A Look Back at the Year's Top Stories
Somehow, we are already halfway through the year. This is a short holiday week for us in the US, which has us doing the thing everyone does in late June: wondering where in the world the first six months went.
So before the second half slips by just as quickly, we're taking a look at 2026 so far. Below are the stories that resonated most with Matador readers this year, the travel news that kept you clicking, and the stays you saved again and again.
Islands trended so hard we gave them their own section. World Cup guides started gaining popularity once the games kicked off this month. And cruises and road trips, of course, made the top five.
While you're "working" this week, scroll through the top-performing stories that inspired us and maybe find some inspiration for yourself. Book the flight. Take the road trip. Try the place down the street you keep meaning to. And when you do, hit reply and tell us about it.
-Kelsey Wilking, newsletter editor
P A R K S
This Road Trip Takes You to Every National Park in the Contiguous United States
Photo: Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock
Two of America's favorite pastimes, combined: road trips and national parks. The full loop runs nearly 17,000 miles, but it breaks neatly into long-weekend segments.
T R A V E L
6 Caribbean Destinations That Will Remind You of Europe
Photo: Damien VERRIER/Shutterstock
Europe and the Caribbean are obviously very different. But the same pull that draws travelers to Paris and Amsterdam runs through islands named for them, with a lot more heat. These six places deliver France, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK without the transatlantic flight.
THE YEAR’S BEST ISLAND STORIES
Photo: Georgios Tsichlis/Shutterstock
G U I D E
40 European Small Towns That Are Straight Out of a Storybook
From England to Romania, these towns held onto their centuries-old architecture and slower pace. Forty places that kept their postcard charm while the rest of Europe modernized around them.
C R U I S E
10 Cruises in 2026 for Travelers Who Want More Than Just a Floating Resort
Photo: Orient Express Sailing Yachts
There are cruises, and then there are, well, cruises. Wellness sailings, wildlife liveaboards, Galápagos birding trips, a Greenland voyage timed to the August solar eclipse: these are a different breed entirely, often on smaller boats. The 2026 lineup skips the buffet-and-beach routine.
READER’S FAVORITE STAYS
P A R K S
This Is the Most Disappointing US National Park, According to 96,000 Reviews
Photo: Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock
An analysis of nearly 96,000 reviews found even iconic parks aren't safe from "Paris Syndrome," the letdown when a place can't match the hype. The gripes were about crowds, pricing, and infrastructure, not the scenery.
O U T D O O R
11 Scenic Campgrounds in North America With On-Site Saunas
Photo: Surf Grove Tofino/@Gnarstie
You don’t have to skimp on comfort when you go camping. These 11 campgrounds pair solid hiking and paddling access with a sauna for the wind-down. Log the miles all day, then sweat out the soreness under the stars.
MOST-READ TRAVEL NEWS
Photo: Air New Zealand
Travel Well
The Matador Editorial Team
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