Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg was the location of the battle that is often considered to be the turning point in the American Civil War. It also account for the most casualties or any battle during the war with around 50,000 soldiers wounded or killed during the three-day battle. The large amount of casualties in this small town required makeshift hospitals and amputation stations, resulting in a horrific scene for the soldiers and residents of the town.

Today there are several different companies that offer ghost tours of the battlefield and town of Gettysburg. Tour goers often report experiencing things like touches, smells, and unusual sightings. Numerous people have seen uniformed soldiers walking or marching, wounded soldiers suffering from injuries, and people from the Civil War era walking through houses in the town.

Although there are several different companies offering ghost tours in Gettysburg, Ghosts of Gettysburg was named as the best in America by Haunted America Tours in 2007 and 2008.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is a city with a history that includes a lot of violence and crime. Most of the most notable spots of paranormal activity in Chicago have some affiliation with these types of events in Chicago’s past.

The Saint Valentines Day Massacre of 1929 involved the gangs of Al Capone and Bugs Moran, resulting in the murders of 7 people in a garage in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Although the building has since been demolished, those walking by the location have often reported hearing screams or gunshots.

The northwest part of the city was the location of the murder of Louisa Luetgert by her husband Adolph Luetgert. Adolph owned a sausage factory and after the disappearance of his wife authorities found skull fragments and her ring in the sausage vat. She is said to still haunt the area of their home, and Adolph claimed that her ghost haunted him even though he said he was innocent of her murder.

There are many other locations in Chicago that are believed to be haunted, including the Chicago Fire Academy, Camp Douglas, Fort Dearborn, and several others. For information on ghost tours visit ChicagoHauntings.com or WeirdChicago.com.

New Orleans, Louisiana

The city of New Orleans is home to several locations that are believed to be haunted. One of the most famous in the mansion of Delphine LaLaurie, who is said to have tortured many slaves in the early 1800′s. Reports of paranormal activity in and around the mansion where the slaves were tortured are extensive.

Pere Dagobert, a Capuchin monk who became a priest in New Orleans, is believed to be heard singing throughout the streets. In the 1700′s six men were killed by the Spanish governor for their involvement and leadership in a revolt. The governor order that the bodies not be buried so as to serve as an example for the other people of the city. Dagobert led family members of the victims in gathering the remains and performing a mass, against the governor’s orders. Dagobert sang during the funeral procession and is claimed to be heard singing to this day.

Another location believed to be haunted in the former home of a Turkish Sultan. Located in the French Quarter, the home was a place of constant parties by the wealthy sultan and his harem. One day when the house was strangely quiet and blood was spotted, police entered the building to find numerous mutilated bodies. The sultan had been buried alive in the courtyard, dressed in traditional Muslim funeral attire. It is believed that the sultan may have actually been the sultan’s brother and was hiding in New Orleans to avoid execution from the actual sultan, who may have wanted protect himself by killing heirs that could be a potential threat to himself. Many stories of appearances of the sultan have been reported be residents of the building and passers by.

For tour information visit HauntedHistoryTours.com or NewOrleansGhostTour.com.

Savannah, Georgia

In 2002 Savannah was named America’s Most Haunted City by American Institute of Parapsychology. A few factors contribute the this reputation, including the fact that some parts of the city were built on top of large cemeteries (Savannah is said to have been “built on the dead”), and it was also the location of a Revolutionary War battle.

Popular locations that are believed to be haunted include the Mercer House, Moonriver Brew Pub, the Hampton Lillibridge House, and Colonial Park Cemetery.

The Hampton Lillibridge House is especially famous because of its reputation and history. The house was purchased by Jim Williams and moved from it’s original location in 1963. Many workers reported hearing voices and footsteps, and even having things thrown at them. One man entered a room to see what was causing noises that he had heard and he felt himself being pulled towards an open chimney chute that dropped 30 feet. He fell to the floor to prevent being pulled and he was found face down on the floor. Williams moved into the house and experienced considerable paranormal activity. He even had an Episcopal bishop perform an exorcism on the house.

For tour information visit AmericasMostHauntedCity.com or SixthSenseSavannah.com.

Charleston, South Carolina

Sullivan Island near Charleston was the most active port for slave entry. Charleston was also the location of many pirate executions. Tour goers have experienced unusual activity at a number of locations in Charleston, including the Unitarian Church graveyard.

The Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon was the location of many pirate executions and was also a slave market. This location is one of the more well-known haunted destinations in Charleston. The activity here has reportedly been rather aggressive, including tour goers having things thrown at them and even being choked or scratched.

