all the amenities for his workers, from the management to the maintenance crew. The town was an architectural showcase, highlighted in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

The amenities came at a cost; however; Pullman maintained tight controls on his community. Not long after the World's Fair, a severe recession hit, and Pullman slashed wages, but not rents, and workers suffered. They joined the American Railway Union organized by Eugene Debs and in 1894, called a strike that ended up affecting more than 250,000 workers in 27 states and nearly shutting down commerce in much of the country, including mail delivery. President Grover Cleveland ended up calling in the Army to break it up and 30 people died in the violence that ensued.

Half a century later, the site made labor history again when the Pullman Porters, under the leadership of A. Philip Randolph, formed the first African-American labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Randolph went on to become a leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

"From my personal perspective, it's going to be one of the best places to come to discuss some of the challenges we face today, from labor relations to race relations," said Michael Shymanski, president of the Historic Pullman Foundation.

"The neat thing about the site is that it covers 150 years of American history – it has an incredibly strong sense of place, and when people come here, they can feel it; you can walk the streets and it's like a little time warp."

The National Park Foundation has raised $8 million to support the project, which will help launch projects at the new park including a visitor center, experiential exhibits, and programming in the Administrative Clock Tower Building designed to engage visitors about Pullman's historical significance. For more information, see the National Park website.

The Honouliuli National Monument

Located on Oahu Island, this former World War II Japanese-American internment camp highlights the devastating consequences of wartime suspension of civil rights. Soon after Japanese air force strikes on Pearl Harbor, government officials began to selectively round up Japanese-Americans throughout the islands suspected of disloyalty. An estimated 400 civilian internees and 4,000 prisoners of war were incarcerated in the camp during its five years of operation. The deep gulch was dubbed Jigoku-Dani (Hell Valley) by many internees because of the hot and miserable conditions; the steep walls impeded air circulation and compounded feelings of isolation.

"Witnessing President Obama sign the declaration to establish the Honouliuli National Monument inspires me," wrote Carole Hayashino, president and executive director of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i. "I am inspired by the voices of the Japanese American internees, inspired by the dedicated work of community volunteers, inspired by the overwhelming support from the community and inspired to know that Honouliuli will never be forgotten."

The camp grew into a bustling operation of 175 buildings, 14 guard towers, and over 400 tents among the seven compounds on 160 acres. After the camp was closed in 1946, the jungle rapidly overtook the site and it was forgotten about – until 2002, when staff members of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i rediscovered it with the help of a local farmer. The Japanese Cultural Center led the campaign to protect the site.

Today the former prison camp looks like a deep, overgrown gulch, completely hidden from view by the nearby highway. All visits to the site must be pre-arranged and guided; visitors can see a number of archaeological features that give a glimpse into the layout and conditions of the site, including building slab foundations, an aqueduct over the Honouliuli Stream, and features with handwritten dates from World War II.

Plans for development of the 123-acre site are just beginning; visitor facilities inside the gulch could include trails, interpretive waysides, and restroom facilities. To schedule a visit of the site, contact the National Park Service.

Source by: http://experience.usatoday.com/america/story/national-parks/2015/02/26/president-obama-three-new-national-monuments/24070519/

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Stretching from Georgia to Maine, the 2,180 mile Appalachian Trail covers a variety of ecosystems. (Photo: Courtesy of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Benjamin Hays)

Stretching from northern Georgia to central Maine, the 2,180 mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail negotiates rich and varied ecosystems throughout its extent along the Appalachian Mountains for which it's named. Completed in 1937, the trail hosts 2-3 million visitors per year, only 1,800-2,000 of which attempt to through-hike the arduous path in a single trip. With such close proximity to east coast communities, the trail serves as a protective corridor for both boreal and subtropical plant and animal species alike, not to mention the humans who seek sanctuary along its track.

Best Hikes: As the longest continuously marked trail in the world, there is no shortage of section hikes to satisfy any day tripper or weekend warrior. Each state offers its own unique features and hiking opportunities. Find a hike best suited for the season, ability level and region through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's easy-to-use tool. For the die-hard hiking enthusiast, tackling the trail from start to finish is no walk in the park, but rather a six month journey in rain, snow, heat, and blisters up and down unending ascents and descents from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the summit of Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Only one quarter of the thousands who attempt the strenuous undertaking complete the journey each year.

