Jennifer Simonson

Jennifer Simonson
The first thing you notice in Nipton, California, is the silence. When the breeze picks up, you might hear leaves rustling in the distance or a rhythmic clang as the wind lifts a rope, then snaps it back down against a metal flagpole. But on a still day, you don’t hear anything. No cars, no voices, no birds, no airplanes, nothing.
The tattered outpost of about 20 residents sits on the bottom of a prehistoric lake bed on the northern edge of the Mojave National Preserve. Scru...

Boats begin skimming the blue waters of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala’s highlands at daybreak. The lanchas, as the 20-seat speedboats are referred to here, act as taxis picking up and transporting local villagers on their way to work, women wearing traditional Maya dress heading out to sell their handmade crafts and tourists exploring the region. Surrounding the 1,049-feet-deep lake, which fills a volcanic crater, are three perfectly cone-shaped volcanoes and 11 Maya villages. Each village is kno...

Domingo cuts the boat engine and we begin to float along the grassy marsh lands of the Laguna Iberá in Northern Argentina’s Iberá National Park, watching the clouds reflect off the mirror-like water. The unusual morning fog has burned off leaving a deep blue sky, and we sit for a few minutes just taking in the view. Eventually Domingo speaks up. “When I was a kid, I would swim in here all the time.”
He had just told us the lagoon was full of piranhas, so I ask the obvious question: “Did it sc...

While it doesn't get the fanfare of Sonoma and Napa Valley, the SLO Coast tucked off the famed Pacific Coast Highway is one of California’s most unique wine regions – and one well-deserving of the hype.
Wine-thirsty travelers tend to turn off the Pacific Coast Highway before hitting the SLO Coast, whether to peel towards Paso Robles to the north or Santa Barbara to the south. Those who do make it can taste high-quality wine in a totally relaxed environment and without the crowds.
In addition ...

Fifteen-year-old Parker Prewozniak is the youngest student on the Rankin High School barbecue team, and he looks it. Standing at least three inches below his teammates on competition barbecue team Kickin’ Ash, Prewozniak hunches over a rack of pork ribs. He’s trying to remove a layer of thick membrane that prevents the meat from fully absorbing the desired smoky flavor. He holds down the ribs with one blue-gloved hand while pinching a piece of the connective tissue attached to the underside o...

Haven’t found the perfect warm weather wine yet? With a few more months of tan lines, ice cream trucks, and garden parties to look forward to, it’s time to look for thirst-quenching approved wine. What exactly can you look for? Think soft tannins, fresh acidity, and fruit-forward.
If you need an example of how spring, summer (and even fall depending on where you live), wines should taste, look to the Italians. For centuries, winemakers there have perfected the art of crafting wines that pair ...

¡Pura Vida!
Once a backpacker, now a resort-lover—it’s all good in CR.
I spent 2003 backpacking around Costa Rica. At the time I was a 26-year-old newspaper reporter wanting a break from my life to “figure things out.” I thought spending a year in Central America would be a great way to decide on my next career path, and as a bonus I would learn Spanish along the way.
To travel for such a long period of time required a constant evaluation of how much money I was spending. Hotels charging more...

El Paso's vibrant cultural scene is strongly influenced by its proximity to the border, its rich history as an Old West frontier town, its thriving communities of artists and creatives, and the tight-knit family roots of its people.
Each of the city’s neighborhoods makes its own unique contribution to this lively city vibe. If you're looking for the best places to explore during a trip to El Paso, we've broken down the city by neighborhood so you know exactly where to go.
Las Plazas Arts Dist...

The island town of Galveston on Texas's southeast coast is a treasure trove for history-loving travelers. Incorporated in 1839, it quickly became the most active U.S. port west of New Orleans. By the late 1800s Galveston was the state’s largest, wealthiest, and most sophisticated city.
Nothing, however, holds a candle to the historical importance of the spot near the Bay of Galveston where, on June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3 announcing that all enslaved Africans...

“The surprise lay in the third niche of the high altar, on the side where the Gospels were kept. The stone shattered at the first blow of the pickax, and a stream of living hair the intense color of copper spilled out of the crypt.” ? Gabriel García Márquez, Of Love and Other Demons
In the deep recesses of a 400-year-old chapel a bartender standing under a slowly revolving rickety wooden ceiling fan shakes mint, rum and sugar together before pouring the liquid into a glass of ice. Not far awa...

Finally, the CDC gave vaccinated travelers the go ahead to travel to their heart's content. And just in time for summer vacation. After a year plus of hunkering down at home with our immediate family members, the best way to re-emerge into the world of travel is to do so with a group of your closest friends. Vacationing with friends can leave behind a lifetime of memories. A little preparation and planning can ensure those memories are unforgettable!
Left: Montage Los Cabos | Right: Montage L...

While most Americans, and frankly most Texans, do not correlate the Texas Gulf Coast with surfing, a small but mighty group of surfing enthusiasts living in oceanside towns keep the tradition of surfing alive despite the state’s less than stellar waves. Texas waves tend to be small, inconsistent and mushy. On any given day, however, with an infinite possibility of weather conditions butting up against 371 miles of coastline, the conditions can come together to produce waves as good as Souther...

Sitting at the intersection of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico proper, El Paso offers an exciting mishmash of cultures and influences.
What was once a wild frontier town has grown into a sophisticated city full of vibrant art galleries, world-class recreation activities, swoon-worthy restaurants, and famous shops (one of which may or may not have the trigger finger of an infamous Mexican revolutionary for sale). Here is a sampling of some top activities to do while you are in El Paso.
Go art sh...

As a Texas travel writer I often find myself on ever-stretching highways crisscrossing the broad shoulders of my great state. While there is a certain comfort that comes from an endless dashboard of wide open spaces, a nice break to stretch the legs and get something cold to drink is always appreciated. Usually I have to stop at some wayward gas station with sticky floors and broken-down soda machines, but if I am lucky a Buc-ee’s will sprout up on my route. And when it does, it feels like st...