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TikTok users are raving about this ‘underrated’ UK seaside town – and it’s no wonder why. The destination boasts two beaches, a charming lighthouse and an award-winning bakery

The prospect of a sunny summer has many Brits contemplating a staycation this year instead of jetting off overseas. Staycations, which became exceedingly popular during the Covid pandemic, are proving to be just as enjoyable and sun-soaked as trips abroad – and they often come with less hassle and a smaller price tag.

With summer around the corner, it’s the perfect time to discover some of Britain’s finest beaches, perhaps visiting a coastal town that’s new to you? TikTok influencer and travel expert @lotteboo3 took to the platform to shine a light on what she considers an “underrated” seaside treasure.

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Southwold, hailed as a “classic seaside town” by the Express, is nestled in Suffolk and ticks all the boxes for a quintessential British staycation.

The town is home to two inviting beaches, Southwold Pier Beach to the north and Southwold Denes Beach to the south. Holiday-goers will be greeted by rows of quaint, brightly coloured beach huts that line the shore, injecting vibrant butter yellows, whites, and blues into the scenery.

The TikTok user posted footage of an “award-winning bakery”, overflowing with delectable sausage rolls, gingerbread men, croissants, and assorted pastries.

She also highlighted a “charming lighthouse” – perfect for those holiday photos – and a magnificent pier where visitors can leave their mark by adding personalised plaques.

The official Southwold Pier website even offers a Pier Plaque Creator, giving tourists the chance to craft their own plaque as a “great gift, a wonderful surprise or a memento of your visit”.

Holidaymakers heading to Southwold are in for a treat, with the chance to meander through its picturesque streets dotted with colourful abodes, discover distinctive independent boutiques, and relish traditional coastal pleasures such as ice cream.

Lotte’s TikTok showcase of Southwold has captured the imagination of social media users, racking up nearly 32,000 likes and over 3,200 saves.

The post has sparked some serious wanderlust, prompting more than 1,000 shares as people plot their next escape. Admiring comments flooded in from fans of the town, with one user, @Goodgriefisthatthetime, professing: “Worked at scores of seaside towns all over the UK. By far the cleanest, well looked after.”

Meanwhile, Laura Marsh joined in the chorus, saying, “We live down the road from Southwold, definitely one of our happy places. Great beer and fish and chips.”

Numerous commenters labelled Southwold as their “happy place”, including Bethany who revealed, “I absolutely love it here I go every year, it’s like a second home”.

Adding to the endorsements, Caitlin Harvey shared her six-year working experience in Southwold, concluding: “Worked here for six years. Can’t deny that it’s actually a lovely place to visit.”

PRINCE Harry made a shock solo appearance in China on the same day King Charles touched down in Canada for a state visit.

The Duke of Sussex attended a global travel and tourism conference in Shanghai where he discussed the importance of sustainable travel.

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The Prince made the appearance on Monday as part of his role as co-founder of Travalyst, an organisation promoting environmentally friendly travel.

During his address to the Envision 2025 Global Partner Conference today, Harry told the travel industry it needed to do more to hit its climate change targets before 2030.

To limit global warming to 1.5°C, greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by the end of the decade.

He added that the Asia-Pacific region is “strongly positioned to do this”.

Speaking at the conference, he said: “Climate change isn’t just an environmental challenge – it’s a critical business emergency, costing the global economy $143 billion dollars annually.

“Now is the moment for the industry to reaffirm its commitment to being a force for good.

“Challenges will undoubtedly rise, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that meaningful change never comes easily.

“The true measure of our commitment is how we respond when the path becomes difficult.

“We must never give up.”

Harry’s trip to China, which was kept under wraps until his surprise appearance in Shanghai, is the first time the Duke has visited the country.

His brother, Prince William, made a similar diplomatic trip to China in 2015 — the first official royal visit in three decades.

The Duke’s Shanghai schedule also included hosting Travalyst’s first-ever two-day Executive Summit, gathering industry leaders and policymakers from across the region to hammer out practical solutions for greener tourism.

It marks the beginning of a global series aimed at turning pledges into action.

As Harry took to the stage in Shanghai, King Charles touched down in Canada also on Monday with Queen Camilla to attend The State Opening of the Parliament in Ottawa.

It marks the first time the monarch has done so since Queen Elizabeth in 1977.

In March, the King held a meeting with then-Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, after the Commonwealth leader faced pressure from the US.

Charles and Camilla were welcomed in Ottawa with cries of “welcome home” as they stepped off their RAF flight from the UK.

Their whirlwind two-day trip to Canada has been hailed as “momentous” — seen as a bold show of solidarity with the country as it locks horns with Donald Trump over sovereignty.

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Charles was previously reported to be “concerned” about the growing discord between the US and Canada.

The King and Queen were met at Ottawa’s airport by new Prime Minister Mark Carney, who swept to power following outrage over Trump calling Canada “America’s 51st state.”

Carney called the royal visit “a reminder of the bond between Canada and the Crown… shaped by shared histories, and grounded in common values.”

Charles, on his 20th visit to Canada, took time to meet crowds under the hot midday sun, hearing thanks and cheers from the public.

The King, who is head of state for Canada, is also expected to meet with Indigenous leaders and veterans during the trip, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen ties and support reconciliation efforts.

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Southwold’s pristine beach makes it a hit for both families and those looking to dip their toes in the sea. Pier beach is flanked by a promenade that stretches all the way to the harbour

Like many coastal regions of the UK, the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk offer a plethora of seaside delights perfect for day trips and longer holidays. Southwold presents the picture-perfect British seaside outing for people of all ages and the Camping and Caravanning Club has even rated it as one of Britain’s top seaside towns.

Southwold’s safe, pristine beach makes it a hit for both families and those looking to dip their toes in the sea, earning it Blue Flag status and a Seaside Award in 2024. The town boasts two lovely beaches; Pier beach brims with striking beach huts while Denes beach – more secluded and favoured by windsurfers and canoeists – backs onto dunes and marshland.

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For added fun, Southwold Pier hosts quintessential seaside amusements, including an arcade bursting with vintage games and Tim Hunkin’s “eccentric” Under the Pier Show.

Hungry visitors can savour fare at various spots on the pier, be it the fish and chip shop, indulging in lunch or dinner at the Boardwalk restaurant with ocean views, or the Clockhouse for breakfast and homemade cakes, reports Cambridgeshire Live.

