Matador Network's Blog, page 157
June 12, 2024
19 Key Largo Airbnb Rentals to Experience the Best of the Keys
Florida Keys is the number one underwater diving spot in the US but Key Largo has the monopoly on the best sites. Before getting acquainted with the aquamarine waters and coral reefs, you need a place to hang your wetsuit. Dip into our selection of oceanside condos and vacation homes to find your new favorite Airbnb Key Largo.
Romantic Airbnbs in Key Largo for twoFamily-friendly Airbnb Key Largo rentalsKey Largo Airbnb rentals for larger groupsWe hope you love the Airbnb Key Largo rentals we recommend! 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.
Romantic Airbnbs in Key Largo for twoWaterfront sunsets in a relaxing spot
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Freshly renovated for the season, this elegant bungalow overlooks a dock frequented by nurse sharks, manatees, and seabirds. All rooms come with a view – even the laundry nook. There’s no better place to catch one of Key Largo’s legendary sunsets than from the private porch with a view of the bobbing yachts. The host is a licensed charter captain and can arrange fishing trips, eco-tours, and golden hour cruises.
Two guests, one bedroom
Price: $300 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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This waterside Key Largo Airbnb is a dream base for aquatic-loving couples. The canal leads to the ocean where you’ll find such top diving sites as Rodriguez Key, Christ of the Abyss, and innumerable shipwrecks. An open-plan studio layout invite the light to circulate freely while the wooden walls add a beach shack vibe. After a day exploring the underwater sights, the patio is an unbeatable place to kick back with a beer and watch the sunk sink.
Four guests, one bedroom
Price: $205 per night
Traveling to Florida? Check out Matador’s Florida accommodations guides:15 beautiful Florida Airbnbs for every type of travelerThe best 11 Airbnbs near Universal StudiosThe 12 best Miami Airbnbs from South Beach to Little Havana8 of the coolest Airbnbs near Disney World, Florida15 beautiful Florida Airbnbs for every type of traveler6 Kissimmee Airbnbs for a multi-generational family Disney trip11 Key West Airbnbs to experience the best of the island11 gorgeous Florida Keys Airbnbs to catch the ‘Keys Disease’Bayside cottage with beach & fishing pier
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Cocooned by lush palms and foliage, this jungle cabin provides a castaway experience. Take a seat on the patio and keep an eye out for iguanas, birds, squirrels, and other curious critters. Interiors are snug but functional with a kitchenette and bathroom. You’ll need to do the lion’s share of your cooking al fresco with the grill. A romantic Key Largo Airbnb retreat for nature-loving couples.
Two guests, one bedroom
Price: $200 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: AirbnbSee more photosThis honeymoon suite sits on the grounds of the Dream Bay Resort on the gulf side of the Keys. It’s nicely proportioned with an open-plan kitchen and lounge plus a patio overlooking the banyan trees. Even better, rental includes complimentary boat dockage, paddle boards, and kayaks to make the most of the awesome waterside location. The famous Snooks Bayside Grill and Mrs. Mac’s Little Kitchen are within walking distance while John Pennekamp State Park is a five-minute drive.
Four guests, one bedroom
Price: $250 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Photo: AirbnbSee more photosThis first-floor guest suite opens onto a backyard hideout with a hot tub, fire pit, and covered porch festooned with fairy lights. There’s free parking available while you take the provided bikes for a scoot around the nearby lookouts and bars. The apartment has one cozy bedroom, a full kitchen, laundry facilities, and a roomy bathroom. A crib is on hand if required and the friendly Superhost is only ever a text away if you need local recommendations.
Four guests, one bedroom
Price: $245 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Although convenient for the restaurants and amenities of central Key Largo, this waterfront rental is set among an acre of lush greenery. The backyard overlooks the sound and comes with a swimming basin. Sunsets here are unreal and made all the better by the external hot tub. You’ll have access to a fleet of kayaks during your stay. The not-for-profit Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder is based next door and will delight the little ones.
Six guests, two bedrooms
Price: $535 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Surrounded by mangroves, this waterfront Airbnb in Key Largo is situated in a peaceful gated community with direct canal access to the bay. Kayaks are on hand to make the most of this perk and you shouldn’t be surprised to spot manatees, dolphins, and sharks on your morning paddle. Rental includes 80 feet of dock space, fish-cleaning units, and a fire pit for exclusive use.
Six guests, three bedrooms
Price: $700 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Located on the fifth floor of an oceanside residential block, this swanky condo looks out over Blackwater Sound. The unit is fitted with sumptuous sofas and beds to guarantee you get your beauty sleep after a day at sea. Communal amenities at Moon Bay that you’ll have full access to include two heated pools, tennis courts, and a games room.
Six guests, three bedrooms
Price: $250 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Check into this North Key Largo Airbnb condo if you’ve got your eyes on the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary. Although this is one of the most peaceful settings within the Keys, restaurants and bars are a mere stone’s throw from the complex. The rental is equipped with all the mod-cons you could dream of including Bluetooth speakers, Google Home, and multiple Smart TVs.
Six guests, two bedrooms
Price: $390 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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Photo: AirbnbSee more photosWhisk the family away for a month in the Sunshine State at this stylish three-bedroom resort rental, a minimum stay of 28 nights is exactly the justification you were looking for. Shared facilities include a large swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a playground. It’s the kind of place where you can keep to yourself or mingle. All furnishings and appliances are brand new including the comfiest beds and a stocked kitchen.
Eight guests, three bedrooms
Price: $250 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: AirbnbSee more photosThis charming family house is a strollable distance from Key Largo’s undersea state park. The interior design recreates the underwater world whereas the tech is almost futuristic with Alexa software installed throughout. The host provides a dinghy, clear-bottom kayak, and paddle boards for cruising the laguna and a golf cart for overland adventuring. For something more buccaneering, rent their deck boat or jet ski. Soak off a day at sea in the private hot tub.
Six guests, three bedrooms
Price: $673 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: AirbnbSee more photosCheck into this coveted oceanside community in the Florida Keys where location and amenities are second to none. This family-friendly townhouse in the Mariner’s Club has beautifully boho decor accented by statement velvet headboards, woven throws, and Floridian art. Rental includes use of the lagoon pool, waterfall grotto, clubhouse, and marina. The host provides bucket-loads of sports gear and snorkeling apparel for the courts and local swimming holes.
Eight guests, two bedrooms
Price: $548 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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This luxurious vacation rental home with captivating ocean views is located in the desirable oceanfront community of Playa Largo Ocean Residences. The home is meticulously crafted in the essence of “old” Florida with oval soaking tubs and superior furnishings adding a deluxe finish. A gigantic outdoor terrace complete with a dining area, grill, and wet bar will delight social butterflies within the group. Pets are welcome and guests are welcome to use the resort pool.
Seven guests, three bedrooms
Price: $1,070 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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This homely townhouse comfortably accommodates ten guests and grants access to the resort’s communal facilities. At the heart of the complex, you’ll find a spacious swimming pool as well as a spa pool with waterfall features. All floors benefit from lots of natural light while the balconies are the perfect place to watch the day go by. A fantastic Key Largo Airbnb for family groups.
Ten guests, four bedrooms
Price: $750 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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This neat rental property is brand new to the Airbnb Key Largo scene. Interiors follow a soothing, blue theme that makes it easy to shrug off any worries and slip into vacation mode. All amenities are state-of-the-art including a professional kitchen. A two-tiered pool awaits you in the backyard while balconies provide a space for reflection.
Fourteen guests, four bedrooms
Price: $740 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
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This 100-year-old house evokes a sense of what Key Largo was once like. Set on 2.5 acres and surrounded on three sides by water, this secluded Airbnb Key Largo invites you to bask in the sound of the waves and indulge in R&R. Conch-style architecture and suites that burst with color and character ensure that this remote rental feels like a proper home away from home. Pets are welcome and special events are permitted with advance approval.
