Have you ever dreamt that you’re in your own version of Beauty and the Beast’s “Be Our Guest” scene? The china is dancing, delicious food is before you, and just as you’re about to take a bite…you wake up. For me, that dream came true in Japan. Except I was awake, seated at a tiny round table, and was actually able to eat every single bite. Visiting Japan had long been on my bucket list and last fall, I finally planned my own Tokyo adventure....
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is collecting Disney photos as part of a new project focused around the happiest place on earth. The museum is asking travelers to send in photos of their vacations in Disneyland or Walt Disney World from character meet-and-greets to classic foods (and messy faces are welcome), according to the museum. “We want to see photographs that show Disney Parks as you experienced them: posing with characters, kids worn out and sleeping, families, couples, individuals, people of all abilities, ethnicities, ages, on rides, eating together, looking at maps—everyday stuff!...
One of the pandemic’s most popular art events is heading to the West Coast. “Immersive Van Gogh,” a multisensory experience that made its debut in Toronto in July, will open in San Francisco in March and Los Angeles in May. The exhibits will run through the summer. Michael Brosilow “Immersive Van Gogh’’ opened in Chicago earlier this month. After selling out its initial engagement, it extended its stay through September to give more people the chance to walk through famous Van Gogh paintings such as “Irises,” “Sunflowers,” and “Starry Night....
Miners in Western Australia have struck gold in a new way after discovering a massive meteorite crater that geologists estimate to be 100 million years old. Located near the Goldfields mining town of Ora Banda, this three-mile crater is now one of the largest in the world. How could such a massive crater go undiscovered for so long? Well, unlike other meteorite craters in Australia, including the famous Wolfe Creek Crater, this one is not visible from the surface....
Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. Maybe all your friends are strapped for cash and unable to join you on vacation; maybe you prefer planning a trip without having to accommodate anyone else’s input; maybe you want your own Eat, Pray, Love experience and hope to take a journey where you’ll discover just as much about yourself as you will about the world....
There’s an unassuming brownstone in Harlem, where the walls vibrate every Sunday. Step inside the downstairs door, and you’ll find it’s the work of a soulful saxophone, bass guitar, and rat-a-tat-tatting drums — assembled with the kind of verve that gets your toes tapping and head bopping on command. For over two decades, the American Legion Post 398 has hosted weekly jam sessions in which rotating jazz musicians from around the world share a humble stage....
It’s that time of the year when walking outside begins to hurt and bundling up becomes an art form. If you’ve been wearing leggings under pants to stay warm on the plane, you should know that fleece-lined leggings can keep you just as cozy without the bulk. Made from soft and breathable yet heat-retaining materials (including water-resistant exteriors), fleece-lined leggings were made to help get you through the winter. They’re a smart choice for cold-weather campers, hikers, runners, and travelers who need not only the flexibility of leggings, but also an added layer of warmth....
Travel is back, and we’re just as excited as you are. While we spend our days writing about where you should go next, we here at Travel + Leisure are also equally thrilled about our journeys, reunions, and getaways to come. And we’re celebrating it all with new episodes of our podcast, Let’s Go Together, which highlights how travel changes the way we see ourselves and the world. In the first season, our pilot and adventurer host, Kellee Edwards, introduced listeners to diverse globe-trotters who showed us that travelers come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life....
Your next vacation is calling. All you need to do is pick up the phone. On Jan. 26, Visit California will launch a free, limited-time hotline to help callers “brighten their outlook by planning a future road trip in the Golden State.” Known as “The California Dream Dial,” the hotline will coincide with the U.S. Travel Association’s National Plan for Vacation Day on Jan. 26, which encourages Americans to plan their next vacation — be it a getaway for today, next week, next month, or next year....
A federal appeals court ruled late Saturday night pandemic-era cruise restrictions could continue in Florida after a previous ruling had decided they weren’t enforceable. The ruling created a temporary stay, allowing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue to enforce its cruise regulations on ships in Florida, The Associated Press reported. The decision comes weeks after a federal judge ruled the CDC’s coronavirus-related rules could only “persist as only a nonbinding ‘consideration,’ ‘recommendation’ or ‘guideline,’” The New York Times reported at the time....
