Travel Dispatch: The North Carolina Barbecue Trail

July 5, 2025

The walk-up window at B’s Barbecue, on the outskirts of Greenville, N.C. Lauren Vied Allen for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

Happy July 4th! I hope if you are one of the 72 million people that AAA predicted would travel for the holiday that things have gone smoothly so far.

For this very American holiday week, we had a full slate of U.S. travel stories, including a roundup of beaches perfect for celebrating the holiday, or visiting any time during the summer.

We also went on a journey in search of authentic barbecue in North Carolina, followed Maine’s Oyster Trail, and spent 36 Hours on the East End of Long Island, in New York. America’s National Parks are always a summer-travel favorite. Many of them, in addition to the Park Service staff, rely on dedicated volunteers. We have portraits of six of them, who range in age from 8 to 88, at parks from Denali in Alaska to Fort Moultrie in South Carolina.

And for train lovers, Amtrak has announced that as of Aug. 18, it will restart service from Mobile, Ala., to New Orleans, a passenger line that has been closed since Hurricane Katrina damaged the tracks in 2005. The service will let travelers from Alabama and Mississippi meet up with Amtrak’s long-haul trains like the Sunset Limited to see the U.S. by rail.

A heat wave has been hitting Europe hard and we’ve got advice that can help. We’ve put together a list of places where you can cool off in cities like Rome and Paris (consider a catacombs tour), and we’ve updated our guidance on traveling during a heat wave.

Finally, measles is one of the most infectious viruses known and there have been more than 1,000 cases in the United States this year. If you want to know how to protect yourself and your children while traveling, we can help.

Wishing you safe and happy travels and no delays if you’re returning home later this weekend,

Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

Behind the takeout window of a restaurant, a smiling worker in glasses and baseball cap peers out. There is a strip of checked curtain above the window, which is plastered with paper signs that say "Order Here" and "Cash Only." To one side is a long handwritten menu.

Searching for the Real Thing on the North Carolina Barbecue Trail

On a rural road trip in the eastern part of the state, a writer explores the food and culture of an old-school tradition.

By Ingrid K. Williams and Lauren Vied Allen

A close-up of a woman eating an oyster on the half-shell. She is holding the shell to her mouth and has a happy look on her face.

Slurping Toward Nirvana on the Maine Oyster Trail

Savoring all things fresh and briny while on a mission to visit all four of Maine’s oyster regions in just one long weekend.

By Danielle Dowling and Greta Rybus

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours on Long Island’s East End

Long Island’s East End is where New Yorkers go to relax, swim, sail, shop — not to mention sample the oysters and lobster rolls.

By Charity Robey

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

7 Beaches With ‘Something More’ for the Fourth of July and Beyond

Colorful boardwalks? Art classes? Stunning underwater parks? Great beaches can offer more than crystalline waters and soothing sand.

By Nia Decaille

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

A large swimming pool with lap lanes in front of a large ornate yellow building. People are swimming in the pool.

Stephen Hiltner/The New York Times

How Tourists Can Stay Cool During the European Heat Wave

As Europe buckles under a punishing heat wave, residents and summer travelers are struggling to find relief. Here’s how and where to look for respite.

By Nia Decaille

An illustration depicts a crowded area -- perhaps an airport --- with a family of four, including two young children in the foreground. One small child is being held by the mother and the father is wearing a backpack and has his hand on the handle of a rolling suitcase.

Weston Wei

Travel 101

What to Know About Measles When Traveling

Summer travel raises fears that the highly infectious virus will spread. Here’s how to protect yourself and your family.

By Perri Klass, M.D.

A body of water is in the foreground, with trees, grass and hills beyond it. Several people walk along a path in the distance.

Will Warasila for The New York Times

Meet the Volunteers Who Help Keep America’s Public Lands Running

Here are six volunteers who make a difference at National Parks and other federal lands, from an 8-year-old who does the weeding to a retired rear admiral who keeps people — and animals — safe.

By Stephanie Pearson

An aerial view of Jackson Square in New Orleans shows a green garden with circular paths in front of a white cathedral with three pointed black spires, all situated in a dense neighborhood of low brick buildings.

Getty Images

Amtrak Will Revive Long-Stalled Gulf Coast Route in August

The Mardi Gras Service, starting on Aug. 18, will connect New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., by train for the first time since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

By Gabe Castro-Root

Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com.

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