Twelve guests, seven bedrooms
Price: $1,890 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: AirbnbSee more photosYou’re never far from the water in Key Largo but if you want to live like a baller, this Floridian home has a private pool with a basketball hoop and Jacuzzi. It’s marooned right at the edge of a downtown cay and gives an urban desert island vibe with ocean views from all rooms and tons of outdoor space for lawn games and sunning. The gourmet kitchen has all you need to attempt a seafood boil to savor on the patio.
Ten guests, four bedrooms
Price: $1,200 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: AirbnbSee more photosThis is the kind of rental where tours take a backseat to staying in. Your tropical oasis is located within a gated community and comes with direct access to a secluded beach where you can fish off the dock. There’s space to moor a boat otherwise you can help yourself to kayaks and paddle boards. Enjoy games of darts and ping pong free from bugs in the screened-in porch and put your skills to the test in the tiki bar.
Nine guests, three bedrooms
Price: $891 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: Airbnb
Photo: AirbnbSee more photosThis cute turquoise home is an “upside down” design with the main lounge and kitchen on the second floor. The first floor bedroom suite is more like a separate apartment with its own kitchenette and private bathroom, particularly as there’s no internal staircase linking the levels. The fenced backyard has a pool, spa, and barbecue facilities. Complimentary bicycles and helmets are provided for hitting the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail.
Seven guests, three bedrooms
Price: $413 per night
24 Adventures for Your 2024 Summer Calendar
With 3.1 million square miles to roam, America’s Lower 48 has more than its fair share of adventure. At least, it does if you have the right wheels. In the Jeep® Wrangler 4xe — America’s best-selling plug-in hybrid1 — there’s almost nowhere you can’t go. From off-roading on mountaintops to zooming down sandy beaches to tracing the edges of the continent, it’s all possible. When you’re ready to forge a path toward an epic summer 2024, roll the top down and roam the road on one of these 24 adventures.
BUILD YOUR WRANGLER 4xe for a 2024 summer adventure.
1. Drive off-highway to the largest alpine lake in America.
Photo: IM_photo/Shutterstock
Due west of Lake Tahoe, the country’s best OHV route rises through the trees: the Rubicon Trail. It’s 22 miles of dense Sierra Nevada forest, granite boulders, water crossings, and segments with names like “Granite Slab” and “Big Sluice.” Ending at Tahoe’s shores, it’s a trip only for those with a suitable off-road vehicle — and plenty of off-road know-how.
2. Experience the Great River Road, Southern-style.Coursing for some 3,000 miles down the Mississippi River, only the Great River Road rivals Route 66 in terms of historic towns and endless Americana. For a shorter stretch, we recommend Memphis to Vicksburg — you’ll get Civil Rights history and museums, plenty of blues and barbecue, and Southern soul food paper-plated and served riverside.
3. Wind down the longest drivable beach in the US.
Photo: Bandersnatch/Shutterstock
For Maine-esque charm on the West Coast, head to Long Beach Peninsula, WA. And long it is: The 28-mile beach is a national highway and the longest drivable beach in the US. Its sands connect five state parks, two lighthouses, a historic fort, and lush hiking trails. One of the spots to check out is Cape Disappointment — but rest assured it’s nearly impossible to be disappointed here.
4. Take to the skies in southeastern Oregon.At 2.5 million acres, the newly minted Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary is the largest dark sky sanctuary in the world. Sleep under the stars at a campground in Fremont National Forest or plan it as a day trip from nearby Klamath Falls. In town, trade the telescope for the binoculars: Klamath Falls has a bird count above 350 species, making this one adventure where things are “looking up.”
5. Search for wild horses on North Carolina’s barrier islands.
Photo: BHamms/Shutterstock
North Carolina’s Outer Banks has some famously wild residents: the Corolla Wild Horses. Descended from Spanish mustangs, these stocky creatures are a sight to behold. To see them on your own, you’ll need the 4WD capability of something like the Jeep Wrangler 4xe to navigate the northern beaches of Corolla and Carova. If you spot them, treat them like grizzly bears, and don’t get too close!
6. Drive back to 1969 in New York’s Catskills.The Sullivan Catskills, just 90 minutes from Manhattan, are pretty legendary. Here, you can throw it back to the golden age of full-service resorts, the birth of American dry fly fishing, and the advent of the modern music festival — yep, this is where Woodstock took place in 1969, and you can tour the site today.
7. Go on a lesser-traveled Yellowstone adventure.
Photo: Busara/Shutterstock
Largely thanks to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, it’s nearly impossible to score a summer hotel reservation or dinner table in Jackson, WY, the parks’ popular basecamp. Instead, head across the Idaho border to Driggs, a 2,000-person town deep in the Teton, Big Hole, and Snake River mountain ranges. You’ll get all the grandeur of the Teton–Yellowstone corridor without sacrificing lodging options, things to do, and elbow room.
8. Uncover Wisconsin’s architectural delights.An hour from Madison, WI, an inexplicable sea of world-class culture has coalesced in the hamlet of Spring Green (pop: 1,500). Once in town, explore Taliesin, the home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright; American Players Theatre, the premier classical theatre in the nation; and House on the Rock, a pseudo-Frank Lloyd Wright hallucination and Meow Wolf-like experience.
9. Get to know Colorado’s “other” national park site.
Photo: Caspar Schlageter/Shutterstock
Drive five minutes west of Grand Junction and you’ll begin scaling the walls of Colorado National Monument. It’s got all the red-rock splendor of well-known sites like Zion but without the crowds and waiting lines. The 23-mile Rim Rock Drive is one of the American West’s grandest, and that’s saying something.
10. See Oklahoma’s mountains and deserts.Oklahoma doesn’t get the credit it’s due: The Sooner State has 10 distinct ecological regions, from Rocky Mountain foothills to desert to Great Plains and more. Black Mesa, the state’s highest point at 4,974 feet, is the trail to take it all in. At 8.4 miles out and back, you’ll move from shortgrass prairie and fields of cacti to juniper-covered hills leading to views of Colorado and New Mexico.
11. Find your track on California’s Lost Coast.
Photo: Pete Niesen/Shutterstock
When surveyors were mapping out California roads, one chunk of land was so rugged they skipped it. Now known as the “Lost Coast,” this area — 3.5 hours north of San Francisco — is largely unpopulated, undeveloped, and unbelievably scenic. From Humboldt County’s Mattole Beach, stretch your legs on the renowned Lost Coast Trail and see this uncharted region for yourself.
12. Paddle glow-in-the-dark waters in Florida.On the coast east of Orlando, the rockets of Kennedy Space Center light up the sky by day; by night, bioluminescence lights up the water. Kayakers can paddle Merritt Island’s glowing, neon-blue waters come summer — the lucky ones will see a manatee or dolphin breaking the surface, causing glowing “sparks” to fly.
13. Drive across the “Switzerland of America.”
Photo: Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock
Colorado’s US-550 between Ouray and Silverton is nicknamed the “Million Dollar Highway,” and if it cost a million dollars to drive, it’d still be worth it. Slicing through the San Juan Mountains, you’ll land in Ouray — aka the “Switzerland of America” — a rugged playground of waterfalls, hiking trails, mountain biking, and off-roading adventure you’ll definitely want a Jeep Wrangler for.
14. Hit the white-sand beaches of Alabama.Nope, no need to reach for the passport — Alabama’s white-sand beaches are zero flights and four wheels away. Set up somewhere like Gulf Shores, where 15 public beaches mean it’s dealer’s choice for fun in the sun. Once it gets dark, hit the legendary Flora-Bama, situated on the state line, to revel amongst a different kind of sea: one of country jams and cowboy hats.
15. Chase wild waterfalls on Minnesota’s North Shore.
Photo: Ramesh Pavvluri Veera/Shutterstock
Highway 61 out of Duluth follows Minnesota’s North Shore, aka the edges of Lake Superior. An ancient sea of lava has left behind countless raging waterfalls, epic river gorges, towering sea cliffs, and more — all right off the road. This one’s a stunner any time of year, but fall color makes it a real treat.
