Oregon has no dearth of mindblowing outdoor adventure, from dramatic coasts with vertigo-inducing cliffs to rushing rivers through national forests to high desert. And while the northeast corner of the state gets a lot of the love, southwest Oregon offers an away-from-it-all experience that features the many natural beauties of this state.
And the best way to do it? By car, of course. The 101 runs the length of the coast and a web of highways and country roads lead inland, connecting national parks, quirky towns, and off-the-beaten-track getaways.
Here’s our itinerary for a perfect southwest Oregon road trip.
Stop 1: Florence is an atmospheric place to begin your road trip
Book a flight into the little Eugene airport for quick access to the southwest coast – seaside Florence is only an hour and fifteen minutes down the road. Located on the traditional land of the Suislaw people, this small settlement features an atmospheric Main Street with restaurants, confectionaries, art galleries, and even an apothecary. If you’re a fan of seafood, don’t miss Novelli’s, where you can enjoy straight-from-the-ocean whole Dungeness crab and savory seafood chowder right on the dock.
If you’re feeling adventurous, head to Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area right outside of town to sandboard down spectacular dunes at the world’s first sandboarding park, Sand Master Park. Here, they’ve thought of everything – they even have a sandboard designed to work on wet sand, perfect for the inevitable Oregon rainshower.
Drive to Coos Bay: Head south from Florence on the 101 for about an hour until you reach Coos Bay. Along the way you’ll pass several recreation stop-off options including Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, Umpqua Beach, and the Horsfall Beach Camping Area.
Stop 2: Enjoy the scenic coastline around Coos Bay
Coos Bay is a small port town tucked away against its namesake body of water, and it’s an excellent place to slow down and enjoy the subtle beauties of the Oregon coast. If you’re looking for an unconventional accommodation option that puts you right in the middle of Coos Bay’s most beautiful places, book a cabin or Airstream at Bay Point Landing, a glamping getaway that strikes the perfect balance between luxury and outdoor adventure. Wake up with the rising sun to watch the shorebirds fly across the estuary, go crabbing in the nearby waters, or make smores over your own personal fire pit.
Three state parks sit within a stone’s throw of Coos Bay: Sunset Bay, Shore Acres and Cape Arago. These protected areas show off Oregon’s striking cliff sides and sea-battered rock formations; each park contains short, accessible trails that deliver big views, and you can hike all the way from Sunset Bay to Cape Arago on a continuous out-and-back.
Drive to Port Orford: Head back to the 101 and drive an hour south to arrive at Port Orford; the route veers away from the coast a bit, so this is a straight shot through rural Oregon.
Port Orford is a small town on a spur of the Oregon Coast that abuts the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve. If you’ve been yearning to get on the water, now’s your chance – book with South Coast Tours to kayak out around the cliffs and see plum- and tangerine-colored sea stars, anemones, seals, shorebirds and more. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head over to the Crazy Norwegian for crispy fish and chips, plus a decadent slice of marionberry pie.
Drive to Grants Pass: From here, head south on the 101 to enjoy all the beautiful coastal views you can handle before your journey takes you inland – stop off at the Natural Bridges Viewpoint to stretch your legs before circumnavigating the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest on your way to Grants Pass. Your drive will take you down into California right past Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, a worthy detour.
Stop 4: Grants Pass is a gateway to trips on the Rogue River
Grants Pass is an excellent access point for adventures down the Rogue River, a 200-mile waterway that offers everything from a pleasant float to an adrenaline-pumping trip through some of the state’s best rapids. Book with Orange Torpedo Trips for single and multi-day trips; We recommend an outing in one of the inflatable kayaks – it’s perfect for beginners looking to try out whitewater kayaking.
For a place to rest your head after your epic paddle, head to the Weasku Inn, a historic lodge built in 1924 that played host to many of Hollywood’s Golden Era elite: Clark Gable and Bing Crosby were repeat visitors.
Drive to Crater Lake National Park: Head east from Grants Pass for 2.5 hours to reach one of Oregon’s treasures: Crater Lake National Park. The route follows OR-62 as it winds up the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
Stop 5: Crater Lake National Park is full of fantastic outdoor activities
The park’s defining feature is the country’s deepest lake (almost 2000ft deep!), a crystalline body of water inside a volcanic caldera. Admire the view on the Scenic Rim Drive, walk through the historic Rim Village, hike some of the park’s 90 miles of trail, catch a boat out to Wizard’s Island, or take a dip in the lake’s blue waters via the Cleetwood Cove Trail – but be warned, the hike down to the shore is not for the faint of heart.
Drive back to Eugene: The home stretch! Take the 2.5-hour drive back to Eugene. If your bones are aching from all that time in the car, stop off at Umpqua Hot Springs for a relaxing soak.
Stop 6: Hit the nightlife in Eugene
Spend some time in this eccentric university town and you’re bound to find some local treasures. Bike along the Willamette River, grab a brew in the Whiteaker neighborhood, or stop in at Oregon Wine LAB to taste some of the region’s renowned pinot noirs (or a few crisp whites) and stuff your face with amazing eats from Da Nang Vietnamese Eatery. Nightlife also offers some unique twists and turns – hit the Big Dirty to have your rockstar karaoke moment on their atmospheric stage, shoot some pool at Luckey’s Club (one of Oregon’s oldest bars), or catch a show at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts.
The isthmus of Panama is compact enough to be crossed in an hour but varied enough to keep you traveling for weeks. It’s one of the most biologically diverse places on earth, yet small enough to fit inside South Carolina. This fascinating Central American country is both tame and fierce, settled and remote, modest and unashamedly grand.
Despite the tropical setting, getting around Panama is easy enough. The country boasts thousands of kilometers of paved roads, a modern bus network, water taxis, an innovative new Metro train in the capital – and, of course, the Panama Canal.
Be aware that some parts of Panama are so remote that your only option may be to travel down a crocodile-infested river in a rickety canoe or hack through the undergrowth with a machete. Whether you choose to play it safe or go wild, here’s our guide to getting around Panama.
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Use buses to travel long distances in Panama
Panama has an affordable and extensive bus network connecting all major mainland destinations. Most intercity buses are 28-seat Toyota Coasters with icy air-conditioning and raucous salsa music. Bulky luggage is strapped to the roof, and there’s an assistant called a pavo (literally, ‘turkey’) to collect fares and help out. The long-distance buses connecting Panama City and David are the best in Central America.
You’ll also find chivas – converted cattle or pickup trucks with hard benches and tarpaulin coverings to keep off the rain. Chivas are typically only seen on the most remote rural routes. Then there are diablo rojos (red devils) – old US school buses, also known as ‘chicken buses’ – pimped-out with neon lights and gaudy artwork.
Chicken buses have been nearly phased out in Panama City but continue to operate in a few areas, including along the central Caribbean Coast.
Most towns and cities have a downtown terminal. Elsewhere, buses pick up and drop off passengers at concrete shelters on the roadside. Stick out your thumb to flag down a passing bus, and yell “parada” (‘stop’) when you want to get off.
In Panama City, intercity buses depart from the large La Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte de Panamá in Albrook – a modern, well-designed terminal with a shopping mall and a Metro station attached.
