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Fodor's travel announces 2024 go & no lists as travelers ask, 'are we back to normal yet'.

Among domestic U.S. destinations on this year's lists: Boulder , Lake Superior , and Los Angeles County's San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

LOS ANGELES , Nov. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --  Fodor's Travel , the leading name in travel recommendations for over 85 years, today announced its highly anticipated Go List of recommended destinations and No List of destinations to reconsider in 2024 – during a time when wars, climate change, and natural disasters continue to reshape our world.

"This year, travel seems to be largely back to the way it was before the pandemic, with travelers fulfilling long-awaited revenge tourism fantasies," said Jeremy Tarr , Editorial Director of Fodors.com. "And yet, our world is still a complicated place to maneuver. We may not be stressed about COVID, but our worries persist."

The annual Fodor's Go and No Lists aim to inspire wanderlust while taking into account the effects of world events and tourist impact on the environment, and encourage a solutions-based dialogue around finding new ways to interact with some of the world's most iconic attractions.

"Travel remains a transformative experience – one that can change perceptions and attitudes, and serve as a remedy for cynicism, ignorance, and hatred," Tarr said. "Though we live in messy times on a messy planet, it's encouraging that people are still as engaged as ever in experiencing it more fully."

As with all Fodor's Travel recommendations, this year's selections for the Go and No Lists are purely editorial, with no input from outside parties.

The Go List: 24 Places To Stoke the Curiosity of Wanderlust

A total of lust-worthy 24 destinations comprise this year's Go List , spanning nearly every continent of the globe. From the sultry music of Africa's Cape Verde to the pastel-colored architecture of George Town, Malaysia ; from the picturesque river banks of Rouen, Normandy, to the pumping open-air beach parties of Mexico's Puerto Escondido , the Go List suits a wide variety of travel styles and budgets.

The North American destinations on this year's Go List include Boulder, Colorado ; Cannon Beach, Oregon ; and Nelson, British Columbia .

View the entire 2024 Fodor's Go List at https://www.fodors.com/go-list/2024 .

The No List: Nine Regions to Reconsider in 2024

The highly cited Fodor's Travel No List continues its focus on encouraging travelers to reexamine the impacts of tourism and reevaluate where to spend valuable dollars and time.

"The No List isn't a hit piece. It's not a round-up of spots we revile – but a declaration of places we revere," Tarr said. "We love these destinations. And we know you love them, too. But our frenzied admiration and incessant need to experience them are not sustainable."

Destinations on this year's No List are divided into three categories:

Destinations facing water quality and sufficiency issues,  including Lake Superior and Koh Samui, Thailand

Places grappling with overwhelming trash accumulation , including Ha Long Bay , Vietnam and the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in Los Angeles County

Locations suffering from destructive ongoing overtourism,  including Venice , Athens , and Mount Fuji

View the entire 2024 Fodor's No List at www.fodors.com/no-list-2024 .

About Fodor's Travel

The Fodor's name has been synonymous with travel for 85 years. Our award-winning guidebooks, website, eBooks and mobile apps provide today's traveler with up-to-the-minute information to more than 7,500 worldwide destinations. Learn more at Fodors.com , and join our engaged travel community on Facebook and Instagram . Fodor's Travel is a division of Internet Brands .

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fodors-travel-announces-2024-go--no-lists-as-travelers-ask-are-we-back-to-normal-yet-301980526.html

SOURCE Fodor's Travel

Fodor's Travel put Maui on its 'No List' of places tourists may want to avoid in 2023. Here's why.

Fodor's Travel named Maui one of 10 destinations on its  2023 “No List”  that tourists should reconsider visiting this year.

The travel publication outlined 10 regions ranging from Antarctica to Italy that are threatened by environmental damage caused by overtourism and climate change. The list split those places into three categories: "natural attractions that could use a break in order to heal and rejuvenate; cultural hotspots that are plagued with overcrowding and resource depletion; and locations around the world immediately and dramatically impacted by water crises ."

Maui was highlighted in the latter category, along with the Southern European Watershed and the American West, as destinations "suffering from water crises."

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The publication noted how last year, the debate over water restrictions on Maui hit a boiling point when only Upcountry residents were ordered to conserve water – or face $500 fines if they used water for "non-essential" purposes like irrigation and washing cars. At the same time, "no such limitations were placed on resorts in South and Central Maui, many of which boast pools, sprawling lawns, and golf courses," the article said.

The publication continued to say that Native Hawaiians are also "paying the price for the growing tourism industry" in other aspects of daily life. The cost of living has risen along with the boom in short-term rentals, the publication wrote, which is fueling more people to experience homelessness.

"This year’s No List does not serve as a boycott, ban, or cancelation of any sort; but a call to travelers to consider wisely the choices we make ," the article read. "We can have a positive impact on this world we love so dearly."

