Santa Monica, California, a gem on the Pacific coast, offers a quintessential Southern California experience. The city is renowned for its iconic Santa Monica Pier, which features an amusement park, aquarium, and family-friendly dining. A ride on the historic Ferris wheel provides stunning ocean views and a sense of nostalgia.
Doubtful Fjord (Doubtful Sound) is a large fjord in southwestern New Zealand, in the same region as the smaller but better known Milford Sound. It is home to an unusually large population of bottlenose dolphins, as well as a variety of birds, fur seals, penguins, and often even humpback whales.
Lithuania offers visitors a chance to explore a country where medieval traditions and modern culture meet. Vilnius, the capital, is known for its well-preserved Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with winding streets, baroque churches, and cozy squares. Visitors can climb the hill to Gediminas’ Tower for a sweeping view of the city, or visit the Gates of Dawn, an important religious and historical monument that has welcomed travelers for centuries.
In the heart of South America, Ecuador offers a compact yet astonishingly diverse experience for travelers. From the cobbled streets of Quito’s historic center to the vibrant Afro-Ecuadorian rhythms of Esmeraldas, the country pulses with stories waiting to be discovered. Just a short drive away, visitors can stand on the equator line at the “Mitad del Mundo” and participate in engaging experiments that demonstrate the planet’s gravitational quirks.
Colima is the capital of the Mexican state of Colima, about 50 miles east of Manzanillo. It is a popular side trip for vacationers who choose to visit this part of Mexico. The landscape of Colima is dominated by the Nevado de Colima, a snow-capped volcano that is still active and last erupted in 1941. Sugar refining, cigar and shoe production, and agriculture trade are the mainstays of Colima's economy.
Visitors to the state of Colima will experience mountains, volcanoes, rivers and alluring beaches. Jalisco sits to the north, and to the south lies Michoacán. It boasts an enviable average temperature of 77 °F.