Erika Mailman

Sacramento’s got it going on, with a spiffy, newish sports arena that’s 100 percent solar powered, a revitalized urban center with clubs, shows and dining, a gorgeous setting of trees (it’s known as the City of Trees, although don’t talk to residents about that during allergy season) and a ton of fascinating history. Oh, and you know, just being the capital of the world’s seventh largest economy. Ready for a quick tour of 30 super-fun things to do there? Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also learn more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now.

Lake Tahoe is an international destination famous for a long ski season and an equally rewarding recreational summer at the lake... and the truly Californian chance to do both in the same day! Depending on the time of year, you can ski in the morning and kayak in the afternoon, or snowshoe in the backcountry and then have a warm picnic on the sandy shores. South Lake Tahoe refers to the California resort city on the southern end of the lake which also touches Nevada. You’ll be deep in the Sierra Nevada with alpine views and good, clean fun... and the opportunity to place some bets in Reno, if that's your thing.  RECOMMENDED: The best small towns in California  

San Francisco’s really just the tip of a peninsula, which means that its city confines are actually quite small and much of its acreage includes spectacular water views: the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Golden Gate and namesake bridge on the north, and the San Francisco Bay on the east. Seriously, this city is only seven miles wide and seven miles deep, so it’s easy to explore on foot — although you may need fuel to conquer its more than 50 hills – but it's jampacked with attractions.  An international destination, San Francisco has Michelin-starred dining and hole-in-the-wall winners alike, as well as museums, surprising architecture, sports teams and diverse neighborhoods. You might even feel an earthquake while you’re here; there are hundreds of small ones each year! Here’s our list of the best attractions in San Francisco to put on your bucket list, whether you're a tourist or a local!  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in San Francisco

Brisk mountain air, lushly flowing waterfalls, stunning granite walls and extraordinary wildlife... Yosemite National Park has to be seen to be believed. And one of the best ways to see it is to hike it. It doesn’t take long on a trail to leave behind most visitors for a more quiet, contemplative experience. This list is not comprehensive – there are 750 miles of trails with varying elevations, degrees of solitude and ecology – but they are some of the best hikes in Yosemite. These hikes range from easy, flat walks on paved surfaces to the bragging-rights-forever scramble up Half Dome with its scary but doable seasonal cables. Some hikes are quite difficult, but in general you can find trails suited to any level of ability, while not all are ADA accessible. The two most popular trails have to be the Yosemite Falls Trail — to the tallest falls in North America — and the Mist Trail, whether you turn around at the footbridge at Vernal Fall or carve out hours to do the full route to the top of Nevada Fall. Wear hiking boots, not sneakers; some trails consist of rock slabs that become slippery with water spray. Pay attention to information you receive about bears in the park, especially if taking a remote trail or planning to camp for the night, and be aware that some access roads may be closed seasonally. Currently, you need a reservation to enter the park during high traffic hours even if not staying overnight. But above all, appreciate the bliss of being in this very special p

Yosemite is one of the most well-known national parks, and for good reason: it’s got extraordinary vistas, wildlife and history. And while the best things to do in Yosemite include breathtaking walks, enormous waterfalls, and stunning vistas – hiking isn’t the only thing to do there. Sure, the two most popular Yosemite activities are hiking and camping – either at busy campgrounds on the valley floor or in the backcountry reached by making a more solitary jaunt – but there's so much more to Yosemite.  Looking for something to do besides hiking and camping? Yosemite really has it all, from active pursuits like horseback riding and skydiving to contemplative art-making, photography and yoga. You can drink fine wine and get a massage at a hotel, or rough it by filtering river water to drink in areas of the park where few people venture. You’ll be surrounded by bears, whether seen or unseen, and appreciate spectacular granite monoliths and giant sequoia in this park that sparked the nation’s discussion of preserving land for its natural beauty.