Every bus route has its own dedicated ticket window. Consult the terminal website for the route operator’s name, telephone number and ticket office number. To pass through the turnstiles to the departure gates, you must pay a US$0.10 tax using the “3-in-1” Rapi-Pass card (no cash).
Purchase the card on arrival at Tocumen Airport or from a Metro station, and can also use it to pay for travel on Metrobuses and trains.
Tips for taking international buses across Panama’s borders
Ticabus is the main international carrier operating international bus services to San José in Costa Rica and beyond. It takes 16 to 18 hours by bus to travel from Panama City to San José; international buses typically take 1-2 hours to complete customs and immigration formalities at the Paso Canoas border crossing.
If you’re traveling light, it’s quicker to hop between local buses for the trip to San José. Take a local service from the bus terminal in David to Paso Canoas/Frontera (or Puerto Armuelles) – from here (or from nearby Ciudad Neily), long-distance Costa Rican buses connect to San José. Note that the coastal highway through Costa Rica is 4 to 5 hours quicker than the (stunning) mountain route on the old Panamerican Highway, so choose your bus route wisely.
Where roads are lacking, dug-out riverboats known as piraguas (or cayucos) are used. Customarily carved from the trunk of a giant ceiba tree, piraguas are commonly found on the jungle-shrouded waterways of mainland Bocas del Toro and Darién Province.
The boats are traditionally punted with long sticks, but outboard motors are becoming increasingly popular. Hiring an entire boat with a driver is expensive, and the price will depend on the distance covered, the weight of the cargo, the number of passengers, the engine type and the fuel used. As a rough guide, expect to pay USD$100 to US$250 per day.
Zip to Bocas del Toro and other islands on pangas and ferries
Motor-powered canoes are widely used to get between offshore islands in Guna Yala. For sea travel almost everywhere else, take a panga – a long, sturdy, open-hulled skiff with space for a dozen or more passengers and luggage.
The Bocas del Toro archipelago is served by a fleet of high-powered pangas that whizz between the islands and shuttle travelers to and from the mainland port of Almirante. There’s also a daily car ferry, but only Isla Colón has paved roads. Conventional ferries connect Panama City with Taboga island and the Pearl Islands.
Yachts frequently travel to Colombia via the Caribbean Sea; many have space for passengers and crew but always properly vet the captain and vessel before committing to a trip. Hostel noticeboards often advertise their services. Full and partial transits of the canal are also possible with Panama Marine Adventures.
Driving in Panama City is a logistical horror show, but there are many fine road trips throughout the rest of the country. Most major roads are paved but not necessarily well-maintained.
You’ll need 4WD to get off the beaten track, especially during the wet season (April to December), when there’s a heightened risk of landslides and floods. Car rental agencies are widespread in Panama City and David; you’ll pay upwards of US$35 per day for a small vehicle.
Multi-lane highways connect Panama City with Colón, and you can cross from the Pacific to the Caribbean Sea in about an hour when the traffic is clear. In western Panama, a winding transisthmian highway connects Chiriquí Province with Bocas del Toro Province, passing through spectacular scenery as it crosses over the continental divide.
The Panamerican Highway is the nation’s principal road artery but it’s only paved as far as Yaviza in the east. The lawless forests of the Darién Gap are a no-go area for travelers and you will be detained by the police if you attempt to cross into Colombia.
Let the train take the strain along the Panama Canal Railway
Connecting Panama City with the Caribbean Coast terminus of Colón, the Panama Canal Railway is one of the last remaining overland passenger trains in Central America. Inaugurated in 1855, the railway was a major engineering accomplishment that predated the canal by several decades. The glass-domed train takes around an hour to cross the isthmus and there’s one service in each direction every weekday.
Avoid flying in Panama unless you really need to – the planet will thank you!
Domestic flights are comparatively expensive and they carry a hefty carbon footprint too. Panama is compact enough to get around by bus, and there are just a few remote regions that can only be accessed by plane. Air Panama operates flights to every corner of Panama including Darién, Guna Yala, the Pearl Islands, the Azuero Peninsula, Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro. Domestic flights depart from Albrook “Marcos A Gelabert” International Airport, 3.5km (2.2 miles) from Albrook bus terminal; take a taxi to get here.
Why the Panama Canal Railway is my favorite way to travel in Panama
The ride lasts just an hour, but the journey on the Panama Canal Railway is one of the most memorable train journeys ever. The executive cars are fitted with sophisticated wood panels and plush seats while the tourist cars have expansive windows for observing canal infrastructure.
After rushing through dense tracts of tangled foliage, the line emerges to bracing views of Lake Gatún steeped in early morning mist. Between the cars, there are open windows if you wish to breathe in the rainforest air.
Accessible transportation in Panama
Unlike neighboring Costa Rica, Panama is not a big destination for agencies specializing in excursions for persons with disabilities. Beyond Panama City, there’s little infrastructure for wheelchair users, and even in the capital, the terrible condition of the sidewalks makes getting around a challenge.
Many large hotels and resorts are equipped with ramps and grab rails, and many attractions are wheelchair-friendly, but long-distance buses don’t have much space. Hiring a vehicle may be the easiest option. For more information on accessible travel, see Lonely Planet’s Accessible Travel Resources.
Take a step back in time – some 185 million years back in time – along the wild and rugged Jurassic Coast in Southwest England.
England’s only natural World Heritage Site, this 95-mile portion of the coast has a name that indicates its geological significance. Running from Exmouth in Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset, its unique rock formations and fossil-rich cliffs amaze visitors from all over the world. And if rocks aren’t your thing, the pristine beaches, charming seaside towns and wide-ranging adventure experiences appeal to just about every kind of traveler.
Here’s all you need to know about visiting the Jurassic Coast, and the best things to do on this beautiful stretch of sand and sea.
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What is the Jurassic Coast?
To understand what makes the Jurassic Coast so special, we need to rewind a bit. Well, more than a bit: think 252 million years.
The rocks along this stretch offer an almost complete record of the Mesozoic Era (roughly 250 to 65 million years ago). They’re visible traces of the enormous environmental changes that played out over the millennia, starting with the Triassic Period (252 to 201 million years ago), when this part of Great Britain was a baking desert and the shifting of the earth’s crust deposited layers of sediment on top of each other. Moving west along the coast, you’ll find rocks formed during the Jurassic Period (201 to 145 million years ago), when the water rose to form a tropical sea.
When the sea levels fell and then rose again during the Cretaceous Period (145 to 66 million years ago), the older rocks were buried beneath newer sandstone and chalk, preserving them until millennia of erosion carved this geological layer cake into the remarkable landscapes we can see today. Fossils of creatures long extinct have also been preserved among the cliffs’ many strata, with more continually being revealed as erosion from wind and waves continues to do its thing.
The extraordinary geology is the main attraction of the Jurassic Coast
All along the coast, this incredible history takes shape – literally – in the form of unusual rock formations and beautiful bays. The best-known attraction is Durdle Door, a 200ft-tall limestone arch over the sea linking two remote beaches, and one of Devon’s most popular spots. It’s best viewed from the coast path as you walk over the cliffs from Lulworth Cove, a perfect semi-circle of sea enclosed within bright-white chalk cliffs.
Other geological highlights of the coastline include Old Harry Rocks, chalk stacks that line up with the Needles on the Isle of Wight; the unusual rock layers of Kimmeridge Bay; and Chesil Beach, an 18-mile barrier beach linking the Isle of Portland with the mainland and forming a wildlife-rich brackish-water lagoon at the Fleet.
