The Most Beautiful Planetary Maps

The moon's dark side, with colours correlating to geological materials and phenomena -- is one of a series produced in partnership with NASA between 1971 and 1998.



The moon's western hemisphere.


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Most beautiful colonial cities of Mexico

Hernán Cortés' conquest of the Aztec empire in 1521 certainly set off a culture clash. The conquistadors remade Mexico in Spain's image, superimposing European architecture, ideas, religion and social customs on the indigenous culture. The three centuries that followed were wracked by destruction and tragedy, but they also brought the unique cultural fusion that resulted in beautiful colonial cities filled with domed and porticoed stone and tile buildings, cobblestone streets and verdant plazas.
Although the anointed colonial heartland lies in the highlands of central Mexico, colonial cities endure throughout the country. Each city on our Top 10 list has its own unique character and heritage, but all offer awe-inspiring architecture, tempestuous history and lively traditions.
Mérida:
The White City disproves the common wisdom that the Maya are a lost civilization: Even today, Mérida's Maya keep their culture alive with a daily lineup of traditional Yucatecan dances, open-air serenades, mock Mayan weddings and other events. This hospitable city of ornate, European-designed buildings, many lining a grand boulevard modeled after the Champs-Elysees, is an ideal base for exploring nearby Mayan ruins.
Hotel pick: Misión de Fray Diego, with ample 17th century atmosphere and one of the city's most beautiful courtyards.
Morelia:
The capital of Michoacán state was the pre-Colombian center of the only peoples who were never conquered by the Aztecs, and it displays its Indian roots proudly alongside majestic colonial buildings of unique pink quarry stone. Another draw: Artisans from surrounding villages fill Morelia's parks, markets and shops with an incomparable array of furniture, pottery, musical instruments, copper, jewelry, woolen garments, textiles and carvings.


Campeche:
Pirates and buccaneers flocked to this flourishing port to plunder the fabled riches shipped to Spain during colonial times, prompting the construction of a protective wall in the 17th century. Some of the wall, two original gates and seven baluartes, or bastions (several occupied by intriguing museums), still stand. Behind this perimeter lies one of Mexico's most perfectly preserved enclaves of pastel-colored houses and narrow stone streets.


Oaxaca:
A longtime tourist favorite, Oaxaca is best known for its diverse indigenous populations, nearby craft villages and the ruins of Monte Albán. Libraries, business offices, schools, shops and hotels occupy former private and royal homes, churches and convents built by the Spanish around a plaza now lined with cafes. The annual Guelaguetza Festival in July draws thousands to ceremonial music and dances from the seven regions of Oaxaca state.


Puebla:
Founded in 1531 with a charter from Spain's Queen Isabella, Puebla provided safe haven for Spaniards traveling between Veracruz and Mexico City. Today it is known for its Talavera pottery, chiles en nogada (Mexico's national dish) and quite possibly the country's most exuberant Cinco de Mayo celebration. Warning: The abundance of churches with Moorish domes and the Baroque designs of carved wood, stucco curlicues and kaleidoscopic tile in the historical center may trigger sensory overload.


Guanajuato:
Of the old silver cities that grew from mining camps in a valley northwest of Mexico City, Guanajuato is the prettiest. The narrow, music-filled streets that wind around and up and down the landscape's rumpled contours reveal museums in unlikely corners, tiny plazas, old fountains and pastel houses with wrought-iron balconies bursting with flowers. Don Quixote is revered here, as is War of Independence hero Pipila, whose 30-foot statue rises from one of the many hills.


Cuernavaca:
The "land of eternal spring," just south of Mexico City, was a gift to Cortés from Spain's King Charles V. True to character, Cortés' first order of business was to build himself a castle over the ruins of an Aztec pyramid. The city is full of royal residences, museums and churches built in the 1700s and is known for its popular Spanish language schools.
Hotel pick: The Hacienda de Cortés, built in 1530 by the famous conqueror himself for a sugar mill operation.
Querétaro:
Designated the "third city of New Spain" in 1531, this former mission headquarters and mining city is less known for its colonial history than its role in ending Spanish rule. Never mind such historic events as Maximilian's execution or the signing of the Treaty of Hidalgo and the Mexican Constitution — this is where the fathers of independence plotted in secret to overthrow the Spanish. Pedestrian walkways and boulevards closed to motor traffic make exploring historic buildings and plazas here especially pleasant.


Zacatecas:
The city that produced one-third of all Mexico's silver during the height of the mining era is filled with 16th century Moorish-style, pink limestone buildings (some built over many years) adorned by coats of arms, carvings and small balconies. Some of the narrow, twisting streets are so steep that they turn into steps. The cathedral, built from 1718 to 1732, is a Baroque masterpiece.


