August means travel for many of us, and the newsstand has almost as many magazines telling us where to go as there are destinations.
Conde Nast Traveler
We begin with the July/August issue of Conde Nast Traveler, whose bikini-clad and Kaminski-chapeaued cover girl captures the essence of summer vacay in a single still. The content gets more exotic between the covers, however, as a six-page spread devoted to debunking safari myths attests. Too expensive, too time-consuming, too dangerous, you think? The average per-person price is $600 a night, Traveler tells us. As for danger, the so-called Big 5 of lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards and Cape buffalo are enough for us to trade our sleeping bags for a hotel room. But, yikes, editors remind us terrorists and Ebola are part of Africa, too. “The best way to protect yourself? Book through a specialist,” the magazine advises. Even better? Just leaf through the magazine.
Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure celebrates the 20th anniversary of its “World’s Best Awards” in its August issue, wherein readers rank everything from airports to islands. Kyoto takes “World’s Best City” — testament to how its readers are increasingly adventurous. “Only two of the top 10 cities (Florence and Rome) appeared on the inaugural list,” T+L reports. Kyoto shares this year’s top 10 city designation with such exotic locales as Cambodia’s Siem Reap, Poland’s Krakow and South Africa’s Cape Town. Throw in awards to the Galapagos for best island and to India’s Oberoi Udaivilas for top hotel, and it’s obvious we need to get out more.
National Geographic Traveler
National Geographic Traveler has an enticing shot of St. Peter’s Basilica on its August/September cover, but its “Inside Vatican City” cover line overpromises. Turns out the two pages devoted to the Vatican are part of a much lengthier section about “Europe’s Rising Stars.” The Vatican ranks only 12th among these up-and-comers, midway between Munich at No. 1 and Norway’s Vega Island at No. 24. That’s OK, though, because NG Traveler’s recommendations of places to visit off the beaten path will make you want to renew your Eurail pass. Who knew that “tiny Slovenia may well be Europe’s prettiest place” or that Moldova, “Europe’s least-visited country,” produces the best wines east of Italy?
Afar
San Francisco-based Afar delivers its “Ultimate Guide to Experiential Travel” (hipster talk for immersion travel) in its August-September issue. And despite mixed reviews — from “worst magazine ever!” to “best-kept secret among travel magazines,” according to customer posts on Amazon.com — it’s loaded with useful tips. Writer Howie Kahn re-examines the adage about never taking a spouse before traveling together in “Is She the One?” His first-person account has him upgrading from a girlfriend who “preferred the rush of narrowly making it through [an airplane’s] boarding doors” to a wife who, like himself, would rather wait at the airport than be late to the gate. Afar also endorses a gap year — a pre-college year off to gain life experiences, often through travel. It recommends the same for old-timers, too, and even sets up a discussion with the hashtag #graygapyear.
Time
One can only wonder what Hillary Clinton must make of the bizarre friendship between her husband, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. The two ex-presidents are celebrated on Time’s cover. Bush tells Time the cozy photo shoot feels like attending a prom, to which Bill Clinton quips, “I’d have gone to the prom with you.” Ewww.
New Yorker
Only the New Yorker could deliver a 14-page dissection of the career of Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister and motorcycle enthusiast. By writer Ian Parker’s account, he’s something of a cool rock star, with a who-gives-a-fig attitude.
New York
This week’s New York deserves a Pulitzer for two reasons. First, it gathered all the women who’ve accused Bill Cosby, and it makes for an astounding and disturbing piece of journalism. Second? It goes about finding ways to be alone in our busy, hot city. For instance, if you just need 30 minutes in an empty office in Rockefeller Center, it will cost you $13.50.