This story  was published in partnership with Honolulu Civil Beat, a nonprofit newsroom doing investigative and watchdog journalism relating to the state of Hawaii.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by grants from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation and the Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation.

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New ‘No’ travel list gives 10 destinations to avoid due to overtourism

Fodor’s asks travellers ‘to consider wisely the choices we make’, article bookmarked.

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Travel publication Fodor’s has published a “No” list featuring 10 destinations tourists should avoid in 2023.

Run alongside a “Go” list, the “No” list aims to highlight “destinations to reconsider visiting in 2023”, say the editors.

Barcelona, Paris and Dubrovnik are all namechecked in a section called “suffering cultural hotspots”, while Venice and the Amalfi Coast are on the list as two of Italy’s most tourist-flooded areas.

Cornwall also makes 2023’s list due the mass influx of tourists each summer that has put a strain on local residents, the roads and environment in recent years.

“The infrastructure simply doesn’t exist to support the number of visitors making the life of locals unpleasant in peak season, to say the least,” a pilot and fan of the region told Fodor’s. “Narrow lanes passing for roads and limited parking at some of the most popular sites in the county combine to create gridlock, pollution, and litter.”

It follows the outgoing chief executive of Cornwall’s tourism board, Malcolm Bell, coming under fire for bemoaning the presence of “bloody tourists” and “f***ing emmets” in the county .

The list is inspired by everything from tourism numbers that disrupt local life and nature, to water crises in certain countries, overstretched infrastructure that is unable to cope with visitors, and the risk of contributing to transport pollution.

The team also flags the enormous water consumption of hotels, and points out that travel currently accounts for about 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

France’s eroding coastline - around Étretat, Normandy and Marseille’s Calanques National Park, among other areas - is also flagged as a no-go, while California’s Lake Tahoe is reported to have seen an influx of urban types moving there, which has “caused traffic along the lake to crawl, as well as kept trails and beaches packed”.

The Antarctic Peninsula is one suprising appearance on a list focused on overtourism .

“On paper, the tourism numbers don’t look that big, and they are capped by various treaties that protect Antarctica. But those tourist bodies are concentrated in one part of Antarctica: the Antarctic Peninsula, which has experienced some of the fastest warming temperatures and steepest wildlife decline in history,” say the editors of the list.

Amsterdam makes the list due to tourism officials in the Netherlands making a concerted effort to distribute tourists to other, less famous parts of the country; and recently reopened Maya Beach in Thailand is flagged as having had to close for a two month “recovery period” following a rush of visitors in spring.

“Tourism is the primary economic driver in a majority of islands and developing countries,” say the editors of the list. “While it brings a wide range of benefits to communities, it also poses challenges that, without proper resource management and conscientious travelers, could amplify a region’s woes.

“This year’s No List does not serve as a boycott, ban, or cancellation of any sort; but a call to travellers to consider wisely the choices we make. We can have a positive impact on this world we love so dearly.”

The “No” list

• France’s eroding coastline
• Lake Tahoe, California
• Suffering cultural hot spots: Barcelona, Paris, and Dubrovnik
• Venice and the Amalfi Coast
• Cornwall, UK
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Thailand (Maya Bay, Koh Tao)
• Maui, Hawaii
• The American West (Lake Powell and Lake Mead, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah)

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Lake Tahoe placed on Fodor's destinations to avoid list

Lake tahoe placed on fodor's travel "no list".

Tourism groups in the Lake Tahoe region are pushing back on Fodor's decision to place Lake Tahoe on its list of destinations to reconsider.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Tourism groups in Lake Tahoe were pushing back on a popular travel guide’s advice telling them to reconsider making plans to visit the alpine region.

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This month, Fodor’s Travel placed Lake Tahoe on its annual "No List," designating the popular Northern California mountain destination among 10 locations around the world travelers should rethink if they’re planning a visit in 2023.

Tahoe fell under the category of "natural attractions that could use a break," as Fodor's proclaimed that "Lake Tahoe has a people problem." 

The list broke down destinations into a total of three categories. The other two were "cultural hotspots plagued with overcrowding" and "locations suffering from water crises." Fodor's focused on how the impacts of tourism have affected a region's environment and called on readers to reevaluate where to spend their time and money as it noted, "tourism is a significant contributor to climate change."

The publication said the Lake Tahoe basin has gotten increasingly popular, especially during the pandemic, leading to clogged roads along the region's trails and beaches, which has increased emissions, posing a serious threat to the health of the lake’s crystal blue water.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

Fodor's cited the environmental watchdog group, " The League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue)," saying, "The leading threat to Tahoe’s famous clarity is fine sediment pollution running off our urban landscape."

