#NGTRadar: Travel Lately

It’s a new year, so why not start out on a positive note? After today, we’ll be publishing our recommendations for the best new reads in the travel blogosphere every other week, focusing on quality over quantity. But, have no fear, we’ll be recognizing stand-out travel writing whenever we come across it by sharing Radar-worthy reads on Twitter via @NatGeoTravel. So make sure to tag your favorite travel stories #NGTRadar to help us find–and give props to–the crème de la crème on the Web.

Here are our latest picks:

• Planning a trip to Kyoto? Like any major metropolis, there are many nooks and crannies to explore, each with its own personality. Get a feel for the ancient city’s many neighborhoods before you go with this helpful primer, and you’ll know exactly where to go and what to do when you get there. @bohemiantrails
• When you’re packing for a winter trip, it can be hard to figure out exactly how much is too much. Avoid the frustration of an overstuffed bag–or shivering in your boots–with these helpful packing tips for cold-weather destinations. @theplanetd
• Looking for a good travel resolution this year? Consider adding a once-in-a-lifetime art exhibit to your bucket list. From Rembrandt to wildlife photography, this brief guide to some of the most anticipated openings of 2014, and you’ll be off to a good start. @thismyhappiness
• The Loony Dook sounds crazy, doesn’t it? It lives up to its name. Every year on January 1, brave–or crazy–revelers dress to the nines and plunge into the freezing waters of the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh. Not into frostbite? Experience the madness through this first-hand account from @thatbackpacker.
• Thinking about organizing an all-girls getaway this year? Follow this blogger’s advice and wing it to Montreal to add a French-Canadian twist to the experience. Check out these tips before you go–and consider waiting until Quebec’s largest city thaws out a bit. @meganotravels 

Got Radar? Follow us on Twitter @NatGeoTravel and tag your favorite travel stories from the Web #NGTRadar. Then check back on Twitter to see which stories we have shared with our followers.