This winter, why not trade snow and cold for sun and sand as you sail around the Caribbean? Pristine beaches and bustling ports await when you disembark, while the ships themselves offer thrilling water slides, cozy reading lounges, and so much more. Whatever your idea of relaxation, and whatever your budget, these winter cruises offer the best floating getaways you can find right now. —Zachary Laks
There’s no better place to celebrate Christmas than by the side of a festively trimmed and glowing evergreen. The tradition of decorating and transforming trees into holiday works of art dates back to sixteenth-century Germany. Since then, advances in design and technology have made way for some remarkable achievements in Christmas tree décor. With trees that tower well over 100 feet, and some that are adorned with miles of lights, take note of the ten most awe-inspiring Christmas trees across the country this year. —Zachary Laks
Like Christmas cards sprung to life, some of America's towns go all out for the holidays. From coast to coast, these communities go to great lengths to make the season bright by decking out their streets with twinkling lights by the thousands—or even millions. In these towns, window decorations, holiday markets, and towering Christmas trees all make for a very festive December. Here are the ten U.S. towns with incredilbe Christmas celebrations. —Zachary Laks
Deck the halls with boughs of holly—or better yet, take a break this year and let somebody else do the work. The Christmas season brings out the best in hotel resorts around the country, as festive décor enhances warm, welcoming environments. This year, pack up the family and celebrate the holidays in the charm and comfort of one of the ten best Christmas-season resorts in the U.S. With gigantic Christmas trees, light shows, and even slides made of ice, a stay at one of these resorts guarantees a very merry Christmas indeed!
By Zachary Laks
Ice skating is the quintessential winter pastime. When temperatures drop below zero, Americans lace up their skates and take to the rink. Visitors can glide across the Rockefeller Center’s renowned rink, or take in views of the Pacific Ocean at San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado. Whether the backdrop is palm trees or skyscrapers, rinks across the country offer unique experiences to fit every traveler. Here are our picks for the best ice skating venues in the United States.
By Emily Wasserman
'Tis the season for holiday shopping, so we've done the legwork and rounded up this year's best books for the travelers on your list: novels, anthologies, cookbooks, photography collections, and other new releases that are all page-turners in their own right. These 54 outstanding titles would make fine additions to any coffee table, beach bag, carry-on, or kitchen shelf. And if you're looking for shopping inspiration beyond books, check out our main gift guide. —Michael Alan Connelly
With the rise of the New Nordic cuisine, it's Copenhagen that's gotten most of the love. But exciting culinary things are happening in Stockholm, too. In fact, with a focus on the freshest ingredients, including tons of exquisite seafood, it's rare to have a bad meal in this town. Sure, you'll often pay handsomely for the privilege—but check out our guide, below, for the best of the city's high-end and cheap eats.
Food Halls
In Stockholm, don't miss the market halls. These old-fashioned proto-supermarkets contain kiosks selling every kind of food: baked goods, cheeses, raw meat, charcuterie, produce, and of course, fish. Most of them also have some quick-service grub stalls and even a few sit-down restaurants. Ostermalms Saluhall is the best known example, though it's by no means only for tourists. For a taste of one of Sweden's most typical dishes, creamy, lemony shrimp-topped toast Skagen, garnished with dill and often fish roe, grab a seat a Lisa Elmqvist.
K25, in the center of town, is a contemporary take on this concept. Sometimes called "the hipster food court" by locals, it offers 11 fast-casual eating options, with communal seating. You'll find everything from Beijing-style dumplings to traditional Swedish seafood to panini, burgers, or sushi.
The underground Hötorgshallen hall is another don't-miss, mainly because of one amazing lunch option. While you'll find plenty of great stalls offering everything from hummus to veggie burgers, only Kajsas Fisk sells "world famous" (according to its website, anyway) fish soup. The hearty stew, swimming with seafood and adorned with a generous dollop of cream, lives up to the hype; it's a bargain lunch at around $11, including unlimited salad and bread.
Exciting Restaurants
Trendy, lively B.A.R. has a pared-down industrial vibe with lots of big windows and natural light. Fresh seafood is the specialty here; you can even walk up to a fish counter setup and pick out your protein. Oysters are top-notch and sides are served family-style. The seafood platter appetizer is a great way to taste the specialties of the Baltic Sea, with langoustine, crab, herring with all the fixings, and incredibly fresh head-on baby shrimp. For dessert, the blueberry pancake is a nice fusion of American and Nordic comfort.
