Driving Electric in Costa Rica Is Surprisingly Doable
Costa Rica’s 2018 law mandates fast chargers every 50 miles and offers tax breaks, propelling electric vehicles to represent about one in five new car sales. The country’s utilities typically install a single charger per site, but many units are unreliable according to PlugShare reviews. The author tested a BYD Yuan (SF1) priced around $30,000, noting that affordable Chinese models drive adoption at three times the U.S. rate. Rural roads and spotty infrastructure still pose challenges for long‑distance EV travel.
Jordanians Struggle as Mideast Wars Scare Tourists Away
Jordan’s tourism season has collapsed as regional wars drive visitors away, leaving the iconic site of Petra nearly empty. Camel owners who once catered to a steady stream of tourists report traffic at just 1% of pre‑conflict levels. Even after...
How Good Is Google’s Gemini AI at Making Travel Plans?
Google’s Gemini chatbot, paired with the new Ask Maps feature, was tested as a single‑app travel planner for a 14‑day trip to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and a future Hawaii vacation. The AI quickly assembled flight options, restaurant suggestions, and activity itineraries, reducing...
Iceland’s Pools and Hot Tubs Are Now UNESCO-Recognized. Some Locals Aren’t Thrilled.
Iceland’s pool and hot‑tub tradition has been inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list, spotlighting a niche that has long been a private pastime for locals. The country boasts roughly 150 public pools serving a population under 400,000, while welcoming...
What Travelers Need to Know About the EU’s New Biometric Border Checks
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (E.E.S.) launched this month, requiring biometric data—fingerprints and facial photos—at all Schengen border points. The rollout across 29 Schengen countries has triggered hours‑long queues at airports such as Milan, Paris and Amsterdam. Officials say the system...
Tight Curves and Wide Horizons: The Return of Highway 1
After a three‑year shutdown caused by a series of landslides that began in 2023, California’s iconic Highway 1 reopened on Feb. 14 2026, restoring the full 655‑mile coastal route. The closure had severed a 110‑mile segment north of the Big Creek Bridge, forcing drivers...
Where to Eat, Sleep and Shop in Ojai, California
Ojai, a 7,500‑person town nestled at the base of the Topatopa Mountains, is experiencing a cultural renaissance driven by an influx of artists and wellness entrepreneurs. Springtime draws visitors to its citrus orchards, farmer’s markets, and nearby swimming holes, while...
In the English Countryside, a Regency-Era Parsonage With a Walled Garden
The Newt’s owners in Somerset have completed the restoration of Yarlington Lodge, a Regency‑era parsonage turned luxury vacation rental that opens June 1 with rates from $14,250 a night and capacity for 32 guests. In New York, chef Hasung Lee and farmer...
Air New Zealand to Introduce ‘Skynest’ Sleep Pods on Some Long-Haul Flights
Air New Zealand will roll out its new Skynest sleeping pods on the airline’s flagship Auckland‑New York route in November. The bunk‑bed‑style pods give passengers a private, lie‑flat space for four hours at a fee of $495, on top of a...
Will the 2026 World Cup Bring Tourists Back to the U.S.?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring a record 48 teams, will be co‑hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Organizers hope the tournament will draw millions of international fans, but rising ticket prices, proposed social‑media border checks and lingering...
Southwest Airlines Imposes Further Limits on Portable Chargers on Flights
Southwest Airlines announced that, beginning April 20, each passenger may bring only one lithium‑battery powered portable charger on board. The airline also requires that any approved charger have a maximum output of 100 watts. The move follows a recent uptick...
European Airports Warn of Jet Fuel Shortages if Strait of Hormuz Remains Shut
Airports Council International Europe warned EU officials that prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger jet‑fuel shortages across the continent. The warning follows President Trump’s cease‑fire pact with Iran, yet tanker traffic remains well below pre‑conflict volumes. The...
TSA Lines Are Shorter. The World Cup and a Lengthy Shutdown Could Change That.
