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🌎 This Week in Travel: Expensive Flights, Rail Savings & Heat Warnings
Published about 1 month ago • 6 min read
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing July 13, 2026
Happy International Rock Day, a day to appreciate geological formations and the importance of rocks in science and nature.
We're using the week to get camping and travel supplies in order before heading out to the Eastern Sierras in California next week. The Amazon boxes have started to arrive with more Lynx Levelers for our Airstream, bug repellent, and various odds and ends.
And while it feels very early, we're starting to sketch out a 2027 trip to Scotland. If you've been and have top tips, let us know.
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Your Adventure Agenda - Travel Tips
How to Tell If Your Flight Price Is Actually a Good Deal
A cheap-looking airfare is not always a true bargain. Compare the fare with the route’s recent price history, seasonal trends, and normal booking window before deciding whether to book or keep watching.
Key Points:
Use Google Flights to see whether the fare is labeled low, typical, or high.
Check the Date Grid and Price Graph for cheaper travel days.
Compare nearby airports, but include ground transportation costs.
Set fare alerts to learn the route’s recent average and lowest prices.
Add baggage, seat selection, and other fees to the total fare.
Book when the price is near the route’s low end and fits your budget.
Track average fares and wait when prices are unusually high.
Jet-fuel prices have dropped about 40% from their April peak, but airlines are showing little urgency to lower fares. Strong travel demand, reduced flight capacity, and less competition following Spirit Airlines’ shutdown are helping carriers hold onto recent price increases.
The average domestic round-trip ticket sold through travel agencies reached $628 in May, nearly $100 more than a year earlier, yet bookings have remained resilient. Travelers may continue facing elevated prices through summer, although weaker demand after Labor Day or the return of additional flights could eventually bring back more discounts.
Amtrak’s “Big City Savings Sale” is offering discounts of up to 30% on select Northeast fares booked from July 9 through July 15, 2026, for travel between August 1 and September 30, 2026. The promotion includes Acela Business Class, Northeast Regional Coach, and select trains serving cities between Boston and Washington, D.C. Sample one-way fares include coach tickets from Philadelphia to New York starting at $36 and Acela fares from Washington, D.C., to New York starting at $130, making late-summer city breaks, sporting events, and cultural getaways more affordable.
Yellowstone National Park has implemented daily fishing closures from 2 p.m. until sunrise on portions of the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon rivers, including associated tributaries, due to unusually warm water and low river flows. The restrictions took effect July 9, 2026, after water temperatures exceeded 68 degrees Fahrenheit, creating potentially lethal conditions for trout. Yellowstone Lake, other lakes, and rivers not included in the closure remain open under normal regulations. Anglers should fish during the coolest part of the day, quickly land trout, and handle released fish carefully while park staff continue to monitor conditions.
Travelers heading to Europe this summer should prepare for extreme heat, wildfire risks, and possible transportation disruption. France, Spain, Switzerland, Slovenia, and parts of Italy have issued elevated weather warnings, while wildfires have already forced evacuations in southern France and affected areas of Portugal, Greece, Spain, Croatia, and Albania.
Flights are currently operating without major heat-related disruption, but rail services may be reduced as temperatures rise. Travelers should monitor local forecasts and emergency guidance, confirm transportation schedules, stay hydrated, and review travel insurance policies carefully, as canceling due to hot weather alone is unlikely to be covered.
The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived in England for the first time in nearly a millennium, traveling from France to the British Museum under tightly controlled security and climate conditions.
The 230-foot medieval embroidery, which depicts the events surrounding the Norman Conquest of 1066, will be displayed in London from September 10 through July 2027 while its museum in Bayeux undergoes renovations.
With about 100,000 tickets sold on the first day of sales, travelers planning a visit to London may want to reserve early for what is expected to be one of the museum’s most popular exhibitions.
Why Visit? Skagway, Alaska is a hidden gem nestled in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness. This small town may seem unassuming at first glance, but it is full of unique attractions, cultural experiences, and natural beauty that will leave any adventurous traveler in awe. And it's a popular cruise port on Alaskan cruises.
Top Things To Do:
Experience the history of the Klondike Gold Rush by visiting the Skagway Historic District and National Park.
Take a scenic train ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad to see stunning views of glaciers, waterfalls, and rugged mountains.
Explore the untamed wilderness of Alaska with outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and wildlife spotting.
Travel Tip: Practical tip: The best time to visit Skagway is during the summer months, from May to September, when the weather is mild and most attractions are open.
We’re big on planning travel, typically six months in advance. With an eye on January 2027, here are some top things you can consider for your travel itinerary:
Australian Open - Melbourne, Australia - The first tennis Grand Slam of the year turns Melbourne Park into a major sports-and-entertainment destination each January. (January 11-31, 2027)
Parkes Elvis Festival - Parkes, New South Wales, Australia - Held in the second week of January around Elvis Presley’s birthday, this joyful tribute festival fills a small Australian town with concerts, costumes, parades, and the famous Elvis Express train. (January 6-10, 2027)
✈️ Don’t miss out on incredible travel savings.
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Happy travels, and we hope to see you at The Places Where We Go.
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The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing August 17, 2026 Happy National I Love My Feet Day from the USA. It's the perfect excuse to pamper your feet and prioritize your foot health. Did you know the average person will walk nearly 250,000 miles in a lifetime? And they're just the thing for hiking and long days of exploration during travel. Thank you, feet! This week, we took a day trip with the littles to Santa Barbara, California, where we visited MOXI, The Wolf Museum of...
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing August 10, 2026 Happy National Lazy Day from the USA, a day that gives us permission to relax and kick back. And that suits us especially well today after logging in a 35-mile walk this weekend from Santa Barbara to Ventura, California. We completed the Mission to Mission Pilgrimage Walk for a 5th consecutive year. It is hard. Perhaps when registration opens up around April each year, the memory of the struggle has worn off, and we sign up...
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing August 3, 2026 Happy National Watermelon Day, a day that celebrates the taste of summer. And this refreshing fruit is also packed with vitamins A and C. Woo hoo! This past week, we attended a pop-up at our local AAA office and signed up for TSA PreCheck. With a few flights scheduled in the upcoming months, we're looking for a bit of lower stress getting through airport security with this item. Plus, it's good for five years. And we got some...