16. Hunt for caves and springs in the Ozarks.Missouri’s Ozarks are great from above ground…and below. Over 300 caves exist within the boundaries of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, including many that have filled with water, called springs. The 310-foot-deep Blue Spring — accessible only via steep dirt road fit for the Wrangler 4xe — is the granddaddy of them all. The National Park Service calls it “one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever find, anywhere.”
17. Find out if you can hack the “Loneliest Road.”
Photo: Natalia Bratslavsky/Shutterstock
Looking for solitude? You’ve found it: Nevada’s Highway 50 is “The Loneliest Road in America.” Despite the lack of traffic and services — you’ll be happy for the 4xe’s 370-mile range — the attractions are plenty: ghost towns, fabulous state parks, old-school saloons, dark skies, and views of the Silver State’s mountain horizons.
18. Drive to the edge of America.The final fringe of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Drummond Island sits on the northern shores of Lake Huron, glancing at the Canadian border. After the car ferry from DeTour, dirt roads wind into the forest and to the island’s edges at Marblehead, where the nation’s last cliffs rise out of panoramic waters. Get there, and then it’s up to you: Drop a line, tie up your boots, or test out those all-terrain tires on the island’s rugged ORV trails.
19. Dig into the beauty of New York’s Finger Lakes.
Photo: Paul Massie Photography/Shutterstock
Like a bear clawed at the map of upstate New York, the Finger Lakes are long, narrow, and fjord-like — not to mention lined with vineyards and full of history. A lot is possible here, from scuba diving and hiking the “Grand Canyon of the East” (that’s Letchworth State Park) to witnessing Seneca Falls’ suffragette history and sipping slowly on the local tonic: ice wine.
20. Learn about New Orleans’ wild, disappearing biodiversity.While New Orleans is always worth a stop, its environs offer temporary adventure: South Louisiana contains around half of the country’s wetlands, and they’re disappearing at an alarming rate. Hear the story via swamp tours through Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, visit threatened coastal communities like Shell Beach, and tour the Bayou Bienvenue Wetlands Triangle, a ghost marsh just a few miles from the French Quarter.
21. See Big Bend how it’s meant to be seen.
Photo: Zack Frank/Shutterstock
Texas’ Big Bend National Park is fabulous in the frontcountry, but those with street-legal off-roading vehicles like the Wrangler 4xe get access to the park’s quietest, most scenic vistas. With 100+ miles of backroads that vary in difficulty — from the rough River Road, the park’s most remote, to the extremely challenging Black Gap Road — Big Bend can be all yours to explore.
22. Witness a migration of epic proportions.Possibly the most famous migration in the country, more than half a million sandhill cranes take to Nebraska’s Platte River every spring. Picture blackened, bugling skies. I-80 follows the gentle river, making the experience ultra-accessible to anyone on four wheels. Set up in Kearney in March, and you’ll inevitably witness the wild annual scene.
23. Go out-of-this-world in New Mexico.While you could take New Mexico’s Breakfast Burrito Byway with no regrets — yes, that’s a real thing — a different New Mexico route gets you more R&R: Ruidoso to Roswell. High in the Sierra Blanca Mountains, Ruidoso has some of the country’s southernmost skiing. An hour east lies Roswell, site of the famed UFO crash, where answers to your questions can be found at the International UFO Museum and Research Center.
24. Take it easy on Lover’s Key.
Photo: Maridav/Shutterstock
This has been a big summer. For some actual R&R, head down to Southwest Florida and Lover’s Key State Park, in Fort Myers Beach. Take the tram or head on foot into the park, where you’ll emerge onto a 2-mile sugar-sand beach famous for seashells and sunsets. Your summer 2024 is sunsetting too, but one question remains: Where will your Wrangler 4xe take you come fall?
1 Based on 2022CY Q4 Sales, JD Power Retail Sales Data (4xe trim claim only)
June 11, 2024
This New Flight Is the Only Direct Way to Get to Greenland From North America
Getting to Greenland from North America is neither a quick nor a straight-forward affair. North American travelers keen to visit the biggest island in the world first have to fly to Denmark (Copenhagen) or Iceland (Keflavik) and then connect to Greenland (Nuuk). That is until the end of June when a new flight will finally link North America and Greenland directly.
Starting June 26, 2024, Air Greenland will fly directly between Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, and Iqaluit, Canada. Iqaluit is the capital of the territory of Nunavut which is located in Northern Canada. This new flight will be the only direct way to get to Greenland from North America.
Iqaluit being a remote location, Air Greenland is partnering with Canadian airline Canadian North to make sure that travelers can seamlessly connect to and from other air travel hubs such as Ottawa, Montreal, and Kuujjuaq in Northern Quebec.
Thanks to the collaboration between the two airlines, and to make things easier for travelers, you can purchase your flights between Ottawa/Montreal/Kuujjuaq/Iqaluit and Nuuk by visiting just one website: either Air Greenland’s or Canada North’s.
There will be one weekly flight between Nuuk and Iqaluit every Wednesday. The flight, which will be operated by one of Air Greenland’s signature red-and-white Dash-8 aircrafts (a twin turboprop), will take only two hours.
According to Air Greenland, the starting price for a flight between Nuuk and Iqaluit is $287 (DKK 1,995 or 395 CAD).
The new flight route will be open until October 23, 2024, when tourism season ends; however, there’s a chance the route might expand if enough travelers take advantage of this new direct flight.
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Citizens of the United states and citizens of Canada do not need a visa to enter Greenland; however, visa-exempt foreign nationals (except US citizens) do need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada by air.
The 6 Best Patagonia Baggies Alternatives for Men and Women
Even if you’ve never worn Patagonia Baggies shorts, you’ve almost certainly seen people wearing them. Realistically, you’ve probably seen a lot of people wearing them.
That’s because Baggies were one of the first shorts from the now-global outdoorsy brand, introduced in 1982. The brand touts them as ideal for “pretty much anything,” and they come in dozens of colors and patterns for men, women, and kids.
Women’s Baggies have a five-inch inseam, and also come in a “Barely Baggies” style (2.5-inch inseam) and a “long” style (with a seven-inch inseam). People buying men’s styles can choose from the standard baggie in a five-inch inseam, a “long” style with a seven-inch inseam, a more minimal version (without pockets) with a 6.5-inch inseam. There’s also a hemp version, also with a 6.5-inch inseam. Depending on the pair, they’re $59 to $75, and most styles are made with quick-drying fabrics and recycled materials. They have a loose fit and an elastic waistband, and front hand pockets.
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Sounds pretty good, right? And they are — for many people. But if you’ve tried them and can’t find the right fit, or don’t like the fabric, or just don’t quite like how they look during summer adventures, there’s no need to worry. Patagonia Baggies alternatives are readily available from other outdoor companies, which likely designed similar shorts in response to the ongoing popularity of Baggies.
We tested six of the best Patagonia Baggies alternatives from our editors’ favorite outdoor brands — and these are the standout winners.
Stio Second Light ShortFree Fly Apparel Breeze ShortCotopaxi Brinco ShortREI Trailmade Amphib ShortsStio Drifter ShortsActual Patagonia BaggiesWe hope you love the gear we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
Stio Second Light Short: best ultra-light alternative
Photo: Suzie Dundas
Available sizes: Men’s: S-XXL; Women’s: XS-XLTester info: Tester is 5’7″ and normally wears a SSize tested: MPrice: $69The Stio Second Light Short was my favorite Patagonia Baggies alternative I tested, finding the sweet spot blend between comfort and outdoorsy style. To me, they look like a pair of generic, modern-cut shorts that can match any and all outdoor occasions. The downside is that they’re probably the least-similar to Patagonia Baggies, with an inside liner, no side pockets, and a limited palette of only a few color options.
However, they have plenty of perks, too. They’re very, very lightweight, and while it hasn’t gotten above 75 degrees Fahrenheit where I’m testing (in Squamish, British Columbia), I have a feeling they’ll be my go-to hiking short on hot days through the summer. The fabric is recycled nylon, which feels like a very thin, swishy fabric, like a lightweight windbreaker. When I got caught in a rainy downpour, the thin fabric felt like it was sticking to my legs here and there. But it also dried quicker than expected — certainly far quicker than a swimsuit or thicker fabrics — so I wouldn’t think twice about getting these wet on kayak trips or beach days.
