Big Island

Most visitors to the Big Island congregate on the west side, primarily in sunny Kailua-Kona and along the majestic Kohala coast, but on the east side, in tropical Hilo, you will find a number of attractions and activities of interest as well.  The landscape is varied, too, changing from beach to mountain and from dry desert to moist upland rain forest.  Eleven of the world's 13 climate zones can be found there.

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Kauai

Lanai

Maui

Molokai

Acapulco

Mexico's original seaside resort, Acapulco has enticed vacationers for more than half a century.  The Kennedys and the Clintons honeymooned there, Elizabeth Taylor was married there, Placido Domingo and Danny DeVito have homes there, and other film stars have been relaxing beneath its palms since the heydays of Errol Flynn and Frank Sinatra.  These days, Acapulco is bigger and, in some ways, better than ever.

Cancun & the Riviera Maya

Approximately 30 years ago, the Riviera Maya was a sparsely populated stretch of Caribbean coastline dotted with fishing villages and little-visited Mayan ruins.  These days it's Mexico's fastest-growing tourist destination that—like its prosperous neighbor, Cancun—has discovered the goose that laid the golden egg.

Stretching from Punta Tanchacte, 17 mi south of Cancun, to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, almost 85 mi to the south, the Riviera Maya is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the Caribbean.  It's famous for white-sand beaches and crystal clear water.  However, the area also offers ancient Mayan ruins and pristine ecological wonders to explore, as well as nature parks and resorts with all the amenities.

Those looking to immerse themselves in Mexican culture and history may be disappointed in the Riviera Maya. Mass tourism has had a considerable impact on the area, stripping it of much of its original Mexican flavor. But, despite its increasing commercialism, the area has a vitality and multicultural ambience that many find irresistible.

Cozumel

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is a city of contrasts.  The second-largest city in Mexico has undergone significant modernization in the past couple of decades and has attracted numerous multinational businesses, particularly in the high-tech industry, leading to Guadalajara's distinction as Mexico's Silicon Valley.

Huatulco

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Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo

The twin cities of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are anything but identical.  If your idea of vacation heaven is a round of golf on a lush, green course followed by a leisurely lunch of lobster bisque and champagne, Ixtapa (pronounced eeks-TAH-pa) is calling your name.

Los Cabos

On the Pacific coast, halfway between the U.S. and Guatemala, Manzanillo has blossomed into a prime resort destination in just a few years.  It can be unbearably hot in the summer, however, and is popular with Mexicans and spring-breakers from the U.S., it's packed on weekends and holidays.

Mazatlan

Mazatlan is exploding.  Although historically not as fancy as Puerto Vallarta to the south or Los Cabos to the west, it's getting there.  A middle-sized city that used to depend on its shrimp fleet and a few other industries for its livelihood, Mazatlan has sprung to life with aspirations of becoming a major beach resort as renowned as Los Cabos or Cancun.  Its long-stagnant marina development has received injections of new capital, and the state of Sinaloa has funded the construction of a sparkling malecon (seaside promenade) that stretches more than 3 mi from the edge of Old Mazatlan at Olas Altas to the southern edge of the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone).  There is also major construction ongoing between the marina and the northern edge of the city.

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Mexico City

Oaxaca

Oaxaca is possibly the loveliest state capital in Mexico, with ancient ruins, colonial architecture, distinctive food and friendly, relaxed people.  Oaxaca (pronounced wah-HAH-kah) also has several large markets where you can sample the local produce and unique indigenous crafts of the region.  Much of Oaxaca's tourist activity is centered in the main plaza, the zocalo, which features many outdoor cafes and restaurants.

The Aleut people called it Alyeska, the great land. Alaska is one of the world's special places, full of exotic wildlife, magnificent mountains, glacier-carved valleys and steep, rocky coastline.

Alaska is bigger than life, its sheer mass hard to comprehend. From Barrow, on the northern coast, to Ketchikan, at the southern edge, is more than 1,350 mi/2,174 km—about the same distance as New York City to Miami. Alaska has six distinct climatic regions, the tallest mountains, the biggest glaciers, the most plentiful fishing and the wildest nature preserves on the North American continent.

