Your Guide to Adventure in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

COLORADO

Estes Park
A bronze sculpture of an elk-Samson-welcomes visitors to Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Take a ranger-led tour to look for these majestic creatures (hear elk bugle in the fall), hike to alpine lakes and waterfalls, and take an amazing car trip over the Continental Divide.

Ouray
Once a silver-mining boomtown, Ouray is a fascinating place to explore. Take a walking tour of the historic downtown (on the National Register of Historic Places), tour old mines and nearby ghost towns, and go 4-wheeling in the San Juan Mountains. Take the scenic route (I-550) from Ouray to Durango through the San Juan National Forest.

IDAHO

Coeur d'Alene
Once they've discovered Lake Coeur d'Alene, the kids won't want to leave. This resort community has a walkable downtown (with a great penny-candy store), a wonderful bike path (the Centennial Trail), and all the wet-and-wild action you could hope for-swimming, fishing, boat rentals. The nearby arts community of Sandpoint is worth a visit, too.

MONTANA

Glacier National Park Area
With more than one million pristine acres, Glacier-Waterton Peace Park is a must-see destination. Drive scenic Going-to-the-Sun Highway, walk along trails lined with ancient cedar trees and white-blossomed Montana beargrass, and look for bears and mountain goats on the mountain slopes and hillsides.

Whitefish/Kalispell
Its wonderful downtown will captivate you at a glance, but there's more to Whitefish than cute shops and restaurants. This is A River Runs through It country. There's rafting and fishing on the Flathead River (local guides will have you fly-casting better than Brad Pitt in no time), boating on Flathead Lake, and great golf. Drive or take the train to Glacier.

NEBRASKA

Grand Island
More than 80,000 people flock to this region from March to mid-April to witness the annual spring stopover of a half-million sandhill cranes. It's really something to see-these three-and-a-half-foot tall birds seem to fall from the sky, landing feet-first into the Platte River. Nearly 90 percent of the world's sandhill crane population congregates here along a 60-mile stretch of the river between Grand Island and Kearney. Best viewing is in the mornings; on warm days, drive the roads north and south of the Platte, or get a great look from the wooden viewing platform located just south of the Alda exit. Everybody celebrates this magical event at Wings Over the Platte, a birding festival held annually in late March.

UTAH

Green River
Utah's Green River area is a paradise for outdoors-lovers. Fly fishers perfect their art in the Green River (several outfitters offer guide service), while brave souls take on the whitewater thrills of the Colorado, Green, and Salmon rivers on guided rafting trips. To completely get away from it all, simply drop a line in one of the area's pristine high mountain lakes.

Moab
It's not a stretch to call Canyonlands National Park one of the most dazzling landscapes in America. Set along dramatic cliffs of Wingate sandstone, Canyonlands Park is a colorful vista of canyons, mesas, and buttes sculpted by Mother Nature, criss-crossed by rivers. It's a perfect playground for hiking, biking, boating, and four-wheel-drive back country touring.

For day trippers, the Island in the Sky section of the park is the most accessible. Bring your mountain bikes and travel 100-mile White Rim Road for awesome views of a primitive desert environment.

WYOMING

Jackson
Breathtaking. Awesome. It's impossible to overstate the grandeur of the Tetons. Of course you'll want to explore Grand Teton National Park (the wildlife is as phenomenal as the scenery), but allow time to savor Wild West-flavored Jackson, with its cowboy bar and elk-antlered archway, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and perhaps a float trip on the Snake River.

Your Guide to Adventure in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.

ILLINOIS

Chicago
Towering skyscrapers, colorful neighborhoods, wonderful museums, friendly local folk-is it any wonder that the Windy City crops up on so many "Best City" lists? Visit, or re-visit, Chicago's premier attractions at Museum Campus on the Lake Michigan shorefront: Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium/Oceanarium (the largest indoor aquarium in the world), and the Field Museum of Natural History. Later, collapse on a bench in Grant Park and take in a free concert or watch the passing parade of in-line skaters, bikers, joggers, and kite-flyers.

KENTUCKY

Horse Cave
Some of the most intriguing sightseeing in Kentucky is underground-the state's system of caves is legendary. The best way to get acquainted with this labyrinth subterranean world is via guided tour. Mammoth Cave National Park offers cave tours for every level, from young children to serious spelunkers.

Louisville
The running of the Kentucky Derby is one of America's most cherished sporting events. Here's where it all happens. See "Best of Derby" moments at the Kentucky Derby Museum, visit Churchill Downs, and revel in the lush beauty of the landscape (mint julep suggested, but not required). Also nearby: Jim Beam and Louisville Slugger factory tours.

MICHIGAN

Detroit/Ypsilanti
Ann Arbor, next door to "Ypsi", is a classic college town, with pretty quads, scads of bookstores, and good hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Things do get crazy when the Wolverines (the University of Michigan's football team) play a home game. In the Motor City, Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum are fun even if you're not heavily into things automotive.

Mackinac Island/St. Ignace
Go ahead, be a fudgie (the local term for the tourists, who consume lots of fudge when they visit); just promise you'll pronounce it correctly: it's "Mackin-aw," not "Mackin-ack." Take the ferry to the island, poke inside the Grand Hotel, perhaps treat yourself to a horse-drawn carriage ride.

Petoskey
Set in Michigan's beautiful north woods, this vacation paradise boasts sparkling lakes (including the biggie, Lake Michigan), postcard-pretty resort towns, and cool treasures such as Petoskey stones-smooth gray stones of calcified coral with geometrical patterns in white.

MINNESOTA

Cloquet/North Shore
Towering pine forests and crystal-blue Lake Superior provide a dazzling setting for outdoor fun. Take a harbor cruise out of nearby Duluth, ride your bikes along scenic Superior Trail, paddle a canoe through a gentle stretch of river, or hike a nature trail in Superior National Forest.

