Destinations

One July evening on my first trip to Yosemite National Park, my partner and I took a leisurely swim in Mirror Lake. As warm orange alpenglow from the setting sun lit up the face of Half Dome, we waded into the small but deep pool, the imposing peak towering directly above us. The lake was

San Antonio has grown tremendously in the last few years, and though most of the tourist destinations are concentrated in and around the Downtown area and along the River Walk, those aren’t the only places worth a visit. So how do you travel between San Antonio’s different neighborhoods? This is your typical car-centric Texas destination,

Combining shoulder-season prices with decent weather in many parts of the world, May offers a lot to travelers. So whether you’re seeking wildlife encounters, cultural happenings, an intrepid journey or a destination that won’t break the bank, there’ll be something in this month’s round-up sure to rouse your wanderlust.  Here are the best places to

Glastonbury revealed the bulk of its main festival line-up today, featuring an all-male headline set that has drawn criticism from music fans online with Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, and Elton John announced as the weekend’s top dogs. Still, there’s much to be excited about. The women are there and you don’t need to squint

In this series, we take you step by step through how we plan some of our most complicated travel adventures, so you can recreate them yourself with ease. Here, Japanese-railway enthusiast John Walton shares advice on how to stretch your yen as far as possible on a train trip through Japan. Whether you’re a train

Established by the Spanish in 1718, San Antonio has expanded into a thriving metropolis over the past 300 years, drawing people from all over the world to say, “Remember the Alamo!” in front of the famous fort itself. To help you decide where to base yourself or where to spend your time exploring, here’s a

Sitting just south of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with its bridges, castles and football rivalries, and north of the windswept beauty of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, it’s easy to overlook Durham on a visit to the northeast of England. But with a charismatic old town that has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site, and

With breathtaking oceanfront vistas, lush, breezy mountains, tropical rainforests and one of the coolest culinary scenes in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico is the kind of destination to just enjoy the ride. Learning a few of the island’s unspoken social rules will go a long way to helping you enjoy the vibes and understanding what makes

Located between Texas Hill Country and the Gulf of Mexico, San Antonio is a great base for day trips into the wider region. The surrounding area offers a mix of rolling hills for hiking and coastal plains full of amazing wildlife, as well as a thriving wine region and charming towns with quirky attractions, boutique shopping, and

One of the best ways to get around the city is by foot – yet if you want to go further and see more, you really should consider renting a bike. In this series, Lonely Planet’s team of writers and editors answers your travel problems and provides tips and hacks to help you plan a

Wine-touring is so much more than tastings in a vineyard: it gives you a personal introduction to a flavor by knowledgeable winemakers in the place it was created. Maybe you’ve enjoyed some Pinot Noir in France‘s Burgundy and sunk some Chardonnay in Australia‘s Yarra Valley or California‘s Sonoma, but there are lesser-known vineyards, some centuries old, producing

For the kids who love soaring above rainforest canopies to the ones who will happily spend the day splashing in the waves, the island nation of Jamaica is not just a playground for adults. This Caribbean country, also known as the “land of wood and water,” is a paradise packed with lush green rainforests, turquoise blue coastlines and the world-famous

You don’t have to be a certified diver to come face-to-face with some of the sea’s most fascinating creatures. In fact, in some destinations, you can simply wade from the sand into the shallows with your mask and snorkel and enjoy some incredible marine life encounters.  From swimming with manta rays in Australia to spying

The Puerto Rican capital of San Juan seamlessly weaves together the historic and the modern, with streets first cobbled in the era of Cervantes and neighborhoods that hum with contemporary life. Bursting with charm, Old San Juan’s confection of rainbow-colored buildings unfurls to a dramatic palm-fringed coastline where monumental fortresses stand sentry. The diverse blocks enclosed

From the lush and humid forests of the central mountains to the idyllic surfing beaches of the northwest, Puerto Rico is a haven for ecotourism. If it’s nature that entices you here, its the beaches and the historical cities that will keep you enchanted. Come for the outdoor adventures – hiking, zipping, surfing – but

With the emergence of their fluffy, delicate flowers, blossoming cherry trees are a springtime delight to behold. All over the USA, people celebrate their appearance with annual festivals, or just simply get outside to special spots and take in the cherries’ natural beauty. As another blooming season approaches, here are the 10 best places to

Perched on the shoulder of South America, Ecuador is a patchwork of dramatic landscapes, from white sandy beaches and rolling grasslands to dense rainforests and majestic mountains. Despite its modest size, the country packs a mighty punch thanks to its breathtaking terrain, which takes in the Amazon, the Andes and the awesome archipelago of the

My trip to Lisbon was nearly six years ago, but I can still feel it in my body. I love the way that new places get under your skin and become part of your DNA, not just your memory or your camera roll. I couldn’t get over the food, the architecture, the history, the culture – it

Ireland’s national holiday is always a celebration — and there’s no place better to take part in the St Patrick’s Day party than in Dublin.  This raucous day will be marked in 2023 with a huge festival, a street parade, parties until late, Guinness, lots of Guinness – and enough emerald-colored merchandise to fill the city’s

Normandy: the northwest region of France rolls off an English-speaking tongue as easily as a French one. It’s known for its bucolic countryside and impossibly long stretches of beach where the famous D-Day landings during WWII. Beyond the shores lies much to discover: a rich literary history, four protected designation of origin cheeses, and of