Despite the internet being my primary source of income, I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that the whole endeavor was a mistake and we should shut it all down for a while. The latest straw on the camel’s extremely stressed back is the fact that we are once again discussing the Illuminati, the supposed secret society allegedly running the world from behind the scenes. That this is thanks to comedian Katt Wiliams, whose last truly notable stand-up special was in 2008 (yeah, I said it) makes the whole thing doubly maddening.
Yet, here we are, with Ludacris rapping his response to Katt Williams’ recent viral interview claims. During an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast (which, should we just start calling them “talk shows” again?), Williams leveled accusations at entertainment industry peers ranging from plausible (that Cedric The Entertainer stole his jokes) to outright laughable. One of the latter claims was that Katt and Ludacris were both up for roles in the 2001 Fast & Furious sequel — the one with the “ejecto seato, cuz” — but that Luda got the role because he was “in the Illuminati” and cut his then-signature sideburns. Here’s the clip:
Katt Williams tells Shannon Sharpe that he turned down an offer from the Illuminati, but rapper and actor Ludacris accepted it.
He also speaks on Kevin Hart wearing a dress as a humiliation ritual.
Both Ludacris and Kevin Hart have been featured in multiple films making them… pic.twitter.com/3vU2ntBCK4
Completely aside from the fact that this flies in the face of established history — Luda didn’t cut his hair until 2006, five years AFTER 2 Fast 2 Furious hit the box office — you’d think if Katt wanted to disassociate himself from the supposed Illuminati member, he wouldn’t have appeared on Luda’s 2004 album The Red Light District You can fool the Zoomers, Katt. I was there. I remember. Also, not for nothing, the Fast franchise basically died after that, with only a surprise Vin Diesel cameo in Tokyo Drift saving future installments from the bargain DVD bin, and even then, Luda didn’t come back until the fifth installment, a decade later. I don’t know, just seems like “the Illuminati” could manage a better turnaround. (P.S. Luda’s got an afro again.)
Anyway, Ludacris himself decided to address the nonsense (sigh) with a freestyle. While he doesn’t mention Katt by name, it’s pretty obvious who he’s talking about when he says, “Addiction’s on the rise, comedians check your temperature.” Yikes. I guess we’ll pray for you, Katt.
We’re excited to announce this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award, Technical GRAMMY Award, and Best Song For Social Change Award Honorees!
The Special Merit Awards will return to Los Angeles on Feb.3, during GRAMMY Week 2024.https://t.co/EZyg70qTmf
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) January 5, 2024
“The Academy is honored to pay tribute to this year’s Special Merit Award recipients — a remarkable group of creators and industry professionals whose impact resonates with generations worldwide,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. “Their contributions to music span genres, backgrounds, and crafts, reflecting the rich diversity that fuels our creative community. We look forward to honoring these music industry trailblazers next month as part of our week-long celebration leading up to Music’s Biggest Night.”
The 2024 Grammys are scheduled for Sunday, February 4, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, with Trevor Noah returning as the host for the fourth consecutive year. The ceremony will broadcast live on CBS, stream live on Paramount+, and be available on-demand on Paramount+.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is under the umbrella of the 2024 Special Merit Awards, and The Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 3, at LA’s Wilshire Ebell Theatre.
Nobody wants to pay a seemingly large amount of cash for a bottle of rum to find that it’s not really worth the price. When it comes to rum (and every other spirit), value per dollar is often the most important aspect (for some). This is a means of figuring out the ratio of the quality of spirit and your pure enjoyment for each dollar spent to purchase it.
When it comes to “value” per dollar in the rum world, you first need to figure out the type of rum you’re looking to buy. Do you want a white rum for mixing into mojitos and daiquiris? Are you looking for an aged dark rum to sip like you would a quality whiskey? Or are you looking for a bargain-price spiced rum? That’s the great thing about rum in general — there’s something for everyone if you know where to look.
To help you on your value-finding rum journey, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders, mixologists, and beverage specialists to tell us about their picks for the best value per dollar rums on the market. Keep scrolling below to see all of their choices.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Rum Posts of The Last Six Months
Everything Hampden Estate makes is fantastic. Every Jamaican distillery has an overproof unaged rum — the kind of stuff they drink on the island — and this is Hampden’s. All of them are great but this is my favorite because there’s so much flavor packed into this rum that it’ll shine even if you only use a little.
Tasting Notes:
Huge fruit flavors like overripe banana and charred pineapple mix in with flavors like the smell of an old forest with thick greenery and decaying logs. There’s so much to love about Rum Fire and it sings in cocktails. You always know when you’re drinking Rum Fire.