The Old City Jail is another hotspot for paranormal activity. In the 1800′s many people were tortured and killed brutally in this location. Reports of hauntings include sightings of people walking the halls of the jail, tour goers being pushed or choked, moving objects, and more.

For tour information please visit BullDogTours.com or TourCharleston.com.

Photo credits: Patrick Henson, Chicago Crime Scenes, adrigu, f. iodinea, Andy

From their website: “Whether exploring the world or your own city, you have a lot of places to remember: restaurants, bars, stores, sites, etc. near2there lets you capture these places from the web or on the go. View them anytime and get alerted when nearby.”

Visit near2there.com to download the app for the iOS or Android.

Keukenhof Gardens (Netherlands)

The world’s largest flower garden is located near Lisse, Netherlands. The garden is open each year from March to May. It was opened in 1949 and has been the world’s largest flower garden for over 50 years.

Photo credit: abac077

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Photo credit: Börkur Sigurbjörnsson

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (South Africa)

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is located in Cape Town and is one of South Africa’s 8 national botanical gardens. It was founded in 1913 with the purpose of preserving the unique flora of the area.

Photo credit: Osha Gray Davidson

Photo credit: Osha Gray Davidson

Photo credit: Derek Keats

Photo credit: Martin Heigan

Butchart Gardens (British Columbia, Canada)

Located near Victoria on Vancouver Island, Butchart Gardens receive more than 1 million visitors each year.

Photo credit: WisDoc

Photo credit: Jeffrey Beall

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Photo credit: Mary

The Gardens of Versaille (France)

At the château of Versailles, the gardens are some of the most beautiful in the world. Much of the area is landscaped in a classic French Garden style

Photo credit: Stefano Brivio

Photo credit: Grinzi

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation (Scotland)

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a private garden created by Charles Jencks. The sculptures and landscapes of the garden are inspired by science and mathematics.

Photo credit: tartanink

Photo credit: Stuart Caie

Boboli Gardens (Italy)

Located in Florence, the Boboli Gardens is home to a collection of sculptures from the 16th – 18th centuries.

Photo credit: sogno-italia

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Photo credit: Paul VanDerWerf

Huntington Botanical Gardens (California, USA)

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens is an educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington. The botanical gardens feature sections for the historic cactus collection, the Zen Garden, the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and many other specialty gardens.

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Photo credit: Pamela J. Eisenberg

Rikugien Garden (Japan)

Rikugien Garden is a metropolitan park in Tokyo. The Japanese garden is a popular tourist attraction.

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Claude Monet Gardens (France)

In 1890 Claude Monet bought a house in Giverny and created beautiful gardens to be the subject of his paintings. The house still exists next to the gardens.

Photo credit: Elliott Brown

Photo credit: Elliott Brown

Ryoan-ji Zen Garden (Japan)

Ryoan-ji is a Zen temple in Kyoto, Japan. The rock garden is thought to have been built in the late 15th century. The garden includes raked gravel and 15 boulders. The boulders are laid out so that from any point around the garden only 14 can be seen.

Photo credit: Gaelic

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Yuyuan Garden (China)

Yuyuan Garden or Yu Garden is located in Shanghai and was first established in 1559 as a private garden. In 1961 the gardens were opened to the public after being repaired by the government.

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Photo credit: Aamir Choudhry

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Exbury Gardens (England)

Exbury Gardens is a 200 acre garden in Hampshire. It is considered one of the finest gardens in the United Kingdom.

Photo credit: Aleksey Maksimov

Photo credit: Lucy Hill

Shalimar Gardens (Pakistan)

The Shalimar Gardens, located in Lahore, is a Persian garden built in 1641 and surrounded by a high brick wall.

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Photo credit: Cajetan Barretto

Mirabell Garden (Austria)

Mirabell Palace in Salzburg is home to a beautiful garden. The palace was built in Baroque style in 1606. The garden is geometrically arranged and includes mythology-themed statues.

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Photo credit: Riannon Boyle

Jardim Botânico de Curitiba (Brazil)

Jardim Botânico de Curitiba or Botanical Garden of Curitiba is the biggest tourist attraction of its city. It was created in the style of French Gardens and opened in 1991.

Photo credit: M-a-y-a-l

Photo credit: Marco Mello

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Minnesota, USA)

The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is an 11 acre park, making it one of the largest urban sculpture gardens in the United States. It includes 40 permanent sculptures and many other temporary sculptures that are moved in and out.

