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Eat and Stay in Style in Wilmington, NC and Island Beaches

Eat and Stay in Style in Wilmington, NC and Island BeachesText by Jason Frye |
Photo by Wilmington and Beaches

Imagine: You’ve just arrived in Wilmington and checked into the houseboat you’ll be calling home for a few days. You’re reluctant to leave your cozy digs, but you’re hungry, and tales of the monumental seafood tower at Seabird energize you.

Ready to kick off your Wilmington escape, you stroll through the downtown Historic District, stopping to snap photos of the sunset over the Cape Fear River before arriving for pre-dinner drinks at Concorde Espresso Bar. As soon as the cocktails arrive at your intimate firepit table, you raise yours in a toast — to the bites and sips ahead, to the beaches nearby, and to a stylish getaway where Wilmington shows you its very best.

This post is proudly produced in partnership with Wilmington and Beaches.

STANDOUT DINING Seabird

Wilmington’s food scene is no longer a locals-only secret. The word has spread, and foodies are flocking to this North Carolina coastal town to see what’s cooking. From acclaimed chefs and lauded restaurants to up-and-comers representing flavors from around the globe, Wilmington has what you’re craving, starting with more than its fair share of culinary virtuosos.

Seek out award-worthy meals…

Chef Keith Rhodes, a Top Chef alum and multi-year James Beard Award nominee and semifinalist, brings his singular perspective to the plate at Catch. The fried seafood platter with jerk collards is Southern soul food at its finest, while the crispy skin salmon filet with stir-fried noodles showcases a dramatic flair. At Seabird, Chef Dean Neff, a James Beard Award finalist for “Outstanding Chef” nationwide and semifinalist for “Best Chef Southeast,” keeps his focus on seafood with a monumental tower featuring smoked tuna, pickled shrimp, oysters on the half shell, deviled eggs topped with caviar, and more. But don’t fill up too quickly — the whole menu, with dishes like swordfish schnitzel and crispy smoked catfish, will leave you dizzy.

Nearby, manna ave. 123 keeps it as local as possible while leveraging relationships with farmers and producers across the state to deliver meals that have earned it an AAA Four-Diamond Award every year since 2015. Pair the fresh catch with seasonal veggies or the steak and duck fat fries with a cocktail or bottle of wine from the award-winning cellar. Meanwhile, Chef Sunny Gerhart — yet another James Beard Award semifinalist — presents New Orleans-inspired fare at Olivero Kitchen + Cocktails, drawing on Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and contemporary Southern traditions to create dishes like lasagna with octopus Bolognese and harissa-spiced pork cheeks.

manna ave. 123Feast Wilmington…trust your gut…

If you have dietary restrictions or preferences to consider, no problem. Wilmington truly has something for everyone. Vegans and vegetarians should make a reservation at The Green House for high-end plant-based dining. For a more casual (but no less delicious) meal, stop by Sealevel City Vegan Diner, where the music is fun and the tempeh kimchi Reuben always pleases.

For a little taste of everything, mark your calendar for a spring visit to Wilmington. Food festivals come to town in March, with the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival and Feast Wilmington, which some consider the city’s premier culinary event. Feast features a weekend full of gastronomic goodness, from evening parties on the pier to the grand tasting and closing brunch. If you can only catch one Feast event, make it Craft + Cuisine, which partners more than a dozen local breweries with chefs to produce delicious results.

Adventuring offshore? Let your culinary exploits whisk you away to a nearby uninhabited island with Epic Excursions. One of the most popular dining excursions begins with a private cruise and culminates in a seafood boil — either a casual standing affair or proper seated meal, depending on your mood. You can also book a steak dinner, organize a sunset cruise with cocktails, or boat to a tasting and tour at the Middle Sound Mariculture farm, where the world is quite literally your freshly shucked oyster.

…or go for the views.

Of course, no culinary tour of Wilmington is complete without at least one meal enjoyed waterside. In Wrightsville Beach, grab a table over the sand and waves at Oceanic Restaurant if the weather’s right, or take a seat with big seaside views. Wherever you’re stationed, the menu here pleases with seafood classics and fresh bites on every plate. You can also keep it casual at Dockside Restaurant, where a beer and a burger or seafood taco served with a heaping side of Intracoastal Waterway views is the norm.

In Carolina Beach, Ocean Grill & Tiki Bar has coastal views, great food, and fun live music. Nearby, Stoked Restaurant serves local oysters steamed and on the half shell, grouper fingers, and peel-and-eat shrimp from a marina-side dining room that’s a haven for boat watching. If you’re craving something extra casual, grab a bite at The Tropical, a Miami-inspired spot on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk serving bowls, oversized egg rolls, and a hearty selection of vegan fare with ocean views on its rooftop patio.

One of the many joys of the Riverwalk is that downtown Wilmington has great waterfront dining, too. Snag a table on the sprawling porch at Elijah’s Oyster & Fish Camp or a spot on the terrace of The Pilot House for the classic alfresco experience — plus two delicious takes on a fried seafood platter. On Floriana’s beloved balcony, keep the views but swap the cuisine for mouthwatering Northern Italian bites like black gnocchi with lobster cream and rock shrimp. Or head south of the Riverwalk to see what the Cape Fear looks like from a different angle at Smoke on the Water, where you’ll love kicking back on the patio with a jalapeño-cucumber margarita and keeping the fried pickles coming.

FlorianaPhoto credits: Mallory Cash/Seabird, Sheridan Taylor/manna, and Wilmington and Beaches

EXCEPTIONAL STAYS The Cove Dreamers Trailborn Surf & Sound C. W. Worth House

Those not lucky enough to call Wilmington home will need a place to stay while in town. Fortunately, there’s a whole host of accommodation options both downtown and at the nearby beaches. Some are so quaint or trendy they’ll have you thinking, “Wait, this is in Wilmington?”

From one waterfront to the next…

With plenty of restaurants and entertainment nearby, The Cove Riverwalk Villas is a tempting place to base in Wilmington. The neighborhood of houseboats floats in the Port City Marina on a custom dock, and each two-bedroom unit is roomy enough for friends to gather for a pre-dinner snack and sip. Located right on the Riverwalk, you’ll be an easy stroll from downtown’s hot spots.

At Wrightsville Beach, Trailborn Surf & Sound (formerly Blockade Runner Beach Resort) oozes charm from its oceanfront location. Trendy rooms, excellent dining, and plenty of activities — from SUP yoga to scenic boat rides — make it a choice spot for a getaway. Plus, the folks at the hotel are happy to help arrange just about any local outing you can imagine, so take advantage.

Trailborn Surf & SoundC.W. Worth House…and everything in between.

For peak charm, C.W. Worth House Bed & Breakfast — a winner of USA Today’s 10Best Bed & Breakfasts in America in 2023 and 2024 — offers a super stylish stay in an 1893 Queen Anne home. The building retains its antiquarian charm, while guest rooms are modern and welcoming.

Boutique hotels are another option, blending style, convenient locations, and cozy rooms. Try The Hive, an innovative property with self check-in, luxurious linens, and pet-friendly rooms in downtown Wilmington. Also downtown, DREAMERS by DW has taken over a gorgeous historic home and transformed it into a five-room inn with Insta-worthy rooms, suites, balconies, and porches near central concert venues, comedy clubs, nightlife, and restaurants.

If you’re coming to Wilmington with the whole crew — pets included — you can also go grand with an oceanfront vacation rental, be it a sound-side stay with a hot tub or a cozy coastal cottage.

Photo credits: John Stephenson/The Cove, Dreamers, Trailborn Surf & Sound, and Matt McGraw/C. W. Worth House

ARTSY ADVENTURES Greenfield Lake Amphitheater Live Oak Bank Pavilion

While you’re in town, make time to wade into Wilmington’s cultural scene. Switch between museum days and gallery nights, then get outside with everything from open-air concerts to strolls through Wilmington’s most cinematic neighborhoods.

Find out which celebs are performing…

Wilmington is home to a pair of fantastic outdoor concert venues: Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park, which seats 7,300 and draws major artists from Phish to Jelly Roll and every genre in between, and Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, where acts like The Flaming Lips, Molly Tuttle, Steep Canyon Rangers, and other regional favorites perform to a crowd of only 1,200.

Big-name comedians also stop by Live Oak Bank Pavilion, while you can find up-and-coming acts like Nikki Glaser onstage at The Wilson Center. Meanwhile, the Dead Crow Comedy Room is a go-to for fantastic comics of all exposure levels. Add to that the long list of restaurants and bars in Wilmington that feature live music from local and regional acts, comedy shows, and open mics, and you have a town with a deep roster of live entertainment.

Live Oak Bank PavilionOne Tree Hill Naley’s Bench…and which ones filmed here.