Where to Stay: Staying along the Appalachian Trail can take different forms, most of which require a sleeping bag and headlamp. Over 250 shelter sites are available throughout the extent of the trail. Think more of a lean-to than rustic cabin, with exposure to the elements and a surprising number of rodents. Designated campsites can also be found, where hikers can pitch their own protection from the elements. Areas in Virginia and Southern Appalachia also allow dispersed camping, however backpackers must take care to leave no trace. If a sleeping pad isn't your idea of luxury accommodations, hostels, motels and inns can be found in towns just off trail.

Wildlife: Due to its peaks, valleys and vast sprawl across the USA, the Appalachian Trail has some of the greatest biodiversity of any unit of the National Park Service. Black bears and white-tailed deer can be found all along the mountainous path, whereas dangerous moose are more commonly sighted in Maine. Among other species of which hikers must take heed, rattlesnakes and copperheads can be found slithering through dry rocky outcroppings, although run-ins are rare. The trail is also a haven for bald eagles, bluebirds and several species of owls, including the Great Horned Owl, which has a wingspan of almost five feet.

Iconic Features: "Blazing" the Appalachian Trail takes new meaning after a few miles of following the white paint markings that designate the trail from start to finish. Where there is a lack of trees or posts to blaze, rock cairns (piles of stones) keep hikers from steering off course. Another iconic feature of the trail is known as "trail magic." Whether a through-hiker or just out for the day, random acts of trail kindness (ie. trail magic) can elevate any hiker's spirits. Trail magic can take the form of a ride into town by a selfless local or an unexpected picnic for hikers to replenish their energy and spirits.

Source by: http://experience.usatoday.com/america/story/national-parks/2014/06/05/appalachian-national-scenic-trail/10026339/

Arches National Park

Just to drive through the park's surreal, red rock wonderland inspires big dreams.  Neal Herbert, National Park Service

Photographers, bring lots of memory; your only challenge will be knowing when to stop.  Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service

More than 40 movies have been filmed in the otherworldly environs surrounding this park since 1949, from the John Wayne classics to Thelma and Louise's final ride to last year's Johnny Depp version of the Lone Ranger. It's easy to see why; it's an impossible landscape that leads the soul to ponder the limits of the possible. Just to drive through this red rock wonderland inspires big dreams; packing in and seeing these grand formations up close can be a life-changing experience.

Outdoor Activities: Rockclimbers and canyoneers are perhaps the ones who become most intimate with this landscape, but these rocks cry out to be touched by everyone who passes this way. Whether you're climbing, bouldering, hiking, biking or horseback riding, it's important to treat these stone monuments with the respect they deserve. Climbing is prohibited on Balanced Rock and on any arch with an opening of greater than 3 feet, and in the area known as "Arches Boulders" or "Highway 191 Boulders."

Horseback riding is permitted in certain areas, but be aware of the strict guidelines for feeding, watering and tethering the animals. Likewise, biking is allowed but restricted; bikes are not allowed on the trails or in the backcountry, and the roads winding through the park are crowded with sightseers in the summertime. Probably your best bet is to take your mountain bikes and do the Salt Valley and Willow Springs dirt roads, or

Those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground will have plenty of options to keep their attention, with unforgettable vistas from trails of all different levels of difficulty. Photographers, bring lots of memory; your only challenge will be knowing when to stop.

Staying Around the Park: This is a relatively small park and it only has one campground with just 50 sites, so reservations usually fill up well in advance during the busy season, from March through October. Backcountry campers will find no designated trails or campsites, and there are few areas far enough from roads and trails to be eligible campsites. Backpackers must pack in all their own water and know how to use a topographic map, and abide by low-impact desert camping guidelines.

That said, campsites abound outside the park, in nearby Moab and also in Canyonlands National Park, where you will find lots more backcountry to camp in.

