Women Who Travel Podcast: Traveling the Country to Mobilize Young Voters

Amtrak currently operates 39 routes, with trains criss-crossing the country to service 500 destinations in 46 states. Starting November 10, 2024, however, the number of Amtrak routes will go down one notch to reach a total of 38. Amtrak is cancelling two routes and launching a brand new one between Chicago and Miami called The Floridian.

A last-minute trip to Europe is as romantic as it sounds. Not only is the spontaneity thrilling, but European countries lend themselves very well to travelers who appreciate local customs and enjoy exploring new places without a rigid itinerary. Often, impulsively turning down a cobblestoned street will lead you to an exceptional hole-in-the-wall wine bar, a short-notice boutique hotel booking will be the best place you’ve ever stayed, or a chance encounter with a local will lead to a life-long friendship. But come 2025, you will need to do a little planning before you cross the pond. Next year, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will come into effect. This rule will require visitors from visa-exempt countries to obtain a travel authorization before entering 30 European countries and this includes US travelers.

My dad is from a small town in Massachusetts and has never been much for travel, but his eyes lit up like a child’s when I told him I was headed to Stuttgart, the capital of the German state of Baden-Württemberg in the Swabian region of southwestern Germany. A lifelong car buff, pop knew Stuttgart as the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Driving me to the airport, he gushed about the legendary car museums in his coarse Boston accent: “Christalmighty, Johnny Boy, you’ll see the most gawgeous Muhcedes and Pawsches evah made!” I could only imagine otherwise-polite Germans shuddering at his pronunciation of their cherished automobile brands (but I kept that to myself).

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Christian Salafia, a former US Navy engineering laboratory technician and cyber and information security consultant who moved from Florida to South Africa in 2021.

This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Helene Sula, an American travel blogger and author of "Two O'Clock on a Tuesday at Trevi Fountain: A Search for an Unconventional Life Abroad." It has been edited for length and clarity.

Paris, Rome and Madrid might be what comes to mind when planning a summer vacation. But what about a trip to the capital of Mongolia?

In spring 2025, Freshta Ibrahimi aims to make history—by becoming the first Afghan woman to summit the highest peak in the world. Yet while climbing Mount Everest is a bucket list achievement for any serious mountaineer, for 32-year-old Ibrahimi, who already has a decade of climbing experience under her belt (having recently conquered Nepal’s Lobuche East), Everest represents more than just a physical challenge. She wants to wave a flag of hope for women living under an oppressive Taliban regime—and forge a path for them to one day follow suit.

Cheryl Clarke-Dawkins. (Photo Credit: Sheryl Clarke-Dawkins)

Travelers searching for America's safest cities may want to head to New England this holiday season.

The Caribbean — especially The Bahamas — is among the most popular and most desired cruise destinations.

The winner of the rapidly approaching U.S. presidential election is bound to have an outsized impact on the travel industry, a topic Skift has examined in recent weeks. But that’s not the only important politics-related matter on the minds of travel executives.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennison Grigsby, an American mom and yoga teacher who lives in Valencia, Spain. It's been edited for length and clarity.