Matador Network's Blog, page 177

Google Will Soon Make Searching For Train Travel as Easy as Using Google Flights

Despite a recent report published in the New York Times showing that taking a cross-country trip on Amtrak is less sustainable than flying the same route, in general, riding the rails is a much cleaner way to get from A to B than air travel. (Greenpeace explains that the “overall climate impact of flying can be over 80 times worse than taking a train.”) That’s why countries like France are banning short-haul domestic flights when there are train alternatives of 2.5 hours or less. And that’s why Google will soon launch new features on Google Maps and Search that will help travelers find more sustainable alternatives to driving and flying.

For example, when looking for a driving route on Maps, travelers in 15 cities, including Rome, Sydney, London, Barcelona, and more, will soon be offered public transport and walking options that will require a similar amount of time. All in an effort to encourage people to opt for a more ecological way to move.

Photo: Google Blog

When looking at flights in Google Search, alongside flight options, travelers will also be offered long-distance train routes, so they can make a less carbon-hungry choice.

Those who already know they don’t want to fly will also soon find it easier to see all the options at their disposal. By searching for “Boston to Philadelphia train”, for example, they’ll get a schedule of the train journeys available, the duration of each ride, the prices, and the links to where they can make a booking. The same goes for long bus routes. This new feature is already available for trains in 38 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, and Switzerland, and for long-distance bus routes in 15 countries, including the US, Mexico, France, Germany, and Ireland.

Photo: Google Blog

But if you want to know more about train travel options throughout the world, there are few better places that Matador Network, where all your most-pressing questions about popular train routes are answered in details, including sleeper trains between London and Scotland, cross-Canada trains, and the London to Paris Eurostar.

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How to Find Out if Your Hotel Is Actually Sustainable – and Four Beautiful Ones That Are

Determining whether or not a specific hotel operates in an environmentally sustainable manner can be tough. Greenwashing abounds throughout the travel industry, and a full-circle approach involves more than swapping styrofoam food containers for biodegradable ones. It’s getting easier to tell whether a hospitality provider lives by what it says, however, thanks to the increased adoption of third-party certification in vetting hotels’ and resorts’ sustainability efforts. One prime example is the “Sustainability Certification” badge posted on validated property’s listings at the online travel agency site Booking.com.

Look for this depiction atop Booking.com listings. Photo: Screenshot/Booking.com

Since 2021, Booking.com has recognized certified sustainable property through its Sustainble Travel Program. It has since published an Annual Sustainable Travel Report to monitor the importance of sustainability across the travel industry. Coming across an accommodation labeled as more sustainable is more appealing to almost half of travelers (45 percent), according to Booking.com’s 2024 Sustainable Travel Report, and consistency of certification standards is critical to identifying these options with 67 percent agreeing that all travel booking sites should use the same sustainable certifications or labels.

How to find out if your hotel is actually sustainable

Photo courtesy Booking.com

A few factors to look into when booking a hotel, if sustainability is top of mind for you:

Does the property offer electric vehicle chargers onsite?Does the property run on renewable energy, and/or does it produce any of its own power through an on-site array?Does the property offer recycling?Is the property located near public transit, and/or is it walkable to the activities you plan to do while visiting?Does it provide plastic-heavy disposable toiletries, or are they zero-waste?How does the hotel’s food service operation handle food waste, and critically, where does it get its food?

This last point is an important factor often overlooked or misinterpreted because it’s so easy to slap a label like “locally sourced produce” on a menu. Often, that can mean little more than a few heads of lettuce were bought at the farmers’ market when in season. A restaurant or food service operation doing this the right way incorporates vast sourcing from local purveyors including farms, ranches, and other producers. It minimizes food waste through composting and other efforts, and prepares food fresh to order rather than pre-packaging it. Of course, it’s tough to be full circle at all times in a commercial kitchen environment, but properties making a true effort are generally quick to point out what they’re doing.

Travel inevitably impacts the environment – why do our choices matter?

Photo courtesy Booking.com

The only way to truly not let travel increase your carbon footprint is to stay home. However, when done correctly, the net benefit of travel is a positive for the traveler, the destination, and the planet. There are two primary reasons for this. First, travel opens the mind to broader perspectives and increases cultural understanding, which can increase empathy and, at the very least, showcase why conserving places and resources beyond one’s backyard is important. The second reason is simpler and less subjective: travel stimulates local economies. It creates jobs, reduces poverty, and can provide a significant economic boost to the destination.

The Booking.com report found that 62 percent of travelers realize they are the best version of themselves when they make conscious travel choices. It’s easy to impact those you travel with when you insist on doing things the right way. It’s also easy to leave that mantra as your travel legacy – when you patronize businesses that prioritize sustainable business models, your dollar stands as a vote for that way of operating.

“Of those who adopted sustainable behaviors on their travels, it was seen as an enhancement for 96% who did tours or activities for authentic, local, and cultural experiences, 93% who shopped at small, independent stores, and 93% who planned their trips so that they could walk, bike, or take public transport,” the study notes.

How Booking.com determines if a hotel is operating ‘sustainably’

According to Booking.com’s sustainability report, 71 percent of travelers wish to leave the places they visit better off. Where they stay can play a big role in helping them accomplish this. That’s because hotels consume a lot of energy – the average hotel spends more than $2,000 per room on electricity each year. That’s a lot of power, and offsetting even some of its carbon footprint by incorporating renewable energy or cutting down on electricity use can really make a difference.

“While many travelers have retained a sense of optimism and a desire to have a more positive impact, there is a critical opportunity for the industry to accelerate efforts to make those choices easier for everyone,” says Danielle D’Silva, head of sustainability at Booking.com, in the sustainability report. “It’s important that we continue ensuring that more sustainable options are not only readily available, but also easy to trust and understand.”

