General Articles

North America’s Under-the-Radar Foodie Destinations

Foodies in the know already flock to culinary hotspots like New Orleans, Vancouver and Mexico City. Yet, for those searching for new eating experiences, a handful of lesser-known cities are emerging as topnotch dining destinations, MORE

The gigantic dunes rising up out of the world’s oldest desert

For those who find themselves awed by arid landscapes, there’s no place like Africa.

The continent boasts nine separate deserts, including a vast Sahara that sprawls across much of the north, the rust-colored Kalahari of the southwest, and the bizarre Turkana Basin of northern Kenya. MORE

Fall is the best time to visit these 10 national parks

Post-pandemic, U.S. national parks have attracted record crowds as people flock to the great outdoors for fresh air and wide-open spaces. At least 10 parks—including Yosemite, Zion, Arches, and Acadia—have been forced to limit visitation during the summer peak season MORE

San Diego’s Sudsy Safari Trails

San Diego may have been known for its surfing safaris in the past, but nowadays those in the know are more likely to head south for craft beer.

Since its first craft brewery debuted in 1987, “America’s Finest City” has evolved into one of the nation’s nirvanas of artisanal beer, similarly to Portland and Colorado. MORE

Explore Canada’s 126-Mile-Long National Treasure

Stretching 126 miles (202 km) between Ottawa and Lake Ontario, the Rideau Canal is one of Canada’s most popular national parks. Yet it’s barely known outside of the Maple Leaf nation. MORE

The ancient monastery hanging from the side of a cliff

If its ancient walls could talk, Sümela Monastery in eastern Turkey would have quite a few stories to tell.

Since its founding in the 4th-century CE by some of the earliest Christians to arrive along the Black Sea coast, the shrine has witnessed the evolution of the Roman Empire into the Byzantine era, the rise of the Ottomans, MORE

Three Amazing Ways to Cruise South America

Rebounding from a post-pandemic slump, the cruise industry racked up a record number of passengers for 2023 – more than 31 million passengers around the globe. While large ships that carry as many as 7,600 cruisers accounted for the largest numerical increase, the biggest percentage growth was in the “expedition cruise” sector. MORE

If There Was Such a Thing as the Animal Olympics, These Creatures Would Be Gold Medalists

From Simone Biles and Noah Lyles to the U.S. women’s basketball team and “golden boy” French swimmer Léon Marchand, there were plenty of amazing athletes at the recent Paris Olympics. MORE

Turkmenistan’s mysterious, flaming ‘Gates of Hell’

Rarely does an industrial accident develop into a major tourist attraction.

But when a Soviet exploratory team drilled for natural gas in Turkmenistan more than 50 years ago, they are said to have set off a chain reaction that created the Darvaza Gas Crater MORE

How to visit Olympic National Park

One of the most primeval parts of the lower 48 states, Olympic National Park covers nearly 1 million acres of the eponymous peninsula in Washington State—95 percent of which is designated wilderness. MORE

America’s Largest National Monument Is Off-Limits To Almost Everyone

Calling all travel trivia buffs — see if you can answer the following questions:

1. What’s the largest U.S. national park as well as one of the biggest in the world? MORE

Riding the Trans-Mongolian Railway, one of the world’s most epic train journeys

Horses were Mongolia’s chief means of getting around for thousands of years, and they remain an integral part of the national identity.

