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10 virtual travel apps for oculus/meta quest 2.

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10 Intimidating Thor Quotes That Prove He's Nothing Like the MCU Version

Heading out review: "definitely gives the atmosphere of a road trip", little kitty, big city review: "the best cat simulator on the market".

Travel is a major goal for many people, but it can be inaccessible even in the best of times because of financial and mobility-related barriers. As unfortunate as it is, some people may never have the chance to visit all the places they want to. But VR allows its users to not only explore virtual worlds but also get a better understanding of their own.

Between 360-degree breakdowns of the world, guided tour videos, and documentaries, VR allows people to get closer to the places of their dreams than was previously possible. Many travel apps even include interactive features, so the users can feel like they're actually able to connect with different cultures and topography. As systems like the Oculus/ Meta Quest 2 become more widely available, and as programmers and cinematographers put more effort into advancing the technologies, travel will truly be possible without having to leave home.

Traveling While Black

Traveling While Black is an Emmy-nominated VR experience that talks about the process of traveling, specifically focusing on the barriers that have been put in place for Black populations, in history and in the present. The experience takes advantage of every benefit VR offers, which helps its message connect with the audience.

While this is not a documentary that focuses on the freedom of VR, it does try to get its users to think outside their own bodies and life experiences to see how other people can be limited in their own freedom. It tells an incredibly important story, which deserves to be heard by those who have now gained a deeper level of freedom through the digital realm.

For those looking for a way to walk around the world, Wander is the app to download. The app's primary function is to allow users to navigate the world similarly to Google Maps' StreetView, allowing them to enter an address and be transported to that spot. This can be a great way to explore new areas or look back on places you used to live.

In addition to immersive imagery, users can use the historical jumping feature to see what different areas looked like over the years. Many famous landmarks even have the ability to be explored from the inside, giving users the feeling that they're really there.

BRINK Traveler

BRINK Traveler gives users the ability to see some of the most amazing places on Earth from the comfort of their own homes. While there are currently only 17 locations for users to visit, the additional features make each one a true travel experience that may push them to travel in real life as well .

Virtual guides can explain the features and history of each spot, and an in-app camera allows users to take all the pictures they would want if they were to visit in person. Another great feature is the ability to travel in multiplayer mode, which lets users meet up with friends from anywhere while getting a remarkable view at the same time.

OtherSight is one of the most interactive travel apps out there because it specifically focused on including usable objects in every location. Currently, users only have the option of going to four different locations, but there's a lot that they can do at each one.

Users can visit churches, streets, and museums and really get a sense of how it feels to be there. The scale, texture, and movement qualities of interactive features are especially well done. While this is a fairly limited app at the moment, the developers are working on new locations, which can provide future explorations.

The Ocean might not be the first place people think of when they try to imagine their travel plans, but it is one of the great untapped resources on Earth. There is far more to be seen and discovered in the Ocean than there is on land, and Ocean Rift gives users the chance to explore that realm.

There are 14 different habitats to explore, which can be used as an educational program or one for relaxation, depending on the settings. The sea creatures are extremely detailed, and users can actually interact with many of them, giving the perspective of a true underwater safari. However, those with a fear of the ocean and its creatures may find some modes a little too realistic for their comfort level.

Blueplanet VR Explore

Blueplanet VR Explore is one of the most expensive travel apps, but that's in part because it is so extensive. The app allows its users to travel to 40 different cultural sites, with some offering the ability to interact with the landscape or even hang glide over it.

One of the best qualities of this app is the spacial breakdown, where users can truly explore the location. It is a physically navigable terrain, which creates a greater level of immersion than standard point-and-click systems. The one downside to the app, beyond its price, is that it takes up a lot of space, requiring a lot of memory and a strong internet signal while downloading.

Alcove is not technically a travel app, but it does offer a number of virtual tour experiences for free. The app itself is a virtual home, where users can download different in-app features depending on their interests. The travel features do include a number of tours on the ground, under the sea, and even in the sky, narrated by some of the most thorough guides available in VR.

The limitation of the app is that each experience is entirely pre-determined. There are no interactive features that would make it more immersive. However, given that it is free and has such incredible visual quality, that might be a sacrifice worth making.

National Geographic Explore VR

National Geographic Explore VR is a highly-interactive app that allows users to take on the role of a National Geographic photographer. They have the ability to travel to Machu Pichu or Antarctica, where they can navigate the landscape and take pictures of the many sights to see.

Users feel the strain of rowing boats and climbing cliffs, which makes for a more immersive experience . However, the quest is fairly pre-programmed, which means that individual decision-making is only possible in the pictures a user takes rather than in the experience as a whole. Coupled with another, more interactive app, this could be a great way to feel the travel in a way that images themselves cannot achieve.

Nature Treks VR

Nature Treks VR isn't overly concerned with realism, instead focusing on making a relaxing experience. Users have the ability to go on a walk on a variety of virtual paths, with exotic animals meandering by and control of the weather allowing the user to fit the experience to their preferences.

Because it isn't definitively located in any real-world locations , users have the ability to mold the world as they see fit, interacting with the trees to summon animals and controlling the sound levels to be more immersive or more relaxing. The detail work and spontaneity make it an engaging experience, though users should be aware that it is not intended to be a completely realistic one.

ecosphere is a photo-realistic breakdown of the Earth's most beautiful locations and the people that are working to protect them. Intended as a way to help the average person connect with the environmental crises of our time , these immersive documentaries show the importance of caring for the Earth before the damage is irreversible.

