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Condé Nast Traveler
3 days ago
- General
- Condé Nast Traveler
Women Who Travel Podcast: How to Choose a National Park
You can listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify each week. Follow this link if you're listening on Apple News. There are over 60 national parks in the United States—and they're never more popular than at the peak of summer. This year, however, might look a little bit different as a result of sweeping budget cuts that impact everything from how the trails are maintained to the park rangers who guide you. To help us understand what to expect—and plan our next trip—associate articles director and podcast regular, Megan Spurrell, joins host Lale Arikoglu to parse the nuances of the national parks, like which ones are lesser-trafficked and why, to how to be a thoughtful visitor, and shares the best things to do at some of her favorites. Lale Arikoglu: Hi there. I'm Lale Arikoglu, and with me in the Women Who Travel studio today is Traveler's associate articles director, Megan Spurrell. Megan Spurrell: Hi. LA: My travel partner, my hiking partner. My surfing partner. MS: It's true. LA: Oh, and desk partner, I'm going to say. MS: We sit a foot away from each other every day. LA: We never part, we never part. Megan, we kicked off the year talking about our best places to go in 2025. I know listeners loved it. And this time we're focusing on all things summer, more specifically how to get the most out of US national parks this summer and how to choose them and where to go. Planning a parks trip, as we know, can be overwhelming at the best of times, thanks to so many choices, but this year is unique due to the funding cuts that have resulted in staff reductions that are impacting everyone from workers at visitor centers to those who are maintaining the trails and even the park rangers. You've been overseeing a ton of our national parks coverage and you also cover so much of the outdoors for us. But before we talk about this summer and why it's different, I want to know what your top three national parks are and whether you can choose. MS: There's over 60 national parks, which I'm not sure the average American even knows, but top would be Arches in Utah, just the crazy red rock formations, big red sandstone arches, that very iconic, dramatic Utah scenery. LA: I'd kind of argue what, at least for me as a foreigner who moved to America, kind of what I thought of as the national parks, that's what I envisioned was going to a national park, was going to those landscapes. MS: Yes, very traditional, driving through sort of desert lands, big blue, open sky, and just these crazy rock formations that almost look like petrified waves. So that's Arches. And then, okay, so I love Acadia. I know we both love Acadia National Park.
Condé Nast Traveler
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Condé Nast Traveler
7 Most Toddler-Friendly Destinations in the US
When I documented the 88-day, 14-country trip around the world that I took with my 2.5-year-old son for Traveler's limited-edition family travel newsletter, I was asked two things on an endless loop. The first was some variation of 'Are you nuts?!' The second, from justifiably intimidated parents, was usually, 'Is there anywhere closer to home you recommend for toddlers?' Jury's still out on that first question but on the second I say, 'Yes! So many.' I couldn't have pulled off such an ambitious global trip if not for having plenty of practice in the US first. Though Julian's first big vacation—San Diego at 10.5 months old—was mildly disastrous, I kept pushing us. If I've learned anything from traveling extensively with a tiny, irrational human, it's to try, try again. Nothing with kids lasts forever. What follows are seven of my favorite U.S. getaways for toddlers. They offer vastly different experiences (Giraffes! Submarines! Fry Bread!) but have one thing in common: These destinations are as much fun for us parents as the kids we're so desperate to entertain. San Antonio, Texas Years before our son was born, my husband and I made a 16-month, 40-state, 229-city road trip across the US to uncover our next hometown. We kept a spreadsheet ranking our top picks and ultimately settled on Minneapolis. Coming in second was San Antonio, so naturally I was stoked to experience it anew with my toddler last summer. Merciless heat aside, it was every bit as vibrant as I had remembered and still boasts the tastiest food and friendliest locals. The 15-mile-long river walk with its riverside paths lined with beautiful trees is a popular attraction is San Antonio. Anna Breaux/Unsplash What to eat, see, and do The San Antonio Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the country, housing more than 750 species, but it has newer attractions as well. Of special note is Kronkosky's Tiny Tot Nature Spot, a 1.5-acre space designed for the 5-and-under set that includes a butterfly rainforest and interactive play area with faux fishing ponds and a mud kitchen. Spring for a giraffe feeding or kangaroo meet-and-greet, or join the drive-through safari at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, a sprawling park with upward of 500 animals (zebras, bongos, and ostriches—oh my!) on the outskirts of town. Creature features aside, we had a blast exploring the sensory-friendly rides and attractions at Morgan's Wonderland, the world's first 'ultra-accessible' theme park; romping through a black-lit, artist-designed ball pit and more than a dozen other installations at immersive art gallery Hopscotch; and sipping micheladas from Künstler Tap Haus while Julian explored the toddler play area and splash pad at Hemisfair, the redeveloped site of the 1968 World's Fair. From the succulent Flinstonian beef rib at Pinkerton's Barbecue to the mushroom shawarma at Ladino, eating our faces off was another favorite pastime. The fluffy conchas at La Panadería and breakfast tacos at Con Huevos Tacos are both essential eating. Where to stay
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Genshin Impact Operation Downpour Simulation Event Guide, Challenges, Rewards and More
