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On select days in 2020, the National Park Service welcomes visitors to all of its parks — including those that normally charge an entry fee — for free. And one of those days is this Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, for National Public Lands Day. The annual commemoration, which started in 1994, is held on the fourth Saturday of September and “celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits,” according to the National Park Service’s site....

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. As the pandemic has spurred huge demand for personalized escapes, hotels are moving beyond presidential suites and club floors. “We’re seeing a lot of private-use options, and they are being well received, particularly by multigenerational groups,” says Keith Waldon, a family-travel expert and a member of T+L’s Travel Advisory Board....

After a year of coming together and staying home for the greater good, it’s time to prepare yourself for one epic return to travel. We’re here to celebrate all the future good to come, including the reopening of borders and making plans together again with all-new episodes of our podcast, Let’s Go Together, which highlights how travel changes the way we see ourselves and the world. In the first season, our pilot and adventurer host, Kellee Edwards, introduced listeners to diverse globe-trotters who showed us that travelers come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life....

I have the particular curse of having skin so sensitive, even looking at a wool sweater for too long can cause me to break out in hives. Sure, I can snuggle up with my beloved Pendleton blanket so long as there’s a barrier between it and my easily upset skin, but I have historically steered clear of the fabric. So when Rumpl, the blanket brand best-known for its comfortable puffy camping blankets, launched a indoor wool collection so soft they’re touted as “the world’s softest wool blanket,” I couldn’t help but be a little skeptical....

The culinary world owes a lot to whoever first discovered the magic of mushrooms. Fungus — from everyday cremini to decadent morels — is an undeniable gift from nature. A vegetarian’s delight, the fleshy, umami-packed vegetable offers an unparalleled, meaty addition to everything from soup and sauces to pasta and pastries. But the best thing about mushrooms? They occur naturally all over the world. Unlike a lot of seasonal or state-side veggies, like squash or corn, the versatile — and sustainable — mushroom varies country to country, making it a cultural Easter egg that varies based on dish and destination....

Outside of central Floridians, there are two groups of people who would have reason to know about the small town of Ocala, Florida: equestrian types and fans of the hardcore band A Day To Remember, whose hometown roots here spawned all sorts of angst-fueled anthems. But many more will now start hearing about Ocala, because The Equestrian Hotel has arrived to wake up what has long been considered sleepy horse country....

Close your eyes and imagine an airplane. Chances are, you’ve visualized a long tube with a tail, two wings and a rounded nose. But that universal image of an aircraft may soon be shaken up. Dutch airline KLM announced that it would help fund development of the Flying V, a passenger plane completely unlike anything else that’s taken to the skies. The name of the aircraft pretty much says it all....

Even if you’ve never set foot on stage, one San Diego hotel will let you live the life of a rockstar. While renting fun items like bicycles or books during a hotel stay isn’t too unique, The Pendry in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter is kicking things up a notch with unexpected amenities like skateboards, Taylor guitars, and even a Cadillac — all for free. If your favorite mode of transportation is a strong nod to California culture, the hotel offers free skateboard rentals which are exclusive to The Pendry and designed in collaboration with skateboard company Sector 9....

Hawaii’s Big Island draws visitors with its lush forests, stunning black- and white-sand beaches, diverse marine life, active volcanoes, and delicious coffee grown on the island’s west side. If all this sounds like heaven to you, then you’re in luck, because you may soon be able to enjoy all that the Big Island has to offer — and more — from the comfort of your luxury estate. And yes, that includes a private coffee farm for an exceedingly fresh cup of Joe every morning....

Driving through West Iceland is akin to driving through Middle Earth. The stark contrast between the white-capped glaciers and green rolling farmland make it a unique place for a brewhouse, but so very Iceland. Reminiscent of the Dark Ages, it seems only fitting that the region’s local brewery is making a genuinely medieval beer. Stedji Brewery is producing a seasonal beer called Hvalur, made with whale testicle that’s been smoked in sheep’s dung....

