Norway’s fjord country blends serenity, grandeur
Though I initially came to Norway to visit relatives — three of my grandparents grew up there — nature is the real draw here, even for those with family ties. It’s a land of intense beauty, with famously steep mountains and deep fjords carved out and shaped by an ancient ice age.
Has the spread of tipping reached its limit? Don’t count on it.
Americans are being asked to tip more often and in more places than ever before: at fast food counters and corner stores, at auto garages and carwashes, even at self-checkout kiosks. That has rankled many customers and divided employers and tipped workers.
Steves: Exploring Croatia’s coastal delights
Ilove the knack Croatians have for taking a humble stretch of craggy shoreline and turning it into a wildly romantic bar or café. In the coastal town of Rovinj, several bars and restaurants offer tables atop the town’s rocky seawall, and some provide you with a pillow — an invitation to find your own nook in the rocks overlooking the bay. As the sunset fades and the flames from tealight candles seem to brighten, you realize just how easy it is to enjoy a luxurious moment on the Adriatic coast.
Let’s Talk Food: Did you know?
Did you know that avocado trees need moderate to high amounts of water to thrive? A 10-foot tree needs about 10.3 gallons a day. Planting them on this island where we have an abundance of water seems to be a great agricultural crop.
Heat kills thousands in the U.S. every year. Why are the deaths so hard to track?
After a string of scorching days in June 2023, the body of an 88-year-old man was discovered in his home in Maricopa County, Arizona. His air-conditioner, set to 70, was blowing hot air. The temperature inside was nearly 110 degrees. Maybe he had heart problems. Maybe a different organ broke down. Maybe he was taking medications that did not work as they should. Did extreme heat cause or contribute to his death?
Rick Steves: Vibrant, historic Dresden is worth a detour
Intriguing Dresden, Germany, winds up on far fewer American itineraries than it deserves to. Don’t make that mistake. Since its horrific firebombing in World War II, the city has transitioned to a thriving cultural center that’s well worth a visit. Even with only a day to spare, Dresden is a doable side trip from bigger attractions like Berlin or Prague.
Hard work and fizzy drinks: What it takes to live past 110
One of the oldest men in the world died in August at the age of 111. The man, John Farringdon, was born about a year after the Titanic sank.
Sports and music tourism will soon represent a $1.5 trillion economy
If you’ve lost track of how many people in your orbit have recently posted pictures of themselves at a Formula One race or Taylor Swift concert, chances are you’re not alone. According to new research from Collinson International Ltd., which owns Priority Pass and LoungeKey airport lounges around the world, sports and music tourism are growing at unprecedented rates and are forecast to represent a $1.5 trillion industry by 2032.
Steves: Europe’s authentic, lively second cities
Each European country has its marquee city that attracts the vast majority of travelers — think Rome, Paris, Amsterdam. And all too often, that tourist-pleasing destination is a traveler’s one and only stop.
Steves: Amboise’s Loire delights and Leonardo da Vinci sights
As the Loire River glides gently east to west, officially separating northern from southern France, it has come to define one of France’s most popular tourist regions.
The barber will see you now. The world will see you next.
PARIS — They are one of the most popular teams at the Olympics. Their hand-eye coordination is off the charts. Their uniforms? Head-to-toe black and tres chic.
Let’s Talk Food: Chicken hekka
My friend Amy Aoyagi mentioned that she misses eating chicken hekka but there are no restaurants in town that serve this dish anymore. This dish was created in the 1880s, probably in the sugar plantation camps. Hekka is the Hiroshima dialect for sukiyaki and is great for sharing. Amy’s memories are eating hekka that was cooked over a hibachi.
Volcano Watch: HVO bids farewell to its Uekahuna location
“Time to go”… words that none of us at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) wanted to hear.
The environmental and personal hazards of frontier tourism
Adventure travelers used to represent an elite group of intrepid travelers willing to go to nearly any extreme in pursuit of an extraordinary trip.
Steves: Amsterdam’s dance of crass and class
Most of Europe’s major cities are a mix of old and new, elegant and rough-edged, traditional and forward-looking — but the contrasts you encounter in Amsterdam are particularly extreme…and unusually fascinating. Amsterdam is a laboratory of progressive living, bottled inside Europe’s most 17th-century city.
How to teach a horse to dance
GUNTHWAITE, England — At the Paris Olympics, hundreds of competitors will try to marry athletic prowess to artistic grace, but only those competing in dressage will attempt it while sitting astride a willful animal.
Tropical Gardening: Consider source when using mulch and compost to improve soils
Many folks are now improving new and established gardens with mulch, but be wary of where you get it. It is possible to spread insects like the coconut rhinoceros beetle, sugarcane borer and fire ants as well as some diseases. The best source of mulch is one you make or one that is not made up of green waste containing beetle infected plant materials.
Travel & Leisure readers pick their No. 1 resort in the US, and it’s in Oceanside, Calif.
SAN DIEGO — It may have taken a quarter century to develop a luxury waterfront hotel in Oceanside, but it’s apparently paid off. The Mission Pacific Beach Resort, which made its debut three years ago, has been named the No. 1 resort in the continental U.S. by Travel and Leisure’s readers.
Volcano Watch: What’s been a movin’ and a shakin’ in Kilauea’s upper East Rift Zone?
The upper East Rift Zone (UERZ) of Kilauea has been shaking more than normal, with nearly 1,500 earthquakes between July 22 and 25. The activity is being closely monitored by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff and prompted closures in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. What is causing it and what should we expect to see happen if it continues?
Steves: Exploring Madrid’s outdoor delights
Spain’s capital, like its population, is relatively young. In medieval times, Madrid was just another village, but under several successive kings it transformed to a European capital. Today the country’s hub is the upbeat, vibrant home of more than 3 million people.