Visitors go to Alaska for the fishing, hiking, hunting or camping—Denail National Park is a big attraction. Some go for the northern lights, or to whale-watch while cruising the Inside Passage. Some even go to Alaska for the Iditarod dog sled race.

Even as Alaska vacations become more accessible, distance creates costs. Per-day expenses in remote parts of the state are comparable with those in major urban centers. The abundance of spectacular scenery and wildlife, however, should more than compensate.

Most people will like Alaska, but the state has special appeal for nature lovers and the adventurous. Those on a strict budget may find an Alaska vacation hard to manage.

Atlanta, Georgia, is a bustling, world-class city, with a skyline full of impressive architectural designs that complement rolling hills and abundant foliage.  Atlanta is consistently ranked as one of the best places to do business in the U.S., and more than 750 of Fortune's Top 1,000 businesses have offices there.  The Atlanta airport (Hartsfield) is usually ranked as the world's busiest, has become the city's nickname among locals.

Atlanta's fast-paced, ready-for-the-future attitude is evident in its booming convention business. 

Other Atlanta attractions include pulsing nightlife, showplace museums, sophisticated fine-arts facilities and painstakingly restored historical landmarks. 

Downtown Atlanta has several hubs of activity. Encircling Centennial Olympic Park are the Georgia World Congress Center convention facility, CNN Center and the Georgia Aquarium.  A few blocks away, Peachtree Center is a cluster of grand hotels, retail shops, restaurants and business towers.  Cultural events downtown include concerts in Centennial Olympic Park and a range of presentations at Georgia State University's Rialto Center for the Performing Arts.

Just a few miles/kilometers away, the city's progressive sights and sounds evolve into quiet dogwood- and azalea-lined streets.  Residents of historic, in-town Atlanta neighborhoods, such as Buckhead and Virginia-Highland, enjoy restored homes, baby-stroller-friendly sidewalks, unusual antiques shops and art studios, and intimate, cozy outdoor cafes.

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Even its newfound, caffeinated business savvy has emerged as one of its charms.  Austin is a place where people still take things at their own pace; the food and drink are surprisingly good for what remains a small city; and the live-oak-covered hills are a fine place for walking, jogging or bicycling (at least until the broiling summer heat arrives).  Step into the right bar on the right night, and you'll find long-haired college students and cowboy-hatters grooving to the same band, just as in the days of old, as well as the computer professionals who have come to be accepted as a part of the social fabric in Austin.  To this day, the city defines itself in iconoclastic terms—across town on bumper stickers and T-shirts you'll see the community's unofficial motto: "Keep Austin Weird."




Boston, Massachusetts, is inundated with visitors every year and for good reason: It's partly a walkable historic park (especially the Freedom Trail) and partly a modern waterfront metropolis (the "Hub of New England") with no lack of things to do once darkness descends.  Fenway Park—one of the nation's most hallowed baseball stadiums—is often a destination in itself.

Although the city has never stopped reaching for the future and now welcomes leading-edge financial services and high-tech companies, it has lovingly preserved the treasures of its past.  Boston cherishes its patriotic connections with the Boston Tea Party and Bunker Hill.  It is a living symbol of the melting pot early residents fought to create, including lively ethnic neighborhoods, sophisticated centers of academia and sedate sanctuaries of old wealth.  Each seems a world unto itself, yet each is an integral part of Boston's urban identity.

Even with so much to do and so many doing it, the city is a relatively easy place to visit.  Boston's attractions and historical sites are laid out in simple-to-follow walking tours, and its subway system efficiently whisks passengers around the city.  (You won't need a car, which is good: Driving in Boston is hair-raising, even for locals.)  The most difficult part of your visit may be opening your credit-card bill after you get home: Boston can be expensive, but you'll find a lot to enjoy for each dollar spent.