Yosemite’s a year-round destination in the Sierra Nevada mountain range that offers something different every time you visit. Located in usually-sunny California, this national park has a snow season that closes down some roads and makes parts of the park inaccessible except by ski or snowshoe, yet that also opens it up in new ways for winter sports. The park covers 1,200 square miles with elevations that range from 2,000 to 13,000 feet, which dramatically affects the weather you’ll encounter. In addition, weather varies quite a bit depending on where you are in the park. In Yosemite Valley, where most visitors spend their time, you can expect a dry and warm summer, chilly autumns and springs with some precipitation and cold winters with lots of snow. If you’re someone who prefers cooler weather, choose the Tuolumne Meadows areas (when Tioga Road is open) over Yosemite Valley. Temperatures here are significantly cooler, often by 18-20 degrees! For instance, in July and August when Yosemite Valley can hit an average of 89 degrees, Tuolumne Meadows is hanging out at a high of 72 and 70, respectively. So when is the best time to visit Yosemite? We're partial to May, but really anytime is a good time to visit this stunning national park.  What is the best month to visit Yosemite? May. Once the snow has melted, the waterfalls Yosemite is known for are gushing, roaring, spectacular falls. Additionally, wildflowers are in full force from a lush rush of moisture. Although flowers st

The San Francisco Bay Area is known for its fantastic hiking, whether in the hushed quiet of redwood forests, across open terrain with spectacular views of the bay or the ocean, or even just an exhilarating saunter across the incredibly windy Golden Gate Bridge (if your hat’s not tight, you’ll lose it). From San Francisco to Oakland to Marin, here are the best places to hike in the Bay Area, to get your blood moving and your heart soaring. Getting out in nature with a brisk pace is truly one of the best ways to lift your spirits. RECOMMENDED: The best wildflower hikes in the Bay Area

Camping is the best way to immerse yourself in a national park. But it can be hard to decide which campground you should stay at in Yosemite. Thankfully, with 13 different campgrounds (as well as a selection of backcountry areas which require a separate wilderness permit), you can choose the one that will make your trip unforgettable. A valley campground ranger once told us White Wolf and Tamarack Flat were her favorites – but really, you can’t go wrong in this beautiful park.  There are some things you should take into account when deciding which campgrounds in Yosemite are best for you. Some sites aren’t accessible for disabled people, and some require you to treat, filter or boil creek water. If you’re bent on taking a shower, stay at one of the Pines campgrounds so you can walk to Curry Village, where the pool’s showerhouse is the only place you can hose yourself down. Take note of elevations in the descriptions; you might get short of breath at some of the higher campgrounds and wish you had brought an inhaler. Some campgrounds are currently closed for renovations, and some only open in mid- to late-summer depending on snowload (such as Tamarack Flat, White Wolf and Yosemite Creek), which also means that certain roads in Yosemite will also be closed. If you want to bring your pet, avoid Camp 4, the only one where pets aren’t allowed. Not all campgrounds have RV parking, and only three campgrounds allows horses. All of them will have metal bear boxes to store your food an

Let's start at the beginning. What is the definition of a liminal space? Liminal spaces are those eerie, not-quite-there places where memory is awakened but no accompanying recollection arises. It’s an in-between stage of nostalgia meets revulsion. Perhaps thanks to the pandemic, we’re more interested than ever in photographs of these ghostless yet haunted places and take comfort in the gut-level feelings they arouse. The phenomenon is also called dreamcore, and it rewards long looking better than a glance. So what constitutes a liminal space? Often it’s an abandoned place that was once filled with vitality and visitors – like a shopping mall that has closed. Sometimes it is a place where nature has taken back the manmade structure, such as a home with a tree growing through the floor. It can also have a strong connection to childhood, as in a place you might’ve seen as a kid but that doesn’t evoke joy anymore. Because the word liminal has its roots in the Latin ‘limen’ which means threshold, spaces consisting of entries or portals – like staircases and hallways – often qualify as liminal spaces. Here are some of the best images of creepy liminal spaces in the US. Darken the room and put on some music; here’s your moment of fen (waterlogged spaces like fens can also serve as liminal spaces!)

