While there are few better places to be than cozied up next to the fireplace during the holiday season, the setting isn’t complete without a novel to whisk you a world away. The best travel literature takes you to the destinations of your dreams in the comfort of your own home — and they’ll either excite a desire to pack your bags and head out the next day, or leave you happy you never left.
101 Places Not To See Before You Die, by Catherine Price
In this whimsical take on the “bucket list book,” Catherine Price is kind enough to bring you to all the places you’ll never need to take vacation time to go see. Learn from Price’s mistakes, and take a rain check when it comes to The Testicle Festival, Stonehenge or the top of Mount Everest. For the insatiable wanderluster, this book helps narrow down where not to go next.
Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer
From the best-selling author of Into The Wild, Krakauer recounts his personal trials of the Mt. Everest Disaster in 1997 in chilling, exacting detail. From start to finish, you’re guided along every factor and facet of what it takes to reach the highest peak in the world. It’s the next best thing to risking the trek, and your life, on your own.
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America, by Bill Bryson
Pretty much anything by Bill Bryson is worth a read, but this tale of Bryson’s adventure to find the most quintessential, perfect American small town is one of the best. Journey through all of what the central United States has to offer, down to every former President’s home, miles of strip malls and quirky roadside attractions.
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure, by Sarah Macdonald
This is the story of how one well-to-do Australian journalist learned to love India 11 years after a less-than charming experience backpacking there in her twenties. Follow Macdonald through her (playful and comical) spiritual awakening as she explores different religious beliefs with a manner of insightful characters and friends she meets along the way. It’s a wild ride through the heart of India.
The Blind Masseuse, by Alden Jones
One of the Huffington Post’s Best Books of the Year, Jones takes us from Costa Rica to Cambodia on an adventurous tale from the awareness and perspective of an American outsider looking in. Her memoir recounts years teaching in locales like Bolivia, Cuba and Nicaragua, and what she learned as she became richly involved in the lives of the people she met. It’s an inspiring and refreshingly original read around the world.
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific, by J. Maarten Troost
In characteristic hilarity, Troost recounts his misadventures on the island of Tarawa, a remote South Pacific island in the Republic of Kiribati. At 26 years old, the idea of packing up for an island getaway from a mundane and aimless life was a romantic one, but Troost quickly discovered the mistake in his reasoning. Thankfully, Troost knows how to laugh at his travel blunders, and we can laugh along with him.
No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach, by Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain is the god of gourmet exploration, and his book explores the grand and nitty-gritty details behind his acclaimed Travel Channel TV show. It’s a delightful guide to discovering the world’s gustatory nooks and crannies, and Bourdain recounts the experience that built his foodie expertise from China to New Jersey to France. I’m hungry just thinking about it.
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Jan 21, 2025Tucson, Arizona, Launches New Astro Trail
Tucson, Arizona, just launched a new Astro Trail, highlighting some of the best spots in and around the area for stargazing. The trail, now available as a web app and printed guide, takes you to all of the dark sky-related stops in Tucson, including world-class astronomy institutes like Kitt Peak National Observatory and Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, where the largest telescope lenses in the world are made.
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Seoul: Your Favorite Worldwide City
Seoul is the place for your next bleisure destination.
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Jan 20, 2025Hard Rock Brand Introduces New Credit Card
If you never miss the chance to stay at a Hard Rock property during your travels, you’re likely a member of the Unity by Hard Rock loyalty program — and, if so, you need to be sure you’ve signed up for the recently launched Unity by Hard Rock Mastercard credit card.
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Jan 20, 2025Lunar New Year Giveaway from Walker Hotels, Asian American Art Alliance
The Lunar New Year takes place Jan. 29. To celebrate, Walker Hotels, offering boutique properties in both Greenwich Village and Tribeca, and Asian American Art Alliance, dedicated to strengthening Asian American artists and cultural groups, will ring in Year of the Snake with a red envelope giveaway for chances to win prizes including up to $500 in cash and a free hotel stay.
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Unveiling Europe’s Treasures with AmaWaterways River Cruises
Embark on an unforgettable adventure with AmaWaterways, recognized as Best River Cruise Line by Cruise Critic. What sets AmaWaterways apart is its commitment to offering you the luxury of more. With up to eight daily included excursion options, you have the freedom to tailor your journey to your interests. Whether you're a history buff, a culinary enthusiast or an architecture aficionado, there's something for everyone on the meticulously crafted itineraries. You will also be treated to a range of exquisitely prepared meals in the Main Restaurant and The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant, unlimited wine and beer during lunch and dinner, an array of complimentary host-led fitness classes, and so much more.
Destinations / Europe
Jan 17, 2025Add Sweden to Your 2025 Bucket List
Considering a trip to Sweden later this year? There are plenty of reasons to do so, including some can’t-miss events, new attraction openings and new hotel openings.
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