Bucket List Travel — Ranch & Coast Magazine

Both the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco stand in the middle of the historic center of Quito

An Insider’s Guide to Quito, Ecuador

Travel Editor Elizabeth Hansen taps a local expert to explore the Ecuadorian capital

The Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1648 by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his late wife

Expert Tips for Traveling to UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Travel Editor Elizabeth Hansen turns to the list for experiences in the world's most revered places

The magnificent Santiago de Compostela Cathedral has been a place of pilgrimage since the Early Middle Ages

Walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago

Elizabeth Hansen makes the most of this extended time at home to plan a bucket list trip — walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago. Here's what she found ...

Palau: R&C Travel Editor Elizabeth Hansen finally visits her dream destination

A visit to this Western Pacific archipelago, a snorkeler’s paradise, is every bit worth the (long) trip ...

Solo Travel: Tips for trips planned for one

If you haven’t experienced solo travel, think how great it will be to not have to wait while your travel partner visits a museum dedicated to things you aren’t interested in ...

Oh My! Namale!

Namale, Fiji Fiji’s fantasy island awaits Posted on June 1, 2019 Still trying to decide on a gift for a special June bride and groom? If their honeymoon plans are undecided, suggest Namale in Fiji and offer to contribute to their expenses. Alternatively, you might opt to book your own retreat to the luxurious, all-inclusive, adults-only…

Great Spring Gardens

Great Spring Gardens Add these patches of paradise to your travel plans Posted on May 1, 2019 Remember the interminable rain that spoiled our plans and dampened our moods this past winter? Well, it’s payback time. San Diegans are being rewarded with spring gardens that are more beautiful than I can ever remember. All around me,…

Australia’s Underwater Wonders

Getting to know the Great Barrier Reef Posted on February 1, 2019 The world’s greatest living structure runs for more than 1,200 miles along the northeast coast of Australia. It’s a spectacular coral reef that’s home to great schools of colorful fish, mollusks weighing up to 400 pounds, six species of marine turtles, and myriad…

Sweet Dreams in the Land of the Incas

Exploring Luxury Peru Posted on October 1, 2018 I’ve seen lots of beautiful hotels in my years as a travel journalist, but the Palacio Nazarenas in Cusco is the only one that took my breath away and also made it easier to breathe. Thin air in this super high city commonly causes altitude sickness, so…

Tailor-Made Trips

Tailor-Made Trips Posted on June 1, 2018 Our nation recently celebrated the life of former First Lady Barbara Bush and extolled the virtues of a woman who never minced words. Mrs. Bush lived life on her own terms, so it wasn’t a surprise that at the end of it she was still making her own…

Exploring Angkor Wat

Exploring Angkor Wat How to see Siem Reap, Cambodia Posted on May 1, 2018 Angkor Wat had been on my bucket list for a long time. I’d dreamed of wandering among the ancient temples while entertaining romantic notions about the lives of the people who lived there more than 900 years ago. Built between 1113 and…

Finding Happiness in Beautiful Bhutan

Finding Happiness in Beautiful Bhutan Posted on July 26, 2017 My fascination with the Kingdom of Bhutan started with a Time magazine article in 2008. “The king declared that the nation should become a democracy, and his subjects were horrified,” I read. It seems that, after a century of royal rule, most Bhutanese were afraid…

New Zealand’s Must-Have Experiences

New Zealand’s Must-Have Experiences Even though it’s only about two-thirds the size of California, New Zealand is chockablock with wonderful things to do and see. In fact, the hardest part of planning a trip to New Zealand is picking and choosing between the many delicious options. I’ve been a frequent visitor and sometime resident of…

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