Travel Dispatch: 5 Spectacular Canadian Parks

June 7, 2025

At sunrise, empty streets and sidewalks surround a plaza dominated by a towering, ornate carved pedestal with a statue of a man in 15th-century clothing. Beyond it is a sprawling stone building.

Plaza de Colón in Madrid. Gianfranco Tripodo for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

All of a sudden, it feels like the summer travel season is in full swing. If you’re making plans now, we’ve got a fun quiz that may offer some inspiration. Our guide to spectacular Canadian National Parks may also help, as will Nicole Kidman’s suggestions for spots to visit in Sydney, Australia.

Sometimes, not making plans is the whole point, though, as the writer Joyce Maynard discovered on a road trip through France driven by serendipity. And, unfortunately, sometimes plans go awry, which is when our Tripped Up columnist steps in. This week, he intervenes when a wheelchair goes missing from baggage claim and the airline won’t step up.

Madrid, the Spanish capital, is more than 200 miles from the nearest port, and yet the city is filled with all kinds of reminders of the sea, from its monuments to its art collections to its food. We’ve got this guide to the city’s watery treasures.

On the news front, we reported on the latest eruption of Mt. Etna, the volcano on the island of Sicily, and on Capital One’s plans to restrict access to its popular airport lounges.

Our 36 Hours column visits Detroit, which made it onto our 52 Places to Go list this year because of new developments like the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which is planned to open in the fall. It is a city that has gone through hard times but, like the Lions football team, is on the upswing.

Washington, D.C., also made our list this year for the World Pride celebration taking place there this weekend. If you’re going, I hope it’s a fantastic experience. To mark Pride, we have this interview with the writer of Lonely Planet’s first book aimed at L.G.B.T.Q. travelers. Another event in Washington — the planned military parade on June 14 — means Ronald Reagan National Airport will pause flights. Here’s what you need to know.

Wishing you safe and happy travels,
Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

Three kayakers in colorful vessels ply the calm waters surrounding a small uninhabited island. Beyond the island is a heavily forested coastline.

Scott Munn, via Parks Canada

5 Spectacular Canadian Parks to Visit This Summer

Travelers worried about the effects of budget and staffing cuts at U.S. parks can find glorious parks to the north. Here are some of the best.

By Elaine Glusac

Nicole Kidman looks to the left. She has long blond hair parted in the middle and is wearing a black leather jacket. She has a half-smile on her face.

Klára Šimonová/Getty Images

Nicole Kidman’s 5 Favorite Places in Sydney, Australia

When the Oscar-winning actress needs to recharge, she looks to her hometown, where she finds “comfort and ease” in gardens, art and harbor pools.

By Danielle Pergament and Rachel Kara Ashton

Nick Hagen for The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours in Detroit

The city that brought us automobiles and Motown has seen tough times. But Detroit always rises again.

By Amy S. Eckert

An illustration depicts a market scene in a European village with pale stone buildings and stalls of produce and shellfish on a cobblestone street. The stalls are shaded by blue-striped and red umbrellas, and people in aprons stand behind the bins of oysters and other goods. One customer in a red shirt holds a tray of oysters in one hand, as she tastes one of the shellfish.

Victoria Tentler-Krylov

In Search of Anyplace but the ‘Most Charming Village in France’

The novelist Joyce Maynard’s four-day road trip in the south of France was guided by pure spontaneity, which is how she ended up in “Le Love Room.”

By Joyce Maynard

Four photos showing, clockwise from top left, a conical building with a red roof, people on a wooden observation platform above a lake, a red rock bluff in a desert environment and a wave breaking as the sun sets.

Clockwise from top left: John Francis Peters for The New York Times; Michelle Litvin for The New York Times; Nate Abbott for The New York Times; Michelle Mishina Kunz for The New York Times

Take This Quiz Before You Take Your Summer Vacation

Gearing up for a long-awaited getaway? See how much you know about different destinations, and find some inspiration for future travels along the way.

By Danial Adkison

In the late afternoon, a large pond in a parklike setting is surrounded by trees. Along its shores, people sit or lay on the grass, gazing at the water. On the pond itself are a few small rowboats.

Who Cares if Madrid Is Landlocked? The Maritime Vibe Is Everywhere.

The capital of Spain may not be on the coast, but that doesn’t keep it from celebrating its ties to the sea with museums, fountains, the occasional massive anchor and even the city’s favorite sandwich.

By Andrew Ferren and Gianfranco Tripodo

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

An illustration shows an older woman and a younger man standing in front of an airport baggage carousel, while a wheelchair with wings flies away.

Charlie Padgett

Tripped Up

Help! KLM Lost My Mom’s $400 Wheelchair and Won’t Pay Up.

Workers said the transport chair was sent to baggage claim. An AirTag later showed it miles away. Who’s at fault when checked items vanish from the carousel?

By Seth Kugel

Two planes sit on the tarmac at an airport while ground crew work near them.

STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Reagan Airport Is Pausing Flights for Trump’s Military Parade. What Will It Mean for Travelers?

Some flights near Washington will be suspended on June 14 to accommodate military flyovers and fireworks displays. Here’s how it might affect travelers.

By Christine Chung and Nia Decaille

A woman is walking across an airport lounge while a man stands behind the lounge’s long blue bar. Drinks line the shelves behind the bar.

Capital One

Capital One to Curb Lounge Access for Some Cardholders

The bank is the latest airport lounge operator to erode perks that were once a given. Guests and additional card users will no longer routinely get in for free.

By Christine Chung

In an areal view the slopes of a volcano are shown with a large gray plume rising into the air above it.

Giuseppe Distefano/Associated Press

An Eruption at Mount Etna Sends Hikers Scrambling for Cover

Videos circulating on social media showed visitors rushing to descend the mountain as volcanic plumes rose overhead.

By Nia Decaille

Men sit on the covered terrace of a bar under a sign reading “Premium Frozen Cocktails.” in the background, there are palm trees bathed in sunlight.

Jake Naughton for The New York Times

Lonely Planet Just Published Its First L.G.B.T.Q. Guide. Why Now?

The author of “The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide” on the reasons the travel publishing giant chose a coffee-table book and how she picked the people and places to feature.

By Steven Moity

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

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