Weekend Reads is a weekly series on The Curious Passport and features a round-up of travel news, features and other related links (probably related to food, fitness or the outdoors) I’ve either found around the internet or has been sent my way by friends and family.

I snapped this pic during Fourth of July weekend; a friend and I were on our way to Santa Barbara for the day from Los Angeles and we opted for the scenic route.

• “5 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy Travel More,” AFAR – I think all of these suggestions are spot on. I’d add a foot note to this post that says, “Turn off your smartphone for a minute, and look up.” Unless you’re capturing some awesome Instagram photos. In that case, snap those pics and then turn your damn phone off.
• “Pacific Island Sees Visitor Boost and Population Exodus,” Skift via Associated Press – The story of Niue is pretty extreme, and having also grown up on an island this story reminds me a bit of why some of my high school classmates (and myself) left Kauai. It, like Niue I’m sure, is a beautiful and blissful place to grow up but most careers are difficult to come by.
• “Yeti is Like Tinder for Places,” TechCrunch – This post was shared with me from a fellow wanderluster and good friend. I’ll be keeping an eye on this app. In my opinion, the TechCrunch coverage usually means the startup has secured enough funding to catch the eye of TechCrunch, plus the concept is cool and reminds me of some of the new group tour companies aimed at curating itineraries for folks with similar interests, like The Trip Tribe and G Adventures.