The campaign to protect the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks area in southern New Mexico has been 10 years in the making, but last week, President Barack Obama designated nearly a half-million acres of the rugged — and spectacular — desert terrain as the country's newest national monument. The proclamation, which Obama signed at the Department of Interior Wednesday, creates the largest national monument of Obama's presidency so far, according to the Washington Post. The Organ Mountains, named for their similarity in...

The Type L483 transmitter bunker, Spaandam. (Jonathan Andrew/Caters News Agency) Even after 70 years Germany’s bunkers from World War II stand strong in several wartime territories. British photographer Jonathan Andrew set out to find the defense shelters and capture history in his eerie photo series. Andrew began his quest in the winter of 2009 and traveled to Netherlands, France and Belgium. When he spotted the defense bunkers he was enthralled and wanted to take a closer look with a photo...

Ranches and Cowboys The 'Cowboy for a Day' experience from Blue Sky Ranch in Utah teaches guests horseback riding, cattle herding and roping skills. (Blue Sky Ranch) China may have the Great Wall and France is famous for the Eiffel Tower, but there are hundreds of things that make America unique in the world. No matter what season of the year it is, there are always plenty of events and iconic American sites to visit. We take a virtual road...

Hawaii is far from being off the beaten path in terms of tourist traffic, despite being the most remote island chain with a significant population in the world. Many of the main Hawaiian islands, including Maui, Oahu and Hawaii, are filled with luxury resorts, shopping centers and numerous tourist activity spots. But Molokai, one of the bigger islands in the chain, might just be the hidden gem of Hawaii. With no stoplights, no resorts and no buildings taller than a...

Known as the "Land of Fire and Ice" because of its abundant glaciers and violently active volcanoes, Iceland has made its mark on the map as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts from all corners of the globe. In just a little more than 10 years, between 2000 and 2012, the number of international tourists to visit the country more than doubled, said a study by the Icelandic Tourist Board. The population is just over 300,000, meaning number of locals was...

Taiwan is home to eight national parks, all established after 1972, and one of the country's most popular is Taroko National Park. Named for the Truku aboriginal tribe that once lived in the region and were renowned for their weaving and hunting skills, today their hunting paths have been transformed into the dozens of trails that snake through the rocky terrain. At the heart of the park is the Taroko Gorge, a mammoth rock formation made of limestone and marble,...

Sydney Opera House lights up as part of Vivid Live at Sydney Opera House on May 23, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. Vivid Sydney is an annual event celebrating the themes of music, light and ideas throughout the city. (Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images) Vivid Sydney is part music festival, part celebration of art and part extravagant display of technology. Combined, the effect is more harmonious than might be expected and offers something everyone who can travel to Australia's shores in late May...

Tucked away in the Canar Province of Ecuador is an archaeological wonder, the largest known Inca ruins in Ecuador. Named Ingapirca ("Inca Wall"), the city was built in the 15th century when the Inca people merged their community with the native Canari who already inhabited the area. According to Moon Travel Guides, there's little left of the area except for the foundations of old buildings, since the invading Spanish razed the town. That said, the area is still rich in...

Stretching through the canopy of evergreen trees, high above the ground, the Capilano Suspension Bridge takes intrepid walkers to a world far above the one they normally inhabit. The bridge is located near Vancouver in the Canadian region of British Columbia. Originally built in 1889 by a Scottish civil engineer, the bridge was made from hemp ropes and cedar planks. Today the bridge has been updated and the surrounding area includes a full park, complete with seven suspension bridges in...

An airplane flies over Maho beach as it arrives at Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten. (Josef and Jakob Hoflehner) On Maho Beach, located on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten, airplanes soar dangerously close to beachgoers and Austrian father-son photography duo Josef and Jakob Hoflehner captured it all on film. “We have always been fascinated by airplanes, and our projects require travel by plane on a fairly regular basis,” Josef Hofleher told weather.com. “For all projects, we are...

Perfectly situated in the middle of the passage this giant calcite stal boss makes a huge statement. Dwarfed by it's sheer size, Hong Meigui team member; Matt Ryan can only look up in amazement. This is one of many gigantic formations in San Wang Dong. (Robbie Shone) More people have been to the moon than to some of the caves Robbie Shone has photographed. His passion is showing people above ground what lies secretly beneath the earth's surface. "I'm obsessed...

Airplane manufacturer Airbus wanted to find out how the extremely wealthy like to travel when they head out to lavish destinations for the summer. The company concluded that Middle Eastern oil magnates and Chinese industry leaders prefer to travel in style on jumbo jets. (PHOTOS: Scariest Runways On Earth) Sorry, millionaires, what you’ll see in the video above may just be out of your price range. We’re talking ultra luxury, which translates to the obscenely rich traveling in groups totaling...

Inside the Essex County Jail Annex in North Caldwell, N.J. (Matthew Christopher) Essex County Jail Annex in North Caldwell, N.J., which housed inmates for 132 years, now lies crumbling after it was abandoned for a new facility in 2004. Photographer and urban explorer Matthew Christopher visited the decrepit Victorian-style jail to document what the building, which was built in 1872, looks like now. (MORE: Trapped Behind Bars: 9 Crumbling Prisons to Tour (PHOTOS)) “The building was badly deteriorated in some...