Booking.com analyzes several key metrics to determine how “green” a hotel’s operations are. Primarily, the property must be certified by an approved certification body that has dated its efforts to reduce its impact on the environment. Factors like energy use and how that energy is generated, how the property handles waste collection and removal, recycling programs, and the use of EnergyStar appliances and LEED metrics (or similar for non-US properties), are considered. Because the site lists badged properties around the globe, enacting a layer of consistency in its badging is a necessity.

The company employs Travalyst, a third-party company to determine this to be more transparent and avoid conflicts of interest. The online travel agency also works with BeCause to measure the data collected by Travalyst to verify that it meets Booking.com’s sustainability standards. Once this process is complete, a lodging property becomes eligible to have the sustainability badge displayed on its property.

“It’s important that we continue ensuring that more sustainable options are not only readily available, but also easy to trust and understand,” D’Silva says. “That’s where we believe further education, clear and consistent standards and credible third-party certification of legitimate sustainable practices across the travel experience can really help. “

Some of the world’s most beautiful hotels have earned Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel badge

Fortunately for travelers looking to book a badged hotel, there’s no need to sacrifice stunning properties and excellent service. Booking.com’s 2024 Sustainability Report found that badged properties are often located in destinations that prize sustainability and conservation, such as Monterrey, California, and Utrecht, Netherlands. In addition to those two destinations, Baie Sainte Anne, Seychelles, and Akunal, Mexico, offer exceptionally high percentages of eco-friendly lodging properties.

We hope you love these sustainable hotels! 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.

Portola Hotel & Spa – Monterrey, California

Photo courtesy Booking.com

The Portola Hotel & Spa prides itself on being environmentally conscious. It was the first truly “green” hotel in Central California and holds a U.S. Green Building Council LEED® Certification. The property incorporates sustainable practices throughout the hotel, from guest rooms featuring low-flow fixtures and LED lighting to offering organic bath amenities and using recycled materials. It even has a program for reducing waste at conferences.

What this hotel does to encourage sustainable travel:

Water conservation: The hotel has installed low-flow faucets, showerheads, toilets, and urinals.Energy efficiency: Guest rooms boast LED lighting and Energy Star® certified televisions and mini-refrigerators, reducing energy consumption.Sustainable Materials: The hotel uses bath amenities made from renewable and biodegradable materials, and offer hypoallergenic and organic mattresses.Eco-friendly conferences: The hotel offers a special program for conferences and events that emphasizes using reusable materials, composting food scraps, and recommending eco-friendly vendors.

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Grand Hotel Karel V – Utrecht, Netherlands

Photo courtesy Booking.com

It’s tough to gain sustainability certification when located in a historic property. Grand Hotel Karel V in Utrecht, Netherlands, has done it by focusing on its operations management. occupies part of the impressive Duitse Huis complex, which includes a section of a 14th-century monastery of the Teutonic Knights. The hotel offers an expansive garden stretching across much of the property, a fitting feature for its Netherlands location that allows for the placement not only of flowers but of vegetation that thrives in the local environment. Most rooms reside in a meticulously restored 1823 military hospital, offering a unique blend of old and new. The hotel also features a Roman-themed health center and an on-site restaurant and bar.The Grand Hotel

What this hotel does to encourage sustainable travel:

Sustainable procurement: They prioritize using environmentally certified suppliers who adhere to a specific code of conduct.Green cleaning: The hotel utilizes biodegradable cleaning products throughout the establishment.Water & energy management: While extensive renovations for maximum energy efficiency are difficult in a historical building, it does make optimal choices in equipment and energy management.Waste reduction: The hotel practices maximum waste separation with a dedicated storage facility.Locally sourced produce: The hotel collaborates with Maarschalkerweerd, a nearby organic vegetable garden, to incorporate fresh, local ingredients into their restaurant menus.

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Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya – Akumal, Mexico

Photo courtesy Booking.com

Just north of the Tulum Archaeological Site, Akumal is a respite from the hustle of the busy city centers in Tulum and Puerto Escondido. Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya is adults-only and offers the typical amenities of a Riviera Maya beach resort, though with a focus on minimizing its environmental impact. The buffet is expansive, the pool is beautiful, and the beach is right there. Guests can take the hotel’s airport shuttle from Cancun and once on the property, don’t need to leave if they don’t wish to – unless it is to visit the ruins or head out for some street tacos in town.

What this hotel does to encourage sustainable travel:

Environmental certification: They’ve achieved certification by Preferred by Nature, a program aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. This demonstrates the hotel’s commitment to minimizing its impact on the environment.Wildlife protection: Being located in Akumal Bay, which means “place of the turtle” in Mayan, the hotel actively participates in the Akumal Bay Management Plan. This plan promotes responsible practices to safeguard the local sea turtle population.

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Fairmont Pacific Rim – Vancouver, Canada

Photo courtesy Booking.com

Not to stay at a Fairmont hotel is not to fully experience travel in Canada. Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim, located in the heart of downtown along the waterfront, features a rooftop pool and hot tub, a massive gym, and a raw bar featuring locally sourced seafood.

What this hotel does to encourage sustainable travel:

Eliminating single-use plastics: The hotel achieved a major milestone by becoming the first North American hotel to be certified plastic-free by GreenStep Solutions. This means it’s replaced non-essential single-use plastics in guest rooms, public areas, restaurants, and the spa with reusable or sustainable alternatives. Examples include replacing plastic keycards with wooden ones, installing refillable toiletry dispensers, and offering fiber-based takeout containers.Sustainable seafood: The hotel’s commitment extends to their culinary offerings. It prioritizes using sustainably sourced seafood in all their restaurants, ensuring responsible fishing practices and healthy ocean ecosystems. The hotel has also adopted the Orbisk Food Waste System, a technology that helps them manage food waste more effectively.

