Insider Guides tips

The central train station in Edinburgh is Waverley. It’s in the city’s center, under the shadow of the Old Town’s narrow closes, wynds, courts, the Mound, and Edinburgh Castle. Arriving by train in my teenage years, this grand welcome would leave me speechless. And after living in Edinburgh for over six years, it still does today.

Fairy-tale villages. Alpine lakes as blue as cobalt. Regal ibex standing sentry on misty ridges — the Engadin Valley, a narrow ravine cutting across the Swiss canton of Graubünden, is one the most sublime pockets of the Alps. Long a coveted destination for skiers, hikers, and outdoor adventurers, the valley has culinary verve and cultural cachet worthy of its scenic splendor. From the glitzy, celebrity-studded ski resorts of St. Moritz — the St. Tropez of the Alps — to sleepy mountain hamlets frozen in time since the medieval era, the Engadin mesmerizes.

As a Chicago transplant who attended the University of Alabama, one of 14 members of the Southeastern Conference collegiate athletic institution, I’m no stranger to the charms and fervors of an SEC college town, from sports-centric traditions such as tailgates to campuses that showcase Southern architecture as much as any downtown square. You can draw a lot of parallels between attending an SEC school and visiting a city or town that hosts one. That’s why I jumped at the recent chance to visit Oxford, Mississippi, otherwise known as the home of Ole Miss.

Once you’ve seen London’s highlights, i.e. Big Ben, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the many amazing museums, take a break from the capital and make your way to Oxford. Less than one hour away from central London by train, Oxford is arguably the most beautiful university city in the world, with 43 independent colleges that rival each other in their jaw-dropping architecture, dreamy bookshops, quaint pubs, majestic libraries and theaters, and plenty of great places to enjoy a traditional and indulgent afternoon tea. Things to do in Oxford abound, but because it is a compact little city, even if you only have two days you can cover a lot of ground.

Brazos Valley, located in central Texas where the Southwest meets the Southeast, covers seven counties over 5,000 square miles. About 380,000 people call the region home. While Texas A&M University in College Station is the biggest name in the area, Brazos Valley is most defined by the small towns that dot the landscape. It’s here where you’ll find Navasota, the Blues Capital of Texas, as well as another side of Texas wine country east of the better-known Hill Country wineries.

Powder laps in the morning and performance art in the afternoon — such is the winter life in Western Massachusetts. The region’s ranging mountains and snow-covered forests create a spectacular backdrop for outdoor recreation such as skiing and snowshoeing while its small towns have long provided respite for artists. In the 19th century, painters, artisans, and writers began retreating from nearby big cities to the Berkshires and surrounding areas to find solitude and the space to create. (Take, for example, Edith Wharton, who needed space so badly she had a 35-room mansion built in Lenox called The Mount.)

Maryland’s Eastern Shore, stretching from the Chesapeake Bay to the Atlantic Ocean, is a vast landscape of farmland, tidal wetlands, and small towns, many of which retain their character and architecture of the past, thanks to significant preservation efforts. The Eastern Shore is about an hour and 20 minutes from DC, making it an easy day trip from the nation’s capital.

When the temperatures are dropping across the US and you’ve made it through the stress of the holidays, you may find yourself in desperate need of a vacay. But when it comes time to look at flights, and maybe trip packages, you may notice something when you start to type “D-o-m” into the search bar: instead of flights to the Dominican Republic, you see flights to Dominica. Maybe you’ve heard of the island, or maybe it’s your first time — or maybe you didn’t even know that Dominica and the Dominican Republic were two different countries.

As a true city slicker, I’ve long wanted to experience a weekend ranch getaway. Arizona’s Rancho de los Caballeros delivered pure Southwest perfection from the moment I arrived.

When you think of an adrenaline-pumping, outdoor lover’s dream destination, you probably don’t think of Redding, California — but you should. In Northern California, just south of the Oregon border, Redding is an up-and-coming outdoors destination that’s quickly becoming known for having endless places to hike, bike, kayak, and fish — and that’s just when the weather’s warm.

Sometimes you need a break from reality and the fast-paced lifestyle so many of us live. That reset and breath of fresh air is exactly what I found in central Wisconsin this fall as the weather started to change. Looking out of the plane window on my flight in, all I could see were changing leaves and greenery for miles. In Wisconsin, nature and wellness experiences are readily available for all, whether you’re after adventure, relaxation, or just reconnecting with yourself.

