Latest Articles on Culture

13 Things You Should Never Do in Japan

Ordering street food in Harajuku, Tokyo. In a country with a unique culture like Japan, visitors can feel daunted by the rules and social norms that regulate public life and interpersonal relations. Foreigners visiting Japan are not expected to be familiar with Japanese etiquette, but knowing a few basics will go a long way in…

14 of the Best Children’s Museums Around the World

In 1899, the world’s first children’s museum opened in Brooklyn, New York. By 1990, the Unites States had a total of 118 museums dedicated to kids, making the country’s model the go-to for children’s museums around the world. And while the focus of each and every museum may vary, there are common threads that run…

18 European Travel Experiences to Add to Your Bucket List

For a Europhile with vacation days, it can be hard to remember that there are actually seven continents. Our rally cry is “Europe or bust!” Thankfully, there’s enough on the continent to keep us exploring for a lifetime — and we’ve got the bucket list to prove it. If you’re constantly drawn across the Atlantic…

9 Popular Tourist Destinations That Still Pack a Lot of Local Culture

One of our common travel woes is excitedly visiting a new destination, only to be met with a tourist trap that’s lost most of its culture (we’re looking at you, Bali and Cancun). Fortunately, there are many destinations that are able to attract millions of visitors each year while retaining the region’s way of life.…

7 of the World’s Most Expensive Cities and Their Cheaper, Cooler Alternatives

For the urban travel aficionado, the world’s biggest, baddest, and most expensive cities have unmatched allure. Places like New York City, Tokyo, and London are certainly some of the coolest, busiest, and most energy-packed places on earth, but just a couple nights spent in any of those destinations can leave your bank accounts quickly drained.…

The Best Time to Visit Spain: A Season-by-Season Guide

To be honest, visiting Spain any time of year is a good idea. The country is blessed with a mostly mild climate, meaning that even during wintertime visits, you might not need a jacket during the day. Of course, there are plenty of factors to consider, and particular parts of the country are more hospitable…

5 Things Travelers Should Avoid Photographing

Shutterbugs, we know it’s almost impossible to pocket your camera when you see something truly beautiful, iconic, or surprising. After all, isn’t part of the joy of travel to return home with your digital memory maxed out on a reel of gorgeous images? Alas, there are moments when you simply must put down the phone…

The 8 Best Day Trips From Washington, D.C.

Supreme Court Building, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C./Oyster Washington, D.C. is so chock-full of museums, you could see them from star-spangled sunup to sundown for days on end (to say nothing of the Capitol and the White House, both worthy of a tour). But despite the fact that there’s an endless list of cultural treasures to…

Where to Travel Based on Your Myers-Briggs Type

We’ve all taken a personality test at this point — whether it’s a quick Buzzfeed quiz that tells us our secret cereal identity or a more in-depth character analysis. People want to know more about who they are. And when it comes to travel, your personality can be a crucial component in planning your next…

A Culture Vulture’s Guide to Santa Fe

There’s no one right way to describe Santa Fe. It’s the capital of New Mexico, the oldest state capital in the U.S., and the country’s third-largest art market — behind New York and Los Angeles. Spanish for Holy Faith, Santa Fe might be better known, though, for its self-proclaimed slogan, the “City Different.” And the…