history hit travel

Sign Up Today

Start your 14 day free trial today

The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

WE MAKE HISTORY

HISTORY HIT - the world's best history channel on demand

Latest Programmes

D-Day Secrets – Excavating the Archives

Russia: The Fall of the Romanovs and the Rise of the Communists

Georgian Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll: Unbuttoning Bridgerton

Lost Worlds: Hands on Prehistory

Latest Podcasts

What Caused the American Revolution?

Public Executions: A Day At London's Hanging Tree

Six Wives: Kateryn Parr

How WWI Started

Temple Mount

Origins of the Patriarchy

1217: The year that forged England

President benjamin harrison: the president with a petting zoo.

Latest Articles

How Henry VII Used English Coinage to Project Power

The Royal Mint: Oliver Cromwell’s Depiction as a Roman Emperor

The Royal Mint: Edward VIII’s Unreleased Coins

A Timeline of Feudal Japan’s ‘Nanban’ Trade with Europeans

Mac and Cheese in 1736? The Stories of Kensington Palace’s Servants

The Peasants’ Revolt: Rise of the Rebels

10 Myths About Winston Churchill

Medusa: What Was a Gorgon?

More from history hit.

The History Hit Miscellany

History Hit Gift Subscriptions

Findmypast 3 Month Subscription

Historic Photographer of the Year

10 Significant Historic Sites in Japan

10 Key Historic Sites to See in Rome

The 10 Best Historic Sites in Spain

William the Conqueror’s Caen

7 of the Best Historic Sites in Ibiza

Ancient Rome

Endurance22

Ancient Egypt

French Revolution

World War One

World War Two

The Tale of Beatrix Potter: 10 Facts About The Iconic Illustrator & Children’s Author

Beyond Narnia: The Enduring Legacy of C.S. Lewis

Margaret J. Winkler: A Forgotten Pioneer in Disney’s Success

Audrey Hepburn: From War-Torn Childhood to Hollywood Icon

10 Facts About Harper Lee

History Hit brings you the most extraordinary, dramatic, tragic and fascinating stories of our shared past.

About Tripsmiths

Tripsmiths Media is the pioneering travel and media company that partners with the world's leading tour operators and media brands to deliver exclusive travel experiences and unique content.

History Fangirl

The Ultimate History Travel Blog Since 2015

101 Epic History Travel Ideas to Help Plan Your Next Adventure

Last Updated on: 26th September 2021, 11:33 pm

It’s super common for travelers to have a list of places they want to see or a bucket list for a specific continent or country.

If you’re like me, you want to see as many historic places as you can squeeze in! Looking for ideas for an epic history travel inspired adventure?

Wondering what kinds of historical sites people are visiting after hitting the famous spots like the Roman Forum and the Acropolis ?

Whether you want an around-the-world adventure or are looking for something in your own backyard, here’s a giant list of 101 ideas for your next history-inspired trip.

(Looking for more history travel inspiration? Check out the episodes of The History Fangirl Podcast for in-depth overviews of the history of some of the world’s most amazing and interesting places).

My Favorite Travel Booking Sites for 2024

These are my favorite companies that I use on my own travels.

Protect Your Trip via Safety Wing

Find the best city tours, day tours, bus tours, & skip-the-line tickets on GetYourGuide and Viato r .

Find the best deals on hotels & vacation rentals on Booking.com .

For English-speaking private airport transfers, book through Welcome Pickups.

For road trips and independent travel, rent a car through Discover Cars .

Find information and cruise reviews on Cruise Critic.

For packing and travel essentials order via Amazon .

Book an affordable family or romantic photography session on your trip through Flytographer (Use the code HISTORYFANGIRL for 10% off your first photoshoot).

For travel guidebooks to have with you during your trip, I always pick one or two from Rick Steves and Lonely Planet.

North America

• Tour the White House.
• Host historians John Meecham and Doris Kearns Goodwin for afternoon tea.
• Take a driving tour of Gettysburg.
• Walk across the Selma Bridge to commemorate the fight for Voting Rights, then pop over to Birmingham to learn about its role in the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama.
• Go on a volunteer archeological dig at Cahokia.
• Take a bike tour of Mexican haciendas.
• Cruise the Northwest Passage in Canada.
• Visit the monuments to freedom erected by former slaves in Haiti after the revolution.
• Take a sunset walk around La Fortaleza and Old San Juan in Puerto Rico.
• Tour the earliest settlements by Europeans in the New World at St. George in Bermuda.
• Play old-school Oregon Trail while driving the Oregon Trail.
• Recover the lost history of America’s Black Pioneers and learn about the early stages of the Underground Railroad in Ohio and Indiana.
• Drink coffee at the first coffee plantations in southeastern Cuba.
• Visit the Mayan Ruins of Tikal in Guatemala at sunrise.
• Sail to Tayasal, the last Mayan city which wasn’t conquered until 1967 in Guatemala.
• Take in the Templo Mayor, the Aztec site dedicated to the God of Rain, mid rainstorm, in Mexico City.
• Hike San Antonio’s Mission Trail, seeing all five of the UNESCO-protected San Antonio Missions , including the famed Alamo.

