Want to discover the best hikes in Costa Rica? From popular jaunts through the coastal rainforest to arduous climbs to mountain peaks, Costa Rica has vibrant and varied landscapes that offer endless opportunities for hiking. Indeed, sometimes there’s no other way to…
Come to Costa Rica to discover magnificent landscapes, endless outdoor activities and creatures great and small. This smallish Central American country offers a world of adventure, from water sports to mountain hikes, from rainforest wildlife watching to cloud-forest birding. And when you’re…
Miravalles, Costa Rica – We are hunkered down at Colinas del Miravalles Hotel, on the flanks of the steaming Miravalles Volcano. We are sucking down batidos and soaking in thermal pools. We are happy. This picture of contentment belies the…
Curubandé de Liberia, Costa Rica – Many travelers pass through but few stop in Curubandé de Liberia, a little village in northwestern Costa Rica. This is the gateway to Rincón de la Vieja national park. Most visitors barrel right through, on…
Tilarán, Costa Rica – Another day, another waterfall… Viento Fresco waterfalls is an ideal place to take a break on the drive between Monteverde and La Fortuna. It’s a short, steep walk down past three waterfalls, with a fourth beauty…
La Fortuna, Costa Rica – There are a lot of cataratas in Costa Rica but the Río Fortuna waterfall is doozy! It’s 70 meters high. For those of us who are not proficient in the metric system, that’s 500 steps.…
San Miguel de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica – What a thrill to be back in Costa Rica for a Lonely Planet guidebook update! This whole thing came about rather unexpectedly, so I am traveling solo (for now), during the rainy season,…
What’s in a name? Juneau, Alaska – Apparently, the original Tlingit name for Mendenhall Glacier was Sitaantaagu, or “the glacier behind the town.” My source (Encyclopedia Britannica) says the Tlingit also called it Aak’wataaksit, which means “the glacier behind the…
North Conway, New Hampshire – Everyone was wiped out from our full day of skiing yesterday. But we wanted to take advantage of the spectacular snowy mountain landscape and get some more outside time, before making the journey home. We…
Kapa’a, Kauai – When planning our trip, Twin V specially requested swimming in a waterfall. Once I abandoned my plans to hike to Hanakapiai Falls, I set out to find an alternative. I finally decided on the Wailua Falls –…