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Where to eat at Paris airport

The Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, sees nearly 70 million passengers annually, making it the second largest airport in France and the eighth largest in the world in terms of passenger volume. And while Paris in and of itself is a destination, the airport is a major hub for connecting flights — more than 30 percent of the people in Charles de Gaulle every year are connecting to somewhere else. That means lots of downtime for eating.

You can find a decent meal in pretty much every terminal, but some are better than others. These are the best places to eat and drink in every terminal and section of Charles de Gaulle.

Terminal 1

Teppan: Pre-security outpost by chef Thierry Marx, who is behind Michelin-starred restaurants in France. The name is a shortened version of the Japanese word teppanyaki, which means “grilled on an iron plate.” There are French classics like croque madame and meat and fish dishes prepared with Japanese seasonings.

Café Eiffel: Quick salads, sandwiches, and lunch items with a full bar. Nothing to write home about, but also nothing to write a hate letter about.

Brioche Dorée: Simple place to stop by for a quick pastry or dessert and an espresso.

Naked: Fast food, but healthy.

Terminal 2A

Frenchy’s: Simple burgers, fries, semi-healthy salads, and big beers. Located pre-security.

Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar: Upscale (and upper price) raw bar. The focus, as the name suggests, is on seafood. It’s all raw, and there’s a decent selection of beer, wine, and spirits.

Café Eiffel: Quick salads, sandwiches, and lunch items with a full bar. Just like in Terminal 1, it’s nothing to write home about, but also nothing to write a hate letter about.

Terminal 2C

Bert’s: Done-up sandwiches, salads, and soups for a quick fix.

Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar: Raw seafood bar. There’s not much in Terminal 2C, but if you’re looking for an easy drink it’s not a bad option.

Terminal 2D

Brioche Dorée: Simple place to stop by for a quick pastry or dessert and an espresso.

EXKI: Belgian fast-food sandwich and soup chain. You take what you can get in 2D.

Terminal 2E

Yo! Sushi (Hall K): Quick-serve chain sushi restaurant you can find (and trust) in airports around the world.

EXKI (Hall K, L, M): Belgian fast-food chain that serves sandwiches and soups.

I Love Paris (Hall L): Just ignore the name, this isn’t the dining equivalent of those “I heart NY” shirts. It’s run by Guy Martin, whose restaurants in France have earned Michelin stars. This isn’t one of them, but it does have a long bar and simple yet satisfying dishes.

Café Cubiste (Hall M): Well designed restaurant with basic French bistro food that offers table service and takeaway.

Terminal 2F

Brasserie Flo: A classic French bistro with an Alsatian twist that serves up classics like confit duck and steak tartare. Wine by the glass and bottle are available with or without food. It’s located before security, so give yourself time to pass if you plan on eating here.

Bellota-Bellota: Say you’re in a hurry but don’t want to sacrifice quality. Opt for takeaway or a quick eat in at Bellota-Bellota, which has bocadillos (Spanish sandwiches) filled with Iberian ham, anchovies, and Spanish delicacies.

The French Taste: When you order at the counter of this bistro, you’ll be asked how long you have and advised what you should order. The food is upscale French bistro, with options like foie gras terrine, vegetarian spring rolls, and macaroons for dessert.


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What to eat, drink, and do in Cognac

It’s a Wednesday night in late January and Bar Luciole in Cognac, France, is comfortably full. Bartenders from a Europe-wide cocktail competition serve their signature drinks, and the high-ceiling bar echoes with a mix of DJ beats, ice hitting cocktail tins, and too many different languages and accents to keep track of.

It’s a far different scene than the Cognac of a decade ago. Cognac, a town of fewer than 20,000 people, is two hours north by train from Bordeaux (an hour and a half by car). It’s full of Old World charm thanks to tight and winding stone streets that lead to the Charente River. Cognac is also, of course, famous for the brandy that shares the town’s name. That’s been true of Cognac for centuries. There’s a new energy in the town, though. In 2012, the first serious cocktail-focused bar opened, Bar Louise, followed by Bar Luciole in 2017, and, most recently, 1838 in the Hôtel Chais Monnet.

Cognac isn’t that late to cocktails when you consider that Paris really only hit its stride with cocktail bars in the late 2000s. The feel is different in Cognac, though, as there’s a heavy focus on local — not a given considering that the French only consume around two percent of all Cognac (the spirit) produced. Outside of brandy, other spirits producers — like Audemus Spirits, which makes Umami, Hoppy, and Pink Peppercorn gins — have inspired a new nickname for the region: Spirits Valley.

Photo: Bar Louise/Facebook

The streets are quiet after leaving Bar Luciole for a dinner reservation at Chez Poulpette. The restaurant is a different story. It has the same energy as the bar, fueled by a short menu that changes based on what chefs Antoine Vernouillet and Amandine Bernanose find fresh at the market.

That said, no matter how much of Cognac you soak in, it’s not Paris or Bordeaux. Even with modern flairs, Cognac is more like the small town in Beauty and the Beast, only with block-long buildings occupied by brands like Hennessy and Martell. Explore the city correctly, however, and you’ll find a mix of traditional and modern France that’s an ideal two-to-three day escape from the well-worn tourist paths through France’s more famous cities.

Where to drink

Photo: Bar Louise/Facebook

You can enjoy Cognac the city without enjoying Cognac the spirit, though you’d be missing out if you don’t give everything you see a try. Cognac as both a spirit category and a town are embracing cocktails. Brands are catering to bartenders with special releases, and bartenders are opening up new places to go in the city.

Bar Louise sits on the bottom floor of Hôtel François Premier at the start of the pedestrian thoroughfare Rue d’Angouléme. Local is the way to go here, and it’s best to let the bartender walk you through the menu. Choose from one of the originals, which are organized by the type of glass they’re in (a special “Daily Cooked” cocktail made in a sous vide with whatever’s in season is tacked on the end of the menu). Cocktails are around €15, but pay a little more and you can get behind the bar and learn how to make the drinks yourself. You won’t leave feeling like Tom Cruise in Cocktail, but you will get a better understanding of Cognac’s signature spirit and how to use it in ways few people outside of the town are doing.