The towering golden cliffs at West Bay were used as a backdrop for the popular ITV series Broadchurch, while the picturesque harbor and quaint seaside town at Lyme Regis are the heart of Dorset’s fossil-hunting history.
In East Devon, don’t miss Orcombe Point Geoneedle in Exmouth, which marks the beginning of the World Heritage Site, or the distinctive red sandstone sea stacks in Ladram Bay.
Take a walk along the South West Coast Path
Running uninterrupted for 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset to Poole Harbour in Dorset, the South West Coast Path is the UK’s longest National Trail, taking in the full 95 miles of the Jurassic Coast along the way.
Depending on your speed, you can walk the whole route in about 10 days, or choose one or two sections for a shorter coast walk. Try the Golden Cap circular walk to climb the highest point on the south coast of England; hit the wild and rugged cliff paths around Portland Bill; or wander the coastal paths around the Isle of Purbeck, where you can explore disused quarries and unique wild-swimming spots.
Lyme Regis became a world-famous fossil hunting destination when Mary Anning discovered a near-complete ichthyosaur, a large marine reptile, here around 1836. Today, it’s still a popular spot for fossil collectors, with new finds being discovered all the time. Look out for the “Ammonite Pavement” on Monmouth Beach, when low tide exposes a rock shelf containing hundreds of fossils.
Walk along the beach between Lyme Regis and Charmouth to spot fossils lying among the shingle. Be careful, though: the beach can sometimes be cut off at high tide, and the cliffs are dangerous in places, especially after rain. Amateurs are advised to book a guided fossil-hunting tour rather than go it alone; these can be booked through the Lyme Regis Museum or the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.
Make a splash at Kimmeridge Bay’s rock pools
The sweeping curve at Kimmeridge Bay is part of a Marine Special Area of Conservation, making it an excellent location for snorkeling and scuba diving. But you can also explore this rich marine life on the beach itself.
The bay’s distinctive geometric rock shelves and ledges are littered with rock pools at low tide. Don’t miss the Wild Seas Centre, a small, free museum on the slipway, to learn a little more about the local marine life.
Cool off with a spot of wild swimming
Along the Jurassic Coast, experienced wild swimmers will find a wealth of exciting pools and hidden coves to plunge into. Chapman’s Pool and Worbarrow Bay offer remote beaches that can only be reached by walking. For something a little different, head to the tidal pool at Dancing Ledge, a man-made swimming pool that was blasted into a natural rock shelf in the 19th century for the enjoyment of local schoolchildren.
Snorkel with seahorses in Studland Bay
Studland Bay, just beyond the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast, is one of the only known breeding sites for both the spiny and short-snouted seahorse, making it one of the UK’s best snorkel sites. Since the tiny creatures are masters of disguise, patience is key and is often rewarded with sightings, particularly during summer. Approach slowly and take care not to disturb the seahorses or their habitat.
Take a ride back in time on board the Seaton Tramway, a network of narrow-gauge heritage trams running through the Axe Valley in East Devon. As well as a taste of history, these colorful open-top trams offer brilliant views of the River Axe estuary and Seaton Wetlands nature reserve. Keep an eye out for local birds and wildlife, including kingfishers, herons, foxes and little egrets.
Get the adrenaline pumping with a water-sports adventure
Boasting a mix of sheltered bays and more exposed beaches with great surf, the Jurassic Coast is the perfect destination for adventure. Thrill-seekers should try coasteering at Lulworth Cove for an adrenaline-pumping way to explore the cliffs and rocks. Or hop on a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) at Lyme Bay or Weymouth for a fast-paced tour of the seafront.
Old Harry Rocks, Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove are impressive backdrops for a spot of sea kayaking – though amateurs would be advised to book a guided tour as currents can be challenging. For a gentler ride, Weymouth Bay, Studland Bay and Portland Harbour are more sheltered spots – and ideal for paddleboarding.
You can also try your hand at kitesurfing, windsurfing or sailing lessons at locations along the coast (try Portland or Poole), or take a boat tour from any of the larger harbors for something less hands-on.
Summer offers the best chance of nice weather for beach days and water sports on the Jurassic Coast, as well as a busy program of festivals and events to entice tourists of all interests. Note that since this is the busy season, popular spots like Bournemouth Beach and Durdle Door can be very crowded, especially during the summer school holidays.
While summer can sometimes be too hot for hiking, the spring and autumn shoulder seasons are ideal for coastal walks. Spring is especially lovely, with an array of wildflowers scattered across the grassy headlands and in woodlands. These are also the best times of year to spot both wildlife and fossils.
Numerous food and seafood festivals run along the coast throughout spring and summer. One of the biggest is SEAFEAST, the Dorset Seafood Festival, held on Weymouth’s colorful harborside in September.
Winter is overlooked by most tourists, but if you brave the unpredictable British weather you’ll find there’s still plenty to do. Seals come ashore to breed during the autumn and early-winter months, so keep an eye out when walking (briskly) along the coastal paths.
How to get to the Jurassic Coast
The closest international airports are at Bournemouth, Exeter and Southampton, although most visitors from overseas will likely fly into one of the larger London airports.
If you’re renting a car on arrival, it takes about 2 hours to drive to Bournemouth or Poole. From either of these towns, it’s easy to start a road trip along the coast, calling at whichever villages and attractions take your fancy.
Taking public transport from London to the Jurassic Coast is easy
South Western Railway runs a service from London Waterloo to Weymouth that takes just under 3 hours. From Weymouth, you can use the X53 and X54 Jurassic Coaster buses from First Bus to travel to most towns between Poole and Axminster.
The train from London also stops at Bournemouth and Poole, which place you closer to the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast. From here, you can use the Purbeck Breezer services to reach Studland and the Isle of Purbeck.
The best way to explore the Jurassic Coast is by car
The easiest way to explore the Jurassic Coast is by car, but bear in mind that some of the more remote destinations are accessed by narrow country lanes and may have limited parking.
Many of the busier towns, such as Weymouth and Bournemouth, operate park-and-ride services during summer. Use these to avoid getting caught in seaside traffic in the town centers.
The Jurassic Coast also has an extensive public transport network for those who want to explore without a car. Bus services are fairly frequent and call at most of the major destinations. The Jurassic Coaster buses (First Bus X52, X53 and X54) run between Axminster and Poole, while the Purbeck Breezer (More Bus) services connect Bournemouth and Poole with Swanage, Wareham and the Isle of Purbeck.
There are many accommodation options on the Jurassic Coast
With 95 miles of coastline to explore, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing a place to stay on the Jurassic Coast.
The largest town around, Weymouth is well connected to the delights of the coast in both directions, making it a good base for exploring the area. Numerous beachfront hotels are close to all the bars and restaurants of the lively town center, while families might want to consider the popular Waterside Holiday Park and Spa on the town outskirts. For those on a budget, the clifftop campsite at nearby Eweleaze Farm boasts some excellent views.
The quaint seaside town of Swanage is ideally poised for exploring Studland Bay and the entire Isle of Purbeck, with accommodation options ranging from a YHA hostel to cosy B&Bs. In nearby Studland, luxury boutique hotel The Pig on the Beach is known for its top-quality restaurant and dazzling sea views.