Pier beach is flanked by a promenade that stretches all the way to the harbour area, with the town centre just a short stroll away for those keen on a spot of shopping.

Southwold’s high street is brimming with independent shops and boutiques waiting to be discovered, including Pearls by the Sea, a family-run clothing shop that also offers gifts and accessories, and Squires of Southwold, a sweet shop and tea room boasting over 150 different types of sweets.

Little Gems, a popular greengrocers, is worth popping into if you’re after some fresh fruit for your trip or local products to take back home.

The shop was nominated in the regional Muddy Stilettos Awards for best farm shop in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

If you fancy a break from the beach, why not visit Southwold Museum? Housed in a quaint cottage, the museum offers interactive exhibitions and displays featuring fossil remains and information about Southwold’s transformation from a fishing community to a seaside resort.

Southwold is less than two hours’ drive from Cambridge via the A14. There’s a car park near the pier that charges £4 for a 10-hour stay, but there are other free parking spaces dotted around the town.

The Observation Wheel in Weymouth, Dorset, gives visitors amazing views of the town and has been compared to the iconic Ferris Wheel in Skegness – and locals and tourists seem to agree

A colossal new attraction has made its debut in one of the UK’s most beloved seaside towns, and visitors reckon it’s just the latest indication that the resort is returning to its glory days. Weymouth, a popular destination for around two million day-trippers annually, welcomed the Observation Wheel to its central beach at the end of April.

The towering wheel, standing 26 metres high and accommodating up to 108 passengers, offers breathtaking views of the town and has drawn comparisons to the iconic Ferris Wheel in Skegness. The project was financed by Danters, the local fairground operators, rather than the council.

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However, the new attraction wasn’t universally embraced, with Dorset Council receiving 38 objections. Yet, when the Express paid a visit to Weymouth seafront on a sunny Monday afternoon, it quickly became apparent that the majority of tourists and locals were enthusiastic supporters of the new feature.

Robert and Julie Gray, who were celebrating their anniversary in Weymouth, having travelled from Oxford, were spotted in the Alexandra Gardens on the esplanade. The couple, regular visitors to the Dorset coast over the years, were delighted with the addition of the Observation Wheel.

Robert, 79, shared: “We always come down to Weymouth. We used to do a lot of diving in the sea here. So we thought we’d come back and visit some of the regular haunts for our anniversary.”

Julie observed that the town has “improved over the years”, recalling how it was “quite rundown” a decade ago. She is of the opinion that additions like the Observation Wheel will only serve to enhance the town even further.

Robert chimed in with his thoughts on the local attractions, saying: “I think they keep the kids happy and gives them more to do,” and added: “It’s not an eye-sore is it, really? It’s not something we’d go on but it’s great for other people that want to. It’s something else. Why not?”.

Chester Harmer, a 16 year old resident, was full of praise for his hometown, saying: “The beach and the pavilion are always popular,” and “There’s a lot of things to do for people on holiday.”

Despite some calling the new wheel an “eye-sore”, Chester sees it as a positive addition, stating: “The Observation Wheel has only been up a few weeks and I don’t mind it. It adds something and brings people in. The seafront is definitely the best thing about around here.”

Located at the end of Weymouth Central Beach, the wheel stands among traditional seaside amusements. Andrew Dilly, 60, gestured towards the amusement park and remarked: “You’ve got these things that have been here for years and it’s just part of the same thing. It isn’t a bad thing.”

His wife Jeanette, 77, agreed saying: “It’s a good addition I think to Weymouth. We knew it was new as we were here in September when it wasn’t here.”

Jeanette also expressed her fondness for the town’s consistency, saying: “It’s a lovely town and it hasn’t changed much over the years.

“That’s the beauty of Weymouth – it doesn’t change. That’s exactly why we come back. We know what we’re getting – a really nice family seaside town.”

Visitors to a seaside town are wheeling in excitement over the new attraction that’s spinning up interest. A couple from Cornwall, who toured the area in their motorhome, forked out £11 for a ride on the wheel and Jeanette described the top views as “amazing”.

Charlie Bunce, a local with family ties to Weymouth, was spotted strolling the seafront with her partner Daniel Phillips. The duo reckon the wheel’s arrival will be a boon for the crowds and local trade.

Daniel, 31, shared his enthusiasm: “The fairground and the wheel gives something for the kids to do which is good. I think it’s good for the town and seafront. It gives great views across the town and sea. We’re going to go on it now.”

He continued, highlighting the economic spin-off: “You’ve got to think of all the local businesses that it helps. It brings people down in the summer and these added extra things to do really make a difference. If there’s nothing to do here then why would you come down and bring your kids?”.

Charlie, 30, chimed in, praising the wheel’s placement as ideal and “isn’t overwhelming”, ensuring there’s plenty of beach left for visitors to spread out on.

“It’s a huge beach and if you want to get away from it then you can,” she noted. “It’s not in the way and won’t hurt anybody.”

Yet, not everyone’s on board with the coastal change. Bristol native Josh Rees expressed concern that the organisers might have “overdone it” this year.

The 28-year-old reminisced: “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. It’s nostalgic for me and the fairground adds to that.

“I think they’ve overdone it a little bit. I do like the views from the top (of the wheel) but I remember when there was less attractions and it was absolutely great. It’s not completely an eye-sore – maybe just a little bit! I guess it just depends what people want nowadays.”

Other locals, such as 36-year-old Clare Richardson, agree that the Observation Wheel is perfect for children. She also disagrees with those who have labelled it an eye-sore.

“We’ve got kids so it’s great for them,” she said. “It’s entertainment. I don’t think it’s an eye-sore really. It just gives people an extra thing to do on the beach.”

A Weymouth Town Council spokesperson said: “There was much excitement when the operator of this brand new attraction was ready to open for the first rides at the end of April, which is a fantastic addition to Weymouth Beach.

“It stands at 26 metres high and can accommodate up to 108 passengers when full, who will be in for a treat as they take to the sky to enjoy the fantastic views of Weymouth’s iconic Jurassic coastline.

“We are pleased to see this new attraction opening on the beach for the very first time this season. It offers something for all ages for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, and it’s lovely to see people standing on the promenade waving to friends and relatives who are on the ride.”

WASHINGTON, May 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump welcomed the University of Florida’s men’s basketball team to the White House on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate its 2025 NCAA championship season, praising the Gators’ teamwork, grit and determination.