This is distinct from other user-directed travel apps but also provides a sense of depth and significance far beyond what other apps can offer. There are only a handful of experiences, but they go beyond visuals to explain what really matters about the different locations they portray. As an added bonus, the app is free, making these videos some of the most accessible ways for Oculus users to travel in VR.

NEXT: The 10 Coolest Games To Play On Oculus Quest 2

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Why you should adopt a personal travel quest

I believe that travel quests are one of the best ways to inspire more travel. In fact, the original name of this blog was originally going to be VisitEveryPark.com—an ode to the quest that inspired so much of my own travel. That’s how powerful I think quests can be to getting out and adventuring more.

Virtually everyone I know that travels frequently for pleasure is pursuing at least one personal travel quest. But that doesn’t mean that their travel is always focused on those quests. Quests just tend to inspire you get out and adventure more.

So if you want to travel more, try adopting a travel quest of your own. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.

The two types of quests

Personal quests are divided into two main types: ones that “count down” and ones that “count up.” Some quests work better for counting down while others are better for counting up.

Quests that count down

Quests that count down usually take the form of “Visit all of the ________.” As in,  visit all 50 states,   visit every National Park unit , or  visit every craft brewery in the state . There are a finite number of stops baked into the goal, and you’re usually trying to visit all of them . So you’re counting down how many you have left. Now, that doesn’t mean that the quest number stays static—it may not. For instance, when I started my National Parks quest, there were 379 units, whereas today, there are 417. But while the number may change, my personal goal really does stay the same: to visit all of the National Park units (however many that may be right now).

These types of quests are my favorite, but they’re a bit harder, as you don’t have any flexibility of which places are included. That’s a big part of the challenge, and often requires a little strategy and foreplanning to pull off so that you don’t “orphan” something off by itself that would require an additional trip.

Quests that count up

Quests that count up (e.g., “visit 100 countries before I turn 50”) are still focused on a goal, but usually involve just a subset of the available destinations. For instance, visiting 100 countries is a big task, but it’s quite a bit easier than visiting every country. These quests usually have a more specific deadline than “visit them all” style quests, often related to one’s age. In addition, this type of quest is regularly expanded once the initial goal is reached. To continue the example, if you successfully visit 100 countries, you might extend the goal to 150 countries—or possibly even shift to a “counting down” quest and try for all the countries.

What about bucket lists?

I don’t consider bucket lists, at least as they’re traditionally defined, to be travel quests. Bucket lists are usually a rather random collection of destinations to visit, activities to complete, experiences to have, and accomplishments to achieve. They’re a personal list of things to do before you die, where the items have no direct relationship to one another. Bungee-jumping, visiting the Taj Mahal, and earning a master’s degree are too different of things to be considered a quest. Don’t get me wrong, I think a bucket list is a worthwhile goal to pursue. It’s just something different than a travel quest, so I won’t cover them in this post.

Do challenges count?

Similarly, I usually don’t consider personal challenges—like the popular 52 Hike Challenge —as quests, mostly because they tend not to be tied to specific destinations. Depending on the details of the challenge, however, they might be closely related and therefore share some of the traits I mention below. I’ll address these personal challenges in a future post.

Travel quests help you travel more

Several qualities of travel quests help inspire travel. Here are some of the ways that quests have helped to inspire me to travel or adventure more often.

Quests ensure that you experience new places

It’s easy to go back to the same ol’ places when you travel. You know what to expect. You know how to get there. You know, generally, how the trip will go. It’s comfortable and easy. It doesn’t need as much planning, or require new gear purchases, or create any anxiety or angst. It’s safe and familiar.

But it also doesn’t expand your horizons, or teach you anything new, or provide you with an exciting new experience. In some ways, you lose out on quite a few of the inherent benefits of travel. Quests, on the other hand, help inspire you to visit different places, attempt new activities, adopt new perspectives, and expand both your skills and your comfort zone. That, in turn, helps expand your confidence to travel to even more places. The more you travel, the easier it gets.

Quests force you to go to places you might not otherwise go

A related benefit of quests is that they force you to go to places you might not otherwise visit. Not everyone would see that as a benefit, but you might be pleasantly surprised with places you had no intention of visiting. For instance, I had zero interest in visiting Topeka, Kansas— zero —but had to visit Brown vs Board of Education National Historic Site for my national parks quest. As a white male, I had never really understood what racism felt like, nor had I really sought out any experiences to learn. However, that visitor center had an amazing video display in a hallway that made you feel like you were one of the Little Rock Nine . It was one of the most enlightening experiences of my life. That’s just one of several examples I could point to.

Quests impose some structure to your travels

Another benefit of quests is that you always have something on your “To Visit” list. It’s easier to plan trips because you always have something on the agenda. Some people end up not traveling as often as they’d like simply because it’s hard to narrow down the glut of available options—a sort of paradox of choice . Quests, however, can help impose some sidebars to your travels. You know that you want to make progress on your quest, so you’ve already limited available destination options to a more manageable number.

Quests serve as a goal

Quests provide an inherent incentive to travel more—a motivation to complete the quest by the deadline. As a result, you’re more likely to pursue travel when opportunities arise. Let’s face it, there are always plenty of barriers to travel; staying home is far easier than planning and completing a trip. Having a running goal helps ensure that there’s a bit more impetus for making that trip idea come to fruition.

In a similar fashion, quests tend to inspire you to add more to your trip itinerary. “Hmm, what else could I mark off while I’m in the area?” is a common thought to someone with a quest. When you develop that attitude, you tend to bypass the barriers to travel that keep others at home.