Minneapolis/St. Paul
The huge-beyond-belief Mall of America draws visitors from all over the world, but there's so much more to discover, including a full schedule of cultural happenings.

OHIO

Canton
Sure, you could visit Canton strictly for the National Pro Football Hall of Fame, but why stop there? Make it a Hall of Fame-o-rama: cruise I-77 to take in the Inventor's Hall of Fame, in Akron, and Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Too ambitious a plan? There's always Harry London Candies, in North Canton, where you can watch 'em make, mold, and wrap gourmet chocolate treats and see the Chocolate Hall of Fame.

Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has been called "the sexiest zoo in the country," due to its successful breeding programs. This 70-acre zoo has plenty of G-rated sights, though, including the Taj Mahal-like elephant house and the award-winning Jungle Trails exhibit, an eerily authentic rainforest environment, complete with fog banks and waterfalls. Elsewhere in the Queen City, see Museum Center, a 1933 art deco train station housing the Museum of Natural History & Science (home of a cool faux-limestone cave) and the Cinergy Children's Museum.

Zanesville
A tisket, a tasket, it's the World's Largest Basket. Once the glass and pottery capital of Ohio, the Zanesville area is now a major handicrafts center and home of Longaberger Company, a maker of hand-woven maple baskets. Visit the Longaberger Homestead, watch basket makers at work, and see the World's Largest Apple Basket. Shop for baskets and basket accessories galore at local retail shops; there are miniature baskets, basket linens, and wire basket trees. And, of course, you'll need a mega-basket to carry it all home.

WISCONSIN

Madison
Set in the heart of dairy land, this energetic little college town boasts plenty of fun freebies. Check out the big cats at Henry Vilas Zoo, walk through a faux cave at the University of Wisconsin 's Geology Museum, and check out the lively scene at Capitol Square, site of food fests and art fairs. You'll also want to spring for a Bucky Badger souvenir, though-he's UW-Madison's famous mascot.

Your Guide to Adventure in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York

Bar Harbor offers a wide array of activities from the most relaxed to the most rigorous, dining for all tastes and budgets and shopping in our unique shops and galleries. Be sure to plan enough time to enjoy our area and consider using us as a base of operations to see all of Downeast Maine. We are only a short distance to other famous attractions such as Campobello Island, Franklin Roosevelt's summer home, the Schoodic Peninsula, the mainland part of Acadia National Park, and other islands, coastal attractions and nature based attractions. Once the summer playground of wealthy and famous Americans, Bar Harbor was celebrated throughout the world as a quiet, beautiful resort village, worlds away from the hustle and bustle of New York, Boston, and Paris. Today, the "summer people" still come to our island paradise, but many visitors also arrive for the brilliant fall foliage.

Augusta
Maine's gold-domed state capitol building is the elegant centerpiece here, made of native granite and designed by noted architect Charles Bulfinch. Tour the flag-bedecked rotunda and drop by the Maine State Museum for a peek at the Pine Tree State's past and present. A short drive south, to Freeport, will get you to another Maine institution, L.L. Bean's flagship store.

MASSACHUSETTS
Concord
Literary lovers always find their way to Author's Ridge at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, gravesite of Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne, and the Alcotts. Tour Minuteman National Historical Park-spanning Lexington, Concord, and Lincoln-to soak up some 1775 spirit. Stand on North Bridge, listen closely, and you may hear echoes of the "shot heard 'round the world."

Middleboro/Plymouth
Set your time machine for "Plymouth Colony, 17th century," and enter the world of Plimoth Plantation, where costumed interpreters take on the character of actual Pilgrims and perform the chores of everyday life in 1627. (They're happy to chat, and will look at you with bemusement if you mention, say, the Internet or MTV!) Also on the grounds is the Wampanoag Homesite, providing a glimpse into another fascinating culture. See the famous rock (mostly buried underground now), tour the Mayflower II, a replica of the famous ship, and take a whale watch cruise out of Plymouth Harbor.

Webster/Sturbridge
Parades, musket shoots, children's games on the green-these are among the scenes awaiting guests at Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum that recreates life in a rural New England town, circa the 1830s. Daily activities change with the seasons: spring brings sheep-shearing, autumn means a turkey shoot.

NEW YORK
Ausable Chasm
A walk along the chasm's rim inspires "oohs" and "ahhs." Chasm visitors can also opt for a (fairly tame) raft ride in the Ausable River. Cruise the Lake Champlain ferry to bustling Burlington, Vermont.

Cooperstown
Of course, the National Baseball Hall of Fame is a major-league draw, but this central New York village steals the hearts of visitors with its small-town appeal. Visit the folk-art filled Fenimore Museum and the Farmers' Museum (antique tools) when you've had enough baseball.

Lake Placid
Outdoor adventure starts here, at the gateway of the Adirondacks. Ride the chair lift to the summit of Whiteface Mountain and hike down, fish for trout, paddle a kayak or canoe, and watch young athletes polish their skills at the Olympic training venue.

VIRGINIA
Front Royal/Washington, D.C.
Don't miss Skyline Drive, one of the most scenic driving routes in America. Shenandoah National Park is rich with wildlife and great hiking trails (Limberlost Trail is great for families). Few can resist a tour of Luray Caverns, home of an underground organ and the site of many unique weddings.

Virginia Beach
This classic beach town offers more than sun, sand, and seafood. Virginia Beach is also home to a state-of-the-art marine museum, the Virginia Marine Science Museum. Home to sharks, otters, and an 800,000-gallon aquarium, the science museum also features an IMAX theater. More fun beyond the beach: take a guided kayak or canoe trip and explore secluded nooks and crannies along the coastline.