Ignore the bad lighting, focus on the shorts. Stio Second Light short in medium on the left, small on the right. Photo: Suzie Dundas
The other iffy thing about these shorts was the sizing. I tried both a small and a medium and felt like they both fit fine. I went with the mediums as they had a slightly baggier look, to make them fit more like a true Patagonia Baggie alternative. But I felt like I was in between sizes, which may mean they run a touch small.
Pros: Very comfortable, super lightweight, dries quickly, modern style
Cons: No pockets, potentially not as durable as thicker fabrics
Tim, Matador‘s transitional content editor, recently tested a few additional pairs of Stio shorts for men and ended up really liking the two pairs he tested.
Buy Now: Women’s Second Light ShortBuy Now: Men’s Second Light ShortFree Fly Apparel Bamboo-Lined Breeze Short: best for movement
Photo: Tim Wenger
Available sizes: Men’s S-3XL, Women’s XS-XLTester info: Tester is 5’7″ and normally wears a size 30 or size SSize tested: SPrice: $68What I like most about the Free Fly Men’s Bamboo-Lined Breeze Active Short is that it avoids what I dislike about most activewear shorts – an external-facing drawstring. It eliminates the need for frequent re-tying, and spares you from the lame-looking aesthetic of swaying drawstrings or (worse yet), a visible bowtie in the front of your shorts.
I also appreciate how they fit looser at the bottom and have a built-in underwear liner. The liner isn’t mesh, so it’s actually comfortable, and comes with the added bonus of making these shorts yoga-appropriate. I won’t be taking them on the river this summer, but for land-based recreation, they’ll get all sorts of use.
The Men’s Breeze Active Short also looks good for just about any fitness-based activity. I opted for the 5.5-inch inseam because I do a lot of stretching and ab-focused exercise that requires positioning my legs at various angles, and this mid-length hits the sweet spot between enough thigh coverage and room to move. I keep them in my gym bag, but have pulled them out for yard work or casual bike rides with my daughter.
On that note, my first thought when I pulled these shorts out of the package they arrived in was, “These are perfect dad shorts.” This was confirmed when I walked into the living room and my wife declared, “Those are some nice new dad shorts you got there.”
It’s true – the Men’s Breeze Active Short are dad shorts. But they’re stylish, cool dad shorts – the shorts dads wear while traversing a trail or an airport terminal with their kiddos. They’re fit, functional, and versatile – exactly the type of dad I want to be.
Pros: Straightforward cut, comfortable liner, no outward-facing drawstring
Cons: Built-in brief dries slower than mesh, some reviewers report difficulty with sizing (view Free Fly Apparel’s exchange policy here)
– Tim Wenger, Transactional Content Editor
Looking for women’s Free Fly feedback? This same editor recently reviewed the Free Fly Apparel brand after wearing its gear for a few years. Here’s a deeper dive into the brand and why it’s her go-to for travel and outdoor adventures.
Buy Now: Free Fly Men’s Bamboo-lined Breeze Active ShortBuy Now: Free Fly Women’s Bamboo-lined Breeze ShortCotopaxi Brinco Patterned Short: best for style points
Photo: Suzie Dundas
Available sizes: Women’s XS-XL, Men’s S-XXLTester info: Tester is 5’7″ and normally wears a SSize tested: SPrice: $70Style-wise, I think it’s clear the Cotopaxi Brinco Short wins for flashiest and most fun Patagonia Baggies alternatives. (Based on the pattern, not based on my collective fashion choices above). Patagonia Baggies are known for coming in lots of cool patterns, but I think the Brinco’s “Tempest/Hot Punch” combo, inspired by a topographic map, is pretty darn rad. It’s one of four equally cool color options, as well as four bright solid-color options. They’re similar to other pull-on athletic shorts, including the Baggies, with two front pockets and a back pocket with a button closure. The materials are similar, too, with both the Brinco Short and Patagonia Baggies made from recycled nylon.
I have only one beef with the Brinco Short, and it’s not something that will bother everyone: there’s a vertical seam on the inside of each thigh, and I rubbed my skin sometimes when hiking. It wasn’t bad, and I say this as an afterthought because I don’t think everyone will experience it. On most of the online models, the waistband comes up a bit higher than it does on me. But my slightly odd proportions means they’re semi low-rise on me (about three inches below my belly button). So the shorts sit a bit lower on me than they’re designed to.
If you have relatively normal-ish proportions, I don’t think it’ll be a problem. I still very much like these shorts and will wear them quite a bit. I’m just not sure I’d wear them for extra-long hikes or other adventures where the rubbing, albeit minimal, could become a larger problem.
Otherwise, the elastic waist, pockets big enough for a phone, and quick-dry material make them a worthy Patagonia Baggies alternative for all the same types of adventures. In my testing, light rain and splashing beaded off the Brinco Short. And when fully submerged (tested in my bathtub), they dried so quickly that you could almost see the water evaporating off.
Pros: Comfortable, cool pattern, excellent quick-dry performance, straightforward sizing, UPF 50
Cons: More expensive than Patagonia Baggies, non-inclusive sizing, inside seams could be annoying
Other Matador editor have tested Cotopaxi gear and really liked other pieces, too. Check out our recent reviews of the Fuego Down Jacket and the Teca Fleece Jacket.
Buy Now: Women’s Brinco ShortBuy Now: Men’s Brinco ShortREI Co-op Trailmade Amphib Short: best budget-friendly pick
Photo: Heather Leyva
Available sizes: Men’s: S-3XL; Women’s: XS-3XTester info: Tester is 5’1″ and normally wears a size XSSize tested: XSPrice: $14+At just over five feet tall, I’m fairly petite, which can make buying shorts a little tough. So it’s always nice to find a pair of shorts that not just fit well, but also look a bit stylish. Some of the reviews noted that the lack of stretch can make these hard to slip on, which made me question whether to go up a size, but I found they fit true to size for me as someone with a straight and narrow hip build.
I didn’t try a petite size as I often do, but the inseam and level of coverage felt proportional to the XS size, and I didn’t feel like I was swimming in fabric or wearing a style meant for a taller body. The waist lands right above my belly button and the length strikes that comfortable balance between being a short-short and coming so close to the knees that it makes my legs look stumpy.
There are a number of finishes that make this a perfect everyday short, both on the road and at home. Whereas Patagonia Baggies rely only on an elastic waistband, REI’s Trailmade Amphib Shorts add a built-in belt. I found it to be better for wearing with backpacks or anything else that may make your shorts ride up or down on your hips. They’re a slightly more outdoorsy Patagonia Baggies alternative, with a durable water repellent finish, 50+ UPF protection, and a more durable-feeling fabric weave.
I tested in both the dry heat of Colorado and the humid environment of Jamaica, and the shorts dried fast even when nearly soaked, so sweat and moisture never reached super uncomfortable levels, even without a liner. The front hand pockets are joined by a zippered back pocket with a drainage hole, creating enough room for the small things I reach for too often to put in a pack, like my phone or sunglasses. The zipper on the back pocket adds security, useful for everything from walking around new places on vacation to keeping my cash secure when walking to an out-of-the-way riverside fishing spot.
For anyone taking these into more adventurous territory, the material’s durability promises longevity. It’s made with 89 percent ripstop nylon and 11 percent polyester. Snags may not drop off the shorts as easy as water does, but one small tear won’t lead to needing a new pair of shorts midway through a hike or fishing trip.
