Travel

Travel

I was very concerned, very terrified. I still don't believe it's real. Singh, who had a layover in Doha while traveling home from a wedding in India, expressed her anxiety about the situation. Though she's been put up in a luxury hotel, she said it doesn't feel like a vacation because she is constantly updating family and wondering when she'll make it home to Texas.

In April 2022, I packed my favorite backpack and carry-on luggage and took them from my home in New York City to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for my first cruise. The seven-night voyage aboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas took me to Honduras, Mexico, and the cruise line's private island in the Bahamas.

Abingdon is easy to access just off Interstate 81. This little town has many charms-from its 20-block historic district to the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail. Add to that a thriving creative community, exceptional dining at The Tavern (the state's oldest bar), and homey accommodations, and you have a pretty darn close to perfect Blue Ridge Mountain getaway destination.

I left London for Australia at 22, not long after my mom died. I'd spent the final year of her life as her full-time caregiver as she battled with cancer. When she was gone, I needed to escape my hometown. I'll never forget my friend seeing me off, excitedly saying, 'You're so lucky to move to Australia!' I forced a smile because I felt the complete opposite. I was literally running away from my grief.

Vermont actually resembles California - not because of its beaches but due to its distinct regions. For example, Burlington correlates to the Bay Area. And in the Northeast Kingdom, where I grew up, we classified everything below White River Junction as 'Southern Vermont.' Down there, half the towns seem to channel Boston or New York City, kind of like Santa Barbara to L.A., which makes the Kingdom something like Humboldt County - rural and spectacular, with a recalcitrant outlaw streak.

Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) has seen several improvements in recent years, including allowing larger quantities of liquids, electronics in bags, and fast-track and lounge services at affordable rates.

Not only do we have an amazing trail with 10 waterfalls (four of which you can walk behind), but it's a great place to see and learn about plants and wildlife. We also have several historic buildings that are open to the public-all built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s and 1940s.

Africa is home to 39 countries that claim a coastline, giving travelers plenty of beaches to choose from. You'll find everything from palm-studded postcard perfection in Mozambique to rugged cliffs that sank many a ship attempting to cross South African seas during early colonization expeditions.

When traveling by air, take a look at the type of aircraft you're expected to fly with, as it can make a difference in terms of overall flight experience. This can also help you get to know the different cabin classes so you can make the right seat selection for your comfort level and your wallet.

South Carolina islands have palmetto trees growing alongside ferns and pines. Georgia's barrier islands, including St. Simons and Jekyll Island, boast diverse landscapes made up of beaches, marshes, dunes, and maritime forests. And Texas islands, with their shallow bays and seagrass meadows, are home to extensive wildlife.

When booking a seven-day cruise on Carnival Legend for my family of five, I decided to split us into two rooms. On past vacations, we've all stayed in the same hotel room. Once, we all crammed into the same tiny cabin on a cruise. This time, though, I had reserved two 185-square-foot staterooms on the Carnival Legend's Riviera deck for more space and privacy.

Requests for planes are probably up 200-300% on what's usual for this time of year. We're going gangbusters. While the company does not automatically inflate prices at times like this, the fact that demand outstrips supply means that its prices are aligned with the current market rate.

There is a slow-growing recovery in the United Arab Emirates, which has partially opened its skies and designated "safe" corridors for rescue planes to use. There are a lot of people to move: cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi host large expat populations and tourists, and their hubs usually handle tens of thousands of transit passengers a day.

Do yourself a favor and grab a neck pillow-the memory foam ones that wrap around are my go-to as they keep your head from bobbing in different directions. A neck pillow is non-negotiable when stuck in a middle seat, in my opinion. Not all airplanes have those built-in headrests that you can adjust to your liking, so you can't guarantee that you'll be able to get comfortable with one of those.

The idea that hiking trails are a tool for conservation is based on a simple premise: people protect what they know. That requires making conservation areas accessible. There's no point telling people you only protect what you know, if you don't give them the tools to know. The trail is this tool. People who hike, people who camp, these people often become defenders of the environment.

When we looked at customers' behavior of the lounges, there are a lot of customers who come on their own or with two people with shorter time available but they still want to experience a lounge. Sidecar was designed to meet that demand.