Standing alongside head coach Todd Golden, Trump called Florida’s run “one for the history books” and noted the program’s place in history as the only NCAA Division I school to win three national titles in both basketball (2006, 2007, 2025) and football (1996, 2006, 2008).

The Gators finished a dominant 36-4 season with a 65-63 victory over Houston in what Trump described as “one of the most exciting games and championships” he had seen.

“You refused to let up when the odds were against you,” Trump told the team. “Lesser teams would have crumbled.”

Trump highlighted stellar performances throughout the season, including that by senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., who scored a career-high 34 points in the Final Four against Auburn and became the first player since Larry Bird in 1979 to score 30 points or more in both the Elite Eight and Final Four.

“He’s unbelievably special,” Trump said. “He’s going to be a very early draft pick if they’re smart.”

University of Florida Interim President Kent Fuchs, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a former Florida senator, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who served at Florida attorney general.

Golden thanked Trump for the invitation and drew a comparison between the team’s culture and the country’s ideals.

“Mr. President, I’d like to think of our program similarly to how you think of the United States. We’re a meritocracy,” Golden said. “We work really, really hard. No matter what you look like, where you come from, if you put the team first and win, we’re going to play you.”

He then presented the president with a signed Gators jersey featuring the number 47, referencing Trump’s status as the 47th president.

Trump accepted the gift and invited the team to the Oval Office for commemorative coins and photos alongside members of his administration and several lawmakers.

“Go Gators,” he said. “We love you.”

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The trail is short but steep, and it smells of sage. A few hundred feet below, I see moms with strollers on a path beside the San Diego River. Above, I see granite cliffs and hear the hollers of unseen climbers.

“Rope!” says one.

“Hey,” says another. “There’s a ram’s horn down here!”

This is the Climbers Loop Trail at Kwaay Paay Peak, one of my new favorite spots in the biggest city park that you’ve never heard of: Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego.

No, this park is not downtown like its more famous sibling, Balboa Park. But Mission Trails, eight miles northeast of downtown and 15 miles from the beach, is the biggest city-owned park in California. Along with the trickling river and a dam that dates to the early Spanish missionary days, the landscape includes 65 miles of trails on more than 8,000 acres of rugged mountains, hills and valleys.

It looks like a healthy slice of Arizona, and it covers more territory than Balboa Park, L.A.’s Griffith Park, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and Irvine’s Great Park combined.

Also, it used to be my backyard. Throughout my teen years, my family lived on a cul-de-sac at the base of Cowles Mountain, the highest summit in the park and the city. The chaparral began 40 feet from my back door.

Almost as often as we loitered at the mall and ogled the guitars at American Dream Music, my friends and I wandered the mountain slopes, wading through the sagebrush and nosing around the granite boulders, sidestepping coyote scat, and generally walking that fine line between high jinks and delinquency.

Officially, the park was younger than we were, having been established in 1974. But it contained such deep and obvious history, even the teenage me could appreciate it.

For millennia before the Spanish showed up and built a dam to serve their first Alta California mission, the Kumeyaay lived in these hills.

During World War I, the Army used the area, known as Camp Elliott, for tank and artillery training. During World War II, the Marines did the same, leaving plenty of ordnance behind — including some that exploded in 1983, killing two boys. (Even now, after various cleanup efforts, signs warn that unexploded shells “might still exist.” If you see something suspicious, report it and don’t touch it.)

Once military officials decided they didn’t need the land, local leaders stepped in and began putting together a park in the 1960s and ‘70s. The city added Cowles Mountain in 1974. The visitor center followed in 1995. The Cedar fire of 2003 burned about 2,800 acres, which have long since regrown.

I had a great time brushing up on that history and wandering Mission Trails for two days this spring — my longest spell in those hills since high school. Overnight I slept in a cabin at Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, about two miles east of the park, where several recycled-water lakes are surrounded by well-kept fishing spots, walking paths, playgrounds and a campground.

Also, I have to note that I was in Mission Trails for more than three hours before I saw any graffiti. I’m not sure that’s doable in Griffith Park.

It’s unlikely many people outside San Diego County know this place exists. But local hikers and birders turn out in force. Climbers like Kwaay Paay Peak (elevation: 1,194 feet) and mountain bikers, equestrians and anglers have their own favorite park territories. You can camp at Santee Lakes or, on weekends, put up a tent in the park’s Kumeyaay Lake campground.

Mission Trails has the highest peak in the city (Cowles Mountain at 1,591 feet). It has the compact Kumeyaay Lake and the larger Murray Reservoir (a.k.a. Lake Murray), which has fishing, kayaking and canoeing about three miles south of the park visitor center.

But many would say the park’s Main Street is Father Junipero Serra Trail, a paved path that runs alongside the San Diego River, mountains rising on either side.

“I just started coming in the last few weeks,” hiker Sumeya Sayd, 23, told me one day as she stepped off the Serra Trail. Like me, she had hiked Cowles Mountain as a youth and overlooked the rest of the park.

Now, inspired by a Muslim American Society group chat, Sayd has been hiking the Serra and Climbers Loop trails more often and thinking about the Mission Trails five-peak challenge — five peaks in the park, each over 1,000 feet.

You can walk or pedal on the Serra Trail, which stretches 2.6 miles and connects the park visitor center to the Old Mission Dam. (Ordinarily, there’s a lane open to vehicular traffic, but because of a sewage-line improvement project, cars will be banned until summer of 2028.)

“This is Desert Wishbone-bush,” I overheard Justin Daniel saying one day along the trail. Daniel, who held aloft a purple flower, was leading a group of about 15 people from the California Native Plant Society.

Soon the group moved on to the California Buckwheat and Daniel added that “we have the most native plants in California for one county,” along with “more native bees than you can shake a stick at.”

How urban is this urban park? Not very. No museums, no zoos, no restaurants. Still, its busiest trail gets an estimated 780,000 hikers a year. That’s the route to the top of Cowles Mountain from Navajo Road and Golfcrest Drive.

When I lived in the neighborhood, many people still called Cowles Mountain “S Mountain,” because just about every fall from the 1930s into the 1970s, San Diego State freshmen used lye and white paint to make a big S near the top, 400 feet high and visible for miles.

