The term 'hottest destination' is overused in travel advertising, but in the case of Death Valley in California there's no other way to describe it.
Over the weekend, unofficial temperatures hit 57.2C, which would be the hottest temperature ever reached in the valley. Official numbers were slightly lower, however, so the jury is still out on whether any records have been broken - or perhaps in this case, melted.
Just as there are storm chasers who love nothing better than the sight of a tornado and some hail, there are also people who like to chase heat. For them a record temperature at Death Valley is an experience that cannot be missed.
There are even coach trips out to the valley organised for senior citizens - hopefully with air conditioning.
Due to COVID-19, it's mainly Californians stopping by to take hot pics; but before the pandemic there were visitors all year from as far away as Europe.
The local hotel is usually booked to capacity all year round, but now sits closed.
Death Valley is also "home" to Tatooine, used in Star Wars: A New Hope as the backdrop.
Should you want to visit the hottest place in the world, you'll find Death Valley National Park around 416km northeast of Los Angeles, which is about a four and a half hour drive.
Within the park are many spots to explore like Zabriskie Point and, if you want even more heat, Furnace Creek. Just be warned: As the name suggests, it is also a very, very hot location.
