(CNN) — When I told friends that my husband and I were going to visit Uruguay, the first question was usually, “Why?” I had been to Uruguay before so the answer came easy: “The people, the food and the beaches.”

People who know anything about this small country across the Rio de la Plata from Argentina usually know of a few major spots: the capital, Montevideo, the historic town of Colonia and the ritzy beach town of Punta del Este. I had been to the top three, but this trip I wanted to find out what was along the coast. What we found was spectacular.

We decided to reserve a car, buy a map and see where we ended up. Upon arrival in Montevideo we went to the tourist office. Most of their information was in Spanish, but we did find a couple good maps: one showing the coastal route, the other suggesting surf sights. After consulting the maps we planned to make a run to the farthest place we wanted to see then work our way back to Montevideo. Although we stopped at just about every beach town during our drive — and one was just as breathtaking as the next — the following places have at least the basic amenities a typical tourist would need.

Destination uno was Punta del Diablo. The road was well-paved, clearly marked and empty. Taking us less time than we anticipated, we were in Punta del Diablo three and a half hours later. We were surprised at how isolated this former fishing village felt after the relatively short drive. The beaches were practically empty, extremely beautiful and stretched on for miles. As we would come to excitedly learn, this is the norm for coastal Uruguay. Here there are no typical hotels or large buildings monopolizing the sea view. Wooden cabins and dirt roads populate this village. Punta del Diablo is postcard perfect.

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written by Andrew

HILTON, New York (AP) – Greg Lawrence crashed through the underbrush, eyes wide, binoculars swinging from his neck.

“Worm-eating Warbler! Worm-eating Warbler! That’s a lifer for me,” he called to the group of birders he was leading on a woodland trek near Lake Ontario. “Wow. Whew. That made my day. I just got my bins on it before it flew away.”

Lawrence, something of a birding prodigy at age 15 with 305 species already on his life list, explained that the Worm-eating Warbler is a rare sight so far north. The drab, greenish bird, hard to spot as it forages for caterpillars in dense underbrush, nests in the Appalachians and points south.

“It occasionally overshoots its breeding grounds and rests here,” he said.

The wayward warbler is just one of myriad species of songbirds, shorebirds, raptors and waterfowl found along the shores of Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and Lake Erie, a region known as the Seaway Trail.

While avid birders have long flocked to the region, particularly during the spring and fall migration when incredible numbers of birds can be spotted, many people are unaware of the avian bounty here.

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written by Andrew

(Tribune Media Services) — Eleven hundred and six steep, stone steps that never seem to end.

We’re hiking high above Positano along Italy’s famous Amalfi Coast in the Lattari Mountains. This trail is less than three miles, but the elevation is steep and it’s the toughest hike the Backroads hiking group, which includes my daughter Reggie and me, has attempted on this the fifth day of our trip. Reg is at the front of the pack; I’m in the back.

But from any vantage point, the views can’t be beat — 30-foot-tall cypress trees, juniper trees, the candy-colored houses marching up the steep hills, the terraced gardens with lemons, olives, vegetables and, of course, grapes, wild herbs (ever taste lemon thyme?) and yellow and purple wildflowers. Below us, sailboats and yachts bob in the sapphire-blue sea and ferries chug between the Italian islands. I feel like I’ve hiked right into a postcard.

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written by Andrew

(Sunset) — Come home from your next trip relaxed and smarter. Where to learn Spanish, whitewater rafting, astrophysics and more

Sedona, Arizona

Find your path in Arizona

In Sedona, the path to enlightenment involves hiking boots and yoga mats. Sedona Spirit Yoga & Hiking offers four-day retreats where you’ll take guided hikes through red rock wilderness to vortex sites, places where the Earth’s energy is supposedly strongest. You’ll also learn meditation, experience a Native American sweat lodge and maybe even nail that eagle pose. Abbreviated three- to six-hour yoga hikes are also offered.

Play hooky: In between downward dogs and trail switchbacks, check out uptown Sedona’s restaurants, which include vegan and raw choices, or browse art galleries.

Info: September-June; from $995, including lodging and breakfast; yoga hikes from $90; 888/282-9901. –Nora Burba Trulsson

Oaxaca, Mexico

Mix up moles south of the border

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written by Andrew

NEW YORK (AP) – The Caribbean remains a top destination among cruisers, and more are bringing their children along for the journey, according to a new survey by the Cruise Lines International Association.

Cruise experts also say that in response to rising fuel costs, cruise lines are increasing surcharges and changing their itineraries. Some are skipping Aruba, once a popular port, because of the extra fuel it takes to get there.

"You’re seeing a lot less of the real exotic types of itineraries that require more sea time because it’s so expensive," says Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.com.

Consumer interest in cruising remains strong, according to the CLIA, with 55 percent of vacationers who have never taken a cruise intending to do so in the next three years.

But many cruisers are watching their spending, says Brown, cutting back on onboard spending, planning independent short excursions and choosing a cruise near a home port to avoid having to fly to meet the ship.

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written by Andrew

(Tribune Media Services) — As I dodge Parisians walking their poodles and pushing baby strollers in a vibrant market street, I’m reminded that one of the reasons Paris is endlessly entertaining is because of its neighborhoods. On streets such as rue des Martyrs, real people make cozy communities in the midst of this vast, high-powered city. You find a warm and human vibrancy you miss when just hopping from big museum to museum.

Locals know the butcher serves top grade beef — a big concern after what they translate as the "crazy cow" problem. The ceiling hooks — where butchers once hung sides of beef — now display just a red medallion that certifies the slaughtered cow’s quality.

