Matador Network's Blog, page 124

Pickleball Travel: New Company Shows You Every Pickleball Court in the World and Where to Stay

The satisfying thwack of a pickleball volley echoes across courts nationwide. According to the USA Pickleball Association, pickleball is now the second-fastest growing sport in the US (after soccer), and it has seen a participation boom of 223 percent in the last few years. It’s easy to learn and inexpensive to play, and it’s clear pickleball is not only here to stay, but the game is giving tennis a run for its money. If you’re a fan, a new trip planning site, Pickle Trip, will help you seamlessly integrate your love for the game with your next vacation.

This innovative platform, created by TravelAI, is a game-changer for pickleball enthusiasts. Pickle Trip offers a one-stop shop for finding the perfect pickleball court and accommodation, all in one place.

Photo: Pickle Trip

The site has a comprehensive database of publicly available courts. This wealth of information allows you to plan your trip centered around the ideal court location, and it pairs this with listings from leading booking giants like Booking.com, Expedia, VRBO, and HometoGo to find you nearby accommodation.

Using AI to help plan a vacation is becoming increasingly popular. From apps like GuideGeek, Matador’s AI travel assistant, to sites like Pickle Trip, users can tailor their vacation time to fit their needs and wants.

“The modern traveler is armed with more information and choice than ever before. This customer is not just seeking a service but an experience meticulously crafted around their individual preferences. In a word, they’re seeking hyper-personalization,” says John Lyotier, CEO of Travel AI.

The site eliminates the guesswork from planning a pickleball-centric vacation and is super simple to use. Start by exploring the extensive database of pickleball courts.

Photo: Pickle Trip

Filter your search by location, amenities, or even court type (indoor, outdoor, etc.)

Photo: Pickle Trip

Once you’ve identified your ideal court location, the site connects you to many accommodation options on booking platforms. Choose from hotels, vacation rentals, apartments, and charming bed and breakfasts — conveniently near your chosen court.

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A Week Off the Tourist Trail in El Cuco, El Salvador

I am not the likeliest serial traveler to Central America. I don’t speak Spanish, or surf, or have any kind of Latin dance skills. But in recent years, I’ve been drawn to the region repeatedly, making visits to Nicaragua, Guatemala, and, this past June, to El Salvador. After the country made this year’s “52 Places to Go” list from the New York Times, I felt the familiar, early tug of intrigue that so often sends me into trip-planning mode.

But the same spotlight that piqued my interest also made me wary. Did I want to go to a place where the best-known spots were becoming increasingly crowded? What else did the country offer, away from the deepening grooves of the tourist trail?

I was keen to avoid the usual tourist destinations, like those in “Surf City.” Photo: Omri Eliyahu/Shutterstock

Once famously dangerous, though now safe under strong-arm tactics from a government that some say has jailed innocent people, El Salvador’s recent tough-on-crime laws have helped make it an up-and-coming tourist destination. On my trip, I wanted to avoid the usual haunts, including Salvadoran “Surf City” (actually a region, not a city), advertised to both gringo and local wave-riders around El Tunco, El Zonte, and La Libertad. Nor did I want to drive the much-trafficked Ruta de las Flores (“Route of the Flowers,”) a flower-packed highway through colonial villages in the country’s west.

So with the goal of avoiding tourist traps, I decided on a week in El Salvador in the country’s quieter corners, as well as a nearly-deserted beach or two. I did spend some time in the capital, San Salvador, necessitated by my flight schedule. But mostly, I explored the San Miguel region, in the country’s southeast. It’s near the Gulf of Fonseca and has seen little of the tourism-driven growth experienced elsewhere in El Salvador in recent years.

I landed in San Salvador on a Wednesday night, the humid air like a warm wet towel. I taxied to the Hotel Maria Ofelia, a 20-mile southerly drive from Ilopango International Airport, renowned for its distance from everywhere. The American writer Joan Didion, one of my literary heroes, opened her 1983 book Salvador with a description of the same air hub, calling it “splendidly isolated.”A surprisingly peaceful morning in San Salvador

Photo: Gianfranco Vivi/Shutterstock

I slept hard and awoke the following day for a traditional breakfast of scrambled eggs, beans, tortillas, and coffee at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, with a view over Highway 2, which would later lead me to the region’s beach towns. Soon after, a 45-minute bus ride took me to San Salvador’s Centro Historico, home to the Palacio Nacional (or National Palace, now a museum), the National Library, and the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador.

It was in this cathedral on March 24, 1980, that guerrillas fatally shot Cardinal Óscar Romero, who was also a prominent human rights activist, as he gave Catholic mass. Romero’s killing set in motion the country’s civil war, which ground on for a dozen years before a negotiated peace ended the bloodshed for good in 1992. Though figures vary widely, an estimated 75,000 civilians died during the conflict.

Wanting to learn more about the war and its conclusion, I headed to the Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen (the Museum of the Word and Image), for a crash course in modern Salvadoran history. Labor revolts, bloody suppression, and Cold War conflicts all made their mark in the country, as the museum showed in vivid detail.

During my late afternoon visit, the museum hosted more employees than visitors. And with signs in both Spanish and English, I found my first quiet Salvadoran place in the heart of the city.

Beach days in little-known El Cuco

Photo: Cesar Alejandro Hernandez/Shutterstock

The staff at Maria Ofelia arranged a taxi to El Cuco, the beach village I chose mostly for the tranquil-looking photos I’d found online. Pulling up to the Sambo Mambo Beach Hotel, I grinned as I took in its columned hacienda-style courtyard, and was later beckoned to the beach by a coastal palapa, or grass-roofed hut.

At check-in, I struggled to form coherent Spanish sentences before the receptionist switched to perfect California English. Angie, from Fresno, had moved there some months earlier. She worked for the owner and her lifelong friend, Jeannette.

