Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Travel

Since the pandemic began, the country has implemented strict zero-Covid poicies.

China Fully Reopens to Travelers After Three Years of Closures

Hoping to boost its tourism industry, the country is now issuing all types of visas

The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, over a lake in eastern central Finland

You Can Apply for Free ‘Masterclass of Happiness’ in Finland

For the fifth year in a row, Finland ranked as the happiest nation in the world

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is located in the Norwegian Arctic on the remote island of Spitsbergen.

Take a Virtual Tour of the ‘Doomsday’ Seed Vault

The impressive depository carefully preserves over one million seed samples in its Arctic location

A puffin in soft light surrounded by faint raindrops.

See 15 Amazing Wildlife Images From the Sony World Photography Awards

The contest showcases the work of some of the planet’s best photographers

The hydrogen-powered train will travel between Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and Baie-Saint-Paul.

North America’s First Hydrogen-Powered Train Will Debut This Summer

While traveling a 90-minute route, the Train de Charlevoix will emit only water vapor

The resort sits at the base of Palisades Tahoe, a ski resort that dropped the slur from its name two years ago.

California Resort Drops Racial Slur From Its Name

The resort worked with representatives from the Washoe Tribe to implement the name change

The sun sets over the Susquehanna River in northern Pennsylvania.

America's Waterways: The Past, Present and Future

America’s Waterways: The Past, Present and Future

In a series of articles, Smithsonian magazine highlights all that draws our eyes to our nation’s fresh and coastal waters

Sargassum is not a new problem. But the mass of floating seaweed in the Atlantic Ocean is getting bigger, according to scientists.

A 5,000-Mile-Wide Mass of Seaweed Is Heading for Florida and Mexico

Known as sargassum, the algae can hurt tourism as it piles up on beaches and starts to rot

More than 3,000 lunchboxes are on display inside the World's Largest Lunchbox Museum.

A Nostalgic Trip Awaits at the World’s Largest Lunchbox Museum

Take a journey back to your elementary school cafeteria with a visit to the Georgia outpost

The push to rename Mount Evans in Colorado has gained momentum in recent years.

Officials Delay Vote to Rename Colorado’s Mount Evans

The mountain is named for John Evans, who oversaw the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864

Scones are often enjoyed during afternoon tea with clotted cream and jam.

One Woman’s Quest to Eat 244 Scones Across U.K. Is Now Complete

Over ten years, Sarah Merker has tried—and ranked—scones at National Trust sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Tourists on a cruise spotted a rare, giant phantom jellyfish in Fournier Bay of Anvers Island off the Antarctic Peninsula last year.

How Vacationers on Antarctic Cruises Are Filling in Scientific Gaps

From ships and submarines, citizen scientists can access remote areas ripe for new discoveries. But does the research make up for the climate impact?

This cross-section view shows the Lincoln Memorial atop the undercroft, part of which will house a new museum.

The Lincoln Memorial Is Getting a New Underground Museum

Crews are starting work on the $69 million project this month and hope to finish by 2026

A new overnight route will connect Amsterdam and Barcelona starting in the spring of 2025.

New Sleeper Train Will Connect Amsterdam and Barcelona

The proposed route is part of a broader push to increase cross-border rail travel in Europe

The birds gather by the thousands along the Platte River.

America's Waterways: The Past, Present and Future

See Thousands of Sandhill Cranes Gather in Nebraska

Every year, travelers attempt to witness the birds on their long journey north

Members of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition raise the Australian flag over Heard Island on December 26, 1947.

See Rare Images of Early 20th-Century Antarctic Expeditions

For the first time, hundreds of photos, lantern slides and glass plate negatives are available to the public

A Dark Sky Sanctuary must have exceptionally starry nights.

This Tiny Welsh Island Is Europe’s First Dark Sky Sanctuary

Ynys Enlli joins just 16 other sites of its kind across the world

Two lucky visitors will spend the night inside the Palais Garnier, exploring the historic opera house and enjoying private tours and other perks.

Parisian Opera House That Inspired ‘Phantom of the Opera’ Becomes an Airbnb

For just one night, two travelers will spend the night in the Palais Garnier’s Box of Honor

Even before the Covid-19 restrictions, tourism numbers were dropping amid widespread demonstrations.

Hong Kong Is Giving Away 500,000 Free Plane Tickets

The government hopes to boost tourism in the wake of the pandemic and civil unrest

Officials in Peru closed Machu Picchu following security concerns and damage to nearby railways.

Machu Picchu Reopens Following Weeks of Civil Unrest

Authorities, protesters and businesses came to an agreement to ensure the site’s safety

Page 17 of 132