North America
Totem Poles of the First Nations in Vancouver Canada. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick
“Through travel I first became aware of the outside world; it was through travel that I found my own introspective way into becoming a part of it.”
– Eudora Welty
Explore the history, diverse cultures and traditions of the North American countries of Canada, Mexico and the United States. North American culture reflects both the cultures of its indigenous people- the Native Americans as well as the culture that is influenced by European Colonization.
The United States is the third largest country in the world and one of the most culturally diverse countries of the world. Described as the ‘melting pot‘ of North America , amalgamation of different cultures has given shape to the unique U.S. culture.
Mexico is the most populous state of North America and one of the largest city in the world.
Canada is the largest country of North American region and covering more than half of the continent’s area.
Columbia, Missouri, is a dynamic three-college town in the Midwest's rolling prairies. It baffles me that more holidaymakers don't take advantage of American college-town fun during their yearly four months of offseason calm.
Named for the 150 to 200-year-old Virginia live oak trees lining the path from the Mississippi River to the entrance of the plantation home, Oak Alley is a national landmark. Here you’ll hear the stories of some of the enslaved people who lived here, as well as the many owners over the years.
The legendary Rougarou roams the wetlands of Louisiana. A normal-looking person by day but by moonlight he becomes a terrifying werewolf. The ancient legend was brought to Louisiana by the French settlers and added to by the Acadian Canadians, today known as Cajuns, who were exiled from Canada in the 1750s.
World Footprints goes beneath the surface of the Negro Motorist Green Book, uncovering the human stories behind a document that quietly saved lives. During segregation, travel for Black families wasn’t about freedom or leisure—it was about calculation and risk. Driving through America meant navigating Sundown Towns, racial violence, and long stretches of road where no one would come to your aid if something went wrong. The Green Book became a lifeline. It identified safe places to sleep, eat, repair a car, or simply stop without fear. It also revealed a parallel America—one built by Black entrepreneurs, homeowners, and community leaders who created sanctuary in an openly hostile landscape. Overground Railroad: Reframing the Green Book’s Legacy We explore this history with Candacy Taylor, whose book Overground Railroad reframes the Green Book as part of a larger resistance network. Taylor situates Black travel within a lineage of survival and self-determination, showing how [...]
So many places in Tom Lee Park beckon me to linger. Adirondack chairs overlook the river, hammocks are nestled in the trees, and native plants are arranged in inviting gardens. Reopened in 2023 after a $61 million redesign, this large urban park in Memphis pays tribute to local Black hero Tom Lee, who rescued 32 white passengers from the Mississippi River in 1925 when their steamship capsized.
In my life as a globetrotter, I have missed large swaths of my own country, including much of the upper Midwest. Grand Rapids, Michigan, gave me an opportunity to discover something new. And it was a pure delight.
When my friend, Erik, first floated the idea of a self-piloted voyage along the Erie Canal, I did the math. From my apartment in Rochester, New York, I can drive west to the town of Spencerport in 21 minutes, 17 should the traffic lights cooperate. If heading east, I can make it to Pittsford in ten, though I usually stop at Wegmans en route, which tacks on another 30. The village of Fairport, meanwhile, requires 25 minutes behind the wheel—practically a road trip by Western New York standards.
As the world bids farewell to the old year and welcomes the new with the chime of midnight on New Year's Eve, a global tapestry of hope, resolutions, and a collective fondness for age-old culinary traditions unfolds on New Year's Day. These are traditions that both me and Ian have grown up with and ones that continue to this day in the homes of my family members and ours.
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When we hear mention of Harpers Ferry, John Brown’s raid to create a slave rebellion typically comes to mind. But Harpers Ferry's history is much deeper and full of surprises. The Union troops who captured Brown, leading to his hanging and eventually the Civil War, were led by US Army Colonel Robert E. Lee, who brought 86 marines and a young West Point lieutenant, James Ewell Brown Stuart, nicknamed “Jeb.”
In the Canadian police drama “Hudson & Rex,” a detective and his canine partner solve crimes in and around picturesque St. John’s, capital of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Through six seasons (including 2024), their police work took them to all corners of Newfoundland, the world’s 16th-largest island, to adjacent Labrador, a sparsely populated fragment of the North American mainland. They even ventured to the French territory of St. Pierre et Miquélon, anchored just off the coast of Newfoundland in the Atlantic Ocean.
I love under-the-radar destinations. Schenectady, a sweet balance of history and modern multicultural flair, is a prime example of why. Upstate New York’s original “Electric City” sits only 15 miles from Albany, the state’s capital, but a world away. Settled by the Dutch in 1661, it played a crucial role in the development of early American industry and innovation, primarily in electronics and locomotion. Thomas Edison founded General Electric at Mohawk River-hugging Schenectady. It’s also where I found a surprising urban-pastoral balance of early-U.S. architecture, inviting parks, scenic bike paths, welcoming restaurants, and engaging locals.
