the culture trip publisher

U.S. News & World Report Acquires Culture Trip Website

Strategic investment expands the company’s travel content services.

U.S. News Acquires Culture Trip Website

Washington, D.C. - U.S. News & World Report, a global leader in consumer advice and decision support, today announced the acquisition of TheCultureTrip.com , a premier travel website with thousands of curated travel guides and a marketplace for tours all across the world. TheCultureTrip.com is the latest addition to U.S. News’ travel franchise, which includes rankings, trips and advice to empower travelers with information to help them decide where they want to go, choose how to get there, where to stay and things to do.

Founded in London in 2011, Culture Trip curates experiences across the globe in addition to its 75,000+ travel-related articles about destinations large and small. With millions of monthly users and over three million app downloads, Culture Trip has a passionate and dedicated audience.

“As we continue to find ways to help people make informed decisions, the Culture Trip website is a natural extension of our U.S. News Travel business,” said Eric Gertler, U.S. News Executive Chairman & CEO. “Consumers want information they can trust and resources they can rely on when planning a trip. This acquisition now empowers millions of travelers with the tools they need to find the best value and experience.”

TheCultureTrip.com was acquired from Culture Trip Travel UK Ltd., a travel-related holding company. The website and small, insider-led group trips will continue to operate under the Culture Trip brand. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“The Culture Trip mission is to connect people through expert reviewed destinations globally and is considered one of the most ‘insider’ resources for travelers deciding where they want to have the best experience. Adding to this, the ability to experience the travel recommendations via our small, insider-led group trips makes Culture Trip a holistic travel platform,” said Ana Jakimovska, CEO, Culture Trip Travel UK Ltd. “We are thrilled about the expertise and resources U.S. News brings in helping us fulfill this mission.”

More than 50 million travelers visit travel.USNews.com each year to research hotels, vacations, cruises, travel rewards and tours and attractions. The Culture Trip website joins a suite of services developed by U.S. News for travelers, including GoToSea and worldwide travel guides .

U.S. News Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer Neil Maheshwari led the acquisition for U.S. News. “This is a core strategic acquisition for U.S. News,” said Maheshwari. “When combined with our travel vertical and our GoToSea cruise website, Culture Trip’s potential will be unlocked with the ultimate goal of better serving today's global traveler.”

Culture Trip Travel UK Ltd. was exclusively advised by Lazarus Consulting, a boutique M&A advisory firm.

Media Contact: Kate O’Donnell, [email protected], 202-955-2212

About U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

About Culture Trip Culture Trip was created to inspire people to go beyond their cultural boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and culture, special, unique and meaningful. An essential travel companion, Culture Trip has evolved as a travel e-commerce brand with content at its core. Culture Trip inspires people and enables them to turn this inspiration directly into reality – all in one place via booking unique, insider-led, small group trips curated with care for the planet.

About Press Room

The latest press releases and information about U.S. News & World Report

• Israel-Hamas War
• Science & Tech
• Ents & Arts
• Data & Forensics

Culture Trip embarks on new journey with US publisher

Culture trip, which was founded in london in 2011, has agreed to be bought by us news & world report, a digital media company, for an undisclosed multimillion pound sum, sky news understands..

By Mark Kleinman, City editor @MarkKleinmanSky

Monday 26 February 2024 15:12, UK

A tour operator dubbed "the Lonely Planet for the 21st Century" is journeying into American ownership after striking a deal with a US-based publisher.

Sky News understands US News & World Report, a digital media company, has struck a multimillion pound deal to acquire Culture Trip.

The agreement, which is expected to be announced publicly on Tuesday, comes about seven months after Culture Trip initiated a review of its strategic options.

Sources said the deal would augment US News' travel franchise, which includes rankings and advice to aid international travellers.

Culture Trip has been working with Lazarus Consulting, a mergers and acquisitions advisory boutique, on its options since last summer .

Its app has been downloaded more than 3m times, and it boasts millions of monthly users.

"The Culture Trip mission is to connect people through expert reviewed destinations globally and is considered one of the most 'insider' resources for travellers deciding where they want to have the best experience," said Ana Jakimovska, chief executive of Culture Trip Travel UK.

More on Travel

Could a plane crash due to turbulence? Which type is the most dangerous? We asked pilots

M25 closure: Everything you need to know as works shut motorway between Junction 10 and 11 in Surrey

British Airways flight travelling to Heathrow diverted after 'being struck by lightning'

Related Topics:

"Adding to this, the ability to experience the travel recommendations via our small, insider-led group trips makes Culture Trip a holistic travel platform.

"We are thrilled about the expertise and resources US News brings in helping us fulfil this mission."

Culture Trip has raised more than £130m from investors since launching 13 years ago, but like the entire travel sector saw its business badly dented by the COVID pandemic.

It raised money on several occasions, including an $80m Series B round in April 2018.

Set up in 2011, the business grew rapidly, tapping into millennials' zeal for "authentic" overseas travel experiences.

The company describes itself as "purpose-led", and operates small tour groups to far-flung destinations around the world.

The firm originally focused on generating revenues from advertising, but in the face of competition from technology behemoths Meta Platforms and Google, it switched to selling hotel bookings.

That in turn took Culture Trip into competition with the likes of Expedia and Booking.com, so it elected to shift its emphasis to selling curated trips focused on the millennial demographic.

