Our fascination with the undersea world is nothing less than primal.  

The chance to enter into a world at once mysterious and familiar—populated by creatures that would make Maurice Sendak proud.

Fortunately, for those who prefer our underwater viewing from the safety of dry land, The Virtuous Traveler Leslie Garrett uncovers a trio of incredible aquariums, each offering up a distinct view—and point of view—of our water ecosystems: ocean, river and freshwater lake.

As school starts back up, America’s national parks often empty out as visitors get back to their real-life routines.  

Leslie Garrett, The Virtuous Traveler, reports on one organization that chooses to bring the classroom to the park.

The instructors and students who choose Yellowstone National Park as their classroom argue that little is more real than the geography, geology, biology, and history they see, touch and hear in the park.

Outside of the jungle, eating a handful of squirming insects might not sound appealing, but inside the dense rainforest, it just feels right.

Protein-rich food can be hard to come by, and in an environment that saps minerals and nutrients from the body through sweat, it’s crucial to replenish by whatever means available.

Memo, the gardener, offers me a handful of fresh termites from a nearby mound. I pop a few squirming termites in my mouth. Crunchy, with a peanut-like taste.

The Virtuous Traveler, Leslie Garrett, took a wrong turn on a road trip and ended up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Not only did she actually get to climb aboard the Chattanooga Choo Choo (hotel), but she discovered the city’s remarkable green journey from pollution to promise.

Geography is not my strong suit.

Which might explain how I wound up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a place I’d neither wondered about nor sought out.

A place that was completely off course from my intended destination.

Sedona, Arizona, long seen as a rejuvenating mecca for New Agers and Baby Boomers, is getting a new reputation as an eco-friendly destination that can also be easy on the wallet.

Simple living maven Danielle Davis shares her top do-it-yourself tips for making any weekend getaway both economical and eco-conscious.

Cancun sunbathers hoping for a little relaxation on the placid stretch of beach in front of their resort got a big shock yesterday when they found crime scene tape and soldiers instead.

The reason: the sand had allegedly been illegally moved onto the beach by employees of the Gran Caribe Real resort.

So the Mexican government sent in armed Navy personnel and environmental officers to arrest those involved, and presumably “confiscate” the ill-gotten gains.

Leslie Garrett, The Virtuous Traveler, recently embarked on a two-day road trip from Canada with her husband and three children—ages 6, 8 and 10. Her goal? To teach her family the lessons of traveling simply without the clutter of everyday life….

Wherever you go as a family, teaching your kids to respect and appreciate the world around them is a gift that’s worth all the backseat whining and relentless refrains of “Are We There Yet?”

It was the sound of Little St. Simon’s Island that has stayed with me. Or rather, the notable lack of noise.

In the 1850s, Regina Hirsch’s great-grandparents made their way to Groveland, California, and homesteaded. Originally from Italy, their goal was to create a community filled with family and friends, the kind of place that was good for raising children.

One hundred and fifty years later, Regina followed in her great-grandparents footsteps, circling back from a lifetime spent elsewhere to settle in the same little town.

At the time, it was a gutsy move.