The Explorer’s Guide to Road Tripping Around Appalachia

The world still doesn’t quite know what to make of Appalachia. The mountainous, multi-state region has long been defined both by mystery and misconceptions. In many ways, it’s been America’s shadow since the nation’s birth. Early settlers fretted about American Indian tribes, dark hollows, and looming wilderness in the 1600s and 1700s, while modern folks tend to worry more about the environmental degradation and concentration of Trump voters. Yet, Appalachia is much like America as a whole—it sprawls from south to north across several states, spawning local cultures marked as much by their diversity and differences than what they have in common. And these mountains are old. Rocks formed during the Precambrian era have been found in some places. Parts of the Appalachian Mountains are thought to be even older than Saturn’s rings, and millennia of erosion have given rise to one of the richest temperate ecosystems in the world. This diverse bioregion has become home to a melting pot of culture. Archaeological findings indicate that American Indian tribes inhabited the region 20,000 years ago. The first Europeans arrived in the 1500s, when Spanish conquistadors ventured up from what is now Florida. English and French settlers followed, establishing a general pattern that continues into the present: Newcomers bring their cultural traditions into the region, where they are absorbed into the greater whole.

The Explorer’s Guide to Road Tripping Down Highway 61

Highway 61 is known as “The Blues Highway” as it makes its way from New Orleans to Memphis, following the Mississippi River through lands forged over eons, from the coastal swamps of Louisiana to the alluvial plains of the Delta, the highway connecting these landscapes to the human tales etched into the soil, telling the story of the Deep South through a journey of migration, transformation, and enduring spirit. In New Orleans, where I was born and raised, Highway 61 was the end of my known world. It was a road of short-stay motels, pawn shops, Bingo parlors, and a pervading sense of danger. It was the boundary of my childhood, of all that was safe and familiar. Years later, as an adult, I would come to know the highway as a conduit to the past, an artery of profound historical and cultural significance, invention and reinvention, of human dreams pinned to its asphalt, ever following the river like an acolyte to the great hand that carved both into the mythos of the South.

Gastro Obscura’s 10 Essential Stops on an Alternative London Pub Crawl

Think London, and it’s likely you’ll picture a cozy pub. The word is a 17th-century abbreviation of the term “public house,” a concept originally inspired by Roman-era taverns, but the pub as we know it today is one of the most quintessentially British and Irish cultural icons, with its own unique aesthetic and culture. Much has been written about the fact that pubs in the U.K. and Ireland are dying; a 2023 government report shared that every day in England and Wales, two pubs close their doors. Even the pubs in a modern, ever-evolving city like London can feel like a glimpse into a disappearing past. Much has also been written about London’s oldest pubs, but we wanted to share a collection of pubs with links to contemporary music, British food, literature, interior design, architecture and, of course, great beer, rather than just age.

The Explorer’s Guide to Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree may be known for attracting crowds of social influencers and visitors unfamiliar with national park etiquette. Yet despite the reputation, it remains at its core a mystical place. Its ancient landscape is dotted with fuzzy cacti, sculptural rock formations, and the namesake Joshua trees—which aren’t trees at all, but a species of yucca that can live for centuries in the Mojave Desert. The otherworldly setting has drawn generations of soul-seekers, avant-garde artists, and others who march to the beat of their own drums. Today, you can embark on an unconventional adventure, encountering everything from a spiritual center dedicated to the “science of the future” to a geodesic dome purportedly inspired by extraterrestrials. Plan your next adventure with our Explorer’s Guide to the Parks.

The Explorer’s Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park sprawls over more than half a million acres of some of the eastern United States’ tallest peaks and wildest lands. Its central location and diversity of life and landscapes make it Appalachia’s premier destination. The Smokies encompasses the North Carolina/Tennessee border, bisected by nearly 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The park is home to soaring vistas, hidden hollows, sparkling waterways, the remains of historic settlements, and an abundance of wildlife that includes black bear, elk, and other species. Indeed, the Smokies is easily the most visited national park in the United States (although it falls behind Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Blue Ridge Parkway for as the National Park Service’s most visited site), with more than 12 million visitors in 2024 alone. The park’s sheer size and variety of access points allow visitors who plan ahead to find plenty of peace and solitude even during the Smokies’ busiest season. Plan your next adventure with our Explorer’s Guide to the Parks.

