Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Smart News / Smart News Travel

The Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Light is one of ten lighthouses the U.S. government is giving away this year.

The U.S. Is Giving Away Lighthouses for Free

While they are no longer a navigational necessity, the guiding lights have histories worth preserving

Matisse's former apartment overlooks the French Riviera.

Henri Matisse’s Stunning Apartment Overlooking the French Riviera Is for Sale

The French artist spent his final years making art from his home in the city of Nice

Pickleball courts are starting to appear in vacant storefronts in shopping malls across the country.

Pickleball Courts Are Replacing Shuttered Mall Stores

Across the country, developers are trying to capitalize on the approachable sport’s growing popularity

The three-foot-long fiberglass mermaid sold for $300 at auction.

Who Wants to Buy the Creepy Dolls and Bowling Balls That Wash Up on Texas Beaches?

Hundreds of eclectic items were auctioned off to help fund the rehabilitation of sea turtles and birds

The Big Apple's 1,084,954 buildings weigh an estimated 1.68 trillion pounds.

New York City Is Sinking Under the Weight of Its Skyscrapers, Study Finds

As the city, and others like it, slowly subsides, it becomes more vulnerable to flooding driven by climate change

Dogs sunbathing at the Acropolis

Pets Will Soon Be Welcome at More Than 120 Archaeological Sites in Greece

The new policies won’t apply at certain high-traffic destinations like the Acropolis

Protesters hold signs during the demonstration in Rome's Trevi Fountain.

Climate Activists Turn Water in Rome’s Trevi Fountain Black

The action was a protest against public subsidies for fossil fuels and called attention to the deadly floods occurring in northern Italy

The Big Four Bridge crosses the Ohio River between Louisville, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Airbnb Names the Top Trending Destinations for Summer 2023

From relaxing beach towns to historic European cities, these popular spots will soon be bustling with vacationers

Paris is working on an ambitious project to clean the Seine river for use during swimming events in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The Paris Olympics

For the First Time in a Century, Paris Is Making the Seine Swimmable

The city’s ambitious project will allow Olympians, and later the French public, to return to the famous river’s waters

Ski resorts in the Rocky Mountains received record-setting snowfall this year, which likely inspired more people to go skiing and snowboarding.

Ski Areas Reported More Visits Than Ever This Past Winter

Heavy snowfall—particularly in the Rocky Mountains—attracted record numbers of American skiers and snowboarders

Liam Garner biking in Alaska, where he began his journey

This 19-Year-Old Biked From Alaska to Argentina

Liam Garner traveled nearly 20,000 miles and documented the journey on TikTok

A view of Philadelphia's historic Chinatown

These Are America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual list spotlights cultural sites facing a range of threats

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg listens as President Joe Biden delivers remarks about requiring airlines to compensate passengers for extensive flight delays and cancellations.

Biden Wants Airlines to Compensate Travelers for Delayed and Canceled Flights

Proposed regulations would require airlines to do more when they are at fault for major disruptions

The Seatrac on a beach on the Greek island of Samos

Greece Is Making Hundreds of Beaches More Accessible

Remote-controlled, wheelchair-friendly ramps will allow vacationers with mobility challenges to enjoy the sea

Many airports have implemented pollinator-friendly programs or developed apiaries on their grounds to help support bees.

A Swarm of Bees Delayed a Flight for Three Hours

When the plane’s engine turned on, the pollinators simply left the aircraft—and passengers were finally able to board

The 16-acre resort has Airstreams, luxury canvas tents and suites.

New Glamping Resort Opens Near Zion National Park

AutoCamp Zion features a pool, an eatery, a clubhouse and air-conditioned lodgings

Route 66's 100th anniversary is coming up in 2026.

Ahead of 100th Anniversary, Route 66 Will Get Much-Needed Upgrades

Approved in 1926, the historic highway grew to become a cultural icon

The new Richard Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History opens in New York City on May 4.

New York’s Natural History Museum Unveils a Canyon-Like New Wing

With butterflies, bugs and an atrium that looks like it’s carved into rock, the Gilder Center will open its doors to the public on May 4

The carriage is designed to resemble the one that Charles III will ride in.

You Can Book Uber’s Horse-Drawn Carriage Ahead of Charles III’s Coronation

One driver—and a team of four white horses—will be available in the days leading up to the ceremony

One of the many Edicaran biota fossils within the bounds of Nilpena Ediacara National Park, which is now open in South Australia.

The World’s Newest National Park Protects 550-Million-Year-Old Fossils

The 148,000-acre Nilpena Ediacara National Park in South Australia is helping scientists unravel the mysteries of life’s evolution on Earth

Page 19 of 118