The Lesser Known National Parks

America has some incredible national parks within its borders. In total America’s national parks cover 52 million acres of land and attracted 63 million visitors last year. However, they’re not all created equal. For every well known and well visited park Grand Canyon or Yellowstone there are several other lesser known parks like Acadia or Isle Royale. CNN has put together a list of four of these parks that are incredibly beautiful but far less popular. The next time you’re considering traveling to one of our country’s 59 National Parks, consider some of these less traveled parks:

1. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
2. Glacier National Park, Montana
3. Redwood National Park, California
4. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Crater Lake, the world’s second deepest lake and one of the National Park Service’s best kept secrets.

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The Underground Economy: D.C.’s Richest and Poorest Metro Stops

The Washington City Paper posted an interested article on their website about how the metro bridges some major gaps in income around the DC region. The median household income along the subway system ranges from $147,630 near the Friendship Heights station on the Red Line to $31,735 in Congress Heights on the Green Line. Figures were pulled from the American Community Survey’s 2011 5-Year Estimates.

The most volatile route in the DC Metro system is the Orange Line. It reaches upwards of $142,000 at East Falls Church and bottoms out at around $34,000 at Minnesota Ave 18 stops later.

Check out the full article here.

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10 Best Cities for Finding Employment

In need of a new job? Forbes.com has listed the 10 Best Cities for Employment. These cities were chosen by Adecco Staffing US, a Human Resources firm. They have the fullest employment, according to the Department of Labor, as well as internal data around job growth and demand. They then determined which areas in the US are the best for finding a job.

1. Bethesda, MD
2. Austin, TX
3. Jacksonville, FL.
4. Grand Rapids, MI
5. Columbus, OH
6. Seattle, WA.
7. Phoenix, AZ
8. New York, NY
9. Richmond, VA
10. Oklahoma City, OK

Bethesda, MD

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Best Boardwalks in the United States

Summertime is on its way and those long days spent strolling along the boardwalk are coming! From Atlantic City to Santa Cruz, beach bums will strut their stuff down those sandy pathways, either taking in the views or letting loose on beachside coasters. Foodies will delight in summer treats such as saltwater taffy and Nathan’s hot dogs, and visitors can also play games, have their fortunes told, hit up unique shopping grounds, or just people-watch as the summer heat brings out some truly interesting characters. HuffingtonPost.com gives us the nine best boardwalks in the United States. Head to one of these boardwalks near you for some spring and summer fun in the sun:

Atlantic City Boardwalk, New Jersey
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, California
Ocean Front Walk, Venice Beach, California
Wailea Oceanfront Boardwalk, Hawaii
Hollywood Beach Boardwalk, Florida
Navy Pier, Chicago
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Boardwalk & Promenade, South Carolina
Coney Island Boardwalk, Brooklyn

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

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Best Scenic Drives in the U.S. & Canada

Driving can be both the most stressful and the most relaxing of activities. While there are few things more frustrating than sitting in traffic on your daily commute, a relaxing scenic drive down winding coastal roads can be truly therapeutic. HuffingtonPost.com offers a list of the most relaxing coastal drives around the country and Canada with breathtaking views and an experience you will never forget.

17-Mile Drive, California: Winding along the coast of Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea, the historic 17-mile drive is a perfect way to explore the beautiful Northern California coast. Be sure to stop at beaches for wildlife sightings, enjoy lunch or shopping at the Lodge at Pebble Beach, and snap a few photos of the famous “Lone Cypress.”

Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia: he Cabot Trail, a loop road through the Cape Breton Highlands. Stop for hikes around St. Ann’s bay, enjoy a whale-watching outing and take a break for shopping and dining at some of the small towns of Cape Breton Island.

Hana Highway, Hawaii: While you’re vacationing in Maui, rent a car for a day to explore the coastal Hana Highway, one of National Geographic’s “Drives of a Lifetime.” The Hana Coast offers 52 miles of tropical forests and waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and breathtaking vistas on Maui’s Eastern shore.

