parks Archives

Cloud Gate (The Bean), Chicago: 2026 visitor guide

Planning to see Cloud Gate, The Bean, in Chicago? This visitor guide offers practical tips and essential information for your 2026 visit to the much-photographed landmark. When I first walked into Millennium Park on a crisp Chicago morning, Cloud Gate caught me completely off guard.…

Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah: Ticket prices & visitor guide

For first-time visitors to the Moab area in Utah, this practical guide to Dead Horse Point State Park explains how to reach the famous overlook, the current park hours and fees, details on its designation as a Dark Sky Park, and the available hiking and…

Anastasia State Park, St. Augustine: Ticket prices, hours & visitor guide (2026)

Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, Florida is a protected coastal area consisting of 1,600 acres of beaches, tidal marshes, and ancient dunes. My 2026 guide contains the primary practical information needed for a first visit, including updated opening hours, ticket prices, arrival instructions, accessibility,…

Angel by Deborah Halpern in Birrarung Marr, Melbourne.

Birrarung Marr, Melbourne: My practical guide to the Yarra-side park

Explore Birrarung Marr, Melbourne’s art-filled riverside park. My guide covers art, events, and the best things to do along the Yarra River. Birrarung Marr is an 8-hectare urban park on the north bank of the Yarra River between Federation Square and Melbourne Park. Opened in…

Scarborough Beach in Perth, Western Australia.

Five places I recommend in Perth, Western Australia

I’ve visited Perth in Western Australia numerous times over the years. These five places are amongst the spots I recommend if you want to enjoy the city as much as I have. Kings Park – city views and Botanic Gardens Kings Park, long Perth’s crowning…

19 great reasons to visit Munich, Bavaria

Munich, Germany, ranks among Europe's top destinations for overseas travellers. And it's justified. Here are just 19 reasons why... Englischer Garten: World class urban paradise An arguably unbeatable contender for the title of the world's greatest urban green space, Munich's primary natural lung is way…

I braved Berlin’s Bearpit Karaoke – and I loved it

Berlin’s Bearpit Karaoke is an open air singing session in the Mauerpark. And being willing to have a go is more important than talent. Facing the fear at Bearpit Karaoke This is an awful time to realise that I don’t actually know the words. In…

White sand beach on Rottnest Island, Western Australia.

11 great things that travellers can do for free

Managing a budget on holiday is much easier if you take advantage of the freebies – and most destinations have them. Luther Vandross may have been hopelessly wrong when he stated that the best things in life are free, but there are certainly plenty of…

The Balto Memorial in Central Park, New York City.

NYC scavenger hunt review: Turning Central Park into a game

A review of the NYC scavenger hunt in Central Park. Solve puzzles and find clues to uncover the history and hidden details of the park's landmarks, like the Balto memorial. The story of the Maine Monument in Central Park Ordinarily, I’d probably not give the…

The Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, Washington.

Visiting Olympic Sculpture Park Seattle: opening times & practical information

This guide to Olympic Sculpture Park contains the key details visitors need: hours and admission, how to get there, parking costs and options, accessibility, and the best times to visit. Overview of Olympic Sculpture Park Olympic Sculpture Park is an outdoor sculpture museum of about…