Appleton Estate Reserve Rum 8 Year
Appleton Estate
Bradley Stephens, USBG bartender at Cereus PDX in Portland, Oregon
Rum is a tough one due to its underappreciated diversity of styles and flavors. One of the cool things about rum and spirits made from sugar, molasses, or sugarcane is that almost every culture in the world has made one (and made it so differently from all the others). If my back was against the wall and you told me I had to decide right now, I’d likely choose Appleton Estate 8 Year. It’s fantastic Jamaican juice that works in cocktails and sipping and is made by the legend herself Joy Spence.
Tasting Notes:
Eight years of aging gives this memorable rum notes of sweet honey, vanilla, oaky wood, island spices, and candied orange peel.
Flor De Cana 18 Year Centenario
Flor De Cana
Jennifer Donegan, bar manager at Bar Pendry in Washington DC
I love a flavorful deep rum. If you can put it in an old fashioned, I’m game. Flor de Cana 18 Year has the body of a whiskey but doesn’t have the burn. You can enjoy this on a large rock — but in a classic old fashioned or daiquiri, it sings. To get all that in the sub $70 category? Unbeatable.
Tasting Notes:
It begins with a nose of candied nuts and vanilla beans and moves on to a palate of vanilla, oak, toffee, and gentle spices.
Rhum Barbancourt 5 Star is my go-to recommendation. Made using sugarcane juice instead of molasses, it’s matured for eight years in charred oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Made in the heart of Haiti, their Agricole selection spans crisp, grassy, tart, vanilla, and rich notes.
The best value-per-dollar rum remains Bacardi Carta Blanca. It’s a world-famous award-winning unaged rum. The original light rum, its history can be traced back to 1862.
Tasting Notes:
Featuring citrus, spices, and pepper on the nose with notes of tropical fruit, this rum can be used for any rum-based drink or simply sipped with a nice ice block and a slice of your favorite fresh fruit.
Camazotz Oaxacan Rum
Camazotz Oaxacan Rum
José Medina Camacho, co-owner and mixologist of Adiõs in Birmingham, Alabama
Camazotz rum out of the highlands of Oaxaca is a small batch, family-owned, and pressed by hand. That should give you enough of a reason to purchase and enjoy. I’m hoping to see more rums like this in the market in the coming years.
Tasting Notes:
Flavors of sugarcane, earthy grass, oak, and salted caramel make for a unique memorable base for your favorite cocktail.
I love Cruzan Aged Light Rum. It’s a blend of rums matured between one and four years and then charcoal filtered. The price is awesome, and it stands up well in a cocktail like a daiquiri or mojito, especially a Hemingway daiquiri.
Tasting Notes:
The tasting notes of molasses and a bit of oak from the used bourbon barrels create a creamy subtle yet complex rum.
Hamilton Demerara River Rum
Hamilton
Bijan Ghiai, beverage manager-Sommelier at Urban Hill in Salt Lake City
Hamilton Demerara River Rum has a ridiculous quality-price ratio. For $23, you get more provenance and complex flavors than anything, hands down. It deserves a price tag twice as high. Ed Hamilton is a genius in this avenue, and for my palate, his rum expressions never disappoint.
Tasting Notes:
The depth of profiles includes dried tobacco, lumber yard, fresh figs, and gingerbread cookies. I feel like this is what good rum epitomizes.
Plantation 3 Stars
Plantation
Nick Jackon, head bartender at The Rum House in New York City
Plantation 3 Stars is so versatile for a light rum with its blend of rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad. It offers a bit more depth of flavor than a traditional white rum. The addition of Jamaican rum in the 3 Stars helps to give it some amazing depth of flavor without being overpowering.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of honey, brown sugar, and vanilla start everything off right. Drinking it reveals notes of grassy flavors, vanilla, oak, and toffee.
The best value-per-dollar rum is made by Puerto Rico’s oldest rum producer, Ron del Barrilito Three Stars. It imbibes history and tradition alongside an exceptionally smooth palate.
Tasting Notes:
It has a full body with a strong wood backbone followed by aromas of plums, bananas, almonds, vanilla, and caramelized sugar cane.
Lil Nas X begged to be called by his name on his single, “MONTERO.” Now, he is asking that the courtesy be extended to his parents. Although Lil Nas X has no problem dismissing attacks on his name (hi, Dave Chappelle), he doesn’t hold back regarding family. Yesterday (January 4), People Magazine learned that the hard way when it misidentified Lil Nas X’s mother.