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Six Places in the US Where You Can See Real Dinosaur Footprints

Believe it or not (and despite the popular film Jurassic Park), Tyrannosaurus rex lived in the late Cretaceous Period, not the Jurassic Period (which was 200 to 145 million years ago, after the Triassic Period). And since the Cretaceous period ended just 66 million years ago, that means dinosaurs roamed the earth for way, way, way longer than modern animals like humans have been around.

Fortunately, us humans are lucky to have evidence of the many years of dinosaurs’ existence all around us, especially for people who live in North America. While fossils are what most people think of when studying dinosaurs, the massive creatures left behind something else you can find all over the continent: tracks. And some of the coolest museums and parks in the US have preserved and protected those dinosaur footprints, allowing visitors to literally walk in the path of dinosaurs (or at least very near it).

Here are six sites around the US to visit to see dinosaur footprints in their natural environments.

Silvershield Trail, Colorado

Photo: Drew Hoffman/AllTrails

Visitors to Ouray County in southwestern Colorado can now count on being able to see an impressive series of dinosaur footprints when they hike the Silvershield Trail, thanks to a recent acquisition by the US Forest Service. It purchased 27 acres, including a 106-yard-long track of footprints left by one animal, moving approximately .5 miles per hour. They were made by a large long-necked sauropod, like a brachiosaurus or apatosaurus, and include 134 separate dinosaur footprints. The USFS plans to maintain the trail and add informational signage near the footprints.

The to the dinosaur footprints is considered more difficult, gaining about 1,700 feet of elevation over two miles (making it a four-mile hike round trip). Interestingly, the footprints are currently the only example in the world of a dinosaur turning more than 180 degrees — this dinosaur made a full 270-degree turn, it seems.

Silvershield Trail: Starts near the intersection of N. Oak St. and Silver Shield Trail Road (latitude: N38.038, longitude: W-107.681).

Dinosaur State Park, Connecticut

Photo: Dinosaur State Park/CTParks

Connecticut’s Dinosaur State Park has just about everything a dinosaur fan could want for a day outing, including outdoor trails, an impressive museum, and a massive preserved floodplain that includes more than 2,000 dinosaur footprints. The museum has a raised walkway that crosses the floodplain, which eventually dried out, preserving the footprints of the dinosaurs who last crossed through. The footprints were made mostly in the Jurassic era and were first found in the 1960s.

Most of the floodplain has been covered to preserve the footprints for research, but a large sections is open to guests. Also available at the park are multiple exhibits on dinosaurs, a botanical garden with more than 250 species of plants from the Mesozoic Era, just like how it would have looked when dinosaurs roamed the planet. You can even make plaster casts of the dinosaur footprints to take home. It’s supposed to be for kids, sure, but it’s open to dinosaur fans of any age.

It’s open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission for adults is $6.

Dinosaur State Park: 400 West St, Rocky Hill, CT 06067

Dinosaur Ridge, Colorado

Photo: Danielle Beder/Shutterstock

Dinosaur Ridge, near Golden, Colorado, is a place rich in prehistoric history. Researchers have found more than 300 fossilized footprints at the site, representing various dinosaur species and even an ancient crocodile. It was discovered in 1876 and is known by paleontologists as a “dinosaur freeway” for the many prints left behind — it was obviously a popular route.

Millions of years ago, the area was a muddy shore line that became a geologic time capsule, preserving very detailed prints. The exposed rock face is open to the public, with multiple tracks. The size and depth of the footprints offer clues about the dinosaurs that roamed the area, from lumbering sauropods that left oversized “brontosaur bulges” to smaller tracks left by bipedal herbivores.

There are two ways to explore this Colorado dinosaur footprint park, in addition to a self-guided tour. Visitors can take a guided tour, or step up the educational factor by exploring the tracks alongside a geologist, who will explain everything from how the valley formed to what creatures lived there, how the fossils were made, and the site’s history as part of a massive interior sea that divided North America.

While most dinosaur attractions are targeted at kids, Dinosaur Ridge has plenty of programs for adults who want to learn more about the site and its history. Dinosaur Ridge runs adult multi-day trips that visit some of the areas top paleontological sites, plus evening programs. It also has multiple lectures every month on dinosaur-adjacent topics. They’re in person, but also available on Zoom, for dinosaur fans who don’t live in Colorado. The site is also the producer of the podcast “Fossil histories and paleo mysteries.”

It’s open daily, 9 AM to 5 PM (4 PM in the winter). Admission starts at $18 for adults.

Dinosaur Ridge, Colorado: 16831 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, CO 80465

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site, Utah

 

 

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The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site is a popular draw for dinosaur enthusiasts thanks to thousands of fossilized dinosaur footprints, preserved where they were made nearly 200 million years ago. But the footprints were on private land and were only discovered in the year 2000, when the owner was doing yard work and uncovered what turned out to be the oldest dinosaur footprint site in Utah.

There are 17 distinct tracks at the site, many of which are incredibly well preserved in detail and depth. They’re all from the Jurassic period, and include dinosaur footprints from species including dilophosaurus, a dimorphodon (similar to a pterodactyl), and a protosuchus (similar to a crocodile).

The museum is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, with an entry fee of $10 per adult and $5 for children.

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm: 2180 E Riverside Dr, St. George, UT 84790

Dinosaur Footprints Reservation, Massachusetts

Photo: AllTrails/Joan Blaustein

The Dinosaur Footprints Reservation is a small wilderness area in Holyoke, Massachusetts, managed by a private organization but with assistance from the Massachusetts  Department of Conservation & Recreation. It has some of the first known dinosaur footprints in North America, found back in 1836.

