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Travel Briefs

TRAVEL BRIEFS

Travel News & Insights

Commentary on the broader forces shaping travel today, including travel advisories, destination developments, cultural trends, and issues affecting how and where we travel.

Members of Bay Area Travel Writers beneath a towering Monterey pine at the entrance to San Francisco Botanical Garden.

LATEST STORY

Around the World in 55 Acres — Without Leaving San Francisco

Alcatraz is one of San Francisco’s most famous attractions, but “The Rock” is more than a former prison with a dramatic Bay view.

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MORE RECENT BRIEFS

Renowned travel writer and guidebook publisher Rick Steves packed the house at Dominican University in San Rafael, CA, US, with his two-hour talk on On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer.

Rick Steves On the Hippie Trail

Rediscovering the Soul of Travel Writing & Photography

Crowds of tourists fill La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain, illustrating overtourism.

Overtourism: Tourists Go Home!

BROWSE ALL TRAVEL BRIEFS

Renowned travel writer and guidebook publisher Rick Steves packed the house at Dominican University in San Rafael, CA, US, with his two-hour talk on On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer.

Rick Steves On the Hippie Trail

Rediscovering the Soul of Travel Writing & Photography

Crowds of tourists fill La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain, illustrating overtourism.

Overtourism: Tourists Go Home!

The June 20, 2025 attack on Stonehenge is the latest assault on museums and high-visibility tourist sites.

Stonehenge Sprayed Orange in Activist Attack

Rediscovering Saudi Arabia: A Journey Through Time

Japanese town erects a black screen to prevent tourists from taking selfies like this one with Mt Fuji in the background. News story from EuroNews.

Say What? Crazy Travel News

One glance at EUROCONTROL's website, and you'll know why our favorite travel destinations are so crowded.

Flying The Crowded Skies

As of this report, only 18 major international commercial airlines fly dogs in aircraft holds or cargo departments, and only three US airlines (Alaska, American, and Hawaiian) do so.

Flying Large Dogs

Starting mid-2025, travelers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, and 55 other countries will need ETIAS approval to visit France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and 26 other European countries.

ETIAS Travel Authorization for US, UK, and AU Citizens: What You Need to Know

The number of radio frequency interruptions caused by jamming and spoofing is imposing higher risk in airplanes flying near conflict areas.

GPS Spoofing: A Growing Threat to Aviation Safety