The most majestic national parks in California

After seeing a friend take on a challenge to visit 50 states by the time they turned 40, I decided to embark on my own travel journey through the US. 

Alaska Airlines is expanding flight service from its hub at Portland International Airport (PDX).On Monday, the Seattle-based carrier announced plans to add more than 20 daily departures to popular destinations starting this summer. Alaska, which is in the midst of a potential merger with Hawaiian Airlines, said its capacity has increased by 25 percent.Alaska plans to increase service from PDX to a handful of cities, including Las Vegas, Reno, Sacramento and Ontario, California beginning August 20. Starting October 1, the airline will increase service from PDX to Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Phoenix, Fresno and Medford, Oregon.The carrier will also add a second daily roundtrip flight between Portland and Redmond/Bend on October 1 and has extended nonstop seasonal flying from PDX to Billings, Kansas City and Minneapolis until the end of the year.Alaska currently serves 53 nonstop destinations from Portland, recently launching nonstop service to Miami. Meanwhile, year-round flights to Nashville start on March 14. By summer, the airline will have more than 100 average daily departures from Portland."We've been the largest carrier in Portland for more than 20 years. We don't take that for granted. It's important for us to provide our guests with a variety of convenient flight options at PDX along with the addition of new routes. We know travelers have a choice and we want them to fly with us," Kirsten Amrine, vice president of revenue management and network planning for Alaska Airlines, said in a statement."We're thrilled about the added flights out of PDX," added Dan Pippenger, chief aviation officer at the Port of Portland. "As our largest carrier, more Alaska flights means even more options for travelers, whether they're flying cross-country or within the state. And the increase in service means more visitors for our concession and ground travel partners – the local businesses that are the heart of our region and bring so much excitement to our airport."Contact your travel advisor or visit AlaskaAir.com to book the airline's expanded service from PDX.

This year’s hotspots are looking a whole lot cooler with the rise of Northern Lights tourism, spurred by reports that the astronomical phenomenon will be extraordinarily visible in 2024. According to a survey commissioned by Expedia®, nearly half (42%) of Americans will prioritize aurora chasing in the year ahead over other bucket list experiences. Traveling to see the Northern Lights is more in-demand than a visit to Egypt’s pyramids (36%) or a walk along the Great Wall of China (33%). Expedia searches are skyrocketing for winter trips to Northern Lights “capitals” like Lapland in Finland (+370%), Canada’s Churchill (110%) and Alta in Norway (+100%). To help travelers plan, Expedia has released a Northern Lights Insider Guide packed with insights on trending destinations, booking hacks, photography tips and ideal itineraries.

The states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho — all part of the USA's Pacific Northwest region — offer a unique natural beauty that begs to be explored. From towering sea stacks and sandy beaches to ancient rainforests and enormous volcanic mountains, it's a region that's as diverse as it is impressive. Preserving its wildest corners, the national parks of the Pacific Northwest are often the choice destinations for travellers seeking the most awe-inspiring experiences. And, while the entire region rings with beauty, these five parks stand out, providing opportunities not just for exploration, but for connection, rejuvenation and discovery.

San Francisco’s mild weather makes it a consistent year-round attraction, which is a bonus for visitors looking for flexible travel dates.

On Wednesday, Forbes Travel Guide revealed its 2024 Star Award winners, a list of the world’s finest hotels, restaurants, spas and cruises. To compile the 66th annual awards, FTG’s incognito inspectors check into hotels and cruise ships, dine in the restaurants and experience spa services while posing as ordinary guests. This year’s list features properties from Mauritius to Macau—with the most new Five-Star hotels in the Middle East.

Watching my kids respond to art is one of my favourite things. When we visit galleries, I’ll often overhear the two of them chatting about which artwork they like best (it’s usually related to whether or not it’s pink and involves a horse), or catch them using their bodies to mimic sculptures. When we took my National Art Pass on its inaugural outing to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, in West Bretton, a few miles outside Wakefield, they had a field day (quite literally), cackling away as they attempted to contort themselves into the shape of Erwin Wurm’s anthropomorphised hot water bottle and incorporeal pink suits, and, rather more disturbingly, Damien Hirst’s half-skinned pregnant giant, the Virgin Mother.

Royal Caribbean has unveiled new details about dining aboard Utopia of the Seas, its new vessel slated to debut in July.

My family is on a quest to visit all 63 US national parks.

There is no shortage of nature-driven euphoria in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Hidden beneath an overhang on steep cliff walls above the Pinturas River Canyon are more than 800 stencilled handprints and painted images of animals. Nobody fully understands why Patagonia’s nomadic hunter-gatherers crafted the graffiti, but we do know they were created around 9,300 years ago using mineral pigments mixed with blood and fat, and that they provide a glimpse of early life in the glacier-carved province of Santa Cruz.  

When people plan trips to national parks and protected areas across the United States, they hope to see the wolves of Yellowstone or the alligators of the Everglades. But talk to any bug scientist, and they’ll tell you that the best things come in small packages.