With more than eight miles of coastline and consistently strong breaks, it's long been a magnet for surfers from around the world. However, the city's appeal goes beyond the water-it also has a walkable downtown, a charming namesake pier, and plentiful waterfront bars and restaurants.
Archaeologists estimate that fishers in Peru have been using the reed boats for approximately 3,500 years. Elaborate ceramics dating back to the sophisticated Moche culture (AD100-800) and the later Chimu civilisation (900-1470), depict figures astride the craft, which was called a tup in the now-extinct Mochica language. They are believed to be among the first crafts to be used for riding waves, possibly predating Polynesian proto-surfing in Hawaii.
West Palm Beach took Valentine's Day to another level this year with the Palm Tree Music Festival. The fest, which pops up in several locales worldwide throughout the year, made its inaugural stop in the Florida city on Feb. 14 with a lineup that included Bunt, Sofi Tukker, Kygo, and Calvin Harris. If you're worried that a one-day fest won't feel as big or spectacular as a major multiday music festival, don't.
For all its charms, this bump of land is most famous for a stunning amount of high-rated restaurants, making it a quirky food destination like no other. Folks are known to plan entire day trips around what's for supper, lunch, or breakfast - or all three, since time basically slips away upon arrival.
Worth Avenue and its surrounding streets have enjoyed an ongoing retail evolution over the years, with new and often bigger boutiques adding to Palm Beach's reputation as a designer enclave. As testament to the continued clout the area wields among global luxury brands, four beloved labels recently opened their doors on "the island," as residents discreetly refer to this town. Here, a look at the new kids on the block, arriving just in time for the season.
Albury Landing is a nine-bedroom estate located just 90 minutes south of Miami. The design-forward compound, available only for full buyouts, is spread across five coastal-chic structures: a four-bedroom main house, three standalone one-bedroom villas, and a two-bedroom residence, which, together, can accommodate up to 18 guests.
The weather this week looks ideal, with sunny to modestly sunny skies each day, temperatures in the mid-70s to low-80s. Evening temperatures should drop to around the 60s throughout the workweek. Winds should be relatively calm, and humidity will be moderate. Things could change a bit over the coming weekend, with chances of showers increasing Saturday night into Sunday. Conditions also will remain dry.
On Saturday, United States military forces carried out a dramatic strike in Venezuela that resulted in the capture and forcible removal of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They were flown to New York and are now in federal custody. Maduro appeared in federal court on drug and weapons charges and pleaded not guilty. Several governments, international legal experts and United Nations officials have described the military operation as an illegal kidnapping and a breach of international law.
For beachgoers hoping to unplug and enjoy the water, the sight of commercial messaging floating through the ocean adds another marketing channel to an already ad-filled world. From phone screens to gas station pumps to the open water, advertising follows consumers into spaces that once provided a break from daily life. This kind of aggressive marketing can encourage more unnecessary purchasing and consumption.
Miami is a hotbed for avant-garde fashion, design, and art, which is why people flock to the tip of the Florida peninsula every year to navigate the crowds at Art Basel and Design Miami. History buffs can explore architecture from the 1920s at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, stroll the Deering Estate house museum, or study up on Miami's urban and environmental design at the Coral Gables Museum.
For travelers looking to get to know the many-varied charms of the Golden State, discovering it through the best beaches in California is never a bad idea. The state's coastline spans a vast 3,427 miles after all. Among its 420 public beautiful beaches are plentiful opportunities to swim, lay out, look at tide pools, surf to your heart's content, or watch the sunset.
U-Haul ranked Florida as the No. 2 growth state for 2025, second only to Texas, according to its proprietary growth index that analyzed one-way customer moves from the past calendar year. The company said Florida climbed two spots from No. 4 in 2024. It was ranked No. 2 from 2021-23 and was the leading growth state in 2019. The year 2025 marked "11 consecutive years that Florida has been among the top four U-Haul growth states," the company said in a statement.
Many of the great wonders of the world, from iconic buildings to national parks, are preserved and open to the public, but some are tucked away on private land where only a few can enjoy them. One such wonder-a natural spring-fed lake just an hour north of New Orleans-opened to the public for the first time last summer, giving Louisianans and visitors access to a surreal, bright-blue lake lined with white sand beaches.
Global hospitality company IHG has planted a new flag on the Treasure Coast with Voco Sandpiper All-Inclusive Resort, now open in Port St. Lucie along the St. Lucie River. The hotel-IHG's first all-inclusive stay in the United States-debuted following a $50 million renovation that brought seven bars and restaurants, a waterfront infinity pool, and private marina access to the riverfront location.
Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first undersea park in the United States, remains one of the only places in Florida where you can snorkel or scuba dive among truly healthy coral. I've done the famed Christ of the Abyss dive here, finning through schools of blue tang and parrotfish grazing on brain coral, and it's one of the most awe-inducing underwater experiences in the state.
Stretching along Mexico's Pacific Coast 200 scenic miles north of Puerto Vallarta, the Riviera Nayarit is rich with pristine golden beaches, lush forests, and sunset views over the waters of the Bahía de Banderas. Resorts brands from Auberge and Four Seasons to Rosewood have planted their flags in recent years, but what makes this region most appealing has been here all along.
Peanut Island, or "the Nut" as locals call it, is one of South Florida's best-kept secrets. Once home to President Kennedy's Cold War bunker, the 79-acre island now feels more like a tropical escape than a historic site. It's just a short boat ride from Palm Beach, and about 75 miles north of Miami, but it may seem like you've landed in the Caribbean.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- If you're looking for more than just a boat ride, the Jungle Queen River Cruise in Fort Lauderdale delivers a full-blown tropical escape. This four-hour dinner cruise glides down the New River through Fort Lauderdale to the a "tropical isle." Floridas longest-running tourist attraction has been entertaining visitors since 1935, and its easy to see why.
Hotels in North GoaStay in Goa's vibrant north to be close to the party spots, new cafés and happening events. This area is home to the most popular beaches in Goa-Baga, Vagator, Candolim, Calangute, and Morjim-dotted with shacks, and offering water sports and adventure activities. Stay here for the flea markets, historic forts, nightlife and happenings bars, the live gigs and a variety of food.
I remember this as I wend my way from Brazil's colossus, São Paulo, to the coastal enclave of Paraty on the Costa Verde, driving through tunnels of Atlantic Forest that filter blinking bars of light. Floral scents surf on warm air through the open window. The legendary Afro-Brazilian singer-songwriter of the 1960s Tropicalismo genre, who went on to become Brazil's first culture minister to advocate for national diversity, has performed at festivals in Paraty.
As of February 2026, the island is offering those who can work remotely for companies outside of Sri Lanka the chance to apply for a year-long digital nomad visa, so here is everything you need to know about how to apply if you're eligible. Firstly, you need to be at least 18 years old and earning a minimum of €1,700 (or around $2,000) per month.
My forearms are throbbing, my feet are cramping and my eyes burn from the salty sting of the Atlantic Ocean. And yet I'm oddly euphoric, high on the rush of flying above the water, propelled by the wind. Around me, wings launch 10, even 20 feet in the air, like fireworks lighting up the sky. My wing zips around beneath them, my board barely hovering two feet above the sea - nowhere near as high as I'd like to be, but there's still time.