Pros: Petite fit for smaller sizes, water repellent and quick drying, lots of pockets
Cons: Not a lot of stretch, curvy bodies may need to size up
– Heather V., Denver, CO
Buy Now: Women’s ($34+)Buy Now: Men’s ($14+) Stio Drifter Short: the most like actual Patagonia Baggies
Photo: Suzie Dundas
Available sizes: Men’s: S-XXL; Women’s: XS-XLTester info: Tester is 5’7″ and normally wears a SSize tested: SPrice: $59Two from the same brand? You bet, since Stio makes two strong contenders for Patagonia Baggies alternatives. If the Second Light Short looks a little too much like gym-wear or not durable enough, you may be happier with the Drifter Short. The Drifter Short is very similar to Patagonia Baggies, with a slightly thicker fabric, a quick-drying finish, and two hand pockets (one with a smaller zipper pocket). There are no pockets on the back, making these a good pick for buyers who get annoyed by sitting on their Chapsticks or sunglasses during a hiking snack break. Were it not for the small Stio logo on the bottom right, you’d think these actually were Patagonia Baggies.
The Drifter Short has a small zipper pocket easily accessible in the front. Photo: Suzie Dundas
Style-wise, these shorts are certainly not formal — that’s not really the point of athletic shorts, after all — but it’s fair to say they may be the most versatile for wear outside of outdoor scenarios. With fresh color options, a curved hem that creates a clean, horizontal line across your thigh, and a regular fit that skims your hips without being tight, they don’t look quite as much like backpacking clothing as a few other Patagonia Baggies alternatives we tested. Like the men’s Breeze Short above, the drawstring is internal, so you can tuck your shirt in and show a clean waistband.
I ended up ordering this pair in a small and a medium and kept the small, though both felt like they could have worked. If you prefer a looser fit, consider sizing up. But most reviewers thought they fit fairly true to size.
Pros: Relaxed fit, secure zipper pocket, slightly more tailored style
Cons: No back pockets (good and bad), limited sizing (XL is the largest)
Buy Now: Men’sBuy Now: Women’s Actual Patagonia Baggies: a tried-and-true staple
Photo: Tim Wenger
Photo: Tim WengerAvailable sizes: Men’s: XS-XXL; Women’s: XS-3XTester info: Tester is 5’7″ and normally wears a size 30 or SSize tested: SPrice: From $65+ (often on sale)Two years ago, after a decade of staring from the outside in, I finally broke down and got a pair of Patagonia Baggies with a five-inch inseam. It look less than a week to realize that my long-time avoidance of the Baggies due to them being “too popular,” was self-detrimental — they are great. Baggies are perfect active shorts for activities like hiking and bike commuting because they’re flexible while retaining a tough and durable recycled nylon outer shell. That gives them basic water resistance, which is a must-have — getting caught in the rain on a bike commute is the worst if you’re clothes immediately soak through).
However, it’s that same nylon that made me give the Free Fly Bamboo-Lined Breeze Active Short’s the advantage. Baggies are less flexible, so they move less with your body during activities like yoga. I’m also not a huge fan of the mesh liner in Baggies as it feels like I need to wear boxers too, which gets to be too many layers on hot days. That said, Baggies are better styled for full-day use: I can wear them on a trail and then out for a beer without worrying about swapping shorts in the car.
Patagonia Baggies also last a long time. After two years of consistent use, I still feel great about wearing my teal-blue Baggies regularly. They’ve met with dirt, mud, grass, and various types of ergonomic office chairs, and come away the better for it. The shorts are broken in and ready for summer number three. Bring on the adventures.
Teenager Leaves Parents on an Island After They Miss Their Cruise Departure
A family’s cruise vacation has gone viral after a teenager was forced to leave their parents behind on a Caribbean island. The unidentified 18-year-old, posting on Reddit, explained how a dream family cruise turned into a nightmare due to their parents’ tardiness.
The teenager revealed that the cruise was a graduation and an 18th birthday present — a break from the usual all-inclusive resorts the family is accustomed to.
“I told my parents it was different and that if we went on excursions, we had to follow the schedule no matter what,” says the Reddit user.
To pre-empt any issues, the teenager explicitly warned their parents about the strict timetables on cruise ships. Despite these warnings, disaster struck during a port stop. The family became engrossed in shopping and exploring the local markets, oblivious to the approaching departure time. The teenager’s repeated pleas to return to the ship were ignored, leaving them with a heart-wrenching decision. Faced with the prospect of missing the cruise altogether, they boarded the ship without their parents.
“They missed the departure. By a lot. Like 45 minutes. They got ahold of me through WhatsApp. They wanted to know why I didn’t get the boat to wait for them,” the teenager resorts.
“I wanted to scream that they were not going to inconvenience 3,998 people because two could not understand what a schedule was,” they continue. “They ended up having to fly to the next port from there, and it was expensive. They are pissed at me for leaving them behind.”
The incident has sparked a heated online debate, with most sympathizing with the difficult decision and acknowledging the importance of cruise schedules.
“The docks and ship have a schedule to keep. They are adults and need to be responsible for getting back on time. Which is something you have figured out in less than six months of being an adult. At least you don’t have to go on any more vacations with them after this,” proclaims a Reddit commenter.
“What precisely do they think you could have done? Kidnapped the captain? Staged your own drowning?” says another.
No cruise line wants passengers to miss the departure time, and every company has different protocols for scheduling. That said, if you miss your cruise, you’ll have to purchase a flight ticket to the next port.
This is not the first report of passengers getting caught up with excursions and not getting to the vessel on time this year. Eight travelers on an African cruise were stranded on São Tomé and Príncipe, an island just to the east of Equatorial Guinea, in April. In this instance the group claimed they told the independent organized tour guide to call ahead to the ship to explain they were late. Despite efforts, they were not allowed to board the anchored vessel.
Bike Trails in Gunnison and Crested Butte, CO: From Singletrack to Gravel Rides
Despite being just half an hour apart, the communities of Gunnison and Crested Butte are very different. The former is a high desert college town with a river running through it, popular among anglers. The latter is a one-time mining city deep in the mountains, now famous for the challenging ski runs at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. One thing that links them: some of the best mountain biking and gravel riding in Colorado.
You could easily make a case for Gunnison County being the birthplace of mountain biking. In the 1970s, Crested Butte locals began fixing up one-speed “klunkers,” driving them up mountain passes in pick-up trucks, and bombing down the trails. From there came the legendary Pearl Pass ride, a lofty 40-mile trip to nearby Aspen over the mountains (more on that later). Organized races and trail-building eventually brought Crested Butte national attention as one of the best destinations for mountain biking in the country.
Biking infrastructure in Gunnison developed more recently, but the town has quickly made its mark with several trail networks within riding distance. More recently, the 1,000-plus miles of dirt roads that crisscross the surrounding landscape have attracted eager gravel bikers (and serve as part of the 2,700-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route). With first-rate terrain waiting outside any front door in Gunnison and Crested Butte, riders have countless reasons to come — and stay for a while to pedal and explore. Here’s where to point your tires when you visit.
CRUISING FROM CRESTED BUTTE
Photo: Gunnison Crested Butte
If you decide to set up camp in Crested Butte, a typical ride day might look like this: Wake up at the centrally located Old Town Inn, Elk Mountain Lodge, or Crested Butte Hostel. Hop on your bike, ride to Camp 4 Coffee for a caffeine fix, and then head straight to the trails. Don’t stop pedaling until you’re back in Crested Butte for aprés at Kochevars Saloon & Gaming Hall, Talk of the Town, or Montanya Distillers. It’s that easy to access epic trails — just note that many of the higher elevation bike routes in the area don’t open until June, depending on snow conditions.
Snodgrass Trail | Mountain bikingFor a low-elevation option, this 7-mile out-and-back trip makes for a mellow ride, but the scenery is anything but subdued. The Snodgrass Trail swaddles you in beautiful aspen groves and flower meadows before revealing a wide-open view of Crested Butte and the surrounding lands. Be sure to check if it’s open before you head out — the trail, which intersects with private land, sometimes closes for seasonal cattle grazing.
Lily Lake | Gravel bikingA beginner-intermediate route, this 20-mile round-trip takes you around a lake and back to town. The convenient start and end point means you can grab breakfast at Butte Bagels, start your ride from nearby Whiterock Avenue, and then brake for a beer at The Eldo or a slice at Secret Stash later on — all in one fell swoop (well, loop).
