Sandra Friend

Sandra Friend

Florida
Three decades and 45 books into her writing career, Sandra Friend enjoys walks in the woods and learning through travel. She's been honored with lifetime achievement awards for her outdoor writing.
10
Mar
Hiking gear at a picnic table

Prepping for the AT

Once a project manager for processing each Space Shuttle after it returned to earth, John prefers to leave logistics for our hike to me.
1 min read
08
Mar
Woman and man backpackers holding hands on a footpath in the woods

Walking into Love

Having met while hiking around Lake Okeechobee this fall, we fell in love and decided to take on this shared dream of hiking the AT together.
3 min read
06
Feb
Rafting French Broad

Kayaking the French Broad River

For hours of whitewater fun in the mountains of North Carolina, head for the French Broad River on a trip with the Nantahala Outdoor Center, paddling to Hot Springs.
3 min read
25
Jan
Houseboats moored in clear spring water

Houseboat on the St. Johns River

For an unforgettable journey through a wild, unruly part of Central Florida, rent a houseboat and pilot it north from Deland to Lake George.
5 min read
04
Jan
A sandy peninsula with a grassy point at an inlet marked with a post

Buffet on the Beach

Carney Island Conservation Area preserves a peninsula jutting into Lake Weir near Ocklawaha, Florida. Lemon Point is at its very tip.
3 min read
27
Dec
Dolphin breaching the water's surface in front of mangroves near Keewaydin Island

Dolphin Watching with Sea Excursions

Cruise the Ten Thousand Islands of Everglades National Park while tracking Atlantic bottlenose dolphins with Sea Excursions.
4 min read
07
Nov
Rio Grande Gorge

Rio Grande Gorge

In the distance, it isn't obvious. A simple gash across the landscape, a ribbon of earth in a wave of green and gold vegetation. The Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico.
31
Oct
Ash Cave Ohion

Hocking Hills: Full of Hikers

Full of geologic wonders that you wouldn't expect to find in Ohio, Hocking Hills State Park is a big draw for hikers, worth the trip to get there.
1 min read
06
Sep
A family on an Indian elephant

Elephant Safari in Nepal

At Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal, there is little infrastructure for wildlife watching. One of the most popular ways of seeing the park is on an elephant safari from Sauraha.
3 min read
14
Jul
Mason’s Ruby and Sapphire Mine

Sapphire Hunting in North Carolina

For the finest finds in Franklin, North Carolina, wade into a mucky hillside and start digging dirt that might score you a gemstone at Mason’s Ruby and Sapphire Mine
3 min read