After getting wind of the publisher’s inaccurate piece on the rapper’s life, he hopped on his official X (formerly Twitter) page to set the record straight. Fans are very familiar with Lil Nas X’s father, Robert Stafford, having attended many events with his famous son. Stafford has even clapped back at a few celebs over their disgusting comments. However, Lil Nas X’s mother remains a mystery.
So when People incorrectly claimed (in a now-deleted article that has been archived here) Lil Nas X’s mother’s name was Shawnita Hathaway, he slammed them. “Y’all just be creating people. cuz who the hell is Shawnita Hathaway? I did not come out that lady p*ssy,” Lil Nas X wrote.
yall just be creating people. cuz who the hell is shawnita hathaway, i did not come out that lady pussy https://t.co/FIOQ7rjrsZ
Back in 2021, when rumors circulated that Lil Nas X refused to help his mother had fallen on hard times, Stafford took to his Instagram to shut down the reports with a statement (seen here).
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Lil Nas X opened up about his relationship with her mother. “I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict, so we don’t have the closest relationship. Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love… The biggest surprise of becoming globally famous? On the outside, everybody loves you — but on the inside, everything [feels] the same,” said the musician.
Halle Berry is — objectively speaking — an attractive person. This is the one thing everyone can agree on, right? She’s the center of attention of photos she’s in… well, most photos. The Oscar-winning actress recently shared a picture on her Instagram where she’s posing among rocks in a lace bodysuit. “couldn’t hide these rocks,” the caption reads. But the comments aren’t about the John Wick star or her outfit — they’re about the “gross object” by her feet.
According to the Daily Mail, “the pic, which garnered more than 148,000 likes, generated speculation from followers that the stunning star’s bare feet were in close proximity to a pile of feces, the source of which also conjured up debate.” We need the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang on the case.
The top comments to Berry’s Instagram post include “Literally nobody sees the 3 giant mounds of human sh*t??? seriously, why post that photo with the sh*t in it?” and “How do you know it’s human sh*t though? Maybe it’s from some wild animal that lives among the rocks!” and “Dope Pic, crop the [poop emoji that’s right in front of you out of this pic tho!!” Someone else had a different but technically related take: “Lol when I didn’t have my glasses on, I thought you were peeing.”
I think everyone is missing the point of the photo. Also, it doesn’t look like human [poop emoji] to me. It’s obviously jawa droppings. Judge for yourself with Berry’s Instagram post below.
While accepting an award at the New York Film Critics Circle this week, Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan shared a hilarious anecdote about a Peloton instructor trashing one of his movies while he was in a virtual class.
“I was on my Peloton. I’m dying. And the instructor started talking about one of my films and said, ‘Did anyone see this? That’s a couple hours of my life I’ll never get back again!’” Nolan said via Variety. “When [film critic] Rex Reed takes a sh*t on your film he doesn’t ask you to work out!”
Naturally, the internet immediately went to work, and by mid-day Thursday, the video was found. The instructor was also identified as Jenn Sherman, who took a swing at Tenet during a December 2020 intervals-and-arms class.
“Someone’s got to explain this. Yeah I’m not kidding, what the f*ck was going on in that movie?” Sherman said with no idea that Nolan was in the class. “Seriously, you need to be a neuroscientist to understand. And that’s two and a half hours of my life that I want back.”
After the Sherman video went viral, she took to Instagram to apologize to Nolan and claim it was a “dark time” when she made the crack. In her defense, it was the first year of the pandemic, which saw an especially deadly surge during the 2020 holiday season.
“I’m up on the platform, teaching my little class and I’m running my mouth off like I’m known to do,” she said. “And I make a random comment about a movie that I’ve seen the night before. What do you think the odds are that the director of said movie would take that ride some four years later?”
Sherman said that she “may not have understood a minute of what the hell was going on in ‘Tenet” but she did see “Oppenheimer” twice and loved it.
Sherman also invited Nolan to attend one of her classes in person where she promises to be nice.
“You can critique my class. We’ll have a great time,” she joked. “You’ll sit front row and I promise you, it will be insult free!”
It’s a new year, and if you’re like me, that can only mean one thing — it’s time to make reservations for summer National Park travel. In the past several years, the most popular US National Parks have seen explosive annual visitor growth, with several parks instituting reservation and timed entry systems to mitigate the crowds and help preserve the land for generations to come (and keep it tenable for people visiting right now).
Although summer may feel like a long way away, many of the most popular parks are opening up their first rounds of timed entry reservations as early as this week. So, if you have National Park travel on your mind for summer 2024, this is what you need to know first.