Towards the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast, Lyme Regis is another popular seaside town with a range of hotels and accommodation options, while Sidmouth offers up the grandeur of a Victorian seaside resort.
For something a little different, try glamping at Durdle Door or in a Lyme Regis beach hut. Fans of quirky history will likely enjoy the Smuggler’s Inn at Studland, a cosy boutique inn and pub which was once a hangout for an infamous local smuggling gang.
The Seville Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and a Spanish national monument. Its imposing structure can be seen from all over the city, and it’s certainly among the most popular things to do in Seville. There are many things to see and do inside Seville Cathedral …
For a small state, Massachusetts punches far above its weight for its place in American history and culture.
Given the state’s outsize contributions to the arts, science, technology, sports and politics, it’s jam-packed with memorable sites, top-tier educational institutions and world-class museums. It’s also beautiful, from the wave-pounded Atlantic coast to the forest-covered Berkshires to vibrant cities and charming small towns.
Massachusetts’ compact nature makes it easy to explore, yet it would be impossible to do everything the state has to offer. Depending on your time and interests, you could make a grand sweep through the state, sampling its diverse regions or pick a hub to explore in depth. However you proceed, these are the best places to visit in Massachusetts.
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Start in Boston, with museums, sports and urban nature
A hub of American history that’s infused with a passion for sports and the arts, Boston brims with character. Next to the city’s iconic sites, diverse neighborhoods and artistic and architectural treasures are lesser-known attractions like the Boston Harbor Islands, a mix of history and nature, and the Black Heritage Trail, which provides insight into Boston’s 19th-century Black community.
Though you can’t “pahk ya cah in Hahvahd Yahd,” you can stroll across its leafy quads, explore the excellent campus museums and soak in the intellectual atmosphere.
Further west, Mt Auburn Cemetery contains the graves of dozens of famous figures such as Clement Morgan (founder of the NAACP), Eleanor Porter (author of Pollyanna) and Joyce Chen (restaurateur and TV personality). Mt Auburn is also a magnet for bird-watchers, especially during the spring migration.
Get witchy with it in Salem
Best known for the infamous 1692 witch trials, Salem draws crowds with its witch-related attractions. Yet this small and charming city has much more to offer.
Visit the Salem Maritime National Historical Park to learn about its past as a leading 18th- and 19th-century seaport. And be sure to explore the outstanding Peabody Essex Museum, a treasure trove of objects seafarers brought back from far corners of the world.
Don’t miss the House of the Seven Gables, which dates from 1668 and inspired one of Salem-born author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s best-known novels. And for more historic architecture, wander through the McIntire District, filled with well-preserved homes spanning 400 years of building styles.
Located in the northeastern part of the state, Cape Ann has an identity intimately tied to the sea: think beautiful beaches, great seafood – the fried clam was invented in Essex – scenic harbors and lighthouses and coastal parks. Founded in 1623, the city of Gloucester is the oldest fishing port in the United States and a top whale-watching destination, with tours operating from April to October.
Along the harbor, the gripping Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial and Fishermen’s Wives Memorial honors those lost to the sea over the centuries, as well as the strong women who kept families and the community going.
Seek out revolutionary and literary landmarks in historic Middlesex County
The peaceful, affluent suburbs northwest of Boston may not look like hotbeds of revolution now, but they played an integral role in shaping the USA. Dozens of sites in Lexington, Lincoln and Concord commemorate the dramatic events of April 19, 1775, when armed clashes between British regulars and Colonial militiamen sparked the American Revolutionary War. Concord was also the home of several prominent 19th-century American authors, including such luminaries as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau.
Further north, Lowell’s textile mills and factories were at the heart of a different revolution: the Industrial Revolution. A host of significant locations are preserved in Lowell National Historical Park, including the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, where visitors can recreate working in a weave room in the 1920s.
Plymouth is best for early colonial history
The city of Plymouth is made for US history buffs. Climb aboard the Mayflower II, a full-scale replica of the original ship that brought the first English colonists to Massachusetts’ shores in 1620.
And don’t forget Plymouth Rock, the famous (if rather underwhelming) boulder that the Pilgrims supposedly landed. The Pilgrim Hall Museum houses original artifacts from the early settlement, including personal possessions like a cradle, cupboards, a razor kit and one silk shoe.
At the Plimouth Patuxet Museums, costumed interpreters bring the past to life at four sites, including a 17th-century English village and a Wampanoag Native American home site.
Find glorious beaches and classic summer fun in Cape Cod
Cape Cod calls up images of sandy dunes, long curves of beach, picturesque lighthouses, cranberry bogs and kettle ponds.
Much of the outer Cape is protected as the Cape Cod National Seashore and offers a wealth of recreational opportunities and wildlife spotting. Nature lovers will also love the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and its trails through woodland and salt marsh, and Nickerson State Park, with its campgrounds and swimming areas.
Make a preppy getaway to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket
South of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are islands containing quaint towns, gingerbread-style wood houses, intriguing museums, lovely beaches, lighthouses and wildlife refuges. It’s no wonder many well-known artists, authors and even a few US presidents have found comfort among the sweeping dunes on these islands.
Their permanent populations swell significantly in summer (the high season) with the influx of seasonal residents and short-term visitors. Book lodging – and ferry tickets, if you want to bring a car – well in advance.
Feast on seafood and seafaring history in New Bedford
Situated on the shore of Buzzards Bay, New Bedford is called “the city that lit the world” for its central role in the 19th-century whaling industry. The New Bedford Whaling Museum and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park explore this past and such other topics as natural history, conservation, immigration, cultural diversity and New Bedford’s important role as an abolitionist hub on the Underground Railroad.
If whaling’s not your thing, New Bedford is also home to the well-presented Fort Taber-Fort Rodman Military Museum, a thriving arts community and the largest Portuguese-speaking population in the USA. The city teems with seafood restaurants and hosts the world’s largest Portuguese cultural festival, the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament.
Worcester is great for families
Worcester is New England’s second-largest city, and its attractions include the excellent Worcester Art Museum, the family-friendly EcoTarium, a thriving craft brewery scene and the minor-league Worcester Red Sox baseball team.
West of the city is the Old Sturbridge Village, a recreated 1830s New England town filled with more than 40 restored buildings spread over 200 acres. Re-enactors teach the history of the village and the roles everyday folks played in it. Moore State Park, located in Paxon and northwest of Worcester, is an 18th-century mill village on 400 acres filled with trails for hiking, cross country skiing and hunting.
The Berkshires offer endless outdoor adventures
In westernmost Massachusetts, The Berkshires enchant with a delightful mix of natural beauty, cultural attractions and year-round outdoor recreation.
The many interesting historic houses in the region include the birthplaces of activists Susan B. Anthony and W.E.B. DuBois, the homes of authors Edith Wharton and Herman Melville, and Naumkeag, a Gilded Age mansion and gardens.
With the arrival of autumn, glorious fall foliage cloaks the hills and mountains, drawing leaf peepers galore, followed by winter-sports enthusiasts as soon as there’s enough snow.
