Tours of Big Ben in London Reopen to Foreigners: How to Book
Posted on 06/14/2023, 10:00 AM
Big Ben is one of the most famous bells in the world, hanging in one of the most recognizable towers in the world, high above the Houses of Parliament in central London. But since 2010, the only visitors who have been permitted to tour the landmark have been British citizens. For security's sake, a regulation required Big Ben tour-seekers to write their representatives in Parliament—and of course ...
World’s Deepest Underground Hotel Now Open 1,375 Feet Below the Surface
Posted on 06/12/2023, 6:00 AM
Talk about going down for a nap. A new lodging located inside a former Victorian-era slate mine in North Wales is being billed as the "world's deepest overnight accommodation." Aptly named Deep Sleep, the cluster of four cabins and one double bedroom (pictured above) carved from a cavern wall offer subterranean slumber at an astonishing 1,375 feet below the surface. For some context, the height...
Nonstop Flights to British Virgin Islands from U.S. Are Here at Last
Posted on 06/07/2023, 5:00 AM
For the first time in decades, you can take a commercial flight straight from the U.S. mainland to the British Virgin Islands. Up to now, U.S. travelers aiming for the archipelago's inviting beaches and yacht-dotted waters have had to fly into Puerto Rico or St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and then take a ferry or another short flight to reach the BVI. But starting June 1, American Airlin...
Pauline Frommer: I'm Often Asked How to Become a Travel Writer, And I Suggest This Event
Posted on 06/03/2023, 9:00 AM
(Note: This post was updated June 3, 2023)Every year, I give about a dozen speeches on travel across North America. When I sign books afterwards, a familiar scenario inevitably will play out. I’ll hand back the book that I've just autographed and notice that the individual standing in front of me looks very, very nervous… and doesn’t want to move away from the table. She or he will chit-chat for a ...
How Bad Will the 2023 Hurricane Season Be? Here's What the Forecasts Say
Posted on 05/26/2023, 4:15 PM
UPDATE, May 26: The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season will be "near-normal," according to the official forecast from the U.S. government. In its annual outlook, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a total of 12 to 17 named storms in the region encompassing the Caribbean, the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. Atlantic coastline. Of those storms, five to nine could become hurr...
Cannabis-Friendly Hotel with Top-Optional Pool Coming to Las Vegas
Posted on 05/18/2023, 5:00 PM
This post, originally published January 18, has been updated with new information. The doors will soon open at what's being billed as the first "cannabis-inclusive" hotel in Las Vegas. The city's many motels with old curtains reeking of doob evidently don't count. Known as The Lexi, the 64-room off-Strip property will occupy the building of the former Artisan Hotel (1501 W. Sahara Ave.), which...
Disney's Galactic Starcruiser, the Luxury Star Wars–Themed Hotel, to Close
Posted on 05/18/2023, 4:45 PM
Walt Disney World in Florida has announced that its infamous Galactic Starcruiser hotel will close its doors at the end of September, just 18 months after opening. The troubles with the Star Wars–themed hotel, a two-night, meal-inclusive experience that catered to role-playing guests, date to long before a certain power-craving Florida governor picked a fight with Disney. From the moment the Sta...
A New Trail Connects the Best Waterfall Hikes in a Region with Hundreds of Them
Posted on 05/17/2023, 5:00 PM
If you ask us, spotting a waterfall is one of the best reasons to go on a hike, ranking right up there with breathing pristine mountain air and sampling all the latest innovations in granola bars. A spot on the map waterfall seekers will want to circle is the Kentucky Wildlands, a woodsy expanse in the eastern and southern parts of the state that has more than 800 different falls. They include the...
When Free Flights to Hong Kong Become Available in the U.S.—and How to Apply
Posted on 05/16/2023, 4:30 PM
An earlier version of this post has been updated with new information. Earlier this year, Hong Kong hatched a tourism-boosting plan to give away more than 500,000 airline tickets to bring international tourists back to the city after the lifting of pandemic restrictions. So far, the Hello Hong Kong program has already gifted thousands of free flights to travelers in Asia, Europe, and the Middl...
If You Need a Passport by This Summer, You Could Be in Trouble: What to Do
Posted on 05/16/2023, 7:30 AM
Ever since March, the U.S. State Department has warned that the wait time for a new passport in 2023 is 10 to 13 weeks.It's now May, and that estimate hasn't changed. That means if you're planning to travel this summer and you need a new passport, you're facing a serious challenge.Just look at the calendar. If you jump 13 weeks ahead from this week, you'll be in the middle of August. Ten weeks from...
