Celebrate Mother's Day In Mother Nature On These 5 Hikes
For many moms, there's nothing better than spending time in the outdoors, ideally with family, to celebrate Mother's Day. Just picture her happy face as she hikes on a tree-studded trail, leading to a grand viewpoint, waterfall, or picturesque valley.
From challenging multi-day backpacking trips to lovely day treks that would be perfect for wandering slowly and with intention, the below five hikes offer something for everyone. Lace up your boots, pack provisions, and hit the trails to honor your nature loving mama.
The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most beautiful long-distance hikes in Europe.
One of the most admired long-distance trails in Europe, the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), which circles the stunning Mont Blanc massif and travels through Switzerland, Italy, and France, is so majestic that you'll likely want to do it all over again once you've finished. From charming villages and alpine huts to bell-clad cows to otherworldly views of glaciers, meadows, and forests, this adventure, while challenging, packs a lot in.
To take out the guesswork, enlist in the professional guiding services of Wilderness Travel. They'll plan all of the logistics, help you safely travel from point A to point B, and provide informative and fun context along the way.
Death Valley National Park if full of grand wonders, flora and fauna.
Death Valley National Park, which hugs the border of Nevada and California, might be one of the most underrated national parks in the country. Expect incredible star gazing at this gold-tier Dark Sky Park, as designated by DarkSky International.
Hiking here rewards adventurers with not only incredible views in the land of extremes, but also the chance to see feral horses and other wildlife. You'll marvel at the natural landscapes and diverse ecosystems on a three-night backpacking trip in this dazzling park on the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop.
In a few sections, the trail can be tough to find, making bushwhacking necessary. Utilizing the expert guiding services of Wildland Trekking is a smart idea. They'll not only handle all of the logistics, but also, they'll prepare the meals and do the clean up as well. If you need gear—backpacks, trekking poles, sleeping bags—they have that to borrow as well.
Mothers will certainly get their steps in while on a walking trip in Greece.
For a sojourn that your mom will adore, take her to Greece on a guided walking tour. She'll spend one week hiking on the islands of Santorini, Paros, and Naxos where each of the trails are rated easy to moderate. Your camera roll will be filled with colorful images, especially on the six-mile Cliff Trail in Santorini, which travels from Oia to Fira along the caldera.
Experts in facilitating unforgettable vacations, ones that your mother will never forget, Exodus Adventure Travels takes care of all the heavy lifting so that you can simply enjoy spending time together in the outdoors.
For a tiny island, Saba has plenty of hiking trails to keep you engaged.
If your mom loves to trek in the outdoors but prefers a day hike as well as other outdoorsy activities like farmers markets, outdoor dining, and swimming, then look no further than the island of Saba. This teeny-tiny five-square-mile verdant and rugged Dutch Caribbean island feels incredibly remote and special.
The adventure begins when you land on the shortest commercial runway in the world and continues when you hike to the top of Mount Scenery, a long-dormant volcano, and the highest point in the Netherlands. Plan to get a bit wet and muddy on this hike through the cloud forest, which ultimately leads to panoramic Caribbean views at an outlook (on a sunny day).
Plan to stay for a few nights on the island to really get a feel for the locale. The Cottage Club Hotel features individual private accommodations, each with an outdoor balcony, access to a swimming pool, and a lovely breakfast. There's plenty to do to keep your mom occupied and happy.
Hiking the cable route to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is a big bucket list adventure for many moms.
If you've spent any time in Yosemite National Park, likely you've stood in Yosemite Valley and gazed up at Half Dome, which stretches 8,800 feet above sea level. Perhaps you've wondered what it would be like to stand on top of it.
When the cables are attached, which is the safest time to climb the dome, you'll need to secure a permit before heading out on your adventure. You'll want to be healthy and fit to tackle this strenuous 14—16-mile round-trip hike, which will take the entire day—you'll gain about 4,800 feet of total elevation. For those who are able, the views of Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls, Liberty Cap, and Yosemite Valley are worth the effort—in spades.
To be properly prepared, bring plenty of water, food, and snacks. Leave before sunrise to give yourself ample time to reach the top before heading back down. Pack a headlight, gloves, boots with great traction like Danner's Mountain 600 EVO, and consider bringing a harness to safely connect to the cables and make the last 400-foot ascent.