Summer’s just around the corner and that enticing blue body of water is calling to you: the pool. If you want to make a splash this summer, seek out a pool that isn't merely kidney-shaped or rectangular, peruse this list for some of the best pools in the US. You'll find pools that let you swim with sharks or make you feel like you’re a Hollywood starlet lounging on the deck. It’s almost a shame to submerge in them rather than admiring them from the deck. So if you’re traversing the US and looking for a good spot to spread out your towel, try these spectacular pools in the US that we think are worth a trip and a click. Make sure you have your sunscreen, goggles and a dry place to stow your phone, then go on and give us a cannonball. 

Winter in Yosemite may mean waterfalls are frozen and some hiking paths are impenetrable, but there’s also a more subtle magic to be found in the valley when the landscape is snow-covered and the majority of tourists have elected to stay at home.  From skiing and snowboarding to playing in the snow with the little ones, there's plenty of fun things to do in Yosemite in the winter. And, believe us, the breathtaking beauty of Yosemite is still on full display (you might even catch an only-in-the-winter natural phenomenon). So while the roads may be a little more treacherous, there are plenty of reasons to seek out Yosemite in the winter. (It's not the top national park in the US for nothing.) 

As early as this fall, watch for the opening of the most-anticipated museum in the world: The Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, charmingly acronymed the GEM. This is the first-ever facility to house the pharaoh Tutankhamen's artifacts as a stand-alone museum, removing them from the Egyptian Museum, also in Cairo, where they were displayed among objects and mummies from a dizzying array of dynasties. Objects from other museums and storage spaces in Egypt will also be gathered together to create a collection of approximately 5,000 pieces taken from Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Thebes. How do we know the museum's poised to open? Recently, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiques announced that construction work on the museum's exterior and surrounding areas such as parking lots will be completed by June 30, and that work on the exhibition halls will be finished by Sept. 30, as reported by the National News. Another tip-off? The new Sphinx International Airport, designed to usher in international visitors to the GEM and allow day trip visitors from the Red Sea beaches, will begin operating in mid-July, as reported by Ahram.  All that's needed is a significant and meaningful opening day — and two of those fall in November. November 4 may be the magical day, since it is the centennial of the tomb’s discovery in 1922. As reported by Daily News Egypt, Nov. 22 is another likely date as that is the anniversary of the tomb's opening.  © heneghan peng architects Hill

Hankering to see California this summer? Whether you're planning a trip to the West Coast or just planning an epic staycation, Amtrak’s discounted California Rail Pass is a great deal to see the most of the Golden State.  The pass retails for $159 ($79.50 for kids) and allows travel on any seven days within a consecutive 21-day period. That means you can board in Seattle and stop off in Portland for a bike tour between multiple microbreweries, journey to Sacramento for a tour of the state capitol, head to Oakland for a Burmese-California fusion meal at Teni East Kitchen, stop off in Santa Barbara for the gorgeous public gardens at Lotusland, and conclude in Los Angeles for a starlit drink at French rooftop bar Perch LA before starting your journey home — when you’ll stop at a whole other slate of great cities. The trains involved in the California Rail Pass are the Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Dunsmuir, the Capitol Corridor between Auburn and San Jose, the San Joaquins (San Francisco Bay Area / Sacramento/Bakersfield / Southern California) and the Pacific Surfliner (San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara/Los Angeles/San Diego), as well as the connecting bus services associated with the corridor trains. The rail pass does not apply, unfortunately, to the California Zephyr, the Sunset Limited, the Southwest Chief or the Texas Eagle, even though those lines all penetrate into California. Additionally, if you travel outside of California on the Coast Starlight, you must pay a s

