Summer 2019

You’ve just arrived at the John F. Kennedy New York International Airport (JFK) after a long flight from Paris. You’re exhausted and ready to get home but have one more flight ahead of you. The length of time that travelers spend in customs lines at JFK exceeds the national average, and when you reach that long line, it shows. You and every other international traveler around you are completely exhausted. You overhear people complaining around you. How will you make your next flight in time?

For the past century, southern writers have significantly shaped the literary world. Their writing has closely reflected the challenges of our nation, making their work essential American reads. Today, visiting many of their homes is as easy as driving through the neighboring states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Mississippi is the ideal starting place for your southern literature road trip. Jackson, the heart of southern literary tradition, is home to Nobel Prize award-winners William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Alice Walker, Richard Wright, and Eudora Welty. Oxford, just outside of Jackson, is suspected to be the model for Faulkner’s fictional universe, Yoknapatawpha. In Oxford you can visit Faulkner’s mansion, Rowan Oak, that now doubles as a museum. A nearby home, known as The Sound and the Fury House, is the supposed setting for this critically-acclaimed work. Faulkner fans can also visit his nearby grave. Close by in Jackson, Mississippi, bibliophiles can visit the Eudora Welty Home and Garden. The home and museum contain the largest collection of Eudora Welty materials. Exhibits are hosted in honor of Welty, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Optimist’s Daughter.

Davey Crocket said it best: “You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.” Not only is Texas one of the biggest states in the United States, but it also has some of the biggest state pride around. Texas is not just a place to live—it’s a lifestyle. Texans will brag about their bluebonnets, their Blue Bell, and most especially, their barbecue. People will wait in line for hours if it means they will leave 100% satisfied. Closing times on signs are hardly enforced because these barbecue joints are normally sold out of food before it’s even time to lock up for the night. The barbecue business is booming right before our eyes (and stomachs).Because there are too many barbecue establishments in Texas to count, we rallied up some of the top favorites in one area: Dallas. We highly recommend entering these places with your stretchy pants on, because you won’t want to stop eating until you’ve been induced into a meat coma. But don’t take our word for it—get out there and try them for yourself. If you gain a pound or sixteen, we understand. It’s happened to the best of us. Enjoy, and yeehaw! Cattleack Barbeque Texas Monthly ranks Cattleack Barbeque as the third best joint in Texas. In the renowned magazine’s own words, “Prepare to feel the earth move.” They typically complete an order every fifty-one seconds, so there’s no time to dillydally. They move fast because everyone wants a bite.Hutchins BBQHutchins BBQ is not only one of the best in the state, but it has also been voted one of the best in the world. This father-and-son duo definitely knows how to stand out in the crowd. It’s a must-have if you’re in town. Also, don’t forget to grab a “Texas Twinkie” (a brisket- stuffed jalapeño wrapped in bacon). You’ll thank us later.Pecan LodgePecan Lodge is one of the finest in the state. This barbecue is from passed-down, secret family recipes. Between wood and pas- sion, this place runs 24/7 to give their customers the best meat possible. What started as a little stand at a farmer’s market has turned into a food sensation. If you don’t stop by, you will most definitely regret it.Feedstore This family-owned barbecue joint is exactly what your taste buds have been craving, whether you knew it or not. What was once a feed store has turned into the Feedstore that many know and love today. If there’s one thing you absolutely need to order here, it’s their fried okra. It will be some of the best you’ll ever have. Photo by The Rocketeer

The Great Ocean Road stretches across the southern border of Victoria, Australia, running 151 miles. Cutting across dense forests, along stunning coastlines, and around steep hills, the Great Ocean Road is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world.

North of Siem Reap in northern Cambodia and surrounded by encroaching jungles lies the world’s largest religious monument, Angkor Wat. The name Angkor Wat literally translates to City of Temples, indicating the temple’s massive size and grandeur.

Museums are known for being educational experiences. Some people might even say they are life-changing. Most museum-goers are used to viewing art or other artifacts behind glass. But have you ever been to an extremely quirkymuseum, one that went against the norm? Search your area for the nearest museum; you might be surprised by what there is to learn. Photo by Jonathan Noechel-ShunnHastings Museum of Natural and Cultural HistoryThis museum’s biggest attraction is the Kool-Aid exhibit. Have you ever wondered who invented the delicious drink? Or what its old packaging looked like? Or what flavors are now discontinued? A large part of this museum is all about Kool-Aid and the history behind it. Come learn and take a picture with the Kool-Aid Man himself. Photo by vickisee.comSalt and Pepper Shaker MuseumFounder Andrea Ludden loved her mother’s collection of salt and pepper shakers so much that Ludden decided to make a museum out of all the different kinds of seasoning partners out there— over 20,000 to be exact.The shakers are organized by category and color. From shakers that look like multiple different items on a McDonald’s menu to almost every US president, if there’s a certain shaker duo you’re looking for, it’s more than likely in Tennessee.

