Travel in county Humboldt

There is a price to pay for California’s envious bounty: miles of salty coastline, bright, sun-filled days, dynamic cities, an infinite amount of tranquil and heart-pumping outdoor pursuits...we could go on forever.

Redwoods is one of my favorite National Parks and it shares one aspect with my other favorites: otherworldliness. Being there really feels like you’ve been transported to another world, because there’s no other place like it on this one. Sure, there are forests elsewhere. There are even forests on coasts, but not like this. Coastal redwoods, the trees that give the park its name, are the tallest in the world.

With the Labor Day holiday now behind us, the year’s peak period for warm-weather travel has passed. Summer is winding down and, although the autumnal equinox doesn’t actually arrive until September 23, many fall fanatics cannot wait for crisper weather to roll in and the harvest season festivities to start. Some autumn enthusiasts will start amassing all things pumpkin spice, putting together the perfect Halloween costume or crafting Thanksgiving-themed decorations.

From towering redwood forests in foggy northern California to perfectly sun-kissed surf beaches in the south, the Golden State on the Pacific simply begs to be explored.

Perched on the shoulder of South America, Ecuador is a patchwork of dramatic landscapes, from white sandy beaches and rolling grasslands to dense rainforests and majestic mountains. Despite its modest size, the country packs a mighty punch thanks to its breathtaking terrain, which takes in the Amazon, the Andes and the awesome archipelago of the Galápagos.

Hitting new records for visitor numbers in 2018 and having recently been named “Best Big City in the USA” by Conde Nast Traveler readers for the second consecutive year, there’s never been a better time to visit Chicago. Many visitors head straight to the downtown district and never leave, charmed by the Windy City’s world-famous architecture and tourist-friendly restaurants and museums. But instead of rushing across the city to frantically tick off all the tourist hotspots, consider immersing yourself in some alternative things to do in Chicago instead. The places suggested here offered by Chicago insider Jay Gentile promise a real taste of the city’s culture by getting out of the downtown and into the neighbourhoods, where the “real” Chicagoans live.