Maine’s Acadia National Park is consistently among the top 10 most visited parks annually. The coastal paradise saw just shy of 4 million visitors in 2022 over just over 49,000 acres, making the number of visitors per acre much higher than the most visited parks in the system — and reservations for the popular Cadillac Summit Road necessary.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Like in years past, you won’t need a reservation to enter the park, but you will need one to drive on Cadillac Summit Road. The road leads to epic views at Cadillac Mountain Summit — which is a must while visiting the park, especially at sunrise or sunset.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road from May 24 to October 22. The reservations are on a timed entry system, so you’ll have to enter during your reserved time period, but there is no required departure time until 10 pm.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations cost $6 and must be purchased in advance on Recreation.gov for daytime or sunrise. Exact release dates haven’t been announced as of this writing. In previous years, 30% of timed entry reservations were released 90 days in advance, and the remaining 70% were released two days in advance at 10 am ET.
Are there workarounds?
Not if you want to drive. The timed entry reservation is required for vehicles, and the Island Explorer Bus that services other sections of the park does not serve this road. If you want to hike or bike, you can enter without a reservation. The road is approximately 3.5 miles, and there are a few options when hiking to the summit with various lengths and difficulty.
Arches National Park is another smaller park by land area. That, along with its extremely accessible location just 5 miles north of booming Moab, Utah, and Instagram-ready red rock arches, the crowds are inevitable nearly any time of year, especially in the summer months. To combat this, Arches has continued its timed entry system.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Visitors need a reservation to access any park area during the reservation season. Unlike other major National Parks, there is one gated entrance to the park. So there’s literally no getting around this.
When do I need it?
Reservations will be required from 7 am to 4 pm from April 1 through October 31.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Timed entries will be released on Recreation.gov three months in advance. April entries were already released on January 2, with the next release — for May dates — occurring on February 1 at 8 am MST. Each month after that follows the same pattern: June dates are released on March 1, July on April 1, August on May 1, September on June 1, and October on July 1, all at 8 am Mountain Time.
Are there workarounds?
Visitors can enter the park without a permit before 7 am or after 4 pm. Next-day reservations are also available at 7 pm MT the day before your preferred visit. If you have a Devil’s Garden campground permit, backcountry camping permit, Fiery Furnace permit, Special Use Permit, Commercial Use Authorization, or arrive on foot or bicycle, you don’t need a timed entry permit.
I’ve visited nearly every US National Park but keep returning to Glacier National Park in Montana. Through my several times over the past decade, I can’t help but notice each time, the crowds have only increased. The park is large with multiple entrance points, but the dramatic landscape, glaciers, lakes, and world-class hiking can create problems in the busy summer months. Glacier has instituted a reservation system to combat the crowds since 2021.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
In 2024, you will need separate vehicle reservations for three areas of Glacier National Park — Going-To-The-Sun Corridor (coming from the West), the North Fork, and Many Glacier.
When do I need it?
You will need a reservation to enter the Going-To-The-Sun Corridor from the West past the Agpar Checkpoint from May 24 through September 8. A reservation for the road is valid for just one day and is needed from 6 am to 3 pm.
Vehicle reservations for the North Fork area are good for one day and are necessary from May 24 through September 8 from 6 am to 3 pm.
Many Glacier requires vehicle reservations, good for one day only, from July 1 through September 8 from 6 am to 3 pm.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations are available online on a rolling basis, 120 days in advance, starting at 8 am MDT on January 25. Another portion of reservations will be available one day in advance, beginning at 7 pm MDT on May 23.
Reservations must be made for each park entrance separately for $2 each, in addition to park entrance fees.
Are there workarounds?
Reservations aren’t required this year to enter Going-To-The-Sun Road from the East side or to visit the Two Medicine area of the park. Visitors can enter the park before 6 am or after 3 pm without a vehicle reservation.
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK — NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE
Emily Hart
While maybe not the most Instagrammed park in comparison to the vistas of the West, Great Smoky Mountain National Park is — by far — the most visited major National Park in the system. With nearly 13 million visitors in 2022, it is incredible that there has not been a reservation system or even an admission fee in this spectacular southern park. And there still isn’t — not really, anyway. But there is one big change visitors should be aware of.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
You still won’t need a reservation to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but you will need to pay for parking. Last year, this new system brought more funding to the incredibly popular park that had historically been fee-free.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a parking tag anywhere in the park if you plan to be there longer than 15 minutes throughout the year.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
No reservations are necessary, and daily, weekly, or monthly parking tags can be bought online (to be shipped or printed) or at various visitor centers and automated fee machines at the park.
