Going Overboard for Indoor Pools

What is one of real estate's rare luxuries? How about your own golf course? Or maybe your own helipad? Or, better yet, your own indoor swimming pool.
Ah, now we're talking. Even the rich and famous would admit that having an indoor pool is one of life's luxurious amenities. Here are 5 homes that feature fabulous indoor swimming pools. Some have celebrity lineage, some are quite ornate, while others are simply well-appointed spaces to swim some precious laps. Take a look:

1. Greenwich, CT Home For Sale — $15,950,000
309 Taconic Rd, Greenwich, CT 06831
Notable: Not only does this 26,000-sq ft Mediterranean manor home have its own private theater and elaborate wine-tasting room, but it also boasts an elegant lap pool under a Tuscan-yellow arched ceiling.

This Greenwich, CT home was listed at $15.9 million

10 Places Every Kid Should See

Grand Canyon (Ariz.)

Two years ago, we picked the American landmarks every kid should see, from Ellis Island to Redwood National Park. Our new and improved 2011 lineup takes that challenge even further, by highlighting how our country's top sights cater to kids' abbreviated attention spans. From roasting marshmallows around a campfire to playing dress-up at Monticello, these cool, interactive activities ensure that the younger set will enjoy these must-see spots as much as their parents do.

During the day, stroll the 4-year-old Skywalk, a U-shaped, glass-bottom observation deck that juts 70 feet over the canyon's West Rim and sits 4,000 feet above the Colorado River. Come sunset, hit Grand Canyon Apache Stables, where, for $25.50 per person, you can hitch a one-hour ride on a horse-drawn wagon that ends around a campfire. Tip: BYO marshmallows and hot dogs so you can cook up a nighttime snack. Skywalk Package including mandatory Legacy pass.

The National Mall (D.C.)

Riding the streets of Washington, D.C., in a boat on wheels might sound cheesy, but cruising the Potomac River in one is pretty sweet. Set in a WWII-era amphibious vehicle, the 90-minute D.C. duck tour covers both land and sea. The first leg hits the history-packed National Mall—look for the 19-foot-tall Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol building, and the Smithsonian museums—and then switches to a scenic river trip. Highlight: The boat pauses at Gravelly Point, a park located just a few hundred feet from the runway at D.C.'s Reagan National Airport, so you can watch roaring planes take off and land.

American Castles for Sale

If you think castles only exist in Europe, think again. Surprisingly, there are many castles in the U.S. and some are even for sale.
While these castles can weather storms, are they recession proof? Unfortunately, they are struggling to find buyers just like most other high-end homes and, according to Erin Diaz of Beaches & Backroads Realty, people are missing the boat. "I think we forget that people were on the ocean a century ago, hand-building these castles with these incredible details. These structures can withstand salt water, hurricanes and Mother Nature much better than other wooden structures. And there's a misconception that castles are dark and dingy, but these properties are gorgeous and they're mostly re-done."
Although modern-day castles are still being built, suburbia-style, we chose the 10 below due to their age and historic significance. These are not fortified with moats, or men dumping boiling oil from above, but they were all built around the start of the 20th century by those who were captured by the grandeur of dramatic fortress-like structures so prevalent centuries ago.

Here are five American castles for sale:

Searles Hopkins Castle is selling for $11 million in Great Barrington, MA.

America's Cleanest Cities, 2011

Here are the Five Cleanest Cities in America:

No. 5: Las Vegas, NV

No. 5: Las Vegas, Nev.
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA): Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
Air quality rank: 40
Water quality rank: 12
Superfund rank: 7
Pounds of on-site toxic releases (2009): 1.3 million

Five Weird But Wonderful Homes

Apart from suburban tract homes, America still has a healthy supply of homes that make you go "hmm." These are homes with stories to tell and questions to answer -- there's intrigue and mystery.
Two of these homes are built in honor of a loved one. Some of them are open to the public, some are private homes, and most of these in the list are even for sale. Multiple homes on the list are energy efficient and even off the grid. Others are just off the wall, and some of those walls are constructed from some pretty unusual materials.

Here are a few of the weirdest, most wonderful homes in America compiled by TopTenRealEstateDeals.com for CNBC.

Bioscleave House Life Extending Villa
Location: East Hampton, New York
Price: $4 million
Bed: 3 Bath: 2 Sq ft: 3,700
Claim to Fame: The first U.S. example of reversible destiny architecture, or “architecture against death”

The Bioscleave House Life Extending Villa in East Hampton, NY.

Hollywood Reaches Out to Japan After Earthquake

Hollywood is reaching out to the people Japan after a devastating 8.9-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami rocked the Pacific island nation.

“Sending good thoughts and prayers to people of Japan,” Ben Stiller Tweeted.

 

Glee star Lea Michele, wrote, "So devastating to hear about the huge earthquake & tsunami Japan. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone there."

 

Tweeted Taylor Swift: "I'm sending my thoughts and prayers and love to those in Japan who are hurting.”

 

Katy Perry asked her followers to pray for “anyone that is being effected by the disaster in Japan,” while Paris Hilton Tweeted, "The images on the news are breaking my heart. I am so worried for everyone in Japan. My thoughts are with you Japan. God bless you all.”

 

"Watching news N utter shock&horror,” Tweeted Tori Spelling. “God Bless everyone&their families N Japan struck by this horrific earthquake&Tsunami.”

 

"Just heard about the huge earthquake and tsunami in Japan. My prayers are with everyone in Japan!," Kim Kardashian wrote on Twitter.

Watch raw footage of the Japan earthquake and tsunami

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Northeast Japan spawned a ferocious tsunami that's caused massive destruction; flattening whole cities, starting raging fires, and killing hundreds. Nearly 88,000 people are reported missing, according to the official Kyodo news agency.
We've gathered some videos that show the scope of the disaster, and you can also see The Atlantic's collection of photos of the quake.
Footage of the tsunami quickly enveloping the city of Sendai, Japan. Officials say hundreds are dead, and the death toll is rising. As the sun rose on Japan, the rescue operations began:


In the aftermath of the tsunami, an ocean whirlpool forms, trapping a boat: (Following are some More Videos)

NEW YORK AT NIGHTS