As a dietitian who tries to stick to the Mediterranean diet, I've found some go-to airport snacks that make travel days a little more bearable.
15.01.2025 - 13:31 / lonelyplanet.com
Jan 15, 2025 • 7 min read
The tradition of celebrating the New Year on January 1 was spread around the world by the Roman Empire and European colonial powers, but in many cultures, the beginning of the new year is tied to the phases of the moon.
The Lunar New Year goes by many names – Chūnjié (Spring Festival) in China, Losar in Tibet, Seollal in South Korea, Tết in Vietnam. Variations are found across Asia, with similar celebrations wherever diaspora from these countries reside, including in cities across the USA.
The Lunar New Year is considered one of the most important festivals of the year for Asian communities – celebrated as a time to do away with the negativity of the previous year, welcome in positive influences and make a fresh start for the coming year. Lavish parades, delicious food, lighting firecrackers, hanging lanterns and other activities pay homage to Asia's rich traditions.
In the US, most celebrations are centered in the Chinatown areas of larger cities. As the festival is tied to the phases of the moon, the date moves annually – in 2025, the main festival falls on January 29, but special events take place from late January to the middle of February.
If you’re looking to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the US, here are some of the best places to experience this joyous opportunity to welcome the new and the good.
As you might expect from the city with the oldest Chinatown in the US, San Francisco throws one of the oldest and biggest Lunar New Year celebrations in the country, a tradition that kicked off way back in the 1860s.
Originally held in the city’s Chinatown, today the event is not just a day of celebration, but a multi-day extravaganza. The main attraction is the grand parade, held downtown starting from the corner of 2nd and Market on February 15 at 5:15 pm.
Highlights of the parade include traditional music and costumes and an enormous illuminated dragon. The wider festival, which runs from January 29 until the day of the parade, includes a street fair and a Miss Chinatown pageant, both of which take place in San Francisco’s famous Chinatown neighborhood.
Don't miss: The architecture of San Francisco’s Chinatown – it's beautiful and worth a trip even without a festival. Swing by the iconic Dragon’s Gate before making your way down to the Chinese Historical Society of America to learn more about the history of the city's Asian American community.
Further afield, take a short ferry ride to Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, sometimes called the Ellis Island of the West Coast. It was here that early Asian migrants were vetted before entry to the United States; today it's a place to walk or picnic with a view.
New York City is home to the country's biggest Chinatown, and there are
As a dietitian who tries to stick to the Mediterranean diet, I've found some go-to airport snacks that make travel days a little more bearable.
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