Veracruz:
Though better known as Mexico's most important port city, this is where Cortés landed on Good Friday, 1519, and set off after Moctezuma. It boasts some of Spain's first architectural efforts and parks filled with African- and Caribbean-influenced music and dancing. One of the forts built in the 17th century to fend off pirates still stands near the city center. The zócalo, one of Mexico's liveliest, is command central for Carnaval festivities that rival Rio's.

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Washington, DC is a wonderful place !!!

Washington, DC is a wonderful place for both individuals and families to visit and explore. There is so much to do and see, you couldn't possibly do it all in one trip, so to make your planning less stressful I've put together a list of the top ten must see sites and things to do. My list includes guided tours as well as museums, monuments and many of the free places and activities the District has to offer.

1. Tour the White House The White House is an architectural symbol of the power of the presidency and one of most compelling sites to see when visiting DC. Self-guided tours of the East Wing are available for groups of at least ten by contacting your Member of Congress. You can schedule your tour up to six months in advance of your visit.

1. Take A Walking Tour of the Monuments by MoonlightThis three hour tour is well worth the $15. The guides are well-versed in stories about how our nation planned to honor our country’s heroes and there is something almost reverent about viewing these illuminated memorials and monuments with the moon lighting the way. You will see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, and the World War II Memorial. This is by and far one of the best and most inspirational tours in the city.
2. Make a Covert Visit to The International Spy MuseumSoviets trying to steal atomic secrets from the US; American spies being shot out of the sky over Soviet territory while photographing missile installations; Robert Hanssen’s ultimate betrayal of our country—-if the world of espionage and double agents is as intriguing to you as it is to the hundreds of thousands of visitors that flock to the Spy Museum, join the crowd. This is a high demand Museum that is packed on the weekends so if you can wait and go on a weekday, the lines may be less dense.
3. The CapitolThe US Capitol is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in our country. Home to the Senate and the House of Representatives come see where our laws are debated and voted on. This free tour is one not to be missed, but tickets are limited so get in line early because they go fast.
4. GeorgetownGeorgetown offers some great shopping and wonderful dining experiences for any visitor. This historic neighborhood boasts houses over 200 years old, an elite university campus, and cobblestone streets that are centuries old.
5. Arlington National CemeteryWith over 260,000 graves Arlington National Cemetery is a somber reminder that our country’s freedom came with a price. The eternal flame at President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are must sees for the entire family. There is always a sense of peace and quiet at this special place, but touring this site in the early morning really lends to the tranquility of the experience.
6. Old Town Trolley TourWith over one hundred points of interest, this is a great way to see the city. The trolley runs all day and your ticket affords you day-long on and off privileges.
7. US Botanic GardensThis is truly a slice of paradise in the middle of the city. This flowering haven is in bloom year-round and with the recent renovations and additions of the First Ladies Garden it is even more beautiful than ever. The Gardens are especially beautiful during the winter holidays when they bring out the electric train exhibit, including a Thomas the Train. Young and old are sure to enjoy themselves.
8. US National Zoological ParkThe National Zoo is actually part of the Smithsonian Institution and one of the many free places to take advantage of during your visit. With over 400 species including the famous panda bears, children will be delighted with this experience. Many local schools take field trips here around mid-morning so it is best to go early and preferably on a week day.
9. Smithsonian InstitutionThese museums offer a vast array of artifacts, art, and historical memorabilia. The exhibits are world-class and offer something for everyone. Best advice: pick and choose. It would take days if not weeks to see all that the Smithsonian Institution has to offer, so pick those that really interest you.

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The 10 Most Beautiful Places in America

USA WEEKEND's Annual Travel Report

It's a nation so blessed with sights -- natural and man-made -- that you could ask all 300 million residents for their favorites and expect 300 million different answers. So how do you go about picking the country's 10 most beautiful spots?



Well, for starters, you go about it very boldly. You solicit opinions from travel writers and photographers, poll your colleagues, and talk to outdoor enthusiasts, historic preservationists and relatives who, every time you see them, seem to have just returned from another fabulous trip. In putting together USA WEEKEND Magazine's annual summer travel story, our editors did all that. To help frame the unenviable -- all right, nearly impossible -- task of limiting America's most beautiful attractions to a mere 10, we also offered a few guidelines. Nominees had to be publicly accessible and reasonably well-known. Iconic stature wouldn't hurt a place's chances, and, given the want of any objective way to measure beauty, sentimental favoritism was an acceptable tiebreaker. In other words, we instructed our experts to follow their hearts. After reading the top 10 list they produced, we hope you'll do the same.