I spent the next few days slowing down to match El Cuco’s pokey pace. Breakfasts took place in the palapa, where I washed down eggs and beans with several café con leches. The scene offered open views of the Pacific and a surf without surfers; I read books or simply watched the water.

One afternoon, I hired a jolly cab driver named Rudy, who took me to Intipucá, a nearby village in the far-southeastern department of La Unión. The town is famous for sending workers to Washington, DC. Intipucá had some unusually large homes and amenities, all built with money earned in the United States, Rudy explained.

Rudy, my guide for the day. Photo: Will Fleeson

As the rain gathered that afternoon, Rudy drove partway to El Cuco before parking in a lot near a beach shack. I had wanted to see a typical hangout, I told him — a place where locals go. In a corner, kids huddled around a TV. A few friends chatted at plastic tables, greeting Rudy when they recognized him.

I watched the rain hit the water, a mesmerizing sight. Rudy and I shared beers, a seafood medley, and the music of rain on the sheet metal roof. I thanked my new friend for taking me here, and for sharing a place where he spent his free time, too.

Rainy days, and unexpected connections

Photo: Michelle Marie Espinosa/Shutterstock

Another afternoon, a driver named William took me east to land’s end. The Gulf of Fonseca, a three-country water body bordering El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, appealed to my inner geography nerd. I wanted to see the gulf’s massive Conchagua volcano up close.

Yet instead of gulf islands and sea vistas, rain obscured everything. Parking the car, we waded through puddles with our shoes in our hands, then padded around barefoot for an hour in a low-running river bed, hoping the clouds would clear. But it continued to rain heavily, and we passed El Tamarindo beach after we gave up, where a few stray dogs and fewer people wandered the sand.

Waiting out the rain in Las Tunas, La Unión, El Salvador. Photo: Will Fleeson

Later, I asked William for the same kind of locals-only spots that Rudy knew, and we stopped at a set of open-deck beach restaurants at Las Tunas beach. Families were spending their Sunday afternoons over meals and soft drinks. Melancholy banda music wafted everywhere. I ordered Salvadoran conchas negras (a traditional black clam stew) hoping for a typical Salvadoran treat.

When the bowl came, I grabbed a big lemon wedge and squirted the inky contents with juice — and two of the clams cringed.

“Some of these are still moving!” I told William, pointing indignantly to the table as he nursed his drink. He looked surprised that I was surprised.

“Lemon juice hurts them,” William said. “So yes, claro. Of course.”

After that, I could say that at the very least, eating not-quite-dead shellfish while overlooking a nearly deserted, undeveloped beach made me think I’d succeeded in avoiding the usual tourist track.

The beach view from the restaurant at Punta Mango resort. Photo: Will Fleeson

I spent my last day in El Cuco driving with Jeannette of the Sambo Mambo hotel. Born in El Salvador, she studied, worked, and lived in the United States for decades. The hotel was a new venture for her, she said, as she wanted to help the town develop by creating jobs and generating income for locals.

We sat for hours sipping tequila to the west of El Cuco at Punta Mango Surf Resort, a place Jeannette liked for its black-sand beach and coastal view. The resort sits in a gorgeous cove with arresting lime-green vegetation, where the sound of crashing waves contrasted with the silent, blissfully empty bar. Save for a small niche of adventurous surfers, the resort is solidly off most tourists’ radar. The place’s beachside bar and serenity made for a near-perfect hideaway, well removed from the Norteamericanos I sought to avoid by coming to El Salvador’s southeastern corner.

A final day in San Salvador

 

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The trip back to San Salvador took some doing. El Cuco’s travel services remain a work in progress, and even with Sambo Mambo’s help, I struggled to find a taxi for the three-hour drive to the capital. Finally I left the memorable personalities of El Cuco behind and returned to the big city.

I stayed overnight at the Villa Serena San Benito, in the upscale San Benito neighborhood, experiencing a more luxurious side of the city. But the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Anthropology Museum) was closed, and its celebrated restaurant, El Xolo, felt like too much of a splurge. So with time to kill, I found myself on the terrace of La Hola Beto’s, a Salvadoran-Japanese fusion restaurant.

Mariscada, a seafood stew that comes in many styles and variations. Photo: Ricardo A Estevan Gamarra/Shutterstock

Over a (fully-cooked) mariscada seafood stew, I reflected on how much I’d discovered in El Salvador. The rainy weather had pushed me to connect with locals: talking with people, using my meager Spanish, and listening intently to the rich stories of those I met. Avoiding El Salvador’s ever-growing tourist trail provided not only peaceful moments outdoors, but plenty of stimulating conversation, gifting me with local encounters that felt authentic.

The next morning, a taxi from San Benito carried me to Didion’s “splendidly isolated” airport, and I headed home to DC.

Since my return, that old trip-planning urge has returned. My goal this time? Seek out even more remote parts of El Salvador, and their many little-known treasures, on my next trip to Central America.

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Travel Editor Tested: DUER’s Fall 2024 Line Will Have You Traveling in Comfort and Style For All Sorts of Autumn Adventures

DUER, a company focused on clothing that stretches like performance wear but has a fit sharp enough for a night out, first came on my radar in 2022. I got a pair of the No Sweat pants for two reasons: one half of my year was overloaded with travel that had me jumping from long plane rides straight into dinners and meetings, while the other half was consumed with the birth of my daughter and learning to be a dad. Both required something comfortable, flexible, and presentable (well, presentability dropped in importance for the latter half of the year, but it was an added bonus).

Those black pants are still in regular rotation today. They feel similar to wearing joggers, but I don’t have to fall into the look of all-too-casual travel attire whether it’s a road trip, flight, or train ride. Plus, they’re the rare black pants that feel light and airy enough to wear even in hot locales.

This fall, the brand added a new Stretch Canvas line.