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Miami Herald
22-07-2025
- Miami Herald
How Miami's airport and seaport are working to get you fresher fruit and flowers
Miami International Airport is boosting cargo capacity by as much as 50% with a new facility that broke ground on Monday, a sign of its expanding role in providing fresh fish, fruit and flowers to consumers across the East Coast. The $141 million joint initiative with PortMiami will transform vacant land southwest of the airport at Northwest 74th Avenue and 12th Street. Slated to open in 2027, the 340,000-square-foot cold storage complex, about the size of six NFL fields, will allow more fresh produce and other perishables to enter the U.S. through Miami. Hollywood-based Mandich Group, a privately held cold storage development firm, is putting in $98.5 million and the PortMiami will contribute $9 million. The port will also provide $33.5 million it obtained from a U.S. Department of Transportation grant. 'It will be the first center of its kind in the state of Florida and the largest in the U.S.,' PortMiami spokesperson Suzy Trutie said in an interview with the Miami Herald. The airport and seaport receive lots of perishables. PortMiami puts them on trucks and sends them to MIA for storage and treatment before they're further transported. The new building will allow them to do more of that. 'For us, it's a way to expand our cargo business and trade,' Trutie said. The new center has the capacity to handle over 1.5 million tons of agricultural cargo annually, Greg Chin, communications director for Miami-Date Aviation Department, told the Herald. That's half the 3 million tons the airport received in 2024. Booming Valentine's Day MIA is growing, not just in passenger volume, but in freight, and it seeks to keep up with rising demand. The amount of cargo it handled in 2024 was a record for the fifth straight year. That included the vast majority of fresh-cut flowers the U.S. imports for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. By Valentine's Day 2025, airport officials estimated that more than 90,000 tons of fresh-cut flowers arrived at the airport. That was also a new record for MIA, 3% higher than the previous record set in 2023. It totaled about $400 million in value. Fed Ex Private companies have taken notice. MIA is the site of FedEx's largest 'cold chain operation' worldwide, Basil Khalil, vice president of operations for FedEx Caribbean and Central America, told the Herald in February. About three years ago, the shipping company made a big bet on Miami by doubling the size of its cargo facility at MIA, said the Miami-based executive. That brought it to over 280,000 square feet. FedEx has more than 500 employees at the site. 'The flower industry helps employ thousands of people in Colombia and here at MIA,' Khalil said. It's not only during Valentine's Day that bouquets come in. Several hundred airport, seaports and border crossings handle international trade, yet MIA stands out. In 2024, the U.S. imported $2.26 billion in fresh-cut flowers, an increase in value of 9% compared to 2023, according to data provided by Ken Roberts, founder and CEO of WorldCity, a data and media company that hosts the website. MIA handled a whopping 81% of that. Colombian carrier Avianca Cargo and LATAM Cargo both have robust operations at MIA. DHL Express is growing, too. MIA has other works in progress for boosting cargo capacity. In July 2024, the Miami-Dade County Commission approved a lease agreement with Miami Gateway Partners, LLC, to build a four-story cargo facility that would increase Miami International Airport's storage capacity by 2 million tons. PortMiami PortMiami is growing its cargo business as well. It traded with 149 nations and handled about 10 million tons of freight in 2024. The space that broke ground on Monday — drawing officials including Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava — more directly benefits perishables. The complex will include a cold chain processing facility that provides cold storage, warehousing, distribution and other services for perishable goods. When the facility is complete, it will increase temperature-controlled storage space at MIA by as much as 34%, to 521,000 square feet, Chin said. The cold storage area will cover about 80% of the new space. The remaining 20% will be a new area to eradicate pests from refrigerated cargo containers and air cargo pallets. That treatment area will utilize non-chemical 'advanced treatments and inspection capabilities' to speed up inspections of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other plant-based perishable items, said Trutie, the PortMiami spokesperson. This will mark a change from the chemical treatment used today. The Norcross, Georgia-based company Reveam will be brought in, providing a new pasteurization technology for fresh produce it developed that doesn't use chemicals or heat, but electrons. The treatments are certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and meant to expedite inspections for 'invasive pests and diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture.' The new cold storage complex is expected to result in 200 new jobs. It'll have environmental benefits too: The early pest and disease detection will help preserve native ecosystems. And 'it's going to reduce spoilage and inspection delays,' Levine Cava said at the ceremony on Monday.
