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Several casinos in Las Vegas dropped mask requirements this week for vaccinated visitors following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest guidance for Americans who got the jab. At MGM Resorts International — which owns MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, the Bellagio Resort & Casino, the ARIA Resort & Casino, and more — mask requirements were eliminated for vaccinated guests. Similarly, Caesars Entertainment — which owns several resorts including Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino — said the company has “maintained strict adherence to CDC, state, local and regulatory guidance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to do so,” including when it comes to masks....

Getting the hang of surfing — the paddling, the timing, the take-off — is hard, period. Add freezing temperatures and a heavy wet suit and the process becomes exponentially harder. But for cold-weather surfers, that’s part of the appeal. And for Devi Kroell, a fashion designer known for her namesake line of Italian-made handbags and footwear, it was a challenge that took her to the Lofoten Islands, a remote archipelago in Arctic Norway....

In case you haven’t noticed, there seems to be a rift between two types of people at Disney World: People with children, and people (specifically, young people) without. According to USA Today, Twitter user @JenKatWrites posted a Facebook post from a mom (with her name redacted) who was apparently livid about Millennials making Disney World extra frustrating for her. Warning: some very, very strong language is used in this post....

New York’s Women’s Rights National Historical Park is celebrating the centennial year of women of having the right to vote — and the ladies who led the way there — with a weekend full of online events starting Saturday. “We’re excited to offer diverse programs that explore the history of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, highlighting the victories and also the continued inequalities that existed after its ratification,” Acting Superintendent Andrea DeKoter said in a statement ahead of the weekend’s events....

Paris is the city of lights, love, and apparently complaints, too. The Eiffel Tower tops the list of most complained about attractions worldwide, according to a study by UK comparison site Uswitch. Well, at least that’s true for English-writing reviewers on Tripadvisor. The company’s study looked solely at the negative reviews of popular global attractions, noting the number of complaints, as well as the time spent writing them. While the Eiffel Tower leads the list by a healthy margin in terms of hours spent writing negative reviews, the Parisian landmark is followed by the Colosseum, Big Ben, Pyramids of Giza, Statue of Liberty, Hollywood sign, Sydney Opera House, Taj Mahal, Berlin Wall, and Grand Canyon’s South Rim....

Every week, it seems like there is a new town in Italy offering homes for next to nothing — until you read the fine print. But one town in Southern Italy is changing the rules of the game and offering homes for very little, with no deposit necessary. The town of Laurenzana, in Italy’s Basilicata region, is selling homes for €1. Most of the other similar schemes that have run through small Italian towns require a deposit of somewhere between €2,000 and €5,000 (about $2,380 to $5,950)....

Every Sunday, Medha Garud tells me, a woman and her husband eat brunch in their kitchen, looking out their window, watching their neighbor do laundry. And each week the woman says the same thing to her husband. What is wrong with our neighbor? She does not know how to wash her clothes properly. She puts them in soapy water, but still they come out dirty—you can see the grime from here!...

National Parks are, without question, one of the world’s greatest gifts. The outdoor spaces were designed to preserve our gorgeous areas for both the plants and animals in them and for generation upon generation to explore and enjoy. In fact, these parks are so stunning that people can’t seem to stop sharing photos of them on Instagram — by the millions. And now, thanks to Mainland Aggregates, we know which of the world’s National Parks are the most popular on Instagram....

Now’s your chance to snag a pretty sweet vacation. Courtesy of Brooke Mayo Duck Donuts has teamed up with the Sanderling Resort on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to give carb-loving guests a donut-themed room stocked with tons of donut decor and activities just in time for National Donut Day on June 4. Courtesy of Brooke Mayo The “Sweet Escape” room is decked out in donut bedding, donut pillows, donut wallpaper, donut artwork, and, of course, dozens of actually edible donuts to enjoy during your stay....

Whether you’re preparing for a flight or taking the train to work everyday, the bag you carry can make a world of difference in your routine. A good backpack, for example, will keep all your essentials organized, including your laptop, books, makeup bag, water bottle, chargers, and even a cozy layer or spare set of gym clothes — all while remaining comfortable to carry. Madewell is known for its wardrobe basics and seasonal styles, as well as staple, everyday bags....