Astronomers are pretty sure that Charleston is not the center of the universe, but the city's residents would
like a second opinion.  Fierce local pride is a Charleston institution.  It has helped sustain the city for more
than 300 tumultuous years—from colonial times, through the Revolutionary and Civil wars, to the present.

Pride has also sustained thousands of historic Charleston buildings—a big reason that travelers visit today.  A stroll down East Bay Street (especially the section known as Rainbow Row) to admire the pastel houses bedecked with their breezy piazzas will give you an idea of where the pride comes from.  Spend some time lolling in the near-tropical warmth of Charleston's beaches, admiring the stoic architecture of The Citadel (the state's military college) or exploring the Charleston historic district, and you'll likely find this a very pleasing corner of the cosmos.




Chicago-style: The adjective seems to attach itself to everything in Chicago, Illinois—from vibrant downtown Chicago, architecture and political machines to deep-dish pizza, hot dogs and blues music.  Chicago residents do things with their own distinctive flair, creating innovations that resound far beyond the city's borders.

It's no simple matter to precisely define Chicago.  This large city is many things at once—a blue-collar town that's full of high culture and gracious living; a town of historical importance that's in no way stuck in the past; a classic Midwestern city with international importance and a multitude of vibrant ethnic neighborhoods. Ultimately, Chicago's refusal to conform to any single style, even one that bears its name, is what truly defines this city.


With Dallas' concentration of technology companies, corporate headquarters and wholesale trade markets, the nation's ninth-largest city is a Texas metropolis devoted to business.  Residents of Dallas seem to enjoy spending money with the same passion with which they earn it.  The result is a mercantile mecca that appeals to visitors: The metropolitan area of Dallas affords shopping opportunities that rival those in New York City.

Dallas is also known for the arts; at 19 acres in the heart of downtown, the Dallas Arts District is the largest urban cultural district in the country.  The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, a multi-venue center for music, opera, theater and dance, is the most significant performing arts complex to be built since the Lincoln Center in New York.

The city of Dallas, along with Fort Worth, its neighbor across the Trinity River, anchors a vast, 12-county area of north-central Texas that is home to almost 6 million people.  It's a fast-growing region that's become an oasis for entrepreneurs and a fertile ground for young singles and families alike.

Dallas sightseeing offers a pleasant mix of the Old South and the New Economy.  The new urban high-rises in downtown Dallas are balanced by comfortable family suburbs just minutes away from the hubbub.  Residents are generally congenial and welcoming to Dallas visitors, and as with other Texans, Dallasites are proud of their ability to do things the Texas way—big.


Denver, Colorado, is often associated with the Old West, but the New West has left a more visible mark. Modern Denver is the financial, business, administrative and transportation center of the Rocky Mountain region.  The Denver area is a major livestock market and headquarters to mining companies.  Denver's leading manufacturers produce aeronautic, telecommunication, electronic and other high-technology products.

Thanks to its wealth of nearby ski and mountain resorts, national parks and frontier historical sites, Denver is also an important tourist center.  Denver attractions draw numerous visitors every year.  Sports fans also flock to Denver to watch its many professional teams.

A skyline of gleaming glass graces downtown, and even the historic areas shine with fresh varnish.  Nowhere is this clearer than in LoDo—Denver's Lower Downtown District—where run-down warehouses have been renovated into classy Denver attractions such as jazz clubs, bookstores, restaurants and art galleries.  Some buildings have been slated for reinvention as luxury apartments and lofts.

Still, new and old buildings are drawing residents and visitors to Denver, and once-deserted downtown streets are now bustling with pedestrians both day and night.  It all takes place against the glorious backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. 

Denver's rapid growth hasn't been without consequences, however.  Air pollution is a serious problem, and increased traffic around the city and into the mountains is a major contributing factor.  (Although the infamous "brown cloud" is not as dark as it used to be.)  Still, Denverites consider the natural environment precious, and many spend their weekends skiing, biking, hiking and camping.

Balancing growth with environmental concerns has become a regional priority.  Light-rail lines stretch out into Denver's suburbs to relieve traffic snarls, and open land inside and outside Denver has been set aside for parks and recreation areas, including an excellent network of cycling trails.




