In the late 19th century, Renaissance man Henry Chapman Mercer traveled throughout France, Germany, and the United States studying and collecting pottery, tools, and spooky stories about the supernatural. Mercer believed that industrialization was endangering certain artisanal aspects of human culture, so he built an ornate castle in his home state of Pennsylvania to showcase…
When you picture a winter mountain getaway, your mind probably jumps straight to the French Alps or the Swiss peaks. Yet, tucked away in the eastern corner of the Balkans lies a winter destination quietly stealing the spotlight. Snow-draped pine forests frame modern lift systems, while the scent of grilled meats drifts from timber-clad taverns….
Thousands of years ago, the sandy shores of the Oregon coast near what is now the city of Neskowin were blanketed with a robust forest of Sikta spruce trees. Through the centuries the sea, the sand, and a powerful earthquake caused these 200-foot-tall trees to recede into the water. The ghostly forest was submerged beneath…
A moonbow may sound like something that only appears in a dream, but it is a real phenomenon that only occurs in a handful of places in the world. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Corbin, Kentucky is one of the rare locales where you can see a misty rainbow that occurs regularly and is…
At first glance, luxury travel looks like a simple equation: more comfort, more polish, a higher price tag attached to the same basic itinerary as everyone else. Look closer, though, and a different picture emerges. The travellers who consistently have the most extraordinary trips aren’t necessarily paying for more of the same; they’re paying for…
Toronto has a house you could walk straight past without noticing. The Little House on Day Avenue went up in 1912, covers about 300 square feet, and people have been living in it ever since. It isn’t alone, either. There are coach houses hiding behind Cabbagetown Victorians, lofts carved out of old Junction factories, and…
From a distance, Floridaโs Boneyard Beach looks as though it is littered with the spindly bones of giant sea creatures. Boneyard Beachโwhich is located in Big Talbot Island State Parkโis a tree graveyard dotted with the pale trunks and roots of washed-up cedar and oak trees which have been displaced by coastal erosion. Less than…
One million years ago, an unnamed freshwater lake spanned what is now known as Meadow Valley near modern-day Panaca, Nevada. As the lake drainedโwind, rain, and snow created towering rock spires with winding networks of slot canyons that resemble petrified versions of some of Europeโs most celebrated cathedrals. Cathedral Gorge State Parkโs dramatic slot canyons…