South America

• Trek one of these six alternative routes at Machu Pichu in Peru.
• See the tug of war between the Spanish and the Portuguese Colonial styles in Colonia del Sacramento  in Uruguay.
• Have a low-key evening with Evita on Netflix and a bottle of Malbec in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Ride the century-old cable cars up to the top of the Sugar Loaf as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil. (Don’t worry, the actual machinery was updated in the 1970’s).
• Sail (or fly) to Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands and see the lands and animals that inspired Darwin to pen his theory of evolution.
• Taste history at the  Mercado del Puerto , where parrillas  have been serving Uruguayan barbeque cooked on open wood stoves for over a hundred and thirty years in Montevideo, Uruguay.
• Fly to Chile’s Easter Island to explore Orongo, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the ruins of the Birdman cult.
• Visit the politely named Court of the Holy Office, the torture house with a dark past that served as the Palace of the Inquisition in Cartagena, Colombia.
• See the shipwrecked Lady Elizabeth  which left Vancouver for Mozambique in 1912 but became stranded en route near the Falkland Islands and has been stuck in Whalebone Cove since 1936.
• Visit Ile du Diable , also called Devil’s Island, the French penal colony famed for abhorrent conditions, located on a jungle island circled by sharks, off the coast of French Guiana.
• See the Dutch influences on the continent with a visit the to seventeenth-century Dutch historic district in Paramaribo, Suriname.
• Envision life during the age of the dinosaurs with a visit to Dinosaur Dance Floor, which boasts six different kinds of dinosaur footprints including a section made by a baby Tyrannosaurus Rex nicknamed “Johnny Walker” near Sucre, Bolivia.
• Explore the central historic district in Quito, Ecuador , which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best-preserved Spanish colonial neighborhood in Latin America.
• Visit Coro, the early sixteenth-century colonial city that is the only remaining example of the fusion of Carribean, Spanish, and Dutch colonial architectural in Falcon, Venezuela.
• See over ten thousand years of human history at Quebrada de Humahuaca, which was a site for some of the earliest human settlements in South America. The site also served as an important caravan route for the Inca Empire, a communication link between the Viceroyalties of Peru and the Rio de la Plata, and was the site for important battles in the Spanish War of Independence in northern Argentina.
• See the monuments and pyramids of the Norte Chico culture at Caral-Supe, one of the earliest settlements in the Americas, near Lima, Peru.
• See the stunning fusion of European and Indigenous architecture in the sixteen wooden Churches of Chiloe on the Chiloe Archipelago in Chile.

• Hike the length of Hadrian’s Wall in northern England.
• See a Shakespearean play at the Globe Theater in London, England.
• Sift through the Archives of the Crown of Aragon, one of the oldest in Europe, in Barcelona, Spain.
• Tour the beaches of Normandy and see where the Allies started the Liberation of Europe in northern France .
• Find the lock of Lucrezia Borgia’s hair preserved at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, Italy.
• Sail a fjord in a replica Viking Ship in at the Viking Museum in Roskilde, Denmark .
• Tour the secret Soviet bunker hidden beneath a spa in Ligatne, Latvia.
• Make a special appointment to see the skull of Kara Mustafa Pasha, the grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire who lost the Siege of Vienna. On display for centuries, it has since been pulled from the exhibitions and sits in storage in Vienna, Austria.
• Eat a delicious lunch in the restaurant where Julius Caesar was assassinated (although it wasn’t a restaurant 2,000 years ago…) in Rome, Italy.
• Track every point on the Struve Geodetic Arc  that Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve used to calculate the exact size and shape of the earth in Eastern Europe.
• Walk the Comino de Santiago to the grave of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
• See one of the only monuments to Trans history in Barcelona’s Parc de la Ciutadella  in Barcelona , Spain.
• Explore the history and art of Orthodox Monasteries  in Rila, Bulgaria , Meteora, Greece , and Bucovina, Romania .
• Learn about Soviet life and photograph   Chernobyl disaster  with a day trip from historic Kiev to  tour the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and the Atomic Town of Pripyat in Ukraine .
• Go for a swim at Petrou tou Romiou, one of Cyprus’s prettiest beaches and the spot where Cypriots believe that Aphrodite emerged from the sea.
• Go on a pub crawl through the literary pubs of Dublin in Ireland.
• Climb to the top of the Acropolis to appreciate the achievements of the Golden Age of Athens , and then head to the Acropolis Museum to learn about millennia worth of destruction at the hands of Greece’s invaders in Athens , Greece.
• Explore the historic center of Istanbul, including the Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque , the Grand Bazaar , and the Theodosian Walls , to appreciate how the city has been at the center of history and politics for over seventeen hundred years. In Istanbul, Turkey.