The dinosaur tracks are visitors today, preserved in sandstone. They’re from the early Jurassic Period and there are hundreds of viewable footprints, all easy to access via the center’s short walk (only .2 miles long). It’s to find the dinosaur tracks, some of which were likely made by T. Rex itself. There are also fossilized plants from a similar period, as well as ripple marks from an ancient pool.

The reservation is free to visit and open daily sunrise to sunset from April 1 to the end of November. It’s closed in winter due to icy road conditions.

Dinosaur Footprints Reservation: 099 US-5, Holyoke, MA 01040

Clayton Lake State Park, New Mexico

Photo: Clayton Lake State Park and Dinosaur Trackway

Clayton Lake State Park in northern New Mexico has one of the most extensive dinosaur trackways in North America, with more than 500 dinosaur footprints from at least eight different species. These tracks were left behind on in the mud about 100 million years ago, back when this area was part of a sandy ocean bed that dried up over time. The dinosaur footprints were found in the 1950s when they built the Clayton Lake Dam.

The largest dinosaur footprints are likely from an Iguanodon or a close relative. Some are quite small, made by dinosaurs no longer than a foot long, while some come from creatures that were likely around 30 feet long. There’s educational signage along the long walkway to help visitors imagine the prehistoric creatures that once roamed the area.

The park is open daily with no entrance fee.

Clayton Lake State Park: 141 Clayton Lake Rd, Clayton, NM 88415

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Rome’s Newest Historical Attraction Is Mussolini’s Underground Bunker

Rome is chock-full of significant historical attractions. Chief among them the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, all of which have been there for several centuries. The city’s newest tourism spot, Mussolini’s underground bunker, has only been there for about 80 years, but it’s one visitors to the Eternal City would be remiss to pass on.

In 1929, Italy’s fascist leader Benito Mussolini, along with his wife and five children, moved to Villa Torlonia, a large property consisting of multiple buildings and surrounded by an immense garden located in Rome’s Nomentano neighborhood. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, when Italy entered the Second World War, flighting on the side of the Axis, Mussolini thought it wise to protect himself from Allies air raids. He had several underground air raid shelters built: one under his office in Piazza Venezia, one in the EUR district, and multiple ones under his private residence, Villa Torlonia.

In Villa Torlonia, Mussolini’s protection system consists of three underground armored air raid shelters all built at different time during the Second World War. The first one, Cantina Shelter, was built in 1940 and equipped with an anti-gas system; the second, Casino Nobile Shelter, was built in 1941 and had 47-inch thick reinforced concrete walls; the third, the bunker, which was started in 1942 but never finished, has 13-foot thick walls and is located over 21 foot underground.

Photo: MUSEI DI VILLA TORLONIAPhoto: MUSEI DI VILLA TORLONIA

Two of Villa Torlonia’s underground shelters are now open to the public: the Casino Nobile Shelter and the 1942 bunker. English-speaking guided tours take place every Saturday at 11 AM and cost $12.85 (12€) and tickets can be purchased on site.

While Villa Torlonia’s underground shelters were open in the past (in 2006 for a short period of time), they had to close due to high levels of radon. Remediation efforts have made the site safe for visitors and multimedia displays now allow for an immersive experience, showing Mussolini’s life at Villa Torlonia and taking visitors back to when Rome was the target of aerial bombardments by the Allied Forces.

Photo: Enzoartinphotography/ShutterstockPhoto: DedMityay/ShutterstockPhoto: Only Fabrizio/Shutterstock

Beyond the underground shelters, extensive parts of Villa Torlonia, home to three museums, are also open to the public, including the property’s lush park.

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Whistler Is Your Summer Adventure Base Camp. Here’s How to Do It All on Your Trip.

Nobody knows better than British Columbia residents why Whistler is a legend among mountain towns. Those who live in the province also have the privilege of only having to travel a short distance to get there. But even if you live close enough to visit Whistler in a day or a weekend, there’s no reason to rush — the best memories are made when you take the time to savour your experiences, and slowing down always helps you travel more intentionally.

Visit midweek to see a mellower side of Whistler while helping to keep it pristine. (Bonus points if you shuttle in to cut back on emissions.) The same principle applies to crafting your ideal itinerary — make getting around part of the adventure by walking and cycling wherever you can, show less-crowded trails a little love, and spend time in town supporting Whistler’s own. Here’s how to do it all, starting with the obvious: Whistler’s world-class outdoors.

Relax or get active in a new park every day.

Photo: Tourism Whistler/Justa Jeskova

Whistler is home to some of the world’s most stunning scenery, much of which is on display in public parks and easily accessible provincial parks, such as Garibaldi Park. Many of these open spaces are probably what you picture when you think of a public park, with grassy lawns, picnic tables, sports courts, or family-friendly play areas. Others up the ante for active types — chief among them Whistler Bike Park, which is turning 25 this summer.

Open all summer long, Whistler Bike Park is one of the foremost downhill mountain biking parks in the world, with 70 trails suited to first-timers, advanced riders, and everyone in between. July is a particularly exciting month for the park — join thousands of the best riders and most enthusiastic MTB fans in the world this July 19-28 at the annual Crankworx festival to experience exhilarating racing, slopestyle competitions, and more.

Hit the trails on foot or on wheels.

Photo: Tourism Whistler/Justa Jeskova

Hiking trails in Whistler range from “ah, that was pleasant” to “woah, you did what?!” Neighboring mountains Whistler and Blackcomb are epic alpine headquarters for both. As you ascend into the Coast Mountains, remember to pause, look around, and reflect on what it means to be a guest (and steward) of some of the world’s greatest outdoors.

At lower elevation, the Valley Trail quite literally paves the way between the town of Whistler and its scenic surroundings. No cars are allowed on the 46-plus-kilometre trail network, creating avenues for walkers, joggers, cyclists, and skaters to join Whistler in moving toward a more car-free future. Follow a piece of the trail from Whistler Village — perhaps to check out either Rainbow or Meadow Park — or connect to longer trail systems such as the Sea to Sky Trail that crosses British Columbia from Squamish to D’Arcy.