Lupine Trail | Mountain biking
Photo: Gunnison Crested Butte
Crested Butte is famous for its meadow-ringed trails, and this route (in season) is a perfect example. It’s fairly easygoing, totaling 7 miles from the trailhead or a bit longer from your doorstep, the perfect length for a shorter morning or afternoon tour. There’s no parking at the east end of the trail, where you’ll want to start your ride, so plan to make a loop from town — head up the rec path, west over to Lupine 1 and 2, and then back via Slate River Road or Lower Loop. Expect magnificent views of flowers as you climb and descend about 900 feet.
Kebler Pass | Gravel bikingThis 30-mile gravel route connects Crested Butte and the town of Paonia. It’s less rugged and lower in elevation than some of the other famous dirt routes in the region. Kebler Pass is also a great place to see the aspens change color in the fall, and it can be fat-biked in winter.
401 Trail | Mountain biking
Photo: Gunnison Crested Butte
This classic 14-mile mountain bike loop starts just outside of town, whisking you to incredible views, summer wildflowers, tight singletrack, and a 1,500-foot descent to round things off. If you only have time for one trail in Crested Butte, make it this one. You won’t find a better floral show in the valley — expect brilliant yellow mule’s ear blooms in the first half of summer and blankets of purple fireweed later on.
Pearl Pass | Gravel bikingWhere it all started: the classic spartan route to Aspen. First, ride to the 12,710-foot pass and back, a climb of more than 3,000 feet. Then head over the top to nearby Ashcroft or join the weekend Pearl Pass Tour in September to ride the full 38 miles (and more on Sunday). Wider tires are recommended; though this is a dirt road, it’s very rocky and demanding.
Reno-Flag-Bear-Deadman’s Gulch | Mountain bikingA rollercoaster of a ride, this three-climb linkup loop (19 miles all told) offers the toughest ascent in town and some ripping downhills. Note that segments of the trail can get rutted from dirt-bike use, but you’ll love riding it regardless.
GETTING FLOWY FROM GUNNISON
Photo: Gunnison Crested Butte
Hilly, rocky Gunnison is an epicenter of staggering views, thanks to the encompassing public lands and the soaring Collegiate, Sawatch, San Juan, and West Elk ranges farther afield. For gravel riders, one benefit of basing here is that you can build your own adventure tour on hundreds of miles of national forest trails that connect Gunnison to the historic towns of Tincup, Pitkin, and Ohio City. For lodging, try locally owned inns like the golf-oriented Gunnison Inn at Dos Rios and The Inn at Tomichi Village, overnight at the Mesa Campground, or get a cheap bunk at The Wanderlust Hostel. You won’t find a huge party scene in Gunnison, but many of the half-dozen eateries at the center of town celebrate its bike culture with cheeky, trail-named menu items. Together with local-roast coffee shops like Tributary and Double Shot — where, conveniently, you can also get your bike serviced — you’re bound to stay fueled and ready to ride.
Frontside Loop | Mountain bikingLocated just outside of town, Hartman Rocks offers endless riding, with 45 miles of technical singletrack. The 12-mile Frontside Loop gives a more intermediate introduction to the region. One major highlight is Rattlesnake, a cross-country ride that’ll have you winding through Gunnison’s characteristic sagebrush and tracing a rollicking granite ridge while admiring peak views (literally). If you feel competitive, come for the Original Growler race over Memorial Day weekend and choose between a 20-, 32-, and 40-mile ride.
Hartman Rocks | Gravel bikingBeyond its mountain biking trails, Hartman Rocks is a 14,000-acre Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcel that’s chock-full of dirt roads for gravel enthusiasts, plus lots of dispersed camping options for those looking for an overnight. It’s basically a choose your own adventure when it comes to gravel biking.
Signal Peak | Mountain biking
Photo: Gunnison Crested Butte
East of Gunnison, the Signal Peak trail system has upwards of a dozen cross-country routes that showcase the area’s rolling hills. Locals love the 1.6-mile fast and curvy Chicken Wing descent, which is pleasantly rideable for cyclists of all levels. To make a loop out of it, take Contour to Rasta Gulch and then Ridgeline — you’ll be rewarded with grand views of the Sawatch and San Juan ranges at the top before zipping down Chicken Wing.
Maggie Pass | Gravel bikingJust outside of Gunnison, this 37-mile loop is a full-day gravel adventure, but it never gets too technical. There are also opportunities to shorten or lengthen your ride here, depending on your legs and appetite for challenge.
Doctor Park | Mountain biking
Photo: Gunnison Crested Butte
Can’t decide between Gunnison and Crested Butte? Doctor Park splits the difference, located between the two towns in Taylor Canyon. Expect a grind of a climb and a fast, flowy downhill on this 20-mile expert loop. Bonus points if you come during fall to admire the aspens (and rip through a large grove when you get to Jedi Woods). This area is no stranger to gravel riders either, with some excellent options around Almont, Taylor Park, Taylor Reservoir, and Spring Creek Road. Spend a couple of nights at Campfire Ranch if you’re not ready to leave Taylor Canyon after just one ride.
Gunni Grinder | Gravel bikingIf you’re curious to see how your skills and endurance stack up against other riders, the Gunni Grinder is a gravel bike race that takes place in September. Starting and ending in downtown Gunnison, the full loop spans a whopping 120 miles, but there are 30- and 60-mile out-and-back options as well. Yes, it’s as intense as it sounds.
Across Gunnison and Crested Butte, riders are spoiled for choice: mountain trails or gravel routes, epic ascents or meandering flow trails, personal bests or proper competitions. But deciding to make Gunnison and Crested Butte your next biking destination? That’s a no-brainer.
June 10, 2024
Maybe Not Every Corner of the World Needs to Be Immediately Accessible
A couple of weeks back, as I was doing research for an article about Antarctica cruises, I realized that the seventh continent is a very busy place. There are well over a dozen cruise lines traveling to Antarctica, some making up to 40 sailings per season. Not only that, but there are also private first-class flights to Antarctica available for those who want to take a day trip to the end of the Earth. Somehow, it all feels wrong.
I love traveling and, as a travel writer, my job is to encourage people to get out there and see more of the world, but these days it all feels too much to me. We can go anywhere, whenever we want: Greenland, Svalbard, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), the Galapagos Islands, and more in just a couple of flights. There’s no challenge any longer, all we have to do is type in the numbers on our credit card and we’re off. I wonder if without the pain of getting to a hard-to-reach place, we don’t really enjoy it like we should. I wonder if the ease with which we access every corner of the world is making us a little entitled and jaded.
One thing for sure, the ease of travel is partly to blame for how similar places around the world are starting to look. The more people who travel to one area, the more that business owners feel the pressure to adhere to a certain aesthetic that has mass appeal versus the distinct attributes that make a place unique. The most popular Airbnbs, hotels, and cafés all have the same phoney, Instagram-friendly vibe whether you’re in London, Mexico City, Prague, or Hanoi. There’s a potted fiddle-leaf fig and a macrame wall-hanging piece in wish-listed apartment rentals in remote jungles and mountain towns alike. Don’t get me started on the number of signs that say “Live, laugh, love” or “But first, coffee” that I’ve encountered — even in locations where people barely speak English.
But interior decor, no matter how pathetic, and our senses, no matter how dulled, are likely the least-problematic consequences of ever-growing accessibility. Making every corner of the world reachable has huge environmental impacts, sometimes even destroying the very thing we’re looking for by traveling.
Take the Tren Maya for example. The massive new rail project in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula makes it easy for tourists to go from popular areas like Cancún to rural areas along a five-state route. However, to build the 966-mile long train tracks that will connect cities, archeological sites, protected natural sites, tourist attractions, and smaller towns, large swathes of the lush Yucatán jungle, home to Indigenous communities and wildlife, had to be cleared. Inevitably, locals were displaced, and cenotes — underground water-filled caverns so loved by visitors to the regions — were polluted and paved over. All of that in the name of accessibility and the expectation that if you build it the tourists will come, and bring their money with them.
