Stunning Hiking Venues

 Wherever I travel, I include outdoor activities, whether cycling, hiking, walking or cross-country skiing. These are three venues that offer phenomenal hiking opportunities. 

Hut-to-hut hiking in the Dolomites is a rigorous but enchanting experience.

To truly experience the drama and beauty of the Grand Canyon, I hiked all the way down to Phantom Ranch, stayed overnight and then hiked back up the next day. (Going down is definitely harder on your legs.)

All my many trips to Norway involved outdoor adventures, including hiking in Jotunheimen National Park.

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New York City’s Roosevelt Island

New York City’s Roosevelt Island is a gem, with bucolic landscaping and scenic waterfront views. It’s a great place to stroll, jog or picnic. Accessible by a four-minute tram from Manhattan’s Midtown East, Roosevelt Island isn’t on most anyone’s list — many native New Yorkers have never visited — but it should be. These are some images from the holiday season. 

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Wilmington, Delaware for nature lovers

Wilmington, Delaware may not be on everyone’s must-see list but, especially if you’re a nature lover, it should be. Though most noted for its stellar gardens, such as Winterthur, the Mount Cuba Center, the Nemours Estate and Longwood Gardens, there are numerous other venues to explore on foot or by bicycle that get much less tourist traffic. This is my article on a nature-based journey to Wilmington beyond the obvious sights that I wrote for ForbesLife. 

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A Connecticut Coastal Town Not Far From Manhattan

On Connecticut's scenic coast, not far from New Haven, the town of Madison is a true gem. The downtown is walkable and chock full of contemporary works of art, like this sculpture. (Pick up a self-guided brochure at the visitor's center and try to find all the public works of art.) In addition, it’s a short stroll from main street to three public beaches and an easy bike ride to a fourth. Among the must-dos: sipping a glass of wine at Bar Bouchee, a French bistro with a large selection of wines by the glass; browsing the numerous staff recommended titles at R.J. Julia Booksellers, a large independent bookstore; and enjoying a lunch of crab cakes or mac and cheese at the low-key Elizabeth's Cafe.

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Art Beyond the Paintings at Arkansas' Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Art and nature are intertwined at the stellar Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The minimalist structure, designed by Moshe Safdie, allows for picture postcard views of the woodsy landscape dotted with water features and sculptures. In fact, the property is also networked with walking trails that allow the visitor to make an intimate connection with the dense foliage in this ravine but also some contemporary sculptural works. Also lovely and in keeping with this connection of architecture with nature is the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Bachman-Wilson House that the museum acquired a few years ago.

These images reflect how there's plenty to treasure at this museum beyond the obvious stellar paintings.

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Chattanooga, Tennessee in Pictures

Say "Chattanooga" and the first thing most people think of is Choo Choo. Not me. I think contemporary art, beyond the Hunter Museum of American Art. Two sculpture gardens: one in the Bluff View Art District and the other is a short bike ride away: Sculpture Fields in Montague Park, are both worth a visit. But there's art whether sculptures or murals along Main Street or MLK Boulevard or in several smaller galleries all over town. This YouTube video slideshow is a window into Chattanooga's edgy art scene.

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