Now the S is long gone, but through the years I’ve seen foot traffic grow. I’ve hiked it solo, with my daughter and with a friend facing a profound loss. Even though the route to the top from the Golfcrest trailhead is just 1.5 miles, every time it’s a bit more challenging than I expect — 950 feet of elevation gain, irregular steps, crumbling rocks. In the old days, I used to get up and down in 90 minutes. Nowadays, my knees complain and the round trip takes two hours.

Fortunately, the view from the top still hits me like a surprise every time: the hills of Mexico to the south, the coastline to the west, the miles of undeveloped slopes and valleys to the north. In a perfect hiker’s world, maybe there would be no line of utility towers slicing through the Fortuna Mountain portion of Mission Trails and no humming radio towers atop Cowles Mountain. But this is a city park after all. In this vast expanse of nature, that’s easy to forget.

Where to hike

Mission Trails Regional Park has nearly 65 miles of trails. Here are some to try.

• If you’re looking for an easy hike and you’re a newbie, start with the long, flat 2.6-mile Father Junipero Serra Trail. Two other easy routes, well suited to kids, are the Kumeyaay Lake Nature Trail (1 mile around the lake; full of birdsong in the mornings) and the 1.5-mile Visitor Center Loop Trail.
• For a longer, mostly flat hike with ample shade, try the park’s Oak Canyon Trail, where a little seasonal waterfall materializes among the rock formations near the far end of the 3.4-mile out-and-back route. That trail has only 240 feet of elevation gain; park rangers call it a “moderate” challenge.
• It’s 1.5 miles to the top of Cowles Mountain from the trailhead at Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Road. If you start instead at Big Rock Park in Santee, it’s a 2.5-mile climb to the top. Rangers classify both routes as difficult.
• For a stiffer challenge, you can try climbing to the South Fortuna or North Fortuna peaks. (Distances vary, depending on route). Also, there’s the brief, steep Climbers Loop Trail (rated difficult, with 400 feet of altitude gain in a 1-mile round trip).

Down the road, there may be new challenges, because the park is still growing. In the last year, Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation executive director Jennifer Morrissey said, the park has added more than 100 acres through a pair of acquisitions at its northern edges. Eventually the park may also add a safe river-crossing near the visitor center — a possibility rooted in tragedy. In early 2021, 21-year-old trailrunner Max LeNail died in a sudden storm while trying to cross the San Diego River near the visitor center. His family is hoping to build a footbridge in his memory, but for now, the nearest crossing is several miles away.

Where to stay

• The Kumeyaay Lake Campground (2 Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego; [619] 668-2748) is part of Mission Trails Regional Park. It includes 46 dry/primitive campsites, open Friday and Saturday nightly only. No RV hookups. Rates begin at $26 nightly.
• Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve (9310 Fanita Parkway, Santee; [619] 596-3141) includes 290 RV spots, about 12 tent-camping sites and 10 cabins. The RV and tent camping spots rent for $62-$111 nightly. Cabins go for $137-$265. There’s plenty of fishing and boating, but no swimming in the recycled water of the lakes. The preserve has a space set aside for a lakefront restaurant with ample deck, but two concessionaires have closed there since 2021 and 2024. Preserve management has said another restaurant will open soon.

A beautiful UK seaside village has been named the best staycation destination for Brits this spring – but it’s not just the charming streets and pubs that keep visitors coming back

A charming village in Cornwall has been named the UK’s best staycation destination for spring, and it’s not difficult to see why.

Nestled amidst green hills and boasting a sandy beach, Port Isaac in Cornwall is already a firm favourite with tourists wanting to make the most of the Cornish coast, away from some of the larger beachside spots that can become home to large crowds during the summer.

Research conducted by Sykes Holiday Cottages unveiled the fishing village as Brits’ top must-visit for a staycation in spring 2025, thanks to its picturesque location, great eateries and abundance of accommodation. Although it’s no hidden hotspot – there are plenty of visitors who flock there during the summer months – in spring and autumn it can be a little quieter, making it ideal for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle found in other holiday spots.

Known for its narrow and winding streets (keep an eye out for Squeezy Belly Alley – one of the narrowest passageways in the UK, measuring only 18 inches wide), you’ll find plenty of charming boutiques, pottery shops, pubs and restaurants tucked away amidst the whitewashed cottages that the village is renowned for, not to mention everything is a short walk away so you can make the most of a short break. That’s no doubt one of its selling points, as the research revealed that 22% of Brits are generally looking to make the most of their limited annual leave by taking shorter, more frequent trips in the UK.

TV fans may also recognise the quaint spot as it doubled up as Port Wenn in BBC show Doc Martin. Visit Cornwall has a useful guide to some of the main locations such as Fern Cottage, aka Doctor Ellingham’s surgery, the Liberal Club which served as the location for the local shop, and the Golden Lion Pub which doubled up as the Crab & Lobster in the series. You can even take a guided walking tour of the village that ensures you won’t miss the highlights, not to mention you can learn plenty of fun behind-the-scenes tidbits.

As for those all-important coastal walks, Port Isaac boasts a location right on the South West Coast Path, with a few shorter walks for those who don’t want to have to grab all of their hiking gear, but would still like to enjoy a leisurely stroll to take in the views.

Sykes Holiday Cottages’ Short Breaks Tester, Charlotte, headed to the breathtaking destination to see if it lived up to the hype, and was clearly enthralled by what she found. “I gave up counting how many times we said, ‘Wow’ – every angle in Port Isaac is picture perfect,” she explained. “We headed up the other side of the harbour and into the fields that lead to the South West Coast Path.”

ROME — U.S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States during a meeting at the Vatican on Monday ahead of a flurry of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Vance gave the first American pope a letter from President Trump and the first lady inviting him. The Chicago-born pope took the letter and put it on his desk and was heard saying “at some point,” in the video footage of the meeting provided by Vatican Media.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, also gave the Augustinian pope a copy of two of St. Augustine’s most seminal works, “The City of God” and “On Christian Doctrine,” the vice president’s office said. Another gift: A Chicago Bears T-shirt with Leo’s name on it.

“As you can probably imagine, people in the United States are extremely excited about you,” Vance told Leo as they exchanged gifts.

Leo gave Vance a bronze sculpture with the words in Italian “Peace is a fragile flower,” and a coffee-table sized picture book of the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. Leo noted that Francis had chosen not to live in them and added, “And I may live in, but it’s not totally decided.”

