Michael GabbertExplorer

A strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island, Deception Pass and the bridges that span it are a fascinating day trip from Seattle. Located 82 miles from Seattle, a 90 minute drive will get you to the Deception Pass State Park. Once here, there are a myriad of activities to do - explore Pass Island (the tiny island between the two bridges which span the pass), visit Lighthouse Point, o...

If you're traveling along Hwy 90 in the middle of Washington State, the Wild Horse Monument is a fun and rather quick area to explore. Located 30 miles east of Ellensburg and 60 miles northwest of Yakima, the monument is located just across the Columbia River as you head east. As you drive, there are a couple signs which will indicate the location and distance to the monument. Once off the high...

For any fans of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure or The Wizard, the Cabazon Dinosaurs are instantly recognizable. A roadside attraction off of Hwy 10 - 90 miles east of Los Angeles - the dinosaurs, heralded as the “World’s Biggest Dinosaurs", are a quick adventure.To get to the dinosaurs, you’ll travel on Hwy 10 and take the 106 exit. As is any good roadside attraction, the drive once you exit the highw...

The first part of the trail involves a series of switchbacks through gorgeous forests of Sitka spruce. About a half mile in, you will come to the first bowl/overlook, which will provide a taste of the view to come. Another 1.25 miles from here you will begin to clear the forested area onto the peaks of Harbor Mountain. At this point, you will have excellent views of Mt. Edgecumbe and Sitka Soun...

If driving the Garden Route on South Africa’s southern coast, the city of Knysna is a can’t miss. While there is plenty to do in the city itself, sixteen miles outside of the city sits a perfectly situated hilltop - one ideal for paragliding. At an elevation of a little less than 500 feet and working primarily off of thermals, ‘Cloud Nine’ hilltop is great whether you’re an expert or a first-ti...

The quintessential family friendly hike,  Gold Creek Pond is a simple yet spectacular hike next to Snoqualmie Pass. Easily accessible from the top of the pass (4.5 miles, 12 minute drive), the Gold Creek Pond hike is a simple addition to any itinerary if you're in the area.  From Hwy 90, take exit 54 toward Hyak/Gold Cr. From here you'll head north to Lake Mardee Road (the first right once you...

With a 3 miles stretch of fine, delicate sand along the Gulf of Mexico, Holmes Beach is an ideal setting for a shore hike. As you hike, frequent visits from bottlenose dolphins and manatees 20-30 yards offshore along with Great Blue Herons and Snowy Egrets lining the shoreline is commonplace. While the beach can get crowded during the day, the amount of people is much less than many of the surr...

The northwestern-most point of the San Juan Islands, Stuart Island, is arguably the most gorgeous island to circumnavigate. Unfortunately, as Stuart Island is 16 miles away from the closest ferry port, there is no simple way to get there in one day. A couple of options to get there include:1) Once at Friday Harbor find a transfer to Roche Harbor (or if you are taking your car on the ferry to Fr...

At the northwestern-most point of Oregon sits Fort Stevens State Park. Located 3 ½ hrs from Seattle and 2 hrs from Portland, the park sits closest to the city of Astoria. The park itself has over 4300 acres to explore, with day use and camping open year round. However, the most well-known and most visited section of the park resides on its southern shore. It is on the southern shore where the ...

Starting at the Fushimi Inari-taisha, the head shrine of the Inari, the hike to the top of Mount Inari is a refreshing yet surprisingly demanding hike within Kyoto, Japan. The Torii gates, thousands upon thousands of them in a row, provide a gorgeous setting for a hike. The gates, which have varying hues of vibrant orange and bright red, line your route as you hike to the peak.Located just sout...

While many people see and experience Ayers Rock, few do it in such a manner as camelback. Sunrise at Ayers Rock is particularly fascinating due to the unique colors of the landscape and its subsequent effect on the rock itself. Changing from Red to Orange to even Purple, the changing appearance of Ayers Rock is as fascinating as the rock itselfThe camel tours need to be reserved, but can be don...

In the middle of nowhere within the Northern Territory Red Centre desert sits an amazing and iconic site of Australia - Uluru. Also known as Ayers Rock, this sandstone rock is said to be the largest monolith in the world standing at 1142 ft high.To get to here you’ll fly directly into Uluru airport (AYQ). The hotels and all other structures here were built strictly for the tourism around Ayers ...