Security lines at U.S. airports have eased after President Trump signed an order retroactively paying TSA agents who went weeks without wages during the ongoing partial government shutdown. The agency has been shut down for more than half of the...
Popeye the Art Icon
Casa Laveni, a boutique hotel housed in a 19th‑century Milan palazzo, opened on April 12 with 30 rooms, five of which feature private garden terraces and rates starting at $520 per night. In New York, the Martin Wong: Popeye exhibition opened at...
What Does an Ultra-Luxury First Class Ticket Get You? Flying in a Frictionless Bubble.
Air France’s La Première ultra‑luxury first‑class service turns a trans‑Atlantic flight into a frictionless bubble, beginning with a Mercedes limousine pick‑up and ending with a personal customs escort at JFK. The cabin features a 6‑ft‑6‑in bed, floor‑to‑ceiling curtains, and a...
Tips for Renting an RV: Cost, Packing and More
RV rentals are experiencing a boom, with peer‑to‑peer platform RVshare reporting a near tenfold increase in business since the pre‑COVID era. Two‑thirds of its customers are first‑time renters, drawn by the freedom and comfort of mobile lodging. Daily rates vary...
5 Hidden Guesthouses in the Heart of Rome
Rome’s Catholic network offers roughly 350 modest guesthouses, many tucked into historic convents and monasteries. One standout, Casa di Santa Brigida, sits in a 15th‑century palace near Campo de’ Fiori and charges €120 (about $138) per night for a simple,...
London Gardens, From the Royal to the ‘Secret’
London’s garden scene blends iconic royal parks with a network of lesser‑known green oases, offering visitors a mix of historic landscapes and modern designs. Highlights include the world‑renowned Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Garden Museum’s exhibition of vintage horticultural tools,...
Silence and Sand Dunes on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast
Travel writer Ginanne Brownell recounts a solitary sunrise on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, where towering dunes reach 100 meters and the Atlantic wind creates an almost deafening silence. She describes the stark beauty of the shifting sands, the eroded shipwreck skeletons, and...
Don’t Know Where to Go This Summer? Let Us Help!
T Magazine’s Getaway Guide invites readers to share their ideal summer vacation plans by April 10, promising personalized destination recommendations from editor Deborah Dunn in May. The series, which has previously spotlighted locales such as Arles, France, and Puerto Escondido, Mexico, blends editorial expertise...
Travel Influencers Share Destinations So Good That They Returned
Travel influencers are increasingly revisiting destinations they initially found underwhelming, discovering deeper cultural resonance on subsequent trips. Veteran creators like Enrique Alex Garde and the 84‑year‑old duo Eleanor Hamby and Sandra Hazelip illustrate how repeat visits transform perceptions and inspire...
In Borneo, Malaysia, Experience Rawness and Luxury
Travel writer highlights Malaysia’s emerging eco‑luxury niche, focusing on a high‑end rainforest lodge in Borneo’s Danum Valley and comparable beachfront resorts on Langkawi. The piece notes Malaysia welcomed more than 42 million visitors last year, outpacing Thailand while retaining a less...
Where to Eat, Sleep and Shop in Arles, France
Arles, a Provençal city on the Rhône, blends Roman ruins with a burgeoning contemporary art scene. Iconic sites such as the ancient amphitheater sit alongside the Van Gogh Foundation and the newly completed Luma Arles cultural complex designed by Frank Gehry. The travel...
In Sleepy Town on Strait of Hormuz, War Rages Just Over Horizon
In Khasab, Oman, residents watch the Strait of Hormuz from a tranquil beach while a regional war unfolds. Iran has effectively choked the narrow waterway, disrupting the flow of roughly one‑fifth of global oil. The United States and Israel have...
At Non-TSA Airports, Wait Times Are Minutes, Not Hours
During the ongoing TSA federal shutdown, a handful of U.S. airports that rely on private security contractors—namely San Francisco International, Kansas City International, and Sarasota International—have kept average security wait times under ten minutes, with SFO even dipping below one minute...
