Destinations

Best Cities to Live in Idaho

In recent years, the underrated Idaho has become an increasingly sought-after spot to live, work and travel as word spreads about the Gem State’s considerable charms.

This Coastal Route in Has Rainforests, Lagoons, and One of the World’s Most Scenic Drives

I often feel like a broken record, always claiming every road in South Africa is the most beautiful one in the country.

The Whitewashed Town Hidden Beneath a Giant Rock

Somewhere in the province of Cádiz, a whole town just melts into the rock. Streets dip beneath huge stone overhangs.

The 18 Best Small Towns to Retire in America

Retirement shouldn’t mean moving to a giant planned community in Florida where everyone drives golf carts and complains about the HOA.

Skip Miami: This Tropical Metropolis Has Better Skylines, Cheaper Seafood, and a Colonial District That Feels Straight Out of a Movie Set

Exploring this dynamic Central American capital quickly reveals that it is far more than a single world-famous engineering feat.

27 Must-See Attractions in Minnesota

Minnesota may be known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but its appeal runs far deeper than shimmering shorelines.

From Penguins to Pinot Noir: Things to Do in the Overberg:

Where else in the world can you watch whales, sip wine, hike up a mountain, and ride on a steam train, all in one day? Nowhere.

6 Most Beautiful Islands near Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is a wonderful historic city on the Adriatic coast. If you’re looking for a more relaxed atmosphere, however, a visit to a nearby island fills the bill.

12 Best Beach Towns on the East Coast

Craving some vitamin sea? The East Coast is packed with beach towns that’ll make your summer dreams come true.

Tucked Away on the Atlantic Coast Is a Town That Feels Almost Too Pretty to Be Real

Known as the nation’s oldest seaside resort, this charming coastal destination has been welcoming holidaymakers for nearly two centuries.

8 Epic National & State Parks in North Dakota

The beauty of North Dakota is under-represented when we talk about nature around the United States.

Few Places on Earth Hold More Ancient Wonders Than This New Museum

Few museums arrive with expectations quite this high.

This Vibrant College Town Offers Craft Breweries, Live Music, and Outdoor Adventures

Surrounded by breathtaking scenery, this vibrant mountain city sits where five ranges converge, creating a dramatic natural backdrop in every direction.

7 Most Impressive Castles Near Dublin

The capital of Ireland is a mecca for anyone interested in history and royal architecture. In Dublin, you will have the chance to see the enormous 12th century St.

George Peabody Library Baltimore Visitor Guide Most visitors don't expect to find one of the most striking interiors in America tucked behind a row of white columns in a quiet Baltimore neighborhood. You walk through the doors of the Peabody Institute in Mount Vernon, turn a corner, and suddenly you're standing beneath a skylit atrium that climbs six stories above a polished marble floor. It stops you cold. The George Peabody Library Baltimore is that kind of place. It doesn't announce itself from the street. There's no flashy signage, no grand plaza. But step inside the stack room and you'll see why people call it a "cathedral of books." Over 300,000 volumes line the walls, and the space itself feels like something pulled from a 19th-century novel you half-remember reading. Johns Hopkins University runs the place as part of its Sheridan Libraries system. This isn’t a museum replica—it’s a working research collection. You can visit for free during public hours, which makes it one of the easiest cultural stops in Baltimore. Whether you’re chasing that perfect symmetrical shot up through the iron balconies or just want a quiet ten minutes surrounded by something genuinely beautiful, the library delivers without asking much of your time or your wallet. Cast-Iron Balconies And The Soaring Atrium The first thing that hits you is the scale. Five tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies rise from the ground floor and climb 61 feet to a massive skylight that floods the room with natural light. The effect is vertical and dramatic, like standing inside a very elegant cage made of books and ironwork. Each balcony tier is lined with gold-and-black volumes shelved behind low railings, and the repeating geometric patterns of the iron railings create a visual rhythm that photographers obsess over. Point your camera straight up from the center of the floor and you'll get that iconic symmetrical shot that's all over travel feeds. The image almost looks digitally generated, but it's real, and it's been here since 1878. The marble floor adds to the atmosphere. Sound carries differently in here. Footsteps echo softly, and conversations drop to whispers without anyone being told. The reading room on the ground level sits just off the main atrium, offering a quieter space with wooden tables and the kind of warm, worn-in feeling that modern libraries rarely manage. The light keeps the space from feeling like a museum. On a clear afternoon, sunlight pours through the skylight and shifts across the iron railings and book spines, changing the room's character every hour. You could visit twice in the same day and walk away with completely different impressions. A Quick History Of The Landmark George Peabody, a financier who got his start in Baltimore before heading off to London, founded the Peabody Institute in 1857. He wanted to give something meaningful back to the city that launched his career—a free public library, a lecture series, a music conservatory, and an art gallery. The library building itself took its sweet time, finally opening up in 1878. Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind teamed up with Nathaniel H. Morison, the institute's first provost, to design the interior. Lind focused on that dramatic stack room—he wanted it to feel grand enough to match Peabody's vision but still practical for researchers. Local craftsmen made the decorative cast-iron balconies, and people immediately noticed the design. It stood out as one of the most distinctive library interiors on the East Coast. The collection changed hands a few times. In 1966, the City of Baltimore took over and ran things through the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Then, in 1982, Johns Hopkins University stepped in, and the library became part of the Sheridan Libraries system. These days, the focus is on 18th- and 19th-century works—architecture, religion, science, geography, literature—with gems from folks like Edgar Allan Poe and Walt Whitman. George Peabody Library Baltimore

One of America’s Most Beautiful Interiors Is Hidden in Baltimore

Most visitors don’t expect to find one of the most striking interiors in America tucked behind a row of white columns in a quiet Baltimore neighborhood.