American Cinema (Hollywood)

American cinema, better known as “Hollywood”, came to be a dominant force in the emerging film industry beginning in the early … More

Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by North America. It is bounded to the north by the Gulf Coast of … More

American Cuisine

Primarily of Western origin, American cuisine has been significantly influenced by many other cultures and traditions, including native American Indians, … More

50 State Quarters

Minted between 1999 and 2008, the 50 State Quarters was a series of commemorative 25-cent pieces released by the United States Mint featuring unique … More

Asia Society and Museum

The Asia Society is a non-profit organization that focuses on educating the world about Asia, which it defines as the area from Japan to Iran … More

CityCenter (Las Vegas)

Situated on 67 acres in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, and as a collaboration between MGM Mirage and … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part VI (101-120) – Countries with the Most Sites

Here is a list of countries with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of August 2021): Italy (58 – … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part V (81-100) – Selection Criteria

Nominated UNESCO World Heritage Sites must be widely considered to be of “outstanding universal value” and meet at least one … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part IV (61-80) – Site Types

The complete World Heritage List comprises 1153 properties of “outstanding universal value”. Of these, about 23% are represented by natural … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part III (41-60) – In Danger

Armed conflict, war, natural disasters (such as earthquakes), pollution, poaching, uncontrolled urbanization, and unchecked tourist development all pose major problems … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part II (21-40) – Delisting

World Heritage sites may lose their designation when the UNESCO World Heritage Committee determines that they are not properly managed or protected. A … More

120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part I (1-20) – Origin

UNESCO (or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of … More

Flag Trivia, Part 2: The U.S. Flag

When is the only time that it acceptable to fly the flag upside down? Robert Peary was honored for scattering … More

Northwestern Building (St. Paul)

The present Northwestern Building in St. Paul, Minnesota was constructed between 1916-17 at a cost of $350,000 as an office … More

St. Simons Island, Part 1: Avenue of the Oaks

The famous Avenue of Oaks on St. Simons Island in the U.S. state of Georgia, now highlighting the entrance to … More

Pacific Ocean

Although the Pacific Ocean is by far the largest of the world’s five oceans, covering an area greater than 63.7 … More

Las Americas Premium Outlets

Las Americas Premium Outlets is a 560,000-square-foot outlet mall, located 20 minutes south of downtown San Diego, California near the Mexico-United States border. It … More

Memories of Los Angeles

With an estimated population of nearly 4 million, Los Angeles is the largest city in California, as well as the 2nd-most populous in the U.S. and the … More

The Best of the WEST INDIES

Three major island “arcs” delineate the northern and eastern edges of the Caribbean Sea and make up what is known today as “The West … More

The Tropicana, Part 1: Las Vegas

The Tropicana Las Vegas is a hotel and casino along the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada and is currently operated as a franchise of Hilton’s DoubleTree chain. Its location, … More

The Mississippi River

At 2,320 miles in length, the Mississippi River is the 2nd-longest on the North American continent, as well as the chief river of its 2nd-largest drainage … More

United States Botanic Garden

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG), located on the grounds of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., is the oldest continually-operating botanic garden in … More

Other Recommended ART MUSEUMS

Here is a list of a few dozen more art museums around the world that I would recommend with an … More

Presidio Park

Presidio Park in San Diego, California is the historic site of the first European settlements in what is now the Western … More

The Bakken Museum

The Bakken is a museum that was founded in 1975 by the co-founder of Medtronic, Earl Bakken, near Lake Calhoun (now Bde Maka … More

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is a federally protected system of riverways on the border of eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. It encompassing … More

The Best of DISNEY

Walt Disney Productions (which was originally founded in 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy O. Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, and later operated … More

Mandalay Bay

In 1995, Circus Circus Enterprises bought the Hacienda Hotel and Casino for $80 million, along with an adjacent 74-acre site for an additional $73 … More