War in Iran Is Disrupting Air Travel, Hitting Middle East Hardest
War in Iran has sharply disrupted global air travel, with jet fuel prices roughly doubling after the Strait of Hormuz blockage. Airlines worldwide are raising fares and fuel surcharges, exemplified by Air France and KLM’s $58 increase on long‑haul tickets....
5 Country Hotels Where You Can Celebrate Spring
Five newly opened or renovated country hotels are highlighted for spring travel, ranging from an 18th‑century inn in New Hampshire to a Danish‑designed pavilion in upstate New York and a mountain resort in Austria. Each property emphasizes outdoor pursuits such...
How the Iran War Narrowed Flight Corridors Between Europe and Asia
The Iran‑Israel conflict prompted Azerbaijan to shut part of its airspace, shrinking the Europe‑Asia corridor to a 50‑mile bottleneck. With Ukraine‑related restrictions already limiting northern routes, airlines now rely on only two viable long‑haul paths: through Azerbaijan‑Georgia‑Turkey and via Saudi...
Tunisia’s Capital Is Captivating a New Generation of Travelers
Tunis is experiencing a cultural surge as tourism rebounds toward pre‑pandemic levels, with 6.4 million visitors recorded in 2022. Visa‑free entry for the US, Canada and most EU nations, coupled with a favorable exchange rate, makes the city an affordable destination....
Alaska Airlines and FedEx Planes Narrowly Avoid Each Other at Newark Airport
A near‑miss occurred at Newark Liberty International Airport when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 and a FedEx Boeing 777 approached intersecting runways simultaneously. Air traffic control instructed the Alaska pilot to abort the landing after the FedEx cargo plane received clearance for...
I Taught My Son Everything, Except How to Take a Vacation
Freelance journalist Taffy Brodesser‑Akner realized her son Ezra had never experienced a true vacation, only work‑related trips she took for reporting. As she prepared to send him off to college, she reflected on how financial constraints forced her to combine...
Useful Local Travel Apps to Download Before You Go Abroad
Travelers often discover that familiar U.S. apps like Uber and Lyft either don’t operate or are overpriced abroad. Local alternatives such as Bolt, FreeNow, and region‑specific navigation or dining platforms can offer better rates and availability. Expert Cara Laban, founder...
Alex Honnold, Famed Free-Solo Climber, Shares 5 Favorite Nevada Spots
Alex Honnold, the legendary free‑solo climber, stars in a new five‑part Outside TV series, "Get a Little Out There With Alex Honnold," showcasing his five favorite Nevada locations. The show follows Honnold as he climbs, runs, bikes, and explores ghost...
Dreaming of a Budget Version of a Private Island? Tobacco Caye Fits the Bill.
Tobacco Caye Paradise on Belize’s tiny island offers beachfront cabanas for just over $100 a night, meals included, but without air‑conditioning, hot water, or reliable power. The resort’s no‑frills model contrasts sharply with luxury private‑island properties that charge upwards of...
My Mother’s Dying Wish Took Me on a Trip I’ll Never Forget
Maggie Shipstead’s memoir recounts a poignant Antarctic voyage taken with her mother, who was battling leukemia, fulfilling a final wish to experience the continent’s stark beauty. The trip, her third to Antarctica, blended personal loss with the awe of remote...
Tips for Sightseeing During Your Next Flight Layover
Travelers are turning long layovers into micro‑vacations, using airport‑run tours and quick city connections to squeeze in cultural experiences. The article highlights a seven‑hour Seoul layover, showcasing a Korean barbecue meal and a palace guard ceremony as examples of high‑impact...
Airport Security Workers to Miss Paycheck as Shutdown Drags On
The federal government entered its second consecutive shutdown on February 14, 2026 after Congress failed to agree on a funding bill that ties Department of Homeland Security appropriations to reforms of Immigration and Customs Enforcement practices. While the agency’s immigration...