National Geographic
17-07-2025
- National Geographic
Here's why stargazers are flocking to the Oregon Outback
Southeast Oregon is a patchwork of high desert, mountains, and volcanic landscape, stitched together by river canyons and long stretches of solitude. When darkness falls on clear nights across this region, visitors can watch a shimmering blanket of stars emerge. In March 2024, The 2.4-million-acre Oregon Outback officially became the largest dark sky sanctuary in the world. DarkSky International, an organization dedicated to preserving dark places to mitigate the harmful effects of pervasive light pollution, has awarded the designation to Lake County, home to nearly 500,000 residents. This special recognition marks the first phase of the proposed Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary, which upon completion, could expand to 11.4 million acres. (A practical guide to stargazing) Community effort for a dark sky sanctuary "From a local government point of view, it's a question of managing how much tourism can we actually accommodate before it becomes cumbersome," says James Williams, a Lake County Commissioner, who ensured that residents' concerns were heard during the dark sky sanctuary application process. He was just one of many imporant people who helped make the Oregon Outback an international dark sky sanctuary. Bob Hackett, director of Travel Southern Oregon, first proposed the idea for a sanctuary after noticing the increasing popularity of dark sky tourism. To Hackett, it was a good opportunity to draw attention to the natural beauty of this remote region in Oregon. However, some locals were afraid that sanctuary status would impose restrictions on private land, particularly on ranching and farming activity. However, conversations eased residents' concerns once there were no foreseeable restrictions on private property. Some changes were necessary for public land. A light management plan would protect the existing darkness. As the plan evolved, Hackett says, 'We just kept checking in with people and making sure everyone was on board.' A light management plan provides straightforward guidance for public places, such as motion-activated lights and positioning light fixtures downward. Different governing bodies, including the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, manage the Oregon Outback; so, the designation as a dark sky sanctuary required extensive collaboration across agencies. It took five years and six light management drafts to get all parties on board and the application approved. (These are the best stargazing sites in North America) Stargazers can witness the awe of a starry summer night and the Milky Way high above the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary. Photograph By Babak Tafreshi, Nat Geo Image Collection How to reach the Oregon Outback Stargazers looking for city comforts can make Bend their home base, where they'll find plenty of options for food, hotels, and access to outdoor adventures, like rock climbing and hiking. Most visitors fly to Portland and then drive three hours to Bend, but flying into Redmond Municipal Airport is another option. It's 16 miles north of Bend with direct flights to many U.S. cities in the West. Road trippers can make the 40-mile drive from Bend to Fort Rock, a tuff ring or low, wide, bowl-shaped volcanic crater located on an Ice Age lakebed. Fort Rock is technically outside of sanctuary bounds, but it's a stunning location for stargazing. Visitors may want to consider booking a stargazing tour with Wanderlust Tours, which offers tours from Bend to Fort Rock with expert guides, who provide insight into the region's landscape and the night sky. Tourists enjoy dinner and drinks at a picnic area with a view of Fort Rock as the sun dips below the horizon—and then the light show, the Milky Way, reveals itself in the sky. (10 of the best places for stargazing in the UK) Tourists can also stay in Lakeview and Paisley, Ore., two small towns at the edge of the sanctuary, and both have several motels that provide guests easy access to venture out for stargazing. Located outside of Paisley, Summer Lake Hot Springs has cozy, rustic cabins and camping facilities. Guests also have access to on-site outdoor and indoor mineral spring pools. Travelers visiting the Oregon Outback for stargazing can make the city of Bend their home base with options for food, hotels, and other outdoor activities. Photograph By Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, a sanctuary for American pronghorn and other wildlife, has three established campgrounds with vault toilets, which provides a remote camping experience for those seeking it. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are free of charge. Backcountry hiking requires a permit; please note that fires are not allowed. In addition to the aforementioned places, Southeast Oregon has several hiking trails that lead to campgrounds and or scenic overlooks, such as the 750-mileOregon Desert Trail, which stretches across the Oregon Outback. You can hike short portions from Paisley, Lakeview, or Valley Falls to find secluded darkness, but only experienced backcountry hikers should take on this trail, where cellphone service is not available. The eastern portion of Fremont-Winema National Forest features several trails, ranging in skill level from the easy 4.4-mile Lake of the Woods Area Trail to the challenging 4.6-mile Mount McLoughlin Trail. (10 of the dreamiest stargazing trains in the U.S.) In addition to stargazing, travelers can visit the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, a sanctuary for American pronghorn and other wildlife. Photograph By Michael Durham/Minden Pictures How to be a responsible dark sky tourist Travelers visiting the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary should plan ahead. First, tourists visiting the area should establish their comfort level when choosing a place to stay. Do you want to stay in a motel in a small town after a night of stargazing to sleep in a comfortable bed? Do you want to bring everything you need to camp without cell service or running water? Some remote locations lack readily available emergency service. 'Our search and rescue is entirely volunteer,' says Williams. 'If you get stuck on backroads or lost on trails, it might take us a while to come find you.' Know your limits when it comes to how far you venture, the lay of the land (expected terrain), and the weather you might encounter along the way. Map out gas stations and note their operating hours, and as responsible travelers, be mindful to leave natural spaces as you found them. 'It's a good idea to brush up on Leave No Trace principles,' says Courtney Braun, co-owner and guide at Wanderlust Tours. 'A lot of the Outback doesn't have facilities like bathrooms, so you need plans for a toilet system.' While visiting the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in southeast Oregon, visitors can take a dip in a natural hot spring. Photograph By Greg Vaughn/Alamy Bring a headlamp with a red-light option, which preserves night vision and won't disrupt wildlife. Minimize the use of lights at night while prioritizing safety. In addition to respecting the land and the dark, it's important to respect the people who call this place home. 'When you see a fence that says no trespassing—it's probably a good idea not to trespass,' says Williams. Travel Southern Oregon's website also provides information about the Oregon Outback and best practices when visiting. (Big Sky, brighter stars: Why Montana is 2025's ultimate stargazing destination) Britany Robinson is a freelance journalist covering travel and the environment from the shoreline of Connecticut, where she also writes essays and obituaries. Follow her on Instagram.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Yahoo
When my husband was laid off, we took the chance to travel. What started as a tough year has turned into one of our best.
