A first look at the Great American Rail-Trail—and which section to cycle in 2025
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
It takes but a minute to put wheels in motion for one of the greatest adventures you can have in America, yet nearly three months to experience it in full. Running from Washington State to Washington, DC, the 3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail moves from Pacific waves and old-growth forests at its western end to the White House and the Capitol in the east.
Its east-west spine is made up of abandoned rail corridors that morph into urban greenways. Along the way, riders will get to experience national parks, forested canyons and prairie lands. The last stretch will run past the Lincoln Memorial to the United States Capitol — a fitting end, considering this portion of the route is based on Abe's 1860s transcontinental railroad. Due for completion in 2028, the Rail-Trail is still a work in progress, with a little over half currently ready for cyclists. With its varied terrain, Washington — forecast to have around 400 miles of cyclable track completed in 2025 — offers an epic taster.
(This grand trail will one day connect Washington, D.C., to Washington State.)
Natural highs: Olympic Discovery Trail
The most memorable place to begin your adventure is on this 135-mile trail. From the get-go, the cycleway enters pine-shrouded Bigfoot territory, plunging into the temperate rainforests of Olympic National Park beneath the glacial caps of Mount Olympus. The trail then waltzes along the Strait of Juan de Fuca shoreline to Port Townsend, famed for its 19th-century buildings, with campground rest stops along the way. To travel this section is also a journey into the historic lands of the Klallam, Ho, Makah and other Native American tribes that put down roots long before the railroad came along.
Fishermen's Terminal port in Seattle guards boats known from the reality TV show Deadliest Catch.
Photograph by Don Wilson, Port Seattle
City life: Burke-Gilman Trail
The real Seattle can be found on this 20-mile path, which begins amid the shimmering wetlands of Golden Gardens Park before rolling to the north end of Lake Washington. In between, the neighbourhoods of Nordic-influenced Ballard, trendy Fremont and the University District pass by in a slow-mo blur. A salvo of coffee shops, bike fitters and craft breweries right on the cycleway will prompt the squeal of brakes, then you'll pass the Fishermen's Terminal dock, home to some of the crab boats featured in reality TV show Deadliest Catch. Finish up at Gas Works Park, watching seaplanes take off and land.
Snoqualmie Falls was made famous by David Lynch's Twin Peaks, as were the surrounding towns where the cult 1990s TV series was filmed. Cyclists can explore the area via the forested, 31-mile Snoqualmie Valley Trail, which takes in filming locations including Salish Lodge & Spa, in Sanoqualmie; The Roadhouse Restaurant & Inn, in Fall City; and North Bend's Twede's Cafe — stop for cherry pie. Further east, the relentless beauty of the Cascade Range takes over.
Some parts of the Great American Rail-Trail require a mountain bike.
Photograph by Silvrshootr, Getty Images
Into the wild: Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail
This epic 236-mile trail runs from electric-blue Rattlesnake Lake over Snoqualmie Pass (2,600ft) and all the way to the Idaho border. Currently, this stretch is one of the country's longest rail trail conversions — thanks to the well-maintained Milwaukee Road, a former railway line that closed in 1986. It crosses steel railroad trestles, bridges and dozens of canyons on gravel tracks, so a mountain bike is essential.