Williamsburg
This is one of those great places where you can pack in lots of sightseeing with very little drivetime. Colonial Williamsburg should be on everyone's must-see list. Plus, Jamestown and Yorktown historic sites are nearby. Less educational, but plenty of fun, are kiddie favorites Busch Gardens and Water Country.

Your Guide to Adventure in Oregon and Washington.

OREGON

Klamath Falls
Check out the eerily surreal landscape at Lava Beds National Monument, where you can rent a flashlight and a lamp for exploring underground caves and trails. Guided trips are also available. Don't miss a visit to Crater Lake National Park, where a trip around Rim Drive will reward you with great views of the lake and surrounding mountains and forests. During winter, the region is a mecca for wildlife watchers-the Klamath Basin hosts the largest concentration of wintering bald eagles in the contiguous U.S. Take the ten-mile walking/biking trail through marshlands and uplands at Klamath Marsh, part of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge, or view and photograph eagles from behind a blind at sunrise. Positively mesmerizing.

Bend
Central Oregon's stunning landscape of pine-sloped mountains and gemlike lakes is just part of the picture. Underground is an amazing series of lava caves and tubes created by violent volcanic activity that began 45 million years ago! To find out the how and why, visit Lava Lands Vistor Center on Highway 97, between Bend and Sunriver. Then, see it for yourself at Lava River Cave, the longest intact lava tube in Oregon. Also check out Newberry National Volcanic Monument, an area encompassing obsidian fields, lava formations, waterfalls, hiking trails, and Newberry Crater, with two spectacular fishing lakes.

Madras/Culver
Three rivers merge to form the 3,906-acre Lake Billy Chinook, one of Central Oregon's favorite summer playgrounds. The lake and surrounding park offer hiking, picnicking, boating (a marina offers rentals), and unbeatable fishing for everything from bull trout to Chinook salmon. To get there, take the scenic route-the Cove-Palisades driving loop, a 31-mile drive that goes through the town of Culver to Lake Billy Chinook, skirts the park to Round Butte, then heads to Madras.

WASHINGTON

Spokane
This big little city is full of surprises. One of the largest urban waterfalls in the U.S. rolls right through downtown; flanking the falls is 100-acre Riverfront Park, site of the 1974 World's Fair. Now, it's a favorite hangout for all, with an IMAX theater, a tour train, outdoor art, and a classic 1909 carousel. Look for little brown bumps on the hillsides-they' re marmots. For a thrill, take a gondola ride over the lower falls of the Spokane River. Hand-feed chicken necks to a lion, if you dare, at Cat Tales Zoological Park.

Yakima
Surprise! Washington State is the second-largest producer of premium wine in the United States, home to nearly 100 wineries. Most wineries offer tasting rooms. Some are clustered in the Greater Puget Sound area; some in the Yakima Valley-look for Covey Run, Eaton Hill, and Zillah Oakes Winery.

Your Guide to Adventure in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

ARKANSAS

Hot Springs
America's oldest national park, Hot Springs is 40 years older than Yellowstone. (Who knew?) "America's Spa"-not to be confused with Canyon Ranch, but nevertheless intriguing-encompasses eight historic bathhouses plus 47 hot springs and their watershed. Tour Bathhouse Row, hike along the forested Ouachita Mountains, and drive to the observation tower atop Hot Springs Mountain. Sit (and sizzle) in a thermal bath, operated by park concessioners.

Little Rock
Little Rock's Aerospace Education Center is a must-see for aviation mavens. Among the cool aircraft suspended from the ceiling here: the humpbacked Sopwith Camel F-1, the most successful combat aircraft of WWI; an exact replica of the Apollo Command and Service Module; and a full-scale replica of the flying machine that started it all, Orville and Wilbur Wright's 1902 Wright Flyer. Save time to take in a show at the IMAX theater.

Murfreesboro
You might say Crater of Diamonds State Park is a real gem-visitors can prospect for, and keep, real diamonds. Diamonds were first discovered here in 1906, and more than 70,000 have been unearthed since then. The whopper: the 40.23-carat "Uncle Sam" diamond. Other gems are also mined here, including opal, amethyst, and garnet. Park interpreters help you identify what you find.

LOUISIANA

Baton Rouge
Fans of R&B music are richly rewarded here; Baton Rouge grooves to the blues. Baton Rouge Blues Week brings live performances and cultural events; year-round, catch great blues acts and up-and-comers at local clubs such as The Varsity, Chelsea's, and The Bayou. Best place to hear the hum of nature? Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, where boardwalk trails meander through a cypress-tupelo swamp and magnolia beech forest.

New Orleans
Voodoo tours and cemetery visits are among the excursions with a distinctly "Big Easy" vibe. And where else but in Cajun Country would you expect to find the McIlhenny's Tabasco Sauce factory? Join the lively tour, complete with palette-searing samples. How to blend in with local folk: heat up the floor with zydeco dancing, and devour mounds of spicy crawfish.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City
OKC, as the local folk call it, still retains a dash of cowboy character. Just the right setting for the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, where Western art and cowboy poetry celebrate the lives of those who rode the range. To get the full story, include the Red Earth Indian Center on your itinerary.

TEXAS

Fredericksburg
There is no place like Texas Hill Country in the spring, when Texas bluebonnets and range-red Indian paintbrush wildflowers set the hillsides ablaze with color. Fredericksburg is the heart of the region, offering old-fashioned German charm, wineries, a butterfly ranch, and the Nimitz Museum (great for WWII buffs, unexpectedly interesting to those who are not).

Lake Corpus Christi/Mathis
This is best of all worlds, you might say. There's a good-size lake right here, and the Gulf of Mexico is a hop and a skip away. Nearby Port Aransas and Rockport are delightful, low-key fishing villages and a mecca for birders along the Texas birding trail. Boat tours take enthusiasts to look for the endangered whooping crane. The big little city of Corpus Christi offers the Texas State Aquarium and great seaside dining, serving as a gateway to Padre Island National Seashore.

