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Stay in a nest, twig hut or yurt at this unusual California property

If being off the grid in structures that are not waterproof and come with a warning you will be sleeping with wildlife, then you may be the target audience for the Twig Hut and the Human Nest at Treebones Resort in Big Sur, California.

Bring your own pillows, sleeping bag and tent if you’re concerned about rain when you stay in the hand-woven Human Nest or the Twig Hut made by local artist Jayson Fann. Both offer amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and have access to water and restrooms..

You can also stay in one of the waterproof yurts.

– Staff report, The Travel 100

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More travelers will combine business with pleasure in 2024 – it’s called “bleisure”

More people will be traveling in 2024 according to a new report from Hilton. Will it be for business or pleasure? The answer is both.

Yes, the “bleisure” trend is real. Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers plan to combine PTO with work trips. Hilton surveyed more than 10,000 travelers from nine countries and found that most will invest in sleep, technology and experiences.

So, Hilton is upping its game by offering sleep machines and pillow menus. It is revamping food menus, offering more mocktail options. There will be more electric car chargers and, of course, pickleball courts.

Vikki Locke, C2 Communications, The SWFL 100

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1st commercial flight, other fun facts on aviation history

The first scheduled passenger flight was in 1914 from St. Petersburg, Florida, to Tampa – a distance of just 17 miles. In 1930 around 6,000 passengers flew, an amount that increased to half a million in 1934.

Pan Am introduced the Boeing 307s in the late 1940s, the first planes with pressurized cabins. Air traffic surged in the 1950s and 60s, and competing airlines introduced perks like gourmet meals and fine wines. Budget airlines were introduced, leading to lower airfares and increased air travel.

In 2022, 853 million passengers flew on U.S. airlines, down from a high of 928 million in 2019.

– Staff report, The Travel 100

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This European city will start charging entrance fee in 2024

If you’re spending the night you are exempt, but if you are just visiting Venice for the day in 2024, be prepared to pay a 5 euro entrance fee on peak days. That’s about $5.35 with the current exchange rate. Not a huge amount, but notable in that it’s the first city in the world to charge day visitors.

While not yet back to pre-pandemic levels, when the number of annual tourists topped 5.5 million, the City of Canals welcomed more than 4.6 million visitors in 2022. With its narrow streets and foot bridges, the hordes of visitors overwhelmed the city.

– Staff report, The Travel 100

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Top travel destinations in Arizona

Name City Website Phone Number
Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon www.nps.gov/grca (928) 638-7888
Sedona Sedona www.visitsedona.com (800) 288-7336
Antelope Canyon Page www.antelopecanyon.com (928) 698-2808
Horseshoe Bend Page www.visitarizona.com/places/natural-attractions/horseshoe-bend N/A
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Kayenta www.navajonationparks.org/htm/monumentvalley.htm (435) 727-5870
Petrified Forest National Park Petrified Forest www.nps.gov/pefo (928) 524-6228
Saguaro National Park Tucson www.nps.gov/sagu (520) 733-5153
Lake Powell Page www.lakepowell.com (928) 645-2433
Jerome Jerome www.visitjeromeaz.com N/A
Bisbee Bisbee www.discoverbisbee.com (520) 432-3554
Scottsdale Scottsdale www.experiencescottsdale.com (800) 782-1117
Tucson Tucson www.visittucson.org (520) 624-1817
Phoenix Phoenix www.visitphoenix.com (877) 225-5749
Prescott Prescott www.visit-prescott.com (928) 445-2000
Flagstaff Flagstaff www.flagstaffarizona.org (800) 379-0065
Lake Havasu City Lake Havasu City www.golakehavasu.com (928) 453-3444
Kartchner Caverns State Park Benson www.azstateparks.com/kartchner (520) 586-2283
Chiricahua National Monument Willcox www.nps.gov/chir (520) 824-3560
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Ajo www.nps.gov/orpi (520) 387-6849
Tonto National Monument Roosevelt www.nps.gov/tont (928) 467-2241
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Skybound in Alaska: The Veilbreaker Skybridges at Alyeska Resort

With three mountain peaks and two bridges, this is an unforgettable opportunity.

