Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, Tierra del Fuego, Chile
Soaring almost vertically above the Patagonian steppe, the granite Torres del Paine dominate the landscape of South America's finest national park. I'd like to see the Glaciar Perito Moreno, pictured below. I'd also like to hike by El Chaltén and see the dramatic mountain scenery. I would also like...
Quito, Ecuador
A capital city high in the Andes, Quito is dramatically squeezed between mountain peaks concealed by the afternoon mist. The city's crown jewel is its 'Old Town,' a Unesco World Heritage Site packed with colonial monuments and architectural treasures. I'd also like to see Oswaldo Guayasamín’s Capill...
Bogotá, Colombia
Bogotá is Colombia's capital, cradled by chilly Andean peaks. The city's cultural epicenter is La Candelaria, the cobbled historic downtown to which most travelers gravitate. Here, I would visit: The Museo del Oro, the Gold Museum that contains more than 55,000 pieces of gold and other materials fr...
Panama Canal, Panama
Panama City contains Panama’s only international airport. After landing, I would explore the city, including: The Panama Canal, one of the world’s great engineering marvels. The canal stretches 80km from Panama City on the Pacific side to Colón on the Atlantic side. Before it was built, ships had t...
Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal, Costa Rica
Costa Rica is famous as an ecological tourism destination, and 10 percent of the country’s land consists of national parks. After landing in San Jose, I would take a car to the Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal, which includes a stunning array of landscapes – wetlands and forests, caves and volcanoes, a...
Willemstad, Curacao
Curacao, a former Dutch colony, is one of the most charming destinations in the Caribbean. Gazing across Sint Annabaai at the colorful town houses lined up on the shore, you might think that you're in Europe. Until you remember that the sun is shining, it's 82°F, and you're on your way to the beach....
Palenque, Mexico
Palenque is a series of jaw-dropping, jungle-swathed Mayan ruins, in a forest filled with howling monkeys and beautiful wildlife. The mighty Maya temples of Palenque, which date from 800 A.D., are deservedly one of the top destinations in Mexico and one of the best examples of Maya architecture. Whi...