Almost there, it’s almost there. The grand opening date for the new “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” attraction, which replaced the classic Splash Mountain ride, was finally announced Sunday night on “American Idol.”

Right after Jenifer Lewis — the voice of Mama Odie from the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog” — and Terance Blanchard performed a rollicking version of “Dig a Little Deeper” for Disney Songbook Night, with a full New Orleans-style jazz band complete with Louis the alligator on trumpet, host Ryan Seacrest joined them to announce some exciting news.

“The new attraction ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’ will be opening at Walt Disney World in Florida June 28,” he said, to applause. “Inspired by ‘The Princess and the Frog.’ So bring our crew and join Princess Tiana and friends on a thrilling adventure in the bayou where anything can happen.”

The attraction also will be opening at Disneyland in California later this year, he said.

What is ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’?

The new attraction is based on the animated Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog” where a New Orleans girl in the 1920s named Tiana gets caught up in a wild chase of magic, parties, princes and powerful voodoo practitioners when all she wants to do is open a restaurant. The setting takes place after the event of the movie.

“Join Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis on their journey through a shimmering bayou as they prepare for a spirited celebration during Mardi Gras season,” Disney’s site said about the ride. “Along the way, you’ll see familiar faces and make new friends as you’re brought into the next chapter of Tiana’s inspiring story.”

While waiting for the ride, guests will learn about Tiana’s efforts to give back to her community through a food co-op as they enjoy the wafting scent

After Splash Mountain closed in May of 2023, Walt Disney World park-goers have been eager to get back out on that 50-foot flume drop. And now, after more than a year of waiting, it’s official, the refurbished ride, now Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, will open at Walt Disney World in Florida on June 28. Just over a month, people! I guess you could say we’re… “Almost There.”

The ride will be based on the 2009 movie The Princess and the Frog, set in 1920s New Orleans. There, hardworking, big-dreaming Tiana has her sights set on opening her very own restaurant. And, of course, since this is Disney, there are adorable singing animals, handsome princes, and a cadre of lovable sidekicks, many of whom will be depicted in stunningly advanced animatronics. The story depicted on the ride itself will revolve around Tiana and her friends preparing for, what else but Mardi Gras, the beloved annual tradition synonymous with the Big Easy.

Splash Mountain first opened in Disneyland in 1989 and in Disney World in 1992 in the hope of enlivening the less-attended Critter Country and Frontierland, respectively. It featured characters from the 1946 film The Song of the South, which depicted animated characters alongside human actors… and a whole lot of really unfortunate racism against Black people. Set in Reconstruction-era Georgia, it follows a boy named Johnny spending the summer on his grandparent’s plantation where he hears stories about Bre’r Rabbit from kindly Uncle Remus, who’d formerly been enslaved. At the time the ride opened in Florida, the film, which has never been available on home video, hadn’t been in theaters since 1986. So in addition to the problematic elements present in the story and on Splash Mountain, younger audiences had no meaningful connection to the

It’s hard to imagine spending much time outside during a film festival. But somehow, that’s exactly what Telluride Mountainfilm manages to pull off. Surrounded by one of the most majestic mountain settings imaginable, festivalgoers flock to Telluride, Colo., to indulge in collective screen time and face-to-face connection.

Founded 45 years ago, the inspiring program keeps drawing outdoor creatives and industry leaders back for more. The 2024 Memorial Day weekend event might even set a new benchmark for excitement. Here’s why.

Why to Go: Telluride Mountainfilm

Nearly 100 documentaries are on deck with today’s most hard-hitting educational and inspirational global narratives. With run times ranging from 4-minute shorts to 100-minute features, the films cover everything from climate change and human rights to environmental causes and badass adventures.

The clock doesn’t stop between films. Folks hike (or take a gondola) from one venue to the next — once you arrive, the festival is car-free — to attend prescheduled book signings, coffee talks, social hours, parties, and panels.

Attendance ranks well among professional athletes, influencers, and political leaders. The odds of meeting one (if not many) of your outdoor heroes is absurdly high.

A few of the most noteworthy mountain celebrities and pioneers on the docket this year include mountaineer and U.S. Senate candidate Caroline Gleich, environmental and LGBTQ+ activist Pattie Gonia, and Luis Benitez, Trust for Public Land CIO. There are always surprise appearances, too.

“Our mission is to inspire audiences to create a better world [with] documentary films celebrating indomitable spirit, speakers, special guests, professional athletes, influencers, hikes, climbs, and incredible events all in a magical setting. Mountainfilm creates a special opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the coolest and most badass humans

After a phenomenal inaugural season of business and with loads of new features, one of Maine’s hottest new attractions is set to open this coming weekend!

Richmond, Maine’s Moose Mountain Adventure Park is a Maine-themed 18-hole mini-golf park set in the heart of Central Maine just off the highway.

Last year was their first year in business and while they were crazy-busy, the town manager didn’t say exactly how many people visited- but it was a lot!

According to the Kennebec Journal, this year the husband/wife duo and co-owners, Michelle and Jeremy Purington, say they’ve added new attractions and are working on more.