San Antonio
As family-friendly cities go, this one's tough to beat. Seems there's always a street fair going on. San Antonio's famed River Walk is especially enticing after dark, via water taxi, when thousands of twinkling lights add a festive air. By day, visit the Alamo, the Mexican marketplace, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, a rollicking amusement park.

Your Guide to Adventure in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

FLORIDA
Ft. Myers/Pine Island
Here is one of South Florida's best-kept secrets. Eat fresh seafood in the fishing village of Matlacha, rent a kayak in Bokeelia and paddle around pristine islands and lagoons of tangled red mangrove.

Orlando
This vacation playground is not just for kids anymore. Walt Disney World's Epcot features Lavish gardens (even behind-the-scenes garden tours) and wonderful ethnic dining in the World Showcase "countries." Meanwhile, at Universal Studios Orlando, the "Great Movie Ride" and other attractions are a kick for film buffs. (Who but a grown-up remembers gangster flicks and the original Alien?) By night, Universal's CityWalk offers great live entertainment, from Motown to Latin dancing lessons, and enticing restaurants like Emeril's, created by big-name chef Emeril Lagasse.

Sugarloaf Key
Just 20 miles from Key West, but draped in tropical languor, Sugarloaf Key is the perfect base for sun-drenched fun. Snorkel or dive famous Looe Key, visit gorgeous Bahia Honda State Park, and paddle past islands dotted with snowy egrets and Great Blue herons.

Naples/Marco Island
No need to spend big bucks to enjoy this natural paradise. Drop a line from Naples Fishing Pier (on the National Register of Historic Places), no license required; enjoy ten miles of sugar-sand beaches, considered among the best in the nation. Don't miss Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a boardwalk trail past 500-year-old cypress trees.

GEORGIA
Atlanta
If it's been awhile since you've done Atlanta, treat yourself to an old-and-new tour: visit CNN's high-tech studios, then take in Margaret Mitchell' s house.

Forsyth
The past doesn't seem so long ago here, where gracious old homes and moss-covered live oaks abound. Enjoy the slower pace with a canoe trip on the Ocmulgee River or fishing in one of the local lakes.

Savannah
You've seen them in glossy magazine spreads, but nothing beats touring Savannah's glorious mansions in person; each has a story to tell. Coastal escapes include Tybee Island and St. Catherines Island, home of Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge.

NORTH CAROLINA
Asheville
Big-city sophistication meets Southern hospitality in Asheville, where the Blue Ridge Mountains provide a stunning backdrop for the Biltmore mansion and wildflower-studded valleys beckon photographers, nature-lovers, even llama-trekkers.

Cape Hatteras
Black-and-white, spiral-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has protected generations of sailors from the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," the storm-whipped Outer Banks of North Carolina. Pay your respects at the lighthouse's new home (since 1999), a more protected area, a half mile from its original location. Another must-see: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, a feeding and nesting area for more than 265 species of birds.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Charleston
Bring a good pair of walking shoes when you visit Charleston, for this is a city best experienced on foot. What better way to work off that delightfully rich South Carolina Lowcountry cuisine? Few visitors can resist a walking tour of Charleston's lavish antebellum plantations, while the city's downtown reveals architectural treasures around every corner. Charleston's churches provoke "oohs" and "ahhs"-many are on The National Register of Historic Places. Don't miss the French Huguenot Church, an unusual and striking example of Gothic Revival style. Galleries, theaters, and cultural events, like the famous Spoleto Festival U.S.A., make Charleston a gem in every season.

TENNESSEE
Chattanooga
One of America's best family-friendly cities, Chattanooga offers an irresistible blend of old and new. Retro favorites like Rock City, Ruby Falls (wildly lit as ever), Lookout Mountain, and the Incline Railway still dazzle small fry and get big points for nostalgia, while the state-of-the-art Tennessee Aquarium draws crowds and wins accolades with its sleek, interactive exhibits. A new walkway by city hotspots makes it easy to meander.

Memphis
Sure, Graceland-and Elvis sightings-get all the attention, but Memphis reigns as a music mecca. The local music scene is thriving, with historic Beale Street providing inspiration to new generations of songwriters and blues singers. Amateur jam sessions are a fixture on Beale's street corners, while Handy Park comes alive with the sounds of live gospel, rock, blues, and jazz acts. Visit the Center for Southern Folklore to get a feel for the area's cultural past, then pay homage to one of the greats at B.B. King's Blues Club, featuring live blues acts and Southern-style cooking.

Your Guide to Adventure in Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico.

ARIZONA

Flagstaff Where do Arizonans go to escape the summer heat? To this delightfully cool mountain town, tucked into a stunning landscape of lofty peaks and ponderosa pines. Some weird and wonderful things to see here include a meteor crater, created 50,000 years ago, a mysterious blow hole (at Wupakti National Monument), and lava rock at Sunset Crater Volcano. Learn about native people and natural science of the region at the small-but-intriguing Museum of Northern Arizona.

Williams It's on Route 66, all right, and the major "kick" in Williams is watching the Grand Canyon Railway train pull in and out of town. (Everybody waves.) Riding the train is a fun, hassle-free way to get to the canyon, with singing cowboys and a (mock) train robbery along the way.

CALIFORNIA

Mendocino This picture-perfect village looks so "New England," it stood in for a town in Maine in the TV series Murder, She Wrote. Visit charming shops and galleries, wander along glorious beaches, watch harbor seals lolling on the boulders at Laguna Point in MacKerricher State Park, and take a whale watch cruise to see migrating gray whales.

