Bombay Beach, Salton Sea, Calif., Dec. 15, 2013. (Shane Hawk) Shane Hawk’s evolution as a photographer and artist is an interesting one. He went from snapping photos on his iPhone 4 and uploading them to Instagram to dangling his Canon 7D out the window of a car to capture mountains in Hawaii in the perfect light. But even before he created his popular Instagram account he had always been interested in the outdoors. “I have always loved nature,” Hawk told...

Dog-sled taxi ready to take guests to Kirkenes Snowhotel. (Thomas Nilsen/Barents Observer) Why wait in line for a cab or squeeze into an airport shuttle bus when you can ride to your hotel in a dog-sled taxi? A hotel in northern Norway has launched a taxi service — which employs a team of eight Alaskan huskies — to pick up guests from the Kirkenes Airport. The trek to the Kirkenes Snowhotel from the airport, a scenic (and cold) 45-minute ride...

A self-portrait at Lake Minnewanka, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada, Jan. 2013. (Paul Zizka) Canadian photographer Paul Zizka not only captures beautiful landscapes in the Canadian Rockies, he also creates unique silhouetted self-portraits that bring “selfies” to a whole new level. Zizka uses a tripod to capture his silhouettes in various scenic and serene locations. But while there’s a sense of calmness in the photos, Zizka says the process of setting up the shot is actually a lot more frantic...

Photographer Chris Burkard said that Norway was the coldest location he has ever surfed. (Chris Burkard) Photos of surfers riding swells are nothing new, but California-based photographer has taken his surfing excursions to the most unexpected places all over the world -- the icy waters of Norway, Russia and Iceland. “I love places like Malibu, but that scene has never been for me,” Burkard told weather.com. “My surf experience and mindset has always been destitute as I gravitate towards empty...

'Due to the mountainous terrain in Costa Rica's tropical environment, cloud forests like Monteverde are covered in moisture-rich fog, giving life to a diverse range of plants. This red suspension bridge allows you to explore the canopy 300 feet above the ground.' (Matthew Karsten) With its stunning landscapes and unique wildlife, Costa Rica has taken a prominent —and sometimes, permanent — place in many travelers' to-visit list. The Central American nation's natural beauty and richness is one of the reasons...

Padlocks adorn the Pont des Arts. The nine-arch metallic footbridge, completed in 1804, is one of the most romantic places of the capital. People visit it to attach love padlocks displaying their initials or messages of love, before throwing the key into the River Seine. (Yves Forestier/Getty Images) This Valentine's Day, some people will go to extreme lengths to prove their love to their sweethearts, perhaps with acrazy marriage proposalor aromantic getaway to a heart-shaped island. But some people will...

An Alaska Air plane is serviced at Newark Liberty International Airport, Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) NEW YORK — This year's brutal winter has led to the highest number of flight cancelations in more than 25 years, according to the Associated Press. IU.S. airlines have canceled more than 75,000 domestic flights since Dec. 1, including more than 14,000 this week. That's 5.5 percent of the 1.37 million flights scheduled during that period, according calculations based...

Hidden Beach - Marietas Islands in Mexico The experience of exploring the world's hidden wonders is one of the best things about travel. From a waterfall hidden in a deep gorge to a park quietly tucked in the Mexican jungle, these destinations feature surprising — and stunning — secrets that will inspire you to go off the beaten path. With its fantastic rock formations and idyllic sand beaches, it might be hard to believe that this picturesque locale was once...

The crumbling ruins speckle the Turkish border with Armenia in a hodgepodge fashion; a half-standing wall here, an empty church there. Standing in defiance to the elements and to the geopolitical turmoil that has ravaged the region of generations, the ancient ruins of Ani are a reminder of both mankind's ability to build magnificent cities and our willingness to allow these monuments to succumb to decay. The various structures of Ani have stood for hundreds of years, with historians first...

Sometimes you just can't avoid a confrontation with Mother Nature. Whether it's the wild ferocity of a tornado or the rumbling tremors of an earthquake, humans have developed plenty of methods for coping with calamity when it arrives. Ecuadorians, especially those living in and around the city of Quito, have made an art of uncertainty. The city is perched on the eastern slopes of an active stratovolcano named Pichincha, which erupted in 1999, but spared the city from destruction and...

Inside the Ice Castle in Breckenridge, Colo. (Lon Lovett/Ice Castles) Ever fantasized about walking in a real-life winter wonderland? Ice Castles, a Utah-based company, has made it a reality for its visitors. Brent Christensen started Ice Castles after he moved his family from California to Utah. He wanted to create something for his children in their new cold-weather environment, so he started with an ice rink. The ice rink, however, wasn’t just a regular skating rink — it included a...

Michael Hodson, who traveled around the world in without flying, white water rafting in New Zealand. (Michael Hodson) In December 2008, lawyer Michael Hodsonquit his practice in Arkansas to set off on a quest to circle the globe the green way — without taking a single flight.After 16 months, six continents and 44 countries, he succeeded on his quest, and has not stopped traveling since. For Hodson,circling the globe without flying represented a big travel challenge that also highlighted environmentally...