• See the ruins of Carthage outside of Tunis, Tunisia.
• Take a Tunisian Louage south to the Great Mosque in Kairouan , the fourth holiest city in Islam, in Kairouan, Tunisia.
• Tour the Egyptian Pyramids and take a cruise on the Nile while pretending you’re Egyptian royalty.
• Think about the enormous span of human history in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, which covers human evolution all the way back to 2.1 million years ago.
• Visit one of the most interesting and unique mosques in the world at the Larabanga Mosque in Ghana.
• Visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and other South African anti-apartheid protestors were imprisoned in South Africa.
• See the remains of Arab and Portuguese influence on the UNESCO World Heritage protected Island of Mozambique.
• Visit Mali’s famed Timbuktu and then challenge your friends to name the country you’re in. Count how many think the place isn’t real.
• Pick out which palace you prefer at the Royal Palaces of Abomey in Benin, where each of the twelve reigning kings built their own.
• Peer outside the Door of No Return on Goree Island in Senegal. Contemplate the horrors faced by millions of Africans being forced into generations of slavery and the lingering effects of slavery today.
• Explore Great Zimbabwe, the capital of the Queen of Sheba and important medieval ruins, near Masvingo, Zimbabwe.
• See the political and spiritual capital of the Kingdom of Kongo and see how African kingdoms had to change and adapt after incursions by European explorers began in the fifteenth century, in Mbanza-Kongo, Angola.
• See the Tin Mal Mosque , now abandoned, along one of the most spectacular drives in northern Africa, the Tizi n’Test, near Tinmel, Morocco.
• Visit the virgins who guard the Ark of the Covenant at the Chapel of the Tablet in Askum, Ethiopia.
• Head out to Man and Woman Lakes, two crater lakes on Mount Manengouba, believed to contain the spirits who control the weather and create local storms. Bathing in Man Lake is reserved for local Bakossi ceremonies, but foreigners are permitted to swim in Woman Lake. Near Bangem, Cameroon.
• Visit the shrines and sanctuaries dedicated to the Yoruba fertility goddess Osun at the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Osogbo, Nigeria.
• Scuba dive the Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, in Alexandria, Egypt.

• Enjoy sunrise at Angkor Wat in Cambodia before heading off to explore the rest of Angkor’s historic temples.
• Take a floating tour of Trang An, called the Halong Bay on Land, to see the gorgeous Confucian temples in Vietnam.
• Visit the eleventh century Temple of Literature, the oldest university in Vietnam located in Hanoi.
• Spend a day checking out the famous Buddhist temples in Bangkok , Thailand including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Temple of Dawn.
• Take a walking pilgrimage on the Kumano Kodo Trail in Japan .
• Climb the 1200 steps to the top of Sigiriya to see the ancient palace ruins in Dambulla, Sri Lanka.
• Explore the city-state of Singapore to learn about its unique history after independence from Malaysia.
• Hike the Baekdu Daegan Trail, the spiritual center of Korean mountain spirit worship and an important area for all local prominent religions. The trail runs the length of the Korean peninsula, but one of the highlights, the temples on Mount Jirisan, is located on the South Korean portion and is reachable to outsiders.
• Visit all four pilgrimage sites of the Char Dham, a pilgrimage route that all Hindus are required to undertake, located in the far north, south, east, and west of India.
• Explore the history of the Silk Road by traveling through Azerbaijan  and seeing fire temples, crude oil spas, and Shia pilgrimage sites, all of which had elevated prominence due to the numerous travelers spreading the word after traversing the ancient route.
• Take a trek through the steppe, staying in yurts and riding horseback, to see what life was like as a  nomad in rural Mongolia.
• Attend the biennial World Nomad Games , to see how modern nomads carry on the sporting traditions of their Central Asian ancestors, including horseback riding, falconry, and Kok-Boru, a sport where riders battle for a goat carcass. Held in various locations, the games in 2018 were held in Kyrgyzstan . They are expected to move to Turkey in 2020.
• Visit the secret underground printing press that Joseph Stalin used to create his propaganda in Tbilisi, Georgia.
• Explore the Russian Far East by train via the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian railway systems in Siberia, Russia.
• Tour the Forbidden City, where the Chinese emperors lived for over 500 years, in Beijing, China.

The Middle East

• Celebrate Christmas at the Church of the Nativity , where Christians believe Jesus was born. Pick between the three different Christmas celebrations held there annually due to the different calendars used by different Christan sects. In Bethlehem, West Bank , Palestine.
• See the ruins of the lost city of Petra in southern Jordan and see its sister site Mada’in Saleh in Saudi Arabia.
• See how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are literally layered on top of each other while exploring the Old Town in Jerusalem.
• Visit the architecturally unique ninth-century Great Mosque of Samarra in Iraq.
• Remember the victims of the Ottoman Turks by visiting Martyr’s Square, named for the Lebanese nationalists executed in 1916. The square also served as the dividing line for the two sides during the Lebanese Civil War. In Beirut, Lebanon.
• Feel like you are in a life-sized sand castle with a trip to the sixth-century historic city of Arg-e Bam in Kerman Province, Iran.

• Visit the eleven penal colony sites spread across Australia which collectively comprise the UNESCO World Heritage site Austrailian Convict Sites.
• Take the long drive from Alice Springs to Uluru, the famous rock site which is sacred to the local Aboriginal Pitjantjatjara Anangu. The site includes important rock art and ancient paintings. In the Northern Territory, Australia.
• Visit Tamaki Maori, a village where Polynesians have lived since the thirteenth century, in Rotorua, New Zealand.
• Visit the three sites associated with Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, one of the most remote UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, in Shefa, Vanuatu.
• See the civilization that was created by the surviving mutineers of the HMS Bounty on Pitcairn Island.

