Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes Endangered Grevy’s Zebra Foal, a Ray of Hope for Species Survival

Editor’s Note: Monthly Ticket is a CNN Travel series that spotlights some of the most fascinating topics in the travel world. In September, we’re celebrating superlatives as we look at some of the world’s biggest, tallest and most expensive attractions and destinations.

There's a reason so many people refer to a theme park trip as a "once-in-a-lifetime vacation."

Enormous California, with its booming economy, bounty of nature, agriculture and vibrant cities could be a country unto itself.

The cozy timber-frame lodge of Camp Denali bustled with morning energy just moments ago. Guests chatted with each other, lodge staff cleared the plated breakfast of pancakes with blueberries harvested from the tundra outside, and coffee mugs clinked on the long wooden tables reminiscent of dining together in someone’s home. But now the lodge is quiet. Guests have left for activities of their choosing, from guided naturalist hikes designed for a range of abilities, biking the park road, and canoeing on Wonder Lake to relaxing in their cabins and enjoying the view. It’s a good day for it; the peak of Denali, all 20,300 feet of it scraping the rare clear sky, gleams impossibly through the window like some snow-covered image of myth.

It isn’t hard to find a bit of respite from New York City’s clamor. Really.

A 7-year-old girl got the birthday present of a lifetime when she discovered a nearly 3-carat diamond while digging in an Arkansas park.

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.

With so much wilderness right on the doorstep, there's always something to do in Montana at any time of year. The state is highly in tune with the rhythms of nature, and activities vary with the weather and season.

Gleaming gypsum crystal dunes roll as far as the eye can see at White Sands National Park. With waves towering up to 60 feet tall, the composition of the Northern Chihuahuan Desert landscape is constantly changing due to wind and weather patterns. Hardy plants like yuccas, grasses, and shrubs have evolved to survive in the shifting sands, adding texture to the spectacle of shapes and shadows that define the scenery.

If the landscapes of each US state had their own Miss America–style competition, California would be a serious contender for the crown.

The National Park Service warned travelers this week to stay away from bull elk in Yellowstone National Park as they enter their fall mating season.

There’s no doubt as to what will be “ground zero” for the upcoming “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse on Saturday, October 14, 2023.