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National Geographic
a day ago
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When it comes to live music, the Vienna State Opera shines as one of the world's most opulent music venues, while the Golden Hall at the Musikverein is home to the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. Mozart's legacy lives on in performances at the Orangery at Schönbrunn Palace, the space where he premiered The Impresario in 1786. The House of Strauss, meanwhile, is the world's only remaining concert hall where all four Strausses performed. Not everything takes place in palatial surrounds though. Intimate piano recitals are held at the Mozarthaus, where the composer lived, while the Annakirche is a baroque jewel of a church that hosts affordable concerts. Date for the diary: 2025 is the bicentenary of Johann Strauss's birth. A special concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will mark the big day on 25 October. Listen to: The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II. 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Venues have popped up in disused landmarks across the city, harking to the 1990s when students began squatting in abandoned buildings. A fine example is Tresor, which began in the cellar of a former department store in 1991. Now housed in a decommissioned power plant, its killer sound system draws fans from across the world. Kater Blau — a former soap factory — is a popular, open-air summer spot beside the River Spree, while ://about blank takes a political approach to techno, offering 'hedonistic, insurrectionalist dialectic'. Top of any list, however, is Berghain, the cathedral-like club where (almost) anything goes. Top-quality sound and performances aside, the mysterious entry policy is all part of the appeal and has revellers queuing for hours. Date for the diary: Rave the Planet Parade mixes rave culture with political demonstration. 12 July. Listen to: Autobahn by Kraftwerk. Published in the European Cities Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
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Yahoo
2 days ago
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This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Casablanca is well versed in transformation. Anfa, the Amazigh settlement that once stood here, was obliterated by the Portuguese in 1468. When they returned to rebuild the town half a century later, they renamed it 'Casa Branca' (White House). An earthquake then levelled the region in 1755, prompting Moroccan ruler Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah to build the whitewashed Medina. Earning itself the local name Dar al-Baida — literally 'House of the White' — it came to be known as Casablanca among the Spanish, who added touches of their own, including the 19th-century Church of San Buenaventura. Art nouveau and neo-Moorish buildings were then erected by the French, who established Casablanca as a business hub after their arrival in 1907. It went on to become a French protectorate in 1912 and remained so until 1956, with Assunna Mosque and Rue d'Agadir Market — futuristic constructions designed by Franco-Moroccan architect Jean-François Zevaco — marking a new era of independence. Visitors now flock to the city to explore its varied architecture. Neo-Moorish buildings merging Islamic and art deco elements can be found around Boulevard Rachidi, with highlights including La Poste Centrale, the Palais de Justice and L'Église du Sacré Coeur, an ivory-white cathedral built in 1930. The Quartier Habbous is equally charming. Constructed predominantly between the 1920s and '30s to accommodate an influx of Moroccan merchants, the southern district has an artisanal edge, with plenty of craft and leather stalls. Keep an eye out for the ornate wooden doorway leading to Pâtisserie Bennis Habous, which serves almond-filled kaab el ghazal (gazelle horns) and other delectable Moroccan pastries. To discover Casablanca's more recent urban developments, head to Boulevard de la Corniche, where the emerald-tiled Hassan II Mosque juts out over the ocean. You can organise a guided tour with Casamémoire, a non-profit that's been working to preserve the city's 20th-century architecture since 1995. A few historic art deco establishments have been transformed in the city's Petit Paris district. Opened in April 2024, the Royal Mansour Casablanca hotel has been revamped in the style of its 1950s predecessor, while Ciné-théâtre Lutetia and Cinema Rialto offer a window into the city's fabled cinematic history. Young locals tend to gather on the clipped lawns of Arab League Park and Anfa Park. The latter is often used to host Casablanca's annual summer music festivals: Jazzablanca and Alif Festival both draw in large crowds, while L'Boulevard, held at the nearby Stade RUC, is well known for hosting artists from Morocco's blossoming rap scene. Contemporary dance styles are also a big draw; onlookers often gather along the palm-shaded steps of the Villa des Arts gallery to watch breakdancers from the local BIM Breaking association. Casablanca's creative spirit seeps into its street art, too, with avant-garde designs depicting extraterrestrial life forms lining the Corniche promenade. Nevada Skatepark, one of the biggest in Africa, also has a number of bold pieces, including A Glitch In The Skatepark by local artist Abidwane. A little quieter than those of Fez or Marrakech, the medina's snaking, cobbled streets are full of vendors serving fresh fish sandwiches and syrup-coated sweets stuffed with dates. Plastic tables and chairs fill the larger squares, where visitors while away the hours sipping coffee from miniature glass cups. Dar DaDa, a courtyard restaurant, offers more substantial meals, including hearty chicken tagine. Typical Moroccan dishes are also available from Saveurs du Palais, an intimate restaurant further west in the Maârif district, where guests settle on low cushioned seating to enjoy chicken pastilla and slow-cooked lamb tagine. If you'd like to learn how to make Moroccan dishes yourself, Taste of Casablanca hosts a tour of the city's markets, where you'll roam in search of ingredients for your guided cookery class. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