The Sea to Sky Trail takes you to the start of several fantastic hiking and biking trails. Try the Lost Lake area for cross-country biking or Brandywine Falls, Cheakamus Lake Trail, or Whistler Train Wreck for hiking. Whistler is also the perfect base camp for more advanced hikes, with some unbelievable day and overnight hikes along the Sea to Sky Corridor, including Squamish Chief, Black Tusk, Wedgemount Lake, and Whistler Blackcomb’s alpine trails.

Be sure to research your route and review backcountry etiquette tips before you hike. Some trails, like those in Joffre Lakes Park, require permits. You’ll also want to make sure you bring the right gear — including food, a reusable water bottle, and sunscreen — and know how long the route will take to ensure a safe, fun, and sustainable day.

Embrace summer with sunny lake days.

Photo: Tourism Whistler/Justa Jeskova

Few things are better on a summer day than a lakeside picnic. Getting out on the water in a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard with the mountains as your backdrop is one of those things. See for yourself when you walk or bike to one of the many lakes that run along the Valley Trail.

Five lakes conveniently fringe the route: Alpha, Nita, Alta, Lost, and Green. Alpha, Alta, and Lost Lake are full of amenities, ranging from sports courts and disc golf to summer-only food trucks. Alta Lake is also surrounded by several parks, including Rainbow, Blueberry, and Lakeside Park, where you can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. (Pro tip: save up to 15% on activities when you pre-book by June 30.) At Nita Lake, anglers will find plentiful rainbow trout to reel in, while Green Lake is the place to be for cliff-jumping into glacier-fed waters.

If you’re not keen on walking or cycling the Valley Trail on your lake day, all five lakes are also accessible by public transportation, yet another reason it’s easy to ditch the car while you’re in Whistler.

Get acquainted with Whistler Village.

Photo: Tourism Whistler/Justa Jeskova

After a day of adventure, dedicate some time to dining, shopping, and sightseeing in Whistler Village — all the while connecting with the people who keep it going. You might even catch a special seasonal event, such as the Whistler Farmers’ Market (held Sundays between mid-May and mid-October) or the Whistler Summer Concert Series, which stages free outdoor music performances across a huge variety of genres throughout July and August.

One of the biggest things that’ll keep you coming back to Whistler Village is its restaurants, which range from laid-back patios to fine dining. For casual eats, spend al fresco afternoons at The Beacon, Garibaldi Lift Company Bar & Grill, or Dubh Linn Gate (go for the patio, stay for the live music). Or maybe you’d rather grab a charcuterie board from Picnic Whistler to bring to the park (just remember to pack out your trash, of course). For cocktails, head to Raven Room or FireRock Lounge, then get a little fancy with a seasonal and local-focused dining experience at Barefoot Bistro.

Between bites, tour shops, museums, and cultural centers to see how much the small but mighty Whistler Village has to offer. Two highlights are the Audain Art Museum, which teaches you about British Columbia’s history, and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. To see both at a discount, buy the Whistler Cultural Pass for $30 per person.

Extend your stay to experience more.

Photo: Tourism Whistler/Guy Fattal

Summer recreation in Whistler runs the gamut from casual outdoor activities (think choosing between four different golf courses while the surrounding mountains survey your swing) to adrenaline-fueled excursions (perhaps ziplining through centuries-old trees or plunging 160 feet over the rippling Cheakamus River on a bungee cord).

To do it all — and do it responsibly — takes time. Luckily for summer travellers, Whistler has some fantastic deals on lodging and activities if you book before June 30. In addition to discounted accommodations, if you reserve a stay of three nights or longer, you’ll get an activity voucher for $100. Stay five nights and that voucher increases to $200.

This summer, take advantage of your backyard and give slow travel a try in Whistler for a week or two. For even more itinerary inspiration, check out this handy summer guide and start planning your Whistler trip.

The First Cave-Guiding Service in the World Is Still Taking People Underground 200 Years Later

The world’s first organized cave-guiding service began at Postojna Cave in Slovenia way back in 1824. Two hundred years later, the cave guides have led more than 42 million visitors through this natural wonder.

Described by Postojna Cave general manager Marjan Batagelj as “guardians of the cave,” the current team of 50 includes a range of expertise from electrical engineers, cavers, historians, biologists, geographers, a maths teacher, and linguists.

Photo: Postojna Cave/Iztok Medja

The beauty of Postojna Cave had been known for centuries by locals, but official exploration and tourist access came about in the early 1800s. Interest grew rapidly, and with the influx of visitors came the need for a more formal structure to manage cave tours.

Photo: Postojna Cave/Iztok Medja

The very first sworn cave guides were Franz Šibenik and Josip Vesel. Šibenik was chosen because he was literate, and Vesel due to his ability to speak German, which was important for the growing number of foreign visitors.

Over the years, the role of a cave guide has changed substantially. The guides speak at least two languages, and many have a comprehension of up to five. Although taking guided tours is a substantial part of their job, it’s also the crew’s responsibility to care for the underground environment and its animals, and many guides operate the train.

Photo: Postojna Cave/Iztok Medja

The Postojna Cave is part of a visitor’s park, with the main attraction being the cave system, which is the second-longest in Slovenia, measuring just over 15 miles. While the entire cave system is vast, only a three-mile section is open to the public. You can explore part of the route aboard the underground train — the only double-track cave railway in the world.

Photo: Postojna Cave/Iztok Medja

The tour lasts an hour and a half. It takes visitors through a complex system of tunnels past natural formations, including stalagmites, stalactites, and pillars, all sculpted by the Pivka River over millions of years. One of the most impressive formations is the Brilliant, a magnificent five-meter-tall white stalagmite.

