San Diego’s cultural moment
San Diego Restaurant Week returns from 13–20 September, bringing together more than 100 restaurants across 30+ neighbourhoods for eight days.
Also, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) unveils Visiones Nocturnas: Queer Nightlife in Contemporary Art on 19 September. Running until January 2027, the exhibition explores the relationship between queer nightlife and contemporary art, examining themes of community, identity and resilience.
The culinary calendar continues throughout the autumn, with San Diego also preparing to host its Del Mar Wine + Food Festival and the San Diego Food + Wine Festival, bringing together acclaimed chefs, winemakers and food producers and showcasing the region’s distinctive culinary identity and cross-border influences.
Isfjord Radio Music Festival returns to Norway
Basecamp Explorer in Norway will host the Isfjord Radio Music Festival from 4-6 September 2026, a rare cultural gathering at 78 degrees North where Norwegian musicians perform in front of the landscapes of the Arctic.
Now in its seventh year, the festival will feature pop artist Dagny, and double Grammy-nominated Thomas Dybdahl. Upon arrival, guests will be greeted at Basecamp Hotel in Longyearbyen, before embarking on a boat trip across the fjord to Isfjord Radio, a former radio station, now transformed into a 22-room boutique hotel on the edge of the Arctic Ocean.
Following an evening of musical entertainment and Arctic food, the next day includes a boat safari to the north side of Isfjorden, to experience the bird mountain Alkehornet and the Esmark glacier.
An acoustic performance will be played on board, before an evening bonfire with cured meat, bubbles and music beneath the Arctic sky. The weekend concludes with mountain exploration by foot, scanning the shoreline for sightings of walrus.
Colonial Williamsburg celebrates centennial
2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Colonial Williamsburg. Envisioned by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1926, it began as an idea to restore the 18th-century town of Williamsburg, creating a centre for educating the public about American history. Today, it stands as the world’s largest U.S. history museum and a hub for education, preservation and research.
During September, Colonial Williamsburg’s historic area launches its autumn season festivities, including Haunted Williamsburg ghost tours, seasonal food traditions, and anniversary exhibits and tours celebrating 100 years of preservation and public history.
Karlu Karlu becomes International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Karlu Karlu Conservation Reserve in the Northern Territory, one of outback Australia’s most widely photographed sites, has been designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky International.
The accreditation comes ahead of the total solar eclipse on 22 July 2028, during which Karlu Karlu will fall within the path of totality. Visitors to the region will enjoy the Moon completely obscuring the Sun over the reserve for almost five minutes.
Famous for its large granite boulders and cultural significance for the Aboriginal people of the area, Karlu Karlu Conservation Reserve is located 70 miles south (a one-hour drive) of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.
Almost all of the 1800-hectare Reserve is a registered sacred site and is significant to the Kaytetye, Warumungu, Warlpiri, and Alyawarra Traditional Owners, whose ancestors have managed the area since creation time. Karlu Karlu is home to approximately 116 native plant species, 83 bird species, 10 native mammal species, 30 reptile species and 4 frog species, as well as one drought-surviving crab species.
Snowmass Balloon Festival returns to Colorado
From 25-27 September, the Snowmass Balloon Festival will fill the skies over the Rocky Mountains with over 30 colourful hot air balloons.
As one of the highest-altitude ballooning events in the country, this annual event promises a weekend of dawn ascensions, competitions and the Night Glow, where balloons illuminate the night sky.
Gordie Howe International Bridge opens
Detroit has officially opened the Gordie Howe International Bridge, with a toll-free multi-use path between Detroit to Canada. Detroit is now one of the largest US cities directly connected to Canada by a bridge you can cross on foot or by bike. The Gordie Howe International Bridge also joins a rare group of only about a dozen America-Canada bridge crossings with established pedestrian access.
The protected path stretches 1.5 miles across the bridge and is completely separated from vehicle traffic. The full trip between the American and Canadian border inspection booths covers approximately 1.8 miles, with officials estimating around 45 minutes to cross on foot or 20 minutes by bike, not including border processing.
Kimpton Quinta da Marinha debuts in Portugal
Kimpton Quinta da Marinha, the newest addition to IHG Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio, is now open in Cascais. Located between the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park and the Atlantic Ocean, the resort around is 18 miles west of Lisbon.
The hotel reflects the colours, textures, and spirit of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park with organic materials, warm neutral tones and Portuguese craftsmanship create. Depending on the room – of which there are 180 plus 8 suites and 6 signature suites – travellers will find panoramic views of lush forests, the resort’s 18-hole golf course, or the Atlantic coastline.
The Natur Spa offers holistic rituals and restorative therapies and features a jacuzzi, sauna, and seven treatment rooms. FICA! bar will serve specialty cocktails and wines, and Ao Ponto restaurant features grilled meats, local seafood and seasonal delicacies.
