On a daily basis, there’s little need to go into a bank anymore. You can do practically everything online, and, when you need cash, you just stop at an ATM. There’s even less of a need when you’re on vacation. However, some of the most beautiful buildings I’ve been to are banks, and they deserve some special attention. If you want to be impressed by architectural beauty, visiting them is simply money in the bank. Read about the top five bank buildings >
Tag Archives: Texas
Snack Time
At some point during the day, you’re feeling peckish. It’s too early or late for a full meal, but you want something to tide you over while you go on the next hike or visit the next cathedral. For me, these unanticipated little hunger pangs occur suddenly, and that’s when I just start looking around for whatever’s at hand that seems like it would fit the bill. In this way, I’ve discovered some local places that I easily would have overlooked—and that I heartily recommend. Read about them >
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Gazebo Gazing
They come in many shapes, sizes, materials, and colors, but gazebos share lots of commonalities, all of which appeal to me. They offer shelter from rain or sizzling sunshine. They’re a pleasant place to rest. They often take advantage of dreamy or dramatic views. They can double as bandstands during outdoor parties and celebrations. And, well, they’re just plain pretty to look at. Read about the top five gazebos >
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Remember More Than the Alamo in San Antonio
The crowds swamping the little Alamo in downtown San Antonio, Texas, seemed torn between visiting the historic mission and the cheesy attractions directly across the street from it. I opted for the former, but not for long. The city boasts so many other fascinating things to see that you’ll soon be bolting away from the tourist mob and investigating its lesser-visited but no-less-interesting sights. Read about the top five things to see and do in San Antonio >
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Beyond the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas
One of the largest cities in the United States — seventh, by population, and 13th by land area — San Antonio is known for quite a few attractions, particularly the revitalized and reimagined River Walk, and, of course, the Alamo, both of which snare the majority of visitors to this Texas city. Given its vast geographical size (461 square miles), you’ll need a car to take in some of the other highlights, such as the McNay Art Museum, the San Antonio Botanic Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden, and the King William Historic District, one of the top 10 U.S. historic districts. But a fairly compact core easily offers up most of the city’s best — and most memorable — achievements in its built environment, and wise travelers will happily stray from its top two attractions to find them. Read more about the top five buildings in San Antonio, Texas >
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Traveling the Mission Trail in San Antonio, Texas
Four missions along a 12-mile road in San Antonio provide an intimate, hands-on glimpse into the era of Spanish colonialism in Texas. These self-contained communities from the 1700s are historic, beautiful, and serene, and you can easily understand and appreciate their original purpose, made self-evident by their buildings and layout alone. And they’re all better than the Alamo. Read more >
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Five U.S. Historic Districts That Make You Yearn for Yesteryear
Designated historic districts in cities throughout the United States provide a tangible glimpse into their past as well as the opportunity to experience a unique urban environment. Long before the era of modern, uninspired skyscrapers and insipid glass-and-steel boxes that increasingly make cities less distinguishable from one another, these places developed as areas not to be mistaken for any other. Thanks to historic preservation movements and landmark commissions, they survive today to entertain, educate and enchant us. These are my top five historic districts in the United States. Read more >
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Five Caves and Caverns of Subterranean Marvels
Every guide on every cave tour I’ve ever been on has asked the inevitable question: What is the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite? Having been to more than a dozen caves now, the answer is easy: Stalactites hang tight from the ceiling; stalagmites grow up from the floor. One day, millions of years down the road, they may connect to form a column. They’re extraordinary to see, but these two formations are just a couple of the natural wonders that lie beneath the earth’s surface. Throw in flowstones, boxwork, ribbons, curtains, popcorn, soda straws, helicites, rivers, pools, and the odd creature or two, and these underground wonderlands become some of the most fascinating places on earth. These are my favorite caves and caverns in the world. Read more >
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Five Post Offices That Truly Deliver
In the present era of instantaneous communication and e-everything, post offices around the world are in serious decline. But it wasn’t all that long ago when post offices were the lifeline of nations, delivering long-anticipated letters, critical documents, history-making news, and packages of all shapes and sizes. Their vital importance was reflected in the grandeur of the buildings that housed them . Although some of them no longer serve their original purpose, these are my five favorite post offices in the world. Read more >
Stephen Travels 