Photo credit: Tim Wilson

Photo credit: FaceMePLS

New York City, United States

One of the most popular cities in the world with tourists, New York is home to famous sights like the Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park, The Brooklyn Bridge, Broadway, and more. When it comes to romance, there are plenty of places to walk, great restaurants and bars, and activities for just about anything your like.

Photo credit: Joshua L

Buenos Aires, Argentina

In Buenos Aires you can enjoy a Tango performance in the streets, enjoy great food, browse amazing architecture, and walk through beautiful streets.

Photo credit: Helena Palomares

Kyoto, Japan

The stunning imperial gardens make Kyoto worthy of being on this list. The cities castles, temples, shrines, and tunneled walkways also contribute to the romantic atmosphere.

Photo credit: Spreng Ben

Jaipur, India

Jaipur is also known as the Pink City and was once the capital of the royalty. Beautiful gardens and parks, arts and crafts, and cuisine help to make it a romantic destination. You can even stay in a regal 18th-century palace hotel.

Photo credit: Alfredo Miguel Romero

San Franciso, United States

San Francisco features amazing views of Angel Island, Alcatraz, and the San Francisco Bay. The streets, cable cars, and houses provide some of the most recognizable scenes of the city.

Photo credit: Groovnik

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Monte Carlo is a center for activities including sports and gambling. It is home to the Napoleon Museum, which is attached to the Prince of Monaco’s Palace. The museum houses many possessions of Napoleon which were gathered by Prince Louis II. Beautiful resorts provide an amazing getaway for couples.

Photo credit: vernyulster

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Rio De Janeiro is well-known for it’s beaches. It is a popular destination in part because of its music, dancers, and parades. Sugarload Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue and popular sights.

Photo credit: isacg

Honolulu, United States

Honolulu, and Hawaii in general, has some of the best beaches and sunsets you’ll find anywhere. Honolulu also offers great restaurants and nightlife, plus Diamond Head.

Photo credit: Andy

Niagara Falls, Canada and the United States

Niagara Falls is a popular destination for honeymoons and anniversaries. The enormous falls provide beautiful scenery, and other activities are available as well. You can visit many wineries and vineyards just outside the city, visit the Butterfly Conservatory or Bird Kingdom, or get closer to the falls on the Maid of the Mist.

Photo credit: rosswillett

While the park covers more than 750,000 acres of land, most visitors flock to the 7 square mile Yosemite Valley. In this post we’ll showcase 25 pictures from various photographers. To see an image in a larger size, or to see more work from the photographer, please click on the image.

Photo credit: Jim Brekke

Photo credit: Steve Dunleavy

Photo credit: Steve Dunleavy

Photo credit: Christopher Chan

Photo credit: Marc Soller

Photo credit: Anders Young

Photo credit: Jim Brekke

Photo credit: Anders Young

Photo credit: Dawn

Photo credit: Steve Dunleavy

Photo credit: Steve Dunleavy

Photo credit: John Colby

Photo credit: Smif

Photo credit: Aftab Uzzaman

Photo credit: Glenn Scofield Williams

Photo credit: Dale Carlson

Photo credit: Frank Kovalcheck

Photo credit: Daniel Parks

Photo credit: ThunderKiss Photography

Photo credit: Victor Sanchez Chumillas

Photo credit: Vincent Lock

Photo credit: Anders Young

Photo credit: Dale Carlson

Photo credit: John Cudworth

Photo credit: Eric Bjerke

With HipGeo you can post photos and publish micro blog posts directly from your smartphone with ease using HipGeo. Entries are automatically grouped with other photos, comments, and places, allowing for a social aspect between users. You can follow your friends or just use the data to research and plan your next trip.

HipGeo users can create a mapped timeline of your travels showing photos and posts chronologically, allowing you to see the places that you have traveled to in a neat timeline.

If you want to give HipGeo a try, download it for the iPhone or Android.

The first part of the series covers 11 romantic European cities.

Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower, food, fashion, shopping, and art all contribute to Paris being a popular destination for couples. The atmosphere and ambiance throughout the city has led it to be considered one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Photo credit: Hugh Derr

Rome, Italy

Romes fountains and piazzas provide a romantic setting in one of the most historically significant cities in the world. In Rome you can visit popular destinations like The Coliseum, The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, The Vatican, The Roman Forum, or just stroll through the cities beautiful streets.

Photo credit: Snaxboy

Venice, Italy

The canals of Venice are popular for their beauty and for the romantic gondola rides that many visitors take. Visitors of Venice also love the architecture, art, and walks through the narrow streets.

Photo credit: MorBCN

Florence, Italy

Works by artists like Michelangelo and Botticelli and amazing views from spots like the top of the Duomo Cathedral make Florence another great Italian city for Romance.