Michelin one-starred Gastrologik makes seasonal Swedish produce the focus, which doesn't mean you won't enjoy ridiculously high-quality meat and seafood as well. Make reservations a few months in advance and prepare for an 18-course parade of deliciousness in a warm, minimalist dining room. If $150 for that experience sounds a bit dear, you might prefer more-casual Speceriet, next door, by the same owner. The a la carte menu features dishes like roast chicken and a tarte-flambee with anchovies; no reservations needed here.
The restaurant of the moment may be Lilla Ego, a neighborhood favorite in Vasatan where two accomplished young chefs serve unfussy Swedish food in a casual, cozy dining room with bare wooden tables and exposed brick. Dishes like steak with root veggies and foie gras or mushrooms with chicken, dill and truffles reliably draw a crowd. Make your reservation well in advance or show up at 5pm, when the place opens, and hope for the best.
Famed chef Mathias Dahlgren has several concepts at the historic Grand Hotel, including the double-Michelin-starred Matsalen. A bit more accessible price- and seat-wise is Matbaren, which holds a few counter seats nightly for walk-ins, in case you haven't planned ahead. The menu at both spots is always extremely seasonal—produce, seafood, is served only at the most optimal time of year.
Much-loved Oaxen began life on Stockholm's archipelago and moved to its current waterside location two years ago. It's two restaurants in one (sense a trend?), including the bistro-style Slip on the ground floor, with a huge wall of windows and patio seating in warm months. The modern Swedish menu is hearty and uncomplicated: house-smoked and cured meats, deep-fried seafood, duck breast with chanterelles. Upstairs at the two-Michelin-starred Krog, it's a different story: On the 6- or 10-course tasting menus you'll find some of the same ingredients, prepared much more elaborately. If you don't want to head back to central Stockholm after your meal, hole up at Oaxen's hotel, the Prince Van Orangiën, an adorable B&B on a boat docked across from the restaurant (open seasonally from April 1 to November 30), where the elaborate and fully homemade breakfast is hard to top.
Affordable Eats
Fika is an institution in Sweden. The somewhat hard-to-translate concept is basically coffee and pastries with pals; that's where the quintessential Swedish pastry, the cinnamon bun, comes in.
You'll find these treats all over the city in various forms (usually more of bready bun than the icing-topped dessert you may be picturing), but the award for biggest buns goes to Cafe Saturnus, which is also just a charming local hangout great for breakfast, lunch or coffee.
You can't leave Sweden without trying the meatballs—the ones in the homeland are 10 times better than IKEA's. If you have a place to heat up food, Meatballs for the People in trendy Sodermalm sells takeout balls, sauce, and sides quite affordably from a refrigerated case. If not, settle into one of their tables to dine on the flavorful, hearty house specialty, cooked to order. Reservations are a good idea if you plan to dine in, since the place is super popular.
Before food trucks became a thing, there was the Herring Wagon, still a favorite across all social strata for workaday favorites like fried herring on rye bread. The cart is recognizable by its bright-yellow fish-shaped sign, and it parks conveniently at Slussen, where Södermalm and Gamla stan, not to mention tons of transit lines, converge. An open-face herring sandwich will run you under $5, while the works—herring, mashed potatoes, lingonberry, and other accoutrements—rings in at less than $9.
Vegetarians and bargain lovers should definitely hit up Hermans, a beloved local institution with an eclectic meatless buffet that runs about $20 on evenings and weekends and just $13-ish for weekday lunch The creative cooking roves from Asian to Indian to European cuisines, with tons of options at all times. In warm months, grab a seat on the terraced patio outside for incredible views of the harbor.
'Tis the season for holiday shopping, so we've done the legwork and rounded up this year's best gifts for the travelers on your list. Whether you're looking for the latest travel gadgets, top-shelf spirits amd tasty treats from around the world, or something that can make journeys more comfortable, you'll find everything you need right here. —Michael Alan Connelly
After the Thanksgiving feast, there’s a sweet beginning to the holiday weekend: Black Friday and Cyber Monday are when hotels and resorts around the world slash their rates as high as 90%. Whether you’re ready for a beach vacation in Barbados, drooling over the possibility of a spa retreat in Costa Rica, or looking to go somewhere new in the U.S., here are this year's best Black Friday/Cyber Monday travel deals.
