Near Antigua, Guatemala, the Pacaya volcano has been erupting continuously since 1965. On slopes paved by lava spurts, Jenny and Randy discover a Promethean playground, navigating steamy furrows, and scorching shoes and marshmallows.

Teleferico made quick work of the Sierra of Ecuador, letting Vanessa Villanova focus on taking in the summit. To prevent hypoxia, oxygen enrichment was apt recreation, but the stunning vistas of Quito from on high would still leave any wind-sucker breathless.

In Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, Stefanie Taschereau observes a world of opposites in closeness and concord. Concrete and grandeur give way to earthen trails and mud houses. Markets sprawl and palaces loom; critters roam and mopeds zoom over shared turf.

Cultivated on high, amid steep crags and thin air, Aymara traditions defy a more pedestrian science. In stalls of withcraft in La Paz, Lauren Saffa finds agents of common desires--luck, love and protection--in some most inspired forms.

In London’s East End, Brick Lane flows vibrant and teeming as a river. A host of adoring locals, through Riccardo Sai’s artful lens, celebrate their street’s cozy hangouts, punchy graf, and the joys of never stepping into the same stream twice.

In this frantic, fervent tour Miles Roston and local guide Aom brave Bangkok’s frightful traffic to visit the city’s nine temples...in just one day. Famously demanding, the feat rewards intrepid prayers with great luck, as well as splendid--if brief--glimpses of the city’s sacred spaces.

Ritually prized by the Maya and Aztecs, chocolate has been elevating moods in Mesoamerica for millennia. David Gacs and Erika Whillas taste their way through Oaxaca’s Chocolate Street, where shops and stalls brim with fanciful fixes, from piquant molé to divine steaming cocoa.

Cruise the touristic forts and shops of Old San Juan with SuperHarlan. Hitting full stride in his Chronicles of a Gringo, he bestows as much care on local history and architecture as a hot ride and grammatically curious signage.

urbanexplorer embarks on the classic West Coast road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco.   In 1848, gold brought fortune-seekers to the Bay in droves. Today, a pull as strong draws spectators here, a stunning finale to the scenic route.

urbanexplorer embarks on the classic West Coast road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco.   In 1848, gold brought fortune-seekers to the Bay in droves. Today, a pull as strong draws spectators here, a stunning finale to the scenic route.

Medieval restaurants in Tallinn still swear by centuries-old culinary and brewing traditions. Jean Counet, sampling fresh game and house ales by candlelight, concurs that if it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it.

So itinerary wasn’t key on this footloose journey. But as Randy and Jenny master getting lost they show, too, how much waits to be found--including the documentary power of video--in holy Varanasi and splendid Darjeeling.

Razed to the ground and virtually uninhabited after World War II, Warsaw, Poland, now flourishes and evolves with startling speed. Join Pawel Nazaruk and host Agnieszka in exploring the reconstructed old town, where historic memory is honored alongside David Lynch and daydreaming.

"Since I was a kid I have had ‘wanderlust,’ or ‘itchy feet,’..." says Michael Murphy, who heeded all out his calling to explore the ends of the earth. Founder of Travel On Productions, this restless videographer has braved all 7 continents, capturing stories that will absolutely take your breath away.

For the appetites of conqueror, revolutionary and cosmopolitan alike, Mexico City dishes up a feast to match. From tortas to tartare, Daniel Baer and host Gava tackle the gamut, all big-hearted and satisfying to the extreme.

On an island impossibly endowed with geological marvels, Cia B. invokes fantasy to recount her trail through Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Fire or ice; mountains or sea; here, the contest is blissfully moot.

Steep ascent + stunning spectacle = speechlessness
thankfully, in exploring the mountain kingdom of Bhutan, Karen N captured the ineffable on video:
Himalayan scenery, archers, Yak butter tea--what words could describe as much?

Favorite destinations:

Paris, Madrid, Las Vegas, Dallas

Dream destinations:

Australia, Morocco, South Africa, Tokyo, Athens, Rome

Cheers to Claudia C for showing that what happens in Vegas, needn’t stay in Vegas. Thanks for the souvenirs from your last trip to Sin City!

On Beijing’s outskirts, Tom Bannigan discovers a buzzing arts incubator, housed in former military factories. Maoist writing lingers on the walls, echoing past ideology while spurring present creativity.

When the great outdoors beckon, city slickers needn’t dread roughing it.  Lauren Saffa covers campsite amenities, and highlights a few panoramas which no downtown high rise could afford.

Stephanie Rauer digs Venice Beach, vibrant studio of canvas painter and body sculptor alike. Here, hippie colors bloom amid a gym scene that knew the Governator before Hollywood.

Delight in the heady gypsy music and candlelight of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Miles Roston presents the charms of a seaside town and records a win for the bulls.

Parisienne filmmaker Elena Rossini and host Hillary Keegin perfect indulgence and discovery in Paris’ lively, bookish Latin Quarter.