You may find yourself recognizing places around Wilmington as you explore town. That’s because the city, nearby beach towns, and the surrounding area have appeared in hundreds of TV shows and movies, including Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, The Summer I Turned Pretty, films from the Halloween and Scream franchises, Iron Man 3, and more.

Take the Wilmywood Movie & TV Location Walk and snap a few pics in the real-life locations used in these films and shows.

Go for a cultural deep dive.

If you’re visiting Wilmington toward the end of the month, schedule in a Fourth Friday Gallery Night and visit some of the galleries and working studios across town. Make sure to also check out Cameron Art Museum (CAM) for its thoughtfully curated exhibitions of North Carolina-inspired works by local artists.

Outside CAM, you’ll find a moving life-sized bronze sculpture, Boundless, depicting U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) who served in battle here during the Civil War. It’s the only realistic sculpture of USCT soldiers in public art across all of eastern North Carolina, and that’s only the beginning when it comes to the cultural and historic importance of this exhibit and outdoor park.

BoundlessPhoto credits: Alive Coverage/Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, Alive Coverage/Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Wilmington and Beaches, and Alan Cradick/Cameron Art MuseumFull of fine food and drink, stylish stays, and an arts-forward attitude, Wilmington and the nearby island beaches are something to be savored. Take your time immersing in the culture and community here, and you can bet you’ll come away already planning your next trip to experience the best of the Carolina coast.

This post is proudly produced in partnership with Wilmington and Beaches.

Where to Play, Eat, and Stay in Edmonton in Alberta, Canada

Let’s start with perception versus reality. The perception might be that Edmonton, Alberta — the northernmost city in North America with a population of over one million — would be shy on delivering all the things travelers are looking for in these days of immersive experiences. Let’s face it — this Canadian city flies under the radar.

Now, let’s explore the reality. Today’s Edmonton is not the Edmonton of decades ago. This city is throbbing with energy. A simple stroll through any of its neighborhoods delivers thought-provoking art, incredibly posh bakery creations, cheering crowds, and must-visit gift shops. Look a little deeper, and you’ll find an Indigenous experience that’ll make your heart light up, a leather-forward speakeasy hidden behind a bookcase, and a wall of sparkling gemstones inside a modern museum.

My most recent trip to Edmonton took place during a December cold snap when temperatures plunged to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Then came the snow and wind. But none of that put a damper on anything I experienced in the city. It may have made it feel even more vibrant (although those whose explorations are best fueled by warmth and sunshine will appreciate that temperatures can push to 80 degrees in the summer). Whatever the season, here’s where to go for the best of Edmonton.

Things to do in Edmonton

The Neon Sign Museum

Photo: Ronnie Chua/Shutterstock

Sightseeing doesn’t get any easier than this. Simply look up at the red brick exterior warehouse wall to see the calling cards of the Princess Theatre, Georgia Baths, and, my personal favorite, the Canadian National Railway’s Freight Telegrams. It’s best to stroll by after dark to see this collaboration spearheaded by the city. The collection includes the first neon sign in Edmonton — Darling’s Drug Store in 1928 — and admission is free.

The Neon Sign Museum: 104 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0K7, Canada

NHL Hockey at Rogers Place

Photo: Shel Zolkewich

I’ve been to a few National Hockey League games, and the arena atmosphere always gets my heart racing. But the vibe at the home of the Edmonton Oilers tops the list when it comes to fan fun. It’s most definitely a party atmosphere, with a brass band chiming in after goals and gifts being dropped by tiny drones into the stands.

In the expansive Ford Hall lobby area, a show-stopping public art installation called “Tsą tsą ke k’e” (“Iron Foot Place”) by the late Alex Janvier is a 45-foot diameter mosaic set in the floor. It highlights the colors of the sky and the land and mountains in the distance. The lighting above showcases the impressive architecture of the entire building.

With a capacity pushing 20,000, Rogers Place welcomes everyone. It’s fully accessible with elevator access to all seating levels, has a radio frequency assistive listening system, and offers sensory kits (as well as a quiet room) that can help reduce sounds and sights to a comfortable level.

Rogers Place: 10220 104 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0H6, Canada

Explore 124th Street

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It’s all about independence here on 124th Street. It’s plain to see in the murals that decorate exterior walls and the stride of the people who call this neighborhood home. We might even call it swagger. There are galleries galore, including the Bearclaw Gallery that features First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists. It’s part of a Gallery Walk that packs it all into two tight blocks.

There are dozens of specialty fashion, accessory, and décor retailers on the street, including The Makers Keep, a collective that showcases made-in-Alberta goods that make perfect souvenirs.

And then there’s the food, anchored by Duchess Bake Shop, which has a perpetual line-up out the door during business hours. In 2015, the shop cracked Buzzfeed’s “23 Bakeries Around The World You Need To Eat At Before You Die” list, and the buzz hasn’t stopped. One bite into a classic croissant, and you’ll know why.

124th Street: 124 St, Edmonton, AB T5N 1R1, Canada

Royal Alberta Museum

Photo: Shel Zolkewich

It’s big, bright, and one of the most beautifully designed museums I’ve visited. First opened in 1967, the museum moved to its new home in 2018, where the first level is dedicated to human history, a massive children’s section, and a bug museum. There’s also the Museum Zone where the fascinating work of conservation happens in plain sight. The second level is all about natural history, and it’s there that the gem and mineral collection made my eyes sparkle. Rocks, minerals, meteorites, gems, and fossils from over 80 countries are on display in quantities that would impress diehard geology enthusiasts.

Royal Alberta Museum: 9810 103a Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0G2, Canada

Métis Crossing

Photo: Shel Zolkewich

A 90-minute drive northeast of Edmonton puts you near Smoky Lake, where it’s time for a deep dive into Indigenous culture at Métis Crossing. One of Canada’s three Indigenous peoples, the Métis are the result of post-contact unions between European fur traders and First Nations women. I hopped into an SUV for the Visions, Hopes, and Dreams Signature Experience here, where my group saw captive herds of elk and bison and Percheron horses as coyotes and crows crisscrossed our path. Along the way, we learned about the roles these animals play in Métis culture, specifically the community bison hunts that came with a seriously strict set of rules. At nightfall, I settled into my skywatching dome (where heated floor made it oh-so-cozy) and dreamt about eggs Benedict on bannock in the bistro the next morning.

Métis Crossing: 17339 Victoria Trail, Smoky Lake, Alberta, T0A 3C0, Canada

Indigenous Peoples Experience at Fort Edmonton

Photo: Shel Zolkewich

My group was joined by Mautouyipiyaki, or Speaking Sacred Words Woman, for our off-season tour of this space inside Fort Edmonton Park. The Elder was joined by Evert Poor, the park’s Indigenous Narratives Coordinator, and together, they took us on an immersion journey like no other. That’s how things work here — Indigenous people always lead the way, and this collection of stories and images came together after deep conversations. The space itself is a masterpiece of architecture and design, making visitors feel warm and embraced. The stories it holds are sometimes difficult but always authentic, coming directly from First Nations and Métis peoples. A standout of the space is the Métis cabin where a table is laid out with recipes and cookware, and the walls are adorned with family photos.

Indigenous Peoples Experience: Fort Edmonton Park, 7000 143 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6H 4P3, Canada

Where to eat in Edmonton

Photo: Shel Zolkewich

Start your day at Tiramisu Bistro with the applewood smoked bacon crepe slathered in Hollandaise sauce with a vanilla latte on the side. Pop into the bakery next door, Lift Me Up, for a sweet treat, then saunter down the street and pick up snacks for later at Destination Doughnuts. I recommend the crème brulee and the white chocolate coconut. For lunch, Campio Brewing Company’s big menu is heavy on snacks and appetizers before getting serious with Detroit deep-dish pizzas and hefty burgers (plus a merch corner for easy souvenirs).

For a choose-your-favorite dinner, visit EPIC Market & Food Hall where five international cuisines dish out everything from a green papaya salad to bacon poutine. The two-level space has a bar on each floor with plenty of seating. It’s a good idea to make a reservation at RGE RD since its focus on local makes it a popular spot. Start with the gouda and potato perogies, a Scotch egg, and wood-oven baked bread. The bison main was the best I’ve ever had.

Photo: Shel Zolkewich

Celebrating Indigenous plates, Bernadette’s is an ode to grandmothers everywhere, where the menu is all about comfort. The creations arrive on vintage Royal Alberta china — Old Country Roses pattern, to be specific. Settle in under the stunning mural for ocheshishak (fried rice balls), elk carpaccio, and a sweet Saskatoon berry tart.