1. Red Rock Country (Sedona, Ariz.)

Ever since the early days of movies, when Hollywood has wanted to show the unique beauty of the West, it has gone to Sedona, a place that looks like nowhere else. Beginning with The Call of the Canyon in 1923, some hundred movies and TV shows have been filmed in and around town. We fell under Sedona's spell, too, and while debating our No. 1 spot kept returning to it for the same reasons Hollywood does: The area's telegenic canyons, wind-shaped buttes and dramatic sandstone towers embody the rugged character of the West -- and the central place that character holds in our national identity. There's a timelessness about these ancient rocks that fires the imagination of all who encounter them. Some 11,000 years before film cameras discovered Sedona, American Indians settled the area. Homesteaders, artists and, most recently, New Age spiritualists have followed. Many cultures and agendas abound, but there's really only one attraction: the sheer, exuberant beauty of the place. People come for inspiration and renewal, tawny cliffs rising from the buff desert floor, wind singing through box canyons, and sunsets that seem to cause the ancient buttes and spires to glow from within. We hear the canyon's call and cannot resist. For more, go to www.sedona.net.

2. Nighttime view from Mount Washington in Pittsburgh

In a nation with a wealth of stunning cities full of compelling stories, ranking Pittsburgh as the No. 2 beauty spot is perhaps our most surprising choice. But the Steel City's aesthetic appeal is undeniable, as is its very American capacity for renewal. Standing atop Mount Washington, the steep hill that rises giddily on the city's south side, sightseers enjoy the unforgettable panorama of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers flowing together to create the mighty Ohio, that waterway so essential in the nation's settlement. The rivers cup downtown's lustrous Golden Triangle, where landmark skyscrapers thrust upward like rockets. At night, lights twinkle on no fewer than 15 bridges. Almost as breathtaking as the vista itself is the urban renewal that made it possible. A century ago, a pall of smoke lay so thick over town that streetlights burned all day. As Pittsburgh continues an evolutionary course that has taken it from trading post to transportation hub to industrial goliath, we salute its reinvention into one of America's most scenic and livable communities. In the life of a city, there's nothing more beautiful, or inspiring, than a renaissance. For more, go to pittsburgh.net.

3. The upper Mississippi River

For third-place honors, we turn to an area less celebrated than others, but nonetheless packed with the unique beauty our nation abounds in. Its low profile makes it all the more charming. To truly appreciate the Mississippi, we leave the familiar territory of Huck and Tom and take a spin on the Great River Road as it runs alongside Old Muddy's upper reaches through Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. One of the nation's most scenic routes, it winds over hills, atop towering bluffs and through one 19th-century river town after another. The sites along the way read like chapters in American history. Ancient Indian burial mounds punctuate rolling parkland, sidewheelers ply the river, and villages on either bank present fine examples of Steamboat Gothic, the ornate architectural style born in the heyday of river travel. In Galena, Ill., 85% of the buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. At Trempealeau, Wis., the Trempealeau Hotel has offered haven to watermen since 1888. The whole laid-back region's real draw is the river itself. Steady and timeless, it makes one fine traveling companion as it rolls toward the Gulf.

4. Hawaii's Na Pali Coast

At the country's extreme western edge, half a world away from the cradle of the American Revolution, we gain a flash of insight into the restlessness that drove our forebears from New England to the Pacific Ocean and beyond. They pushed west in search of paradise. Amid the coral reefs, beaches and mist-shrouded volcanic peaks of Hawaii's oldest island, they surely found it. Along the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coast of Kauai, verdant mountains plunge 4,000 feet into the sparkling Pacific. A short hike inland, where Hanakapi'ai Falls pours into a crystal pool and tropical flowers dapple the lush hillsides, the play of color and light creates the effect of an Impressionist painting gone native. Experience the splendor at your own risk: The hardest thing about a trip to Kauai is boarding the plane to go back home. For more, go to kauaivisitorsbureau.org.

5. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

Engineering marvel, art deco icon, monument to progress: The Golden Gate Bridge does much more than connect San Francisco to Marin County. Named for the strait it spans -- the 3-mile passage between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific -- the bridge is a grand symbol of one of the world's most striking cities. Completed in 1937, the $35 million structure of concrete and steel embodied a city's unquenchable spirit -- and, by extension, the nation's. Set off by its signature orange paint job, twin 750-foot towers that seem to disappear into the heavens and spidery cables that stretch like harp strings, the Golden Gate was unlike anything else ever built. At 4,200 feet, the main suspension span was easily the world's longest. (Almost 70 years later, it ranks seventh.) Facts and figures tell only a partial story: Admired as a practical feat, the bridge is beloved as a work of art, one of the greatest the 20th century produced in any medium. For more, go to sfvisitor.org.