But in modern times, the iron horse has gained popularity as an excellent way to cross this vast central Asian nation. MORE

Everything to know about Zion National Park

Mormon pioneers arriving in the area in the 1860s were so overwhelmed by the natural beauty of Zion Canyon and its surroundings that they named it after the Old Testament name for the city of Jerusalem. MORE

Paradise on the Horizon

With so many people back to traveling these days, it’s getting harder and harder to find paradise. Especially paradise islands.. MORE

Grand Canyon pit stop is now a bona fide hot spot

For years, Flagstaff was a place that you passed through on your way to the Grand Canyon or following Route 66 to the California shore. Unless you needed gas or a quick meal, there was little reason to stop. MORE

Calling All Bird Nerds! Species You Can Spot on Nat Hab’s U.S. National Parks Trips

“I never for a day gave up listening to the songs of our birds, or watching their peculiar habits, or delineating them in the best way I could,” the legendary 19th-century artist and ornithologist John James Audubon scribbled in one of his journals. MORE

Everything to know about Katmai National Park

Volcanoes and bears embody the wild heart of Katmai, located on the Alaska Peninsula. Within the borders of the national park and preserve lie 14 active volcanoes and North America’s largest population of protected brown bears—some 2,000 of the photogenic creatures. MORE

Why this is Latin America’s next dining destination

Bolivia doesn’t seem like an obvious foodie destination. But the big, landlocked South American country is making waves in the culinary world via top-notch restaurants and transforming foodways pioneered by the ancient Inca and Aymara peoples into modern fusion dishes. MORE

How To Explore Amsterdam Like A Local

According to the city’s statistics bureau, more than 18 million people visited Amsterdam last year, making it one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations. MORE

The beautiful African paradise islands that most tourists don’t know about

For those who want to avoid the crowds and discover someplace new, Africa also boasts some “almost famous” islands with awesome beaches, unique wildlife, and amazing outdoor adventures on both land and sea. MORE

Carting Around

A classic Woody wagon, vintage Volkswagen Microbus or drop-top Porsche are among the coolest rides along the Southern California coast. But a much more efficient way of getting around a beach town—in terms of cost, parking, eco-friendliness and even customization—is a form of transportation that many of us take for granted: the humble golf cart. MORE

4 Places To Catch California’s Amazing Desert Bloom

Following a huge wave of winter storms, the California desert is expecting another spectacular wildflower super bloom. MORE

Everything to know about Yellowstone National Park

If ever a park had a flair for the dramatic it’s Yellowstone—geysers, grizzlies, and its very own Grand Canyon, as well as trendy towns and backcountry trails that rarely see human bootprints. After all these years, the world’s very first national park is still one of the most imposing—a blend of land and water, forest and field, wildlife and geothermal features that often seem to be living things. MORE

Everything you need to know about Everglades National Park

Sprawling between South Florida’s Lake Okeechobee and the Gulf of Mexico, the Everglades is one of the world’s largest tropical wetlands. About 20 percent of the region is protected within the confines of Everglades National Park, the third largest national park after Death Valley and Yellowstone in the lower 48 states. MORE

What’s the Difference Between Bison and Buffalo?

Other than the bald eagle, there is no more iconic American animal than the buffalo.

Buffalo is the name of two dozen U.S. towns and one large city. Buffalo nickels filled many a piggy bank in the early 20^th century. MORE

Babanango: South Africa’s big new game park is the result of a dramatic transformation

Five years ago, the river valleys and high plains that are now safeguarded by the Babanango Game Reserve in the KwaZulu Natal region of South Africa were virtually devoid of wildlife after decades of cattle grazing and unrestrained hunting. MORE

Tulum Time: Surviving Mexico’s Caribbean Hotspot

Tucked at the bottom end of the Riviera Maya, Tulum is Mexico’s “it” tropical vacation destination at the present time.

You Had Me At Spyder

It may seem crazy to advocate a convertible sports car with all the rain we’ve had in Southern California this year.

But now, summer is here, and when the ragtop in question is the super-sweet, midengine Porsche 718 Spyder, it’s hard to resist the notion that this car is cool to drive—and be seen driving—no matter the season. MORE

How To Visit Two Continents In One Amazing City

What makes Istanbul so incredibly special?