San Diego It has near-perfect weather and a truly amazing Sea World theme park, with Shamu and a Shark Encounter-so what more does the San Diego area need to be truly irresistible to families? How about Legoland California? Inspired by the Danish-made toy brick, Legoland is composed of 30 million Lego bricks. Rides and attractions, geared to young children, include a dragon coaster, a maze, and a junior driving school.

Santa Cruz What's not to like about a town with a statue and a museum-dedicated to surfing? This city woos visitors with its casual attitude and natural beauty. In summer, there's an old-fashioned amusement park on the beach; in winter, about 150,000 monarch butterflies cluster on the eucalyptus trees in Natural Bridges State Park.

NEVADA

Ely They call it "the loneliest road in America." Once the path of the Pony Express, U.S. Highway 50 has nary a traffic jam as it stretches through 400 miles of Great Basin country. You won't wait in line to get into Great Basin National Park (in Ely), one of America's least-crowded national parks. This park has some striking features. Among them: Lehman Caves, decorated with exotic limestone formations found in no other cave in the world; and stands of ancient bristlecone pine, said to be the world's oldest living plants (some trees date back to the time of Christ). And did we mention the permanent ice fields of Wheeler Peak, the most southerly glacier in America?

Las Vegas Dining in Vegas ain't what it used to be. Forget the shrimp cocktails and all-you-can-eat (but wouldn't want to) buffets. These days, Las Vegas offers anything and everything to tempt the palate, from gourmet Chinese (at the top-rated Mayflower Cuisinier) to Mexican (try Viva Mercado's) to down-home Southern (at the House of Blues, where jambalaya and bread pudding reign). And did we mention the shopping? Yes, the big-name boutiques are still around, but bargain-savvy shoppers head to the three outlet malls, located just outside Las Vegas in Primm, Nevada.

NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque Back in the 1970s, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta consisted of 13 balloons in a shopping mall parking lot. That was then. Now, it's huge, huge, huge-a colorful extravaganza featuring nearly 900 balloons that draws more than one million spectators. It is, they say, the most photographed event in the world. Why here? The city's clear skies, perfect October weather, and a phenomenon called the Albuquerque Box, a combination of weather patterns and geographic landscape that allows balloonists to control and choreograph their flights. It all adds up to an unforgettable experience that no one should miss.

Carlsbad

Carlsbad Caverns are often called the "8th wonder of the world," but it's the cavern's famous residents who steal the show. A colony of 300,000 or so Mexican freetail bats inhabit the cave from late spring to early fall. At dusk, they fly out of the cavern to feast on insects, swirling like a plume of smoke, to the delight of visitors who watch from an amphitheater.

Alberta's capital city of Edmonton is perhaps best known for West Edmonton Mall, the world's largest shopping center. With 800 stores, waterslides and an indoor amusement park, it attracts families year-round. Visitors come to Calgary every summer for the Calgary Stampede - a western rodeo dubbed "the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth".

Alberta's summer season is short - July and August are the warmest months, but the hospitality will warm your heart any time of year.

BC's attractions range from hiking, trail riding, mountaineering and golf, to sea kayaking, scuba-diving, sailing and salmon fishing. Boating is even more fun when visitors are joined by a friendly escort of orcas! In winter and early spring, the snow falls in the mountains and skiers flock to Whistler for world-class alpine runs.

BC's cities are not to be missed! Victoria, the provincial capital, is known for its European-style gardens and sidewalk cafés. Cosmopolitan Vancouver - Canada's third largest city -- is set against the sea and the mountains. Once the beauty of this region is etched into your mind, you'll likely never forget it.

Churchill is Canada's only Arctic seaport. It's known as "the polar bear capital of the world", for the huge white bears that congregate nearby. They can be viewed safely from a "tundra buggy", a vehicle that stands a full 12-feet off the ground!

The capital of Manitoba is Winnipeg - it's the oldest city in western Canada, and a dynamic cultural center. While you're there, sample some golden caviar in one of the fine dining establishments. A product of the northern whitefish, it's a local specialty!

The Cabot Trail is one of the most spectacular drives in North America. The circular trail winds 184 miles along the sea coast: through rugged mountains, forests, and scenic fishing villages.

A must-see is the provincial capital of Halifax, the most historic city in the maritimes. Canada's famous tall ship, the "Bluenose II", is berthed there when she's not sailing the oceans (she can also be seen on the Canadian dime). The catch of the day - salmon, mussels, scallops, clams and lobster - can be enjoyed at the local restaurants, or purchased right from the wharf!

Ontario is home to the nation's capital - Ottawa, a beautiful, historic city where you can enjoy the endless summer festivals, or watch the daily changing of the guard on Parliament Hill. The provincial capital is Toronto, the largest city in Canada. Toronto is home to a strong artistic and cultural community, along with major league baseball, hockey and basketball teams. The city's summer roster includes the Canadian National Exhibition, and Caravan - a festival of multicultural food and entertainment.

The islanders have a sense of humor that is contagious and they welcome visitors from the mainland, eh? There are daily opportunities to enjoy the musical culture best depicted at ceilidhs (kay-lees). The food is terrific. Potato chips crunchy and sweet, potato rolls wrapping delicate lobster morsels and potato ice cream. The catch of the day means fresh salmon, mussels, scallops, clams and lobster. Local menu choices include Lobster Eggs Benedict or McLobster burgers.

Early residents called the island Epekwitk, meaning resting on the waves. Today the waves caress the shoreline and provide visitors with exceptional adventures like kayaking, fishing or birding and beach combing. Walk along the Trans Canada Trail or hike around the tip of the 900-acre Greenwich Peninsula, a rare sand dune system within PEI National Park. Golf links that criss-cross the island and embrace the sea have earned Prince Edward Island a top spot as Canada's best golf destinations. There are more than twenty courses located on the island so golf experiences are endless.

