How to see the Northern Lights from North America

Placeholder while article actions load

A reindeer-drawn sleigh in Norway might seem like a more romantic setting to view the aurora borealis, but that shouldn’t detract from the view in North Dakota. While many people count the visual phenomena as a big draw for traveling to Scandinavia, it is possible to view the northern lights without leaving North America, even in the summer.

“Just watching it dance across the sky is mesmerizing,” said Chris Ratzlaff, 49, who lives just north of Calgary, Alberta.

Aurora chasers use a combination of planning, luck and patience to see the naturally occurring light show, even in places that aren’t often associated with the dancing waves of light. Because some of these spots are near tourist destinations, there’s plenty to do, regardless of whether the night skies offer a show.

The basic science of the aurora is the same everywhere in the world. The solar

Read more →

Family Travel Insurance Might Save Your 2022 Trip Budget

Travel disruptions remain top-of-mind for many travelers, especially those with families. Booking that long-deferred vacation only to have it fall apart is a real concern. So insuring a trip against inevitable uncertainties can save families from travel losses — if done right.

International travel is roaring back. Per the International Trade Administration, the number of US citizens leaving for international destinations in April 2022 was nearly 2.5 times higher than the year before. Yet traveling abroad still carries the risk of travel disruption.

According to an August 2021 AAA survey, 31% of US travelers say they are more likely to purchase travel insurance for trips through the end of 2022 because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

But what are the best ways to buy travel insurance for a family? And, for starters, what is travel insurance, exactly?

Travel insurance 101

Travel insurance is a confusing term because it sounds

Read more →

It’s Easier Than Ever to Travel Abroad Without Cash

On a recent trip to England, Andrew Dodson, 35, and his wife, Erin, 32, who live in Traverse City, Mich., had an unexpected problem: No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t spend the 700 British pounds they’d brought along.

“We traveled all around the country, including many small towns in the Lake District and the Cotswolds, and even the tiniest of pubs took cards,” said Mr. Dodson, a content marketing manager for TentCraft, a manufacturer of customized tents and accessories. “Many wouldn’t even accept cash. As we approached the end of our trip, we went to a nice dinner at this Indian restaurant where we hoped to spend off some of the cash we converted, only to be told they don’t accept cash anymore.”

Finally, their London hotel let them pay their balance with cash so they wouldn’t have to bring the pounds home and reconvert them to dollars.

Read more →

High fares and canceled flights: Welcome to summer 2022

Editor’s Note — Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations opening and closing, inspiration for future adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments.

(CNN) — Life is a journey, not a destination, as the saying goes — and this summer that’s truer than ever, as flight delays and cancellations continue.

But focusing on what awaits at journey’s end may be the key to pushing your way through the mayhem.

CNN Travel is here with destination inspiration and the latest aviation innovation as well as what you need to know about getting where you want to go this summer.

Destination inspiration

While there are currently plenty of hiccups on the transport side, destinations around the world are back open for business after a long couple of years.

Aviation innovation

While humans have been bulking

Read more →

How To Travel To Europe This Summer On The Cheap

Traveling is expensive most of the time and even more so during global inflation and worldwide shortages, stemming from Covid-19 and the Ukraine war. But there are ways to travel on the cheap(er) by either doing things differently, doing your research and/or booking differently/better.

Here are a few ideas for traveling across the Atlantic:

  • Find the cheapest times to leave—this has become more difficult now that ‘everyone’ works from home and can technically travel ‘off-peak’ (if such a thing exists anymore). However, statistically there are days that will be cheaper, such as Tuesdays and Wednesdays and August 23. Do your research.
  • Avoid arriving or traveling on holiday ‘pinch points’—whilst you might be aware of school holiday dates in your own country, don’t forget to do your research
Read more →