Soak in the college-town vibes of the Pioneer Valley
A creative spirit flourishes along the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts, a region with numerous top-notch educational institutions and museums surrounded by gorgeous scenery. In Amherst, highlights include the home of poet Emily Dickinson and the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
Stop in Historic Deerfield Village for a taste of 18th-century life or visit Dinosaur Footprints for a trip much farther back in time. Stroll across the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, then take to one of the region’s many excellent hiking trails boasting panoramic views of verdant mountains, farmland and the winding river.
Crowned with an impressive royal castle and dotted with church spires and world-class museums, Kraków combines the historic with the cosmopolitan.
The streets of former Jewish quarter Kazimierz and nearby Auschwitz are sobering reminders of 20th-century tragedy, while the crowds thronging Kraków’s main square and the restaurants lining photogenic Old Town lanes buzz with 21st-century joie de vivre. Alongside heavy-hitting attractions exist simpler local pleasures: strolling alongside the Vistula River, dining on hearty home-style cooking in a retro bar mleczny (cafeteria), catching a local band at a legendary dive bar, enjoying a coffee in hipster enclave Tytano. Here are the best things to do in Kraków.
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Overlooking Old Town from its Wawel Hill perch, the seat of Polish royalty for centuries is the city’s most impressive sight, not to mention the symbol of Poland and the source of local pride. Red-roofed, turreted, and ringed by a red-brick wall, this 16th-century Renaissance palace is merely the latest incarnation: royal residences on this very spot have come and gone (burned down, extended, vandalized by Swedish and Prussian armies…) since the 11th-century.
Highlights include the 16th-century tapestries and carved wooden heads in the grand State Rooms, the Royal Private Apartments that give you an intimate glimpse into the monarchs’ private lives, the Crown Jewels in the Treasury and the Szczerbiec (Jagged Sword) that’s played an essential role in Polish coronations from 1320 onwards – find it inside the vaulted Gothic armory.
Give yourself plenty of time to visit the adjoining Wawel Cathedral, where many of Poland’s kings and queens are seeing out eternity in elaborate tombs, alongside the bones allegedly belonging to the legendary Wawel dragon. The grounds are free to visit, but it’s a really good idea to book tickets for exhibits you want to see at least two weeks ahead due to their enormous popularity.
Explore Główny Rynek above and below the ground
Surrounded by restaurants and overlooked by handsome centuries-old buildings, Główny Rynek (Main Market Square) is the focal point of Old Town, as well as Europe’s largest medieval town square. After you’re done browsing the wares inside the market building, go back to the Middle Ages by descending to the medieval-meets-the-21st-century museum beneath the square.
Clever multimedia displays, holograms and animated puppets show you medieval markets stalls and teach you about vampire prevention burials. Buy your timed ticket online in advance. Free entry on Tuesdays; closed second Monday of each month.
You don’t know what will touch you particularly deeply until you get there. For some, it’s the “Death Block” with its torture cells and its crematorium. For others, it’s the gas chambers and the endless rows of crematoria chimneys at Birkenau, where most of the mass killings occurred. For others still, it’s the mountains of eyeglasses and prosthetic limbs, the mass of human hair collected from victims to be used in textile production, and piles of battered suitcases with home addresses written on them by those for whom this Nazi extermination camp became their final destination.
In any case, Auschwitz is unlikely to leave you unmoved. More than a million Jews, as well as numerous Poles and Roma, were systematically killed here between 1940 and 1945, and the death camps have been preserved as a brutal, essential history lesson.
Auschwitz is reachable by bus, train and organized day tour from Kraków. While solo travelers can visit the site without a guide, it’s well worth joining a tour to get the most out of it, from the screening of the graphic 1945 documentary film by the Soviet liberators to the exhibitions in the barracks.
Take a stroll through Kazimierz
Southeast of Old Town, Kazimierz neighborhood had been Poland’s most important center of Jewish culture for 500 years, until mass deportation and extermination of Kraków’s Jews by the Nazis destroyed it. Largely rundown during the Communist era, Kazimierz has bounced back in recent years.
A stroll through its streets is a wonderful way to get to know its historic sights, from the restored Old Synagogue and a 19th-century Jewish cemetery with surviving tombstones, to the Moorish-style Temple Synagogue and the sobering Galicia Jewish Museum that traces the history of Jews in Kraków. Browse the flea markets on Plac Nowy on the weekends, or attend a film screening or concert at Cheder during the Jewish Culture Festival.
Another massively popular attraction that’s not actually in Kraków proper but is easily reachable from the city, this Unesco-certified subterranean labyrinth of passages and chambers has been drawing visitors since the 1720s. It’s not for the claustrophobic: as part of a “tourist” tour, first-timers descend at least 125m (410ft) below the ground and spend two hours in the depths of the former mine, while return visitors can opt for a more immersive miners’ tour.
Highlights include an underground lake, chapels adorned with statues carved from the white stuff, and a salt cathedral with chandeliers. And yes, everything around you is carved from salt; we licked the wall so that you wouldn’t have to. Wieliczka is easily reached from Kraków by bus, train or tour. Pack a sweater.
Visit Schindler’s factory
You’re likely to have heard of Oscar Schindler, the German industrialist immortalized in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s List. During WWII, Schindler saved more than a thousand Jewish inhabitants of the Podgorzé ghetto from deportation to the death camps by employing them at his enamel factory. This factory-turned-museum, which was part of the Schindler’s List film set, was given a major face lift in 2010 and became one of Kraków’s must-visit museums. Book your timed slot online at least three days in advance (it’s hugely popular!), and don’t miss the superb permanent exhibition Kraków During Nazi Occupation 1939-1945 that tells the story of everyday life, underground resistance, and anti-Semitic repressions in the city during WWII.
Many cities have signature street food. Paris has its croissants, Hanoi has its banh mi, Vienna has its käsekrainer, and Kraków has its obwarzanek. Chewy, moreish, and topped either with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, Kraków’s bagels are found at stalls on every corner in Old Town, and locals will tell you which stall is likely to have the fresher lot.
But there’s more to Kraków’s street dining than bagels. For the best kielbasa (signature Polish sausage) in town, head for the Kiełbaski z Niebieskiej Nyski van in front of the Hala Targowa market on ul. Grzegorzecka. Then there’s zapiekanka – half a baguette topped with melted cheese, mushrooms, and a squirt of ketchup. Poland’s answer to pizza was invented in the 1970s, when basic ingredients were all you could get, but now versions with fancier toppings are ubiquitous at fast food stands. For numerous zapiekanka sellers under one roof, try the Okrąglak food court at Plac Nowy in Kazimierz.
Go Communist in Nowa Huta
If you want to see how steel workers lived in the 1950s, catch a tram #4 or #10 from central Kraków to this masterpiece of socialist-realist urban planning and Communist architecture in the east of the city. If wandering around the uniformly grey, identical blocks of flats isn’t enough of a draw, take a tour of Nowa Huta in a vintage, Communist-era Trabant with Crazy Guides, who’ll take you down into the old nuclear-fallout shelters and ply you with vodka.
Rock out with Kraków’s best nightlife at Klub Awaria
Klub Awaria is the kind of dingy dive bar that your mother warned you about: a sticky-floored, vaulted-ceilinged saloon where the carpe-diem clientele will gladly press a drink into a sober stranger’s hand to help them participate in the mildly anarchic nightly revelry. Up-and-coming local blues and rock bands perform on the little stage most nights and after the band is done, there’s occasional dancing on the tables and on the bar itself by regulars to Tina Turner classics.
