The cost of visiting 'The White Lotus' Season 3 resort

A typical weekend at Coachella can cost thousands of dollars

Coachella might be a cutting-edge cultural event, but it doesn't come for free. Beyond the high ticket prices—which typically start around $500—there are other costs, like lodging, food, and libations. This article spotlights four attendees who break down their expenses for the week and why, despite the hefty price tag, they were so interested in heading to the desert.

The economics of ski resorts

More than 480 ski resorts pack in nearly 65 million visitors each year in the US for historically high prices. Daily lift tickets may cost three figures at many locations. Amid industry consolidation and more stringent land use regulations, ski resorts are upping their prices—a factor that does not appear to be dampening the sport's popularity. Learn more here.

Attending Davos can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars

Access to Davos’ most exclusive events often comes at a steep price: Annual WEF dues can exceed $50K, premium membership can reach $500K, and attendance adds high costs for travel, lodging, security, and credentials.

HBO's business model is based on driving the cultural conversation

HBO CEO Casey Bloys steered the network’s programming to critical acclaim and cultural relevance with hits like “Succession” and “The White Lotus.” Bloys discusses how the network’s programming evolved as it shifted toward streaming—and how the success of shows like “House of the Dragon” informs HBO’s future.

Disney World tickets cost 56% more now than in 2014

The prototypical middle-class American family vacation has been a staple for decades. But in the last 10 years, the cost—over $5K for a 5-night stay for a family of four—has placed the trip out of reach for many.

A 2024 report found that the average American vacation costs nearly $2K per person.

Experience a year inside an American courthouse with 'Serial' Season 3

Season Three of "Serial" immerses listeners in a Cleveland courthouse for a year, showcasing how everyday justice unfolds—through plea deals, judicial decisions, and the quiet mechanics behind daily life in the criminal justice system.

WeWork held controversial ‘summer camp’ retreats for employees

Step inside one of WeWork’s “summer camp” retreats full of drugs, alcohol, and exorbitant company spending.

Burning Man typically costs thousands of dollars to attend

It is no secret that Burning Man is a costly endeavor, with disposable income needed to buy tickets, take time off work, create shelter, hold living supplies, and provide entertainment and gifts while living in the desert.

The Platinum American Express card is among the most expensive mainstream travel credit cards

American Express charges a $895 annual fee on its Platinum Card in exchange for nearly $3.5K worth of credits and benefits. Some of the credits include a $600 for hotels, a $400 credit at restaurants with Resy, a $300 Lululemon credit, and even a $200 credit at Oura ring. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

As of 2022, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and SpaceX are the primary space tourism companies

Blue Origin offers 11-minute suborbital flights for $28M, while Virgin Galactic provides a 90-minute suborbital flight for $450,000. SpaceX offers orbital flights for $55M, including trips to the International Space Station, and plans to offer civilians trips to the moon by 2030.

A 1981 wedding on 'General Hospital' drew 30 million viewers.

New York was the most expensive city to rent a three-bedroom apartment in as of 2025

At an average of $8.4K per month, New York City beat out London, Paris, San Francisco, and others as the most expensive major city to rent in. This visualization shows exactly how the others ranked.

The American Dream costs more than $4M

The estimated cost of the American Dream—including buying a house, yearly vacations, retiring, raising two children, getting married, and more—is $4.4M, according to recent data from Investopedia. This illustrated graphic shows the estimated cost of the American dream per household over the course of their lifetime. See it here.

Here's why weddings are so expensive

Anyone who has planned a wedding knows firsthand how shockingly expensive things like flowers or a live band can be. This article from the wedding experts at The Knot breaks down why, exactly, weddings cost so much. Plus, it explains the truth behind the so-called “wedding tax.” Read the article to learn more.

Most White House renovations have cost no more than $10M.

The storied residence of the US president has undergone many overhauls in its day, from rooftop fixes to bowling alley and pool installations. The majority of the renovation projects came in under $10M. President Trump's expansion of the West Wing, primarily funded by private donations, would cost more than $200M.

How to dine like they do in 'The Bear'

One of the most exciting aspects of FX's hit show "The Bear" is how it highlights real Chicago restaurants and businesses. This guide to some of the restaurants visited by the show’s characters (and a few that aren’t) includes the real Michelin inspectors’ notes on each spot.