• The Resort at Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas normally costs around $1,000 per night in winter, making the property’s Cyber Monday deal (valid between November 27–30) of 30%–40% off a win. While this deal is only good June 15–October 15, 2016 (and on three-night-minimum stays), that’s still a good time to check out Cabo.
• With eight all-inclusive resorts in Mexico (including Cancun and Isla Mujeres), the Cyber Monday deal from Palace Resorts yields up to 50% off rates for travel between December 1, 2015, and June 9, 2016, so long as you’ve got a three-night-minimum stay. Bonus: all are on the beach.
• On Black Friday, Solmar Hotels & Resorts—a collection of six properties throughout Los Cabos, Mexico, including Grand Solmar Land’s End—will discount rates by up to 64%. The catch is that you have to travel by December 26, 2015.
• Save 35% off rates, bringing the nightly cost down to $100+, through Casa Palopo’s Cyber Monday sale (mention Cyber Monday when booking through reservations@casapalopo.com). This is good for trips to the Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, property between May 1 and July 3, 2016, and August 28–October 28, 2016.
• At Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort in Costa Rica, Cyber Monday rates are 50% off (which translates to $150). Book on the resort’s website using promo code CYMO and start planning your trip (for August 21–December 17, 2016, only).
• How does $99 a night sound—in the Bahamas? That’s what Grand Lucayan’s Black Friday (bookable between November 27–December 4, 2015) rate is—50% off normal rates. This is for travel of at least three consecutive nights between November 27, 2015, and September 1, 2016
• This is a deal you really have to pay attention to—but the savings are huge. Tortuga Bay at Puntacana Resort & Club, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, is offering the first 10 callers (to 888-442-2262) at 10 am Eastern Daylight Time on Cyber Monday $100 rates on Junior Suites. Normally these cost $1,000, so you save 90%. Your first night is $100, additional nights $300, still 30% off, and your trip must be between August 26 and September 4, 2016.
• Barbados beckons with this deal at Tamarind. Rates fall to $218, which is 55% off normal prices, if you book online on Cyber Monday using promo code "CYBER1." Travel dates must be between December 1–22, 2015; January 3–April 17, 2016; and June 1–October 22, 2016.
• The “Let’s Cyber” Cyber Monday deal from Dream Hotels NYC breaks down like this. For reservations made on Cyber Monday, rooms at the newly renovated Dream Midtown will go for $99. Your trip must be between December 20–25, 2015, and January 1–March 31, 2016. Book on the hotel’s website using promo code "THANKS."
• Just when you thought Sin City couldn’t get any more affordable, Palms Casino Resort rolls out the promise of $35 rates for bookings between November 30 and December 4. And you don’t have to wait until a blistering hot summer day to cash it in. This is for travel dates between December 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016. Book the deal using promo code "CYBER15."
• The number “96” is key here, when booking a stay through Boston’s Hotel Commonwealth on Cyber Monday. There are 96 rooms, the rate is $96 (60% savings) and it’s bookable for just 96 minutes (11:30 am–1:06 pm EDT) on Cyber Monday. Also: the rate is good between December 15, 2015, and March 19, 2016. Use promo code "96new."
• Minneapolis might be cold during the winter but it’s also packed with culture, as well as the country’s largest shopping mall. Bunk at two boutique hotels—W Minneapolis—The Foshay or Le Meridien Chambers Minneapolis—for only $89, which is 50% off, with the Cyber Monday promotion. Travel dates for both properties are November 23, 2015, through September 6, 2016.
• Staying in a new hotel is priceless—and this new Phoenix property (The Camby, set to open next month) is enticing travelers with 30% off rates if booked on Black Friday. Also thrown in: a $30 credit to spend on property at Artizen, The Bee’s Knees or Revelry Rooftop Bar. Travel dates are between December 2015 and September 5, 2016.
• It may seem like too soon to think about the Hamptons, but why not lock in a springtime jaunt now? Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina in Montauk is offering 25% off on Cyber Monday (for stays between March and June of 2016) while Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa’s rates will be discounted by 30% for bookings on Cyber Monday. Bonus: Gurney’s rates on private oceanfront cottages spike to 50% off between 1–2 p.m. EDT. This is for trips between December 2, 2015, and April 30, 2016.
