1 . While anytime is the perfect time to take a European vacation, there is something special about autumn. Here are a few places to consider when you are planning your own fairy tale European vacation this fall.

◆ Zaanse Schans—Netherlands

Just a short trip from the wonderful tree-lined city of Amsterdam is Zaanse Schans. You can explore traditional industries like wooden clog carving (木屐雕刻), barrel making, and participate in cheese tastings, visit the home of a fisherman, and even check out a working windmill.

◆ Hallstatt—Austria

Situated on Lake Halstatt, the town itself was known for producing salt. But it’s also known for its beauty and has been named a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Start early at the town’s photo point to seize some of the most breathtaking shots of the location and yourself!

◆ Trondheim—Norway

Beautiful walking trails with both mountain and seaside views are the perfect way to start a refreshing fall morning before taking in the scene at the K-U-K art gallery or a visit to the largest medieval cathedral (中世纪大教堂). It is also surrounded by countless small and large-scale food producers.

◆ Mdina—Malta

With no cars allowed, the “silent city” has maintained an atmosphere of beauty and delight throughout time, and its mix of medieval and baroque (巴洛克式的) architecture, including palaces, gives the feeling that you are truly traveling back in time.

Thanks to social media recommendations, Zibo barbecue has become     1     overnight hit, with large numbers of visitors     2     (pour) to the city on weekends. People joked that the last time this many people showed up in the city     3     (be) during the Siege (围攻) of Qi, a famous battle in the area in 284 BC.

Taking advantage of the barbecue craze, Zibo has gone all out to promote local tourism resources, while working to ensure the     4     (safe) of visitors and the quality of tourism products. Many areas have been changed into dining halls for the massed crowds.     5     (ease) restrictions on the supplies of meat and grills, local banks have started handing out low-interest loans designed     6     (special) for barbecue-related industries.

This barbecue fever in Zibo should be helping China recover from its zero-covid era. Since the end of zero-covid, many tourists have described     7     (they) as “special-ops” travelers. This means dropping into a location, spending as little time and money as possible,     8     then moving on to the next spot.

Zibo barbecue has been one of the top items to tick off from travel lists. People eat and drink at low tables with a small stove,     9     (heat) by coal. The craze is about more than the simple food.     10     people across the country are seeking out in Zibo is Shandong’s big-hearted hospitality.

During the peak summer travel season this year, many popular tourist destinations in China have experienced large crowds, making it challenging for tourists     1     (get) tickets. Given these circumstances, cultural venues in many places have     2     (recent) announced extended opening hours, allowing people to explore during the evening hours. For instance, the Shaanxi History Museum has extended the opening hours to 8:00 pm every Sunday since mid-July.

In ancient China, a tradition of night tours, entertainment and dinners thrived (繁荣). When night fell, people would participate in     3     (activity) like reciting poems, appreciating the moon’s beauty and joining in tea-fueled conversations, said Wang Bin, curator (馆长) of the Xi’an-based West Market Museum. “Children can fully involve     4     (they) in the nighttime experiences of ancient civilizations right at the original West Market site. This is     5     we integrate these cultural elements. And this approach     6     (welcome) by both parches and children ever since,” Wang said.

To meet people’s     7     (grow) demand for night travel, China has developed a night culture     8     night tourism economy in recent years, with some places winning fame for night fairs and performances. Even at 10:30 pm, subways in many cities remain busy with people. Nighttime cultural tours have changed the     9     (convention) tourism model of traveling during the day and sleeping     10     night.

Known for its beautiful scenery, Mount Wuyi is the only place in the country     1     is home to Wuyi rock tea.

With tea farming dating back over 1,000 years, the mountain’s tea industry has a rich history. The area     2     (provide) tea for people at home and abroad since the first century CE, and in the     3     (eighteen) century, Wuyi rock tea was the most popular tea in Europe. However, its     4     (popular) was gained at the cost of the local environment. Illegal land reclamation (开垦) of tea mountains and the destruction (破坏) of plant resources have occurred frequently,     5     (damage) the environment in the area around Mount Wuyi.