Move over, Mount Rushmore. There’s a man in the U.K. who wants to put the iconic U.S. monument to shame. He just needs the perfect mountain to do it. According to The Scottish Herald, an English multi-millionaire is seeking to buy a mountain in Scotland for £12 million (about $15.5 million USD) in order to carve faces into it in the style of Mount Rushmore. But not the faces of British Monarchy, or statesmen, or even The Beatles....

If you’re anything like us,you’re all about practical living: You love comfy shoes, lightweight luggage, and products that are just as versatile and functional as they are stylish. And if you’re all about keeping one product on hand that does it all rather than having a closet full of odds and ends, you’ve got the right idea. It’s especially true for bags. After all, the average person needs a good tote bag, beach bag, overnight bag, and laptop bag in their life....

Just 40 miles north of San Francisco lies the underrated enclave of Sonoma—a vineyard-strewn swath of land that spans from the edge of Napa to the Pacific Ocean. In Healdsburg, wine country dining is at its peak, and as you work your way west along the Russian River, you’ll find plenty of laid-back wineries pouring impressive Pinots and sparkling wines. Without the Napa crowds or San Francisco fog, it’s a prime place for a long weekend of wine tasting, river swims, and exploring the coast....

People get bored on Ibiza. It’s a truth just as it’s a truth that eventually everyone runs out of cocaine, that eventually dawn finds even the most resolute nightclub, that even fun itself gets boring. (“Fun gets boring” is one of the most terrible vacation truths that travel magazines try to hide from you.) Just open any celebrity tabloid, gaze deeply into Leonardo DiCaprio’s eyes, and you’ll see it staring back at you: even there on the deck of the mega-yacht (because, when in Ibiza, Leo is always on a mega-yacht), even there lashed to a water jet pack, even in the midst of a squirt-gun fight with French supermodel triplets, that nagging question persists like a headache: Is this all there is?...

Though I’m a frequent flier, I’m embarrassed to say that it took me a long time to identify my “must-have” travel items. A simple suitcase, a bag, and a jacket — that’s all I took with me on flights. It also didn’t matter if the flight was two hours long or seven hours long, a red-eye or a midday affair. Of course, this resulted in some miserable flying experiences, all because I just didn’t take the time to figure out what would make traveling easier for me....

Utah is an outdoor lover’s paradise. The state is home to five national parks, endless single-track and hiking trails, a smattering of hot springs, and ski areas with some of the best snow you’ll ever shred. But you don’t have to sleep in a tent — on a flimsy camping mattress — to get the full experience. Glamping resorts throughout the state offer the best of both worlds — accommodations under starry night skies with perks like hot showers, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, and yes, real beds....

Editor’s Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. When it comes to choosing the best ski resort in the U.S. for an unforgettable winter vacation, there are plenty of choices. The best resorts have more than just difficult runs and thousands of acres of mountain to explore — they also offer a variety of terrain to fit every ski and snowboard skill level, as well as a robust après-ski culture and plenty to do off the mountain....

Editor’s Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. California is one state that really does have it all — beaches, vineyards, deserts, delicious food…we could go on and on and we haven’t even mentioned the Golden State’s warm and sunny weather. But you don’t have to go big to have a good time....

While 2020 was, by and large, a challenging year, it was a rather triumphant one for the international space industry. Between the return of human spaceflight to American soil (thanks, SpaceX!), three Mars mission launches (for the United States, China, and the United Arab Emirates), and the successful recovery of samples from the moon and the asteroid Ryugu (by China and Japan, respectively), it was certainly an impressive 12 months. Luckily for us, this year is shaping up to be just as memorable....

For the last 110 years, sea turtles have inhabited Earth’s oceans, returning to specific nesting areas each year to nest and lay eggs. This delicate routine is easily disrupted by the presence of people or buildings on the beach — and with several turtle species falling on the endangered species list — ensuring turtles are able to nest and give birth in peace is more important than ever. Several beachside hotels around the world are making efforts to provide sea turtles with undisturbed nesting grounds, with some creating opportunities for guests to help sea turtles during their stay....