Quests often contain some social pressure

Once you start to make some progress on your quest, especially if you do so publicly on a blog or on social media, you begin to generate a bit of public pressure to continue. This social reinforcement helps keep you on track and making progress. The more “public” your quest, the more reinforcement you get. Once friends and acquaintances learn of your quest, you’ll likely get future inquiries on your recent progress—which helps to motivate you to keep marking off destinations.

Quests make unfun travel “worth it”

If you’ve done any amount of travel, you know that it’s not all fun. Sometimes, it can be an absolute slog. The weather doesn’t cooperate, you get stuck in traffic during your drive, you have to endure extended flight delays, and so forth. These delays and annoyances are a bit more tolerable if your trip involves making progress on a quest; after all, you’re still completing something important to you.

Conversely, having a subpar experience while marking off a quest objective also makes you better appreciate the places that were great experiences.

Quests inspire more quests

Just as travel tends to inspire more travel, adopting travel quests tends to lead to even more quests. It’s an interesting phenomenon—the more success you have completing your own personal quest, the more interested you get in adopting new quests or expanding your current quests. Travel inspires travel. The more places you check off your list, the more you add back onto it.

Quests make you feel accomplished

Completing one’s goals usually leads to feelings of personal satisfaction. And finishing a big travel quest? Well, “feeling accomplished” might be an understatement. Now, it’s a great feeling to finally complete a quest, even if it’s not the most challenging one on your list. But it’s absolutely true that the harder the quest, the greater the satisfaction. Either way, you’ll routinely smile with pride whenever you recount the accomplishment in the future.

In addition, I tend to get regular praise from both friends and acquaintances, who often introduce me to others as “the guy I told you about that’s trying to visit all the national parks.” Sure, some people will occasionally be jealous, but most come away impressed and supportive. As an excellent side bonus, those that hear your goals will be encouraged to travel more. Truth be told, it’s one of the main things that drives me to publish this site—I love the feeling of inspiring others to just get out more!

How to choose a travel quest

What’s your hobby.

Do you love old cathedrals? Maybe you should go see a bunch of them. Maybe you feel most alive when you’ve conquered a tall mountain peak? Sounds like you need to do some peak bagging. Do you enjoy eating at windowless Chinese restaurants located in sketchy Phoenix neighborhoods? Ehh, on second thought, maybe you should skip that one—that would be a ridiculous quest, right? Anyway, the point here is to choose whatever sounds like it could be fun for you.

Or you can simply be open to the idea when you accidentally stumbled onto something interesting, as I often have. Sure, my early national park road trips quickly evolved into a broader quest to visit them all, and I’ve purposefully selected other quests for a specific reason. But my High Points of Otherwise Flat States quest arose from a friend’s simple tongue-in-cheek comment that I should climb Mount Sunflower while I was driving through Kansas. I thought to myself, “Sure, why not?” and proceeded to have a good chuckle when I made it to the so-called summit. And a quest was born.

Similarly, I thought it’d be funny to visit the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, Kansas on that same trip. I had a blast, and even ended up going to door-to-door in the town to find some twine so I could add to the ball. When I learned that two other twine balls also considered themselves to be the “World’s Largest?” Well, I obviously had to go and judge for myself. Bam! Another quest.

Sharing a quest with someone

Sharing a travel quest with a close friend or significant other is an excellent bonding experience. It’s fun to travel with people you enjoy spending time with, especially when you’re chasing the same goal. Sharing expenses, driving duties, and trip planning often makes it all a bit easier, too. But, just like sharing a popular tv show like Game of Thrones with someone, it’s also fraught with some potential downsides. Two people means that there can be twice as many barriers to travel, for instance—be it schedule conflicts, money woes, or a lack of motivation. It can be frustrating when you’re excited to mark off the next items on your quest only to have your friend bail due to last minute work demands. Are you even allowed to mark off a destination without the other person? And if your quest was a “special thing” in your relationship that just ended in heartbreaking fashion, well…do you keep pursuing it? Spending a few minutes thinking these things over before you commit to a joint quest is probably a good idea.

Can you have more than one quest?

Of course! I have quite a few quests I’m currently working on . Some of them are long-term and difficult to complete, such as visiting 50 countries before I’m 50, or visiting all 419 National Parks units . Others, like visiting all of Arizona’s State Parks, are far easier and can be accomplished on the weekends over the course of a year. I even have some “back burner” quests that I’ve adopted but aren’t actively pursuing at the moment (primarily because of other, higher priority quests).

Micro-adventuring using mini quests

Not all quests need to be difficult or require substantial travel to complete. Some can be local and easy to accomplish, like picnicking in every public park in your town. These type of mini quests can help lead to small, everyday adventures that can be surprisingly fun.

For instance, my friend Wayne and I actually did complete that local quest to visit every sketchy Chinese restaurant in downtown Phoenix, complete with our own hybrid rating system. It wasn’t hard to schedule several lunch visits over the course of a few months, but we had an absolute blast doing it. We even ran across a couple of legitimate gems…though the majority were definitely places to avoid. Our friends found the whole thing hilarious, so they’d often send us tips on possible restaurants to add to our quest list or check in to see when our next lunch was. The point here is that, no matter where you live, there are quests to be pursued.

Setting some rules

Exactly what is included in the list.

