Back Roads & Backpacks

Happy Diwali! Today, more than 1 billion people around the world will celebrate the Hindu festival of lights.

Jessica Dingman, a hospital social worker in Washington state, visited Ghana in March 2011 as a volunteer through Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS).

I spent the weekend camping at Fountainbleau State Park, on the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, with a couple of my friends. The white, sandy beaches are reminiscent of the Florida gulf beaches, except that they’re lined with crooked, gnarled trees draped with Spanish moss. The water was warm, even now, in October, and the [...]

The Alaska Marine Highway System is a ferry that takes passengers from Washington state to the Aleutian Islands. The ferry offers spectacular views and a memorable journey, all for modest prices. Photographer Mardi Krusemark writes about her experience on the ferry this past July.

Most World’s Fair buildings are temporary, but some – including these 8 wonders – have become permanent fixtures.

Sometimes, the place you sleep is one of the most memorable parts of your trip. You’ll definitely remember these accommodations at a castle on the Rhine.

The Second World War, as the name suggests, had a huge impact on many places around the globe. Here are three sites that played pivotal roles in the war, and which are now memorials and museums. If you think of any other places to include, write them in the comments! Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Hiroshima, Japan): [...]

My favorite small town is St. Francisville, Louisiana – a unique, historic southern town with more than its share of plantations and antique shops.

Iceland is dangerous and dynamic, hot as fire and cold as ice – a place that sounds more like the stuff of dreams than of reality. 

Castles are not an uncommon sight in many parts of the world; in France, you’ll find them dotting the countryside. Germany’s Rhine River is speckled with the former holdings of the robber-barons of old. You can find castles in Romania, Italy, England, and…Arkansas?