Even for the compulsive jetsetters among us, it’s a simple truth that most travel stories are aspirational in the best of times. There are too many incredible places to see, not enough vacation days, and sometimes we all have to content ourselves with scrawling another spot on the bucket list and hoping the stars align. But this year, as we all sat at home and watched the world come to a halt, “aspirational” took on new meaning....
The Alyssa Triple Zip Pocket Large Crossbody Bag is made from sleek faux leather with gold tone hardware. It has one spacious main compartment with interior slip and zippered pockets to keep your valuables secure while you’re on the go. You’ll also find two more zippered pockets on the outside, which provide the triple-zip look, as well as a hidden pocket on the back of the bag for extra storage. If you’re traveling with your passport and other important travel documents, you’ll want to make sure to have a safe place to store them, and this bag offers multiple options to keep them safe yet easily accessible....
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased COVID-19-related travel warnings on more than 100 countries and territories this week, offering hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for international travel. As part of its reclassification, the CDC moved 61 countries down from its highest “Level 4” warning, Reuters reported, and moved another 50 countries and territories to “Level 2” or “Level 1.” Countries with the lowest levels of COVID-19 - and the CDC’s lowest warning level - include popular tourist destinations that welcome vaccinated American travelers like Iceland, Israel, and St....
Labor Day holiday travelers are taking advantage of WFH and celebrating the unofficial end of summer with extended stays, according to data from Airbnb shared with Travel + Leisure. Trips booked for the holiday weekend are seven nights or longer, according to the homeshare company, which aligns with overall trends for the year. In fact, three and four-day weekend trips were up 70% in 2021 for April through June, compared to the same time period in 2019....
If you ventured out recently, you already know the drill: masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer, plus plexiglass screens and more frequent cleaning at airports, hotels, and restaurants. But deeper changes will soon complement the quickly implemented hygiene protocols and MacGyver-style hacks introduced this spring and summer. Airport and hospitality designers tell T+L that more big-picture improvements are in the works. “The pandemic is inspiring us to invent new ways to bring people together and still have memorable, engaging experiences,” says David Rockwell, the architect and founder of Rockwell Group, whose projects include the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Nobu locations worldwide....
Ask Andy R., a flight attendant for United Airlines, what he loves most about his job, and the answer is simple: “There is very little repetition,” he says. “My schedule is never the same. One day I could be working as a lead flight attendant or purser to San Francisco, and the next preparing an economy cabin galley for a 13-hour flight to Beijing.” For someone who spends anywhere between 230 and 250 days per year on the road, that’s a lot of variety....
A Canadian mother and her 7-year-old daughter reported being covered in bed bug bites after a British Airways flight from Vancouver to London. “I hoped that one was a flax seed or an apple seed. Then it started crawling,” Heather Szilagyi told Metro UK. “That was the bug I gave to the flight attendant.” Flight attendants told Szilagyi that the flight was completely sold out and that there was nowhere else they could sit....
This year’s World’s Best Awards survey closed on March 2, just before widespread stay-at-home orders were implemented as a result of COVID-19. The results reflect our readers’ experiences before the pandemic, but we hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your trips to come — whenever they may be. A vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia is one of the most culturally and geographically diverse nations in Asia, which has made it a major draw for travelers for decades....
Out-of-state travelers now have to pay twice as much to access one of Oahu’s most popular snorkeling spots. Officials in Hawaii last week increased the entrance fee to the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve from $12 to $25, marking the second time in a year entry prices have gone up. Pre-pandemic, entry to Hanauma Bay cost $7.50. “We saw how dramatically Hanauma Bay healed during the pandemic when access to the public was closed,” local city council chairman Tommy Waters told the Associated Press....
To combat the spread of coronavirus, a theme park in Japan has introduced a very unique contest for visitors. When Fuji-Q Highland theme park near Tokyo reopened last month, they asked visitors to avoid screaming on roller coasters as droplets from people’s mouths may spread germs. But due to the fear that some ride-goers may have at high speeds or simply because there are few thrills more satisfying than shrieking during a steep roller coaster drop, the rule may be hard to abide by....