The first thing you’ll need to decide is what exactly is on the list you’re trying to complete. On the surface, this sounds rather elementary, but it can be more complicated than you might think. Let’s use the example of a quest to visit every brewery in your state. First, which breweries count ? Is it only locally-owned craft breweries, or are chain breweries included too? What about places that white label their brews, or ones that brew off-site? And keep in mind that these numbers might change as new breweries open and others close. Do you lose your “completed” status if another one opens the week after you finish them all? Or is your quest only focusing on the breweries that were in existence when you started the quest? A bit of thought will help sort this all out before you get started.

Exactly what counts as a visit?

Another important rule you’ll need to decide on is “what counts as a visit.” For instance, does a country visit count if you simply pass through its borders on a train and never deboard? Does it count if you drive across town to visit a craft brewery but they’ve inexplicably run out of their own beer? Are you allowed to count visits that occurred before you started the quest? These questions are best decided before you begin your quest—and trust me, they’re bound to come up along the way.

Here’s an important thing to remember: it’s entirely up to you to decide what rules you follow. If you want to count airport layovers as visiting a particular state, then by all means go right ahead. Your quest = your rules . Quests are for you, after all, not for anyone else.

Starting a tradition

I think traditions are particularly important components of quests. Some people dance , while others collect passport stamps , or repeat the same selfie in front of an entrance sign. Some bring a trinket or figurine that they photograph at each destination. It doesn’t matter exactly what you decide to do, but I’d recommend adopting at least one tradition for your quest. I tend to have several traditions for each quest I undertake. Some demonstrate my quest progress, such as holding up a sign of what park number I’m on. Others, like a selfie of me in front of the park sign, will be part of a fun slideshow when I’m finally done. Whatever you decide to do, the earlier you start these traditions the better.

Generating some evidence

Most travelers end up with some form of evidence of their various quest visits. For some, it’s a photograph of themselves at a famous landmark, or it might be a passport cancellation, or a national park passport stamp. Whatever tradition(s) you adopt, make sure that at least one of them produces some tangible evidence of your visit. While quests are for your own benefit—not for others—you’ll still appreciate this evidence by the time you approach your quest goal. Just trust me on this.

Keeping track of your progress

Bust out the spreadsheet.

You’ll definitely want to keep track of your quest progress, and spreadsheets tend to be the easiest way to do that. If you don’t own a copy of Excel or Numbers, there are free online versions such as Google Sheets or Excel Online . Spreadsheets are great for keeping track of more than just which destinations you’ve visited and which ones you have remaining. You can also keep track of a wide variety of other useful information, such as the date of your visit, links to any photos or videos you posted from the visit, or other details that’ll inform a future visit. Believe me, it’s a whole lot easier to create and use a system to keep track of your progress than having to go back and researching it each time.

Note: if you’re adopted a quest to visit all of the national parks, I’ve made a spreadsheet counting tool available at rscottjones.com/countparks . Download a copy or add it your Google Drive to edit it.

Know your number

You’ll always want to know what your current “number” is, meaning how far along your quest you are. When someone asks you for an update, you should be able to easily answer (“I’ve been to 88 countries, just 12 more to complete my quest!”). And when you mention your quest to someone, expect their first question to be how close you are to finishing. Also, by keeping track of where you stand on your quest, you’ll help stay motivated to continue increasing that number.

Establish and celebrate milestones

If you’ve adopted a long quest that’ll take a number of years (or even decades) to complete, then it’s worthwhile to add some intervening milestones to shoot for. I like attaching some deadline goals for some of these to help ensure that you remain on track for completing the larger quest. Be sure to celebrate completing each of these milestones, too—you deserve it.

Visualizing your progress

Visualizing your progress is an especially fun part of quests. If you’ve adopted a common quest, like visiting all of the national parks, visiting all 50 states, or marking off countries, you’ll have quite a few options at your disposal. There are a variety of products, from cork-backed wall maps to scratch off wall maps, and cork globes to image-generating apps—and quite a few other options, too. You can personalize your own paper map by taking a highlighter to the places you’ve been, or photoshopping a digital map, or by simply hanging postcards on the wall.

No matter which approach you choose, I recommend doing something to show the progress you’ve made. Not only is it a great reminder and motivator to keep at it, but it’s also a celebration of your efforts to date.

Documenting your journey

Depending on how you go about doing it, documenting your quest travels can seem nearly as time consuming as actually doing it. But that’s a big part of the experience, too. Most everyone takes photos and/or videos of their travels, and you should too. However, don’t rely solely on capturing everything via social media—and especially not in nondurable formats that disappear after 24 hours. These are memories you want to keep, after all.

I also strongly recommend blogging or journaling about your quest, too. Don’t worry if you’re not especially disciplined in doing it, or if you end up with big gaps. Something is better than nothing. Just the act of reflecting on your trip can make it more meaningful and tease out some unexpected insights. You may also come to appreciate the time you took to record a bit about your trips in subsequent years. Failing to do a better job of that and relying on memory recall alone is a common regret among longtime travelers.

Examples of popular quests

Probably the most popular quest of Americans is to visit all 50 states. Quite a few are also counting countries or national parks. Others are trying to catch a game in every MLB ballpark or NFL stadium. There really are a countless number of quests that you could adopt. I’ve included some sample ideas in the sections below to get your imagination primed.

• State/Regional

Local quests are excellent ways to explore beyond your own neighborhood. Many of these amount to “mini quests” that are easily accomplished over the course of a few weeks or months. Obviously, these quests vary substantially depending on where you live. If you live on Maui, then a quest might be to snorkel off every beach on the island; whereas if you live in Kansas City, it might be to eat at every BBQ restaurant.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

• Picnic in every city park
• Hike every official trail
• See a movie in every theater
• Play every golf course
• Swim in every public pool
• Enjoy a staycation at every resort
• Eat at every sketchy Chinese or Mexican restaurant *
• Sip coffee at every coffeeshop

* Not recommended.

