Posts

There’s lots of talk about the importance of healthy diet, exercise, and work-life balance to maintain well-being, but not much is said about the value of living close to protected lands. Researchers at the Oregon State University set out to determine just that, finding that living close to protected lands — national parks, nature reserves, wilderness areas — had a positive impact on health. You Only Need 5 Minutes in Nature to Improve Your Mood, Study Finds...

Summer at Disneyland and California Adventure is typically a Dole Whip-filled, Splash Mountain-riding affair, but starting this weekend it’s all about Pixar Pier. The soon-to-open land themed to the various characters and cinematic storylines from Pixar’s vast library of films will bring new shops, restaurants, entertainment, play areas and meet-and-greets to Disney California Adventure’s waterfront expanse along with two re-conceived attractions. (Toy Story Mania, the joyously competitive shootout game, will remain open and unchanged....

At 1:41 a.m., in the early hours of Wednesday morning, President Barack Obama stepped off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews after his last flight on the presidential aircraft as president. Air Force One is a command center in the sky for the president of the United States. As such, the aircraft—there are two, and whichever is being used for the president is referred to as “Air Force One”—have circled the globe with the commander in chief....

Courtesy of Raffles The Palm Dubai Raffles Hotels & Resorts is inviting guests into a world of luxury and opulence with the opening of their majestic beachfront resort Raffles The Palm Dubai. Courtesy of Raffles The Palm Dubai The palatial luxury resort, which will officially open to the public on October 1, is located on Palm Jumeirah’s West Crescent Island. And it’s Raffles’ first resort in the Middle East. The destination resort boasts extravagant amenities throughout the property that will add a layer of glamour to the UAE’s already buzzing lifestyle, dining, and hotel scene....

Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte property named the No. 1 stay in Rome according to Travel + Leisure’s most recent World’s Best Awards, just unveiled new suites overlooking its iconic gardens. The hotel has long been known for its stunning secret jardin with redolent pine trees, orange trees, rose bushes, and other flourishing greenery. The tiered garden was recently revamped by architect Giuseppe Valadier, and its restoration inspired even more verdant changes inside the hotel, namely, the seven new Garden Suites and renovated lobby, both featuring lush, nature-inspired designs....

President Donald Trump has had a troubled relationship with his official jet, complaining early on that the new version Boeing was working on was too expensive and threatening to cancel the contract. But his latest displeasure is with the aesthetic of the plane that doubles as a residence and command center in the sky. According to Axios, President Trump wants to get rid of the iconic livery that has graced the Air Force One fleet or decades, complaining that the ‘luminous ultramarine blue’ is a “Jackie Kennedy color....

Anyone who deeply misses traveling these days is also likely yearning for the little creature comforts you find in a hotel, whether it’s wonderfully soft towels at your beck and call or a set of adorable mini shampoos. And while there’s very little one can do to replicate a stay at a resort, there are a few small upgrades you can make to bring the vacation to right inside your home....

It’s the travel blogger’s dilemma: How do you take a real vacation when being on vacation is your job? Kiersten Rich, creator of The Blonde Abroad, a “solo female lifestyle and travel blog,” explained that challenge and revealed even more behind-the-scenes truths in a new feature for The New York Times. “I’m hoping to take the rest of the year off; that’s my goal — to say no,” Rich told the Times....

Did you know a plane cruises at 85 percent the speed of sound? Or that an airplane’s lighting on an overnight flight is designed to slowly and naturally wake up passengers? While jetting off to a vacation is not exactly on the schedule at the moment, Virgin Atlantic is utilizing the knowledge and passion of its staff at home to give passengers a behind-the-scenes peek into how an aircraft is run....

For most people, hearing mention of the Greek islands typically conjures up images of hot spots like Mykonos and Santorini, with their recognizable windmills, winding streets, and white-and-blue-trimmed buildings. Islands like these can host up to two million tourists during the summer months. The thing about Greece is, there are 227 inhabited islands in the country — 6,000 in total — and, while the popular places continue to reign supreme over tourists and Instagram hashtags, the comforts of luxury hospitality and incredible sights, sans crowds, is possible elsewhere....

The award-winning line of California-crafted spirits from The Family Coppola not only honors women’s achievements, but they are the products of head distiller Natalie Dale, one of a growing number of women in the distilling industry. Inspired by the great women in his own life, Francis Ford Coppola wanted to shed light on historic women whose stories are not widely told. He chose Dale, his winemaker, to lead the production of Great Women Spirits....

If you identify as a chronic overpacker, you’re not alone. Traveling is often stressful enough, so the tendency to throw extra clothing, beauty products, and tech items in your suitcase is natural. However, if you want to lighten your suitcase for an upcoming trip, there are some simple steps you can take to stay organized and avoid having to lug around an unreasonably heavy bag (or getting an extra baggage fee)....

Australia and New Zealand are opening up a travel corridor called the “Trans-Tasman Bubble,” officials announced on Friday. At this moment, the bubble is only planned to work one way. New Zealanders will be able to visit Australia, but not the other way around, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Starting Oct. 16, Kiwis will be able to fly into the Australian cities of Sydney and Darwin without undergoing quarantine. “Green lanes” will be set up at airports to collect information necessary for potential contact tracing....

That’s the Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Hammock. This camping hammock has over 30,400 five-star ratings from shoppers who love them for being super comfortable and reliable. Each parachute-grade nylon hammock is put together using a strong, “triple interlocking stitching” technique that makes them wear- and tear-resistant. The hammock comes in 15 different colors and two different sizes: a medium, single size meant for one person that’s 9-feet by 4.5-feet and can hold up to 400 pounds, and a large size that fits two people and measures 10-feet by 6....

Apple Watch users, rejoice! You can soon bump your favorite tunes right from your device, even if your iPhone is nowhere in sight. Earlier this month, TechCrunch confirmed early reports by 9to5 Mac that Spotify is indeed rolling out support for standalone streaming on its Apple Watch app. TechCrunch noted that testing began back in September, but now it’s rolling out to users everywhere. This means users will soon have the ability to listen to both music or podcasts via the Spotify app with either a Wi-Fi connection or over cellular alone....

This year’s World’s Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world. Each property we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team....

Disney World’s newest attraction isn’t just out of this world, it’s 220 miles above it. On Friday, the theme park announced that its newest EPCOT restaurant, Space 220, will welcome its first visitors in mid-September. An immersive fine dining experience, the restaurant will make visitors feel like they’re sitting at a restaurant near the International Space Station. Park visitors will find the Space 220 restaurant adjacent to the Mission: SPACE attraction....

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. What does it take to be the best hotel in the Caribbean? Clifftop villas with private plunge pools and outdoor rain showers; terraces with 180-degree sea, rain forest, and mountain views; a secret beach only accessible by paddle, kayak, or swim; and access to bespoke cooking classes, private concerts, rain forest yoga, and night snorkeling....

If you’re looking to fly one of the most comfortable seats in economy, you don’t have to wait to score an excellent deal. Emirates Airline is already cutting prices on flights to Europe, the Middle East, and beyond ahead of Black Friday. Fly from New York City to Milan on Travel + Leisure World’s Best Award-winning airline for $599 round trip or from New York to Bangkok for $819 roundtrip....

A German flight to Italy was forced to turn around upon being informed that the airport it was heading to was closed to commercial traffic over the weekend. Eurowings flight 9844 left Dusseldorf airport on the morning of May 23, bound for the town of Olbia in Sardinia. But when the flight was over the Italian island, air traffic control informed pilots that their intended airport was closed and not accepting commercial flights....