The Explorer’s Guide to Banff National Park

Sharp stone peaks, hulking glaciers, and iridescent blue lakes have long made Canada’s first national park its most visited. Nearly the entire Rocky Mountain range in Canada is covered by a string of national parks smushed together, so the wilderness here feels as vast as the northern country itself. That raw ruggedness is exactly what’s been attracting people for hundreds of years, so the land is pocketed with nuggets of history. Many people are familiar with the icefields, hot springs, skiing, and hiking in Banff. But not as many are aware of the mummified merman, rare translucent cave creatures, a sunken ghost town that requires scuba diving to the bottom of a lake, or the old swinger restaurant that keeps the area colorful with quirky stories. From the town of Banff to the point where the road seamlessly passes into next-door Jasper National Park, here are the attention-grabbing sites and legendary tales of Banff National Park in Canada’s wild west. Plan your next adventure with our Explorer’s Guide to the Parks.

10 Wild Places That Define West Virginia’s Landscape

Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism

From the high reaches of the Appalachians to expansive underground caverns, West Virginia’s rich and varied natural landscape is full of surprises. Climb the observation tower at West Virginia’s highest peak and take in sweeping views of the vast landscape, or explore the many below-ground caves, packed with fanciful formations. In between, hike the most significant botanical area in the Appalachian region—a rare find that offers striking similarities to the arctic tundra, stand in a spot that struck awe in a U.S. President, or stay overnight in a historic fire tower as you take in the star-studded night sky. Nature lovers, set your sights on West Virginia.

The Ultimate Guide to Hidden Red Rocks: 10 Secret Passageways, Artifacts, and Ghost Stories

Sponsored by Visit Denver

There’s the version of Red Rocks most people know: the iconic open-air concert venue flanked by soaring sandstone fins. And then, there’s the version that even the amphitheater’s biggest fans sometimes overlook. Behind its impressive facade, you’ll find that the Denver-area venue has a hidden side—a quirky streak that it just might reveal to you if you know where to look. To see Red Rocks at its most pensive, go at first light. Mule deer and lynx sometimes roam the trails surrounding the amphitheater, and the sun’s first rays gild the rock until it seems to glow. Book a sunrise yoga session on the steps, or join the runners on dawn patrol: jogging the stone bleachers is a local rite of passage (and a serious workout). History buffs would be remiss not to stop into the Red Rocks Hall of Fame—a curving corridor lined with guitars and other rare artifacts—or visit the nearby Civilian Conservation Corps building that housed Red Rocks’ creators. Want to go even deeper? Singletrack trails wind through the ancient sandstone passages, unfurling a 300-million-year geology lesson one stratum at a time. That’s just a taste of what Red Rocks has in store for those willing to ferret out its secrets. Here are ten ways to uncover the whimsical, gritty, spooky, and mysterious sides of Colorado’s most iconic stage.

The Explorer’s Guide to Williamsburg, Virginia

Sponsored by Visit Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Virginia played a pivotal role in the American Revolution and the early development of the nation, serving as a center of strong ideas and innovative thinking. Today, this legacy is firmly rooted in the past and extremely relevant to the present. From a beach brimming with the fossilized remains of extinct sea creatures to a tavern once frequented by the nation’s Founding Fathers, Virginia’s “Historic Triangle” is full of unusual finds for every type of traveler. Use this guide to inspire your next trip.

The Explorer’s Guide to the British Virgin Islands

Sponsored by The British Virgin Islands

With their sprawling beaches and sunny skies, the British Virgin Islands are one of the greatest destinations for those looking for an island getaway. But the fun shouldn’t stop at relaxation: across this archipelago of roughly 60 islands, adventure awaits for those intrepid enough to seek it. The pirates—who used these islands as a refuge in the 17th century—have gone, but their dauntless spirit remains. Here you can walk through an otherworldly maze of seaside boulders, or dip in a natural jacuzzi made frothy by crashing waves. Head out to sea to have a drink on a pirate ship, or get on your scuba gear to explore an underwater art exhibit. Whether your own personal treasure map leads you to food, nature, or the sea, you’re sure to strike gold on these islands. Here are the ten most exciting spots to explore.