• A weekend in Miami during winter? Yes, please! JW Marriott Miami, which is in the city’s Brickell neighborhood, has 25%-off rates if booked between November 27 and 30. (Marriott Rewards Members get 30% off.) There are no restrictions on days of the week other than this is based on availability.
• Snag a room across the street from the beach at Shore Hotel in Santa Monica for less dough—thanks to 30% off rates (for a partial ocean-view room) during the hotel’s Cyber Monday sale. Note that actual sale dates are November 30–December 2, and that the trip must be between December 1, 2015, and February 28, 2016.
• Hard Rock Hotel San Diego’s $99 rooms are bookable between November 27 and 30 as a Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal—but that’s not all. Five lucky people will get upgraded for free to a Rock Star Suite, of which there are 17. Use promo code "BF2015."
• At another San Diego property—Rancho Bernardo Inn—rates fall 50% if you reserve a room between November 27 and 30. Although it’s a tight travel window (through January 7, 2016, only), three pools and a spa await on property.
• If you don’t already have the Expedia.com app, this is a reason to get it. The company’s Black Friday offer promises 75% off at select hotels for travel between November 27, 2015, and March 31, 2016. Then, the deal deepens. On Cyber Monday, 90% off select hotels is the situation, with four new hotels every hour between 9 am and 3 pm PDT.
• Barcelo Hotels and Resorts (with 100 properties across ninetten countries, including Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Turkey, Spain and Costa Rica), this chain is rolling back prices by up to 60% between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Have you visited any of America’s barrier islands? These skinny island chains run parallel to the mainland are most are well worth exploring year-round. The island dunes are often beautifully rugged places that protect our mainland coastline from battering storms and everyday erosion. Since these islands get the brunt of ocean waves and storm systems, they evolve constantly—sometimes even being split in two by particularly devastating hurricanes. Barrier islands protect only 13 percent of the world’s coastlines, and many of those islands are located right here in the United States. If you want to visit some of the globe’s most stunning beaches, head to one of these recommended barrier islands and leave your passport at home. —Andrea M. Rotondo
Escape the dreary cold this winter and seek the thrills of one of summer’s greatest highlights: amusement parks. These fantastic parks offer the best fun in the sun year-round. Indoor parks, mega resort complexes, and smaller boutique amusement parks all bring a new flair for the 2015-16 season. Pack your sunscreen and get your shorts out of storage as you prepare to go to new heights this winter.
By Zachary Laks
A message from our Editor in Chief, Arabella Bowen:
When I’m in Paris, I feel like a different person. There’s a poetry to speaking French that utterly changes the way I think. Plus, the city itself is a visual feast: The French appreciation for beauty extends to the smallest details, including their lavish window treatments. To wit: When window shopping, the French say “Je vais faire du lèche vitrine”—literally, I’m going to lick the window.
My mother spent formative years in Paris in her twenties. As well as insisting I learn French as a child, she instilled in me a deep love of the city. I’ve been going at least once a year for as long as I can remember. And even when I'm in Paris, I'm usually thinking about when I can return to Paris.
The shocking attacks on Friday affected me deeply, as they did so many of us around the world. I could picture the streets where the shootings took place (two of my favorite restaurants, Clamato and Septime, are neighbors of La Belle Equipe on rue Charonne). My family had planned to spend the holidays in Paris this year. The first thing we did, after checking that everyone we knew there was safe, was ask ourselves if we were still going. It was quickly and unanimously decided that we would not cancel our plans. Where before we were going for the sheer love of the place, now we are also going in a show of solidarity.
Fodor’s readers love Paris, too—and have expressed similar sentiments. Many of them, including some who are there right now, have been sharing their reactions to the attacks, their feelings about the city, and their thoughts on future travel plans on our forums all weekend. You can join their conversation here.
The fact that Paris was attacked a day after Beirut, often called the Paris of the East, was not lost on me. I made my first trip to Beirut three weeks ago and was captivated by its cosmopolitan scene, centuries of history, and engaging people.
Had I not been to Beirut myself, I wouldn't have experienced the news of its events so personally and felt a deep sense of grief for its people as well.
This is, ultimately, why traveling matters. Beyond seeing “the sights,” travel to foreign lands is about forging a lasting, personal connection with people and places. It narrows the distance between us.