6. Grafton, Vt.

Had the French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in Vermont in the autumn of 1609 instead of summer, he never would have dubbed the land "Vert Mont." In fall, the foothills of the state's namesake Green Mountains blaze red, yellow and orange. Among the choicest spots to take in nature's annual art show is Grafton, right, one of the state's prettiest hamlets and, thanks to the efforts of the non-profit Windham Foundation, arguably its best preserved. The foundation has rehabilitated more than 50 historic buildings, including the Old Tavern at Grafton, a one-time stagecoach stop. Other man-made attractions include the award-winning Grafton Village Cheese factory, a pair of graceful New England churches, a nature museum, a smattering of art galleries and the almost obligatory covered bridge. But the compact village of 600 isn't really about picturesque buildings. It's about the Yankee virtues of simplicity, modesty and saving things that matter. Past and present harmonize sweetly in this vital community. Come fall, you'd swear you can hear the brilliant hillsides singing. For more, go to www.graftonvermont.org.

7. Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

America has older mountains than the Tetons, and higher ones. But it has none more dramatic. The jagged range was formed 6 million to 9 million years ago, when grinding pressure along the Teton Fault caused two massive sections of the Earth's crust to come unhinged. On the rift's west side, a block reared up to form the Teton range. On the east, a separate block buckled under, creating the valley known as Jackson Hole. This geologic violence is what makes the Tetons so spectacular: Forgoing the nicety of foothills, a dozen 12,000-foot peaks shoot abruptly from the valley floor, literally an eruption of granite. Amid the grandeur lies glittering Jenny Lake, left. Named for the Shoshone bride of a 19th-century trapper, the pristine, 2.5-mile-long body of water mirrors the mountains' glory. Beloved by canoeists, hikers and honeymooners, lovely Jenny is also popular with elk, moose and trumpeter swans. Small and dazzling, she is one of the true jewels of our glorious national park system. For more, go to nps.gov/grte/.

8. From Key Largo to Key West in Florida

So little actual land, so many associations: coral reefs, Key deer, manatees, pirates, Key lime pie, silver palms, Bogart and Bacall downing gangsters in Key Largo, Hemingway downing mojitos at Sloppy Joe's in Key West. Florida's freewheeling Keys, it has been said, is where things settle when you pick up the continent and shake it. This much is certain: In the Conch Republic, as Key West is sometimes called, a spirited sense of American individualism prevails. Skipping down the fragile, ribbon-thin 110-mile archipelago on U.S. 1, visitors see things that exist nowhere else in the country. With a peak elevation of 18 feet, the land mass can seem but an afterthought to the shimmering Atlantic on one side and the blue-green Gulf on the other. In places the only thing separating them is the roadway itself, panoptic water enchanting travelers with the deliciously disorienting sensation that they've become one with the sea. Along with famously colorful residents and fauvist sunsets, it's one more Key reason to visit this beguiling place. For more, go to fla-keys.com.

9. Clingmans Dome along the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Winding through 14 states as it makes its rugged way from Georgia to Maine, the entire Appalachian Trail ranks high on any list of scenic gems. First proposed in 1921 by hiking enthusiast Benton MacKaye, the trail came into service as a continuous footpath across the Eastern states in 1937. A monumental achievement, and one that has given countless Americans fresh appreciation for the vastness of the land, it rewards exploration of every well-trod mile. Clingmans Dome, at Tennessee's eastern edge, rises to 6,643 feet, the highest point along the 2,172-mile trail. The surrounding Smokies support more than 4,000 species of plants, 230 types of birds and some 65 mammal species. From a lookout at the summit, hikers gaze upon a fog-streaked wilderness and see the East as it existed hundreds of years ago, lush forest stretching unbroken in every direction. Among the clouds, one feels doubly awed: by our county's magnificent nature, and by our duty to steward it. For more, go to nps.gov/appa/.

10. The squares of Savannah, Ga.

In this charmed city, the urban and the pastoral gracefully mingle in a uniquely Southern way -- that is, with gentility and a generous dollop of mystery. Shaded by live oaks, perfumed by magnolias and surrounded by historic buildings, 22 enchanting public squares (including Columbia Square, above) beckon like secret gardens. Feasts for the eyes, balm for the soul, the vest-pocket parks serve as gathering places, serene retreats and tourist attractions all rolled into one. Spanish moss romantically drapes Pulaski Square, named for Revolutionary War hero Gen. Casimir Pulaski. At Chippewa Square, lorded over by a statue of Georgia's founder, James Oglethorpe, pay respects to the man who drew up Savannah's triumphant 18th-century street plan. Forrest Gump had the right idea: He contemplated life from a bench in Chippewa Square. For more, go to savannah-visit.com.

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