Travel Essays
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Before her first surf lesson, Natasha Smith didn't think about being the only Black person on the water. Now, she's a vanlifer chasing waves and adventure up and down the West Coast.
You’re supposed to be happy for them, right?
A pilgrim seeking peace and purpose on Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago finds much more
The hairstylist had abandoned religion as a teen. Then a profound experience in a forest in the Middle East set her on the path to be a chaplain.
The intrepid traveler was trapped overseas, with no end to her misadventure in sight. Taking it one day at a time changed everything.
A ride on a wild stallion teaches the adventurer that the best reason to take a chance is not knowing how it will turn out
During the phenomenon of polar night, parts of the Arctic don’t see the sun for weeks or months at a time. The darkness drives some people insane, but for others, it opens a gateway into wonder and peace.
Sorry for sending the crowds your way, but sharing special places in the outdoors is my job, and if it’s done right, it’s for the greater good
From paddling a river during a forest fire to improvising a 62-mile trail run after a race cancellation, here are the most hilarious, heartwarming, and jaw-dropping outdoor meet-cutes gone right
After setting out on her longtime fantasy to travel the world on a sailboat with her family, one writer learns just how beautiful—and devastating—it can be to finally get what you want
The precocious author’s debut release was the December-January pick for the ϳԹ Book Club. We spoke with him about his journey along the Magdalena, Colombia’s longest waterway, and his attempt to understand the quickly changing country
A ski trip into these Italian mountains unfolds into a learning experience and a bridge to much needed healing
What started as a fun personal challenge turned into a three-year van-life journey that pushed our writer to explore the most remote coasts in the United States
Our writer and her partner were about to embark on a longtime plan when their relationship abruptly ended. Despite her fears of doing it alone, she’s hitting the road—it was always her fantasy to be realized, anyway.
Getting lost teaches me mindfulness, even when I’m terrified
In an excerpt from his new book ‘The Comfort Crisis,’ journalist Michael Easter travels to Bhutan to learn about how confronting death head-on can lead to a more fulfilled life
The weather is perfect. You get to do everything on your list. No one gets food poisoning or giardia or blisters.
Nothing matters once you’re out the door! Whatever you forget is simply not joining you on the adventure.
It might not be time to head out on a big excursion yet, but it's a great time to get inspired.
After my mom suffered a massive stroke that left half of her body paralyzed, my family and I decided to create adventures where none seemed possible
High school didn't serve up much adventure, so Devin Murphy signed up to do grunt work on expedition ships that sailed to Alaska, Iceland, Antarctica, and other far-flung places. Turned out to be a pretty great idea.
How a sick friend, a wedding in Mexico, and a cabin in Montana all led up to the A5 Wagyu striploin of my dreams
From a young age, the ocean provided relief from mental illness, something I've been unable to replicate with any other form of nature. It turns out, there's a science behind why some people prefer water.
You don't need to invest in a lot of equipment and expensive photography classes to get high-quality shots. Just use these simple tricks, courtesy of a professional travel photographer.
Leave it to the Faroe Islands to come up with the most clever virtual tour we've seen. In their new tourism program, a Faroese resident becomes your local avatar, guiding you around the stunning archipelago in real time.
Don and Steve Friedman decided to bond with a trek in the Cascades. Worked great! Except for some minor disagreements about work. And money. And hope. And the meaning of life. And …
Think vanlifers have a unique advantage during a pandemic? Think again.
Stop storing up days and start using them, whether it's for a microadventure, a staycation, or a road trip
Renowned architect Bjarke Ingels has crafted an epic synthetic slope on top of a massive waste-to-energy plant
Heed this expert advice before you cancel a flight or abandon a dream destination
With every post, Kiona, creator of the popular blog and Instagram account How Not to Travel Like a Basic Bitch, is teaching herself and her followers how to be, well, less basic
After being raped in Mongolia in 2015, she's using her trek to advocate for women's safety
Professional boxing has been illegal in Cuba for more than 50 years. That hasn't stopped the country from producing the best fighters in the world.
How a father-son trip to Yosemite conquered my fear of hiking, bears, and falling off chairlifts
A recent report found that 259 people died between 2011 and 2017 while stepping in front of the camera in often dangerous destinations. Our writer went deep on the psychology of selfies to figure out what's behind our obsession with capturing extreme risk-taking.
The budget airline was responsible for shuttling 30 percent of the country's tourists last year. Its closing will irrevocably change how we get there—and that might be a good thing.
Can extreme pleasure and adventure coexist? Yeah, baby! Hop on a bike for a long, winding tour through the gourmet sweet spots of southern France.