With summer vacation season winding down, I’ve been reminiscing about past trips. Most of my recent travels have been work related or to visit friends. I enjoy the freedom of traveling on my own, though I miss the days of family vacations, including Disney World trips as a child or cross-country flights to “shop” for colleges. Travelers in the United States and around the world take advantage of many different types of tourism.

Voluntourism: During college I was involved in my school’s volunteer program, Global Outreach. In my four years at Fordham University I traveled to Washington D.C., Waynesburg, Pa., Immokalee, Fla., and New Orleans, La., to volunteer with various organizations and learn from community organizers. Called voluntourism by some, volunteering while traveling brings new depth to vacations.

Historical tourism: Many history buffs make specials trips to significant landmarks. Author Sarah Vowell delves into historical tourism in her book Assassination Vacation, visiting the sites of presidential assassinations.

Ghost tourism: As a Pennsylvanian, I am very familiar with ghost tourism. Gettysburg is among the most haunted places in the United States. Some of my friends have visited the famed battlegrounds to ghost hunt. I prefer to hear the stories and not experience a ghost sighting first hand.

My list of places to go and things to see is constantly growing. What type of tourism do you want to try?

— Katie Skrzek, advertising and editorial coordinator, eFlyer USA editor