Planet Whitley

The best weather for visiting Thorpe Park

If you want to avoid crowds and long queues at Thorpe Park, take a close look at the weather forecast before booking tickets. The best time to visit Thorpe Park The best time to visit Thorpe Park is when heavy rain is forecast. To most…

England, London, theme parks, UK

Why the Naschmarkt might be your favourite bit of Vienna

Vienna’s Naschmarkt is a place for grazing and gently indulging. Plan to mooch and munch for a few hours. VIENNA TRAVEL TIP: To enjoy the best of Vienna’s Naschmarkt, tasting from the stalls as you go, book on to a Naschmarkt food tour. Naschmarkt cheese…

Austria, markets, neighbourhoods, shopping, Vienna

The Grand Canyon Skywalk at Grand Canyon West, Arizona.

How scary is the Grand Canyon Skywalk?

The Grand Canyon Skywalk has you standing nearly 4,000ft above the Colorado River. But its perhaps not as scary as some travellers may anticipate. What is the Grand Canyon Skywalk? The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a large viewing platform on Hualapai Indian land at Grand…

Arizona, Grand Canyon, USA

Love at first sight: Is Chicago the best city in the US?

This article was written in 2010, after I’d arrived in Chicago for the first time. I’ve republished it not as a guide, but as a reminder of the instant joy and enthusiasm felt for the city. The train from Chicago O’Hare Before I’d even ventured…

Chicago, Illinois, USA

How to get on the Harry Potter Studios Tour when tickets have sold out

Harry Potter Studios Tour tickets often sell out. But there is often next day availability on packaged tours from London to the Warner Bros Studio. Advance booking Harry Potter Studios Tour tickets For many fans of JK Rowling’s schoolboy wizard, doing the Harry Potter Studios…

England, Harry Potter, London, tours, UK

Alongside the Water of Leith in the Dean Village.

Dean Village: Edinburgh’s secret, scenic escape

The historic mills, green gully location near the New Town and quirky monuments make Dean Village a beautiful escape from the crowds in Edinburgh. Escaping the crowds in Edinburgh Particularly in August during the Fringe Festival, Edinburgh can get overcrowded and overwhelming. Many visitors find…

Edinburgh, neighbourhoods, Scotland, UK

National Museum of Scotland review: The bit to visit first

With limited time at the National Museum of Scotland, the Beginnings and Early People sections are the best bet for first time visitors. How big is the National Museum of Scotland The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh is a vast attraction, spread over nine…

Edinburgh, museums, reviews, Scotland, UK

Canoeing along the Berlin Wall

Paddling along the River Spree in Berlin shows where the city was once divided. Changes along the River Spree The River Spree acts as a barometer for what’s happening to Berlin. Every time I visit, the buildings alongside it look shinier, newer and more futuristic.…

Berlin, canoeing, Germany, watersports

A moose on the bank of the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park.

Spotting moose – and other wildlife – in Grand Teton National Park

On a wildlife tour of Grand Teton National Park, elk, bears and moose are amongst the highlights. Bear-proof trash cans in Wyoming The bear-proof trash cans outside the Signal Mountain Lodge are a good idea of what lives in these parts. The impromptu car logjams…

tours, USA, wildlife, Wyoming

Montreal is Canada’s best city: Here’s why…

David Whitley compares his experiences in Canada’s big three metropoles. A free gig in Montreal Sidling down past cafés and restaurants that have abandoned their usual premises to sell their wares from temporary grills on the street, I find myself following the noise to a…

Canada, Montreal, Quebec

Planet Whitley

Türkiye vs Turkey: When do you start using a country’s new name?

Why Rome is a brilliant city for solo travellers

Why leaf-peeping is not just for old people

Some random observations about driving in the US

Revisiting Chicago – and why the third visit to a city is often the best

The day I decided to walk to France

Montreal is Canada’s best city: Here’s why…

Muri, Rarotonga: The perfect holiday town?

Why booking a family holiday is horrible – and how to improve it

The two things Rome’s piazzas sadly lack

The best weather for visiting Thorpe Park

Why the Naschmarkt might be your favourite bit of Vienna

How scary is the Grand Canyon Skywalk?

Love at first sight: Is Chicago the best city in the US?

How to get on the Harry Potter Studios Tour when tickets have sold out

Dean Village: Edinburgh’s secret, scenic escape

National Museum of Scotland review: The bit to visit first

Canoeing along the Berlin Wall

Spotting moose – and other wildlife – in Grand Teton National Park

Montreal is Canada’s best city: Here’s why…