• Visit the South Pole Flag Mast like the true badass you are, remembering all the people who fought to see the South Pole and the team that planted it in 1965.
• Find the bust of Vladimir Lenin, placed by a team from the USSR, in 1958.
• Journey to the Inexpressable Island Ice Cave to see the seal bones and other remains from the 1912 team that was forced to erect the ice cave and winter on the island.
• See where Shackleton’s crew waited four brutal months to be rescued at Point Wild on Elephant Island.
• Observe for signs of paranormal activity at Whalers Bay on Deception Island, where abandoned buildings and a buried cemetery give the uninhabited island an extra spooky flair.
• Sail from South America to Antarctica by passing through Drake’s Passage, named after English explorer Sir Francis Drake.

You Might Also Enjoy:

• The 50 Most Beautiful Castles in the World
• 9 Gorgeous Orthodox Monasteries You Need to See to Believe

Have You Undertaken any Epic History Travel or History-Inspired Trips? Leave the Destination and a bit about it in the Comments so other History Travelers can get inspired!

Pin this article for your next history travel adventure.

In this Article:

1 thought on “101 Epic History Travel Ideas to Help Plan Your Next Adventure”

Waouh !!! All many interesting informations ! First of all, I want to thank you for your experiences told to everybody in all your articles ! I am a french woman and actually, as I start a travel blog focused on France, I’m trying to get into the world of blogging. But it’s not easy… Your blog is wonderfull and I am not sure mine will be as beautifull as yours !

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Daily Dot Store

Dive into stories that changed the world with History Hit TV

Travel back in time via podcasts, documentaries, films, and more..

Lauren Forgione

Internet Culture

Posted on Jul 16, 2020

Whether you’ve always been a history buff or you’re recently realizing there’s a  whole lot to learn  about where we’ve been as a population, having access to great content about significant events across the globe is a blessing.  History Hit TV Streaming Service  brings you the stories that shaped the world through live events, an award-winning podcast network, and their new online-only history channel.

With a growing library of documentaries, interviews, films, and more, History Hit adds new content every week that will help you travel back in time to explore how we (and everyone else) got to where we are today. You’ll find a mixture of original programming and licensed shows that you can watch on Apple TV, desktops, and on mobile devices.

Featured in Forbes and boasting 150k+ Facebook fans, History Hit TV offers categories broken down into a timeline: ancient and classical times, the Middle Ages, the early modern era, the Age of Revolution, the Victorian era, the 20th century, and the information age. This makes it super easy to focus on what you’re most interested in, whether that’s the Romans, Tintagel Castle, the Great Fire of London, the death of Jane Austen, Jack the Ripper, World War I, International Women’s Day, or just about anything else.

You’ll be so entertained by what you’re watching, you’ll hardly notice all the educational information you’re absorbing, but it’s sure to come in handy at your next virtual  trivia  night or  Facebook argument  with Uncle Gary.

A 2-year subscription to  History Hit TV Streaming Service is half-off right now at $49.99. You can save even more with a 3-year membership (the best value at 60% off) or be frugal with the 1-year offer that’s 20% off.

Prices subject to change.  

Do you have your stay-at-home essentials?  Here  are some you may have missed.

*First Published: Jul 16, 2020, 10:47 am CDT

Lauren Forgione is a writer and editor who’s covered topics from commerce and technology to seniors’ healthcare and kids’ science to travel and dogs (and sometimes travel with dogs). She knows these are false ranges and is OK with it. She is based in Long Island.

Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers' red-hot rookie, makes history hitting for cycle vs. Orioles

BALTIMORE - Wyatt Langford's major league career was highly anticipated well before the Texas Rangers took him with the fourth overall pick in the draft less than a year ago.

And while he made his debut on Opening Day, the former University of Florida star really achieved liftoff Sunday night.

Langford hit for the cycle at Camden Yards, clubbing a triple, double and single in his second through fourth at-bats before his most momentous clout, a three-run home run into the left field corner that finished the Rangers' scoring in an 11-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.

Langford, 22, was having a fine if unspectacular rookie season, a campaign that was waylaid for three weeks in May by a hamstring strain. But he's serving notice why the Rangers nearly put him on their World Series-winning playoff roster last year - barely two months after he was drafted.

Langford capped off a scorching June in which he batted .309 (30-for-97) with three homers and 22 RBI, the latter stat leading all American League rookies. The grand finale came on national television.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

Langford legged out a triple in his second at-bat off lefty starter Cole Irvin, and then drove in his first run off Orioles reliever Nick Vespi with an RBI hustle double in the fifth on a relatively routine ground ball up the middle.

He singled in the seventh and then provided the historic coda.

Batting against 29-year-old rookie reliever Matt Krook, Langford timed up a floating cutter, loaded his exaggerated leg kick and clubbed the ball 404 feet down the left field line for a three-run homer. He became the first Rangers rookie to hit for the cycle since speedster Oddibe McDowell in 1985. It was the 11th cycle in Rangers franchise history.

With the Rangers holding an 8-2 lead, Langford didn't try to hide his intentions.

"I was trying to hit a home run," he said, just a trace of sheepishness.

His team noticed - not that they could blame him.

"I tell you, it looked like he had it on his mind, didn’t it?" says Bruce Bochy, the Rangers' manager in his 27th year at the helm of a club.

"We were all pulling for him. And he didn’t miss it, I’ll say that."

He also made a different kind of history: Langford, according to Elias Sports Bureau, is the first rookie in history to hit an inside-the-park home run, grand slam and hit for the cycle.

