Sandra Friend

Sandra Friend

For three decades, I've shared my love of travel, hiking, and the outdoors with people like yourself through my articles, books, and photography.
06
Feb
Hotel de Glace

Quebec's Ice Hotel

Inside Quebec’s own Ice Hotel, the Hotel de Glace, shiver for the sake of exploring some incredible impermanent art carved in ice and snow.
4 min read
05
Feb
Dogsledding in Quebec

Dogsledding in Quebec

For a chilly thrill in the dead of winter in Quebec, there's nothing like racing through the snowy forests of Duchesnay behind a team of sled dogs who know their stuff.
6 min read
02
Feb
Bonhomme et John

Bonhomme Nights

The spirit of Quebec’s Winter Carnival is Bonhomme, a jovial snowman who towers larger than life over the festivities. As we explore Quebec City, we find Bonhomme everywhere we go.
4 min read
26
Oct
Cumberland Island

Backpacking Cumberland Island

Wander an offshore wilderness where wild horses roam: plan a backpacking trip to Cumberland Island, the southernmost of Georgia's famed Sea Islands.
5 min read
23
Oct
harvester at the Indiana State Museum

Being a kid again at the Indiana State Museum

In a museum as hands-on as the Indiana State Museum in Indy, it's easy to be a kid, playing with the interactive exhibits while learning about Indiana.
2 min read
04
Oct
Vineyard in Baden-Baden

Hillside Vineyard

While walking along Panoramaweg, a scenic trail above Baden-Baden, Germany, I saw the perfect symmetry and texture of this vineyard that climbed up and over a hill.
03
Oct
Two very large whooping cranes

Visiting the International Crane Foundation

Located in Baraboo, Wisconsin, the International Crane Foundation is a Noah's Ark of the world's cranes, ensuring a breeding population into the future.
2 min read
30
Sep
Culver's custard in a cup

Crazy about Culver's

Culver's is a family restaurant best known for Butterburgers and frozen custard. In their home state of Wisconsin, this regional restaurant chain shines.
2 min read
29
Sep
Downtown Chicago cityscape

Taking on Chicago

When I look back at the plans we'd made to leave the Appalachian Trail for Chicago, I have to laugh. Sensory overload made for a shortened trip.
4 min read
26
Sep
A farm covered in corn

Cornfields and Wind Farms

Crossing Indiana twice in our travels, I was introduced to a scene I'd not seen before in America: miles and miles of wind turbines turning slowly above the cornfields of the heartland, churning out energy.
1 min read