The newest cocktail option in Cognac is 1838. Plush leather couches form small gathering areas in the massive space. The bar in the back has a mid-century modern vibe while a ladder leads up to a second floor of lockers holding what feels like an uncountable number of different Cognac bottles. 1838 and the hotel it’s in, Chais Monnet, are indicative of Cognac’s new style.

Photo: Hotel Chais Monnet/Facebook

“In France, people are not as big of fans of Cognac cocktails as in the US,” Jérôme Tessendier says, although he admits the trend is growing and Chais Monnet’s construction shows that. “It’s great for our town to host people,” he says, adding that you don’t feel like you’re in old Cognac when you’re there, but thanks to the hotel and its onsite bar and restaurants, “There’s a lot of things happening with Cognac.”

On the other side of town, you’ll find Bar Luciole, another Cognac-focused cocktail bar that’s interested in propping the category up. For a different taste of local, try the wine bar La Verre a Pied. The trendy space has wood fixtures on the walls that are vaguely cave-like, and the selection is decidedly French with a strong representation of wines made in the Cognac region.

For a casual midday drink, you can’t go wrong with a beer outside (no matter the season) at one of the many bistros that circle the Place François roundabout in the center of town.

Where to eat

Photo: Hotel Chais Monnet/Facebook

No one needs to tell you that the food in France is good. Food is part of what makes the country so enchanting. So eat. A lot. Eat the two-egg croque madames at the bistros and the cheese sandwiches on a baguette from the sandwich shops. Eat the snails and the tête de veau (veal head). Order the prix fixe menu even if you don’t know half the words, and pick up one or two streetside crêpes. You won’t like all of it, but whatever you do, don’t eat at the Subway across from the bistros and cafes.

Photo: Nickolaus Hines

For a taste of what’s fresh in Cognac, visit Poulpette. The menu is cut down to choosing between two starters, two main courses, and a dessert or cheese, and local wines and spirits are available to pair with the meal.

Enjoy a traditional meal along the river at L’Atelier des Quais. Shellfish and bulots (sea snails) are the way to go here. It’s hard to beat the view of the Charente and the Cognac houses across the river from the terrace. Upscale seafood can also be found at Chez Claude, and La Distillerie in Chais Monnet offers modern classics in a setting with an elevated air.

What to see

Photo: Valery Rokhin/Shutterstock

Start your day at one of the three local markets. The largest, on the Left Bank of the Charente, runs from 9:00 AM to around 1:00 PM every day but Monday. There, you’ll find produce and paté alongside flowers and local-made sausages. Also cheese. Lots of cheese.

Complete a day of strolling along the river and through the public garden in the center of town. Pretty much everything in Cognac is a short walk away, and the weather rarely gets cold enough to make a walk uncomfortable.

No trip to Cognac is complete without Cognac. Street signs point the way to the major Cognac houses, where you’ll find brand tours and education at both small and large brands. For a broader perspective of the spirit and its place in the history of the town, make a stop at Musée des Arts du Cognac, where you can see how the region has developed and catch a glimpse of what the grapevines surrounding the country hillsides look like in the museum’s mini garden.

Photo: Nickolaus Hines

If you have a couple of days, it’s worth using Cognac as your home base and checking out the nearby area. Jarnac, the home of distilleries like Courvoisier and Hine, is where to go for the spirit-curious. A drive through the many vineyards around Cognac lends perspective to the more provincial side of the region. Skip the driving and see the vineyards from the backseat of mid-1900s cars with XO Madame, a wine and Cognac tour company.

Where to stay

Photo: Château Pellisson/Facebook

Luxury is easy to find in Cognac. People on business or looking for a retreat have Chais Monnet, which is a 92-room complex inside a former Cognac warehouse complete with a spa, conference room, and the aforementioned restaurant and bar.

François Premiere is another upscale hotel with upper-floor rooms that have views over the entire town. It’s centrally located, although you don’t have to go farther than downstairs for a nightcap at Bar Louise. For a different type of experience, you can stay at the recently remodeled Chateau Pellisson. The stone chateau is like a trip into the past with a touch of modern thanks to jacuzzi tubs and good wifi.

You don’t have to settle if you’re traveling on a budget. Airbnb has a solid selection of hosts with rooms for under $100, and in many cases under $50, a night. That way, you can choose to spend your money on the things that really matter: Cognac, cocktails, and cheese.


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The post Why you should ditch Bordeaux for Cognac for a more spirited trip to France appeared first on Matador Network.

Best things to see and do in Tunisia

A trip to Tunisia promises a first-hand look at a country proud of where it stands in the region and in the world. Tunisians, who had massive street protests and an attack at their famed art and history museum in the last decade, have entered an era of peace that is, as hope here has it, built on the idea of moving beyond the corruption that brought on the Arab Spring. Tunisia is rich in history, most easily experienced through the vibrant flavors of the country’s Arabic and North African cuisine steeped with French and Roman influence. The country is also home to more than 900 miles of Mediterranean coastline that will give you plenty of use for that swimsuit you packed. For first-time visitors to the Middle East, Tunisia is the ultimate way to experience the Maghreb region. This is what to know before you go.

In our lifetime, Tunisians have fought for — and gained — significant personal freedoms.

Photo: Kertu/Shutterstock

On December 17, 2010, a Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi lit himself on fire in a public square in the north Tunisian city of Ben Arous. Bouazizi did this to protest corruption and harassment after being publicly reprimanded and humiliated by a police officer who, after Bouazizi failed to pay a bribe, had confiscated his vending setup. His action lit a passionate wave of protests throughout the country, which stretched on for 27 days in what became known as the Tunisian Revolution. The loathed President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced from power after more than 20 oppressive years in office, a term that had of late been defined by staggering unemployment and worsened by the public’s increasing awareness of the political corruption they saw as a defining cause of the country’s ill-functioning economy.

The impact of Bouazizi’s violent death and the revolution that followed spread not only throughout Tunisia but across much of the Arab world, eventually leading residents in more than a dozen nations across North Africa and the Middle East to take to the streets against government oppression and poor living conditions. The Arab Spring, as the uprising is known, began on that December day and carried on in force for over eighteen months, not formally calming until December of 2012.

