Fiona has spent her career exploring the world and working in the travel industry, turning her lifelong passion into a profession. From planning custom trips to sharing stories as a travel writer for publications such as The Discoverer, she’s all about helping others experience the world in a deeper, more meaningful way.
Beaches and lakes offer plenty of opportunities for a dip, but those seeking a little more adventure should seek out a cenote. Cenotes are deep, natural sinkholes that form through centuries of erosion, as the limestone bedrock above collapses and reveals a cave of groundwater below. Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula houses the largest concentration of cenotes in the world, with an estimated 6,000 of these spectacular natural swimming holes. While Mexico certainly hogs the cenote spotlight, there are other, equally stunning cenotes around the world to discover. Here are six spectacular cenotes you should visit.
Located in the central Yucatán Peninsula, the breathtaking Ik Kil Cenote is draped in vines that dangle 158 feet from the cylindrical opening in the cliffs above. The blue-green waters plunge over 130 feet deep and fill a naturally-formed pool that stretches nearly 200 feet in diameter. Not only is Ik Kil a memorable place to take a dip, but its cultural significance is also profound. The Maya peoples believed the cenote was home to the God of Rain, Chaac, and considered the area sacred. Archeologists have found bones and jewelry in the pool’s depth, proving that human sacrifices were once performed here. Combine your cenote expedition with a visit to Chichen Itzá, an ancient Mayan city located in the archeological site just two miles away.
Located just off Staniel Cay in the Exumas island chain of the Bahamas, Thunderball Grotto (also sometimes referred to as “the James Bond Cave” for its feature in the 1965 film Thunderball) is an underwater cave system that can be explored with or without scuba equipment. With a discreet entrance, this grotto is lit by streaming sunbeams and teems with tropical fish and colorful corals. To access the cenote, you can take a boat or even swim over from Pig Island. At first glance, it looks like nothing more than a large rock sitting in the water, but swim closer and you’ll find secret entryways that open up into spacious caves and swimming holes.
Scuba divers, take note: Dos Ojos, about a 30-minute drive north of Tulum, is one of the best cenotes to visit if you’re interested in an extreme underwater adventure. Translating to “two eyes,” Dos Ojos was named for its dual water-filled sinkholes that are connected via a 1,300-foot underground waterway. Divers can descend in one cave, swim underwater, and emerge in the other. Even if you’re not a diver, Dos Ojos is still worth a visit for the snorkeling and cave exploration above the water line alone. However, Dos Ojos is one of the most popular cenotes in the area, so it does tend to get crowded.
If you’re looking to beat the crowds and don’t mind paying a slightly steeper entrance price (about $20 USD), head to Cenote Taak Bi Ha, also approximately 30 minutes north of Tulum. Here, you can slip into the crystal-clear turquoise waters from several wooden ladders or rustic platforms, and swim just below hundreds of low-hanging stalactites. As you swim or snorkel at this cenote (whose name means “hidden route of water”), you can watch the bubbles from scuba divers as they disappear into the deep waters below.
Located in northwestern Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi Caves feature a dramatic limestone and dolomite sinkhole known locally as Chirorodziva, meaning “cave of the fallen.” According to legend, the name stems from a 1830s event in which a migrating tribe came upon the current occupants and flung them into the pool below. The main cave, dubbed the Wonder Hole, sits 150 feet below the cliffs and is filled with stunning cerulean waters. The underwater systems are frequently explored by technical and experienced divers. Though swimming is not allowed, novice explorers have multiple viewpoints and a public barbeque area to enjoy.
There’s plenty to love about Jamaica: beautiful beaches, luxurious resorts, jungle-shrouded waterfalls, and delicious cuisine. Add Jamaica’s Blue Hole to the long list of must-see attractions in this Caribbean paradise. Located on Jamaica’s northern coast in Ochos Rios, the series of cascading pools that make up the hole are continuously filled by a spectacular waterfall. Swimming, cliff-jumping, rope-swinging, and hiking are all popular activities in this scenic area.
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6 Historic Urban Neighborhoods to Explore Around the World
By
Bennett Kleinman
Read time: 6 minutes
June 28, 2023
Updated: July 25, 2023
6 Historic Urban Neighborhoods to Explore Around the World
History •June 28, 2023•Updated: July 25, 2023
By Bennett Kleinman
Author
Bennett Kleinman
Bennett is a New York City-based staff writer for Daily Passport. He previously contributed to television programs such as the Late Show With David Letterman, as well as digital publications like the Onion. Bennett has traveled to 48 U.S. states and all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums.
Walking the streets of historic city neighborhoods offers a fascinating glimpse into centuries of urban culture, and also provides a fresh perspective on the evolution of the cities around them. While it may be tempting to crane your head upwards and admire a towering new skyscraper, consider giving your neck a break and instead exploring these six historic urban neighborhoods around the world.
Though the region was known for its fur trade long before, the neighborhood of Old Montreal has origins dating back to 1642, when French settlers first began to develop this area along the St. Lawrence River. This once-thriving port neighborhood no longer serves the important commercial function it once did, but it remains an architectural and historical gem. Old Montreal features ornate Gothic-style buildings left and right, with structures dating back to the 17th century that still stand today. Impressive cathedrals, including the Notre-Dame Basilica — which opened in 1829 — make the neighborhood even more picturesque.
Visitors can also take a stroll down Saint-Paul Street, the oldest street in Montreal, which was paved in 1672. Lined with shops and eateries, Saint-Paul Street terminates at Place Jacques-Cartier, a scenic public square named for the explorer who claimed Canada for France in 1535. No matter where you turn, you’ll find vestiges of Canada’s New France colony throughout Old Montreal.
Located in the heart of downtown Boston, Beacon Hill reflects the early history of the United States. The neighborhood’s name dates to 1635, when British colonists erected a wooden beacon to warn those in the nearby countryside of potential danger. A residential community was established in 1737, when a merchant named Thomas Hancock built Beacon Hill’s first home — that residence was later passed on to his nephew, Founding Father John Hancock.
Today, you’re bound to come across a historic building no matter where you turn in Beacon Hill. Take, for instance, the Charles Street Meeting House, which was the site of many impassioned anti-slavery speeches from leaders such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. Then there’s the Massachusetts State House, which boasts a brilliant gold dome — it was originally made of wood until it was covered in copper by Paul Revere’s company in 1802, and later golf leaf in 1874. Beacon Hill isn’t just known for its legendary buildings but also for its centuries-old public spaces, including Boston Common. This grassy expanse was established in 1634, making it America’s oldest park. It has served many purposes over the years, from housing troops to welcoming dignitaries such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II.
Few New York City neighborhoods capture the essence of Manhattan in the 1960s quite like Greenwich Village. Nestled in the shadows of the city’s modern skyscrapers, the historic district of Greenwich Village was officially founded in 1969, even though artists like Mark Twain and Salvador Dalí had come to Greenwich Village long before then in search of inspiration. The district was home to the city’s first studio space designed specifically for artists — Tenth Street Studios stood at 51 West 10th Street from the 1850s until it was knocked down in the 1950s.
In the 1960s, Greenwich Village cemented its reputation as a cultural epicenter, welcoming countless musicians, such as John Lennon, Janis Joplin, and Bob Dylan — the latter of whom was known for performing at local venues such as Cafe Wha? Greenwich Village also played a key role in the gay rights movement of the late 1960s, beginning with the Stonewall Riots at the Stonewall Inn, which has since been added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood is home to several unusual architectural quirks — for example, it’s where you can find the smallest plot of land in Manhattan, a tiny triangle covering an area of just 500 square inches. The Village is also home to one of the city’s last extant gas-powered streetlights, which used to line every city street.