This is a limited version of the story so unfortunately this content is not available. Open the full version

"As we continue to find ways to help people make informed decisions, the Culture Trip website is a natural extension of our US News travel business," said Eric Gertler, US News' executive chairman and CEO.

"Consumers want information they can trust and resources they can rely on when planning a trip.

"This acquisition now empowers millions of travellers with the tools they need to find the best value and experience."

Culture Trip

What is culture trip.

Pop culture can be empty, vapid, junk food for the mind and soul, but it can also raise awareness of important social issues, start crucial conversations, provoke real change, teach us about the past, and imagine a better future. Culture Trip looks for the TV, movies, music, and books doing just that, with enlightened analysis of pop culture past and present and heartfelt recommendations.

One of the major ways that higher states have infiltrated pop culture is through the psychedelic movement, a major influence in 1960s culture that still reverberates today, and is again growing stronger. Psychedelics are moving toward mainstream acceptance as therapeutic and spiritual tools that have the potential to cure us of some of our deepest modern ills. Moms are microdosing, while veterans have been freed from their PTSD. Efforts are underway in several states to lessen or eliminate legal barriers to research and even personal use. Psychedelics have also inspired popular artists from the Grateful Dead and Ken Kesey to Lil Nas X and Kacey Musgraves.

Among its other topics, Culture Trip will explore psychedelics’ colorful history, their contributions to pop culture, their current status in media, and the ways we can prevent another meltdown in public acceptance.

Who is behind it?

Culture Trip is the creation of New York Times bestselling pop culture historian, journalist, and author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong . Her writing takes readers behind the scenes of major moments in pop culture history and examines the lasting impact that our favorite TV shows, music, and movies have on our society and psyches. She investigates why pop culture matters deeply, from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Seinfeld , to Sex and the City and Mean Girls , to Beyoncé, Taylor, and Barbie . She has written eight books, including the New York Times bestseller Seinfeldia , When Women Invented Television , Sex and the City and Us , and So Fetch .

Jennifer began her career in newspapers and spent ten years on staff at Entertainment Weekly , where she reported from the front lines of Grey’s Anatomy, 30 Rock, Lost , and many teen dramas. Her writing has since appeared in BBC Culture, New York magazine, Billboard , and many other places. She currently curates and writes the Peabody Finds newsletter, featuring recommendations and media history, from the prestigious Peabody Awards in broadcasting. She also speaks and frequently serves as a media expert on pop culture history.

She lives with her partner in New York’s Hudson Valley, where she likes to offset her TV time by climbing, running, doing yoga, playing amateur acoustic guitar covers, and practicing Zen Buddhism.

How often will I receive a newsletter?

Culture Trip will appear in your inbox every other week.

If you can’t find it and you have gmail, check your “promotions” folder.

Why subscribe?

You’ll help to support good, smart, interesting writing on a topic that not only makes great cocktail party conversation, it also might just save the world. You’ll also learn about the shows, movies, music, and books that will lift your spirits instead of miring yourself in the darkest impulses our chaotic world has to offer.

Subscribe to Culture Trip

Jennifer keishin armstrong.

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Culture Trip: Travel & Explore 12+

The essential travel companion, culture trip.

• 4.8 • 11K Ratings

Screenshots

Description.

Your Getaway to Unique Global Adventures The Culture Trip app is your essential travel companion; wherever you are, wherever you go. Discover nearby recommendations hand-picked by global experts and local insiders, plan unique trips that are right for you, and easily book spot-on places to stay and experiences - all in one app. Travel with Culture Trip and we help you get it right, before and during every precious trip. Because we are your trusted shortcut to travel that’s good, and makes you feel good. THE WORLD’S BEST BITS, HAND-PICKED BY US Our recommendations are hand-picked by a global community of travel experts and local insiders - we know the best when we see it because we’ve been doing this since 2011. Our award-winning travel guides and stories give you an insider perspective on destinations around the world with lesser-known gems and unexpected highlights. EASILY PLAN TRIPS THAT ARE RIGHT FOR YOU My Plans: Wave goodbye to stacks of travel books. Collect trip inspiration in one place. Add your favourite travel guides and itinerary ideas, create wishlists of places to stay, and must-do experiences.

Version 4.2

Trips API fixed.

Ratings and Reviews

11K Ratings

I don’t even give ratings ever. This is literally my first time giving a review on something in years. I find this app extremely helpful, FULL of information! fun, informative and I don’t know how many times I was just in awe with moments like, “What?!” Didn’t know that. It makes you want to just get up and explore. I’ve been living in Atlanta 2 years and I always wondered how do you find all the good places and fun places when you don’t really know anyone, or when I want to travel to another state over I want to know what’s good there and maximize my time and money. This app solves those issues! Thank you!! Love this app.

Developer Response ,

Hi NiseBaby77. Thanks so much for the great review. We're delighted that the Culture Trip app is helping you to find places you want to go and fun things you can do.

The Best Travel & Culture Site

While this site has articles highlighting “best of” events, sights, etc., which are great, they provide much more detail than other sites about the art, food, culture, history, geography, and people in the area. The writers have usually spent considerable time in the areas about which they write so you can rely on their information. And the pieces are well written. We are traveling in southern France and their articles covered east to west, beaches to mountains and also covered weather & events at differing times of year. I plan on consulting Culture Trip from now on before we travel.

