Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Skip the traditional motel. There are a growing number of lodging options for people seeking something beyond two double beds and cable television. For instance, there are a growing number of ice hotels in Canada and northern Europe. The world's oldest, ICEHOTEL (icehotel.com), is newly constructed every year in Sweden completely out of snow and ice. For summertime travelers, the Out 'n' About Treesort (treehouses.com) offers accommodations built into an Oregon forest's treetops.
Explore the wilderness on a self-supported backpacking trip. Visit a national park near your home for a weekend getaway, or hike through the Himalayas. If you appreciate natural beauty and exercise, a backpacking trip might be for you. REI Adventures (rei.com/adventures/activity/backpacking.html) offers backpacking and trekking trips throughout the U.S. and across the globe, in addition to an array of other adventure activity trips.
Some nonprofit organizations offer travelers structured vacations across the globe, providing an opportunity to experience a new culture and to act charitably. Habitat for Humanity's Global Village volunteer program (habitat.org/gv/) hosts volunteers across the world in an effort to eliminate homelessness globally. Volunteers work with members of the communities they travel to and build homes for the needy. Volunteers get free time, though, and opportunities to participate in local cultural activities.
There are naturally occurring geological formations or living organisms that make certain locales unlike any other. In Iceland, for instance, there are natural spas where ocean water heated beneath the surface of the Earth forms in baths above. The Blue Lagoon Spa (bluelagoon.com) features waters of 98 to 102 degrees. Because of its mineral composition, this water has been used in a variety of skin care products. There is also Mosquito Bay in Puerto Rico. Despite its name, it has been recognized as one of the world's top-50 romantic destinations by Travel & Leisure magazine. Here, phosphorescent plantlike organisms give the bay a strong, blue glow at night.