Veilbreaker Skybridges opened this July, offering an adventure unlike any other in Alaska. The bridges span 600 feet total, connecting Mount Alyeska, Mighty Mite and Glacier Bowl.

The experience requires you to bring your ABCs: a sense of adventure, an admiration for Alaska’s beauty and courage. Everything else is covered! The experience includes a safety training, harness and helmet, a guided tour and a tram ride up and down the mountain.

For bird’s-eye views of Turnagain Arm, surrounding glaciers and the Chugach boreal forest, book this experience now.

Emily Garlock, The Alaska 100

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These are the best times to visit every national park

It’s best to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from April-June and September-October. For Yellowstone, plan your visit for April-June and September-October. Head to Acadia in Maine in May-June and September-October.

Find out the best time to visit every national park based on nice weather, accessibility and fewer crowds by checking out the National Parks Experience blog.

Every national park is listed both alphabetically and by region on tables showing the three-seven best months to visit. You’ll also find links to stories on parks to visit in the spring, for fall foliage or winter wonderlands and summer island vacations.

– Staff report, The Travel 100

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Cruise Canyon Lake for dinner or sighsteeing

If squeezing every last drop out of summer ranks high on your to-do list, consider cruising Canyon Lake – in the heart of the Superstition Mountains – aboard Dolly Steamboat during its 40th anniversary season.

Listen to abundant legends and lore while looking for desert bighorn sheep, bald eagles and a host of wildlife and waterfowl.

Located 50 miles east of downtown Phoenix in Tortilla Flat (not to be confused with the Monterey, California locale in which John Steinbeck set his 1935 novel of the same name), the 103-foot-long vessel carries 142 passengers (plus three crew) powered by twin diesel engines.

Ahoy!

– Hannah Van Sickle, The Arizona 100

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Top cities to visit in Arizona

City Name City Website Year Founded
Tucson www.tucsonaz.gov 1775
Yuma www.yumaaz.gov 1854
Prescott www.prescott-az.gov 1864
Phoenix www.phoenix.gov 1867
Tempe www.tempe.gov 1871
Mesa www.mesaaz.gov 1878
Casa Grande www.casagrandeaz.gov 1879
Flagstaff www.flagstaff.az.gov 1882
Peoria www.peoriaaz.gov 1886
Buckeye www.buckeyeaz.gov 1888
Glendale www.glendaleaz.com 1892
Chandler www.chandleraz.gov 1912
Gilbert www.gilbertaz.gov 1920
Surprise www.surpriseaz.gov 1938
Avondale www.avondaleaz.gov 1946
Goodyear www.goodyearaz.gov 1946
Bullhead City www.bullheadcity.com 1946
Scottsdale www.scottsdaleaz.gov 1951
El Mirage www.elmirageaz.gov 1951
Sierra Vista www.sierravistaaz.gov 1956
Lake Havasu City www.lhcaz.gov 1964
Oro Valley www.orovalleyaz.gov 1974
Marana www.maranaaz.gov 1977
Apache Junction www.ajcity.net 1978
Maricopa www.maricopa-az.gov 2003
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Why I traveled to a country 7,000 miles away and you should too

When presented with the opportunity to go to Kazakhstan, I had to think about it. I’d never traveled to a place I knew so little about. Especially one so far away. Friends expressed concern about safety.

I found a sophisticated city, gorgeous scenery, vibrant culture and friendly people. I hiked into a canyon known as the Grand Canyon’s little brother, explored a blue-green lake with a sunken forest, took cable cars to ski resorts and learned about the nomadic culture and how long it takes to disassemble a yurt.

And I never once felt unsafe, no matter where we went.

Read our stories on this fascinating country: “Amazing things to do in Almaty, Kazakhstan “and “5 unforgettable day trips from Almaty you need to take.”

Jan Schroder, The Travel 100