The seedy history of Portland on a Shanghai Tunnels tour

Explore the seedy history of Portland, Oregon. Uncover tales of crime and corruption on a walking tour of the city's past, including the truth about the infamous Shanghai Tunnels. To choose from a range of Portland walking tours, investigate the options here. Erickson’s Nine Bar…
One of many witches in Salem, Massachusetts.

Salem, Massachusetts: From witch trials to Halloween central

Explore Salem, Massachusetts, site of the 1692 witch trials. See how the city embraced its past to become a Halloween destination for visitors today. Cry Innocent in Salem, Massachusetts On the stand, Bridget Bishop is doing herself no favours. She’s failing to hide her contempt…
Drake Well in Pennsylvania.

The birthplace of the oil industry in Pennsylvania

In north-east Pennsylvania, discover the origins of a multi-billion dollar industry that fuels the world. The smell of Bradford, Pennsylvania The sudden stench makes me start fretting. It’s not a natural smell – it’s a “there’s something wrong with the car” smell. Has something started…
Selecting a bat at the Wood Bat Factory batting cages in Cooperstown, New York.

How much does a baseball hurt when it hits you?

In Cooperstown, New York, a quest to get into baseball ends up being beaten up in the Wood Bat Factory’s batting cage. Getting hit by a baseball Yeeeeeouch. It seems that baseball isn’t quite for complete wusses after all. The fastball crunches into my finger…
Kayaking along the Chicago River.

Chicago from down low: Kayaking the Chicago River

A kayak tour on the Chicago River brings a closeness to the water – and views of some of the most spectacular architecture on earth. Kayaking around Goose Island It’s not the Chicago I was expecting. The only company when kayaking along the Chicago River…
Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.

The invention of baseball – and the Abner Doubleday myth

Desperately trying to get some kind of understanding of baseball, David Whitley heads to Boston’s Fenway Park and Cooperstown, where the game was supposedly invented. Hunched over the bar, faintly jet-lagged, the statistics blizzard fired past. I had, I quickly realised, no idea what any…
The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.

101 things to do in Las Vegas besides gamble

Circus shows, hiking trails, desert adventures, ziplines and gluttonous buffets are amongst the many options for visitors who want to stay away from the casino floor in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is perhaps incorrectly known as the gambling capital of the world (it’s not –…