Barcelona’s modern-day Gothic Quarter occupies a site founded by the Romans several millennia ago as a colony known as Barcino. Though that time period is long gone, the Gothic Quarter still features ancient remnants of the Roman Empire, such as the four surviving columns of the Temple d’August, which dates to the first century BCE. The Gothic Quarter is also home to the Sinagoga Major de Barcelona, a synagogue dating to the third century CE, reflecting the neighborhood’s history as a hub of Barcelona’s Jewish community during the Middle Ages.
As centuries passed, the Gothic Quarter evolved into a beautiful bastion of Spanish architecture, including early work from famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. In fact, the Gothic Quarter’s Plaça Real is the site of one of Gaudí’s very first projects in 1879 — the architect was tasked with designing the square’s signature lampposts.
Once known as Hyde Park Township, this historic neighborhood was annexed by the city of Chicago in 1889. Four years later, Hyde Park’s Midway Plaisance served as the focal point of the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. That’s far from the only historic attraction in Hyde Park — the 540-acre Jackson Park also contains a 17th-century style Osaka Garden established in 1934. Hyde Park’s Museum of Science and Industry is the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere, and is one of the few remaining buildings that was constructed for the 1893 world’s fair.
Hyde Park is also where you can find Promontory Point, a human-made peninsula constructed in 1937. Designed in the style of the Midwestern Prairie School of architecture, this natural viewpoint juts out into Lake Michigan and offers scenic views of the downtown Chicago skyline. Architecture buffs can take a trip to the Frederick C. Robie House, designed by pioneering American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1908.
Tokyo’s Golden Gai neighborhood has a relatively recent history, as it rose to prominence as a black market in the wake of World War II. However, the region soon developed into a haven for artists and journalists who gathered at local pubs to exchange ideas. Golden Gai is made up of just a mere six alleyways, and its popular bars and taverns — of which there are an estimated 250 today — encompass an area smaller than a football field.
Despite the neighborhood’s small blueprint, these establishments remain untouched by modern development. Instead, this area continues to serve as a place for locals and tourists alike to gather for the exchange of ideas and culture as they’ve been doing since the late 1950s. The neighborhood even survived an attempt in the 1980s by the Yakuza — Japan’s organized crime syndicate — to burn down the buildings so that they could be developed. However, Golden Gai’s supporters stood guard, ensuring that the district could be preserved for future generations.
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7 International City Names You Might Be Mispronouncing
By
Daily Passport Team
Read time: 6 minutes
June 28, 2023
Updated: July 25, 2023
7 International City Names You Might Be Mispronouncing
Geography •June 28, 2023•Updated: July 25, 2023
By Daily Passport Team
Author
Daily Passport Team
Daily Passport writers have been seen in publications such as National Geographic, Food & Wine, CBC, Condé Nast Traveler, and Business Insider. They're passionate about uncovering unique destinations and sharing expert tips with curious travelers.
Often, one of the most enriching parts of visiting a new country is being welcomed by locals as one of their own. It helps to learn some of the local language when you’re visiting a new place, and the first step is accurately pronouncing the name of where you are. While some city names are more straightforward than others, these seven city names are often said incorrectly. Learn the proper pronunciation and explore the histories of these commonly mispronounced city names.
Not much will trip up an English speaker more than two consonants next to each other that don’t seem to match — leading some to try and pronounce this city’s name like “luh-joob-luh-jana.” In the actual pronunciation, the sound changes based on where the J is. It should be “loo-blee-AH-nah.”
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, located in the middle of this central European country between Italy and Croatia. Though it’s Slovenia’s largest city and a university town, it’s also one of the smallest capital cities in Europe, with a population of less than 300,000. Local legend says that Jason and the Argonauts from Greek mythology founded the city when they fled from King Aetes. They stopped at a large lake, where Jason defeated a sea monster — which is now known as the Ljubljana dragon and is represented on the city’s coat of arms.
This Icelandic city name is so tricky to pronounce that even the internet gets it wrong most of the time. You’ll likely hear (and read) it as “eye-sah-fyord-er,” but when listening to an actual Icelandic speaker, it sounds like this: “EE-suh-fyord-irsh.”
Known as the capital of the Westfjords region, Ísafjörður is the largest town on this peninsula that juts off the northwest corner of Iceland. Only about 2,600 people live there, mostly working in the fishing industry. It was founded in the 16th century with an ancient church and trading post, and salt fish production fueled the town’s growth in the mid-1800s. Now, aside from having some of the best views of dramatic fjords in Iceland, Ísafjörður is a base for adventure travelers — from there, visitors can explore the Westfjords on hiking or biking trails, horse trails, skis, or kayaks.
When Budapest, the capital of Hungary, was founded in 1873, it was the result of three different cities merging together: Buda, Óbuda, and Pest. Two distinct sides to the city still remain, Buda and Pest, split in two by the Danube River. Buda sounds much like you would expect it to, “boo-duh.” But if you want to sound like a local, make sure you’re pronouncing Pest properly. It should be “pesht,” not “pest.” So, the city as a whole is pronounced “BOO-duh-pesht.”
On the Buda side, the city stretches up a riverside hill, called Castle Hill. This is where most of the historic sites and tourist attractions in the city are located, including the 13th-century Buda Castle, Matthias Church (built in 1269), and a Holy Trinity statute, built in 1714 under the superstition that it would keep the plague away. The Pest side comprises about two-thirds of the city. Unlike Buda, it’s flat, and home to the ornate Hungarian Parliament Building, pubs fashioned out of old ruins, the central market hall, and museums dedicated to the city’s Jewish history.
It may look like “briss-bayn,” but this coastal Australian city’s name is actually pronounced “briz-bin.” (If you want to go to “briss-bayne,” you’ll be asking for directions to a town in California.) Brisbane is the capital of Australia’s Queensland state in the northeast corner of the country. Islands, sports, and beaches make Brisbane a gem for outdoor enthusiasts — especially surfers, who flock to the Gold Coast, about an hour away from the city, for one of the world’s longest wave rides.
The Jagera and Turrbal Aboriginal clans lived in what’s now Brisbane for about 40,000 years before colonizer John Oxley arrived from England in 1823. Settlers began to arrive en masse the following year, including an influx of entrepreneurs, which made the burgeoning city a major center of commerce. Another population boom occurred during World War II, boosting the population to about 750,000. Now, it’s the third largest city in Australia with 2.5 million people — about half the population of either Sydney or Melbourne.
If you’re a fan of the Outlander television series, you likely already know how to pronounce this city that plays heavily into the time-traveling drama. If not, the city’s pronunciation might be surprising: It’s not “ee-din-burg” — rather, “ED-in-BURR-uh.” The city is Scotland’s capital and has a long history that’s very much still visible in the old town and along Edinburgh’s narrow alleyways, called closes.
The city, located on Scotland’s eastern coast close to the border with England, dates back to 600 CE when it was just a fort on a hill. Edinburgh Castle was built in 1103, and part of it still remains in use by the Scottish military today, while the rest is a museum and a tourist attraction. The road stretching a mile out from the castle is called the Royal Mile and connects the castle with the Abbey at Holyrood, which was built in 1128.
Leipzig, commonly mispronounced as “LEAP-zeeg,” is actually pronounced as “LIEP-zig.” The first syllable rhymes with “sty.” The city is located in eastern Germany, just north of where the Pleisse, Parthe, and Weisse Elster rivers connect. Leipzig is quickly growing a reputation as an artistic and creative enclave, an alternative to the ongoing gentrification of Berlin. It’s home to historical thinkers and figures like Bach, Neitzsche, Kafka, and Wagner, as well as more than 15,600 cultural and historical monuments.
