Winter, spring, summer or fall - every day is a beach day in Laguna Beach

Since, the majority of my life has revolved around San Francisco and Northern California, where  the weather tends to be 10 to even 20 degrees colder than our neighbors to the south, any chance for a warm beach day has always been something that I cherished.  In my early days as a surfer in Santa Cruz, I have always been drawn to the California coast. So, when the Joie de Vivre-owned Pacific Edge Hotel invited me for a fre

darkrigel


by Cristóbal Ramírez

For some, Brussels on the surface doesn’t appear to offer all that much to admire – not just politically, but as a place to visit, with a bit of a reputation for being grey, boring, bureaucratic, even soulless. Like most stereotypes, blown way out of proportion. What really defines the capital of Belgium and all of Europe, site of the continent’s parliament and various of its institutions, is its status as a crossroads. After the work days are over, people from al

For some people, history is a thing of the past, over and done with. But for others, history is something through which we can get in touch with our roots and learn something about ourselves and those who came before us. Throughout the world, there are many groups who strive to bring history to the masses, through re-enactment of specific events - such as battles - or through the depiction of certain periods. For travellers, these events are a great opportunity not only to have some fun, but als

More than a few non-Brits have at least vaguely heard of a place called Cornwall – maybe even that its duke is Prince Charles and its duchess Camilla (née Parker-Bowles), and that it's in the southwest of England. If they're really up on this 1,376-square-mile region, they know it's Celtic in heritage; boasts a dramatically craggy coast; has traditionally been big into fishing and mining (fading in favor of tourism); and is known in the U.K. for its pasties (turnovers filled with meat or other s

Many women  want to travel alone, or with other women,  and not a guy... a fact most men find very difficult to accept.

And while we think there are too many movies and books that give us too many images of women as helpless victims, the truth is that a majority of women say that security issues are their number one concern when traveling alone. Or even with female companions.

But it seems that the joys of travel are so strong, these women would rather travel alone than not travel.

There are

There are no bad beaches in the Yucatan Peninsula's Riviera Maya, stretching south of Cancun. All of them are paradises of white sand and crystal waters, so any destination a visitor picks will be a good choice. Even so, it is more than evident that each piece of coast is different to the rest, with small nuances which make them special and tip the balance in favor of one over another in the eyes of tourists. If we had to make a list of the five best beaches, they could very well be these:

Pun

My tween daughter Diz loves outdoor action:  skiing, theme parks, water parks - anything that’s fast and furious.  I figured that a rapid-battling river adventure would also give her a thrill, so I aimed to track down a company that offered high quality whitewater excursions in the nearby Pocono mountains of eastern Pennsylvania.

There were lots of choices, but Pocono Whitewater in Jim Thorpe, PA - a 38 year-old, family-owned rafting outfitter - stood out for a number of reasons:

• They’re a short,

The beautiful southern Caribbean Costa Rica region has received its share of media love this year as Costa Rica surges in the international news with new flights to the country, better travel opportunities, and newsworthy events happening.

IKEA Films Caribbean Costa Rica Jungle Wildlife

Costa Rican howler, white-faced capuchin, and spider monkeys became famous starring in a new IKEA commercial filmed at the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo. The ad campaign launched on July 11, 2015, and pro

Amsterdam is justly celebrated for, among other things, its canals. But if any Netherlands canal city (and there are quite a few) can lay claim to being even more picture-postcard-perfect, it’s Delft, about an hour’s drive away.