Walk or cruise along the Vistula
The slow-flowing Vistula River bisects the city. Join locals during their morning runs along the footpaths that run alongside the river banks for several kilometers from near Wawel Royal Castle to the city’s eastern suburbs, skirting Kazimierz on the way. Alternatively, if you have local friends, you might be invited aboard a party boat with a full bar and music system; these are available for hire by groups and are essentially floating nightclubs. More easily accessible are hour-long cruises that depart below Wawel Castle Hill, that show off the city’s important landmarks, such as the Dębnicki Bridge, the Norbertine Monastery, the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, and the Piłsudski Bridge.
Tall limestone cliffs and dense pine forest surround this lagoon with its clear, turquoise waters that feels a million miles away from urban life, even though it’s only a short tram ride (#1; #4) to Kapelanka, southwest of Old Town. The lagoon began its life as a limestone quarry but it was deliberately flooded in 1990 after falling into disuse. It then became a popular swimming and picnicking spot for locals. It’s currently undergoing renovations that won’t be complete until 2023, so you can’t swim or dive here at the moment, but it’s perfect for a scenic picnic and some really lovely out-of-town hiking.
Dine out at a bar mleczny
Cheap, cheerful, and with seriously retro decor, a bar mleczny is a time-warp step behind the Iron Curtain into 1980s Poland – in a good way. Dotted around the city, bar melczny are dirt-cheap cafeteria, where you’ll be rubbing shoulders with locals while you load up your tray with soup, pierogi (filled dumplings), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and other hearty, belly-warming staples – all without dropping more than 10zl (around US$2). There’s a branch at Grodzka 43 in Old Town and another at Starowiślna 29 in Kazimierz.
Summit Kopiec Kościuszki
When you’re standing on Wawel Hill, you may notice lump-like green hills surrounding Kraków. The origins of Kraków Mounds are lost in the mists of time, but it’s believed that the oldest – Kopiec Krakusa and Wandy – were built by pagan tribes several millennia ago as part of some solar calendar: during the summer solstice, the sun rises at Wandy and sets at Krakusa. Kopiec Kościuszki is a newer mound, completed in 1823 to commemorate a fallen Polish general. Catch bus #100 to the mound for fantastic views of Wawel Castle, St Mary’s Basilica, and Główny Rynek.
Spend your night out finding a “lost bar”
Other cities have speakeasies, while Kraków has its “lost bars”. It’s the same idea, even though Kraków’s hidden drinking dens are a recent development. Head to the Smakolyki restaurant on Floriana Straszewskiego, find your way to the cloakroom and pass through to a hidden courtyard from which you enter Mercy Brown. It’s 1920s Kraków – all velvet couches, mood lighting, chandeliers, and cocktails from a bygone era (gin with jasmine tea cordial, anyone?). Entertainment includes burlesque shows.
Mingle with local hipsters in Tytano
Just west of Old Town, a decrepit former tobacco factory has been transformed into a pocket of hipsterdom, complete with art studios, exhibitions spaces, beer gardens, and brunch cafes that attract Kraków’s young and cool contingent. Check out the latest photography exhibition or fashion event, then grab a coffee from Kraków’s speciality roasters at Bonjour Cava.
France’s massive appeal – those top-class cities, beaches and landscapes – beckons all year round, but there are certain times when it’s better to visit.
Choose the best time for your visit to France with this month-by-month guide to the weather, events and festivals.
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High season – July and August – is the best time for hot weather
High season in France is hot and getting there can be hectic. Roads are usually a nightmare on the weekends, with traffic warnings going from orange to black. Hotel prices are at their peak, and you might need to book restaurants in advance. Many restaurateurs in larger cities will close for their own summer break. But it’s also the time when summer events and markets are in full flow, and you can enjoy glacier skiing in Tignes and Les Deux Alpes.
Enjoy a more relaxed pace during the shoulder season of April, September and October
As France warms up from April onwards, particularly in the south, that’s the time for a more leisurely exploration among the spring flowers. Warm weather lingers well into September and even into October, when the seas have kept their summertime heat. Autumn is also the time for the grape harvest and wine festivals.
Many places are quiet in low season, which runs November to March
Apart a brief burst of activity during Christmas and New Year’s, France’s rural regions go into hibernation mode. Opening hours get even more restricted than usual, with many restaurants open three to four days a week. But cities are still lively.
Plan carefully for ski season
Early skiing in December can be tricky with the occasional lack of snow, but January is usually your best bet. Avoid February if you can, as half-term holidays are spread across the whole month. Prices rocket during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
January is for shopping and skiing
When you’re not on the ski slopes, head to the shops for the big January sales – les soldes d’hiver. Quieter streets will make city breaks a pleasure, especially in the south where the weather can already feel mild. Key events: Historic Rally of Monte Carlo, La Folle Journée classical musical festival in Nantes, start of the three-month-long Limoux Carnival.
Not surprisingly, Valentine’s Day is taken seriously in France, so book ahead if you’re planning a romantic weekend. February marks the start of carnival season, some in anticipation of Lent, others just for the sheer fun of it. Key events: Nice Carnival, Menton Lemon Festival, Mimosa Festival in Mandelieu, Côte d’Azur.
March is for music
Spring comes with its own soundtrack in March, which is the time of two major festivals. Enjoy some late-season skiing without February’s crowds. Key events: Grenoble Jazz Festival, Festival Banlieues Bleues north of Paris, Le Touquet Car Rally.
April is for getting outdoors
Even if Easter doesn’t fall in April, there’s a sense of France opening up and shrugging off its winter hours. Cafe terraces become full again as people spend more time outdoors enjoying the warmer weather. Key events: International Garden Festival in Chateau de Chaumont, Bourges Spring Festival, Paris-Roubaix cycle race, International Kite Festival in Berck-sur-Mer.
With two to four public holidays in May (depending on when Easter falls), be prepared for plenty of places being closed. But May is also the month of the Nuits des Musées, when hundreds of museums around the country open their doors for free from dusk till 1am. Key events: Nuits des Musées, Cannes Film Festival, Fête des Marins in Honfleur, Fêtes des Saintes-Maries-de-la Mer Gypsy festival, Camargue.
June is for more music
France celebrates the arrival of summer with the nationwide Fête de la Musique on June 21. Under hot summer skies, Nîmes and Arles get into a féria mood with Spanish-style parties and shows in their Roman amphitheaters. Key events: Fête de la Musique, Le Mans 24-Hour Grand Prix, Paris Jazz Festival.
July is for full-on summertime fun
Everything happens in July: the fabulous Tour de France, Bastille Day celebrations all around the country on July 14, major festivals in Avignon and Aix-en-Provence and Provence’s lavender fields in full bloom. Brace yourself for busy crowds and high prices. Key events: Bastille Day, Tour de France, lavender festivals, jazz festivals in Nice, Marciac and Juan-les-Pins, Champagne Route Festival.
The Feast of the Assumption is on August 15 – another holiday when everything closes. Contrary to public opinion, Paris gently buzzes in August, especially on the Seine’s Paris-Plage and Parc de la Villette’s open-air cinema. Key events: Feast of the Assumption, Rock en Seine in Paris, Colmar Wine Fair, Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.