Leipzig has been settled since the 5th century BCE, originally as a trading post and then a permanent Slavic settlement. It was first called Lipzk, named after the linden trees nearby. Then, in 928, the German castle Urbs Lipzi was built, and the city became known as that until it was renamed to Leipzig in 1165. Today, people come to Leipzig for the art and music; annual markets (the Christmas market is extremely popular); museums and battle monuments; and historic churches.
In the plains of central Spain, the ancient city of Toledo rises up on a hill. But don’t pronounce it like “toe-LEE-doh” — you’re not in Ohio. The proper way to say the city name in Spanish is “toe-LEH-doh.” Many people know Toledo as the home of 17th-century artist El Greco, who painted his own version of the city on the hill as he observed it from a distance. But the moody tones of the painting belie the beauty of the city’s golden tones and cobblestone streets.
Toledo is an ancient Roman city, conquered by Marcus Fulvius Nobilior in 193 BCE. A large community of Arabic-speaking Christians moved in during the Moorish period, and by the 11th century, the city had become a hub for a mixture of Arab, Christian, and Jewish culture. The castle at the center of town was built in 1531. Today, Toledo’s cobblestone streets wind up the hill to the foot of the castle. Along the way you can still catch glimpses of ancient fortifications, bridges, walls, and gateways. The historic city center was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.
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Still Standing: 5 Ancient Walls to Explore Around the World
By
Daily Passport Team
Read time: 6 minutes
June 28, 2023
Updated: April 14, 2026
Still Standing: 5 Ancient Walls to Explore Around the World
Architecture •June 28, 2023•Updated: April 14, 2026
By Daily Passport Team
Author
Daily Passport Team
Daily Passport writers have been seen in publications such as National Geographic, Food & Wine, CBC, Condé Nast Traveler, and Business Insider. They're passionate about uncovering unique destinations and sharing expert tips with curious travelers.
Many ancient civilizations built walls to keep out intruders, mark territorial lines, or sometimes just show off a kingdom’s wealth and power. Often stretching for hundreds of miles, these walls were constructed by hand without modern tools or building plans, yet many have withstood the test of time for centuries. Here are five ancient walls around the world that you can still visit today.
When Roman Emperor Hadrian took power in 117 CE, he wanted to secure his empire, and one area under threat was the northern territory ofwhat is now considered Great Britain. Roman armies had already taken over most of the island, but “barbarian tribes” of Picts in the far north (present-day Scotland) created issues for the Romans. Hadrian needed a way to protect the empire’s land from northern invasions, so he ordered his army to build a wall that would stretch across the width of the island.
While Hadrian originally considered building a simple turf wall, he later settled on a design that used local stone as the primary material. The 73-mile wall began in the east at Wallsend and ended in the west at Solway Firth. It stood almost 20 feet high in some places and was nearly 10 feet wide. Although exact numbers aren’t available, historians estimate that at least 15,000 men spent approximately six years constructing Hadrian’s Wall, including its stone forts and bridges.
Nearly 2,000 years later, there are areas where the original wall remains standing, but many areas of the wall have all but disappeared — not due to poor construction by the builders, but rather because of local residents recycling the building materials. Builders dismantled areas of the wall and took the stone for constructing houses, churches, and new walls. Fortunately, conservation efforts put a stop to that in the 19th century, and Hadrian’s Wall is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that receives thousands of visitors every year.
Great Zimbabwe was a thriving center of trade in sub-Saharan Africa from the 11th century through the 15th centuries. The walled complex sprawled across more than 1,800 acres, making it the largest ancient stone complex in Africa after Egypt’s Great Pyramids. A Bantu group of people known as the Shona constructed and expanded Great Zimbabwe over about 300 years. They built the walls from exposed granite in the nearby hills by carefully layering the rocks without mortar. At its peak, Great Zimbabwe was home to about 18,000 people, with a few hundred members of the noble class living within the well-guarded fortress.
When European explorers visited the site in the late 19th century, many plundered the site in search of hidden wealth from the surrounding gold mines, leading to the unfortunate destruction of many areas within the site. Years of outsiders digging for artifacts and treasures to donate to museums has threatened the structural integrity of the walls. The remaining ruins consist of three main areas: the Hill Ruin, the Great Enclosure, and the Valley Ruins. The highest wall at 36 feet tall and over 800 feet long lies within the Great Enclosure. This is where historians believe religious rituals and administrative functions took place in the lost city.
It was only in the early 20th century that archeologists confirmed that the Shona people constructed the fortress, which is now a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, travelers can visit the walls of Great Zimbabwe, but it’s important to be cautious and explore the fragile site with a guide.
Jerusalem is home to many ancient sites that carry great religious importance to the world’s Abrahamic faiths. Two of the most important sites are the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Together, the two sites comprise an area called Temple Mount. This is the site where people of the Jewish and Christian faiths believe Abraham prepared his son Isaac for sacrifice. It’s also where Muslims believe the prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. The shared importance has made the Temple Mount a point of contention for centuries.
King Herod built the wall in 20 BCE during an expansion of the Second Temple, a holy site for the Jewish faith. People have gathered for centuries at a particular section of the wall to call out prayers to God. This section of the wall is known as the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall. Slips of paper fill the cracks along the length of the 160-foot-long wall — each containing a written prayer.
The Western Wall has long been a site of pilgrimage for Jewish people, while its proximity and connection to nearby Islamic sites make the wall important for Muslims too. Visitors of all faiths can visit the Wailing Wall, where they can also take tours of the ancient tunnels excavated underneath the site.
Originally named after the Byzantine Emperor Constantine, Constantinople (later called Istanbul) continued to grow with each successor. When Theodosius II took the throne in 408 CE, he ordered the construction of fortifying walls to protect the city. An earthquake destroyed the walls about 25 years after their completion, but citizens set to work rebuilding them.
At the same time, they added an exterior wall and a moat to further protect the city. The original wall was between 36 and 46 feet high and 16 feet thick. Towers up to 66 feet tall gave defenders a scenic view of the land and the perfect place to spot incoming invasions.
Ultimately, the wall was about four miles long and included large stone, marble, and gold gates for people to enter and exit the city. One of the most historically significant gates was called Edirnekapi. This was the gate where Fatih Mehmet entered and retook the city from the Christians. Today, those who visit Istanbul can see large parts of the red brick and limestone monoliths that made up the Theodosian wall.
The fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq is often called the Cradle of Civilization. It was home to several ancient cities, including Babylon, which lies in the heart of Mesopotamia. You might be familiar with stories about the Tower of Babel and the magnificent Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Historians trace the emergence of Babylon to around 1894 BCE. But the civilization really reached its golden age between the sixth and seventh centuries BCE, when Nebuchadrezzar II ordered the construction of a third wall to further strengthen Babylon’s double-walled defenses. The walls were so wide and solidly built that the ancient Babylonians could race chariots along the top of them.
Parts of those walls still stand today, but the site suffered some damage as a result of conflict in the region. Saddam Hussein famously rebuilt the ruins of Babylon in the 1980s, but wars in Iraq kept the sites closed to tourists for years. The UNESCO World Heritage Site reopened in 2009. Travel to this site south of Baghdad is still restricted for many travelers, who dream of someday being able to see the famous walls where the Hanging Gardens once stood.
