Posts - Exploration Vacation

Photo of a cactus garden with text "the Tucson Botanical Gardens Arizona"

The Tucson Botanical Gardens: Horticulture, art, and whimsy

Posted onNovember 9, 2021November 9, 2021Leave a comment

The Tucson Botanical Gardens mix horticulture with art – and a dash of humor. Smiles are guaranteed as you wander through this delightful garden in southern Arizona. The garden that exists today was created from Read More …

sculpture of a Portuguese explore with a city and green hills in the distance and text "How to spend a week on Terceira Azores"

How to spend a week on Terceira Island, Azores

Posted onSeptember 21, 2021September 21, 2021Leave a comment

In the USA, cheap week-long vacation packages to Terceira, Azores, are pretty easy to find. However, you may wonder if there is much to do on this small Portuguese island, especially off-season, when the best Read More …

Puffin in Alaska's Sitka Sound with text "Sitka's best wildlife tour"

A Whale’s Song: The best wildlife cruise in Sitka, Alaska

Posted onAugust 30, 2021September 7, 2021Leave a comment

If you really want to see wildlife, A Whale’s Song Expeditions offers the best wildlife cruise in Sitka, Alaska. All Whale’s Song tours include a comfortable and well-equipped boat with a knowledgeable and personable captain, Read More …

Bell tower in a Japanese garden with text "the gardens of Enger Park Duluth Minnesota"

Enger Park gardens and peace bell, Duluth, Minnesota

Posted onAugust 1, 2021Leave a comment

Despite the popularity of Enger Tower, Enger Park’s Gardens are among the hidden gems that await visitors to Duluth, Minnesota. Since they are not as well-known as other Duluth attractions, the sprawling gardens tucked under Read More …

three photos of a pyramid, inside a tomb, and a mosque with text "Egypt's UNESCO World Heritage"

UNESCO World Heritage sites in Egypt

Posted onMay 31, 2021August 3, 20216 Comments

You may be familiar with the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Egypt that include the pyramids, temples, and tombs of the ancient pharaohs. But those account for only three of Egypt’s seven World Heritage sites. Read More …

photo of garden and fountain with text "Munsinger Clemens Gardens St Cloud Minnesota"

Twice the beauty at Munsinger Clemens Gardens in Minnesota

Posted onMay 8, 2021May 12, 20212 Comments

Just an hour west of Minneapolis, the combined Munsinger Clemens Gardens in Saint Cloud may be the most beautiful free public garden in Minnesota. With two distinctly different gardens, there is something for every garden Read More …

photo of a Joshua tree with text "Joshua Tree National Park"

Joshua Tree National Park: Explore an otherworldly California landscape

Posted onApril 26, 2021May 5, 2021Leave a comment

The USA’s desert southwest has a lot of strange landscapes, but Joshua Tree National Park in southern California stands out as one of the most alien-looking. That makes it a fascinating place to explore. Along Read More …

Red buildings along water with text "Finland's Old Town Porvoo"

Old Town Porvoo (Borgå) day trip from Helsinki

Posted onApril 5, 2021May 5, 20218 Comments

The medieval Swedish town of Borgå (Old Town Porvoo) is a fun and easy day trip from Helsinki, Finland. A blend of Swedish, Russian, and Finnish history The heart of Old Town Porvoo is the Read More …

The Winnipeg Art Gallery’s Qaumajuq center for Inuit art

Posted onMarch 25, 2021March 25, 2021Leave a comment

There’s exciting news from Canada: The Winnipeg Art Gallery is ready to open the new Qaumajuq center for Inuit art and culture. I made a virtual visit to Qaumajuq at the WAG recently. Some of Read More …

painting with text "Tombs in the Village of the Workers Luxor Egypt"

An ancient worker’s village: Deir el-Medina in Luxor, Egypt

Posted onMarch 6, 2021April 30, 2021Leave a comment

The craftsmen who built tombs for Egypt’s pharaohs lived near their workplace. Today, visitors to Luxor’s West Bank can see the remains of the Village of the Workers (Deir el-Medina) and the colorful tombs these Read More …