The changing leaves are just one lure for outdoor adventurers during the fall season. The tourist crowds of July and August have dissipated, and in many spots, the blistering summer heat has passed. And happily, an abundance of premier tour operators offer ready-made autumn adventures that are relatively easy on the wallet. They bring expert guides and top-quality gear and arrange all meals and accommodations -- you just bring your thirst for adventure.
These days, it's not unheard of for hotels to charge $15 for a mini-bar diet Coke, $40 for access to the gym, or $45 for rush laundry service. (Alas, these are actual fees on T+L editors' receipts.) But there's good news ahead: the extra charges are expected to decrease by six percent this year as hotels and resorts compete to attract guests.
Tom Hanks dashes through a graceful Roman piazza, past an ancient Egyptian obelisk surrounded by fountains of water-spouting lions, his eyes focused on a church tucked into the corner of the square.
How can you prepare for next trip? Here, Travel + Leisure offers its checklist of eight simple -- yet easily forgotten -- steps to take before departure.
Over the past few years, airlines have been creating new ways for you to get award tickets and with good reason: co-branded credit cards that allow you to accumulate miles are profitable for many carriers.
Boston-based wedding planner Bernadette Smith has helped arrange the same-sex nuptials of nearly 75 Massachusetts couples during her five-year career. But she's never seen quite the surge in business as she has during the past few months.
The changing leaves are just one lure for outdoor adventurers during the fall season. The tourist crowds of July and August have dissipated, and in many spots, the blistering summer heat has passed. And happily, an abundance of premier tour operators offer ready-made autumn adventures that are relatively easy on the wallet. They bring expert guides and top-quality gear and arrange all meals and accommodations -- you just bring your thirst for adventure.
These days, it's not unheard of for hotels to charge $15 for a mini-bar diet Coke, $40 for access to the gym, or $45 for rush laundry service. (Alas, these are actual fees on T+L editors' receipts.) But there's good news ahead: the extra charges are expected to decrease by six percent this year as hotels and resorts compete to attract guests.
Tom Hanks dashes through a graceful Roman piazza, past an ancient Egyptian obelisk surrounded by fountains of water-spouting lions, his eyes focused on a church tucked into the corner of the square.
How can you prepare for next trip? Here, Travel + Leisure offers its checklist of eight simple -- yet easily forgotten -- steps to take before departure.
Over the past few years, airlines have been creating new ways for you to get award tickets and with good reason: co-branded credit cards that allow you to accumulate miles are profitable for many carriers.
Boston-based wedding planner Bernadette Smith has helped arrange the same-sex nuptials of nearly 75 Massachusetts couples during her five-year career. But she's never seen quite the surge in business as she has during the past few months.
Some people travel so they can climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower, or ski the Rockies, or feast on rare delicacies in Bangkok. Not me. I think of the world as a series of fabulous flea markets, displaying each culture's best bibelots -- many of which can be had for a paltry few pounds or yen, euros, or dollars.
Nothing, but nothing, has the power to spoil New Orleans' appetite. The people of this city love to eat, and they eat it all -- from simply fried oysters and perfectly dressed po' boys to cutting-edge dishes served Cajun style. Here, a meal-by-meal primer of the Big Easy from a lucky visitor who came to eat and stayed to listen.
Climbing up the spiral stairs and through a stone tower to our room, we notice a passageway. "Where do you suppose it goes?" asks my wife, Sandra, as she signals me to follow her.
The fluctuations in the economy may change a lot of things, but one thing that remains the same is the desire to explore new places and experience new cultures.
The hum of the single-engine Cessna fills your ears as you ascend above the Peruvian high desert. Below you, flat expanses of dry, brown earth extend in every direction, punctuated only by twisting dry riverbeds ... a lifeless landscape. Then the plane banks, and over the intercom the pilot directs you to look at what appear to be just another set of curving, squiggly lines.
"Voluntourism is not about martyrdom," says Christopher Hill, CEO of Hands Up Holidays, a London-based company that arranges high-end excursions that incorporate volunteering. "It's about making a difference, even if you're staying at a luxury hotel."
Guests at W Hotels have come to expect "Whatever/Whenever." But this year's presidential election finds the luxury chain partnering with get-out-the-vote organization Declare Yourself in order to push that motto one step further --allowing guests to register to vote right from bed.
