“It’s been just really rewarding to see the team kind of like, carry a little bit more confidence in their step,” Cantú told The Associated Press. “Maybe I’ve got some new confidence too.”

The feat caps a trajectory that began with Cantu getting his first star right out of the gate when Californios opened in 2015. He got a second one in 2018. At a June ceremony in San Diego, Cantú, with his wife Carolyn by his side, received his third star and a crisp white Michelin chef's jacket.

The accolade feels like validation not just for Californios but for the notion that Mexican food in Mexico and across the diaspora can be an elevated experience. Similar to fine dining Chinese restaurants just a few miles away from Californios, Mexican American restaurants have dealt with criticism for daring to charge more and offering tasting menus. Meanwhile, few bat an eye at French and Japanese restaurants with similar prices.

Shoot for the Michelin stars

The Michelin Guide, started in 1889 by French brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin, created a star-ranking system in the 1920s. Today, the guide has ratings for over 40,000 restaurants. To evaluate a restaurant, Michelin sends inspectors to dine anonymously. The inspectors said Californios ascended the ranks because it has never been “afraid to cross borders” on the plate, according to Michelin’s website.

From the first bite, Californios patrons experience the Texas-born Cantú's blend of Mexican culture with California ingredients. He starts a meal with a sope, a small hand-formed masa cake made with white corn and beans from a farm in nearby Santa Rosa. Then, with a spatula, caviar made in partnership with a Sacramento sturgeon farm is carefully placed on top.

“It’s just really, really delicious and kind of feels like a warm hug,” Cantú said. “It feels comforting.”

Michelin inspectors agreed.

Californios deserved a three-star promotion, one of five inspectors said, for dishes consistently “executed with such precision, refinement and clarity without losing the Mexican identity — things like kombu or the matsukasa yaki fish taco.”

Sometimes Cantú and his team would try to guess if a diner could be an inspector. That turned out to be a good reminder that “every guest gets the same quality of presentation and hospitality,” the chef said.

Mexican food's growing recognition comes as immigration enforcement gets harsher

In the past few years, Michelin has starred a number of Mexican restaurants including a 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 meter) taco stand in Mexico City. The growing recognition comes at a precarious time for immigration enforcement policies and the treatment of immigrants — even those in the U.S. legally.

Not someone who seeks to inject politics into food, Cantú could not ignore constant headlines about federal immigration operations — some of which have resulted in deaths including a Mexican man in Houston and a Colombian man in Maine earlier this month. Immigrants are “the backbone of all these dish pits and kitchens,” says Cantú. He has shown support through gestures. In March, he collaborated on an “anti-ICE” fundraising dinner.

“The culinary world is like a huge supporter of immigrants and the need for immigrants and the need to treat people with respect,” Cantú said. “It’s hard for me to say much more.”

Being in a blue state, Cantú is certain most of Californios’ diners share that sentiment.

Gustavo Arellano, a food writer and journalist who’s also Mexican American, believes the cuisine’s popularity really helps humanize the immigration debate.

“You see this especially like in small Southern towns where the rhetoric is ‘I’m against illegal immigrants. I don’t want too many Mexicans,'” Arellano said. “But, then they look at the Mexican restaurant in town and they’re like ‘Well, not them.’”

Californios shows Mexican food is just as worthy of fine dining

Growing up, Cantú watched his father and uncle in Texas run a Mexican restaurant and tortilleria. As a chef working at high-end establishments in Austin and San Francisco, he found himself asking, “Why is no one doing Mexican cuisine and treating it with like extreme care?”

Inspired by the Bay Area, he settled on the name Californios. It's a nod to descendants of Spanish and Mexican settlers who settled in the 1700s and 1800s in what would become California.

Californios started with a $57 four-course tasting menu. The pushback was immediate.

“There was ton of like, ‘This is not Mexican cuisine,’” Cantú said. “Even from our families, you know, trying to explain a contemporary cuisine to a lot of people is totally foreign because people kind of think that cuisine exists in a cookbook and that it doesn’t change.”

Californios is at the forefront of what some call “alta California” cuisine, where the children of Mexican immigrants or immigrants themselves use classical chef training with Mexican flavors. The term refers to the former Spanish province north of Baja California; Arellano describes it as an “ideology” that originated in California and has spread across the U.S.

Raised flavor profiles and prices ultimately raise skepticism. Arellano argues people think this way partly because they're trying to keep Mexican food in a box.

“There's always going to be a knee-jerk reaction,” Arellano said. “It goes to this myth that Mexican food should be cheap because Mexicans, all of us are supposedly working class that cannot afford higher-end stuff. That's classist.”

Cantú plans to keep bringing attention to his Mexican-California brand of fine dining. A cookbook is in the works.

“Mexican cuisine is one of the most diverse and complex cuisines in the world,” Cantú said, “and there’s countless Mexican immigrants in the United States and Latin immigrants who have their own ideas and concepts of what things can be.”

Lesotho's high elevation and mountainous terrain combine to make it the coldest country on the continent, with temperatures in the highlands typically plunging to minus 8 degrees Celsius (about 18 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August.

The Afriski Mountain Resort, some 3,200 meters (10,499 feet) above sea level, nestled in the northern Maluti Mountains, is Lesotho's single fully operational ski resort — and the only one in sub-Saharan Africa.