When the COVID-19 pandemic closed all borders and restricted travel to a minimum, I remember thinking that maybe that was some sort of warning to all travelers: “It’s been a little too easy and abundant lately, let’s just reset.” But now, four year later, long after the era of “revenge travel” when we were seemingly so vacation-starved that we went on a booking frenzy, it seems that we are exactly where we were back in 2019 and no lesson has been learned.
I understand the appeal to go and see the beauty of remote and previously mysterious places — places yet unspoiled by the bulldozer that is the always-expanding tourism industry. To see majestic wild animals in their natural habitats. But I also wish that some places could remain sacred, known but left alone. Inaccessible. Mostly for the good of our planet and its wildlife, and for the benefit of the traditional inhabitants of the those places whose pockets might be fuller but whose peace is forever shattered. But also for our imagination. If every corner of the world’s been visited, photographed, and written about in details ad nauseam, there’s very little for us to dream and feel curious about.
Tourists taking a polar bear watching tour in Manitoba, Canada. Photo: aceshot1/Shutterstock
Some places understand the benefit of restricting access to visitors. Antarctica does that to a certain extent; only cruise ships with 500 guests or fewer can make land on the white continent. So do the Faroe Islands which, having experienced a huge boom in visitors in the past few years, “closes for maintenance” once per year, only allowing voluntourists in the country. Other places are hitting us where it hurts most: our wallets. For example, the Galapagos Islands are hoping that doubling the entrance fee to the park will deter some tourists (the ones who can’t afford it) from visiting while still bringing in much-needed revenue that’s used to fund conservation. But is it enough?
With my over two decades of traveling, I realize it’s very difficult to explore the world while fully protecting and respecting it at the same time. I’m not sure it’s a balance we can even strike. Those who love to travel, including me, don’t really want to rein themselves in. They want to enjoy what the world offers to the fullest, and that’s understandable. But until there are answers to problems like over tourism, cultural preservation, and more, perhaps the places that will best keep their sense of individuality are the ones that find a sustainable way to welcome travelers — even if that means becoming more inaccessible.
This Hip Phoenix Hotel Showcases the City’s Rising Uptown Neighborhood
Rise Uptown Hotel is a cool place to be in a neighborhood that’s on its way up – the type of hotel that guests – and even locals – actually want to hang out at. The hotel occupies two recently remodeled buildings 20 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The property is a three-level bastion of mid-mod sublimity, part Palm Springs pool bar and part 1960s Hollywood, a vibe that encapsulates the rise of its area as the new “place to be” in Phoenix. A row of perfectly manicured palms shade the patios of garden- and second-level rooms. I arrived from the airport in a Waymo autonomous car, and stepping out of the most modern of technologies into the hotel’s throwback vibe had me feeling like Brad Pitt in “Once Upon A Time . . . in Hollywood.” Not a bad way to kick off a work trip.
We hope you love Rise Uptown Hotel! 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.
What the rooms are like at Rise Uptown Hotel
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Photo: Tim Wenger
Photo: Tim Wenger
Photo: Tim WengerThough located on the bustling, six-lane West Camelback Road hotel, Rise Uptown Hotel is noticeable from a couple blocks away. Its right angle-dominated architecture is complemented by bright colors – the orange star on the sign for Don Woods’ Say When rooftop bar, the endless Phoenix sunshine reflecting off the cacti in the lobby garden. Rooms at the hotel are cement-floored and minimally decorated, seemingly to optimize airflow and keep the room cool even on the hottest summer days. I stayed in a Balcony room overlooking the pool, a work desk topped with a single small cactus to my right and a king bed to the left with a single reading chair between it and the room-sized window and balcony. The room’s minimalist aesthetic doesn’t make it warmly welcoming, but warm isn’t what you want in Phoenix, especially in late May. I felt comfortable and immediately relaxed.
The bed linens are airy and light, perfect for the climate, and I slept comfortably without having to freeze myself out with air con. The pool bar played music until 10 PM right outside, though it became quiet right after the top of the hour and even when the bar was open, the vibe was more relaxed than rowdy. I found it soothing as I capped the night with a writing session on the balcony. If you’re particularly sensitive to noise and go to bed early, however, request a room in the other building.
The shower is large and the showerhead rains water down with ample pressure. All bathroom accessories from shampoo to soap are bulk, meaning no trash on your part. There’s plenty of space to lounge, work, or even unfurl a yoga mat in the room without feeling cramped. Natural sunlight beams through floor-to-ceiling windows, plenty enough to read by. My only knock on the room is that there is nowhere to plug in a USB or mini-USB charger. I forgot my standard plug for my phone charger, and upon realizing I wouldn’t be able to charge felt that a clock or light with a USB port could be a nice – and modern – touch.
On-site dining at Rise Uptown Hotel
Photo: Tim Wenger
Photo: Tim WengerAn experiential hotel needs experiential dining, and Lylo Swim Club is Rise Uptown Hotel’s take. The menu is Mexican-inspired coastal cuisine and ideal for the restaurant’s poolside setting. I’ve never been able to pinpoint the reason, but lounging by the water seems to send calorie concerns away with the tide, a positive when you’re trying to get a true taste for a restaurant.
We started with Carne Asada Fries, a massive plate of crinkle fries loaded nacho-style with toppings. Two of us barely made a dent. We also shared a chips and guac, which came in handy during the main course.
I then moved on to a plate of chicken tinga tacos, a lighter option that complemented both the increasing temperature and my fruity cocktail of choice, the Lazy Daze, made of mezcal, tropical fruits, and a bit of grapefruit soda. I love tinga and make a point to overindulge on the tomato-sauce-simmered chicken recipe each time I’m in Mexico. Lylo’s hit the spot – soft meat that, were there to be a bone, would have fallen right off it. A bit heavy on the crema sauce, but that’s easily remedied with the quick swipe of a tortilla chip over the top of each. I flew down to Phoenix that morning and skipped breakfast, and was therefore quite hungry by lunch. This meal hit the spot – a solid place to end a bout of intermittent fasting.
Beyond Lylo, the hotel offers popsicles, including of the boozy variety, at the front desk, which more than a dozen types to choose from. Each room receives two coupons for a free popsicle, and I cashed in one of mine for a late-night (9:30 PM, because I’m a dad) paloma pop after returning to the hotel after dinner. It tasted just like the cocktail should and made for a perfect nightcap on my room’s patio. Atop one of the hotel’s buildings is Don Wood’s Say When rooftop bar, which overlooks the downtown Phoenix skyline, possible to do here even from only a few floors up. The bar is open Thursday to Monday evenings.
Open each morning at 7 AM, Cartel Roasting Co. occupies a standalone space on the Rise campus adjacent to Lylo Swim Club. I spent an early morning working on an article in the shop while sipping a drip coffee. The coffeeshop makes for an excellent amenity not least given that there is no coffee in the rooms (props to Rise for not stocking Keurig Krap Drippers, or seemingly any single-use plastic products at all). Cartel is legit – the barista explained to me in details that soared over my head the intricacies of the Colombia Buesaco in my mug, and while my contribution to the conversation was minimal, my level of productivity while sipping was quite high. As a remote worker who’s frequently on the road, I spend a lot of time in coffeeshops, and will seek out a Cartel location next time I’m in Phoenix.
The scene at Lylo Swim Club
Photo: Tim Wenger
Photo: Tim WengerI arrived to Rise Uptown Hotel at about 10 AM and had requested early check-in. After dropping my stuff in the room, I headed down to the pool at Lylo Swim Club, where I had a lounger reserved. I brought my laptop hoping to get some work done, but only got through about 20 minutes before the pool tempted me in for a swim. Even at this somewhat early hour, about a dozen others hung around the pool deck, hopping into the water intermittently to cool off and otherwise socializing on the loungers over cocktails. A trendy hotel’s mid-mod-themed pool club in an increasingly hip part of Phoenix is undeniably a cool place to be – and the crowd here fits that bill. It’s a friendly atmosphere, quite inclusive gauging by the nature of those around me, and gives the hotel a “destination” vibe. The bartender told me that many who visit the swim club are locals.