Our founder, Eugene Fodor, felt similarly. Profiled in Condé Nast Traveler near the end of his life, he said, “What’s important is that we all learn as we travel. We wake up to the fact that everyone has his rights and way of life. In the war we used to say that you can’t shoot an enemy soldier who shows you a picture of his family; it’s hard to hate people whose country you’ve visited.”
Paris, we stand with you. I’ll see you in December.
The extraordinary landscapes of Norway—magnificent fjords, mountains, glaciers, and endless islands—are undoubtedly the country’s biggest attractions. This Scandivanian nation is also home to a plethora of wildlife (reindeer, elk, wolves, whales, musk-ox, puffins, arctic fox and polar bear, to name a few) and one of the most dynamic design scenes in the world. Want to know what you won't find in Norway? Hardly any chain hotels. In both remote island outposts and city centers, there are magnificent hotels, some of them hundreds of years old, that possess a deep sense of time and place. Step back in time at any of these properties, where history meets contemporary luxury, and a warm, welcoming fireplace will always greet you. —Deb Hopewell
With school out for the summer and a new class of graduates entering the world, now's a great time to have a look at the universities that shape so many lives. These institutions of higher learning are characterized not only by the excellent educations they offer today, but also by the history behind them. Having made appearances in literature and films, and guarding their fair share of secrets, these idyllic campuses, from Europe's oldest university to the setting of the Harry Potter films, are well worth seeing. —Laura Itzkowitz
Whether you're hoping to see a city's more unusual sights or looking to learn more about a particular topic, these quirky tours are sure to entertain with unusual factoids, interesting stops, and unique perspectives. From a yoga city tour to a subterranean urban jaunt, here are some of our favorite offbeat guided tours to spice up your next vacation. —Zachary Laks
The world is full of destinations on the well-trodden path, where the number of visitors seems to go up every year and the crowds can sometimes feel endless. Don’t you want to go somewhere different for a change? No matter what corner of the globe you look at, there are plenty of overlooked vacation spots just waiting to be explored. Whether you want to relax somewhere off the beaten path or escape to a place you’ve never even heard of, you’ll find it on this list of under-the-radar destinations. —Michael Alan Connelly
When it comes to holiday decorating, a handful of American hotels stick to the mantra “go big or go home.” Not content with just a lobby tree and a string of lights, these hotels stand out from the pack by upping the decorating ante, and adding millions of lights, outdoor skating rinks, and even ride-on trains. This is the time of year when a hotel’s pastry department can also showcase its talents by turning hundreds of pounds of sugar, flour, and chocolate into life-sized gingerbread houses and even a pirate ship. Here’s a look at some of the most festive hotels of the sea —Christina Valhouli
Whether you like it or not, cruises touch on a tantalizing vacation trifecta: good value, hassle-free planning, and the promise of adventure. Pay an upfront rate and you've got a floating hotel, three meals a day, ample entertainment and activities, luxe services, and an expert itinerary in multiple destinations. Now add to that the fact that you only have to unpack your bags once. We know the reputation that cruises still have, but even staunch non-cruisers will want to become first-timers after considering this stress-free kind of travel. Whether you're a cruising veteran or an absolute beginner, you'll find everything you need to prepare for your next floating getaway in this comprehensive guide.
All over the globe, from Italy to Zimbabwe, civilizations have left behind impressive monuments and structures that attest to their former glory. Appearing in literature, songs, and films, these mystical sculptures, sacred religious sites, royal palaces, fortifications, ancient centers of commerce, ports, and tombs are all we have left of some of history's most illustrious societies. While some sites were lost for centuries, engulfed by overgrown jungles, others never fell out of use. Either way, these awe-inspiring places are sure to inspire travelers looking for adventure and a connection to the past.
by Laura Itzkowtiz
Train travel is not only fast and efficient, but also provides ample opportunity to admire some of the world's greatest architecture. Though now a less used means of transport, train travel was once at the forefront of innovation, revolutionizing travel and prompting monarchs, architects, and city planners to build magnificent train stations to impress passengers. From lavish Beaux-Arts stations to ultra-modern masterpieces, here are 20 beautiful railway stations around the world.
by Laura Itzkowitz
The rule of thumb when visiting Hawaii is you need one week per island—so if you have a week to explore Maui, use it—but most travelers don’t have that much time. You might be overnighting on a multi-island cruise, or maybe you’re on a quick side trip from another island, or perhaps you found a great deal from the West Coast and are only there for the weekend.