Image via: HoYoverse The phenomenon of Genshin Impact that keeps on bringing new features with every unique moments reimagined event is a live example of dedication of its developers towards providing players with fresh and diverse gaming experiences. It wasn't a simple task - the developers spent a lot of time creating a new event that would be interesting, fun, and a challenge to the players. Operation Downpour event makes it possible for the gamers to manage everything the way they think it will be strategically good. From unique challenges to exciting rewards, Operation Downpour invites players to think several steps ahead while managing a team of iconic Genshin characters. Event Overview The story of the event taking place in Fontaine, introduces the character of Turenna and Engine, two scholars who have invented a martial game to measure the Traveler's military skills for the first time. Players will first have to complete The Prologue Act III, the Archon Quest, in order to unlock the event, and Adventure Rank 20 or above is required to participate. The duration of the event is May 19, 2025, to June 3, 2025, and players will have the full time to cope with the challenges and get their prizes. Genshin Impact Operation Downpour Simulation : New 5.6 Auto Chess Event Day 1 Gameplay Guide Key Stages: A Tactical Climb The event is portrayed through a number of stages, with each stage bringing on a set of tasks to be done consisting of recruitment, deployment, and subsequent dispossession of the opposing team. The event is time-phased such that the release dates are staggered, with the first set coming out on May 19, 2025, and the last set coming out on May 23, 2025. Frontline Formation (May 19): The very first phase is setting up your defenses and formulating the basic attack strategies of your team. Players can win this part if they have mastered the art of fighting from a strategic position. Thrust and Volley Combined (May 19): The stage features the presence of oversized Hydro Slimes alongside Treasure Hoarders, which means players will need to protect themselves while launching attacks. Calling out for characters such as Ruin Guards and Hilichurl Grenadiers is a must if you want to keep charging the enemy. Siege Strategies (May 19): The battlefield is significantly bigger with even trickier enemies to defeat. What players need to do is make sure they are fighting brilliantly, sending out Ruin Guards as bait who will be used to take most of the damage and calling out the ranged attackers like Cryo Specters to directly go against the enemy's lines. Subsequent phases such as Research Mastery and A Tactician's Breastplate continue to raise the bar, requiring the player to be more precise in allocating abilities. Victory Through Strategy Operation Downpour isn't only about strength but using the fitting tactics of game pieces. The latter, each having the unique feature, namely, is where the win occurs. You can maximize your strength by using these unique abilities wisely. At the level of Thrust and Volley Combined, players will have to carefully choose and assemble the pieces with the highest attack strength alongside the tanks. The challenge here lies in realizing the right course of action, because a wrong step can result in a loss. Rewards and Progression: What's at Stake As a gamer completes the levels, they receive valuable rewards such as Primogems, Mora, Hero's Wit and Mystic Enhancement Ores. The design of the event guarantees that the rewards match the efforts of the players, thus it becomes a fabulous chance for players to upgrade their characters and resources. Operation Downpour Simulation Event DAY 1 | Genshin Impact Event Furthermore, the event's successful ending will lead to getting Talent Ascension Materials, which are very important for character abilities' upgrade. These materials are vital upon reaching late-game content that is why Operation Downpour determines a profitable try for both casual and hardcore players. Operation Downpour is definitely not like an ordinary event. It is a complex, multi-faceted event that fuses the core combat mechanics in Genshin Impact with a deeper level of strategy. It not only urges players to use their battle skills but also to employ tactical thinking. It is one of the game's nice ways to give it a different flavor. The event will be a true test and a very good way of improving your Genshin Impact gameplay, no matter whether you are a well-seasoned veteran or a new player.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Panic after tourist with measles visited 16 popular Seattle hotspots including restaurants and winery
A Canadian measles patient visited 16 public spots across Seattle while contagious — including gyms, a sushi bar, the airport and a brewery. Health officials in Washington state are scrambling to alert the public after the tourist unknowingly spread measles across the city at more than a dozen popular destinations before being diagnosed. The unidentified traveler spent time in western Washington in King and Snohomish counties between April 30 and May 3 while infectious, according public health authorities. The health agency confirmed the individual visited 'multiple public locations across the neighborhoods of Renton, Bellevue, Seattle, Everett and Woodinville. They included Residence Inn Northeast/Bothell, LA Fitness in Bellevue, Bellevue Market Place at Factoria Shopping Center, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Home Depot in Redmond, Dunn Lumber in Renton, Genki Sushi in Renton, Topgolf Renton Sports Bar and Restaurant, LA Fitness in Kirkland, Pho Mignon in Kirkland, Kobo at HIGO Art Gallery and Shop in the International District, Uwajimaya Seattle Asian Market, Stoup Brewing in Capitol Hill, Spicy Style of Sichuan, Columbia Super Range Fitness Center, and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, S Concourse (Gate S1). Officials say the person's vaccine status is unknown, but added the case is not linked to any other measles infections in the region. The measles virus is notoriously contagious and can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. 'Globally and in the U.S., we are experiencing a significant measles resurgence,' said Meagan Kay, Medical Epidemiologist for Public Health – Seattle & King County. 'With over 1,000 cases reported so far this year nationally, 2025 is on track to have the highest number of measles cases in the U.S. since the early 1990s. It's an important time to check your vaccination status and get vaccinated if you aren't protected.' Health officials warn anyone who visited the listed locations during the specified times and is not immune will 'most likely' become sick between May 7 and May 24. Measles, a respiratory illness spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Public Health – Seattle and King County said up to nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who are exposed will catch it. There's no specific treatment — only symptom management and prevention. Vaccination remains the most effective defense. Yet rates have dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic, and most U.S. states are now below the 95 percent vaccination threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, according to the CDC. Though reportedly unrelated, the incident comes just after health officials sounded the alarm over a potential measles exposure at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last month. The tourist visited LA Fitness in Bellevue on April 30 between 12pm-3:30 pm An infected infant visited the airport's S Concourse with their family on April 17, potentially exposing others to one of the world's most contagious diseases. Officials say the child also passed through customs and baggage claim before exiting through the south end of the main terminal. They later visited Seattle Children's Emergency Department on April 17, 18, and 20 after developing symptoms, and were admitted on April 20. It marks the fifth case of measles in Washington state this year, three of which have been infants.
