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Forbes
03-07-2025
- Forbes
A Biologist Reveals 6 ‘Hidden Gem' State Parks In The U.S. — Some Are Better Than National Parks
As economic uncertainty grips the nation, budget-friendly travel is back in vogue. Here are a few ... More tips on how you might swap out your national park visit for a more affordable state park option. There are over 6,000 state parks in the United States. That's a whole lot more than national parks, of which we only have 63. Sure, national parks garner most of the attention – but there's no getting around the fact that they're pricier, farther away, and more crowded than state parks. As a biologist who specializes in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians), here's my list of must-visit state parks – selected for the natural beauty of the site as well as the wildlife and, particularly, the herpetofauna that might be found there. I've arranged this list into six U.S. geographical regions so that, odds are, at least one of these parks isn't more than a few hours drive from your home. New England: Robert H. Treman State Park (Ithaca, NY) Waterfalls cascade through the scenic gorge at Robert H. Treman State Park. Okay, this might not technically be in New England, but it's worth the drive for even those who live in the top corner of Maine. Robert H. Treman State Park in Ithaca, New York, is a sanctuary of rugged beauty, renowned for its dramatic landscapes and tranquil ambiance. The park's pièce de résistance is Enfield Glen – a deep, narrow gorge carved by glacial waters, where visitors can explore nine miles of trails that meander past a dozen enchanting waterfalls. The most iconic of these is Lucifer Falls, a 115-foot multi-tiered cascade that empties into a lush, wooded ravine. A stone staircase with over 200 steps leads hikers close to the falls, offering breathtaking views of the gorge below. The park's diverse trails cut through hemlock forests, past moss-covered rocks, and along the serene Enfield Creek. In summer months, which is the time I would recommend going, visitors can enjoy swimming in the stream-fed pool. With its combination of scenic vistas, rich geology, and serene atmosphere, Robert H. Treman State Park offers a quintessential Finger Lakes experience for all who visit. Midwest: Warren Dunes State Park (Sawyer, MI) Lake Michigan meets the sand hills at Warren Dunes State Park in southwest Michigan. Though not rich in wildlife, Warren Dunes State Park is perfect place to combine a quad-burning dune hike with a great lakes cold plunge – something that will leave you feeling rejuvenated for weeks. Warren Dunes State Park, located along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan near Bridgman, Michigan, offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure. The park's towering sand dunes, including the prominent Tower Hill rising 260 feet above the lake, provide panoramic views of the shoreline and surrounding landscapes. Visitors can explore over six miles of hiking trails that wind through diverse ecosystems, from dense forests to open dunes and tranquil interdunal wetlands. The park's three miles of pristine beach along Lake Michigan's shoreline invite relaxation, swimming, and water sports, while the dog-friendly areas allow pets to enjoy the beach as well. For those seeking a more immersive experience, the park offers camping options as well. Southeast: Ichetucknee Springs State Park (Fort White, FL) Crystal-clear water flows through a shaded cypress forest at Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Tucked away in northern Florida, Ichetucknee Springs State Park offers a glimpse into the state's wilder, more tranquil side. Its crown jewel is the spring-fed Ichetucknee River – crystal-clear, cold, and shaded by old-growth cypress. On a summer morning, few experiences rival floating down this glassy waterway in an inner tube, surrounded by fish, wading birds, and waving eelgrass below the surface. The park protects over 2,000 acres of longleaf pine forest, wetlands, and limestone springs, and its trails offer quiet, shaded walks year-round. But it's the water that draws most people here, for tubing, snorkeling or paddling the six-mile designated run. The springs stay a brisk 72°F year-round, making them a refreshing retreat from the Florida heat. Despite its popularity, the park rarely feels overrun, especially if you arrive early. It's an easy place to unplug – no cell phone, no crowds, just flowing water and the sounds of the forest. If you're looking for a Florida state park that rivals the serenity and natural beauty of any national park, Ichetucknee delivers. Southwest: Dead Horse Point State Park (Moab, UT) The Colorado River winds 2,000 feet below the cliffs of Dead Horse Point State Park. Often overshadowed by nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Dead Horse Point offers equally jaw-dropping views without the crowds. The overlook of the Colorado River, winding 2,000 feet below, is one of the most iconic vistas in the Southwest. The park's trails lead across red rock cliffs, piñon-juniper woodlands, and high-desert mesas with panoramic views in every direction that glow gold and orange at sunrise or sunset. Despite its proximity to some of Utah's busiest attractions, Dead Horse Point feels surprisingly peaceful. A well-maintained trail system loops past multiple scenic viewpoints, and the park