Photo credit: Juan Salmoral

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague makes the list with it’s beautiful castles, architecture, and the Charles Bridge.

Photo credit: fifek2000

Bruges, Belgium

Like Venice, Bruges also has canals that provide beautiful scenery and opportunities for boat rides. Horse-drawn carriage rides and walks through the streets and historic villages are popular activities for couples.

Photo credit: Sllyvain

Vienna, Austria

The ring-shaped streets of Vienna provide the perfect location for a romantic walk. Palaces, museums, street cafes, horse-drawn carriage rides… there is plenty to do in Vienna. As the home of Mozart, it’s no surprise that musical performances are a major attraction as well.

Photo credit: deuss

Libon, Portugal

Cobblestone streets and amazing art make Lisbon a popular destination for couples. The city is overlooked by a castle with amazing views available at several high points throughout the city.

Photo credit: Sunnydayze

Seville, Spain

Seville is often considered to be Spain’s most beautiful city, and with good reason. Stunning architecture fills the city. Visitors can take in Flamenco dances and bullfights, ride in a carriage or just walk through the streets.

Photo credit: Nadia354

London, England

London has plenty to offer, including history, royalty, theaters, clubs, restaurants and pubs, and shopping. Popular sights for couples include Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The Tower of London, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abby, Windsor Castle, and Tower Bridge.

Photo credit: Trey Ratcliff

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona’s romantic appeal includes amazing urban beaches, great food, art, architecture, and music. Take a walk down Las Ramblas, visit the stunning Sagrada Familia, and wander through the Gothic Quarter.

Photo credit: MorBCN

Axel Erlandson’s Circus Trees, California

Axel Erlandson shaped trees as a hobby and in 1947 he opened The Tree Circus to showcase the trees to the public. The trees are now a part of Gilroy Gardens, a garden-themed park in Gilroy, California.

Photo credit: Jay Peeples

Giant Sequoias, California

The Giant Sequoias are the world’s largest trees (in terms of total volume). The grow to an average height of around 150 – 275 feet and 20 – 25 feet in diameter. The grow only in the groves of Sierra Nevada, California. “General Sherman”, located in Sequoia National Park, is the largest known single tree.

Photo credit: Josh Gallaway

Árbol del Tule (The Tule Tree), Mexico

Located in Santa María del Tule in Mexico, The Tule Tree has the widest trunk of any tree in the world, more than 38 feet wide. It is estimated to be between 1,200 – 3,000 feet.

Photo credit: Paul Hickman

Banyan Tree, India

The national tree of India, the banyan trees are seen as sacred by the Hindus because of its medicinal value to treat and cure diseases. The look of the tree is distinct because of its tangle of branches, roots, and trunks.

Photo credit: Barbara Monroe

Baobab Tree, Madagascar

The Baobab trees of Madagascar are some of the most unique looking trees in the world. The grow to heights anywhere from 15 – 100 feet and have trunk diameters up to about 35 feet.

Photo credit: Jose Luis Hitos

El Arbol de La Sabina, Canary Islands

El Arbol de La Sabina, a Phoenicean Juniper, is a well-known tree in the Canary Islands.

Photo credit: Carlos SM

Pirangi Cashew Tree, Brazil

The Pirangi Cashew Tree near Natal, Brazil covers nearly 2 acres. The trees uniqueness is due to a genetic mutation that causes it to grow sideways instead of upwards. It’s branches have grown their own roots, making it look like many different trees.

Photo credit: LeRoc

Tree of Life, Bahrain

The Tree of Life in Bahrain has been given it’s name because it is miles away from other vegetation in the heart of the desert, making its existence a mystery. It is believed to have roots up to several hundred feet deep that reach a water source.

Photo credit: Alex Europa

Dragon Tree, Canary Islands

The Dragon Tree at Icod de los Vinos in Tenerife is thought to be 650 – 1500. It has many small trunks and gives off a resin that is said to be the dried blood of dragons.

Photo credit: Danielle Paccaloni

Wollemi Pine, Australia

The Wollemi Pine was only known through fossil record until a living tree was found in Australia in 1994 by David Noble, a filed officer at Wollemi National Park. The exact location is still undisclosed to the public and less than 100 trees are growing in the wild.

Photo credit: Tony Rodd

See Your Hotel

When researching hotels it’s not always easy to find a place to stay at the exact location that you want. This is where See Your Hotel comes in. You simply enter a city or destination and it will pull up a map with orange markers for each hotel. Hover over the orange marker and you’ll get basic info like the hotel’s name and address. Click on it and you’ll be able to see more info. including photos and a street view. See Your Hotel uses Google Maps, so you can switch from the map view to the satellite view to get a better feel for the neighborhood surrounding the hotel.

