Fall 2016

The Middle East’s unique culture and ancient history intrigues many westerners. The Dome of the Rock, the Sacred Tomb, and the Dead Sea are just a few of the region’s distinctive tourist attractions. However, recent political turmoil causes many travelers to feel apprehensive about visiting the region.

A Kurdish refugee boy from Kobani, Syria clings to a fence that surrounds a refugee camp in the border town of Suruc.

It was my junior year, and school spirit drenched the sky on another cold night of football—I thought it was going to be a dull wait. But then the team came out, tearing off their helmets, their faces already glowing with sweat and their arms clenching. They lined up on the 30-yard line, facing the crowd in the stands. Then the team squatted with all knees and legs at the same angle.

There is something irresistible about crossing dangerous ground. Humans are overcome with a desire to face danger and subsequently to overcome that danger, according to psychologist Saberi Roy. Throughout history, people such as Lewis and Clark and the Wright Brothers have become pioneers in their fields by crossing dangerous and uncharted ground.

Travelers have long since sought out places associated with classic artists: Stratford to visit Shakespeare’s hometown, Giverny to tour Monet’s house, and Salzburg to bask where Mozart composed his music.

There are no troubled waters in the mountain paradise of Glenwood Springs, Colorado—the town boasts the world’s largest hot springs pool, a waterfall splashing into a turquoise lake, and a stretch of the rapid Colorado River.

When most people dream about a vacation in the Caribbean, they imagine cruising from port to port in an elegant ship with nonstop buffets, or sitting in a lounge chair on a well-manicured beach being served a cold drink at an all-inclusive resort. There is, however, another alternative that is economical, environmentally friendly, and definitely more adventurous. Campers and beach lovers can spice up their time at Cinnamon Bay in the US Virgin Islands by camping overnight just a minute away from the waves and sand.

Do you want to send your friend a classic “Wish you were here!” without a cliché postcard picture attached? No problem.

Cave tubing is a unique way to take in the beauty and history of Belize’s river caves.

Traveling with kids can be difficult and stressful, so travel magazines and blogs give a variety of tips to help parents plan for the unexpected and control the uncontrollable. But catastrophes can always happen when traveling with kids, no matter how well planned the trip is. The trick is to know how to alleviate tension and diffuse the situation when those unavoidable catastrophes explode.

Just imagine it: Micronesia. Sunshine gleaming on the surface of a calm, teal lake. As you slip beneath the warm green waters, you are greeted by millions of pulsating jellyfish—jellyfish that you can brush up against without fear of being stung. It’s an under-the-sea experience that reminds us just how marvelous our world is.

Kenya is a land of vast natural beauty. However, the country’s magnificent landscape is marred by the trash that washes up on beaches and flows out of landfills. In the last two decades, entrepreneurial individuals have found ways to recycle certain kinds of waste into beautiful products.

When Neil Armstrong took that first step onto the moon in 1969, millions of Americans witnessed a huge victory for the United States through blackand-white, rabbit-eared television boxes. They had won the great space race and succeeded in landing on the moon. Armstrong had a small glimpse of what the future held as he spoke his iconic words, but his giant leap seems minuscule compared to the possibilities we can see in the near future. Soon travelers will get to choose between Miami, Morocco, and Mars for their next big family vacation.

An obstructed view could change the way you travel.