Matanuska Glacier is one of Alaska’s largest road-accessible glaciers, flowing through the Matanuska Valley northeast of Anchorage. The glacier stretches for roughly 27 miles and descends from the Chugach Mountains toward the valley floor, where its broad ice surface is bordered by steep mountain slopes and rocky terrain. The Glenn Highway follows the Matanuska River valley and provides access to viewpoints and guided glacier tours.
Popoyo is a small coastal community on Nicaragua's southwestern Pacific coast, in the department of Rivas. It is known for its broad sandy shoreline, rocky coastal points, and consistent Pacific surf. The surrounding landscape remains largely rural, with pastureland, farms, tropical vegetation, and small settlements extending inland from the beach.
Fenwick Island is a small coastal town in southern Delaware, located on a narrow barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Little Assawoman Bay. Its setting gives the community easy access to both ocean beaches and quieter bay waters, while its compact streets are lined with vacation homes, shops, restaurants, and waterfront accommodations. Fenwick Island is known for a more relaxed atmosphere than some of Delaware’s larger beach towns, with the adjacent Fenwick Island State Park providing a
Big Bend Ranch State Park is a vast protected landscape in southwestern Texas, stretching along the Rio Grande beside Big Bend National Park and the Mexican border. The park covers rugged desert, volcanic formations, steep canyons, and broad Chihuahuan Desert plains, with the river forming its southern boundary. Its remote setting and limited development give the area a distinctly wild character.
Pensacola is a coastal city in Florida’s western Panhandle, situated around Pensacola Bay near the Gulf of Mexico. Its deep natural harbor has shaped the city’s identity as a port, naval centre, and coastal community. Downtown Pensacola contains historic streets, museums, restaurants, and public squares, while Pensacola Beach lies across the bay on Santa Rosa Island. The city is also closely associated with naval aviation, earning recognition as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation.”
Replete with windmills and old-world charm, the village of Kinderdijk lies east of Rotterdam on the Lek River and is a popular stop for European river cruises. Home to the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands, Kinderdijk was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Photo Credit: Photo by Rinaldo Wurglitsch from Wikimedia
For a small country, Ecuador has more varied climatic zones than anywhere in the world. From Salinas, a favorite beach resort on the southern coast, one can go in one day from tropical beaches to semi-arid desert to impenetrable Amazon basin rain forest to the spring-like high altiplano to the soaring snow-capped mountain peaks of the Andean Cordillera. The area around Salinas was once home to the ancient Mocha culture. Archeologists have discovered exquisite examples of pottery and jewelry in Mocha gravesites.
Other Popular Destinations in Ecuador
Quito
Situated on the equator and nestled beneath an imposing volcano, the rugged, sprawling, and vibrant city of Quito offers adventure galore. A South American gem and Ecuador’s capital, Quito combines the best of its Incan and Spanish influences in fascinating cultural attractions, and the city’s surrounding natural beauty will surely astound you.
Galapagos Islands
Off the coast of Ecuador, the iconic and biodiverse Galápagos Islands, made famous by Charles Darwin’s nineteenth-century research expeditions on HMS Beagle, beckon you. This glittering archipelago, surrounded by vivid turquoise waves, abounds with stunning beaches and spectacular wildlife, perfect for the adventurous traveler.