Photos: DUER

It has already worked its way to the first of what I grab for anything remotely outdoorsy. I put the new 7 Pocket Utility Pant on ahead of a weekend camping trip in August and they mostly stayed on until I made it back home (the main exception being a kayaking excursion, for which my Cotopaxi river shorts were obviously a better option). Also new this season: an ultra-soft henley and two new Performance Denim fits with all the same stretch and comfort that made me fall for DUER’s No Sweat pants.

Plenty of pockets for rock collecting. Photos: Nickolaus Hines

The new options from DUER, same as the stand-bys, are all the more appealing for the sustainable ethos at the brand’s core. Plant-based fibers have been DUER’s focus since the start. Today, DUER’s fabric collection uses 85 percent plant-based fibers with a “Final 15” goal to stop using synthetic or plastic fibers that make up that last 15 percent by 2028. Recycled material has been a beneficial stop-gap until then, as 95 percent of the fibers DUER uses are plant-based or recycled.

DUER has worked its way into my luggage for all kinds of trips, from city streets, to vineyards and breweries, to outdoor adventure. These new staples in the fall line are no exception and will likely be getting just as many miles as my No Sweat pants.

Stretch Canvas 7 Pocket Pant

Photo: DUER

Unlike the other pants I have from DUER, the only meetings these will be making it to are ones that involve nature. The hardy canvas stood up to some light bushwacking and firewood collection with ease, even for someone like me who tends to snag pants just as fast as I can walk out the door. As the name suggests, the pockets define the style. All are roomy while staying tight enough to my body to not feel like I’m wearing an over-the-door shoe hanger. DUER markets the pants as the “lightest and most flexible workwear/utility style on the market.” I haven’t tested the whole market, but these are indeed designed to stretch in ways that I can’t. The relaxed fit is perfect for long days that extend into long nights around the campfire.

Materials: 93 percent cotton, 5 percent LYCRA T400 polyester, 2 percent Elastane

Features:

Stretch fibersDurable Water Repellency (DWR) treatmentGusseted crotchSeven pockets, including thigh pockets with buttons and back patch pockets

Buy: $149

Performance Denim+ Straight Fit

Photo: DUER

DUER took its signature performance denim and swapped in a heavier 12-ounce fabric for more structure (yet still all the stretch). They fit just right (I’m 6 feet tall and 185 pounds, with chicken legs) without being so tight as to already be countless trend eras ago. Which follows the DUER method of design: styles that won’t go out of fashion, so the only reason they’ll need a replacement is when you manage to eventually wear through them. These have quickly become what I swap in for the No Sweat pants when I want jeans rather than black pants on. Despite the heavier denim, they breath more than enough for 85-plus degree Denver days. Needless to say, they also have stretch and a gusset for a wide range of motion. If you want more room, go for the more relaxed taper fit.

Materials: 40 percent conventional cotton, 30 percent organic cotton, 28 percent COOLMAX® All Season EcoMade Polyester, 2 percent Lycra EcoMade Spandex

Features:

Stretch fibersMoisture managing performance fibersGusseted crotchAntimicrobial treatmentReinforced pocketsTriple-stitched seams

Buy: $129

PurePima Vintage Henley

Photo: DUER

Call me a Charmin bear, but I’m not all that picky about the more casual shirts that I wear except when it comes to one thing: softness. This new henley uses 100 percent Pima cotton — an extra-long-fiber variety originally from Peru that is comparable to the feel of Egyptian cotton that’s also durable. It’s also more wrinkle resistant. DUER puts the fabric through a garment dye process that adds a worn-in vintage finish, and it truly does look as good as it feels. It won’t make long flights in economy less cramped, but it is nice to have something on that is at least soft on the skin. Plus, it can easily be quickly layered for going straight from the airport to the city.

Material: 100 percent Pima cotton

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After a Bear Was Euthanized in California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada, Attention Turns to Visitor Education

In late August, a black bear affectionately called Victor by locals in California was euthanized for swiping at a camper and cutting her leg. The incident happened near Lake Mary, a popular camping spot near Mammoth. The bear had a similar previous incident the same month. The repeat incidents led to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine the bear “had become habituated to human sources of food,” and was “deemed a threat to public safety and was euthanized.” The bear was initially scheduled to be disposed of in a landfill to keep scavengers from ingesting the drugs used. Instead, the Bishop Paiute Tribe relocated the carcass “to a tribal burial site where a ceremonial burial was performed to honor the bear.”

The CDFW did not put blame on Victor the bear and reiterated the proper responses to this type of situation in its public communication.

The following weeks saw a flood of reactions from people sympathetic to the bear — especially after a video of the incident was widely circulated on social media. The woman’s response, as well as the response of the people filming her, was far from accepted public protocol. She didn’t make noise or stay farther than 100 yards away as the bear slowly approached. The video shows people making jokes about the bear eating the food on the table while the woman who was swiped at stood quietly on a stump between the table and the bear box for storing food.

A petition to Mammoth Lakes City Council and the California Department of Fish and Game started on Change.org on August 27 has tens of thousands of signatures from people across the country. One person from Georgia echoed a statement that “we are in the home of these wild animals, not the other way around,” while many blamed the tourist and demanded they be held accountable. Others noted positive experiences with camp hosts who educated guests about bear activity during their stay.

The actions of a few can have an outsized impact on the perception of tourism as a whole, says John Urdi, president and CEO of Mammoth Lakes Tourism. “From a tourism standpoint, we feel a responsibility to educate everybody when they’re coming to town on how to respect both the community and the environment.”

Reaching the right people in the right way

Wildlife interaction education materials are out there and widely circulated. Yellowstone has a humorous approach with some of its campaigns, and the Instagram for the National Parks service is well-loved for it’s comedic approach to wildlife education. In California, the CDFW has a whole subsection of their site called “Bear Naked Truth” for a resource on black bears.

