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Famed film director James Cameron shared a bit of advice with Travel + Leisure—especially for those who haven’t yet visited the otherworldly nation of New Zealand. “Be prepared to show up,” Cameron said. And he doesn’t mean catch your flight. “This is not a sit on the beach while people wait on you hand and foot [trip]. This is a place where you’re active and engaged in life.” While New Zealand has no shortage of stunning beaches, its best known for hiking, adventure, exploration, and discovery....

Disneyland is bringing back a new iteration of its annual pass after eliminating the program due to COVID-19. The new “Magic Key” pass will have four different levels and price points, perfect for all types of park fans. Pass holders will be able to make advanced reservations for both the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks and enjoy discounts on offerings such as food and shopping, according to Disney. The pass, which will go on sale starting Aug....

Dubbed DTLA, downtown Los Angeles has established itself as not just one of the most talked-about neighborhoods in the City of Angels, but the entire country. The transformation kicked off in 1999, when a city-approved adaptive reuse ordinance was passed — permitting the neighborhood’s abandoned, but historic Art Deco and Beaux-Arts structures to be revitalized into stylish residences and commercial spaces. (Coincidentally, the STAPLES Center was also unveiled in October of that year....

Have a die-hard skier in your life? Or, just looking to gift yourself something truly awesome this holiday season? The Madeline Hotel and Residences has an experience available just for you that is almost too awesome to believe. This holiday season, the Telluride, Colorado hotel is offering up one-on-one ski lessons with Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy. Madeline Hotel & Residences With the package, Kenworthy, who took home the silver in the men’s slopestyle event at the 2014 Winter Olympics, will take you down his favorite trails, offer up some of his best ski tips, and will even share a few of his secrets to “landing impressive tricks to look like a pro....

One in four people planning a trip in 2018 said they will be going alone, according to a survey by Solo Traveler. And that demographic of self-reliant traveler is only growing. But, if you’re one of the many people boarding trains, planes, and automobiles over the next year to see the sights without a travel partner, it’s key to understand that there can be more than a few lonely days and nights along the way....

Getting a new stamp in your passport can be exciting. And while you may already have a passport from the country you were born in, you can also get another — if you have a grandparent (or in some cases even a great-grandparent) who was born out of the country. U.S. passports are not the most powerful passports in the world (far from it, in fact), so it’s no wonder why some travelers may want to broaden their traveling options....

If all you know of Japan’s countryside is what you see outside your bullet-train windows on runs between Osaka and Tokyo—a picturesque banality managed to within an inch of its life—Hokkaido will surprise you. This northernmost of Japan’s main islands is also the harshest, coldest, and least settled, accounting for 22 percent of the nation’s landmass yet only 4 percent of its population. There are a couple of marvelous cities and lots of picturesque (and slowly dying) towns....

Flying in 2021 is less glamorous, seamless, and comfortable than it used to be. But when it comes to pandemic travel, there’s one airline that still stands out as an oasis in the sky: JetBlue. T+L readers named JetBlue the top domestic airline in this year’s World’s Best Awards. This marks the third time in a row the New York-based airline has won the award. Courtesy of JetBlue In the 22 years since its launch, JetBlue has redefined what it means to be a low-cost airline while growing into the seventh largest carrier in North America....

If you’re not currently watching Bridgerton, what are you doing? The period drama is already the fifth-most watched original series on Netflix, meaning odds are you’ve seen it. And if you’ve seen it, you know a few things to be true: Daphne Bridgerton belongs with the Duke, and Shonda Rhimes is a genius. Oh, and one more thing. If you’re watching this show, you’re probably dreaming of living in a castle one day too....

London is a city known for its diversity — in people, in food, in neighborhoods. And even in airports. If you’re flying to, from, or through the English capital, you will be spoiled for choice when deciding where your plane will take off or land. There are six different airports that service the city. But none of them are the same. Most people will know of London Heathrow, but what about London City or Southend?...