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Waterfalls are among the many diverse and majestic natural features of the U.S. The country is home to over 17,000 documented waterfalls, which range from thundering torrents of water to tiny cascades. In fact, the U.S. (and Canada) share one of the world’s most iconic waterfalls, Niagara Falls, yet this impressive sight pales in height compared to the country’s tallest waterfalls. From Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest, here’s where to find them.
The rugged alpine landscapes of North Cascades National Park — about three hours northeast of Seattle — are home to four of the 10 tallest waterfalls in the country. Seahpo Peak Falls cascades over a peak of the same name, which is found on the eastern arm of 9,131-foot-tall Mount Shuksan. Though it’s over 2,000 feet tall, the waterfall is narrow and has a limited flow rate, making it sometimes difficult to see. But other noteworthy sights in this area of the park include Sulphide Creek Falls and hiking trails such as Shuksan Lake Trail and Mount Blum Climbers Trail.
The Northeastern shore of the Hawaiian island of Molokai is a fairytale-like setting of dazzling green scenery and multiple spectacular waterfalls. Haloku Falls lies in an area known as Haloku Sea Cliffs. Stretching between the Pelekunu and Wailea valleys, they are the world’s tallest sea cliffs. Haloku Falls spills down the face of these towering basalt cliffs into the Pacific Ocean. The only way to see it is via boat or flight tour.
Located in Montana’s Glacier National Park, Sperry Glacier Falls flows from Sperry Glacier down toward Avalanche Lake. Fed by the glacier’s melt, the waterfall has three distinct drops, each interspersed by sections of rock and boulder cascades. The lower section of the waterfall drops over the same cliffs as Monument Falls, which often cause confusion in distinguishing the two. Visitors can hike through virgin forests to Avalanche Lake to get views of the cliffs down which both waterfalls plunge.
A small glacier below Cloudcap Peak on Mount Shuksan marks the start of Cloudcap Falls. Much of this waterfall in North Cascades National Park is concealed by bedrock, making it difficult to see from ground level. Observing it is usually only possible by air — the same applies for the adjacent Sulphide Creek Falls. The waterfall flows strongest during the snowmelt season in spring; by late summer it’s often almost completely dry.
Nestled amid the Sierra Nevada range, Yosemite National Park is characterized by steep mountain slopes and looming granite monoliths. When the winter snow melts, water flows through gaps in the mountains to the valley floor, creating dozens of waterfalls. One of these is Yosemite Falls, which is made up of three separate cascades: Upper Yosemite Fall (at 1,430 feet tall), the middle cascades (675 feet), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 feet). Together, these waters flow from November to July, with peak visiting time from April to June. Scenic trails loop around the lower falls and to the summit.
When the snowmelt streaming off the glaciers in North Cascades National Park starts flowing towards Johannesburg Mountain, it converges at the peak to form Johannesburg Falls. This striking cascade has five drops, the biggest of which features a freefall of around 800 feet. June through October is when the flow rate is heaviest and most impressive, and one of the best spots to witness it is the Cascade Pass Trailhead. Those looking for more outdoor adventure can embark on a day hike toward Cascade Pass, where you’ll traverse pass falling ice from glaciers, yellow glacier lilies, and views of Mount Rainier.
Also situated in North Cascades National Park is the tallest waterfall in the lower 48. Colonial Creek Falls begins as a meltwater lake at Colonial Glacier and features 13 drops that fall a total of 2,568 feet. There are several ways to experience the beauty of the falls and encompassing snow-capped peaks, including Ross Dam Trailhead Viewpoint and Thunder Arm Bridge Viewpoint. The Colonial Creek Falls Trail is a challenging route that passes by the picturesque Pyramid Lake and cuts through dense forests for a more up-close view of the falls.
Hawaii’s Big Island is the location for the first of three Hawaiian waterfalls to make the list of America’s tallest cascades. Waihilau Falls consists of three separate falls that flow into the Waihilau River. Surrounding the falls are postcard-perfect landscapes marked by rainforests and towering cliff faces which are rarely visited by the average tourist. Intrepid hikers can discover this secluded and unspoiled natural attraction via a series of difficult trails and ascents.
Pu’uka’oku Falls is the second waterfall in the list situated on the rugged northeastern coast of Hawaii’s Molokai island. Plunging from the sheer Haloku Sea Cliffs into the Pacific Ocean, it’s fed by seasonal streams that fill up during the island’s rainy season from November to March. The waterfall displays a narrow curtain that cuts through the cliff’s thick and lush vegetation. During periods of high winds, the fall rarely reaches the ocean; instead the water begins to rise up again just above the surface.
The tallest waterfall in the United States, Olo’upena Falls is another majestic sight along the three-mile-long stretch of the Haloku Sea Cliffs on the island of Molokai. Just a short distance to the west of Pu’uka’oku Falls, Olo’upena is a multitiered cascade that appears during the rainy season. Its thin veil of whitewater contrasts spectacularly with the surrounding greenery. Like the other falls on Molokai’s northeastern coast, it’s inaccessible by foot — tourists wanting to glimpse its beauty can do so via boat or helicopter tour.
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Cynthia kicked around the world for a while before landing in Colorado. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, the Boston Globe, and National Geographic, among others. She loves dives — both scuba and bars — baseball, the Oxford comma, and live music.
As summer descends on the United States, the mercury begins to soar in many places, with daily temperatures reaching into the triple digits. While you could embrace the heat like a lizard or retreat behind air conditioning for the next few months, perhaps you should consider a refreshing getaway to cooler climes. Here are 10 of our favorite places for beating the worst of the summer heat.
During summer, “cool” is one of the last things you’d expect in Arizona, but altitude keeps things chill in Flagstaff, located 7,000 feet above sea level. While the desert sizzles, Flagstaff provides a cool getaway to beat the summer heat, with the average temperature in summer reaching only 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
For recreation without breaking a sweat, Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort offers a high-altitude escape. Located on the state’s highest mountains, it’s the perfect summer retreat with cool temperatures and incredible views. Topping out at 11,500 feet, the Arizona Gondola offers sweeping vistas of the San Francisco Volcanic Field and Sedona’s red rocks — or even the Grand Canyon on exceptionally clear days.
Buffalo is legendary when it comes to record-breaking blizzards and subarctic winter temperatures, but it also makes a great destination for those looking to beat the summer heat. While the city is world-renowned as the home of hot wings, you can enjoy an ice wine, a regional specialty, to cool down.
In 2025, Buffalo celebrates the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal with the “Waterway of Change” exhibit on the waterfront and the Seneca Chief, a replica of the boat that once traveled on the canal and will serve as a floating museum. And at Niagara Falls, just 25 miles away, let the mist from the powerful waterfalls cool you off as you visit the Cave of the Winds or take a boat ride on the famous Maid of the Mist.
Since higher altitudes lead to lower temperatures, the highest incorporated city in North America is a no-brainer for a heat-escaping summer getaway. Situated at 10,158 feet above sea level and surrounded by Colorado’s largest and second-largest mountains (Mount Elbert and Mount Massive), Leadville is a Victorian-era mining town that boasted 30,000 residents at the height of the silver boom in the late 19th century.
Visitors can catch a show at the historic Tabor Opera House, which was one of the most expensive buildings in Colorado when it was built in 1878, or take a refreshing ride along the Continental Divide on the Leadville Colorado and Southern Railroad, which has gorgeous views of the San Isabel National Forest. There are plenty of opportunities for enjoying the surrounding nature, too — kayak, windsurf, fish, or take an icy dip at Turquoise Lake, just five miles out of town. At the end of the day, belly up to the historic bar at the Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon, and don’t miss the pizza at High Mountain Pies.