Thank you so much 😊! Really happy to hear you had a good experience with the app and the site. We are here to help you your future travels.

App No Longer Functions

I used to use this app all the time to help with trip planning. Recently it has totally stopped working; I cannot save any posts and cannot even log on the app. I tried deleting the app and reinstalling it to see if it would fix the problem but it has not. I can’t access any plans I made previously either. The problem started around the time they took away the section about hotels/hotel booking. That was always a useful way to find out key details about amenities, neighborhoods, etc. Even without hotel information, the app would still be useful to plan dining and activities for travel. Unfortunately, due to its lack of functionality, the app is close to useless now. This has been weeks or months now.

App Privacy

The developer, Culture Trip , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• Search History

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• User Content
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

Get all of your passes, tickets, cards, and more in one place.

You might also like.

Trip Scout - My Travel Planner

Visit A City

Atlas Obscura Travel Guide

Withlocals Tours & Travel App

Travel Planner Guide: Tripsy

VoiceMap: Audio Tours & Guides

Suggested companies

Intrepid travel, travel talk tours, g adventures.

Culture Trip   Reviews

In the Travel Agency category

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 2.3.

Most relevant

Spreading fake news

Spreading fake news about it being usual to eat Casu Marzu cheese in europe.

Date of experience : June 13, 2024

It used to be excellent

It used to be excellent, great source of information, background, culture, etc on diverse locations. Then some folks started tinkering with it, now has become useless. Selling travel books and excursions (very expensive ones) , of which there are dozens. I have deleted the app.

Date of experience : June 22, 2023

Website Reviews for Culturetrip.com

I can trust The Culture Trip website to come through for me every time. The content is informative, substantive and well written. I like their selection of stories, also. They tend to publish cutting-edge stories that you can't read may other places. I like how easy the website is to navigate, too. Great site. Five stars that are well deserved.

Date of experience : May 13, 2018

Everytime I google an info about a…

Everytime I google an info about a specific place, a travel etc Culture trip's articles appear on the first place. So After 10 000 researches on google and seeing 10 000 times Culturetrip's articles pop up, I eventually was curious to see what it was about. What a joke. Poor content but great SEO!

Date of experience : February 06, 2020

"Good idea are bound to get stolen"

Kris Naudt does not create the concept of culture Trip. This is not his idea. Not only he stole the mission, the vision and the all concept but also the credit. In 2018 he re-invented his previous company established since 2011 with this brand new stolen concept but he is not the visionary.

If It aint broken dont fix it

It used to be pretty good though reviews were a little dated. Now it’s absolutely hopeless. None of the links work and it tries to sell me things of which I have no interest. I have deleted the app and will no longer use it as a reference.

Date of experience : June 23, 2023

Wonderful informative website

Wonderful informative website, great customer service and really exceptional communication! Thank you!

Date of experience : June 09, 2021

Excellent website and very informative…

Excellent website and very informative articles.

Date of experience : April 24, 2018

• The Interval
• Special Events
• 10,000 Year Clock
• The Rosetta Project
• The Organizational Continuity Project
• Long Server
• View all projects...
• Seminar Home page

Next Seminar

• Seminar List View
• Audio Podcast
• Become a Member
• Newsletters
• Board Members

• Membership:

Members get a snapshot view of new Long Now content with easy access to all their member benefits.

Published monthly, the member newsletter gives in-depth and behind the scenes updates on Long Now's projects.

Special updates on the 10,000 Year Clock project are posted on the members only Clock Blog.

• Sign in  or  Become a Member

Articles published by The Culture Trip

A romp through the cocktail renaissance with paul clarke.

Published on Friday, December 11, 02015  •  8 years, 8 months ago Written by for The Culture Trip

• Neal Stephenson - Polostan

Previous Seminars

• Members of Long Now - Long Now Ignite Talks 02024
• Alicia Escott, Heidi Quante - The Bureau of Linguistical Reality Performance Lecture
• Jonathan Cordero - Indigenous Sovereign Futures
• Denise Hearn - Embodied Economies: How our Economic Stories Shape the World
• Rick Prelinger - Lost Landscapes 02023: YouTube Premiere
• Rick Prelinger - Lost Landscapes 02023 City and Bay in Motion: Transportation and Communication

Latest Blog Posts

• Pascal's Other Wager
• A Stream Flowing From The Sea
• Dragons on the Moon
• Celebrating The Interval’s Decennial
• Two Landscapes
• Neal Stephenson
• Seeing the Trees for the Forest
• Becoming "Children of a Modest Star"
• Members of Long Now

About Long Now

The Long Now Foundation was established in 01996* to foster long-term thinking and responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years.   More »

•  Twitter
•  Facebook
•  Flickr
•  RSS

A remarkable road trip in Patagonia

Argentine Patagonia is "the land of great drives"

• Newsletter sign up Newsletter

Argentine Patagonia is "thrilling", said Stanley Stewart in the FT – "the scale of it, the solitude, those long empty roads, the Patagonian winds sweeping vast skies clean, the Andes rising in the west". 