A new and much-anticipated museum will soon be underway in Texas: the National Juneteenth Museum.  Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery, when, on June 19, 1865, Union Army general Gordon Granger brought news of the Emancipation Proclamation to the enslaved people in Texas (two years after the executive order). Granger’s reading of General Order No. 3 resulted in instantaneous celebrations, and the next year’s ‘Jubilee Day' evolved into Juneteenth. The $70 million, 50,0000-square-foot facility will be built of timber in Fort Worth. Architectural renderings reveal a building with multiple triangle-shaped segments overlooking an open air courtyard, all on a rectangular footprint. Work will start by the end of this year to conclude for a planned opening around Juneteenth 2024. It will sit on the grounds of a preexisting Fort Worth Juneteenth Museum, which will be demolished in favor of the new, expanded building. The new facility will include exhibitions, education programming, a food hall with Black chefs, a recording studio to capture oral histories from visitors, a theater and a business incubator. Although the design is from a Danish architectural firm, the New York-based partner in charge of the museum is Black architect Douglass Alligood. A mixed-use development including housing will be built around the museum. Although Juneteenth has only been a national holiday since 2021, it has been one in Texas since 1980. Local activist Opal Lee, a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize nomine

This summer, almost 80 percent of US adults are planning to take a road trip, according to WalletHub, but not all states are equal in terms of their road tripability. That's where the data comes in. Fasten your seatbelt and adjust the mirrors.  WalletHub looked at 32 different metrics, ranging from the average cost of gas to summer temps, the number of attractions you can visit, the amount of freeway congestion, the access to scenic byways, and even (gulp) the cost of car repairs in that state. And the winner was...  New York! The East Coast state came out on top after being ranked third for number of ideal road trip activities, seventh in safety and 37th for costs. Very close behind was Minnesota, which was ranked 21st for activities, fifth for safety and eighth for costs. And coming in third was Texas, which was fourth for activities, 38th for safety and 18th for costs. Fourth: Louisiana, 10th for activities, 42nd for safety and second for costs. The fifth most recommended state for summer road this year was Maine, which ranked 27th for activities, first for safety and 27th for costs. Other than Maine’s spiffy showing in the top five, New England did not fare well, garnering three out of five spots for the worst states for summer road trips. Rhode Island, we apologize because we know you’re awesome, but you hit the bottom at #50: 49th for activities, 20th for safety and 41 for costs. Connecticut was next-worst and Delaware came in at #48. Montana at #47 and Arkansas at #46

If spectacular, Instagrammable views play a major role in choosing your vacation destination, we have some handy data for you. Financial services provider Remitly analyzed 1.4 million TripAdvisor reviews to come up with this list of the five best viewpoints in the US. So what’s the number one best viewpoint — not just for the US but for the world? A few hints: it involves a building that was in a long-running Tina Fey show, and at certain times of year it has a skating rink at its base. Yes, you undoubtedly guessed correctly, it’s the Top of the Rock, which sits atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Rockefeller Center. This destination in the heart of Manhattan provides 360 degrees of one of the most beloved skylines in the world—you can see the Empire State building, Central Park and even the Statue of Liberty from its heights. The Top of the Rock was mentioned on TripAdvisor 42,555 times in association with the word ‘view.’ Second place honors go to the 'High Roller' Las Vegas Strip Observation Wheel which takes riders 550 feet into the air above the glittering lights of the Strip. You ride in an enclosed, air-conditioned cabin that holds 40 guests for this half hour ride on the largest observation wheel in North America (we Google so you don’t have to: a Ferris wheel only holds two people per car, so this is why this is an ‘observation wheel’). The High Roller was mentioned 15,535 times in association with the word ‘view,’ a significant bump down from the Top of the Rock’s rave num

A new list revealing the top 10 cities to visit this summer shows where Americans are headed this season – and it's all about oceanside fun and gorgeous desert views.  According to luggage storage company Bounce, the 50 biggest cities in the US were analyzed in terms of affordability, the number of things to do, weather, and how long it takes to get from the airport into the city center. These were their results.  It may surprise no one to see Miami at the top of the list, a city that’s synonymous with sun and surf. It has 41.1 attractions and 1.69 ‘relaxation spaces’ (parks and natural spaces) per square mile — and the highest number of places to dine than any other city in the top ten, with 118.6 restaurants per square mile. The distance from the airport to city center is about 8 miles and the average fare is $2.50 one way. The average hotel price is an affordable $164 and with a balmy but not blazing average temperature of 76.3, Miami comes out the winner. In second place is San Francisco, with a whopping 49 attractions per square mile, the most of any top 10 city. It also won for most relaxation spaces per square mile with its many parks and beaches (2.52 per square mile). Its hotel price is the second highest, but we don’t cheer for that, at $231. It’s quite a ways from the airport into town, 13.8 miles, but the public transportation fare of $3 is not terrible. There are 105 restaurants to choose from (again, per square mile), and if you’re someone who doesn’t like to ba