The city’s canal heritage, dating back to its rural-village origins in the early 12th century, is embedded in its very name (derived from delven, Dutch for “digging”), and visitors to its historic center are invariably charmed by the mix of waterways, bridges across

Today we hit the tarmac to learn more about the important role played by the ladies and gents you see outside your aircraft window gesticulating up a storm. They’re called marshallers(known as señaleros in Spanish), and besides guiding planes whilst they’re on the ground, these individuals perform other less well known functions as well, such as cooperating with other airport authorities to monitor various vital technical procedures, and providing assistance in case of an unusual incident of an

Some of the 18-hole golf links in Dallas, Texas feature 6,630 yards of great courses where golfers can play par 71 championship games. These links will give you a tough challenge, but are extremely fun to play. In the Dallas area, golf courses have continued to delight patrons with elevated greens, exciting games and a verdant mix of towering trees, lakes and marshlands. If you think that only physical strength will do the trick, then you are wrong.  You may have exceptional physical skills, but

Who doesn’t dream of tasting some of the best wines in the world in the very vineyards where the grapes are grown? Whether you’re a wine connoisseur, a wine lover or simply wine-curious, you’ll find that there’s something for everyone in these European wine regions.

Loire Valley, France

The Loire Valley, with its magnificent châteaux and gardens, is one of the most beautiful parts of France. It is also one of the country’s most diverse wine regions, producing all types of wine: red, white, ros

This Indian Ocean architepelago is a destination beyond compare that has been drawing visitors from all over the world, and when it comes to accommodation, it also boasts a plethora of resorts for various preferences, needs and budgets. Here are our top five choices:

One and Only Reethi Rah 

A complex of huge overwater decks, villas, and swimming pools sprawling out across the beautiful, crystal-clear ocean, each villa comes with wide-screen LCD TV, DVD/CD player with surround-sound system, iPod

An island off central Cuba's north coast, Cayo Coco has since 1993 joined Varadero as one of Cuba's premier resort destinations. With an area of 370 square kilometer, the onetime refuge of corsairs, pirates, and assorted ruffians is a holiday mecca thanks to luxuriant vegetation and 22 kilometers of spectacular beaches. The name Cayo Coco comes not from Spanish for coconut but from the presence in the area the white ibis, popularly called the coco bird. The geography is made of a limestone plai

We’d been waiting for five minutes for our last passengers."What’s the betting they’re Americans, with white ankle socks and their belongings in carrier bags?" asked Carl, a fellow passenger. Guess what! He was right!

Impatiently, I looked at my watch. Only a quarter to six. And, for the first time, I realised the significance of the date. 6th May 2005 … and a year to the day since I got carted off to hospital.

My doctor said to call it a "cerebro-vascular accident". ‘Tell people you had a str

Bhutan, A Mesmerizing Country with Many Sacred Sights

Are you looking for a destination to get rid of the daily hustle and bustle? If so, a pilgrimage tour to Bhutan can be an excellent way to explore its religious sites. In fact, here life for most revolves around ancient Buddhist religious rituals. Bhutan has hundreds of holy monasteries, sacred monuments and religious sites.

Near the capital city, Thimpu, are plenty of well known, peaceful, and all around stunning dzongs and monasteries. The

The lands which were to become the United States and Canada were largely settled by the English, but not everyone is aware that the continental USA’s oldest continuously occupied city, St. Augustine in northeast Florida, was founded by explorers from Spain 450 years ago this month. And in returning to attend the big birthday bash it's been throwing for itself (above), I was smitten once again with what is one of this country's most fascinating historic visits (with great St. Augustine beaches 

The most challenging aspect of travelling is packing. Forget about language barrier, cultural differences or anything else. Packing is where the real struggle lies. If you're like me and you can never get a suitcase to close however much you try, here are some invaluable tips to help you through one of life's greatest challenges: how to pack a suitcase.

1. Don't over-pack. I cannot stress this enough. Make a list of all the essential things you'll need during your journey. Then revise that list a

You fall in love and get married with the best of intentions. You dream of spending your lives together and often you begin to do so by having children.

But somewhere in the near distance, there are constant reminders, concerns, indifference's and issues that continue to play on your subconscious and tell you that something isn't right and never will be.

You fight it off and continue with your every day life and then it happens. One of you decides that they can no longer exist as part of this coup