And this very fine rookie year - Langford's now batting .260 with a .712 OPS and four home runs - is barely halfway over.

"He’s just an exciting player," says Bochy. "He’s a ballplayer and you love how aggressive he is – no fear on the bases. Out of the box, he’s looking to get the double or triple. He’s just got great instincts out there. It’s just fun to watch him.

"In your first year to hit for the cycle – it’s quite a milestone. Guys go through their whole career and not get one. Here he got one in his first year."

• holiday travel

4th of July travel forecast: How to avoid traffic and what to know before flying

United expects a record 5 million passengers flying for the Fourth of July.

Record-high travel numbers are possible this Fourth of July holiday.

Here's what to know before you head to the airport or hit the highway:

According to Expedia, Saturday, June 29, will be the busiest day in the airports before the Fourth of July.

Wednesday, July 3, is the busiest day to leave for vacation and Sunday, July 7, and Monday, July 8, are the busiest days to fly home, according to Hopper.

United Airlines said it expects to fly a record 5 million passengers from Friday, June 28, to Monday, July 8. United predicts June 29 and July 7 will be its busiest days.

SEE ALSO: Tips to help keep scared dogs and cats calm during July 4th fireworks

American Airlines anticipates its busiest Fourth of July ever, with more than 7.2 million customers across 70,000 flights -- up 8% from last year.

Delta Air Lines said it's forecasting 5.8 million customers between June 28 and July 7 -- up 6% from last year.

AAA said domestic airfare is 2% cheaper this year compared to last year, with the average price of a domestic round-trip ticket at $800.

If you're looking to book a last-minute getaway, Hopper recommends leaving on Thursday, July 4, and returning on Tuesday, July 9.

The most-searched U.S. destinations are New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, Miami and Orlando, Florida, according to Hopper.

SEE ALSO: Best 4th of July sales including mattress, appliance and tech deals

The busiest U.S. airports are expected to be Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport, according to Hopper.

Road travel

A record 60.6 million people are expected to hit the road for the Fourth of July -- up 2.8 million travelers compared to last year, according to AAA.

The worst traffic is expected on July 3 and July 7, according to transportation analytics company INRIX. But if you still need to drive on those days, the best time on July 3 is before noon and the best time on July 7 is before 11 a.m.

Monday, July 1, is the best day to be on the roads, according to INRIX.

The highest demand for rental cars is in Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and San Francisco, AAA said, citing its rental partner, Hertz. The busiest days to get a rental car will be June 28, June 29 and July 3.

Related Topics

• HOLIDAY TRAVEL
• U.S. & WORLD
• 4TH OF JULY

Holiday Travel

TSA sets new record for most travelers screened in single day

Memorial Day weekend travel: The busiest days to fly and drive

Winter storm moves east, bringing flood threat to Northeast

Family speaks out after boy, 6, placed on wrong Spirit Airlines flight

Top stories.

Driver who died after hitting wall on I-45 may have been drinking: HPD

• 2 hours ago

Heat Advisories continue with highs near 100 degrees Monday

• 3 hours ago

Brazoria County residents advised to avoid CR 227 due to large fire

Beryl remains a major hurricane, Tropical Storm Chris makes landfall

Suspect turns himself in after being wanted for overnight crime spree

Simone Biles secures third trip to the Olympics

Houston airports brace for 1.9 million passengers during July 4th rush

2 women hurt after club security guard's gun fires mistakenly: HPD

• North America
• Significant Moments That Changed The...

Moments That Changed the Way We Travel: A Timeline

Commissioning Editor

The only thing guaranteed in life is change. A single invention has the power to change the course of history, as does a disaster – take the way Covid-19 is playing out in front of us. Sometimes we lose sight of that – the present moment feeling eternal, which isn’t a bad thing in an age of mindfulness. As a reminder of such change, Culture Trip looks back on the past 200 years to reflect on significant moments that altered the world of travel for good.

1802: the ‘puffer engine’ is invented.

It was more than two centuries ago that a Cornwall -born inventor and mining engineer called Richard Trevithick would complete the first iteration of a train – little did he know how central it would become to our everyday existence. The high-pressure “puffer engine” he patented was the first steam-powered locomotive engine on rails. Come 1829, another fellow, this time by the name of Robert Stephenson, who would later become known as the Father of Railways, designed the Rocket, an early locomotive of 0-2-2 wheels. It’s arguably one of Britain’s greatest feats of engineering and it set the wheels in motion for more to come.

1863: the first Tube travels underground in London

After British engineers had conquered trains above ground, in 1863 they turned their attention underground. Construction for the present-day Transport for London network began below the streets of London in the 1860s, with the first gas-lit wooden carriage – hauled by steam locomotives – leaving the station in 1863. Its inaugural route? Paddington to Farringdon. It was an instant hit, with 38,000 passengers reportedly travelling on its first day. Fast-forward to 2020, and some 5m passengers rely on its labyrinth of 11 routes daily. These routes, laid out like a circuit board, might look confusing at first, but ask any Londoner, and it doesn’t long to master the map.

