How travelers use social media to swap homes with strangers around the world: 'You're taking a leap of faith'

Lufthansa has its rubber duckies and Virgin Atlantic has its airplane salt and pepper shakers. But the most sought-after airline collectible just might be KLM's famous miniature Delft houses.

As flight technology advances (such as being able to hold more and burn less fuel) and long-haul carriers make improved efforts to provide a more comfortable journey (be that with jet lag–reducing lighting, serving healthier food, and enhancing business-class and economy seats for a more comfortable journey), the longest flights in the world are gradually getting even longer. The lengthiest now connect cities on opposite sides of the globe and are upwards of 17 hours.

Combining a series of once-in-a-lifetime experiences into a single around-the-world trip can feel like the ultimate expression of luxury travel. It can be a daunting prospect though, with many contending factors to consider. Here's how to start planning the ultimate round-the-world trip.

The fascination with theNorthern Lights dates as far back as the beginning of civilization, with the dancing waves of coloured light depicted in French cave paintings as old as 30,000 BC. Typically, they’re only seen in the northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere, near the Arctic Circle, on dark, clear autumn and winter nights. The lights are dependent on unpredictable solar flares ejecting charged particles that collide with gases in the atmosphere, so any trip to see the Northern Lights runs the risk of missing out on the spectacle altogether.

From the deserts of Arizona to the rocky coastline of Maine, from the sandy shores of Florida to the peaks of Colorado, the United States offers a breathtaking range of natural landscapes. The new National Geographic book Great Outdoors USA: 1,000 Adventures Across All 50 States reveals how to hike, raft, climb, surf, and bike through some of the best of them. Here are 50 of its top picks, one in each state.

Touring New England in search of autumn’s changing colors has become so popular it has sprouted its own subculture of “leaf-peepers.”

Global Entry is currently the fastest way to return to the United States after a trip abroad. This program, available through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, prescreens travelers and allows them to skip the often lengthy customs lines at airports and other border crossings. The reentry process has gotten even faster for Global Entry members, thanks to the launch of a new mobile app.

When it comes to veg-friendly cuisine, few cities have as much to offer as Portland, Oregon. It’s the best city for vegans and vegetarians in the U.S. for the fifth year in a row, according to new research from the financial website WalletHub.

When it comes to veg-friendly cuisine, few cities have as much to offer as Portland, Oregon. It’s the best city for vegans and vegetarians in the U.S. for the fifth year in a row, according to new research.

Between Estonia and Lithuania lies the unspoilt parkland of Latvia.

On the PBS show America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston, the second season of which is airing now, each episode showcases a gorgeous spot in the United States, and the ways in which a half dozen or so local residents enjoy the place. In an upcoming Oregon episode, Emmy-nominated host, producer, comedian, and writer Baratunde Thurston checks out a roller derby in Portland, cowboys on a sustainable ranch, forest bathers, an underwater kelp forest, a community garden recultivating native foods, and more. As spectacular as the settings are, it’s the people he’s met and their dedication to the planet that he finds endlessly remarkable.

Burned out, stressed out, and laid off in New York City, I could feel it was my time to leave. After making the decision to go full-time freelance, I also knew it was now or never to fulfill my dream of living in Europe.