Acadia National Park Loop Road, Maine: Located on Mount Desert Island, the drive navigates through mountains, forests, lakes and rocky coastline. Stop off at the many observation points for photo opps, take a break at Sand Beach, and try some fresh seafood in the town of Bar Harbor when you’ve finished the loop.

Cape Cod Scenic Drive, Massachusetts: This 63-mile scenic drive along the southern coast of Cape Cod Bay — which follows Massachusetts Highway 6A to U.S. Highway 6 at Orleans – stops off at such destinations as Cape Cod National Seashore, Provincetown, and the Three Sisters Lighthouse.

Cape Cod Scenic Drive, Massachusetts

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World’s Most Colorful Cities

TravelandLeisure.com takes a look at the world’s most colorful cities. Whether a monochromatic yellow or featuring every color in the Crayola box, these cites are guaranteed to brighten your day. Some noteworthy cities include:

Bo-Kaap, Cape Town
No, that’s not a rainbow at the foot of Signal Hill: the pops of color making their way up the slopes are typical of Cape Town’s historic Muslim quarter, where the mosques and homes make up a splashy kaleidoscope of aquamarine, fuchsia, and lime. Its Cape Malay community is descended from slaves brought over by the Dutch from Southeast Asia in the 1600s, and residents began painting their homes to celebrate the end of apartheid.

Bo-Kaap, Cape Town

South Beach, Miami
Neon lights, frothy façades, quirky patterned lifeguard stands, Art Deco buildings—driving along Ocean Drive in Miami is a retro trip back to an era when Technicolor was just bursting onto screens. Flamingo pinks and tropical greens flank the white sand on one side, with azure waters on the other.

South Beach, Miami

Rio de Janeiro
In 2010, Dutch artists Haas&Hahn schemed to turn a favela in Rio de Janeiro into a giant canvas for their third project in that city’s slums (favelapainting.com). Enlisting the help of local youth, they converted the homes of Favela Santa Maria into a rainbow of staggering proportions, composed of rays in myriad shades radiating across the façades.

Rio de Janeiro

Vernazza, Italy
These postcard-perfect pastel pink, lemon yellow, and sea green façades were hit by devastating floods in 2011. While the damage to Vernazza and the four other scenic waterfront villages that make up Cinque Terre was severe, efforts are under way to restore, rebuild—and repaint.

Vernazza, Italy

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America’s Best Historic Restaurants

Cnn.com highlights some of the best historic restaurants around the country. The list includes:

Columbia Restaurant, Tampa FL (1905)- What started as a corner cafe for the cigar workers in Tampa, FL has ballooned into a 1,700-seat restaurant specializing in Cuban and Spanish cuisine.

Louis’ Lunch, New haven, CT (1895)- Legend has it that in 1900, a customer asked the restaurant’s founder, Louis Lassen, for a quick meal he could eat on the run. He broiled some steak trimmings, put them between two slices of bread, and voila, the burger was born. The menu offers just four items: burgers, potato chips, potato salad and pie.

Samoa Cookhouse, Samoa, CA (1893) – Began as a mess hall/community center and continues the tradition of serving affordable, family-style meals in a no-frills setting. Current menu items include French toast, pancakes and sausage for breakfast, chicken parm and pot roast for lunch, and roast beef, short ribs and ham for dinner.

Red Fox Inn and Tavern, Middleburg, VA (1728) – The inn housed presidents and Revolutionary War heroes, was a medical center for the Confederate Army during the Civil War, and has attracted famed guests like Jackie Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor. The menu changes seasonally but features old Southern classics like fried chicken, crab cakes and peanut soup.

Al’s Restaurant, St. Louis, MO (1925)
Though Al’s began as an outpost selling egg sandwiches to the dock workers nearby, the founders’ son transformed it into a fine-dining chop house. A staple in the area, this restaurant is run by the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the original immigrant founders.

Chef Vola’s, Atlantic City, NJ (1921)
Up until the 1980s, when the current owners bought it, Chef Vola’s had no phone number, no signage and survived for 60 years in the basement of an Atlantic City row house strictly by word of mouth. The setting is unique in that it feels like someone’s home and the vibe is that of a large family gathering.