The majestic snow-covered landscape is ideal for skiing, and both seasoned and new visitors enjoy the slopes that are spread over 17 hectares (42 acres) surrounding the resort — about the size of 24 standard soccer pitches. The resort opened 25 years ago, a short bus or car ride from the nearest major town of Butha-Buthe, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away.

Last year, tourism contributed about 7% to Lesotho's annual GDP of some $2.6 billion. For its part, Afriski provides a chunk of needed cash in a country cited by the World Bank as one of the poorest in the world — and its artificial snow machines ensure it stays open throughout the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.

Thousands come to a country Trump says no one's heard of

U.S. President Donald Trump may have joked in 2025 about Lesotho being a country that “nobody has ever heard of” but just a year earlier, the kingdom, bordered on all sides by South Africa and with a population of 2.3 million, celebrated 200 years of the founding of the Basotho nation and 58 years of independence from British rule.

Located in its entirety at and over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level, Lesotho sees a lot of snow — and skiing is growing in popularity here from a rare sport previously mainly associated with North America and the European Alps.

Most people drive into Lesotho from neighboring South Africa but international visitors can also fly in to the airport in Maseru, the country's capital.

Afriski's CEO, Theo Ferreira, says almost 70% of the visitors come from South Africa; the rest are mostly from Lesotho or elsewhere in southern Africa. The resort now has 227 full-time and seasonal employees, nearly all Lesotho nationals, with about 30 South Africans, working mainly as skiing instructors, he said.

While the resort has rooms for 420 overnight guests, the nearby Butha-Buthe and Mohlokong towns can offer extra accommodations in peak season. The busiest day so far this year saw over 1,400 visitors while in 2025, the record was over 1,600 day visitors and those staying overnight or longer, Ferreira said.

Because unreliable weather patterns can make natural snow scarce, the resort relies on artificial snow to make skiing possible all winter long.

Lesotho's snow may not be how you imagine Africa

The resort has played role in helping ski tourism emerge as another attraction in southern Africa, known for its wildlife and scenic coastlines along the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

For many visitors, Afriski is where they had their first ski lessons, braving falls and dusting themselves off before having another try, and another — until making that first, full glide down without falling.

Janco Smits, a student from Cape Town, South Africa, describes it as "an amazing slope to learn on.”

“At the start it was a little discouraging because you fall, and you fall hard,” he said. “But the people here, they gave me one lesson and after an hour, honestly, I felt confident.”

“When you think of the African continent, you don't think of snow. You think about ... the sun and the Sahara (Desert),” said Thato Ramaphoko, a first-timer at the resort from Pretoria, South Africa’s capital. "But that you can actually go to all that and also come here and it also snows at the same time, it is just mind-blowing, so I just had to see it for myself."

Visitors at Afriski can also sample a taste of Lesotho in the form of traditional sausage rolls and Maluti Lager, the country's proudly home-brewed beer.

As for a souvenir to take home, try the colorful Basotho blanket, which comes in vibrant colors and patterns that also pop up in local garments and are creatively integrated into various skiing jackets and gear.

For American tourists, Belize offers something few Caribbean destinations can: a vacation that combines rainforest adventure with an easy beach escape. Visitors can explore ancient Mayan ruins, hike through tropical forests or venture into caves before trading hiking boots for sandals the following day. Along the Caribbean coast, travelers can snorkel the world's second-largest barrier reef, hop between secluded cayes or simply unwind on the beach.

Belize welcomed more than 1.4 million visitors in 2024, the highest number in the country's history, as overnight tourism surged and new nonstop flights from the United States made the Central American nation more accessible than ever. The record-breaking year comes a year after officials announced an investment of roughly $250 million to expand the country's main international airport and accommodate continued growth.

A small country outpacing the Caribbean

Belize is, by Caribbean standards, tiny. It has a population of roughly 420,000 and a land area smaller than New Hampshire. Yet it has become one of the region's fastest-growing tourism markets.

The Belize Tourism Board reported overnight visitor growth of 21% in 2024, outpacing the Caribbean average and surpassing the country's pre-pandemic tourism record. Tourism now accounts for more than 40% of Belize's gross domestic product and roughly 60% of its foreign exchange earnings.

American travelers continue to fuel much of that growth. Texas and California account for nearly one-quarter of all U.S. visitors, followed by Florida, New York, Colorado, Georgia, Washington, and North Carolina. Most are arriving through Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport, which now serves an expanding network of nonstop flights from across the United States.

Belize's appeal is also quite practical: English is the country's official language, the Belize dollar is pegged at 2-to-1 with the U.S. dollar, and most major U.S. cities are only a few hours away by air. Those advantages, along with the country's blend of rainforest, archaeological sites and Caribbean coastline, have helped distinguish Belize from larger resort destinations across the region.

Preparing for the next wave of visitors

To keep up with demand, the Belize Airport Concession Company is undertaking what officials describe as a roughly $250 million modernization of PGIA over a 10- to 15-year horizon. A first phase, budgeted at about $60 million, is already underway. It comes with an expanded ramp, a new eastern taxiway, two-tier parking, and a larger cargo facility.

A second phase, estimated at $190 million, would add jet bridges, escalators and moving sidewalks to a terminal that until now has required passengers to walk across the tarmac in whatever weather happens to be arriving with them.