Tahoe travel and tourism groups countered the notion that people should avoid the area by saying that the solution was not to stay away, but instead, have visitors continue to enjoy the region for all its special and unique qualities while learning how to respect the lake and its surroundings. 

Image taken from the stateline Lake Tahoe camera on Nov. 10, 2022. (Visit Lake Tahoe )

"One of the reasons that people love this place is that they get to kind of escape whatever normal situation it is in their area. We don't have eight-lane highways. We have mountain highways. We have pine trees, We have skiing," said Carol Chaplin, president and chief executive officer of Visit Lake Tahoe . "So we need to balance that," Chaplin stressed.

The group " Go Tahoe North " echoed that sentiment saying, "While we all agree that giving Mother Nature a break is critical, we do want to encourage people to come to North Lake Tahoe and enjoy the pristine lake and the majestic Sierras."

The group also expressed it was dedicated to the mission of being destination stewards and said, "We’ve taken proactive measures to educate all users through our Traveler Responsibility Pledge , which has 6 tenants that focus on how we all can travel with awareness by taking a pledge to reduce our footprint on North Lake Tahoe."  

Fodor's quoted a spokesman for the Tahoe Neighborhood Group, Scott Robbins, who said finding a solution to climate change had to include addressing the traffic problem. Robbins, who as of Tuesday morning, appeared to be winning in his bid for a seat on the Lake Tahoe City Council from the Nov. 8 election said, "It is difficult to take our city’s talk about leadership on the problem of long-term climate change seriously when we simultaneously encourage visitor traffic that results in jams that can stretch into Sacramento."

The "No List" also gave mention to Northern California's coastal town of Mendocino as Fodor's designated "The American West," as a destination for travelers to think twice about visiting.  

Fodor's said Mendocino, a destination for some 2 million visitors a year, was suffering from a major water crisis. "Restaurants and inns experienced disruptions due to the rising cost of running water when the aquifers declined and trucking the water from neighboring cities and towns became an expensive endeavor," the publication said.

Fodor's did make a point of saying that it was not advocating a boycott of the places on its list.

"This year’s No List does not serve as a boycott, ban, or cancelation of any sort," the publication said, "but a call to travelers to consider wisely the choices we make. We can have a positive impact on this world we love so dearly."

Here's the complete list of Fodor's "Ten regions to reconsider in 2023":

• France’s Cliffs and Calanques: Étretat, Normandy  
• Antarctica 
• Italy’s Most Popular Destinations: Venice, Amalfi Coast
• Cornwall, England
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Maui, Hawaii
• Southern European Watershed :  Rhine and Danube Rivers, Malaga, Greece
• The American West: Lake Powell and Lake Mead (on the Colorado River); Mendocino, Calif.; Page, Ariz.; National Parks in Utah

This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.

Travel | Don’t go to Tahoe, tourists are warned: The 10…

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Travel | Don’t go to Tahoe, tourists are warned: The 10 places on Fodors No List for 2023

The travel guide publisher released its 2023 No List, “highlighting destinations to reconsider visiting.” It is not a boycott or ban, it says, but a call for travelers to be aware of the impact of crowds on these areas.

Tahoe is included in the category of “nature that needs a break,” primarily because of the effect that sediment and emissions from heavy traffic have on the lake’s clarity.

The Fodors article quoted Andy Chapman of Travel North Tahoe as saying tourism and hospitality leaders are trying to find “creative solutions to take cars off the road” without telling people to stay away.

Also on the list was the drought-stricken American West, with a specific mention of Mendocino.

THE NO LIST :

Nature that needs a break

• France’s cliffs and calanques; suffering from erosion.
• Antarctica; warming temperatures and wildlife declines.

Suffering cultural hotspots

• Venice and the Amalfi Coast; locals being pushed out, threat to lagoon ecosystem.
• Cornwall, England; infrastructure stretched to the limit.
• Amsterdam; intensely overcrowded.
• Thailand, particularly Maya Bay; ecological damage.

Destinations suffering from water crises

• The American West
• Southern European watershed, including the Rhine and Danube rivers, Spain and Greece.

Fodors also released its Go List of recommended destinations. The one spot in California is Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove — but even that comes with a hint of doom: Fodors says wildfire threat makes seeing the grove “at once more precious and urgent.”

Find the full lists for 2023: No List and Go List .

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N ov. 29—Travel guide publisher Fodor released its 2024 "No List" this month, featuring nine destinations it says needs a break from tourists.

The handful of locations — fantastic places with too many visitors and not enough environmental stewardship, the guide says — span the globe. They include:

* Lake Superior, United States

* San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, U.S.

* Venice, Italy

* Athens, Greece

* Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

* Mount Fuji, Japan

* Atacama Desert, Chile

* Ganges River, India

* Koh Samui, Thailand

Fodor's 2024 lists include nine destinations on the No List, and 24 on the Go List.