1903: it’s liftoff for The Wright Brothers’ Flying Machine

A century on from train innovation comes the first aircraft to make a controlled flight. It was for 12 seconds, travelling 120ft (37m), and it was a massive feat for American aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright. Many aviators tried to get their inventions off the ground around the same time – and for that reason there is some debate as to who, indeed, was the first to achieve a seamless flight. Some make a case for German aviator Gustave Whitehead; in 1901 a newspaper reported that he had completed a flight in Connecticut. Meanwhile, others argue that it was Brazilian inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont; in 1906 his kite-like contraption flew some 220m (722ft) in Paris. Let your inner conspiracy theorist run wild.

1912: RMS Titanic sinks en route to New York from Southampton

We have actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet – along with a stellar soundtrack from Celine Dion – to credit for bringing to life the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. It was in the early hours of 15 April that the world’s then-largest man-made “unsinkable” ship struck an iceberg, just four days into her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK, to New York. Travelling over capacity, with 3,300 people on board, the ship only had lifeboats for a third of them. Only 492 passengers and 214 crew survived. As a consequence, ship design changed, an International Ice Patrol was established, and liners always travel with enough lifeboats.

1919: the first non-stop transatlantic flight proves the impossible

Flying a modified World War I Vickers Vimy bomber, British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown went where others could never have imagined: across the Atlantic Ocean. In 16 hours, they flew from Newfoundland , the most easterly province of Canada, to Cliften in Ireland. Then, in 1927 – propelled (pardon the pun) by his doubters – Charles Lindbergh became the first pilot to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic, from New York to Paris, in 33 hours. Five years later, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make the solo trip.

1952: a golden age of air travel is born as BOAC goes commercial

By the 1950s, aviation had come a long way from The Wright Brothers’ Flying Machine. The British Overseas Airways Corporation made another world first: a commercial jet service, designed by British engineer Geoffrey de Havilland. Enter a golden age of air travel. Well, for wealthy celebrities and politicians, at least. It was an affair to get dressed up for: think Sunday best and fine jewellery, with lobster and champagne on the menu. The flight that kicked off this era of luxury jet travel journeyed from Johannesburg to London, and the rest is history – with flying today a far cry from this once-elusive and rather chic club.

Become a Culture Tripper!

Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $1,395 on our unique trips..

See privacy policy .

1964: Japan introduces the world to high-speed trains

The concept of high-speed rail isn’t anything out of the ordinary for us today. Fancy going to Paris from London? The Eurostar will get you there in just over two hours. How about Paris to Champagne? That will be 40 minutes on the TGV. But pre-1964, the idea of such speedy land-based travel would have been unfathomable – until Japan unveiled a high-speed rail system called the Tōkaidō Shinkansen . Complete with their signature bullet noses, the first of these trains travelled at 210kph (131mph), while trains on that same network can reach a speed of 320kph (199mph) today. Though this still isn’t enough for the Japanese, who are set to unveil an even faster version in 2030. Speedy Gonzales.

1969: the Jumbo Jet brings affordable flying to the masses

1969 was a big year: as Commander Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon, a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet 231ft (70m) long, took to the skies with 490 passengers on board. It quickly became known as the Queen of the Skies and a gateway for the masses to travel affordably – now package holidays in warmer climes were calling. The airliner retained its title of the largest civilian plane until 2007, when the Airbus A380, with its gargantuan 868-passenger capacity (and encore of screaming babies guaranteed), came along and nabbed the accolade. Concorde also made its first flight in 1969 – but, notoriously reserved for an exclusive jetsetters’ club , its impact could never match that of its jumbo sister.

1974: Navstar launches, reshaping navigation

For that annoying voice we all know and love so well that tells us to “take the first left at the roundabout” three times more than we need to hear it, we have the American scientist and inventor Roger L Easter to thank. And while GPS has its roots in the Sputnik era (the first artificial earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957), it wasn’t until 1974 that it hit our roads. In collaboration with Naval Air Systems Command, Easter created and patented a 24-hour satellite GPS called Navstar. Back then, it was the best thing since, well, physical road maps. Sorry, road maps.

1978: Unesco lists its first World Heritage sites, birthing the bucket list

A destination is always more in demand when Unesco confers World Heritage site status upon it. This recognition is based on whether it offers “outstanding universal value” in terms of geographic and historical significance. Drawn up in 1978, the first list included just a dozen sites (dubbed “properties”) such as Yellowstone National Park in the United States and the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador. It served as the first benchmark of must-visit locations, and the bucket list as we know it was born. Today this ever-fluctuating list includes just shy of 1,000 sites, among the most famous of which are Machu Picchu in Peru and the Taj Mahal in India.

2001: 9/11 attacks shakes the world and collective confidence in flying

On 11 September 2001 , two hijacked airplanes smashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, with a third hitting the Pentagon in Washington DC. Almost 3,000 people were killed, and the date is now observed as an annual day of mourning. It shocked the world – as well as the US economy, which fell sharply, and battered global confidence. People lost their faith in flying, and flying itself became an altogether different experience. Security became paramount: liquids were inspected any over 100ml (3.4 fl oz) were confiscated; pat-downs and body-scans became the norm; and unattended pieces of luggage were considered a serious threat.

2004: Richard Branson sets out plan for commercial space travel

The idea of travelling to outer space used to be reserved for highly trained astronauts and TV characters like The Jetsons. That is, until Sir Richard Branson had a grand idea. Following his Virgin conquests of air (Virgin Atlantic), land (Virgin Trains) and sea (Virgin Voyages), the entrepreneur turned his attention to space. He called this new venture Virgin Galactic. The idea? To take us mere mortals out into the big void ourselves. In 2018, the first suborbital flight took three people into space, and 2020 is set to be the year in which commercial space travel really takes off, with SpaceX, Boeing and the European Space Agency all vying for first dibs. A whole new space race is on.