Photo: Anna Fevraleva/Shutterstock

It is impossible to discuss Tunisia without recognizing the impact that the Tunisian Revolution, and the Arab Spring, had on the country and its people. The mutiny here arguably stands as the most successful of the uprisings, leading to fully democratic governance following a long-standing autocratic reign and prior, the country’s independence from France which happened only in 1956. Today the country is slightly more progressive than most Arab states, and Tunisians now enjoy significantly more personal freedoms than they did prior to the revolution, including the right to express themselves via dress and hobbies much more freely.

The progress is most emphasized by the free elections that followed the revolution and, in July 2018, Tunis’s election of its first female mayor, Souad Abderrahim. Despite its gains in personal liberty, the country still has progress to make — the young government remains a fragile experiment, and many Tunisians feel that old problems such as curbing unemployment and building a stronger economy remain to be solved. LGBTQ rights also have a very long way to go; same-sex sexual activity is illegal though there’s been much lobbying by human rights groups to repeal this law in recent years. That said, of all Middle Eastern countries, Tunisia is among the most welcoming.

Tunis is a confluence of cultures.

Photo: Anton Kudelin/Shutterstock

You’ll likely land in Tunis, the country’s capital and biggest city, which is home to an international airport that brings flights in from Paris and other regional hubs every day. Arabic is the official language here though German and French are commonly spoken in Tunis and other tourist areas. Many speak English as well, making communication as easy as it is in larger tourist hubs throughout the region.

A walk through the capital’s neighborhoods and squares takes you through 4,000 years of history. Stop one should be the Bardo National Museum, home to a collection of Roman mosaics and traditional Islamic art. Art fans should also visit Galerie El Marsa, a gallery dedicated to contemporary Arab artists of a variety of styles, and Le Violon Blue, which houses an extensive collection of Middle Eastern art.

Music enthusiasts should take in some traditional Andalusian music, called Malouf, while in the city. If you manage to score an invitation to a traditional Tunisian ceremony or attend a cultural festival or event while you’re there, the ambient sounds of sitars are likely to fill the air. Cafes and nightclubs throughout the city often feature live music, both traditional and modern. The city’s more progressive take on entertainment means you can find DJs, rock bands, and even a dose of salsa — be sure to visit the Cubano Latino Cafe — sprinkled throughout the city.

Photo: Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

Bazaars are known souks here, and Tunis is full of the most beautiful souks in North Africa. But unlike in Morocco, you won’t be battling hundreds of tourists on top of thousands of locals. Start with the Tunis Central Market at the entrance to the medina, local parlance for old town, and experience a thriving collection of vendors hawking everything from spices and vegetables to clothing, makeup, and henna. The place is packed most days with people shopping for their needs for the day or a gift to take back home. For a more mellow experience, seek out the Souk El Grana, a smaller market surrounded by Andalusian architecture cleverly located in an alley near Rue de la Kasbah, still in the heart of town.

The architecture and ruins are equally stunning.

Photo: Alarax/Shutterstock

As you move through the medina, you’ll undoubtedly see the tower of the Zitouna Mosque poking through the skyline. This historic building was raised in the year 732 AD and still offers an open prayer hall, though the hall is closed to non-Muslims. East of central Tunis but not far from the airport is Carthage, where you’ll find several ancient ruins including the Salammbo Tophet and the Quartier Magon, both located just off the coast.

Photo: Charged One/Shutterstock

Homes in Tunisia are typically built around a central courtyard not viewable from the street, in the traditional Muslim style. Bright, vibrant blues and whites define the architecture of the country, and the beachside town of Sidi Bou Said, 35 minutes east of the city by train, is the best place to see this for yourself — a less touristy alternative to the famous blue city of Chefchaouen in Morocco.

If you head south of Tunis to Sousse for a beach getaway, consider going a bit further to El Djem. The highlight here is the Roman amphitheater of the same name, a massive coliseum that is among the most intact and well-preserved pieces of ancient Roman architecture anywhere in the world.

The beach experience is actually relaxing.

Photo: Zribis/Shutterstock

Because Tunisia is physically closer to Italy than it is to Istanbul or Dubai, it often isn’t thought of as a beach hub in the Middle East. Google “Middle East beach destinations,” and the country isn’t even mentioned on page one. Or page two. The results are the typical destinations that capture most global attention — Dubai, Israel, Antalya. Use this to your advantage and get to North Africa before the hordes finally click through to page three.

A trip to the beachside city of Sousse is among the most relaxing trips you can take in the Middle East. With 270,000 residents, Sousse is the third largest city in the country and home to many of its best beaches and resorts, including Bou Jaafar Beach and Las Vegas Beach, free of both the crowds and the price tags of Dubai. Though, if the Dubai itch does kick in during your stay, you can certainly find a helipad to land on and a personal concierge to escort you to the nearest shopping center. If you prefer to stay closer to the capital, head to Sidi Bou Said.

It’s easier to wine and dine here than in many Middle Eastern countries.

Photo: BTWImages/Shutterstock

Arab countries are known for strict drinking laws, often forbidding alcohol outside of tourist establishments like hotels and high-end restaurants. It’s slightly easier to get a drink in Tunisia, as large supermarkets in cities and tourist areas generally sell beer and wine, and across the country, main streets are lined with cafes and usually a bar or two. While casual cafes won’t serve alcohol, nicer restaurants will, and if you’re staying in a hotel or beach resort, getting a drink there won’t be a problem. Order a local Celtia beer and as you’ll see Tunisians doing on the regular. You’ll also find plenty of hookah bars.

French colonization of North Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries also saw the infusion of traditional French traditions, with winemaking standing as the most notable. This area of northern Africa actually has more than 2,000 years of history as a wine region, though strict Islamic policy effectively eliminated wine production until the French arrived in the late 19th century. The growing climate suitable to fine grapes also means that the peaches aren’t bad here, either.

Photo: eFesenko/Shutterstock

If you’re even a low-level foodie, eating in Tunisia might just be the highlight of your trip. Take Mediterranean staples like couscous and Chorba stew, mix in an undying love for locally sourced seafood, and spice everything up with a hearty dose of a local hot chili paste called harissa, and you have Tunisian cuisine. A firm representation of both local pride and regional influence, dining here is a spicy experience full of complex flavors, bright colors, and portions rivaled only by a Texas-sized barbecue. Tunisians are not shy about sharing their favorite foods with visitors, whether at street market vendors or restaurants. While you’re here, eat as much brik as possible. A staple Tunisian dish with influence from as far away as Turkey, brik is a fried, triangular-shaped malsouka pastry filled with tuna, mashed potato, and raw egg. You can also meet your annual shakshuka quota 10 times over.