A closer look: San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

For the second year in a row, a California destination has made Fodor's "No List."

Last year, it was Lake Tahoe. This year it's the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.

Fodors said the Southern California monument is overwhelmed with trash and graffiti and should be omitted from travel plans in 2024.

The 346,177-acre national monument — almost all within the Angeles National Forest — was intended to be the "crown to the Valley of Angels," a living monument of chaparral, oak and conifer trees with picnic, camping and fishing sites, Fodor's said. Instead, it has become "covered in trash, tagged with graffiti, and (is) posing an increasing threat to nature."

Even after monument status was bestowed in 2014 by President Barak Obama, the area was left in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service to manage. But that agency, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, did not get an allotment of dollars for the designation. Instead it relies on corporate donations and volunteer groups to maintain and manage the monument.

Recent publicity highlighted a portion of the monument at the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, which in the summer became inundated with people who left behind diapers, food wrappers and even mattresses. In a recent article in this newspaper, the USFS said it did not have enough money or resources to repair large portions devastated by storms and overuse, resulting in closure of more than 38% of the campgrounds.

This fall, the East Fork area was in much better shape than in the summertime. That's because the East Fork's Golden Preservation group recently removed 800 pounds of trash in two hours. To date, they've taken out more than 8,000 pounds of trash, the magazine reported.

Last week, an independent, two-person team made up of brothers Luis Peña and Arnold Peña, collected 1,000 empty beverage cans in just two hours, said Arnold Peña, who lives in Duarte.

"Right now, it is all clean. But in the summer you will see all that trash down on the river," he said.

The East Fork river glistened in the November sun next to car turnouts on East Fork Road, about 10 miles north of Azusa. Authorities had placed three large trash bins there. But plastic bags, a woman's sandal and other detritus were strewn on the berm adjacent to the river. Pizza boxes and other food containers were left on top of the empty bins.

Down on the river, there were piles of beer bottles, empty soda bottles, paper cups, Styrofoam containers, clothes and a broken tent canopy frame. Many trees and rocks were tagged with blue, red and black graffiti, including a natural stone outcropping in the middle of the active stream bed.

Mini rock dams created by people who pool the river for swimming remained. These dams can kill the endangered Santa Ana sucker fish that live in the river, according to biologists. Signs posted along the river tell visitors to "Save the Santa Ana sucker fish."

"It is a bummer to be on that (no go) list. It is not a list any place is aspiring to be on," said Casey Schreiner, editor of the Modern Hiker online site, television writer, producer and author of "Day Hiking: Los Angeles (2016)." He said the Forest Service's management practices are not working.

"I have been really patient and I feel like I'm reaching my breaking point," he said. The problems with overuse and people leaving trash in the river instead of packing it out has been around for more than 10 years. He suggested authorities use timed permits for visiting the area, as is done in popular national parks.

Daniel Rossman, California deputy director of The Wilderness Society, said there are many places within the monuments boundaries that are not crowded and not trash-filled. He said the Fodor's message is one of awareness, not condemnation.

"I can't agree more with that message. It highlights the need for all of us to do more to care for this place," Rossman said.

Contributing: Steve Scauzillo, Southern California News Group

(c)2023 Daily Tribune, Royal Oak, Mich. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Fodor's Travel 'NO List' for 2023

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Lake Superior added to ‘No List’ for travel due to pollution, algal blooms

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Fodor lists Lake Superior as a destination not to travel to due to invasive species, pollution-related-fish-consumption, algal blooms, and over-tourism. “Increased tourism is causing more marine litter, leading to habitat destruction, shoreline erosion, and affecting overall water quality.”

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KARE11’s David Griswold reports St. Paul Public Schools superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard has been named Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.

Jason Rantla at WCCO has a story about a University of Minnesota student who invented Nivoso, which is essentially a Roomba for snow removal.

Star Tribune’s Gita Sitaramiah writes about the changes a Minnetonka company has made to their moccasin design to incorporate the work of a Red Lake Nation artist following backlash over cultural misappropriation.

MPR News reports Anoka-Hennepin teachers have approved a two-year contract that includes a pay increase and a boost to health insurance contributions.

Via WDIO : If you want to live in Duluth’s Old Central High School , now is your chance. The building was sold and converted into housing units that maintain the historical features.

KAAL-TV reports that despite illegal immigration already being against federal law, Iowa lawmakers want to make it a state crime.

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News | Fodor’s puts San Gabriel Mountains National…

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News | Fodor’s puts San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on its 2024 ‘No List’

Travel magazine cites trash, graffiti, too many visitors, lack of oversight, lack of environmental awareness.

