Best USA Travel, History, and Photography Books for 2021
Travel with USA with these great books from 2021.
Orlando’s Walt Disney World Turns 50
On October 1, 1971, a theme park in Orlando opened its doors to the public. That theme park was, of course, Walt Disney World. And it changed family travel as we know it today. In Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando, Richard E. Foglesong writes about the history of Florida’s most famous…
An Autumn Trek in West Virginia’s Dolly Sods Wilderness
Exploring the wild, wonderful wilderness of West Virginia in Dolly Sods.
Photo of the Day: September Surfing on Lake Michigan
Why, yes, it is possible to surf on the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan. But doing so means braving not-so-great weather. This week, as fall ushered in high winds and life-threatening conditions, Chicago Tribune captured the scene as surfers donned wet suits and headed out into the waves. According to Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak:…
Hawaii’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ Slated to Be Removed
Although officially off-limits since 1987, Hawaii’s famous Ha’ikū Stairs, have become a favorite landmark for thrill-seekers. But they have also become a liability for the City of Honolulu, which cannot provide the infrastructure or security to maintain the so-called “Stairway to Heaven.” CNN reports that on September 8, the Honolulu City Council voted unanimously in…
Georgia’s Ocmulgee Mounds May Be America’s Next National Park
Georgia’s Ocmulgee Mounds is home to one of the U.S. National Park Service’s (NPS) largest archaeological collections and dates back millennia. Now the landmark, currently classified as a national historical park, could become the USA’s newest national park, as well as the first one in the state of Georgia. Conde Nast Traveler reports on what…
Lonely Planet Unveils Its Ultimate United States Travel List
What’s on your ultimate list of places to visit in the United States? If you work for Lonely Planet, then your answer is likely The Grand Canyon or one of the USA’s famous national parks. The Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone ranked 1, 2, and 3 in LP’s ranking of the best places to visit…
US will welcome vaccinated international visitors beginning in November
Since the pandemic began, international travelers—including those who are vaccinated—have largely been barred from entering the United States. On Monday, President Biden revealed that the ban on vaccinated visitors is set to be lifted in November. Foreign travelers who provide proof that they are fully vaccinated before boarding a flight will be able to fly…
‘Block by Block’ Tracks the Hidden Histories Behind the Street Names of Washington, DC
A new exhibition highlights the people behind some of the capital city’s roadways, plazas, and parks. The city, which is shaped like a diamond, except where it meets the Potomac River on its southwest side, is organized by geographical divides centered on the U.S. Capitol and the White House, using mathematical principles employed by the original designer,…
The Tetons’ Ever-Changing Beauty: A 45 Mile Hike Through the Wyoming Range
Mile for mile, the Teton Crest Trail is among the most scenic multiday hikes to be found anywhere in America, encompassing mountain passes, epic ridgelines, dense forests, glaciers, snowfields, endless alpine scenery, towering peaks, glacially carved canyons, a constant array of wildflowers, breathtaking mountain lakes and an abundance of wildlife, including moose, bighorn sheep, mule…
A Guide to Dining in Eugene, Oregon, by ‘Crying in H Mart’ Author Michelle Zauner
Restaurants and markets serve as settings through crucial moments in the book: Shopping with her mother at Sunrise Market, her argument with her mother as a teenager at Cafe Seoul, sobbing in the dining room at Marché after her mother’s funeral. As much as Crying in H Mart is a story about love and grief, it is…
Happy Birthday, Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles was founded on September 4, 1781, by a diverse group of 44 settlers (pobladores). They called the city El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula (English: The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciúncula). Today, the historical heart of Los Angeles…