The newspaper said guests this year can enjoy food from an onsite Amato’s truck.

Additionally, Moose Mountain Adventure Park has added a new mining sluice for the kids, according to the KJ, and kids can get their own bag of sand and sift for gems in the running water.

Also in the works is ANOTHER 18-hole mini-golf course that they have already begun working on that the pair says they hope to open at the beginning of next season, according to the KJ.

The park plans to open this Saturday on May 4th, Star Wars Day! Any guests that come clad in Star Wars garb can snag a free ice cream on Saturday, according to the KJ.

Michelle Purington, co-owner of Moose Mountain, told the KJ,

“We had a huge turn out last year, we were so full. This felt like a nice easy add-on, to do the mining while they are waiting and to have the Amato’s (food truck). I joked that at times, it was like we were at Disney World, where if you wait from this point, it will be a 45-minute wait, or from here, a 30-minute wait,” 

 

Jeremy Purginton, co-owner, told the 

Have you ever dreamt of what the ultimate money-is-no-object, adventure-ready camper van might look like? Then dream no more because Redtail Overland, the Boulder, Colorado-based luxury van conversion company might have just created the best camper van I’ve ever seen. However, starting at $500,000 (yes, that is the correct amount of zeroes) for its Skyloft Van, it means you’ll likely need a lottery win to get one.

Redtail Overland starts with a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144 and it’s then transformed into the Skyloft Van ready and rigged out for the best mountain bike and off-road adventures. It features its patented and exclusive, climate-controlled, carbon fiber Skyloft rooftop camper, which modestly is referred to as just an added “upstairs”.

The Skyloft Van is way more than just a standard rooftop camper addition though, as well as the impressively spacious upstairs, Redtail also outfits the entire van, inside and out, with what is described as “the most advanced systems and premium components money can buy or skilled hands can craft”.

Looking more like a luxury yacht inside rather than a van, it comes with that equally hefty price tag. Redtail Overland says its Skyloft Van takes its custom van conversions to “ultra-luxury and ruggedly capable heights”. So just what do you get in this ultimate off-road living set-up, I had a look at the details and hoped my editor was ready to give the go-ahead on ordering is as the new Bike Perfect team van, ready for Red Bull Hardline perhaps?!?

Exterior details

The first thing I was keen to know, is just how many mountain bikes it’ll carry, and the initial answer on the stock spec build is a slightly disappointing two. They are mounted on One-Up bike racks on the rear door.

However, customization

RICHMOND — After the success of its first year, Moose Mountain Adventure Park reopens Saturday for the park’s second season and will suspend construction on an additional 18-hole mini-golf course until later in the year.

For Saturday’s opening day, in celebration of May 4 — a day made popular by “Star Wars” fans — those who dress up in Star Wars costumes will get a free ice cream.

And new for this season co-owners Michelle and Jeremy Purington have added a mining sluice and Amato’s food truck.

The mining sluice overlooks the 18-hole Maine-themed course. After buying a bag of sand, children can sift it in the running water of the sluice to discover gems. Michelle Purington said she has memories of her children finding gems at various adventure parks and thought it would be a good addition, especially if people have to wait in line to golf.

“We had a huge turn out last year, we were so full,” Michelle Purington said. “This felt like a nice easy add-on, to do the mining while they are waiting and to have the Amato’s (food truck).”

The park is one of an estimated 900 indoor and outdoor mini-golf courses across the country according to golf.com. Moose Mountain Adventure Park is one of the few parks in central Maine and is located just off the Richmond interchange on Interstate 295.

Darryl Sterling, economic development director for Richmond, anticipates more people will visit the adventure park this year. He declined to disclose the number of people who played mini golf at the park last summer, but noted the adventure park attracted visitors from across Maine and from as far away as Oklahoma.

Sterling said the park allows visitors to explore what else Richmond has to offer, like Swan Island, or eat at the

These are the best mountain towns in Virginia for scenic views and outdoor adventures.

The diversity in Virginia’s geographical regions allowed it to become a state with multiple identities. In the Coastal Plain, life is defined by access to the ocean or the Chesapeake Bay. In the Piedmont, rolling hills and farmland create incredible pastoral scenes that surround larger cities. Then if you head west to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Valley and Ridge, and the Appalachian Plateau, you’ll encounter ancient mountain ranges towering over rivers, valleys, and a variety of small towns — many of which have their own unique personalities, attractions, and reasons to visit.

“Virginia mountain towns make me think of windy roads and endless stonewalls — a feeling of going back in time,” says Ann Shannon, lead concierge at The Clifton, a boutique hotel in Charlottesville. “I’m also reminded of eclectic shops, delicious food, the friendliest people, and fresh air. It gives me a sense of peace.”

As someone who grew up in Bedford, a small town at the base of the Peaks of Otter, I can also vouch for this specific blend of charm, magic, and nostalgia. And while the fall is a particularly special time to experience it — according to Shannon, the foliage is “second to none with bright reds, yellows, and oranges cascading throughout the mountain ranges” — the best mountain towns in Virginia are filled with year-round appeal. Read on to discover our expert-recommend favorites.