You’ll get your desert adrenaline fix.

Photo: Delpixel/Shutterstock

The massive field of sand dunes called the Grand Erg Oriental are some of the most accessible dunes in the Sahara. Most of the dunes’ 370-mile expanse sits in neighboring Algeria though you can reach the Tunisian section by taking the C211 highway as far south as it goes. Here, in the unforgiving expanse of the Sahara Desert, you can trek across sand dunes with a tour company such as Autre Tunisie, who if you’re lucky will provide the experience of eating bread baked inside the sand. Keep your eyes peeled for camels. Other Tunisian outdoor pursuits include seabound horseback riding in Ranch Adada Djerba, on the island of Djerba, and exploring Tamerza Canyon outside the town of Temerza in the country’s far west.

Photo: Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock

While you’re down south, you may as well visit a planet from a galaxy far, far away. Tatooine, the birthplace of Luke Skywalker, was inspired by the Tunisian town of Tataouine, and it looks very much like the movie. Shots from Tatooine and a variety of scenes from the original Star Wars series were filmed throughout Tunisia. The town is about six and a half hours south of Tunis. You can visit Tataouine and see its famed underground residences, where the native Berber population live, on a 4×4 tour with Autre Tunisie.


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The post Why Tunisia should be your first stop in the Middle East appeared first on Matador Network.

Best national parks in spring

Spring is perhaps the best time to plan a visit to one of America’s national parks. Staying ahead of the crowds that bustle through these natural jewels from June to September gives you more time to enjoy their natural beauty relatively undisturbed. There’s a lot going on, from super blooms to supermoons, as spring wakes up the plants and animals that call these places home. Here are the best national parks to visit this spring.

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Photo: Anton Foltin/Shutterstock

It’s not the crowds that visitors to Arizona’s Saguaro National Park have to battle. It’s the heat. That makes spring the ideal season to experience the so-called symbol of the American West, the giant saguaro cactus. Saguaro cacti are found only in a small portion of the United States, yet here they stand, an estimated 1.8 million of them in vast sentry to the desert.

These curious plants are precious because they take so long to grow, with branches normally beginning to appear only after a saguaro reaches 60-75 years of age. In some places these “arms” can take more than 100 years to grow. An adult saguaro is considered to be 125 years old, may weigh as much as eight tons and be as tall as 50 feet. At about 35 years of age, saguaro begin to produce creamy, white flowers, which open at night and close the following afternoon. The flowers bloom from late April to early June.

There are two districts of Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of Tucson. Between the two there are over 165 miles of hiking trails, from short interpretative trails and petroglyph trails to day-long wilderness treks. Aside from hiking, photography is obviously a favorite pastime in the park, along with backcountry camping and wildlife watching — including birds, javelinas, desert tortoise, and for the very lucky, a rare Gila monster.

No lodging is available nor is vehicle camping permitted in the park, so look to Tucson for places to stay. If you plan to camp, you’ll need to backpack into the campsites and bring your own water as none is available in the park.

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Photo: Mark Baldwin/Shutterstock

Among the more original of national parks, Isle Royale in Michigan is actually an archipelago consisting of over 400 islands isolated from civilization by the vast waters of Lake Superior. Extreme weather forces this park to close for five to six months per year, but for lucky spring travelers, it opens on April 16.

Being that the park is mostly water, boating is the best way to experience Isle Royale’s particular beauty. Private boat owners (or renters) will find countless docks and anchor buoys from which to venture forth. Ferries also serve different parts of the park, and you can choose from numerous guided boat tours. Canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and camping are the most popular activities here. Even scuba divers might find a little bit of paradise exploring one of the park’s 25 shipwrecks, provided they’re equipped with dry suits for spring’s chilly water temperatures.

Specific to this park are its highly studied wolf and moose populations. Because of its remoteness, the archipelago has been populated by just about one-third of the usual mainland mammals, not including apex predators like bears, which would normally compete for food with wolves and moose. Unfortunately, due to inbreeding, the park’s wolf population, usually numbering around 25 individuals, has been decimated and consists of just one female. The National Park Service is currently implementing a plan to relocate 20-30 wolves to the park. As for the moose, it’s hard to miss one. Their numbers change season to season but are usually around 1,000. Obviously, hunting is prohibited within the park.

The park is remote, but there are two developed areas, Windigo and Rock Harbor. Ferries dock in both towns, and each offers stores, restaurants, showers, campsites, and cabins. Three dozen designated wilderness campgrounds are scattered throughout the islands, some of which are accessible by hiking trail and others only by canoe, kayak, or private boat. Be prepared for solitude and also for backcountry roughing it as campfires are not permitted at most campgrounds. You’ll also have to pack in your own water or draw it from local water sources and filter, treat, or boil it to avoid parasites.

Olympic National Park, Washington

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Nearly one million acres of wilderness beckon many to this lush park on Washington State’s remote Olympic peninsula. In 1976, Olympic National Park was designated by UNESCO as an International Biosphere Reserve, and in 1981, it became a World Heritage site. Here, one can experience storms on the wild Pacific coast, glaciers on craggy mountaintops, and behold the beauty of moss-covered old-growth trees in the temperate Hoh and Quinault rainforests.

Multi-day beach hiking trips are possible, and popular, along the miles of coast in Olympic National Park as camping is permitted on the beach. Campers must choose sites beyond high tide marks to ensure they, and their gear, aren’t swept away. Spring is an ideal time for tidepooling and kayaking, as well as watching for grey and humpback whales making their way north to Alaska from their wintering grounds in Mexico. Backcountry hiking and camping are also popular in the park as few roads run far into its interior.

The rainforests here are among the wettest areas in the continental US, making an extended trip into their verdant vastness an unforgettable experience. Along with some of the tallest trees in the US, hikers are treated to lush carpets of bright green moss and massive ferns. Dependant on snowpack, a hike or drive to Hurricane Ridge, atop the Olympic mountain range, puts one in view of glaciers. Sightings of black bear, elk, and mountain goats are also possible.