At the patisserie you can jostle with a discerning and salivating clientele for the tasty, little typically French works of art. They bake up special treats in sync with each season: Easter, Christmas or whatever. I’m here at the end of the school year and it’s the season for First Communions — so that’s the theme filling the window displays.

Rue des Martyrs finishes with a commercial climax before ending at the neighborhood church — the Neoclassical (from 1836) Notre Dame de Lorette. And from there, steps lead into the Metro, where all of Paris is just 1.10 euros ($1.60) and a few minutes away.

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written by Andrew

LONDON, England (AP) – Cutting through the canopy some 60 feet high, Kew Gardens’ new XStrata Treetop Walkway gives nature-lovers a look at a part of the forest that’s seldom seen — a view from the top.

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, in west London, is hoping the soaring steel walkway will allow the public to experience the environment hidden just above its tree line.

"Retrospectively it was a leap of faith," curator Nigel Taylor said, describing the difficulty of erecting the 448-ton structure at the heart of an 18th century landscaped garden.

But he said the 220-yard circular walkway allowed visitors to "see a side of the forest that was completely invisible."

Project manager Tony Kirkham said the walkway was aimed at showcasing every part of the tree — from top to bottom. Entry is through an underground chamber where bronze-cast roots poke out of the concrete, animatronic insects buzz and squirm behind glass portholes, and a glowing mosaic (representing fungi) casts an uneven light.

"It’s meant to look like a factory," Kirkham said, "This is the engineering part of the tree."

Kirkham allowed that real roots would have been "pretty boring," but once at the top, the view is anything but.

The whole park stretches out from the various viewing platforms — on a clear day central London’s skyscrapers, some 11 miles away, are visible.

Sweet chestnuts and American red oaks crowd around the structure, branching out over and under the walkway, their leaves poking gingerly through the crosshatches as a sparrow hawk wheels lazily overhead.

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written by Andrew

(CNN) – Flying with a baby or toddler can have its fair share of turbulence. From finding a place to change diapers to keeping your child quiet to dealing with eye-rolling passengers, parents have their work cut out for them on a plane.

Still, with some careful thought before, during and on the flight, you and your baby can survive the ride with minimal headaches.

Booking seats

In a perfect world, your child will sleep on the plane. But kids can be unpredictable — as can flight delays — which makes the planning process tough.

If your child sleeps well in the car, your best bet is to schedule a flight during nap time, said Elizabeth Pantley, author of Gentle Baby Care.

But if his or her nap time isn’t like clockwork, you’re better off not trying to schedule a flight during usual sleeping time, because the baby might stay awake for the whole flight and act fussy, she said.

Pantley suggested requesting the bulkhead seats and a bassinet if you have an infant. However, she cautioned that the front of the plane is less convenient with older babies and toddlers because, with the absence of under-seat space and seat pockets, you’ll have to store toys and supplies in the overhead compartment, making them less accessible. iReport.com: Share your experiences of flying with kids

What to pack

Parents shouldn’t count on anything on the plane keeping their children occupied, Pantley said. It’s important to bring plenty of toys, especially unfamiliar ones that the child can explore for the first time on the flight. Rather than buying all new toys, you can take away some of their toys for a time and have them resurface on the flight, she said.

Remember, your young child can also be easily amused by lots of things, even something as simple as a crinkled, empty bag, said Rachel Fishman Feddersen, director of Parenting.com.

Bringing an ample amount of snacks is key, because "the last thing you want is to be trapped on a plane with a toddler that has not eaten," Feddersen said. These foods can also help the babies with ear popping and keep them occupied in flight.

As an added bonus, Feddersen said, by distributing them to neighboring passengers, you can make some friends of people who may not be thrilled about sitting next to the family with a baby in tow.

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written by Andrew

MIAMI BEACH, Florida (AP) – Charity Simon is sharing a bedroom and a bathroom with two other young women she has never met during her stay at the Tropics Hotel & Hostel in Miami Beach. But that’s fine with her since she is saving a ton of money every night.

Simon, who is from Germany, used to stay in four-star hotels until she found out about hostels, which offer low-price lodging and the chance to make new friends.

“It started with I wanted to travel around the world as much as possible,” said Simon, who declined to give her age. “I asked what is it all about? They said a hostel is where you save first of all a lot of money, where you meet a lot of people international from all over.”

With its Art Deco buildings, bikini-clad women and late-night party scene, experts say South Beach is becoming a hot tourist destination for young travelers looking to spend less money on where they are going to sleep and more on sightseeing.

Anywhere between three to 14 travelers are cramped in one room at a hostel, sleeping on bunk beds. A room with 12 beds can run for $18 a night per person; an eight-bed room is $18; $30-$40 for smaller rooms.

At Jazz on South Beach Hostel, some rooms are divided by gender (four or six-bed rooms for women) while other rooms are mixed. Depending on occupancy, and if there are any empty rooms, people who are traveling together can request to room together - just like they would in a hotel.

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written by Andrew

ORLANDO, Fla. - Don’t let high gas prices and rising airfare put a damper on your summer travel plans. If you’re heading to the theme park capital of the world, there’s plenty new to see and do.

Last year, despite a year-to-year decrease in Florida tourism for the first time since 2001, the state’s giant theme parks still saw more tourists. And for the first time in recent memory, each of them has a new major attraction to keep the turnstiles churning as tourism rebounds this year.

So take a water slide ride with dolphins at the new Aquatica park adjacent to SeaWorld. Come face-to-face with orangutans and Bengal tigers at Busch Gardens’ new Jungala. Zap Toy Story targets in 3-D at Disney, or spin though Springfield on Universal’s new Simpsons ride. It’s all here waiting in sunny central Florida.

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written by Andrew