Today’s Big Story

One-Day International Trips

In the age of remote work, Instagram and shrinking PTO, the 24-hour international trip is now a thing

I want to go to Spain. But jetting to Barcelona, just long enough to snap some recognizable selfies, see a shop or two and then stuff myself with a wine-soaked tapas dinner before heading back to the airport? I don’t know if it’s worth it. But that kind of trip is becoming more and more normal in the age of remote work, social media and shrinking paid time off.

Deranged as it may be to fly across the world and back in a day for fun, American travel is moving toward that pole. “This trend is becoming more and more obvious,” Becky Liu-Lastres, a professor at Indiana University’s Department of Tourism tells Slate. “People, especially families, taking vacations at a high frequency, but shorter distance and shorter stay so they can save money but, meanwhile, enjoy the leisure and vacation opportunities.”

Americans are famous for not taking their vacation days seriously. We have collectively taken fewer vacation days since the 1980s, according to data from the American Travel Association, and Expedia’s Vacation Deprivation Report finds that Americans take the least vacations globally, averaging just 11 days. With that limited time, we are committed to getting away often, if not for long. Deloitte, which has surveyed Americans’ travel plans since 2021, finds that this year in particular, more people are planning trips of three nights or fewer. Individual travel budgets are going up, but the budgets for our longest trips are holding flat, suggesting that the money’s got to go elsewhere.

For people with inflexible schedules or limited time off from work, flying for a day trip can be an attainable way to experience a place without committing to a longer vacation. (If you’re not too worried about your carbon footprint.) Kevin Droniak is a full-time content creator who’s documented over a dozen of these types of trips. Typically, it involves an early-morning flight, a period of exploring a city or specific attraction, then a departure in the evening or the following morning. “I could be in my bed watching Netflix, but if I can make a memory, I’m going to do it,” he tells the Washington Post. “I want to showcase that travel can have an incredible impact even if time isn’t on your side.”

Quick trips now have a cottage industry around them. Of course, airlines have been in this game for many years. Who among us has not gotten a Southwest email urging us to book a flight on sale the following weekend for approximately $39? Many corners of the travel world now seem especially geared toward this person too. Whimstay is a growing platform that connects travelers who are feeling a getaway itch to last-minute short-term rental homes at severe markdowns. But most simply point to social media. “It’s common among the younger generation,” one travel expert told Slate, “seeing what influencers do and mimicking it in a quick, affordable way.”

Tariffs Hit Companies’ Bottom Lines

Neither consumers nor foreign countries are assuming much of the tariff burden. At least not yet.

The numbers are in: Big toy and auto companies are reporting just how much tariffs are costing them. Toymaker Hasbro said in its quarterly earnings call Wednesday that it recorded a $1 billion hit for consumer products just in the second quarter as a result of tariff impacts and its long-term outlook. General Motors echoed the sentiment, saying tariffs cost it $1.1 billion in the second quarter. And it’s expecting tariffs overall this year could cost it $4 to $5 billion. So far, the automaker that produces Chevys, Cadillacs and other brands has eaten that cost, and it’s trying to offset some of the impact through cost cuts and investments in the U.S.

President Donald Trump’s new levies, which have pushed the country’s tariffs to their highest levels in decades, are typically paid by importers when goods reach U.S. ports. But economists and others have been watching for signs of who will ultimately bear the cost. Would it be foreign suppliers, by cutting prices on the front end, or consumers, by paying higher prices at the checkout stand? Or would the U.S. businesses that sit in between shoulder the burden? The Wall Street Journal reports that businesses are absorbing much of the costs—for now. They say it’s too risky in a competitive market, to hikes prices and lose market share to a rival that keeps its prices steady.

And those predictions about runaway inflation and empty shelves after Trump announced his sweeping tariffs in April? Well, they’ve yet to materialize. Some in the Trump administration have taken that as a sign that he should double down. But economists told Vox that as the consumer price index continues to creep up and companies that initially took steps to ride out the tariff uncertainty will eventually be forced to raise prices. They anticipate we’ll start to notice it in earnest this fall.

National Parks Are Struggling

But they haven’t lost their sense of humor

Summer is the perfect time to visit a National Park. When I lived in L.A,, I’d use any excuse to get out to Joshua Tree. Of course, right now is the height of the visitor season for the parks. Last year, nearly 332 million people visited NPS sites—a record that is likely to be broken this year. That surge in visitors continues despite staff and budget cuts imposed by the Trump administration with no end in sight.

According to PBS, the White House’s “Big Beautiful Bill” rescinded $267 million earmarked for park improvements and the administration has proposed a further 38% budget cut next year. Advocates say it's already having a dramatic impact on park operations but, for many visitors, they’re not seeing any disruption or fallout (yet). Longtime park staff and watchdog groups like the National Parks Conservation Association say this is all by design. Sarah Lundstrum, the association's Glacier program manager, told NPR that in the back offices, it's a far different situation. Everything from infrastructure improvements to wildlife studies to hiring next year's seasonal workers isn't getting done. She says if things aren't turned around, park visitors next summer will encounter a far different experience.

But, at least, the NPS is still having some fun. They recently dropped a gem of a PSA on their Facebook page, warning hikers against the perils of wearing flip-flops on trails. With their signature wit, the NPS reminded everyone that “flippy floppies” lead to “slippy sloppies” and a world of hiking mishaps. It also reminds us that your phone is not a proper flashlight, nor will it always have reception, so don’t rely on it too heavily.

A Weekend Pairing

‘Happy Gilmore 2’ + a Spiked Arnold Palmer

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Life’s short. Have some ice cream.