Prince Edward Island is the birthplace of L. M. Montgomery one of the world's most famous authors. Her compelling series about a young heroine named Anne Shirley has been translated into countless languages. A visit to Green Gable House is a must and a bonus is Anne of Green Gables - The Musical™ at The Charlottetown Festival. Across the island Summerside is the location of The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada. They provide high-energy daytime and evening ceilidhs all summer long enhancing any island visit.

The provincial capital, Quebec City, is charming and historic. You can enjoy the view from a horse-drawn "calche" as you tour the cobblestone streets. And in the winter, the "Carnival" festival has the air of Mardi Gras, despite the chilly temperatures! Two hours away is Montreal -- the second largest French-speaking city in the world, outside of Paris. It has a decidedly cosmopolitan flavor, and a bustling nightlife.

Further north, you'll find excellent skiing in the Laurentian Mountains, and untouched wilderness through most of the province. Hunters and anglers will find deer, moose, caribou, waterfowl, and sport fish like arctic char. Much of this northern region remains largely unchanged from the days of the early French explorers.

Visitors flock north in the summer months to enjoy unmatched camping, golf and fishing, with anglers reeling in trophy-sized Pike, Walleye, and Northern Grayling. The trip north is worth the drive, to enjoy some of Canada's most pristine parks.

Saskatchewan is known as the birthplace of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. RCMP headquarters are a must-see when visiting Regina, the capital city of Saskatchewan. It was named for Queen Victoria in 1882, and most of the locals agreed that it was an improvement over the original name: Pile O’ Bones!

Mexico is a land of beauty and diversity – and one that has drawn visitors to it for centuries. It is a place where many people still maintain vestiges of their traditional cultures, even though the waves of modernization that have swept this sun-drenched land.

Travelers to Mexico are treated to a dazzling display of culture, hospitality, fine food, art and history. They are welcomed to small rural villages and vibrant modern centers. They are privy to the deserts, forests, mountains, beaches, and the ancient ruins that blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.

Travelling in Mexico, you'll want to have a hat, sunglasses and sunblock at hand. Insect repellent is helpful too, but be sure to bring it along if you can. It may not be readily available outside of the major cities.

The Mexican people are generally friendly and helpful to visitors. Any efforts you can make to speak Spanish – however rudimentary it may be – will bring you an even warmer reception.

Because language is often a barrier outside of the major tourist areas, some people may assume communication will be difficult. But a few words in Spanish is often all it takes to bring smiles and an extra effort towards understanding.

The universal language is in no short supply here – Mexico has a thriving popular music industry, and buskers of all kinds play music for a living. Mariachi bands are most common, with traditional songs comprised of trumpet, violin, guitar and voice. Many of these Mariachi bands even play dressed in traditional "cowboy" costumes.

The Mexican climate is hot and humid in the coastal plains that run along both sides of the country. Mexico's higher central elevations are much more dry and temperate – and the inland mountain peaks are often even capped in snow.

Generally, temperatures and rainfall are greatest from May to October, and both are at their peak from June to September. Generally, the coast has higher temperatures and more rain than the interior, though the variation can be considerable from one region to the next. Travelling north to south, temperatures will rise as you get closer to the equator.

Mexico's peak travel season extends from October to June along the coasts, when the humidity is in check. But the winter months can bring a chill inland – and can even approach the freezing mark in the mountains.

Mexico hosts a vast array of wildlife. The northeast and the Yucatan Peninsula are major bird sanctuaries for flamingos and parrots, with over one thousand species between them. Monkeys, wild cats and other land-bound animals congregate in the more remote mountain and forested areas. As public interest increases in Mexico's natural habitat, Mexican National Parks are investing in roads and car parks that will let visitors see indigenous wildlife in its natural environment.

To visit Mexico, you'll need a valid passport. Residents of the U.S. and Canada do not need visas to enter Mexico as tourists, but will need a government tourist card (Forma Migratoria de Turista) which is available free of charge at official border crossings and airports. The normal maximum stay for tourists in Mexico is 180 days. If travelers under 18 are not accompanied by both parents, Mexican authorities will likely require a notarized letter of consent signed by both parents allowing a minor to enter the country.

In Mexico, the "$" sign refers to pesos. So don't panic if the prices seem a little high at first glance! It's useful to carry money in U.S. dollars or major-brand travelers' checks to ease the hassles associated with currency exchange, especially outside of the major cities.

Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital of Mexico. It's a huge city of about 20 million people spread across twelve hundred square miles of the central highlands.

Mexico City emerged in the 16th and 17th centuries as the political hub of New Spain, in the era following the Spanish Conquest. The city grew at an astounding rate, and today, its 350 neighborhoods cover the bed of the ancient Lago de Texcoco. Driving here can be a challenge, as many streets change names depending on which direction you're going. On smaller streets, the names may even change every few blocks!

Mexico City is the country's cultural center, and the wide urban plaza of El Zócalo is the historic heart of the city. The area is surrounded by the Cathedral Metropolitana, the Palacio Nacional, and the excavated site of the Templo Mayor, an important Aztec temple. There are also many good and reasonably-priced restaurants.

With its surrounding palaces, the Alaneda Central Park is also a popular attraction. Nearby Chapultepec Park is a well-treed area with artificial lakes, and central to many of the city's major museums. For the best night life attractions, head to the "Zona Rosa" – the pink zone!

Baja California
Few places can compete with Baja California when it comes to offering a variety of exotic locations. The region attracts 50 million visitors each year for duty-free shopping, diving and snorkeling, fishing, water sports, and succulent seafood dining. With its strong U.S. influence, many places in Baja California quote in American dollars and expect to be paid in U.S. currency.

