Pat Tompkins

United States

Copy Editor at AFAR

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Articles

You Can Stay in These 6 City Club Hotels Even if You’re Not a Member

1 month ago | afar.com | Pat Tompkins

We all like to feel special. That’s part of the allure of club membership, whether it’s an exclusive airline lounge or a top-tier athletic club. Across the nation, city clubs with hotel rooms offer overnight stays to members, but what experienced travelers rarely know is that a select few are open to nonmembers. I discovered one such club near my Bay Area home.
5 Stunning Caves You Can Visit in the U.S.—No Spelunking Skills Required

2 months ago | afar.com | Pat Tompkins

Aside from ocean depths, few places on the planet remain underexplored. Yet travelers tend to overlook one deep category: caves. My first visit underground was unplanned. When I was 10, my family moved from Louisiana to Idaho. Early in our wintry epic road trip, my brother got sick. We detoured to rest in Carlsbad Caverns, my first national park. I had never seen anything like it.
Photography by Pat Tompkins

Feb 17, 2025 | thesunlightpress.com | Pat Tompkins

For our second day of photography, we welcome back the work of Pat Tompkins. Mushrooms crop up in a variety of types at the end of rainy California winters. These were near Lynch Creek in Petaluma, a stream I often walk past. The wine glass catching late afternoon sunlight was simply a happy accident on my kitchen counter.
Escape the Winter Doldrums With These 9 New Books

Jan 13, 2025 | afar.com | Pat Tompkins

Books are travel escapes. Photo by Song_about_summer/Shutterstock Imagine this crossword puzzle clue: “Curl up with a good _ _ _ _”. Duh, right? No one curls up with a good film or song. With a book, it’s mandatory. And winter is the time to embrace that cliché. Here are nine fascinating ways for armchair travelers to broaden their outlook of the world (and beyond).
University Museums Are Underrated Places to See Art in the U.S.—Here Are 8 of the Best

Sep 29, 2024 | afar.com | Pat Tompkins

The Weisman Art Museum is on the banks of the Mississippi River. Photo by Ken Wolter/Shutterstock Beyond famous U.S. art museums, those at public and private universities are often overlooked. The following eight across the nation have collections and exhibits that are not only worth seeing but also housed in strikingly modern buildings, like the Broad, designed by Zaha Hadid, in Michigan. Most are open year round (even in summer) and free to visit.
University Museums Are Underrated Places to See Art in the U.S.—Here Are 8 of the Best | Flipboard

Sep 29, 2024 | flipboard.com | Pat Tompkins

Housing12 hours ago8 Florida Cities Where the Average List Price Is Over $500Kgobankingrates.com - Nick Perry • 12hFlorida is known for sunny skies, beaches and Disney World, each of which contributes to an increasingly hot real estate market.
8 Great New Books for Fall That Might Inspire Your Next Travel Adventure

Sep 3, 2024 | afar.com | Pat Tompkins

Get lost in true and fictionalized tales in locations across the globe. Courtesy of the publishers If you’re not spending autumn fulfilling your wanderlust, you’ll want to be transported by a good book. This roundup of new releases explores the centennial of a dramatic race you never heard of, the discovery of dinosaurs, and the singular magic of a great bookstore. Even if you’re traveling this fall, you still need a good book for your flight, ride, or cruise.
Tall Ships Are a Slow Travel Adventure—Here’s Where to Find Them in the U.S.

Jul 12, 2024 | afar.com | Pat Tompkins

Travel with a sense of adventure on tall ships like the Matthew Turner. Photo by John Skoriak White sails dot San Francisco Bay all year—thanks to its moderate climate. For those lucky enough to own or have access to a boat, it’s one of the most inviting and scenic urban playgrounds in the nation. I’m not a sailor and don’t know any sailors, but this past spring I went sailing one Saturday afternoon on the Matthew Turner, a tall ship that sails out of Sausalito.
Tall Ships Are a Slow Travel Adventure—Here’s Where to Find Them in the U.S. | Flipboard

Jul 12, 2024 | flipboard.com | Pat Tompkins

7 hours ago*Scratches Versailles off the bucket list* It was once a place I really wanted to visit. But now, thanks to its popularity among tourists, I'm not so sure. The video left me wondering...what other (once peaceful) travel destinations have become absolute mob scenes due to tourism? Thankfully, Reddit …
12 Incredible UNESCO World Heritage Sites That Mix Nature and Culture

Jun 18, 2024 | afar.com | Pat Tompkins

The otherworldly appearance of Pamukkale, Türkiye, has made it popular on Instagram. Photo by Nadezda/Shutterstock Yes, all UNESCO World Heritage sites are special by definition. But only 39 of the more than 1,000 are mixed, meaning that they’re noted for both cultural and natural features. That’s fewer than 5 percent with this special status. Many are islands and/or mountains. A few are famous: Machu Picchu, Tikal, Cappadocia. And some are unexpected: Ibiza? It’s more than a party island.