A new zip line that will give daredevils the chance to fly between skyscrapers in Dubai is opening this week. XLine lets brave riders soar as fast as 50 mph for 3,280 feet about 560 feet in the air in Dubai’s marina district (for about $180), according to the Associated Press. Jumana Jolie/Getty Images The new attraction is similar to another in Dubai that opened two years ago near Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper....
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to fly with the most expensive plane ticket in the world, prepare to be amazed. In a recent video, YouTuber Casey Neistat reviewed Etihad’s The Residence, available on an A380. It’s a veritable “apartment in the sky” that not only offers guests a seat on one of the airline’s long-haul flights, but provides a spacious living room built for two, a private bathroom, a secluded bedroom, butler service, and turn-down service....
citizenM, the European experts in affordable luxury hotels, announced in August its plan to open its very first location in California. And it’s celebrating with a photo exhibit unlike any other. To mark its arrival in Los Angeles, citizenM partnered with Downtown Los Angeles photographer Corinne Schiavone for an exhibit known as “Citizens of Los Angeles,” which sees the hotel’s seven-story property turned into a public art gallery. For the project, Schiavone filled the hotel’s windows with Polaroid-style portraits of local Angelinos, highlighting what makes this city best: its people....
Action movie stars… they really are just like us! Harrison Ford was in Sicily to film the latest Indiana Jones installment when he lost his credit card on Thursday. Thankfully a good samaritan spotted it and turned it in to the authorities, reuniting the Oscar nominee with his missing item, CNN reported. A German tourist vacationing on the Italian island spotted the lost credit card in Mondello, a beach town near Palermo....
With 2018 quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to start planning next year’s vacations. To make sure you get the best possible price on airfare — without hinging all of your bets on a flash sale or mistake fare — set airfare alerts for all the trips you want to take next year. It’s the single best (and easiest) thing you can to do to save money on your upcoming travels....
New York City has launched a new way to help its businesses hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic. In an initiative called “Shop in NYC,” locals and visitors alike are encouraged to engage in some online retail therapy or gift card purchasing to help stores and attractions that have been closed due to COVID-19. “We’ve rounded up those offering ecommerce and/or gift cards so you can shop the best of the city from home—large and small, these businesses employ New Yorkers and help keep the five boroughs’ economy running,” the website read....
TikTok has become the place to not only find hilarious videos but to also find some rather useful life hacks. And that includes a few ingenious travel tips as well. Take, for example, TikTok traveler and travel blogger Kimmie Conner, who recently shared her epic tip for getting the best view of Egypt’s Pyramid of Giza. “This is the most ridiculous Giza Pyramid hack you will ever hear,” Conner said in the opening of her video....
If your idea of a perfect fall night includes stargazing, you’re in luck. The Orionid meteor shower puts on a spectacular display each October. At its peak, which typically occurs between Oct. 20 and 24, the shower produces around 15 shooting stars per hour, though up to 70 per hour have been recorded during particularly robust years. While some meteor showers are more prolific — August’s Perseids event, for instance, regularly dazzles with about 60 shooting stars per hour — the Orionids’ shooting stars have a special quality....
While there’s nothing like arriving in a new city or tropical destination, packing all your favorite outfits and travel essentials can be almost equally as fun — if you have a suitcase full of products you love, that is. For this edition of Out of Office, we decided to ask Ariel Kaye, founder and CEO of Parachute Home, about her home and travel must-haves in the hopes of making future travel a little easier for the rest of us....
Peninsula Hotels around the world will scrap the idea of check-in and check-out times as of January, the brand announced today. Starting in the new year, that means guests can show up whenever they like, with no additional charges or fees. The same goes for departure, reps for Peninsula say. “When [guests] book a room, suite, or villa, it is theirs for one night — even if they check in at 6 a....
