Panama Canal: A Man-Made Marvel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

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E-mail her at cteel@smartertravel.com.

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Pay a visit to one of the world’s finest engineering feats—the Panama Canal. Thousands of ships pass through the canal every year, so you’ll have a good chance of seeing one go through when you visit. Or, you can even book a tour aboard a crossing vessel, letting you experience the journey first-hand.

The easiest way to visit the Panama Canal is at Miraflores Locks, located just outside of Panama City. Here, there’s a viewing center with stadium-style seats to watch the boats, as well as a nice historical visitor’s center. You’ll learn fun facts about the Canal, including one about the American adventurer who swam it—like a boat, he was charged by weight for his crossing. Entry to the exhibits and viewing center is just $8 for adults.

A trip to Miraflores Locks can easily be done in a day-trip from Panama City. It’s definitely doable to visit on a self-guided trip (hire a taxi or drive your rental car to the locks). There are also a number of tour companies running short trips there and back from the city.

Where Is it? In Panama, not far from Panama City. Fly to Tocumen International Airport (check prices).

Where to Stay? At the Country Inn and Suites Panama Canal, where you can book a room with a view of the canal.

What Else Should I Know? Keep in mind that if you want to take a boat through the whole canal, it usually takes around nine hours.

Who’s it for? Sailors, kids, historians.

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