Travel & Tourism

Grand Rapids – September 07, 2026 -- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will reopen ENLIGHTEN Presented by PNC Bank on Nov. 23, running through Jan. 10, 2027, with member ticket sales starting Sept. 1 and public sales beginning Sept. 8.

The third season of the immersive holiday light experience guides guests along a one-mile outdoor path from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on select evenings, featuring sculptures synchronized with music and lighting.

A reimagined midway stop highlights Mark di Suvero's Scarlatti sculpture

At the midpoint of the walking path, Scarlatti by Mark di Suvero returns with new lighting, music and choreography. The stop also includes a warming tent, firepits, and food and beverage options for visitors.

Ontario, Calif. – September 07, 2026 -- ONT Field, home of the Ontario Tower Buzzers, the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been named the 2026 BaseballParks.com Ballpark of the Year, an honor recognizing it as one of the top fan experiences in Minor League Baseball.

The ballpark leans fully into its airport-adjacent identity.

Designed by global design firm Populous in partnership with the City of Ontario, Diamond Baseball Holdings and the Tower Buzzers, ONT Field features a center field food hall modeled after a baggage-claim carousel and a left field concourse built as an interactive runway. A vintage airplane and the runway lighting activate whenever the Tower Buzzers hit a home run.

Miami – September 07, 2026 -- Carnival Cruise Line has launched Carnival Rewards, a new loyalty program the company calls a first for the cruise industry, giving guests more flexible ways to earn points, climb tier levels, and unlock rewards regardless of how often they sail.

Guests earn points on nearly every dollar spent onboard

Under the program, guests earn three Carnival Rewards points for every $1 spent on eligible Carnival Cruise Line purchases, including gratuities. Guests also earn one point for every Casino Point retained in their account at the end of a voyage. Points can be redeemed for future Carnival cruises and eligible onboard experiences such as shore excursions, specialty dining, and spa treatments. Points post roughly 14 days after a voyage ends and are redeemable as soon as they arrive.

Seattle – September 07, 2026 -- Seabourn has opened bookings for a 138-day World Cruise aboard Seabourn Quest, sailing from Miami to Lisbon between January 7 and May 26, 2029.

The voyage covers more than 32,000 nautical miles, stopping at 58 destinations across 31 countries and territories, including 32 islands and over 25 UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Easter Island, Fiordland National Park and the Stone Town of Zanzibar.

The route reaches remote ports rarely visited by larger ships

Guests will call at Bora Bora, Easter Island, Zanzibar, Nuku Hiva, Praslin, Antsiranana, Akaroa and Burnie. Seabourn President Mark Tamis said the itinerary was built to pair globally known landmarks with harder-to-reach locations for deeper cultural exposure.

Leipzig – September 07, 2026 -- Zoo Leipzig has opened Feuerland, a new coastal and marine habitat that recreates the Pacific coast of South America, giving visitors underwater views of seals and Humboldt penguins. The attraction officially opened on September 1, 2026.

A 100-meter tunnel puts visitors face-to-face with marine life

The centerpiece is a swimming pool holding more than five million liters of water, through which a tunnel longer than 100 meters runs, offering 360-degree views of the animals. A wave system keeps the water in motion, while separate beach areas give the animals space to rest away from public view.

Zoo director says animal welfare shaped every design choice

Zoo director Prof. Jörg Junhold said the design focused on both animal needs and new viewing angles for visitors, and he led guests into Feuerland to live music by the band Keimzeit.

Miami – September 07, 2026 -- Carnival Cruise Line has launched Carnival Rewards, a new loyalty program that lets passengers earn points on purchases, qualify for status tiers, and unlock a co-branded Mastercard offering bonus points on everyday spending.

Points now reward everyday cruise spending, not just trip frequency

Guests earn 3 points for every dollar spent on qualifying Carnival purchases, including gratuities, and 1 point for each casino point remaining at the end of a cruise. Points post roughly 14 days after a voyage ends and can be redeemed immediately for future Carnival cruises, shore excursions, specialty dining, and spa treatments.

Moab, Utah – September 07, 2026 -- Arches National Park visitors can now skip the parking hunt entirely, thanks to a new free shuttle system launched by the Moab Office of Tourism. The pilot program runs through October 31, 2026, then resumes March 1 through June 30, 2027.

Two routes connect downtown Moab to the park's busiest trailheads

An intra-park route links the Arches Visitor Center with The Windows and Delicate Arch, while a downtown route connects the Visitor Center to four Moab stops: the Transit Hub, Moab Rock Shop, Moab Information Center and Maverick Gas.

Visitors can park independently downtown and walk to any shuttle stop, park at Lions Park, or drive straight to the Arches Visitor Center to catch the intra-park route.

Salt Lake City – September 07, 2026 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has opened reservations for tours of the renovated Salt Lake Temple ahead of a six-month public celebration running April 5 to October 1, 2027.

The celebration carries the theme "Rejoice in Christ"

Church leaders announced the theme at a media event held at the new West Temple Entrance Building on Temple Square. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, chair of the Salt Lake Temple Executive Committee, said the church wanted to invite people of any background to "come and see and love Jesus Christ and the people who come here."

The same phrase has also been chosen as the church's 2027 youth theme, drawn from Philippians 4:4. Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman said the shared theme will connect youth worldwide to the celebration and to temple worship more broadly.

Madrid – September 7, 2026 -- Getting into the world's most coveted outdoor events now requires patience measured in years, not months, according to a new report from travel agency Jade Peak.

The New York Marathon accepted just 1% of applicants this year

Jade Peak's first "Access Index" found that the New York Marathon's public lottery drew 240,000 applicants but selected only 1% of them. At current demand levels, the report estimates it would take up to 18 years to secure a rafting permit through the Grand Canyon.

The index tracked over 300 activities across 90 countries

The report, titled "Dream Lists Are Now Waitlists," analyzed dozens of trips and expeditions based on cost, entry requirements, and how long it takes for spots to sell out.

Madrid – September 07, 2026 -- Getting into the world's most sought-after outdoor events and expeditions has become a numbers game, according to a new report from travel publisher Jade Peak. The New York City Marathon accepted just 1% of its 240,000public lottery applicants this year, and at current demand, booking a Grand Canyon rafting permit could take up to 18 years.

Jade Peak released the first edition of its Access Index, titled "Wish Lists Are Now Wait Lists," cataloging more than 300 outdoor activities across 90 countries. The report analyzed dozens of trips using cost, qualification standards, and how quickly slots sell out.

Lottery odds are shrinking while entry fees stay flat

The report found that public lottery odds for many events are declining even as prices remain largely unchanged. Nine out of ten U.S. national parks charge the same entry fee today as they did in 2020, according to Jade Peak co-founder Marina Herraiz.