Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for January, 2026
Grandad Bluff
By Linda Tancs
A 600-foot-high bluff known as Grandad Bluff overlooks the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Its view of the Mississippi River Valley on a clear day includes the three states of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. The bluff is easily accessible by car, and there are parking areas and observation decks at the top. The park features a shelter house, coin-operated binoculars and a picnic area and is also the site of an annual New Year’s Eve fireworks show.
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Long Island Charm
By Linda Tancs
Northport is a maritime village on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. Initially designated Great Cow Harbour by 17th-century English colonists, the area was officially renamed Northport in 1837. Main Street offers visitors a magnificent view of the scenic harbor and homes dating back to the 18th century. The picturesque village still bears the trolley tracks laid in the early 1900s as well as the family-owned vintage sweet shop operating since 1929. One of the town’s most famous residents was Jack Kerouac, a novelist and poet. The local historical society hosts a “Kerouac Crawl,” which offers a chance to explore the neighborhood where he lived.
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On Ice in Québec City
By Linda Tancs
Open every winter from January to mid-March, Hôtel de Glace (ice hotel) in Canada is the only ice hotel in North America. Situated within the Village Vacances Valcartier near Québec City, the seasonal attraction is made entirely of snow and ice. This ultimate Nordic sleepover features a warm sleeping bag atop your ice bed. The facility includes a Grand Hall, chapel and a bar with drinks served in glasses made of ice.
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Trekking Sri Lanka
By Linda Tancs
Touted as one of the best-kept secrets in Asia, the Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka winds its way through the Central Highlands. Trekking through tea plantations, cloud forests, waterfalls, heritage estates and rural villages, the 186-mile trail is divided into 22 stages. The country’s first long-distance hiking trail, most stages are open from dawn to dusk except for those in wildlife corridors and protected areas. Some stages may also require special ticketing or permits, particularly those on private lands. The trail is open year round, but the best time to walk most of it is December to April and July to September.
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Swan Valley
By Linda Tancs
The Swan Valley is a region in the upper reaches of the Swan River between Guildford and Bells Rapids in Western Australia. Home to Western Australia’s oldest wine region, it’s also the only wine region in the country that you can cruise to from a capital city. Just 25 minutes from Perth, you’ll find the visitor’s center in Guildford. Be sure to pick up a map of the food and wine trails, featuring more than 40 world-class wineries, 10 breweries, five distilleries, three cideries, a meadery, gourmet producers, markets and art studios. Besides the self-drive or chauffeured option, you can take a scenic Swan River cruise from Perth or go wine-hopping in a horse-drawn wagon.
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Japan’s Island of Art
By Linda Tancs
Nicknamed Japan’s “Island of Art,” art displays and museums can be found all over Naoshima. A small island in the Seto Inland Sea, it has become an international hotspot for contemporary art. Benesse House Museum (both a museum and a hotel) was the very first structure to be built on Naoshima as part of the art island initiative. The newest museum complements Benesse and is home exclusively to contemporary Asian art. Ferries to Naoshima depart from Takamatsu Port in Kagawa and Uno Port in Okayama.
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A Reserve for Sperm Whales
By Linda Tancs
Dominica is the only country in the world where sperm whales can be viewed year-round (although sightings are most common between November and March). What better location, then, for the world’s first Sperm Whale Reserve. Located off the island’s western coast, tourists will be able to view the whales from boats. Around 200 of these whales reside in the waters off this Caribbean island.
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The Heights of Old San Juan
By Linda Tancs
Located in the Old San Juan section of San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan National Historic Site preserves and interprets the Spanish colonial-era fortification system of the city. Explore the forts, where you’ll enjoy the views of the highest points of Old San Juan. You can also go meander through tunnels, sentry boxes and WWII lookouts, and learn from the exhibitions explaining the history of the forts. The fortification system defended the city against foreign intrusion and pirate attacks since its inception, with over 500 years of European history embedded in its walls.
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Where Senita and Organ Pipe Grow
By Linda Tancs
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a U.S. national monument and UNESCO biosphere reserve located in extreme southern Arizona that shares a border with the Mexican state of Sonora. Organ pipe cactus is named for its tall, cylindrical stems that grow in clusters, resembling the pipes of a church organ. Senita cactus is sometimes confused with organ pipe and is also found in certain places within the national monument. The park is the only place in the United States where senita and organ pipe cactus grow wild. Come for a wilderness hike, a scenic drive or a night of camping.
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A Hindu Landmark in Singapore
By Linda Tancs
Located in the heart of Chinatown, Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. A historical landmark, the religion’s rich traditions are amply demonstrated through carvings of Hindu deities on the temple’s exterior, exquisite ceiling paintings in its main hall and five tiers of sculptures of deities and mythological figures in its majestic grand tower entrance. A bustling place of worship, the temple is also the site of sacred events like the annual firewalking festival.
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