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As the vaccine rollout continues and local restrictions ease, people are slowly but surely venturing out of their homes, and many of them are using Uber to get around. The company clocked in record numbers in March and that is steadily rising. With more rides also comes more instances of passengers forgetting personal items in cars. For the last five years, Uber has released its Lost & Found Index, documenting all the most common — and not so common — things that people left behind after a ride....

Partaking in the annual Holi Festival is the most fun I had as a kid. Holi is a Hindu festival of colors, celebrated once a year in March. And growing up in a Hindu household, I absolutely loved the spectacle that came along with celebrating Holi. One of the most remarkable things about the Indian color festival is how enthusiastic and care-free it is. It is purely a day of fun....

If you’ve been stuck at home lately, there’s a good chance you’ve considered picking up a new hobby, whether that’s cooking, crafting, or dedicating more time to reading. Travel + Leisure spoke with Fiona Davis, the author of five bestselling historical fiction novels, about the books she’s loving right now, as well as how she’s staying productive and maintaining creativity. Her latest book, “The Lions of Fifth Avenue,” which takes place in the New York City Public Library, is available for preorder now....

Airbnb has shut down bookings in Beijing as the deadly coronavirus has sparked global travel alerts. The homesharing site has been adhereing to travel regulations for affected areas by canceling reservations in Beijing between February 7 and April 30, a spokesperson confirmed to Travel + Leisure on Friday. “As efforts to control the novel coronavirus outbreak continue, we will comply with additional guidance issued for the industry during this public health emergency,” the company said in a statement....

The first time I met Veronica Grechi, I almost made her cry. Not because of anything I said or did — not intentionally, anyway. But back in February, when I arrived, I was her first guest in four months. And as the owner of a B&B with just four rooms (Velona’s Jungle in Florence), the glimmer of hope that I offered — even on a quick work trip — was almost overwhelming....

Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Wednesday. “We encourage Olympic Games projects which are sustainable and economically responsible, which deliver the best possible Games experience for athletes and fans, and which leave solid legacies for local communities,” IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement. “The Brisbane 2032 vision and Games plan fit into long-term regional and national strategies for social and economic development in Queensland and Australia…”...

The CDC is encouraging all future cruise passengers and crew to get the COVID-19 vaccine before setting sail in updated guidance released Friday. “As more people are fully vaccinated, the phased approach allows CDC to incorporate these advancements into planning for resumption of cruise ship travel when it is safe to do so,” the agency wrote in its updated Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO). “CDC recommends that all eligible port personnel and travelers (passengers and crew) get a COVID-19 vaccine when one is available to them....

Delta Air Lines will be keeping its middle seat off-limits until April 30, 2021. “We want our customers to have complete confidence when traveling with Delta, and they continue to tell us that more space provides more peace of mind,” Bill Lentsch, Delta’s Chief Customer Experience Officer said in a press release shared with Travel + Leisure on Monday. “We’ll continue to reassess seat blocking in relation to case transmission and vaccination rates, while bringing back products and services in ways that instill trust in the health and safety of everyone on board – that will always be Delta’s priority....

General Sherman. Courtesy of National Park Service As a major fire continues to blaze thousands of acres in California, the National Park Service is stepping up its efforts to protect natural gems including the world’s largest trees. As The Los Angeles Times reports, two separate fires known as the Colony and Paradise fires merged into one last week, now known as the KNP Complex fire, and made its way to Sequoia National Park....

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. When 60 eager travelers boarded flights at Taipei Songshan Airport on July 2, they were headed, well, nowhere. To showcase major renovations — more than 100,000 square feet of new shopping, dining, and lounge areas — completed during spring’s travel lockdown, the airport offered half-day tours in the form of mock takeoff experiences....

It’s the end of January. Perhaps you’re sitting at your desk, staring out the window, and the January blues are starting to set in. Summer is still months away and the glory of the holidays is now buried in the past but it doesn’t have to be this bleak. You can escape — and without busting your budget. JetBlue is offering a spring “Jet Away” sale on flights booked through Thursday, January 30....

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. One evening last spring, a group of visitors to Kenya was parked by a dry riverbed on the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, drinking gin and tonics on the roof of a converted Land Cruiser while watching the sun set. Suddenly, monkeys could be heard crying in alarm — the pulse-quickening sound that typically signifies a predator’s approach....

Love a good conspiracy theory? Oklahoma is looking for you. In January, Oklahoma Rep. Justin Humphrey introduced a new bill to the state legislature in an attempt to open up licenses for Bigfoot Hunting Season. Yes. For real. “A lot of people don’t believe in Bigfoot, but a lot of people do,” Humphrey said in a statement, explaining the licenses would be regulated by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. There would be set dates for hunting the mythical creature, just as there are for other wildlife....

A little dog went on a very long journey due to the coronavirus pandemic, but is thankfully home with her family again. According to Lonely Planet, Pipsqueak the dachshund was adopted by an Australian family, the Eilbecks (Zoe, Guy, Cam, and Max), while they were in Sicily. For the first few months, Pipsqueak lived on a sailboat with her family as they toured around the world, traveling to 17 countries....

The Alentejo region is Portugal’s largest, covering much of the southern third of the country, and its least densely populated. The terrain varies wildly — from vineyards and rolling farmland dotted with cattle to sprawling, shadowy groves of cork trees — and the culture is rooted deeply in land and sea. Nearly everyone in Portugal has a place in the Alentejo to reminisce about — a personal Eden. For me, that place is Porto Côvo, a seaside town about two hours south of Lisbon....

In the Instagram age, a hotel or destination needs striking good looks to make it to the top of our readers’ must-visit lists. That explains why resorts on the Greek island of Santorini have captured the imagination of travelers everywhere — including the respondents to Travel + Leisure’s 2019 World’s Best Awards survey, who selected Santorini properties for each of the top spots in our Top 5 Greece Resort Hotels category....

Fans will no longer be allowed at the Tokyo Olympics, starting in just two weeks, as Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency in Tokyo due to the recent rise of COVID-19 cases. “It is regrettable that we are delivering the Games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infections,” Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said, according to Reuters. “I am sorry to those who purchased tickets and everyone in local areas....

Patagonia is the place that bucket lists were made for. Stretching across the southern tip of both Chile and Argentina, Patagonia is rugged, sparsely populated, and astonishingly beautiful. Vast plains are crisscrossed by puma and guanaco trails, Andean condors’ with their 10-foot wingspans sometimes circle 40 feet above your head, there are ancient glaciers to sail to and old-growth forests to explore. Getting there is hardly a walk in the park and the weather is notoriously unpredictable — pack layers and be ready to be flexible—but, having just returned from the End of the World, I can say this: It is not only worth the journey, it is on my list of places to visit again....

Every experienced traveler knows incorporating a comfortable travel outfit that basically becomes your go-to “travel uniform” is key to having a stress-free journey. There’s nothing more annoying than wearing a brand new pair of shoes (hello, blisters!) or pants that don’t offer any stretch when you’re running to your next gate to make a connecting flight. And if you’re traveling overseas, forget it. At that point, a comfy outfit is just as important as your passport, especially if you’ll be confined to a middle seat....

You’ve no doubt seen “Starry Night” countless times before — at museums, in desktop backgrounds, on the walls of your dentist’s office. Now, at a new Van Gogh exhibit in Paris, you won’t just be able to see the painter’s most famous works — you’ll also be able to step inside them. Chesnot/Getty Images An immersive show called Van Gogh, la nuit étoilée, just debuted at digital art center L’Atelier des Lumières, and it’s an exquisite treat for the eyes....