Travel
Archive
Where do you end up when you want a community with incredible access to the outdoors, affordable homes, and solid jobs? Some very surprising places. Introducing the top 25 towns in America for cycling, paddling, running, surfing, skiing, and—because you might want everything—all of the above.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Eagle Creek ORV Trunk 30 rolling luggage.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the GoLite TraveLite wheeled carry-on.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 60L.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Victorinox WT Hardside Trolley 20 rolling luggage.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Osprey Shuttle 32 rolling luggage.
My demands at home don't allow me to travel much, so I've got to do it vicariously. What, in your opinion, are the best adventure travel movies ever made?
I'm leaving in a couple days for Haiti with Medical Student Missions to help teach a Wilderness First Responder course and work in a cholera clinic. Along with a small wad of clothes, running shoes, and Blundstones, here's the essentials crammed in a Patagonia MLC wheeled backpack. …
Some high school friends and I are planning a reunion. They're beach people, and I'm a hike-in-the-mountains person. Plus, they're teachers and I'm just finishing medical school--which means we are all poor. Any suggestions for a warm, sunny location that fit this description?
We have two weeks to spend in South Africa and an appetite for whitewater adventure. What trips would you recommend and what's the best time of year to go? --Katherine Saint Paul, MN
GearJunkie.com and the CORDURA® brand have partnered this week to launch a contest with a goal of discovering the outdoor world's “most durable person.” To enter, participants upload a quick story, photos, or a video to show why they or a friend/family member are among the outdoors' “most durable” people. (“Durable”…
Do you have any recommendations for a one- to two-week honeymoon adventure outside of the United States this summer? We would like the trip to involve outdoor activities mixed with relaxation. My fiancée and I are all over the board right now: Bora Bora, New Zealand, African safari, Mont Blanc circuit… --Andrew Evergreen, CO
The plan was to check out Yemen, a little-visited Arab nation that offers glowing deserts, forbidding mountains, and lonely Socotra Island—a naturalist's paradise as imagined by Dr. Suess. But instead all hell broke loose, and a tourist romp became a front-row seat to the bloody upheavals sweeping the Middle East.
Looking for a domestic weekend escape with international flair? Pack a bag and head for Miami. The city, known for beaches, beautiful people, and wild nightlife, has plenty of adventure options. Paddle: The obvious choice would be to paddle around South Beach (…
I need to organize a spring bachelor party weekend in the outdoors. Help! While the groom is a huge adventurer, some in our diverse group of friends aren’t so active. You have any trips in the West that meet our needs? OliverSeattle, WA
Looking for a domestic weekend escape with international flair? Pack a bag and head for Miami. The city has a rep for beaches, beautiful people, and wild nightlife, but that’s not all it has. Presenting the top five adventures in Miami. The Party Circuit: Like I said, there’s…
Photo by overdrive_cz on Flickr Brazilian airports currently being upgraded for the 2014 World Cup likely will not be ready in time, according to Reuters. The incomplete projects are expected to…
Photo by overdrive_cz on Flickr Brazilian airports currently being upgraded for the 2014 World Cup likely will not be ready in time, according to Reuters. The incomplete projects are expected to cause…
I'm not ready for the winter to end. What are the best spring backcountry ski spots? Kevin Burlington, VT
I'm going hiking for a week in Iceland this spring. What kind of pants would be right for cold and rainy, but good for dry weather, too? Tom Springfield, VA
My 14-year-old daughter wants to go on an organized bike trip. Which groups are the best? I went with American Youth Hostels when I was young, are they still good? Any other ones you can recommend? -Janice Hastings on Hudson, NY
Obscura Day 2011 Preview from Atlas Obscura on Vimeo. The Atlas Obscura is holding their second annual International Obscura Day this Saturday. Around 100 events will take place all over the world, on every continent. Head to Buenos Aires to check…
Obscura Day 2011 Preview from Atlas Obscura on Vimeo. The Atlas Obscura is holding their second annual International Obscura Day this Saturday. Around 100 events will take place all over the world, on every continent. Head to Buenos Aires to check…
Is there some way to go island hopping in the South Pacific on a boat to go snorkeling? No huge cruise ships. I want a small boat with an emphasis on the water, with a taste of local culture. -Mike Hailey, ID
Photo by fletchy182 on Flickr Adventure travel company Pedalers Pub and Grille has announced plans for their 25th…
I love foreign locales and culture, but don't like the occasional side factors: street crime, food-borne illness, bartering for souvenirs, etc. You have any ideas for great places and adventures that take my preferences into account? Andrew Menlo Park, CA
Courtesy of Amble Resorts Become the first (paid!) intern on Panama's Isla Palenque, future home of the Resort at Isla Palenque. You'll travel, blog, take photographs and film life at the…
South America contains the Amazon, the Andes, 19,000 miles of coastline, and arguably more adventure than any other continent. So where to start? These ten perfect trips, from exploratory rafting in Peru to skiing in Chile to beach-hopping Brazil.
