Topsfield hosts oldest agriculture fair in America Topsfield, Mass., boasts bragging rights to the oldest agriculture fair in America: the Topsfield Fair. Started more than 190 years ago, the 11-day fair is held each October, with a parade, livestock, amusement park rides, sand sculpture, Giant Pumpkin Contest, Robinson’s Racing Pigs, the Great American Duck Races and much more. More

Cruising The Last Frontier: What You NEED to See in Alaska Massive blue ice glaciers, snowcapped peaks and miles of untamed wilderness have earned Alaska its reputation as a much-loved vacation alternative to warmer destinations. The largest state in the U.S., Alaska is actually one of the least populated. The shortage of residents in no way reflects the droves of tourists who travel to The Land of the Midnight Sun in hopes of seeing majestic humpback whales breach the frigid Gulf of Alaska waters or to hear the thunderous crack of a 10-story chunk of ice calving into the ocean. More

Marshfield Fair offers 10 days of family fun Marshfield, Mass., pays homage to the country’s agricultural industry with a 10-day fair each August. The more than 145-year-old Marshfield Fair attracts at least 180,000 visitors each year for family fun, including a midway, live musical performances, a demolition derby and tractor pulls. More

Experience a Cape Cod tradition at the Barnstable Fair More than 85,000 visitors converge on Cape Cod each July for a more than 165-year summer tradition, the Barnstable County Fair. East Falmouth, Mass., hosts eight days of animal shows, petting zoos, 4-H demonstrations, music, arts and crafts, an interactive NASCAR exhibit, a midway, headlining entertainment and mouthwatering fair food at its county fairgrounds. More

Lowell Folk Festival pays homage to traditional music Downtown Lowell, Mass., is home to the second-largest free folk festival in the U.S.: the Lowell Folk Festival, held on six outdoor stages each July. The three-day, family-friendly event presents an international lineup of folk music, food vendors and artists as well as kids’ activities. More

Hit the Gloucester beach for music, food, art Gloucester, Mass., on the shore of Cape Ann and less than 40 minutes northeast of Boston, features more than 150 juried artists and crafters from around the U.S. during its annual free festival at Stage Fort Park. The two-day Gloucester Waterfront Festival, held each August, hosts live jazz and maritime music, ethnic foods, a lobster bake, pancake breakfast, antique cars and many arts and crafts exhibits. More

Split, Croatia: The New French Riviera With a true mix of what most people would want in a vacation, it’s not a shock that Croatia’s Mediterranean Basin city of Split is fast becoming the “it” destination for Dalmatia residents and international travelers alike. Split has been dubbed the “New French Riviera,” because of the similar features it boasts – balmy weather, sprawling beaches, historically-rich neighborhoods, etc. – but at prices far less than the revered French Riviera cities. More

Barcelona Summer X Games: The Magic of Montjuïc The Summer X Games continue in the overtly beautiful city of Barcelona. Instead of the gushing cascades of Brazil’s Iguaçu Falls, the Spanish backdrop for the May games is an overwhelming panorama of the city itself from the hillside of Montjuïc. The extreme sports events featuring skateboarding, BMX, motocross and rally will take place at the Olympic Stadium of Montjuïc. It will be difficult to tear your eyes away from skateboarder Pierre Luc Gagnon’s gravity-defying tricks or BMX gold medalist Jamie Bestwick as he flies up a quarter-pipe and swings from his handlebars in the air, but you won’t be sorry if you do. More

The Oregon Trail: See What the Pioneers Saw The Oregon Trail is much more than pixelated buffalo hunting and river fording that the ever-popular 1970s computer game made it out to be. The 2,000-milelong emigrant trail cutting through the nation’s heartland was the rural passage that thousands of traders, famers, miners and other pioneers traveled along throughout the 1800s. Today, those who journey to the five trail states have a chance to witness some of the same astounding natural phenomena that settlers laid eyes on as they pushed forward into the unknown more than 150 years ago. More

Cannes: France’s International Film Mecca It’s no surprise that the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival is held in a gorgeous French Riviera city worthy of its own blockbuster. Set at the heel of France’s Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, Cannes grew from a fishing village to one of the area’s prettiest tourist destinations and film meccas. While the Cannes film fest isn’t the only event that happens here, May does tend to be one of the busiest times in the town. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a film critic, actor or fringe artist to appreciate Cannes’ natural Mediterranean beauty and impressive, synthetic playground for the wealthy. More