Maine
Rocky coastlines, lobster shacks, and the wild beauty of Maine.
— guides · — essays · — extras
Montenegro: Ten Days on the Adriatic
From the border crossing at Vitaljina to the cement swimming platforms of Perast, a family trip through Herceg Novi, Petrovac, Kotor, and the Bay of Kotor.
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16 min read
Three places we're deep in —
Featured destinations
Iceland
Fire and ice — volcanoes, glaciers, hot springs, and endless daylight.
— guides · — essays · — extras
Montenegro
Bay of Kotor, medieval towns, and Adriatic beauty off the beaten path.
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Tainan
Taiwan’s oldest city accumulated temples, fortifications, and a culinary tradition over four centuries that Taipei, for all its scale and energy, cannot match. It is best understood slowly, on foot, with no fixed itinerary.
Kanazawa
On the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa escaped the bombing raids of the Second World War and came through with its castle town intact — samurai districts, a geisha quarter, and one of Japan’s three great gardens, all within walking distance of each other.
Johnston Canyon Resort, Banff
At the mouth of one of the Canadian Rockies’ most dramatic gorges, Johnston Canyon Resort has placed guests inside the landscape since the 1920s — its red-roofed cabins strung along Johnston Creek, with a canyon trail beginning at the front door.
Barrandov Studios: Hollywood on the Vltava
On the southern edge of Prague, one of Europe’s largest film studios has been quietly turning out blockbusters for nearly a century — and you can visit.
Upstate NY
North of the city, the Hudson Valley has been drawing artists and weekenders for two centuries — river towns with outsized art scenes, Catskill trails above the old resort plateau, farm stands running into October, and foliage that peaks somewhere between mid-September and late October depending on the year.
Bohemian Switzerland
Where the Elbe cuts through northwest Bohemia, sandstone towers rise from dense pine forest in formations so improbable they look designed. Europe’s largest natural arch, a gorge navigable only by flat-bottomed boat, and some of the region’s most dramatic hiking — all within reach of Prague.
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Plan your trip
Everything you need to travel thoughtfully — practical priorities, cultural context, family-friendly framing, and honest budget guidance. Plan better. Arrive curious.
Itineraries
Day-by-day plans shaped around what actually matters — paced for humans, not checklists.
Landmark Priorities
What not to miss, and enough context to make each visit feel meaningful.
Family Notes
How to make culturally rich travel genuinely engaging for children of different ages.
Books & Resources
Reading lists and activity packs to deepen the trip before, during, and after.
Resources
From the Workshop
Destination Map
Iceland: Highlands & Coasts
$9
Itinerary Pack
Portugal in 10 Days
$12
Family Activity
Museum Scavenger Hunt — Paris
$6
Reading List
Before You Go: Rome
Free
Our story
Travel that teaches you something about a place
Landmarks & Luggage is a warm, design-conscious travel publication shaped by lived family experience. We combine practical planning, cultural and natural context, and original visual storytelling to help readers travel more thoughtfully — and connect more deeply with place.
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