Nicknamed “Nature’s Air-Conditioned City,” Bluefield is known for its cool mountain air and mild summer temperatures, averaging in the upper 60s and 70s from May through August. Between 1960 and 1982, the city recorded only one 90-degree day. When temperatures finally reached 90 degrees again in 2024 — the first time in seven years — Bluefield resumed a beloved local tradition of handing out free lemonade to locals and visitors.
Bluefield and surrounding Mercer County offer a refreshing Appalachian summer escape, filled with waterfalls, shaded swimming holes, scenic hiking, and mountain overlooks. In the evenings, catch a movie under the stars at Pipestem, one of West Virginia’s last remaining drive-in theaters.
This Atlantic Ocean enclave has been attracting the rich and famous for more than a hundred years. Step back in time with a tour of Gilded Age mansions like the Breakers and stroll along the Cliff Walk, a National Recreational Trail where breathtaking ocean views and the refreshing sea breeze create the perfect coastal escape.
Newport’s beaches offer something for everyone. Surfers should head to Sachuest Beach or Easton’s Beach for some incredible waves and prime surfing conditions. For those looking to explore beyond the shore, Newport also offers plenty of other water-based adventures, including sailing and kayaking along its scenic coastline.
Denali — the tallest peak in North America at 20,310 feet above sea level — towers over the tiny town of Talkeetna, which is located just two hours north of Anchorage. Famous as the inspiration for the fictional town of Cicely in the ’90s television drama Northern Exposure, Talkeetna has a quaint two-block downtown filled with historic storefronts, a brewery, and a general store — which is also home of the town’s honorary feline mayor.
After Alaska’s long, chilly winter, summer (and its many hours of daylight) is the ideal time to explore the area’s nature — there are also miles of hiking and cycling trails and three rivers to explore outside of town. (And that’s not counting the hearty folks who challenge themselves on Denali.) After a day of exploration, make yourself at home in front of the grand fireplace at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge.
“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” is often (mis)-attributed to Mark Twain, but — like many of his supposed quotes — there’s no evidence of his authorship. But perhaps the phrase caught on for a reason — the city by the bay is (usually) blessed with a temperate marine climate that sees cool summers, and more than one tourist has hurriedly purchased an overpriced sweatshirt to deal with an unexpected chill.
Cable cars, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge — there’s no shortage of iconic sights in San Francisco to enjoy (as long as you remember to pack a light jacket). Summer is also filled with events, from the Fillmore Jazz Festival and Outside Lands to Giants games at Oracle Park and a Japanese film festival.
Rocky beaches, glacier-scoured granite peaks, vast forests, and a mild coastal climate are the hallmarks of this northeastern corner of the United States — all of which makes Maine ideal for a summer escape. Along the wave-tossed Atlantic Ocean, the charming town of Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island is a convenient base from which to explore the 47,000-acre Acadia National Park — which became the first national park east of the Mississippi River in 1919. A whale-watching excursion is a must, followed by a traditional New England lobster roll.
Bellevue is nestled between Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains, offering a refreshing balance of outdoor adventure and urban sophistication. The city is located about 15 minutes east of Seattle, so you’ll be close to popular Emerald City attractions such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. But you can also enjoy shaded hikes to Poo Poo Point, lush greenery at the Bellevue Botanical Garden, and ample opportunities for swimming, boating, and kayaking right at your doorstep. Seattle has previously topped reports of the best U.S. cities to visit for comfortable summers, but heading to nearby Bellevue makes an ideal getaway to stay active while keeping cool.
Covering a stretch of shoreline and 22 islands on Lake Superior at the northern tip of Wisconsin, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore offers an excellent antidote for muggy Midwestern summers. Sea caves, 19th-century lighthouses, and the rich culture of the Ojibwe peoples provide a true retreat from the heated rush of summer. Take the ferry to Madeline Island (the largest of the Apostles) and enjoy hiking, shopping, and a night of live music at Tom’s Burned Down Cafe, where a 1992 fire destroyed the building but didn’t put a stop to the fun. Back on the mainland in Bayfield, enjoy a traditional Wisconsin fish boil at Greunke’s Restaurant.
Though the national lakeshore is a great destination to visit in summertime, be sure to come back in winter to explore the Mainland Ice Caves, a collection of ethereal caves that occur when the lake freezes over and the water that drips from the rocks turns into needle-like icicles. Visitors can explore the caves by hiking on the iced-over lake and even crawling inside to peer through glass-like floors.
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Jersey is a travel and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, Business Insider, and Bust. When she’s not exploring her adopted home state of Maine, she’s likely planning her next big trip.
From the first spark of rebellion at the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, to the final land battle at Yorktown in 1781, historic sites from the American Revolution can be found throughout the Eastern U.S. Commemorating colonial uprisings, pivotal moments, and historic battles, the following six sites played a key role in the birth of a nation — here’s how history buffs can check them out.
Situated in Philadelphia’s historic district, Independence Hall is known as the official birthplace of the nation. Fifty-six Revolutionary leaders gathered within its halls on July 4, 1776, to sign the Declaration of Independence, an act that severed ties between the colonies and England. Eleven years later, Independence Hall also served as the gathering place for 12 state representatives to debate and sign the U.S. Constitution, thus uniting the colonies into a single nation.
Today, the historic building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open to the public via ticketed tours. Led by national park rangers, these tours include a visit to the Assembly Room (where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both signed) and the historic Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chamber. Visitors will also be able to spot George Washington’s rising sun chair, where the first president of the U.S. sat for nearly three months during the Constitutional Convention.
Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum – Boston, Massachusetts
The ideological uprising that began brewing in the American colonies reached a tipping point on December 16, 1773, in what became known as the Boston Tea Party. Infuriated by taxes imposed on tea shipped from Britain, colonists rebelled by tossing 40 chests of British East India Company Tea into Boston Harbor. With 92,000 pounds of tea destroyed, the defiant act was a pivotal turning point in the tensions between the colonists and the British, causing patriots to rally for the American Revolution.
Today, the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum can be found in Griffin’s Wharf, the same location where the tea was famously offloaded 250 years ago. Visitors can marvel at the full-scale replicas of 18th-century sailing vessels and witness a reenactment of the historic town meeting that led to the act of rebellion. Open seven days a week, the museum is home to an original tea chest from the Tea Party, recovered after being dumped into Boston Harbor.
Dating back to 1680, the Paul Revere House is the oldest building in downtown Boston and the former home of Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere. Revere purchased the house in 1770 and lived there with his wife, mother, and children for several decades. It was during this time that he embarked on his famous midnight ride from Boston to Lexington on April 8, 1775, to warn John Adams and John Hancock about an impending arrest from British soldiers.
After undergoing restoration in the early 1900s, the structure retains about 90% of its original build. To reflect its historical roots, the home is styled with colonial-era furnishings, with several pieces that belonged to the Revere family on display in the bed chambers. As a National Historic Landmark, the Paul Revere House is open year-round for self-guided tours.
Minute Man National Historical Park – Massachusetts
Located 22 miles northwest of Boston, Minute Man National Park spans the Massachusetts towns of Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord. On April 19, 1775, these lands were the site of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the first official engagement between the British and colonists in the Revolutionary War. Guided tours of the park begin at Old North Bridge in Concord, the exact location where the very first shot in the war — known as the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” — was fired.
The park also contains Battle Road Trail, a five-mile walking trail that runs from Meriam’s Corner in Concord to the park’s boundary in Lexington, following the route of the skirmish between the Minutemen and the Redcoats in 1775. Visitors can also stop by Buckman Tavern, the watering hole where colonial militia gathered, or partake in numerous guided programs led by park rangers.
