Go Green: Eco Travel 101

Traveling with a Cause in a Dangerous World The Congo and its neighboring mountains were never a travel destination for the faint of heart, but the chance to see gorillas in their native mists has long been a powerful lure. Visitors flooded into neighboring Uganda until this past March, when 14 tourists were abducted and […]

One of the first distributors of Segway Human Transporters (HTs), Amelia’s Wheels at Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Florida has offered guided tours and rentals since 2004. The option to rent Segways is relatively new for the resort, but a tradition of environmental integrity is not. Development of the property was restricted in 1971. Now, the site has been transformed into a destination that has harmony with nature in mind.

The Turks and Caicos government has banned jet-skiing, waterskiing & spearfishing & is focusing on wastewater “pretreatment” for area hotels to curb chemical & fertilizer runoff…

Traveling can be a challenge for those trying to lead an eco-friendly life. From room deodorizers and potpourri to non-organic breakfasts and sheets that reek of bleach, the typical overnight stay can seem so toxic you’d almost rather stay home. But no more. Over the past decade, there’s been a welcome rise in eco-friendly bed-and-breakfasts.

Canoeing in Canada’s Barrenlands.

Andros Island, the least-developed and largest of the 700 islands and cays that make up the Bahamas, is just a 10-minute plane ride away from the mega-resorts, golf courses and party vibe of tourist-oriented New Providence Island. Andros supplies fresh water and workers to its high-profile neighbor, but has retained most of its natural resources and beauty.

Thank Nutmeg for Grenada’s Unspoiled Beauty Grenada Board of Tourism Grenada is a relative newcomer on the tourism bandwagon, which explains why this lush, unspoiled Caribbean nation is such a well-kept secret. But not for long. As soon as nature lovers discover its rainforest hikes, white-sand beaches lapping warm turquoise seas, and private coastlines with […]

In just two decades, Freiburg, Germany, a sleepy 12th century village, has transformed into a progressive 21st century city that’s being called the world’s first eco-municipality.

Far off America’s beaten path—with no trails, roads or development, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) consists of 19 million acres of mountain, tundra and coastal plain in Alaska’s northeast corner. For lovers of teeming wildlife, vast open spaces and snowy vistas, a visit to the Arctic Refuge could be the trip of a lifetime. And given recent political sentiment to exploit the oil reserves below the Refuge, this coming summer may provide a final opportunity to visit the area while it’s still in pristine condition.

Finding Paradise in the Dominican Republic – As the plane skids to a stop on the tarmac of Punta Cana International Airport, the first impression of the Dominican Republic is of open-air breezeways and thatched roofs.

Ogden, Utah is poised to become a popular year-round tourist destination for outdoorsy types who seek an alternative to Colorado’s saturated ski resorts and sky-high tourist towns. It features miles of hiking and mountain biking trails and two ski resorts, tucked into the valley of the Wasatch Mountains. But Ogden faces the same challenge as many nature-centered towns—how to best enjoy the natural world without exploiting it.

Finding Respite–and a Real Meal–While on Vacation For a growing number of travelers, the Sweet Onion Inn is a sweet site indeed. The white-shingled structure nestles along Route 100 in Hancock, Vermont, a rustic spot between unbroken expanses of Green Mountain forest and winding White River. The front walk of the inn rustles with fallen […]

Think Florida vacation and the mind turns inevitably to Disney World, which takes up 47 square miles of prime Orlando real estate and is as big as San Francisco. But there’s another side of Florida, one that places you amid some of the nicest white sand beaches anywhere, and within shouting distance of the state’s unique and sporadically protected wildlife.