Photo: Littleaom/Shutterstock

While there, you can also visit Predjama Castle, a Renaissance castle built right into the mouth of the cave. The dramatic castle, perched halfway up a 100-meter cliff, offers tours year-round, with highlights including the Knight’s Hall, the Dining Room featuring late Gothic décor, and the Renaissance Hall adorned with hunting trophies. It dates back over 800 years and is the largest cave castle in the world.

Postojna Cave Park is open daily, including public holidays. Tours are available in multiple languages, including English, Slovenian, Italian, and German, with audio guides available in 17 languages. If you’re a spelunker enthusiast, plan a day exploring the cave and castle. There are educational exhibitions, a cafe, and a restaurant, and you can even stay overnight at Hotel Jama — the park’s hotel, which has its own fascinating history with secret rooms you can investigate on a separate tour.

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One of the Most Highly Reviewed Video Baby Monitors Has a Travel Bundle, But There’s a Catch

A quality video baby monitor was one of the first things that landed on the to-buy list when my wife and I learned a baby was on the way. We gathered feedback from friends and family and turned to reviews in reputable recommendations publications like New York magazine’s The Strategist and the New York Times backed Wirecutter. One company kept popping up that we ended up going with: Nanit.

While there have been some occasional outages and difficulties, Nanit has overall worked well for us. The video app is simple to use, and the notifications for various sound levels or movement are easy to adjust. Considering the amount of travel we do with our baby and our reliance on Nanit for checking in on naps, we added in the $280 Traveling Camera Bundle.

It is unfortunately not build for regular travel, regardless of the name.

Nanit uses a lot of bandwidth. Which is fine at home, but can cause issues at family or friends houses. Then there’s the WiFi that Nanit doesn’t recommend, or allow use of at all. Chief among them are open networks, with a strong recommendation against using guest networks — the WiFi that you would encounter at most accommodations. The Traveling Camera Bundle is “for travel” in the sense that it has a portable stand, but it is not for travel where your only WiFi option is hotel WiFi or an Airbnb with a guest network.

It’s notoriously hard to get in contact with anyone from Nanit other than the basic on-page chatbot. I’m far from alone in noticing this problem. The only clarity on why offer a travel bundle if it can’t be used where most people are staying while they travel is on the general Nanit network explainer page: security reasons.

To be fair to Nanit, the majority, if not all, WiFi enabled video baby monitors limit or refuse to work on open networks. I learned this after setting up the Nanit in a hotel for the first time. Regrettably I did not thoroughly read through all of Nanit’s usage details and had assumed this was designed for normal travel. I ended up in a deep dive through forums, blogs, and Reddit to see if there was any workaround to a connection issue I hadn’t previously thought of. I found solace that I wasn’t the only one to make that mistake judging by posts on Reddit from other Nanit users who realized too late that there is no easy way to bypass the issue. The only solution that some found success with was to use a mobile hotspot with high bandwidth.

It makes sense that the company would want to keep any potential camera hacking from happening. Hotel WiFi is notoriously not secure even at the best properties. Cybersecurity experts suggest using online safety measures like a VPN or a mobile hotspot when accessing any sensitive information online using hotel WiFi. No parent would want their kid watched by hackers, and the camera would be an easy way to see when people weren’t in their hotel room as well. On Nanit’s side, it’s easy to imagine more than a little hesitancy about the types of stories that would come out after a hack.

None of that makes the price tag for Nanit’s Traveling Camera Bundle make any more sense for frequent travelers.

We still use our Nanit at home every day. The travel one comes out for the occasional trip to a family member’s house. But to make the Nanit Travel Bundle a true travel baby monitor with video, don’t forget the mobile hotspot.

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Your Airplane Cabin May Have More Cameras Than You Expect

Near-constant video surveillance is a fact of the modern world. Smartphones, home security cameras, dash cams, CCTV — if you’re in public, you’re probably being filmed. The question, then, is why don’t we see more cameras on airplanes?

The short answer is that they’re there.

Most travelers probably know that airplanes have exterior cameras to help pilots navigate. On many flights, these cameras also allow passengers to watch takeoffs, landings, and live feeds via their in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems. But what about cameras inside of airplane cabins?

The short answer, again, is that they’re there. You just might not be noticing them.

In 2002, JetBlue became the first US airline to get Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to install internal surveillance cameras. These cameras direct live, unrecorded footage to the cockpit to help pilots and crew monitor the goings-on of their cabins.

Many aircraft position cameras directly outside of cockpits to let pilots know who might be approaching, as well as areas of the cabin that are difficult for cabin crew to monitor from their jump seats. Internal cameras are now ubiquitous on both domestic and international flights.

Though many travelers are still unaware of the prevalence of internal cameras in aircraft, some fliers have caught on — and they’re not always happy about it.

Inconspicuous? Cabin cam on recent flight. pic.twitter.com/eMGvyMgyIK

— Addison Schonland (@aschonland) July 2, 2023

On a FlyerTalk message board from 2016, one traveler expressed “shock” at finding a bulkhead camera in the first-class cabin of an Airbus A380 plane.

The reactions from other commenters were split: some commenters shared privacy concerns while others noted that they have no such expectation of privacy on public transport.

In light of increasing reports of passenger misconduct on flights, from unruly or inebriated passengers to attempts to open exit doors, the idea of seeing surveillance equipment on airplanes is less than surprising. Some fliers have theorized that interior cameras also explain why cabin crew are so readily able to anticipate the needs of their first-class passengers.

Others, such as the FlyerTalk poster cited above, believe that cameras are a particular violation for premium fliers, whether they choose to take advantage of a roomy suite to change clothes mid-flight or conduct sensitive business on their laptops.