A trip to the north just got more affordable! Alaska Airlines is running a 25 percent off sale for flights between the US and Canada in honor of July 1’s Canada Day – but you don’t have to fly right away; you just need to book your flight by July 1. The fine print: The offer is valid for travel September 7 through November 16 on coach fare (you can travel Mondays through Thursdays and on Saturdays). There is a short blackout period of October 10-12. The discount applies for up to seven people traveling together on the same reservation. The discount applies to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies, excluding Prudhoe Bay, so long as one of these Canadian destinations is the starting point or the goal: Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, or Victoria. To make the itinerary dramatically drop in price, just use the discount code CANADA. As of current health regulations, a Covid test is no longer required to enter or return from Canada. So, take this prompt to finally book your trip to Vancouver to tremble (or strut) your way across the Capilano Suspension Bridge, 230 feet high above the Capilano River with stunning views of the rainforest below. Or visit Calgary’s space-age looking Calgary Tower erected in 1967 to honor Canada’s then centennial of independence. You can eat at a rotating restaurant atop the 623-foot (wait... 190 meters!) tower with views of the Rocky Mountains. Or you might trip over to Victoria's Hatley Castle to pay homage both to history and to Hollywood (this vener

Are you a little late on planning your patriotic getaway? Not to fear, there are some great places where you can still snag a vacation rental for the red, white and blue party of your dreams. The vacation rental powerhouse Vrbo is sharing a list of still-available homes, some of them a quick drive from major cities. So jump online to book one, gather up your friends, fill up the cooler, and go — don’t forget your sparklers! One of the homes is in the Old Town neighborhood of Scottsdale, Arizona. Not only is there a pool for relaxing, there’s a putting green and fire pit. This modern desert retreat sleeps up to 10 guests and is a very reasonable $199/night for the weekend.  Or take in the breathtaking vistas at Zion National Park and then drive a half-hour away to chill in this St. George, Utah vacation home right on the golf course, with its own mountain views. You’ll also be a short drive away from two state parks and three other golf courses. This sleeps up to eight and is $325/night for the weekend. With a personal touch, you get mints on your pillow, for real, and a pie of your choice from the local bakery. VRBO Florida’s a natural destination for this kind of holiday, and in West Palm Beach, you can still book a home that is a 10-minute drive to the beach, plus close to the Norton Museum of Art and plenty of shopping and dining. This sleeps up to eight and costs $400/night for the weekend. VRBO| West Palm Beach home Just a few hours from Atlanta, you can escape into

You probably don't need much of a nudge to book a flight to Europe right now, but how does $400 in savings sound?  British Airways is offering a sweet deal to entice US travelers to fly with them, by offering up to $400 off on vacation packages, as reported by Thrillist. Book before June 29 for vacations taking place before March 31, 2023, for travel to London from 26 airports across the US. The $400 deal counts for airfare as well as packages involving flight/hotel and flight/car. So how does it work? You can save $50 per $1,000 minimum, $100 per $2,000, $250 on a package starting at $4,000, and the top savings of $400 applied to a $6,000 booking. So it's great news for those who are booking for big groups or luxury stays. The airline offers up a few examples to get a sense of how your vacation could benefit. For instance, you can book a flight to London out of New York this September that includes a five-night hotel stay starting from $899 per person roundtrip; that number includes all taxes and fees and assumes a double occupancy at the hotel. A second example is a flight and seven-day car rental, going from New York to London roundtrip in October starting at $999. Those two examples have the discount already applied, and those prices make us go hmmmm, let's think about that and start clearing our schedules! To make things even easier, British Airlines just announced four new direct flights from the US to London. Plus, a Covid test is no longer required to fly for reentry