Where to stay in Edmonton

Home base for my recent Edmonton visit was the posh, yet completely practical, JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District, where location is everything. It’s connected to Rogers Place, making it a favorite for visiting athletes and entertainers. Among the highlights of this hotel is its signature handcrafted ice menu with six options for your choosing, delivered right to your door, free of charge. Will it be strawberry and blueberry or green olive and celery? And then there’s Alchemy Bar, a secret speakeasy concealed behind a bookcase on the fifth floor. Inside, buttery leather sofas and low lights welcomed me for a paper plane, a twist on a whisky sour.

JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District: 10344 102nd Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 0K9, Canada

Getting around Edmonton

Photo: oasisamuel/Shutterstock

Like most Prairie cities, Edmonton is spread across the landscape, so getting from neighborhood to neighborhood is best done by vehicle or public transportation. But once you’re where you want to be, walking is a breeze. Edmonton Transit Service provides bus and light rail transit (LRT) services around the city.

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7 Archaeological Digs You Can Join in 2025

It’s not a coincidence that “vacation” rhymes with “excavation” — archeology-focused travels makes for some of the best trips you can take. Not a simple guided visit of Italy’s Pompeii or a quick tour of Hegra in Saudi Arabia, however, but a trip during which you can get down and dirty by actually partaking in an active archeological or paleontological dig. Because even if you don’t have a PhD in the field, you can join a dig to uncover ancient human remains, structures, artifacts, or even the skeletons of dinosaurs, as long as you’ve got the patience, physical health, schedule, and budget to do it.

The Archeological Institute of America

The Archeological Institute of America organizes dozens of expert-led trips to active digs around the world every year, but it also offers those who are keen to partake in digs the chance to do so by advertising a multitude of worldwide fieldwork opportunities on its website, including volunteer and fee-based ones. Of the numerous no-skills-required digs available, the three listed below are bound to deliver unforgettable experiences.

Human Ancestors Dig in South Africa

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Where: Sterkfontein and Kromdraai Caves in The Cradle of Humankind in South Africa
Dates: Two 13-day sessions are available in 2025, May 3-16 and September 6-19
Price: Starting at $8,199

This trip, organized by Ancient Odysseys in partnership with GENUS Paleosciences, will take place in The Cradle of Humankind, a paleoanthropological site located near Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s a fieldwork opportunity for those interested in the very origins of humankind and human evolution, as the site is rich with human ancestor fossils, as well as the remains of ancient habitations, flora, and fauna.

Week one on site will be spent at Kromdraai Cave, excavating, sampling, and cleaning finds alongside renowned archeologist José Braga. You will work for six days in a row from 8 AM to 4 PM, and all the tools will be provided. During week two, you will prepare fossils and sort microfauna under the supervision of Matt Caruana at Sterkfontein Cave.

When not working on site, you will visit the Fossil Vault at the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits University, and go on a two-day safari to see Africa’s Big Five.

Learn More/BookArtifacts dig in French Polynesia

Tahuata island, part of the Marquesas in French Polynesia. Photo: username/Shutterstock

Where: Tahuata, the Marquesas, French Polynesia
Dates: June 21 – July 27, 2025
Price: $8,700

This five-week fieldwork program, run by the Andover Foundation for Archaeological Research (AFAR), combines paradisiacal landscapes and the opportunity to learn more about the fascinating Marquesan culture through archeology. The dig, located on the remote island of Tahuata in the Marquesas, hopes to unearth Marquesan art and artifacts that will help archeologists understand the daily life of the Marquesan people centuries ago. The findings will be displayed in the Te Ana Peua, the first community-based archaeology museum in French Polynesia. Under the direction of University of Hawai‘i archaeologist Professor Barry Rolett, you will partake in site surveys and design and create new exhibits for the museum.

Learn More/BookMegafauna Dig in Australia

Photo: Chris Ison/Shutterstock

Where: Eulo, Queensland, Australia
Dates: August 3-11, 2025
Price: Starting at $2,720.

This fieldwork opportunity, run by Ancient Odysseys in partnership with Australian Geographic Travel, will take place in Eulo, a paleontological dig in Australia’s Outback. During the five days on site, starting at 7:30 AM each morning, you will excavate and collect fossils of extinct megafauna that lived 150,000-50,000 years ago, as well as do some lab work at the Eromanga Natural History Museum. You will receive all the instructions and tools necessary to make the most of your time on site.

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New Scientist Discovery Tours

The travel branch of the science and technology magazine New Scientist, runs science-inspired tours, cruises, and expeditions all over the world, including trips to archeological and paleontological sites where you can join in on the excavating fun.

Dinosaur hunting in the Gobi desert, Mongolia

The Flaming Cliffs in the Gobi Desert. Photo: Evgeniyqw/Shutterstock

Where: Mongolia
Dates: August 16-31, 2025
Price: $9,630

During this 15-day trip around Mongolia, you will prospect for dinosaur fossils at various remote sites around the Gobi Desert under the guidance of paleontologist David Home and specialists from the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology. The sites you’ll visit are rich in fossilized remains, therefore, your chances of unearthing the fossils of ancient creatures of all sizes are extremely high. You will even get to visit and prospect at Flaming Cliffs, where the first ever dinosaur eggs were found in 1922. For the majority of the trip, you will stay in comfortable tents in the middle of nature, like a real explorer would.

​Learn More/BookMycenae and Peloponnese archaeology, Greece

Photo: Irina Rogova/Shutterstock

Where: Peloponnese Region, Greece
Dates: September 29 – October 7, 2025
Price: $4,320

This is the ideal trip for an amateur archeologist to get the hang of working on a dig. On day three of this in-depth, behind-the-ropes tour of the most impressive Mycenaean sites of the Peloponnese, you will partake in a day-long, on-site archeologist training under the supervision of Professor Christofilis Maggidis, President of the Mycenaean Foundation, and his team of archaeologists. At a simulated one-acre dig in Mycenae, and in the lab, you will learn the steps, techniques, and technologies used by professionals to dig a site, as well as date, interpret and record findings. At the end of the day, you will receive the Mycenaean Foundation’s ATREUS Fieldwork Certificate.

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Earthwatch Institute

Earthwatch Institute is an environmental non-profit that connects travelers with scientists via citizen citizen science trips, including archeological fieldwork, wildlife survey work, and more.

Discovering Ancient Societies in Portugal

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Where: Muge, Portugal
Date: Multiple seven-day trips available starting on July 29 and ending on September 13, 2025
Price: Starting at $3,950

This seven-day fieldwork opportunity, which will take place in the small town of Muge in Portugal’s Tagus Valley, will allow amateur archeologists to excavate and sift for evidence of human activity, including human remains, bone tools, ornaments, shells, and more. You will also partake in lab work to process and analyze unearthed artifacts. The mission of the dig is to help archeologists better understand the population transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers and herders that happened in Central Portugal 8,000 years ago.

​Learn More/BookUnearthing Ancient History in Tuscany

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Where: Populonia Archaeological Park, Italy
Date: Multiple seven-day and 13-day trips starting on May 4 and ending on October 17, 2025
Price: Starting at $3,100

The goal of this expedition is to help archeologists unearth artifacts that will help them understand better what life was like in the industrial Populonia area under Roman rule. During your time on site, you will dig for artifacts, clean them, record them, study them, and learn how to preserve them. You will also learn how to map digging sites, an important skill in archeology and paleontology.

​Learn More/BookMore like thisArchaeology3 Mysteries Archaeologists Still Haven’t Figured Out About Ancient Egypt’s Pyramids

The 20 Biggest Concert Tours Worth Booking a Trip For in 2025

In 2024, the highlight of many people’s travels revolved around basing an entire trip around a concert. Call it gig tripping, concert tourism, touring for the tunes, or whatever you want — there’s no denying that music travel has taken off in recent years. And although Taylor Swift’s destination-worthy “Eras Tour” is over, there is much to look forward to in 2025.

From pop sensations to classic groups that have been making hits for decades, these are the biggest concert tours worth booking a trip for in North America, Europe, and Oceania.

Zayn Malik: Stairway to the Sky Tour

When: November 2024 – February 2025
Where: North America

Zayn Malik’s “Stairway to the Sky Tour,” supporting his “Room Under the Stairs” album, is ongoing with rescheduled US dates in January and February 2025 in cities like Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.

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Sabrina Carpenter: Short n’ Sweet Tour

When: September 2024 – March 2025
Where: North America and Europe

Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet Tour,” her first arena headlining tour, supports her sixth album of the same name and spans North America and Europe with 53 shows. The tour features supporting acts like Amaarae, Rachel Chinouriri, Griff, and Declan McKenna.

