AFAR Search

International Beaches

8 Beautiful Black-Sand Beaches Around the World

These scenic black-sand beaches are worth planning a trip around.

April 7, 2025 02:53 PM

·

Mariette Williams

Restaurants + Cafés

This State Now Has More Michelin Starred-Restaurants Than Any Other in the U.S.

Michelin’s first statewide guide awarded 34 California restaurants with new stars this week, bringing the Golden State’s total to 90.

June 4, 2019 06:03 PM

·

Lyndsey Matthews

Spring 2022

Soaring Through the Swiss Alps With a Champion Paraglider

Yael Margelisch holds two official world records in women’s paragliding—including the longest distance covered in a single flight.

March 31, 2022 04:53 PM

·

Paige McClanahan

Town covered in snow and framed by trees

Holiday Travel

Winter Is Travel’s Most Underrated Season. Here’s Why (and Where) to Take a Trip This Time of Year

Embrace the cold—or escape from it. No matter what your winter travel dreams, we have ideas for you.

November 1, 2024 08:00 AM

·

Billie Cohen

Tour the Country by Train for $399 With Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass

Trains

Tour the Country by Train for $299 With Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass

The American version of the Eurail Pass is currently $200 off the regular price.

January 10, 2023 12:22 PM

·

Michelle Baran

A town square at sunset in Vilnius, Lithuania, with a giant Christmas tree made entirely of lights and a white belfry next to it.

Holiday Travel

These European Cities Have Stellar Christmas Markets and Festivals—and Fewer Crowds

Here’s where to get into the holiday spirit across Europe with Christmas markets, skating rinks, and festive food and drink.

October 27, 2025 04:56 PM

·

Lottie Gross

AFAR Advisor

How to See California Where the Redwoods Meet the Vineyards

Local vineyard owner Theodora R. Lee gives us the perfect guide for the lesser-known Anderson Valley wine region.

June 8, 2021 06:09 AM

·

Annie Fitzsimmons

Tarcoles, a small fishing village
on the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

Outdoor Adventure

10 Can’t Miss Things to Do in Costa Rica, From Wild Beaches to Local Coffee

Its rainforests are legendary, but there’s more beyond the jungles of Costa Rica that belong at the top of your list.

July 8, 2025 05:08 PM

·

Nina Kokotas Hahn

Books

Our Favorite Independent Bookstores in California

From iconic venues like City Lights in San Francisco to community gathering spots for food-obsessed readers, this list covers some of our top bookstores in the state.

October 15, 2020 03:11 PM

·

Staff

Beer, Wine, + Spirits

19 Essential Wineries and Tasting Rooms to Visit in Napa Valley

Large scenic estates. Intimate tasting rooms in downtown Napa. There’s a tasting for every taste in this famous California wine region.

July 28, 2023 01:17 PM

·

Jessie Beck

Weekend Getaways

Local Getaways: Escape to Calistoga, Napa Valley’s Chic Wellness Hideaway

With a long tradition of welcoming spa seekers to its natural hot springs and mud baths, Calistoga is now in the midst of a modern renaissance.

January 28, 2022 08:23 PM

·

Michelle Baran

Holiday Travel

Our Guide to Last-Minute Holiday 2021 Travel

As fall and winter breaks approach, there’s still hope for a great getaway even if you haven’t booked anything yet.

October 19, 2021 05:03 PM

·

Michelle Baran

A modern building with a glass wall under a pink sky

Hotels

14 Airbnb Alternatives for Every Kind of Vacation Home Seeker

Our favorite vacation rental companies offer everything from luxurious villas and design-forward dwellings to stylish family-friendly cribs.

July 23, 2024 09:36 AM

·

Michelle Baran

Staying in popular parks like Zion could be easier for late minute travelers.

National Parks

How to Score a National Park Campsite—Even if It’s Sold Out

This handy new tool helps campers find places to pitch their tents and park their RVs in the country’s most popular national parks.

June 9, 2023 04:58 PM

·

Bailey Berg

Longreads

Watch Millions of Butterflies Take Flight in One of the Planet’s Most Magical—and Endangered—Migrations

In the mountains of Michoacán, ecotourism is helping save an imperiled species.

March 14, 2025 10:31 AM

·

Chloe Bergé

Search results for