Cool, creative expression meets tropical island life at Patina Maldives, a bold new luxury resort in the sparkling North Male Atoll. Opened in May 2021 and far from the typical Maldives resort, Patina melds art, music, haute cuisine, and fashion into an experiential escape, making it as much a draw for honeymooning couples as retreat-seeking artists. The 90-villa, 20-studio resort, located just a 45-minute speedboat transfer from Velana International Airport, is the first of three private islands to open in the anticipated man-made archipelago of the Fari Islands (a Travel + Leisure Global Vision Awards 2021 recipient)....

We may be halfway through winter, but if you’re finding your current winter coat is not cutting it, we suggest heading over to Nordstrom. The beloved retailer just dropped its epic winter sale last week, and more than 1,500 warm and stylish jackets have been heavily marked down. Prices have been slashed on everything from Levi’s Bomber jackets to cashmere wrap coats, but one of the best deals we’ve seen so far is on the Bernardo Packable EcoPlume Hooded Walker Coat....

Waterslide connoisseurs (yep, it’s a thing) won’t want to miss Connecticut’s latest and greatest — a six-story waterslide that drops riders into a Venus flytrap-like vortex. The aptly named Venus Vortex is set to open next year at Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut. The six-story slide measures around 60 feet in height and is located right next to the lake, which provides a boost of adrenaline as riders are dropped into the flytrap mouth that seems dangerously close to the lake’s shore....

The White House lifted travel restrictions on several southern African countries in time a month after it was first implemented following the emergence of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. First put in place on Nov. 29, the ban prohibited the entry of non-U.S. citizens from eight different countries including South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. At the time, the U.S. had been joined by nations around the world in implementing stricter travel measures against the African countries....

There’s a lot to celebrate in Washington, D.C. this year — it’s the 175th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution, the 100th anniversary of The Phillips Collection, and the 50th anniversary of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. So, the nation’s capital is welcoming back tourists in a big way — by offering 51 prizes ranging from $500 to $25,000 for winners to shop, eat, play, and stay in the city....

For the 16th time in World’s Best Awards history, Cape Town has been voted the No. 1 city in this region by discerning Travel + Leisure readers. Travelers love Cape Town’s beautiful coastal setting, which allows for up-close views of golden beaches and sapphire waters. It’s also home to a number of charming boutique hotels, like Ellerman House, voted this year the No. 1 City Hotel in Africa. Check in here for exceptional service, magnificent ocean vistas, and a wine cellar that showcases 7,500 South African bottles....

Tripadvisor and Mount Gay Rum think it’s time for you to go on vacation. In fact, they believe in this so deeply, they’re giving away a few trips just so you can go have a little fun in the sun. In November, the two companies announced the “Getaway to Give Back” sweepstakes, which will both send a few people on fancy vacations and raise awareness for sustainable living. One grand prize winner will win a trip to Barbados, where they will get a personal tour of the Mount Gay Distillery....

Gathing your friends for a night out at a pub just got easier. Because now, you can rent an entire pub and sleep in it, too. The Poachers Arms, a converted pub-turned-rental in the village of Hope, England, is finally taking reservations from those hoping to escape last call forever. Courtesy of Sykes Cottages The converted pub and restaurant comes with nine double en-suite bedrooms, which can sleep up to 30 people total thanks to multiple bunk beds....

You’ve heard it here before: Travel can change the world. And in a year filled with bad news, it’s great to have something to celebrate. The 17 winners of Travel + Leisure’s 2009 Global Vision Awards—from the globe-spanning Walt Disney Corporation to a one-man tour company in South Africa—are transforming, in ways large and small, not only how we travel, but also the way we think about the world. Read on for the latest and best efforts at cultural preservation, environmental conservation, and community-building through tourism....

Looking for some good reads while you’re on the road? Here are some new travelogues written by travelers, for travelers. The Perfect Meal: In Search of the Lost Tastes of France, by John Baxter (On sale now, Harper Perennial Press). Following the 2010 decision by UNESCO to declare French formal dining a part of humanity’s “intangible cultural heritage,” Baxter journeys around the country to recreate the type of meal UNESCO deemed so significant....