Mammoth Lakes Tourism has its own set of awareness campaigns that build on other wildlife safety resources. Some are directly related to bears, though even the ones centered on a different topic include bear safety information:

Everything You Need to Know About Bear Safety in Mammoth LakesThe No. 1 Tip For Wildlife Viewing in Mammoth LakesDispersed Camping Just Outside of Mammoth Lakes6 Ways to Camp Responsibly in Mammoth LakesA Beginner’s Guide to Camping in Mammoth LakesDispersed Camping Just Outside of Mammoth LakesHow To Leave No Trace in Mammoth Lakes8 Ways to Recreate Responsibly in the Mountains

Mammoth Lakes Tourism had a lighthearted video series in the works on wildlife interaction this summer. After the incident with Victor the bear, they’re taking a more somber and direct approach.

“I think the challenge right now is that everything is being done for social media.”

“I think a lot of it has to do with the culture these days of people filming what they’re doing with nature,” Urdi says, citing instances of people trying to take selfies with bison in Yellowstone. “I think the challenge right now is that everything is being done for social media. People are trying to do dumber and dumber things to see how many likes they can get or how many hits they can get.”

“The other piece of it is that I think there’s just a lot of lack of common sense,” Urdi later adds.

It feels like examples of this come up every week. Even when confronted with authority figures trying to keep people and wildlife safe, people choose to do it for the video. For example, in Yellowstone, tourists repeatedly ignored a ranger in order to get close enough to a grizzly bear for a phone photo.

Black bear policies in California

In 2022, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) issued an executive summary titled “Black Bear Policy in California: Public Safety, Depredation, Conflict, and Animal Welfare” on the response, methods, and decision-making processes for human-bear conflicts in the state. The paper’s primary goal was two-fold: outline the set of responses for bear interactions, and provide clarity for the staff and public on what actions are taken and why. The timing of the 2022 summary is important and noted at the start: “human/wildlife interactions are increasing, requiring greater staff time in the areas of management and response in the field when interactions occur.”

The paper focuses on the policies for three main situations: public safety, property damage, and interactions with bears that are habituated to human food. It applies to the entirety of California, but includes sections specific to the Lake Tahoe Basin as it has the second-highest density of black bears in North America.

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Black bears are the only bears found in California (due to hunting, the last grizzly bear in the state, which is the species on the state flag, was spotted in 1924). The US Forest Service estimates that there are between 25,000 and 35,000 black bears in California.

Black bears are “one of the species most frequently involved in human/wildlife conflict throughout the state,” the CDFW executive summary states, elaborating that “their natural behavior, foraging habits, distribution, and numbers have been altered by human encroachment and access to anthropogenic food sources.” That’s particularly the case in areas like campgrounds where food and garbage can act as an attractant for bears. Climate change and fires are also partly to blame as bears are forced to leave their natural habitat.

The CDFW categorizes bears by their interactions with people. There are orphaned bears that require a specific response, for example, while habituated bears require a different response. One of the highest priority categories from a human safety standpoint is categorized as a “Public Safety Bear.” This applies to an individual bear “demonstrating aggressive action that has resulted in physical contact with a human; or a bear exhibiting an immediate threat to public health and safety, given the totality of the circumstances. Immediate threat refers to a bear that exhibits one or more aggressive behaviors directed toward a person that is not reasonably believed to be due to the presence of responders. Public safety includes situations where a bear remains a threat despite efforts to allow or encourage it through active means to leave the area.”

The summary explains the staff training for responses for everything from wildlife restraint to rehabilitation.

Living with black bears is an ongoing discussion in the area. In April 2024, The CDFW sought public comment on a black bear conservation plan that listed using new wildlife population modeling tools for conservation and adaptive management. It also called for nine Bear Conservation Regions in the state. The goals: “conserving the state’s black bear population and their habitats, recognizing black bears as an important game species, and offering more educational and safe viewing opportunities for the public while minimizing human-black bear conflict.”

How Mammoth is working to improve wildlife interactions in the future

Photo: Lu Yang/Shutterstock

The problem clearly isn’t a lack of messaging. If anything, it’s a lack of attention. If a million people read one Be Bear Aware blog but the person camping in the area doesn’t, then the messaging can’t be effective. Reaching each person is all the more important in campgrounds. Moving forward, Urdi predicts there’s going to be more involved training for campground hosts, and possibly changes to make existing bear signage and handouts (possibly with a response-required safety awareness quiz) more impactful to visitors.

About five years ago, Mammoth Lakes Tourism shifted from being solely a destination marketing agency to more of “a destination stewardship organization” that not only encourages people to visit, but explains what’s expected from them as a visitor. The region’s 2022 Real Unreal marketing campaign centers on keeping the area natural.

“And then when Covid hit, unfortunately we had a lot of disrespectful visitors that came up here,” Urdi says. “It was more ignorance than anything else, because they were people who didn’t know how to interact with nature, whether it’s wildlife, or camping, or fire safety.”

The last two summers have seen the return of more of the pre-pandemic, nature-loving visitors, “but there’s always a tremendous amount of education that has to happen,” Urdi says.

Mammoth Lakes Tourism isn’t trying to bring as many people as possible, but is trying to bring in the people who benefit the community. It’s a balance that places around the world are trying to find as overtourism concerns face a turning point.

“Really what we’re trying to do is bring responsible recreators here, and we’re trying to bring people who are going to benefit the community,” Urdi says. “Seventy percent of the town government’s operating budget comes from visitation.” Urdi adds, “we don’t have manufacturing, we don’t have technology, we don’t have agriculture. We’re a four-square-mile town at 8,000 feet with 7,000 residents. We live and die on visitation, so there needs to be that balance of bringing in people and also making sure that once they get here they’re educated on what’s expected of them to have a symbiotic relationship with our community.”

Tourist numbers to the Mammoth area, and therefore the types of tourists who know what they’re doing outdoors, is starting to normalize to pre-pandemic standards. “But this incident definitely shows that we still have a long way to go as far as the education,” Urdi says.

