Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and is a paradise for tourists seeking sunshine, beaches, and culture. Chania lies on the northern coast of Crete. It’s the second largest city on the island and is served by an airport. Upon arrival, hire a car and drive the 30 kilometres up to the White Mountains. This beautiful setting is perfect for relaxing or doing a spot of walking and is also a good base to explore the region’s attractions.

Chania is an old harbour town with a medieval heart and is worth checking out. The seafront quarter includes a little mosque which is a remnant from the 17th century when the Turks controlled the area. These days the mosque’s been converted into a very nice art gallery. Make sure you also check out the Archeological Museum which is full of Minoan artifacts, including a glass display packed with pottery bulls. These were found in a grave site and it’s believed the pottery bulls were included in the graves where sacrificing a live bull would have been too expensive!

Elafonisi features a beach that stretches for miles. The water is very shallow with white sand that gives it its wonderful green/turquoise colour; making it look like a Caribbean lagoon! There’s even an island that you can safely wade out to. Elafonisi is also very popular with the locals and can get very busy at weekends, so it’s best to go during weekdays if possible.

Crete has changed hands several times over the centuries and the Romans occupied it from the 1st century BC to 4 AD. As well as the ruins of the Roman buildings, there is an abandoned monastery which dates back centuries but was only abandoned in 1964.

Driving up the mountain road above Maheri, you’ll see signs for the ancient church called Agios Nikolaos. Along the way the chances are that you will encounter herds of goats, some with bells around their necks. They will determinedly clank their way past you and add a real wild charm to the holiday experience! Agios Nikolaos is nestled in a valley with huge trees in front of it and it is an enchanting place. The church is Byzantine and is famous for having very old frescoes, as well as a graveyard surrounded by rows of orange trees.

Maryland is a state situated on the eastern seaboard of the United States of America. It is close in proximity to Virginia and West Virginia and these three states are steeped in history as prime battle zones during the American Civil War. As well as its rich history, however, Maryland also is blessed with some beautiful and tranquil locations which mean it’s a great destination for an American holiday.

Situated in Garrett County on the western side of Maryland, the Deep Creek Lake area offers the appeal of mountains, forests, rivers and Maryland’s largest freshwater lake. It’s a fantastic destination for those who like activity holidays or who simply like the opportunity to get away from the frantic pace of city life!

The list of activities that can be enjoyed is impressive and includes hiking, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, fishing, biking, and in the winter there’s the opportunity to experience ice fishing or to indulge in some skiing or snowboarding. At Bear Claw Snow Tubing Park, there’s even the opportunity for your family to experience “snow tubing”, courtesy of 800 foot tubing lanes. All you have to do is get on the tube and then brace yourself for the exciting and bumpy descent!

If you’re looking for sights that will delight and thrill, then it’s not just the mountains to the west of Maryland that you should check out. Assateague Island on the east coast is famous for its feral horses and it’s a magic sight to see them galloping along the sands. The island is 37 miles long and can be accessed by bridge, meaning you can travel right to Assateague Island’s fabulous beaches by car. However, having got there, make sure you ditch your car and explore the island and its coastline by foot, canoe, or kayak.

As you’d expect, the island is popular with sunbathers and also offers pretty much the full range of beach-related activities that you’d expect to find at any top notch beach resort. It’s a great spot for indulging in some sea angling, casting a lure out into the breakers. Or you can swim, fly kites, or book onto a kayak trip to explore the island’s secluded nooks and crannies. It’s also worth taking a look at the Assateague Lighthouse which was built in 1867 and is open for public tours during the summer months at weekends.

A good base for exploring Maryland’s eastern reaches is the charming little town of Berlin, situated within close distance of Assateague Island and which is brimming with its own history and attractions.

With the Rocky Mountains and the famous Route 66 both passing through New Mexico, there are some obvious attractions to explore, and that's before you consider taking a day out to explore Roswell to look for UFO wreckage, or Los Alamos (where the atomic bomb was developed). The other major towns are the capital Albuquerque (home of an amazing hot air balloon festival), and the tourist hotspot Santa Fe up in the mountains. Santa Fe is an artistic centre, and there are many museums and galleries to explore, as does nearby Taos. Santa Fe has a lot to recommend it, there's the art scene, the scenic beauty of this city at 7,000 feet, and then there's the diversity of the arts, food and people themselves. It has a very small, compact downtown, which is easy for a family to walk around, and a host of film festivals, art festivals, wine festivals and other special events throughout the year.