Travel By Design
Design your own travel experience by exploring many travel niches on this Travel by Design page.
Whether you are an adventurer or arm-chair traveler you will find stories on this page that will pique your interest and curiosity. Nearly any hobby, interest or experience can be the very essence of a travel niche and you’ll find many of them below.
Perhaps you are looking for the best LGBTQ destinations or you’re interested in different experiences, volunteer travel (voluntourism) or health and wellness opportunities there are many travel niches to experience. We have several stories that showcase a traveler’s insights and there are other stories that illuminate the outdoors and beautiful landscapes. We have stories of varied experiences from far and wide. The experiences are unique and quite interesting and come from various places across the globe. Our stories will give you a wide coverage of places from around the world.
Whatever travel experience you’re interesting in learning about or designing for your future travels you can find something here. As new travel trends evolve we will continue to add new content that addresses new travel niches.
Go through the interesting stories listed below on this Travel by Design page.
I’m honored to write about Lady Bird Johnson, a woman whose vision still shapes the city I call home — Austin, Texas. I live just a few miles from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and I go often. In every season, something is blooming. It feels less like a formal garden, and more like an ongoing conversation she began decades ago, one that Austin is still answering.
On this World Footprints episode, Ian and Tonya Fitzpatrick speak to National Geographic Explorer and conservation photographer, Gabby Salazar, to hear about some inspiring stories of women change-makers profiled in her new book, No Boundaries.
While millions of passengers race through Sea-Tac each year, eyes fixed on departure screens and connection times, an entire destination hides in plain sight just beyond the terminal walls. Seattle Southside encompasses the communities of SeaTac, Des Moines, Tukwila, and Burien. Together, they offer a place where immigrant communities have built one of the most authentic international food scenes on the West Coast. Here, protected wetlands and botanical gardens thrive in the shadow of runways. And luxury lodges feel like wilderness retreats despite their proximity to baggage claim. It's a destination that rewards the curious traveler willing to resist the pull of downtown Seattle, at least for a day or two.
For Muslims around the world, and Sumatra in particular, Ramadan is a special time. It’s a holy month of fasting, introspection, and praying.
Visiting West Maui isn’t about racing from beach to beach — though Kapalua Bay, one of America’s best beaches, is a must-see. Here, time slows. Mornings drift over ocean views. Afternoons are spent connecting with locals, and evenings invite reflection under sunset skies. Staying longer uncovers the island's heartbeat — its families, crafts, and traditions — while thoughtful travel leaves a lasting mark on both visitors and the community.
For anyone planning travel with teenagers this year, before you brace yourself for the inevitable eye rolls or mutter phrases like “difficult stage” under your breath, here’s some good news. Traveling with teens can actually be great. It’s not without challenges. No matter how chill or laid-back your parenting (or grandparenting) style is, having carefully planned activities dismissed as “boring” or “mid” can sting. Still, when you treat teens like the almost-adults they are, they can be surprisingly good travel companions. They carry their own bags, keep track of their stuff (usually), help with grown-up logistics like navigation or public transit, and, on a good day, offer a fresh perspective that keeps us from getting too comfortable in our own way of seeing the world.
The Esplanade in Penang, Malaysia, is a historic seafront promenade that defines the character of the city's colonial past. A long granite seawall spans from the whitewashed Neo-Classical City Hall from one end to the cannon-bastioned Fort Cornwallis at the other.
Armenia brings together Yerevan’s museums, medieval monasteries, the Temple of Garni, ancient wine traditions and mountain trails. Explore the history, food and landscapes that make this South Caucasus country worth more than a brief stop.
The mural stopped me cold. Painted on the side of a shipping container in Des Moines, Washington, six doughnut-shaped discs hurled what looked like molten fire down upon a small boat in Puget Sound. A dog cowered. A man shielded his son. The sky burned with something that didn't belong there.
During February, there is an influx of travel stories for the “Best Places to Celebrate Black History Month”. It’s great and there are so many places I want to visit! However, the same list almost disappears into the ether as soon as March 1st arrives.
When I visited Rwanda as a solo female traveler, I was pleasantly assured by how secure I felt, and empowered by how confidently I was able to move around this beautiful country.
You get an invitation to stay free in a secluded forest cabin in Sweden. Ecstatic, you pack, follow the instructions, and arrive at the cabin. From the outside, it looks like any other cabin that promises a homey stay. But as you enter, you become conscious of your every move. You tiptoe carefully, doing your best to keep the floor from creaking. Every word comes out of your mouth hushed down to a whisper. In the kitchen, your coffee mug slips from your cold hand, heading straight for the floor. But you are quick enough to snatch it just in time — tragedy averted. The setting is almost like the Hollywood hit A Quiet Place, except you are not dodging a human-snatching monster. What you are dealing with is a decibel meter tucked into a secret corner of the cabin, listening to every sound you make. Just when you think [...]
