Record tourism could harm Easter Island statues
EASTER ISLAND, Chile - It's earth's most-remote inhabited land, a South Pacific speck of volcanic rock so isolated the locals call it "Te Pito O Te Henua," or "The Navel of the World."

But Easter Island is a bellybutton experiencing a touri...See Story

 

New Orleans goes bug-eyed over new Insectarium
NEW ORLEANS - Ron Forman wants to change grown-ups' views of bugs and spiders from "ehttp://www!" to "cool!" After all, such critters clean the earth, pollinate plants and form a huge chunk of the food chain.

"Without insects, nature doesn'...See Story

 

Alamo debuts audio tour of historic battle
SAN ANTONIO - The faint sound of cannon fire, firsthand accounts, the famous cry, "Remember the Alamo!"

Millions of people come each year to the site of one of the most famous battles in history, where they stand in the mission-turned-fort ...See Story

 

At Ga. aquarium, guests swim with whale sharks
ATLANTA - It might have been the setting for a "Jaws" movie.
Six snorkelers wading like ducks in a row, cruising just below the surface of the water while watching exotic fish dart beneath them. It was all very peaceful, until the mysterious whal...See Story

 

Caribbean remains top cruise destination
NEW YORK - 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...See Story

 

Hiking trail through Israel's north follows in footsteps of Jesus
MOUNT OF BEATITUDES, Israel - A dirt path begins across the road from a bus-congested holy site on Israel's Sea of Galilee, winding up a hill covered with wild oat and thistle.

Thousands of pilgrims each year visit the stone church at Tabgh...See Story

 

Waikiki's pink palace to get less pink inside
HONOLULU - The last time this iconic pink hotel was closed for renovations, World War II had just ended and the barbed wire that stretched along the shore of Waikiki had been removed.

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has shut its doors again. This ...See Story

 

Britain's Kew Gardens shows off Treetop Walkway
LONDON - 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, i...See Story

 

Flat visitor season anticipated in Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - With runaway fuel prices, it's somehow fitting that Jim and Wilma Fowler's Airstream Safari sports a green sign, "Alaska or Bust," on the back window of the 25-foot travel trailer.

The couple's friends were flabbergasted...See Story