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Does it get any better than this? Trees, shade, green grass and a pair of horizontal bars beside the Dordogne River, in Souillac, add up to one of the finest outdoor workout stations in France.

Fitness Afar: Great Places to Hang Out at the Bar

Going abroad needn’t mean going flabby—globe-trotters can find pull-up bars and other outdoor gymnastics equipment in some of the most unexpected places

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The Stunt that Launched Nathan’s Famous Stand on Coney Island

Back in 1916, the now-famous Nathan’s hot-dogs of New York City did not sell on name alone

The Hotel Metropole, opened in 1901, reflects the French colonial era in Vietnam.

A Trio of French Colonial Sites in Hanoi

In Vietnam’s capital you can still find many examples of French colonial architecture, including St. Joseph’s Cathedral and the luxurious Hotel Metropole

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A Midsummer Night’s Surströmming

The Baltic herring ferment inside a can thanks to salt-loving, anaerobic bacteria that produce distinctive organic acids found in sweat and rotting butter

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The Hunt for a Bottle of Asturias Cider and the Stories of More Drinks From Northern Spain

In this part of Europe, a glass of rioja is nice, but nothing beats apple cider, a way of life

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The Real Scottish Landscapes That Inspired Pixar’s “Brave”

Disney/Pixar’s “Brave” is based on real places in Scotland. Now, “Brave”-centric vacations lets families experience the adventure first hand

The prized Fliers' and Explorers' Globe at the American Geographical Society

The Greatest Globe on Earth

Now kept at the American Geographical Society in New York, the globe is precious not for its age or beauty, but for the explorers who signed it

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Spain: Of Sun, Siestas — and Salmon?

About a dozen Spanish streams support native runs of Atlantic salmon, but anglers are deeply divided about how to fish for them

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Three Ways to Eat Ice

For those of you who want to explore chilly desserts beyond ice cream, try these frozen treats

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Six Ways to Celebrate the Summer Solstice Around the World

From Eagle Summit in Alaska’s White Mountains, watch as the sun dips, dips, dips—-but remains just above the horizon

The zocalo in Oaxaca, Mexico, blocks away from the Hotel Las Golondrinas

For a Happy Hotel Experience, Take the Middle Road

Neither too luxurious nor too austere, mid-range inns are often a great choice for travelers. Here are some of my favorites in Europe, Mexico and Morocco

Why Do Men Grill?

Globally, it seems that this gendered division of cookery is an American thing

Andorra makes no effort to charm those crossing the border from France. Shown here is the entry point into the commercial hub of Pas de la Casa.

Andorra: The Ugliest Country in Europe?

They had green mountains, trout streams and wildflowers; meadows and waterfalls, but Andorrans made their country the least charming in all of Europe

The exterior of the Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg

A Toast to the Astoria Hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia

A Russian icon in the Art Nouveau style on St. Isaac‘s Square near the Neva River, the Astoria evokes a Belle Époque world gone by

The brown bear is among the largest land animals in the northern hemisphere. Whether there is still room for it in the French Pyrenees is uncertain.

Can Brown Bears Survive in the Pyrenees?

The keepers of sheep and cows helped eliminate the Pyrenean brown bear, and shepherds are not thrilled to see France’s largest predator return

Huahine in the South Pacific

Prospero’s Island in the South Pacific

Was it Bermuda—or the dreamy French Polynesian island of Huahine—that inspired the setting for Shakespeare’s The Tempest?

Palace of the Winds in Jaipur, India

Jaipur via The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

A delightful new film takes viewers to India’s picturesque western state of Rajasthan

Follow the arrows, find the cheese. This sign led to a sheep farm in the village of Tilhouse.

On the Cheese Trail in the Pyrenees

Make a fuss in the road and someone will appear. Spit out some gibberish about “fromage a vendre,” and that should do it. You’ll get your cheese

Petra Van Glabbeek tows Ouiza (staring out the rear) and Coco (standing, and getting a free snout-scratch from the turning wheel) on a luggage-less day ride. On uphill climbs, the dogs are asked to trot alongside the bikes.

The Family that Never Quits Pedaling

I thought cycling with a laptop and a bottle of wine was hard. Then I met a pair of Dutch cyclists on tour with a grown dog, a puppy—-and a baby

The campus of UC Santa Barbara is on the coast at Isla Vista.

Summer Vacation on Campus

Looking for unique, fun, inexpensive lodging? Stay in a university dorm

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