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Volkswagen's Cupra expansion: Can Barcelona's EV powerhouse break into American roads?
Volkswagen's Cupra expansion: Can Barcelona's EV powerhouse break into American roads? Show Caption Hide Caption Video first look: Scout brand reborn as family of EV pickups and SUVs The midsize Scout Terra and Traveler EVs will go on sale in 2027, ford three feet of water, reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and start under $60,00. Cupra plans US sales 'before the end of the decade.' The brand has sold more than 800,000 vehicles since VW created it. A little known Spanish car brand focused on electric vehicles is preparing to sell its vehicles in the United States — turmoil regarding tariffs, trade and environmental policy notwithstanding. Barcelona-based Cupra has already had talks with the Penske Automotive Group, the United States' third largest dealer group with about 200 outlets. Penske also operates dealerships for dozens of brands ― including Cupra ― in Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. 'Cupra aims to inspire the United States from its hometown of Barcelona, bringing its design led and performance driven cars to American roads,' the company said in a statement to the Free Press. Easier said than done, but Cupra has made an impression in the crowded European market since Volkswagen's Seat brand launched it in 2018. Seat, known largely for practical, affordable cars, created Cupra as a sporty sub brand. The result impressed VW brass in Germany so much that there's talk Seat may wither away, replaced by the more stylish, profitable and technically advanced Cupra. Hybrids and EVs with a Latin flair Cupra sells a mix of electric, hybrid and gasoline vehicles in more than 40 countries, including Mexico, where prices start at just under $37,000 for a gasoline-powered Leon compact SUV. The brand hopes an emphasis on performance ― Cupra originated as the name of Seat's racing team ― and style rooted in Barcelona's history as a center of art, architecture and design will set it apart. New electric vehicle reviews: 2025 Toyota bZ4X EV disappoints, but a change may be coming 'Cupra has a respectable following, but the challenges of the U.S. market are very difficult to overcome,' said S&P Global principal automotive analyst Stephanie Brinley. The United States' huge size and population make it expensive to establish a new brand, both geographically and in shoppers' minds. Cupra has sold more than 800,000 vehicles so far. The company's U.S. focus will be on sporty, upscale EVs and hybrids, but Cupra may also offer some internal combustion models to generate sales and service volume. 'As the first new brand created within the Volkswagen Group, we offer an alternative to the next generation of U.S. car buyers,' the statement continued. 'Positioned between the mass and premium segments, we are not based on legacy or tradition. We are an unconventional challenger brand.' The brand plans to begin with sales in 20 states 'strategically aligned with the Cupra brand.' That presumably means states that encourage EV sales with incentives and emissions limits. 'Cupra is totally unknown to the U.S. population,' said Adam Bernard, principal of consultant AutoPerspectives. 'It's a blank slate. The brand doesn't overlap with VW or Audi. Does VW want to spend a pile of money to establish an image for it?' Cupra executives toured the Los Angeles auto show last November to size up the competition. After initial expectations sales would begin in 2027, the official target is now by the end of the decade. The model line will include gasoline power, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles and extended range EVs with onboard gasoline-powered generators. Cupra plans to build the vehicles at VW group facilities in North America. Current options for that include assembly plants in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Puebla, Mexico, and the Scout Motors plant under construction in South Carolina. Constantly changing U.S. tariff policy will be considered, but won't stop the brand. 'Cupra is monitoring developments closely and will comprehensively address the potential impact on supply chains and our production network,' the statement said. Who will sell them? VW infuriated many of its American dealers with plans to sell rugged Scout SUVs and pickups directly to consumers. There's no word on Cupra's sales plan yet, but the overture to Penske is 'obviously an attempt to shortcut' building a sales network, according to Brian Gordon, president of Dave Cantin Group, which advises dealerships. 'A partnership with a large dealer network would be a strategic beachhead.' Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@ Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