Whatever your reason for a short visit, you can get a good taste of Maui in just 48 hours. Follow this itinerary, and you’ll check off two of the island’s top activities, see stunning beaches and waterfalls, discover some lesser-known local gems, and still have time to kick back with a Mai Tai. Buckle your seat belt, because this tour covers many (unbelievably scenic) miles of road.
Your first order of business on arrival is to pick up a rental car. If you haven’t reserved a convertible, the car company may ask if you want to upgrade to one. Say yes. You won’t need four-wheel drive for any roads on this itinerary, but exploring Maui with the top down puts you even closer to the island’s photogenic scenery.
Take it easy the rest of the evening. You’ll be doing a lot of driving the next two days, so settle in for dinner near your hotel. If you’re staying in West Maui, get your toes in the sand at Kaanapali’s Hula Grill or crack into some seafood at Sansei Seafood Restaurant in Kapalua. If you’re staying in Kahului, head down to the South Shore for a sunset meal at the “floating” restaurant Humuhumunukunukuapuaa (named for Hawaii’s state fish) or dine farm to table at Kaana Kitchen.
Today you’ll be driving the island’s most famous route: the Road to Hana. The Hana Highway snakes its way along the island’s jungly north and east shores, past roadside fruit stands, one-lane bridges, and so many waterfalls you’ll start getting picky about which ones to stop for.
Most visitors do this round-trip drive in one day. The key is to start by 8 a.m. so you beat the tour busses and traffic. Fuel up on gas and coffee in quirky Paia, then hit the road. Resist the urge to stop for the earlier waterfalls — you’ll never make it back in time if you break for every one (plus there are better cascades farther along). A few key stops to look for include Keanae Peninsula, with its stone church; Upper Waikani Falls, where three waterfalls plunge right next to the road; and Coconut Glen’s, a hut scooping dairy-free coconut ice cream.
After stopping to walk on the black sand beach at Wainapanapa State Park, you’ll cruise into the small town of Hana. The locals here are fiercely independent, and despite the town’s anchor on the well-traveled tourist route, it has resisted overdevelopment and chain businesses. Take a lunch break at Travaasa Hana, the only hotel on this side of the island, or head down to Hana Bay Picnic Co. and have lunch at the beachside tables.
After you’ve eaten and stretched your legs in Hana, continue your drive to Oheo Gulch in Haleakala National Park. A short trail from the Visitor Center leads to a series of waterfalls that unfurl out of the jungle over black volcanic rocks into the a series of natural pools. If the conditions are right, you can swim in some of the pools, though heavy rains often make them inaccessible. Either way, it’s a truly beautiful Hawaiian scene.
There are hiking trails around the pools, but keep an eye on the clock: you have a long drive home. Most visitors turn around and retrace their path along the Hana Highway to get back. There’s nothing wrong with this, but for a glimpse of the island that few people see, consider doing the fabled “back side” drive. Once unpaved, and still bumpy at parts, this route continues south along coast, emerging out of the forest into a dry landscape with views of the back of the volcano. It’s a beautiful drive, but check your rental car agreement: driving this route is not technically allowed by some companies.
Whichever route you take to get back, end your evening in historic Lahaina, once a busy whaling port and now a bustling tourist town. Front Street is lined with shops, restaurants, and galleries. Aloha Mixed Plate is a good place to try local specialties like poi and plate lunch (acceptable for dinner, too!). Lahaina is also one of the island’s best places for nightlife, but we recommend calling it a night early — your morning wake-up call is only a few hours away.
Haleakala, the volcano that makes up the eastern part of Maui, means “House of the Sun,” and is the best place to watch that sun rise in the morning. So set your alarm: you’ll need about 1½ hours to reach the top, plus driving time from where you’re staying.
Sunrise on Haleakala is a popular activity; get here early to get a prime vantage point of the crater. However, keep in mind that it is freezing up here before dawn, and you’ll be exposed to the elements. Hats, gloves, scarves, and jackets are a must.
Once the sun is up, spend some time exploring the summit and crater. Keep an eye out for silversword, the spikey green plant that can’t be seen anywhere else on earth.
Next, make your way back down the mountain and hop on the heavenly Kula Highway, which has panoramic views of Maui and the nearby islands. Stop for breakfast at Alii Kula Lavender Farm, where you can enjoy lavender scones and tea in a garden overlooking half of Maui.