The park has 16 campgrounds, some with yurts or cabins, and also lodges. If you prefer creature comforts, Lake Crescent Lodge and Sol Doc Hot Springs Resort are scenic options.

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Photo: Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock

Before the summer swelter and barrage of seasonal bugs hit the South, temperate spring weather beckons visitors to the rolling green hills of south central Kentucky. Here, Mammoth Cave National Park preserves the world’s longest known cave system. With more than 400 miles of surveyed passages, it’s nearly twice as long as Mexico’s Sac Actun underwater cave and its well-known string of jewel-toned cenotes.

As the name suggests, Mammoth Cave is the main attraction here, and the National Park Service offers a variety of cave tours to visitors. Among the most notable features are “Frozen Niagara,” a waterfall-like cascade of mineral deposits and the tight squeeze of “Fat Man’s Misery.” You can’t explore the cave on your own, and tours of the cave’s many features are extremely popular — so call ahead for reservations. Note there are some access restrictions in the caves: No strollers or child backpack carriers, camera tripods, and some places may not be accessible to those who have trouble walking

This being Kentucky, horseback riding is popular in the park, and there are 60 miles of trail dedicated to horses with commercial tours also available. Hiking is also a favorite pastime, with nearly 84 miles of back and front country trails. Fishing is allowed on over 30 combined miles of the Green and Nolin rivers, which meander through the park, offering anglers their chance at scoring bluegill, catfish, bass, perch, and other game fish. Canoeing and kayaking are particularly nice ways to enjoy the beauty of the area.

The park has a small, rustic lodge; three developed campgrounds; and more than a dozen primitive backcountry camping sites. If you don’t want to rough it, head to nearby Bowling Green, where you’ll find options for lodging, food, and a taste of the state’s famed Kentucky bourbons.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Photo: Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

The ideal time to visit the Maine park sometimes called “a photographer’s dream” is spring — ahead of the majority of its 3.5 million annual visitors. Just under 50,000 acres, Acadia National Park preserves mountains, woodlands, lakes, ponds, and coastline of Mount Desert Island — almost half the area of the island. Atop Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain on the eastern coastline, visitors can be among the first in the US to watch the sunrise.

A full 158 miles of hiking and biking trails allow you to explore the island’s interior sights, which include seven mountain peaks over 1,000 feet, old stone bridges, and carriage roads. Here, you might glimpse of some of the dozens of mammal species that call the park home, including black bears, moose, and deer. Bird watching is popular in the park, as over 300 bird species have been catalogued here — the most famous being peregrine falcons. Because of their once-endangered status, recovery efforts are taken seriously, and some trails may be closed in spring to avoid disturbing nesting falcon families.

Boating, tidepooling, and fishing are also great ways to experience this coastal park. You’ll need reservations for ranger-guided boat tours, and you should also reserve camping spots. Bar Harbor, a half-mile from the park entrance, also has lodging and dining options.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Photo: Kris Wiktor/Shutterstock

Established in 1906, Mesa Verde National Park preserves the archeological heritage of the ancestral Pueblo people that made its cliffs and mesa tops their homes from 600 to 1300 AD. The Colorado park has some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the US — over 600 of them, along with more than 5,000 archaeological sites.

Hiking is limited in the park, given the number of archaeological sites, so you should plan to view the majority of the park’s highlights by car. There are over 40 miles of roads with viewpoints of cliff dwellings, as well as interpretive stops at archaeological sites. You can join a guided ranger hike into the cliff dwellings, but tickets sell out almost immediately — so arrive early to reserve a spot. Tours to these impressive structures can be strenuous and involve hiking, climbing ladders, and crawling through tight areas. Long House, Balcony House, and Cliff Palace, the park’s largest cliff dwelling, are all currently open to visitors on tours.

The park’s Morefield campground is open only with limited resources until April 18, when full services become available for all 267 sites. Far View Lodge opens April 11, and there are also plenty of options for lodging and food in the funky nearby town of Cortez, Colorado.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Photo: Tami Freed/Shutterstock

“The Badlands” is an area known around the world for its striking geography of multi-colored buttes and pinnacles rising from one of the world’s richest fossil beds. While marine fossils are common, this area in South Dakota has also produced the preserved remains of exotic creatures ranging from camels and three-toed horses to rhinoceroses and saber-toothed cats.

Badlands National Park’s 244,000 acres also protect the country’s largest undisturbed mixed-grass prairie, through which bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets roam today. The area is also home to the Oglala Lakota Sioux, the native people of the area, who co-manage the park’s south unit.

The weather doesn’t permit the full opening of the park until warmer months. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center is open year-round to welcome guests and provide interpretation and guidance to the park’s sights. While the center does house a fossil preparation lab, this does not open until June when the weather allows archaeologists to dig. During this time of lowered crowds, you can take advantage of the relative quiet to explore the park by bicycle on the Badlands loop road or off-road on loop trail rides that span up to 27 miles.

If you have the gear, consider backcountry camping among herds of bison and the ravines and pinnacles that 19th-century French trappers called ”mauvaises terres a traverser,” or “bad lands to travel across.” Note: There is no water available in the park outside of the main visitor center so bring your own.

The independently operated Cedar Pass Lodge and campgrounds opens April 20 and takes advance reservations, which are recommended.

Redwood National Park, California

Photo: mywp/Shutterstock

Most people know Redwood National Park as home to the tallest trees on Earth, but as part of a complex of adjoining state parks, it’s also home to beaches and pristine rivers. Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek Redwoods state parks together protect 139,000 acres of wilderness, including almost half of all remaining old-growth coast redwood forests, 40 miles of coastline, and threatened species such as the northern spotted owl and Steller’s sea lion.

Redwood National Park was created in 1968, by which time nearly 90 percent of the original redwood trees had been logged. The parks’ remaining old-growth temperate rainforests are the stars of these parks — so camping, hiking, biking, horseback, and pack animal trips are its most popular pastimes for visitors. Coastal tidepooling is also a great option for spring visitors, and from April to early May, you might catch views of migrating grey and humpback whales.

