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. When it comes to hotel stays, little things can mean a lot....
Winter Storm Grayson has ravaged much of the East Coast with strong winds and snowfall totals bordering on a foot of powder, depending on location. The so-called “bomb cyclone” resembled a winter hurricane that made its way up from Florida to the tip of New England. Here’s what the snowfall totals look like across the East Coast so far: Massachusetts Shortly after 2:30 p.m., NBC Boston’s chief meteorologist Matt Noyes tweeted that the neighborhood at South Boston had just hit 1 foot of snow....
Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. Chile is famous for its varied landscapes, from the cracked, dry sands of the Atacama Desert to the snow-capped peaks and turquoise lakes of Patagonia. But it’s off the lanky country’s southern coast (and just a short two-hour flight from Santiago) that you’ll find a true secret respite, charmingly quaint and ripe for exploration by intrepid travelers: Chiloé Island....
Following the announcement that the U.S. would restrict carry-on electronics for passengers entering the country from certain Middle Eastern and North African airports, travelers and industry professionals alike spoke out, railing against the rules and probing the administration’s motives. “I do not believe targeting some of the world’s most high tech and advanced airports makes sense. To me this reeks of security theater, scare tactics, and a direct blow to the ME3 carriers that the U....
Floating in the distance off the coast of Dorset, England, is a true sign of the times: major cruise ships, including Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Sea, Carnival’s Valor, and P&O’s Aurora, sidelined by the pandemic, anchored in place instead of carrying thousands of passengers around the globe. When captain Paul Derham, a skipper for Mudeford Ferry, saw this sight, he had a thought: What if his ferry company offered tours of the “ghost ships” by sailing out and around them?...
With booking sites offering sometimes thousands of reviews for a single property, it can be challenging to sift through all the information to book the perfect hotel room. Anything — from a chain restaurant to an all-inclusive resort — can be rated online, and these ratings depend on so many different factors. A hotel could be a “five-star” property with a “three-star” user rating, leaving a lot of room for confusion....
While traveling to Israel isn’t in the cards right now, this might also be the best time to plan a future trip. The Israel Ministry of Tourism is hopeful that the country will be able to welcome back tourists from the U.S. and Canada as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Given the number of new and exciting projects happening in the country, tourists will also be tempted to make Israel their first post-pandemic trip....
Every vacation, sadly, comes to an end — but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a little something home with you to help you remember it. For most of us that means picking up a tiny trinket in a gift shop, a small piece of jewelry, or a work of art to hang on our walls. But for the more rebellious, that little keepsake can be downright criminal. From the tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner to the comfy slippers and robes, hotels are filled to the brim with souvenirs just waiting for you to steal them....
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA) have compiled a new list of hygiene standards for hotels, restaurants, and other tourist attractions to keep visitors informed when it comes to COVID-19 protocol. “We aim to promote best practices for hygiene and anti-pandemic measures across tourism-related sectors and acknowledge their efforts in combating the pandemic through professional and impartial third-party verification, thus restoring public confidence in out-of-home consumption and travel,” Ir C....
Seagulls have long flocked to Venice, practically becoming part of the character of Piazza San Marco and the Grand Canal. But in recent years, the birds have been becoming more of a nuisance for travelers, often trying to snatch food off of tables or even right out of their hands leaving the city’s hotels have come up with a creative solution to ward them off: water guns. Gritti Palace and Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal are now providing their guests with toy pistols in order to ward off the gulls, The Guardian reported....
There are many reasons “The Queen’s Gambit” became one of the most-watched Netflix shows of all time. From its lavish set design to the unforgettable characters, the show has made the world obsessed with chess. In fact, sales of chess books are up more than 600 percent from last year just three weeks after the show premiered. And now, Kimpton Hotels is catching on. For those who can’t get Beth Harmon off their minds, Kimpton is launching a “chessboard lending program” at select hotels across the country inspired by the show....
Las Vegas’ new slogan is slightly different, but the sentiment still stays true to the city. Since 2003, Las Vegas tourism has been using one of the world’s most successful marketing campaigns as its slogan: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” But, in a bid to step away from the “let loose” nature of the (in)famous slogan, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority introduced a new tagline over the weekend, with some celebrity support....
This Sunday, Oct. 4, raise a cosmopolitan, martini, or bloody mary to celebrate National Vodka Day, a spirited holiday devoted to one of America’s most popular liquors. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, vodka has become the “backbone of the spirits industry, accounting for 31% of all volumes,” with 74.1 million nine-liter cases sold in the U.S. last year. Driving this growth is the popularity of flavored vodkas, which make up about 22% of all vodkas sold, according to the council....
As Europe reopens its internal borders, many of the continent’s most famous museums are announcing their own reopening plans this summer. Most are implementing standard health procedures like social distancing, face masks and increased hand sanitizer stations, but the Pompidou Centre in Paris has introduced a more unique approach. ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/Getty In order to decrease contact between visitors, museum-goers will abide by a one-way flow of traffic. “We’ve got to make a visit as fluid as possible,” museum director Serge Lasvignes told Reuters....
With 866,127 COVID-19 cases and 23,451 deaths, South Africa is the hardest-hit country on the African continent, Africa News reported last week. Despite the staggering numbers, the nation opened its borders to international travelers, as long as they are able to show a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of their departure, the nation’s tourism site states. South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, made the announcement last month. “We expect that these measures will greatly assist businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors,” he said, according to Reuters....
If you’ve ever dreamt of spending a night surrounded by your favorite cartoons you’re in luck — the Cartoon Network Hotel is (almost) open for business. The Cartoon Network Hotel, located in Lancaster Pennsylvania, right next to Dutch Wonderland, is now accepting bookings for its June 2020 opening. The resort is just as over-the-top as you might expect from the people that brought you the Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time, Johnny Bravo, and more....
Travelers using Snapchat have the opportunity to collect something way cheaper than souvenirs: geofilters. Whether they’re ready-made or design-your-own, these digital transparent overlays provide fun context for your photos—and, when screen-shotted, something to remember your time traveling. Below, some of our favorite Snapchat geofilters from across the United States. Geofilter for Austin, Texas. Geofilter for Iowa. Geofilter for Hayward, Wisconsin. Geofilter for Soho in New York City, New York. Geofilter for the Niagara Falls....
A robot baby gorilla set up by a filmmaking team is definitely the cutest way to learn new things about wildlife. John Downer Productions, a team that is part of the Spy in the Wild series on PBS, found some interesting new facts about silverback mountain gorillas in Uganda thanks to their unique spy camera, according to Matador Network. The camera, one of fifty made to look like real animals, is shaped like an anatomically correct baby gorilla that uses a 4K resolution camera to “spy” on animals in their natural habitat without causing harm to the animals themselves, according to Matador Network....
You’ve probably heard this by now: Mexican cuisine is having a moment in the spotlight, with everyone from Noma’s René Redzepi to Mission Chinese Food’s Danny Bowien marveling at its mysteries. But Mexican food is far more than a trend. The culinary traditions in Mexico come from centuries of shared wisdom and recipes, from ingredients that have been around since pre-Hispanic times, and innovation that comes from a long history of myriad international influences....
New York will start vaccinating visitors to the city in popular tourist spots like Times Square and the High Line in an effort to boost both tourism as well as overall vaccine numbers, the city’s mayor announced. The plan, approved by the state’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is allowed after the state updated its eligibility guidance to include anyone 16 years old or older who lives in the United States. Previously, it was limited to people who lived or worked in New York....