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Gracie Abrams: The Secret of Us Tour

When: September 2024 – May 2025
Where: North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand

Gracie Abrams’ “The Secret of Us Tour,” supporting her second album of the same name, is a large-scale tour spanning North America, Europe, and Oceania from September 2024 to August 2025. Due to high demand, additional shows, including “Deluxe Tour” dates in larger venues like Madison Square Garden and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, have been added. The tour features special guest Role Model for the “Deluxe” North American leg, offering fans a chance to see Abrams perform her latest music in her biggest venues to date.

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Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour

When: September 2024 – July 2025
Where: Australia, Europe, and the UK/Ireland

Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour,” supporting her third studio album, spans from late 2024 into 2025, encompassing North America, Australia, Europe, and the UK/Ireland. Known for its immersive visuals and Eilish’s captivating stage presence, the tour showcases both new material and fan favorites.

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Green Day: The Saviors Tour

When: January – June 2025
Where: Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa

Green Day’s “The Saviors Tour,” a massive global stadium tour running from May 2024 to September 2025, celebrates the 30th anniversary of “Dookie” and the 20th anniversary of “American Idiot” alongside their new album “Saviors.” Featuring rotating supporting acts like The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, The Linda Lindas, and Nothing But Thieves depending on the leg, the tour sees Green Day performing both iconic albums in their entirety, plus new material.

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Billy Joel: 2025 Tour

When: January – June 2025
Where: United States

Billy Joel’s 2025 tour includes a mix of solo headlining shows and co-headlining stadium concerts with fellow rock legends like Stevie Nicks and Sting. With dates across North America and the UK, the “Piano Man” will be performing his classic hits in venues ranging from arenas to stadiums, offering fans multiple opportunities to experience his iconic music live.

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Justin Timberlake: The Forget Tomorrow World Tour

When: January – July 2025
Where: North America, South America and Europe

Justin Timberlake’s “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour,” his first in five years, supports his sixth studio album, “Everything I Thought It Was.” This massive tour, which began in April 2024 and extends into July 2025, spans North America, Europe, and South America. Featuring a dynamic stage production and a mix of new music and classic hits, the tour has seen high demand and numerous added shows, solidifying its status as one of Timberlake’s biggest tours to date.

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Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour

When: February – April 2025
Where: Europe, Australia, and Asia

Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour,” launching in 2024 and extending into 2025, marks her final major tour and celebrates her illustrious career. Featuring special guests on select dates, the tour will see Lauper performing her iconic hits and fan favorites across North America.

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Tyler, the Creator: Chromakopia: The World Tour

When: February – September 2025
Where: North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand

Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia: The World Tour,” supporting his recent works, is a visually striking and creatively ambitious tour spanning North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Known for his unique stage design, energetic performances, and genre-bending music, Tyler delivers a dynamic setlist blending his diverse discography, from early hits to newer material, accompanied by elaborate sets and immersive visuals, creating a captivating and often theatrical live experience.

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Usher: Past Present Future Tour

When: March – May 2025
Where: Europe

Usher’s “Past Present Future Tour,” launched in 2024 and continuing into 2025, celebrates his 30-year career and supports his ninth studio album, “Coming Home.” This large-scale tour spans North America and Europe, showcasing a dynamic setlist that journeys through Usher’s extensive catalog of hits, from his early beginnings to his latest releases. The tour has been met with significant demand, leading to numerous added shows.

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Jelly Roll: The Beautifully Broken: Great Northern Tour

When: March 2025
Where: Canada

Jelly Roll’s “The Beautifully Broken: Great Northern Tour” marks his first international headlining tour, taking him across Canada in March 2025. This 12-city tour, supporting his album “Beautifully Broken,” kicks off in Victoria, British Columbia, and includes stops in major cities like Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto before concluding in Quebec City. Fans can expect to hear his raw and emotional hits, with special guests Josh Ross, Savannah Dexter, and Brabo Gator joining him on all dates. He will join Post Malone on his Big Ass Stadium Tour in the summer.

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Dua Lipa: Radical Optimism Tour

When: March – October 2025
Where: North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand

Dua Lipa’s “Radical Optimism Tour,” supporting her third studio album of the same name, is a global tour spanning Europe, Oceania, and North America from late 2024 into 2025. Following her acclaimed Glastonbury performance, the tour showcases her latest music alongside her extensive catalog of hits, with high demand resulting in added shows, including multiple nights at London’s Wembley Stadium.

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Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour

When: March – July 2025
Where: Latin America and Europe

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Guts World Tour,” her first arena tour, supports her second album, “Guts,” and has been a massive global undertaking spanning North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and South America from early 2024 into mid-2025. With a setlist featuring both new tracks and hits from her debut album “Sour,” the tour has seen high demand and features rotating opening acts like The Breeders, Chappell Roan, PinkPantheress, and Remi Wolf.

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Kendrick Lamar and SZA: Grand National Tour

When: April – June 2025
Where: North America

Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Grand National Tour” is a highly anticipated co-headlining stadium tour across North America in Spring 2025. This marks the first all-stadium tour for both artists, kicking off in April and concluding in June with 23 shows across the United States and Canada. Fans can expect a mix of Kendrick’s dynamic lyricism and SZA’s captivating vocals, potentially including their collaborative hits like “All the Stars” and “Doves in the Wind.”

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Post Malone: Big Ass Stadium Tour

When: April – July 2025
Where: North America

Post Malone’s “Big Ass Stadium Tour,” launching in April 2025, is his largest headlining tour to date, taking him to 25 stadiums across North America. Supporting his sixth studio album, “F-1 Trillion,” the tour features a mix of his biggest hits, fan favorites, and new music, with special guests Jelly Roll joining him on all dates and Sierra Ferrell supporting on select dates.

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Ed Sheeran: +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour

When: April 2022 – September 2025
Where: Europe and Middle East

Ed Sheeran’s +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour is a massive global stadium tour that began in April 2022 and continues into September 2025. Supporting his albums “=” and “-“, the tour is known for its impressive in-the-round stage production, featuring a rotating central stage and extensive use of screens and pyrotechnics. Sheeran performs a career-spanning setlist, often utilizing loop pedals to create a full band sound despite primarily being a solo performer, offering fans a dynamic and immersive concert experience.

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Bruce Springsteen: 2025 World Tour

When: May – July 2025
Where: Europe

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s 2023-2025 world tour, their first together since 2017, continues into 2025 with rescheduled and newly added dates, primarily in Europe. After postponements in 2023 and 2024 due to health issues, the tour is set to conclude in July 2025 in Milan, featuring a mix of classic hits and material from recent albums like “Letter to You” and “Only the Strong Survive.”

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Keith Urban: High and Alive World Tour

When: May – October 2025
Where: U.S. and Australia

Keith Urban’s “High and Alive World Tour,” his first in three years, kicks off in May 2025 in North America, with potential international dates to follow. Supporting his 2024 album “High,” the tour features a mix of new music and fan favorites, with Chase Matthew, Alana Springsteen, and Karley Scott Collins joining as support acts.

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Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour

When: Starting in June 2025
Where: North America, Europe, and Australia

Katy Perry’s “The Lifetimes Tour,” her first tour in seven years, supports her upcoming seventh studio album, “143.” Kicking off in April 2025 in Mexico, the tour will take her across the globe with dates in North America, Europe, and Australia, concluding in November 2025 in Paris. This tour promises to be a career-spanning celebration of her music.

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Shania Twain: Summer 2025

When: July – August 2025
Where: North America

Shania Twain’s Summer 2025 tour dates are a limited run of shows across North America, marking the final opportunity for fans to see this iteration of her live show. These dates follow two years of successful performances, including her “Queen of Me” tour and her Las Vegas residency. The summer 2025 shows begin in July and conclude in early August, hitting cities like Buffalo, Saratoga Springs, Bangor, Hershey, Jacksonville, and Hollywood, Florida.

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In Cancún, 3 Sandos Resorts Bring Culture Into the All-Inclusive Stay

Cancún is an undeniably popular tourist destination. In 2022, the region hosted nearly 10 million visitors. With seemingly endless beaches and clear waters, it’s not surprising to see so many travelers making their way to this area.

Hotel brands from luxury Cancún accommodations to budget-friendly properties have taken note. There’s surely no shortage of places to stay in Cancún, whether you’re looking for all-inclusive beach stays or an oasis of peace in the heart of the action. The hardest part of your trip planning may very well be picking the place to stay that’s perfect for what you want.

When it comes to stays that take care of your every need, Sandos Resorts focuses on showing how all-inclusives can also match the character of their locations. According to Xavier Ulloa, the Corporate Marketing Director at Sandos Hotels & Resorts, that’s what makes it special.