While the state parks have car camping sites, hiking is the only way to reach the more remote campsites located on the federal sections. Towns on the north and south sides of the parks offer food and lodging. A fun side trip just inland of the parks is State Route 254, also called Avenue of the Giants, which takes drivers through a particularly scenic area of redwoods and includes sights such the 950-year-old Immortal Tree and the ever-popular Drive-Through Tree.


More like this: The best thing about each of California’s 9 national parks

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How to handle stress when traveling

The simple truth is that sometimes a dream trip miserably fails to meet expectations. You’ve pictured it over and over in your mind. You’ve packed your lunches and cut back on lattes and poured over the budget to make it happen. You’ve scoured the reviews and every pin/chat/snap/tweet/post/hashtag you can. Your heart expands as you set out; this is it! And then…splat. Whether it’s a major malfunction or the stealthy creep of disillusion, the disappointment is crushing.

You remind yourself that all great travel stories have bumps in the road. You know that if you can just change your attitude, this trip will be redeemed. Yet that reset button is often elusive. Here are your tangible steps, the actions to reset the overstressed body and mind, to rebuild this disaster trip into a truly defining experience.

1. Check your basic needs and hit the reset button.

When you first start to notice the rumblings of dissatisfaction (snappiness, going through the motions, disinterest…anything that resembles Eeyore) it is time to get primal. When was the last time you slept or ate? When did you last splash water on your face and brush the sweaters off your teeth? When we travel, we get off our routines and all too often let these slide in the pursuit of experience. Yet, there is a reason that most classic stories involve a character shift after a nap, a snack, or a good bath. These seemingly mundane activities are actually essential to keep your brain running at top form.

2. Relax your body so you can think clearly.

A body humming with worry doesn’t relax well. If your brain is racing with the thoughts of an overwhelming new environment or you’re fighting the disappointment of reality creeping into your ideal, your body is activating its alert state. As your body goes tense it is almost impossible for your brain to find a peaceful, accepting state.

What you need to do is hijack your nervous system. First, do a scan of your body, head to toe, and notice your aches and tensions (neck, shoulders, lower back, and the “ready-to-spring” muscles in the back of thighs are prime culprits.) Now, tense all the muscles in your body, or go section by section, and then release those muscles. This is called progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Draw your shoulders up to your ears and push them back all the way down. Now for the breath; the best way to get your body back in your control is with intentional breathing. As you slow your breath, inhaling and exhaling in rhythm, your heart rate has to slow to match it. And as your heart rate slows, the rest of your body has to relax. Your fight/flight nervous system switches to your rest/digest nervous system and boom, now your thoughts have a chance to shift and enjoy this journey.

3. Take control of your thoughts.

Now your body is reset and it’s time to call your thoughts to attention. Even on your dream trip, you may be faced with worry, predicting disaster for upcoming moments. You may be wrestling regrets, going over the moments that have already gone by and overanalyzing what was already missed. It’s all too common but this thought process means you are not present in the moment.

Try this exercise: Wherever you are now, attend to your environment with your senses. Quit plotting and planning and use each of your senses, without moving, to carefully explore what is going on around you. Feel the movement of your breath and the fabric on your body. Hear that subtle dripping sound that’s hiding under the blaring music and push aside the worry a leak is near your suitcase. Smell the cardamom coming in the window, tinged with a bit of cannabis coming from the vents. This one type of mindfulness can be done anywhere and helps you break out of negative rumination.

4. Refocus on why you are on this particular trip.

Time for some reflection. Why did you want to go on this particular trip? Even if, at this moment of pessimism, it seems frivolous, naive, or lost already, why did you want to come to this particular place in the vast, varied world? What is the one thing that you picture when you think of this trip? Find a way, if at all possible, to salvage that. It often helps to make your goal tangible. For example, I really wanted to go to Nepal, volunteer with women, and discover what I want to do with the rest of my life. Maybe that happened, but I sure couldn’t see it while I was there, still adjusting and processing. What definitely did happen was my dream to walk in the Himalayas and every part of my being knew it while I was there. Focus on your top priority or find a new one that’s attainable. If you’ve experienced that already and the trip is still stressing you out, celebrate all successes, large or small.

5. Say no to false “have-to’s.”

Saying no is incredibly freeing. When we’re stressed we don’t think as well and become more emotionally reactive. This compounds the stress, forcing us into more frantic behavior with more rigid thoughts. In travel, this often looks like the pressure of visiting all those “have-to” spots that really aren’t mandatory at all. Honestly, other than holding on to your passport and staying out of jail, the rest will sort itself. When we’re stressed and away from home it’s important to do the opposite of the urge to schedule and control. Ditch the itinerary and even sit down and let yourself “waste” a day.

6. Embrace spontaneity…with a bit of structure.

A lack of spontaneity often creates stress on vacations for those who seek new experiences but naturally march to the drum of organization. Simply telling someone to be spontaneous is like telling someone not to worry, completely unhelpful for those that struggle. Being spontaneous isn’t something you can think through. Some people simply have more comfort with risk-taking (and don’t even see how the word risk applies to being spontaneous). For the rest, here are a few ways to embrace some chaos:

Practice letting non-serious things go. What is the worst thing that can happen if you set your plan aside? Is the feared outcome likely to happen? Is it really that bad? If it’s not likely or not that bad then try letting the worry pass.
Trust yourself to make good decisions. Think for a minute about all of the decisions you make in your life that don’t require or allow for much research. You’re the same person when traveling. Deciding to do something different that seems spur-of-the-moment still requires you to make incredibly rapid decisions with all the information at hand. You do this every day. You got this.
A bit of structure actually helps many to be more spontaneous. Striding boldly out the door with absolutely no direction is daunting. Deciding to catch the train and explore a certain area of a city, without reading a bunch of recommendations, is much more manageable.
Find your reason. Your approach to your trip has been stressing you out. Finding the joy, surprise, challenge, or lesson in the unplanned is what you’re after now. Choose a phrase that helps you remember this. Whenever you feel the insidious doubt that you’re missing something better, bring that phrase to your mind and be exactly where you are now. With a relaxed body, a mind in the moment, and your prior expectations burnt to ash, you’re now ready to have a real adventure.