This is "the land of great drives" – most famously the journey to the deep south along Ruta 40. People come from all over the world to do it, in everything from camper vans, and 4x4s to pushbikes. But there are other, equally spectacular and far less-travelled roads, as I discovered on a recent trip to the region – a 12-night adventure in a 4x4. Heading out from the coastal town of Comodoro Rivadavia, I drove inland for six hours to the Andes, before heading south on Ruta 41, through "savage uninhabited country" where other vehicles became a rare sight: "for four hours I saw almost no one". The gravel road twisted through "woods of fairy-tale trees", and past vistas of "scarred ethereal mountains rearing above water meadows where horses grazed". 

In the Posadas valley, beneath the great summit of San Lorenzo, I stayed at the lonely inn of Lagos del Furioso, perched on the isthmus between two lakes, one "electric blue", the other a "delicate" green. The inn's "old-fashioned painted cabins" were delightful, and I filled my days there with fly-fishing, kayaking, and picnicking on deserted beaches and in the gorge where the Rio Furioso "plunges through a narrow defile". 

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Heading further south, I reached Parque Patagonia, a conservation area run by Rewilding Argentina that now extends to roughly 700 square miles. The park's lodge, La Posta de Los Toldos, is like "a chic ranch house in Montana", with a great chef and a good wine list. Guests can go looking for condors and puma in the Caracoles Canyon, with its "soaring walls" and "cathedral hush". And there's much other wildlife to see, as well as the Cueva de las Manos Pintadas, a cliff face covered with painted hand prints – a "moving and strangely timeless" work of art, between 9,000 and 13,000 years old. 

The 12-night trip costs from £7,000pp with Cazenove+Loyd ( cazloyd.com ).

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox

A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com

Talking Point Nicolás Maduro has pulled off a breath-taking steal at the ballot box, but his power increasingly relies on foreign allies

By The Week UK Published 11 August 24

The Explainer How did a parrot from the Himalayas become a common sight in southeast England?

The Week's daily crossword

By The Week Staff Published 11 August 24

The Explainer These getaway spots are ideal for conscious travellers who don't want to contribute to the problems of overtourism

By Abby Wilson Published 6 August 24

Feature Featuring a cedar-clad barn home in Connecticut and an award-winning farmhouse in South Carolina

By The Week Staff Published 6 August 24

Feature The author recommends works by Dan Jones, T.H. White, and more

By The Week US Published 6 August 24

The Week Recommends A century after the last Paris Olympics, the 'invigorating' exhibition explores the artistic legacy of the Games

By The Week UK Published 2 August 24

The Week Recommends The award-winning actor selects works by Douglas Stuart, Christopher Isherwood and more

Under the Radar Visitors believe the 'divine presence inside' can bless worshippers with a successful US visa application

By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published 2 August 24

The Week Recommends The psychologist shows how our 'enduringly vivid' formative years shape the adults we become

By The Week UK Published 1 August 24

The Week Recommends Performances are 'top-notch' in new staging of classic show

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Advertise With Us

The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

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

The Best Time To Visit Charleston, South Carolina, According To Locals

A trip to the Holy City is (almost) always a good idea.

• Tourist Seasons
• Best Time to Visit for Good Weather
• Best Time to Visit for Lower Prices and Smaller Crowds
• Best Times to Visit for Festivals and Events
• Best Times to Visit for a Beach Trip
• Worst Times to Visit

When it comes to dream travel destinations in the South, Charleston, South Carolina , is a perennial favorite. With its ever-growing food scene, rich history and colorful architecture, and proximity to beautiful beaches, it’s little wonder that our readers have voted it the South’s Best City multiple times. Of course, the best time to visit Charleston is largely dependent on what you’re hoping to do once you’re there. Whether you’re heading to town for the historic walking tours, one of the city’s many festivals, or a breezy day on the water, here are the best (and worst) times to visit Charleston, South Carolina.

• Josh Marthers is an Emmy Award-winning meteorologist at WCBD News 2 in Charleston, South Carolina
• Tyler Page Wright Friedman is a certified tour guide and founder of Walk & Talk Charleston , which hosts tours that explore Charleston history in colorful style
• Chef Mike Lata is t he culinary creative behind two of Charleston's most beloved restaurants, FIG and The Ordinary

Tourist Seasons in Charleston, South Carolina

Before planning your trip, take the city’s tourist seasons into consideration, as they’ll likely impact everything from the crowds to airfare and hotel prices.

• High Season: March through May and September through November
• Shoulder Season: June through August
• Low Season: December (except for the holidays) through February

Josh Marthers, meteorologist at WCBD News 2

Any time is a great time to visit the best city in the world.

Best Times to Visit Charleston for Good Weather

Spring and fall are prime times to comfortably explore all of Charleston’s beauty. Take it from local meteorologist Josh Marthers of WCBD News 2 : “Any time is a great time to visit the best city in the world, but a couple of periods really shine. Our driest months are typically April and November with quite mild temperatures from late March through mid-May. We see those nicer temperatures and lower humidity levels return late September through mid-November.” Average temperatures in April range from upper 50s to low 70s, while those in November from low 50s to upper 60s. 

One caveat worth considering: The city is subject to hurricanes, with the Atlantic season running from the start of June through the end November and peak time for such storms lasting August through October. Of course, to Marthers’ point, assuming that there are no tropical storms or hurricanes on the radar, October is a lovely, mild-weathered month to visit, with average temperatures ranging from low 60s to mid 70s.