Are there workarounds?
No tag is required if you drive through without stopping for more than 15 minutes.
One of my most memorable experiences was watching the sunset at Haleakalā National Park, which should be on everyone’s travel bucket list. On the gorgeous and lush island of Maui in Hawaii, the dormant Haleakalā volcano creates an otherworldly experience that seems completely unreal. So yes, you’ll need a reservation to access it.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
While most reservation and timed entry systems have been instituted since the 2020 surge in National Park visitors, Haleakalā has required reservations for sunrise at the summit since 2017. To create a better viewing experience and keep the winding road to the summit safer for everyone, a reservation has been necessary and highly sought after for years.
When do I need it?
You only need a reservation for sunrise to enter the park between 3 am and 7 am. Otherwise, you can enter simply by paying the parking fee.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations are available online 60 and 2 days in advance starting at 7 am HST for a $1 fee plus park entrance fees.
Are there workarounds?
You might remember just a few sentences ago that I visited at sunset — which does not require a reservation — and honestly, it was a highlight of my life. So, if you can’t grab a sunrise permit, head for sunset, but head up early to ensure parking availability.
The jutting peaks, golden aspens, and heart-pumping trails to pristine alpine lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park are legendary. The park has long brought vast amounts of visitors to the Colorado park. But in the past few years, like other popular National Parks, the crowds have exploded to a degree where a timed entry system is necessary to protect the biodiversity and alpine tundra ecosystem that the park is known for.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
There are two types of timed entry tickets for Rocky Mountain National Park, and you’ll need one. The popular Bear Lake Corridor has its own timed entry ticket (that will also allow you to access the rest of the park), while the “rest of the park” also has a specific timed entry ticket that gains you access to all but the Bear Lake Corridor.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a timed entry to access Rocky Mountain National Park from May 24 to October 15 for the “rest of the park” and to October 20 for the Bear Lake Corridor. The Bear Lake Corridor permit is necessary from 5 am to 6 pm, while the “rest of the park,” excluding Bear Lake, is needed from 9 am to 2 pm.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Timed entry reservations are available on Recreation.gov at 8 am MT beginning on May 1 for permits from May 24 to June 30. Permits for July will be released on June 1, permits for August on July 1, permits for September on August 1, and finally, permits for October will be released on September 1.
Are there workarounds?
If you don’t snag a permit on the initial release, 40% of reservations will be held for release the day before your visit, starting at 7 pm MT.
You don’t need a reservation to simply visit Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, but you will need one if you plan to hike one of its most famous mountains.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Visitors to Shenandoah National Park will need a day-use ticket to access or hike the popular Old Rag Mountain.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a day-use ticket from March 1 to November 30.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Tickets are available on Recreation.gov for $1 in addition to an entrance pass. Exactly 400 tickets will be released 30 days before the reservation date. Tickets are released each day at 10 am EST.
Are there workarounds?
An additional 400 tickets will be released at 10 am EST, five days before the reservation date.
Yosemite is likely what most people envision when considering a National Park summer trip. It is legendary for a reason with towering granite cliffs, beautiful meadows, awe-inspiring waterfalls, and hiking that is hard to beat anywhere else. Despite its nearly unmatched beauty and incredible popularity, Yosemite has not had summer timed-entry reservations for the last few years (only in February for the legendary Firefall).
That is changing this year with a new system for visitors during peak travel times.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
You’ll need a reservation to enter the park during two separate periods and use two different systems during February and peak hours between April 13 and October 27.
When do I need it?
If you plan to visit during a Firefall weekend in February (10-11, 17-19, 24-25), you’ll need a day-use permit to enter at any time of the day. If you visit on a weekend or holiday between April 13 and June 30 or August 17 to October 27, you’ll need a permit between 5 am and 4 pm.
And finally, if you’re visiting in the peak summer months between July 1 and August 16, a permit will be necessary daily between 5 am and 4 pm. Each reservation is valid for three days.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations were partially released in December for Firefall dates, with the remaining released two days prior at 8 am Pacific.
Most peak-hour reservations will be available on January 5 at 8 am Pacific, with the rest being released seven days in advance at 8 am.
Reservations are available online at Recreation.gov and will be sold out almost immediately.
Are there workarounds?
Reservations aren’t required if you enter the park after 4 pm or before 5 am. You’re also able to access the park without reservations on YARTS public transportation buses (which I did last year and recommend) or if you have a reservation at a campsite (Upper Pines, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, or Camp 4) or lodging within the park (The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village, and private lodging in Wawona, Yosemite West, or Foresta) or with a Half Dome or wilderness permit.