The city of Tijuana is found immediately south of the U.S. border. Through it has a lingering reputation as a "sin city", it's a place of growing sophistication with universities, office buildings and shopping centers. Tijuana's nightlife at the discos and the traditional Sunday bullfights top the list of popular entertainment venues.

Mexicali and San Felipe are also popular draws, though both places are often rowdy. The quieter Guerro Negro is renowned for Seammon's Lagoon, the mating grounds of the California Grey Whales. Tourist-friendly La Paz also offers fishing trips, and quiet places to camp.

North West Mexico
Mexico's principal Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 15, begins in the northwest at the border town of Nogales, Sonora. This is one of the most convenient border crossings from the western USA, and offers a stunning view of the Pacific Coast, before turning inland to Mexico City.

The Copper Canyon Railway is a southwestern attraction that can't be missed. It crosses what is known as the "Grand Canyon of Mexico". The line ends at coastal Los Mochis, close to Topolobampo, where the Ferry from La Paz connects Baja California to the mainland.

The state capital of Sonora is Hermosillo. Hermosillo also sits along Highway 15, right in the middle of the Sonora desert. Hermosillo's main plaza offers dynamic murals and museums, while the Cerrodela Campana (Hill of the Bell) gives visitors a panoramic view of the city and is an easy point of reference by day or night.

Central North Mexico
The Central North region of Mexico sees stifling hot summers and freezing cold winters, while spring and fall are warm and sunny. This dry and sparsely populated region is interrupted periodically by bands of green –rivers that flow intermittently from the Sierra Madre. It's along these river outcroppings that most of the towns here have been established. Crossing through the mountains of the central north region to the Pacific Coast can make for a stunning side trip.

This part of Mexico was marked historically by a long-used travel route that crossed the high plains of the states of Chihuahua, Durango and Coahuila. The route ran from El Paso, Texas into Ciudad Juárez. Though this bustling border town is somewhat noisy, the ambiance tends to improve the further south you go.

Four hours south of Ciudad is Casas Grandes, a quiet farming town whose name means "Big Houses". It's here that you'll find the ruins of Paquimé, partially excavated adobe structures that were home to the Paquimé Indians, the major native settlement in northern Mexico over 1000 years ago. The town of Madera features a number of Paquimé ruins as well.

The city of Chihuahua is also a worthwhile side trip – it's a prosperous center with a colonial flair, right in the heart of cowboy country. Chihuahua is a good overnight stop while traveling south, before hopping aboard the Copper Canyon Railway.

North East Mexico
The region of northeast Mexico – the states of Nuevo Léon, Tamaulipas and Coahuila – have a geography unlike anywhere else in the country. These vast deserts offer rugged beauty, brought to life by the Rio Grande River.

Along the Gulf Coast are remote beaches and wetlands, home to many birds and marine animals. To the south, the coast extends into the subtropical ecozone of Huasteca.

Inland, the Sierra Madre Oriental rises from the coast, offering spectacular scenery for those who make the climb up its narrow, winding roads. This is Mexico's "wild frontier", where the Southern Spanish and Northern Anglo Saxon colonists confronted each other in 1845 and established the Rio Grande as the border between Mexico and the USA. Despite the division, there's still a fair bit of cultural overlap between southern Texas and northeast Mexico. Today, this region is not so much a tourist attraction as a chance to see the interplay of the two cultures in daily life.

Nuevo Laredo is a border crossing for many tourists as they head south to Monterrey, although many restaurants and souvenir stands there do not accept U.S. currency. The industrial city of Reynosa is an alternate crossing point into Mexico – with craft markets and a bustling nightlife. Further south are Ciudad Victoria and Monterrey; both are clean and pleasant, with the distinctive air of suburban America.

Central Pacific Coast
The coastal region stretching from Mazatlán to Acapulco is one of the country's best-known vacation regions, offering the principal beach resorts of Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa and Acapulco, along with a handful of lesser-known but beautiful escapes.

Highways up and down the Pacific Coast make for easy driving in this region, and several highways connect the coast to the mountainous interior of the country. Air travel to this part of Mexico is abundant as well, due to the high numbers of tourists that come to the area.

Camping is a popular way to enjoy the beaches. Known as the "Pearl of the Pacific", Mazatlán is famous for its nearly 10 miles of beaches and opportunities for fishing marlin, swordfish, sailfish, tuna and dolphin fish (dorado). Both the historic and the new sections of town are worth a tour, too.

Puerto Vallarta is a world-famous resort city where English is spoken almost as commonly as Spanish, and the coastline is dominated by luxury resorts. Yet despite its growth as a tourist destination, the city's cobblestone streets and adobe architecture make Puerto Vallarta one of the most picturesque coastal cities.

Acapulco evokes images of white sandy beaches and bustling night life – and though the commercial center of the city is a maze of streets and urban congestion, the curve of Bahía de Acapulco gives way to beautiful beaches, hotels, discos and shopping opportunities.

Western Coastal Highlands
West of Mexico City, the Western Coastal Highlands is a region of great cultural and geographical variety encompassing the inland states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Colima.

This area is off the beaten path for tourists, but boasts the vibrant cities of Guadalajara, Morelia, and the breathtaking El Rosario monarch butterfly sanctuary.

Guadalajara is Mexico's 2nd-largest city, and has a reputation as the most "Mexican" spot in Mexico. It is Guadalajara that brought the world Mariachi music, tequilla, the Mexican Hat Dance, and the sombrero hat. Like Mexico City, Guadalajara boasts historic buildings, music, museums, culture and excellent food – but in this modern and well-designed center, the traffic flows freely!

The colonial town of Pátzcuaro in the Michoacán highlands is in the heart of Purépecha Indian country. Mexican tourists come here in large numbers over Christmas and New Year. The 1st and 2nd of November draw substantial crowds as well, for the area's famous "Day of the Dead" celebrations.