“What we do is all about stewardship and how you can help us keep this place for generations to come,” Urdi says. “We’re not out here trying to drive as many people as possible, it’s trying to get the right people here who are going to be good to our people, to the environment, and obviously the wildlife that lives out here.”

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American Airlines to Make European Travel Easier Next Year With 5 New Direct Routes

While we gear up for fall leap peeping season, American Airlines is planning summer next year with an exciting announcement of five new direct routes to Europe for the 2025 travel season.

While you might think planning summer 2025 is premature, ​​the European Travel Commission reported a 7.2 percent increase in the first three months of 2024 compared to 2019, with over 120 million visitors flocking to the region during that window. Next year will likely see similar, if not higher, numbers. Planning now will give you more flight and accommodation options, saving you considerable money and up your chances of a smooth summer vacation.

The highlight for many will be the return of nonstop flights from Philadelphia (PHL) to Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI) starting May 23, 2025. This marks the airline’s return to this historic city, allowing travelers to reconnect with the Scottish capital after a six-year hiatus. And it’s just in time for summer celebrations. Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival — one of the world’s most successful comedy festivals — runs over August. May also marks the beginning of better weather in Scotland for wildlife viewing, hiking, and outdoor sports in general. Philadelphia will also have a new daily direct flight to Milan, Italy from May 23.

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Commencing July 5, 2025, a daily service from Miami (MIA) will be introduced to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO). This move strengthens the airline’s presence in Italy, as Rome is the country’s busiest airport and has excellent connections to both domestic and international destinations.

Travelers in the South who want to explore Greece and its many islands can look forward to a new daily route from Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT) to Athens (ATH), which will kick off June 5, 2025. This additional route positions American as the airline with the most gateways to Greece from the US.

American is also adding a new daily connection between Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) starting March 30. This will strengthen American’s position as the leading US carrier to Spain, and with connections available through their partner airlines, opens doors for further routes across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Building on this success of this season, American will extend its summer services launched in 2024 to Copenhagen (CPH), Naples (NAP), and Nice (NCE) next year, as well as the operation of popular winter seasonal routes from Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG) into the warmer months. There will also be an extended service on routes from Philadelphia (PHL) to Athens (ATH) and Naples (NAP), and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Barcelona (BCN), giving you more flexibility and time to explore these incredible European destinations.

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In Basque Country, Food Societies Are the Secret to Understanding the Culture

Paul Manser is no stranger to rolling with the punches. As a travel writer based in Melbourne, Manser has been able to see the world and report back for newspapers and magazines in Australia and elsewhere. His work, as with most professional travel writing, is polished and edited to focus on the style that travel publications like to promote: clean, safe adventures that don’t step over the line.

His actual travels can be anything but that. Manser collected the stories that aren’t a fit for glossy travel magazines and put them in a book, Life Plans on Dive Bar Napkins (Hardie Grant). It’s a look into the real (often gritty, sometimes dangerous, and occasionally ridiculous) life of a well-traveled writer.

Photo: Life Plans on Dive Bar Napkins, Hardie Grant

“Things rarely go exactly to plan when traveling, which is why I like to think ahead as little as possible and embrace chaos like it’s a long-lost sibling,” Manser says over email. “There’s no faster way to ruin a trip than by scheduling every minute like you’re running a corporate board meeting. Travel isn’t a PowerPoint presentation — it’s a fever dream, and for me, the best parts are when everything goes wrong.”

The book features accounts like the time he was kidnapped in a taxi in Mexico, crashed a dog sled in the Arctic Circle, and took an impromptu (and booze-filled) trip to see the running of the bulls in Spain. It’s a testament to being a resilient traveler and all of the experiences that can only be had by pushing limits.

“My mindset on the road is equal parts ‘yes-man’ and ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’” Manser says. “I’ll drink the questionable cocktail, take the wrong turn, and trust the food truck guy’s sketchy recommendation for a dive bar that may or may not double as a front for a black-market organ operation.”

Photo: Paul Manser

Manser openly stated in a press release that Life Plans on Dive Bar Napkins could be seen as “an unnecessary act of self-indulgence by an egotist who shirks life’s responsibilities, drinks too much, and thinks too little.” He also adds the description would “probably be right,” but there’s a good case to be made for the unvarnished side. After all, the best stories are the ones you don’t plan for.

“So sure, book your flight and maybe your first night’s stay so you don’t end up sleeping under a bridge in a foreign country (unless that’s your thing, no judgment),” Manser says. “But after that, let it unravel. Think of every mishap as a plot twist, not a problem. Missed connections? A gift from the travel gods to explore the place where you’re stuck. Food poisoning? The ultimate character-building experience. That miserable bus ride through rural nowhere? That’s where the stories are born.”

Here, an excerpt from Life Plans on Dive Bar Napkins about finding culture through culinary societies in Basque Country.

The Society

Photo: Paul Manser

Sunset steals into the kitchen. It has been raining again. The horizon is smudged grey and orange as if someone has smeared a dirty thumb along where land ends and the sky should begin. Ramon weighs a bulb of garlic in one hand. He pushes away a half glass of cider. An old digital clock flashes neon red from across the room.

‘They’re always late,’ Ramon sighs.

We walk outside. The main road steams as an overladen truck, pregnant with dairy for the market, passes at speed.

A sign above the bus stop indicates that we are outside of Elgoibar, in the Basque Country of northern Spain. The town pays homage to the functionality of stone and concrete. Stark, drab, rectangular apartment blocks jut out of the ground. The shades of residential grey are punctuated by painted maps hanging across apartment balconies. The maps are an outline of Basque Country, emblazoned with large red arrows.

I point out the maps and ask Ramon ‘What’s all this about?’

In his deep, commanding voice, Ramon says, ‘When people were arrested for being members of Basque’s separatist group ETA, or suspected of carrying out activities in its support, they were sent to jails in the Spanish colonies in Africa.

