Photo: CLAY Partners /Shutterstock
The Most Beautiful Stops Just Off Route 66
Route 66 is famous for neon signs, roadside diners, and motels frozen in 1950. But the Mother Road stretches more than 2,400 miles, and along the way it passes caves, canyons, lava fields, mountains, and deserts — many of them national or state parks just a short detour off the highway. Some sit directly on the route itself.
These nine parks offer a different version of Route 66: trade the kitsch for cliffs and the retro Americana for landscapes worth pulling over for.
F I F A
Looking for a Last-Minute World Cup Trip? Guadalajara May Be Your Answer.
Photo: eskystudio /Shutterstock
World Cup trips may be more affordable than you think.
Hotels in most of the 16 host cities have dropped their nightly rates after occupancy fell well below expectations. If you still want to catch a match in person, Guadalajara may be your best bet: one of the most affordable host cities in the tournament and an unbeatable place to experience highland Jalisco.
G U I D E
Inside Japan's Living Volcanic Ruins at Mount Usu
Photo: Guido Vermeulen-Perdaen/Shutterstock
After the last Mount Usu eruption, officials made an unusual decision: not everything would be rebuilt. Uplifted roads, collapsed bridges, and mud-filled structures were left in place, slowly reclaimed by nature. The area is now an interpretive landscape within Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark, preserved so visitors can understand the full scale of what happened.
Today, visitors can walk the 1.4-mile Konpira-yama Foot Route through the ruins, where evidence of the eruption is visible at every turn.
C A M P
The 10 Prettiest Places for Camping in Alaska, Hawai'i, and US Territories
Some of the most remote and rewarding camping in the country requires a little extra travel time to reach. In Alaska, pitch a tent beneath towering peaks or along glacier-fed rivers with moose and grizzlies nearby. In Hawaii, fall asleep to waves crashing just beyond your tent. In Puerto Rico, camp deep inside a tropical rainforest.
H I K E
5 Guatemala Volcano Hikes for Beginners and Experts Alike
Photo: Jose de Jesus Churion Del/Shutterstock
Guatemala has 37 volcanoes, some still fairly active, and some you can hike. A few are best attempted with a guide; others are easy to tackle on your own with enough water and snacks. All of them offer perspectives on the country's landscape that you won't find anywhere else.
B E A C H
With Sandy Coves and No Big Resorts, Puerto Escondido Is the Perfect Mexican Beach Town
Photo: Seufers on the Road/Shutterstock
With a population of about 45,000, Puerto Escondido is small enough to get anywhere in 10 minutes by taxi or colectivo. And unlike most Mexican beach towns, it has dodged the large hotel developments and all-inclusive resorts entirely.
Where to Stay
Travel Well
The Matador Editorial Team
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