#holiday-travel

#holiday-travel

When most of us think of the holidays, we picture spending them with family - and that's exactly what my husband and I did for over 20 years. Our tradition was to stay in Los Angeles to be with my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, who all lived within driving distance of our home. It was always fun eating tamales, dancing to traditional ranchero music, and laughing at my dad's nonsensical jokes.

It's a chance to see your fam, wear your favorite pajamas from high school, and regress to childhood, in the best way. It feels like all is right with the world - until it's time for bed. When staying with your parents as an adult, it's not uncommon to find yourself in an odd sleeping situation. On TikTok, people are discussing being relegated to uncomfortable couches and cots, often because a married sibling got the guest room

I fly home for the holidays every single year, which means I've become painfully familiar with all the classic carry-on mistakes travelers tend to make - mostly because I've made every one of them myself. From overstuffing my bag until the zipper begs for mercy to forgetting essential travel accessories that would've saved me from airport mishaps, I've learned exactly what works and what absolutely doesn't.

I tried to plan everything myself to make the visit special, but I ended up waiting too long. Now the prices are sky-high completely out of my budget and I'm panicking. I feel embarrassed because I had plenty of time to prepare, and I don't want my parents to think I'm irresponsible or that I don't care about making their trip enjoyable.

Last December, the company opened a new store in Kapalua to serve West Maui after the loss of the Lahaina location. Robertson described extremely slow business there this fall, worsened by the closure of the Kapalua Resort golf courses from September to early November. "It was almost like a ghost town up there, until just a couple weeks ago around Thanksgiving," he said.

Living just over the state line in North Carolina, I've visited Charleston more times than I can count. Most of my memories there are from spring and summer, when the temperature is hot and the azaleas are in bloom. But last December, my family planned a Christmas weekend in Charleston for the first time, and needless to say, it won't be our last.

The average commuter who drives wastes 63 hours a year in traffic jams during 2024. That's the finding in a new report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which measures hours lost to traffic delays, fuel wasted in slow or stopped traffic, and other indicators of commuting misery. That's up from 61 hours in 2023, and from 20 hours in 1982.

The Caribbean truly comes alive during the holiday season, and for me, St Barts is unmatched this time of year. It's the perfect balance of festive spirit and laid-back luxury. The island has a celebratory energy that's elegant yet effortless-you'll see yachts lined up in Gustavia, beachside restaurants hosting joyous dinners, and a community that feels like family. It's where tradition meets tropical ease.

Locals head to temples for late-night bell ringing ceremonies or leave town altogether to visit relatives, making for a mellow season. That doesn't mean the city grows dull. (If you've done your research, you'll know that Tokyo can be anything but.) The city hums with activity, just with a quieter charm. Neighborhoods can feel more local, and it becomes a rare chance to slip into seasonal traditions and see a different side of the city that so many people have come to love.

Researchers at Duelbits ranked the 50 most populous U.S. cities across eight factors tied to holiday travel, including traffic time, rush hour delays, accident rates, flight performance, tire trouble, road quality and the chance of snow. New York scored 8.9 out of 10, putting the town firmly in first place. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Miami round out the unfortunate top five, but New York comes out on top by a full half point.

Flannel shirts, Christmas tree farms, and town squares filled with twinkling lights are par for the course in Hallmark holiday films. While there's certainly a good dose of movie magic that goes into creating these heartwarming (and, yes, a bit cheesy) scenes, many of the productions are shot in destinations-from Vancouver to Vail-that have their own brand of holiday enchantment in the winter months.

Growing up in India, I had an idea of Christmas that was entirely shaped by Hallmark movies: snowy streets, warm lights everywhere, and a whole town wrapped in one cozy celebration. Where I live, decorations are mostly limited to malls, and the few Christmas markets are smaller embassy events with entry fees. So, my vision of a charming winter wonderland always felt like a faraway fantasy I hoped to experience someday. Last winter, I finally did.

For me, I have to have turkey at Thanksgiving. It's the only time of the year when I'm willing to put the effort into prepping, cooking, and then carving up a giant turkey. And no, turkey isn't dry or flavorless; you've just likely had some poorly cooked turkey. I've had turkey that was succulent and packed with flavor. The key is to brine, shield the white meat, and don't overcook that thing or shove stuffing in it.

Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) may be delightfully tiny, but it punches far above its weight, especially when it comes to the year-end travel rush. A new analysis by Upgraded Points ranked the West Palm Beach airport No. 1 in the nation for international holiday travel thanks to exceptionally short customs wait times. The company told Travel + Leisure passengers had to wait an average of just 3.8 minutes, the shortest of all 41 major airports analyzed.

The slowdown at many of the nation's busiest airports did not cause immediate widespread disruptions. But it deepened the impact felt by the nation's longest federal shutdown. "We all travel. We all have somewhere to be," said Emmy Holguin, 36, who was flying from Miami to see family in the Dominican Republic. "I'm hoping that the government can take care of this." Analysts warn that the upheaval will intensify and spread far beyond air travel if cancellations keep growing and reach into Thanksgiving week. Already there are concerns about the squeeze on tourism destinations and holiday shipping.

I promise, nobody's going to ask you to create a whole new house or completely babyproof every square inch of your home before your kids and grandkids come visit. However, there are a few things you can do that would ease the stress and worries of traveling for the holidays. Maybe you can't be on the plane to help your toddler grandson from crying, but you could meet them at the airport

Tickets for train travel during the Christmas and New Year holidays in France will go on sale starting on October 1st. Tickets will be available on SNCF Connect starting at 6am on Wednesday. Customers will be able to purchase tickets for TGV Inoui (standard high-speed rail) and regional trains (Intercités and TER) for travel between December 14th and January 7th.

Four Seasons resorts and hotels are rolling out holiday experiences that are anything but ordinary, inviting travelers to create memories that last far beyond the season.

Strikes planned by baggage screeners employed by ICTS at Gatwick Airport from August 22-26 have been suspended due to an improved pay offer for workers.