Vance led the U.S. delegation to Sunday’s formal Mass opening the pontificate of the first American pope. Joining him at the meeting on Monday was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also a Catholic, Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder said. The two then also met with the Vatican foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

“There was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” according to a Vatican statement after their meeting.

According to the photo of the visits released by the Vatican, Leo’s brother, Louis Prevost, a self-described “MAGA-type,” and his wife, Deborah, joined the delegation during the visit.

The Vatican listed Vance’s delegation as the first of several private audiences Leo was having Monday with people who had come to Rome for his inaugural Mass, including other Christian leaders and a group of faithful from his old diocese in Chiclayo, Peru.

The Vatican, which was largely sidelined during the first three years of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has offered to host any peace talks while continuing humanitarian efforts to facilitate prisoner swaps and reunite Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

After greeting Leo briefly at the end of Sunday’s Mass, Vance spent the rest of the day in separate meetings, including with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He also met with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, who said she hoped the trilateral meeting could be a “new beginning.”

In the evening, Meloni spoke by phone with U.S. President Trump and several other European leaders ahead of Trump’s expected call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to a statement from Meloni’s office.

‘Every effort’

Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, is a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary who spent the bulk of his ministry in Chiclayo, a commercial city of around 800,000 on Peru’s northern Pacific coast.

In the days since his May 8 election, Leo has vowed “every effort” to help bring peace to Ukraine. He also has emphasized his continuity with Pope Francis, who made caring for migrants and the poor a priority of his pontificate.

Before his election, Prevost shared news articles on X that were critical of the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations of migrants.

Vance was one of the last foreign officials to meet with Francis before the Argentine pope’s April 21 death. The two had tangled over migration, with Francis publicly rebuking the Trump administration’s deportation plan and correcting Vance’s theological justification for it.

Winfield and Martin write for the Associated Press.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa will begin a state visit to the United States on Monday in what his government describes as an attempt to “reset” the relationship between the two countries, which many experts say has become the frostiest in decades.

The visit comes just days after the US welcomed a group of 59 white South African “refugees” who President Donald Trump claims are being persecuted in South Africa because of their race, and are facing a “genocide”. They flew to the US on a special relocation plan and will be allowed to settle there.

Ramaphosa’s government denies those allegations and says whites, who own more than 70 percent of the land despite making up just 7 percent of the population, are not discriminated against.

In a statement, Ramaphosa’s office said the two leaders would discuss “bilateral” and “global issues of interest”. The White House has not yet made a statement regarding the meeting.

This is the first time Trump will host an African leader at the White House since he took office in January. South Africa, which currently presides over the G20, will hand over leadership to the US in November.

Here’s the timeline of the anticipated meeting, as well as a breakdown of the main issues which have caused tension and are most likely to be tabled:

When is the meeting?

Ramaphosa will travel on Monday, May 19, and will meet with Trump at the White House on Wednesday, May 21.

His office did not share an agenda for the talks, but said that “the president’s visit to the US provides a platform to reset the strategic relationship between the two countries”.

The agenda is expected to include the treatment of white South Africans, aid cuts and the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

What will Trump and Ramaphosa discuss?

The agenda is expected to include the following subjects:

Treatment of white South Africans

The issue of relations between South Africa’s historically advantaged white minority population and Ramaphosa’s Black-led government has been the most touchy one between the two governments.

White Afrikaners are descendants of mainly Dutch colonisers who, until 1990, controlled the country under an apartheid system that segregated and excluded the Black majority. Many of the most successful business leaders and farm owners in the country are still white. More than half of the Black population is categorised as poor.

Trump and his billionaire ally, South African-born Elon Musk, have severely criticised the Ramaphosa administration’s alleged poor treatment of these white people in the country, following Ramaphosa’s signing into law of an Expropriation Bill which allows the government to confiscate land, in some instances, without compensation. The law, signed in January, allows expropriation from any land owner for redistribution to marginalised groups such as women and people with disabilities.

Some Afrikaner groups say the law could allow their land to be redistributed to some of the country’s Black majority.

Trump has highlighted allegations by a group of white South Africans who fear that their land will be seized. This group also says white farmers face a disproportionate number of violent assaults, which have led to several deaths and amount to a “genocide”.

The South African government has denied that there is a genocide and says the attacks are part of a wider crime problem. Speaking at the Africa CEO forum in Abidjan in Ivory Coast on May 13, Ramaphosa said the US government “has got the wrong end of the stick”, as South Africa suffers overall from high rates of violent crime, regardless of the race of victims. Both white and Black farmers have been targeted in farm attacks, in which armed criminals have assaulted, robbed and sometimes murdered farm workers in usually remote locations.

Meanwhile, Musk, who is the founder of internet company Starlink, also blames the government for the company’s failure to launch in South Africa because of its Black empowerment laws which require that large corporations and businesses seeking government contracts be owned in part by marginalised groups such as Black people.

In a March post on his X social media platform, Musk said Starlink was not allowed to launch “because I am not black”. Officials have denied these allegations and say the country’s business laws are meant to right historical wrongs.

Tariffs and aid cuts to South Africa

Since re-entering the White House in January, Trump has implemented a triple whammy of economic policies that have hit South Africa hard.

First were the sweeping aid cuts the US announced after Trump signed an executive order pausing foreign aid to all countries for at least 90 days.

That disrupted funding for treatment and research in South Africa for deadly communicable diseases like HIV. South Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV in the world, and until then, the US provided about 18 percent of the government’s HIV budget. In 2023, the US provided $462m in HIV aid. Since January, some HIV treatment programmes have remained cut, while others have had their funding reinstated, although it’s unclear how many.

In February, Trump ordered that additional financial aid be cut specifically to South Africa over what he said was “unjust racial discrimination”, citing the alleged confiscation of white-owned land. He also cited South Africa’s filing of its genocide case against Israel over its war on Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023. Details of the further aid cuts were not made public.

Finally, South Africa has also been hit by Trump’s tariff war. The country was slapped with a 30 percent tariff on all goods in April. An additional 25 percent tariff was placed on South African-made vehicles entering the US, putting vehicle surcharges at 55 percent.

Ramaphosa described Trump’s actions as “punitive” and said the tariffs would “serve as a barrier to trade and shared prosperity”.

Although Trump paused reciprocal tariffs for most countries (including South Africa) for 90 days on April 9, South Africa’s government wants tariffs to be permanently dropped. South Africa also still faces the baseline 10 percent tariff on goods that Trump has imposed on all countries.