is a designated International Dark Sky Park, making it ideal for stargazing after a day of hiking. It's a perfect base for travelers who want classic red rock scenery in a quieter setting. West Coast: Limekiln State Park (Big Sur, CA) Redwoods and rugged coastline meet at Limekiln State Park along California's Big Sur coast. Big Sur is one of the most dramatic stretches of coastline in the United States, but it can also be one of the most crowded. That's what makes Limekiln State Park such a hidden gem. Tucked along Highway 1 beneath redwood-shrouded cliffs, this small coastal park offers the best of Big Sur in a more relaxed and intimate setting. From a single trailhead, you can hike to a 100-foot waterfall, wander through cathedral-like redwood groves, or explore the remnants of 19th-century limekilns hidden in the forest. Cross Highway 1 and you'll find a quiet, rugged beach framed by sea stacks and coastal bluffs, with the chance to spot sea otters bobbing in the surf. Limekiln is compact, but that's part of its charm. Campsites are nestled under redwoods beside a creek, and at night the sound of the ocean mixes with the rustling canopy above. For a Big Sur experience that feels less hectic and more connected to the landscape, Limekiln is hard to beat. Pacific Northwest: Silver Falls State Park (Salem, OR) Misty trails, waterfalls and old-growth forest define the landscape of Silver Falls State Park. Tucked just 30 miles southeast of Salem, Oregon, Silver Falls State Park is often called the 'crown jewel' of Oregon's park system, and it earns the title. The Trail of Ten Falls loops through mossy forest and basalt canyons, leading visitors past and even behind a series of dramatic waterfalls, including the 177-foot South Falls. It's one of the only places in the country where you can literally walk behind a waterfall without getting soaked. The park's old-growth forests, scenic bridges, and fern-lined paths make it feel more like a national park than a state park. With its mix of easy and moderate trails, accessible campsites, and year-round beauty, Silver Falls offers a full Pacific Northwest experience without the crowds or costs of the region's better-known wilderness areas. Are you an animal lover who owns a pet? Take the science-backed Pet Personality Test to know exactly how well you know your little friend.
The Sun
03-07-2025
- The Sun
All my little-known tricks for cheap tickets that top UK attractions DON'T advertise
THE summer holidays are just around the corner, and as the queen of money-saving mums, I've compiled a list of my favourite tricks for saving cash on day trips in the UK. Like lots of parents, I love to treat my three boys to fun family days out over the long summer break - but budget constraints mean I have to search for the best value passes and tickets. 5 From twilight tickets to summer passes, here are a few hidden hacks that I've used over the years to make our money stretch further. Twilight tickets With the long summer days in full flow, sometimes it makes sense to head to an outdoor attraction later in the day. Often, there are fewer visitors and the sun isn't at full strength, especially as daylight stretches well into the evening now. This makes it less hot and sweaty, and much better if you have young children or babies with you. We love a trip to Gulliver's, which offers rides and play aplenty at four sites in Derbyshire, Milton Keynes, Rotherham and Warrington. Depending on the site, tickets in the summer holidays can cost £22.50 to £24.50 per person. But, if a full day out is a bit too much for your family, you can get an afternoon ticket from 2pm to 5pm for £15 or £16. At Milton Keynes, there's also the option of paying £18 to visit the dino and farm park next door from midday and then go into the theme park from 2pm onwards. This is ideal if you are in a group with different-aged children. Norfolk Museums have cut-price twilight tickets for the last hour of opening at places like Norwich Castle or the Elizabethan House in Great Yarmouth from £1.50 to £2.50 per person. We love popping into the atmospheric Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth, which has loads of hands-on activities that tell the town's tale of fishing, seafaring and tourism. A twilight ticket means a family of four only pays £10 for a visit instead of £28.40 - perfect to while away an hour after spending the day on the beach. Puxton Park near Weston-super-Mare offers a £6 twilight ticket for its last two hours of opening, giving access to its soft play, adventure zones and animal park. A family of four normally costs either £46 or £62 for a full day in the summer holidays. Summer season tickets Lots of visitor sites now offer summer passes that include unlimited entry over the long school holidays, which can be excellent value for money if you're planning to make repeat visits. At Statfold Country Park in the Midlands, the new steam into summer pass costs £70 for a family of four and covers train rides, entry to the National Fairground Museum, soft play and mini golf until the end of September. To visit for a day in the summer holidays would cost £57.50, so it's well worth buying the pass, even if you'll only use it twice. Farm parks can be a fantastic choice if you're looking for a summer pass. At Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park in Essex, two adults and two children can visit unlimited times from July 5 to