A fairytale town in a picture-perfect location, Bled, Slovenia is comprised of 3 jewels – Lake Bled, Bled Castle, and a tiny island with the beautiful church of St. Mary. The walk around Lake Bled is a highlight. It is only 6.5 km (4 miles), and mostly flat, with scenic views the whole way, and plenty of places to stop for refreshments. (They are known for their cream cakes!) I was fortunate to spend 6 days here, and walked around Lake...

Plitvice Lakes is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. It is one of Croatia’s 8 national parks, a series of 16 stunning turquoise lakes strung together by a series of cascading waterfalls. The colors of the water are reminiscent of jewels – aquamarine, blue topaz, emeralds and sapphires. Plitvice Lakes is the largest of Croatia’s national parks, as well as the oldest, and it’s included in the UNESCO...

One of my favorite parts of New Zealand was the scenery in between the “big” destinations. The South Island, where I took a 22 day journey in a loop, covering about 3000 km, or 1864 miles, is one of the most scenic places I’ve ever been. The colors of the water are unreal, varying from bright, clear aquamarine to sea green to turquoise to powder blue to ultramarine and cobalt, with too many shades in between for even an artist...