Continue to Maui Wine, where you can sample unique vintages and a tasty sparkling pineapple wine. Across the street is the Ulupalakua Ranch Store, where you’ll see evidence of the region’s paniolo (cowboy) heritage. Cap off your tour with a lunch stop at Surfing Goat Dairy, where farm to table is taken literally — you can sample flights of fresh goat cheese while surrounded by the animals that produced it.
From here, say your alohas to Maui and make your way back to airport or cruise port.
Where to Stay
Most Maui visitors stay at one of the resorts on the West Side or South Shore, but for a trip this short, convenience is key. The Courtyard in Kahului doesn’t have the postcard-perfect beaches of the resorts, but its central location and proximity to the airport makes it a good base for this trip. If you’re coming in via Lahaina, or really want to stay at the beach, consider the Kaanapali Beach Hotel or the Sheraton in Kaanapali.
Jess Moss is a travel writer, photographer and former Hawaii guidebook editor. Her work has appeared in AOL Travel, Huffington Post Travel, and more. Follow her on Instagram: @jmoss5.
New Year’s comes but once a year, so it’s worth it to make the festivites memorable. But where’s the best place to be when the clock strikes midnight on December 31? We’ve scoured the world for the best annual celebrations, from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to Berlin’s Brandenberg Gate. The fun doesn't have to stop after New Year's Eve, though, because many cities offer a wide variety of New Year's Day activities as well. Epic fireworks displays, all-night dance parties, one-of-a-kind cultural traditions—you’ll find all these and more in the world’s best places to celebrate New Year’s.
In the weeks leading up Christmas, holiday markets open across Europe and America as part of an annual tradition. Crowds gather to watch Christmas carolers, lantern processions, and tree lightings; otherwise, they're there to browse stands of handmade gifts, toys, and decorations. The markets are the perfect place to warm up with a glass of mulled wine or satisfy your sweet tooth with a Christmas treat. Whether you’re taking in Strasbourg’s sparkling Christmas tree, or sampling gingerbread at the Tallinn Christmas market, you can't help but feel the spirit of the season at our favorite holiday markets around the world.
By Emily Wasserman
An easy getaway from Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, and Washington, D.C., Lancaster County, the epicenter of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is best known for its Amish and Mennonite communities. Sightseers flock to the area to look for farmers in straw hats plowing their fields with mule teams, and to watch black-clad families driving country roads in horse-drawn buggies. But the county and the eponymous city that anchors it have, in recent years, evolved into surprisingly varied destinations. Nowadays, Lancaster’s energized downtown buzzes with galleries, restaurants, and nightlife. At the same time, the mellow countryside offers wineries, hiking trails, and antique markets. Underlying it all are intriguing “English” (non-Amish) history and unique “gentile” traditions that stretch back to the colonial era, along with a 21st-century appreciation for the finer things in life. Today’s Lancaster County is, in a sense, an undiscovered place. Here’s the lowdown on why you should check it out.
By Constance Jones
There’s never really a bad time to take the family on a trip to one (or more!) of the country’s stunning national parks, but now is an incredibly opportune time to start planning your next group getaway to the great outdoors. First of all, the National Park Service will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2016, meaning there will be no shortage of special events at all 406 parks throughout the year. Secondly, the White House’s Every Kid in a Park initiative provides all fourth-grade students with a free-access pass to national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges during the 2015–16 school year. Not sure which national park is right for your family? We’ve rounded up the twenty best family-friendly national parks in the great 48 plus Alaska and Hawaii. It’s worth noting that, at all of these parks, your kids (ages 5–13) can partake in the Junior Rangers program, which involves educational activities based on the park’s topography and biology. Tall trees, active volcanoes, and awe-inspiring caves await you on your next incredible family getaway, so start planning today!
By Zachary Laks
Forging a new generation of sophisticated urbanites with a unique local identity, Chattanooga may very well surprise travelers as a small city (population: 167,000) on the rise. Since 2009, the fourth-largest city in Tennessee has invested in new infrastructure to offer one gigabit-per-second Internet speed to every home and business in the city (150,000 on the grid and counting), attracting tech startups and cash flow to the area in the process; this, in turn, has spurred a renaissance of small businesses, local commerce, and exciting eateries. The bottom line is there’s never been a better time to visit Chattanooga than now, as it shakes off its industrial past and ushers in a new era of impressive bars and restaurants, and a young generation of locals and transplants that are preserving Southern hospitality even as they redefine it. Here are five reasons to plan a trip to “the Scenic City.”