When Morgan Jerkins travels, she wants to meet people “where they are.” That’s part of the reason why she speaks not two, not three, and not even four or five, but six languages. Jerkins, who can chat it up in Japanese, Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and English, is a Black female traveler — and she’s the guest on this week’s episode of Let’s Go Together, the new podcast from Travel + Leisure....

A sense of fashion might be a primal instinct. Earlier this week, an orangutan at a zoo in Indonesia donned a pair of round sunglasses after a visitor dropped them in its enclosure — and the whole thing was caught on video. “So I’m down a pair of sunglasses but up a very good story,” social media user Lola Tetsu wrote in her caption of the video uploaded to TikTok....

Would you guess that Philadelphia is one of the US’ most visited cities? It might be because of its rich history — or it might just be because of how beautiful it is. Philadelphia is the nation’s first UNESCO World Heritage City; so much history happened here, the entire city is considered worth preserving. That alone is reason to plan your next trip. When planning your next trip to Philadelphia, you’re visiting a city that feels a little gravid with its history in a way that some equally-storied cities don’t quite manage....

If you’re an avid camper or just someone who enjoys spending time in your backyard whenever you get the chance, you’ve probably at least considered investing in a fire pit. Thanks to Solo Stove, you can take your fire pit on the road with its sleek, portable models that are not only travel-friendly, but they also produce barely any smoke for enjoyable, mess-free fires. Solo Stove’s fire pits are available in three sizes: the Ranger (for two to four people), the Bonfire (for four to six people), and the Yukon (for six to 10 people)....

Editor’s note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. As the new year ushered in hope and cautious optimism when it comes to potential travel plans, Southwest is celebrating with a sale so good you can’t help but get excited for a vacation. The airline is ringing in 2021 with fares starting as low as $29 one-way to destinations throughout the country ranging from mountain adventures to beach getaways, offering the chance to escape in the spring for less than the cost of a nice meal....

With Thanksgiving only a couple of weeks away and cases of COVID-19 continuing to rise in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidelines for a safe Turkey Day celebration this year. The CDC first and foremost advised that “travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19” and that, “staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.” But for those hitting the road for the holidays, they should be mindful of any travel restrictions or quarantine requirements in their destination before heading out....

If you’ve never been to Death Valley, the name probably conjures up images of an unforgiving sand-strewn landscape that’s arid and lifeless. And while there are definitely parts of the 3.4 million-acre national park in central California that fit that description, it’s also home to an oasis where thousands of gallons of water rise to the surface every day. The flooding leaves vast deposits of borax, a mineral sometimes known as “white gold....

Nothing puts a damper on a perfectly planned European getaway than a sudden change in weather. So holiday rental search engine Holidu took a look at the places with the most sun hours per month to come up with the sunniest cities in Europe. Topping the list is Alicante, on the southeastern coast of Spain, clocking in an average of 349 hours of sun a month and an average temperature of about 66 F that can be enjoyed on the beaches of the Costa Blanca and among the colorful homes of its old town....

Sure, you don’t need an excuse to plan a visit to Sonoma County, but designer Jay Jeffers is happy to give you one anyway. This month, Jeffers is opening the doors to his brand-new hotel, The Madrona, in Healdsburg, California. The hotel, which opens on April 22, blends together the very best of chic accommodations, excellent food, and of course, wine, set on a gorgeous eight-acre property. “The Madrona was originally built in 1881 as a private residence during the Aesthetic Movement, which was a movement that celebrated all areas of life, from music and literature to interior design and fashion, and was all about ‘beauty for beauty’s sake,’” Jeffers told Travel + Leisure....

Los Angeles International Airport is rolling out a trial reservation system for security checkpoints, the second airport in the United States to test such a system this week. The LAX trial will be available to United Airlines passengers passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints in Terminals 7 and 8, according to Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). The program, called “LAX Fast Lane,” is free for travelers and will last for 90 days....