Travel

Travel

There's nothing like the post-Christmas slump to spur on some future travel plans.

My friend Kim, a Premier 1K United member, included me as a companion on her booking for our vacation to Washington last summer. We enjoyed an upgrade to first during one of the flights, and over an extremely generous pour of Champagne, she schooled me on what I was missing by not picking a team. Of course, I was familiar with benefits like an earlier boarding group, the potential for complimentary seat upgrades, and lounge access if you reach a certain level.

We all have our little tricks and tips for getting through the day-but what about when that day requires tackling a whole lot of logistics in a short amount of time? Getting from Point A to Point B by train, plane, car, or public transportation is always prone to mishaps and moments requiring quick-thinking pivots. And the truth is, you can never have enough tools in your box to help make the act of traveling a little bit easier on the body and brain.

At its heart is the Funnel Suite, a four-level floating residence housed inside the yacht's funnel. Spanning more than 9,600 square feet, it features panoramic wraparound windows, a private plunge pool, a high-ceiling living room, and an internal elevator that make it feel more like a penthouse than stateroom. There are 11 dining options on board, each as refined as Four Seasons' land-based properties. Wellness options are equally robust, with a full spa, open-air treatment rooms, and private in-suite services.

Very doable, it turns out. It felt surprisingly similar to a normal couple of days of work - I answered emails, filed stories, and chatted with my editor - but with the added novelty of daily life on the train. I made it to Chicago without any flight delays or airport traffic, and without using up any PTO on travel time. And the views from my "desk" could not be beat.

A luxury retreat is taking the guest experience to new heights. Famed Utah resort Amangiri will launch private flights to neighboring national parks for guests, making it easier to take in some of the region's most amazing natural sites, a spokesperson for Amangiri shared with Travel + Leisure. Guests of the resort will have the option to book a visit to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, or Capitol Reef National Park. With these private jet flights, travelers will have the opportunity to visit each of the " Mighty 5" national parks in Utah as well as plan a trip to Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona during their stay.

Housed in a bespoke armoire at least six feet tall, it is filled with curated delights of every kind. Mine, for instance, was stocked with an expansive tea selection requisite of a non-coffee-drinker, as well as a host of healthy-ish snack options, like pea chips and protein bars (though I couldn't resist the gourmet Turkish delight or gummy bears either).

As the sun descends behind the Sierra de la Giganta mountains, I join the end-of-day procession to Loreto Bay National Park, a protected marine area in the Sea of Cortez. Fisherfolk, families, and out-of-towners stroll the Malecón, a mile-long esplanade that traces the water, watching as the sea turns the same sherbet hues as the evening sky. Seabirds dive-bomb for their dinner, and when a gray whale spouts remarkably close to shore, I hear myself gasp.

"Romantic" is certainly a subjective term. A long-distance hike through the mountains, with chilly nights spent in a two-person tent, might be a recipe for romance for some but a nightmare trip for others. You may swoon at the idea of a romantic theater weekend amid the glittering lights of a metropolis, while your boo just envisions taxi exhaust, surly crowds, show tunes, and overpriced cocktails.

I invited a small group of close friends, ordered a round and let the night unfold without expectations. No theme, no outfit planning and definitely no after-party. This was not my usual approach. I typically mark birthdays with intention and spectacle, but this year I wanted quiet. I wanted something that didn't require logistics, spreadsheets or a credit card statement I'd be afraid to open.

The suitcase measures 22 inches tall, 14 inches wide, and 9 inches deep, which meets the carry-on size requirements for Delta, United, and American. This means you can avoid overpriced baggage fees and worrying about fitting it in overhead compartments. Made of ABS and polycarbonate, it's no wonder a happy buyer said it's "very durable." One reviewer who's owned the suitcase for a year said it's "been with me on over 30 trips," adding that it's "holding up very well," with another shopper echoing that it still "looks brand new" after several trips. A third person gave it their stamp of approval after taking it on a "28-day trip" with "lots of train rides and cobbled streets."

"We heard you, Hilo," Adam Decaire, Southwest's Airlines senior vice president of network planning and network operations control, said in a statement. "Las Vegas is important to you, and you're important to us. This service gets you faster to family and fun in Nevada where you also can access easy connections on Southwest to many of the 75 places that we serve nonstop from Las Vegas with as many 272 departures a day."

Park Hyatt Cabo del Sol has officially opened, marking the brand's debut in Mexico. The Baja California property stretches along the coastline of Cabo del Sol, featuring 163 rooms, including 88 suites and three private villas. The Los Cabos resort was designed by Mexican architect and interior designer Sordo Madaleno, alongside Paulina Morán and George Wong Design. Madaleno drew inspiration from historic Mexican architecture, reinterpreting courtyards, arcades, water features, and timber structures with a modern touch.

