It is not often that you have the opportunity to experience 5,000 years of archaeology in just eight hours. In March 2016, my husband, Paul, and I visited Qatar, a small country roughly the size of Connecticut that juts out into the Persian Gulf. It shares a land border only with Saudi Arabia to the south.

Most visitors travel to Qatar for business. If they go for pleasure, as we did, it is for Qatar’s futuristic architecture, glittering mega-malls, atmospheric souks and...

My husband, John, and I have been to Nicaragua several times since our first visit in the ’90s. We returned in December 2015 and stayed on the island of Ometepe, home to twin volcanoes connected by a narrow isthmus. 

The island is popular with nature lovers and can be accessed by ferry from the city of San Jorge. Many visitors like to climb the volcanoes, but we preferred walking on the beach, where there were more horses than people. 

We also enjoyed a visit...

After spending 30-plus springs and summers in Europe, it seems to me that, more and more, the culture is celebrated outdoors. Cities and towns everywhere are competing to attract visitors, and there is more than enough music, drink, theater and fun to keep these concerts and festivals going and growing. 

Make a point in your travels to enjoy the scene outdoors… by day and by night. Here are a few random examples of how to put this cultural sparkle into your next trip....