Nature-Based Adventures in Rhode Island

Many travelers associated Rhode Island solely with summer fun and, especially, with a visit to Block Island. But there’s so much more to experience in this the smallest state in the U.S. With hundreds of miles of coastline and myriad state parks in the interior, Rhode Island is a year-round delight. Here are some photos from my most recent travels there. 

After the skies cleared one stormy morning in Weekapaug, Rhode Island, I strolled along the waterfront and found the silence to be stunning and comforting.

Solitary hiking along the DuVal Trail system in Rhode Island gave me an opportunity to feel an intimate connection with nature, whether it’s the enchanting tree tunnels, the colorful thickets of mountain laurel, or the fields of glacial boulders that are clustered in the shade of black oak and white pine trees.

 

At the Weekapaug Inn in Westerly, RHode Island, I had numerous opportunities to connect with nature, including kayaking on this placid salt water pond. 

As I strolled along the barrier beach steps away from the Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island, I was enwrapped by a sense of the serene and the scenic.

While roaming along the coastline of Rhode Island’s Weekapaug area, I explored the wee lanes that wiggled through the serene neighborhood.

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Travel Photography - Sea + Sky Landscapes

 After asking what’s my favorite destination —I love every place I visit for different reasons — most people want to know why I travel all over the world. Aside from my keen interest in learning about other cultures, there are myriad psychological benefits to traveling, including learning to be present centered, and developing resilience, skills that are especially useful in these days of the pandemic. Below are a few of my landscape photos from my round the world travels.

Traveling far afield — where the unknown resides around any corner — offers opportunities for resilience.

During these turbulent and challenging times, I strive for a sense of serenity, even if it lasts for only a moment.

Watching the ever changing shapes of clouds and the placid movement of the waters is a balm for the soul.

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Why Visit the Azores in Portugal

I have a thing for archipelagos and the Azores in Portugal is one of my favorites. Each of the nine islands is quite distinctive in terms of landscape, geography, culture and product it’s noted for. I’ve visited eight of the nine, hoping to visit the hardest to reach and the tiniest, Corvo, in late 2021. This is my latest for Forbes on the Azores.

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Watercolors - Iceland’s Westman Islands

The only inhabited isle of the idyllic Westman Islands, Heimaey is just off Iceland’s southern coast. I had spent almost a week exploring this walkable island, including the verdant cliff tops where puffin birds waddle as well as the lava flow that in the 1970s swallowed up houses on the east side. Taking the ferry gives you the best perspective of the island’s precipitous cliffs crowded with sea birds.

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A Must-Do Hiking Trail in Spain

Each hiking trail has a personality. Some are majestic, taking trekkers to high altitude where the summits seem to touch the clouds. Others wander through dense forests where the hiker feels enveloped by the foliage, hardly ever passing a village during their journey. As a hiker, I favor trails that allow me to connect with the land and its people, without having to risk life and limb to complete the journey. I recently journeyed to Spain's northwest corner where the province of Galicia is a treasured expanse of lighthouses, quiet coves, fishing villages and vast farmland. My journey took me along the Lighthouse Way (Camino dos Faros), a trail that may very well be my favorite trail in the world. To find out why, check out my recent article for Forbes on hiking the Lighthouse Way.

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Hiking A Wild and Bucolic Landscape in Spain

I recently signed up for a self-guided hike along the Camino dos Faros -- the Lighthouse Way in Galicia, Spain -- with On Foot Holidays. I never tired of the dramatic and pastoral landscapes, the sense of calm, the fresh seafood, and the convivial spirit of Galicia's populace. Sure, most people know this province for Santiago de Compostela, the terminus for many different routes of the Camino de Santiago. But, having done one of them that courses through the province of Asturias, I prefer the Lighthouse Way any day for its wild and bucolic beauty. Hiking along this picturesque Costa da Morte -- so named because of the numerous shipwrecks along the dramatically rocky shore -- reveals a constantly changing tapestry of scenic vistas. The end of this hike is Finisterre, which the Romans aptly named because they thought this westernmost cape in the province of Galicia was the "end of the earth." Staying at a hotel beside the lighthouse where the winds howled all night long, I was delighted to overnight in the "dos faros" (The Lighthouse) guest room where I kept the blinds up, allowing the darkness to be pierced by the cold glow. During the day, I walked 2 km into the colorful town whose port is bustling with fishing boats. Having traveled extensively through Spain, I can enthusiastically say that Galicia is my very favorite province and the Camino dos Faros may very well be the best hiking route I’ve ever had the pleasure of walking.

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Stunning Cross-Country Skiing in Slovenia

I've cross-country skied all over the world, which makes me pretty picky as to what makes for ideal skiing. I found it in Slovenia, a small country that many Americans don't think of as a cross-country skiing destination. Yet, it's ideal for its diversity of landscapes, immense amounts of fresh powder, charming villages aplenty and a populace that has a love affair with nature. I recently wrote an article for ForbesLife on four cross-country ski destinations in Slovenia.

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How to Choose a Biking/Hiking/Walking Tour

Who wants an unexpected and unpleasant surprise on a biking, hiking or walking tour? I’ve signed up on numerous active adventures, some solo, others with a friend, and sometimes with a group and a guide. But, on any of these, untoward things can occur, including finding out that the roads are in poor conditions, the bikes don’t have low enough gears, the terrain is more mountainous than you imagined, wildlife roams free on the roads, the list can go on. A romantic hiking tour in Italy may leave little time for stress-free romps through wildflower-laden meadows or espresso breaks with the locals because of the hair-raising and heart-pounding treks up precipitous paths in the Dolomite Mountains. How do you assure that the tour you signed up with is what suits your needs and interests? Check out this article I wrote for Berkeley Wellness so that you’re not unpleasantly surprised on your next adventure.

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