When I moved as a college student, I was going to college in Oregon, and they had a great sister school program with Tokyo International University. It was just a six-month exchange program, and then I went back to the US. After college, I did an MBA, and once I finished, I learned that there was a program for being a civil servant in Japan where you would facilitate exchange between your home country and Japan, work with nonprofits, and do translating.

Indeed, the iguana families permanently vacationing on the 14-acre property are just one of many refreshing reasons this palm-dotted resort stands out. The hotel is in the final stage of a transformational, multi-year, multi-million-dollar renovation (light sleepers rejoice, the heavy lifting is over), with updates including a lineup of brand-new restaurants, an upgraded pool with swim-up bar, and expanded recreational facilities.

For those of us who aren't scientists or daring expeditioners, it's hard to imagine what the polar desert of Antarctica is really like. We chalk it up to temperatures well below freezing, endless icy terrains, and life only in the form of penguins, seals, and humpback whales. Across the vast majority of the continent's 5.5 million square miles, this is the reality.

Ski and snow may be far from your mind as you savour the last days of summer, but if you're thinking of attending the 2026 Winter Olympics in northern Italy come February, there's no time to waste. With the right planning, it's still possible to be a part of the action this winter - where you can hear skis slide across the snow, and the sweet scrape of skates on ice, as over 90 nations compete for medals.

Switzerland has always been a dream for skiers, but access to its best mountains just keeps getting better. From the glacier-high terrain around Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis to the wide-open bowls of Verbier 4 Vallées, the Swiss Alps are leaning into a new era of convenience and variety, with plush slope-side hotels, world-class spas, and cozy restaurants ranging from rustic to sleek. And the expansion of major multi-resort passes- Epic Pass now offers days at Verbier and Andermatt,

For decades, Lago del Turano has been a cool, cleansing haven for Romans desperate to escape the city's oppressive summer heat. The picture-perfect retreat is a mere 70 km from Rome by car, yet its beauty and allure remain a mystery, untapped by tourist hordes. Tucked into Italy's Apennine mountain range and 536m above sea level, Lago del Turano ticks all the boxes: charming medieval villages (complete with industrious nonnas), soaring green mountain ranges, regional food served by friendly restaurateurs,

No matter my destination, a versatile pair of walking sneakers is always the first shoe on my packing list. I took these slip-on sneakers with me to Chicago in March, and they've accompanied me on pretty much every getaway since, becoming one of the most-reached-for shoes in my collection. What sets these Oprah-approved sneakers apart is their smart, travel-friendly design: they slide on and off with ease, yet feature a sleek leather upper with bungee laces that give them a more polished look.

In 1971, French marine biologist Jacques Cousteau sailed his boat Calypso to Belize's Great Blue Hole, the world's largest marine sinkhole, and named it one of the world's top dive sites-a level of renown elevated by his grandson, Fabien, when he partnered with Richard Branson to explore its depths in 2018. While the submersible expedition didn't resolve any Mayan mysteries or leviathanic myths, it did highlight the country's natural beauty and commitment to protecting it.

In the past, not that many hotels planted their roots in Miami's North Beach, where private homes, condos, and low-rise buildings have kept the neighborhood's residential vibe. As someone accustomed to buzzy South Beach, North Beach felt like the unaffected counterpart, quieter and far less commercialized, with the beach steps away. So, as I arrived in Maison Felix, it was like stepping into a tucked-away gem.

It's about a five-hour drive from Akron to South Bend. Things get a little tricky on the outskirts of Cleveland, but after that you just stick to I-80. I stopped for gas and a Subway sandwich and reached my brother's apartment around two in the afternoon. He lived in an old hotel, which had been dolled up and turned into residential units.

As someone who vets Amazon deals for a living, I've learned two universal truths: there is always a hidden gem buried in the chaos of holiday shopping, and nothing motivates quite like realizing Christmas is basically tomorrow. Luckily, Amazon's first-ever Super Saturday sale is here to save procrastinators everywhere. It's a one-day-only event packed with genuinely good last-minute gifts - many of which can still arrive in time for Christmas, depending on your location.

The flight, operated by Loganair, is recognized as the shortest scheduled flight in the world by the Guinness World Records, which explained that, including taxiing, the flight takes two minutes, and the total distance flown is "less than either of the runways at Heathrow Airport, London, U.K.." And while the airline's famed captain, Stuart Linklater, announced his retirement from the route in 2013, he still holds the record for fastest flight flown on the route at a mere 53 seconds.