September is for chilling out
La Rentrée – when France goes back to work and school – signals the end of summer, but that’s also when villages hold their own festivals. The weather is as hot as August, but prices start to drop. Key events: Braderie de Lille, Festival of American Cinema in Deauville.
October is for wine and food lovers
An autumnal mellowness arrives, but you can still swim in the Med (and, occasionally, the Atlantic). It’s also harvest time, with wine fairs and food and drink festivals around the country. Join the party on Nuit Blanche when cultural sites are open all night. Key events: Nuit Blanche, Fêtes des Vendanges in Montmartre and Salon du Chocolat in Paris, Fête des Vendanges in Banyuls-sur-Mer.
November is for cheaper city breaks
Temperatures plunge and two public holidays – November 1 and 11 – bring more closures as well as winter hours. But it’s a good time for a city break as prices go down. Key events: Annecy Wine and Food Festival, Beaujolais Nouveau weekend, Burgundy Wine Auction, Fête du Ventre in Rouen.
France loves to put on a big show for Christmas. Even if you don’t ski, the magic of the mountains goes into overdrive when festive decorations come out. Key events: Christmas, Festival of Lights in Lyon, Braderie de l’Art in Roubaix.
Though Belfast is Northern Ireland’s most urbanized locale, it’s awash in green spaces and dense woodlands that evoke more classical images of the Emerald Isle.
Public parks are often former aristocratic estates donated to the city in the 20th century, while wildlife corridors and grassy glens on the outskirts have maintained their rural feel. So whether you’re searching for a secluded picnic spot, a walk on the wild side, or a space to let the kids run free, at least one of Belfast’s top parks will cater to your needs.
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First opened in 1871, Ormeau Park (pronounced “or-mo”) is the oldest municipal park in Belfast. It’s also one of the most prepossessing, flanked by the meandering River Lagan on its western fringe and dotted with the architectural remnants of the Victorian-era estate which once stood on the property. The flower beds and thickets of deciduous trees populating the lawns ensured Ormeau Park bagged a Green Flag Award, which recognizes the UK’s best green spaces, each year from 2011 to 2021.
At 100 acres, Ormeau is also one of the city’s largest and most varied parklands. Dog walkers and cadres of joggers roam the footpaths daily, while those of a sporty disposition make use of the basketball nets, tennis courts, football pitches, BMX track, and the adjacent Ormeau Golf Club. if you’ve no Sunday afternoon plans, grab food to go from one of the Ormeau Road’s quirky cafes and watch locals play ragtag matches of football.
Belsonic, an eclectic music festival attracting marquee headline acts, graces the park every summer. As does the Belfast Ukulele Jam band on Sunday afternoons throughout the year.
Sitting next door to the crenelated, Gothic-inspired Lanyon Building of Queen’s University, Botanic Gardens is a park for horticulture enthusiasts. Though it has a collection of pristine lawns on which you’ll find picnickers and musicians lounging in the summer, the diverse flora on display generates a significant proportion of the footfall.
The Tropical Ravine, erupting from a small dell plunged within a Victorian storehouse, is alive with exotic-looking palms and ferns, belying their much more altitudinous Northern Irish surroundings. Visitors should also check out the cast iron and glass-walled Palm House, designed by Belfast-native Charles Lanyon in the mid-19th century. It’s one of the oldest structures of its kind, famed for the steep curvilinear roof rising above its entrance.
Inside the greenhouse, you’ll find plants that would struggle to survive in Belfast’s frigid winters, alongside sculptures and artworks.
The gardens also host the free-to-enter Ulster Museum, whose exhibits focus on local art, history, and natural sciences. You can’t miss its brooding facade, combining a brutalist extension from the 1960s with the original neoclassical foundations.
Named after the five hillside caves believed to have been primitive iron mines, Cave Hill Country Park is one of Belfast’s most popular walking spots. The trails tunnel through woodland and weave over heather to the eponymous hill’s 368m (1207ft) zenith, which overlooks the city center, Belfast Lough, Harland and Wolff shipyard (the birthplace of the Titanic), and on clear days, the western tip of Scotland.
The 4.5-mile Cave Hill trail is the most scenic route, attracting plenty of New Year’s and Boxing Day walkers purging themselves of their Christmas gluttony. If you’re not up to the mildly strenuous challenge, there’s an 0.8-mile trail in the park’s lower reaches, circumnavigating the manicured grounds of Belfast Castle. You’ll still get excellent views of the city from here, while you’ve got easy access to the stone and timber castle and its cozy tavern – ideal for a few post-stroll libations.
Connswater Community Greenway
There is pride aplenty in East Belfast, and the Connswater Community Greenway is a 5.5-mile linear park connecting sites that celebrate the district’s heritage.
Constructed with a view to reviving a neglected and polluted ecosystem, the greenway’s northern end hosts CS Lewis Square – bearing the name of the homegrown author and sculptures depicting characters from his mythical realm Narnia – and Victoria Park, a haven for birdwatchers, with gulls, herons, swans, geese, mallards, and wagtail roosting there throughout the year.
In the south, the greenway bifurcates towards Orangefield Park, which comes alive with wildflowers in spring, and the wooded Cregagh Glen, winding alongside small waterfalls and a wildlife corridor towards the Castlereagh Hills.
Lady Edith Dixon was renowned for both her largesse and philanthropy, donating more than £100,000 to charitable causes in the early 20th century, with particular emphasis on the servicemen involved in WWI. This cemented her as a prominent figure in Northern Ireland, which was later honored with the founding of her namesake park – officially called Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park – donated to the city in 1959 in memory of the Lady’s late husband.
The resplendent, 128-acre greenspace is reflective of Lady Dixon’s love of botany, aesthetics, and the natural world, featuring rolling meadows bound by hedgerows, squirrel-filled woodlands, mandala-like flower gardens, and stonework water features. The Japanese-style garden, which displays landscaping techniques and design themes reminiscent of ancient waka poetry, is perhaps the most arresting section of the park.
Rose Week attracts thousands of flower-viewers each July, while the barbecue areas and picnic tables are hot commodities on those rare Northern Irish days when the sun doth shine.
Stormont park, also known as “Stormont Estate”, is a public park in east Belfast with tree-shaded walking trails, flower gardens, and a children’s play park. Start the day with an early morning walk or jog along the 2.5-mile woodland trail (free adventure guidebooks are available at the main entrance), or head to the Bullfield, an enclosed area where dogs roam freely off the leash while their owners kick back at the picnic tables.
Also housed within the estate are the Stormont Parliament Buildings, the home of Northern Ireland’s devolved government since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which established peace in the country after 30 years of sociopolitical conflict. The main building, bearing a colonnaded neoclassical facade and an imposing concave driveway, is open to the public for guided tours Monday through Friday.
Taking its name from the River Lagan, which hugs the eastern rim of the park, Lagan Meadows is a rolling expanse of verdure lying south of Belfast city center. With few amenities, the park is perfect for walkers who want to get a flavor of wild Ireland without straying too far from the city. The Lagan Towpath trails southward from the meadows connecting Belfast to Lisburn City, around 7.5 miles away, bisecting the Lagan Valley Regional Park en route.