‘The maps with the red arrows are a message: “Bring our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters home. Jail them if they are guilty, but let their families visit… don’t isolate them a world away”.’

It is said that the Basque language is the oldest in Western Europe, and that their people are the oldest permanent residents of the continent. The pocket of northern Spain and southern France that they occupy is cruel in its beauty. It leaves you wondering how you got cheated out of such natural scenery when you were growing up.

The thick green forests, untouched by water restrictions, soaring mountains and isolated farmhouses of Basque Country lampoon the sprawling suburbia and flat, brown expanses of my youth on the peripheries of Melbourne.

Ramon is back in the kitchen with a knife in his hand. Flashes of silver dance across the blade under a naked light bulb. It cuts smoothly into the flesh of a tuna.

Photo: Paul Manser

‘This dish is better prepared one day in advance,’ Ramon says.

I ask, ‘Is it a traditional Spanish recipe?’

Ramon puts the knife down. He tells me to be careful.

‘The Basques are proud. Don’t call their food Spanish.’

Ramon picks up a bruised tomato and squeezes until it explodes over a pot of half-cooked onions. He says, ‘Last century the Basques were brutally oppressed by the Spanish dictator, General Franco. The Basque culture, our language and our way of life were to be stamped out.’

Ramon’s family only learned Basque through being taught by older relatives and family friends in isolated farmhouses. If they were caught, those passing on their native tongue would have had a four-walled cell from which to contemplate their passion for education.

Thick chunks of tuna fall into a crimson sea of softened red peppers.

Ramon takes care to wipe the bench clean of splash marks, like he is polishing a car for his daughter’s wedding. There is a mound of rough, earthy potatoes waiting to be guillotined on a wooden chopping board and it’s clear that there’s more work to be done.

Perhaps more than anywhere else in Europe, Basques are obsessed with food. Since the 1870s, Basque men have been secretly gathering in small member-based groups and cooking together in communal kitchens called txokos, or societies.

Photo: Paul Manser

There’s a knock at the front door. The echo of bare knuckles against stained wood announces the arrival of Ramon’s family. He rests a worn wooden spoon on a pillow of soft-boiled potatoes. Voices come running into the room, followed by the people they belong to. A tsunami of chatter; the six people fill the large room. The kitchen is quickly occupied by shaved cured hams, local hard cheese and juicy peaches.

Ramon kisses everyone twice, then waves them away. A growing mist engulfs the kitchen as a pot comes to boil. Ramon turns the heat down.

Ramon clears his throat. ‘During the Franco years, txokos filled the stomachs of the Basque people and became venues of defiance,’ he explains. ‘They were one of the only places where Basques could legally meet without state control. A place where they could speak Basque, sing Basque and be Basque.’

Ramon’s wife is in the kitchen telling a story about a cousin who can’t find work. It seems to be a story told many times in these parts. More than half of people under the age of 35 are out of work.

I ask Ramon, ‘What is this doing to the country?’

Ramon doesn’t say a thing. He just points a twisted finger, scarred by the cuts and callouses of someone who relies on his hands for a living, to his temple and twists like he is opening a new bottle of wine.

The family binds around a thick wooden table. Bread is ripped from a long cob and placed beside shallow bowls. Ramon struggles under the weight of a giant pot full of marmitako, the fish stew he was preparing earlier.

Photo: Paul Manser

I say to Ramon, ‘I’ve hardly seen a fast-food chain since I came to Basque Country.’ He smiles, and deep lines carve into his cheeks. ‘They rarely work. People here like to know who they are buying their food from, where it comes from,’ Ramon says.

Ramon arches his neck back so that his eyes follow the cracks in the plaster roof. His wife wraps an arm around his waist. The table explodes in laughter as the grandmother’s glasses fog from the steam of the freshly served marmitako.

Excerpted with permission from Life Plans on Dive Bar Napkins (Hardie Grant) by Paul Manser. The book is available now wherever fine books are sold, as well as online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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This Beautiful 13th-Century City Has the Cleanest Air in All of Europe, Official Report Says

Fresh, clean air isn’t just nice, it’s an essential factor to being healthy. Air pollution aggravates the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases and, according to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that outdoor air pollution has been the cause of 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2019. One place where air pollution isn’t a concern is the city of Uppsala in Sweden. The urban center of around 220,000 inhabitants is the European city with the cleanest air.

Map and table: European Environment Agency

The European city air quality viewer is an official report published by the European Environment Agency that ranks European cities (372 of them, to be exact) according to their air quality, from the cleanest to the most polluted. The World Health Organization’s guidelines say that fine particulate matter should not exceed 5 μg/m3 for long-term exposure and only 13 cities in Europe match or are below that level, including the 13th-century city of Uppsala in Sweden which tops the ranking with just 3.5 μg/m3.

Until now, Uppsala, located 30 minutes north of the Swedish capital of Stockholm, wasn’t really known for its very low levels of air pollution. Uppsala’s claim to fame is that it was the site of the very first university in Scandinavia, Uppsala University, founded in 1477. Today, it is home to two universities: Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Science and 41,000 students.

To have a good time in the European city with the cleanest air, plan a visit to the 13th-century Uppsala Cathedral whose towers dominate the cityscape. Take the time admire its stained-glass windows and all the treasures it holds. Another must-see place for the history buffs and library lovers is the Carolina Rediviva Library at Uppsala University, which is home to incredibly rare books, including the Silver Bible, a sixth-century manuscript written in silver and gold, as well as the earliest accurate map of the Nordic countries, the 1539 Carta Marina.