The need to strike a balance between farmers’ livelihoods and the local environment has appeared as     6     unique challenge for the Wuyishan National Park, which covers 1,280 square kilometers as it straddles (横跨) the eastern provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi.     7     (found) in 2021, it was among the first batch of China’s national parks.

The park has a tea farming area of 34.54 square kilometers, accounting     8     2.7 percent of its total expanse. The     9     (authority) have cooperated with tea experts to develop measures for the protection and improvement of the Mount Wuyi tea industry and biodiversity, ensuring the sector’s sustainability for generations     10     (come).

7 . By the time Joy Ryan, a US grandma, turned 85, she had never seen the ocean or mountains. For Joy, trips to the local fishing area with her husband were about the farthest place she had ever gone, even if she loved watching the Travel Channel.

But one day Joy’s grandson, Brad Ryan, discovered that he and his grandma had a common interest in their love for traveling, when they began to visit the American great outdoors together.

Brad said, “When I learned my grandma had never seen the great wildernesses of America—deserts, mountains and oceans, I thought there was something I needed to do.” It was after taking his grandma out of Ohio on a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that he came up with the idea of visiting all the 63 US national parks with her to create inspiring memories.

Going to all the 63 US National Parks is a huge achievement even for a much younger adventurer (冒险家). Brad said his grandmother’s physical strength (体力) grew with their trips. For example, his grandma went water rafting (漂流) at 91, with class three rapids and when walking at the New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia, she broke the record by almost a decade!

It wasn’t always like this, however. Joy was so wobbly (不稳的) on her first trip, challenged by her balance. A group of college students clapped their hands when she reached the top of a path they were following.

Joy broke her age limitation (限制) and at the age of 93, she made history as the oldest living person to visit every US National Park. Joy believes it’s the mix of hopefulness, willpower, and the good health that gives her strength.

9 . Chicago has all the offerings you would expect from a major city. If you plan to spend a wonderful time here, just see the followings:

Museum of Science and Industry

5700 S. Lake Shore Drive

Price: $21 for adults; $12 for kids 3-17

Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry shows more than 35,000 artifacts and a variety of hands-on exhibits. Displays here cater to all types of curious minds: feel the physics of a tornado in “Science Storms” and see baby chicks at the Genetics, etc.

Art Institute of Chicago

111 S. Michigan Ave

Price: $25 for adults; $19 for kids 3-17

Home to one of the country's most impressive collections of impressionist art, the Art Institute of Chicago features nearly 300,000 works from all over the world in its collection. Highlights include pieces from famous artists like Van Gogh and Monet.

Skydeck Chicago at the Willis Tower

233 S. Wacker Drive

Price: $30 for adults; $22 for kids 3-17

On the 103rd floor of the 110-story Willis Tower, the third-tallest building in North America, Skydeck Chicago is famous for breathtaking views of the city. Visit on a sunny day and you may be able to see 4 states.

Navy Pier

600 E. Grand Ave

Price: Free

Navy Pier offers a family-friendly entertainment. Kids enjoy their rides on a drop tower while grown-ups catch a show at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater or grab a drink at the Navy Pier Beer Garden. Beautiful fireworks displays light up the skies on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

10 . Few things are as wonderful as visiting a beautiful natural place, breathing the fresh air and enjoying the beauty.    1    People can love a place to death if they aren’t careful. In 1990, the Leave No Trace movement attempted to help. They introduced the following principles to encourage people to both enjoy and protect the great outdoors.

Plan ahead.     2     Check the weather forecast, plan what clothing to wear, and think about a water supply. Also, check the area’s rules for use.

Throw away waste properly. Never leave garbage behind. Don’t leave your food wrappers, cans or leftovers.    3    

Respect wildlife. You should stay at least 100meters away from wildlife, so you don’t disturb any animals.     4     Protect your food so that animals can’t get into it, and don’t feed the animals on anything. Human food isn’t good for them, and becoming comfortable with humans is dangerous for them. They may forget how to survive in the wild or become less afraid of humans.

    5     Don’t make loud noises or play loud music when you’re out in natural environments. It annoys both the animals and humans. Don’t travel in large groups as it makes it troublesome for other travelers to move around on the paths.

The principles above can help everyone share the outdoors comfortably. We all need to take care of the earth we know and love.