"The vast majority of people who come for overnight purposes come through the PGIA, so that's the first thing that they experience and the last thing," tourism minister Anthony Mahler told Belize's Love FM. He said the long-term investment will help accommodate future growth while improving the visitor experience.

Where rainforest meets the reef

Improved infrastructure may be bringing more travelers to Belize, but accessibility alone does not explain the country's rising popularity. What continues to set Belize apart is the ability to experience two dramatically different landscapes in a single vacation.

The country is one of the few destinations in the Western Hemisphere where it is genuinely possible to spend a morning climbing a Maya pyramid, an afternoon snorkeling the second-largest barrier reef in the world and a night in the rainforest. All within a single short trip.

Along the coast, the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System stretches for nearly 190 miles and forms part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world. The UNESCO World Heritage site is home to hundreds of fish species, vibrant coral formations and three of the Atlantic Ocean's four coral atolls, making Belize one of the region's premier destinations for snorkeling and diving.

Inland, dense rainforest covers much of the country, where protected reserves shelter wildlife, rivers and dozens of Maya archaeological sites. Ancient cities, including Xunantunich, Caracol and Lamanai, offer a glimpse into one of the Western Hemisphere's most sophisticated civilizations.

Actun Tunichil Muknal, the cave universally known as ATM, caps daily admission at 125 visitors and bars cameras after a tourist dropped one on a 1,000-year-old skull in 2012. It contains the calcite-encrusted skeletal remains of more than a dozen sacrificial victims, and is reachable only with a licensed guide after a 3-mile jungle hike and several stream crossings.

In the jungle lies the Sleeping Giant

Few properties illustrate the duality of a Belize trip better than Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge. It is tucked into the foothills of the Sibun River Forest Reserve, about an hour's drive from the airport. The property offers the kind of experience that has become central to Belize's tourism identity: equal parts adventure and comfort.

The Canadian and Belizean-owned property sits on 750 acres at the edge of a citrus grove that once served as a campground for British soldiers training in jungle survival, search-and-rescue and field medevac before Belize's independence in 1981.

"The hotel itself came about really slowly," said Tristan Chacon, the on-site tour manager, who joined the property in 2022. "It started off as a little thatched-roof hutch, which we called cabanas, and the Grove House restaurant. Those are the oldest buildings we have on site."

The lodge was named for a profile of the surrounding Maya Mountains that resembles a reclining figure. It opened to the public in 2008 and was fully renovated as a luxury resort between 2013 and 2015.

Days at Sleeping Giant lean into the wild. The lodge keeps 26 horses, 14 of them used for guided rides through the citrus grove and along the Sibun River, where guests can also paddleboard or kayak. The kitchen runs hands-on Maya cooking classes built around fire-cooked corn tortillas and traditional stews.

The staff organizes guided tours to nearby archaeological sites, including a day trip to Xunantunich, where visitors can still climb the El Castillo pyramid for a view across the Mopan River into Guatemala. A network of trails includes the almost 2-mile Great Tinamou, an open-concept treehouse called The Nest and a gazebo with a 280-degree view of the Sleeping Giant ridge and the river valley.

But the luxury sits alongside the adventure rather than apart from it. The Grove House, the lodge's main restaurant, is a two-story thatched-roof building with European-style dark-wood furnishings and Amazonian jungle-house bones. The lodge's open-air restaurant embraces its rainforest setting, with birdsong drifting through open windows and meals centered on fresh, local ingredients. Breakfast juice is squeezed daily from oranges grown on the property, while traditional Maya cooking techniques, including handmade tortillas prepared over a wood-fired comal, reflect Belize's culinary heritage.

Sleeping Giant demonstrates why Belize's tourism appeal extends beyond its beaches. Here, the rainforest isn't simply something to admire from afar but something visitors can experience throughout the day without giving up the comforts of a full-service resort.

Trading the jungle for the sea

About a two-hour drive south, in the seaside Garifuna village of Hopkins, the same collection operates The Lodge at Jaguar Reef. It is a beachfront sister property that shifts the focus from rainforest adventure to life on the Caribbean coast.

The four-star resort sits directly on the Caribbean, with two beachfront pools, an infinity pool with a swim-up bar and what the property describes as Belize's only over-the-water bar. Local artwork hangs in the cabanas; complimentary bicycles, kayaks, snorkel gear and fishing equipment are stacked near the dock. The pace is the opposite of the jungle: slower, saltier and less scheduled.

What makes Hopkins useful as a base is not the beach itself but what lies offshore. Boats run daily from the village to the cayes; small, often uninhabited coral islands that dot the barrier reef like punctuation marks. Guests can spend a day snorkeling at Glover's Reef Marine Reserve, a UNESCO-protected atoll, or arrange dive trips to the Mesoamerican system's deeper walls.

Island-hopping itineraries pair a stop at a deserted caye for lunch with afternoon snorkeling among sea turtles, nurse sharks and rays. For travelers who came mostly to read, the same boats can simply drop them on an empty stretch of sand for the afternoon and pick them up before sunset.

Beyond the reef excursions, Hopkins offers a quieter base than many of Belize's larger beach destinations. Its Garifuna heritage adds another layer to the experience, with opportunities to learn about the community's music, cuisine and traditions alongside time on the water.

