Here’s a topic I never gave much thought to: boardwalks. And yet, just the other day I went out to Rehoboth Beach and went for a nice jog up and down what was a very nice boardwalk—in fact, as I learned later, it was voted as the best boardwalk in American by Reader’s Digest in 2006! I guess I never really considered it a genre of travel. And yet, if you think about it, sometimes a beach’s boardwalk is the highlight of a beach trip. When it’s too cold to go in the water, when it’s too dark to head out to the beach, when you’re not in the mood to get sand in your shoes, if you’ve got a bike—those are all ideal times to hit up the action on the boardwalk. And especially now, in this not-too-hot and not-too-cold weather, boardwalks become an ideal place for a morning jog or a mid-afternoon stroll. Bring a sweater and a camera, and you’ll be all set for some prime ocean scene photography. Here’s a list of the top 10 boardwalks in America. Quick! Get out there! Before it gets too cold!

• Atlantic City Boardwalk – New Jersey
• Coney Island Boardwalk – Brooklyn, New York
• Kemah Boardwalk – Texas
• Mission Beach – San Diego, California
• Ocean City Beach Boardwalk – Maryland
• Ocean City – New Jersey
• Rehoboth Beach – Delaware
• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – California
• Venice Boardwalk – California
• Virginia Beach – Virginia

(Thank you ShermansTravel!)

• Best of the Best Amusement Parks and Rides
• TripCart’s Posts on Beaches

I guess it should come as no surprise that the biggest cities have the best skylines. Generally speaking, the bigger the city, the bigger the downtown area, the bigger the business and industrial sector, the taller the buildings and the greater the view. Each of these cities has a rich historical architectural history—check them out, and enjoy the view! New York City, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, Miami, Seattle, Washington, D.C.

There are a few museums that celebrate architectural history. We recommend these:

• National Building Museum – Washington, D.C.
• Octagon Museum (American Architectural Foundation) – Washington, D.C.
• Skyscraper Museum – New York City
• Museum of Modern Art – New York City
• MIT Museum – Cambridge, Massachusetts

• TripCart’s Architecture posts
• Picture of NYC on September 11
• Vote for Your Favorite American Architecture
• San Francisco’s Financial District Skyscraper

TripCart analytic software has shown us that the trends in this years fall foliage season is to go on weekend trips, close to home. In this post we chose Boston, as “home”.

For this weekend, its a bit early to catch the fall colors just about anywhere in New England. You would enjoy the Colorado Fall Foliage or even New Mexico Fall Foliage at the high elevations of the rockies.

Now, back to Boston Fall Foliage. By early October, the historic town and scenic roads around Concord put on a good display of Massachusetts fall foliage.

A tank of gas will certainly get you far up the Maine Coast (and back). Fall Foliage Cruises in Maine offer a unique view of New England Fall Foliage – from the water. Local ferries provide a “cruise” for a very reasonable price.  Mt. Battie, near Camden, Maine has great panoramic views of the Maine Fall Foliage.

Its going to be hard to reach the northern areas of New Hampshire and Vermont on a tank of gas, so we suggest the following:

For New Hampshire Fall Foliage – 100 miles gets you to Lake Winnipesaukee,  where foliage lovers view the countryside from a hot air balloon.

For Vermont Fall Foliage – Bromley, Stratton and Mt. Snow all run their lifts at full capacity bringing in the early October leaf peepers. At 350 miles round trip – it can be done on one tank. Just leave the Hummer at home.

• Scenery – Scenic Views in Boston, Massachusetts
• Most Scenic Drives in Boston, Massachusetts
• Off the Beaten Path in Boston, Massachusetts
• Family Vacation Ideas for Boston, Massachusetts
• Cool and Fun Things to Do in Boston, Massachusetts
• Places to Visit in Boston, Massachusetts
• Romantic Vacation Getaways in Boston, Massachusetts
• Other Posts on Boston
  

If anyone is going to endorse and encourage travel, it’s us. But as you know, safety always comes first, and sometimes, the advice would just have to be, “Maybe now’s not the best time to walk into a danger zone.” We’d also be the last ones to tell you to NEVER visit these amazing places—but as always, timing is everything.

Last year, Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman (a.k.a. Dr. Beach), director of the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University released the 10 Most Vulnerable US Mainland Areas to Hurricanes. Not a pretty list to be on, yet an important one to know about, especially nowadays as Hurricane Season takes over the news.

• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Lake Okeechobee, Florida
• Florida Keys
• Coastal Mississippi
• Miami / Ft. Lauderdale
• Galveston / Houston, Texas
• Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
• Eastern Long Island, New York
• Wilmington, North Carolina
• Tampa / St. Petersburg, Florida

So again, obviously we’re not telling you to avoid Florida—after all, our grandparents certainly wouldn’t be happy with that; we’re just reminding you to check the weather before you decide to brave what could be a very large storm.

• Fall Color in New York City
• Fall Colors in Colorado
• Fall Colors on Long Island
• Top 10 Earliest Places to Get Your Ski On
• The Great Lakes are Not So Great

Go to a spa, get a massage, and walk out feeling refreshed, de-stressed, and relaxed. Go to a destination spa and you’ll feel all those things in addition to feeling healthier and most likely, with a fresher and healthier outlook on life. Destination spas have been known to change lives: to make the lazy more energetic, the stressed out more calm, and even to help aid in weight loss and smoking cessation. For a period of a few days to a few weeks, guests immerse themselves into a routine of wellness, including exercise, healthy cuisine, enjoying the great outdoors, and therapeutic spa treatments. Sound like it could be for you? Well, chances are, it is for you, because these ten destination spas have features that will attract even the most chaste spa-virgins out there, as well as promiscuous spa-regulars.

The Guide to the Good Life recommends these ten spas as the best destination spas in the country:

1. Canyon Ranch Resort – Tucson, Arizona
2. Enchantment Resort & Mii Amo Spa – Sedona, Arizona
3. Cal-a-Vie Health Spa – Vista, California
4. Mayflower Inn & Spa – Washington, Connecticut
5. The Heartland Spa – Gilman, Illinois
6. Westglow Spa – Blowing Rock, North Carolina
7. Deerfield Spa – East Stroudsberg, Pennsylvania
8. Green Valley Spa Resort – St. George, Utah
9. Green Mountain at the Fox Run – Ladlow, Vermont
10. Wilderness Adventure Spa at Spring Creek Ranch – Jackson, Wyoming

I was just about to sign off, but happened to come across another list which names many of the same ones as above, but includes a few additional ones that I’ll add for good measure:

• Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires
• Golden Door – San Marcos, California
• Miraval Spa Resort – Life in Balance – Tucson, Arizona
• Lake Austin Spa Resort – Lake House Spa – Austin, Texas
• Red Mountain Spa Resort – St. George, Utah

Enjoy!

• Luxury Vacations and Resorts in Hawaii
• Luxury Vacations and Resorts in New England
• Luxury Vacations and Resorts on the West Coast
  

What better place to celebrate our nation’s birthday than at the U.S. capital? Welcome to Washington, D.C., where some of the world’s best fireworks are fired into the air every year on the Fourth of July. Some of the best views can be seen from some of the most famous and historic sites in Washington, D.C. So make a day of it and visit our nation’s capital this Fourth of July! Here are the top picks:

1. The Grounds of the U.S. Capitol – Bring a blanket and some food and picnic under the ‘works in front of the home of our president. Get there early (grounds open at 2:30) to get a good spot, and remember no alcohol allowed.
2. Washington Monument Grounds – The loudest booms and brightest lights are here, at the launch site of the fireworks.
3. Lincoln Memorial – Get there early to get a prized spot on the steps.
4. The Ellipse – On Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets, this spot is outside the National Mall
5. The National Mall – Between the U.S. Capitol and 14th Street – Beware of the Folklife Festival tents which may obstruct your view.
6. West Potomac Park near the Reflecting Pool – Located between the National WWII Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, the spots near the pool offer great views, but the further you get from the pool, the greater your chances are of seeing more tree and less sky.
7. Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and the Tidal Basin – A bit further, but worth it for the views and the lack of crowded security checkpoints.
8. United States Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima) – Less of a scene, this spot has all of the view with less of the travel stress involved. A good choice for those on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
9. Points Along the Mount Vernon Trail – Metro stations service many spots along the trail that covers the area between the Memorial Bridge and the Reagan National Airport.
10. East Potomac Park – Lots of room for families with children, but it’s still recommended to get there early for a good picnic spot.

area and near the Metro, so for less traffic and quick entry and exit, this is a good bet. (Thank you about.com for the suggestions.)