YOU FACE THE SAME DILEMMA EVERY TIME YOU pack your bag: seeing the world is mind-bending, brilliant and a fail-proof way to shift your perspective — but how do you leave behind more than just a carbon footprint? While teaching English in Africa, eco-trekking the Amazon rainforest or volunteering on a permaculture farm Down Under are all well and good, you don’t need a passport to combine traveling with giving back. After all, to paraphrase one famous globe-trotter, when it comes to meaningful travel experiences, there’s no place like home. This month, we looked to America’s backyard and found eight wayyyy-off-the-beaten-path travel destinations that promise connection, relaxation and altruistic adventure.

Follow in the footsteps of Henry David Thoreau, Edward Hopper and countless other artists and nature lovers with a visit to the quintessential beach destination. Besides the obvious draw of summer on the Cape, an added bonus for film enthusiasts is the Woods Hole Film Festival, which showcases the works of emerging independent filmmakers each July and August. Read More