The two properties are designed to be visited together. The first half of the trip is the wild side of Belize: horseback rides, ruins, caves, mariachi at night. Meanwhile, the second half is the soft side: turquoise water, a hammock, a fresh ceviche on the dock. A traveler arriving on the new United nonstop from San Francisco can be in the rainforest by dinnertime, on a boat to a reef two days later and on a plane home before the next workweek.

A destination at a turning point

The growth has not been frictionless. Conservation groups have raised concerns about coastal development, coral bleaching and the cumulative pressure of increased visitor numbers on a reef system that UNESCO has previously listed as endangered.

Rather than competing with high-volume destinations such as Cancún or the Dominican Republic, Belize has increasingly positioned itself as a higher-value, lower-impact destination. A 2017 ban on offshore oil drilling remains in place, while single-use plastics were phased out beginning in 2022. National tourism plans also call for balancing visitor growth with the protection of the country's reefs, rainforests and cultural heritage.

Much of that approach has helped keep Belize's tourism experience relatively uncrowded. While San Pedro on Ambergris Caye remains the country's most visited destination, many inland communities and protected areas still see far fewer visitors, allowing travelers to experience rainforests, Maya sites and coastal villages at a slower pace.

For most American travelers, the practical takeaway is simpler. What once often required a layover can now be reached on an increasing number of nonstop flights from major U.S. cities. A traveler who books the right Saturday in February can leave San Francisco at lunchtime, land in Belize City by sunset and be on a deck at the edge of the Sibun River, watching the Sleeping Giant turn purple in the dusk, before the second margarita arrives. By Tuesday, they can be on a boat to a reef. Both trips on one ticket.

Belize is no longer one of the Caribbean's best-kept secrets, but it has not yet lost the qualities that made travelers seek it out in the first place. As more nonstop flights bring Americans to its shores, the country's challenge will be ensuring that easier access does not come at the expense of the very reefs and ruins that are drawing record numbers of visitors.

This is the Gion Matsuri festival, born more than 1,000 years ago as a ritual to ward off epidemics and celebrated in the former imperial city of Kyoto throughout July.

“I am conscious of them when I’m riding on top,” Horikawa said. “When we’re assembling it as well, but I think the main time is when I’m riding on it.”

The parades — accompanied by dances, music and song — draw large crowds and tourists every year. The biggest floats can weigh up to 12 tons. Yet behind the festive atmosphere lies a tradition rooted in the worship of deities and rituals of protection.

“Those performances are not meant primarily for the entertainment of people,” said Fabio Rambelli, a religious studies professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “They are offerings to the gods.”

A festival that has layers of religious history

The Gion Matsuri originated in the late 9th century as a ritual to appease spirits believed to cause epidemics and to pray for protection from disease. It takes its name from Kyoto’s Gion District and “matsuri,” the Japanese word for festival.

At the heart of the celebration is Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine, a Shinto site whose principal deity has long been revered as a protector against calamities. But the shrine’s history also reflects centuries of interaction between Shinto and Buddhism in Japan.

“Until about 150 years ago it was a Buddhist temple,” Rambelli said. “That’s part of the religious changes that have taken place in Japan.”

Back then, the sanctuary’s main deity was Gozu Tennō, an ox-headed figure believed to have the power either to spread epidemics or to avert them.

“It was a kind of syncretic deity — probably of Indian origin — with connections to Korea and local folklore,” Rambelli said. “A lot of gods in Japan are a mixture of different traditions.”

Early versions of the Gion Matsuri involved that deity, Rambelli said.

To show evil forces and spirits that their god would confront them, devotees carried him around the city in processions that resembled those seen throughout Kyoto today.

A shrine's turn from Buddhism helps shape today's Shinto practices

Japan’s government separated the two traditions of Shinto and Buddhism in 1868 during the Meiji era, effectively bringing Shinto shrines under state control and placing the emperor at the center of the new order.

“Because the emperor was the direct descendant of the goddess of the sun, they purified the whole system creating what now we see as Shinto,” said Andrea De Antoni, professor of anthropology and religious studies at the University of Kyoto.

De Antoni said a strong anti-Buddhist movement followed. Temples, mandalas and statues were burned and destroyed.

Shinto was formally separated from the state after World War II, but its traditions still reflect a broader history of religious and cultural influences.

“It is an institutionalized religion that revolves around ideas of deities called kami and different spirits,” De Antoni said.

“Kami shares its rules with general ideas of animism that can be found throughout the world, but there are a lot of similarities with certain parts of Southeast Asia and with the Pacific,” he added.

Ancient traditions bring communities together

Japanese festivals often serve as ways for deities to be brought into the streets for sacred or ritual purposes while also bringing communities together in celebration.

“This is the festival of all the people in the neighborhood,” said Jacques Garrigues, a Frenchman who has lived in Kyoto for three decades and who attended the Gion Matsuri procession with his son on Friday.

“We also come together through a certain sense of religion, although the religious significance is not the same as in France,” he added.

Among the traditions preserved by the Gion Matsuri is the choosing of a boy as a sacred messenger to the gods. During the parade, the selected boy is seen sitting on one of the floats, his feet never touching the ground.

Some key participants spend months getting ready for the celebrations. Different neighborhoods prepare their floats with great care and dedication, with many people trusting the floats will drive away evil spirits.