2020: Covid-19 sweeps across the globe and self-isolation becomes the new normal

As we waved goodbye to 2019 and rang in the new decade, we did so with optimism. But it quickly dwindled. First came the Australian bushfires that burned 5m hectares (12,355,270 acres) of land, killed 500m animals and at least 17 people. Then, Covid-19 . A member of the coronavirus family, it’s thought to have originated in a wildlife market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 – but it wasn’t confined to the Chinese province for long. By April 2020, it had spread across the entire world, starting with one or two cases in each country, before multiplying and infecting millions. In an attempt to stop this unknown entity in its tracks, retreating indoors and self-isolating are the new normal. Borders closed, airlines ceased operations, and trips beyond the front door were restricted to essentials only. A first in recent history, we’re truly in uncharted territory.

See & Do

Gift the joy of travel this christmas with culture trip gift cards.

5 Ski Resort Scenes You Can't Miss This Year

Guides & Tips

Everything you need to know about booking a private culture trip.

The Best Couples Retreats in the USA

How to Book a Private Tour with Culture Trip

The Benefits of Booking a Private Tour with Culture Trip

Travel With Culture Trip: Who Are Our Local Insiders?

Top Trips for Embracing Your Own Backyard

Travel in America: Top 5 Trip Ideas

The Best Solo Travel Tours in the US

How to Make the Most of Your Holiday Time if You're in the US

Top TRIPS by Culture Trip for Ticking Off Your Bucket List

Culture Trip Summer Sale

Save up to $1,395 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.

• Post ID: 1001441798
• Sponsored? No
• View Payload

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

These Are the Best (and Worst) Times to Hit the Road for July 4, According to AAA

And the best time is sooner than you'd think.

peeterv/Getty Images

A record-setting nearly 71 million Americans are expected to travel for the Fourth of July holiday, cementing this as the summer of travel. 

In total, 70.9 million travelers are forecast to head 50 miles or more from home from Saturday, June 29, to Sunday, July 7, according to AAA . Of those, 60.6 million people are expected to hit the road.

This year’s forecast, which for the first time includes the entire Fourth of July week plus the Saturday before and the Sunday after, represents a 5 percent increase compared to last year and an 8 percent increase compared to pre-pandemic in 2019.

“With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” Paula Twidale, the senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement, adding, “We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever.”

For travelers looking to drive over July 4, mornings tend to be the best to avoid traffic. The worst times to travel by car ahead of the holiday are between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m, according to AAA. Travelers heading back on Monday, July 8, should also avoid rush hour traffic during both the morning and afternoon.

Overall, the best day for traffic will be Monday, July 1.

While traffic is likely inevitable, the good news is gas prices are expected to continue dropping leading up to July 4. Currently, gas is averaging $3.47 per gallon nationwide, according to AAA , which is lower than last year’s national average of $3.53 per gallon during the same time period.

Beyond the roads , a total of 5.74 million people are expected to fly over the July 4 holiday, a nearly 7 percent increase compared to last year. The prediction comes as unprecedented numbers of travelers have swarmed airports across the country , setting new records for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

More people may be flying, but AAA said domestic airfare is actually 2 percent cheaper over the Fourth of July holiday than last year. The average price for a domestic roundtrip ticket is currently $800.

In addition, more than 4.6 million travelers are forecast to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises, and trains.

Related Articles

The history of refrigeration, ice cream, gelato

At Wanderlust Creamery, Adrienne Borlongan reinvents classic ice cream flavors. Photo by Max Milla.

Nicola Twilley takes a cold plunge into the history of refrigeration. Lucas Sin explains how to use the freezer to improve cooking. Adrienne Borlongan jettisoned a career in nursing to explore ice cream production. For two decades, Michael Buch has watched Silver Lake change around his shop, Pazzo Gelato. At the farmer's market, Elaine Marumoto-Perez and her brother use apricots to make ice cream and donate portions of each pint to charity.

From this Episode:

How refrigeration changed the way we eat

Nicola Twilley takes a cold plunge into the history of refrigeration.

Optimize your cooking by using your freezer

Lucas Sin explains how to use the freezer to improve cooking.

Wanderlust Creamery makes ice cream inspired by travel and adventure

Adrienne Borlongan jettisoned a career in nursing to explore ice cream production.

At Pazzo Gelato, Michael Buch has seen Silver Lake transform in 20 years

For two decades, Michael Buch has watched Silver Lake change around his shop, Pazzo Gelato.

Apricots hit their peak and they're perfect for making ice cream

Elaine Marumoto-Perez and her brother use apricots to make ice cream and donate portions of each pint to charity.

• Manage Account
• Best in DFW
• Things to Do
• Public Notices
• Help Center

sports Rangers

Wyatt Langford completes rookie trifecta with cycle, adds name to Rangers’ history books

Langford became the second rangers rookie to hit for the cycle and the 11th player in team history to complete the feat..