August 31 for £62.97, compared to paying £42.96 for entry for one day over the school holidays. And we've also had great value passes in the past for soft play centres, which tend to be quieter in the summer months when people are outdoors more. If you live near one of the 70 pubs that host a Wacky Warehouse, you can buy a month-long pass for £14 per child for access to the soft play, with discounts if you buy more than one pass at the same time. 5 Weekly or fortnightly passes If you're holidaying away from home, some attractions in tourist hotspots offer weekly or fortnightly tickets to encourage families to make return visits while they are in the area. Down in Cornwall, you can upgrade a day ticket to visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan into a weekly pass for free on arrival at the ticket office. A ticket booked in advance for a family of four costs £75.50, so you'll want to make the most of your entry fee by visiting several times if possible. If you're heading to Scotland for your holidays, the Historic Scotland Explorer Pass is £100 for two adults and up to three children aged 7-15 for 14 days. It covers entry to lots of sites such as Skara Brae in Orkney and Edinburgh Castle, which by itself costs £74 prebooked or £82 on the day for two adults and three children. So if you're visiting the castle and a couple of other sites, the Explorer Pass could be the perfect way to save money. In Devon, Woodlands theme park offers a seven-day wristband for £123 for a family of four, compared to £86.72 for one-day entry. 5 End of summer sale When my boys were young, we used to love chugging around the tracks at Audley End Miniature Railway near Saffron Walden in Essex. But with tickets costing £18 per person this August, it can be quite an expensive day out, especially towards the end of the school holidays when funds are dwindling and you'll need to buy new school uniform for the academic year ahead. Last summer, the visitor attraction offered 30 per cent off for the last week in August, making a final day of family fun before the kids go back to school more affordable. It's worth waiting to book your tickets to see if a similar discount code is available this year, as it could take tickets for me and my three boys from £72 down to £50. Another place I like to look out for discount codes is at indoor attractions like waterparks or adventure golf. These tend to be quieter over the summer months while people are out and about in the warm weather, so they sometimes do discounts at the end of the summer to get visitors back in before the autumn. We often visit Moorways Sports Village in Derby using discount codes, which can take the price for a waterpark session down to £8 per person. That's a similar price to a round of indoor adventure golf near us, which sometimes offers a 20 per cent discount code towards the end of the school holidays. Sign up for the social media pages of your local attractions to make sure you hear about these offers when they are launched. It's also a great time to look at venturing further afield to places where term time has already begun and prices have returned to off-peak. If you live south of the Scottish border, it could be worth heading north at the end of August as schools in Scotland start back in the middle of the month. Here in Leicestershire, we have a similar situation, with prices dropping for the last week of August once term has begun, even though all the children in neighbouring counties are still off school. So make sure you do your summer holiday maths and work out what ticket works best for your family before you splash the cash. Waiting until the last-minute to book a twilight ticket or use an end of summer discount code could be better for your budget. Paying a bit more upfront could end up saving you a pretty penny in the long run. 5
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Travel + Leisure
19-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Is The Most Expensive Tourist Destination in the U.S.—and It's Not New York City
When you're on a budget, it is always good to know where the cheapest beaches, hotels, and flights can be found. For those looking to save money—or inversely, those wanting to spend it—it can also be helpful to know where the most expensive destinations are. A new study from GOBankingRates revealed five most expensive U.S. tourist destinations, proving that you don't need to leave the country in order to put a lot of pressure on your wallet. To determine which cities were the priciest, GOBankingRates analyzed 91 of the top U.S. destinations, as determined by Travel + Leisure reporting, and narrowed it down to 55 cities. Then, using census data, Numbeo's cost of living tool, they determined how much it would cost for two adults to visit the location for three nights, eating meals at a mixture of mid-range and inexpensive restaurants, and how much it costs for domestic beer. Average hotel and flight prices were also factored in. For avid skiers, it might not be surprising that Aspen, Colorado, is the nation's most expensive destination. Known for its ski resorts, Aspen is expensive year-round. (The city has world-class skiing in winter and scenic hiking and biking trails in summer. There are fewer crowds in the spring and falls, plus vibrant foliage and a robust roster of cultural events.) According to the study, Aspen will cost two people $2,708 for three days. Given how much there is to do there and how beautiful it is, it isn't a waste of money—but you'll certainly be spending a lot of it. Airfare will be the costliest part of the trip, at more than $1,300 on average while hotels cost around $791 for a three-night stay and meals would end up around $510. The study also helped determine which state had the most affordable destination; Florida cities average $1,630, making it slightly more affordable than the second most affordable state, California. The cheapest place to buy a beer? Branson, Missouri, where it costs $3.50 on average. Here's the the five most expensive U.S. cities to visit: Aspen, Colorado Santa Barbara, California Anchorage, Alaska Bar Harbor, Maine Fairbanks, Alaska To learn more, visit