You may be surprised that Zion National Park is consistently among the top-visited US National Parks. Its impressive rock formations draw visitors worldwide, and many are interested in one particular hike, Angel’s Landing. The hike is just 2.4 miles each way but up a 1,488 ft rock formation with extreme exposure (and views). It’s become a social media sensation and bucket list item for many travelers, so you’ll need a permit to hike it.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Everyone who wants to hike the iconic Angel’s Landing will need a permit to do so. The permits are non-transferable and will cost you $6 to apply.
When do I need it?
You’ll need it year-round.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
The March 1 to May 31 seasonal lottery is open until January 20, with subsequent dates available to apply later in the year. The permits are non-transferable and will cost you $6 to apply.
Are there workarounds?
There are also permits available the day before they are valid. These are open each day after 12:01 am until 3 pm MST. The permits granted are then issued via email at 4 pm that day.
It’s a new year, and if you’re like me, that can only mean one thing — it’s time to make reservations for summer National Park travel. In the past several years, the most popular US National Parks have seen explosive annual visitor growth, with several parks instituting reservation and timed entry systems to mitigate the crowds and help preserve the land for generations to come (and keep it tenable for people visiting right now).
Although summer may feel like a long way away, many of the most popular parks are opening up their first rounds of timed entry reservations as early as this week. So, if you have National Park travel on your mind for summer 2024, this is what you need to know first.
Maine’s Acadia National Park is consistently among the top 10 most visited parks annually. The coastal paradise saw just shy of 4 million visitors in 2022 over just over 49,000 acres, making the number of visitors per acre much higher than the most visited parks in the system — and reservations for the popular Cadillac Summit Road necessary.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Like in years past, you won’t need a reservation to enter the park, but you will need one to drive on Cadillac Summit Road. The road leads to epic views at Cadillac Mountain Summit — which is a must while visiting the park, especially at sunrise or sunset.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road from May 24 to October 22. The reservations are on a timed entry system, so you’ll have to enter during your reserved time period, but there is no required departure time until 10 pm.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations cost $6 and must be purchased in advance on Recreation.gov for daytime or sunrise. Exact release dates haven’t been announced as of this writing. In previous years, 30% of timed entry reservations were released 90 days in advance, and the remaining 70% were released two days in advance at 10 am ET.
Are there workarounds?
Not if you want to drive. The timed entry reservation is required for vehicles, and the Island Explorer Bus that services other sections of the park does not serve this road. If you want to hike or bike, you can enter without a reservation. The road is approximately 3.5 miles, and there are a few options when hiking to the summit with various lengths and difficulty.
Arches National Park is another smaller park by land area. That, along with its extremely accessible location just 5 miles north of booming Moab, Utah, and Instagram-ready red rock arches, the crowds are inevitable nearly any time of year, especially in the summer months. To combat this, Arches has continued its timed entry system.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Visitors need a reservation to access any park area during the reservation season. Unlike other major National Parks, there is one gated entrance to the park. So there’s literally no getting around this.
When do I need it?
Reservations will be required from 7 am to 4 pm from April 1 through October 31.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Timed entries will be released on Recreation.gov three months in advance. April entries were already released on January 2, with the next release — for May dates — occurring on February 1 at 8 am MST. Each month after that follows the same pattern: June dates are released on March 1, July on April 1, August on May 1, September on June 1, and October on July 1, all at 8 am Mountain Time.
Are there workarounds?
Visitors can enter the park without a permit before 7 am or after 4 pm. Next-day reservations are also available at 7 pm MT the day before your preferred visit. If you have a Devil’s Garden campground permit, backcountry camping permit, Fiery Furnace permit, Special Use Permit, Commercial Use Authorization, or arrive on foot or bicycle, you don’t need a timed entry permit.
I’ve visited nearly every US National Park but keep returning to Glacier National Park in Montana. Through my several times over the past decade, I can’t help but notice each time, the crowds have only increased. The park is large with multiple entrance points, but the dramatic landscape, glaciers, lakes, and world-class hiking can create problems in the busy summer months. Glacier has instituted a reservation system to combat the crowds since 2021.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
In 2024, you will need separate vehicle reservations for three areas of Glacier National Park — Going-To-The-Sun Corridor (coming from the West), the North Fork, and Many Glacier.
When do I need it?
You will need a reservation to enter the Going-To-The-Sun Corridor from the West past the Agpar Checkpoint from May 24 through September 8. A reservation for the road is valid for just one day and is needed from 6 am to 3 pm.
