Learn more about civil rights history in Birmingham, Alabama, but don’t miss its deep industrial roots, great food, and a downtown park called City Walk BHAM that should be a model for every city.
Captured Moments Featured Photo
“Wandering through festivals, parks, and city streets is candy to me as a photographer. There are so many opportunities to capture passing action, fleeting moments, and meaningful interactions that make you smile, laugh, or admire the human spirit…” Read the story behind this award-winning photo of a Jamaican drummer in Berlin.
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Destinations, Travel Tips, Food, Essays
Empanada perfection: I learned to make yummy empanadas at Finca Valentina
Seeking a deliciously deep dive into Argentina’s empanada culture, I took a hands-on empanada cooking class with Chef Maria at Finca Valentina in Salta, Argentina.
Paying to pee: bathroom tips for every traveler
Traveling can be a bladder test, especially in Europe, but free public toilets and programs like Germany’s “Nette Toilette” offer relief. Learn tips for finding bathrooms without paying or compromising cleanliness.
My Sicilian adventure: discovering Inspector Montalbano’s Sicily
Southeastern Sicily is famous for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Baroque architecture, food and chocolate. And it’s also famous for a certain Inspector Montalbano — as I was about to find out on my Sicilian adventure.
Berkeley eats: where global flavors meet eclectic culture
Berkeley California’s world-class gastronomic scene makes the city a perfect base camp for Bay Area explorations. Come for eclectic culture, stay for great food and drink.
Gulf State Park: where luxury, sustainability, and nature meet
Explore Gulf State Park, a beacon of sustainability in Alabama, and a perfect destination for anyone seeking nature, relaxed luxury, pristine beaches, and outdoor adventure.
Berlin Tempelhof: Experience history at Berlin Airlift hub
When the then-Soviet Union in 1948 choked off West Berlin from any supplies, the Allies started the massive Berlin Airlift supply operation to Tempelhof. You can visit Tempelhof’s history.
Modica chocolate festival in Sicily: Indulge in all things chocolate
Sicily may be renown for baroque architecture, beaches, and the Mount Etna volcano, but if you venture there in December you’ll discover it is famous for chocolate too. Chocomodica, a chocolate festival for chocolate lovers. Plus, get a bonus recipe here.
Gioietta Ospitalita in Modica, Sicily promises comfort, views and rest
Gioietta B&B is a delightful bed and breakfast escape located right in the heart of historic Modica in Sicily.
Learn to sail with Nautilus Sailing: A sailing adventure in Croatia
Learn to captain your own catamaran during a week-long liveaboard sailing course in Croatia with Nautilus Sailing. Get a captain’s certification, too. Come along on our adventure.
Riding the Alaska Railroad train from Fairbanks to Anchorage
Every summer morning Alaska Railroad trains depart on a 356-mile journey connecting Anchorage and Fairbanks with stops in Wasilla, Talkeetna, and Denali National Park. We took the southbound route for a relaxing, scenic train adventure.
Explore industrial history at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham
A national historic landmark, Sloss Furnaces blast furnace plant in Birmingham was once the largest maker of pig iron in the world. Today, the 19th-century industrial site is preserved as a museum. Take a tour in photos at its collection of historic buildings, towers, machinery, and furnaces.
News & Updates
Therese Iknoian wins Best in Show in the IFWTWA 2025 Photo Contest
Therese Iknoian, co-owner of HITravelTales.com, won Best in Show in the IFWTWA 2025 Photo Contest with an “environmental portrait” of a Jamaican drummer at a festival in Berlin, Germany.
Michael Hodgson wins Best in Show in the IFWTWA 2024 Photo Contest
Michael Hodgson, co-owner of HITravelTales.com, wins Best in Show in the IFWTWA 2024 Photo Contest for the second year, while both Therese Iknoian and Michael take home multiple medals.
Therese Iknoian named Photographer of the Year, we win multiple medals
Therese Iknoian, co-owner of HITravelTales.com, named NATJA Photographer of the year, while both Michael Hodgson and Therese took home multiple gold and silver medals.
Grab your passport and camera & let’s go …
Hello! We’re Michael and Therese, and we share a deep love for travel adventures big and small, as well as each other. Our deep curiosity and passion for immersive travel, discovering distant places, meeting new people, and learning about other cultures has taken us to all seven continents, 48 countries (and counting) and all 50 states in the United States.
Our content is always informative, sometimes humorous, and filled with award-winning photography. Take a peek inside and we promise you’ll find travel tips, photographs, and destination stories that will inspire your own travel dreams and adventures.