I grew up in Florida so it's only natural that I was born with an innate love of bone-chilling, heart-pounding, hair-raising amusement-park thrills. But like most junkies, I eventually tired of the same old thing and went in search of new kicks. This is how I became obsessed with America's weirdest theme parks. Check out my top five picks below.

5) The Holy Land Experience - This theme park is a Vegas-style miniature version of certain sights in Israel. It boasts Judeo-Christian "thrills" such as the world's largest indoor model of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea Scrolls cave, and a faux-Jerusalem street market. But there are no rides, making this park lower on my list.

4) Dollywood - America's favorite buxom blonde has her own amusement park and it's a knee-slappin', foot stompin' good time. Only at Dollywood could you enjoy a sawmill-themed roller coaster, watch an "artisan" make soap, and then top off the day with some delicious meat on a stick. Dollywood is jolly good, y'all.

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Posted in Family & Kids, Guides & Planning, Offbeat, Road Trips, Theme Parks
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This week, I’m visiting local TV stations to raise awareness of a looming generational crisis: nature-deficit disorder. A term coined by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, this “disorder” isn’t a medical diagnosis, but a description of the “human costs of alienation from nature,” he writes. In his book, he recalls fond memories of being outdoors: hiking deep into the woods where he climbed trees and felt the exhilaration of nature swarm around him. In one powerful statement he divulged that “nature was my Ritalin.”

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Posted in Family & Kids, Nature & Outdoors, Road Trips
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My family was visiting this past weekend and I showed them all the sights, from the hills of San Francisco to the vines of the wine country. The highlight of their trip was biking through Sonoma, but on the two-hour drive over, I learned they didn't know much at all about Northern California's wine-growing region.

This inspired me to pen a Wine Country 101. Please help me out by putting your tips in the comments section.

Introduction
When you're talking about California's wine country, the word "Napa" starts popping up. But what is Napa? A town? A county? A valley? If you answered all of the above, then you're correct. Northern California's wine country is comprised of two primary wine valleys, Napa and Sonoma, and both produce excellent wine.

Photo courtesy of Eric Lundell.

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Posted in California, Culinary Travel, Road Trips
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I always looked forward to family vacations as a kid. My parents would load the minivan with games and a cooler full of goodies, and we’d hit the road. Of course, my little sister and I would usually end up fighting in the backseat, but the conflicts were laid to rest with pit stops along the way and the occasional ice cream break at Dairy Queen.

The most memorable road trip was one that we took to Red River, New Mexico the summer after fourth grade. It was the first time I saw a mountain range. I remember winding our way through the beautiful scenery, stopping at various outlooks to relish the views and explore. To me, road trips have always been about more than just getting from Point A to Point B; they’re a chance spend quality time with family and to see parts of the country that you’d otherwise overlook.

Knowing that summertime is limited and road warriors have a lot of ground to cover, I consulted the road-tripping gurus at RoadTrip Wizard to get their recommendations on making the most of America by car. They suggested 15 drives to introduce the family to some of the country’s most beautiful, natural landscapes, but I whittled the list down to my five personal favorites:

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Posted in Car Travel, Nature & Outdoors, Road Trips
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If you’re an American who’s been tuned into the news lately, you’re probably finding it difficult to paint a picture of travel in 2008 that’s anything but bleak. You’ve seen the stack of travel-associated fees rise. You’ve been privy to the latest airline fiascos. You’re aware of the sobering decline of the dollar. And if you’re anything like me, you’re still trying to wrap your head around the series of crises related to the US economy. It’s all a virtual kick in the shins to the avid traveler, and I count myself among the injured ranks.

We all keep hearing that domestic travel is the way to go, and while I’m down with that—I’m a little embarrassed at how much of my home country I haven’t seen—I’ve found that staying even closer to home is a great way to get some instant relief. And the relief, it turns out, isn’t just temporary: a day trip done right can be a powerful cure for the ailing traveler.

Photo by IgoUgo member Constance

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Posted in Guides & Planning, Last-Minute Travel, Road Trips, New York
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Let’s face it--Americans have always been about bigger and better, from 10-gallon hats to Big 10 universities. And who can blame us? We’ve always been a country of hardworking go-getters. We deserve high quality. Travel should be no exception to the rule.

One problem with this approach, though, is that the usual desired effects of travel--mental health, bonding, fond memories--are not always easily quantifiable. What we end up remembering as our “best” travel experiences are often spontaneous, and even mundane. You can’t predestine everything.

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Posted in Budget Travel, Industry Beat, Offbeat, Road Trips
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