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One of the worst places for impatience to set in is on an airplane. When your dry mouth hits at a high altitude, it’s like a perfect storm for grumpy behavior. Some advice: don’t order a Diet Coke if you’re ever in this situation. According to a flight attendant on flight blog These Gold Wings, Diet Coke takes the longest to pour. The flight attendant says the high altitude makes carbonated drinks foam up more, and Diet Coke is the worst....

There are getaways, and then there’s getting away from it all. El Capitan Canyon falls firmly in the latter camp. Located between the coast and 2,500 acres of protected state park in Santa Barbara, California, El Capitan Canyon offers a glamping experience unlike any other. It’s a place where guests can not only find solitude, but also discover a dark sky environment that’s conducive to stargazing. Courtesy of El Capitan Canyon...

Made from a super-soft polyester/spandex material, the cute two-piece set comes with a slightly cropped long-sleeve sweatshirt and a pair of high-waisted joggers. The cozy bottoms have a drawstring closure, two spacious front pockets, and are tapered at the ends for a flattering fit. Each piece is versatile enough to mix and match with other items in your suitcase, but many people say they like to wear the set together for a pulled-together, coordinated look....

Doing laundry is a necessary evil, but for travelers, healthcare workers, and gym goers, the chore can be extra challenging. You have to separate your dirty clothes from your clean items while transporting your belongings, and you might not have immediate access to a washer and dryer. The solution? A washable laundry bag that’s easy to take with you on the go. The 8 Best Packing Cubes of 2022, Tested and Reviewed...

Traveling comes with its own set of obstacles—rising plane tickets, TSA checkpoints, luggage that just won’t zip closed—and you can’t control any of them. But there is a way to ensure your ride is a little smoother than the process of getting to your seat. While most experts agree that seat choice simply doesn’t matter that much on a plane, some passengers may find that their ride feels a lot smoother if they sit near the wing....

The Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Mexico wants to treat you like an A-lister. All it will cost you is $50,000 for an afternoon. Don’t let the sticker shock scare you because this experience is well worth the price. The hotel is now offering up its iconic yacht, The VanDutch, for all its guests as part of the Sunset VanDutch Experience. This way, everyone can live like Beyoncé, Leonardo DiCaprio, and David Beckham, who’ve all been spotted on the vessel on their vacations....

The Transportation Security Administration will shift to more gender-neutral standards for screening passengers, the agency announced on Thursday. The agency said the new measures — which consist of reducing pat-down screenings and making its TSA PreCheck program more inclusive — will be implemented in the coming months and will aim to make travel better for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming passengers. “On this internationally recognized day for the transgender community, TSA is proud to announce significant initiatives as a direct result of close partnership with community stakeholders,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement on Transgender Day Of Visibility....

Tours of the iconic Washington Monument in Washington D.C. have been suspended through at least Jan. 24 following the deadly riot at the Capitol Building as well as continued threats coinciding with the upcoming presidential inauguration, the National Parks Service said on Monday. In addition to stopping tours of the building, which completed a three-year-long renovation in 2019, the NPS said it will temporarily close public access to roadways, parking areas, and restrooms on the National Mall and in Memorial Parks “to protect public safety and park resources....

Imagine discovering, as an adult, that you’ve got a long-lost sibling living in another part of the world. It may sound like the far-fetched plot of a television drama series, but for Amanda Gordon and Roger Horikoshi, it’s reality. The half-siblings were born in Seoul, South Korea, and were adopted by separate families as children, having no memory of each other. But thanks to some DNA testing and Travel + Leisure’s new video series, Meet Me in the Middle, the pair not only found each other, but also met in person for the first time at L’Auberge de Sedona Hotel in Sedona, Arizona — the midpoint between Amanda’s home in New York City and Roger’s home in Honolulu....

How was the island of Pohnpei created?Native legend tells a circuitous tale of a hero named Sapkini, who, while leading a group of settlers across the sea, enlisted the help of an octopus named Lidakika . . . and so on. I prefer a creation myth that goes something like this: One day, God erected in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just above the equator, one of the most beautiful islands on the planet....

The Biden-Harris administration is set to be historic for multiple reasons, but the cutest one is undoubtedly Major Biden, the first-ever rescue pup to become First Dog. In honor of Major’s journey to the White House, the Delaware Humane Association (DHA) — the rescue shelter where Major once stayed — is inviting all canines to attend a virtual “indoguration” on Jan. 17. The event will celebrate Major’s new posting, while also raising funds for the DHA and increasing awareness of pet owners who are financially struggling to care for their furry friends....

Need an extra dose of magic today? Look no further. With the Disney parks now closed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company is making an effort to bring them home to you. This weekend, Disney presented a virtual viewing of the new Disneyland parade, Magic Happens, in a blog post. More Disney news In the post, Michael Ramirez, the public relations director of Disneyland Resort, said, “This daytime spectacular celebrates the awe-inspiring moments of magic that are at the heart of so many Disney stories....

Don’t remind Game of Thrones fans that this is the last year “winter is coming.” But for those who would prefer to drown their sorrows about their favorite show in alcohol, a bar in Chicago is making itself over as Westeros. Visitors who walk into Replay Lincoln Park in the next few weeks will be dazzled by elaborate sets that seem to be taken directly from the show. The drinks are on fire....

Swapping out your studio apartment for a lakeside view is easier than you might imagine. New York is so much more than the city, which is why lots of city dwellers like to get out of the Big Apple once in a while in favor of the quieter, nature-filled Hudson Valley. And this particular rental on Airbnb has many travelers dreaming of their next trip. The Willow Treehouse, located in Willow, New York, is a gorgeous, private getaway that’s perfect for weekends or any time you want to escape the city....

Thanks to airlines that offer free stopovers, you can explore two cities for the price of one. Instead of having customers wait for connecting flights at the airport, airlines have begun offering free stopover options to allow you to tour a new locale for a few days before continuing on your trip. The options they offer vary, from shorter stops to some that stretch for an entire week and even offer a local to escort you on your discoveries....

On Monday evening, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. State Department relayed a new message regarding the coronavirus and travel. In the statement both government organizations expanded their already expansive travel advisories to now cover all of China due to the illness that has killed over 100. The State Department issued a level three travel warning for U.S. citizens traveling to China. Level three is the second harshest warning and urges travelers to reconsider all travel altogether....

While cruising has been largely put on hold this year as COVID-19 has spread throughout the world, one German river cruise company has started to sail again, giving a potential sneak peek into what cruising may look like going forward. The cruise line, nicko cruises, set sail on the Rhine River in Germany last week, on the NickoVISION and featuring spaced-out dining, face shields, and arrows on the floor directing traffic in tight quarters, according to photos shared to social media....

Sheltering in place can take a toll on one’s psyche. The cure? Getting out into the vast wilderness and soaking up some animal therapy — virtually, of course. Thankfully, a handful of safari outfitters are moving their operations online, so those of us at home can get a digital glimpse of the African bush. While some companies like Singita and andBeyond are producing their own videos, others are using Africam and Explore....

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 islands of Mexico and Central and South America have more than aquamarine waters and white-sand shores....

Many a traveler has been to Ketchikan — a city of just over 8,000 people on the southern tip of Alaska’s Inside Passage — as the first stop on a cruise itinerary. In September of 2019, I was one of them. Our ship seemed to dwarf the quaint little downtown as we pulled in, but although it was small, it was unforgettable: its historic houses on stilts overlooking the creek, a pine tree skyline behind them, looked exactly like the coastal Alaska I’d seen in movies....