Attend a Native American powwow and you learn about the dancing, drumming, sharing and sense of community that is so important in Native American culture. Across the US, many powwows welcome non-tribal members.

Few people think of Washington, D.C. as a theater town even though the nation’s capital nurtures a vibrant theater community. Along with Broadway musicals, the curtain goes up on Shakespearean productions, innovative adaptations of classics, cutting edge shows and world-class children’s theater.

Disney World has great rides, exciting attractions and lively shows. But on our first visit, we overdid it. We snaked through lines, boarded attractions and crammed in experience. Along with magical moments, there were more than a few cranky meltdowns. Here are three Golden Rules to follow.

It was the Turquoise Coast that drew us to Turkey, but we also became enamored of Istanbul, a city of imposing mosques and graceful minarets that’s home to the sprawling Grand Bazaar and the impressive Topkapi Palace.

One morning on our "gulet" (yacht)cruise of Turkey's turquoise coast, we awoke to the tinkling of bells and the touch of soft breezes that wafted across Karaloz Cove. A colony of goats was making their descent of a nearby hillside.

Three very different gems, all within an hour’s drive north of Copenhagen, reward travelers: an impressive, contemporary art museum; the bucolic home of one of Denmark’s most well-known writers and a 150-room, Renaissance castle, among the nation’s most beautiful.

Traveling through Europe can be cost effective if you stay in an apartment or home. Homes away from home give you more space for your money than you get in a hotel. Instead of two double beds and a bathroom, your apartment or villa adds a living room often with a pull-out couch and a kitchen.

Do you listen to your intuition when traveling or do you disregard this non-rational voice telling you to act a certain way? I’ve learned to trust my intuition more and more. Maybe it’s a “woman thing.” Who knows, but here’s the event that reminded me to go with my “gut.”

For big ticket vacations that require hefty deposits months in advance, especially those involving international travel, don’t leave home without travel insurance. Because you just never know. Not convinced? Then just say two words: “Icelandic volcano.”

Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway is one of America’s great drives. The 469 mile road straddles mountain peaks and dips into valleys, twisting by overlooks and dappled hillsides. A getaway following the parkway offers a combination of country and city sights.