The scenic walks meander through copses of birch, pine, and hawthorn. They tread over moss-smothered steps connecting forest glades and alongside the duck-filled Lagan’s lower reaches. There are plenty of secluded picnic spots when the weather is behaving, and improved water quality projects and recuperation of the river ecosystem mean fishing opportunities are available on some sections of the river – see seasonal calendar and permit info for details.
Belvoir Park Forest
Belvoir Park Forest (pronounced “Beaver”) is a richly wooded area connected to the trimmed fairways of Belvoir Golf Club and a diverse arboretum first planted in 1839. Set within the Lagan Valley, the open-to-the-public forest is characterized by cloistered walking trails, pervaded by birds conversing in their twittering tongues and the crunch of twigs and leaves underfoot.
This perceived isolation makes Belvoir Park Forest feel as old as time, but it hosts more recent historical sites too. These include a WWII air-raid shelter, now usurped by vegetation, and a 12th-century Norman motte, where once stood a timber-and-earth bailey used to survey the surrounding land and mount defenses against invaders.
Accessible routes on public services ensure anyone can get around in Taipei. If you get stuck, you’ll have no issue finding help from enthusiastic locals. Short of having someone to show you around, Taipei’s easy-to-navigate and uber-efficient public transport system is the next best thing, dual lingual and air conditioned throughout.
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How to explore Taipei
East to west, from Xiangshan to Ximen, Taipei city center can be traversed in around 40 minutes by bike, bus or MRT (subway). New Taipei City is broader still, with Tamsui to Xindian navigable in around 1 hour 30 minutes by MRT. A car or scooter will get you to your destination quicker but only when avoiding rush hours (early morning and early evening).
Is public transport in Taipei good?
A resounding yes from me. Not only is Taipei public transport affordable, clean and convenient, but it is also very punctual. You could set your watch to the train and bus schedule and all information can be found on Google Maps, regularly updated with accurate timetables and transfer information for trip planning.
Passes for public transit in Taipei
You’ll see a lot of advertising for the unlimited Fun Pass, but unless you are planning to do all of the big attractions (including the National Palace Museum and Taipei 101), then an EasyCard will suffice, cutting regular ticket prices for bus and metro services by 10 to 30%, plus discounts for multiple use in one day.
An EasyCard can be bought for 100NTD plus top-up amount in any metro station or at any 7-Eleven convenience store around town. You can also use EasyCard in place of a rail ticket on TRA (Taiwan Railway Administration) services.
Three choices for airport transfer: cheap, cheaper and moderate
The cheapest way to get from Taoyuan International Airport into Taipei City center is to take the 1819 Kuo Kuang bus service to Taipei Main Station, paying at the booth inside the bus terminal (135NTD; $4.60USD). The sleek new Airport MRT line is doubly quick but only slightly more expensive (at 160NTD; $5.50) taking just 35 minutes (compared to one hour by bus).
Those willing to splurge $30 to $40 after their long-haul flight can take a taxi from Taoyuan International Airport into Taipei City center within an hour.
Most international flights arrive at Taoyuan International Airport. Those looking for Taipei Airport should look into Songshan Airport which is rather closer to the city center but mostly serving domestic and regional airlines.
The Taipei Metro (aka MRT) is a comprehensive subway system linking the whole of Taipei and New Taipei City. There are accessible routes and elevators in all stations and excellent facilities for the disabled across the Taipei Metro map.
When the scorching temperatures outside threaten to overwhelm you, the 131 Taipei Metro stations offer respite, kitted out with toilets, snack stores and even underground malls between a handful of stations.
How to fit in on the Taipei subway
Be aware that drinking, eating and chewing gum are all banned on the Taipei Metro. Traveling during rush hour is best avoided where possible (7-9AM and 5-7PM weekdays) and you should stand on the right-hand side of the escalators when not walking.
To fit in seamlessly, refrain from loud conversations and avoid sitting in the dark blue priority seats (for elderly, pregnant or passengers with disabilities) unless you need them.
Board the bus for city views
There’s a lack of sightseeing bus tours in the city but Taipei’s public buses are the next best thing. Most bus stops feature electronic screens that list the timings of upcoming buses, in English and Mandarin.
Tip for boarding Taipei’s buses
When taking the bus anywhere in Taipei, the usual process is to swipe your EasyCard once upon boarding and again when alighting, or put the correct change (usually 15NTD) in the silver box up front when you board.
Get your walking shoes on
You won’t get so far so fast, but, nevertheless, walking Taipei is a free and unassuming delight, offering lantern-lit alleyways and tiny temples at every turn.
If planning on doing lots of walking, make sure you protect your skin from strong UV rays (even on cloudy days) and drink lots of water to avoid dehydration, particularly in the summer months from June to August.
Combine the scooter streams of Vietnam with the driving regulations of Japan and you may be close to envisioning the chaotic good of Taipei’s traffic system.
At long range, Taipei has the rules of the road perfected; a grid system with a number of one-way roads and pedestrian crossings in full effect, traffic lights timed to make peak traffic flow as smooth as possible.
At close range, however, Taipei traffic is not without its surprises. Red-light-running trucks will fly in the face of your Right of Way and whole families balanced precariously on one scooter could round the curb at any moment, complete with a Shiba Inu puppy, with its tongue out, at the helm.
Be aware of these hazards when walking in Taipei or otherwise be brave and rent a scooter yourself (using WeMo if you read Chinese, SKRT if you don’t).
Why cycling is my favorite way to travel in Taipei
Similar to a scooter but without the carbon footprint, cycling is my favorite way to navigate Taipei. Newcomers to the city are welcomed to hop on a YouBike and explore for free (at least for the first 30 minutes, 10NTD every 30 minutes thereafter) traveling as far south as Yingge Ceramics Village and as far north as Tamsui along the Taipei Riverside Bikeway.
Designated cycle paths run sporadically through the city – both on and off the road – with docking stations almost always available outside MRT stations, and all over the city.
You will see locals cycling on the sidewalk to avoid the traffic fumes, but it’s not recommended to join them. Instead, enjoy a detour along the river, a long stretch made for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting top locations such as Dadaocheng Pier (Pier 5), Ximen, Gongguan, and Xindian.
If you want to rent a YouBike, you’ll need to either register your EasyCard with a local phone number for verification and an ID number for insurance purposes at the kiosk beside most docking stations. You can also use a credit card in place of an EasyCard if you don’t hold a local SIM.
There are currently two YouBike systems in operation in Taipei, YouBike 1.0 and YouBike 2.0. You can only dock your YouBike at the corresponding dock.
Take a day trip by rail
Heading out of Taipei for the day is easy and affordable with the Taiwan Railway. Use the TRA to head to Keeling, Yilan or Jiufen (transferring at Ruifang for the shuttle bus) for low prices. See our list of day trips from Taipei for options.
Destinations such as Hualian and Taichung are also made accessible on the TRA system but for west coast destinations further afield (such as Tainan and Kending), you may want to splash out on the High-Speed Rail (HSR) to get there faster.
For places where the Taiwan Railway service doesn’t venture, the bus can be your next best option. Get the bus to Yangmingshan from Shilin or to Wulai from Xindian, using your EasyCard the whole way. Taxi pooling is another way to travel if you’d prefer not to wait in a queue. Simply wave at the taxi scouts hanging out around key bus terminals such as Xindian.