When my husband was laid off, we were panicked at first, but ultimately found the silver lining. We love traveling, but never had time to take long trips because of work. Though conscious of cost, we're taking the opportunity to travel during my husband's job hunt. When my husband was laid off earlier this year, we were initially stunned. I spent the first hours worrying over bills, health insurance, and the slow job market for his field of work. We had some savings, but how much would we need? Once the shock wore off, however, we saw an opportunity. Time off had always been a challenge with his previous employer, and while we both love to travel, long trips had felt out of reach. Now, he had the time — we just had to get creative with the budget. Our first trip was to see family in the Pacific Northwest. We booked the cheapest tickets we could find and spent a long weekend trying dim sum for the first time with cousins in Portland's eclectic food scene. Staying with family not only made the trip affordable but also gave us precious extra time with them. We enjoyed Portland so much that we decided to take further advantage of this free time and go big: Italy. This may have been a touch of insanity for someone in our shoes, especially since we had no family to help curb lodging costs, but it had been a long-talked-of dream between us. Plus, because we'd had no time to travel the previous year, we had a healthy number of credit card points to use, which ended up covering the cost for two two-way plane tickets. Turns out, we also had friends with a beautiful Airbnb in Tuscany who heard about the job loss and offered us a free stay. With their generosity and a few more cashed-in points to book nights in Rome and on the Cinque Terre coast, we enjoyed two weeks eating copious amounts of pasta and admiring the frescoed ceilings of old-world cathedrals. It was a magical experience of la dolce vita and a time of reconnection for us as a couple, yet it didn't break the bank. After credit card points and the free stay, we spent about $1,600 for two weeks abroad. After seeing how rewarding traveling was during this uncertain time, we decided to embark on a road trip to visit more family and old friends, stopping in national and state parks along the way. We mapped out a journey through Zion, the Redwoods, and more, staying with friends, with family, and at budget-friendly hotels. We took our dog to avoid sitter fees and chose hotels that had no, or only small, pet fees. We also packed a cooler of easy meals — like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, to limit food costs. It's been full of memorable moments, such as hiking the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park with my mother-in-law over Mother's Day and watching sea lions hunt off the coast of Cape Disappointment. The job search continues as my husband takes calls with recruiters and continues applying on every trip. My work in building a freelance business is remote, so I pull out my laptop as needed. In fact, I'm writing this from the deck of a friend's cabin in the Sierra Nevada after seeing a bear in the wild for the first time. With others' generosity and a tight budget, we spent about $1,500 for this three-week road trip. To enjoy the travel, neither of us goes down the rabbit holes that are easy to fall into when dealing with unemployment. We view this time as a season that, like all things, will pass (as long as we don't give up). We've been through enough of life to recognize that there will always be something difficult, and that it's best to enjoy the positives that might not be available in another chapter of life. Having savings also helps to provide some security while waiting for the right job. But the best thing about all of this is how generous our friends and family have been. Who gets to stay in the countryside of Tuscany free of charge? We did — and I recognize how lucky I am to say that and how wonderful people have been. We've used unemployment as an opportunity to make a literal journey of the time. I can safely say what began as a tough start to the year has turned into one of our best yet. Read the original article on Business Insider