Quests that cover your own state or province are probably the best ones to start with. They offer a bit more of a challenge than local quests, and there tend to be a sufficient number of destinations—such as counties or state parks—to make the quest both challenging yet accomplishable.

• visit every county
• enjoy a pint at every brewery or a glass at every winery
• tour each history or historical society museum
• hike in every designated Wilderness Area
• play a round at every golf course
• visit every state or provincial park
• cruise every scenic drive or backcountry byway
• explore every accessible  National Natural Landmark
• summit every county high point
• stay in each historical hotel
• enjoy every zoo
• conquer all the Colorado 14ers
• climb each of the New England 4000 footers
• summit the closest 50 peaks  to your house

Quests start to get quite a bit more challenging when they span the entire country. For many, this is the sweet spot for lifetime quests. You’ll end up doing a lot of domestic travel, but much of it can be done by car and you don’t have to worry about visas, currencies, or foreign languages.

• visit every state or province
• hell, visit every territory, too
• tour every National Park
• catch a game in each stadium or arena of your favorite sports league
• mark off every county
• drive every interstate highway segment
• tour every State Capitol building
• recreate in each National Forest
• visit all the sites associated with the Manhattan Project
• swim in all 5 Great Lakes
• take a selfie on every State High Point
• section hike a long distance trail
• marvel at all three World’s Largest Balls of Twine
• summit 500 total peaks
• Presidential birthplaces , gravesites, or libraries

Obviously, these quests tend to be the most difficult, as they require the most travel to complete. But, wow, what adventures you’d have!

• stay overnight in 100 countries (or all of them)
• snap a selfie in each of the Seven Wonders of the World
• pay your respects at the holy site of every major religion
• step foot on all 7 continents
• stand in line at every Disney theme park
• visit 100 UNESCO world heritage sites
• complete the Seven Summits
• call your mom from every country in Europe
• sail on every ocean
• visit a town in every timezone

Have you adopted a quest?

If so, let me know what you quest is in the comments below—and be sure to tell me how far along you are.

5 thoughts on “Why you should adopt a personal travel quest”

Very cool, read, Scott. My last blog post was on this very idea–travel goals. I’ve realized the more I’ve considered or started working at any of them, I end up “setting” more of them. I’m not even sure how many I really intend to complete, but absolutely agree with your social pressure notion–with baseball, I went from about all 20 to all 30 because folks were cheering me on. My goals were/are seeing the 50 states (only need AK for a second completion of that), touching the 5 Great Lakes and oceans (1 for 2 there), seeing every MLB ballpark (need Atlanta’s new one), NFL stadium (3 teams and about 5 new stadiums to go), Canadian Province (have all 10, but need the three Territories), attend a sporting event in each state (35ish), visit a brewery in every state (33), and visit every place mentioned in “I’ve Been Everywhere Man” (43 of 91, I think). Then there are the National Parks and Minor League parks–right now, I’m using them in tandem to build itineraries, a few days in NPs and then some evenings in ballparks.Not sure if all 59/417 (now at 35/136) is in my future for the parks or 160 (39 now) for the Minor League parks. But, yes, getting to halfway there, or getting to 100 of them, or all of the ones in the Continental Lower 48 or something might be more achievable. Likewise, picking a single league of a dozen teams is certainly more likely than all of them at this point. But, as you complete the subsets of the total, or cross the halfway point, and you start seeing the finish line, well, yeah it can then become a more practical (and pressured) target. Totally get that. Then for skiing, I have a number of ‘goals’ there, with some resorts I want to visit, and maybe hit a certain number (I crossed over 50 this past winter). tt

Sounds like you’ve got some fun quests there, Thomas! I especially like the I’ve Been Everywhere one; I looked up my total a few years back and had most of them but didn’t keep track of my total. I think I need to go back and do that.

Great post. You mention count up and count down quests but what do you think about distance quests? I am thinking about hiking the AT or one quest that I am interested in (but too afraid right now) kayak the entire Mississippi

I’d personal consider those “challenges” as opposed to “quests,” but no matter what word you use, both sound like they’d be a blast! I followed someone on their journey to kayak the length of the Missouri River, and it was quite an endeavor and definitely a logistical challenge.

• Pingback: What I wish I knew before starting my national parks quest - Just Get Out More!

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In the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, an arid expanse stretching from the Andes to the Pacific coast, the vast night skies offer some of the clearest stargazing on Earth. And a few thousand miles to the west on Easter Island, the massive stone statues that dot the rugged landscape provide an evocative backdrop for viewing an annular eclipse and the memorable “Ring of Fire” created when sunlight flares around the Moon.

2026 Greenland & Iceland Total Solar Eclipse Cruise

TravelQuest invites you on a remarkable 12-day voyage as we sail from Reykjavik, Iceland, across the Denmark Strait to explore Northeast Greenland National Park - the world’s largest, covering more area than 85% of countries around the globe. We also cruise into Scoresbysund, the planet’s largest fjord system (ice permitting), to spot wildlife, visit a remote Inuit community and, on August 12, 2026, witness the total solar eclipse from our world-class expedition ship.

2026 Spain Total Solar Eclipse Tour – Northbound

A Feast for the Senses

The spirit of discovery has defined Spain for more than six centuries, since the first wave of Renaissance explorers set off across the seas in search of terra incognita – promising gold, silver, spices and other riches to their royal sponsors. That same spirit of curiosity has long infused Spanish culture, from its extraordinary art and architecture, to its groundbreaking literature, to its distinctive wines and cuisine – all of which continue to be celebrated today in a land of remarkable vibrancy, flair and warm hospitality.