“While all of our properties are united under our common brand, they each offer completely different guest experiences and their own unique personality,” Ulloa says, adding, “Whether you’re swimming in a crystal clear cenote at Sandos Caracol Eco Resort, kayaking on the turquoise waters of Sandos Playacar’s beach, or listening to incredible live poolside music at Sandos Cancún, Sandos is dedicated to providing every guest with an unforgettable vacation unlike any other offered in the destination, all within our all-inclusive price tag.”

Of the 10 Sandos resorts in Mexico and Spain, three are in Cancún. I stopped by all three in one trip to find out which is best depending on the type of traveler and found plusses and minuses to each depending on the goal of the trip.

Sandos Caracol Eco Resort: A green resort in every way

Photo: Sandos Resorts

Cancún is best known for its beaches. About an hour’s drive south, Sandos Caracol is known for its jungle-like atmosphere, Maya ruins, and events around holidays like Día de los Muertos. While the resort does have a beautiful beach, its unique appeal lies in its wild-feeling grounds. That, along with the colorful Día de los Muertos decorations on display during my visit, was enough to make me feel giddy upon arrival.

My giddiness only grew as I explored the grounds, wandering through forested trails, searching for wildlife, and finding cenotes and ruins along the way. The only drawback to spending all of my time in the jungle was the occasional mosquitoes.

Photo: Sandos Resorts

In keeping with the property’s natural ambiance, Sandos Caracol prioritizes an eco-conscious approach to hospitality through solar energy, water conservation, and comprehensive recycling programs — all while providing comfort, convenience, and relaxation. Rooms come equipped with energy-efficient lighting and water-saving systems to reduce the resort’s carbon footprint (without sacrificing classic amenities like flat-screen TVs and minibars).

Photo: Sandos Resorts

My room had a queen-size mattress, a bunk bed for kids, and a private terrace. The rooms (941 in total) are divided into three sections: the jungle-view Family Section with superior room, suite, or penthouse options for four to five people; the adults-only, jungle-view Select Club with superior room, deluxe room, or penthouse options for two adults; and the Pool View Section with superior room, penthouse, or one-bedroom suite options for three adults or families of four.

Beyond the rooms, there’s always something to do at Sandos Caracol, from beachgoing and nature walks to pool and waterpark time. There’s also a spa with a variety of holistic treatments, including classic massages with herbs and oils. This is also where the fitness center is located, complete with a handful of machines, cardio equipment, and a rack of weights.

Photo: Sandos Resorts

As someone who loves both active and passive vacations, Sandos Caracol was ideal for me. When I was feeling energetic, I wandered through the flora and fauna. When I was ready for a nap, I headed for the closest beach hammock. And when I needed to pacify my thirst for adventure, I took a dip in the cenote near check-in, which is available for snorkeling for a few hours each day.

But the biggest highlight of my trip was the immersive experiences available to guests for free during the resort’s two-day Día de los Muertos festival.

Photo: Sandos Resorts

Of course, those who visit Sandos Caracol outside of Día de los Muertos in November still have access to plenty of events and experiences. You can see Maya ceremonies where you’ll learn about the region’s traditions and history. Dance and music performances are also common. Elsewhere, eco-conscious explorers can join one of the resort’s free tours where Sandos guides walk you through the local plants and animals and some of the property’s unique features.

All of that activity is bound to make you hungry. No problem: Sandos Caracol has seven restaurants, including a Mexican restaurant, a Brazilian steakhouse, and a Caribbean fusion restaurant. Many of the ingredients you’ll encounter at the restaurants are locally sourced, including produce like papaya, dragonfruit, avocados, and tomatoes. The breakfast buffet is another highlight, featuring international cuisine in a smart-casual environment. There are also a number of bars scattered throughout the resort that serve craft cocktails all day long.

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Sandos Playacar: An all-ages beach haven

Photo: Sandos Resorts

If Sandos Caracol is the land of the jungle, Sandos Playacar is the dream beach resort. This property has a private beach on the Caribbean coastline in Playa del Carmen that’s kept pristine by bulldozers that move seaweed from the shore and employees who are always on the lookout for trash. The beach provides a relaxing atmosphere that’s slightly separated from the area of the resort where parties and festivities tend to take place.

Accommodations at Sandos Playacar are luxurious and spacious, with 819 rooms spread across the resort’s 60 acres. My visit brought me to an oceanview suite with two patios and one of the best views of the trip. I spent the majority of my time at the beach and the pool, but the rooms come with modern features like flat-screen TVs and minibars to keep you entertained when you’re not out enjoying the rest of the property. Some of the rooms have private jacuzzi tubs for a bit of added luxury.

Photo: Mary Beth Skylis

Sandos Playacar’s list of amenities is extensive. The property is home to multiple pools, including a swim-up bar that’s connected to an area with an in-pool volleyball net. There’s also an adults-only Select pool, which is extremely quiet and relaxing. Those looking for a restful experience might head to the spa while others might go to the pickleball courts for a feisty outdoor game.

While both Sandos Playacar and Sandos Caracol are kid-friendly, Sandos Caracol seems to place a heavier emphasis on family activities with its waterslide park and wide variety of sporting activities while Sandos Playacar provides many of the same amenities but seems to attract more adults. Nonetheless, there’s a Kid’s Club and a Teens Club, the latter of which has video games, pool tables, and other activities.

Photo: Mary Beth Skylis

Sandos Playacar also hosts regular entertainment on its main stage in the middle of the resort. During my visit, there was a historical show about the Maya that included elaborate costumes and dances. Rumor has it that the theater also hosts singers and bands showcasing both traditional and modern takes on music. While I didn’t experience one of the beachside events that are free for guests, the resort has been known to host themed parties late into the night.

Photo: Mary Beth Skylis

One area in which Sandos Playacar blew me away was its food selection, with a whopping 17 bars and restaurants ranging from Italian fare to traditional Mexican cuisine (although the greatest selection is regional). The on-site Mediterranean restaurant provides a nice opportunity to celebrate food with sweeping views of the beach. The breakfast buffet also comes with one of the widest selections of foods and treats that I’ve ever seen, with piles of bread, omelets, and fruit galore.

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Sandos Cancún: A party on the hotel strip

Photo: Sandos Resorts

Centrally located in Cancún’s hotel zone, Sandos Cancún creates a fun, upbeat atmosphere with regular DJ shows and a big focus on music. Converting to an adults-only resort in January 2025, it’s the place to go if you like to dance, hang by the pool, and revel in the sunshine.

Sandos Cancún is the smallest of the three resorts with 214 rooms. That helps to explain why the accommodations are modern and massive — many come with terraces where you can sip your morning coffee. Room types range from deluxe rooms with or without balconies to four-person suites. My room had a king-size bed, a bathtub, and a shower.

Like Sandos Playacar, this property features beautiful beaches, but it also has a three-tier pool. Compared to the other two Sandos properties, Sandos Cancún’s main focus seems to be on the pool and the beach but with more of a party vibe than Sandos Playacar since there’s generally a DJ or some other type of entertainment available.

Photo: Sandos Resorts

The bulk of Sandos Cancún’s entertainment is centered on music — predominantly dance-y contemporary music — but shows are also held in the northern part of the building. I caught a free aerial show that featured a number of balancing acts, including a man who stacked moving targets on a table before he stood on top of his wiggling tower. Another act demonstrated one woman’s strength while she balanced on her hands, using her flexibility to bring her toes to her head among other poses. The resort also hosts some themed evenings and beach parties.

The Spa del Mar offers a nice side quest with its relaxing facials, variety of massages, and hydrotherapy. The fitness center is located in the same building as the spa. Group fitness classes like yoga and stationary biking are also available.

Photo: Sandos Resorts

Where dining is concerned, Sandos Cancún plays host to an Italian trattoria, a steakhouse, and an Asian fusion restaurant among its five restaurants (plus four bars). Each takes a sophisticated approach to the culinary experience, but the standout restaurant is French-leaning St. Trop due to its sweeping beach views and delicious bites like bouillabaisse, chicken cordon bleu, and caramelized apple tarte tatin for dessert.

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Canyon Bathing and Campus Vibes at One of Colorado’s Most Unique Hotels

Three factors play into making a boutique hotel, a good boutique hotel. The first is location. Is the hotel near what you plan to do while staying there? The second is dining and drinks. Third, but perhaps most important, is authenticity. Travelers booking boutique do so because they don’t want the cookie cutter experience of a major chain. Hotel Maverick, in Grand Junction, Colorado, excels at all three – effectively making it an anti-chain masterpiece in Colorado’s most underrated city.

