Crystal Sibson

Dolphin Bay, locally known as Laguna Bocatoriti, is popular boating destination in Bocas del Toro and for good reason. The bay hosts pods of dolphins throughout most of the year. June and July are especially good for spotting dolphins as the rougher seas surrounding the islands make the calm waters of the bay more appealing. The bay is surrounded by mangrove trees which draw an abundance of sma...

Boca del Drago is one of the best beaches on the island, though the surf can be rough at times. This beach is on the Northern end of the island so its not as protected from the large swells in the open ocean. Just offshore from the beach is a patchy coral and sand sea bottom that offers good snorkeling when the sea is calm and the water clear. There is also a nearby restaurant and snack bar so ...

Starfish beach is a large beach with many small restaurants and bars making this a fun place to spend the afternoon. The waters here are crystal clear and calm for most of the year, with the exception of a few northerly swells that the island receives in November and December.  There is a high concentration of starfish that come to the beach to feed. Although it might be tempting to touch the s...

The Superstition Wilderness is a vast rugged landscape where you can find the cultural remains of ancient Hohokam, Salado, Apache, and Yavapais tribes.  Rogers Canyon Trail takes you to one of the most impressive and best preserved archaeological sites this region has to offer.  These Salado ruins can be found in a series of caves 4 miles into the canyon.   The trailhead starts from the Rogers ...

This is probably one of the most scenic drives in the Petrified Forest National Park.  From the main road, the loop is only three miles long.  There are many pullouts along the loop where you can get out of your vehicle to snap some photos.  You will see many large pieces of petrified wood strewn across the landscape.  You will also find information signs posted along the loop explaining the hi...

Due to a geothermically heated underground river, the area surrounding Arenal Volcano has an abundance of hot springs. The majority of these hot springs are in expensive resorts that have tapped into the underground river to create a variety of mineral rich soaking pools. One of the areas best kept secrets is the free hot spring river, Rio Chollin. This is the same river that flows through one ...

The Moccasin Mountain Dinosaur Tracksite is one of the most diverse track sites in North America.  The site contains hundreds of fossilized tracks from at least five different species of dinosaur.  The tracks have been preserved since the early Jurassic period dating back to approximately 180 million years ago when the site was an oasis.  The footprints have been revealed by the erosion of the ...

Skulls and bones of thousands of soldiers line the walls of Ossario di San Martino.  The small chapel houses over 1200 skulls and thousands of other bones that belonged to fallen soldiers who fought in the battle of San Martino during the Second Italian War of Independence.  It was one of the bloodiest battles fought by Northern Italians.  In addition to the Ossuary, a tower and museum were als...

Playa Puerto Viejo is a beach in the heart of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. It's a great place to come relax on the beach, swim or catch the sunset. Just off shore there is the remains of an old shipwreck which is fun to photograph. There's also many venders, shops and restaurants in the area that cater to tourists.  Information on Parking:The beach is in the town or Puerto Viejo where the main roa...

Playa Negra is a beautiful blank sand beach in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. Just off shore there is the remains of an old barge shipwreck that is slowly being reclaimed by nature. The barge is heavily rusted with grass and even a tree growing out if it. The sand is incredibly fine and can be quite hot in the sun. This is a beautiful spot to catch the sunset as the barge makes for some great photog...

The Zapatillas Islands fall inside the boundaries of the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park. The marine park covers an area of more than 13,000 hectares including the Zapatilla Islands and several other small islands in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago. To get to the island there are many different tour operators in the province of Bocas del Toro that can arrange a boat to Zapatilla Island. Mo...

A private trail just outside of La Fortuna, Costa Rica has a high concentration of sloths that can often be spotted along the short hike. The land here is very dense with vegetation making it a perfect home for the sloth. Most of the land surrounding this 9 hectares lot has been cleared for farming or development.   The sloth tour is located just off the side of the highway between Arenal Volca...

The drive from Monteverde to La Fortuna/Arenal can be a long one.  Fortunately the waterfalls at Viento Fresco are located halfway between these two popular tourist destinations, giving you the perfect opportunity to stretch your legs and go for a swim. The waterfalls are on private property and requires an entrance fee of $16 to visit.  There is an office/restaurant along Route 145 where you c...

See Canyon Trail #184 is a 7.6 mile trail in the Tonto National Forest that features a creek and spring.  This trail is most popular during the fall when the leaves begin to change color and fall along the creek. The trail runs from the parking lot up to FS 300 above the rim.  The trail starts off easy going with very little elevation gain.  It doesn't become difficult until the last mile going...

Hoodoo's are unique rock formations formed over many years by erosion.  In this region, the hoodoos are formed through a process called frost wedging.  This is the process of repeated freeze thaw cycles.  As snow melts the water seeps between the cracks in the rocks then freezes at night when the temperatures drop.  The water expands as it freezes slowly widening the cracks.  This region can ha...

The Pantheon is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome famous for its large circular domed cella.  Since the Renaissance, there have been several important burials here, including Raphael the famous painter. Many relics and priceless pieces of art are on display to visitors.  The Pantheon receives millions of tourists every year. An earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa s...

Colorful lights aluminate the path as it winds its way through the cave to a viewing platform next to the waterfall. The waterfall is so high that you can't see the top from this view point. There is another viewing platform 40 meters above this one. To get to the upper platform go back out of the cave and follow a trail that leads up the mountainside and through a tunnel. After exploring the c...

The Lost Canyon Canyoneering tour is full day of adventure.  The day starts with a shuttle pickup from your lodging  in the La Fortuna area.  After a ride through the rural community and up to the canyon ops center, your adventure guide will fit you with canyoneering gear and give a brief tutorial.  As soon as the instructional course is complete your group will make its way toward the canyon. ...

Grosvenor Arch is a sandstone double arch located in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  The arch is named after Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, a president of the National Geographic Society.  To reach the arch, park in the trailhead parking lot off Last Chance Creek Road.  The arches are visible from the parking lot, but you can get a closer view by following the well marked trail to the b...

The Pacuare River flows 67 miles through the jungles of Costa Rica into the Caribbean Sea.  The river is popular for white water rafting, kayaking and river boating.  It is considered by National Geographic to be one of the best and most scenic rivers in the world for rafting.  The lush jungles surrounding the river are home to many exotic animal species such as the jaguar, monkeys, ocelots, an...

Much like the city of Pompeii, Herculaneum was devastated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The site is located to the West of the Volcano in the modern town of Ercolano. Easily reachable by car or a short walk from the train station. Prior to the eruption of Mt Vesuvius, Herculaneum was a thriving metropolis founded in the 6th-7th century BC. After being inhabited for centuries, the c...

The television series of Gunsmoke was an American classic.  635 episodes aired on prime time television over the course of twenty years, from 1955 to 1975.  The movie set was the largest set constructed in the Kanab area.  After the filming ended, the buildings were not maintained and became heavily damaged.  Due to the state of disrepair, you can no longer access the buildings.  However, they ...

The Million Dollar Highway in Southern Colorado is a scenic mountain drive with many beautiful sights.  Pinkerton hot springs is located on the side of the highway just outside of Durango, Colorado.  There is a small pullout area for parking with a plaque explaining the history of the area and the Pinkerton Ranch and hot springs.  The minerals from the spring have created quite a unique rock fo...

No trip to Italy is complete without exploring the heart of ancient Rome.  The ruins of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill contain many of the most important structures and buildings of the ancient city. For centuries, the forum was the center for day to day life.  There were important government buildings, a marketplace, monuments, statues and so much more.  The standard admission ticket covers...