Atsushi Matono is responsible for erecting the shingi, a sacred tree placed at the top of one of the floats —the holiest part of the structure, to which a deity is believed to descend.

Like Horikawa, he describes feeling a sacred presence.

“I always carry out my work with great care and respect,” Matono said. “Feeling the presence of the gods.”

The honeymoon becomes 2 trips

The short trip has a name now, the "mini-moon," and couples take it while the exhaustion of the wedding is still fresh. Then they plan a far bigger trip for a year or so later, one that increasingly points toward Africa. The proper honeymoon waits until the bills have settled and there is room to disappear for two weeks.

Travel advisors have watched the vocabulary grow. Alongside the mini-moon, there is the "pre-moon," a romantic escape taken before the wedding, and the "elope-moon," which folds the ceremony itself into the getaway. One agency reports that 6 in 10 couples now book the short trip first and hold the big one for later.

Couples are willing to wait

A safari does not fit into the days right after a wedding. It runs 10 days to two weeks and costs enough that many couples would rather wait and do it properly than rush it while they are still recovering from their own wedding costs.

Tanzania is not a cheap country to honeymoon in. Safari lodges there run from about $450 per person a night at the comfortable end to $2,500, and well beyond at the top, before flights and park fees alone, add $700 to $900 per person through a week in the northern parks. Splitting the honeymoon does not shrink that. It buys the time to pay for it.

The couples who wait are also booking differently. Many now time their honeymoon for the off-season, when lodge rates drop and the best camps are easier to get into. The other pressure is time.A safari is hard to carve out of a working calendar, and for couples who expect to have children, it is far easier to do now than in the decade before kids are old enough to come along. Waiting is not indecision; it is how couples afford the trip they want and fit it into the only window they have.

The safari comes first, in Tanzania

The trip couples keep saving for tends to follow one pattern: several days on safari, then several more on an island doing nothing at all. The safari comes first while the energy for early mornings and long drives is still there, and the beach comes after, when it is gone.

Tanzania has become the safari anchor. The country had a record year in 2025, with total arrivals up nearly 11% on the year before, and the United States is its largest overseas market, with most visitors arriving for the first time.

The couple, after the classic version, can book a camp like Nomad Tanzania, a mobile tented operation of just six canvas rooms that follows the wildebeest migration across the Serengeti, packing up and moving several times a year to stay near the herds. Camps this small book out early, which is part of why advisors report couples planning the trip well in advance, often a year or more before they travel.

The safari is not without friction that's worth understanding. Tanzania's expansion of protected land has drawn sustained criticism from human rights organizations over the displacement of Maasai communities, a reminder that the scenery a honeymoon is built around is also contested ground. The better operators can speak to it, and couples increasingly ask them to.

The island does the rest

Then comes the island, where the pace finally drops. The Seychelles has been honeymoon shorthand for decades, and it had a record year in 2025, with arrivals up 12% as the country passed its previous full-year total a month before the year even ended. Part of the appeal of the delayed trip for couples is that it takes real effort to reach, which makes the arrival feel earned.

Six Senses Zil Pasyon sits on the private island of Felicite, 30 villas set among granite boulders, with most of the island left as a national park, reachable only by helicopter or speedboat. Each villa has its own pool and very little sound beyond the water. After a week of pre-dawn game drives, that quiet is what couples came for.

Where the 2-trip honeymoon goes next

The question is no longer whether couples take the big trip, but how long they are willing to wait for it. Once the mini-moon has absorbed the pressure to travel right away, the second trip can grow more ambitious and more expensive with every month it is delayed. For a rising number of American couples, the wedding has become the down payment on a honeymoon that has not happened yet.

Mandy is a luxury travel, fine dining and bucket-list-adventure journalist with expert insight from 47 countries. She uncovers unforgettable experiences around the world and brings them to life through immersive storytelling that blends indulgence, culture and discovery, and shares them with a global audience as co-founder of Food Drink Life. Her articles appear on MSN and through the Associated Press wire in major U.S. outlets, including NBC, the Daily News, Boston Herald, the Chicago Sun-Times and many more.

The emergence of Tamworth as a queer-friendly destination is not an overnight phenomenon but the result of sustained advocacy by local organizations such as Tamworth Pride Inc. This group has worked tirelessly to create a visible presence in the city, moving queer culture from the private sphere into public spaces. By fostering a sense of safety and belonging, they have made the city an attractive alternative to the established "rainbow" hubs of Sydney or Daylesford. The city’s welcoming atmosphere is characterized by a blend of traditional country hospitality and a progressive approach to identity, making it a true hidden gem for those looking to explore the New England region.

Pride in the Park: A Day of Visibility

The "Pride in the Park" event held on July 13, 2026, served as a focal point for the local LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Held in Bicentennial Park, the event featured local performers, information stalls from health organizations, and family-friendly activities designed to promote inclusivity. The gathering was officially recognized as a significant date in the regional calendar, highlighting the increasing support from local authorities and the broader community. This event followed closely after International Non-Binary People’s Day on July 14, 2026, which saw local advocates sharing stories and resources to support gender-diverse individuals across the Tamworth region.