Photo: Christopher Kane /ShutterstockThe Pink Castle. Photo: Christopher Kane /ShutterstockPhoto: trabantos /ShutterstockPhoto: EQRoy /ShutterstockPhoto: art of line /ShutterstockPhoto: EQRoy /Shutterstock

But, most importantly, while in Uppsala, make sure to also allocate time to just walk the city streets and admire the varied architecture styles. Vasahuset, an Art Nouveau residential building painted in the most beautiful blue color is a must-see, along with the 18th-century Pink Castle, the pastel-colored buildings on Östra Ågatan, and the early 20th-century Skandalhuset, home to one of the oldest movie theatres in Sweden. Despite being a city, Uppsala very much feels like a small town where everything is within walking distance, and with such clean air, exploring on foot is a no-brainer.

Ivana Brlic-Mazuranic Square in the center of Slavonski Brod, Croatia. Photo: Zdravko T /ShutterstockThe fortress at Slavonski Brod, Croatia. Photo: Zdravko T/Shutterstock

On the other end of the spectrum from Uppsala is Slavonski Brod, Croatia, officially the European city with the most polluted air with 26.5 μg/m3 of fine particulate matter. Located in eastern Croatia on the border with Bosnia Herzegovina, Slavonski Brod is the eighth largest city in the country with over 50,000 inhabitants. Despite being an industrial city (hence the air pollution levels), it’s got a rich cultural heritage and lovely attractions, including Ivana Brlic-Mazuranic Square in the center of town, as well as a fortress and a monastery that are worth a detour.

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When Fall Colors Will Peak Around the US, According to Science

In mere days, the summer road trips will give way to the just-as-exciting fall road trips. No matter where you are in the country, fall offers the benefit of a common goal — routing the best leaf-peeping excursion to see fall colors in all their glory.

The website SmokyMountains.com just released its annual fall foliage forecast map, which predicts when fall colors will hit their peak across the United States.

This year, the first states to see the fall colors will be Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, as soon as September 7. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan will also be able to see the start of fall foliage within a week following, and by the end of September, colors will be approaching peak bloom throughout most of the northern US and states at higher elevations, like Colorado and Utah.

In New England, the fall foliage will start slowly around mid-September and the fall colors will be at their most magnificent between October 5 and October 12, with the northern parts of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York leading the way.

Of course, southern states get their peak fall colors a little later than those in the north of the country. Texas, Louisiana, and Florida don’t reach their fall foliage potential before November 16.

While the website can’t ensure 100 percent accuracy, it has asked the best in the field of meteorology (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and looked at past trends to create this map, so you can hit the road to the nearest forest reassured.

To get ahead of the game, start planning your fall road trips now. By the time September hits, it’s time to toss your camping gear into the back of the truck to admire one of Mother Nature’s put on her most beautiful show.

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These Staten Island Airbnbs Provide Room to Breathe With Yards and Pools

Staten Island isn’t the first place you think of for where to stay in New York City. However, with the free ferry operating around the clock, the fifth borough is a convenient Big Apple base with a craft beer scene to rival Brooklyn and offbeat attractions including a ship graveyard. Around 170 parks and a dozen beaches make NYC’s underrated borough its greenest, too. As for accommodation, whereas Manhattan is notorious for its poky studios, Staten Island Airbnbs tout private backyards and kitchens where two can stand.

Traveling to New York City? Check out Matador’s New York City accommodations guides: These Airbnbs in Brooklyn Offer Beautiful Views of the Bridge and Skyline The best JFK airport hotels The Best Airbnb Experiences in New York, From an Alpaca Farm Tour To Sailing the East River The 9 coziest Airbnbs in upstate New York Grab Your Crew and Head To These Lux Properties To Take in New York’s Fall Foliage 10 upstate New York cabins perfect for your next winter escape These Manhattan Airbnbs showcase the best of New York City

We hope you love these Airbnb Staten Island vacation rentals! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

Staten Island castle Airbnb with Manhattan viewsPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosNo need to cross the Atlantic for a castle vacation, this 1906 Italianate palazzo brings Tuscany to New York. Overlooking the Statue of Liberty from its hillside setting, the heritage architecture has been preserved but the appliances are as modern as you’d find on the Upper East Side. One room is rented for couples and larger groups can book a second room on request. In compliance with NYC regulations, the host lives on site.

Two guests, one bedroom
Price: $445 per night

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Private Airbnb Room near Staten Island FerryPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosExperience the original Airbnb set-up at this spotless studio rental on the North Shore. The hosts have converted one floor of their home into a vacation pad with a private bathroom and kitchenette. Only the deck is shared, where you’re welcome to enjoy morning coffee or unwind over a glass of wine. The location is impossible to beat and the homemade arrival brownies are reason enough to book.

Two guests, one bedroom (studio)
Price: $106 per night

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Guest Favorite Airbnb with a patio and free parkingPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosNot far from I-278 and Route 440, this comfortable vacation home is ideal if you’re driving to Staten Island. Once checked in, you can switch to public transit for getting around the island and ride the free ferry over to Manhattan. The two-bedroom, one-bathroom rental unit claims the first floor of a family house and has its own kitchen and secluded terrace.

Four guests, two bedrooms
Price: $179 per night

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Single-family home near Staten Island RailwayPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosThis modern two-bedroom vacation let in Rosebank is convenient for touring North Shore’s taprooms and seeing New York City’s oldest heritage sites. The master bedroom has an en suite in addition to the family bathroom. Chefs can have fun in the chef’s kitchen, particularly after a haul at local markets. Everything listed is private although the host remains permanent residence in adherence to NYC Airbnb laws.

Five guests, two bedrooms
Price: $250 per night

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North Shore vacation home for larger groupsPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosThis pet-friendly Airbnb near the Staten Island ferry terminal has an awesome backyard with a swimming pool and grill. It’s fully fenced so the kids (and dogs) can play safely. The interiors are equally vast, including both double bedrooms and the bunk room. Fitness enthusiasts can stay on the game in the home gym equipped with dumbbells and a running machine.

