Vanita Salisbury

Read the latest articles by Vanita Salisbury at Thrillist

Senior Travel Writer

Nation

Holiday Festivals

Thrillist's 'Holiday Festivals' showcases some of the best holiday-time festivals across the globe, detailing where they are located and when they run.

Holiday Festivals: Seasonal Celebrations to Visit Around the World

Garamax/Shutterstock

Travel

Explore adventure guides and design a custom itinerary for the destination of your choice in and around the city.

Best Travel Guides, Cool Hotels and Interesting Events - Thrillist

CapOneFests_ 1013980_Nov23

It took some effort to hide my disappointment, standing in front of a glühwein vendor in Vienna’s Maria-Theresien-Platz.

At Christmas Markets Worldwide, the Holiday Spirit Comes in a Little Red Boot

Photo courtesy of WorldMark by Wyndham

The Latest Must-Have Hotel Amenity? Outdoor Adventures

Next Flight Out

Next Flight Out: Cheap Flights and Travel Tips

© Marco Bottigelli/ moment/ Getty Images 

And so we find ourselves in the 11th month, squaring in on a frigid winter.

Escape the Chill with These November Travel Ideas

Photo courtesy of American Monsters: Onionhead's Revenge

Head to the massive, sprawling Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota—the largest mall in the Western Hemisphere, they say— and you’re typically seeking some retail therapy in one of its 520 stores.

How to Create the Haunted House of Your Nightmares

Photo courtesy of TerrorVision 

The audition for TerrorVision was an open call.

Jump Scares & Bloody Dresses: The Life of a Haunted House Actor

Photo by Kalen Goodluck for Thrillist

Walk past the Hotel Chimayó, just off the Santa Fe Plaza, and sweep your eyes across my ride: a sleek silver ‘64 Chevy Impala, bathed in the sun, a time capsule commanding the gaze of anyone that lays eyes on her lustrous yet understated carriage.

Cruising Low ‘n Slow with the Women Shaping New Mexico’s Lowrider Scene

Philadelphia

Photo courtesy of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site

From the outside, Eastern State Penitentiary is an intimidating sight—a Gothic Revival fortress, battlements and all, shrouded by hulking, 30-foot walls.

Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary Mixes Jump Scares with Social Reform

New York

Universal History Archive/ Universal Images Group/ Getty Images

Keep the credits rolling at the end of the 2012 documentary Welcome to Kutsher's: The Last Catskills Resort, and you’ll be treated to an earful of onstage one-liners courtesy of celebrated comedian Freddie Roman.

Inside the Rich and Raucous Legacy of New York’s Borscht Belt

West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta

We’ve waited patiently, laid out our chunky sweaters, and now it’s finally here: October, that sensory explosion where temperatures are crisp, leaves flip to vibrant hues of orange and yellow, and the air is scented with—what is that?

Snuggle Up or Scream with These October Events

Portland

Historic Photo Archive/ Archive Photos/ Getty Images

The name Ken Kesey brings up quite a few things that, shall we say, push people’s boundaries: LSD and other psychedelics (occasionally involving the CIA), the Merry Pranksters traveling the country in a far-out school bus (as chronicled in Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test), and the madness of mid-century institutionalization in the Oregon author’s most famous release, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

The Larger-Than-Life Phenomenon of Oregon's Pendleton Round-Up

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Sport

Traversing the skies in a hot air balloon is enjoyable pretty much any time of year, but enthusiasts know that September is the real sweet spot.

U.S. Hot Air Balloon Festivals Are Reaching New Heights This Fall

Alberto Loyo/Shutterstock

In 1926, Governor George Parks had a vision.

Vanita Salisbury

Latest Posts From Vanita

At Christmas Markets Worldwide, the Holiday Spirit Comes in a Little Red Boot

But getting to the bottom of the quintessential glühwein mug's rise to fame isn’t as easy as it looks.

The Latest Must-Have Hotel Amenity? Outdoor Adventures

Hotels across the country are embracing the Great Outdoors with bespoke foraging programs, on-staff naturalists, and hiking concierges.

Escape the Chill with These November Travel Ideas

Where to go if you’re feeling adventurous, and what to watch if you’re already hibernating.

How to Create the Haunted House of Your Nightmares

We spoke to two ‘hauntrepreneurs’ about coming up with storylines, building sets, and perfecting the ultimate jump-scare.

Jump Scares & Bloody Dresses: The Life of a Haunted House Actor

Step inside a Times Square frightfest to discover a whole new side of Halloween.

Cruising Low ‘n Slow with the Women Shaping New Mexico’s Lowrider Scene

From post-war California to the modern-day Southwest, custom cars fit with gravity-defying hydraulics have long been a boy’s game—until now.

Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary Mixes Jump Scares with Social Reform

Come for the creepy haunts, stay for the criminal justice.

Inside the Rich and Raucous Legacy of New York’s Borscht Belt

Born out of necessity, the Jewish resorts that once dotted the Catskill Mountains still have a lot to teach us.

Snuggle Up or Scream with These October Events

This month is a vibe. Get into it.

The Larger-Than-Life Phenomenon of Oregon's Pendleton Round-Up

As they say at this time-honored rodeo, let ‘er buck.

U.S. Hot Air Balloon Festivals Are Reaching New Heights This Fall

From Reno to Rapid City, it's the perfect season to float up, up, and away.

The Gateway to Alaska Is a Nexus for Glaciers, Sea Life, and Flightseeing

From wilderness tours to unbeatable stargazing, this one-time whistle stop town lives up to its motto, “Alaska Starts Here.”