That’s right, the national travel publication placed the mountainous national monument — a natural place made up of rivers, canyons and lakes, unique species of flowers and animals and 600 archeological sites all within 90 minutes of 20 million residents — on its ‘don’t go’ list, saying the monument is overwhelmed with trash and graffiti and should be omitted from travel plans in 2024.

Trash and graffiti is seen along the San Gabriel River East Fork in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on Monday, November 20, 2023. Fodor’s travel magazine has the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on their do not go list for 2024 because of trash and graffiti. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

A pile of trash left behind along the San Gabriel River East Fork in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is seen on Monday, November 20, 2023. Fodor’s travel magazine has the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on their do not go list for 2024 because of trash and graffiti. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The San Gabriel River East Fork in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is seen on Monday, November 20, 2023. Fodor’s travel magazine has the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on their do not go list for 2024 because of trash and graffiti. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Luis Peña, 69, and his brother Arnold, 64, search for recycling along the San Gabriel River East Fork in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on Monday, November 20, 2023. The brothers recycle for their national parks trips. Fodor’s travel magazine has the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on their do not go list for 2024 because of trash and graffiti. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The San Gabriel River East Fork in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is seen on Monday, November 20, 2023. Visitors leave behind dams throughout the East Fork even though dams can harm the native fish. Fodor’s travel magazine has the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on their do not go list for 2024 because of trash and graffiti. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The 346,177-acre national monument, which includes 342,177 acres of the Angeles National Forest and 4,002 acres of neighboring San Bernardino National Forest, made Fodor’s “No List” along with Venice, Italy; Ha Long Bay, Vietnam; Mount Fuji, Japan; Athens, Greece; and Lake Superior — fantastic places that are being loved to death by too many visitors, too much trash and not enough environmental stewardship, the magazine’s November edition reported.

What was intended to be the “crown to the Valley of Angels,” the living monument of chaparral, oak and conifer trees as well as numerous picnic, camping and fishing sites, has become “covered in trash, tagged with graffiti, and (is) posing an increasing threat to nature,” according to the magazine.

Even after monument status was bestowed in 2014 by President Barak Obama , the area, along with the entire 700,000-acre Angeles National Forest, was left in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service to manage.

But the U.S. Forest Service, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, did not get an allotment of dollars for the designation. Instead, the USFS must rely on corporate donations and the yeoman’s work of volunteer groups to maintain and manage the monument.

Recent publicity highlighted a portion of the monument at the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, which in the summer became inundated with people who left behind diapers, food wrappers and even mattresses. In a recent article in this newspaper , the USFS said it did not have enough money or resources to repair large portions devastated by storms and overuse, resulting in closure of more than 38% of the campgrounds.

This fall, the East Fork area, across from the Oaks Picnic Area, was in much better shape than in the summertime. That’s because the East Fork’s Golden Preservation group recently removed 800 pounds of trash in two hours. To date, they’ve taken out more than 8,000 pounds of trash, the magazine reported.

On Monday, Nov. 20, an independent, two-person team made up of Luis Peña and his brother, Arnold Peña, collected 1,000 empty beer and beverage cans in just two hours, said Arnold Peña, who lives in Duarte.

“Right now, it is all clean. But in the summer you will see all that trash down on the river,” said Arnold Peña, as he put the empty beer can in his hand into one of two nearly full, very large plastic bags in his car trunk. The two would soon take that trash down the hill to be recycled.

Luis Peña said the trashing of the East Fork area occurs from March through October. “Yeah, in the summer it is dirty. But in the winter it is usually clean.”

The East Fork river glistened in the November sun next to car turnouts on East Fork Road, about 10 miles north of Azusa. Authorities had placed three large trash bins there. But plastic bags, a woman’s sandal and other detritus were strewn on the berm adjacent to the river. Pizza boxes and other food containers were left on top of the empty bins — but not placed inside.

Down on the river, there were piles of beer bottles, empty soda bottles, paper cups, Styrofoam containers, clothes and a broken tent canopy frame. Many trees and rocks were tagged with blue, red and black graffiti, including a natural stone outcropping in the middle of the active stream bed.

Mini rock dams created by people who pool the river for swimming remained. These dams can kill the endangered Santa Ana sucker fish that live in the river, according to biologists. Signs posted along the river tell visitors to “Save the Santa Ana sucker fish.”

“It is a bummer to be on that (no go) list. It is not a list any place is aspiring to be on,” said Casey Schreiner, editor of the Modern Hiker online site, television writer, producer and author of “Day Hiking: Los Angeles (2016).” He said the Forest Service’s management practices are not working.

“I have been really patient and I feel like I’m reaching my breaking point,” he said on Monday, Nov. 20. The problems with overuse and people leaving trash in the river instead of packing it out has been around for more than 10 years. He suggested authorities use timed permits for visiting the area, as is done in popular national parks.