How much it costs to host the World Cup

The cost of hosting the world's biggest sporting event depends on a country's existing infrastructure. Learn how the World Cup in Qatar will impact the country's finances in this brief podcast.

Are hotels cheaper than Airbnbs?

When Airbnb first became popular, it was seen as a cheaper alternative to staying at a hotel. But these days, depending on factors such as how many people you're traveling with and how long your trip is, Airbnb isn't always the less expensive option. To figure out which form of lodging might be cheaper for your next vacation, read this article.

At $55K, on average, New Jersey is the most expensive US state to host a wedding

Wedding costs vary significantly depending on location. Utah is the least expensive, at $17K, on average, per wedding. If you're curious to see where your state falls, check out this map for a visualization of each state's average wedding price.

TV show character Frasier Crane would have had a net worth of more than roughly $3.5M today

Between his Seattle high-rise with skyline and water views and his career, Frasier Crane's life on the TV show "Frasier" looked luxurious.

Explore a virtual tour of the Starlab Space Station

Hilton plans to design much of the interior of the free-flying commercial facility to provide comfort and hospitality during astronauts' in-space living. Starlab will include crew communal areas, wellness spaces, and advanced sleeping quarters.

Read a list of one digital nomad's favorite remote work locations

Roughly 18 million Americans travel the world while working remotely, hunting for hotels and cafes with solid Wi-Fi connections and weather. From Thailand to Greece, these digital nomads have worked all over the world in the years since remote work has become more popular.

When planning a vacation, consider avoiding the peak tourism season at your destination.

Becoming an Olympic swimmer costs tens of thousands of dollars

When you see Olympic athletes win gold, it's the culmination of years of hard work and discipline. But it isn't all sweat equity. Before ever stepping foot on the world stage, these athletes have to pay or find funding for private coaching and lessons, club memberships, and meet fees, with estimates that it costs $25K to $40K to make it to the Olympics.

San Francisco has the highest-paying average monthly salary in the US at $7,092

Other relatively high monthly average salaries in major cities worldwide include those in Switzerland, specifically Geneva at $7,984 and Zurich at $7,788. This chart shows other major cities across the world with high average monthly salaries.

Indian Creek Village: the exclusive billionaire island

Off the coast of Miami lies an island called Indian Creek Village. Spanning around 300 acres, the island is home to a few dozen homes owned by celebrities, sports stars, and tech founders. Only residents and verified visitors can enter this private space, protected by its own police force. Listen to this podcast episode for more information about the private island and why the wealthy love it.

Tourists flock to Walden Pond, the namesake for Henry David Thoreau's book 'Walden,' from across the globe.

Why so many movies are filmed in Vancouver

Vancouver, a major city in British Columbia, is a hugely popular filming location. The Canadian metropolis hosts film sets for movies based in New York City, Seattle, Kansas, and even India. Filmmakers seek out Vancouver for a number of reasons, mainly boiling down to tax breaks and the area’s diverse array of landscapes and city settings. Watch this Vox video for an in-depth breakdown of the rising interest in using Canada as a film backdrop.

'The Wizarding World of Harry Potter' sparked record theme park attendance

A Forbes analysis found Universal’s parks in Florida, Japan, and California saw average attendance growth of 32% after opening Wizarding World attractions, with Orlando’s Islands of Adventure—the home of the Wizarding World—rising 64.5% to 9.8 million visitors.

Jacqueline Kennedy's 1962 White House tour drew 80 million viewers worldwide

Broadcast simultaneously on CBS and NBC, and a few days later on ABC, the first lady's televised tour introduced the restored White House to an audience of between 50 million and 80 million. The program elevated public appreciation of American history and the significance of the White House.

Lorne Michaels jokingly offered the Beatles $3K to reunite on 'Saturday Night Live,' which John Lennon and Paul McCartney briefly considered.

Watch the trailer for journalist Dan Buettner's popular Netflix documentary series 'Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones,' which focuses on longevity insights from populations around the world.

'Ted Lasso,' the Apple TV show about an American football coach managing a British soccer club, began as a series of promotional videos for NBC.

The Takaro Lodge, a therapeutic New Zealand community turned wellness cult

Founded by Slovenian "energy" healer Aiping Wang, the lodge members were promised spiritual growth, healing, and even radical gifts like flight and foresight. Things turned dark as the group embraced extreme beliefs and practices.

