Kanye and Kim Kardashian West have announced the name of their new baby girl, and it’s inspired by a real place. The baby’s name actually comes from Kanye West’s hometown: Chicago. The couple also announced that they planned to use Chi as a nickname — pronounced “shy” not “chai” for those unfamiliar with the Windy City nickname. Kardashian posted a link to the baby news to Twitter, which also noted Chicago West was born at 12:27 a....
As an editor who tests out her fair share of travel gear, from suitcases to comfy shoes, I’m always on the lookout for products that allow me to pack lighter and smarter. And that includes beauty products, too. After I was recently introduced to Merit Beauty, a minimalist brand offering an expertly curated line of multi-purpose cosmetics, the products instantly earned a place in my travel makeup bag. But these best-selling items have a tendency to sell out quickly, so if you’d like to get your hands on them, I’d recommend shopping ASAP....
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman, who has played God twice, can now help us regular people get out of traffic. Freeman is the latest celebrity voice to be added to Google’s free traffic navigation app, Waze. That means that the star of Driving Miss Daisy can now help you drive to the Taco Bell Drive Thru or guide you through L.A.’s notoriously gnarly traffic. To make Freeman narrate your drive the same way he narrated The Shawshank Redemption and The March of the Penguins, simply open the Waze app, go to Settings, click Voice Language, and select “Morgan Freeman....
The weather outside may be frightful, but Après Equinox at the Hudson Yards Club is seriously delightful. From now through February, guests staying at the Equinox Hotel and Equinox Destination Members are invited to experience Après Equinox, which is taking over the fifth-floor terrace at Hudson Yards. The serene space includes access to the outdoor heated pool, four unique Barrel Saunas, outdoor showers, and access to the Contrast Therapy Experience...
Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. The lunch menu at solar-powered Niner Estates in Paso Robles reads like a long list of nearby fields, purveyors, mills, and dairy farms: greens from Windrose Farm, lentils and grains from Kandarian Organic Farms, goat cheese from Central Coast Creamery. Not to mention the estate’s own edible garden, chicken coop, and olive groves....
A team of Italian researchers has found “compelling evidence” that penguins have similar speech patterns to humans, according to a recent study. The research, published in Biology Letters this month, concluded that African penguin speech is very similar to that of humans in two specific ways: the most frequently used words were the shortest and the longer a sentence (or “call”) gets, the shorter the words are within it. These two linguistic laws are known as Zipf’s Law of Brevity and the Menzerath-Altmann Law....
Spontaneous travelers can now add Yosemite National Park back to their list of destination options. While reservations to enter the park had been required since May 21, 2021, they’re no longer necessary as of Oct. 1. That means, visitors can now drive right up and pay the entrance fee of $35 per car, which is valid for seven days. Still, the park warns visitors to be prepared for wait times. “While we welcome you to Yosemite, expect traffic congestion,” the National Park Service (NPS) site reads....
The smallest-ever dinosaur skull was found in Myanmar, preserved for 99 million years in a piece of amber. A recent report published in the journal Nature detailed the discovery of the new species, the Oculudentavis khaungraae, decidedly the smallest-known dinosaur of the Mesozoic era. Its name means “eye-tooth bird” for its unusual anatomy. The skull is even smaller than that of a bee hummingbird, the smallest bird alive today. Its jaws are lined with more than 100 teeth, which suggests that the tiny dinosaur-bird was likely a predator, feasting on small insects....
Six Senses — one of the best hotel brands in the world, according to Travel + Leisure’s 2021 World’s Best Awards — just announced that it’s unveiling a new property in Belize. The latest resort in the company’s five-star portfolio will take up residence across two different (and equally idyllic) areas of the Central American country when it opens in 2025. Part of the resort will be on the awe-inspiring Ambergris Caye....
Fact: Food is always better when it’s cuter. The highly anticipated Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan will surely not disappoint. According to Nintendo Life, the park has released its official park map as well as images of its adorable snacks guests will be able to purchase in the park (originally on Japanese website Famitsu). Universal Studios Japan The map shows how guests can enter the Mushroom Kingdom in grander scale than ever before....
