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Interactive: The Best Small Towns to Visit in America

Tour this map and see which idyllic small towns are closest to you

The Solar Impulse flying over San Francisco at night.

Look Ma, No Fuel! Flying Cross Country on Sun Power

This week one of the strangest flying machines you’ve ever seen will start its journey across America—without a drop of fuel

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Strawberries Still Green? You’re on Trend!

Chefs around the country are experimenting with the springy, tart version of this favorite berry. Try pickling them yourself

These dogs have hiked off-leash to the top of Handies Peak in Colorado. Sharing the great outdoors with our pets is a favorite pastime—but as a result of conflicts between dogs and wildlife, leash laws and dog bans have become commonplace.

Hiking with Your Dog This Summer May Be Harder Than You Think

If you’ve entertained ideas of boundless romping in the woods with your pet, you may be in for a serious letdown

Lake Louise, one of the world’s most beautiful compositions of water, rock and ice, belongs to Canada. The small lake attracts throngs of tourists while serving as a stepping stone to surrounding wilderness areas of the Rocky Mountains.

From Sea to Shining Sea: Great Ways to Explore Canada

Here are six ways to experience the greatest scenery of America’s neighbor to the north

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What Modern Art Looks Like As Yummy Dessert

Pastry chef Caitlin Freeman uses inspiration from modern art to whip up cakes, cookies and other desserts

This grainy image, taken in 1909, shows two of Frederick Cook’s expedition members somewhere on the frozen Arctic Sea. Though Cook claimed to have reached the North Pole, few historians believe he did.

Cheating Their Way to Fame: The Top 9 Adventure Travel Hoaxes

From polar exploration to summit bids to marathons, claims of heroic journeys have turned out to be tales woven with lies

A ginger sow and her piglets at the Ginger Pig’s Yorkshire farm.

How One Family Helped Change the Way We Eat Ham

The Harris family struck gold when they introduced the ice house to England in 1856, but what were the costs of their innovation?

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ stadium, PNC Park, is one of the favorites in America and has become a strong tourist draw for ballpark fanatics.

Inside the Great American Baseball Road Trip

Forget loyalty. In 2013, it’s all about the stadium, as ballpark chasers take to the road with the goal of seeing a game in every stadium on the continent

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The Best Way to Handle the Coming Cicada Invasion? Heat Up the Deep Fryer

For 17 years, these insects have been lurking, waiting to return, so here are some suggestions to eat your way through the infestation

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In Bloom At Last: D.C.’s Cherry Blossoms Have Arrived

2013’s cherry blossom bloom along the Tidal Basin was worth the wait

At the height of the cold war, KGB agents spied on visitors to the Estonia Hotel in Viru. Today, the room in which they listened in on hotel guests has become a museum.

Pay No Attention to the Spies on the 23rd Floor

For years, the KGB secretly spied on visitors to the Hotel Viru in Estonia. A new museum reveals the fascinating time capsule and all the secrets within

Hikers attempting to walk the entire Pacific Crest Trail face some serious mileage—whichever way they’re going. This trail sign is near Mount Hood, in Oregon.

Going the Distance on the Pacific Crest Trail

One of America’s great long-distance hiking trails, the PCT meanders 2,650 miles through three states

Combining chia seeds, a nutrient-rich food naive to Mexico and Central America, with water creates a gel-like mixture.

Five Ways to Cook With Chia Seeds

The nutty-flavored seeds responsible for Chia Pets provide a nutrient boost to smoothies, burgers and soups

Doughy goodness is impossible to resist.

Kolaches: The Next Big Thing in Pastries and The Tex-Czech Community Behind Them

Rural Czech communities in Texas have been enjoying the buttery pastry for more than a century, now homesick Texans bring kolaches to the rest of us

Need a break from mountains, wine and cheese? The CERN lab near Geneva, like many other research facilities, offers tours of the premises.

How to Tour the World’s Greatest Science Labs

Around the globe, physics and astronomy labs—some on mountaintops, others underground—welcome visitors to tour the premises

Frank Sinatra singing on the stage of the Sands Hotel.

How to Tour Frank Sinatra’s Las Vegas

Even though most of 1950s Vegas is long gone, there are still many ways to relive the haunts of Ol’ Blue Eyes and the Rat Pack

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Has Gettysburg Kicked Its Kitsch Factor?

Historian Tony Horwitz travels to the Civil War battlefield and finds that even where time is frozen, it’s undergone welcome changes

At remote Abu Camp, visitors can hitch a ride into one of the great water holes of Africa.

The Joys and Dangers of Exploring Africa on the Back of an Elephant

Renowned travel writer Paul Theroux journeys through Botswana’s spectacular, wildlife-rich wetlands

Great Camp Sagamore in Raquette Lake, New York, was once a retreat for the Vanderbilt family.

Where Was the Birthplace of the American Vacation?

First in rustic tents and later in elaborate resorts, city dwellers took to the Adirondacks to explore the joys of the wilderness

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