Now is the Time to Go to Normally Crowded Banff

Plus, Travel to an ‘Art Deco Dream Come to Life’ [Manage newsletters]( [View in browser]( [Image] [Image] The entire world in your inbox. Hello All, Who has not dreamed of visiting imaginary places? Trekking off to Hogwarts, flying off to Neverland (Pan’s, not Jackson’s), or sleighing to Santa’s workshop all sound like preferable alternatives to “are we there yet?” trips with Mom and Dad to visit Aunt Edna (she of the dusty hard candy frozen into a lump in a bowl on the coffee table). Clarification: Those trips sound thrilling… when you’re 10! But if you’re looking for fresh evidence that some people never grow up, dive into Candida Moss’ [jaw dropping account](of the insane fight over the new Discovery channel series Hunting Atlantis. As Moss points out, the makers of this show never go all in and say outright that the ancient vanished city of Atlantis ever existed. But that hasn’t stopped the show’s fans from arguing that very point in a social media battle royal where they heap abuse on historians and archeologists who have the temerity to, well, tell the truth about this mythological place. And this being 2021, you will not be surprised—disheartened but not surprised—to learn that this story has a racist angle, Atlantis being the supposed home of the master race (Himmler thought so, anyway). For those who prefer history that actually happened, read Travel editor [William O’Connor’s intriguing tale](of the Redwood Library in his hometown of Newport, RI, the latest entry in our continuing series about the world’s most beautiful libraries. The Redwood may be small but it matters: Completed in 1750, it was only the second subscription library built in the colonies, the first being Ben Franklin’s. More important, the library, designed by Peter Harrison, was arguably the first architecturally notable building erected in America. Modified in the centuries since, its original lines and style still shine through. But if his creation has had a long and happy life, the same cannot be said for poor Harrison, whose status as a Tory in revolutionary America put him forever on the wrong side of history, where he died, disgraced and forgotten, in 1775. — [Malcolm Jones](, Guest Travel Editor [Image] [Now is the Time to Go to Normally Crowded Banff]( [A lot of U.S. travelers have yet to cross the newly reopened border, and much of the world still can't enter Canada]( [Travel to an ‘Art Deco Dream Come to Life’]( [A new coffee table book captures one of America's most legendary hotels.]( [The CIA Spy Who Reinvented the Travel Guide]( [For decades, Eugene Fodor wrote and edited the travel books that introduced middle-class travelers to the world—when he wasn’t moonlighting as a spook.]( [This is One of the Most Fascinating Ways to See Rome]( [This itinerary will take you through some of Rome’s most interesting neighborhoods, so take it at a leisurely pace with plenty of time for cups of coffee, aperitifs, and lunch.]( These Expert-Recommended Hiking Boots Are Trail-Tested [ ]( Scouting Report: There are two things you need to bring along with you on a hike, no matter if it’s a three-hour day trip, a weeklong trek, or a weekend climb: water and a good pair of [hiking boots](. Finding the perfect pair that will keep you supported, blister-free, and comfortable can get a bit tricky for several reasons. We checked in with the experts and narrowed it down to just five boots here today. Are there other great hiking boots out there? Sure, lots. But will one of these work for you given your activities and budget and fitness level and such? Yes. — Scouted by Daniel Modlin [VIEW THE LIST ]( [“Rebranding the dogs was a deliberate approach to save the species, and has worked well. It was a way to soften the image of the species.”]( — Dr. Hillary Madzikanda in [Todd Plummer’s piece on How Painted Dogs became safari’s hottest sighting](. OMG I Want This House! The list of social changes that COVID has wrought is long and dramatic: The pandemic is a seller’s market which, in Scottsdale, Arizona, translates to proposed new builds—houses that haven’t yet risen from the ground—deciding to raise their listing prices by millions. Case in point: [The Bacon House at Desert Mountain](. In 2019, this proposed desert palace was being offered for $13 million. Fast forward a year and a half, and it is now looking for a new owner to shell out $16.5 million before the construction crews move in and begin breaking ground. The home was designed by architect Bob Bacon, who has the local distinction of being known as the “Master of the Southwest.” Bacon’s aesthetic is all about how home design can meld with the environment in which it’s placed. This vision could be yours exactly as you see it from floor to ceiling given that there is the option to purchase it fully furnished. However, dreams cost money, and the home’s dining room tables and modern bar chairs are sold separately. You thought $16.5 million was enough to be considered all inclusive, didn’t you? Wrong! Don't miss previous OMG, I Want to Rent This House posts, which spotlight the most spectacular and unique homes that you can actually stay in. [Check out the full archives](. This Will Make You Think Airlines Are Sexy Rare is the person these days who thinks of airlines as sexy. Sure, Virgin brought some cool back, and some of the Middle Eastern and East Asian airlines can be luxurious. But the airlines are generally more utilitarian now. That wasn't always the case, and that's why the latest selection for our series on gorgeous travel coffee table books ([Just Booked]() is the updated Airline Visual Identity: 1945-1975 by M.C. Huhne. Published by Callisto, the giant book is a spectacular collection of the ways in which airlines portrayed themselves in this glamorous 30-year period when flying, as Huhne writes, was "an extraordinary experience." Leaf through page after page of posters, advertisements, logos, and tickets from the major airlines of this period (think PanAm, TWA, United, SWISS, etc). There is unforgettable artwork, like the abstract work that David Klein did for TWA as well as genuinely stunning 1964 SWISS Air posters. Plus, the accompanying pithy text has neat insights into everything from the original American Airlines logo (created by a divisional traffic manager) to the impressive origin story of United Airlines. It's a trip both for those who love airlines and their history and for anyone fascinated with branding and corporate design. Check out our previous selections for our series on gorgeous travel-related coffee table books, [Just Booked](. [BUY ON CALLISTO >>]( Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts or newsletters, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales. © Copyright 2021 The Daily Beast Company LLC 555 W. 18th Street, New York NY 10011 [Privacy Policy]( If you are on a mobile device or cannot view the images in this message, [click here to view this email in your browser](. To ensure delivery of these emails, please add emails@thedailybeast.com to your address book. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, or think you have received this message in error, you can [safely unsubscribe](.