Washington Crossing Historical Park – Pennsylvania
In December 1776, six months after the Declaration of Independence was signed, morale amongst the troops was low. It was Christmas, and the 2,400 soldiers stationed along the Delaware River were cold and weary. In a strategic move, General Washington pushed the Continental Army to cross the icy river under the cover of darkness to launch an attack on the Hessians (German troops hired by the British). The victory was a turning point and proved instrumental to the success of the American Revolution.
Located on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, Washington Crossing Historical Park commemorates this bold river crossing. The park includes a historic village, a blacksmith shop with live demonstrations, and the Thompson-Neely House, which served as a temporary army hospital during the war. A nearby memorial cemetery marks soldier graves who perished not in battle but from illness in the encampment.
The Revolutionary War had been raging for six years before the Siege of Yorktown cemented U.S. victory in 1781. A year before, France had sent over thousands of French soldiers commanded by the esteemed General Rochambeau. It was under Washington and Rochambeau’s orders that the Allied armies marched from New York City to Yorktown, Virginia, to launch an attack on British troops.
The final major land battle of the war lasted for three weeks on Yorktown Battlefield, until the British surrendered on October 19, 1781. Today, the Colonial National Historic Park Virginia commemorates the ending point of the Revolutionary War, and visitors can learn more about the battle at the visitor center and museum before taking a self-guided tour of the battlefield.
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From Green Sands to Glowing Surf, These Beaches Are One of a Kind
By
Daily Passport Team
Read time: 6 minutes
June 22, 2023
Updated: May 22, 2025
From Green Sands to Glowing Surf, These Beaches Are One of a Kind
Outdoors •June 22, 2023•Updated: May 22, 2025
By Daily Passport Team
Author
Daily Passport Team
Daily Passport writers have been seen in publications such as National Geographic, Food & Wine, CBC, Condé Nast Traveler, and Business Insider. They're passionate about uncovering unique destinations and sharing expert tips with curious travelers.
Picture a beach and you’ll probably think of sugar-white sands, warm blue waters, and maybe even a palm tree or two. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this classic ideal of a beach, but the world is also filled with wonderfully weird beaches to soak in — ones with unusually colored sands, interesting rock formations, and even toasty hot waters. Grab your sunscreen and explore the 15 of the planet’s most unique beaches.
Papakōlea Beach – Hawaii
Color other beaches green with envy: This emerald-hued stretch on Hawaii’s Big Island is one of only a handful of green sand beaches in the world. Papakōlea’s stunning sands are the result of small crystalline particles that were formed when the Mauna Loa volcano erupted about 50,000 years ago. These olivine silicates are heavy and don’t wash out to sea as easily as lighter crystals, tinting the beach a lovely deep green.
Lake Laugarvatn – Iceland
Eating sandwiches on the beach isn’t uncommon, but sandwiches made with bread baked on the beach itself — in sands heated by volcanic lava — is something else. Lake Laugarvatn is located in a region of Iceland where cracks in the tectonic plates allow water scalded by the volcanic hotbed to make its way up to the lake’s shore. Locals dig a hole in the boiling sands, nestle rye dough in a metal pan, and wait for the delicious results. Hardboiled eggs (also cooked in the sand), a bit of butter, and a slice of smoked fish make for an unusual — and tasty — picnic.
Playa del Amor – Mexico
Playa del Amor wouldn’t be out of place in a James Bond movie — in fact, this secluded strip of sand may be the world’s most picturesque bomb site. Located on the Marietas Islands off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, the crater that reveals “Hidden Beach” is said to have been created when the Mexican military used the deserted islands for target practice. To access Playa del Amor, visitors must swim through a short tunnel before emerging onto the secret sands. Don’t forget to bring a thermos of martinis (shaken, not stirred).
As Catedrais – Spain
There are plenty of churches in the Lugo province of northwestern Spain, but only one Cathedral Beach. Over millennia, the Cantabrian Sea has sculpted the rocks into a natural monument of towering arches, flying buttresses, soaring stone pillars, and hidden caves, which can be explored when the tide is low.
Giant’s Causeway – Ireland
Legend has it that this unusual beach was formed by giants walking across the sea from Northern Ireland to Scotland. Geologists, however, say that this UNESCO World Heritage Site was formed 50 to 60 million years ago, when volcanic activity pushed up about 40,000 black basalt columns that jut from the sea. It resembles a carefully paved avenue — fit for a giant’s jaunt off to the next pub.
Shell Beach – Australia
Don’t even think of a barefoot stroll along this stretch of beach off Western Australia’s Shark Bay — Shell Beach requires shoes, and sturdy ones at that. The waters off the coast of this UNESCO World Heritage Site contain just the right amount of salt for cockle clams to flourish without predators. This leaves Shell Beach blanketed with millions (billions, probably) of mollusk shells for a stretch almost 40 miles long and 30 feet deep.
Koekohe Beach – New Zealand
Game of Thrones fans will groove at the massive spherical boulders on this protected scientific reserve on New Zealand’s Otago Coast. Created of mud, silt, and clay over five million years, the Moeraki boulders have a calcified outer layer that has cracked on top, giving rise to the nickname “Dragon’s Egg Beach.”
Cox’s Bazar Beach – Bangladesh
Love long walks on the beach? How about really long walks? Visitors to Cox’s Bazar Beach on the Bay of Bengal can stroll 93 miles before reaching the end of one the world’s longest beaches. Stretching 600 feet wide at high tide, the beach can also contain that childhood nightmare — quicksand — during ebb tides. As long as you carefully avoid it, the beach is otherwise lined with many hotels and restaurants interspersed with long miles of blissfully uninterrupted sand.
Skeleton Coast – Namibia
Butting up to the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean, western Namibia’s Skeleton Coast runs 300 unforgiving miles of shipwrecks, skulls, and dense fog that rises up to obscure the desert dunes. This rarely visited and remote area is also home to an enormous colony of seals at Cape Cross, covering every available inch of sand. Rare desert lions prowl, taking down the fat seals and the occasional seabird. Because of the dense fog and inhospitable weather, this stretch of coast was the site of countless shipwrecks, with rusting remnants partially covered in the sands.
Sea of Stars – The Maldives
Tiny creatures about a millimeter long called ostracod crustaceans (also known as seed shrimp) create a magical nighttime show in the Maldives, illuminating the waves so that the glowing surf shimmering against the sand appears to contain a galaxy of stars. One of the best places to see this is Mudhdloo Island in the Baa Atoll. Visit in late summer to observe this unearthly phenomenon.
Maho Beach – St. Maarten
On the Dutch side of this Caribbean island, the beach is natural but the attraction is 100% human-made. Maho Beach is adjacent to Princess Juliana International Airport, close enough to the runway that beach goers can be blown about by the jet blast. This up-close-and-personal proximity makes the beach popular with aviation buffs as well as sun worshippers, and plane spotters come from all over the planet to take in the iconic site (and snap an incredible photo).
Hot Water Beach – New Zealand
On the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, thermal springs filter up through the sands of Hot Water Beach between high and low tides. Bring a shovel (or rent one) and dig your very own hot tub, right on the shore. Don’t get too relaxed, though: The hot springs are quite close to the water even at low tide, and no one wants their soak interrupted by an unexpected breaking wave.
Rabida Island – Ecuador
This small island is the only place in the Galápagos that is home to nine varieties of Charles Darwin’s famous finches. Blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and brown pelicans share the deep red sands, which have their distinctive color due to the high iron content of Rabida’s basaltic lava.
