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Mott Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown got a unique Christmas gift last month: 250 decorated lanterns aimed at bringing light and good fortune back to a New York City neighborhood hard hit by the pandemic. The lanterns are part of an effort called Light Up Chinatown that allowed donors to adopt a lantern in support of a neighborhood where business was already slowing down in February, weeks before New York first closed non-essential businesses in March....

Simone Biles and the USA Gymnastics team headed to Tokyo this week, one step closer to competing in the Olympic Games. The team was waived off as they boarded a United Airlines flight from San Francisco on Wednesday, walking through a crowd of flag-waving supporters while ground crew held up supportive signs, the airline shared with Travel + Leisure. “Can’t talk, we’re busy flying Team USA to Tokyo so Simone can make history,” one sign read, with another adding: “Again....

Spirit Airlines’ CEO apologized for a slew of cancellations and delays that stranded thousands of customers this week on Thursday but also warned that problems would likely continue into next week. “Our primary objective right now is taking care of our Guests and Team Members and getting our operation back to where we want it to be,” CEO Ted Christie said in a statement shared with Travel +Leisure. “To our Guests, I am truly sorry....

While we won’t call entertaining and educating kids stuck at home an easy task, we can at least say there are plenty of places stepping up to fill the virtual void. That includes museums offering virtual tours, destinations providing virtual views, and even national parks hosting virtual hikes, all of which make for excellent virtual field trips. But, if your kid is more into math and science now’s their time to shine thanks to The Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Classroom....

Walt Disney World can be a dream vacation destination for families, couples and friends alike—but visiting this Orlando-based theme park without knowing the lay of the land is challenging. As restaurants fill up six months in advance and rides can be booked sixty days before arrival, “just winging it” is not the move at Disney World. Thankfully, you won’t have to stick your nose in guide books for the next year to survive, as we’ve made everything as simple as possible with this definitive Disney guide....

The dual-headed fans attach to the back of the front seat with the included clamps and rotate 360 degrees to deliver a cool blast of air to every corner of the backseat of your car. The fans plug into your car’s cigarette lighter and come with mini clips to keep the wires in place. You can turn the fan on and off and adjust the wind speed with the wire’s controller, and there’s no specific wind setting limit — adjust the speed as much or as little as you or your pet likes....

Naladhu Private Island Maldives, the exclusive luxury island resort, took some time away from the spotlight to recharge, refresh, and re-do its suites to make an already magical destination even better. And now, it’s ready for her close-up once again. The private island, located in the South Malé Atoll, announced its plans to return to service this November with a new look and feel following a six-month renovation. The intimate resort undertook a total redesign of its public areas and accommodations, including its Two Bedroom Pool Residence, which will reopen with its own 66-foot-long private beach....

Seeing a rainbow, no matter how fleeting, is a spectacular sight. While it may feel rare to you to see one, it turns out there is a place where you can (nearly) guarantee seeing the colorful display nearly every single day. And that place is none other than the Aloha State. Steven Businger, a professor at the University of Hawaii Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, published a new paper in the journal Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society outlining the multitude of reasons why Hawaii should be named the rainbow capital of the world, namely due to the near-daily presence of the color bands of light....

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s an Uber. The rideshare company announced plans this week to expand its offerings in the United Kingdom, allowing customers there to book train and bus tickets starting this summer, followed by flights and cross-channel train tickets later this year. “Everyone values the freedom to make travel arrangements in a simple and convenient way, which is why we’re excited to become a one-stop-shop for all your travel needs,” Jamie Heywood, the regional general manager for Uber in the UK, Northern and Eastern Europe, said in a statement....

With humans under another lockdown in Italy, a pair of striped dolphins swam through Venice’s famous Grand Canal before being ushered back to the Adriatic Sea. The dolphins usually swim in pods of 100 and take great care to stay far away from coastlines, leading researchers to believe this duo may have gotten lost while searching for food. The dolphins that turned up in Venice “were completely disorientated, swimming around in all directions, mostly because they were scared,” Guido Pietroluongo, part of the rescue group that worked to guide the dolphins away from the city, told CNN....

