J. Clarke articles

For more than two millennia, a Roman merchant vessel rested beneath the Mediterranean off Sicily. In August 2026, spear fishermen Giacomo De Mola and Igor Bisulli stumbled onto the site near Mazara del Vallo. What looked like a rock turned out to be hundreds of ancient amphorae, lead anchor stocks, and a wreck that could reveal more about trade before the Roman Empire.

The Maritimes are only New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Newfoundland and Labrador belongs to Atlantic Canada, but not the Maritimes. That distinction matters locally, even if visitors casually lump Canada’s entire eastern coast together.

Canada and the United States are separate countries, but along the world’s longest international land boundary, the cultural transition can sometimes feel surprisingly subtle. Canadians regularly point to northern American communities where the weather, landscapes, hockey obsession, cross-border families, and general atmosphere feel oddly familiar. From Washington enclaves practically attached to British Columbia to Maine towns with deep Acadian roots, these American destinations can make Canadian visitors briefly wonder whether they actually crossed the border at all.

Tell your family you’re going on vacation with friends and you’ll probably hear, “Have fun!”. Tell them you’re going alone and suddenly everyone wants to know whether you’re okay. Solo travel still makes some people uneasy because vacations have traditionally been imagined as shared experiences. Yet traveling alone is increasingly common, and research suggests choosing solitude is very different from actually being lonely.

If you've stayed in hotels around Europe, Asia, or Australia, checking into an American hotel can come with a few surprises. From mysterious daily fees to giant ice machines and enormous beds, many everyday features of US. hotels aren't universal. Here are some of the things that overseas visitors often find the most confusing.

It doesn't take much these days for a quiet destination to become the internet's latest obsession. One viral TikTok, Instagram Reel, or YouTube video can send thousands of travelers to the same beach, overlook, or tiny café almost overnight. That doesn't automatically make the place worse, but it can completely change the kind of experience you'll have once you get there.

Most historic landmarks can only be admired from a distance, but some of the world's oldest hotels let you spend the night surrounded by centuries of living history. While modern comforts have been added over the years, each of these properties has preserved a remarkable connection to its past, allowing today's guests to experience hospitality traditions that stretch back hundreds—and sometimes more than a thousand—years.

Staying in a hotel seems straightforward, but many habits American travelers barely notice can feel surprisingly unusual elsewhere. Everything from tipping and ice machines to air conditioning and room sizes reflects local customs rather than universal standards. If you're traveling internationally, understanding these differences can help you avoid confusion and appreciate why hotels operate differently around the world.

When people think about American museums, famous institutions like the Smithsonian or the Metropolitan Museum of Art usually come to mind. But scattered across the country are dozens of smaller museums that tell remarkable stories through unique collections, passionate curators, and local history. These museums may not attract millions of visitors every year, but they often deliver a far more personal and memorable experience.