Luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises is finally back on the high seas in the United States, sailing out of Miami this week for the first time in 20 months, the company shared with Travel + Leisure. The Seven Seas Explorer took off from Miami on Nov. 15 for an eight-night sailing through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica. That ship will end its journey in Colón, Panama....
San Francisco and New Orleans each implemented strict COVID-19 protocols to enter places like indoor restaurants, becoming the latest cities to utilize a digital vaccine or testing passport. In San Francisco, proof of full vaccination will be required to enter places like indoor restaurants, bars, and gyms, and participate in large indoor events starting Aug. 20. The new mandate does not apply to kids under 12. Employees will be required to show proof of vaccination as well starting Oct....
Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines are merging, creating a large low-cost airline that will fly to more than 145 destinations in 19 countries, the companies shared with Travel + Leisure. Announced Monday, the two airlines will combine under Frontier’s parent company, Frontier Group Holdings, Inc., and create what the carrier has dubbed “America’s most competitive ultra-low fare airline.” The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2022....
Traveling is always an exciting experience, but nothing quite compares to discovering something new. Unfortunately, the prospect of visiting uncharted territory is becoming increasingly rare in this Instagram-saturated world. However, if you really want to feel like one of the first few tourists to see a place (and maybe even ‘gram about it), Mar Pages, a woman who has traveled to 100 countries, has a few ideas for you. “I have visited 100 countries, travel 40–50% of the time for the last 12 years and specialise in places nobody visits so here are a couple of ideas,” Pages wrote in a Quora thread asking, “What is your favorite place to visit that no one has heard of?...
We all love a good vacation. It can relax you, excite you, and teach you about yourself by experiencing cultures much different than your own. It turns out, it’s also really good for your heart health. Taking a vacation can actually decrease the number of metabolic symptoms in people, according to a study published in the journal Psychology & Health in 2019. The study looked at 63 workers who were eligible for paid vacation and tracked the time off they took over 12 months....
Prepare to change your attitude by changing latitudes when the first cruise ship from Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville brand sets sail out of the Port of Palm Beach, Florida, on April 30. Courtesy of Margaritaville While Margaritaville resorts have long been popular among parrotheads and pirates, the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, described in a press release as a “floating island vacation at sea,” is the brand’s first venture into open ocean....
“Louis Vuitton is now synonymous with travel and luxury — it has one of the most recognizable logos in the world. But people expect to see it on your wallet or handbag, not on your feet on a stylish pair of shoes,” Jacqueline Gifford, Travel + Leisure’s editor-in-chief, muses about one of her favorite pairs of flats to travel in: the Cherie Slingback Ballet Flat. While we at T+L love comfy leggings and sweaters as much as the next frequent traveler, we also admire combining the cozy with the chic....
A trip to the Happiest Place on Earth can be amazing, but it can also be pricey. Thankfully, there are more affordable amusement parks all across the country that offer thrills without being too hard on guest’s wallets. This year, the most affordable theme park in the United States was Tropic Falls at OWA in Foley, Ala., according to a study from home rental company HomeToGo that was shared with Travel + Leisure....
Comfortable ballet flats that are easy to walk in all day are hard enough to find as it is. But a pair that’s also fashionable and with a reasonable price tag? That’s a new challenge altogether. Luckily, Skechers makes a pair that seemingly does it all. Made from a stylish knit material, they’re versatile enough to match any travel outfit and comfortable enough to wear through a full day of sightseeing....
Feeling like you need to make a quick few million bucks? You may want to look in your grandma’s attic. According to CNN, a Chinese vase, which once sold at an auction for a mere £44 ($56) just sold at auction once again. This time, however, it went for more than 70 million Hong Kong dollars, which equates to about $9 million. The vase, CNN explained, was discovered in an elderly woman’s remote country home in Central Europe....
Even though air travel is one of the safest modes of transportation, that doesn’t mean an issue can’t pop up unexpectedly. Linda Reilman, a doctor based in Ohio, was on board a flight from Hawaii to Dallas in May when a member of the crew announced they were looking for someone with medical training to assist them. “About two hours into the flight, everyone was sleeping, all the lights came on and they made an announcement,” Reilman told the Hamilton Journal-News....
Whether you’re traveling abroad or visiting somewhere domestically, there’s a chance you’ll have your passport on hand, in addition to carrying your driver’s license. And once you reach your destination city, you will likely need to provide proof of your COVID-19 vaccination in order to explore around town. Rather than carting multiple holders inside a personal carry-on, travelers are turning to this $15 multi-function piece that’s designed to keep both your passport and your vaccination card safe....
There’s now one more way to explore northern France: a 260-mile cycling route that starts at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris and winds through more 130 towns along the Seine River and deep into Normandy. La Seine à Vélo passes by Claude Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny, the Museum of Impressionism, and Château de Malmaison, the former home of Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine. The chateau was the French government’s headquarters from 1800 to 1802 and was Napoleon’s last residence in France....
Whether you’re planning a hiking trip to your favorite national park or just need to transport your daily essentials to and from the office, a backpack will take you far. If you’re looking for an especially durable option for travel and commuting, consider a model designed for hiking. This backpack from Roam is suggested for camping, hiking, and biking, among other activities, so you can be sure that it’ll be a solid travel companion....
Vienna is introducing an innovative new plan to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. Citizens who opt for environmentally friendly transport options, like biking or walking, instead of driving a car can collect “culture tokens,” which are redeemable for free admission at some of the city’s most famed museums. The “Kultur-Token” system will work via an app that tracks each user’s movements and determines how they’re getting around town, the city of Vienna announced last week....
Like many travelers, I was ready for a getaway, even a road trip to a destination somewhere just a few hours away. Santa Barbara, the American Riviera, seemed ideal given that every other riviera was still off limits. This part of the California coastline is aptly named — and just two hours from Los Angeles. My husband and I were pleasantly surprised by light traffic most of the way, even with a good part of the trip on L....
In some cases, the nearest emergency exit from your vacation rental may be behind you. A campsite in the UK has transformed a former Etihad jet into one of the coolest overnight accommodations on the market — complete with kitchen galley and emergency exits. Toby Rhys Davies saved the body of an Airbus A319 from a scrap yard last year and brought it to his unique property, Apple Camping in Pembrokeshire, Wales....
If jumping off a cliff into clear blue water isn’t enough of an adrenaline-pumping adventure, you can now do it in the middle of a volcano in Samoa. To-Sua Ocean Trench — “To-Sua” translated means “giant swimming hole” —is a 98-foot deep natural pool located on the southeast coast of Upolu Island. Surrounded by lush greenery and tropical gardens, this rare natural wonder was hidden for decades and sits directly in the middle of a volcano....
This week, the nonprofit Public Art Fund unveiled a new citywide exhibition called Art on the Grid, which will display work from more than 50 emerging artists on hundreds of bus shelters and other public infrastructure through the rest of the summer. At a time when galleries are closed and social distancing is the norm, it’s the perfect way for New Yorkers to get their art fix, organizers said. “This exhibition presents an opportunity to get New Yorkers reacquainted with the city they love, as it transforms into an open-air public art gallery this summer,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company, which partnered with Public Art Fund on the project, in a statement....
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. From the glittering lights on the Strip to the clanging slot machines on the floor of each casino, Las Vegas might not seem like the ideal destination for travelers on a budget, but you don’t have to be a high-roller to have a great time in Sin City....
