Mention Albuquerque, New Mexico and what immediately comes to mind is their famous International Balloon Fiesta, held every October. Drawing thousands of balloonists and tens of thousands of tourists from around the world, the festival is a New Mexico icon. It’s a fun, colorful, high-energy, week-long celebration pairing ballooning with myriad venues and activities generated by local entrepreneurs.
But, I’m here to tell you that there is more to Albuquerque than ballooning. Far more. I’ve been to Albuquerque before, but I recently spent 8 days there, intensely exploring its hotels and …

Having a daughter who lives in northern Vermont is a good thing, especially if you’re a photographer. When I visit, and she’s out shopping or working, I can take the time to grab my camera gear and just poke around, exploring Vermont’s back roads.
Speaking of Vermont’s roads, the Northern Kingdom (what locals call the far northern part of the state) must have one of the highest percentages of unpaved to paved roads in the country, forcing me to slow down and soak in the myriad small farms, forest lots and …

Once in a while I’m blessed with a wonderful surprise as a travel photojournalist. I get to visit a place for which I had no expectations, but which brings forth hidden jewels. That was the case when I visited Lifou, one of the Loyalty Islands in the archipelago of New Caledonia.
New Caledonia: A New Future
New Caledonia is currently a French protectorate, but is slated for a vote on independence in 2014. Recognizing that its future economy will, in large part, depend on tourism, the island group is busily preparing. Even …

The Great Ocean Walk
Sure, you may have heard of Australia’s Great Ocean Drive (if you haven’t, please see my previous blog: http://blog.lesterpickerphoto.com/2010/11/12/the-great-ocean-drive-photo-valhalla/), but have you heard of its Great Ocean Walk? Every so often I come up with a travel venue that I just love and want to share with my readers. This is one of them.
Various Aussie government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private landowners have created a fascinating, seven-day walk along the Pacific Ocean that meanders through scenery that defies description; along seaside cliffs, through cow pastures and verdant …

The Great Ocean Drive
There are just a handful of iconic scenic drives in this world. One, of course, is Highway 1 along California’s northern coast. Others include Ocean Drive in Acadia National Park, and the spectacular Road to Hana on the island of Maui. Add to that Australia’s Great Ocean Road, a jaw-dropping drive starting southwest of Melbourne and continuing west to Port Campbell and beyond.
As part of my current photo adventure (future photo travel workshop anyone?), I got to spend several days along Australia’s Great Ocean Road. It’s …

The past three days have been wonderful, as we toured Sydney about as hard as any travel photojournalist could. My tendency is to try out-of-the-way venues to add value to my readers’ experience, and this visit was no exception. First, some impressions. Sydney is as high energy as Manhattan, and I don’t say that idly, since I am a native New Yawkah. Sydney is every bit as frenetic and cosmopolitan, but in a wholly different way. We’re here in late October (spring) and it is sunny and bright, …

Winter Fun in Boulder, Colorado
by Lester Picker
[This article originally appeared in Better Homes & Gardens. Some material may be dated. Please check beforehand.]
“This valley is so beautiful that people seeing it will never be happy anywhere else and will always return.”
- Arapaho Chief Niwot’s ‘curse’
Sitting at the foot of Colorado’s imposing Front Range mountains, the scenery around Boulder is nothing less than spectacular.  Streets radiate from the town center and quickly turn into valleys, gorges and peaks of incredible beauty.  From any point in town you can see the Flatiron …

[This article originally appeared as a travel feature in The Baltimore Sun.]
The Outer Banks
By Lester Picker
With more than 300 miles of coastline, the Outer Banks has stretches of sand that are consistently rated among the top beaches in the world. Whether you crave an active water vacation or a spiritually recharging barefoot walk along empty beaches, the Outer Banks has it all.
The Outer Banks is just a 6- or 7-hour drive from Baltimore. The sense of place can change markedly from one milepost to another. For a family with school-age …