Best Time to Visit Charleston for Lower Prices and Smaller Crowds

Planning a trip for the winter months (December through February) is the best way to experience so many of the Holy City’s highlights without having to battle crowds or pay premium rates for accommodations (holidays and festival weekends can be exceptions). While you likely won’t be swimming—unless you brave one of the area beaches’ New Year’s Day Polar Plunges—the milder winter weather still allows for beautiful beach walks and bundled-up picnics. 

For Tyler Page Wright Friedman, certified tour guide and founder of Walk & Talk Charleston, winter is actually one of her favorite times of year in the city: "Winter is an ideal season to explore downtown and all of our world-class museums," she says. And the rewards extend beyond lower cost and smaller crowds: "Historically, the holiday season was the social season in Charleston," she explains. "Many of the gardens were designed to bloom during this time, and so we have the beautiful camellias, Christmas senna, and the sweetgrass has turned a beautiful shade of pink." It's also oyster season, Friedman notes, so put all of those together, and you've landed yourself the perfect Charleston winter weekend.

For those willing who don't mind sweating a little, you may also consider visiting during the city’s shoulder season, June through August.  Chef Mike Lata , who owns two of the city's most beloved restaurants ( FIG and The Ordinary ), says late June is the shoulder season’s sweet spot: “Things start to slow down, so it’s a bit easier to get hotel deals and reservations at restaurants. The weather is warm but not stifling.  There is also lots of great local food to eat and the water has had a chance to warm up, making for great fishing, surfing, and general beachgoing.”

Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey

Best Times to Visit Charleston for Festivals and Events 

The Holy City plays host to a number of festivals and events throughout the year, all of which celebrate the various hallmarks of the historic peninsula town.  Festival season here kicks off with mid-February’s Southeastern Wildlife Exposition , more commonly referred to as SEWE (pronounced “see-wee”), when nature lovers, conservationists, and outdoorsmen descend on the city to shop a host of wildlife-oriented artists and exhibitors, attend cooking demos, and watch dogs participate in water jumping competitions. (The weekend is also an exception to winter’s typically smaller crowds.) 

In March and April, the Historic Charleston Foundation hosts its longest-running annual event, The Charleston Festival (formerly called the Festival of Houses and Gardens), which celebrates the city’s history and culture through a series of lectures on preservation and design, as well as tours of privately owned homes and gardens. April’s first Saturday also lays claim to the annual Cooper River Bridge Run , which invites runners and walkers of all skill levels to “Get Over It,” “It” being the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge that connects the suburb of Mount Pleasant to downtown Charleston over the Cooper River. 

Late May into June brings one of Charleston’s hallmark events, Spoleto Festival USA , when world-class performers, musicians, dancers, and artists from around the globe bring their talents to the Holy City for a 17-day series of live performances, art shows and exhibitions, and artist talks.

You’ll also find the Southern Living team in town twice throughout the year—in September for our Tailgate Party (part of the first-ever Food & Wine Classic in Charleston ) and again in December for Illumination Charleston (a curated holiday market, plus demos from our favorite chefs and entertaining experts; 2024 dates not yet announced). 

Best Times to Visit Charleston for a Beach Trip

If you’re planning to spend most of your Lowcountry stay playing on the area’s surrounding beaches , rather than diving into historic walking tours, summer is a great time to visit, as an ocean breeze or quick dip in the water can relieve even the hottest, muggiest day. By June, the ocean and other waterways have warmed up, making for comfortable swimming and other watersports, like surfing, paddleboarding, and kayaking. 

Pop-up afternoon thunderstorms aren’t uncommon in the summer, but they usually clear up as quickly as they roll in. July and August tend to see the most rain (8 or 9 days of rainfall), so if you’re faced with a wet day, take advantage of one of the city’s many museums, from The Gibbes Museum of Art to the recently opened International African American Museum , or explore all the amazing local shops .

Worst Times to Visit Charleston

The worst time to visit Charleston is subjective, as it depends on your personal travel preferences and those activities you plan to enjoy while there. However, as a born-and-raised Charleston native who often felt pity for the sweating, red-faced tourists who trudged past as I sat in the comfort of my mom’s air-conditioned car, July and August are about the most miserable months to plan a trip centered around walking tours and general sightseeing. In my experience, I’ve found that a beach day on Sullivan’s Island —or a reservation at one of our many delicious (and air-conditioned) restaurants—are about the only antidotes to our summer’s scorching heat.

It’s also worth noting that Charleston is home to a couple of colleges, including The Citadel and the College of Charleston, so if you’re not looking to be swept up in the excitement of move-in or graduation weekends, consult their academic calendars before booking your travel.

Related Articles

How Much Do Olympic Medalists Get Paid?

It entirely depends on what country they're competing for.

The answer is not very straightforward, as it varies by country, and by sport. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not give out cash prizes, only a medal, and at the Paris Olympics, a box with a poster as well as a stuffed toy version of this year's mascot.

"Imagine if the IOC were to organize the Olympic Games on a for-profit business model," the IOC said in a statement to NBC . "The event would be limited to those sports that generate the most significant revenues, and it would not involve athletes representing teams from 206 [National Olympic Committees]. It would not be Olympic Games as we know them. Yet, it is precisely the tremendous range of sports and the global provenance of the athletes that distinguish the Olympic Games from other events and make them so successful. The Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition."