There’s bad news for travelers who think that cameras in airplane cabins are cause for concern: we may soon be seeing even more of them.

In 2019, CNN reported that Airbus was planning to install cameras outside lavatories. Ingo Wuggetzer, then Vice President of Marketing at Airbus, told CNN that these cameras would help cabin crew manage long bathroom lines, inventory bathroom products, and stay apprised of passengers who spend an inordinate amount of time in the lavatory in case they need assistance. He also noted that these cameras would be visible to passengers, designed to obscure people’s faces, and not be used for any tracking purposes.

If you fall into the camp that views aircraft surveillance as a privacy invasion, there’s another type of camera you may want to look out for on airplanes: seatback cameras.

Just found this interesting sensor looking at me from the seat back on board of Singapore Airlines. Any expert opinion of whether this a camera? Perhaps @SingaporeAir could clarify how it is used? pic.twitter.com/vy0usqruZG

— Vitaly Kamluk (@vkamluk) February 17, 2019

In the post above from 2019, X user Vitaly Kamluk questioned Singapore Airlines about the purpose of the “interesting sensor” he noticed “looking” at him from his seatback entertainment system. Singapore Airlines confirmed that “the cameras are in selected Business, Premium Economy, and Economy Class” but noted that “they have been permanently disabled on our aircraft” with “no plans to enable or develop any features using the cameras.”

After the image went viral, Buzzfeed reported that another flier saw a similar camera embedded in an IFE aboard a Boeing 777 operated by American Airlines. American Airlines responded, echoing Singapore Airlines’ statement, as have airlines including Qantas and Emirates after IFE cameras became a topic of online conversation.

Turns out, it’s common for airlines to install IFE with cameras pre-installed in the hardware. Panasonic Avionics manufactures IFE for Singapore Airlines, for example.

Following outcry from fliers, CNN reported that a newer model of Panasonic’s IFE, showcased at the 2022 Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Germany, features “an optional built-in camera with a sliding privacy cover” as well as embedded microphones for potential voice-command use.

Despite modifications such as privacy covers that might allow air travelers to feel more secure in the fact that IFE cameras aren’t activated, manufacturers such as Panasonic Avionics show no signs of slowing down when it comes to incorporating camera technology into seatback entertainment systems. The aim is to put the technology in place now in the event that airlines want to roll out features such as seat-to-seat calling in the future.

Still, some travelers have expressed concerns that this same technology gives airlines the ability to spy on passengers via seatback cameras. For now, to quote Singapore Airlines, airlines insist that they have “no plans to enable or develop any features using the cameras” — the cameras themselves, however, appear to be here to stay, and what happens with them in the future is yet to be seen.

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Map of all 423 National Park sites

Jason Barnette is a writer and photographer, but most importantly, he’s a road trip expert. Barnette spends between eight and nine months of the year on the road, touring the United States at a slow pace. And like every solo road tripper worth their salt, Barnette likes a good map. That’s why he created a map of all 429 National Park sites —and made it accessible to anyone.

Barnette is the man behind Road Trips & Coffee, a blog for all who, like him, think that driving is the best way to get an up close and personal view of the US. Whether that’s the mountains, the people, the beaches, the cities, the historic sites, or the remote roadside gas stations, Barnette wants to see it all on four wheels, and he wants to inspire others to do the same.

Barnette created the of map of all 429 National Park sites in 2022, when his plan was to drive to every state capital in the continental US in the span of eight months. His idea was to use the map so he could fill the days in between destinations by visiting nearby National Park sites. Since then, he’s made some changes to the map so it’s more user friendly and up to date.

Out of the 429 National Park sites in the US, Barnette has only visited 46 so far (he went to the first one, Blue Ridge Parkway, in 2011). But bumping his National Park sites numbers isn’t Barnette’s goal. He doesn’t count countries obsessively, and he certainly has no interest in rushing to see every National Park site.

“I want to stay in every National Park site I visit long enough to experience it and write about it,” he tells Matador in a phone interview.

Barnette is actually the model slow traveler. Not only does he spend no more than 100 miles per day on the road, but his main road trip rule is to not use any interstate highways during his drives. While honorable and a lot of fun, this self-inflicted limitation has its downsides — his future Alaska road trip, for one. While not planned just yet, it’s Barnette’s ambition to drive to the Last Frontier in the next few years.

“It’ll probably take me four to five months to get there, and four to five months to get back,” he explains, unfazed. You have to admire that kind of patience and dedication to his favorite mode of travel.

Photo: Jason Barnette

Barnette’s used to spending a very long time on the road. In 2017, he drove the path of the solar eclipse from Charleston, South Carolina, to Paducah, Kentucky, and it took him three months to complete the 1,000-mile trip. In 2018, he spent 30 days driving the 441-mile Natchez Trace Parkway. In 2021, he spent another 30 days on the road driving everywhere from the mountains to the beaches in North Carolina.

While Barnette’s health unfortunately forces him to stay put for most of 2024, he’s got big plans for 2025. He’ll return to the road with a series of road trips across the eastern half of the US, visiting every Revolutionary War site in the country. Along the way, he’ll write road trip itineraries, destination guides, and inspiration for how people can explore the country’s 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution that begins on April 19, 2025.

No matter where he goes from now on, he’ll have his map of all 429 National Park sites handy, so he won’t miss a thing. And neither will you.

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Drinking Pee, Sleeping in Trees, and How to Survive in the Woods

Most people who venture into wilderness areas have a great time and come out totally fine — most. 

Believe it or not, hiking is one of the most “dangerous” adventure sports out there, based on the number of people who are hurt or injured each year while doing it. It’s still relatively safe, and some of the reason it appears unsafe is just because it’s one of the more accessible outdoor activities. The more people there are hiking, the more people there will be that go lost and missing while hiking, as opposed to a less-popular activity, like ice climbing.