More like this: The 7 most useful life hacks I learned from traveling with anxiety

The post What to do when your dream trip is stressing you out appeared first on Matador Network.

Japan is getting a 10-day vacation

To celebrate the ascension of its new emperor and the start of the Reiwa era, Japan is giving everyone in the country a 10-day vacation. In addition to April 29, May 3, May 4, and May 5 — already a public holiday known as “Golden Week” — Japan will give its citizens extra vacation, resulting in 10 consecutive days off, from April 27 to May 6. You’d think that Japanese citizens would be overjoyed by the news, booking family vacations or romantic getaways — and many of them are — but a surprising number are actually complaining about the time off.

As reported by The Guardian, according to a survey by Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, 45 percent of respondents said they “felt unhappy” about the long vacation, while only 35 percent “felt happy” about it, citing boredom, crowded tourist spots, lack of income, or difficulty obtaining childcare. Indeed, hourly workers will see their pay decrease, and investors are concerned that a lengthy market shutdown could disrupt the stock market.

Yasuo Sakuma, chief investment officer at financial services firm Libra Investments, told The Japan Times, “It’s horrifying that we can’t trade for six business days.”

Even considering Japan’s infamous work-centric culture, we can’t imagine anyone not being over the moon with getting a break from work.

H/T: Insider

More like this: How to get a job and move to Japan

The post Japan is getting a 10-day vacation to celebrate the new emperor, and people aren’t happy appeared first on Matador Network.

Ernest Hemingway museum in Cuba

US-Cuba relations might not be particularly warm these days, but Cuba is nonetheless opening a new conservation center in honor of one of America’s greatest authors: Ernest Hemingway.

Ernest Hemingway moved to his Cuban villa Finca Vigía in 1939 and lived there for over two decades during which he wrote much of A Moveable Feast, Islands in the Stream, and The Old Man and the Sea. When Hemingway urgently and reluctantly departed Cuba in 1960, he left many of his belongings behind. After his suicide in 1961, the Hemingway family donated Finca Vigía and what it contained to Cuba.

The brand new conservation center has been under construction since 2016 on the grounds of Finca Vigía, about 12 miles away from central Havana, and was inaugurated at the end of March. Finca Vigía has original furniture, artwork, and animal trophies, as well as a library of 9,000 books with margin notes from Hemingway himself, letters, telegrams, manuscripts, and more than 4,500 photographs.

Photo: LunaseeStudios/Shutterstock

Grisell Fraga, director of the museum, told AP News on Saturday, “The laboratory we’re inaugurating today is the only one in Cuba with this capacity and it will allow us to contribute to safeguarding the legacy of Ernest Hemingway in Cuba.”

The project was a result of the partnership between the Boston-based Finca Vigía Foundation and Cuba’s National Cultural Heritage Council, with the grand opening attended by Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern. “When we come together,” he said, “when we work together, we can do positive and amazing things.”

H/T: Lonely Planet

More like this: What it’s like traveling to Cuba as a Cuban American

The post Ernest Hemingway’s legacy preserved in a new center in Havana, Cuba appeared first on Matador Network.

New TSA machines to detect laptops

Travelers might finally be getting a break from the ever-frustrating airport security rules. Thanks to the introduction of new carry-on baggage scanners called CT (Computed Tomography), travelers won’t have to take electronics or liquids out of their bags. The TSA announced the rollout of this new technology, which would ultimately cut down on long security lines and make the airport experience much smoother.

The new machines can create 3D images of a bag’s contents and automatically detect and scan items you are currently required to remove. This includes electronic devices like laptops, and even liquids. According to Bloomberg Government, 300 of these new machines have been ordered by the TSA so far, and they will begin to appear in airports this summer. Eventually, the goal is to replace all current X-ray machines with these new CT scanners. The TSA has been testing these machines since 2017, and once airport employees become comfortable operating the new equipment, shorter security lines are expected.

The list of airports that will receive the new CT machines has not yet been released, though they are currently being used at the following airports:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Houston Hobby Airport (HOU)
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)

H/T: Thrillist

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How to visit Chernobyl, Ukraine

Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone, the quarantined area surrounding the power plant where one of the worst nuclear disasters in history took place, sees way more traffic than the name might suggest. Since the site opened to visitors in 2011, a growing number of tourists have come to northern Ukraine armed with cameras and Geiger radiation counters to visit the rusting remains of the ghost city of Pripyat. It is estimated that in 2017 alone 50,000 people visited the area that was evacuated after the No. 4 reactor explosion, a number three times greater than in 2015. Traveling to Chernobyl today is easier and safer than one might think, with tours departing daily from the capital city of Kiev and infrastructure set up to welcome tourists in the somber Soviet wasteland that was left abandoned after 1986.

What happened in Chernobyl

Photo: Angelo Zinna

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant consisted of four reactors built between 1970 and 1983 (with two more under construction at the time of the accident), located about 110 miles from the capital city of Kiev. Due to a failed test that was meant to determine how turbines would react to an electricity blackout, on April 26, 1986, the No. 4 reactor at the power plant exploded causing what is considered to be one of the most disastrous nuclear accidents in history.

When the lid of the reactor blew off, vast amounts of radioactive materials were released into the atmosphere. The settlement of Pripyat, a town of 49,000 inhabitants built especially to house Chernobyl’s workers and their families, was the first to be evacuated. According to the World Nuclear Association, in 1986, about 116,000 people were evacuated from areas surrounding the reactor (an area now known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, today a military-controlled ring with a 19-mile radius from the power plant); after 1986, about 220,000 people had to leave from Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine. 30 employees of the power plant and firemen died within a few days or weeks of the accident, and 28 of them suffered from acute radiation syndrome.

Chernobyl today

Today, nature has repossessed the Exclusion Zone and where Pripyat once stood, and a collection of dreary, abandoned buildings filled with rubble have become an unusual attraction. Twenty-five years after the accident, in 2011, Chernobyl opened to visitors after a number of safe itineraries were traced. Since then, a steady stream of tourists have reached the 10-kilometer zone, the inner area which suffered the most from contamination. Although the 1,000-square-mile Exclusion Zone remains quarantined and policed by guards who allow access only to those in possession of a special permit, a small group has chosen to stubbornly return to their original homes. In 2015, The Guardian claimed that 130 people lived in the CEZ; many of them returned to their homes soon after the nuclear accident, unafraid of the invisible nuclear hazard and unwilling to go through the trauma of relocation.

