Last Best Places

by Erik Olsen on

We post a lot here about various things to see on the net that we know will be of interest to those with a passion for travel. And occasionally those posts contain some activist aspect since, let’s face it, travelers tend to be curious, passionate people who share an interest in preserving the wondrous places around the world that always inspire us. Well, I’d like to direct you to one of the better sites I’ve seen in a while that mixes travel with environmentalism. This wonderful interactive and educational series over at the Minneapolis Star Tribune should be viewed by travelers with a green sensibility.

Called The Last Great Places the site offers vivid photography, audio slide shows, and thoughtful commentary on three places that best represent a specific type of ecosystem. They are: Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Grand Canyon. You can spend a solid spot of time here, and I suggest you give it a spin, as you will undoubtedly learn a few things you didn’t know about each of these places, including insights into science, travel and policy. It’s been a while since I’ve come across something so well put together, not to mention inspiring from a travel point of view.

Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes National Park

by Iva Skoch on

Most people who visit Croatia stay close to the shore and enjoy the beautiful medieval cities that lace the coastline. If you spare a day or two, the Plitvice Lakes National Park is well worth the trip. Located in the north half of Croatia, about an hour from the coast stretching to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was here where the former Yugoslavia War officially started. The Serbian rebel forces held the park during the conflict from 1991-1995. Along the way, you can still see many of the residential buildings with bullet holes in their facades. It is hard to imagine the war started 15 years ago.

I finally went to the park this summer and loved it. Although the main drag is smothered with tourists in July and August, the park is quite large and when hiking, one can get away from people pretty easily. The waterfalls, combined with the turquoise color of the water, are unbelievable.

Australia’s Open Water

by Iva Skoch on

Sleeping under the stars, with the magic of the underwater world beneath you is about as cleansing of an experience as you can get. Far from civilization, the stars are amazingly bright and–but for the waves breaking over the boat–it would be almost unbearably quiet.

The best way to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is definitely a live-on-board scuba diving trip. Because in most places, the GBR is some 2-3 hours from shore, it is really not worth it to just do a day trip. In Cairns, a gateway town to the GBR, there are numerous establishments offering just that. We went with Scuba Pro and would recommend them to anybody. A three-day trip is about $400/pp, all-inclusive: boat trip, two nights on the boat (there are private rooms, but some people choose the sleep-on-the-deck option to enjoy the stars), food and drinks, equipment rental and 11 dives, including 2 night dives. All in, it’s a pretty good deal. This is also a good way to get certified, although after diving the GBR, you’ll be spoiled and other places will seem like a cold pool of muddy water.

Needless to say, the diving is incredible. Turtles, sharks, lobsters, dolphins…all in water so warm you don’t actually need a wetsuits, if it weren’t for the damn jellyfish.

Luxury Camping in the Sierras

by Neil Woodburn on

A couple of months ago I had the wonderful pleasure of backpacking in California’s Sierras Nevadas. It was a difficult trek but one that was extraordinarily rewarding as a result. Hard work such as this gets you deep into the backcountry where the nature is pure and the people are few.

Backpacking isn’t for everyone, however. The thought of placing 40 pounds of food and gear on your back and tromping up some hillside is sadly unappealing to the majority of the population. Fortunately for such people, there is an easier alternative with an equally attractive payoff.

Susan Spano of the Los Angeles Times recently hiked just 1 1/2 miles in the High Sierras to spend a couple of nights at the Sequoia High Sierra Camp. And, she hardly had to carry anything! The camp is a “luxury” campground that includes permanent tents, twin beds, Pendelton blankets, hot showers, flush toilets, and meals prepared by the former private chef to Bruce Springsteen and Faith Hill.

Luxury in the High Sierras doesn’t come cheap, however. A two-person tent with three meals runs $400 a day. It sounds pretty cool but at that rate I’d hire Sherpas and find my own place to pitch a tent for the night–although I’d like to figure out a way to bring along that famous chef if I could.

Sleeping with the Dinosaurs

by Iva Skoch on

Starting next month, the Natural History Museum in New York City will host all-night sleepovers.

I thought this would be a great opportunity to save some money on rent in Manhattan while actually having a view of something other than a brick wall, but that was just too good to be true….Not only is the invitation extended only to kids 8-12 years old, you also have to pay $79 per person. And no, I don’t think you get Best Western points for that, either.

According to Newyorkology, $79 is a good deal. The Bronx Zoo apparently charges $4,500/group and FAO Schwarz sets you back $25,000 for a private sleepover. Unless Michael Jackson pays, of course.