The New York Times - Travel, Breckenridge, CO (2026)

01/19/2024

Dozens of travelers quit their jobs, sold their homes and withdrew their life savings to pay for what promised to be the adventure of a lifetime: a cruise with 382 ports of call over 1,095 days. But in late November, just days before the cruise was scheduled to depart, the voyage was canceled because the company had failed to acquire a suitable ship.

After more than a month of missed deadlines for refunds, a group of hard-hit passengers who signed up for the failed Life at Sea cruise is pursuing legal intervention. They claim that Miray, the Turkish cruise company, collected an estimated $16 million and used it toward a deposit to acquire a new ship that it did not end up purchasing.

Learn more about the legal effort by the would-be passengers at the link in our bio. Photo by

01/18/2024

Envision the quintessential Rocky Mountain ski town and you may picture Breckenridge. Colorful Victorian buildings line the streets of this former gold-mining town, and the backdrop of the Tenmile Range includes Breckenridge Ski Resort, where three new lifts have opened in three years.

But Breck, as the town is commonly known, offers other winter recreation, too, with easy access to trails for cross-country and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking. There is also an evolving arts scene, centered around the downtown Arts District campus with studios and classes in 19th-century cabins. There are plenty of winter traditions, too, like the 60-year-old Ullr Fest each December (the record was just set for the world’s longest shot ski, with 1,377 imbibers) and the annual International Snow Sculpture Championships, where the art is ephemeral (Jan. 22 to 31).

Tap the link in our bio for ’s full list of recommendations for a long weekend in Breck. Photos by

01/15/2024

The compact Japanese city of Yamaguchi is often called the Kyoto of the West, though it is much more interesting than that — and it suffers from considerably less “tourism pollution.”

With its impeccable gardens and its stunning five-story pagoda, Rurikoji Temple is a national treasure. The city’s small winding lanes offer an assortment of experiences like pottery kilns on the grounds of a temple, chic coffee shops and wonderful counter-only shops that serve oden, or one-pot dishes. Just a 15-minute walk south is the hot-springs village of Yuda Onsen.

Yamaguchi has also been offering a smaller-scale, but no less historic, alternative to Kyoto’s Gion summer festival for some 600 years. The Gion Festival, which features parades, costumes and dancing, also takes place in July; 2024 will be its first year operating at full tilt since the pre-Covid era.

Yamaguchi is on ’s list of 52 Places to Go in 2024. To check out the full list, tap the link in our bio. Photos by

01/14/2024

The vast beauty of the Florida Everglades is perhaps best appreciated at night, when the national park is all constellations and creatures. But for those who don’t care to brave the elements (or the mosquitoes) while camping or in an R.V., it has been impossible to stay anywhere with air-conditioning since two hurricanes destroyed the park’s only hotel in 2005.

That changed in November with the reopening of the Flamingo Lodge, now elevated and made out of sturdy shipping containers. A renovated visitor center and restaurant have been built to better withstand sea-level rise caused by climate change.

The return of the beloved facilities, along with “eco-tents,” has given birders, stargazers and anglers a reason to reconnect with the outpost of Flamingo, which is on mainland Florida’s southernmost tip and less than two hours by car from Miami.

And, if you’re lucky, you may spot flamingos in Florida Bay.

Flamingo, in the Florida Everglades, is on ’s list of 52 Places to Go in 2024.Tap the link in our bio to check out the full list. Photos by

01/13/2024

Ladakh, a mountainous region in India known as the Land of High Passes, is nestled between the Himalayas to the south and the Karakoram range to the north. This rugged land, with its stark beauty and remote villages, is a place where time seems to have stood still.

In recent years, though, administrative changes have greatly improved infrastructure and accessibility. The Atal Tunnel, a remarkable feat of engineering, allows visitors to sidestep the infamous Rohtang Pass, turning a treacherous ride — lasting several hours in the best of weather — into a 20-minute one. That makes it easier than ever for visitors to experience the area’s stunning landscapes, pristine lakes, Buddhist monasteries and other cultural attractions, which in Leh (Ladakh’s largest city) include markets, museums and an extraordinary nine-story palace. New hiking and trekking routes in Leh and the Zanskar Valley round out the options for those in search of adventure.

Ladakh is on ’s list of 52 Places to Go in 2024. Tap the link in our bio to check out the full list. Photos by

01/12/2024

While Grand Canyon National Park is no stranger to travel lists, there’s a new reason to visit the southwestern U.S. The recently designated Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, or Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, now conserves around 900,000 acres of plateaus, canyons and other land surrounding the Grand Canyon. Considered the ancestral homelands of more than a dozen Indigenous tribes, the monument preserves more than 3,000 Native cultural and historic sites, reflecting the area’s deep spiritual significance.

Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni is on ’s list of 52 Places to Go in 2024. What other destinations made this year’s list? Tap the link in our bio to see them all. Photos by

01/09/2024

No matter why you travel, our list of 52 Places to Go in 2024 offers inspiration.

Take a scenic train ride through New Zealand’s vineyards, volcanoes and snow-capped peaks. Dive in the rich underwater world of the Red Sea off the shores of Hurghada, Egypt, or explore the world’s largest salt flat in remote Bolivia. Stake out a spot at one of the many North American locations for April’s total solar eclipse along the Path of Totality. Discover kaleidoscopic cathedrals in Kazakhstan’s capital, or a vast 10th-century temple complex in Koh Ker, Cambodia.

Where are you hoping to explore in 2024? Tap the link in our bio to see a full list of 52 places we recommend traveling this year.

01/04/2024

Despite being Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich is often overlooked as a stopover between the airport and the winter playgrounds in the mountains, but this picturesque banking hub bordering Lake Zurich has much to offer visitors who choose to stay awhile.

Its strong cultural scene includes world-class museums and a much-lauded orchestra, the Tonhalle. A converted brewery harbors contemporary art galleries, and surprisingly beautiful frescoes hide in a most unexpected place. While there is something happening year-round in Zurich — such as photography exhibitions, festivals like ZüriCarneval and architectural open houses — there’s plenty of seasonal fun to be had in the colder months, whether it’s eating fondue on a vintage tram or hiking to a winter wonderland atop a local mountain, before tobogganing down.

Visiting Switzerland? Tap the link in our bio for Noele Illien’s full list of recommendations for a long weekend in Zurich. Photos by

12/29/2023

The Life at Sea cruise was supposed to be the ultimate experience: 382 port calls worldwide over 1,095 days.

The cruise seemed ideal for a postpandemic era, targeting people longing for an escape. With fares starting at $90,000 for an inside cabin and going up to $975,000 for a suite, the trip even seemed like a bargain to some prospective passengers, cheaper than living for three years in many cities. Kara and Joe Youssef sold most of their belongings and withdrew their savings to book one of the ship’s 400 cabins.

But in late November, after months of behind-the-scenes chaos, the cruise company canceled the trip, stranding the Youssefs in Istanbul. It did not have a ship that could handle the journey.

So what went wrong? Tap the link in our bio to read about what happened to the Life at Sea. Photo by

12/28/2023

After giant pro-democracy protests in 2019, an ongoing crackdown on speech and dissent has dismantled civil society groups and set off a wave of emigration. Today, many Hong Kongers are looking at their city with a longing for the past as the Chinese territory (handed over by the British colonizers in 1997) undergoes a tumultuous political transformation.

Famous restaurants shuttered under pandemic restrictions, and locals are flocking to small businesses operating as they did generations ago, not knowing when these living relics could also disappear. It is a meaningful time to visit this glittering, international metropolis in a moment of collective soul-searching, as residents take stock of diminished freedoms, vanishing landmarks and what still makes the city special.

Visiting Hong Kong? Tap the link in our bio for ’s full list of recommendations for how to best spend a long weekend in the giant metropolis. Photos by .kwan

12/21/2023

The winds of innovation are again rustling the orange trees shading the postcard-perfect lanes and plazas in Córdoba, the city in Spain’s southern Andalusia region.

Visitors can trace Córdoba’s history from its Roman ruins, to the Moorish architecture left by five centuries of Muslim rule (when the city was one of Europe’s largest, most cosmopolitan capitals), to its later churches and Christian palaces.

While many daytrippers move on before nightfall, today’s Córdoba rewards a few days’ exploration: not only to enjoy its monuments (the city has four UNESCO designations), but to see how young artists and chefs are mining the city’s rich multicultural past.

Traveling to Spain? Tap the link in our bio for ’s full list of recommendations for a long weekend in Córdoba. Photos by

12/14/2023

Joshua Tree National Park, 800,000 acres of southern California desert populated with the crooked, spiky-leafed trees that give it its name, is luring more people than ever.

Today, the park — 140 miles east of Los Angeles — attracts twice as many visitors as it did a decade ago. Demand for short-term rentals in the surrounding communities of Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms skyrocketed during the pandemic, raising housing prices and putting pressure on the delicate ecosystem, issues to be mindful of as you seek respite in the desert.

Still, creative life continues to flourish amid this influx, and environmental initiatives have taken off: Visitors can support a new sanctuary for displaced mustangs. This is a vast place to unwind and stargaze, where there is enough dreamlike desert for all who wander with awe and respect.

Visiting Joshua Tree? Tap the link in our bio for ’s full list of recommendations for the best way to spend a long weekend there. Photos by

The New York Times - Travel