Features

©Sanny11/Getty Images Take a tip from the experts on how to enjoy Cinco de Mayo from your home this year Take a tip from the experts on how to enjoy Cinco de Mayo from your home this year Translated to the 5th of May, Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s victory over France during the Franco-Mexican

Anytime a person an extended yet temporary time abroad they tend to build a lot of strong connections in a short period of time. Something about the impermanence of the time can make everything feel that much more magical and memorable. But, it’s a double-edged sword. These people may also be the most susceptible to

©loneroc/Shutterstock Klamath River Overlook, California With beachside vacations being put on hold with coronavirus-related closures, there’s an alternative way to access sand and surf – right from your screen. Across United States, the nation’s beaches are being represented on screen from coast to coast. Embrace these picturesque views across the United States through these web

©Torresigner/Getty Images Traffic passes colourful street art in Miami’s Wynwood District. If life is looking a bit drab without travel, add some color into your life by setting off on a street art tour around the world—virtually. Google makes it easy to revisit some of your favorite murals that you’ve come across during your travels

With jaw-dropping natural beauty, reasonable entry fees, and convenient locations, these state parks belong on your must-see US parks list. There’s no denying the allure of this country’s majestic national parks. But there’s plenty of natural beauty to go around, and many state parks offer outdoor experiences that shouldn’t be overlooked. State parks tend to

I was a sophomore in my summer engineering internship when I decided to Google “study abroad scholarships” to pass the time. That’s when I came across the Boren Awards, a national scholarship that provides up to $20,000 in funding to successful applicants who intend to learn an in-demand foreign language. This was one of the

Laura Brown Sunset from Shenandoah National Park 1. Play one of these games with your family – the Park Service has a great list of games designed for families to play while in social isolation. Think you know the most about the parks? Love baby animals? They have a game for you! 2. Take a

Being a young solo traveler is an incredible experience, but not one that you can simply Google a how-to guide for. Deciding on accommodations as a young solo traveler can be especially tricky on your few trips. Do you choose a Couchsurfing experience for the local, authenticity factor? An Airbnb for the privacy? A hostel

It’s not secret that COVID-19 has hit the airline industry hard, causing mass layoffs all around the world. In Sweden and the United Kingdom, laid off flight attendants are using their medical emergency training to help hospitals fight the coronavirus. Heart, ambition and dedication – from our cabin crew in Norway. 💙We proudly announce our

The US Department of State has stopped issuing new passports due to public health measures intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus, though there are some exceptions. Passport services in the US have been put on pause as the State Department issues strict restrictions on renewals and new passport applications. As of March 20,

Thanks to COVID-19, summer national park trips have been cancelled, and we’re all stuck inside relegated to digital meetings. But! Digital meetings can still be inspired by your favorite park! We’ve assembled 13 national park backgrounds to spice up your next Zoom meeting. Simply right click and download the image, then add it as a

A new app lets people hike the Appalachian Trail from anywhere, competing with friends to hit real-life landmarks © Cavan Images / Getty Images Mid-March to early May is typically one of the busiest times on the Appalachian Trail, as NOBO (or North Bound in AT parlance) trekkers flood the southern terminus of the famous

On April 2, 2020, the National Park Service has announced the closure of two more national parks, Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree due to COVID-19. A few of the major parks that are still open to visitors (with minimal services) are: Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Shenadoah, and Zion. As always, please check with the National

©Ditty_about_summer/Shutterstock Travel makes the world a better place. When humans are exposed to other cultures and ways of living, we open up and grow as individuals. With the freedom of travel currently on pause because of the COVID crisis, there are other ways to connect with the global community and make the world a better

A pilot spelled out the public health message “stay home” in the sky over Austria Flightradar24 Pilots have been using their aircraft to spell out requests and share uplifting messages on radar tracking maps during the COVID-19 outbreak. Governments and health officials have been promoting the “stay home” message to save lives during the COVID-19

During the time of COVID-19, there are quite a few National Parks that remain open to the public. We spoke with a park ranger at Grand Canyon National Park to get a detailed view of what’s happening on the ground in one of America’s most popular parks. Our source requested to remain anonymous to protect

These are trying times for travelers. Being home-bound is a most unnatural state for globetrotters. We will be able to travel again. But for now, we must stay at home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. As we all do our part to flatten the curve we can transport ourselves to faraway locales thanks

To get through the COVID-19 quarantine crisis, we polled our readers for some of their favorite travel movies. Here is a list of 15 movie recommendations to scratch your travel itch while you’re stuck at home: Eat Pray Love (rent on Amazon for $2.99) Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream

The novel Coronavirus has most Americans staying in their homes, going a little stir crazy, and looking for things to do to pass the time that still adhere to social distancing guidelines. To that end, spending time in the wilderness is a good alternative activity. How are America’s National Parks handling the crisis, and how

Lonely Planet is committed to caring for the well-being of society and supporting response efforts all around the world. For the time being, we are concentrating our digital editorial focus to cover the urgent and fast-moving issues for travelers arising from the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Please visit our dedicated coronavirus/COVID-19 section and follow us on social