Let’s start with the fact that you can visit two continents (Europe and Asia for those of you who flunked geography) in one city. MORE

This new park gives different views of the Grand Canyon—with no crowds

These sacred Indigenous lands in Arizona just got government protection. Here’s how to explore their hikes, wildlife, and impressive vistas. MORE

Beauty and a Beast

Beauty and a beast is an ideal way to describe the new LX 600, the latest and so far greatest iteration in a family of luxury Lexus SUVs. MORE

How to visit Biscayne National Park

With the third longest coral reef system in the world, Florida’s watery wonder is a haven for snorkeling, boating, and diving. MORE

How to eat in 6 of the world’s most stunning places

If you’ve ever wanted to dine beneath the Indian Ocean or in a Tanzanian crater, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up some of the most extraordinary restaurants in the world—and given you the guide to find them. MORE

Travel delays? These airports and train stations actually have great food

From Michelin-starred menus to gilded historic sites, these restaurants are worth a visit—whether or not you’re a tourist. MORE

The world’s biggest national park is larger than most countries

National parks are really into big things, especially super-large landmarks. MORE

Incredible US national park campgrounds you can’t drive to

Forget the road less traveled when it comes to camping in US national parks. How about sacking out in places where there are no roads? MORE

15 of America’s best small towns and cities

The vast majority of Americans may live in big cities (more than 70%, according to the 2020 census), but there’s an enduring affection for small towns and cities. MORE

Take a look back at John Steinbeck’s sojourn in Laguna Beach.

Between the world wars, Laguna Beach evolved into a small but thriving West Coast version of Paris—a gathering place for artists, writers and actors searching for both a literal and metaphorical place in the sun. MORE

10 fascinating theme parks that have closed forever

Although hundreds of theme parks are active around the globe, hundreds more have been relegated to the scrapheap of amusement history. MORE

Camping 101

You certainly won’t be alone. According to the 2023 North American Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report compiled by Kampgrounds of America (KOA), camping in all of its forms now accounts for around one-third of all leisure trips in the U.S. and Canada. MORE

Cómo visitar dos continentes en una ciud increíble

Agregue varias de las estructuras más icónicas del mundo, una combinación suntuosa de la cocina mediterránea y del Medio Oriente, canales panorámicos y residentes a los que les encanta mostrar su querida ciudad a los visitantes, y tiene todas las características de un lugar que debería estar en boca de todos. MORE

Alternative Africa: Freetown

You’ve already photographed the Big Five, sipped your way across Stellenbosch, straddled a camel beside the pyramids and now you’re looking for someplace new and different to feed your fascination with Africa. MORE

How to visit Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

The epitome of rugged wilderness, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve offers a glimpse of what Alaska was like prior to the arrival of Europeans 300 years ago. MORE

Dare to bare: 20 of the world’s best nude beaches

It’s been a banner year for nudity around the globe.

Berlin recently announced that women can now go topless at the German capital’s public swimming pools while Nantucket Island went topless last December after locals voted in favor of “gender equality on beaches.” MORE

Trips that will change you

Like many people visiting Sierra Leone for the first time, most of what I know about the West African nation was gleaned from press reports about its decade-long civil war. MORE

Escape From Puerto Vallarta

No, Kurt Russell and John Carpenter are not reuniting for another spinoff of their 1980’s cult classic action-adventure flick.

This is about a different kind of escape. MORE

World’s most beautiful castles

What is it about castles that fascinates so many people around the globe?

A lot of the allure derives from the history and human drama that played out within the walls, as well as the astonishing architecture that features on so many castles. MORE

Tired Of The Same Old London? Try These Neighborhoods

Anyone who visits London for the first time is sure to concentrate on eternal sights like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the British Museum. MORE

South Africa’s most epic hikes

Mount Kilimanjaro may be the ultimate quest. But the undisputed champ of African hiking is that big country at the bottom end of the continent – South Africa. MORE

Winter is coming. These trips help you embrace it—or escape it

Oslo, Norway—Average January high: 32ºF

At the mouth of a gorgeous fjord, the Norwegian capital strikes a fascinating balance between centuries-old and contemporary, with dazzling modern architecture (a new museum dedicated to local artist Edvard Munch), Viking ships on display, and a buzzing performing arts scene. MORE

Best National Parks For Winter Sports

They may not have the Winter Olympics pedigree of Palisades Tahoe or Lake Placid, or an après ski scene of Aspen or Park City, but many U.S. national parks have a pretty cool winter sports scene. MORE

Alternative Amazon: Guyana’s Emerald Forest

Lots of people are fascinated by dinosaurs, their imagination stoked by popular movies and the possibility (no matter how remote) of Jurassic creatures coming back to life in modern times. MORE

The Yukon: North America’s Wildest Road Trip

Looking for somewhere to road trip this summer that doesn’t have bumper-to-bumper traffic on both its highways, city streets and wilderness trails? MORE

4 winter trips you need to take now

Have the blizzards and bomb cyclones, the atmospheric rivers and Pineapple Express got you feeling the winter blues? Maybe you can’t “fly off to saint somewhere” like Jimmy Buffett. But a road trip to sunnier climes goes a long way to curing a bout of cabin fever. MORE

These natural wonders aren’t US national parks. But they should be

“National parks are the best idea we ever had,” declared American writer and environmentalist Wallace Stegner. And like many great inventions, the park system became wildly popular. MORE 

Call of the Caucasus

Situated at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Georgia is an ancient land of complex history and rugged landscapes. MORE

It’s one of Europe’s most popular destinations. Here’s how to avoid the crowds

In 2019, more than three million tourists poured into the fabled walled town along Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast and local authorities expect the number to reach that point again over the next few years as global tourism recovers from Covid-19. MORE

25 Best Lake Vacations in the U.S.

Waking up to another cloudless morning, you dive off your houseboat into the wild blue of Lake Powell in southern Utah. The water takes the edge off the heat, and you float along, contemplating a lazy day of navigating spectacular red-rock gorges and flooded canyons. MORE

Valley Highs

World-class vineyards and wineries aren’t the only draw card for epicurians in California’s Napa Valley – the region is a foodie’s heaven, from high-class fine dining establishments to cute bakeries and statement diners. MORE

Escape Rapa Nui

Home to a Polynesian population that traces its roots back over 1,000 years, Easter Island has long been an exotic but virtually ignored atoll in the South Pacific. MORE

22 of the USA’s most underrated destinations

Exploring Cannon’s Point

California dream machine

Something in the air

The future looks electric

A tale of 2 Mexico trips during the pandemic

Alaska tourism: Things are looking up on the Last Frontier

Anchorage (CNN) — “Everyone is going to Alaska this summer,” declares the woman sitting next to me on a flight from San Francisco to Anchorage. “When I told friends we were going, so many of them said, ‘So are we!'” MORE

Remote Big Bend sheds a different light on the US frontier

It’s late afternoon in Santa Elena Canyon — a 19-mile gorge that separates Big Bend National Park in West Texas and three national parks in Mexico — and we’re setting up camp along a remote stretch of the Rio Grande. MORE

Take a look back at John Steinbeck’s sojourn in Laguna Beach.

Between the world wars, Laguna Beach evolved into a small but thriving West Coast version of Paris—a gathering place for artists, writers and actors searching for both a literal and metaphorical place in the sun. MORE

Bigo Live: Connecting In A Time of Disconnection

In the crowded social media universe, only a few platforms have a chance to dazzle a global audience and rise above the competition. MORE

Throwback digs, safely distanced: A travel trailer vacation revival.

The global pandemic has sparked a lot of unintended consequences — some of them a throwback to simpler times. MORE

Confessions of an RV rookie — and former naysayer

I had no idea when I decided to take the family on an RV vacation this summer that I would have to learn a whole new vocabulary. MORE

Stingray Soars into the Stratosphere

It took more than half a century, but the new 2020 Chevy Corvette finally lives up to all the hype. A road beast that ranks with Europe’s supercars. MORE

California Dream Machine

California car buffs are a finicky bunch. It takes something out of this world to grab their rapt attention, like the latest version of the Porsche 911 Targa 4, a bona fide head-turner that elicits shoutouts from other drivers as you’re cruising up and down Pacific Coast Highway. MORE

Course Concierge

The Waterman Caddie program at Monarch Beach Golf Links combines traditional services with expert knowledge to create an unmatched experience. More on Page 26

A Birder’s Paradise

They may not be as wild as the Everglades or Amazon, the beaches, wetlands and bays of Newport Beach offers some pretty awesome bird-watching especially during the winter months MORE

Unforgettable last-minute road trips in North America

Stumped about spring break? Drive to these volcanic peaks, high deserts, and the New World’s only Viking settlement. MORE

Splendid isolation: 8 great wilderness areas to inspire

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike,” John Muir famously declared. MORE

The Guianas: South America’s ‘Lost World’ rediscovered

Taking time off from his Sherlock Holmes mysteries, Arthur Conan Doyle penned a tale about a remote corner of South America where dinosaurs and other colossal creatures stilled roamed the earth. MORE

Food in Egypt: 13 delicious dishes and drinks you shouldn’t miss

Although seldom named among the great food cultures of the Mediterranean or Middle East, the flavors found along the Nile are just as tasty — and often more intriguing — than the traditional cooking of Lebanon, Turkey or Greece.ey or Greece. MORE

Earth Before Man

The name Serengeti derives from a Maasai phrase that means “endless plains.” Tanzania’s iconic national park certainly feels that way — a seemingly infinite expanse of rolling grasslands, wooded river courses and rocky outcrops that safeguards one of the last great bastions of nature. MORE

Jewels of the Nile: 11 awesome Egyptian museums

For much of the 20th century, the Egyptian Museum in the center of Cairo was the gold standard for collections along the Nile.Mainly because among the many nuggets inside were the glimmering death mask of Tutankhamun and all the other relics discovered in the boy king’s tomb by archeologist Howard Carter in 1922. MORE

World’s most beautiful castles

What is it about castles that fascinates so many people around the globe? A lot of the allure derives from the history and human drama that played out within the walls, as well as the astonishing architecture that features on so many castles. MORE

A Bostonian’s Guide to the Other Greatest Places in the World

If the thought of holiday shopping has you dreaming of a warm Christmas somewhere far, far south of Newbury Street, consider escaping to the Cape Verde islands, an exotic archipelago off the coast of West Africa. MORE

Everything to know about Glacier National Park

“Crown of the Continent” is an apt nickname for this pair of parks, which feature some of the most impressive mountain scenery in North America. Joined together since 1932 as the world’s first international peace park, Glacier National Park in Montana and Watertown Lakes National Park in Alberta offer a contiguous high-country wonderland of rock, ice, water, and wood. MORE

Sleeping in history: Egypt’s vintage hotels

Egypt has been attracting tourists for nearly as long as the pyramids have been around.The ancient Greek author Herodotus, the spiritual father of travel writing, called it “the gift of the river” Nile. MORE

National Geographic Grand Canyon

Celebrating 100 Years of the Park. MORE

These historic lodges are the perfect way to see North America’s wild parks

Glamping has nothing on these lodges. With a grand mansion or rustic inn as your base camp, you can get a glimpse into 19th- and 20th-century history before heading off into the park to explore some of North America’s most beautiful landscapes. MORE

Top 10 wildlife encounters in parks

Originally supported—at least in the United States—by hunting enthusiasts eager to safeguard big game, parks have a longstanding connection to wildlife preservation. Today, wildlife tourists are becoming more mindful than ever of the balance between enjoying the parks they support and keeping a healthy distance from wild animals. MORE

