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Article / Cruise

New and Upcoming River Cruises in Europe, the US, India, and Beyond

Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.Among the many reasons river cruises entice travelers: close-up scenery, calm waters, and the…

Article / Arts and Culture

2025's UNESCO World Heritage Sites List: Fairy-Tale Castles, Lost Cities, and Natural Wonders

A onetime hub for real-life pirates of the Caribbean and the real-life inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland are among the places newly inscribed as UNESCO World…

Article / Cruise

First Look at Oceania Allura: A Fresh Spin on Familiar Flavors

In mid-July, Oceania Cruises’ Allura said arrivederci for the first time to its birthplace in Genoa, Italy, and sailed around the coast of the boot-shaped peninsula to get to…

Article / Arts and Culture

Taylor Swift's Rhode Island: Where You Might See the Pop Star at Her Favorite Vacation Spot

If the music thing doesn't work out, Taylor Swift should consider offering her storytelling services to the organizations that put together tours of historical homes. Take it from…

Article / National Parks

Tourists Continue to Make Terrible Decisions Around the Hot Springs at Yellowstone National Park

The hot springs at Yellowstone National Park have injured or killed more people than "any other natural feature" there, according to the National Park Service. As you might imagine,…

Article / Beach & Water Sports

Caribbean Islands Without Hurricanes: Where to Avoid Major Storms on Vacation

When it's hurricane season in the Caribbean, the risk may not be bad if you're on the best islands. These Caribbean countries are usually safe.

Article / Local Experiences

An Itinerary for Corsica, France: Car-free and Carefree in the Mediterranean

The fourth-largest and most mountainous island in the Mediterranean, Corsica is a place of striking coastlines, verdant valleys, and pretty pastel-toned towns. Yet despite its…

Article / National Parks

Grand Canyon Wildfire: How It Happened, What's Destroyed, and What Travelers Should Know

Nearly a hundred years ago, the Union Pacific Railroad commissioned architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood to design a resort hotel at its depot on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in…

Article / Arts and Culture

How to Become a Travel Writer—and a Better Traveler: Pauline Frommer's Favorite Event Is Back

Here's a little secret that those of us in travel media know: You have deeper, richer travel experiences when you hit the road with a goal. Just knowing that I need to come back from a…

Article / Outdoor & Adventure

How to Snag Last-Minute Campsite Reservations This Summer

Camping out should be a spontaneous activity. The mood strikes, you pack the car with tents and loved ones (or fuel up the RV), and head out.But during the pandemic, a very old truism…

Article / Miscellaneous

New Executive Order Demands National Park Price Hikes for International Tourists

On the day before Independence Day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to make international visitors pay more to visit America's national parks. In a confusing new…

Article / Air Travel

Air Passengers Have Fewer Rights in the U.S. Than in These Other Countries

Perhaps the most annoying of all airline fees is the extra charge for a carry-on bag, which several U.S. airlines, including United, can charge. But there's good news from the European…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

How to Travel with Wegovy, Zepbound, and Other Weight-Loss Injection Meds

Millions of people use injectable weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro. But the nature of these prescription medications—which have to be stored within a…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Rise in Measles Prompts Popular Caribbean Destination to Require Vaccination to Visit

There has been an update to this story. See the bottom of this post. The United States has logged at least 1,200 measles cases so far in 2025. Although the U.S. had declared the…

Article / Cruise

Mexico's Tax on Cruisers, Soon to Be $21, Has Taken Effect: Is It Really a Big Deal?

Late last year, incoming U.S. President Donald Trump wasn't even in the White House yet when he threatened Mexico with a new 25% tariff. When he did that, Mexico slapped back fast. The…

Article / Beach & Water Sports

All-Inclusive Resorts Don't Include Everything! Expect These Expenses, Too

Be an early bird when it comes to excursions.We’re not just talking about booking them the moment you arrive, either. Excursions booked at the resort are generally more expensive, so…

Article / National Parks

Great Native American Attractions Near Yellowstone and Grand Teton

Even before the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, many white explorers, government officials and business owners repeated a false and pernicious fallacy that few…

Article / Local Experiences

It’s Time to Re-enact the French Revolution—Using a Free Walking Tour App by Paris!

The French have always been exceptionally talented at anticipating global appetites. They set the trends in high fashion and in wine. They were the first to send help to the North…

Article / Arts and Culture

Bucking DEI Backlash, This State Just Opened a New African American Heritage Trail

Amid efforts by the U.S. federal government to restrict how African American history is taught, preserved, and celebrated, one state just unveiled a tourism initiative to showcase more…

Article / Miscellaneous

U.S. Senate to Force Sale of Millions of Acres of Publicly Owned Vacationland

There is an update to this story at the bottom of the post.The U.S. Senate is marking public lands to be pillaged, and preservation groups are sounding the alarm to call fans of…

Article / Miscellaneous

New Federal Junk Fee Rules Are in Effect: What to Look for, How to Report Violations

All right, savvy shoppers. It's been a month since the new federal rules about fee disclosures have kicked in. Are you seeing a difference in your online shopping?It's not often that…

Article / Cruise

What to Expect on a River Thames Barge Cruise in England’s Countryside: Our Review

Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.The narrow River Thames unfolds like a ribbon dropped onto an old map. Flowing for more than 200 miles…

Article / Arts and Culture

Mexico City's New Frida Kahlo Museum Offers a Fresh Look at the Artist

A new museum dedicated to artist Frida Kahlo opened in Mexico City's Coyoacán district in September. Dubbed Museo Casa Kahlo, the institution is housed at Casa Roja, a residence that…

Article / National Parks

Amid Trump Budget Cuts, New Activist-Led National Park Tours Aim to Spur Social Impact

There are good reasons to worry about U.S. national parks right now. The Trump administration's extensive layoffs of National Park Service workers and proposed cuts of $1.2 billion to…

Article / Arts and Culture

'Encounters in the Milky Way,' the Mind-Blowing Museum Show About Our Cosmic Ecosystem

On April 25, 2018, a contemporary Big Bang occurred in the world of astrophysics. On that day, the European Space Agency (ESA) released a three-dimensional map of the Milky Way that…