As you watch the sunset over the Pacific while sitting on an empty black sand beach, you’ll ask yourself, where are the people? Don’t worry. Nicaraguan families flock to this beach town on Sundays. But the rest of the week, it’s all yours. A few foreigners have recognized this and have set up very small beachside hotels. However, hurricanes and…...

Red Wing is an award-winning town of about 16,000 in southeastern Minnesota.  Red Wing has a strong and beautiful downtown. It also has an impressive economic base with several recognizable manufacturers, plus the nearby Treasure Island Resort and Casino. The town had an early heyday as a stop for steamboats on the river and for its rich farm land.Red Wing…...

Duluth is a city on Lake Superior of about 84,000 people. The people who retire here enjoy boating and plenty of outside activities in all seasons. There are several colleges in town including the University of Minnesota -Duluth.  photo of Canal Park with approaching ship and lift bridge in background, courtesy of Wikipedia and Nick Zlonis (public domain); photo of…...

Edmonds is a beautiful city on the northwest coast of Washington State. The population was  40,400 in  2012. The ferry leaves here to cross Puget Sound to Kingston. From Edmonds you not only have a view of Puget Sound but you can also see the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range. This is a spectacularly beautiful place with tremendous recreational…...