Related: 10 Best Mountain Towns in the South

Charlottesville

Charlottesville might technically be a city, but it veers more toward small town than bustling metropolis. “Home to the University of Virginia, Charlottesville is a beautiful college town,” says Shannon. “I love walking the UVA grounds or hiking the Rivanna Trails and the Saunders-Monticello Trail; there’s [also]

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My favorite segment in the 2023 film Nothing’s For Free: The History of Freeride Mountain Biking chronicles the improbable comeback story of German cyclist Tarek Rasouli. One of the pioneers of freeride in the mid-nineties, Rasouli suffered a terrifying crash in British Columbia in 2002 that left him paralyzed from the waist down and reliant on a wheelchair.

The injury did little to dull Rasouli’s ambition in the sport. In the decades that followed, he became one of the most influential figures in the mountain bike industry. Rasouli continued to make a name for himself, first as a magazine columnist and competition judge, and then as an event promoter and athlete manager. He also bought a handcycle and began road riding. These days, Rasouli operates the Red Bull District Ride, one of the biggest competitions in Slopestyle riding, and pedals his hand bike most days from his home in Munich. He was inducted into Mountain Biking’s Hall of Fame in 2022.

But 22 years after the crash, Rasouli’s comeback story continues. Just last week, he went mountain biking for one of the first times since his accident—he did it at California’s Sea Otter Classic cycling festival aboard an adaptive electric handcycle called the Bowhead RX Adventure. I reached out to Rasouli to hear about his his return to mountain biking, and was unsurprised when he told me that he had more than a few butterflies in his stomach before the ride.

“I was so nervous at the beginning, but also excited because I really didn’t know what to expect,” Rassouli told me. “There were so many times when the emotions really came up, but each time it was a real thrill.”

Rasouli signed up for the 50-mile gravel race at the Sea Otter

The words Black Adventure Crew may conjure up Marvel-esque visuals of superheroes using their otherworldly abilities to take down villains, but that isn’t the case here. The story is actually better than that.

Zenovia Stephens, her husband George, and their three sons ages 11, 8 and 5 are playing their role in dismantling the systemic issues widening the diversity gap of the great outdoors in Huntsville, Ala. Since 2020, Black Adventure Crew and the family’s nonprofit Black Kids Adventures have made green spaces more accessible and affordable for the nearly 700 people who have enjoyed their events over the years. The Stephens’ Instagram page is a colorful vision board inspiring other Black families to create everlasting memories together while enjoying the diversity of nature. They’ve ventured through the world’s longest cave after learning about Stephen Bishop, an enslaved man who was the first cave guide. They’ve glided down the Tennessee River in kayaks, paddle boards and canoes. They’ve mined for crystals in Arkansas and expressed awe at underground waterfalls.

“What do you do when something you desire doesn’t exist? You create it,” Zenovia Stephens wrote on an Instagram post celebrating Black History Month. “In our community, we grow together, take up space together, and help cultivate a generation of kids that will love nature, take care of nature, and share it with their friends and families.”

While nature is a resource available to everyone of all races, U.S. Census Data and research studies paint a picture that is mostly white. The lack of diversity of the great outdoors, often called the “nature gap,” came more to light in 2020, when a pandemic slowed the world down and a racial reckoning erupting across the nation. A 2022 trend study from the Washington, D.C. nonprofit Outdoor Foundation states that 72 percent

Mountain Men Season 1 is a Western American reality TV series narrated by D. B. Sweeney. Initially, the Mountain Men series debuted on the History Channel on May 31, 2012. The plot centers around the resilience of men in North America who bravely confront danger. These individuals have willingly embraced a rustic lifestyle and are prepared to face its challenges head-on, regardless of the consequences.

Here’s how you can watch and stream Mountain Men Season 1 via streaming services such as Hulu.

Is Mountain Men Season 1 available to watch via streaming?

Yes, Mountain Men Season 1 is available to watch via streaming on Hulu.

As Season 1 of Mountain Men unfolds, we witness Eustace Conway’s journey as he settled in the remote mountains of North Carolina three decades ago, aiming for a more authentic way of life. Over the years, he has built a home and sustained himself through hunting, fishing, and animal husbandry. In contrast, Tom Oar lives with his wife along the Yaak River in Montana, a hundred miles away from the nearest town that he hasn’t visited in a decade. Both individuals demonstrate remarkable resilience and courage as they confront the challenges of wilderness living and embark on thrilling adventures.

The cast of Mountain Men includes Aron Toland, Eustace Conway, Harry Youren, Jake Herak, Jennifer Toland, Kidd Youren, Paul Antczak, and Tom Oar.

Watch Mountain Men Season 1 streaming via Hulu

Mountain Men Season 1 is available to watch on Hulu. It is owned by The Walt Disney Company, is an American subscription streaming service and content hub that was launched on October 29, 2007. Based in Los Angeles, California, U.S., it offers full seasons of exclusive series, classic favorites, Hulu Originals, and popular movies.

You can watch via Hulu by following these steps: