By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Descanso Gardens The Descanso Gardens, a 150-acre botanical garden and living museum in La Canada Flintridge, is known for its diverse plant collections. It features themed gardens, walking trails, and the “Enchanted Railroad,” a ride-on train. A year-round oasis, just 20-minutes from downtown Los Angeles, it also hosts […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate If you’re not a devoted follower of Chinese astrology, you might not realize (a) that the Horse is the seventh animal in the 12-year zodiac cycle, or (b) that February 17, 2026 is the first day of the upcoming Chinese New Year. This is a very special year, […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Sheltered in the foothills of Sangre de Christo Mountains, Santa Fe has served as a resting place for travelers for centuries. It has become a cradle of creativity for artists of all stripes. With over 250 art galleries representing art from around the globe, the most ardent collectors […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Writer Since Covid hit our shores, travel insurance has become more important than ever. While it is true flight delays have lessened, flights are still a huge variable when you travel. Travel delays, as well as trip interruptions and cancellations, are not just frustrating and inevitable, they can be […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Winter on the Central Coasts means fewer tourists and plentiful wildlife. Birds and marine mammals gather there in chaotic profusion from December to February. Every year, hundreds of birders flock to the sleepy fishing town of Morro Bay on California’s Central Coast to take part in the Audubon […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate After eleven years, I decided it was time to deliver the fruitcake my mother had sent me in 2009 just before she passed away. I would take it to the meadow where I had scattered her ashes. I had kept it in my freezer (even through a severe […]
“We belong to the earth. It does not belong to us.” Aboriginal saying Since time immemorial Tubowgule, the tidal island on which the Sydney Opera House stands, has been a place of gathering for Aboriginal peoples. The clans would meet there to dance, sing, feast, and share their stories. Today that piece of land that […]
Mark Twain described the Hawaiian Islands as the “prettiest archipelago ever to lay anchor in the South Pacific.” I agree, but so do millions of other travelers! Still, you can find serenity in a sublime setting if you bend an effort to get off the beaten track. Here are a few of my favorite less-traveled […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate I hiked the half mile around Malibu Lagoon to what is famously known as Surf Riders Beach, aka “Buns Galore” Beach. Barefoot surfers joined me on the shade-less path carrying their boards tucked under their arm or over their heads. Unzipped wet suits, folded down on slim waists […]
By Linda Ballou, NABBW’s Adventure Travel Associate Krista Burleigh, leading my ride, dreamed of owning a ranch and spending her life sharing her love of the outdoors and horses with her guests. She and husband Bill, roamed the West to find the perfect spot. They picked the Laramie River Ranch for its isolation and endless […]