Do you remember how your gut dropped as your first plane launched into the sky, and your first look through the cabin window into a sea of clouds? What about the empty stretch of road racing past your window on your first family road trip? It’s precious memories like these that inspired Lori Metze to pursue travel and capture it with her writing. “Our family travels gave me my fondest childhood memories,” Metze explained in an email. “Details such as sleeping on two chairs pushed together or my first glimpse from the air of a city I had never before seen have an excited emotion attached to them that I can’t seem to live without.” Lori Metze has been a luxury travel writer for about ten years and currently writes for Medium. She typically averages one trip a month and rarely travels to the same place twice. “For the most part, once I have been to a place, I am eager to explore elsewhere, especially since one person can’t physically see the entire world in one lifetime,” Lori said.

Maybe you’re not really interested in reading—maybe you’re only flipping through this magazine for the pictures. You have your visual fascination in common with a medieval peasant.

As the longest highway in the United States, I-90 provides road trip opportunities and quirky locations from Boston to Seattle. However, even if you don’t have time for a full-length trip, you can always look for cool I-90 locations near you! Here are just a few examples of the fun I-90 has to offer: Wall Drug Store: Wall, South Dakota Starting in the West, South Dakota is home to the Wall Drug Store. Wall Drug began in 1931 and struggled to succeed, as it was the height of the Depression; however, it soon became known as a place of respite for travelers, offering free ice water to all. Today, it is much more than just a drug store: covering over an acre, the store offers a variety of souvenirs, books, jewelry, and clothes, not to mention the on-site diner and ice cream parlor. Wall Drug’s backlot (the Backyard) offers great opportunities for pictures as well as attractions for kids. On your way out, don’t forget to take advantage of the free ice water the store is famed for! Photo by Tony Webster (cropped) (License: CC BY 2.0) A Christmas Story House: Cleveland, Ohio The Midwest isn’t home only to tornadoes; Ohioans can easily visit the house used in the popular Christmas movie A Christmas Story. The house is open to tours, and uber-fans can even stay the night if they like! Just across the street is A Christmas Story Museum, which displays original props from the film as well as offers behind-the-scenes info on the making of the movie. Eternal Flame: Orchard Park, New York In western New York, right by Lake Erie, there is a park called Chestnut Ridge Park only a few miles off I-90. In this park is a beautiful thirty-foot waterfall called the Eternal Flame Falls that flows during early spring. But what makes this waterfall special is the small grotto toward the bottom that has a natural gas spring. If you take a lighter when you visit, you can light the grotto on fire, creating a small flame that will burn behind the falls. Although I-90 is often thought of as a highway for road trips, it can easily provide smaller day or weekend trips with the unique locations across the country. Try it and explore the stretch of I-90 nearest you! You’ll be surprised what you can find. —Aubrey Bourret Featured Photo of Eternal Flame Falls by Mpmajewski (License: CC BY-SA 3.0)

Because Iceland Air offers such a great deal on international travel, Iceland has become a major tourist destination. No matter how long you stay in Iceland, you can find plenty to do and see. One of the best ways to take in the sights on a time budget is to go on some of the many day tours available.

Roaming data—using your phone carrier’s data outside your network or your country—can be very expensive. Here are some ways to limit using your precious data while abroad to avoid coming home to a hefty phone bill.

Whether you’re a music nut, a film fanatic, or a beach bum, Jacmel, Haiti, is the place to go. The city became a tourist retreat in 1980, and even though tourism dropped off after the 1990s and 2000s due to things like the 2010 earthquake, Jacmel has since been rebuilt and thrives as the cultural capital of Haiti. Plus, that makes it the perfect getaway for someone who wants to take a trip into a world that’s a little less avant-garde.

Mr. Potato Head made it onto Time’s list of “All-Time Top 100 Toys.” That’s no surprise though, because who doesn’t love a potato? The United Nations declared 2008 to be the International Year of the Potato, and in 2010, the world dedicated 46 million acres to potato cultivation. Burn centers in India are experimenting with potato skins and honey, and the combination has long been used as a folk remedy for burns. Potatoes have even been used to send messages! Companies like Potato Parcel and Mail A Spud will write messages on potatoes and mail them to people, a service that I used within the last year.

For most people, Hell is not high on their list of places to go—something about the eternal fiery torment that awaits there makes it a little off-putting. Yet going to Hell can actually be a fun vacation, so long as you’re visiting the right one.

For many people, traveling is an opportunity to try authentic and unique local cuisines. Even though trying new foods can be fun, getting sick from eating strange dishes can cause unpleasant times while abroad. However, the following food tips for traveling will help you enjoy all the exotic foods you want while also being prepared and ready to run when you get sick.

Vietnam is famous not only for its healthy cuisines, but also for its natural wonders and landscapes. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam has become one of the top traveling destinations because of its beauty, cuisines, and the locals’ hospitality. Furthermore, besides housing Vietnamese (or Kinh) people, Vietnam is also the homeland of many other ethnic minority groups, such as the Hmong, Tay, Thai, and Dao people, enriching the country with diversity of culture, tradition, and history. Most of these ethnic minority groups live in the highlands of Vietnam where you can experience many fun, unique and meaningful outdoor cultural experiences.

The city lights, the Hollywood sign, the bustling streets—Los Angeles embodies metropolitan life more than almost any other US city. But behind the looming high-rises and celebrity fanfare lies some of nature’s most incredible scenery.