It's 10:45 a.m. on a cloudy day, and the crew of Druk Air flight KB205 is preparing to land at their home airport of Paro, Bhutan. Suddenly, ominous warnings start blaring, alerting them that their flight angle is all wrong and their rate of descent is far too fast. They fly a series of unconventional right-and-left banks through a narrow channel of hillsides before centering the swaying jet and putting it on the tarmac.
What do "30 Rock" and "Entourage" have in common, outside of their showbiz theme? Their settings -- some of the hottest venues in New York and L.A., respectively -- make for great places to visit. And what better time to venture into TV land than with the start of the fall television season? Pack your bags for a weekend of sightseeing and clubbing ... camera crew optional.
Warm beige tones, rich graphic accents, and futuristic chairs give Le Jules Verne a contemporary elegance, while dishes from superstar chef Alain Ducasse create a joie de vivre in diners' mouths. But the real showstopper at this restaurant -- set more than 400 feet above Paris in the Eiffel Tower -- is its panoramic view. From the tower's south pillar, diners look out on barges navigating the Seine and clusters of steely gray rooftops stretching for miles.
The foolproof way to gain entry to an airport lounge is to buy a first- or business-class ticket. But traveling coach doesn't mean you can't have the same access.
Shortly after its opening in 2006, I decided to visit the Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa deep in the Poconos. Upon my arrival from New York, I discovered the property had no cellular service, so I made several calls home from my room phone, expecting to fork over little more than a dollar. Imagine my surprise when my hotel bill revealed a $7.38 charge for each time I picked up the receiver, despite having never actually reached anyone.
Lower-priced hotels have long been the realm of Muzak-filled lobbies outfitted with worse-for-wear furniture and industrial carpeting. But the genre has entered a new era. A wine bar? A sleek lounge area? Free Wi-Fi?
You're sitting in a hip Tokyo cafe, having a fish cake and sake. Your server has been especially attentive, so when the check arrives, you think nothing of pulling out some extra yen and leaving a healthy 20 percent tip. But suddenly things go horribly wrong: the server turns wide-eyed, becomes agitated, and walks away. What happened?!
Say you're in the mood to indulge in a shoe-shopping spree -- does a certain city pop to mind? How about an urban destination for a romantic weekend? Where in the U.S. can you find the most compelling museums or thrilling club scene? Is the city with the most attractive citizens also the one with the best opportunities for people-watching?
The Web is an essential tool for travelers, but as booking engines and trip forums evolve and multiply, you have to know where to look -- and whom to trust. To help you, Travel + Leisure has assembled the ultimate online guide.
Travel + Leisure scoured California's wine country to find one-of-a-kind boutiques and charming small-town stores. From Calistoga to Healdsburg, these eight spots are worth a visit.
Lately, my local Starbucks baristas have started suggesting specific pastries to go with my tea, and consequently I've developed a lasting relationship with cinnamon-swirl coffee cake. In other words, I've been upsold.
"Robin & Company," CNN.com and Travel + Leisure magazine are partnering to find America's favorite cities and why people love them in the America's Favorite Cities survey.
Whether you're looking for mud baths or bike routes, a castle or just a good meal, Travel + Leisure steers you in the right direction on this easy drive from San Francisco to Calistoga, California.
You don't have to be a high roller to travel to Vegas in style. Here, Travel + Leisure's tips for playing your cards right -- and saving a bundle -- in Sin City.
Some Americans celebrate Memorial Day by welcoming the first sunburn of beach season; others opt to spend the long weekend in their favorite cities. If you're the kind of person who is drawn to the energy and romance of great cities, we want to hear your opinion in the 2007 America's Favorite Cities survey.
Travel + Leisure, Headline News and CNN.com want to know what you like (and dislike) about 25 great American cities. On April 30, Travel + Leisure launched its America's Favorite Cities survey, asking visitors and locals to rate major destinations in a variety of categories, from people and culture to shopping and dining.
British Columbia's lake country is producing Pinot Noirs and Rieslings well worth tasting. Here, a Travel + Leisure wine expert's primer on the best way to explore the region -- and which bottles to take home with you.
Getting ready for the holidays is bound to involve some shopping, whether it's finding a perfect gift, a festive outfit or decorations and refreshments to prepare for the season's guests.
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