What qualifies an adventure lodge as one of the world's best? Hot tubs and high thread counts, sure. But what sets these ten launchpads apart is access—to remote trails, steep runs, and lonely peaks.
With so many novice adventurers filing suit when something goes wrong, outfitters are shielding themselves behind increasingly dense liability forms. What does the mumbo jumbo really mean? We asked a crack team of lawyers.
If you could put together a list of five must-do national park experiences in the United States, what would they be? ScottGambier, OH
Leo Hoogenboom leads it out. Photo by Barry B. Brown/Coral Reef Photos On the island of Bonaire last week, I solidified my opinion of cold-weather biking: like getting a flu shot or cleaning the toilet, you have to do…
South America contains the Amazon, the Andes, 19,000 miles of coastline, and arguably more adventure than any other continent. So where to start? Try one of these adventure lodges.
The Alto Atacama, Photo by Kyle Dickman Chile is South America's New Zealand, which is to say, it's an adventurer's paradise. And the most popular destination is San Pedro de Atacama, a dusty 400-year old village on the northern edge…
I'm looking for a beach vacation this March with my husband and college-aged daughter either in Mexico or somewhere within decent flight time of Dallas. What can you do for me?JoniDallas, TX
We'll be rafting the Grand Canyon in August and the gear list includes a full rain suit. Any recommendations? Steve Charleston, SC
Last year, four friends of mine and I biked the Allegheny Passage to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC. This late winter or early spring, we want to top that by heading out west and backpacking for four to five days in a national park. What is a good location that will have favorable conditions? -Andrew Pittsburgh, PA
My 12-year-old son and I want to start taking exciting and safe adventure trips together. What are some good ideas and places in the United States that are reasonable for older kids and young teens? -Clint Tokyo, Japan
A leather briefcase that’s charmingly old-school while loaded with smart concessions to the modern world.
The most creative and affordable array of trips we’ve seen in years. Time to pack your bag.
With a little help from the wine industry, a new scanner is currently under development that could allow passengers to take innocuous liquids on airplanes, according to NewScientist.com. Matthew Augustine, a chemistry…
We present our Trips of the Year, everything from whitewater rafting in Siberia to mountain biking in Argentina to the greatest multisport vacation in Alaska.
I've never had an interest in learning to ski, but I loved sledding as a kid. Are there any ski resorts with lift-assisted sledding? Having to walk back up the hill was always the worst part. I heard that some resort in Switzerland has a five-mile-long sledding run. Willy Santa Rosa, CA
Britt, Iowa; RAGBRAI 2010 On July 24, RAGBRAI riders will clip in at Glenwood, Iowa and cycle east through Atlantic, Carroll, Boone, Altoona, Grinnell and Coralville before cruising into Davenport — and the Bix Beiderbecke jazz festival…
Your Challenge: Choosing the right adventure in New Zealand, a place that offers the best of everything. Your Solution: Our heavily researched, carefully formulated, and totally brilliant ten-step plan.
Josh Cox broke his own American 50K record yesterday after winning the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona marathon. His time for 31.2 miles was 2:43:45, three minutes faster than the record…
I'm short on time and cash, and stuck out here on the East Coast, but am looking for a climbing destination on this side of the Mississippi that's equivalent to Liberty Bell. In other words, a fun, multi-pitch rock with a bit of a sense of accomplishment at the summit. What can you do for me? Richard Fairfax, VA
Courtesy of Sacred Rides. Sacred Rides and GoPro Cameras are rewarding mountain bikers for their patience during snowy winter months with a free trip to Central or South America. Enter the Flip…
Copyright Darren Kirby (Darren Kirby) Courtesy of Flickr Dark sky tourism is on the rise, reports the BBC. Light pollution causes astronomical bodies, such as stars, planets and the moon, to be less visible in urban areas.
Cruise ships are for tourists. Real travel is for wanderers who don’t want to just see, but experience something different. Packing and planning take a back seat to learning how to simply be in this game. So leave your guidebook at home, snip the Canadian…
I have a very adventurous ten-year-old daughter and we've been talking about going to Nepal. Any good itineraries? And would the Everest Base Camp trek be appropriate, or would she get more from the Annapurna area? -Dennis Spokane, WA
Rising luggage fees and headaches at baggage claims now prompt many travelers to avoid checking a bag before boarding a flight. Instead, experienced travelers plan strategies to maximize carry-on allowances, including stuffing their jacket pockets full and stretching airlines' rules by bringing a backpack or a huge purse…
I seek wisdom from the experienced Gear Guy on winter clothing layering. I will be hiking up Mt. Washington in January and I am hoping I can beseech your advice on finding the best layering combination (starting with base-layer clothing suggestions to mid-layer clothing suggestion and finally the outer shell layer suggestion). Thank you, exulted Gear Guy! -Nathan St. Louis, MO
Where's best for kayaking or canoeing in Brazil? I like the idea of the Amazon but would also like some beach action. Any tips? -Dave London, England
Courtesy of Navicore on Flickr. Sky and Telescope says that tonight's shower should be the year's “richest and most reliable meteor display,” and estimates that as many as two Geminids may be visible every minute under ideal…
Could floating in a sensory-deprivation tank for several hours be as mind-expanding as a real-life adventure? Our neurological guinea pig is about to find out.