In a Historic Kyoto Neighborhood, a New Hotel Channels the Past
Capella Kyoto opens March 22, blending traditional machiya architecture with modern luxury and a courtyard featuring a Kara‑hafu gable. The hotel partners with SingleThread’s three‑Michelin‑star team for the SoNoMa restaurant, offering a menu that fuses Kyoto sensibilities with Northern California...
Trump Administration Restarts Global Entry Program
The Department of Homeland Security reactivated the Global Entry trusted traveler program at 5 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, ending a brief pause caused by a partial DHS shutdown. The suspension, announced in late February, had also affected TSA PreCheck as...
Is a Private-Island Paradise in Turks and Caicos Worth the Price? I Went to Find Out.
The New York Times travel piece chronicles a four‑day stay on Pine Cay, an 800‑acre private island off Turks and Caicos that hosts roughly 40 exclusive homes and a high‑end beachfront resort. The author describes the ultra‑luxury experience, from rapid boat...
How to Create Your Own Affordable Wellness Vacation
Wellness travel is booming, now worth about $1 trillion and projected to hit $4 trillion by 2029. The market is split between high‑tech, luxury retreats and low‑cost, culturally rooted experiences such as Icelandic geothermal pools and Irish seaweed baths. Travelers can save...
MSC Steps Up to Return Cruise Passengers Stranded in Dubai
MSC, the world’s third‑largest cruise line, began repatriating stranded guests after the Strait of Hormuz closure left six ships immobilized in the Persian Gulf. The company chartered seven flights and secured commercial seats, moving more than 1,500 passengers from the...
The Allure of Traveling to the French Riviera in the Winter
The French Riviera, traditionally a summer hotspot, is gaining attention as a winter destination thanks to its mild Mediterranean climate and rich cultural heritage. Visitor numbers drop to roughly one‑third of the summer peak, allowing travelers to enjoy historic towns...
After ‘Priceless’ Violin Flies on Lap, Lufthansa Changes Carry-On Rules
Lufthansa’s cabin‑size policy forced German violinist Carolin Widmann to purchase an extra seat for her 1782 Guadagnini violin after staff deemed the case too long for the overhead bin. The multimillion‑dollar instrument was wrapped in a sweater and held on...
A Crisis in the Alps: Airbnb, Climate Change and Americans
In the French Alps, short‑term rentals now occupy half of all beds, creating seasonal vacancy cycles known as “lits froids.” Airbnb listings have surged from 38,000 in 2019 to 72,000 in 2025, making France its second‑largest market after the United States....
From the French Riviera to Kyoto, Japan, 5 New Luxury Hotels
Five new luxury hotels are set to debut worldwide, ranging from a restored 350‑year‑old palace in India to boutique properties on the French Riviera and in Utah. The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace in Khajuraho has been transformed into a 65‑room resort...
Americans Flock to Japan’s Ski Country for Good Snow and Delicious Food
Americans are increasingly traveling to Hokkaido, Japan, to escape poor snow conditions at U.S. resorts and enjoy abundant “Japow” powder. The island’s ski areas, including Niseko United’s four resorts, receive up to 50 feet of snowfall each year thanks to cold...
Traveling This Weekend? Here’s What to Know About the Snowstorm.
A major winter storm is set to hit the Northeast on Sunday and Monday, bringing blizzard‑like conditions and widespread travel disruptions. Major airports from Boston to Washington, D.C., including JFK, LaGuardia, Logan, Dulles, and Reagan, have warned of significant delays....
A Floating Sauna With Mountain Views
In Queenstown, New Zealand, Watershed launched a floating sauna that blends traditional Finnish steam with lake‑side thermal contrast, accommodating up to 20 guests across communal and private cabins. In Mexico City, Casa Bosques expanded its hospitality arm, Pension, adding seven uniquely designed...
Little Houses on the Icelandic Prairie
Parisian fashion entrepreneur Djamel Cheboub launched Harmony, a two‑cabin retreat on Iceland’s southern coast offering glass‑walled lodges, private saunas and hot tubs at $800 per night, emphasizing slow, nature‑focused travel. The piece also commemorates photographer Martin Parr, whose posthumous memoir...