Author: Steve Winston

I’ve written/contributed to 17 published books. And my articles have appeared in major media all over the world, among them The New York Times, "Business Week," "Travel & Leisure," "Men's Health," CNN, “Forbes,” The Jerusalem Post, The Irish Times, The Boston Globe, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Toronto Star, “Western Art & Architecture,” and The Associated Press. In pursuit of "The Story," I've been a war correspondent in a combat zone; been a cowboy in Arizona; jumped into an alligator pit in the Everglades; trained with a rebel militia in the jungle; climbed 15,000-foot mountains; rafted Class V rapids (suicidal!); flown World War II fighter planes in aerial "combat"; gone on an expedition into the Arctic Circle; explored ice caves at 10,000-feet in Switzerland; been invited to dinner by a President; and been tossed out of a reception given by Queen Elizabeth. My website is https://stevewinston.com/


City view from lake looking at resort - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

The first thing you’ll notice as you get closer to the Northern Idaho town of Coeur D’Alene is the ethereal beauty of the mountains, lakes, and forests surrounding it.

And the first thing you’ll notice as you enter the town is that this place is different.

Coeur D’Alene (pronounced kor duh·layn), in fact, seems delightfully stuck in another era. As you enter town, for example, you’ll find plenty of authentically restored, early-1900s Craftsman and Queen …

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Alt-text: "Historic log cabin nestled in a lush green park under clear blue skies, exhibiting traditional pioneer construction with wooden

The two biggest cities in Nebraska (by far), Omaha and Lincoln, hug the eastern border. And as the land rolls out toward the West into the Nebraska Panhandle, the landscapes, history, lifestyles, and stories change dramatically. The Nebraska Panhandle houses some of America’s most historic – or unusual – spots.

The town of Ogallala, named for the Native-American tribe that’s been on these lands for centuries, has a population of about 5,000. And Ogallala has …

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With a population of 35,000 in town and about 100,000 in the region, Fairbanks isn’t a very big city. In terms of truly-unique experiences, however, it ranks up there with much larger cities. Only 140 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks makes an indelible impression on visitors.    

It all started on August 26, 1901, when a man named E.T. Barnette founded a trading post on the south bank of the Chena River. Mr. Barnette …

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Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre at Park City, Utah. The theater is used for the annual Sundance Film Festival.

Utah County, about an hour south of Salt Lake City, is a destination that’s really come into its own in recent years. It’s also known as Utah Valley, a place with growing corporations such as Ancestry.com, and so many tech start-ups that it’s earned the nickname “Silicon Slopes.” It’s also studded with natural wonders, from towering snow-capped peaks reaching close to 12,000’ to shining alpine lakes to mountaintop caves to lush meadows. And as a …

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St. Petersburg is a city that has made one of the most remarkable urban turnarounds in American history.

I used to travel to St. Petersburg occasionally on business in the late-90’s. Back then, it seemed a somewhat nondescript small city without a bustling business scene…but with an aging infrastructure and a quiet downtown after the sun went down.

But when I began visiting St. Pete (as the locals call it) again in recent years, I …

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Easter Island Statues

Here, the winds speak. And the spirits speak if you listen for them. Lying 2,300 miles away from Chile, the country that governs it, it’s the most remote populated island on Earth. The nearest populated “neighbor” is Pitcairn Island (yes, that Pitcairn Island, of “Mutiny on the Bounty” fame), in the South Pacific – 1,300 miles away.

Easter Island may well be the most mysterious place on Earth. The people of stone, if they could …

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Blue Ridge Mountains and Roanoke Virginia

Sitting amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains in western Virginia – yes, the mountains actually do have a bluish tinge – Roanoke is a city in which many cherished old red-brick buildings have been re-purposed into cool restaurants and hotels. With a population of about 100,000, it’s a surprisingly-cosmopolitan city, with sophisticated cultural amenities, important historical sites, excellent dining and nightlife, a vibrant downtown, and more memorable experiences than many larger cities. And here are some …

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