See Your Hotel makes it quick and easy to research the location of hotels, plus you can visually select a hotel from a map or satellite, rather than trying to do an internet search for the exact location that you want. Once you’ve found the hotel you want, you can search room availability and book the room.

Oyster.com

Oyster.com provides reviews by their own investigators, including plenty of real, untouched photos. For now, the information on smaller towns and cities is limited, but much more information is available for hotels in major cities. Also helpful, they list pros and cons of each hotel to help you make the right decision for your own situation.

There are plenty of searching and sorting options to help you save time, and prices are listed for your selected dates. You can then book through sites like Expedia and Orbitz.

TV Trip

At TV Trip you can watch videos of hotels that will give you a better feel for the hotel and its surroundings. With more than 52,000 videos currently on the site, TV Trip can be a valuable resource for your travel planning.

To get started you’ll enter your destination city and dates of travel. TV Trip then will show a list of hotels that can be sorted by popularity, rating, or name. Watch the video, check it out on a map, read a description, and even book the hotel if you like what you see. TV Trip shows rates from sites like Expedia and Hotels.com.

Hotelicopter

Hotelicopter allows you to search for hotels, while providing you with detailed descriptions, photos, listings of other nearby hotels, and booking capability through hotels.com.

TravBuddy

Social networking site TravBuddy includes a section that allows you to read hotel reviews by other users (and, of course, you can post your own reviews as well).  You can also search rates through sites like Priceline, Kayak, Hotwire, and more.

Maasai Mara, Kenya

The Masai Mara National Reserve is the location of the annual Great Migration of zebras, gazelles, and wildebeests from the Serengeti each year from July to October. If you’re visiting during this time of year, a balloon ride is the ideal way to witness this phenomenon.

Visit africanmeccasafaris.com for information.

Photo source: platours_flickr

Cappadocia, Turkey

The unique and beautiful landscape of Cappadocia makes a balloon ride an excellent choice for visitors.

Visit cappadociahotairballoon.net for information.

Photo credit: Kani Polat

Luxor, Egypt

Want an amazing view of one of the most historically significant places on earth? A balloon ride over Luxor will not disappoint.

Visit memphistours.com for information.

Photo credit: Jim H

Serengeti, Tanzania

Balloon safaris are a popular activity over the Serengeti of Tanzania. From the balloon you’ll have an amazing view of the landscape and wildlife of the Serengeti.

Visit africanmeccasafaris.com for information.

Photo credit: David Berkowitz

Napa Valley, California

Napa Valley’s vineyards are an amazing site from the perspective that you’ll get in a hot air balloon.

Visit napavalleyballoons.com for information.

Photo credit: Daniel Yoo

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Wadi Rum is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in south Jordan, and the surrounding desert is an ideal location for a hot air balloon ride.

Visit desertecotours.com for information.

Photo credit: Chris Booth

Bagan, Myanmar

Bagan was the capitol of several ancient kingdoms. The balloon gives you an incredible view of the 5,000 11th century pagodas of Bagan.

Visit journeysmyanmar.com for information.

Photo credit: Agustin Polanco

Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown is home to amazing scenery that includes mountains and lakes, it’s also also a popular destination for adrenaline-pumping activities like sky diving and bungee jumping. Hot air balloon rides are also popular here, and they provide a great way to enjoy the beautiful landscape.

Visit ballooningnz.com for information.

Photo credit: Eden Brackstone

The Outback, Australia

When it comes to rugged natural beauty, the Outback is usually one of the first locations that come to find. From the height of a balloon ride you can take in the amazing view.

Visit outbackballooning.com.au for information.

Photo credit: Lawrence Murray

Sedona, Arizona

The red red rocks of Sedona provide amazing views from just about vantage point, but even more so from the air.

Visit redrockballoons.com for information.

Photo credit: Eric

Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

The beautiful Smoky Mountains provide an ideal setting for a balloon ride.

Visit smokymtnballoons.com for information.

Photo credit: Doug Bradley

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Jackson Hole, near Grand Teton National Park is another popular place for a ballon ride. You can take in a view of the mountains, forest, and ranches.

Visit wyomingballoon.com for information.

Photo credit: Sam Beebe

Loire Valley, France

The Loire Valley in Central France is home to many vineyards and orchards, and the views from a balloon are spectacular. You’ll also catch views of historic towns and architecture.

Visit franceballoons.com for information.

Photo credit: france-balloons.com