Tagged: adventure-travel

Very Cool! Take a Look Inside This Winter’s Incredible Icehotel in Sweden

The 35th iteration of Sweden's Icehotel—sculpted each year from more than 500 tons of ice and snow from the Torne River—has opened for the 2024–2025 winter season in the Arctic village…

The Best Beach Towns in Costa Rica

Updated November 19, 2024 The great thing about Costa Rica's beaches—other than the flour-soft sand and the top-notch surfing and snorkeling—is that many of the best coastal areas abut…

5 Ways to See the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, Alaska

This year and last, a string of powerful solar storms has been setting nighttime skies around the world ablaze with the colors of the aurora borealis, aka the northern lights or, in…

Alaska by Ferry: See Incredible Places for a Fraction of What Cruises Cost

I honestly don't know what made me open my eyes. Traveling aboard one of Alaska’s state ferries from Juneau to Petersburg, I'd dozed off in the outdoor solarium—enjoying the mix of…

Would You Climb This Scary Ladder "Floating in Thin Air" Above Norwegian Fjords?

As climate change pushes Southern Europe's summer temperatures past the proverbial boiling point, many travelers have begun to look northward to Scandinavia for outdoor vacation…

4 River Cruises in India That Will Wow You

Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising. India is a spectacular destination, but it can also be a challenging and overwhelming place to…

Entrance Fee–Free National Park Days in 2024

More than a quarter of the 425 sites managed by the U.S. National Park Service charge entrance fees, ranging in price from $10 to $35.  But on a few select dates each year, the federal…

World’s Deepest Underground Hotel Now Open 1,375 Feet Below the Surface

Talk about going down for a nap. A new lodging located inside a former Victorian-era slate mine in North Wales is being billed as the "world's deepest overnight accommodation." Aptly…

Natural Bridge Caverns Near San Antonio Opening Huge Hidden Cave for the First Time

The considerable charms of the Texas Hill Country, which include bluebonnet-blanketed meadows, natural swimming pools, and vineyards, even extend underground. In the region's elaborate…

Alaska Small-Ship Cruises: 7 Options for Up-Close Adventures

One of my first small-ship cruises ever was in southeast Alaska on the 102-passenger Spirit of Endeavour, which sails today as the Safari Endeavour for UnCruise Adventures. That…

The Best Southeast Asia Cruises: 4 Great Small Ship Itineraries

I’ve sailed on more than 125 cruises and have always gravitated toward the smaller ships (under 300 passengers) for the uncrowded, up-close-and-personal experience they provide. That’s…

Put Your Dreams on Ice: A Peek Inside Sweden's Impressive New Icehotel

Sculpted from 500 tons of ice and snow harvested from the Torne River in Sweden, the Icehotel has opened for another winter of chilly overnight stays in the Arctic village of…

Wanna Scale America’s Mighty Mountains? Via Ferratas Make Climbing Less Intimidating

Let’s say you crave the thrill of climbing an awe-inspiring peak—or you crave the thrill of impressing your friends with your outdoor prowess—but you have little to no experience when…

New Tours for Young Travelers Combine Hostelworld Stays with G Adventures Trips

A collection of tours that launched earlier this year aims to attract young vacationers with a combo of group adventure travel and low-cost accommodations in hostels. It's sort of like…

Banff Without a Car: How to See the Canadian Rockies by Foot, Bike, Shuttle, and Bus

Like most national parks across North America, Banff, the scenic stunner in Alberta’s mighty Rocky Mountains, is currently dealing with soaring popularity—and all the accompanying…

This Himalayan Kingdom Is Adding a Tourist Tax of $200 Per Day

The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan will finally reopen its borders to tourists on September 23, following an extended closure due to the pandemic.  But the government has thoroughly…

Glow in the Dark! Dazzling Bioluminescent Attractions—and How to See Them

If you want to add a dose of surreal whimsy to your next vacation, bioluminescent phenomena should do the trick. We’re talking cavern walls lit by glowworms. An ocean of dolphins…

Would You Take a 70-Day Bus Trip from India to the U.K.?

A bus trip that covers more than 12,000 miles, crosses into 18 different countries, and lasts 70 days will take place next year if all goes as planned. India-based tour operator…

Scenic and Thrilling Whitewater Rafting Trips for Families

Whitewater rafting is a thrilling and surprisingly family-friendly adventure, giving kids, parents, and grandparents the chance to build teamwork while navigating churning waterways…

Two Years on a Bike: Photos of an Epic Ride from Canada to Argentina

Dutch travel writer and photographer Martijn Doolaard takes bike rides that last about as long as a grad school program. His previous book, One Year on a Bike (published by Gestalten…

Dive Into the Best Underwater Photography of 2021

About 71% of Earth is under water, yet that vast submerged realm remains aqua incognita for most of us, even if we take the occasional snorkeling excursion during vacation. Maybe…

Summer Vacation in the National Parks? You Need Reservations for Some of Them Now

In case you haven't heard, the U.S. national park system had record visitation numbers in 2021, with the crown jewel parks stretched to the breaking point.  Arches National Park had to…

Hikers Follow Glow-in-the-Dark Guideposts on This New Stargazing Trail

A scenery-focused hike in the dark sounds counterintuitive, but not when the nighttime amble is at Exmoor National Park, a coastal stretch of unspoiled moors between Devon and Somerset…

The Best U.S. National Parks to Visit in Winter

Winter doesn't have to mean hibernation for nature lovers. In fact, at certain U.S. national parks, winter is the season when a visit is most rewarding, either because crowds diminish…

G Adventures Restricts Many Tours to the Vaccinated, Helps Guides Get Jabs

Responding to what it calls a high demand for escorted tours that are restricted to vaccinated travelers and guides, the influential small-group tour company G Adventures, which runs…