Key West, Florida, is a haven for the famous, the nonfamous and for those looking to get a little lost. 
Everyone seems to enjoy the Key West relaxed pace, storybook architecture, colorful history, live-and-let-live local attitude and end-of-the-world feel.

And when the sun begins to set each day, there's cause for celebration in Key West as street performers, arts-and-crafts vendors and other characters participate in the waterfront activities at Mallory Square.

Venture off the island for snorkeling, diving or fishing. Or you can just walk around Old Town and soak up the mix of flavors, including hints of Cuba and Old Florida.

But no matter how you spend your time in Key West, expect to be part of a crowd, because, Cayo Hueso, as the Cuban locals call it, draws droves of visitors, many of whom wish they could become locals.



Las Vegas, Nevada, is always reinventing itself.  As older Las Vegas hotels remodel (which they seem to do every five years or so) and newer resorts are built, expect more luxury, including high-end linens, top-notch culinary experiences and spectacular shows.

Gambling is—of course—still a big draw, but fewer than half of current visitors go for gaming.  Entertainment, including shopping, night-clubbing, dining, shows and the fabulous outdoor opportunities available within a short drive, makes Las Vegas one of the most-visited destinations in the world.

The Las Vegas Strip is fascinating.  The only designated Nighttime Scenic American Byway, neon lights are being replaced with giant LED screens, but it still may have more lights per mile than any other destination on earth.  The resorts are full of lavish stage shows, big-name performers and restaurants owned by celebrity chefs.

Bowling, golfing, arcade games and even indoor equestrian shows can certainly fill a dance card for the typical three-day visitor.  Add in a heightened awareness of outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, rock climbing and horseback riding, and most visitors have plenty of reasons to return.

Of course, the gaming tables and slot machines accompany (and underwrite) the Las Vegas spectacles.  For many visitors, the thrill of winning and losing makes the casinos the most exciting show in town.

Outside of the Las Vegas Strip area, casinos are spread out around the valley.  These neighborhood joints, which attract Las Vegans in droves, boast some of the best odds, greatest meal deals, least expensive entertainment and best service you'll find on a visit to Las Vegas.  Community destinations have had an increasing sense of style and sophistication.

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Conflicting images of the city of Los Angeles flicker across our television and movie screens: Hollywood glamour contrasts with gang violence, year-round sunny skies with smog, fast cars with traffic jams.

From what travelers can gather, Los Angeles is a land of style and disaster, movers, shakers and earthquakes. Residents of Los Angeles are accustomed to a rhythm that alternates between relaxation and stress, but visitors to Los Angeles—fortunately—tend to experience much more of the former.

The nation's second-largest city (after New York), Los Angeles is a great place in which to do business or take a vacation.  Los Angeles' marvelous restaurants, terrific nightlife, beaches, diverse cultural offerings, amusement parks and easygoing attitudes converge in a vast Southern California landscape flooded with sunshine and lined with palm trees.  Visitors should see Los Angeles at least once, though a single visit will hardly be enough to appreciate such a large area jam-packed with Southern California attractions.



Some of Maine's foremost attractions are natural scenery, Acadia National Park, outdoor activities, lobster, Bar Harbor, boating, camping, whale-watching, leaf-peeping, Portland, a beautiful rugged coastline, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, white-water rafting, canoeing, kayaking, antiques, history and fishing.

Most visitors to Maine are attracted by the sea, whether they're visiting as sailors or merely want to look at the water from someplace high and dry.  Maine's jagged shoreline includes high cliffs pounded by rough waves, centuries-old houses overlooking calm harbors, forested islands and pretty lighthouses.

Maine's natural beauty extends far beyond the coast, however.  Pine forests cover a majority of the state's inland areas, and there are lakes and mountains, rare wildlife and white-water rivers all offering vacation getaways.

A Maine vacation offers opportunities to hike, shop, sail, kayak or simply relax and observe.  The most visited destinations during the state's peak summer season are Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park and the Kennebunks.