Boulders Bay – South Africa
Whose lifelong dream isn’t to swim with penguins? This secluded beach in a Cape Town suburb is the only place in the world to encounter endangered African penguins up close. You can splash (but not touch) our tuxedoed flightless friends who hang out on the sands here. Started from one breeding pair in 1982, the protected colony now numbers between 2,000 and 3,000, in all their waddling glory.
Horseshoe Bay Beach – Bermuda
The phrase “pretty as a picture” — and pictures themselves — can’t begin to do justice to Horseshoe Bay Beach, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the world’s most Instagrammed beaches. As soon as you see the bright turquoise water lapping against petal-pink sand, you’ll understand why. The cotton candy coloring is a result of crushed microscopic marine insects, known as foraminifera, and shells.
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10 Iconic Structures That Were Supposed to Be Temporary
By
Daily Passport Team
Read time: 8 minutes
June 22, 2023
Updated: March 4, 2025
10 Iconic Structures That Were Supposed to Be Temporary
Architecture •June 22, 2023•Updated: March 4, 2025
By Daily Passport Team
Author
Daily Passport Team
Daily Passport writers have been seen in publications such as National Geographic, Food & Wine, CBC, Condé Nast Traveler, and Business Insider. They're passionate about uncovering unique destinations and sharing expert tips with curious travelers.
These days, it’s somewhat impossible to imagine the skyline of Paris without the Eiffel Tower, L.A. without the iconic Hollywood Sign, or even London without the soaring, slowly-revolving London Eye. But these famous landmarks all share one thing in common — they weren’t meant to stick around for as long as they have. Long before they could reach icon status, their original plans, for a variety of reasons, called for them to be dismantled and forever lost to history. Discover which other iconic landmarks across the globe have defied the odds and stood the test of time.
Visionary architect Buckminster Fuller is best remembered for having popularized the geodesic dome, a lightweight but durable structure that could be used for all types of buildings. The American Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal was partially covered by a grand and airy dome of Fuller’s design, rising 203 feet tall with a diameter of almost 250 feet. The dome, made of steel lattice work, was originally meant to be dismantled at the conclusion of the world’s fair.
However, it was discovered that during construction, workers had welded the steel trusses together, rather than simply bolting them. The expense of taking down the dome was too great, so it was left in place in Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau. The original acrylic dome, which covered the structure, caught fire in 1976 and was not replaced. In 1990, the building beneath the Biosphere opened as a museum highlighting ecosystems and biodiversity — fitting topics to be explored inside a futuristic structure designed by Fuller, an early environmental activist.
Two thousand years after the original Parthenon was built in Athens, the city of Nashville commissioned this full-scale replica for Tennessee’s statehood centennial celebration in 1897. Its purpose was to honor (and promote) the city’s nickname, “the Athens of the South.” During the centennial, the building was used as an art pavilion, with skylights illuminating the artwork by day and relatively new electrical power to light it during the evening. Designed to mimic every last detail of the original, the structure was supposed to last for the six-month centennial celebration, but the locals loved the classical glow it lent their city and opted to save it from the wrecking ball.
By the 1920s, the city had to replace the deteriorating temporary materials used on the Parthenon’s exterior with more permanent stone. While the original building took two years to build, the subsequent construction project to make it permanent lasted 11 years. Today it is not only the centerpiece of Centennial Park but also houses an art museum.
The iron-latticed Art Nouveau landmark so indelibly associated with the City of Light wasn’t originally intended to last longer than 20 years. The Eiffel Tower was erected for the World’s Fair in 1889 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. However, the stunning tower — then the world’s tallest — was less than popular with the Parisian public at the time, some of whom protested its construction and called the design “monstrous.” No matter, because it was slated for dismantling in 1909. Fortunately, the landmark was spared from destruction when its value as a radio tower was realized; ever since, it has remained the most recognizable feature of the Paris skyline.
To honor the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration in 1889, a local businessman named William Rhinelander Stewart raised money to erect a monumental arch in New York City’s Washington Square Park. The arch, meant to stand only as long as the three-day spring celebration, was made of plaster of Paris and wood. The centennial was a huge success — all 50 states sent delegates, and there were parades, fireworks, military band concerts, speeches, and a formal ball. And the arch proved so popular that another fund was immediately taken up to turn it into a permanent landmark. The architect Stanford White designed the elegant white marble version which was completed in 1895 and stands today, gracefully marking the southern terminus of Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.
Christ Church Cathedral – Christchurch, New Zealand
In February 2011, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, irreparably damaging, among the many architectural casualties, much of Christ Church Cathedral. While the parishioners and clergy debated whether to rebuild or dismantle the remaining stones of the cathedral, a temporary church was built according to an ingenious design by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban. The design — a pro bono effort by the architect, who has since stepped in to provide emergency help in other international disasters — employs 24-inch-diameter cardboard tubes, like those used in shipping, as beams in the A-frame building. The tubes are reinforced with steel and timber and coated with a polyurethane to be waterproof.
When it was consecrated in 2013, the church, nicknamed the “Cardboard Cathedral,” became a symbol of the city’s resilience and willingness to rebuild and move forward. After 10 years of indecision, the archdiocese has finally decided to rebuild the Christ Church Cathedral, and so the future of the Cardboard Cathedral — never intended to last more than 50 years — is uncertain. Will the city shore up this tubular emblem of their rebirth and keep it alive past its expiration date?
Museum of Science and Industry – Chicago, Illinois
Chicago’s 1893 world’s fair (officially named the World’s Columbian Exposition) spurred major upgrades to Chicago’s architecture and urban layout (and also introduced us to the first Ferris wheel and fluorescent light bulb). Instead of building just one main building, as at previous fairs, the organizers decided to erect grand buildings across the 600-acre site in Jackson Park. The plan included a central pool or “grand basin” surrounded by an immense square of classical Beaux-Arts style palaces with pillars, towers, and domes. Since the buildings were meant to be temporary, their whitewashed facades were made of plaster of Paris, hemp fiber, and glue masquerading together as stone.
When the fair ended, a fire destroyed many of the buildings, and others were bought, disassembled, and moved elsewhere. But one important building remained: the Palace of Fine Arts, the interior of which was built from stronger materials than other buildings because it was meant to hold valuable artworks. It became a museum exhibiting artifacts from the 1893 fair. In the late 1920s, the building’s failing plaster exterior was replaced by carved limestone, making it a permanent structure. Beginning in 1933, it became the home of the Museum of Science and Industry, a temple to modern technology and one of the city’s most popular museums.
In 1923, to promote his new real estate development, Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler spent $21,000 (the equivalent of more than $300,000 today) to erect 43-foot-high letters spelling out the development’s name: Hollywoodland. The sign, located in the hills above LA’s Griffith Park, was illuminated at night by 4,000 bulbs, and it was originally intended to last only a year and a half. Almost a century later, the first nine letters remain standing. The “land” part of the sign fell into disrepair, and rather than repair it, the city removed it in 1949 so that the sign would better represent the district as a whole. The landmark sign has since become the most recognizable symbol of both the city and of the entire moviemaking industry.
This fantastical structure, an homage to the space-age Googie style of the mid-20th century, was built for Expo 58 (aka the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair) and was initially intended to be temporary. The 335-foot-tall stainless steel-clad landmark — nine globes connected and held aloft by a network of tubes — represents a cell of an iron crystal, blown up to 165 billion times its actual size. While it appears to be merely a sculpture, the Atomium was actually the main pavilion for the fair, and six of the spheres (accessible via escalators inside the connecting tubes) remain open to visitors.