Time after time, Japan ranks at the top of travel bucket lists for Americans with wanderlust. But a new announcement from the Japanese government just make it a little harder to get to the island country from the States. Japan just reopened this month for international tourism (for the first time since its initial lockdown in 2020), but strict requirements have been put in place, including a cap on the number of entries from a small number of countries. In addition, Americans seeking to travel to Japan will now need a visa to enter the country, as reported by Afar. Spur of the moment travel won't be possible since Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that 'Due to the impact caused by the Covid pandemic, the visa approval procedure may take longer than usual' as part of the announcement.  Even once you have visa in hand, travel to Japan won't be breezy. There are also stringent regulations once you land. For instance, travelers must obtain special medical insurance to cover expenses related to the novel coronavirus, wear a mask at all times, sanitize hands, and travel with a tour guide. That's right – you are not meant to explore on your own, other than if you are coming for certain reasons such as attending a wedding or funeral or visiting a sick friend. You are not allowed to share food in a restaurant or talk to others in a public bath. And although we are fierce lovers of travel, we do note that according to the most recent update to the US Department of State's Bure

One of the nation's most beloved national parks is getting a new hotel – its first in 50 years. As reported by KOLD, the Maswik South Lodge just opened on the South Rim as a $35 million reconstruction on top of an old hotel site. It was built by Xanterra Travel Collection and is contemporary in style although it contains two stone pillars that are all that remain of the original 'Motor Lodge' built in 1927 by the Santa Fe Railroad and the Fred Harvey Company. There have been several iterations of the hotel on the site over the decades. The name Maswik was chosen to honor a Hopi kachina said to guard the Grand Canyon. The hotel is a 280-room lodging complex surrounded by acres of Ponderosa pine. Just a quick quarter-mile walk or bus ride brings you to the canyon's edge, putting truth to the motto of the Grand Canyon National Park Lodges that "You're not just close, you're there." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Grand Canyon Lodges (@gclodges) There is a main lodge building with registration, a gift shop, a food court and a pizza pub. There are also four two-story buildings known as Mawik South, each with 90 guest rooms and 30 kitchenette rooms with expanded cooking options, like an apartment-sized fridge rather than the other standard room's mini-fridge. Each room has its own outdoors patio, and elevators serve the second story. Each room is accessed by a central hallway. At Maswik North, there are 12 two-story buildings, accessed by outdoors

Wanna live like stockbrokers did in the 1980s while cursing up a storm? If so, grab up the fabulous estate used in the filming of ‘The Wolf of Wall Street,' a movie that set a Guinness World Record for the most instances of swearing in a film. Although the home itself was not used in the film, its grounds did indeed host Leonardo DiCaprio for filming exterior shots. The home mansion, located in Mill Neck in Long Island, is listed for just shy of $10 million, and comes with an entire farm and ranch property set on five total acres, as reported by Cool Material. Zillow If you buy it, your horses will spread caviar on their hay in the 10-stall stable described in the listing as a ‘virtual palace’ with room for a riding ring, while you settle into the 15,000-square-foot three-story mansion with a dazzling array of terraces and balconies. It’s just five minutes to Oyster Bay harbor to enjoy the marina and fun shops. And if your horses are competitive, the home is only 25 minutes to Belmont Racetrack. Let’s check out the outdoor features: There’s a salt-water pool with a waterfall, spa and expansive patio, as well as a cook’s garden to grow your greens.  Zillow Now let’s go inside and see what stock market know-how can get you! There’s a huge gourmet kitchen. Zillow You’ll relax in privacy in the walk-out basement with its interior hot tub. Zillow  There’s a full bar. Martinis go with financial wheeling and dealing, right?  Zillow You’ll enjoy gliding across the glossy wo