Travelers who love the outdoors will love Maine, especially for its fall foliage, dramatic coastal scenery, beaches, hiking, white-water rapids and camping.  Those who may find Maine less to their liking are travelers who are looking for the fast pace and constant stimulation of big-city life, who prefer palm trees along their beaches or who really aren't interested in nature-related activities.



Miami has always billed itself as a travel destination.  Warm weather, sandy beaches and bright sunshine were selling points more than 100 years ago, just as they are today.  But Miami's allure extends beyond its shores. People from all over the Caribbean and Latin America have settled in Miami, giving the city its distinctive lively, international character.

The warm-weather fun is still a big attraction, but the biggest draw is the cosmopolitan flavor coupled with all the great restaurants, sports teams (Dolphins, Heat, Hurricanes and Marlins) and upscale sheen.  Plus a long list of TV shows that have "Miami" in their titles.

South Beach, with its cheerful, sherbert-colored art-deco buildings and palm-tree-lined avenues, is the center of Miami's trendy dining and nightlife scene.  Other corners of Miami, including Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, offer their own versions of fine living and colorful happenings.

Don't overlook the natural world—though you may have to drive to the Everglades to get a good view of it.



One of California's two major wine regions (the other being the Sonoma Valley in neighboring Sonoma County), the Napa Valley is among the most colorful getaways in California, combining fine wines, extraordinary natural beauty and rich history.

The area has become so popular, in fact, that some winegrowers and local residents have expressed concern over the invasion of tourists and the related problems of overcrowding and traffic congestion.  With a bit of planning, however, we think a visit to the wine country can be as enjoyable as ever.  Book accommodations well before your trip and try to go during the week—weekends draw the greatest throngs of day-trippers.

Of the myriad of grapes harvested in the valley, four varieties produce the wines for which Napa is famous: cabernet and zinfandel among the reds and chardonnay and Riesling among the whites.  Because the climate in this region is more moderate than in France (where both drought and frost can threaten a harvest), California is now considered to be the most reliable of the world's great wine areas.

Wine isn't the only draw in the Napa Valley. Tree-lined streets and wonderful Victorian and Italianate houses run through the city of Napa, and a beautiful town square and country courthouse are found in the city center.

St. Helena (named by the area's Russian explorers in honor of their empress) is, despite its small size, the de facto capital of Napa Valley's wine country.  It's something of an elite enclave catering to wealthy visitors from San Francisco and is central to some of the Napa Valley's most historic wineries.  The charming Main Street area contains countless upscale restaurants and fancy shops. 

Calistoga, founded in 1859 by Sam Brannan, is another picturesque winery hub, built around a collection of intriguing small businesses and an impressive array of mud-bath spas.  Calistoga has been famous for its mineral waters and residual volcanic mud (the town is built atop a boiling underground river) ever since it was promoted as California's Saratoga in the mid-1800s. Though the town is increasingly upscale, there's still something fun and funky about Calistoga. 




Nashville business is flourishing in a variety of industries, including publishing, health care, automobiles, finance and professional sports.  The city also does a booming business in conventions and trade shows, and it's hosting more and more people who would just as soon attend a performance of the Nashville Opera as the Grand Ole Opry.

New residents from around the world have brought to Nashville a diversity of cultures that has changed the social fabric for the better—especially when it's time to go out to eat.  The result is a city that not only lives up to its reputation but also surpasses it.



It has been said that New Orleans, Louisiana, celebrates indulgence like no other U.S. city; its reputation for revelry, especially during Mardi Gras, is legendary.  But after 29 August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina unleashed a storm of wind and water that flooded 80% of this vibrant city, the word indulgence took on a different meaning for New Orleans.  Pleas for patience went out to residents and visitors alike as the Crescent City brought itself back from the ravages of Katrina.

The good news is that the 20% of New Orleans that was spared is the most historically significant section of the city, and the well-beaten tourist path is very much back in business.  The service sector is largely restored, and the level of hospitality is higher than ever.  Residents are effusively appreciative of tourists who visit and leave "donations" in the form of patronage to music clubs, restaurants, retail shops and area attractions.