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We hope you love the Hotel Maverick! 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 stands out about Hotel Maverick

The coffee shop patio, pump track and campus behind. Photo courtesy Hotel Maverick

The most unique aspects of Hotel Maverick are its college campus location and student-staffing model. The 60-room propertyl is located on the Colorado Mesa University campus, walkable to the university’s sports and arts facilities. This makes it convenient for parents visiting their kids at school, as well as those attending games and events on campus (notably, the hotel is adjacent to the brand new Asteria Theater, which routinely hosts both university performances as well as national headlining acts including musicians, comedians, and lecturers.

The hotel has a unique student/staffing model that integrates with the university’s hospitality management program. The hotel actively recruits and employs CMU students in various roles, providing them with valuable real-world experience in the hospitality industry. Students, as such, gain practical skills in areas like front desk operations, housekeeping, food and beverage service, and guest relations – all while working towards their degree (and yes, the students are paid appropriate wages for their work). The experience provides students with valuable resume-building opportunities and prepares them for successful careers in the hospitality field.

Rooftop dining at The Devil’s Kitchen

Photo courtesy Hotel Maverick

Hotel Maverick also features fine dining on its rooftop. Devil’s Kitchen named after the iconic natural landmark about 10 minutes’ drive from the hotel, is pricey – plan to spend $30 or so on an entree, unless you opt for the cheaper Devil’s Burger. But, unlike at most post spots, your chance of leaving with leftovers is strong. Rarely are portion sizes so generous at a high-end restaurant. I had a plate of the seasonal ravioli, stuffed with green chili and cheese in this case, and it was fantastic. Paired with a shared plate of mussels to start, I was stuffed upon leaving the restaurant. Devil’s Kitchen is known, however, for its bison tamale, a mashup of ground bison, veggies, cotija, demi-glace, and sour cream. One of my co-diners ordered it, and we all dove in for photos as soon as it showed up (see below).

The restaurant’s cocktail program is among the best in western Colorado. Many cocktail recipes are courtesy of CMU Trustees. During my stay I became a fan of the mezcal-heavy Desert Bloom, and the bar also offers a variety of mocktails.

The hotel brought the Japanese concept of forest bathing to the desert

Our view while forest bathing. Photo: Tim Wenger

The term “Canyon bathing” sounds gritty and buff. In truth, however, it’s a mindful exercise built on the concept of Shinrin Yoku, or forest bathing, a practice that entails little more than spending time in the forest for no other reason than to spend time in the forest. The desert version, hosted by local naturalist Zebulon Miracle (real name, no peyote) was the coolest aspect of my stay at Hotel Maverick. We headed to a trailhead overlooking Colorado National Monument, hiked in a short distance, and sat overlooking the surrounding canyon country as Miracle guided our small group through a practice of awareness and appreciation.

The program, bookable through the Hotel Maverick’s front desk, is a unique initiative designed to encourage guests to immerse themselves in the distinct natural beauty of western Colorado. The experience was at once both meditative and activating. I felt calmed – by the surroundings as much as the guided practice.

Rooms at Hotel Maverick

My room. Photo: Tim Wenger

My room at Hotel Maverick, a king room with a balcony overlooking the campus, was clean, comfortable, and efficient. When researching hotels online, I often find it tough to accurately discern the property’s level of cleanliness, comfort, and class. As a travel editor who spends 50 nights or more per year in hotels, I’ve developed a system to delineate whether a hotel is “nice” or “filthy.” It breaks down into the following aspects, and this is what I use to rate hotels:

According to photos on the hotel’s website or a third-party booking site, does the hotel accurately represent the vibe it purports to – i.e., is the decor hip, classic, retro, mid-mod? A hotel that markets itself as something other than the vibe blatantly viewable in photos is a no-go.Does the hotel use box springs? If the answer is yes, it’s likely a no-go. Box springs are among the most useless inventions of all time, accomplishing nothing other than taking up space while signaling a hotel’s inability to modernize and objectively assess the value delivered by its furnishing.Does the hotel promote its sustainability initiatives and, as appropriate, its ease of access to public transit, bicycle infrastructure, and the airport?How do the rest of the in-room furnishings look in photos? Are they crisp and maintained?Does the lobby have space to lounge and read, work remotely, or socialize?

Hotel Maverick resoundingly ticks these boxes. Let’s get deeper into each. First, the hotel markets itself as what I’d describe as “mountain (or in this case, desert) chic” – hip and modern amenities and an accessible location, but with easy access to the outdoors that make it a good basecamp for adventure. It practice it accomplishes this to a “T.” Admittedly it does sound a bit weird to be staying on a college campus on a trip that has nothing to do with the university itself, but I actually found its location inspiring – pathways line the green corridors of the campus, beckoning guests for a walk or to visit the gym in the student union center just up the way (of which guests have free access to). Walking the campus not only helped me get some steps in but it also brought me back to my own freewheeling college days (cue another Desert Bloom).

The acclaimed Bison Tamale. Photo: Tim Wenger

There was not a full-on box spring. Rather, the bed was on an elevated frame with a box-spring-like contraption. This could be replaced with a flatbed platform, giving the hotel another nod to Japanese influence to pair with the desert bathing. Outside, the hotel offers universal and Tesla charging stations and access to bicycles to commute about town. The number 3 bus from Grand Valley Transit picks up nearby. Because of its on-campus location, guests can take advantage not only of the university’s gym but also its BMX pump track and outdoor equipment rentals including river gear, skis, mountain bikes, and more. Dogs are welcome.

The lobby features a coffee shop that offers breakfast and space to lounge. I worked each morning in the coffee shop before heading out for the day. The hotel staff, from the front desk to the food and beverage outlets, were quite pleasant. It’s refreshing to interact with young people excited to doing what they’re doing – I brought this attitude into my work throughout the stay, and while this increasingly jaded 40+-year-old often falls short of the level of enthusiasm brought by college kids, I found it refreshingly nice to experience it second-hand.

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7 Unique Experiences You’ll Love in Southwest Florida

Southwest Florida is a vacationer’s dream. That comes as zero surprise to anyone who’s had the pleasure of digging their toes into the warm, white sands that stretch from Fort Myers to Sanibel Island and beyond. You could happily spend your vacation trawling for seashells and building pint-sized castles, but there’s a lot more to this region than its beaches — including some unique experiences that you might only find here.

Whether you’re into camping, murder mysteries, or high-flying helicopter rides, Southwest Florida is nothing if not memorable. Here are seven activities to help you turn up the adventure during your next unforgettable visit to the islands, beaches and neighborhoods of Fort Myers.

1. Get your glamp on.

Photo: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods

If you love the outdoors, consider a weekend glamping trip to see Fort Myers in all of its natural glory. You can camp in style at Koreshan State Park with Timberline Glamping. The extra spacious tents are decked out in sleek furnishings, with either a king bed and two bunk beds or matching queen beds. Each safari-style abode also comes with a fridge, coffeemaker, and air conditioner for optimal comfort. When you’re not lounging in your tent, get to know the property the exciting way by going biking, paddleboarding, kayaking, or fishing.

Another perk of Timberline is that its state park setting allows you to learn more about Florida’s history. The park gets its name from Dr. Cyrus R. Teed, who relocated from Chicago and established a utopian community here in 1894, calling it Koreshan. While on site, be sure to visit the Koreshan Unity Settlement, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and features 11 immaculately maintained historic structures.

2. Visit the mother of all shell museums.

Photo: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods

There’s exactly one museum in the entire country that’s officially recognized for its collection of roughly half a million shells and myriad living mollusks. It’s called the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, and it’s located on Sanibel Island — the “Seashell Capital of the World.”

Among the museum’s permanent and rotating exhibits are special exhibitions that’ll really open your eyes to the wide world of shells. Themes range from how seashells have been used in fashion to spotlights on specific shell families, starting with glittery abalone. You’ll also learn a lot about mollusks over at the aquarium displays and two touch pools, which collectively hold more than 60 different species. Fun fact: The mollusk classification not only includes shelled sea creatures like clams and scallops but also some larger marine animals.

3. Cruise to Cabbage Key.

Photo: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods

Cabbage Key, a tiny island off Pine Island with 100 scenic acres, is one of Southwest Florida’s best-kept secrets. Book a day trip with Captiva Cruises to get there, then spend the afternoon strolling the island’s winding nature trails. The four- to five-hour cruise includes a stop for lunch at the Cabbage Key Inn restaurant, which sits atop a Calusa Indian shell mound. Expect far-and-wide views from the outdoor seating area. The restaurant has been serving boaters for 60 years — commemorate your visit by adding a signed dollar bill to the hundreds that hang from the restaurant’s walls and ceilings.

Then again, you might not be ready to leave after lunch. No worries — you can always book one of the inn’s six newly remodeled guestrooms or reserve one of the cottages spread across the property.