Vehicle reservations for the North Fork area are good for one day and are necessary from May 24 through September 8 from 6 am to 3 pm.
Many Glacier requires vehicle reservations, good for one day only, from July 1 through September 8 from 6 am to 3 pm.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations are available online on a rolling basis, 120 days in advance, starting at 8 am MDT on January 25. Another portion of reservations will be available one day in advance, beginning at 7 pm MDT on May 23.
Reservations must be made for each park entrance separately for $2 each, in addition to park entrance fees.
Are there workarounds?
Reservations aren’t required this year to enter Going-To-The-Sun Road from the East side or to visit the Two Medicine area of the park. Visitors can enter the park before 6 am or after 3 pm without a vehicle reservation.
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK — NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE
Emily Hart
While maybe not the most Instagrammed park in comparison to the vistas of the West, Great Smoky Mountain National Park is — by far — the most visited major National Park in the system. With nearly 13 million visitors in 2022, it is incredible that there has not been a reservation system or even an admission fee in this spectacular southern park. And there still isn’t — not really, anyway. But there is one big change visitors should be aware of.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
You still won’t need a reservation to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but you will need to pay for parking. Last year, this new system brought more funding to the incredibly popular park that had historically been fee-free.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a parking tag anywhere in the park if you plan to be there longer than 15 minutes throughout the year.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
No reservations are necessary, and daily, weekly, or monthly parking tags can be bought online (to be shipped or printed) or at various visitor centers and automated fee machines at the park.
Are there workarounds?
No tag is required if you drive through without stopping for more than 15 minutes.
One of my most memorable experiences was watching the sunset at Haleakalā National Park, which should be on everyone’s travel bucket list. On the gorgeous and lush island of Maui in Hawaii, the dormant Haleakalā volcano creates an otherworldly experience that seems completely unreal. So yes, you’ll need a reservation to access it.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
While most reservation and timed entry systems have been instituted since the 2020 surge in National Park visitors, Haleakalā has required reservations for sunrise at the summit since 2017. To create a better viewing experience and keep the winding road to the summit safer for everyone, a reservation has been necessary and highly sought after for years.
When do I need it?
You only need a reservation for sunrise to enter the park between 3 am and 7 am. Otherwise, you can enter simply by paying the parking fee.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations are available online 60 and 2 days in advance starting at 7 am HST for a $1 fee plus park entrance fees.
Are there workarounds?
You might remember just a few sentences ago that I visited at sunset — which does not require a reservation — and honestly, it was a highlight of my life. So, if you can’t grab a sunrise permit, head for sunset, but head up early to ensure parking availability.
The jutting peaks, golden aspens, and heart-pumping trails to pristine alpine lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park are legendary. The park has long brought vast amounts of visitors to the Colorado park. But in the past few years, like other popular National Parks, the crowds have exploded to a degree where a timed entry system is necessary to protect the biodiversity and alpine tundra ecosystem that the park is known for.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
There are two types of timed entry tickets for Rocky Mountain National Park, and you’ll need one. The popular Bear Lake Corridor has its own timed entry ticket (that will also allow you to access the rest of the park), while the “rest of the park” also has a specific timed entry ticket that gains you access to all but the Bear Lake Corridor.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a timed entry to access Rocky Mountain National Park from May 24 to October 15 for the “rest of the park” and to October 20 for the Bear Lake Corridor. The Bear Lake Corridor permit is necessary from 5 am to 6 pm, while the “rest of the park,” excluding Bear Lake, is needed from 9 am to 2 pm.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Timed entry reservations are available on Recreation.gov at 8 am MT beginning on May 1 for permits from May 24 to June 30. Permits for July will be released on June 1, permits for August on July 1, permits for September on August 1, and finally, permits for October will be released on September 1.
Are there workarounds?
If you don’t snag a permit on the initial release, 40% of reservations will be held for release the day before your visit, starting at 7 pm MT.
You don’t need a reservation to simply visit Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, but you will need one if you plan to hike one of its most famous mountains.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Visitors to Shenandoah National Park will need a day-use ticket to access or hike the popular Old Rag Mountain.
When do I need it?
You’ll need a day-use ticket from March 1 to November 30.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Tickets are available on Recreation.gov for $1 in addition to an entrance pass. Exactly 400 tickets will be released 30 days before the reservation date. Tickets are released each day at 10 am EST.
Are there workarounds?
An additional 400 tickets will be released at 10 am EST, five days before the reservation date.