Northern Central Highlands
Stretching northwest of Mexico City, this dry and temperate region includes the southern part of the Altiplano Central between the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental. This was where Spanish colonialists unearthed much of the silver that fuelled their ambitions in Mexico.

The products of their silver fortunes can be seen in the magnificent cities of Guanajuanto and Zacatecas. The region is a wealth of colonial architecture, and features lively arts and entertainment scenes.

This part of Mexico is less visited than many, but it's passed through by those going from north to south. Close by the city of Guanajuanto is Bajío, an agricultural center known throughout Mexico as the "Cradle of Independence", for it was here that the movement for independence from Spain began back in 1810.

Nearby Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende are full of important sites that commemorate this event.

Central Gulf Coast
The road from northeast to southeast Mexico lies along the hot coastal region between the Gulf of Mexico and the country's central mountains.

Veracruz is the most appealing of this region's coastal cities, and it's festive atmosphere makes it a popular holiday resort for mexicans. Veracruz is home to the country's most riotous annual carnival. Inland, the foothills of the Sierra Madre offer Xalapa and Cordoba as attractive destination cities as well.

Xalapa (also spelled "Jalapa") is a colonial gem of a city, ripe with art, entertainment and good food. The semi-tropical landscape has many parks and panoramas. Light rain and drizzle are commonplace here – which presents the perfect opportunity to visit the city's renowned anthropology museum.

Cordoba has a long colonial history and pleasant surroundings, with lush, green hills surrounding the town. Many historic sites of interest lie within a few blocks of the central Plaza de Armas.

Oaxaca State
The rugged southern state of Oaxaca is only 150 miles away from Mexico City, but with the mountains that shield it from the capital, it manages to preserve a unique regional atmosphere. The pace of life is slower in Oaxaca. The weather is brighter, and the population is more sparse than in the city. The rocky, dry landscape supports a strong Indian population, credited with producing most of the fine handicrafts for which Oaxaca is known.

Oaxaca city has become popular with tourists, but has managed to retain a lively artistic community and the colonial markings for which it is known. The city is surrounded by thriving village markets and spectacular pre-Hispanic Indian ruins like Monte Albán and Yagul, in Oaxaca's Central Valleys.

The Oaxaca coast is not a wealthy region, but it does support a number of small-scale beach resorts. For many tourists, the initial reception by the locals of Oaxaca is a little hesitant – understandably so, as the people here have been driven to this remote region by hundreds of years of colonial conflict.

Tabasco
Tabasco is a wealthy region of equatorial rainforest, watered by the rivers that run through the state on their way to the Gulf of Mexico. Tabasco's economic strength comes from the petroleum and other mineral deposits that have led to an oil boom here in recent years.

The state is culturally rich as well – Tabasco was the homeland of the Olmecs, known as the first great Mesoamerican civilization. The Olmecs left their mark through their pursuit of religion, astronomy, art and architecture.

Tabasco tends to be sparsely populated, with the exception of Villahermosa. Situated on the banks of the Rio Grijalva river, this boom-town of 250-thousand is known for its intense tropical heat and humidity. But Tabasco's wide, tree-shaded boulevards and parks make it a beautiful city indeed. Local museums offer a look into the Olmec culture, and the ruins of ancient Comalcalco are just a short drive away.

Chiapas
Directly south of Tabasco, is the state of Chiapas. Though it doesn't share the same level of economic fortune as its northern neighbor, Chiapas is rich in its tremendous diversity.

The state is covered largely by volcanic mountains, which offer elevation differences of thousands of feet as you travel. At the center of Chiapas is San Cristobál de Las Casas, a cool and tranquil colonial town set among a collection of traditional and mysterious Indian villages.

Two hours west, is the modern state capital of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, home to one of the best zoos in Mexico. The facility is comprised entirely of the varied species indigenous to Chiapas. Just outside of Tuxtla is the 2000-foot deep Sumidero Canyon, where visitors come to enjoy breathtaking boat rides.

Right along the Guatemalan border is the Montebello Lakes region, and the steamy Pacific Coast to the south offers laid-back beachfront escapes. To the north, the Chiapan rainforest hosts a variety of Mayan ruins, including the Agua Azul waterfalls, that rank among Mexico's most spectacular.

The Yucatan Peninsula
The Yucatan Peninsula is the heart of Maya country. Here in the southern tip of Mexico, the land is flat and hot – but its endless archaeological sites mark the proud history of the Maya. One of the most impressive if these sites is Chichén Itzá, a three-hour drive out of Cancun.

For tourists, the Yucatan Peninsula is prime vacation territory, with bathtub-warm blue waters, lagoons full of spectacularly colorful sea life, and the pristine white beaches of the three main tourist areas: Cancun, Cozumel, and Isla Mujeres.

Cancun's hotel zone is where many spend their days, for all of the beaches are open to the public and offer opportunities for swimming, windsurfing, jet skiing, diving and snorkeling. The nearby restaurants and shopping opportunities are plentiful, and many leave with bags of handicrafts and silver jewelry to take home with them. Travel around this busy city is easy by bus or by taxi, though you may prefer the easier pace of a rented moped or bicycle.

Nearby Isla Mujeres is a short ferry ride away, and makes for an excellent day trip. This tiny island can be toured by moped, or even by golf cart! The thatched-hut restaurants and shopping is popular, and the unbelievable beaches are a draw for swimmers and snorkelers.

An hour ferry ride from the port city of Playa del Carmen will land you in Cozumel. Known primarily as a cruise ship port of call, the restaurants and shops are a little pricier here. But the handicrafts are plentiful, and the world-renowned Palancar Reef (made famous by Jacques Cousteau) draws divers from around the world to enjoy the fantastically beautiful sea life.