The US is South Africa’s second-largest bilateral trading partner after China. Under the duty-free Africa Growth Opportunity Act introduced in 2000, South Africa sells precious stones, steel products and cars to the US, and buys crude oil, electrical goods and aircraft in return.

The AGOA framework, which includes 32 African countries, is up for renewal this year, but it’s unclear if Trump’s White House will follow through with it.

Israel-Gaza ICJ case and Gaza War

The South African government filed its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 29, 2023, accusing it of “genocidal acts” during its assaults on Gaza, to the anger of Israel’s ally and major weapons supplier, the US.

The landmark case highlighted the African country’s vocal and visible support for the Palestinian cause and was the first court case against Israel in the ongoing war in Gaza. Hearings began in January 2024. In March 2024, the ICJ issued an emergency order that Israel ensure food aid deliveries into Gaza and cease its offensive in Rafah.

Both Joe Biden’s and Trump’s administrations in the US have opposed South Africa’s move, with Trump denouncing Pretoria’s “aggressiveness”. On February 7, Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing aid to the country. The order cited the ICJ case, the Afrikaner issue and South Africa’s alleged collaboration with Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

South Africa, meanwhile, has promised not to withdraw its case despite this backlash. Foreign minister Ronald Lamola told The Financial Times in February that there was “no chance” the country would back down.

“Standing by our principles sometimes has consequences, but we remain firm that this is important for the world and the rule of law,” he said.

Ukraine-Russia War

Trump and Ramaphosa are also expected to discuss peace and mediation efforts in the Ukraine-Russia war as representatives of the two countries hold talks for the first time since the war began in February 2022.

The Trump administration has taken a lead role in mediating between Russia and Ukraine. During his election campaign, Trump promised to negotiate an end to the war “within 24 hours” if elected. Much of that effort, seen by some as aggressive, has fallen flat, however. A state visit to the US by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended with Trump and his deputy, JD Vance, shouting at their guest in February this year.

South Africa, meanwhile, has opted to stay neutral in the conflict and has called for dialogue between the sides. The country is a historical ally of Russia because of the former Soviet Union’s support during apartheid. Both are also founding members of the growing BRICS alliance of economies, alongside India, Brazil and China, which some see as a rival to the G5 group of richest countries.

South Africa has not condemned Russia or Putin for the invasion of Ukraine, and has abstained from a United Nations resolution that did so.

At the same time, Pretoria has remained friendly with Ukraine. In April, Ramaphosa hosted Zelenskyy during a state visit during which they discussed increasing trade and the ongoing war, with the Ukrainian leader calling for more pressure on Moscow.

Hours before Zelenskyy met with Ramaphosa, the South African leader said he spoke over the phone with Trump, and they both agreed that the war needed to stop.

If you’re looking to take a trip in the UK this summer then look no further than this not-so-hidden gem – this underappreciated British city has just been named one of the nation’s finest

There are plenty of reasons to take a staycation this summer – so if you’re looking for your next trip at home, this eclectic city has been named the UK’s best. Plus, it’s cheaper than London.

According to a Which? magazine survey of almost 4000 readers members, Liverpool is Britain’s top place to visit. While it’s certainly not known for its weather, this northern town has long been on the map for its bustling arts and music scene. (The Beatles, anyone?) Now, it’s been crowned a cultural capital, too.

Which? looked at factors like the average hotel rate from Kayak.co.uk, cultural sights and the ease of getting around. They revealed it received a whopping five stars for cultural sights.

READ MORE: Millions of Brits are forgoing travel insurance but my holiday nightmare shows you need it

In fact, Liverpool is home to the largest number of museums and galleries in the UK outside London. This includes the Museum of Liverpool, the Liverpool World Museum, which features Japanese samurai armour, and the Beatles Story Museum.

One reviewer wrote: “The museum was fantastic. So much memorabilia and information, it is perfect for any fan of The Beatles. The exhibition rooms are very well done, especially the recreation of the Cavern Club and the White Room.”

For those who still want more music history, then you can also take a look at The British Music Experience. It features exciting exhibits and memorabilia tracing the history of British rock and pop music. Some of it is even interactive.

If art tickles your fancy, then you can take a trip to the Walker Art Gallery, which offers a phenomenal sculpture room. Or you can step inside the Lady Lever Gallery, which features some of the best Victorian era art.

It’s not the only thing that it has on the big smoke, either. Liverpool received a higher star rating for food and drink of four stars than London, which got just three stars.

The city contains cuisine from all around the world, with top restaurants offering panoramic views of the coast. Cowshed Liverpool is one of the city’s top-rated eateries and serves up mouth watering steak and cocktails.

If you’re looking for an exciting night out, the Barry and Rye is a highly-rated speakeasy, serving up delectable cocktails in a dim-lit setting. There are also plenty of exciting Irish pubs like Shenanigans if you’d prefer a cool stout.

Plus, music lovers will not be disappointed. There are plenty of live music venues, from The Cavern Pub to The One O’Clock Gun, hosting a variety of acts.

Liverpool also received four stars for accommodation, shopping and lack of crowds. This puts it at a massive advantage over London’s crowded streets and expensive hotels.

If you’re looking for a place to stay, the city offers a range of high-end and budget hotels. You can find budget rooms from just £32.

This secret beach is only accessible by boat – making it the perfect retreat for those seeking a true hidden gem on a paradisiacal island in one of Europe’s most beautiful oceans

It can be hard to find a true hidden gem these days, but this secluded island beach is rarely visited and boasts jaw-dropping views of the Ionian sea. It is also considered one of the world’s best beaches.

If you’re planning to take a trip to the Greek islands this summer, it might be best to miss the tourist hotspots of Santorini and Mykonos. Both locations have had to implement restrictions due to overtourism. But this doesn’t mean you need to skip out on enjoying a glorious beach trip. Instead, the little-known island of Antipaxos has much to offer those seeking a quiet retreat.

Sitting 4 miles from its larger neighbour, Paxos, Antipaxos has a permanent population of around 50 people. Relatively untouched, it draws its appeal from miles of unspoilt nature and sapphire beaches.

READ MORE: Underrated European island 4 hours from UK where colourful houses line the beach

In fact, in 2025, the island was voted one of Greece’s best destinations by over 1.2 million travellers, according to European Best Destinations . They described it as “Greece’s hidden paradise for serenity and seaside luxury”.