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Stellar Blade: How To Drain Water In Eidos 7 (Oblivion Side Quest)

In Oblivion side quest, Stellar Blade players will have to travel back to Eidos 7.

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How to start oblivion side quest in stellar blade, how to drain water in eidos 7 stellar blade, how to complete oblivion side quest in stellar blade.

The first area that players explore in Stellar Blade is Eidos 7. The place is crawling with all manner of enemies, so gamers have to be mindful of what part they decide to rummage through. When they visit Eidos 7 in the beginning, players won't be able to explore all the regions.

Naturally, it won't be possible to find all the chests. As players progress through the story and complete the side missions, they will be able to unlock new side quests that, in turn, will give them the tools needed to open up new areas. Oblivion is one such side quest that players can take on and lower the water in Eidos 7.

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Oblivion side quest will only appear after players have visited Altess Levoire. The course of action is to visit Xion and travel under the bridge. As the players go down a little, they will find a girl.

Talk to her, and she will hand over a document instructing EVE to go to Eidos 7 and investigate Warehouse 77.

After wrapping up the conversation, players need to head to the Tetrapod and fast travel to Eidos 7.

• From Silent Street fast travel to Plaza Entryway. Then make your way to the bridge.
• As you cross the bridge, go to the left, where you will find a few ledges. Climb up and go left once again.
• Players will find an open room with controls to lower the water.
• After draining the water, it is time to start looking for the warehouse.

​​​​​​With the water no longer preventing progression, players can now go down to the lower levels. Use the scan feature of the drone if you feel that you're straying too far from the objective. When players finally reach Warehouse 77, they will find an enemy guarding the door. Kill it, and then go inside.

There will be a total of six dead bodies, and players need to investigate all of them. Once that's done, fast travel back to Xion and meet the girl who gave EVE the documents. This will successfully complete the Oblivion side quest. As a reward for finishing Oblivion, players will receive a decent amount of SP along with Pulse Grenade, Shock Grenade, and Smart Mine.

Stellar Blade

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Planning a trip to Moscow? Our travel guide contains up-to-date, personal information on everything from what to see , to when to visit , where to stay , and what to eat !

• General Information
• What to see
• How to get to Moscow
• Where to stay
• Where to eat

Why visit Moscow?

Majestic churches, impressive historic fortresses, and palatial buildings: Moscow is a fascinating city whose emblematic architecture reflects the turbulent history that has defined Russia throughout the centuries.

The traces of the USSR can be found around every corner of the city , side by side with the iconic relics of Imperial Russia , like the mythical Red Square , the imposing Kremlin , and the beautiful  St Basil's Cathedral . 

Discover a fascinating world of Cold War bunkers, golden-domed basilicas, world-class art museums, and the legendary "palace of the people,"  as the Moscow Metro has been nicknamed. Whether you fancy watching a classical Russian ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre , perusing the fine arts at the Pushkin Museum , or marveling at the sheer size of the monuments to the Soviet state's achievements at the  All-Russia Exhibition Centre , this travel guide will help you on your way!

Where to start?

If you're going to travel to Moscow and you don't know much about the city yet, the first thing to do is to dive into its legendary history - understanding the past will help you understand the present. Next, check out our practical hints and tips on traveling to the city before discovering which of its most important museums , monuments , and attractions pique your interest.

Looking for a place to stay?

Booking your accommodation in advance is the best way to get great discounts. Our detailed guide on where to stay in Moscow  will help you decide which neighborhood you'd like to look for hotels or apartments in, and our hotel search engine will find you the best deals!

Why is our Moscow travel guide the best?

Introducing Moscow is a  city guide written by travelers for travelers  and contains personalized advice to help you make the most of your trip to the city.

All the information in this guide is valid as of December 2022. If you find any errors or have any comments, please feel free to contact us .

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

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Red Devils travel to Berlin on quest to remain in Bundesliga 2

1. FC Kaiserslautern travels to Berlin to play Hertha BSC Saturday in a German second division match (Stars and Stripes)

1. FC Kaiserslautern travels to Berlin for a Saturday 1 p.m. game against Hertha. It will give them a first look this month at the city’s Olympic Stadium, where they will play Leverkusen in the German cup final on May 25.

But first the Red Devils, in 14th place in the table, need a win against 10th-place Hertha. A victory would guarantee FCK another year in the second division.

Kaiserslautern has 36 points going into the match. Braunschweig, a point less and Wiesbaden, in the 16th spot which qualifies for the relegation playoffs, has 32 points. Rostock with 31 points still has a chance to make it out of the cellar.

A Kaiserslautern tie or loss in Berlin, depending on how the other teams play, could bring the competition down to the wire, with the Red Devils playing Braunschweig at a sold-out Fritz Walter Stadium in the final match of the season on May 19.

May 9, 2024 13:24

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Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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Starfield: Where to Find Akila City

F ollowing the game’s main storyline? Tackling every side quest in the game? No matter the reason, a trip to Akila City in Starfield offers plenty of opportunities to earn credits and explore the galaxy. Here’s where to find the Freestar Collective’s hub city!

Where is Akila City in Starfield?

To find Akila city, travel to the Cheyenne Star System , east of Narion and west of Kryx, and land on Akila. It’s the primary planetary body in the system. You might notice a handful of procedurally generated points of interest on the planet; these vary per playthrough. I found a few Industrial Outposts to explore in my most recent game but little else.