The park itself, located just a short walk from the iconic Golden Guitar monument, provided a symbolic backdrop for the festivities. For many queer travelers, seeing rainbow flags flying in a city known for its rugged country aesthetic is a powerful indicator of change. Participants at the event noted that the visibility of such celebrations is crucial for LGBTQ+ youth in regional areas, providing them with a sense of community that was historically difficult to find outside of major metropolitan centers. This visibility also serves as an invitation to travelers, signaling that Tamworth is a place where they can be their authentic selves while enjoying the local culture.

Intersectional Solidarity: NAIDOC and Queer Identity

Tamworth’s commitment to pride and inclusivity is also deeply connected to its First Nations history. On July 4, 2026, the city held its annual NAIDOC March, which this year carried the theme "50 Years Deadly." The event was described as a powerful walk for "pride, culture, strength, and unity," with members of the LGBTQ+ community marching in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This intersectional approach to community building is a hallmark of Tamworth’s modern identity, where different marginalized groups support one another in the pursuit of equality.

The march, which moved from Viaduct Park to Bicentennial Park, emphasized that "everyone is welcome to take part," encouraging participants to bring their flags and wear their colors. For queer travelers, this demonstration of unity provides a richer cultural experience, showing that the city’s sense of pride is not limited to a single weekend or a single group but is part of a broader, community-wide effort to honor history and fight for a more inclusive future. The participation of queer First Nations people in these events highlights the diverse layers of identity that exist within the Tamworth community.

Legacy of the Letters: The Hey Vernon Project

One of the most unique aspects of Tamworth’s queer culture is the "Hey Vernon" project, an initiative that connects the city’s modern community with its often-hidden past. The project was inspired by Vernon Marshall, a local man who spent much of his life in Tamworth and became a known figure for navigating his sexuality in a much less accepting era. Decades after his activist work began, a dedicated post office box—Post Office Box 727—was established for LGBTQ+ people to share their thoughts, worries, and stories anonymously.

The Hey Vernon project serves as both a support network and a living archive of regional queer life. For visitors, the project adds a layer of immense historical depth, transforming the town from a simple highway stop into a site of cultural resilience. The act of writing a letter to Vernon allows individuals to contribute to a legacy of courage that paved the way for the visibility seen in Tamworth today.

Advocacy and Art at the Tamworth Regional Gallery

The Tamworth Regional Gallery has also emerged as a vital institution for local diversity. Cultural centers in the region have expanded their roles, prioritizing inclusive programming, safe spaces, and all-ages community events that celebrate gender-diverse residents.

This active institutional backing is key to why Tamworth is becoming a preferred spot for mindful queer travelers. The gallery’s support extends beyond one-off events; it includes the curation of inclusive regional narratives and the promotion of diverse artistic voices. Travelers visiting the gallery can see firsthand how the city is integrating diverse stories into its broader cultural tapestry, providing a welcome sense of security and validation.

From the Mardi Gras Parade to the Peel Street Pavement

Tamworth’s regional pride has even reached the global stage. In March 2023, a group of advocates from Tamworth Pride Inc participated in the iconic Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. Led by William Weller, the historic 20-person float was designed to spotlight the regional queer community and show the world that country towns possess a pride community that is vibrant, local, and unashamed.

That message of visibility continues to resonate on the pavement of Tamworth today. Along Peel Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, travelers will find local businesses displaying inclusive signage and a community increasingly comfortable with its diverse identity. This momentum is set to culminate later this spring during the annual Tamworth Pride Fair Day, which brings community market stalls, food trucks, and local performers together in a celebration of regional unity. [1]

Navigating Tamworth: A Guide for the Queer Traveler

For those planning a visit, Tamworth offers an array of experiences that cater to varied interests:

• The Cultural Hub: Spend an afternoon at the Tamworth Regional Gallery to explore local exhibitions and view their community projects.


• The Main Strip: Walk down Peel Street to browse local boutique shops and dine at welcoming cafes. Keep an eye out for evening events at The Press, a favorite local spot for live music and occasional drag nights.


• Natural Landscapes: Drive up to the Oxley Scenic Lookout for a panoramic, sweeping view of the Peel Valley, or take a relaxed morning stroll along the pedestrian-friendly river paths.



• While the city proudly embraces its country music heritage, the modern Tamworth is a destination where queer travelers can enjoy rural charm exactly as they are.




The Future of Inclusivity in Regional New South Wales



The story of Tamworth is a powerful example of how regional Australia is changing. By moving beyond stereotypes and embracing its diverse population, the city has created a unique space where country culture and queer identity can coexist and thrive. The success of events like the NAIDOC March and "Pride in the Park" demonstrates that there is a strong appetite for inclusivity in the regions.

As more travelers discover the charms of this "hidden gem," the city’s reputation as a queer-friendly destination is likely to grow. The continued efforts of Tamworth Pride Inc. and the support of local institutions like the Tamworth Regional Gallery will be vital in maintaining this momentum. For now, Tamworth stands as a beacon for what is possible when a community chooses to walk together in pride, respect, and unity.

The appeal starts with scale. More than 200 restaurants sit within walking distance of Main Street, most of them locally owned. So do Falls Park on the Reedy, the head of the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the museums of Heritage Green, which means two days here can be planned almost entirely on foot. The food has drawn headlines lately: Scoundrel, a French bistro on North Main, earned the city's first Michelin Star when the guide expanded into the American South, and "Top Chef: Carolinas" filmed downtown and along the river. Base yourself at the AC Hotel in Camperdown Plaza, and the rest is a short walk.