Maria Hernandez, who was visiting the East Fork area on Monday, was saddened when she spoke about seeing trash on the river banks. “We need to take care of the environment,” said Hernandez, of Compton. “I think it is not the area, it is the people. They don’t take care of it,” she said.

Daniel Rossman,  California deputy director of The Wilderness Society, said the Forest Service has worked on cleaning up Oaks Picnic Area and the East Fork river area. Homer Wilkes, under secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for natural resources and environment, listened to people weighing in about the monument at a meeting on Nov. 7 in Azusa . Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Judy Chu have asked President Joe Biden to expand the boundaries to include areas that need more attention, such as Chantry Flat near Arcadia, and the Upper Tujunga area toward the San Fernando Valley. Wilkes even got a tour of the East Fork — after it had been cleaned up.

“Part of this is about educating visitors to foster that sense of shared responsibility,” Rossman said. “To teach the ‘leave no trace behind’ principle,” he said on Friday, Nov. 10.

A new outreach program starting this summer funded by the National Forest Foundation and the Hispanic Action Foundation will take the form of a junior field ranger program, instructing visitors to pack out their trash and not hurt the sucker fish. “Just handing out trash bags is a great way to affect behavior,” Rossman said.

As far as Fodor’s placing the monument on a “don’t go” list, Rossman said there are many places within the boundaries that are not crowded and not trash-filled. He said the magazine’s message is one of awareness, not condemnation.

“I can’t agree more with that message. It highlights the need for all of us to do more to care for this place,” Rossman said.

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Travel: which cities made fodor’s no-go list for tourists, these fantastic places have too many visitors and not enough environmental stewardship, guide says.

The handful of locations — fantastic places with too many visitors and not enough environmental stewardship, the guide says — span the globe. They include:

• Lake Superior, United States
• San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, U.S.
• Venice, Italy
• Athens, Greece
• Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
• Mount Fuji, Japan
• Atacama Desert, Chile
• Ganges River, India
• Koh Samui, Thailand

Fodor’s 2024 lists include nine destinations on the No List , and 24 on the  Go List .

A closer look: San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

For the second year in a row, a California destination has made Fodor’s “No List.”

Last year, it was Lake Tahoe . This year it’s the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.

Fodors said the Southern California monument is overwhelmed with trash and graffiti and should be omitted from travel plans in 2024.

The 346,177-acre national monument — almost all within the Angeles National Forest — was intended to be the “crown to the Valley of Angels,” a living monument of chaparral, oak and conifer trees with picnic, camping and fishing sites, Fodor’s said. Instead, it has become “covered in trash, tagged with graffiti, and (is) posing an increasing threat to nature.”

Even after monument status was bestowed in 2014 by President Barak Obama, the area was left in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service to manage. But that agency, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, did not get an allotment of dollars for the designation. Instead it relies on corporate donations and volunteer groups to maintain and manage the monument.

Recent publicity highlighted a portion of the monument at the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, which in the summer became inundated with people who left behind diapers, food wrappers and even mattresses. In a recent article in this newspaper, the USFS said it did not have enough money or resources to repair large portions devastated by storms and overuse, resulting in closure of more than 38% of the campgrounds.

This fall, the East Fork area was in much better shape than in the summertime. That’s because the East Fork’s Golden Preservation group recently removed 800 pounds of trash in two hours. To date, they’ve taken out more than 8,000 pounds of trash, the magazine reported.

Last week, an independent, two-person team made up of brothers Luis Peña and Arnold Peña, collected 1,000 empty  beverage cans in just two hours, said Arnold Peña, who lives in Duarte.

“Right now, it is all clean. But in the summer you will see all that trash down on the river,” he said.

The East Fork river glistened in the November sun next to car turnouts on East Fork Road, about 10 miles north of Azusa. Authorities had placed three large trash bins there. But plastic bags, a woman’s sandal and other detritus were strewn on the berm adjacent to the river. Pizza boxes and other food containers were left on top of the empty bins.

Down on the river, there were piles of beer bottles, empty soda bottles, paper cups, Styrofoam containers, clothes and a broken tent canopy frame. Many trees and rocks were tagged with blue, red and black graffiti, including a natural stone outcropping in the middle of the active stream bed.

Mini rock dams created by people who pool the river for swimming remained. These dams can kill the endangered Santa Ana sucker fish that live in the river, according to biologists. Signs posted along the river tell visitors to “Save the Santa Ana sucker fish.”

“It is a bummer to be on that (no go) list. It is not a list any place is aspiring to be on,” said Casey Schreiner, editor of the Modern Hiker online site, television writer, producer and author of “Day Hiking: Los Angeles (2016).” He said the Forest Service’s management practices are not working.