Let me be the first to tell you that, outside of the city and its immediate surroundings, planet Akila is positively gorgeous. It’s one of my favorite places to construct an outpost in Starfield, as the dense forests and rolling hills make for truly scenic views.

But, for the most part, you’ll likely spend your time within the city’s boundaries. It’s safer that way, of course.

Locations in Akila City

First and foremost, if you’re at all like me, upon walking through the main gate after the starport, the first you probably noticed was The Rock looming over the main street in Akila City. It’s tough to miss. But on either side of you, there are shops and bars to explore and an ongoing bank heist if this is your first time in the frontier city.

Here are the important locations you’ll want to track down:

• Akila City GalBank
• Rowland Arms
• Shepherd’s General Store
• The Hitching Post
• Laredo Firearms
• Midtown Minerals
• Sinclair’s Books
• Trade Authority
• Honest Earl’s Alien Extravaganza

Key Characters in Akila City

While certainly not sprawling, Akila City is quite large. It’s filled with locals who go about their daily lives, some of whom require help, and others who won’t give you the time of day. I won’t waste your time by listing every civilian, but here are the critical characters in Akila City that you’ll meet at one point or another:

• Daniel Blake
• Emma Wilcox
• Reisha Lance
• Annie Wilcox
• Marko Jansen

Quests in Akila City

As the primary hub city for the Freestar Collective, Akila City hosts countless faction quests, main story quests, and plenty of side quests and miscellaneous objectives to tackle for you completionists.

• Job Gone Wrong
• Charity of the Wolf
• Defensive Measures
• False Positives
• First Edition
• Hand Delivered
• Leader of the Pack
• The Great Laredo Caper
• Last Will and Testament
• Milena Axelrod in Space
• Rough Landings
• Solomon’s Trove

Then, a few quests from throughout the Settled Systems will bring you to Akila City, including:

• A New Narrative
• Commitment: Sam Coe
• Divided Loyalties
• The Akila Run

The Guide Hall explores every inch of Starfield in the hopes of uncovering the galaxy’s greatest mysteries and, of course, to bring you game guides. We’ll have new content for you shortly!

The post Starfield: Where to Find Akila City appeared first on The Guide Hall .

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How to level up Rebel Village in Lego Fortnite

Plus, how to find the Rebel Village.

You can now visit and build a Rebel Village in Lego Fortnite as part of the Star Wars 2024 event . However, we have good news - the Village is sticking around after the event, meaning your efforts to level it up won't be in vain!

Rebels have crash landed in your Lego Fortnite world thanks to the evil Empire and, after meeting their Captain, its your job to help them build a safe base of operations as well as a cosy place for the Rebels to call home.

Without further ado, we're here to show you how to find and level up your Rebel Village in Lego Fortnite .

On this page:

• How to find your Rebel Village
• How to level up your Rebel Village

How to find your Rebel Village in Lego Fortnite

To find the Rebel Village in Lego Fortnite you need to have a pair of Macrobinoculars . You can get these by speaking to Captain Bravara, they're usually hanging around outside your main village.

After speaking with them for a while and proving you're a friend, they'll give you the Macrobinoculars. Then equip them from your item menu and use your action command to look through them.

Look around the area around you until you see a Rebel logo appear on the screen. This is showing you the location of a nearby Rebel cave and how far away from you it is.

Head to this cave. You'll know when you've found it as there will be a Rebel flag and Rebels standing at its entrance.

Once you've found it, head inside the cave and then follow the main path through it until you come to an exit marked by more flags.

You'll now be on the island where the Rebels, and Empire, have crashed. Pull out your Macrobinoculars again and look around for another Rebel symbol. There will also be Empire symbols, but ignore those for now.

As with the cave, this Rebel symbol is showing you where the Rebel Village is . Simply head in the direction indicated by the symbol and you will find Captain Bravara at the Village.

How to level up your Rebel Village in Lego Fortnite

To level up your Rebel Village in Lego Fortnite you need to complete different objectives and build-up the base by adding things like Rebel buildings.

You can check which objectives are left for you to do by interacting with the Village's version of the a Town Square. Here, you'll see a list of the tasks you've got left to complete and how close you are to completing them:

You'll also be able to see how close you are to the next Village level and the materials you'll need to perform an upgrade.

Once you've completed all the neccessary tasks and collected enough materials, you will be able to upgrade the Village by using the prompted command in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Remember, level 10 is the highest level you can make the Village . Once you've reached that level you can still add items to it but you won't see any signficant rewards for doing so.

That's it for now! If you're looking for more Lego Fortnite content, check out our pages showing you how to get Durasteel and how to make a Rebel Workbench . If it's weapons you're after, check out our page on how to get a Thermal Detonator and Wookie Bowcaster , or the page showing you how to get a DL-44 and E-11 Blaste r.

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How to use AI to plan your next vacation and what you should know first

Where should I go on vacation this summer ?

The question is simple enough, but the possibilities are endless.

“Feeling adventurous or more like chilling by the beach with a drink in hand?” Layla replies to narrow the list.

Chilling by the beach sounds nice.

“Alright, for that laid-back beach vibe, how about Santorini with its iconic sunsets or Ao Nang for some Thai beach bliss ? Pick your paradise!” she suggested. 

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Only she is not really a “she.” Layla is an AI travel planner whose website launched this year, among a growing number of artificial intelligence-driven tools for travel. 