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10 Pick from Across the US to Eat Like a Local

Travel & Leisure teamed up with CNN to create a list of 100 places to eat like a local. They asked for recommendations of the best, most authentic spots for visitors to feel like locals when they’re on the road. From all of the responses, they picked their favorites below. To view the entire list of 100 locations, click here.

1. Taqueria del Sol in Atlanta, Georgia
2. Elizabeth Street Café in Austin, Texas
3. Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen in Barre, Vermont
4. Grits & Groceries in Belton, South Carolina
5. Seafood Express in Hyder, Alaska
6. Coconut’s Fish Café in Kihei, Hawaii
7. Phil’s Fish Market in Moss Landing, California
8. Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco
9. Neon Grill in St. Joseph, Michigan
10.  Tecolote in Santa Fe, New Mexico

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The Best Places to Visit in 2013

LonelyPlanet.com compiled their list of the ten best places to visit in 2013. If you’re looking into planning your next vacation, check out these places and see what all the fuss is about!

1. Louisville, Kentucky- Considered a “lively, offbeat cultural mecca on the Ohio River.”
2. Fairbanks, Alaska-The place to be to see the unique & exquisite Northern Lights.
3. San Juan Islands, Washington- Home to 250 days of sunshine each year plus tons of fresh food and locally grown produce, seafood, and more.
4. Philadelphia, PA- Philly is quickly becoming the art capital of the world with the renowned Philadelphia Museum of Art and amazing galleries.
5. American Samoa- Has some of the most stunning & untouched beaches of the Pacific and an awesome national park. It’s US territory too!
6. Eastern Sierra, CA- An overlooked part of the Sierra Nevada range with other great natural attractions like the Travertine hot spring, the Gold Rush ghost town of Bodie, and more.
7. Northern Maine-Besides lobster, lighthouses, and a rocky shoreline, Maine’s top half which reaches to the Canada border makes for a true wilderness adventure with moose, white water rafting, and hiking.
8. Twin Cities, Minnesota-Minneapolis is often called the country’s best bike city. St. Paul is quitter but has an awesome must-see marketplace and the Fitzgerald Theater.
9. Verde Valley, Arizona-Located between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, Verde Valley is taking off as Arizona’s go-top location. Food, art, and mining lore combine with beautiful green canyons rimmed by red rocks.
10. Glacier National Park, Montana- One of the country’s wildest, most remote and pristine national parks. Jagged, snow-topped ridges and glacier sculpted horns loom over aquamarine lakes and meadows that are blanketed with wildflowers.

Which one of these places are you most likely to visit? They all sound fantastic to us!

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Incredible Garden Mazes

Weather.com highlights some of the most spectacular mazes around the world, found everywhere from botanical gardens and cornfields to public squares and private homes. Wherever they’re located, these green landscaping wonders made up of life-size hedges can provide hours of mind-boggling entertainment. Some of the most breathtaking mazes include:

Hampton Court Maze: Considered the “most famous garden maze in the world,” this maze is a third of an acre, trapezoid in shape and is the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze. One of its more unique features is a permanent art installation created by sound artists Greyworld. As visitors journey through the labyrinth, they will be able to hear sounds such as subtle music, laughter and whispers of conversation that fade in and out of the twisting paths.

Villa Pisani: Located in Venice, Italy along the the Rivera del Benta, the Villa Pisani once housed kings and emperors but is now a national museum for art of the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum welcomes 150,000 visitors annually, who come to marvel at the art, but they also come to walk the Villa Pisani’s complex nine-layer maze. Designed by Girolamo Frigimelica in 1720, thousands have gotten lost in its winding pathways with its numerous dead ends and tall hedges.

Erlebnispark Teichland: With more than 2,000 feet of green-lined pathways, the Erlebnispark Teichland outdoor maze is one of the main attractions at Erlebnispark Teichland in Germany. Those not into getting lost in the twisting and turning labyrinth can take advantage of the many activities the park offers, including mini-gold, rock climbing, toboggan runs, and amusement park rides.

Erlebnispark Teichland, Germany

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