There is no lodging in the park, but Moab is well equipped, with a Motel 6, Super 8, Comfort Inn and the pet-friendly La Quinta Inn, among others. If money is not an object, try the Fodor's Choice, Sorrel River Ranch and Spa.

Iconic Features of the Park: The Park Service has counted more than 2,000 arches alone in this park, not to mention the other surreal rock formations and arches and towers and spires too numerous to name.

The world's most famous stone arch, Delicate Arch, stands suspended on a weathered leg, while the Three Gossips carry on a millennial conspiracy. The 3,600-pound Balanced Rock perches precariously on its pedestal. Further along, the Fiery Furnace continues to amaze hikers who peruse its depths. Devils Garden is an awe-inspiring collection of towering fins followed by Landscape Arch, believed by some to be the world's longest.

Park Wildlife: Arches supports the typical desert habitat: lizards, snakes and rodents are plentiful, as are ravens and magpies. Wildlife is not the major draw in this park as it is in some others, but if you keep your eyes open, especially around dusk or dawn, you may spot a kangaroo rat, a ringtail, a kit fox or an owl. During daytime, desert cottontails can frequently be seen hopping about, and the occasional porcupine or mule deer just might make itself seen as well as hawks and eagles.

If you're really serious about birding, however, you may want to head 5 miles south to Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve. More than 225 bird species inhabit this preserve, including the indigo bunting and the plumbeous vireo.

Hiking at the Park: This national park is smaller than most, and you'll have to share it with a portion of the 1 million visitors who pass through each year. Even so, it's not hard to find yourself all alone on a trail, because most visitors don't stray far from the roads. Just be sure to protect yourself from the strong desert sun, and take – and drink – plenty of water to avoid dehydration and heat stroke.

Lots of the trails here are easy and have fast and dramatic payoffs: The flat, half-mile round trip to Double Arch, for example, takes you past the whimsical Parade of Elephants. The Windows loop, just a mile of relatively flat terrain, takes you past three huge arches, two of which look like round windows, and then on to Turret Arch.

The Devils Garden trail takes you over a relatively easy 0.8 miles past Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch and on to the dramatic, 306-foot Landscape Arch. If you're looking for a bit more of a workout, keep on going; you'll pass through some challenging but exciting terrain – lots of slickrock fins you'll have to clamber over, but you'll get to see a number of interesting arches along the way. A side trail will take you to Dark Angel, a dramatic sandstone spire. The entire loop, returning on the primitive trail, is 7.2 miles.

The park's most difficult hike is Fiery Furnace, which is only attempted by about 10 percent of visitors. It's an intense drop into a fin-filled canyon where it's easy to get lost; solo hikers are required to watch a video and buy a permit before entering. The best option is to take the two-hour ranger-guided tour, but sign up in advance, as they fill up quickly.

The park service's "Things to Do" page outlines several good options based on your time-frame, for drives and for hikes:

Park Drives: The road through The Arches is 18 miles long, and one of the most memorable in the world. In an hour and a half, you can take a leisurely drive to The Windows, park and explore for half an hour and return; in about the same amount of time, you can head to Delicate Arch Viewpoint, stopping to explore Wolfe Ranch, an 1880s desert homestead. The park's "Things to Do" page outlines several good drives.

Source by: http://experience.usatoday.com/america/story/national-parks/2014/05/05/arches-national-park/8731749/

 take advantage of the many trails outside the park.     http://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/biking.htm

Oceania unveils another epic, 180-day cruise

(Photo: Oceania Cruises)

Got six months to spare to travel the world? Upscale line Oceania Cruises just announced another epic, 180-day voyage that includes stops in South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

The unusual around-the-world sailing on the 684-passenger Insignia will kick off Jan. 3, 2018 in Miami and include calls at 87 ports in 40 countries.

The 14-year-old line is rolling out the new itinerary in the wake of heavy demand for four other recently announced 180-day world cruises that began taking place last year.

The new trips are notable for their length. At nearly six months, they are about two months longer than the typical around-the-world cruise offered by competing lines.

Source by: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2016/03/17/oceania-cruises-world-cruise/81902662/