Day 1 in Greenville

Morning

Greenville's center of gravity is Falls Park on the Reedy, a downtown park built around an actual waterfall, with the curving Liberty Bridge suspended above it. Visit early before the crowds, ideally with a steamed bagel sandwich from Sully's Steamers in hand. The Mr. Burns, stacked with sausage, egg and cheese, has a devoted following.

From the park, Main Street runs in both directions, lined with the boutiques, bookshops and coffee bars that make the argument for leaving the car at the hotel. Spend the first morning simply wandering it.

Lunch

The best introduction to the food scene is the At the Chef's Table tour led by John Nolan, a local historian who walks small groups through different kitchens and gets you a prime seat in each. The stops rotate, but expect dishes like beef carpaccio under truffle aioli at one table, and chicken and waffles finished with a maple gastrique at another, each paired with a drink and a few minutes with the chef who made it.

Unlike some food tours, you won't leave this one hungry. Nolan threads the walk with the history of the buildings between bites, so it doubles as a primer on how a faded mill town became a dining destination.

Dinner

For the first dinner, two downtown rooms make strong cases. Soby's is the New South cuisine stalwart whose 1990s opening is widely credited with starting downtown's revival, still turning out cheddar biscuits and their famous shrimp and grits. A few blocks south, Jianna features a second-floor dining room and wraparound balcony overlooking Falls Park, with house-made pasta, a deep wine list and oysters the staff will argue are the best in town. Chef Michael Kramer, who traded Los Angeles for the slower pace of Greenville, keeps it deliberately plain: Italian, good wine and no pretense. If your visit lands on a Thursday, begin the evening at NOMA Square, where Downtown Alive brings free live music and food trucks to Main Street.

Day 2 in Greenville

Morning

Start the second day outdoors on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, the 28-mile path along the Reedy where "Top Chef" staged a quickfire. Rent a bike from Reedy Rides and ride north to Unity Park, the city's newest green space, with playgrounds and open lawns on the site of a historic ballfield, or keep it to a short walk to the falls and back. Either way, work in coffee and a pastry at Camilla Kitchen, the cafe tucked inside M Judson Booksellers in the old courthouse.

Lunch

For lunch, pick from two very different settings. In the West End, a walkable district of galleries and studios across the Reedy, Papi's Kitchen on Augusta Street is the full-service follow-up to the Barrales family's beloved taqueria, where the tortas pull the midday crowd and the duck mole is the reason to come back at night.

For something closer to the water, Passerelle Bistro sits right in Falls Park, with an approachable French menu and patio dining. Ask for a table outside, well shaded by umbrellas and perched next to the falls and the park paths, for the best people-watching in town.

Afternoon

Greenville's museums cluster on the Heritage Green campus, an easy walk from Main Street, and they reward an afternoon as much as any restaurant does. The Greenville County Museum of Art leads the group with a celebrated collection of Andrew Wyeth watercolors and work by Jasper Johns, who grew up in South Carolina. Next door, the Sigal Music Museum keeps a world-class collection of historic instruments alongside rare records and sheet music, while the Upcountry History Museum walks visitors through three centuries of the region's past. Together, they make the case that 48 hours here need not be spent entirely at the table.

Dinner and evening

The second night comes down to the established or the brand new. Scoundrel, the city's Michelin-starred French bistro, is low-lit with exposed brick, a long bar and framed photos of Elvis. They're famous for their tableside beef tartare preparation, and their duck breast dish is a local favorite. Or, just go for a drink at the bar and enjoy a clarified milk-punch cocktail called the Drifter. Or go newer at Abyss, a seafood room lit like the deep end, where bubble-shaped fixtures float against blue-green walls and a prix-fixe TV Dinner menu riffs on the "Top Chef" season filmed in town.

Greenville is still on the rise. Two locals earned 2026 James Beard semifinalist nods, a season of "Top Chef" put the city on national TV and restaurants keep opening along Main Street. Two days is barely enough to scratch the surface of this postcard-perfect town, which is the best reason to come back.

This cultural shift is not merely superficial; it is backed by concrete municipal action and a thriving network of local entrepreneurs. The city has consistently aimed for high marks on the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index, joining a record-breaking 130 cities across the United States that have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to inclusivity despite restrictive state-level regulations elsewhere . Today, Lancaster stands as a premier example of how small-city America is leading the charge in civil rights and cultural acceptance.

The 2026 Pride Milestone

The summer of 2026 has been a landmark season for the local community. On June 20, 2026, the 18th Annual Lancaster Pride Festival took place at Penn Medicine Park, the home of the Lancaster Stormers. The event was a massive success, featuring live entertainment, local vendors, and a wide array of community resources dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ health and wellness . The festival’s move to the stadium highlighted the sheer scale of the community’s growth, offering an expansive and safe environment for thousands of attendees to celebrate their identities openly .