After its success at the fair, the city decided to keep the Atomium, but a lack of maintenance allowed it to fall into disrepair. It was finally renovated between 2004 and 2006. The restoration included changing the exterior from aluminum cladding to stainless steel, adding a glass ceiling on the elevator to the top-most sphere, and integrating LED lights in the globes to enable light shows and illumination at night.
The London Eye’s previous name, the Millennium Wheel, hints at why it came to be: The 443-foot-tall Ferris wheel was erected as part of London’s Millennium celebration in 2000 and was intended to turn on the banks of the Thames for only five years. Construction took place with the wheel resting horizontally, extending out over the river, until it was ready to be hoisted into a functioning upright position. The 32 cabins or capsules (representing London’s 32 boroughs) balance on their spokes to ensure a horizontal ride for passengers throughout the wheel’s leisurely rotation, completed every 30 minutes. Like the Eiffel Tower or the Hollywood sign, the image of the London Eye has come to be an iconic representation of its hometown.
LA Venice Pride Monument – Los Angeles, California
You’re probably familiar with Southern California’s iconic lifeguard stands (think Baywatch or Point Break), but one of them got a rainbow-striped makeover in 2017 as one of several public art installations honoring Pride month. When the stand was unveiled for June, the agreement was that the regular blue color be reinstated in September. An online petition, signed by more than 10,000 people, asked for the Venice Beach tribute to remain a permanent monument to LGBTQ+ culture in Los Angeles. The motion to save the paint job passed the L.A. County Board of Supervisors unanimously, and the stand has stood on the beach at the end of Brooks Avenue ever since. The colorful concept caught on in other seaside communities like Huntington Beach and Long Beach, where lifeguards have also painted towers in celebration of Pride month.
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Nicole is a writer and researcher with over 15 years of experience seeking out arts, culture, and lifestyle stories in places like remote northern Quebec and the unforgettable streets of Amsterdam. Her work has also appeared in PureWow, Brit + Co, AUX TV, and CBC.
It’s no wonder Canada has a wealth of stunning natural landmarks — the country is home to a quarter of the Earth’s wetlands, temperate rainforests, and boreal forests. The planet’s second-largest country by area, Canada also houses approximately 20% of its fresh water, and even boasts the longest coastline in the world. While most are probably familiar with sites such as Niagara Falls or Banff National Park, there are countless other lesser-known spots to put on your Canadian travel list. From the iconic Hopewell Rocks to the mystical Smoking Hills, here are six must-see natural landmarks of the Great White North.
Perched over the picturesque shores of the Bay of Fundy, in the maritime province of New Brunswick, are the colossal rock formations known as the Hopewell Rocks. The awe-inspiring structures were carved by centuries of shifting sands and the relentless force of the world’s highest tides. At low tide, the monolithic rocks can be seen in all their glory — layers of rusty red and earthy brown sedimentary rock reach as high as 70 feet, with the lower, more eroded portions of the rocks narrowing in and the upper reaches expanding outward. The broad shape at the top of the rocks — as well as the evergreen trees that sprout from the top — have also earned the formations the well-known nickname “flowerpot rocks.”
During low tide, visitors can walk on the ocean floor through arches and caves between and around the giant sea stacks. As the tide rises, the rocks become isolated islands, and kayakers can paddle through their narrow channels. More than 100 billion tons of water flow in and out every six hours on the Bay of Fundy, continuing to shape the landscape around it.
The Athabasca Sand Dunes, located in a remote northern region of Saskatchewan, are the largest sand dunes in Canada and the most northerly dunes in the world. Stretching over 60 miles alongside the southern shores of Lake Athabasca, the dunes reach almost 100 feet in height and stretch for nearly a mile. The dunes are a geological oddity for a province otherwise known for its prairie flats — tucked between a lake and a boreal forest, they’re only accessible by plane or boat. They were formed some 8,000 years ago, when ice from the last glacial period receded. Sand and silt washed into Lake Athabasca, and as water levels dropped over time, the massive deposits were revealed. The Sahara-like dunes were shaped — and continue to be shaped — by strong winds.
The dunes aren’t just a visual spectacle — they also harbor a diverse ecosystem. As many as 70 rare plant species, including at least seven that are only known to exist here, inhabit the area. Although there are no on-site services at the Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park, visitors can embark on guided hiking tours, go fishing, and spend the night camping.
Vancouver, British Columbia, has no shortage of breathtaking old-growth forests, but perhaps no forest is more accessible than the one in Cathedral Grove. Located in MacMillan Provincial Park along Highway 4, between Parksville and Port Alberni, the popular forest teems with towering Douglas firs. Some of the trees are more than 800 years old, have a circumference of almost 30 feet, and soar 200 to 300 feet overhead.
The towering canopy earns the forest its nickname, and though it remains dense, a devastating windstorm in early 1997 changed the park forever. Hundreds of the gigantic trees snapped and were felled; some parts of the Grove’s trail were wiped out and damaged so badly they couldn’t reopen. Devastating as it was, the loss of these landmarks also provided sunlight, shelter, and nutrients for new generations of plant life. To this day, the park’s diversity continues to evolve.
Spotted Lake is a geological wonder located in Osoyoos, the southernmost town in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. The lakewater holds a wealth of minerals — including calcium, sodium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate — and as the summer heats up, the lake’s water gradually evaporates. What’s left is a mesmerizing sight: vibrant dots of mineral pools scattered like a mosaic and creating an otherworldly landscape.
The mirage-like effect is more than just a popular sight — it’s considered sacred to the Syilx people, the Indigenous First Nations of the Okanagan region. For centuries, the Syilx have revered this site, utilizing its mud and therapeutic waters for various medicinal and healing purposes. Due to the lake’s cultural and ecological significance, access to the lake itself is restricted. Visitors can instead observe the landscape from the highway or from a designated viewing area.
Stretched out in Lake Superior, the Sleeping Giant is a natural rock peninsula that earned its name from its distinct appearance. From the western or northwestern areas of northern Ontario city of Thunder Bay, the shape is most clearly recognizable, with the giant seen lying with its arms gently crossed over its chest. Traveling south towards Squaw Bay, however, the formation starts to shapeshift as it appears to gradually split into smaller sections. Heading further south reveals an intriguing detail: the silhouette of the giant with a visible Adam’s apple.
There are many legends surrounding this Sibley Peninsula landmark. One Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou, a powerful spirit who once entrusted the tribe with knowledge of a silver deposit nearby. Nanibijou requested that the mine remain a secret among their tribe; if settlers found out, he would turn himself to stone. Word of the treasures spread, however, and it wasn’t long before a Sioux warrior discovered the coveted mine’s whereabouts. Settlers then also heard word of the mine, but as they approached the peninsula, a storm erupted. With it, a remarkable sight appeared: a stone formation in the shape of a sleeping giant.
The Smoking Hills are as much a phenomenon as they are a natural landmark. Located where Canada’s Northwest Territories meet the Arctic Ocean, these sedimentary rock deposits have been smoldering for thousands of years, sending billowing clouds of smoke and mist into the air from the red rocky cliffside.
The constant smoke is a result of the landscape: As erosion continues to expose the oil shale rocks, rich in sulfur and coal, the combustible gasses ignite and result in the continuous smoke. Although the hills were already burning when explorer and naturalist John Richardson mapped the area in 1826, Irish explorer Captain Robert McClure is often credited as being the first to record his observations of the enigmatic burning hills, discovered in 1850 while out searching for the doomed Franklin Expedition. Some stories suggest that a sample rock brought back to McClure’s ship burned a hole through his desk. The otherworldly site remains relatively untouched by humans, but researchers have discovered that its mineral makeup is actually similar to that of Mars, and are studying it to learn more about the Red Planet.
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