When should I visit Alaska?

Twenty-four-hour darkness and sun at midnight. Ice-worm festivals and sweltering outdoor salmon bakes. Sun-dappled rainforest and freezing-cold arctic tundra. Your visit to Alaska will be very much impacted by when and where you choose to go. In a state that practically invented social distancing, you’ll rarely encounter crowds, but costs can be high, and the weather…

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11 best things to do in Scotland from festivals to puffins and peaks

Scotland often feels bigger than it is. That’s in part because of its impact on the world – think Edinburgh’s cultural clout and or Speyside’s famous whiskies – but it’s also because of the sheer range of things to do here. Two fascinating but very different cities dominate Scotland’s central belt, the expansive Highlands feature…

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Top Considerations When Choosing a Vacation Rental

Heads up: some of the links on this site are affiliate links. If you click and make a booking or purchase, I’ll make a commission (at no extra cost to you). I partner with companies I personally use and the $$ goes towards creating more awesome, free travel content.  Finding the right vacation rental is…

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7 unmissable experiences in Alaska: see the best of its epic landscapes

With vast swaths of undeveloped land, communities that are only accessible by boat or plane, and plenty of wild characters who’ve chosen to live in one of the most rural and dramatic landscapes in the United States, it’s no surprise that Alaska is called the Last Frontier.  The hardest part of planning a trip to…

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How to explore India’s Western Ghats

Straddling the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, this mountain range delivers scenic tea plantations, memorable train journeys, amazing wildlife and more. India’s lush, forest-cloaked Western Ghats are an untamed natural world.  Running parallel to the coastline for 995 miles (1600km) all the way from Gujarat to deep-south Tamil Nadu, these hills also home to waves…

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Get into Parisian hip-hop and rap: gigs, artists and cultural diversity

A night in Paris I’ll never forget was seeing NTM take to the stage after a 10-year break along with 20,000 other fans who packed into the Bercy Arena for the sold-out concert. Rappers Joey Starr and Kool Shen were reunited to celebrate their 30th anniversary as NTM, one of France’s most notorious hip-hop groups.…

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Tahoe’s water is the clearest in decades

It's never been a better time to plan a trip to Lake Tahoe. The gorgeous crystalline waters in North America's largest alpine lake are the clearest they've been since the 1980s, according to a new study - but the effect may only last a couple of years.  Scientists with the Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC)…

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The best music festivals in Spain in 2023

From days at the beach to sunset strolls, Spain has long offered inspiration for the creatively minded. One of the most alluring destinations for music fans looking for a fresh adventure, the country provides an unmatched series of unique festival experiences.  With longstanding mainstays like Primavera Sound as well as more-recent additions, here are all…

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