Following the festival, the City Council of Lancaster solidified this progress through legislative recognition. During a public meeting on June 23, 2026, the council passed a formal resolution recognizing June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual Pride Month. The resolution encouraged all residents to work toward advancing the cause of equality and fostering a safe community that appreciates diversity in all its forms for future generations . This official proclamation serves as a vital signal to both residents and visitors that the city’s leadership is committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

A Landscape of Inclusivity: Local Businesses Lead the Way

One of the most compelling reasons to visit Lancaster now is its thriving "gay-friendly" business district, where many establishments are owned and operated by members of the LGBTQ+ community. Unlike larger metropolitan areas where queer spaces are often concentrated in a single neighborhood, Lancaster’s inclusive spots are woven into the very fabric of its downtown core.

A centerpiece of this movement is The Midnight Oil, a transgender-owned and queer-run café that has become a vital social hub. The café places a heavy emphasis on creating a safe environment for people to connect, play board games, and enjoy sober social interactions—an essential resource in an area where such spaces were previously limited . The Midnight Oil is frequently cited by locals as the "top choice" for those seeking a welcoming atmosphere without the pressure of a traditional bar scene .

For those seeking fine dining, the city offers several high-end, LGBTQ-owned and affirming options. 401 Prime, a premier modern steakhouse, and The Belvedere Inn known for its award-winning American cuisine and elegant atmosphere, both served as official hosts for the 2026 "Uptown Pride After Party" . These businesses demonstrate that LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship is driving the city’s economic and culinary revitalization. Other notable stops include Pocket Books, a bookstore owned by queer women, and Farbo Co, a queer-owned gaming and hobby shop that serves as a cornerstone for local geek culture .

Community Beyond the Parade

The spirit of inclusivity in Lancaster extends well beyond the month of June. Tonight, July 13, 2026, the community continues its summer of celebration with a Free Community Pool Party at the Conestoga Pines Pool from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Hosted by Lancaster Pride, the event is designed to provide a relaxed, affirming space for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies to cool off and connect .

This commitment to year-round engagement is further evidenced by initiatives like "Pride on the Conestoga," a collaboration with the Conestoga River Club during Lancaster Water Week, which integrates environmental stewardship with queer visibility . Additionally, organizations like the Keystone Business Alliance work tirelessly to bridge the gap between the LGBTQ+ community and the broader local economy, ensuring that diverse-owned businesses have the support they need to thrive .

A Travel Destination for Everyone

For the LGBTQ+ traveler, Lancaster offers the rare combination of small-town charm and big-city progressiveness. The city is highly walkable, with a dense collection of galleries, boutiques, and cafes that are "openly supportive" of the queer community . While the surrounding rural landscape remains more conservative, the city itself acts as a safe harbor, where rainbow flags are a common sight and gender-neutral bathrooms are becoming the standard in local haunts like Little Mutants .

Whether you are visiting for the 18-year-old Pride tradition, the unique transgender-owned shopping experiences, or simply to enjoy a meal at an affirming steakhouse, Lancaster provides a travel experience that is both culturally rich and socially conscious. As more LGBTQ+ people seek out inclusive communities in less traditional areas, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is standing tall as a model for the future of the American small city.

Dozens of Santas, Mrs. Clauses and elves from around the world have descended on Denmark's fourth-largest city for the Nordic nation’s annual World Santa Claus Congress, a colorful midsummer tradition for decades.

First staged at an amusement park near Copenhagen in 1957, the congress moved to Aalborg on Denmark’s Jutland peninsula two years ago. This year, the Santa suits looked a little stifling under the Danish summer sun.

The event, which marks its 70th anniversary next year, was created to entertain children, but became a popular gathering for Santas who appear in stores and shopping malls during the Yuletide season.

The gathering offers a chance for professional Santas — not the real one, of course! — to swap stories, compare beards, sharpen their craft and compete in lighthearted contests months before anyone checks naughty-or-nice lists for the Christmas rush.

The packed agenda features events like gingerbread eating, gift wrapping, balloon modeling, and several noisy parades.

“The grandmas say: ‘Oh, it’s too early to come here’," said organizer Peter Gislund, himself a Santa Claus in Aalborg during the Christmas season. “The kids say: 'Hooray! Santa’s here already'.”

Christmas as a state of mind, not just a season

Over the years, the annual four-day gathering has attracted Santas and Mrs. Clauses from as far away as Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States.

Most of the three dozen or so Santas and Mrs. Clauses at the congress this week hail from Scandinavia, but some flew in — like Paradise Yamamoto from Tokyo.

“This is very fun, so many children … Ho, ho, ho!” said Yamamoto with a laugh after parading through Aalborg waving a Japanese flag and dancing to the song "Feliz Navidad” — one of many Christmas classics played during the event.

Robert Hercz, a 64-year-old Norwegian Santa from Oslo, said that despite their different nationalities, all Santas on hand share “a gene” — for generosity and spreading joy.

“You have it or you don’t,” said Hercz, who was attending the congress for the first time. “We have the true Santa spirit. And it’s all about giving, sharing, and putting a little bit of joy in people’s hearts.”

It’s not all ho-ho-ing and belly rubs.

“When Santas are together, they always mingle and talk a little bit,” said Gislund. “Maybe I put a little bit of sparkle in the beard and so on. That’s the good part of meeting some Santas from all over the world.”

For Simon Brøns, a 33-year-old Danish Santa, the event is proof that the festive spirit isn’t just for Christmas.

“Christmas is not a season. It’s a feeling you have in your stomach," he said with a smile. "So if you want, you can have Christmas the whole year.”