The cables are up to help hikers climb the vertigo-inducing Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. This 10-hour  iconic American hike is not for the out-of shape or the faint-of-heart. To get an idea of both the agony and the ecstasy involved , check out this informative and inspiring video.

This Friday marks the reopening of the Wisconsin Dells Tommy Bartlett Water Show, the Vegas-on-waterskis spectacle that’s been drawing crowds since 1952 . (As you may recall, the show was closed last summer after flooding burst a dike that drained Lake Delton.) Get in the spirit with this human pyramid video, and relive old times with this vintage 1967 clip.Â

I follow soultravelers3 on Twitter. Given that they are limited to 140 words per posting, I had a hard time figuring out what they were up to. That is until they uploaded this video of their daughter, Mozart, playing the violin in all the countries — Italy, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, France, Croatia, Greece — the family has visited so far on a multi-year, open-ended journey. Part of their plan in seeing the world is to “unschool” their adorable and musically talented kidlet. (Given her name, I wonder how her parents would feel if she sucked at the violin.) Their website is a great travel resource, full of videos and tips. As I watch their family’s adventures, I’m reminded of my fantasy of what having children would be like. I imagined a life full of adventurous journeys with children who loved —  loved — seeing new places. Almost ten years later, here’s reality: My  three kids like to travel, but could never embark on this kind of experience. The constant transitions, lack of structure, new friends every few weeks would result in serious emotional chaos. What are your experiences of traveling with your kids?

Yes, Bulgaria. The country celebrates both St. George’s Day and the Day of the Bulgarian Army on May 6.  It’s a national holiday where the people who celebrate their patron saint take part in folk dancing and other traditions and the city folk in Sofia, the nation’s capitol, watch a military parade. Further afield, the resorts on the Black Sea exude a more Cancun-like vibe.Â

Perhaps no country in the world is as well known for its flowers as Holland. The best place to see tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other spring bulbs is Keukenhof, a historic park in the bulb-growing region. With more than 7 million hand-planted flowers, the park is the largest bulb garden in the world.  The 58 bus takes you there directly from Schiphol Airport. If you don’t think a visit is possible before the end of May (that’s when the blooming season is over), check out this video.Â

According to the Minnesota Climate Working Group, many of the lakes in the northern tip of Minnesota are still covered with ice. As the state’s fishermen know, that won’t be the case for long and we can now start to think in earnest about our longed-for summer getaways. We love Burntside Lake outside of Ely, home to YMCA camps and classic resorts such as the iconic Burntside Lodge. We especially love Camp Van Vac, a rustic resort that keeps to the simple traditions of a bygone era. Get into the spirit of the place with this video.Â