Many countries, however, do award their athletes based on whether or not they won a gold, silver, or bronze. Hong Kong pays the most: $768,000 for gold, $384,000 for silver, and $192,000 for bronze, followed by Singapore. American athletes who win gold receive $38,000; silver $23,000; and bronze $15,000. Some countries, including Great Britain and Norway, don't pay medalists any cash. (See a full breakdown at CNBC . )

Track and field athletes, in addition, will get a cash prize at this year's Paris Olympics; CNN reported that World Athletics, the governing body of track and field, will award gold medalists prize money: $50,000 to each winner. (Relay teams will also receive $50,000, to be split four ways.)

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-transform:scale(-1, 1);-moz-transform:scale(-1, 1);-ms-transform:scale(-1, 1);transform:scale(-1, 1);background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-1jdielu:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}} Paris 2024 Olympics @media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-128xfoy:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}}

The 20 Best Memoirs by Olympians

Meet Team USA's Marathon Runners

Meet Anna Hall's Parents David and Ronette Hall

The Most Romantic Moments From the Paris Games

Meet Grant Holloway's Girlfriend Katie Chronister

Olympic Athletes Reveal Their Beauty Must-Haves

Who Is Anna Hall Dating?

Who Is Cole Hocker Dating?

Meet Michael Norman's Fiancée Jenna Adams

Meet Elle Purrier St. Pierre's Husband Jamie

Meet Nikki Hiltz's Girlfriend Emma Gee

PRESENTED BY CITI® / AADVANTAGE®

• DESTINATION GUIDE

The essential guide to visiting London

Here’s what you need to know about England's capital city—when to go, where to stay, what to do, and how to get around.

Why you should visit London

Architectural landmarks such as the   Tower of London ,   Westminster Cathedral , and   Kensington Palace , as well as revived modern buildings like   Tate Modern   and the   Battersea Power Station . Some of the finest theaters in the world, from the   Old Vic   to the rebuilt   Globe . Brown ale, fish’n’chips and weekend markets from Greenwich to Camden.  

Best time to visit London

Spring : The Gulf Stream warms up the city early. Flowers start blooming in February and trees follow with their blossoms in March. The   Chelsea Flower Show   is a major draw in May.  

Summer : The tourist season peaks between mid-July and late August. Music festivals play out in   Somerset House ,   Hyde Park , and   Victoria Park .  

Autumn : Fall kicks off with the   London Design Festival , and the weather stays temperate into late October. Halloween is gaining importance throughout the city, though Guy Fawkes Night—a festival of fireworks and bonfires on November 5 – is more widely celebrated.   Battersea Park , by the Thames, has a great display.  

Winter :   Shopping streets   switch on their festive lights in early December. While some cultural life slows down during the dark, wet winter months,   Kew Gardens   launches its winter fair and skating rink. And Hyde Park hosts a   Winter Wonderland .    

Lay of the land

The Thames River, lined with grand public architecture like   St Paul’s Cathedral , the   London Eye ,   and Westminster (the seat of government), divides the city into north and south. The oldest enclaves lie to the east, around the   City of London , the old financial center also known as the “square mile.” Cultural energy revolves around   Soho ,   Covent Garden ,   Mayfair , Bloomsbury, and the   South Bank , a riverfront strip of modernist theaters and galleries.    

Historically, wealthy residents settled in West London communities like   Belgravia , Kensington, and Chelsea, gravitating to Holland Park and Notting Hill. The picturesque Georgian streets around   Hampstead Heath   have always been popular among literary types, with nature-lovers hiking up   Parliament Hill   for the city view. The neighborhood becomes more fashionable as you descend toward   Primrose Hill , with its pastel-colored townhouses and ivy-clad pub gardens.  

Younger Londoners congregate in East London, in gentrifying working-class neighborhoods like Dalston and Clapton. Postindustrial Hackney Wick has reinvented itself as a hub for live music, clubs, and inventive restaurants. Just over the River Lea is the former Olympic Park, a sports mecca that’s been rewilded and developed with museums and restaurants.  

( 11 must-do experiences in London. )

Getting around London

By public transport:   The   London Underground , or Tube, is an extensive subway network that reaches from Heathrow Airport in the west, to Greenwich, the Olympic Park, and northern suburbs. The system incorporates an above-ground network called the Overground, and the new inter-city Elizabeth Line. Fares start at £2.70 ($3.50) and rise according to distance.   London buses   follow more winding routes between neighborhoods and start at £1.75 ($2.25) with a daily cap at £5.25 ($6.75). Seniors and students 11 and over are eligible for discounts. Children 10 and under travel free. Riders can pay with any contactless card or device, but cash is no longer accepted.

By train:   Trains beyond London are found at larger stations like Paddington, Euston, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Victoria, and Charing Cross. Riders must purchase tickets ahead of travel at the station or with an app like   Trainline .  

By taxi:   London’s famous   black cabs   can be hailed on the street or booked in advance. Typical fares start at about £7.60 ($9.75) for a mile-long journey. Minicabs, or privately run taxi services, can be booked in advance or hired from a licensed purveyor, found on most main streets. Uber operates throughout the city.    

