Venice Bans Cruise Ships from City Center, but the Detour Plan Has Flaws
Posted on 04/02/2021, 1:00 PM
Italy took a step this week that environmental activists, cultural preservationists, and many fed-up Venice residents have been pushing for years. The government blocked cruise ships from entering Venice's fragile lagoon. In a decree issued by the Italian cabinet, large cruise ships as well as freighters have been forbidden from passing close to the historic city center and must dock somewhere els...
Why Amtrak Deserves the $80 Billion President Biden Wants to Give It
Posted on 04/01/2021, 1:00 PM
Apologies to South Dakota and its 884,659 residents. It is the only one of the contiguous states to be left out of Amtrak’s ambitious plans to improve rail service by 2035. But for the rest of the country’s 328.2 million residents, Amtrak’s proposal could be life-changing—if enough lawmakers sign on, that is. By which I mean if enough of them sign on to President Biden’s just-proposed infrastruct...
Find a Town That Will Pay You to Relocate There with This Online Directory
Posted on 03/29/2021, 8:00 AM
As we learned in the last year, travel doesn't have to mean vacation only. Relocation can be a type of journeying, too, especially for those who can work remotely. During the pandemic, many destinations have tried to make up for drops in tourism by enticing gainfully employed digital nomads. In fact, a growing number of cities and towns are paying people to relocate. When there's a trend, you c...
The Airlines Are Blindsiding Customers by Switching Itineraries—But You Don't Have to Take It
Posted on 03/25/2021, 12:00 PM
Americans may not realize it, but the pandemic has made airline schedules far less stable than they were. Travelers now have a much higher chance of getting stuck with an itinerary they don't want, either because they can’t find a convenient one or because the flight they booked falls off the schedule. Why? Although travel is on the upswing, volume is still terrible. In their recent fourth-quarte...
Munch's "The Scream" Gets a New Home Amid Arts Resurgence in Norway’s Capital
Posted on 03/24/2021, 10:00 AM
Norway, the country that gave the world The Scream, Edvard Munch's iconic representation of existential anguish, was the eighth happiest place on earth in 2020, according to a recently released Gallup study. I can think of at least one reason Norwegians have to be in a good mood: the capital city's all-out embrace of art and cutting-edge architecture. By the end of next year, three new world-clas...
Where Your Income Will Make You Happiest: A Look at Relocation Around the Planet
Posted on 03/22/2021, 11:00 AM
As more Americans became remote workers over the last year, the travel experience temporarily shifted from vacations to relocations. People who were fortunate enough to be flexible scratched their travel itch by pulling up roots and trying a new home base. It's one of the reasons behind the popularity of our recent stories about the best small cities in the U.S. for residents, the places where peo...
Yes, Some People Were Happy in 2020: A New Poll of the Most Joyous Nationalities
Posted on 03/19/2021, 1:00 PM
Read most any self-help book, and at some point it will advise you to surround yourself with happy people. To which I'd reply: Tell that to my mother-in-law. (Insert rimshot here.) Does the advice apply to travel, too? Should we surround ourselves with happy places? If so, we should all head to Finland soon. For the fourth year in a row, the good folks at Gallup World Poll have declared the Finns ...
The Best U.S. National Parks to Visit in Summer
Posted on 03/19/2021, 11:00 AM
Overcrowding and oppressive heat shouldn't be problems at the 10 most appealing national parks to visit in June, July, August, and September.
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A Massive Shortage of Rental Cars Is Confronting U.S. Travelers
Posted on 03/17/2021, 3:00 PM
Thinking you’ll rent a car for your next trip? Think again. Shortages are slamming Florida right now, and industry insiders say the problem will only grow worse. Much, much worse. "It’s been really, really, really crazy," says Jonathan Weinberg, founder and CEO of the car rental discount site AutoSlash. Weinberg says staff noticed "crazy volume" in demand for the recent Presidents Day weekend—not...
The Best and Worst Passports on the Planet, By Cost and Power
Posted on 03/12/2021, 12:00 PM
Fewer than 50% of Americans have passports—a surprisingly low percentage. Some people blame the price of the document, which is currently $145 for a new application or $110 to renew. A fascinating survey by online lender CashNetUSA breaks down which citizens of the world are in the best position to afford a passport—and thus travel—and which ones must pay an unconscionable percentage of their week...