You can stay at the most beautiful, most luxurious hotels in the world, but often that means you’re one of 500 guests. At a boutique hotel, however, you are never treated as one of many. When you stay at a property with just a handful of rooms — be it oceanfront villas or thatched-roofed chalets — you can expect a level of service that’s often unattainable at large-scale hotels. From private safaris through Kruger National Park Area to personalized butler service and private chefs, the world’s best boutique hotels know how to deliver....
Saint Lucia and several other Caribbean islands have eased pandemic-related protocols, making a warm-weather getaway as easy as booking a flight. The Caribbean island eliminated all pre-arrival testing for vaccinated travelers over the weekend, only requiring people show proof of their inoculation to go, according to the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority. The island will still welcome unvaccinated travelers as well, but requires them to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within five days of arrival and requires them to stay in a COVID-19-certified accommodation for up to seven days....
The Swiss Alps are best experienced while moving. Whether hiking or skiing, it’s incredible to discover just how expansive the Alps really are. In Kandersteg, Switzerland, there is a resort that gives guests a whole new way to experience the mountains: An almost 2,500-foot metal slide takes visitors down the sides of a green mountain, through fields of wildflowers and forests of vibrant green trees. Hotel Oeschinensee’s mountain coaster is a summer toboggan slide that gives riders sweeping panoramic views of the UNESCO World Heritage Site as they slide their way down....
File this one under: right time, right place. Yonder, a new tool for discovering outdoor experiences, is a bit like Airbnb for getting outside. Started by a permaculture farmer based in Montana, Yonder says it goes far beyond what’s already available online, connecting travelers and locals alike with hands-on experiences, including “organic farming, trekking through a canyon, sampling grapes on the vine, or taking in a majestic view,” as the site states....
The 89-room Colony Hotel has drawn discerning guests — from presidents to celebrities to the royal family — since its debut in 1947. But upon taking over the hotel in 2016 with her husband, owner Sarah Wetenhall committed to elevating the hotel even further by embarking on a multi-year restoration, which has involved updating the hotel’s specialty accommodations, including two penthouses and a collection of villas designed by tastemakers with local ties....
On Let’s Go Together, the podcast from Travel + Leisure that celebrates diverse travelers around the world, we’ve introduced you to some movers and shakers over the last 16 episodes. We’ve met a man who made it up to Machu Picchu in a wheelchair, transgender activists who are stamping their passports left and right, and Black travelers who are breaking barriers — and records — like Jessica Nabongo, the first documented Black woman to visit every country....
One of the best small pleasures you can have while traveling is looking out the window of your hotel to drink in the view. Of course, traveling to new windows isn’t always available for everyone, be it budget or travel restrictions. Luckily, WindowSwap, a website that lets you gaze out of other people’s windows all over the world, is one way to get the feel of being in a new place while staying right where you are, CNN reported back in 2020....
Australia is home to many things: a David Bowie festival, an IKEA-themed ferry you can rent, a costumed Dachshund race…but of course, the land down under is also home to crocdiles. And if seeing crocodiles is on your bucket list, you can now swim with crocodiles in a device called the “Cage of Death.” Crocosaurus Cove The “cage” is actually a plastic tube that gives thrill seekers a chance to swim face-to-face with crocodiles....
There’s no doubt that 2021 was a fantastic year in space, bookended by two major milestones: the landing of three rovers on Mars in Feb. 2021 and the successful launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful telescope in the universe, toward the end of the year. Now, 2022 is shaping up to be an exciting year, too. We’ll not only see a handful of missions finally launch after months or years of delays (knock on wood), but also the crescendoing effects of missions launched in years past....
Whether you’re making up for a missed birthday, celebrating an anniversary, or just reconnecting with family, these above-and-beyond hotels are the perfect settings for a memorable (vaccinated) reunion. Here, five members of T+L’s A-List of travel advisors give their picks for whatever the occasion. Christian Horan/Courtesy of Montage Healdsburg If You’re Planning to Toast Again “Set on 258 acres of vineyards and oak groves in Sonoma County, California, the new Montage Healdsburg (doubles from $995) resort feels like a bucolic estate, though it’s close to the town’s central plaza,” says Michelle Murré....