By boat:   The   Thames Clipper   boat service, now operated by Uber, runs along the Thames between Putney, in southwest London, and Barking, in the east, stopping at Battersea, Westminster, Tate Modern, Tower Bridge, Greenwich, and other piers. Prices start at £5.60 ($7.20) one way, with discounts for children and families. Riders can pay with a contactless card or with the Uber app.

( Going underground: a subterranean tour of London's abandoned tube stations. )

By bike:   Transport for London operates the   Santander bikeshare program , with bike docks in place across the city. A day-pass costs £3 ($3.85) for unlimited 30-minute rides; payment can be made through the   app   or at a docking terminal.   Lime operates an e-bike- and scooter-share program. Vehicles are GPS-equipped and located via the   app ; prices vary.    

By car:   Only confident drivers familiar with England’s road laws should operate a private car in London. There is a daily £15 ($19.25)   Congestion Charge   in effect for most areas of central London, which must be paid on the day of travel. New   emissions rules   impose additional fees on non-compliant motor vehicles, and “ultra-low-emission zones”   (ULEZ)   make it tricky to enter some neighborhoods during the day.  

By foot:   London neighborhoods are highly walkable, but the distance between them can be vast. Most roads have sidewalks that are well populated into the night. Always look both ways before crossing, even at a green light. Traffic normally comes from the right.  

Know before you go

Diversity:   London is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse cities, with 37 percent of residents born outside London—many from South Asia, West and East Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. Hundreds of languages are spoken here, and most neighborhoods have a mix of residents.    

LGBTQ+:   The most recent   Open For Business index   gave London a top AAA rating as a “stalwart supporter” of LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality, and its universities rank highly among gay students. Soho is, historically, the LGBTQ+ hub of the city, though gay bars pop up in several neighborhoods, notably in East London and Lambeth.  

( Best hotels for every type of travele r. )

What to read and watch

The most fascinating London-based books and films transport the reader to a specific neighborhood and historical period and focus on its rich diversity.    

Oliver Twist , by Charles Dickens. Tragic, romantic, and surprisingly funny, this classic exposed the underbelly of Victorian London and prevails on high school reading lists everywhere.  

Bridget Jones’s Diary , by Helen Fielding. The titular Jones is a sad, sardonic, desperately funny 20-something single woman working for a London publisher. The book centers on West London while the film adaptation transports most scenes to the southeast. Both will get you in the mood to explore.  

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , by Arthur Conan Doyle. The book series and the companion TV show Sherlock take place around Baker Street in central London but investigate further afield into Piccadilly, New Scotland Yard, and the Tower of London  

London: The Biography , by Peter Ackroyd. Possibly the greatest contemporary history of the city, the weighty tome reaches back with wisdom and wit through Victorian London to the Plague and the Great Fire.  

Brick Lane , by Monica Ali. This instant classic, published just after the millennium, is an evocative peek into the lives of Bangladeshi immigrants in East London, based firmly in reality.  

Notting Hill , written by Richard Curtis of Four Weddings and a Funeral (and others), this 1990s hit comedy capitalized on the vulnerable charm of Hugh Grant—and the undeniable charm of bohemian London—and inspired generations of tourists to seek out that blue door.  

Rye Lane . Set around the eponymous market in Peckham, South London, this post-Covid romance begins with a meet-cute in   an   gender-neutral   bathroom.  

My Beautiful Launderette . An enduring favorite that introduced a young Daniel Day-Lewis to the world, this romance by Hanif Kureishi was set in South London during the Thatcher years and emerged as one of the first “queer fairytales” to reach a wide audience.

Related Topics

• HISTORY AND CIVILIZATION
• HISTORIC SITES
• PEOPLE AND CULTURE
• CITY GUIDES

You May Also Like

The essential guide to visiting Dublin

The essential guide to visiting Amsterdam

The essential guide to visiting Canada

The 9 best hotels in London for every kind of traveler

The essential guide to visiting Estonia

The essential guide to visiting Ireland

The essential guide to visiting Scotland

• Photography
• Environment

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• History Magazine
• Paid Content
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

Sign in to add this item to your wishlist, follow it, or mark it as ignored

Planned Release Date: 21 Aug, 2024

This game plans to unlock in approximately 9 days

About This Game

System requirements.

• OS *: Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / 11
• Processor: 1 GHz
• Memory: 512 MB RAM
• Graphics: 256 MB
• DirectX: Version 9.0
• Storage: 400 MB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound device
• Processor: 1 GHz or higher
• Graphics: 1 GB

More like this

You can write your own review for this product to share your experience with the community. Use the area above the purchase buttons on this page to write your review.

You can use this widget-maker to generate a bit of HTML that can be embedded in your website to easily allow customers to purchase this game on Steam.

Enter up to 375 characters to add a description to your widget:

Copy and paste the HTML below into your website to make the above widget appear

Popular user-defined tags for this product: (?)

Sign in to add your own tags to this product.

Grainger Stadium shines in its final Minor League season

Benjamin Hill

This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE .

The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League Ballpark Guides . Plan your road trip today, and check out the Down East Wood Ducks Ballpark Guide HERE .

