Whether you are looking for an action-packed outdoor adventure with your tribe or a leisurely gal pal weekend in nature, Roanoke in Virginia’s Blue Ridge makes the perfect basecamp for a fantastic girls’ weekend. On a recent trip with four adventure-loving gals, I paddled, hiked and pedaled my way through a fantastic weekend. We sampled… Continue reading Why Roanoke Is the Blue Ridge Mountain Escape Every Girlfriend Group Needs
Donkeys trotted toward me as I navigated around a vendor hawking roasted corn to passersby. Sellers offered me samples of khat, a type of leaf that’s chewed for its stimulating effects. Technicolor woven baskets, incense, and haggling shoppers had my senses firing on all cylinders. If there was a better way to combat jet lag… Continue reading Why Ethiopia’s Capital is More Than a Safari Stopover
When one of my besties turned 50, we wanted to celebrate. As a trio of fun-loving, adventurous women, we’ve hiked, skied and run countless miles together. What better way to celebrate than a budget-friendly weekend of hiking surrounded by spectacular scenery in Zion National Park? Looking forward to active days and evening sunsets with… Continue reading Girls’ Getaway to Utah’s Zion National Park
Nestled in 1,300 acres of forest near Charlotte, the Whitewater Center is the largest outdoor adventure center of its kind in the world. Multiple “lands” along the Catawba River invite people to paddle, pedal, hike, climb, run, jump, and play outside. From tot-sized treehouses to Olympic caliber white water rafting runs, this North Carolina facility welcomes outdoor-lovers of… Continue reading This North Carolina Adventure Park Has Whitewater Rafting, Treehouses, and Beer on Tap
As we rounded the final curve to the Hallerangerhaus, the Austrian flag came into view. After 12 miles of hiking, with some calf-burning steep sections, the high mountain lodge in the Karwendel mountains was a welcome sight. I’m not much of a cruise person, and I get restless after too long at the beach. My… Continue reading Austria’s Hike-In Huts: An Alpine Wellness Adventure
Nanny Cay Marina fades in the distance as the Lagoon 46 catamaran catches the wind and leaves Tortola Island behind. You’re at the helm, with the salt spray on your face and wind in your hair. Stingrays and turtles greet you during a lunchtime snorkel stop, and lobster dinners and sunsets cap the day. Sound… Continue reading With the Wind in Your Sails – Learning to Sail in the British Virgin Islands
Alaska has a magnetic pull, attracting nature lovers, adventure seekers, and explorers. With millions of acres of wilderness, this remote 49th US state is a place teeming with rugged coastlines, majestic mountains, and playful marine mammals. It took me 20 hours to reach Alaska from my home in Florida. My trek to this former Russian… Continue reading Alaska: America’s Last Wild Frontier
An American expat’s harrowing ride to two-wheeled freedom If you’d told me, soon after I arrived in Beijing, that I’d ride a bike through the streets of China’s capital during rush-hour, I would’ve asked you what you were drinking. Not that I’m green or timid. At 52, I’d visited over 30 countries and lived abroad… Continue reading Biking Beijing
I tried an Alaskan cruise once – the kind with fancy buffets, towels folded like swans, and nightly magic shows. It wasn’t for me. I wanted to get up close and personal with this wild remote state, so I’ve returned several times to traverse Alaska by foot, bush plane, and small boats. In June, I… Continue reading SKIP THE BIG SHIP: WHAT I LOVED ABOUT ALASKA DAY CRUISING
The morning mist partially obscured the peaks lining Resurrection Bay as the Coastal Explorer pulled away from Seward. A bald eagle bid us farewell from his perch and a nearby sea otter floated peacefully in the harbor. The deckhands served fresh warm cinnamon rolls as we motored toward Kenai Fjords National Park. Dressed for winter… Continue reading Whale Watching in Alaska: Sustainable Tours Just Makes SENSE
Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest communities, named after William Seward, President Lincoln’s Secretary of State. We have Seward to thank for spearheading the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 for two cents an acre. Windsong Lodge sits on the edge of the Resurrection River, just outside town. It’s close enough to be a convenient… Continue reading Seward Windsong Lodge: Gateway to Alaska’s Wild Beauty
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Have you ever been fascinated by North Korea, wondering how people dress, what they eat, and what the countryside looks like? I’ve been intrigued by the country officially called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) for years, wondering what it would be like to visit. Unfortunately, U.S. citizens can’t enter North Korea, so I… Continue reading My “Forbidden” Peek into North Korea: Here’s How You can Do it too.
"On, nice. Are you going on a cruise?" This was the response I got last summer when I told friends that we were going to Alaska on our family vacation. "No, we're going to Homer," I replied. This answer was generally met with blank stares followed by me explaining why we chose this far-flung destination… Continue reading Want to See Wild Grizzly Bears? Get your Paws on this Itinerary for Homer, Alaska
Kirsten Harrington 