4. Take a helicopter tour.

Photo: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods

Want to see Southwest Florida like the seagulls do? Check out a heli-tour from Str8 Up Aviation. Flights come in three different durations: 30 or 45 minutes for a shorter tour or one hour for the full experience. All include aerial scenes of the region’s mangroves and beaches. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some frolicking marine life like manatees and dolphins. It’s a splurge, sure, but just imagine the memories you’ll make during a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary.

For the ultimate workout, the company can also arrange heli-yoga for you and four friends. During the 2.5-hour experience, you’ll be transported to a beautiful, remote location for a blissful private session with a yoga instructor.

5. Snuggle up to a goat.

Photo: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods

Speaking of yoga, don’t skip goat yoga at Dim Jandy Ranch in Fort Myers. The family-owned farm hosts 1.5-hour stretching sessions on Saturdays and Sundays, so you can quite literally turn your downward-facing dog into a downward-facing goat. After the class, you’ll have plenty of time to feed your new friends and snap some photos.

If you’re planning a weekday visit, sign up for goat snuggling instead. The 30-minute sessions are offered seven days a week, except for major holidays, and the experience is open to anyone aged four and up. (You have to be at least 12 for goat yoga.) Once you’re cuddled out, feel free to roam the farm, visit the chickens, and feed the donkeys.

6. Ride a murder mystery train.

Photo: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods

For a killer activity in Southwest Florida, beeline it to the Murder Mystery Dinner Train. Not only will you score a nice meal, but between the five courses you’ll also witness a whodunit performance play out in the train’s aisles. Armed with a playbill and clue sheet, you’ll be tasked with figuring out who, in fact, did it (and hopefully walk away with a prize).

The shows take place Wednesday through Sunday, excluding holidays, and the train leaves from Colonial Station in Fort Myers. Best of all, the program rotates its themed shows every few months, so you can take part again the next time you’re in town with zero spoilers.

7. Spend the day in an adventure-filled lagoon.

The newly opened Brightwater Lagoon in North Fort Myers promises a day (or more) of fun in the sun. Be among the first to snag a day pass, which includes unlimited access to water-based activities like slides, a floating obstacle course, kayaks, and paddleboards. You can also rent a poolside cabana or tiki hut on the sandy shores of the human-made lagoon and take advantage of the swim-up bar, The Sandbar.

For a unique VIP experience, upgrade your day pass to include access to Cabana Cove, which has its own private bar and swim area. Inside Cabana Cove, you can also rent an “aquabana” — a floating cabana for you and your seven closest friends — where you can enjoy frozen cocktails on the water. When the sun goes down, there are outdoor movies and live performances scheduled throughout the week.

Venturing beyond Southwest Florida’s beaches is no easy feat. But if you do, you’ll be rewarded with a whole slew of activities that find unique ways to capitalize on the area’s beautifully warm weather. If you’ve been looking for a sunny destination where you can also have some out-of-the-box fun, it’s time to check out Fort Myers’ islands, beaches and neighborhoods.

20 Places That Changed Us: The Most Transformative Trips the Matador Team Has Taken

20 Places That Changed Us:
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There are many different ways that travel can be transformative. Travel can give insight into different perspectives and new ways of looking at the world, expose people to the finest food and experiences, and can help communities and the environment in places that need it most. The Matador Network team knows this as well as anyone. Often, we landed in travel media after having our own transformative travel experiences — and then continued to seek out travel as a force for good as a career. Our line of work publishing travel stories and guides involves hopping on whatever transportation needed whenever we can so we can see destinations first-hand.

Some trips naturally stand out as more life changing than others. The reasons why are highly specific to each person, but none would be possible without an open mind and a willingness to get out of our comfort zone.

Matador’s writers and editors have collectively traveled to every continent and countless towns, cities, and countries. These are 20 of the places that we’ve gone that have changed us for the better.

Kanha Shanti Vanam, India

Photo: Heartfulness Media Team

There are few travel clichés as cringe-inducing as saying you were changed by a meditation retreat in India. And yet here I am. In 2023, I was invited to Kanha Shanti Vanam, a purpose-built town designed by the leaders of Heartfulness, a non-religious spiritual organization led by Shri Kamlesh D. Patel (Daaji). I’ve never been much for meditation or spiritual thinking. What I saw, experienced, and learned completely changed my approach to just about every aspect of my life.

It’s hard for me to describe it all without an endless word count, though I tried my best for a feature story published on Matador.

Heartfulness is an approachable take on meditation. All that’s needed is an open mind and some basic guidance to get started. My guides Hari and Darshvinder spent long days that stretched into late nights speaking with me over tea about life, work, and how the Heartfulness organization created an entire town complete with multiple restaurants, a massive meditation hall, a hotel, plant tissue research labs, farms, schools, and homes for permanent residents. Most impressive to me was how they used modern and ancient agriculture practices to turn barren land into a lush forest.

To my surprise, I still meditate the Heartfulness way whenever I can. I now apply the land management and reforestation techniques I learned in India to my own small backyard in Denver. The techniques have worked wonders during dry summers, helping me create a thriving food source without irrigation using minimal precious water. My meditation often starts with thinking about the abundance of plant life I saw at Kahna and the relationships I made. I can’t imagine a more transformative escape from the hustle of modern life. — Nickolaus Hines, managing editor

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

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Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

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Kumado Kodo, Japan

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Kumado Kodo, Japan

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Hanoi, Vietnam

Photo: Avinash Gatreddi/Shutterstock

Hanoi is a place that rewrites your expectations the moment you arrive. Known to Americans, especially boomers like my parents, as one of the most charged places during the Vietnam War, it’s now a city that radiates beauty, warmth, and non-stop energy. Hanoi is lush with tree-lined avenues, serene lakes, and intricate architecture that feels both timeless and strikingly vibrant. It’s not untouched by the “War of American Aggression,” as they call it, and sites like the “Hanoi Hilton,” which held American prisoners of war, don’t sugarcoat the realities the country faced. But just steps from those sites are fantastic bakeries and markets, restaurants serving some of the best vegetarian food I’ve ever had, and the fascinating Vietnam Women’s Museum – not to mention cafes selling all manner of fantastic Vietnamese coffee. I find most cities kind of boring, but I could walk around looking at the sights of Hanoi all day.

For anyone craving adventure, Hanoi is a gateway to some of the world’s most breathtaking experiences. A day trip from the city might take you to Phong Nha, home to the planet’s largest cave system (tours offered between January and August; other cave tours are year-round), or you can take an overnight sleeper train to Sapa, where terraced highland trails and homestays await trekkers.

I only spent about three weeks in Vietnam and I don’t feel like I even scratched the surface. While Ho Chi Minh is perhaps more popular with tourists, I preferred the history, culture, and pace of Hanoi versus the more lively, modern, and late-night offerings of the slightly more cosmopolitan Ho Chi Minh. I’d never say no to a chance to go back. — Suzie Dundas, commissioning editor

Tokyo and Kyoto

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Tokyo and Kyoto

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Kyrgyzstan

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Kyrgyzstan

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Oaxaca

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Oaxaca

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Galápagos Islands

Photo: Jesse Adams

It only took one day of diving, hiking, and kayaking around the Galapagos Islands with expedition cruise line Ecoventura for my partner and I to declare this was the best trip we had ever taken. Little did we know then that every new day on the islands would top the one before, and that we would be high on life the entire time. While this trip was a work assignment, I never felt so happy and fulfilled doing my job – or anything else. Both my partner and I are animal and nature lovers, and wildlife is everywhere in the Galápagos Islands. We got to admire hours-old sea lion pups, including one with the umbilical cord still attached, frolicking in puddles, nursing, and crying for their moms’ attention. We snorkeled alongside torpedo-like penguins and spent a lot of time underwater face to face with hungry marine iguanas munching on seaweed. After a hike filled with giant tortoises sightings on the island of Isabela, we swam off a black-sand beach into the warm waters of Urbina Bay accompanied by majestic sea turtles. A trip to the Galápagos Islands is the ultimate dream for anyone who’s fascinated by the animal kingdom. I can’t wait to go back and do it all over again. — Morgane Croissant, deputy editor

Auckland, New Zealand

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Auckland, New Zealand

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Haiti

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Haiti

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Antigua, Guatamala

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Antigua, Guatamala

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Vienna

Photo: Wien Tourismus/Christian Stemper

I’m a Christmas baby. I was 15 minutes late into this world to officially hold that title, but having December 26 as a consolation birthday was a wonderful gift. This time of year reinvigorates my soul. I find joy in the smallest things, slow down, and spend time with people I adore. However, over the pandemic, when I lived alone, I found it almost impossible to muster my usual over-the-top Christmas spirit and get through my favorite time of the year. So, when restrictions were lifted, I organized a five-day trip to Vienna to explore the Christmas markets. This would also be the first trip overseas with my now-husband, who I met at the beginning of the pandemic.