In the background, the New Safe Confinement shelter covering the No. 4 reactor. (Photo: Angelo Zinna)

In 2017, the New Safe Confinement shelter (a huge steel structure) was placed on top of the No. 4 reactor to protect the region from contamination for the next century. The first reactor was operational until 1996, the second shut down in 1991, and the third kept running until the end of 2000. Since then, Chernobyl has remained dormant.

But the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is much more than a magnet for dark tourists. According to National Geographic, the area has become a unique wildlife sanctuary. Researchers from European universities have been studying animal life in the contaminated area, noticing a substantial increase in the population of different species of large mammals. Boars, wolves, bison, raccoon dogs, foxes, and Przewalski’s horses inhabit the area today, offering insight into the long-term effects of radiation exposure and human-free habitat.

While the fauna may appear to be thriving in a hostile environment and small groups of people are going back to abandoned villages, in 2005, the World Health Organization estimated that 4,000 people could eventually die because of the radiation produced by the nuclear explosion.

Visiting the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

Photo: Angelo Zinna

Although there are reports of people breaking into the perimeter of the CEZ, the only legal and safe way to see what is left of Pripyat and its surroundings is through a licensed tour. While the levels of radioactivity on the prescribed routes are within the limits of safety (at times even lower than in Kiev), hotspots are still present, making a guide who knows the area absolutely essential. Group tours depart daily from Kiev, but it is also possible to rent a guide for private or multi-day trips.

A visit to Chernobyl typically begins with obtaining a permit, which is easily done via travel agents when booking a tour at least two days before departure. A two-hour drive leads to the Dytyatky checkpoint at the entrance of the CEZ, where you will be asked to show your passport. Companies require tourists to wear long sleeves, trousers, and closed shoes, and it is forbidden to touch or remove anything from the area.

Day tours with SoloEast Travel usually last between 10 and 12 hours and stop in small abandoned villages such as Cherevach and Zalissya before reaching the second checkpoint that allows entry to the 10-kilometer zone. The buildings, cars, and roads of these disappearing hamlets are being swallowed entirely by the flora. Before reaching Pripyat, the highlight of any visit to Chernobyl, the tour will take you outside the 35,000-ton steel encasement that covers the No. 4 reactor, showing from a distance the site where the explosion took place.

Photo: Angelo Zinna

In what is left of Pripyat, vegetation is, at first glance, the only indication that time has passed. Restaurants, schools, and housing blocks stand grimly among tall trees and rusting streets lamps. Although entering the buildings has been prohibited since 2012, guides do take groups inside gyms, kindergartens, and the hospital, and the impact of mass tourism in these eerie spaces is clearly perceptible. A few steps inside the decaying classrooms are enough to understand that gas masks and rotting dolls are placed in a way-too-photogenic position to have been left like that by panicking evacuees.

Photo: Angelo Zinna

A sea of gas masks, allegedly kept under the student’s desks during the Cold War in case of a nuclear attack, covers the floor of one of the classrooms. On a row of chairs placed parallel to the wall, stuffed bears and broken dolls sit in a creepily ordered fashion. Propaganda posters decorate the spaces while plaster crumbles. Pripyat’s interiors remind us that the city may be less ghostly than what it appears to be from the outside. That said, the Instagram-friendly compositions do not render the experience less fascinating. Imagining that 49,000 people lived here unworried until the fateful day is still chilling.

Photo: Angelo Zinna

Most tours include a visit to the Duga Radar, a huge metal structure hidden deep in Chernobyl’s forest, built by the Soviet Union to intercept long-range missile threats coming from the West. Erected in 1972, the 492-foot-tall secret station became known as the Russian Woodpecker because of the repetitive sound emitted from the radar. Upon discovery of the Duga, a defense weapon that never truly worked but is said to have cost more than the power plant itself, conspiracy theories started circulating. The radar was described as a mind control system created to influence Americans, but was never much more than a gigantic waste of steel.

Before exiting the CEZ, you will have to go through a radiation check. Scanners are placed at the checkpoints on the road to Kiev and will detect traces of radiation that you may have come into contact with.

Know before you go

Visiting Chernobyl is safe. The radiation levels in most areas surrounding the power plant are comparable to the natural background radiation found all around us. While there are some dangerous hotspots, you will not be taken there.

SoloEast offers day tours to Chernobyl from Kiev starting at $81, going up in the hundreds for overnight or private trips. Some companies, such as CHERNOBYLwel.come, offer excursions inside the power plant as well. People under the age of 18 are not allowed inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.


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The post How to visit Chernobyl safely and legally appeared first on Matador Network.

Outdoor yoga with lemurs

2019 is shaping up to be the year of strange yoga practices. After rage yoga (a way of achieving a state of calm and getting a good workout by cursing, shouting, and boozing it up) and alpaca yoga (practicing yoga with alpacas outdoors), lemur yoga is the newest offering. Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa, a four-star hotel in England’s Lake District, offers “Lemoga Spa Breaks,” a wellness package that includes a spa treatment, overnight accommodation, and among others, yoga with the lemurs from the nearby wildlife park.

Photo: Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa

Richard Robinson, manager of the Lake District Wildlife Park, told the BBC, “When you watch lemurs they do some form of the poses naturally — that typical pose warming their bellies in the sunshine. It seemed to be a really good combination to encourage people to have a go and spend time with a lemur.” He added that “we spend all our time with animals. We know how it makes us feel and if we can give a little piece of that to people then great.”

Having fun with these cute primates doesn’t come cheap, however. The “Lemoga Spa Break” starts at $649 for two people.

The good news is that you don’t have to partake in lemur yoga to enjoy the company of the animals. The Lake District Wildlife Park gives visitors the chance to “buy an experience” with animals such as walking alpacas, meeting and feeding meerkats, grooming and feeding a tapir, and encountering lemurs for a lot cheaper ($65.50 per person).

H/T: Travel & Leisure

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The post Find inner peace by doing some lemur yoga at this hotel in England appeared first on Matador Network.