Even when you hear the captain welcome you to your destination at the end of a flight, your time aboard the airplane is likely not over. Not even close. The time between a plane’s wheels landing and passengers actually walking off the aircraft is potentially one of the most frustrating parts of flying — especially for travelers with tight connections. It’s also one of the most misunderstood. Flight Attendants Reveal The First Thing They Notice When Travelers Board a Plane...

As a child, you may have imagined what it would be like to find one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets, but now, it’s a golden beer can that you should be searching. With the usual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations canceled this year, the Colorado-based Breckenridge Brewery is hosting a Willy Wonka-style contest, giving away a free trip for two to Ireland. Andrea Comi/Getty Images The first step toward snagging that Emerald Isle getaway?...

To honor the people keeping life running during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts are offering complimentary Gold membership status in their loyalty program to all essential workers. The #EverydayHeroes initiative includes healthcare workers, truck drivers, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, construction workers, sanitation workers, grocery associates and more. Anyone who is working on the frontlines during the outbreak can apply online. “We’re humbled to honor such a deserving group of individuals: everyday people who have been performing herculean tasks in the face of danger,” Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said in a statement....

There’s nothing quite like spending the night at a five-star hotel — the sheets are a little softer, the decor a bit more grand, and the service more refined. But high-end accommodations don’t come cheap, and most five-star hotels charge hundreds or thousands of dollars for a single night. However, some properties around the world offer five-star experiences alongside surprisingly low rates. Courtesy of Top Dollar To find out exactly where these affordable yet refined properties are located, the team at Top Dollar used Hotels....

Since the original Soho House opened in London in 1995, the members-only model has seen its popularity wax and wane. Today, as we cautiously eye the worst days of the pandemic in our rearview mirror, these urban escapes are once again on the rise. Soho House — now a publicly traded company — is one leader, with 32 locations around the world. Members can enjoy wellness classes, co-working spaces, bars, restaurants, salons, and programming, such as talks and film screenings....

Summer arrives in June, and with it, plans for vacations and travel. Festivals are on the schedule again, and favorite summer destinations like Mackinac Island and Alaska are expecting plentiful guests. With many vacationers staying close to home, we’re suggesting domestic destinations that will be sure to see first-time visitors this year. International travel is on the rise, and we’re offering some places that are lovely during this season, with much to do and see....

Hiking can transport you to waterfalls, high-alpine lakes, and vistas that many people never get to see. But why settle for a single day in the wilderness when you could spend multiple soaking up the views and sleeping under the stars? Backpacking allows you to go deeper, stay longer, and in some cases, lose the crowds. Plus, there’s a wonderful simplicity that comes with only being able to bring what you can fit in a backpack — you might be surprised with how little you need and how good you feel when you step away from it all....

Airbnb released a ranking of countries and states that have the most listings now certified with its Enhanced Cleaning program, which was sparked by the COVID-19 outbreak. Months after Airbnb released a new set of health protocols and Enhanced Cleaning training for hosts more than 1.2 million in over 220 countries have complied. The training certification process teaches hosts about new CDC sanitation standards, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Listings which have opted into the Enhanced Clean program see, on average, about three times more bookings than those which do not....

Airbnb is cracking down on house parties ahead of New Year’s Eve, expanding restrictions to include banning some three-night reservations. The company will restrict certain local and last-minute bookings from guests who don’t have a history of positive reviews on the site, Airbnb shared with Travel + Leisure. The decision is an expansion of the initiative first announced in November, which limited one-night New Year’s Eve bookings. The stricter rules will be implemented in homes in the United States — including in Puerto Rico — Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand....

One of the most precious commodities on an airplane is space. Space for bags, space for armrests, space for legs, space to put your laptop down so you can comfortably work –– the list goes on. And sometimes, people’s idea of “personal space” can differ wildly. Imagine you’re in this scenario: You board a plane. Your seat is at the end of a row (either the aisle or window). You settle in, and the next person comes in and sits in the middle seat....