But everyone knows that proper outdoor knowledge and preparedness goes a long way when it comes to staying safe on the trails and surviving in the woods. And one interesting study did an in-depth analysis of how some people survived in the woods despite seemingly difficult outdoor predicaments.

A team funded by SmokyMountains.com researched survival stories as far back as 1994, and found 103 cases from wilderness areas in North America, pulled from verifiable and fact-checked editorial sources like the The New York Times and The Washington Post. And they found some very interesting statistics about staying alive in the outdoors — assuming you find drinking your own urine interesting.

Skip to:The four essentials you need to surviveWhy people got lostSurviving in the woods with a dogWhat to do if you get lost in the wilderness Staying put vs. looking for helpThe essentials

There are four items you absolutely need to survive in the wilderness: warmth, shelter, water, and food.

Water

Photo: yanik88/Shutterstock

In the case studies in the survey, six percent of people lost in wilderness areas ensured they had enough water by — you guessed it — drinking their own urine. Another two percent gathered water by licking leaves and moss, while nine percent had no water the entire time they were lost. Fortunately, the majority of people were able to drink from nearby bodies of water (24 percent) or collect rainwater (16 percent).

Food

When it comes to having enough food to survive, most people lost in the wilderness made the smart choice to ration the food they had (35 percent). Another 17 percent no food but survived anyway. Impressively, three percent managed to catch enough insects to maintain some level of energy, while another three percent of case studies reported that lost persons foraged or hunted to keep themselves alive. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, make sure you only forage for foods you’re 100 percent sure won’t hurt you — many mushrooms look deceptively similar.

Warmth and shelter

For most people lost in the wilderness, their clothing was enough to keep them warm, and their camping gear provided enough shelter. However, four percent took shelter inside fallen trees, and another nine percent discovered shelters, such as caves, in the process of being lost. Interestingly, four percent of people stayed warm while lost through exercise to generate body heat, while a creative three percent dug into the earth to take shelter in human-made holes (or in snow).

Why they got lost

Photo: Pheelings media/Shutterstock

The main reason people got lost isn’t any big mystery. In just under half (43 percent) of cases, people simply wandered off the trail, intentionally or otherwise. That’s usually due to people taking wrong turns, or poor signage and overgrown trails that made wayfinding difficult. The next most common reasons for getting lost were due to weather, falling off the trail, or becoming separated from the rest of one’s group (which is why you should always make sure everyone in your group knows the route).

Dogs really are man’s best friend

Photo: Lelusy/Shutterstock

In many cases, solo hikers had one hiking companion to thank for their survival: their dogs.In 2017, dog walker Annette Poitras went missing while walking three three dogs in the backcountry of Coquitlam, British Columbia. She was found safely after three days, as were the three dogs, who were also helicoptered out. Rescuers found her when one dog began barking, and she made it through cold, rainy nights by snuggling with the dogs, who stayed by her side.

Also in 2017 was the case of Bethnee Haury, who went missing in San Mateo County, California. She also survived being alone in the woods thanks to her dog, also found alive, who kept her from freezing by snuggling at night.

For some dog-lovers, keeping their dogs alive with them is the most important thing, as was the case with Paula Reuter. She went missing in 2014 and when she was found, reported that she ate mushrooms and bark so her dogs could have the remaining beef jerky rations in her pack. (She reported that canines Gracie and Addie also helped themselves to some nearby frogs).

How to survive if you get lost

Photo: RockyMountains.com

The researchers also advised how people can prevent getting lost in wilderness areas, and what to do if they do find themselves lost (much of which Matador has covered). Preparation is the key, but it’s more than just carrying the “10 Essentials” and knowing how to read a map. Important things to do before starting a wilderness adventure also include having a map and back-up map, identifying a bail-out point before you begin your hike (i.e., knowing what direction to walk in to find help), and making sure at least two people know where you are and when you should be back.

If you do get lost, you can make your situation better if you carry extra supplies. Make sure you know how to use your first-aid kit and emergency items like bivy sacks or foil blankets, and stay active to keep yourself warm. Ideally, you’re wearing quick-drying layers, so you won’t start to freeze when the temperature drops and your clothing is sweaty. Carrying a water filter is always safest, but if you’re in the US, you can probably drink whatever is nearby.

In the US, the average missing hiker is rescued in 24 hours. Even if takes three or four days to be rescued, that’s soon enough to treat any disease you may get from drinking dirty water — but dehydration can happen in as little as 36 hours in desert environments. The survey also advises not worrying about food, if you don’t have any. “If you have no food, don’t try to hunt, trap, or forage,” advises the report. “It just exposes you to potential injury and burns precious calories.” Most people, it says, have enough fat on their bodies to survive for up to 30 days without eating.

Should you stay put?

If people don’t know where you are, you’ll want to try to get yourself to a clearing to make it easier for rescuers to find you. Photo: Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock

Anyone who has spent time in the outdoors has probably heard the advice that if you’re lost, you should stay where you are and wait for someone to find you. In the cases studied, only 35 percent of people took that advice.

But that could be because it’s not always right. If you notice you’re lost, you should stay put only if you have told people where you are and when you’ll be back. You should always tell people where you’re going, so in an ideal scenario, yes, you should stay where you are. But if you haven’t told anyone where you are, you need to take some steps to make it easier for rescuers to find you. That includes tactics like getting to higher ground or to a large clearing, wearing brightly colored layers you can use as a signal flag, or using reflecting surfaces to create a glare that can be seen by helicopters.

Another interesting tip to remember? If you’re able to make a fire, add green plants to the pile. Green plants (like grass) create a thick, white smoke that’s much easier for rescuers to see from afar.

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