Travel

The canal-side stone path between Nanzenji and Ginkakuji temples in northern Higashiyama — 2 km of quiet, lined with cherry trees and small shrines. The walk the guidebooks are right about.

Tip: Walk south to north (Nanzenji → Ginkakuji) to keep the sun behind you in the morning.

The walkway above the gorge at Takachiho — basalt columns, the Manai waterfall dropping 17 meters into the green water below. Short walk, arresting landscape.

Tip: Rent a rowboat from the base to see the waterfall from the water — worth it.

The hot-spring-fed lake in Yufuin town — early morning mist rising from the surface, Mount Yufu in the background. The town is best seen before the day-trippers arrive.

Tip: Go before 9am. The mist disperses as the morning warms and the tour groups arrive.

The stone bridge corridor in Nagasaki — a stretch of the Nakashima River lined with 17th-century stone arch bridges, including the famous Meganebashi (Spectacles Bridge). Short but historically dense.

Tip: Continue past Meganebashi toward Suwa Shrine — steep steps but good views.

Take the gondola to Grindelwald First, walk the glass-platform cliff walk, then continue 1.5 hours to Bachalpsee — an alpine lake that reflects the Wetterhorn and Schreckhorn. The classic Jungfrau day hike.

Tip: Start early — afternoon cloud builds fast at altitude. Bachalpsee is clearest before noon.

One of the classic Jungfrau region hikes — a moderate 2–3 hour walk up from Wengen village to the Kleine Scheidegg saddle, with the Eiger north face ahead of you the entire way.

Tip: Return by cogwheel train from Kleine Scheidegg — the downhill isn't worth the knees.

An easy 30-minute path between two car-free cliff villages above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Both villages are bypassed by most tourists — the walk between them is a reason to stay the night in the Bernese Oberland.

Tip: Walk Mürren → Gimmelwald for a slight downhill. The valley views are constant.

Through the quiet streets before the tourists wake up — Rue Lepic, Rue de l'Abreuvoir (the most photogenic street in Paris), Place du Tertre before the portrait artists arrive, and up to Sacré-Cœur for the view.

Tip: Go before 9am. Rue de l'Abreuvoir at 8am, quiet and covered in ivy, is the version worth having.

Walking north along the Prinsengracht toward the most beautiful canal junction in Amsterdam — where the Prinsengracht meets the Brouwersgracht. The Jordaan neighborhood is on your right the entire way.

Tip: Continue along the Brouwersgracht east toward the Jordaan cross-streets for the best canal views.

A mostly flat boardwalk trail through the northernmost rainforest in North America — mossy spruce, devil's club, and the sound of water the whole way — ending at a gorge where the creek roars through the rock. Easy enough for grandparents, interesting enough for kids.

Tip: The boardwalk sections keep you out of the mud. The gorge at the end is the payoff — go all the way.

The most-climbed mountain in Alaska, a short drive up from Anchorage. Big views over the city, Cook Inlet, and the Chugach come fast — with Denali on the horizon on a clear day. The final push to the summit is a steep, hands-on scramble, but the views from the shoulder are excellent without it.

Tip: With kids or grandparents, stop at the shoulder — the views are most of the reward and you skip the exposed final scramble.