Located in the Montmarte district of Paris, the Wall of Love--or as the French call it Le mur des je t'aime--is an off-the-beaten-path place to explore. For a city known for so many different sights to see, a simple wall full of "I Love You" over and over is easy to get lost in the mix. However, this lack of attention along with the simplicity of the square and its surroundings make the Love Wa...

The pitons are the iconic symbols of St. Lucia. Located at the southwest part of the island, Gros Piton and Petit Piton rise dramatically out of the Caribbean Sea. At 2619 Feet, Gros Piot is both taller and far less technically challenging than its sister piton. It’s a can't-miss hike if you ever find yourself on St. Lucia.To get to the hike, head to village of Fond Gens Libre (it's toward the ...

Exploring this classic Five-Storied Pagoda overlooking Fujiyoshida City and Mount Fuji does take some effort due to its distance from major metropolitan areas of Japan. Yet exploring the pagoda is a great day trip from Tokyo. There are a variety of ways to get there, each with different costs, timing, and predictability. Rail (~2 hours):  Starting from Shinjuku station, take the JR Chuo Express...

Just west of the city of Knysna, halfway on the southern coast of South Africa, sits Brenton-On-Sea - a beach town on the Southern Ocean. Sand dunes and crashing waves dominate the scenery here, lending itself to a the thrilling experience of Sandboarding.To get here you’ll head west on N2 from Knysna and exit towards Brenton-on-Sea on the right, directly after the N2 bridge along the lagoon. F...

If you are in or around Monument Valley, the drive and corresponding effort to get to Forrest Gump Hill is minimal. The location is known most notably as the spot where Forrest Gump ended his cross-country run in the movie. It's also simply an unbelievable view. From the most iconic site within Monument Valley, the Mitten Buttes, take Indian Route 42 East 3.7 miles to the West and turn right o...

The San Juan Islands are a gorgeous collection of islands situated 90 miles from Seattle. While most people enjoy the island at B&Bs, and join one of the dozen whale watching tours, the hands down best way to see the islands is by kayaking.Jones Island is a great place to set as your initial destination for a kayak trip. To get to the ideal launching point, first head to Anacortes and board...

The Li River has a long history of Cormorant Fishing. Set amongst Karst Mountains, the city of XingPing (39 miles from Guilin & 15.5 miles from Yangshuo), is the perfect setting to see this beautiful and ancient method of fishing.To get to Xingping, you have a couple options via highways and main roads, as its 39 miles from Guilin & 15.5 miles from Yangshuo. However, the best route is ...

From the trailhead, you’ll travel along a cascading creek ascending through gravel, rocks steps and a couple boardwalks within a dense hemlock, spruce and yellow cedar forest. The first part of the trail is by far the most difficult, with a couple steep areas and tight rock passageways. In total, the Herring Cove section is 1.6 miles long. The highlight of this trail consists of a view of a mag...

An experience unlike any other in the world, camping on the Great Wall of China is a truly once in a lifetime adventure. The ability to legally camp on the actual wall is limited to the Gubeikou section. The section is considered ‘wild’ as it has never been restored since its original construction, which only adds to the intrigue and experience. Beyond the camping, the section is truly special ...

Interlaken, Switzerland; a city known for its extreme sports and gorgeous scenery is a European city that is not to be missed. While you can experience the traditional extreme sports such as paragliding, bungee jumping or skydiving here, it’s a slightly less extreme yet more unique option you should consider - canyoning.Canyoning at its core involves jumping, rappelling, and swimming through an...

Set within the Mount Baker hiking wonderland, the Bagley Lakes trail is an easy, family-friendly hike with alpine lakes, copious amounts of wildflowers, and striking views of Table Mountain. Compared to the notoriety of many of the other hikes within the area, this is a hidden gem. There are actually two option to get on the trail. The first is about ½ mile beyond the Heather Meadows Ski Area a...

The toughest part of this hike is finding the start of it. The start of the hike isn’t marked and there are a small handful (2 or 3) of places to park when you do find it. I’ve placed a map in the photos section to outline the parking spot and the easterly direction of the hike you’ll take up to the ridge. The key to finding the spot is that after the S curve in the road you’ll drive about 0.5 ...