Grainger Stadium opened in 1949 and now stands as Minor League Baseball’s ninth-oldest ballpark. The first time I visited was in 2011, a farewell season. Following that campaign, the Carolina League’s Kinston Indians relocated to Zebulon, N.C., and, as part of a series of moves, became the Carolina Mudcats.

There was still more Minor League Baseball to come at Grainger Stadium, as 2017’s contraction of the California League and corresponding expansion of the Carolina League resulted in the formation of the Down East Wood Ducks (Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers). The Down East geographical signifier references a specific area of the North Carolina coast near Kinston and is also utilized as a catchall phrase for the portion of the state that is “down east” of Raleigh.

The Wood Ducks were owned by the Rangers until earlier this season, when they were purchased by Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH). Their acquisition by DBH was followed by the announcement that the team will move to Spartanburg, S.C., in 2025 and begin a new era as the Hub City Spartanburgers . The Spartanburgers will play in the High-A South Atlantic League, with the Rangers’ current High-A affiliate, the Hickory Crawdads, moving to the Carolina League.

Putting aside the endless machinations and maneuverings that are part and parcel of the Minor League Baseball landscape, the end result is this: The Wood Ducks are in the homestretch of their “Fowl Well” season, Grainger Stadium’s last as host of an affiliated team. It’s 75 years old and would need a lot of work (and therefore a lot of money) to meet current facility standards. Kinston has a population of approximately 20,000 people and is one of Minor League Baseball’s smallest markets.

• Subscribe to Ben’s Biz Beat Newsletter

This is why I made sure to visit Grainger Stadium this season, as the first stop of a (mostly) North Carolina road trip on July 26. I wanted to say goodbye to a charming place, a paragon of smalltown baseball and venerable representative of a bygone era.

Grainger is a renowned surname in the Kinston area. Grainger Stadium is located on East Grainger Avenue, in a location that had previously been home to Grainger High School. The ballpark is named specifically for one Jesse Willis Grainger, a major donor to its construction. The area adjacent to it on its third-base side is quiet and residential, making for a strange juxtaposition.

Grainger Stadium’s layout is straightforward, as one would expect from a ballpark that opened during Truman’s second term. A covered grandstand, with the concourse running behind it, gives way to metal bleachers down the baselines.

A newer (2018) addition is the right-field pavilion. I was in attendance for a gray and slightly rain-delayed doubleheader that began at 5 p.m, so here’s a picture of the pavilion in more vibrant times.

The arrival of the Wood Ducks in 2017 precipitated a wave of duck-themed signage and logos around the ballpark -- including on the water tower overlooking left field -- as well as the liberal use of the acronym “DEWD” in the team’s marketing materials.

And speaking of DEWD, that’s the name of the mascot as well. (In the below photo, I’m on the right.)

Duck facts abound throughout the ballpark -- did you know that baby ducks eat unassisted as soon as they are born? -- and the bathrooms are appropriately labeled.

Friday’s evening game was a twinbill in more ways than one, with the Wood Ducks taking on the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (because both ducks and woodpeckers have bills, you see). I talked to longtime fans and members of the front office as I wandered about; the overall mood was bittersweet, with ballpark regulars trying to savor what remains while wondering what the future holds. (Given North Carolina’s robust baseball scene, it seems plausible that a summer-collegiate or independent team would view Grainger Stadium as an appealing location.)

Mike Grady, a special needs fan, is the heart and soul of Grainger Stadium. He’s at every game, sitting down the third-base line, going after foul balls and giving them to kids. He gives the umps and opposing team a hard time while fervently rooting for the Wood Ducks.

“I love it,” he said. “It feels like home to me.”

Doug and Anne Barnes have been Grainger Stadium regulars for decades. Anne remembers going to games as a child, when the team that played there was the Kinston Eagles (1962-81). Doug spoke fondly of the Indians era (1990-2011), rooting for the likes of Jim Thome, CC Sabathia and Manny Ramirez.

“There’s going to be a void. We’ve been doing this for so many years,” he said.

Donald Speight saw his first game at Grainger Stadium in 1958 (!) and he went on to play amateur games there as well. He remembers rooting for the dynamic pitching duo for the 1962 Eagles, Steve Blass and Frank Bork, and remembers seeing local standout Jim Ray Hart as he was making a name for himself prior to signing with the San Francisco Giants.

“It’s a sad day for Kinston,” he said, of the Wood Ducks’ imminent departure. “A sad, sad day.”

Navigating a final season is obviously tough from an operational standpoint, as regards both employee retention and fan apathy. General manager Jon Clemmons and AGM Janell Fitch, both North Carolina natives, are doing an admirable job navigating the situation (stay tuned for an interview with Clemmons on an upcoming episode of “The Show Before the Show” podcast). Even amid the uncertainty, there is plenty to celebrate.

In addition to “Fowl-well” season giveaways, ballpark displays and recognitions of longtime employees, the team is also celebrating its connection to the reigning World Champions. The Texas Rangers’ World Series trophy will be on display Sept. 6, the Wood Ducks’ antepenultimate regular-season home game. July 12’s giveaway, meanwhile, had a nice ring to it.

There is now just one month to go in the Wood Ducks’ regular season and 16 home games remain. Check out a game, DEWD. You’ll be glad you did.

As always, thank you for reading. Get in touch anytime. All of my road trip itineraries can be found HERE .