See an analysis of the similarities between the characters in 'Silicon Valley' and the real people who inspired them

The HBO show "Silicon Valley" follows the story of an engineer who is trying to get his startup to take off in Silicon Valley. While one tech CEO said the show is like a documentary, many speculate the show is based on real life tech figures like Mark Zuckerberg and Peter Thiel.

The matchmakers serving the elite of Silicon Valley

If members of the wealthy elite want to find romance, they often choose expensive match-making services rather than dating apps. These services can cost $150,000 for each match, and providers are experts in dealing with the unique social dynamics caused by being wealthy and the unusual egos such wealth can bring. This article explores this hidden cultural phenomenon.

Searching for 'The Great Gatsby' in Kentucky

F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel "The Great Gatsby" is usually associated with New York and its extremely wealthy enclaves, but this Atlas Obscura podcast tracks down another location Fitzgerald portrayed in the book: Louisville, Kentucky, the setting for Daisy and Tom Buchanan's wedding, as well as the place where Fitzgerald spent two miserable months during World War I.

US child care costs, mapped

It's no secret that child care in the US is expensive, but this map provides more color to that observation by showing the average annual price of child care in licensed child care centers for infants, by state, in 2023. South Dakota, for instance, had the lowest infant child care cost at $7,862 per year. See how the rest of the states fared here.

Life insurance premiums can cost anywhere between $80 and $1K a month, depending on the policy

A life insurance premium is essentially the monthly cost or fee someone pays to an insurance company in exchange for a specified sum of money after their death to their beneficiaries. Factors like term length, health and lifestyle, and any added benefits can impact your premium.

'Love on the Spectrum,' a popular Netflix reality show, is following people on the autism spectrum as they navigate romantic relationships

This is one of Netflix's biggest shows, something this podcast says is due partly to the fact that the series both scratches the itch for people who enjoy reality dating viewing and the program is conducted in a nonexploitative, sensitive way that makes viewers truly want the best for the people navigating these situations.

How five of the world's most expensive salt and spices are made

Part of the charm of certain spices and salts is their exotic origin, hailing from difficult-to-access locales or hewn via special processes. That also explains why they can be so expensive. Dive into the businesses of producing and marketing five of the world's most expensive food additives with this engaging video.

Take a virtual tour through the White House interior

This immersive 360° tour from the White House Historical Association lets you explore key rooms and see historical details not visible during in-person visits.

See Silicon Valley's real estate, employment, population, and innovation statistics

As a leader in the global economy, Silicon Valley's growth is closely watched around the world. In 2025, companies in the region posted $92B in venture capital deals and created 23,000 new patents. The average wage in the region is $189K, which is much higher than the national average, but the median home price sits around $2.25M—which calls the sustainability of the region's living standards into question.

How much do people make in Hollywood?

A huge network of people makes up Hollywood—a place associated with glamour and fortune. Read this article in The Hollywood Reporter to learn more about the actual roles within the industry and what these workers are paid. From studio executives to makeup artists, learn what the different Hollywood salaries are.

Compare the size of presidential residences around the globe

This video shows 3D renderings of official residences from the modest White House to sprawling estates like France's Élysée Palace and Russia's Kremlin, revealing contrasts in scale, architecture, and symbolism across nations.

In 2024, Walden Pond was listed as an endangered place

The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the site of Henry David Thoreau's "Walden" experiment as one of the most endangered historic places in America due to a proposed airport expansion and the proposed development of a nearby plot of land.

The average American household spends over $3K annually on dining out

The exact number is $3,228, or $269 per month. WalletHub found the number by crunching the data reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics between 2014 and 2023.

Ramadan is a major television event in the Middle East

Each year, major networks air special 30-episode dramas timed to the month—one episode per night after iftar. Syrian productions long dominated the format, though that has shifted. The season is the advertising event of the year across the Middle East, rivaling the Super Bowl in commercial intensity.

A guided tour of Studio 8H, the home of ‘SNL’

Fans of “Saturday Night Live” might be familiar with Studio 8H, which has only changed slightly over the show’s five decades. This video tour from Architectural Digest provides access you won’t find on the weekly broadcast, with cast members Heidi Gardner, Chloe Fineman, and Ego Nwodim walking you through makeup, dressing rooms, and more.