On these spacious properties, Western culture is alive and well. You'll drift off to sleep under clear, starry skies and wake up to hot coffee and a warm meal. During the day, you might hop on your trusty steed for a tour of the land by horseback or sit on a sprawling deck with a glass of sweet tea and enjoy the expansive views.

The Invisible House: a 22-story skyscraper laid on its side and made almost entirely of glass, sitting on 90 acres of desert land a quick drive from Joshua Tree National Park. It struck the perfect balance, and I booked it immediately. I soon learned that Demi Lovato, Diplo, Lizzo, and more famous faces had stayed at the property before me, and it'd even made a cameo on Netflix's The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals.

So exclusive are the Grenadines that islands like Mustique and Canouan are even known for being where billionaires go to escape millionaires. Yet, hidden between luxe private island resorts and harbors for mega-yachts, the tiny island of Mayreau (pronounced my-row) is a blissful exception, having escaped almost any development.

For example, I'd spent 75 hours on overnight Amtrak trains before my most recent adventure aboard the California Zephyr, a double-decker train that runs from Chicago to Emeryville, California, in about 53 hours, making it the longest train ride in the US.

Some are major metropolitan areas, whereas others feel more random - supposedly chosen for historical significance, strategic location, or reasons I may never understand. If you've already visited the obvious tourist destinations (Phoenix, Denver, and Austin, looking at you), consider this your cue to plan a trip to one of these lesser-known capital cities that deliver culture, history, and seriously good food.

Set dramatically on the westernmost tip of Lake Superior, Minnesota's northern hub tells stories of grit and grandeur. Over the years, the city has transformed from a rough-and-tumble logging and mining outpost into a destination for both outdoor enthusiasts and culture seekers, completing one of America's great urban renewal stories.

Easily accessible from major U.S. cities, the Exumas remain refreshingly uncrowded, making them one of the Caribbean's true hidden gems, at least for now. As the wealthy look for privacy in paradise, and the world's most sought-after resort groups like Aman and Rosewood prepare to plant their own flags there in the coming years, everyone seems to have their sights on the Exumas.

Schengen short stays allow a maximum of 90 days in any rolling 180 day period for non-EU visitors who do not hold residence. The 180 day window moves with you. On any given day of stay, officials look back 180 days and count every day you were present. If the sum exceeds 90, you are out of bounds. There is no annual reset and no "three months on, three months off" if the dates overlap.

The off-season practically vanished in many parts of the world. Remote work, social media frenzy, and ruthless dynamic pricing have turned fall and spring into peak-season clones. Even winter is no refuge anymore. The idea of an off-season is 100% disappearing.

Across Europe, parts of Asia, North America, and Australia, four-day work week trials have expanded from experimental pilots into long-term workplace models. Countries such as Iceland demonstrated productivity gains during national trials. The United Kingdom ran one of the largest four-day work week pilots in 2022-2023, with the majority of participating companies choosing to continue the model.

Luxembourg City takes first place with 18.15 percent of reviews mentioning 'beautiful.' Travelers often highlight its clean streets and strong mix of old and modern areas. Even though the capital is small, people seem to appreciate how easy it is to walk around.

Located on Mustang Island, about 40 miles north of Corpus Christi, Texas, is the small beach town of Port Aransas. Recently designated the "Fishing Capital of Texas" in 2025, Port Aransas is known for its sugary white sand beaches (there are 18 miles of them) and its bay waters, which are packed with redfish, black drum, flounder, and mahi-mahi.

In the months when avoiding heat and crowds is a priority, it's best to arrive early, stay late, and avoid being outdoors during the hottest hours of the day. When it's cold, it's kind of the opposite. We focused on the indoor attractions and spots with indoor queues in the morning. At 11 a.m., we searched for opportunities to be in the brisk afternoon air and lovely sunshine.

During my recent 17-day trip there, I realized Ischia has everything its more popular neighbor offers - great shopping, a castle, beaches, a botanical garden - but with fewer tourists. Here's why it belongs on your Italy itinerary.

Mount Airy isn't trying to be everywhere else-and that's exactly why it stands out. It offers a true sense of place, rooted in tradition but evolving with purpose, where the pace slows down just enough to remind you what travel is supposed to feel like.