While not suited for those looking for a hedonistic party scene, the island offers a treasure trove of coastal paradises. Not least, the hidden Voutumi Beach.

Primarily accessible by boat, the beach remains unspoilt and spectacular. It lies at the foot of a steep green hill with Cypress trees that reach close to the shore, giving it an almost mythical appeal.

Unsurprisingly, it has been declared one of the world’s top 50 beaches by worlds50beaches.com , even beating out white-sand beaches in Brazil and Mexico. Voutimi’s beach is composed of a mix of silky sand and pebbles – but the real beauty comes from the ocean, which is both shallow and warm.

Despite its seclusion, you can still find sun loungers on the beach. There is also a tavern on the hill behind the beach, serving up coffee, snacks and cocktails as you prefer.

The shallow waters also make it an ideal place to do some snorkelling. The turquoise water is crystal clear and perfect for spotting exciting marine species like wrasse and parrotfish.

One TripAdvisor reviewer wrote: “The best beach alongside Vrika and Mesovrika I’ve ever been to. Fine white sand, amazing view and Caribbean like sea water. A must see!”

Another said: “Amazing beach, not too busy either which meant we really enjoyed our time here. Recommend going to the bar high up on the left of the bay, the views of the bay were incredible. The sea was so clear as well, and it was a sandy beach!”

You can reach Voutoumi Beach by getting a boat from the port of Gaios, Paxos. You can either take a taxi boat or a ferry, which can take between 15 to 20 minutes.

United States President Donald Trump has signed several economic deals on his visit to the Gulf region.

One of the biggest deals was signed in Qatar, where Boeing secured its largest-ever order of wide-body jets from Qatar Airways.

Doha also promised to invest more than $10bn in the Al Udeid Air Base, one of the US’s biggest military facilities in the world.

Trump says he’s forging a future with the Middle East defined by commerce, not chaos. But could that mean regional stability and security are now taking a back seat?

And how likely is it that the US president would throw US weight behind ending the devastating war in Gaza?

Presenter: Dareen Abughaida

Guests:

Faisal al-Mudahka – Editor-in-chief, Gulf Times

Andreas Krieg – Senior lecturer, King’s College London’s School of Security Studies

Paul Musgrave – Associate professor of government, Georgetown University in Qatar

La Super-Rica is a California original, a culinary mecca in a taco shack setting devoted to chile, cheese, charred meat and masa. It’s true that there are other Santa Barbara taquerias with more inventive salsas (pistachio at Mony’s) or adventurous cuts of meat (beef head, cheek or lip tacos at Lilly’s, with eye and tripas on weekends). And, yes, you will be standing in the fast-moving line with other out-of-towners who may have read about the long-ago accolades from Julia Child or spotted a replica of the white-and-aqua stand in Katy Perry’s “This Is How We Do” video. Yet as an Angeleno with hometown access to some of the world’s best tacos from nearly every Mexican region, I rarely pass the Milpas Street exit off the 101 without joining the crowd. My late husband and this paper’s former restaurant critic, Jonathan Gold, was a Super-Rica partisan, and both of my now-grown children remain loyal to the restaurant founded in 1980 by Isidoro Gonzalez. But it’s not nostalgia that brings me back. I’m here for the tacos de rajas, strips of pasilla chiles, onions and cheese melded onto tortillas constantly being patted and pressed from the snow drift of masa behind Gonzalez as he takes your order; for the crisp-edged marinated pork adobado, either in a taco or in the Super-Rica Especial with pasillas and cheese; for the chorizo, sliced and crumbled into a bowl of queso; or for the tri-tip alambre with sauteed bell peppers, onion and bacon. It’s never easy to decide, especially with Gonzalez’s board of specials. But I never leave without Super-Rica’s soupy, smoky pinto beans with charred bits of chorizo, bacon and chile.

State-owned airline Qatar Airways has signed an agreement to buy 210 aircraft from United States manufacturer Boeing, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s visit to Qatar as part of his tour of the Gulf region.

Trump and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, witnessed the signing ceremony in Doha on Wednesday. The White House said that the deal for the Boeing 777X and 787 planes with GE Aerospace engines was worth $96bn.

Trump said Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who signed the deal with Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer next to Trump and the emir, told him: “It’s the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing. That’s good.”

Trump had initially said that the deal was worth more than $200bn and was for 160 planes, before the White House issued updated numbers after his comments.

 

The White House also said that agreements signed by the US and Qatar would “generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion”.

“This is a critical next step for Qatar Airways on our path as we invest in the cleanest, youngest and most efficient fleet in global aviation,” Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said in a statement.

“After two consecutive years of record-breaking commercial performance and with this historic Boeing aircraft order – we’re not simply chasing scale; we’re building strength that will allow us to continue to deliver our unmatched products and customer experiences.”

The sale is also a boost for Boeing and its biggest engine supplier at a time when large versions of rival Airbus’ A350, powered by Rolls-Royce engines, have struggled with maintenance problems from operating in the world’s hottest climates, including the Gulf region.

Boeing shares rose 0.9 percent in New York, while GE Aerospace stock edged up 0.1 percent.

For the 787s, Qatar opted for GE Aerospace’s GEnx engines rather than Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000, according to the administration. GE Aerospace’s GE9X is the only engine option for the 777X.

It is the largest widebody engine deal for GE Aerospace, the company’s CEO Larry Culp said in a statement.

Faisal al-Mudahka, editor-in-chief of the Gulf Times, said the Qatar Airways purchase of Boeing aircraft is a “win-win”.

As one of the world’s top airlines with a growing market, Qatar Airways has more demand than supply at the moment and will need the fleet, he said.

“I think Donald Trump and Qatar know how to package things to make political gains and economic gains.”

Trump’s Qatar visit is the second destination of his Gulf tour, after an initial stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he made a surprise announcement about lifting sanctions on Syria and then met the country’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Trump is to land on a third and final stop in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday for a one-day visit.

No mention of Gaza

The Qatari emir said the two leaders had a “great” few hours of discussion covering a range of issues. “I think after signing these documents, we are going to another level of relations,” he said.

Trump thanked the emir and said it had been a “very interesting couple of hours” discussing topics including the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran and trade relations.

However, Israel’s war on Gaza was not mentioned by either leader.

Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said the fact that Gaza wasn’t mentioned led him to believe the discussion is “ongoing”.

