Travel Dispatch: Road Tripping Lake Superior’s Wild North Shore

September 12, 2026

A person sits on a rocky overlook, viewing a wide blue lake. The background shows expansive green forested hills under a bright sky.

Hiking in Pukaskwa National Park can yield sprawling views of Lake Superior. Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

Friday marked the 25th anniversary of the terrible events of Sept. 11, 2001, when we pause to remember all those who died in New York, at the Pentagon in Washington and in Shanksville, Pa. It was a day to look back and reflect on the attacks and their profound impact on our world — including how we travel.

The T.S.A., which was born out of those attacks, is making several changes to its security protocols. At a number of airports, it will be allowing some people who are not flying to go through the checkpoints, perhaps to meet friends or family members at the gate. And it will also allow some travelers to carry water through security. In both cases, you’ll need T.S.A. PreCheck to qualify.

The company that sells the Eurail pass, the flexible train pass that since 1959 has enabled millions of people to travel through Europe on a budget, is rebranding it as the Interrail pass. But there’s a lot of nostalgia for the name — take a look at the Comments on our article and leave us your own story.

Speaking of names, the board that controls the airport in Nashville, Tenn., voted on Friday to rename the airport to honor Dolly Parton. Soon, you could be “departin’ from Parton.”

R.F. Kuang, the prolific author of the novels “Yellowface” and “Katabasis,” has a new book out. It’s set in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, and she shares her five favorite places in that city with us.

We’ve also got some great advice for you this week, from how to start cold plunging to how to find off-season travel deals (hint: consider November). And Seth Kugel, our Tripped Up columnist, helps a couple who lost almost $13,000 to a fraudulent rental company on Booking.com, and then couldn’t get that site or their bank to help them out.

If you’re looking for some autumn travel inspiration, what about heading to Italy for a fall food festival? Booking a sailing on one of the new luxury cruise ships that companies have launched? Taking a multiday bike ride through the countryside in Normandy, France? Or visiting Stockholm as the season turns?

Finally, a reminder that summer’s not over just yet: We took a road trip along Lake Superior’s North Shore, from Duluth, Minn., to Pukawaska National Park in Ontario, Canada. Along the way our writer hiked, kayaked and, of course, found the perfect sauna.

Wishing you safe and happy travels,
Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

A body of water — deep, dark blue — is viewable from an elevated viewpoint. Green bushes, glowing with the day's last light, border the foreground. Beyond the water, a city is visible: tidy rows of rectangular buildings, beyond which the city sprawls out. A lone spire pokes up from the background. The sky is a pale powdery blue.

36 Hours

36 Hours in Stockholm

The breezy Swedish capital beckons in late summer, with new swimming piers, forest art installations, rooftop bars and budget-friendly boat rides.

By Ingrid K. Williams and Sofia Runarsdotter

A dim street with dark buildings and parked cars in Taipei. A tall, illuminated blue skyscraper rises against a light sky.

5 favorite places

‘Yellowface’ Author R.F. Kuang’s 5 Favorite Places in Taipei

The experiences Ms. Kuang had during a summer spent studying Mandarin in the Taiwanese capital helped her shape her newest novel, “Taipei Story.”

By Clarissa Wei and An Rong Xu

Seen from behind, two people ride bikes along a country road with a chateau ahead of them in some trees.

Aaron Kroger

Seeing Normandy on Two Wheels, a Fall Cycling Trip

On a ride through the French countryside from Dieppe to Bayeux, cyclists of all levels can explore beaches, cideries and historic towns.

By Sophie Stuber

At sunset, a street in an Italian town of four- and five-story stone buildings is lined with white tents and a large crowd of people milling about.

SGP Grandi Eventi

Pistachios, Truffles and Olives: Across Italy, a Cornucopia of Fall Food Festivals

Here are five culinary celebrations to work into your autumn itinerary.

By Seth Sherwood

Exploring a Wild Great Lake’s Wildest Shore

A road trip along the North Shore of Lake Superior, from Duluth, Minn., to Pukaskwa National Park in Ontario, Canada, packed multiple adventures into a week.

By Stephanie Pearson and Erin Schaff

A deck with several lounge chairs and a railing overlooking a blue ocean. An island is visible in the distance under a cloudy sky.

Camille McOuat for The New York Times

No Luxury Spared: New High-End Cruise Ships Set Sail

The latest batch of yacht-like vessels sailing in Europe, the Caribbean and beyond offer personalized experiences, great food and spacious suites.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

Fred Tanneau/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Eurail, the Longtime Savior of Shoestring Backpackers, Ditches Its Name

The flexible train ticket is rebranding itself as the Interrail Pass. For many travelers, the old name evokes a bygone era of freewheeling European travel.

By Ryley Ober

An illustration shows a hand holding a postcard with a stack of green money lounging beneath a palm tree in front of a cone-shaped mountain. The stack of money has legs and hands and is holding a tropical drink and wearing sunglasses. Text on the postcard reads, “Wish You Were Here.”

Matt Blease

Tripped Up

Help! We Canceled a Vacation Rental 2 Years Ago. Where’s Our $13,000?

In July 2024, a couple used Booking.com to reserve two apartments in Hawaii, but quickly changed their minds. Getting a refund was no day at the beach.

By Seth Kugel

Beneath a clear sky, red buttes and rocky formations tower over a desert landscape and a curving highway with a single car on it.

Kevin Chen/Getty Images

Is November the New October? For Off-Season Travelers, It’s Looking That Way.

The increasing popularity of September and October travel has changed the traditional shoulder season, leaving sporadic midweek troughs and a few weeks in November.

By Elaine Glusac

A uniformed airport security agent talks to a person with light green hair, wearing a red and white striped shirt and a black backpack. A screen shows a thumbs-up.

Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

T.S.A. May Ease Liquid Rules for Passengers With PreCheck

Bottles of water could soon be allowed through security checkpoints at some airports, relaxing a strict policy in place for more than 20 years.

By Gabe Castro-Root and Christine Chung

An illustration with a blue background shows a person wearing a winter cap, mittens and a one-piece swimsuit sitting down in a wooden tub filled with water. A ladder leads up the side of the tub, and drops of water are splashing out.

Philip Lindeman

Travel 101

How to Warm Up to Cold Plunges

Brief dips in frigid water can benefit your physical and mental health. Here are some tips to prepare yourself to wade into this age-old practice.

By Caren Osten Gerszberg

A bright airport terminal with blue "TSA Pre" signs marking security lines. People walk through the area, many with bags and suitcases.

Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

T.S.A. Opens Door to Meet Mom at the Airport Gate, for Some

At more than a dozen U.S. airports, T.S.A. PreCheck members can now apply to enter the secure area, even if they’re just going to meet someone on a flight.

By Christine Chung

A sign for BNA Nashville International Airport stands by a multilane road. Cars drive toward distant airport buildings and a construction crane.

George Walker Iv/Associated Press

Nashville Says Yes to Renaming Airport for Dolly Parton

A board voted unanimously to honor the country star, philanthropist and Tennessee native. If the effort clears all hurdles, fliers will be “departin’ from Parton.”