Travel Dispatch: Southern California Beyond the Freeway

Plus: 36 Hours in Durham, N.C.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 4, 2023 A 100-mile-long road trip on Southern California's back roads led to the discovery of many small-town gems. Pictured, a taco truck in Somis, Calif.Stella Kalinina for The New York Times Dear Travel Fan, Who travels more than professional basketball players? They play at least 41 in-season games on the road, visiting 28 cities in the United States and Canada. And you know what else they do? They eat out — a lot. This week, we talk to some N.B.A. players about their favorite spots. We hit the road in Southern California, driving about 100 miles from Calabasas to the wine country northwest of Santa Barbara, while keeping to back roads. The mission: to discover the unexpected museums, hundred-year-old restaurants, small towns and other sites that have endured but remained hidden from the cars whizzing by at 75 miles per hour. In England, we go hunting for the best artisanal Cheddar on a tour specifically for cheese lovers. In Chile, we visit the Atacama Desert in search of Indigenous wisdom. And in the U.S., we make Durham, N.C., our 36 Hours stop. We also look at the growing trend among some families of pulling children out of school to travel. Some well-off parents, emboldened by the rise of remote work and schooling in the pandemic and fed up with the record-breaking high prices of peak-season travel, are taking children along even while school is in session. Many educators object. Our Tripped Up column this week tackles a timely issue: A couple booked to take a Middle East cruise don't feel comfortable going and would like to defer. Our columnist, Seth Kugel, walks through the competing issues and concerns. Finally, on a personal note, I'll be off for the next few weeks. I'm traveling to Japan for my own deferred trip from 2020. I will, of course, be consulting our 36 Hours in Tokyo while I'm there. Wishing you safe and happy travels, Amy Virshup OPEN UP YOUR WORLD Stella Kalinina for The New York Times Southern California Beyond the Freeway There's history around every curve on the back roads between Los Angeles and Los Olivos, a 100-mile route that meanders through mountains, canyons and star-studded enclaves. By Eric A. Taub Jeremie Souteyrat for The New York Times The Big Cheese (Tour) A writer spends eight days exploring the world of British farmhouse cheeses, from London to the West Country, where a good Cheddar rules the day. By Alexander Lobrano 36 HOURS 36 Hours in Durham, N.C. The North Carolina city's evolution from a faded tobacco town to a diverse cultural and culinary destination has been years in the making. By Ingrid K. Williams Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press Looking for a Slam-Dunk Place to Eat? Just Ask an N.B.A. Player. The best basketball players on the planet travel regularly, embrace local cultures and have deep pockets — making them very credible reviewers of restaurants across the country. By Gerald Narciso Irjaliina Paavonpera THE WORLD THROUGH A LENS In the World's Driest Desert, Ancient Wisdom Blooms Eternal Burned out from life in New York, a photographer traveled to northern Chile to study the ancient wisdom of the Lickanantay, the area's Indigenous people. Here's what she saw. By Irjaliina Paavonpera Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL Miguel Porlan TRIPPED UP Help! We're Booked on a Nile Cruise but Worry About Our Safety. A Jewish couple about to go on a long-delayed $29,000 dream trip to Egypt and Jordan are afraid to travel because of the war in Gaza, but Viking says it's safe. By Seth Kugel Julie Benbassat Taking Off From School to Take In the World Vacationing during the off-season has long been considered a cost-saving boon. But can families with school-aged children take advantage? Should they? By Lauren Sloss Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com. Make a friend's day: Forward this email. Did you get this from a friend? Sign up for the Travel Dispatch here. You can always find our latest stories here. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT We have more newsletters you might like! Sign up for The Morning newsletter to make sense of the day's news and ideas with David Leonhardt and Times journalists. See all newsletters here. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Travel Dispatch from The New York Times. To stop receiving Travel Dispatch, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018