Highways tips

The tiny town of Hochatown, on the shores of Broken Bow Lake in the southeast corner of Oklahoma, was created exactly one year ago. And it’s almost entirely thanks to Airbnb.

Mortimer L. Downey, whose creative financing helped revive New York City’s subway system and who also oversaw far-reaching regional and federal transportation policy for more than six decades, died on Thursday at a retirement home in Oakton, Va. He was 87.

Costa Rica’s epic landscapes make it prime road-trip territory, from its wild Pacific coastline to the relaxed vibe of its Caribbean beaches, lush wildlife-filled forests, and still-smoldering volcanoes.

An ever growing one of a kind event is putting South Dakota’s Custer State Park ever more on the map. Those who experience the thrill of the park’s annual late-September Buffalo Roundup quickly discover that nearby Mount Rushmore is not the only dramatic site in this southeast corner of the Black Hills region. Some two million guests a year who now make the trek here are on to something, after all.

Part tropical paradise and part aquatic playground, the northerly regions of Australia’s ‘sunshine state’ are ideal for family road trips. Take three weeks to discover the diversity of the northeast coast, from sailing the turquoise waters surrounding the Whitsunday Islands to exploring the rainforest country of the First Nations Kuku Yalanji people and learning about the underwater wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. As the changing landscapes unfurl along the way, keep an eye out for native wildlife, including kangaroos, koalas and prehistoric-looking cassowaries. Over 21 days, uncover the marvels of the vast tropical north.

The only thing scarier than zombies and witches loose on the streets on Halloween is an impaired driver, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

If your first port of arrival in Thailand is Bangkok, you might feel a little apprehensive about the idea of taking to the highway on a road trip. In the Thai capital, cars are stacked bumper to bumper, motorcycles duel for space with pedestrians, and seemingly anything goes when it comes to road rules. But breathe easy: Bangkok is not all of Thailand.

Perhaps nothing defines Los Angeles like the freeways: ribbons of asphalt and steel (and traffic jams) tying coast, valley and mountains together in a multilane, limited-access web. These highways were considered so essential that planners nearly jammed one right through the center of swanky Beverly Hills.

Maison Villeroy is a very distinctive hotel in Paris: intimate, private, luxe without being showy about it. Starting November 13th, its parent company The Collection, which operates ultra luxury properties in London, St. Barths, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Courchevel apart from Paris renting for weekly or monthly stays, is bringing that style to New York with the opening of Maison Hudson. This time, though, the property bordering the Hudson River in New York’s Far West Village is being fashioned for a minimum stay of 30 days only. Given the design, accoutrements, and services plus the vitality of the neighborhood surrounding it, anyone planning that length of stay in New York should definitely consider moving in.

The crash and fatality rates for drivers under 21 have improved drastically over the past two decades – more so than for other drivers. Fatal crashes involving a young driver fell 38%, while they increased nearly 8% for drivers 21 and older, and deaths of young drivers fell about 45%, compared to an 11% increase in fatalities for older drivers.

From the dramatic western highlands to the jungle-laden ruins of Tikal, Guatemala has no shortage of incredible things to see, and having access to a vehicle makes it a lot easier to see more of the country at your own pace.

Driving in Bali is not for the faint-hearted, but it does offer rewards. You can get off the beaten track and away from the crowds that besiege the southern highways, savoring soaring views over mountains and rice terraces, and pausing at simple roadside eateries for signature Indonesian meals of ikan bakar (grilled fish) and babi guling (suckling pig).

Montana is a magical place to visit.

The London-born, downtown Manhattan-based designer and art director Anna Karlin has always embraced a bit of creative tension. “I always just think everything is possible and I figure it out,” she says, having entered the interiors world as a self-taught product designer 11 years ago. Today, Karlin releases a new furniture and lighting collection that is a study in contrasts rather than bound by an overarching theme. Among nine new lighting series, the Mulberry set, made from sinuous oak bentwood and delicate horn-shaped silk shades, is evocative of Art Nouveau, while the Field headboard, upholstered in an abstract floral-patterned crewel embroidery, is a nod to Arts and Crafts. Other designs include wrought-iron chairs, lanterns made from ecru-hued fiberglass and colored marble side tables. A totemic bar cabinet, inspired by massive 18th-century Swedish wood stoves called , is clad in ceramic tiles adorned with glyphlike shapes that are a recurring motif in her work. Each piece revisits Karlin’s previous designs while experimenting with scale and material. “I’m really beginning to solidify my language,” says Karlin, who developed the collection over the past three years. “My alphabet is there, I just get to keep making new words.”

Northern California’s Tomales Bay – a long, narrow inlet located along West Marin’s scenic coastline – has long been known for its natural beauty and abundance of outdoor pursuits, vineyards, creameries, and oyster farms. Lodge at Marconi, a historic fixture of the area for decades, is now open and welcoming guests after a multi-million-dollar renovation under the astute purview of Oliver Hospitality. The upscale, modern coastal retreat sits on 62 sprawling acres off Highway Route 1 within Marconi State Historic Park, offering visitors immersive access to the region’s intoxicating woodland setting.

Blessed with 240 days of sunshine a year, Cancún is a very popular vacation spot.

Puerto Vallarta has become one of Mexico’s most popular destinations. And for good reason: awesome beaches and activities, amazing food and drink, and incredibly easy access from North America via the cruise port and international airport.

Roadside cameras and telematics data have the potential to provide more accurate and comprehensive information about drivers’ use of their cell phones than is currently available, and could lead to better understanding of distracted driving crash risk and how to address it.

Visitors to Monterrey, Mexico will soon have more flight options from the United States. Viva Aerobus, an airline based in Monterrey, Mexico, will launch new routes to Austin, Denver, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Orlando. The airline is adding the flights due to ‘growing demand’, and there will be a 23 percent increase in available seats for a total of 13 million seats to Monterrey in 2024, according to its announcement.  The new flight routes include: 

Traffic fatalities declined for the fifth straight quarter. About 19,515 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2023, a decrease of about 3.3% compared to 20,190 fatalities in the first half of 2022.

The road trip is synonymous with American travel culture, and there’s no better place to explore the natural beauty of the United States by car than in the beautiful state of Maine.