Gastro Obscura’s 10 Essential Places to Eat, Drink, and Shop in Hong Kong

Think Hong Kong and the mind flits to dim sum, sweet roasted meats, and noodles. While you’ll still find all of those in abundance here, Hong Kong’s status as a port city and a former British colony have led to dishes that exist outside of the Cantonese genre—indeed, also to entirely new cross-cultural genres. With this in mind, we wanted to put together a list that touches on the classics: a stuck-in-time dim sum hall, a streetside dai pai dong where nearly every dish is cooked in a wok, and an artisanal soy sauce maker. You’ll also find a few lesser-known places that are nonetheless important to Hong Kong’s food scene: the local equivalent of the diner, restaurants that serve Western dishes as perceived through a Chinese lens, Hong Kong’s unique bakeries, as well as things tangential to the territory’s food culture such as kitchen supplies and the neon signs that used to decorate nearly every restaurant in the city.

A Denver Guide for National Park Lovers

Sponsored by Visit Denver

If you want to explore Colorado’s wildest corners, you’ll first need to pass through Denver. Often called the gateway to the Mountain West, Denver is a portal to the rugged peaks, rolling sand dunes, and rippling aspen forests that lie beyond its doorstep. But this city isn’t just a stepping stone to adventure; it’s a worthwhile stopover in its own right. No Colorado visit is complete without a weekend in the Mile High City. Before Colorado’s national parks existed, these landscapes played host to explorers, naturalists, fur trappers, and thriving Native American nations. All these people and cultures converged in Denver, bringing maps, plant and animal specimens, and profound environmental insights with them. Over the last 175 years, that rich knowledge transfer has turned Denver into a city that is deeply connected to the natural world. Today, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science contains some of the state’s earliest animal specimens, as well as fossils from the Colorado Rockies. Botany enthusiasts will want to tour Populus, the head-turning hotel that looks like an aspen tree, or visit the Denver Botanic Gardens to learn how researchers are preserving the nation’s rarest alpine flowers. More interested in the cultural history of our national parklands? Sample traditional recipes at Tocabe, a Native American restaurant that highlights Indigenous-grown food; or grab a drink at Buckhorn Exchange, a 19th-century bar once frequented by miners, fur traders, and presidents alike. A city built by and for outdoorspeople, Denver is one of the best places on the planet to spark your curiosity before your adventure west. Here are eight of the best spots to prepare you for the outdoor experience of a lifetime.

Cosmic Colorado: A Stargazer’s Guide to the Centennial State

Sponsored by Visit Colorado

It’s tough to measure awe, but we’ll give it a shot. Imagine jaw-dropping views of stars, planets, flying meteors, and other celestial wonders illuminating the night sky over a rugged mountainscape. In Colorado, you can see all of this and more at one of its many Dark Sky places. For anyone entranced by the wonders of stargazing, the state has nearly ten percent of the world’s Dark Sky Parks and Communities, places untouched by light pollution. To put it another way, Colorado boasts nearly 300,000 acres of dreamy campgrounds, gleaming waterways, and beaches beneath star-freckled skies. That’s a lifetime of awe right there. So what makes the Centennial State so perfect for stargazing? Thank the high altitude, remote towns, and wide-open landscapes. All those ingredients ensure vivid views of the universe beyond. Then, of course, there are the landscapes. From the sprawling sand dunes of the San Luis Valley, to the ancient cliff dwellings of the desert southwest, the state is covered in picture-perfect backdrops. Consider the Colorado sky your silver screen, and these nine destinations your front-row seats to the show of a lifetime. Here are some of the best places to stargaze in Colorado.

Gastro Obscura’s 10 Essential Places to Eat and Drink in Oaxaca

Oaxaca, the mountainous state in Mexico’s south, is celebrated as the country’s “cradle of diversity.” Home to 16 Indigenous ethnic groups from Mixtecs to Triques to Zapotecs, it also boasts the country’s greatest biodiversity, counting 522 edible herbs, over 30 native agave varieties distilled by some 600 mezcal-producing facilities, 35 landraces (unique cultivars) of corn, and some two-dozen native species of chiles and beans. Oaxaca de Juárez, the state’s colonial capital, is drawing record numbers of visitors these days for its cobblestoned streets and the arty graffiti. But the main draw is Oaxaca’s status as the culinary epicenter of Mexico for its dozens of mole varieties, an encyclopedia of corn masa-based antojitos—memelas, tetelas, totopos, tlayudas, tamales—and a baroque layering of colonial-Spanish and pre-Hispanic Indigenous foodways. Local chefs understand that to be culinary authority here one must be part botanist and part anthropologist—roles which they embrace with great relish. Among the welcome recent developments to the restaurant scene has been the great rise of female chefs, as well as a new interest in cooking from the state’s different regions in addition to the complex colonial flavors of the Valles Centrales surrounding the capital. Whether you’re after unusual moles from the rugged Mixteca region, breads made exclusively from Oaxacan wheat, or a country lunch featuring edible insects, our guide has you covered. From a cult street taco stand to a Michelin-starred chef resurrecting forgotten dishes, here are the culinary highs to hit.