New Orleans' Central Business District, the French Quarter, the Marigny neighborhood, the Garden District and Uptown along St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street are all areas left largely untouched by Katrina.  In other devastated areas, mostly residential neighborhoods, recovery remains slow, but steady.  The city's 2004 population was 462,269, and based on U.S. Census Bureau figures released in 2007, the New Orleans area has recovered to 288,113.

Although New Orleans mourns what was lost, it does so with confidence of a rebirth.  A rising spirit of renewal is evident there, and most businesses have reopened. According to the New Orleans CVB, there are 970 restaurants open in the metropolitan New Orleans area, including eateries in the French Quarter, Central Business District, Warehouse Arts District, Garden District and Uptown New Orleans.  The vast majority of popular tourist restaurants are back, although a few may have limited staff and shorter hours.  More than 200 of the area's lodging options are available, with more than 33,000 hotel rooms available.

Even Hurricane Katrina couldn't get in the way of the city's favorite celebration, Mardi Gras.  The 12-day festivities culminate on Fat Tuesday, with dozens of parades following the traditional Uptown route down Napoleon Avenue to St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street.  Although the Mardi Gras schedule was a bit shorter the first year after Katrina, it's now essentially back to normal.

New Orleans is an extraordinary city, and with its unique culture and history, it has long enchanted a wide variety of visitors with a penchant for the romantic, the spiritual, the beautiful or the unusual.  (In what other U.S. city would a voodoo priestess be buried next to the mayor's family, or funerals be celebrated with a jazz band and a processional?)  That feeling of enchantment still exists, although post-Katrina New Orleans is changing, moment by moment.

New York offers more to see and do than you can manage in one visit.  You'll find the finest selection of entertainment, museums and restaurants in the world.  Some stunning new attractions have opened, and some old favorites have been rebuilt and refurbished like an old Broadway musical.  But the New York City skyline is still the awe-inspiring star.  True, two amazing icons are missing, but look up: Does any city have as many world-famous landmarks? The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Lincoln Center, the Flatiron Building, and the bridges—Brooklyn, Queensboro, Verrazzano—are just a few.  Most reassuring of all: The Statue of Liberty is still there, waiting to welcome you.




Disney and friends aside, Orlando has become magical in its own right, with a rapidly expanding economy, vast cultural offerings, a melting pot of dining establishments, high-end golf courses and some of Florida's most popular freshwater fishing locales.  It feels young, both in terms of its energy level and its many new or restored neighborhoods.  Downtown Orlando continues to be a favorite for condo and loft development, nightlife, fresh markets, art festivals and street parties, providing urban amenities amid historic neighborhoods and eclectic local parks.





Visitors to Phoenix may be surprised by the air pollution all the development has generated.  The heat, however, should not be a shock.  It is the desert, after all, and temperatures routinely top 100 F in summer and can reach the 90s F even in late spring and early fall.  Despite the smog and heat, people go to Phoenix for year-round outdoor activities, as the area is home to more than 200 golf courses and the highly regarded Phoenix Zoo.
Plus, most days are cloudless, even if the sun is a bit less brilliant than in decades past.



Philadelphia


The rich history of Philadelphia is still visible today in the superb Historic District: Independence Hall, where the nation's Constitution was hotly debated, and the Liberty Bell, which became a symbol of the new government, are there.  The city's museums—more than a dozen, including the excellent Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Museum of Art—are world-class institutions that mix old and new in surprising ways.







San Antonio's identity is shaped by a confluence of cultures: Spanish colonial plazas dating from 1731,
German-influenced architecture from the late 1800s and an ambience that came directly from Mexico (which once possessed the land where San Antonio was developed).  There are four U.S. military bases and five Spanish missions, including the Alamo—a symbol of Texas itself.  With such a distinctive mix, it's little wonder that this city is one of the most popular destinations in the U.S.