Ride along as an international group of up-for-anything clients gets schooled on tourism's wildest frontier: Afghanistan.
What are some good places to "escape" Los Angeles without having to go too far? -Susan Los Angeles CA
Photo Courtest of Flickr Three South Pacific teenagers were recently found after 50 days adrift in an isolated stretch of ocean, almost 900 miles from where they were lost, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. The Tokelauan boys, of the Atafu…
The following dispatch is from extreme kayaker, Ben Stookesberry, a member of the First Ascent kayak team. They are currently on an expedition in Africa to make a first descent of the Lukuga…
If you had three to four days to hike Belize, which area would you choose? -Cindy Evansville IN
The following dispatch is from extreme kayaker, Ben Stookesberry, a member of the First Ascent kayak team. They are currently on an expedition in Africa to make a first descent of the Lukuga…
For all the allure and mystery of the Himalaya, perhaps the mystery of the Yeti stands out. And one man, Mike Allsop is doing his best to keep the mystery alive. Mike, a pilot for Air New Zealand, has visited Nepal many times and summited Everest in 2007. Like…
The Mountains of the Moon (called the Rwenzori by the native people) literally inspired our expedition when planning began six months ago. Before friend and trip advisor Dr. Jessie Stone first mentioned the Rwenzori, I had little…
What are some great outdoor activities I can do while I'm living in Istanbul? The only things I know of are running and swimming in the Bosporus. How about diving or snowboarding? -Lauren Istanbul, Turkey
Seven years ago, Florida resident Hitesh Mehta embarked on a journey that took him through 46 countries in six continents. The purpose of his trek? To find the world's greatest ecolodges–places where tourism and sustainablility combine to create one-of-a-kind, environmentally friendly vacations. The result?…
I'm going to Vancouver for a week on business and would like to peel off for two to three days of being outdoors. Any suggestions for a fit gal who likes to be outside, but has to be back and in a cocktail dress by seven o'clock each evening? -Mathilda Dallas, TX
Take it on the road with this ingenious 8,064-cubic-inch rolling duffel, which mounts on rooftop racks. The Rack Lash cruised like any good wheelie, and when late arrivals meant trudging along darkened streets, its reflective fabric helped safeguard against unpredictable traffic. Peel open the Big Mouth top and its…
BOMBER VAGABOND What looks like a techy backpack splits into a 1,340-cube daypack and a 4,400-cube main hauler, carried as shoulder or side bag. In Iquitos, Peru, it all behaved like a comfortable 40-pound backpack, with load-adjuster straps and stiff back panel, as I traveled by boat and navigated muddy…
Why It’s CoolIn both modes, the Outlander is exceptionally clean and stable, thanks to Osprey’s trademark burrito-wrap pack bag: Foam-stiffened sides envelop (and protect) any load, so there’s no slop. » It’s trek-ready, with a zip-away, fully adjustable harness (padded hipbelt and shoulder straps). Go ahead, haul 50 pounds. Bonus:…
MULTISPORT MAW This rolling expedition duffel could eat two pony kegs. I dumped loads of gear into the 6,100-cube behemoth for kayaking and glacier tromping in Alaska and still had plenty of room. Osprey’s inventive exoskeleton design features a flexible Delrin rod that acts as a shield while forming the…
Why It’s CoolI thought of the Gear Logic as a rolling footlocker with a waterproof bottom “drawer” just big enough for my test cargo: a pair of full-size hiking boots and Tevas. Oh-so-niftily, I could pull out that bottom compartment and—voilà—a tote bag. I could also jettison the tote bag,…
ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE MINIMALIST This 3,150-cube carry-on’s built like a wolverine: compact, rugged, and toothy—colossal five-inch wheels bite into most any surface and prevent payload rollovers. During a rain-racked week in Chiapas, Mexico, the water-resistant boot bin sequestered dank footwear while the muck-shirking polyurethane exterior was easy to wipe off. Inside, uncomplicated…
Always in a hurry? As with many carry-ons, stashing this ten-inch-deep roller in overhead bins is fast and simple. Unlike with many, extracting it is just as quick: A strategically placed bottom handle puts an end to frustrating yank-athons. The Vienna is a petite 2,150 cubes, yet its compression-strap…
SLICK AND UTILITARIAN Fully rotating handle for ergonomic towing; adjustable, ventilated, zip-away backpack suspension for off-road jaunts; detachable day bag with shoulder strap for town tours? Check. This carry-on-legal, 3,200-cube convertible provided all and more during five days in Belize. Sliding the surprisingly svelte main bag—compressed via four straps—into overhead…