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If you haven’t been to Walt Disney World in the past few years, brace yourself. Even if you’re a Disneyland regular, visiting the Florida parks is a whole different game. Do your Disney World memories include waiting in an endless line for Splash Mountain, handing over cash for popcorn, or misplacing a hotel room key? Get ready, because the landscape has changed so dramatically, that believe it or not, those practices are all stuck in the past....

By the end of this week, one billion hotel room stays will have gone unsold in the United States, Bloomberg reported earlier this month, citing statistics from hospitality industry data firm STR. This is just one sign of how the travel industry has been impacted by the global pandemic. But instead of wallowing in the loss, some hotels are using the opportunity (and empty rooms) to get creative. The Standard, for example, is leaning into the current reality with its Make It Your Standard contest, giving away a 28-night stay in not just one, but two rooms at one of its properties....

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. The Athens of the Middle Ages. The Cradle of the Renaissance....

“How was your vacation?” It’s the question travelers look forward to most after landing—the excuse to momentarily pause from digging through a backed-up email inbox and relive an amazing trip by bragging to every co-worker within earshot. It’s even more fun when the trip was to somewhere particularly exciting and uncharted. But a new study by scientific journal Psychological Science may make you rethink telling your most amazing travel tales....

In 2020, the Hawaii Tourism Authority reported year-over-year visitor arrivals fell 74% due to the global pandemic. Just 2.7 million people flew to the islands last year, making it the first time that fewer than 3 million people visited since 1975. But, just because Hawaii is down doesn’t mean it’s out, especially when you learn about all the unique things hotels and resorts on the islands are doing to ensure travelers can safely visit once again....

This summer, when France opened for visitors, I spent a few lovely days in Paris, flying from Newark Airport on French Bee. The airline had just introduced flights to Orly from the New York Metropolitan area at astoundingly low prices, and I was among the first to take advantage. I boarded their departure around midnight, sipped a glass of Champagne, and woke up in Paris. French Bee now offers departures from Newark Airport to Orly starting at $199 each way for its basic fare, which includes one 26-pound carry-on bag....

When you blow out your flip-flop and step on a pop top, it’s time to cruise on out to sea. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville is headed out to open waters with the launch of “Margaritaville at Sea’’ next year. “To me, the only thing better than being on a beach by the ocean, is to be on the ocean,” Buffett said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. Courtesy of Margaritaville...

The Hawaiian island of Maui has dropped its vaccine or test requirement for indoor spaces like restaurants and bars, the mayor’s office has announced. The new policy, which went into effect this week, will now allow people to enter restaurants, bars, and gyms without showing any COVID-19-related documentation. Previously, Maui required people to show either proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter. “With the rapid decline of new COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations, we can safely eliminate the proof-of-vaccination requirement for bars, restaurants, and gyms,” Maui’s Mayor Michael Victorino said in a statement....

If your workplace isn’t headed back to the office any time soon and you’re growing sick of staring at your living-room-turned-office all day, consider a change of scenery in Montserrat. The picturesque Caribbean island is offering yearlong visas to remote workers through its new program, the Montserrat Remote Workers Stamp. The program hopes to lure visitors to Montserrat — and strike a more than perfect work/life balance — in the process....

Traveling with a dog can be difficult. On top of having to pay extra for your airfare, managing your beloved pet’s stress levels and making sure they meet all of your airline’s requirements, there’s always the question about where to actually “relieve” your dog when they have to go. Osaka International Airport (ITAMI) in Japan is making that problem much easier to solve. According to a statement released by Kansai Airports, a brand new, first-of-its-kind doggie toilet area will be available to travelers with furry companions....

Thousands of items are still on sale, including Apple AirPods, this Roomba vacuum, and this memory foam mattress. If you need a new piece of luggage before your next trip, check out the Samsonite suitcase that’s marked down to just $113 and the Rockland two-piece set that’s currently 52 percent off. And don’t forget to stock up on discounted travel accessories too, like this Eagle Creek packing cube and this Matein travel backpack....

The Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis will welcome only vaccinated travelers going forward, introducing one of the strictest vaccination-related travel protocols due to COVID-19. The twin islands now require all foreign tourists, including from the United States, to be vaccinated with either a two-dose vaccine, like the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca shots, or a single dose vaccine, like the Johnson & Johnson shot, according to the St. Kitts Tourism Authority....

Drinking water is probably the healthy habit that most of us are forgetting to keep up with every day. I’ve certainly been guilty of missing out on my daily 2 liters of water, being glued to my desk and chair for hours on end. Having to get up every five minutes to refill my glass can be tedious at best, and even though there are definitely humongous water bottles I could use, they can be heavy to carry and easily lead to spills with their typically wide rims....

Food is an essential part of any travel experience. You wouldn’t leave France without having a croissant or Japan without trying ramen, and Walt Disney Imagineers wanted to give guests that same experience when visiting planet Batuu atStar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. When designing this land at Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, the Imagineers wanted to fully immerse guests in the Star Wars experience, involving all their senses by designing a menu that captured the smells and tastes of the galaxy....

If you want to see the best of the west coast, take a train. Disembarking from Seattle, Washington and running all the way to Los Angeles, California, Amtrak’s Coast Starlight line shows travelers the most beautiful views of the Pacific coast. And the best part is, tickets start at only $101 for a one-way trip. The 35-hour route covers 350 miles through Washington, Oregon and California countryside, making about 30 stops, including Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Portland, Oregon....

And just like that — it’s time to plan your Fourth of July getaway. Memorial Day is behind us, and summer holidays are booking up fast. In fact, there’s a chance that that destination you were counting on is already at maximum capacity for Independence Day. With last-minute planners in mind, Yelp has compiled a list of 10 destinations around the country where you’ll be able to join other Americans piling in for the holiday period....

To buy: amazon.com, $32 (originally $45) The lightweight, hooded puffer is made of a high-quality polyester fabric and filling that’s also water resistant. It has a zip-front design, an elasticized waistband with a drawstring for a snug fit, and a tailored fit through the waist. It also has two outer pockets and two inner pockets for storing valuables. The jacket is available in nearly 20 stylish colors and patterns, including animal print and camo — and if you decide to grab a lighter shade (like white), don’t worry about getting it dirty....

Divided into six towns over 100 square miles, Martha’s Vineyard has a restaurant scene more accurately described as “charming” than “bustling.” Of course, high-end eateries abound, but the Vineyard doesn’t have the same buttoned-up vibe of its Nantucket counterpart. The Vineyard is cool and casual, which is exactly what makes it so appealing to the celebrities and socialites who flock there each summer (among them, the Obamas, the Clintons, and Oprah)....

Knowing the local hotspots in a destination you’re visiting can help you fill your itinerary with authentic finds and hidden gems. TripAdvisor has just launched a Check-Index, showcasing which areas travelers and locals frequent most often in major tourism destinations across the globe. Using mobile check-ins at locations ranging from restaurants to attractions and hotels, the travel site has put together a list that showcases where tourists’ and locals’ interests overlap, and the alternative finds locals enjoy that often aren’t on tourists’ travel itineraries....

Travel advisors on Travel + Leisure’s A-List have seen a surge in requests from couples chasing romance by going way, way off the grid. Here’s a look at some of the active trips the world’s top travel advisors are planning for newlyweds. Hiking “The Valle Ascencio trail in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park is a full-day hike through steep, rocky moraine that ends with the most incredible vistas,” says honeymoon pro Louisa Gehring....