I visited Aspen, the most expensive vacation destination in America, for the first time. Here are 13 things that surprised me.

I was born and raised in Athens, so I've seen a lot of tourists.

When it comes to favorite summer vacation destinations that require a passport stamp, Americans are, well, all over the map with their preferences, according to new findings from Google. Search data breaks down the most Googled international summer vacation spots by each U.S. state, and Italy emerges as the No. 1 sought-after summer vacation in the most states, according to Google Trends. Several Caribbean hotspots as well as some Canadian destinations, like Vancouver, Whistler, and Mont-Tremblant, are also on the leaderboard.

Well over 1 million people have already visited the Hawaiian Islands this year, and I was lucky enough to be one of them.

Amid velvety green valleys and oak-covered hills, more than 425 wineries flourish on 63,000 acres of vineyards, producing some of the nation’s best pinot noir, zinfandel and chardonnay — 99% of which are sustainable. Welcome to laid-back Sonoma, located an hour north of San Francisco (depending on traffic), yet a world away. 

Napa Valley is synonymous with luxury. Posh hotels, chef-driven restaurants and extravagant tasting fees cemented that reputation decades ago.

Love to travel to the most posh places? A new analysis from travel experts at the blog OptimosTravel ranks Aspen—a mountain town in Colorado—the most expensive U.S. vacation destination.

Saudi Arabia plans to open the first region of its Neom megacity by the end of the year.

Before joining TPG in 2021, I was a newbie to the world of points and miles. Despite traveling frequently throughout the previous decade, I was oblivious to the benefits of loyalty programs or how straightforward it could be to earn points or miles for airfare and hotel stays.

Before April 2022, I had never seen a cruise ship in real life.

With all that moms do for us, it can be hard to find a gift that adequately expresses our gratitude. Instead of generic gifts like flowers and chocolate, experiential gifts are a more thoughtful gesture. Whether mom is burnt out and in need of a break from the family or retired and ready to travel, the gift of a vacation is one that keeps giving years after memories are made on her trip. The below list offers something for whatever mom is seeking—from elephant encounters in Thailand to truffle-hunting in Tuscany to forest bathing in the California Redwoods.

Tourists flock to the Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini every summer. But people are finally starting to catch on to the fact that many popular destinations are overpriced and overcrowded.

Among studies analyzing the costs of the Jeux Olympiques in Paris this summer, there are vast differences, many showing that the event overall will be the most expensive in Olympics history and others claiming precisely the opposite.