By Evan Grant

9:07 PM on Jun 30, 2024 CDT — Updated at 10:18 PM on Jun 30, 2024 CDT

BALTIMORE — These are the kinds of things legendary talents do: the things nobody has ever done before.

On Sunday, with a mighty swat on a lazy eighth-inning cutter, Wyatt Langford became the youngest Ranger ever to hit for the cycle, smashing a three-run homer to cap an 11-2 win over Baltimore. The cycle goes well on his shelf of fabulous and curious feats of strength and speed, which also already include an inside-the-park home run and a grand slam. Together, it gives him a trifecta never previously accomplished: He’s the first rookie in baseball history to turn all three in a single season, according to Elias Sports Bureau. He’s done it in his first 60 games.

“He has so many tools he can beat you with,” said Rangers starter Andrew Heaney, who also witnessed his own miracle — getting run support for a change. “It’s so much fun to see.”

🚨 CYCLE ALERT 🚨 Wyatt Langford stays hot and blasts a 3-run homer to hit for the cycle in Baltimore. 🔥🔥🔥 #StraightUpTX (via @MLB ) pic.twitter.com/a3h3mkmxWg — SportsDay Rangers (@dmn_rangers) July 1, 2024

Be the smartest Rangers fan. Get the latest news.

By signing up you agree to our  Terms of Service  and  Privacy Policy

Also, it goes without saying: At this point, the Rangers need some kind of superhuman feats if they are going to climb back into any kind of playoff race. The win on Sunday salvaged a single win on their weeklong road trip and snapped a nine-game road losing streak. They head into July 38-46, which is the third-worst record for a defending World Series champ of all time. It didn’t work out well for the other two.

If the Rangers are going to turn things around, Langford is essential. After a spring in which everything off Langford’s bat broke the sound barrier, he went into the season as perhaps the favorite to win the American League Rookie of the Year, then struggled with an overexaggerated leg kick that robbed him of his power. His lone homer in April was an inside-the-park job that showed off his speed, which, is well, elite. But it’s also supposed to be his second tool to his power.

A three-week stint on the injured list in early May offered him an opportunity to work on the swing and get his timing back in order. It has apparently worked.

Over his last 12 games, he’s 16 for 45 (.356). For June, he slashed .311/.373/.537/.910 with 22 RBIs and six stolen bases in six attempts. The month also includes his first career grand slam, which came eight days ago against Kansas City.

On Sunday, Langford showed off both tools on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball in the kind of way that might just rejuvenate some buzz around his name as a Rookie of the Year contender. Couldn’t hurt that his cycle was the first by any player in the 35-year history of Sunday Night Baseball .

Related: Watch: Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford blasts 3-run HR, hits for cycle in Baltimore

After a fly-ball out in the second, Langford began the pursuit by knocking off the hardest element first. In the fourth inning, he lined a ball into the enlarged left field power alley that rattled around and allowed him to race into third with his fourth triple of the season.

An inning later, he pulled off his favorite trick, turning a routine single into a double with his speed. He bounced a ball through the right side and kept hustling, beating Anthony Santander’s throw to second. It was the third time this year, he’s pulled off the feat on a routine single. In the sixth, he beat out an infield single on a ground ball to short.

“It’s just how I was raised,” Langford said. “My dad would yell at me if I didn’t come busting out of the box.”

His base running has delighted Bochy, who on more than one occasion has said he enjoys simply watching Langford run the bases. Which is nice, but watching him trot is cool, too.

When Langford came up in the eighth against Matt Krook with two on, he turned on the cutter quickly, launching it 404 feet at 107 mph into the left field seats.

“It looked like he was thinking about hitting the homer,” Bochy said.

“Yeah, I was,” Langford said, as always, a bit sheepishly. “I was trying to hit one there. The cycle is pretty cool. The chance to do it just speaks for itself.”

Nobody had anything witty to say to him other than “congratulations” when he crossed the plate.

“I was still processing that his singles are doubles and his doubles are triples,” said Nathaniel Lowe, the on-deck hitter who greeted him at home plate. “Going 30 feet per second on a sprint will help your slugging percentage, too.”

It was the 11th cycle in Rangers history and the first since Carlos Gómez had one in 2017. It was the second by a rookie. Oddibe McDowell, like Langford a first-rounder who rocketed through the minor league system, is the only other Ranger rookie to accomplish it. He did it 39 years ago, in 1985, in his 59th major league game. He was 22 years old and 332 days at the time. Langford, 22 years and 228 days on Sunday, is younger. He’s the 15th youngest player to hit a cycle in MLB history, according to Sports-Reference. Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz did it at age 21, 163 days last year.

All cool notes. It made for an easier plane flight home after a rough two-week stretch. The Rangers have a near-impossible task ahead of them, but they at least went into July with something to clear their heads.

“We needed this,” Bochy said. “It’s been a tough stretch, there’s no getting around that. It’s going to take everybody, but there is no getting around this either: He just makes us so much better.”

Especially when he’s making history.

Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here .

Click or tap here to sign up for our Rangers newsletter.

Evan Grant , Rangers beat writer/insider . Evan has covered the Rangers since 1997. He has twice been named one of the top 10 beat writers in the country by the AP Sports Editors. His passions outside of covering baseball are his wife, Gina, his two step kids, two crazy dogs & barbecue. Let's not discuss the cat. Evan graduated from Georgia State University, but oddly is a Georgia fan.