Tourism, too, has played a role in San Antonio's development.  The 1968 World's Fair prompted a citywide renaissance that spawned HemisFair Park and the Tower of the Americas, and turned the River Walk into a pedestrian-friendly area. Today, San Antonio is one of the top convention cities in Texas, hosting hundreds of events (and thousands of visitors) each year, and it continues to market its educated workforce, family ambience and low cost of living to attract more business to the city.





A quintessential U.S. Navy town, San Diego has also boomed in recent years.  New buildings have sprung up all over, and a trendy downtown neighborhood, the Gaslamp Quarter, plus such nearby attractions as Balboa Park pull in locals and tourists alike.

North of downtown San Diego, in La Jolla, prestigious science institutes with names such as Salk and Scripps attract top researchers, while the glorious beaches still draw surfers and sun-worshippers in droves. Unfortunately, this growth has brought traffic—San Diego highway congestion now rivals Los Angeles at morning and evening rush hours.

The greater San Diego area is actually a series of individual towns, each with its own personality.  La Jolla is San Diego's answer to Beverly Hills.  Coronado, a pristine spit of land connected to downtown by the Coronado Bay Bridge, has the palatial Hotel del Coronado and broad avenues running past Victorian homes; it is also home to several aircraft carriers.  Then there are San Diego's beaches: Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla Cove and many more.



You'll find San Francisco one of the world's most scenic cities.  See the white-capped waters of San Francisco Bay to the crab cakes along Fisherman's Wharf, to a game with one of the Bay Area teams—the 49ers or the Giants.  The roller-coaster landscape of hilly streets, the diverse population and the spectacular setting on San Francisco Bay charm visitors from all over the world.



Santa Fe


Seattleites have plenty to brag about: There's the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, plus the Mariners and Seahawks sports teams.  There are fine restaurants, good museums and a vigorous arts scene.

Even Seattle's infamous rainy winter weather has a good side.  All that rain helps make Seattle the evergreen "Emerald City" and produces wonderful flowers.  And Seattle is where Starbucks got its start, in 1971, at Pike Place Market.

And all the everyday details remind you that the local industry is government: cars with diplomatic plates, official guards at entrances, vast regiments of briefcases swinging along the avenues.

Along with the trappings of power and ambition, Washington, D.C., evokes hospitality, perhaps stemming from the city's southern roots.  Visitors are welcomed and rewarded plentifully for their time.  Stately white buildings gleam all around, museums and galleries are recognized as national institutions, and children receive a fascinating introduction to the nation's past and an overview of its governing structure.  Washington, D.C., shows itself well as the nation's capital.

In addition to its history as a tourist spot, Banff is famous for the arts.  The Banff Centre first opened as a summer theater school in 1933 and has grown into a multifaceted educational facility.  The Banff Summer Arts Festival (July and August) and the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival (late October-early November) are just two of the internationally recognized events that take place there.

If you're visiting during the summer, try to make time for the colorful Cascade Gardens at the Canada Place Building.  The gardens make a perfect setting for an afternoon picnic or walk.  You'll see ponds, waterfalls, beautifully groomed lawns and massive themed flower beds.  Follow the signs to the nearby Bow Falls, where the Bow River cascades over a cliff.  Guided horseback rides are also available.

A more affordable way to unwind after a day on the trails or the slopes is to relax in the Upper Hot Springs Pool in Banff.  It's an outdoor facility with naturally heated water that is praised for its therapeutic qualities (expect a sulphury smell).  The Banff Springs golf course is considered to be among the most beautiful course settings in the world.

The gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain offers spectacular views of the town and the entire Bow Valley. To get closer to the natural world, take advantage of the scenic drives and walks around Banff.




But there's still a wild, frontier side to the town.  Cattle lands and farms surround it, and the Rockies rise dramatically in the west.  Calgary has acquired a sophisticated demeanor while retaining a cocky, entrepreneurial spirit that stems from the independent, self-reliant cowboy culture that was the city's foundation.

This mixture of the urbane and the untamed gives the city much of its vitality.  It's even reflected in the major events associated with Calgary.  The same town that showed off its cosmopolitan qualities for the 1988 Winter Olympics also puts on a cowboy hat for 10 days each summer during the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, the mammoth rodeo that is by far the best-known event in Alberta.