“When it comes to Gaza, you have the Israelis there as well. On the issue of a ceasefire, Trump can put pressure on the Israelis, … but you still have the Israelis there making decisions. This is going to be a little bit more difficult to work out,” he told Al Jazeera.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who was also in Doha, said “we’re making progress” in response to a question by Al Jazeera Diplomatic Editor James Bays on whether discussions on Gaza were ongoing.

“His tone was pretty telling. He was very positive,” Bays said. “When I asked him whether that was regarding aid deliveries or a ceasefire, he said, ‘We’re making progress on all fronts.’”

“He said he hopes there would be a positive announcement ‘soon’, but we have no indication of what that might mean,” Bays added.

NewsFeed

Qatar’s role as a global mediator and a massive purchase of Boeing airliners were prime areas of focus in official talks between US President Donald Trump and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

There are some places that some say should never be visited regardless of the time of year or how safe the country they’re in is. Here’s a list of the ’15 most dangerous places on Earth’

Journeying across the globe is one of life’s greatest pleasures, offering the chance to immerse oneself in diverse cultures and marvel at the world’s natural splendours. However, like any endeavour, travel comes with its own set of risks, and not all destinations are safe for tourists. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as political instability, ongoing conflict, or recent natural disasters.

Yet, there are certain locations that some argue should be avoided altogether, regardless of the season or the overall safety of the country they’re situated in. The YouTube channel Top Fives has curated a list of what they believe to be the 15 most perilous places on Earth.

READ MORE: Mum-of-two loses more than 11 stone doing ‘wall pilates’ at home

In 15th place is Snake Island, Brazil. Also known as Ilha da Queimada Grande, Top Fives said the last known inhabitants were last on the island in the early part of the 20th century. Atlas Obscura reported that the island is responsible for 90 percent of fatalities related to snakebites in Brazil.

Sinabung Volcano in Indonesia is a highly dangerous active volcano that sits on the Karo plateau. It’s around 25 miles from super volcano Lake Toba and last erupted in July 2021; it’s 14th on the list.

The Bermuda Triangle is one of the most famous and supernatural places on the planet. Over the years hundreds of boats and aircraft have disappeared without a trace. The three points of the triangle are often considered to be Miami, Puerto Rico and Bermuda.

Lake Natron in Tanzania is famous for having the ability to reportedly turn animals into stone because of the toxicity of the lake. Despite the danger, the lake is a popular mating ground for flamingos.

Death Valley California, USA, is famous for being where some of the highest temperatures in human history have been recorded. Often considered the hottest place on earth, last year the temperature in the area skyrocketed to over 55C; it’s 11th on the list, reports the Express.

Cracking into the top ten is Danakil Depression in Eritrea. According to Brilliant Ethiopia is “one of the hottest, lowest, and driest places on the planet”. Within the scorching environment are a series of salt lakes, acidic springs, and lava lakes.

Although it covers a very small area, the Valley of Death, Russia, is infamous for the number of dead animals littered around. Situated on the Kamchatka Peninsula tourists are banned from visiting because a nearby volcano emits a deadly combination of carbon disulphide, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide, and sulphur dioxide.

Madidi National Park, Bolivia, is another jungle paradise on the surface, but it is also filled with deadly plants and animals that can cause serious harm to the unwary. Originally established in the 1990s, visitors must exercise extreme caution if they visit.

Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands is most famous for the nuclear tests that took place in the region in the middle of the 20th century during the nuclear arms race. It is impossible for people to live there because the groundwater is contaminated from those tests.

Naica Crystal Cave, Mexico, is also known as the Cave of Crystals. Located in Naica, Chihuahua, no tourists are permitted inside the cave at any time because of the high heat and humidity.

The top five is a closely fought contest starting with the Kawah Ijen volcano in Indonesia on the island of Java. As with other volcanoes, extreme caution is advised before going near or venturing up to the crater.

Mount Washington is a challenging mountain to climb. It is also one filled with dangers. One of the tallest mountains in the USA, the weather, difficulty of the climb, and poor preparation are all factors that can lead to deaths on the mountain.

Lake Nyos, Cameroon, is set in the crater of a volcano. It is best known for what happened on August 21, 1986. On that day, it released a massive cloud of carbon dioxide that swept through the local area, killing over 1,000 people.

K’gari, Australia, is considered dangerous for several reasons including riptides in the sea alongside the presence of large numbers of sharks and jellyfish. Formerly known as Fraser Island it was renamed basic to its traditional name a few years ago.

Despite being named after a land animal, the Elephant Kingdom in Thailand was not full of elephants. Instead, tourists were given the opportunity to feed crocodiles from a raft. In 2016, it was closed because of how dangerous it was.

In my Prius, a notification pops up in the form of a coffee cup topped with steam squiggles and accompanied by a message inquiring, “Would you like to take a break?”

This safety feature is designed to alert drivers to potential drowsiness, but it always makes me smile, because when I’m traveling, coffee shops are often my intended destination. Yes, I would like to take a break.

On a recent drive to Santa Barbara wine country, the roads winding north led me through the charming towns of the Santa Ynez Valley, each with a coffee destination, from historic taverns, bakeries and cozy community hubs to modern temples of espresso.

With four locations across Santa Barbara and Goleta, Dune Coffee has been roasting rare single-origin and signature blends of coffee beans since 2009. In March, barista Kay Cheon became the 2025 U.S. Barista Champion. During the competition, he explored how the theme of building blocks in coffee — from bean variety and roast to brewing techniques and ingredients — can combine to create something exceptional, even adding colorful Lego props for visuals. This fall, Cheon will compete at the World Barista Championship in Milan, Italy.

“A big part of our community has come along for the barista championship journey, and that’s really special to see,” says Cheon.

Heading deeper into the Santa Ynez Valley, specialty coffee bars have opened in converted Airstream trailers and Old West saloons. Stop into the airy and bright Little King in Buellton and you are likely to sip a cortado next to a lauded local chef like Brad Mathews of Bar Le Côte in Los Olivos.

“The love for coffee is real in the Santa Ynez Valley,” says Ryan Pelton, a barista at Queen Cup, a shop with locations in Santa Ynez and Los Alamos. “It’s like Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ on repeat.”

On your next road trip to Santa Barbara wine country or elsewhere along the Central Coast, follow this trail to some of the best scenic views, tasty baked goods and delicious cups of coffee.