Just over 50% of 1,400 people recently surveyed by Matador Network , a travel publisher and creator of AI travel assistant GuideGeek , said they’re open to using AI for their summer travel. A previous Matador Network survey found 64% of 1,200 travelers surveyed had already used or planned to use AI for trip planning .

Here’s what travelers should know about planning trips with AI.

How common is AI today?

Many people associate AI with large language models like ChatGPT, which can both recognize and generate text, but that’s just one type of AI.

“AI is generally everywhere,” said Yoon Kim, an assistant professor in MIT’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory . “For example, when you search for something – let's say you search for something on TripAdvisor, Hotels.com – there is likely an AI-based system that gives you a list of matches based on your query.”

“Because a lot of the (online travel agencies) have now integrated different types of Gen AI into their platforms … people may be using them without their knowledge,” echoed Matt Soderberg, principal, U.S. airlines leader for Deloitte, which named AI as a major theme in changing travel in its Facing travel's future report released in early April.

Kayak and Expedia offer AI travel tools. Google has used AI for years for search. Those familiar “People Also Ask” questions are powered by AI. Google Flights uses machine learning , a type of AI. AI also powers Google Maps’ Immersive View , which gives users a navigable fly-over view of 13 cities and more than 500 global landmarks that users can zoom in on like in a video game, with weather and crowd forecasts for different times of day. 

Early this year, Google introduced generative AI to multisearch queries made with Google Lens. That allows users to take a photo of something and couple it with text questions like “What kind of flower is this?” or “Who painted this and why?” to get AI-generated answers based on data from across the web and links to additional sources.

How do I plan a trip with AI?

Planning travel with AI is typically free, but travelers may need to create platform-specific accounts to access enhanced features or ask more than a few initial queries.

Google account holders can get generative AI results in text-only search bar searches if they opt in to Search Generative Experience , which is part of Google’s experimental Search Labs . Opting in to SGE allows them to ask things like “Plan me a 2-day solo trip to Grand Teton National Park ” and not only get a suggested itinerary but related photos, reviews and links to other resources. 

For Day 1 at Grand Teton, Google suggested a morning hike at Schwabacher Landing “to see the Grand Tetons reflected in the river,” an afternoon visit to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Elk Refuge , and dinner at a local Italian restaurant with photos of each destination, links to their websites, pins showing locations on Google Maps, suggestions for where to stay, space for follow up questions, and links to related questions like “Is 2 days enough for Grand Teton National Park?” 

Just above the sample itinerary, read a disclaimer: “Generative AI is experimental” and below it: “Trip ideas generated with AI may include inaccurate or misleading information. Confirm info with sources you trust.” 

For the same prompt, both ChatGPT and GuideGeek – which can be messaged on social media like a person – offered more suggestions of things to do, as well as reminders to check on trail closures, but no specific recommendations on where to eat or stay, nor photos nor links to find more information on any of the destinations. Layla and Mindtrip, an AI travel planner that launched publicly this week, also included links to various points of interest, hotel suggestions, and the ability to adjust and book different parts of the itinerary through partnerships with third parties. Mindtrip allows multiple people within the same travel party to collaborate on itineraries.

Make travel easy: We tested ChatGPT itineraries in 5 US tourist spots

Can AI be trustworthy?

Asking one AI travel planner for the top 10 snacks at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, among classics like Dole Whip and Corn Dog Nuggets, it suggested Mickey-shaped beignets. Those would certainly be a top snack if they were sold in the park, like at Disneyland. However Disney World guests have to go to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter for sweet Mickey-shaped pillows of fried dough.

“This phenomena goes under the moniker hallucinations. These generative AI systems are prone to hallucinating plausible-sounding text that’s actually factually incorrect,” MIT’s Kim explained. “This is, I think, going to be sort of an inherent problem with systems that probabilistically generate output over large spaces.”

"If the LLM recommends a restaurant closed down two years ago, you lose all trust immediately," said Mindtrip Founder and CEO Andy Moss. That's why they, and Layla, also rely on human intelligence for recommendations.

Kim noted there are ongoing efforts to mitigate against hallucinations but suggested double-checking AI-generated answers.

“We want to make sure that that information is usable, that it's actionable. It's clear, it's repeatable,” said Will Healy, senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton , the largest provider of AI to the federal government. He heads up the company’s recreation work, including Recreaton.gov , the government’s central travel planning site for public lands like national parks. 

What can AI be used for?

Currently, most Recreation.gov visitors use progressive search to discover and book things like campsites, checking off boxes and reading information provided by the land manager. However, 25% of randomly selected users are being offered more personalized AI-powered options as part of a beta test with AI.

“What we're beta testing at the moment are things where you can say, ‘Hey, I've got three kids. This is our first time camping. We want to go some place that's fun. My kids love the water. We want to try hiking, and my youngest son likes fishing, but he's not very good at it,’” Healy said.

“If you were talking to somebody who knew everything about every campsite, then what answer would they give you? That's what we think artificial intelligence can do,” he added. “And it's not just the data that's in the system, but it's all of the reviews and blogs and everything's out there in the public domain that you can pull different pieces together, put together into a contextual answer.”

If AI is able to understand a traveler’s intent, Healy said it could also suggest alternative destinations or experiences if something a traveler wants is booked up or otherwise not available. He said it could also help make public lands more accessible to more people.

“If you have some sort of impairment – maybe it's sight, hearing, mobility, cognitive, whatever it is – that confidence level (outdoors) might go down, “Healy said. “We want to provide you the right information, so that you can get outside with as much confidence as possible and have an experience that matches your needs .”