Margo Schmiederer

The Met Cloisters is an art museum owned by the Met that boasts religious (mostly Catholic) art from a range of time periods as the building used to function as a cloister for monks. The inside of the Cloisters museum is a castle-like building that can be visited for a small ticket fee (suggested donation).  There is an ample amount of green space that surrounds the museum that is open to the p...

Swim in Lake Erie and then camp right next to the beach at Geneva State Park! Located an hour outside of Cleveland, Geneva State Park is a beautiful park with lots of outdoor activity options perfect for all kinds of groups. The Park offers boat access to the Lake through a six-lane boat ramp and marina with charter fishing boat services for water activities. Alternatively, you can enjoy a day ...

Enjoy a once in a lifetime experience dog-sledding in Quebec, an hour outside of Ottawa, with Escapade Eskimo! The guide of the tour is the owner of the business who also runs a lodge that you can stay in before and after your trip. You'll arrive at the lodge, check-in, and once ready, you'll drive a few minutes down the road to the launch point where you'll meet the guide with the dogs. You'll...

A well-kept mountain biking trail right in Core Creek Park! The trail can easily be ridden by beginners, although there are several parts with lots of roots and/or logs where beginners may want to carry bikes over rather than riding.  You can access the trail by using the entrance to Core Creek Park that's across from Maple Point Middle School (Woodbourne Road). Drive all the way to the end whe...

Sacre Coeur is an incredibly beautiful Church sitting atop Montemarte, a large hill in Paris. From the top of the hill, you'll have a great view of the City and horizon. Montemarte is also conveniently located within walking distance of the Moulin Rouge so that you can see several points of interest on your trip. Be sure to go inside Sacre Coeur as it is arguably even more beautiful inside than...

Take advantage of the abundance of snow in Northeast Ohio with snowshoeing! Only 30 minutes outside of Cleveland, the North Chagrin Reservation has snowshoe and pole rentals for use on any of its trails when there is more than 4 inches of snow on the ground. It is a beautiful hike through the snowy woods on the top of a small gorge that leads town into a creek. The trails start at 2 miles and e...

The Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is a pilgrimage for anyone interested in religion and history. Along your way you will see the place where it is believed that Jesus ascended into heaven, the Garden of Gethsemane (where Jesus suffered the night before he was crucified), and the Church of Pater Noster (Roman Catholic), among many others. It is a humbling and almost out-of-body experience to see ...

Spend a blissful day at Cascade Ski Center in the heart of the Adirondacks at Lake Placid, New York. This Nordic Ski Center has over 15 miles of groomed trails for cross country skiing and snowshoeing with rentals available. The Center also hosts a full-service bar and restaurant, as well as several couches, for relaxing and refreshments between runs.  Most of the trails link together for loops...

A serene center for meditation nestled within the jungle off the main road that circles around Ko Lanta. The International Center for Buddhist Meditation Ko Lanta is open daily meditation at 11:30am and 7pm, including individual sitting meditation and group walking meditation led by the monk. The space is large enough for a few people to join, but the less people the better as it is an exercise...

Try shooting a gun with L.L. Bean's Discovery Sporting Clay course. You can book courses in the morning or afternoon and will meet at a specified location (the range) where you will meet with the guide and other participants. You will be introduced to the sport of shooting a gun at artificial targets in the air and then have the opportunity to do it in live action. It's incredibly fun and teach...

Run along the Forth, that leads out to the Atlantic Ocean, in Edinburgh at the Portobello Beach Promenade. Accessible by bus, Portobello Beach is generally a quiet and sleepy town. The promenade runs for 2 miles and because both the boardwalk and beach are wide. It is perfect for runners and cyclists. 

This is a very memorable hike that cuts through open fields and has great views of Edinburgh and its surrounding area. The ascent up Cockleroy Hill is quite challenging as it is very steep, but you'll have sheep to keep you company as you make your way up (don't get too close to the sheep, however). You'll be hiking parallel to a fence that you'll want to follow as it leads to the top of the hi...

