This antique clock tower was photographed in the seaside town of Jaffa, Israel, which has been in existence since around the time of Noah. The town is a pleasant stroll from the city of Tel Aviv, and home to several great seafood restaurants and artists’ shops.

On the Road in ’68, by Tom Leech

Essentially a published travel journal accented with historical event lists from both then and now, On the Road in ’68 covers the year-long journey of two friends that took place during a tumultuous time in world history.

The Best Women’s Travel Writing of 2011

Edited by Lavinia Spalding, The Best Women’s Travel Writing of 2011 is a compilation of short, nonfiction travel stories from writers such as Erin Van Rheenan, Bonnie Stewart and Abbie Kozolchyk.

Wild with Child: Adventures of Families in the Great Outdoors

Those enthusiastic about family travel, and the hilarious adventures that can come along with it, should get a kick out of Wild with Child. A collection of travel tales focused specifically on vacation getways involving the whole family, this title includes tales of snow camping with the kids by Mark Jenkins, Grand Canyon exploring with Michael Quinn Patton and bush planning to an Alaskan island courtesy of Leslie Leyland Field.

One Hand Does Not Catch a Buffalo (Volume One: Africa)

If you’ve always wondered about the adventures of serving in the Peace Corps, then chances are you’ll enjoy One Hand Does Not Catch a Buffalo. Volume one of a collection of over 50 years of Peace Corps stories, the titles was edited by Aaron Barlow and includes entries by Robert Klein, Robert E. Gribbin and Sera Arcaro among others. Tales hail from such African destinations as Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Senegal, providing a diverse representation of this exotic continent.

The Best Travel Writing of 2011

With an introduction by Pico Iyer, The Best Travel Writing of 2011 showcases top travel writing works by a variety of authors such as Debra Taffa, Cameron McPherson Smith and Sabine Bergmann. Story settings include Iceland, Idaho, Bolivia and Belarus.

What travel titles made it to your reading shelf this year?

Photo Credit: iStock

This whimsical clown quilt was photographed at the Virginia Quilt Museum, one of many interesting things to do in Harrisonburg, Va.

This elaborately-ornate roof in Bangkok, Thailand was photographed from the platform of a temple across the river. It is typical of traditional Thai architecture.

Freebies: LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory in Livingston, Louisiana offers free group fieldtrips to their facility and science outreach center with projects, activities and exhibits designed to celebrate the science being conducted the observatory. LIGO also hosts an open-to-the-public science event on the third Saturday of each month. Outreach personnel create activities suitable for children of all age levels, using materials that can easily and affordably be purchased at regular discount stores if the kiddos want to recreate their projects after your family visit. Information on registration requirements, access protocols and group size is available on the LIGO web site.

Other science venues are free as well, and offer exceptional programming. The London Science Museum for example offers complimentary access, as does the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. For stargazing fans, the Flandrau Observatory at the University of Arizona in Tucson offers free guided telescope viewing to the public Wednesday through Saturday of every week from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Memberships: Annual memberships work as well for science museums as they do for theme parks, and much more affordably as well. For example, The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania charges only $99 per year for a full-access membership for a family of four, which includes free access to more than 250 additional science museums. Similarly, the Museum of Science in Boston offers an annual membership for a family of five for just $10 more than the regular one-time admission price for the same number of people. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo also has a great annual pass program that includes several educational experiences for children. Also in Tampa is MOSI, Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, which offers hands-on science exhibits, movies and outdoor experiences for science fans of all ages.

Parks: The America the Beautiful pass, available through the National Parks Service, provides access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites for all occupants riding in a personal vehicle, costs only $80 per year. Allowable venues include national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests and areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. So pack your little pumpkins in the van to participate in hands-on science experiences such as the tidal pools of Maine’s Acadia National Park or California’s Channel Islands. The geysers of Yellowstone National Park are also of note, as is the junior ranger enrichment program at Shenandoah National Park, where budding young naturalists can pair up with park rangers to learn about the park’s plants, lichens, peregrine falcons and more. Travel tip: National parks are also a great resource for affordable family reunions.

Photo Credit: This image was photographed by the Trek Hound team, and is available for creative commons use through our sister site, PictureofTravelPlaces.com.

Bicycles are a common form of transportation around Angkor Wat, and elsewhere in Cambodia. People use them to transport groceries, farm animals, family members and more.

This simple street scene was photographed on the islet of Sirmione, along the shores of Italy’s Lake Garda. It’s a popular destination for tourists to take a boat ride, go for a swim, tour ancient Roman ruins and catch a romantic Italian dinner.

This tour boat ferries visitors to Peru’s Lake Titicaca, high in the Andes Mountains. A visit to this lake provides a peek into the Uros culture, high-altitude island life and beautiful blue waters to explore.

These beachfront cabanas are located on the island of St. Kitts, and provide a relaxing and shaded way to spend the day near the water with access to rum drinks, seafood and even a day spa.

The piazza in Pisa, Italy is one of the most beautiful in the world, and a popular place for tourists to picnic while taking in a little sightseeing. There are other things to see in Pisa as well, as the city has been around for generations.