Sleep Under a Blanket of Stars at These Hotels Minutes From Bryce Canyon National Park

If you’re already thinking ahead to next summer, you’re not alone. Recently, Delta announced a slew of new, returning, and expanded flight routes, many from its Atlanta hub to popular destinations in the American West, slated to kick off in summer 2024.

Since 1885, travelers have been exploring the snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks and aqua-blue lakes that define Banff National Park: Canada's first national park and the third in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has served as a home for guests ranging from mountain climbers to Olympians to Queen Elizabeth, and has belonged to six indigenous tribes in the area for thousands of years.

Death Valley is the driest national park in the United States, receiving an average of about 2.2 inches of rain a year. It’s also regarded as the hottest place on Earth.

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.

Krakow has no shortage of medieval monuments and tucked away bars to explore. But a few days in Poland’s compact second city is enough, giving you time to explore further afield.

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.

Playa Hotels & Resorts just recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with a big event in Cancun.

When you plan a trip to Canyonlands National Park, you get way more than just one national park. You get the town of Moab, nearby Arches National Park, various stretches of the Colorado River, and a long list of other protected outdoor spaces, from state parks to national forests. This is especially true if you choose to stay in a hotel. Most hotels near Canyonlands National Park are ideally located to explore the entire Moab area. Even if you plan to spend as much time in the open air as possible, it’s always nice to have someplace comfortable to retreat to after a long day outdoors — these hotels near Canyonlands National Park deliver.

National park accommodations generally fall into a few basic categories: camping, glamping, inns or lodges, and hotels. Some national parks also come with a homier option: Airbnbs. Take Canyonlands National Park. Roughly 30 minutes outside of the well-loved desert town of Moab, Utah, Canyonlands is one national park that’s situated in close proximity to quite a few impressive Airbnbs. Sure, you could easily find a nice hotel near Canyonlands National Park, but why not pick the Canyonlands National Park Airbnb that best suits your style — from quintessential cabins, to private yurts, to large and luxurious rentals that can fit the whole family.

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.

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.

With fall on the horizon, the window for travelers to visit seasonal hotels and resorts is narrowing, and often shoulder season is the best time to visit seasonal properties as it brings less crowds, cooler temperatures and more affordable prices.