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Budget airline axes all flights to US as airspace restrictions bite
An Icelandic-based airline has announced it plans to axe all its flights to the US, stopping trips to major cities like Washington D.C. and New York by the autumn. Low-cost airline Play operates flights between Iceland and destinations in the US and Europe, offering budget tickets on Airbus aircraft to and from its main hub, Keflavík International Airport. Play flies in and out of Iceland to European countries such as Denmark, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. As well as Europe, the airline also directly links Iceland to Baltimore, Boston, and New York City. The airline operates on a hub-and-spoke model, meaning it uses one central airport, Keflavík, to connect to other airports around the world. Play launched its transatlantic flights in the spring of 2022, and has been flying to the US for just over three years. Play's hub-and-spoke routes have since financially underperformed, and an over-saturation in the transatlantic market has meant a growth in competition between airlines. Play will suspend its flights to New York Stewart on 1 September, followed by Boston Logan on 15 September, then finally Baltimore/Washington on 24 October. Its routes in Northern Europe are also expected to be scaled back due to Play dropping the hub-and-spoke strategy it has used since launching four years ago. The strategy has seen a loss of $20 million (£14.7 million) in 2024 in comparison to profits made in point-to-point European leisure markets. The restructuring will come as part of a proposed executive takeover by Play's CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson and Vice Chairman Elías Skúli Skúlason. In a notification to the Central Bank of Iceland, the executives said they plan to submit a voluntary offer for all outstanding shares in the airline via a new holding entity, Aviation Week reported. 'Due to airspace restrictions, several European airlines have redeployed capacity across the Atlantic, leading to overcapacity in the transatlantic market,' the offer document seen by Aviation Week says. 'Many carriers have suspended or terminated East Asia routes, facing a competitive disadvantage against Asian airlines still able to overfly Russia. 'This has increased pressure on transatlantic yields.' If the proposal is approved, Play's revised strategy hopes to target the leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market. The airline wants to target 'underserved sun destinations' and has recently announced new flights to Antalya, Faro and Agadir. 'We're focusing on the profitable aspects of the business—sun destination flights—and discontinuing those that have not yielded results,' Mr Ólafsson said. The airline will also offer wet-lease services, which provide short-term aircraft and crew to help other airlines fill gaps in schedules.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Who Needs an RV? Turn Your Car Into the Ultimate Budget Camping Rig
Who says you need an expensive RV or a fancy camper to hit the road? The team behind Operation Adventure proves that with a little creativity and less than $200, you can turn a regular car (in this case, a Subaru) into a surprisingly comfortable camping setup. It's all about working with what you have, using space wisely, and getting outside without breaking the bank. The key to a great car camping experience isn't money—it's smart planning. Operation Adventure highlights easy, affordable modifications that make a huge difference in comfort. Think foldable sleeping setups, clever storage solutions, and small changes that turn a car into a cozy retreat for the night. One of the biggest challenges of car camping is limited space, but that's where good design comes in. The video shows how organizing gear efficiently—using stackable containers, collapsible furniture, and multi-purpose tools—can create a surprisingly spacious setup. Every inch matters, and with the right approach, even compact cars can feel roomy. Forget hauling a trailer full of gear. Operation Adventure proves that simple camping is not only possible but incredibly rewarding. Traveling light means less hassle, quicker setup, and a more direct connection with nature. With just the essentials, you can explore more and worry less. The biggest takeaway? You don't need a fortune to enjoy the outdoors. Car camping is an accessible, budget-friendly way to experience adventure. Whether you're testing the waters before investing in a larger setup or just love the idea of keeping it simple, this approach proves that getting out there is easier than you think.
