The Well in Lower Manhattan.

New York City’s slavery & underground railroad secrets

In Manhattan, a New York City slavery and underground railroad walking tour opens visitors’ eyes to a dark past. Key sites in New York City’s slavery history Alexander Hamilton US Custom House. The Well. 23 Wall Street (the JP Morgan Building). The African Burial Ground.…
One of Portland's many, many food trucks.

Is Portland, Oregon, really full of hipsters?

Spend a few days in Portland, and you soon realise the craft brewing, coffee roasting and urban winemaking are about passion rather than a desire to be hip. Portland’s hipster reputation In the couple of decades, Portland has burst from basically not having a reputation…
A sand timer in the sand.

Which five countries have you spent most time in?

Try to work out which five countries you’ve spent most time in. It may be trickier than you think… A surprisingly difficult question The other day, I was posed what I thought was an easy question: “Which five countries have you spent the most time…
A selection of Chicago's architecture from the Chicago River.

Ten reasons why Chicago is the best city in the US

Discover why Chicago is America's best city: world-class architecture, deep-dish pizza, lakefront beaches, blues music, and Midwestern friendliness. Over my twenty-plus year career as a travel journalist, I’ve visited dozens of US cities. Many of them more than once. I thoroughly enjoy most of them,…