When I arrived back at the hotel in the evening at about 9 PM, the pool scene had the vibe of a trendy lounge. Cocktails were flowing, laughs were aplenty, and the hot tub was filled with six or seven people who all seemed to know each other. Aside from the pool itself, Lylo encompasses the restaurant which offers seating and a bar separate from the pool deck.
What else to know about Rise Uptown Hotel
Photo courtesy Rise Uptown Hotel
Among the best things about Rise Uptown Hotel is its location right along the Phoenix Valley Metro light rail. There’s a station right across the street, making this an ideal place to base yourself if visiting Phoenix without a car. It’s part of a growing trend of businesses working to make Phoenix easier to get around by transit, and I took full advantage – I took the train downtown and back again during my stay and found the experience to be easy and very convenient.
Note that there is no gym onsite, but there’s an LA Fitness just a couple blocks up the road. I walked over there in the morning for a quick workout. Rooms at Rise Uptown Hotel start at around $121 per night for a basic room without a balcony, and proceed upward from there. If you know you’ll be dining or drinking on-site, there’s an option to add a $25 food and beverage credit onto your room at a steep discount. The nicest rooms at the hotel are located poolside and have a private fire pit, and there are plenty of balcony rooms overlooking the pool as well, including the one I stayed in. It’s a great place for a work trip to Phoenix because there’s no semblance of corporate overlords or cookie-cutter mundanity – even a short time on the property is enough to inspire one’s creative juices. I work (and sleep) better in such a state, and plan to return to Rise the next time around.
Airbnb Is Hosting an Olympic Games Opening Ceremony Party on the Seine With the 2024 Game Torch Creator
On the evening of Friday, July 26, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris will unveil its rooftop terrace transformed into a secret garden for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration to mark the beginning of the 2024 Olympic Games. This exclusive event, hosted by the visionary designer Mathieu Lehanneur, the creator of the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch, promises 30 lucky attendees — 15 Airbnb experience guests and their plus ones — an extraordinary evening fusing the spirit of the Olympics and the beauty of art, all set against the backdrop of the Parisian skyline.
Photo: Airbnb/Wendy Huynh
See more photosThe Airbnb experience begins with a private guided tour through the Musée d’Orsay’s collection of Impressionist art — the largest in the world.
Photo: Airbnb/Wendy Huynh
See more photosAfter admiring masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, and Degas, you’ll be whisked up to the terrace over the Seine to view this year’s Olympic torch and for cocktails by acclaimed mixologist Margot LeCarpentier. Not only is this one of the most spectacular views in Paris, but you’ll be able to watch the Opening Ceremony.
Photo: Airbnb/Wendy Huynh
See more photosThis is the first time in the Olympic and Paralympic Games history that the Opening Ceremony will be held outside a traditional stadium setting. Beginning at 7.30 PM (UTC), around 10,500 athletes will parade down the river on over 150 boats. As the parade passes, Kirou, founder of the Parisian music collective 99GINGER, will be on the decks with a live DJ set so you can dance and celebrate with your friends under the Parisian sky.
Photo: Airbnb/Wendy Huynh
See more photosBooking for this once-in-a-lifetime event is free and opens on June 13 at 9:00 AM ET on Airbnb. Interested parties must read the Host rules on the listing before entering. You will need the Airbnb mobile app, a completed profile, and be a legal resident of an eligible country or region. All guests must have a digital pass (Pass Jeux) to enter the Musée d’Orsay, which is located within the security perimeter of the Games. Information on how to obtain a pass will be provided to those selected. Guests must be over 18+.
This Motor Lodge Is the Best Place to Crash Along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Think a motel is a place to back into under the cloak of darkness and slink out of before first light? The recently revived Bardstown Motor Lodge in Kentucky makes you think again. Located downtown in the “Bourbon Capital of the World”, this roadside tourist court is more boutique inn with summer camp energy than anonymous pit stop.
The first venture from the Common Bond Hotel Collection, Bardstown Motor Lodge is a buzzing destination with glossy accommodations and communal space aplenty. A stay revolves around having a criminally good time at the Bardstown Swim Club and clinking mint juleps at the on-property restaurant and bar, Toogie’s Table.
Pitched at bachelor parties, whiskey fanciers, and road trippers with a love of nostalgia, this is a motel you want to be seen in.
We hope you love the Bardstown Motor Lodge! 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.
Bardstown Motor Lodge provides hyper-hip lodging on the Kentucky Bourbon TrailThe Bardstown Motor Lodge comprises 30 comfortable guest rooms and five spacious suites. While the freshened-up exterior still rings true to the classic two-story motel of the last century, there’s nothing shady about the rooms. Brightly lit units are accented with electric blue wooden wall panels and modern mid-century furnishings.
Tucked behind sliding stable doors, bathrooms are turned out with upcycled materials. Signature beds are topped with mega-thick mattresses and crisp linens that’ll bear the brunt of one too many chasers. All rooms and suites have a coffee maker, posh toiletries, and hotel-standard bath robes.
Get the party off to a flying start with a king suite. Accommodating groups of four, all five first-floor suites come with a personal wet bar and direct access to the poolside.
Bardstown Swim Club: a “glampground” for grown-ups
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Photo: Booking
Photo: Booking
Photo: Booking
Photo: BookingDesigned to be a hang-out, not a hide-out, the pool deck is the life and soul of the Bardstown Motor Lodge 2:0. The sun-soaked pool is bounded by cabanas, loungers, and Adirondacks where you can guzzle bourbon slushies between laps.
Under the Bardstown Swim Club umbrella, there’s a vintage rec room complete with bar games and a fire-pit zone stocked with all the essentials for a rollicking s’mores party. This is a pet-friendly motel which only adds to the “paw-some” vibe.
Lodge guests have complimentary access to the pool club daily between 11:00 AM and 10:00 pm. Non-residents may snap up a pass for a bargain of $20 per person.
Good food, good booze, good people at Toogie’s TableThere’s no need to roam Third Street with a growling stomach. The chef-led Toogie’s Table is the best restaurant in Bardstown for wholesome farm-to-table Kentucky fare. It’s an easygoing tavern with a private dining salon for hire at Upstairs at Toogie’s.
The kitchen collaborates with regional farmers to showcase local and seasonal ingredients wherever possible. Traditional recipes earn a modern Americana twist: fried chicken comes marinated in apple sauce slathered in hot honey while cast iron salmon is served in a pool of kimchi brodo bone broth.
Stomach responsibly lined, grab a pew at the tasting bar on the second floor where mixologists demonstrate how to turn Kentucky bourbons and top-shelf liquors into next-level cocktails. The bar hosts ad hoc masterclasses and tastings; it’s worth dropping them a line before check-in about bespoke events.
One too many sips of juice last night? The “hangover hash” brunch will put you back on track.
Fun group activities around BardstownBardstown Motor Lodge overlooks the sprawling My Old Kentucky Home State Park. Museum tours led by “singing” guides reveal scandalous tales and intriguing tidbits from this 19th-century mansion. Special events include murder mystery dinners, cocktail workshops, and Barton 1792 bourbon tastings.
Over 6,350 yards of the estate grounds are occupied by the PGA Professional 18-hole golf course. Public green fees are $35 on weekdays and $40 on weekends and holidays. Booking a tee time is recommended to avoid disappointment, especially as part of a bachelor getaway. Tally up and settle any bets over a whiskey tasting at the Heaven Hill distillery, conveniently placed on the course perimeter.
A medley of biking, boating, and fishing activities is available at Taylorsville Lake, a 30-minute drive from the motor lodge in Bourbon Country. The legendary 3rd Street Tap House which stocks dozens of craft ales and close to a hundred bourbons and hosts regular music gigs is two minutes away by Uber.
Getting to Bardstown Motor Lodge
Photo: Booking
Photo: Booking
Photo: Booking
Photo: BookingSitting right off the Route 150 highway in downtown Bardstown, this boutique motel is 34 miles from Louisville International Airport and 59 miles from Lexington. And, in homage to the golden era of motels, all units come with a free parking spot.
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