In spite of its cool business image, the city is devoted to preserving nature and has 19,800 acres of green space and 395 mi of recreational pathways within the city that provide an escape for residents and 160 mi of on-street bike lanes for commuters.  Calgarians love to work hard and play hard, and this is reflected in the wide selection of shopping and entertainment venues.  Calgary's broad mix of international cultures is represented by the astounding diversity of restaurant fare.



Although Montreal is often compared to Paris, this capital of Quebec is very much its own city.  For many visitors, Montreal may be better.

Montreal has much of the Gallic charm associated with Paris—the French language, fine restaurants, historic buildings, lively streets and sidewalk cafes.  But many visitors find it much more casual and friendly than its European counterpart.  A truly multicultural city with an international population, Montreal is a place unto itself—one of the most memorable urban destinations in North America.



Quebec City

Quebec City offers other enticements: The city's culture revolves around wining, dining and dancing (and more wining and dining). You will eat and drink well there. The capital of the province of Quebec, Quebec City has a bon-vivant temperament that sets it apart from Canada's English-speaking cities.

Which leads us to the language question. Almost all Quebec City residents speak French as their primary tongue, but most who work in the tourist areas also speak some English—and they are friendly and helpful to visitors.

Toronto vibrates as a cosmopolitan financial, commercial and cultural center, blending urban chic with its multicultural heritage (some 100 ethnic groups speak more than 100 languages).  It has a busy stock exchange, plus a large film and TV industry.  Toronto sports fans love their Blue Jays and Maple Leafs, and children learn to play hockey at an early age.

Toronto has soaring contemporary architecture alongside Victorian and Edwardian gems, museums, performing-arts companies, fine restaurants and relaxed cafes, trendy shopping complexes and a people-friendly waterfront.  Hundreds of parks keep it green (for most of the year).  Visitors can speak English or French, as they wish.  Toronto is officially bilingual.



Vancouver
 

Vancouver is relaxed and outdoorsy, yet cosmopolitan.  It's also sports-minded, and Vancouver hockey fans cheer hard for their NHL Canucks.  The city also boasts high-fashion boutiques, a good arts scene and a fondness for health-conscious eating.  The winter weather of gray skies and drizzle only emphasizes Vancouver's attractions at other times of the year.

Victoria may be in British Columbia, but it feels more like England than Canada.  Victoria was founded in the 1800s as an outpost of the British Empire and populated by settlers attracted to its mild climate.  Historic Victoria boasts several grand buildings, lots of shops and aesthetic touches reflecting its English heritage.  There's a slightly toney ambience to the city streets.

Victoria is also a modern, prosperous provincial capital with a diversified economy.  Vancouver is a short ferry ride away.  The education and technology sectors are strong, and specialty farming has burgeoned in the nearby Saanich Peninsula and up-island Cowichan Valley.  The result is a city with an international reputation for good restaurants and a penchant for outdoor sports such as sea kayaking, sailing and cycling. For a city of its size and scale, Victoria has a youthful, eclectic buzz.





But the town's charms go far beyond its aesthetic appeal and walkability.  Whistler is one of the leading areas in the world for winter leisure activities and is one of the top ski-resort towns in North America.  Visitors continue to flock to the area for what locals describe as the two greatest vertical-rise mountains in North America: Blackcomb Mountain's vertical drop is a whopping 5,280 ft, and Whistler Mountain's is close behind at 5,020 ft.

The town was founded on these natural skiing attributes, but visitors can choose from an ever-growing selection of additional snow-related activities, including snowboarding, dogsledding, snowshoeing, sleigh riding and snowmobiling.

With easy access to British Columbia's endless resource of natural treasures, the region also serves as a playground for outdoor summer activities, such as mountain biking, hiking, climbing and other eco-adventures.  It is also a golfer's paradise, with four of Canada's top 100 golf courses.  Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Robert Cupp have each designed championship masterpieces in this magnificent setting, earning Whistler a spot among the top golf destinations in the world.