Yosemite is likely what most people envision when considering a National Park summer trip. It is legendary for a reason with towering granite cliffs, beautiful meadows, awe-inspiring waterfalls, and hiking that is hard to beat anywhere else. Despite its nearly unmatched beauty and incredible popularity, Yosemite has not had summer timed-entry reservations for the last few years (only in February for the legendary Firefall).
That is changing this year with a new system for visitors during peak travel times.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
You’ll need a reservation to enter the park during two separate periods and use two different systems during February and peak hours between April 13 and October 27.
When do I need it?
If you plan to visit during a Firefall weekend in February (10-11, 17-19, 24-25), you’ll need a day-use permit to enter at any time of the day. If you visit on a weekend or holiday between April 13 and June 30 or August 17 to October 27, you’ll need a permit between 5 am and 4 pm.
And finally, if you’re visiting in the peak summer months between July 1 and August 16, a permit will be necessary daily between 5 am and 4 pm. Each reservation is valid for three days.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
Reservations were partially released in December for Firefall dates, with the remaining released two days prior at 8 am Pacific.
Most peak-hour reservations will be available on January 5 at 8 am Pacific, with the rest being released seven days in advance at 8 am.
Reservations are available online at Recreation.gov and will be sold out almost immediately.
Are there workarounds?
Reservations aren’t required if you enter the park after 4 pm or before 5 am. You’re also able to access the park without reservations on YARTS public transportation buses (which I did last year and recommend) or if you have a reservation at a campsite (Upper Pines, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, or Camp 4) or lodging within the park (The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village, and private lodging in Wawona, Yosemite West, or Foresta) or with a Half Dome or wilderness permit.
You may be surprised that Zion National Park is consistently among the top-visited US National Parks. Its impressive rock formations draw visitors worldwide, and many are interested in one particular hike, Angel’s Landing. The hike is just 2.4 miles each way but up a 1,488 ft rock formation with extreme exposure (and views). It’s become a social media sensation and bucket list item for many travelers, so you’ll need a permit to hike it.
What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?
Everyone who wants to hike the iconic Angel’s Landing will need a permit to do so. The permits are non-transferable and will cost you $6 to apply.
When do I need it?
You’ll need it year-round.
When and where are reservations/permits available?
The March 1 to May 31 seasonal lottery is open until January 20, with subsequent dates available to apply later in the year. The permits are non-transferable and will cost you $6 to apply.
Are there workarounds?
There are also permits available the day before they are valid. These are open each day after 12:01 am until 3 pm MST. The permits granted are then issued via email at 4 pm that day.
Billie Eilish and Finneas played a major part in the biggest movie of 2023, Barbie, with their song “What Was I Made For?,” which had a significant role in the film. Who didn’t have a role in the film at all, though, were Eilish and Finneas, who you figured might have at least made a cameo since they both have acting experience. Now, they’ve explained why they didn’t end up on screen.
During a red-carpet interview at the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards yesterday (January 4), they were asked if there were ever any talks about them making a cameo, and Eilish responded, “It wasn’t about that, it wasn’t about that. It was Barbie’s little heart thing, you know? I wasn’t… it’s not about me, it’s about her.”
As Eilish spoke, Finneas gave an answer more about the practicalities of the situation, explaining, “It was too late.” So, perhaps they were approached to do their song too late into shooting, or there wasn’t an opportunity to write them in by the time they got on board.
Eilish and Finneas, by the way, were on hand to accept the Chairman’s Award, becoming the first songwriters to ever receive the honor, as Variety notes.
The end of the DC Extended Universe also meant the end of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn… probably. For one thing, she’s already played the character three times, most successfully in Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad. Also, she’s an Oscar-nominated mega-producer who just starred in the biggest movie of the year. Robbie doesn’t need any more superhero movies in her filmography, but DC overlord James Gunn would be happy to have her back, if she’s interested.
“I haven’t talked to Margot about Harley for a long time,” Gunn wrote on Threads, according to Comic Book. “But I’d love to work with her again as Harley or as someone else. There are no plans at this time for anyone else to play Harley (I mean, other than in Todd’s movie or the animated show/s.)”
“Todd’s movie” refers to Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Lady Gaga as Harley, while “the animated show/s” includes Max’s delightful Harley Quinn. As for Robbie, she recently told Variety that she envisioned Harley as “a character that would get passed on to other actresses to play, the way there are so many iconic male characters. That was always the dream for her. Harley’s so fun and can go in so many different directions. You put her in someone else’s hands, and it’s like, ‘What are they going to do with her?’ The options are endless.”
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We’re excited to announce this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award, Technical GRAMMY Award, and Best Song For Social Change Award Honorees! 