Explore 10 amazing river trips in North American parks

Rivers knit ecosystems together, providing some of the best widlife watching around—and some adrenaline-fueled recreation, too. Here are 10 of the best river trips in parks across the United States and Canada. MORE

Everything to know about Grand Canyon National Park

Imagine the Grand Canyon with no people. Just the psychedelic-colored canyon walls, the wind, and the river silent and milk chocolaty at the bottom of the gorge. That’s how it must have looked to the Native Americans who lived in and around the Grand Canyon 12,000 years ago, and to the Spanish explorers who laid eyes on the rift in the 16th century. MORE

8 breathtaking photos of some of North America’s best national parks

Editor’s Note: The following are images from “100 Parks, 5,000 Ideas” by National Geographic’s Joe Yogerst. Explore the top national, state, and city parks throughout North America. National Geographic turns to the United States and Canada’s most pristine — and adventure-filled — national, state, and city parks with 5,000 ideas for the ultimate vacation. MORE

Top 10 sweeping views of iconic parks

Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie with a head for heights or simply looking for sublime vistas, North America’s breathtaking summits and manufactured monuments deliver. Here are ten of the most amazing panoramic views in parks across the United States and Canada. MORE

The best of ancient Egypt

(CNN) — Like the legendary curse of the mummy, ancient Egypt refuses to stay buried in the past. Every so often it comes back to life — in the 1920s with the discovery of King Tut’s tomb; in the 1970s with the global tour of those golden masks; and most recently with a flurry of astonishing discoveries using 21st-century archaeological techniques. MORE

20 best things to do in Kenya

Folks who have never been there tend to think of Kenya as a one-trick pony — an awesome safari destination and little more. But East Africa’s No. 1 travel destination (nearly 1.5 million international visitors in 2017) is actually a multifaceted place with a wide variety of adventures both rural and urban MORE

12 reasons to visit the beautiful Cape Verde islands

Once a hugely important gateway used by explorers en route to “discover” the Americas, the Cape Verde islands fell into obscurity in more recent times.But the archipelago, located in the North Atlantic about 570 kilometers (about 350 miles) off the extreme western tip of Africa, is enjoying a renewed surge in visitors. MORE

Eight of Kenya’s most beautiful beaches

(CNN) — Despite the powder-soft sand and seawater that runs a dozen shades of blue, Diani Beach on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast always has you looking skyward.At the black-and-white colobus monkeys swinging through the trees and scampering over the roofs of the seaside villas. At the skydivers and kitesurfers hovering high above the strand. MORE

16 of the world’s best coastlines

(CNN) — Coastlines are one of the most alluring of our planet’s geographical features. The clash of land and water is often mesmerizing, as are the plants, animals and human activities that flourish along a shore. In classic novella “Heart of Darkness,” seafaring author Joseph Conrad wrote. MORE

Namibia’s Skeleton Coast: A journey through the ‘end of the Earth’

It seems more like a mirage than real life — lions stalking seals along a dazzling white sand strand that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean.

But the sand dunes towering a hundred meters (300 feet) behind the shore and the fact there’s nothing man-made — other than shipwrecks — for a hundred miles in every direction indicate that there’s something very different about this section of Namibia’s 1,570 kilometer coastline. MORE

Dare to bare: 15 of the world’s best nude beaches

(CNN) — Although still taboo in many places, casting aside your clothes at the shore has become a customary practice around the world in recent times. From rocky coastlines to talcum powder fine sands, and big city bays to secluded shores, there are now hundreds of beaches where it’s perfectly legal (or at least de facto legal) to sunbathe, swim and otherwise frolic beside the sea in nothing more than your birthday suit. MORE

The Heart of Hawaii

Probably the most laidback of all the Hawaiian islanders, it takes an awful lot to get the people on Lāna‘i excited about anything. But on a breezy weekday morning, when most of them should be in a workplace or classroom, a good number of the island’s 3,000 residents are gathered around Manele Bay awaiting the arrival of a very special boat. MORE