A few blocks south of downtown Nashville is a stunning replica of the Parthenon. Really. Inside are historical exhibits and fine art—and a gilded, 42-foot statue of Athena. Learning how Alan LeQuire researched the long-destroyed Greek original, I wanted to meet him. Easy enough—LeQuire’s gallery was nearby.

The adjoining studio pulsed with works colossal …

Animals have inspired artists around the world for centuries. The Biblical dove carries an olive branch, a harbinger of peace. Native American totems depict animal guides who help people along the journey of life. Pictures carved in volcanic rock in New Mexico’s Petroglyph National Monument document relationships between humans and other animals.

When visiting Santa …

A spa resort that takes care of not only guests but also animals and Earth?

Welcome to Amelia Island Plantation, designed three decades ago in harmony with the Atlantic barrier island it occupies near Jacksonville, Florida. This “green lodging” award winner offers spa treatments using nontoxic, cruelty-free …

What’s a nice vegan doing in a retired pro-football player’s restaurant? Enjoying Caribbean-spiced grilled asparagus, yucca and mango, black beans and coconut rice, veganized bananas foster that packs a ton of flavor and zest (spicy pecans!), and hibiscus-mint tea.

Bimini Bob’s is a new waterfront restaurant where you can watch alligators, birds, …

I am not a cougar.

But when traveling, I rely on young guys to suggest the best places for good music, art, and vegan cuisine. One of them, Tim Adkins, assured me I’d find all three in Ann Arbor, Michigan—plus animal-friendly shops and microbrews good enough to convert wine snobs …