Chattanooga comes to life at night with the help of some unique neighborhood finds. Across the street from the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, Terminal Brewhouse occupies a sliver of a building that dates back to 1910. With a storied past housing speakeasies during Prohibition, the retrofitted gastropub is a new classic, brewing and exclusively serving their own beers (the maibock ranks among their best), and a friendly staff eager to share their love for the joint’s home-spun menu of bar classics and one-of-a-kind specials (think pizza egg rolls).
Down the street, Clyde’s on Main offers a cozy ambiance with plush leather couches, pinball-machine coffee tables, and a retro neon sign that begs to be Instagrammed. The scene picks up considerably from dinner until last call, which is 1:30 am on weekends. Bar hop across the street to The Feed Co., one of the newest entrants to the local gastropub scene, for their Jonny Be Good cocktail, made with Chattanooga Whiskey, and their winning Brussels-sprouts-and-artichoke dip.
Don’t miss the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the Chattanooga Whiskey Distillery, where the local staple is produced. Forty-five-minute tours ($12) starting on the hour lead guests through the distilling process and conclude with a tasting session. Sample the featured cask of the day, served in a flight of four cocktails and two drams, and enjoy the smooth tastes of Chattanooga’s first new distillery to open in a century.
If you’re expecting the same old Southern fare, Chattanooga will defy your expectations. Start your days at the Bluegrass Grill, the ever-popular restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch to adoring local fans that line up around the block daily. Whole-wheat biscuits, tofu hash, and four-cheese grits topped with avocado are just some of this small joint’s specialties.
Bring your appetite to lunch at Urban Stack, where the portions are large. A long list of burger combinations amuse with pairings that include burgers topped with fried salami (The Italian), and pastrami and coleslaw (The New Yorker); no matter what you order, eat it on the outdoor patio. And when it comes to dinner, Easy Bistro brings a French twist to comfort food, with dishes such as indulgent brisket, onion soup with Gruyere, and pumpkin garganelli.
Plan to spend the better part of a day navigating the Tennessee Aquarium’s expansive complex on the riverfront featuring two separate buildings: the freshwater River Journey and the saltwater Ocean Journey, which together house a total of 12,000 animals. Start with Ocean Journey, where the Secret Reef, a 500,000-gallon tank filled with sharks, sea turtles, and hundreds of colorful reef fish, is a marvel to behold from every angle.
Having seen marine life up-close, board the River Gorge Explorer, a custom-built speedboat that takes guests on a two-hour tour through the Tennessee River Gorge, known locally as the “Grand Canyon of Tennessee.” Led by a guide who narrates the ecological makeup of the area, the boat can reach speeds up to 50 mph as it cuts down the river.
With a history of not being the destination, just the connector between many of America’s largest cities, Chattanooga has been a bustling train depot for well over a hundred years. As memorialized in Glenn Miller’s 1940s song “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, a trip to Chattanooga isn’t complete without experiencing a ride on the rails that made the city. About a fifteen-minute drive from downtown Chattanooga, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum offers the chance to step back in time onboard their daily hour-long trips to Missionary Ridge on a classic locomotive. Six miles round-trip, the scenic route winds through the backwoods of Tennessee before arriving at a fully operational train yard, where passengers can watch the locomotive rotate on a turntable to head back to the station.
The rare tourist spot that surprises with homegrown authenticity and charm, Rock City is an essential experience during any visit to Chattanooga. Fun for the whole family, this adventurous path weaves through tight crevices, caves, and caverns on the grounds of Lookout Mountain. Incredible views of seven states await more than half-way through the hour-long self-guided walk, where lookout points offer respite with rocking chairs and a snack stand. The attraction also offers Disney-like black-light dioramas depicting classic fairy tales, perfect for kids of all ages.
Paving the way for premiere accommodations in Chattanooga, the city issued bonds in support of The Chattanoogan Hotel in 2000–01 to offer top-tier accommodations by way of 199 rooms and space for conventions. Fourteen years later, the hotel remains the best in town, with a nightly outdoor fire pit, and three on-site restaurants. The hotel’s spa offers the perfect respite from a day exploring the city, with the Flowing River Massage among the highlights on the list of treatments.