Nine guests, three bedrooms
Price: $519 per night

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Family-friendly townhouse in New York CityPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosThis Guest Favorite Airbnb in Staten Island comprises one master bed, a twin room, and a huge open-concept kitchen. The lounge is roomy enough to have a keyboard which takes care of evening entertainment. Clifton is a calm, residential neighborhood and only five minutes from the ferry terminal on the railway. Alice Austen House and Fort Wadsworth are right on the doorstep.

Five guests, two bedrooms
Price: $265 per night

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Restful apartment near Midland BeachPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosThis Staten Island Airbnb is close to the island railway and its sandy beaches. It’s a guest suite with a separate entrance and street parking. The kitchen and bathroom are well-stocked while the lounge and bedroom are scattered with travel knick-knacks to create a homely environment. The hosts are responsive and eager to provide insider tips but otherwise, they’ll leave you be.

Two guests, one bedroom
Price: $109 per night

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Guest suite with a shared poolPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosLocated in Heartland Village, this cozy bolthole is surrounded by Staten Island’s woodland parks and time capsule attractions. It’s designed for a couple with the option to sleep kids on the pull-out couch. The unit has a full kitchen and use of a backyard with a grill and sun loungers. Shared with the host family, the swimming pool is a bonus. Just shoot them a message to reserve a private dip.

Four guests, one bedroom
Price: $137 per night

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En suite Airbnb room near Snug HarborPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosRent the spare room of a longtime Staten Island resident and an avid world traveler at this beautiful house next to the island’s botanical garden. The room is on par with a boutique hotel with duck egg walls, luxury bedding, and a lovely private bathroom. Guests may also use the shared dining room although the rental is pitched at travelers with an appetite for dining out.

Two guests, one bedroom
Price: $180 per night

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Cute NYC Airbnb near the beachPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: AirbnbPhoto: Airbnb

 

See more photosWalk to cafes and the South Beach Boardwalk from this snug vacation suite with a sunny patio. The Midland Beach neighborhood has a thriving multicultural population and you can stock the kitchen with groceries from Turkish, Ukrainian, Chinese, and Italian markets. This is an older but beautifully maintained home full of charm and scores of natural light. The second bedroom is suitable for two children or one adult.

Four guests, two bedrooms
Price: $140 per night

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A Weather Analysis Found the Mediterranean Spots With the Most Sunshine Through Fall to Keep Summer Vibes Going

Labor Day is behind us and that means that summer in the Northern Hemisphere is over — or just about. But if you’re not ready for sweater weather and pumpkin-flavored everything, there’s a way to extend the hot and sunny season without even crossing the Equator: Pack up and fly to the Mediterranean.

Cruise line MSC worked with data from World Weather API to find the cities and towns in the Mediterranean with the most hours of sunshine in October, November, and December. While MSC gathered the data around locations it services in the winter, obviously, you don’t have to board a cruise to enjoy them. You can pick the destination that works best for you and go sun yourself while everyone else at home is wearing flannel pajamas and making squash soup.

The sunniest of them all: Izmir, Türkiye

Photo: margouillat photo/Shutterstock

With 295 hours of sunshine in October and 25 sunny days per month in the winter, Izmir, Türkiye makes for the perfect destination for those who want to get very far away from the cold and the rain.

With a nickname like “The Pearl of the Aegean”, you know this city is going to be good. For one, it’s got 390 miles of coastline and 49 Blue Flag beaches where you can make the most of the weather and sunbathe, swim, or partake in water sports. Also, because it’s been continuously inhabited for 8500 years, it’s packed with historic sites including the city’s agora and the aqueducts of Kızılçullu. Izmir is also very close to the immensely famous and very impressive archeological sites of Ephesus and Pergamum, two ancient Greek cities listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites that anyone would be remiss not to check out.

Second best: Valencia, Spain

Photo: V_E /Shutterstock

While everyone is heading for Barcelona, go a little further south on the Balearic Coast, and make your way to the city of Valencia, where there’s a total of 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Visit in October and you’ll be rewarded with 275 hours of sunshine and an average temperature of 77 degrees. In November and December, when everyone at home is bundled up in woollen hats and thick socks, it’s also pretty good, with 247 hours of sun and an average high temperature of 68 degrees.

Valencia is located on the coast so, of course, you can spend all your time getting a tan on the 12 miles of beautiful beach, but you should probably also check out the city’s impressive sighs. The Valencia Cathedral, home to the Holy Chalice, no less, should be on your must-see list, along with La Lonja (the Silk Exchange) a Gothic monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the beautiful Central Market, the biggest market with fresh produce in Europe. The City of Arts and Sciences, a gigantic and futuristic cultural and architecture complex, shouldn’t be missed either.

Bronze medalist: Tunis, Tunisia

Photo: Travel-Fr /Shutterstock

Tunis, the largest city and capital of Tunisia, located on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, is one for the sun-seekers. Visit in October and enjoy 272 hours of sunshine and an average high of 79 degrees. In November, the temperatures hover around 70 degrees and there are 218 hours of sun. Even throughout the winter the weather stays extremely clement with an average of 27 sunny days per month.

La Marsa Beach is a good place to make the most of the good weather, but the huge UNESCO-listed Medieval Medina, with its souqs and monuments, should really be your first stop. A visit to the archeological site of Carthage, also a UNESCO World Heritage site, should also be pretty high on your list of priorities, along with the colorful Zitouna Mosque, which is best observed from the rooftop at Café Panorama in the Medina.

Other Mediterranean destinations with over 200 hours of sunshine per month in fall and winterAthens, Greece: 265 hours of sun in October on average, and about 220 monthly hours of sunshine in November and DecemberValetta, Malta: 263 hours of sunshine in October and more than 209 hours of sun in NovemberMarseille, France: 262 hours of sun in October on average, and around 239 hours per month throughout the winter More like thisTravelThe 10 Most Popular Places to Travel This Fall, According to Expedia