Mariam Whiten
Travel Writer & Culture Explorer
Latest from Mariam Whiten
20 Articles
11 Underrated European Towns That Haven't Been Ruined by Instagram (Yet)
Every summer, the same dozen European destinations show up in everyone's camera roll. Dubrovnik's walls, Santorini's blue domes, Hallstatt's lake reflection, yo
How to Pack for a Two-Week Trip Using Only a Carry-On
Somewhere between the third rolled shirt and the second pair of shoes you probably don't need, most people give up on carry-on-only travel and check a bag anywa
9 Budget Destinations Where $50 a Day Still Buys You Luxury
There's a strange assumption in travel planning that comfort and cost always move in the same direction. Spend more, get more. Yet a look at where currencies, c
6 Overlooked National Parks That Beat the Crowds at Yosemite
Yosemite has always been the park everyone talks about, and lately that reputation has come with a price. 2025 saw 4.27 million visitors for Yosemite, nearly as
7 Airport Hacks That Actually Save You Time, According to Frequent Flyers
Airports in 2026 are a strange mix of old habits and new technology. One traveler is still fumbling for a paper boarding pass while the person next to them bree
15 Countries You Can Visit Without a Visa in 2026
Visa rules have a way of quietly shifting while nobody's looking, and 2026 has turned out to be one of those years where several long-standing arrangements are
11 Countries Where Food Portions Are Enormous – and 9 That Keep Them Surprisingly Small
Sit down at a restaurant in São Paulo and you'll likely struggle to finish what lands on your plate. Cross the Atlantic to Paris and you might find yourself sti
The Travel Destinations Most Americans Fear That Frequent Visitors Cannot Stop Recommending
Fear is a powerful travel deterrent. A news headline, a State Department advisory level, or simply a cultural reputation built over decades can be enough to kee
7 Travel Experiences That Sound Overrated – Until You Actually Have Them
There's a specific kind of travel skepticism that builds up over time. You scroll past the same sunset photos, hear the same bucket-list recommendations, and st
8 Countries That Treat American Tourists Better Than Americans Might Expect
There's a certain anxiety that can creep in before an international trip, the quiet worry that you'll land somewhere and immediately be pegged as the loud Ameri
9 Countries That Could Soon Close Their Doors to International Tourists
Something is shifting in the way countries think about tourism. For decades, the goal was simple: attract as many visitors as possible, count the arrivals, cele
Which Countries Are Welcoming the Most Expats Right Now – and Which Are Quietly Closing Their Doors
The question of where to build a life abroad has never been more complicated to answer. On one hand, dozens of countries have spent the past few years designing
The 5 Countries Where Women Cannot File for Divorce Without Male Permission
Across most of the world, the legal right to end a marriage is treated as a basic civil liberty. Men and women walk into family courts with roughly equal standi
15 Summer Camp Traditions from the 1970s That Have Quietly Disappeared
You probably picture summer camp as the same thing your kids do now: sunscreen stations, laminated permission slips, counselors trained in "positive behavior re
The Only Country to Host the FIFA World Cup Three Times
When the opening whistle blew at Estadio Azteca on June 11, 2026, history quietly folded in on itself. Mexico became the first nation on earth to host football'
World's Second-Most Visited Country Welcomes 36.8 Million Tourists in Just Five Months
Spain has once again proven why it sits near the very top of global tourism rankings. Between January and May of 2026, the country recorded its strongest openin
How Traveling to Asia Is Helping Some Americans Become Healthier Again
A growing number of Americans are packing their bags not for sightseeing alone, but for something more personal: their health. Frustrated by high deductibles, l
The Dark Side of Popular Travel: Why Spain, Greece, and Turkey Are Facing Growing Backlash
Summer used to mean simple things in the Mediterranean: sunburned tourists, plates of seafood, and postcard views. These days it also means water pistols aimed
The Top 6 Countries With the Best Healthcare Systems – and 4 With the Worst
Healthcare rankings shift every year, but the gap between the systems at the top and the ones struggling at the bottom rarely closes. Some nations manage to del
The Top 6 Countries With the Worst Work-Life Balance on the Planet
Somewhere between the extended email chain that never stops pinging and the vacation days that quietly go unused, a pattern starts to emerge. Some countries hav