A Gastro Obscura Guide to Family-Friendly Dining in San Diego

Sponsored by San Diego Tourism

In San Diego, a city on the sea just over the border from the coastal state of Baja California, the freshness of the food leaps off the plate, thanks to chefs who are constantly finding new ways to turn local produce and seafood into something delectable. The city’s history, heritage, and proximity to Mexico—combined with the fresh, simple flavors of California cuisine—create a cross-border culinary identity known as Cali-Baja. It’s not just a fusion, but a lifestyle rooted in variety and simplicity. While San Diego has a long and celebrated tradition of excellent Mexican food—from street tacos to aguachile—that’s just the beginning. The city’s diverse neighborhoods each bring something unique to the table: hand-pulled noodles in Convoy District, beachside burgers in Ocean Beach, artisan pasta in Little Italy, and seafood-forward small plates in La Jolla. The commitment to bold flavor and local ingredients is unmistakable. And thanks to year-round sunshine and a laid-back beach culture, great food is easy to find and even easier to enjoy. This diversity of cuisine, paired with an adventurous, open-hearted spirit, makes America’s Finest City a standout destination for curious eaters and families alike.

The Explorer’s Guide to Outdoor Wonders In Maryland

Sponsored by Visit Maryland

With wild horses, a small elk called a “sika,” a massive population of bald eagles, and the once-endangered fox squirrel, the state of Maryland is home to a thrilling variety of wildlife. Across diverse ecosystems like swamps, cliffs, mountains, and sandy beaches, the state springs alive during spring and summer with the sounds of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles that the state has been careful to protect. Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, these parks, preserves, and protected areas across Maryland offer visitors a chance to encounter fauna they may have never even known existed.

The Secret Lives of Cities: Ljubljana

How many times can a city be called a “hidden gem” before it stops being hidden? Judging by the enthusiastic throngs wandering its cobbled Baroque streets in summer, Slovenia’s capital has certainly been discovered, but perhaps by the wiser tourists. Though it is popular it is never overcrowded, and each visitor who falls for its charms (and they inevitably do) feels as though they’ve stumbled upon a secret treasure. Perhaps this lingering sense of discovery comes from its tricky-to-pronounce name (Loo-blee-ah-nah) or the fact that Slovenia only gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, making it feel newly accessible to many travelers. But this very quality is part of its appeal—Ljubljana is a city full of surprises. It’s unexpectedly elegant and prosperous (historically the most developed of the former Yugoslav capitals), remarkably easy to visit , impressively green (a former European Green Capital with the highest percentage of pedestrianized streets in Europe), surprisingly well-connected, and effortlessly cool. With a quarter of its 300,000-odd inhabitants being students, Ljubljana has a vibrant, youthful energy combined with refined Central European charm. Though often grouped with “Eastern Europe,” all of Slovenia actually lies west of Vienna, which was historically its greatest influence, having been part of the Habsburg Empire for centuries. The city center is compact, highly walkable, and photogenic, with minimal Socialist-era architecture disrupting its Old World atmosphere—unlike sister cities such as Belgrade. And then there’s its stunning backdrop: a 30-minute drive north, the snow-capped Alps rise majestically above the skyline. Spend just a few hours in Ljubljana, and it will come as no surprise that its name translates to “beloved.”

From Cigar Boom to Culinary Gem: 10 Essential Spots in Ybor City

Sponsored by VISIT TAMPA BAY

In Ybor City, the past and present blend like the perfect café Cubano—rich, bold, and impossible to resist. Situated just northeast of downtown Tampa, Florida, the enclave was founded when Cuban cigar entrepreneur Vincente Martinez-Ybor opened a factory here in the 1880s. That one business move created a boom for cigars (at its height, Ybor City had more than 200 cigar factories), prompting an explosion of lodging, restaurants, shops and nightclubs. Today, it’s still a haven for vibrant cultural touchpoints that blend its Cuban roots with Floridian, Spanish, Italian and global influences from farther-flung locations. On its charming streets, guests will find Cuban eateries ranging from traditional to creative, and cigar shops (and even a working factory) that retains the spirit of its past. From picadillo to hand-rolled cigars, Ybor City has plenty of treasures to offer. A word to the wise: Come hungry for discovery.