Langham Hotels & Resorts is celebrating its 155th anniversary with a 24-hour tea party. The “Celebrating 155 Years: The Langham 24-Hour Afternoon Tea Party,” is a global event that will be held online on Wednesday. Not only is this the perfect time to enjoy a refined afternoon tea, the event will feature performances, cooking guides, calligraphy tutorials, luxury suite and destination tours, wellness tips, and more. Special guests who will make an appearance include professional opera singers, authors, master chefs, illustrators, and The Langham hotels’ very own staff and leaders....
Big shout-out to Nordstrom and their Half-yearly Sale event, because now we can stock up on summer dresses without going broke. From now until June 2, Nordstrom is giving us up to 50% off on practically everything for women, men, kids, and home. But one look through the sales page and all we’re seeing is a treasure trove of perfect summer dresses at nearly half off. 23 Seriously Discounted Travel Finds From Nordstrom’s Half-yearly Sale...
A commercial flight heading from from Cebu, in the Philippines, to Busan, South Korea, was forced to turn back 40 minutes into the flight when the crew realized one of the plane doors was ajar. The Jin Air flight was carrying 163 passengers and had reached an altitude of 10,000 feet when flight staff heard a noise (perhaps the sound of breathable oxygen being sucked into the atmosphere?) and realized that the front left door was not fully shut....
Scientists have found a way to teach spinach to send emails. But it’s not just for fun or to tell you about a huge sale event — these specific messages are meant to warn people about climate change or explosive materials, according to EuroNews. According to a study published in the scientific journal Nature Materials, engineers at MIT created a new method for detecting major changes in our climate thanks to the root systems in spinach plants....
If you’re feeling a little cooped up right now that’s okay — we are too. However, it’s important to remember you’re staying inside, social distancing, and limiting your in-person travels all for the betterment of your family, friends, and the entire world around you. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t “travel” and see the world right from inside your house. Martina Birnbaum/EyeEm/Getty Images Right now, destinations, museums, and cultural centers are doing their best to bring a little piece of virtual magic so everyone can stay safe — and entertained — while quarantining at home....
A favorite holiday for kids and adults alike, Halloween is celebrated with haunted houses, parades, parties, fright walks, zombies and ghouls, jack-o-lanterns, and of course trick-or-treating. Whether your Halloween conjures up sweet visions of never-ending candy, creative costumes, or blood-curdling, nightmarish adventures, the following Halloween events across the U.S. will exceed your expectations. NYC Village Halloween Parade Celebrating its 45th year, this Halloween night parade/pageant, touted as the world’s largest and held in New York City’s legendary Greenwich Village, spotlights wildly creative costumes, hundreds of puppets, floats, bands, and dancers....
When you’re planning a vacation to a city you’ve never visited, you probably search for hotels, restaurants, and, of course, the best things to do in your destination. You wouldn’t leave New York City without taking in views of the Brooklyn Bridge or depart Las Vegas without visiting the The Strip. These are iconic sites that are likely to top any visitor’s bucket list, but they surprisingly aren’t the most popular experiences in their respective states....
The United Kingdom will begin requiring many international travelers to quarantine in a hotel upon arrival later this month. Starting Feb. 15, all UK residents returning from countries considered to be COVID-19 hotspots will have to quarantine in designated hotel facilities, the BBC reported. Travelers will have to remain in the hotel rooms for 10 nights. Hollie Adams/Getty Images The mandatory quarantine will apply to those returning from countries on the UK’s “red list,” made up of 33 nations, including South Africa where a new coronavirus variant emerged....
In an effort to make planes lighter and save on fuel costs, airlines are taking creative approaches to cutting weight from the most seemingly inconsequential places. Earlier this year, United Airlines announced that it changed the paper of its in-flight magazine. Each issue now weighs one ounce less than it did before, which, according to the Los Angeles Times, saves the airline $290,000 per year in operating costs. “Anytime we can reduce even an ounce of weight, that means we burn less fuel to fly to that destination,” Aaron Stash, United’s head of environmental strategy and sustainability, told CBS News....
Travelers often head to Los Cabos for whale watching, hiking, surfing, and of course, fun in the sun. No matter what draws visitors to this idyllic Mexican destination, those who choose to book a stay at Villa La Valencia will have a new attraction to keep them busy: the longest lazy river in Cabo. Courtesy of The Villa Group Stretching out over 1,148 feet, this lazy river is also an infinity pool overlooking the Sea of Cortez....
