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The National Park Service implemented a mask mandate this week, the latest in a series of destinations that are requiring visitors to mask up. Going forward, all visitors to national parks will be required to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces, regardless of their vaccination status or the level of COVID-19 in the community, according to the NPS. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images “Visitors to national parks are coming from locations across the country, if not across the world,” NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge said in a statement....

Norwegian Cruise Line and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will look to have all crew members vaccinated ahead of resuming sailings. On Monday a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. confirmed to Travel + Leisure that the company was “exploring all options regarding vaccinations for guests and crew and it is our intention that all crew members be vaccinated before boarding our vessels to begin their duties, subject to availability of the vaccine....

An infamous theme park dedicated to “The Wizard of Oz” is reopening this summer for just six days in June. While the dates are limited, you won’t need a hot air balloon or ruby slippers to get there. The Land of Oz, a famously failed theme park on Beech Mountain, in North Carolina, will be offering one-hour guided tours every Friday in June, as well as Saturday, June 30, the Charlotte Observer reported....

An accessory can make an outfit. It can make that same jumpsuit you’ve worn on every vacation you’ve taken for the last year feel new and special. But as quickly as I’m willing to invest in a new pair of the perfect travel pants, I could never quite bring myself to buy something like a clutch, an accessory I’ve always questioned whether I’d wear again. So when I recently headed off to Mexico, which seemed like the perfect place to tote around a summery bag, I rented one instead....

This year’s World’s Best Awards survey closed on March 2, just before widespread stay-at-home orders were implemented as a result of COVID-19. The results reflect our readers’ experiences before the pandemic, but we hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your trips to come — whenever they may be. The jungles, beaches, and volcanoes that make up Central America combine to make a stunning landscape, and its top resorts take full advantage....

If adrenaline-pumping thrill rides are your idea of a good time, you’ll want to add Las Vegas’s Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino to your bucket list. In true Las Vegas style, the hotel houses a sizable casino, but its real gem is ‘The Tank”—a shark-filled pool in which visitors can get up close and personal with some of nature’s deadliest creatures. Inside, runs a 3-story waterslide that plunges riders straight through the middle of the shark tank in a clear plastic tube, allowing a look at the animals like never before....

The Tower of London has announced that one of its beloved ravens may have passed away, possibly sparking superstition among those who know the legend behind them. Taking to Twitter, the attraction wrote, “Our much-loved raven Merlina has not been seen at the Tower for several weeks, and her continued absence indicates to us that she may have sadly passed away.” The social media account also noted that while it “isn’t unusual for our ravens to roam outside the walls, free-spirited Merlina has previously always returned to the Tower and to the Ravenmaster and his team, with whom she shared a wonderfully close bond....

This is going to be a big year for hospitality in Austin. In March, The Thompson announced its latest addition, the Thompson Austin, and its plans to open the hotel’s doors in summer 2021. Located in the heart of downtown Austin’s vibrant music and entertainment district, the Thompson Austin will bring an elevated hotel experience to the area, with thoughtfully designed guestrooms, suites, and residences, along with several distinct food and beverage concepts led by its culinary partners Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano....

At a time when we’re largely still tethered to our homes, the people surrounding us mean that much more. After all, Fred Rogers did once say, “All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors — in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver....

For the first time ever, an all-women group of porters, tour leaders, and clients will trek together to Machu Picchu. The Evolution Treks team is setting off on their journey on March 30, just in time to end Women’s History Month on a high note. “I’m excited because a pure women’s group means things are changing. We are proving we can do it without men,” Lucia Merclajuly Vela Sosa told Lonely Planet....

Nature-inspired designs are nothing new in architecture, but in recent years, architects have taken biophilic design to a whole new level. In China, for example, the Nanjing Green Towers are the country’s first vertical forest building with more than 1,100 trees and 2,500 cascading plants. In Singapore’s Changi Airport, you’ll find the world’s largest indoor waterfall, and in the Netherlands, a brand new art depot features a rooftop forest. And now, Denver is the latest city adding a striking biophilic building to its modern skyline....

If you don’t plan well, a weekend vacation in San Francisco can be marked by wrong turns, windy walks across the Golden Gate Bridge, and waiting in lines at all the wrong places. Go in September, and you’re already on the right track—it’s the most reliable month for mild, sunny weather. And while each neighborhood is said to have its own weather microclimate, each has its own cultural climate as well....

Even though Giving Tuesday is typically a few days after Thanksgiving, the holiday has come a bit early this year due to COVID-19 — and United Airlines getting involved. In partnership with initiative #GivingTuesdayNow, United Airlines will match donations made through its Miles on a Mission crowdsourcing platform. Through the platform, people can donate their miles to various charities like Project HOPE, which is delivering PPE and medical equipment to health workers communities in need, and Rise Against Hunger, which distributes food to vulnerable populations....

For more than a year, the hard-hit hospitality industry has been battling the headwinds of restrictions brought about by the pandemic. When Toronto-based regional carrier Porter Airlines cut their flight schedule, and his routine of flying to Boston, Chicago, and cities in eastern Canada ended, Captain Sullivan turned to his hobby and passion: the world of wine. An introductory course on wine appreciation at Toronto’s George Brown College in 2016 got him started....

Leave it to Vegas to take two great things — in this case, yoga and dolphins — and put them together to create something completely unique. This one-of-a-kind experience at The Mirage brings your yoga practice to the dolphins, with the thrice weekly classes taking place in the underwater dolphin viewing area at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. Courtesy of The Mirage Hotel & Casino Yogis and yoginis of all skill levels gather together to find balance and harmony as bottlenose dolphins glide by....

Editor’s Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. When it comes to wine making in the U.S., sunny California gets all the love. It’s true, the Mediterranean-like valleys north of San Francisco are certainly ideal for vineyards. (Fertile soil is one perk of the area’s seismic tendencies....

Virginia is known for its many urban areas with intricate history and notable architecture, such as Richmond and Alexandria. But for all of the metropolitan places showcasing highlights of The Old Dominion, there are less-populated areas that rival big city to-do lists. Although these regions may not be as well known as their more urban counterparts, visiting one of Virginia’s smaller towns can give you an authentic taste of what this Southern state has to offer....

A wolverine was spotted inside Yellowstone National Park by a tour guide recently — and the rare animal was captured on camera. The guide, McNeil Lyons, was in a car with a 9-year-old visitor and her father on the morning of March 5 when the animal appeared on a snow-dusted road, he told Travel + Leisure. “The guest said out loud exactly what I was thinking, ‘Is that a bear?’” he recalled....

Aspen wants you to know that even though the temperatures are below freezing, and snow is covering the ground, a vacation there really can be a day at the beach. In January, AspenX, a premium retail and experiential company, launched Snow Beach, an off-the-charts adorable pop-up in partnership with fine art photographer Gray Malin. According to the company, Snow Beach offers skiers and riders (and snow bunnies, too) the ultimate slopeside experience....

I did a double-take the first time I saw people surfing in Maine. It was shortly after Christmas at Higgins Beach in Scarborough—a popular winter surfing locale—and a pair of wet-suited surfers were having the time of their lives. Winter, spring, summer, fall—the ocean water is never particularly warm in Maine (maybe in the low 60s on a good day), so why be put off by something like multiple feet of snow on the ground?...