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The Great American Rail-Trail will connect 12 states from coast to coast when it’s finished.

Researchers at Colorado State University are predicting a “slightly below-average” Atlantic hurricane season, but people should still be prepared.

Rahawa Haile grew up surrounded by the beauty and kitsch of South Florida. Now she returns and wonders what happens when the places we love start to disappear.

The least populous state in the U.S. is also home to some of the country’s most wondrous natural landscapes. Choose one of the following ways to see it—or opt for all three.

An AFAR writer recalls scenes of humanity and hope after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the capital.

These under-the-radar national monuments are totally stunning, and they’re right in your backyard.

The state’s 10 coolest breweries worth the trek

In South Carolina, chefs give a Lowcountry staple a global spin.

In a square mile of West Texas, Chris Colin finds family and traces his roots back to a wilder America.

A journey into the ethnic neighborhoods redefining the City of Light

Overview

Dilli Haat is an open-air market with 62 stalls that features both permanent and transitional vendors, allowing original items to be introduced regularly. The space, designed to resemble a traditional village market, was created to showcase products from across India. There is an application process to determine the temporary vendors who generally stay for 15 days. Items include textiles, crafts, clothing, shoes, beads, gems, and art, as well as a food court with specialty items from across the country. The small entrance fee and gated exterior keep unwanted panhandlers at bay, allowing for a leisurely shopping experience. Though prices are reasonable, bargaining is still encouraged. Dilli Haat is a favorite jaunt for locals and tourists, adding to the diversity of the experience.

If you want to discover Haight Ashbury from a true “insider,” then consider the Flower Power Tour created and given by the ebullient Izu Interlandi. Izu is not a native to the hippie district of Haights Ashbury in San Francisco, but she could very well write a book about it. Her love for the area and the joy of meeting and personally connecting with the legends of the area –including the Grateful Dead, Allen Ginsburg and Janis Joplin — bubbles over like champagne. She will take you through it all--from the Grateful Dead house to where Janis Joplin lived, and leave you feeling sad you are not from that era. She’s an original and one of San Francisco’s best. I discovered Izu through Trafalgar’s distinctive insider experiences guided vacation of San Francisco and Napa Valley, and have been a fan ever since. Walking tours don’t get more fun or memorable than this!

Golden Gate Park was formed out of an expanse of sand dunes to the west of the city in the nineteenth century—a history that is still discernible in the rolling topography of much of the park’s more than 1,000 acres. Over 13 million people visit the array of gardens, lakes, trails, museums, and monuments each year. Some of the most popular attractions are clustered to the east, including the de Young art museum, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Japanese Tea Garden. A little farther on is Stow Lake, the largest body of water in the park and a good spot for boating and strolling. Just past Spreckels Lake is a bizarre sight: a herd of American bison. Generations of these iconic beasts have been kept in the park since 1892; they mostly stand around the paddock like idling, hairy bulldozers. Children enjoy seeing the Dutch Windmill at the west edge; they may not be so fussed about the nearby Tulip Garden, but they’ll like the waterfowl pond in the Botanical Garden and the carnivorous plants in the Conservatory of Flowers. There are three playgrounds, too; the Koret contains a colorful working carousel from 1914. Active visitors can tour the park by Segway or check out the golf course, the disc golf course, or the archery field. Festivals take place throughout the year, and the Music Concourse hosts free concerts on Sundays in the summer.

This week on Travel Tales by Afar, audio engineer Nicolle Galteland attempts to take a solo road trip through Namibia—if only she can figure out how to drive the car.