Mountains & Ski

Lansing, Michigan – September 21, 2026 -- Pure Michigan is rolling out a fall marketing push across 19 million acres of forest as the state's official tourism brand marks its 20th anniversary in 2026.

A new CTV spot targets streaming audiences on Amazon Prime and Netflix

The campaign's centerpiece, an ad called "In Vivid Color," blends nostalgia with footage of Michigan's autumn foliage. It runs on premium connected-TV placements including Amazon Prime and Netflix, alongside online video, social platforms, print, out-of-home, streaming audio, digital, and search ads that went live in August.

Tacoma – September 21, 2026 -- Visit Tacoma-Pierce County has released a new three-day fall itinerary called "3 Feet High," built around what actually excites young children rather than typical adult sightseeing priorities.

The route runs through five small towns near Mount Rainier

The itinerary connects Sumner, Spanaway, Eatonville, Elbe and Ashford, giving families a geographic backbone for a self-paced fall trip. Along the way, kids can feed farm animals, navigate corn mazes and launch apples from cannons at pumpkin patches designed for hands-on play rather than photo ops.

A steam train and a national park anchor the trip

The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad turns the act of traveling into the main event, while Mount Rainier National Park's historic Longmire area adds a stop focused on the mountain's natural and human history. A nearby lakeshore is included as open space for kids to invent their own games.

Tokyo – September 19, 2026 -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a new English-language tourism website on Monday, September 14, 2026, designed to help international visitors extend their trip beyond the capital into the northern Kanto region.

The site, called "KITAKANTO x TOKYO," was developed by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB) in partnership with the prefectures of Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma. It is available at kitakantoandtokyo.org.

The site highlights destinations one to two hours from Tokyo by train

Beyond Tokyo's major attractions, the website showcases natural scenery, historic sites and hot springs across the three northern Kanto prefectures. It combines suggested travel routes with practical tourism information from each participating local government, along with details on rail and other transportation links.

Aspen – September 15, 2026 -- Aspen Snowmass has confirmed its 2026/27 season dates and launched new lesson packages and early-booking discounts, while giving skiers until Sept. 18 to lock in current season pass prices before rates rise Sept. 19.

Aspen Mountain and Snowmass open Nov. 26, with Highlands and Buttermilk following Dec. 12

The season is scheduled to run through April 4, 2027 at Buttermilk, April 11 at Aspen Highlands and Snowmass, and April 18 at Aspen Mountain, conditions permitting.

New packages bundle lessons, lift tickets and gear for beginners

The 3-Day First Time Lesson package covers a lift ticket, lesson and rental equipment for beginners, and completers qualify for free ski access and rentals for the rest of the season. The Lesson + Lift Ticket Bundle now extends to adults and seniors, offering discounted lift tickets at $174 for adults and $86 for seniors 65 and older when bundled with group lessons.

Cambridge, Mass. – September 13, 2026 -- EF Go Ahead Tours has launched seven new guided train tours across Europe and North America, with departures beginning in June and July 2027 and prices starting at $3,499.

Survey shows travelers crave the journey itself

New research from EF Go Ahead Tours and Qualtrics polled nearly 900 U.S. and Canadian travelers, who rated their interest in train-centric travel at an average of 73.06 on a 100-point scale. Comfort ranked as the top motivator at 66%, followed by scenic views (64%), the uniqueness of rail-only destinations (63%), convenience (49%), and sustainability (29%).