“I have been really patient and I feel like I’m reaching my breaking point,” he said. The problems with overuse and people leaving trash in the river instead of packing it out has been around for more than 10 years. He suggested authorities use timed permits for visiting the area, as is done in popular national parks.

Daniel Rossman, California deputy director of The Wilderness Society, said there are many places within the monuments boundaries that are not crowded and not trash-filled. He said the Fodor’s message is one of awareness, not condemnation.

“I can’t agree more with that message. It highlights the need for all of us to do more to care for this place,” Rossman said.

Contributing: Steve Scauzillo, Southern California News Group 

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Lake Tahoe is one of 10 destinations that the Fodors travel experts are warning tourists away from in the coming year. The travel guide publisher released its 2023 No List, “highlighting destinations to reconsider visiting.” It is not a boycott or ban, it says, but a call for travelers to be aware of the impact of crowds on these areas. Tahoe is included in the category of “nature that needs a break,” primarily because of the effect that sediment and emissions from heavy traffic have on the lake’s clarity. The Fodors article quoted Andy Chapman of Travel North Tahoe as saying tourism and hospitality leaders are trying to find “creative solutions to take cars off the road” without telling people to stay away. Also on the list was the drought-stricken American West, with a specific mention of Mendocino. THE NO LIST: Nature that needs a break Lake Tahoe France’s cliffs and calanques; suffering from erosion. Antarctica; warming temperatures and wildlife declines. Suffering cultural hotspots Venice and the Amalfi Coast; locals being pushed out, threat to lagoon ecosystem. Cornwall, England; infrastructure stretched to the limit. Amsterdam; intensely overcrowded. Thailand, particularly Maya Bay; ecological damage. Destinations suffering from water crises Maui The American West Southern European watershed, including the Rhine and Danube rivers, Spain and Greece. Fodors also released its Go List of recommended destinations. The one spot in California is Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove — but even that comes with a hint of doom: Fodors says wildfire threat makes seeing the grove “at once more precious and urgent.” Find the full lists for 2023: No List and Go List.

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USA TODAY 10Best

Come face-to-face with marine life at the 10 best aquariums

Best Aquarium (2024) May 22, 2024

Aquariums reveal the hidden wonders of the world's oceans, lakes, and waterways in fun, exploratory settings. The best aquariums also play a vital role in animal conservation by participating in rescue efforts and marine advocacy. 

These 10 aquariums, selected by a panel of experts and voted as the best by readers, represent the best in the country for their high-quality exhibits and visitor interactions.

No. 10: Georgia Aquarium - Atlanta, Georgia

The crown jewel at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is the Ocean Voyager exhibit, where guests can watch manta rays and giant schooling fish swim past a 23-foot-tall viewing window. Other guest favorites include a stellar penguin exhibit, as well as many marine mammals — beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, sea otters, and California sea lions. They're also the only aquarium in the United States to house whale sharks.

No. 9: Mystic Aquarium - Mystic, Connecticut

The most popular residents at the Mystic Aquarium are New England's only beluga whales; guests can observe these gentle giants from above and below the surface. Animal interaction is the name of the game at the Discover Long Island Sound experience, while Sharks! features one of the ocean's most misunderstood animals. African penguins, bearded dragons, seals, sea lions, and several species of frogs also call the aquarium home.

No. 8: The Florida Aquarium - Tampa, Florida

Florida Aquarium displays some 8,000 plants and animals from a range of fresh and saltwater environments, including alligators, sharks, seahorses, river otters, and free-flying birds. The Wetlands trail highlights regional life in a recreated mangrove forest, while the Journey to Madagascar takes visitors across the globe to observe a host of interesting animals — ring-tailed lemurs, hissing cockroaches, and frogs. At Stingray Beach, visitors are invited to touch stingrays and view sharks.

No. 7: Maui Ocean Center, The Aquarium of Hawaii - Wailuku, Hawaii

Explore the special connection between Hawaiian culture and the sea at Maui Ocean Center, The Aquarium of Hawaii. Exhibits include artifacts, traditional tools, and artwork dedicated to past and present life in Hawaii. The aquarium also offers thrilling experiences and attractions like a cage-free shark dive in a 750,000-gallon tank, snorkeling tours, a turtle lagoon, and a 3D humpback whale experience. 

No. 6: Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

More than 350 species are represented among Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies' 10,000-plus aquatic residents. Shark Lagoon, with its moving walkways through underwater tunnels, is the aquarium's biggest and most popular attraction, but kids love the interactive penguin encounter, where they can come nose-to-beak with endangered African penguins.