Vienna is one of the most romantic cities in Europe, and in winter, it is even more so. The capital of Austria comes to life in the colder months. While many European cities hunker down and close the shutters at this time of year, Vienna is adorned with lights and decorations, markets flood public squares, coffeehouses are packed with locals coming together for einspänner (coffee with cream) and apple strudel, and people rug-up to brave to cold for concerts and ice skating. If I could sketch an ideal Christmas, it would look very much like this. Of course, this trip was missing my family, but I had my future husband’s hand to keep me warm. On one especially crisp afternoon in Art Advent market – a local market in front of the monumental Karlskirche, Church of St. Charles – we shared a cup of mulled wine as it began to snow. I knew then I’d spend the rest of my Christmases with this person, and one day, we’d return to Vienna, where our travel journey began. — Katie Gavin, lifestyle editor

Spain

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Spain

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Portugal

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Portugal

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West Coast of Scotland

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West Coast of Scotland

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Inishmore, Aran Islands, Ireland

Photo: Tim Wenger

At 21, I moved from France to Ireland to teach French at a rural school. While I thought I was the only young foreigner around, it turned out that there were many of us in the town: three other young French women and one young German man. We all connected instantly and spent most of our spare time together. When Lars, the German teacher, died in a car crash a few months after we met, the bond between the rest of us became even tighter through grief. At the end of the school year, the three of us who were unattached decided to have a last hurrah in the Aran Islands on the west coast of Ireland. We stayed at an empty and no-frills youth hostel and rented bikes to tour the island for five days. We criss-crossed the seemingly deserted island in all directions, lived on sandwiches we made from the provisions we got at the one small grocery store we found, and celebrated our special year and our friendship by getting lost all over Inishmore looking for puffins and standing too close to the edges of cliffs. While everything about this trip was simple, cheap, and quiet, for many years afterwards, it felt like the most special trip I had ever taken. — Morgane Croissant, deputy editor

Rwanda

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Rwanda

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St. Petersburg, Russia

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St. Petersburg, Russia

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Oslo

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Oslo

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CREDITSEditorial lead

Nickolaus Hines

Contributors

Debbie Gonzalez Canada, Morgane Croissant, Suzie Dundas, Katie Gavin, Nickolaus Hines, Rulo Luna, Tim Wenger, Kelsey Wilking

Places That Changed Us: Oaxaca

This is part of the “Places That Changed Us” series, a compilation of 20 trips that have had a lasting impact on the Matador Network team. To see the other 19 places, click here.

I was in in Mexico City with my now-wife Heather when pandemic closures started in March of 2021. At the time, we didn’t know it would be our last trip in a long while. We truthfully weren’t even sure if we would be able to make it back to our apartment in New York City as flight cancellations quickly racked up. We resolved to return to see another side of Mexico as soon as we could to distract ourselves from every errant cough in the airport. We finally made it happen over Thanksgiving the following year, and chose Oaxaca to embrace the spirit of a US holiday defined by indulgent food even if we weren’t in the country. The trip reignited our sense of adventure in more ways than one.

Cooking with Mimi on Thanksgiving through Airbnb Experiences. Photos: Nickolaus Hines

We started in Oaxaca City at a hotel near Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Days were quickly filled with foods from restaurants and street vendors alike. Plate after plate of mole, chapulines scooped from big baskets, and tlayudas all kept us more than stuffed between successive stops in every mezcaleria we passed. Our food highlight came, fitfully, on Thanksgiving day through an Airbnb Experience at the home of Mimi Lopez Hernandez. After a brief talk around the dinner table with 10 other guests about Mimi’s standing as a groundbreaking woman chef in Oaxaca, we were put to work to make our day’s feast using Mimi’s traditional recipes. We made fresh salsas, ground nixtamalized corn into masa on a large molcajete, and cooked tortillas on a comal over an open fire. Three different types of mole were made at once, with people moving between each to see how it was done and get tips from Mimi. It was a full day of cooking interspersed with sips of Mimi’s mezcal and gentle chiding about how my wife and I needed to have kids already. We quickly bonded with Mimi, her son Charlie (who translated when our broken Spanish failed us), and the other guests.

Left, a palenque near Oaxaca City. Right, Highway 175 in Oaxaca goes from desert to lush jungle in the mountains. Photos: Nickolaus HinesRoadside palenque showing its mezcals along Highway 175 in Oaxaca. Photo: Nickolaus Hines

Getting out of the state capital was just as memorable. We decided to drive to Puerto Escondido on Highway 175 in a beat up Chevy Aveo rental. The winding road to the coast is notorious thanks to dangerous one-lane passes and curves through the mountains. Without stops, it takes about six hours to go 160 miles. The risks are worth it for anyone interested in seeing the multitude of landscapes Mexico has: high desert, dense jungle, mountain pine forests filled with psychedelic mushrooms and those who hunt for them. Part of the reason we chose the trip is the long line of palenques along the road close to the city. These small mezcal distilleries make spirits with a wide range of agave types, and you won’t find them in any store. In fact, you often won’t find them anywhere else than that palenque (which often doubles as a home) unless you buy some repurposed bottles to be filled from the big glass jugs the spirits are stored in.

I can’t say the drive would be worth it for everyone. Dogs chased our car and bit our wheels when we made a wrong turn onto a private road, and we had more than one hairy experience getting a little too close to the edge for the well-worn wheels on our rental. We spent about an hour stopped by machete-wielding protestors in a valley that was a cell service dead zone. For us, it was the adventure that we wanted, complete with the finest mezcal we’ve ever had. Plus, we had a beachside Airbnb waiting in Puerto Escondido with passionfruit hanging from the vine above the doorway and an appointment to help with a baby turtle release.

Photo: Nickolaus HinesPhoto: Nickolaus Hines

The trip changed our understanding of Mexico as a whole, a country we visit often. Our limits were pushed at times, but there was never a dull moment. And we kept some friends: Mimi and Charlie have stayed in contact (she was thrilled to see our first baby announcement the following year, as well as the second announcement in 2024), as well as one of the other guests who lives a similarly travel-heavy lifestyle.

More like thisTravel20 Places That Changed Us: The Most Transformative Trips the Matador Team Has Taken

Places That Changed Us: Oslo

This is part of the “Places That Changed Us” series, a compilation of 20 trips that have had a lasting impact on the Matador Network team. To see the other 19 places, click here.

My now-wife and I almost couldn’t believe it when we saw a budget airline had January flights from Atlanta to Oslo for a couple hundred dollars in 2015. I was about to start my last semester of college at Auburn university in Alabama and had a dwindling savings account from working at U-Haul. She was in her gap year before starting dental school at Columbia University in New York City. It’s safe to say our budget didn’t exactly match our desire for our first transatlantic trip just the two of us. Norway’s cheap off-season flights made it a bit more feasible — at least it did when taking into consideration our blissful ignorance of how expensive day-to-day necessities are in the country.

We didn’t know much about Oslo, or even much about the cold as two coastal California kids. We did know that we could manage the price of the flight and an affordable Airbnb for a week if I skipped the start of classes to travel on cheaper days. There was even a little money left for economical winter clothes (there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes, as Norwegians kept telling us when we arrived). By the end, we both had a new appreciation for the cold, off-season travel, and the joys of not really knowing what’s to come until the plane lands.

We walked for miles each day in the snow on the hunt for cheap or free entertainment. The search led us to sculpture parks, long winter sunsets over the water, and ski rentals on a gentle slope. We stumbled on the Frognerseteren toboggan run and rented sleds for under $10. The 10-minute run goes for just over a mile and drops 740 feet. Best of all? We could test our skills along sharp turns with few barriers for free, and then take the metro back up to the start to do it all over again.

We normally travel for the food and drinks first and foremost. It was a bit different in Oslo. We ate a lot of yogurt and the unofficial national dish of frozen pizza with glasses of Vikingfjord vodka. Our splurge was to try traditionally prepared whale and reindeer — both things we knew we wouldn’t try elsewhere, or likely ever again. We tried to go bar hopping until we learned many of the bars we wanted to go to were for people 25 and older, though the karaoke bar we settled at turned out to be the perfect fit: a bold Aerosmith duet made the locals warm up to us so much we ended up chatting and singing and drinking until the bar closed.

More than a decade later, the full impact that the trip had on me is in better focus. It kickstarted my love for off-season travel and seeing things from a more local perspective. Also for creating our own fun in a new place regardless of budget.

More like thisTravel20 Places That Changed Us: The Most Transformative Trips the Matador Team Has Taken