Favorite Travel Magazines
In a world where travel is still limited, much of our traveling in 2020 -- and probably for a good bit of 2021 as well – has been done from our homes, via print media, Zoom calls, interactive chats, and streaming services. To kick off the new year, here are a few of my favorite travel-oriented magazines that have made life with COVID more hopeful:
Stranger’s Guide –
This is a delightful magazine, available both in print and digital formats, which echoes the travel guides of the past, offering insights into destinations around the world, with cultural perspectives from renowned writers. The name is adopted from those of travel guide books published in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, which offered basic guides for travelers. But this publication, launched in 2018, both honors that history and gives it an original twist. Each issue focuses on a particular region, country, city or topic, such as U.S. national parks, Texas, Lagos, or Ireland. One of the co-founders is a friend of mine, and the energy she and her team bring to the publication is amazing. It is more cultural and less geopolitical than Monocle, offering greater depth and perspective than Frommer’s or Fodor’s, expansive beyond Lonely Planet, and with diversity that exceeds more localized publications like TimeOut – that isn’t to say that all of those offerings aren’t helpful as well but Stranger’s Guide is just unique. Think Gourmet mixed with Saveur, or the New York Review of Books coupled with National Geographic. Check our Stranger’s Guide at https://strangersguide.com.
Hemispheres –
After years as a United frequent flier, I’ve often read Hemispheres, United’s in-flight magazine pretty well. In an age where airlines are quickly ditching their print magazines, both due to COVID and cost (https://www.forbes.com/sites/gabrielleigh/2020/08/10/is-there-a-future-for-inflight-magazines/?sh=5bdea6b44365), there are a few in-flight offerings which are still worth picking up, and Hemispheres is one. It’s biased towards United’s key destinations – hubs and places pretty much only served by United – but there are enough locales around the globe that fit that definition to make it worth a look. My favorite article this year was part of the “Three Days In . . .” series, this one focused on Oahu. If you’re looking for a quick look at some interesting places, with more practical advice about how to see a single city or make sure you don’t miss the highlights of that city, Hemispheres is definitely worth a look.
Sunset –
I had never heard of this magazine until many years ago when a neighbor, a transplant from the San Francisco Bay area, referred me to it. Pre-internet days, as a life-long East Coast denizen, there was little chance I would have otherwise known that the magazine of “living in the West” even existed. And to be fair, Sunset is more of a lifestyle magazine than a purely travel magazine, offering articles on home décor, food and recipes, residential building ideas, and pet care. Yet I’ve always been drawn to it because of the enticing articles on small(er) towns in California, the Southwest and Pacific Northwest that I wouldn’t otherwise have considered for travel – Petaluma, Catalina, Hanalei, McCall, and Moab, for example. Nor would I be as envious of all the different types of cheese you can sample on a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway. Lifestyle-oriented it may be, but after more than 100 years in business (it began as a magazine for passengers on the Southern Pacific Railroad), it’s still a wonderful diversion. https://www.sunset.com
