Smithsonian is not a "travel" magazine but it can help make travel so much more enjoyable.

These are articles in issues I've saved:

Feb. 2005 - Surprising Sicily

Mar. 2006 - Ben Franklin's London Digs, Restoring the Jewel of Dresden, Exploring Utah's Prehistoric Paradise

Mar. 2007 - A Journey into Caravaggio's Italy

June 2007 - Petra (Jordan), Grand Teton National Park,

Jan. 2007 - Peace at Last in the Basque Country, Americans in Paris written in conjunction with the show at the Met in NY, London's Natl Gallery and the MFA in Boston

The articles won't tell you where to stay or eat but they get your juices running.

>I got my Travel & Leisure yesterday. Every time it makes me wonder why i subscribe....

So did I. So I quit.

I've gotten many of these over the years, and have finally stopped them all. It's really the same reason I have not used a travel agent for years: in this wired world, it's all on-line - including great spots like this Forum!

<<it's all on-line - including great spots like this Forum!>>

I couldn't agree more, and it often makes we wonder how we managed before Al Gore invented the internet.

but I like the photographs

Oh, duh - I do get some helpful magazines that are country specific (i.e. "In Britain&quot.

I quit the subscriptions too; no content but glossy ads. There is so much more info on the internet.

Although the ads drive me crazy (I rip the multi-page ones out and throw away as soon as I get my copy in the mail) (without the ads there would be none of these publications,) I think Conde Nast Traveler has some excellent in-depth articles, especially about destinations outside of Europe. I find their Ombudsman and Stop Presses sections helpful, and I like Wendy Perrin's columns about various travel-related topics. I think they put too much emphasis on the trendy and luxe hotels and restaurants so I do not use them for that..

I don't mind the ads - occasionally I have a moment's confusion but the top corner of the page clearly marks ads out either as advertisements or advertorials (which are the ones that often look more like regular editorial pieces).

I'm in the UK so some of these may not be available to all of you but my favourites are Wanderlust (great for the independent traveller, very inspirational, entertaining and informative), Travel Africa (ditto), Sunday Times Magazine (particularly good on practical, usable ideas and inspiration), Conde Nast UK Edition (mostly above my usual budget but it has improved on that front, probably because going too high narrowed it's niche too much, more inspirational than practical for me).

Because I got a bunch of free subscriptions w/expiring airline miles I currently receive T & L, Budget Travel, Conde Nast, Nat'l Geo & France. When they expire I'll get rid of Conde Nast and T & L as I will not spend the $$$ necessary to go to any of the places they tend to tout. One of them was doing the best of the Caribbean w/$1000 night rooms (!). I can rent a villa for a week on other islands, why would I stay there ? I despise the 'best of...' issues as well. Just means they are too lazy to do any real writing.

I don't particularly like the Conde-Naste publication which seems more like a Luxe hotel guide than a serious travel magazine. Top marks for photography though.

Quite like The Times Travel magazine which does the glam stuff, but isn't afraid of bargain basement (eg camping in drizzle on the south coast!)either.

I agree about Travel Africa..I just became a subscriber last week!

Another vote for ITN - (International Travel News) It is much more full of the kind of info that we get on Fodor's - no fancy ads - no captive American Express advertisiers, etc.

I do like Budget Travel, but I must say, after 20 odd years of getting all sorts of travel magazines, you can find almost anything you want nowadays on the web, and esp. on Fodor's - and if you read enough about your targeted travel destination on Fodor's various forums, you will get an excellent overview.

National Geographic Travel is really great! I find lots of ideas from this mag.

I do like Conde Nast Traveler because of some of the regular writers (Pico Iyer is one of my favorites). Wendy Perrin's column can be useful, too. I think of CNT as more for travel browsing and getting ideas.

I tend to not really look much at those fat twice a year 'best' guides, since yes, I agree, they don't relate to my style and reality of travel. I am not a cruiser, business traveler or golfer which are the groups those lists seem to cater to.

I also read some of my pal's old Budget Travel, but find the content lightweight. Sometimes BT does have useful budget hotel articles, however.

I agree - some of the most useful articles are ones I've found in other magazines, including More and various food magazines...but Fodor's is the best for real information.

ok.. I'll be a lone dissenter here.

Get T&L and CN and love them. but I'm not afraid to admit we are indeed luxury travelers and find the issues are the way we travel. I've come to know Wendy Perrin through a TA friend of mine and so I look forward to her writings.

I love the ads too, sorry.. just do..

love the photos as well...

But also like National Geographic.

And agree, lots of stuff is online, so the mags are for sure not my only source of material.

Love to read easy and pleasurable things late at night and so I cozy up to these mags in this fashion.

Could do without the luxe goods though that they promote in the regular sections; even though we travel luxuriously, I do not nor will I ever own LV luggage and other silly WAAAAAAY overpriced goods. I'd rather have memories than goods anyday.

I find all travel magazines are a mecca for ads - waste of money.

TRIPADVISOR.COM is a traveler's dream. What to do, where to eat and where to stay, anywhere in the world. All unbiased reviews.

Also, online you can download or have mailed info from tourist boards

The only travel/lifestyle magazine I regularly purchase is Cote Est, a French magazine that focuses on "romantic Europe"--Alsace, Burgundy, Savoie, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Eastern Europe.
Gorgeous photos, interesting articles, lots of good travel tips at varying price ranges. I've bought every issue for the past 4 years and they're all keepers.

I don't subscribe to any. I often buy the UK Conde Nast, but it's waaaay out of my league financially.

The Sunday Time Mag (not the supplement) is pretty good and very practical. Like Kavey, I like Wanderlust.

I often buy Greece magazine- mainly for the property ads- I have a dream.....

And I often buy Scottish Islands Explorer. Why, I don't know.

I find the best prices(usually $1 an issue) through Publisher's clearing house.