No. 5: Texas State Aquarium - Corpus Christi, Texas

The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, the largest aquarium in Texas, offers a journey through land and sea including encounters with the fascinating wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Notable exhibits include a spacious jungle featuring flamingos, flying birds, and tortoises, and a deep-sea habitat, where visitors can get up-close and personal with sharks prowling among a sunken shipwreck. Additional exhibits give guests a captivating look at sea turtles, dolphins, otters, and other amazing animals, while stingray touch pools and a 4D theater provide even more interactive educational experiences.

No. 4: Adventure Aquarium - Camden, New Jersey

Many surprises await visitors at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. Among the aquarium's 15,000-plus aquatic critters in 2 million gallons of water are hippos, the world’s smallest species of penguin, and the world’s largest species of hammerhead shark. Guests can reach out and touch sharks, stingrays, sea stars, and horseshoe crabs. Live presentations and keeper interactions with penguins and hippos enhance the visitor experience.

No. 3: Tennessee Aquarium - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Visitors to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga trace the journey of water from the mountains to the sea within the aquarium’s two buildings. Guests enjoy meeting a broad array of wildlife, becoming immersed in ecosystems along the way. Alligators, otters, colorful freshwater fishes, and turtles by the ton can be found in the River Journey building, while visitors come face-to-face with penguins, sharks, jellyfish, flashlight fish, and lemurs, within the Ocean Journey building.

No. 2: Audubon Aquarium - New Orleans, Louisiana

In downtown New Orleans on the riverfront, the Audubon Aquarium is home to thousands of animals, many endangered, ranging from penguins and stingrays to seahorses and jellyfish. It features the Amazon rainforest’s underwater habitats, a 4,200 square-foot Great Maya Reef exhibit, and the 400,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico tank. Another notable exhibit is an enlarged 13,000-gallon shark and ray touch pool with a 60-foot LED screen that highlights the diversity of the world’s oceans. 

No. 1: Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium - Springfield, Missouri

Founded by Johnny Morris, CEO of Bass Pro Shops, his Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium celebrates hunting, fishing, and stewardship of the land and water through over 1.5 miles of immersive galleries featuring 4D dioramas and a 1.5-million-gallon aquarium. Some 35,000 animals representing over 800 species are on display, including zebra sharks, sea turtles, and freshwater sport fish. Unique to the aquarium is its collection of historic boats used by Ernest Hemingway and Zane Grey.

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Chelle koster walton.

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for...   Read More

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean — has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling  Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples  guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for  Caribbean Travel & Life  for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for  Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes;  has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.

Chez Chesak

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor...   Read More

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com .  

Jacky Runice

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home...   Read More

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"

Jamie Davis Smith

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50...   Read More

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].

Jenny Peters

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los...   Read More

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).

Kristen Lummis

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in...   Read More

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in Western Colorado. The mom of two now-adult sons, Lummis broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the website  braveskimom.com  in 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. And while skiing is Lummis’ first true outdoor love, she grew up camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling extensively with her family — pursuits that she continues today. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited and experienced. Lummis is honored to be considered an “expert” for 10Best. Follow her @braveskimom on Instagram and Facebook. 

Meg St-Esprit

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh...   Read More

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as  The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper , and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on  https://megstesprit.com/

Melanie Reffes

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in...   Read More

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers  the Caribbean for a variety of publications  including  USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com.  A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started  young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico.   An avid fan of spicy food,   Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She  holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto. 

Molly O'Brien

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance...   Read More

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance travel journalist, who writes and edits for a variety of international travel and lifestyle outlets including Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, and Business Insider among others. She's lived on both coasts from Massachusetts to California and has so far made Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Luis Obispo, Barcelona, and Los Angeles her home.  Molly earned her journalism degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California and since then has worked professionally in the fields of hospitality and travel PR and most recently, as a freelance travel writer and editor. Molly especially enjoys covering feature profiles about interesting people doing interesting things such as chocolate making, beekeeping, wing-walking, and interesting destinations like under-the-radar wine spots, the best brewery towns, and lesser-known ski destinations.  She also loves to write about a boutique hotel with a good story. When she's not writing, Molly enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring new coffee shops and breweries, and of course, traveling.  Her favorite city in the world (so far) is Barcelona, Spain, but she loves traveling anywhere that offers sunny weather and ample hiking opportunities. She loves spending time in the mountains, enjoys connecting with nature through camping and glamping adventures, and is always up for learning about the world through fun, immersive experiences (and then sharing those stories!).  You can connect with Molly here:  Instagram: @metropolitanmolly Twitter: @Molly_A_OBrien Facebook: @MetropolitanMolly LinkedIn: @mollyannobrien www.metropolitanmolly.com

Tamara Gane

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best...   Read More

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. She's based in Reno/Lake Tahoe and in addition to USA Today 10Best, her work has been published in Travel & Leisure, Fodor's Travel, The Washington Post, SF Gate, Houston Chronicle, Lonely Planet, and more.

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

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