“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State.” President Donald Trump, May 4, 2025. Donald Trump is not the first United States president to suggest that Canada join the U.S. George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison all thought Canada should be a state; Washington…
For wildlife enthusiasts and travelers keen to explore the globe, there are incredible bear-viewing destinations on every continent except Australia — sorry, koalas are marsupials, not bears–– and Africa, where Atlas bears were hunted to extinction by the late 18th century. Whether it’s watching sloth bears snuffle through termite mounds in India or spotting the rare spectacled bear in the Andes, the world offers no shortage of unforgettable bear encounters. Alaska may be the gold standard for seeing bears in the wild. Thanks to its sprawling wilderness and salmon-choked rivers, the state has a population of more than 130,000 brown and black bears.
When most people picture world-class mountain biking, they may think of the rugged Alps, the red rock of Sedona, or Utah’s slickrock trails. Few would guess that the official Mountain Bike Capital of the World lies in the heart of Middle America, in the rolling hills of the Ozarks. The town of Bentonville in the…
By Rich Grant It’s not difficult to see fall colors in Colorado. There are more than two million acres of aspen trees in the state — one billion trees that, if placed together, would cover Rhode Island and Delaware. And what a show they put on! Rocky Mountain aspen leaves don’t just change color in…
By Kerrick James Later this summer, Americans will begin celebrating Route 66, America’s Mother Road. It was formally established on November 11, 1926, in the heart of the Roaring Twenties, when newly affordable automobiles like Ford’s Model T and Model A offered unparalleled freedom. Its mythic aura and worldwide fame have only swelled since the…
On a beautiful late summer day, Alaskan Dee Buchanon has just hauled an eight-pound salmon from a side channel on the Susitna River. The majestic fish is a perfect example of everything salmon represents in Alaska culture. It is an Expressionist masterpiece: vermilion flanks, ivory belly, platinum fins and cheeks. Close to a billion wild salmon roam the North Pacific waters bordering Alaska. Hundreds of millions of them return to the state’s rivers, streams and lakes each summer and fall to spawn. Sustaining fisheries is part of the Alaska Constitution, and the state does a good job.
By Ramaa Reddy Diversity Plaza, in Jackson Heights in the New York borough of Queens, is a landmark that celebrates the diversity of America. In 2011, the city created the Plaza by cordoning off traffic and furnishing it with tables and chairs to provide South Asians inhabiting the multilingual neighborhood a space for families to…
Cycling California’s El Camino Real is an 800-mile (1,287 km) epic adventure. The appeal of visiting picturesque missions established by Spanish friars between 1769 and 1823 is enhanced by traveling a route that still looks much like it did 200 years ago. Says writer John Poimiroo: “This is not like the Camino de Santiago in Spain where every community and business along the route expects pilgrims. The El Camino Real runs through open country with few directional signs and services. Along some stretches you must make your way much as the padres did.”
San Miguel de Allende lies in the Eastern part of Mexico’s State of Guanajuato, about a three-hour journey from Mexico City. It’s a cobblestoned colonial town with pastel-colored buildings that has changed a lot over the past century yet remained remarkably the same. The city’s main square, or Jardin Principal, is canopied by trees. It’s a popular local hangout where Mariachi bands roam about awaiting paying customers. On the Northern corner stands the majestic Catholic church, Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.
By Teresa Bergen Jason Spoolstra stands with his back to a mural of Jesus welcoming Stanley Rother into heaven. He is introducing a tour group to more than 20 martyrs depicted on the mural. “We’re going to start on the right,” says Spoolstra, the Rother shrine’s director of pilgrimage. “The gentleman closest to Jesus, he’s…