California’s desert oasis of Palm Springs is a popular destination year-round for golfers, wellness seekers, and bachelor and bachelorette parties. Yet there’s something special about visiting in the winter around the holiday season, when the hot temperatures cool and getting outdoors to see the beautiful landscape is all the more enjoyable for it.

Dallas, Texas, beckons visitors with a compelling blend of cultural richness and modern allure. The city’s vibrant cultural scene boasts world-class museums such as the Dallas Museum of Art and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. History comes alive at Dealey Plaza, forever etched in memory as the site of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, and the Sixth Floor Museum provides a poignant exploration of that pivotal moment. Dallas also offers an array of sports experiences, from cheering on the Dallas Cowboys to catching a game with the Mavericks or the Texas Rangers. The city’s shopping districts, including NorthPark Center and the Galleria Dallas, cater to diverse tastes, and its culinary landscape ranges from authentic Tex-Mex and barbecue joints to upscale dining in trendy neighborhoods like the Bishop Arts District.

With its high-end resorts and spas, luxury department stores, and clean-cut golf courses, it is no wonder Scottsdale, Arizona, is such a popular destination — especially for bachelor and bachelorette parties. This being Arizona, it’s in the middle of the desert, but it’s far from the cartoon desert of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. For proof, all one has to do is consider the culinary scene and see just how good desert dining can be.

Most first-time visits to Japan entail some variation of the Golden Route, the well-trodden circuit of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. As much as these awe-inspiring metropolises deserve their reputation among travelers, Japan’s quieter prefectures are equally fascinating and often overlooked. In the Japanese countryside, urban frenzy yields to village serenity; warm, rural hospitality wins the day; and whispers of Basho’s bucolic odes still echo through misty rice terraces. Plus, a quick sojourn in the hinterland to unwind in the steamy waters of an onsen refreshes the soul. And it’s not hard to get to whether you want to take a trip solely focused on the quieter areas of Japan or you simply want a quick break from the city.

Step into the cramped hall of Jordan’s Souk el-Khodra, the Amman Vegetable Market, and the aroma is the first thing you notice. Certainly, the colors are dazzling – the bright green of raw chickpeas, deep purple of sumac, golden turmeric, and dozens more vibrant provisions decorate brimful tables. Meanwhile, the ambient haggling in Jordanian Arabic provides a melodic soundtrack.

Founded in 1850, Cartersville, Georgia, rests between Atlanta and Chattanooga at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. A charming small city, Cartersville is carving a niche of its own as a cultural and historical hub for tourism. Headlining are a slew of museums: the Booth Western Art Museum, Tellus Science Museum, and Savoy Automobile Museum. In addition, Cartersville is home to two state parks, Red Top Mountain State Park and the Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site. Despite the attractions, the small town feels connected with a welcoming community.

As I sipped my coffee while watching the sunrise, painted with deep hues of pink and orange, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I glanced over just in time to catch a majestic gray whale breaching in the subdued morning waves of the Pacific Ocean, leaving nothing but white foam in its wake. At that moment, as the birds chirped and neighborhood dogs played below, I felt more at peace than ever before.

Located in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh, the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, stands as a testament to the region’s rich tapestry of culture, history, and modernity.

For many travelers, a Florida vacation means one of two things: white-sand beaches or Mickey Mouse. But if you drive north of many of Florida’s most famous coastal resorts, and continue on past Disney World, you’ll find Ocala, where streets are lined with majestic oak trees draped in Spanish moss, and rolling farmlands are edged with gleaming white ranch rail fencing. Everywhere you look, there are reminders of the area’s biggest business: horses.

South Florida’s Gold Coast is renowned for its blue skies, pristine beaches, and ritzy lifestyle. Anchored by Miami to the south and Palm Beach to the north, this stretch of Atlantic coastline has long been a playground for the rich and famous. Smack dab in the middle of the Gold Coast is Fort Lauderdale. The tropical metropolis is sometimes overlooked for its glitzier neighbors when it comes to vacation locales — the city was once best known as the capital of spring break pilgrimages and, in more recent years, as a popular cruise ship port — but thanks to recent development, a thriving arts and culture community, an evolving culinary scene, and its laid-back vibe, Fort Lauderdale is now one of the state’s must-visit destinations.