Preserved as a historical site, Rievaulx Abbey used to be a monastery for religious orders. The ruins sit on a small hill and can be explored and photographed as they are beautiful monuments against the beautiful English countryside backdrop. The ruins are maintained and administered so that there is a cafe on the site where you can purchase refreshments and books about the site's history. Ther...

Photograph the Pittsburgh skyline from Mt. Washington! It's a spot now famous for wedding photo backdrops, family portraits, etc. so you may have to wait a little while to get one of the overlooks to yourself. It's generally easy to park along the street (metered) and then you only have to walk directly across the street to reach the sidewalk that has overlook points.  There are several imp...

Take a quick ferry ride across the St. Lawrence River for spectacular views of Quebec City, Cap-Diamant, the Château Frontenac, and Dufferin Terrace from the water. The ferry is the Quebec City-Levis Ferry and has regular service throughout the day, as well as into the night. The ride is short, only about 10 minutes across the river, but it is a worthwhile trip if only for pictures and views!  ...

On your way to Quebec City, or on your way out, stop by Hotel de Glace for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure exploring structures made completely out of ice. For a fee that you can pay at the entrance, you will have access to all of the ice buildings, including the hotel, chapel, and bar, which has exceptional cocktails. You can also stay at the hotel and sleep in one of the ice rooms with a bed m...

Lake Erie off of Cleveland has one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Midwest! Bring your camera to Edgewater Park to capture the sun setting from land (free and easy parking), or kayak on the lake and get an encompassing view of the City at sunset.

Kayak on Lake Luxembourg at Core Creek Park! It's a beautiful and quiet lake with serene views of the forest and park. You can rent boats and water bikes at the park, or bring your own, and launch directly onto the lake. To access the Lake, use the entrance to Core Creek Park on Bridgetown Pike.  Afterwards, use one of the many picnic areas in the park for lunch with family or wait until the ic...

Take a dip at Echo Lake in Acadia National Park! It's a small beach that's best driven to and easily park-able once you arrive. It's a refreshing stop for swimming that's right off of the beat and path. There are many campgrounds that rest upon the shores of Echo Lake if you want to be right on the water! Parking is easy - just drive as far as you can and park in a space that is not affiliated ...

Spend an afternoon enjoying the many indoor and outdoor baths a Szechenyi Baths. It is an ancient Roman and Turkish tradition to bathe in thermal outdoor baths, and your ticket to Szechenyi will provide towels and access to a locker room where you can shower before and after. It's a fun way to spend an afternoon and get great pictures. You can easily get tickets online and you should as there i...

Capture the beautiful barn house shop on a farm while taking in the wonderful scent of lavender. Peace Valley Lavender Farm is open during the day and sells a plethora of lavender products from soaps to eats. Pull into the driveway and park behind the barn house for free.  It's a wonderful spot for portrait photography, family photography, etc. 

Drive 15 minutes north of Quebec City for the outdoors oasis that is Montmorency Falls, officially Parc de la Chute-Montmorency. This is a fairly large waterfall whose waters lead into the St. Lawrence River and that offers lots of different points for which you can take in your surroundings. There is even a pedestrian-only bridge that crosses over the waterfall and leads to steps that allow on...

Enjoy an hour of horseback riding on Rolling Hills Ranch in Bridgeville, PA, 20 minutes outside of Pittsburgh. The ranch accommodates large groups and provides a guide for trips, who will leave the group for some time as the horses know the route so that you can enjoy the trip alone with family and friends. You will begin your ride looking at a hill and descending into a forest. In the forest, ...

Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, is a nature preserve south of Petra, known for its beauty and history. It has striking landscape, ridges, arches, and beautiful colored sand that will leave you in awe. You can tour Wadi Rum by Jeep (or other car) or by camel, typically in groups led by a local guide. Along the tour, typically 1.5-2 hours, you will have the opportunity to stop to ...