Travel + Leisure2013-05-21T19:29:53-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=travel-leisureCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Travel + LeisureGood old fashioned elbow grease.America's Best Beer Cities (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32878062013-05-16T15:09:00-04:002013-05-17T17:35:34-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
"Ballast Point Brewing has an India Pale Lager I've read about and most likely will never find in the Northeast," says the Massachusetts-based brand manager. "What would be greater than drinking beer, going to the beach, and eating fish tacos in between?"
Travel + Leisure readers would drink to that. Both Portland and San Diego placed among America's top 10 microbrew destinations, according to the America's Favorite Cities survey. Readers rated 35 major cities for features such as food trucks, friendly locals, and microbrews, a category that reflects a growing trend. As of 2012, there were more than 2,300 operating craft breweries (those making fewer than 6 million barrels a year) in the U.S., according to the American Brewers Association--the highest number since the late 19th century.
More from Travel + Leisure: America's Best Beer Gardens America's Coolest City Parks America's Top Roadside Attractions America's Most Scenic Roads World's Strangest Liquors
]]>World's Most Beautiful City Parks (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32813072013-05-15T16:42:44-04:002013-05-16T11:49:57-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
The most beautiful city parks combine meadows, woodlands, ponds, lakes, and streams with museums and other man-made attractions. At San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, as Catherine Nagel, executive director of the City Parks Alliance, describes it: "You can go from the entrance, with a lot of cultural institutions and a great botanical garden, and move through the park, and at the end, you find yourself at the ocean. The park connects a natural space to a built environment."
Indeed, for Alain de Botton, author of The Architecture of Happiness, an urban park's ultimate importance is in allowing us to step away from the rush. "In the midst of a busy city, a park becomes quite literally an oasis and a tree can bring about an epiphany no less intense than a beautiful painting."
The coolest bathtubs give guests a sense of their own private in-room spa and look nothing like that old shower-tub combo you may have left back home. Nothing screams "I got away from it all" quite like slipping into a bubble bath—in a basin polished to a sparkle by anyone but you—and admiring a gorgeous view.
Want to make a splash? These high-design tubs are ready for you. —Bree Sposato
Best U.S. National Park Views ]]>Great All-Inclusive Cruises (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32750432013-05-14T16:32:12-04:002013-05-15T13:15:57-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
Want a soda? Add it to your tab. Take a Pilates class? Expect a fee. Indulge at one of the fancy specialty restaurants? There's a charge for that, too. The extras quickly add up, often sinking hearts when the bill arrives at the vacation's end.
But there are cruises that thankfully buck this trend, with out-of-pocket expenses that are truly minimal. Alcoholic drinks, crew gratuities, and sometimes even airfare, shore excursions, and pre- or post-cruise hotel stays are included in the advertised price.
While these truly all-inclusive cruises are mostly in the luxury category, many other lines also offer all-inclusive options, too. It's possible to quantify the perks and often find real value. The most all-inclusive of the cruise lines, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, did a price comparison showing that when you add in the included air, hotel stay, alcohol, excursions, and gratuities, the difference between cruising in a suite on the more luxurious Regent compared to one on a big mainstream ship was only a few dollars a day.
It's a good example of why the quaint, accessible Georgian city made the top 10 for affordable getaways, according to Travel + Leisure readers. In this year's America's Favorite Cities survey, readers ranked 35 metropolitan areas in qualities such as fine dining and cultural offerings, which become especially enticing when offered in a lower price range.
Even as the economy shows some signs of improvement, plenty of travelers still want to maximize value. According to the Traveler Sentiment Index, from marketing firm MMGY Global, 57 percent of Americans are planning a vacation sometime within the next six months—but high gas prices worry 51 percent of them. Hotel rates have also ticked up about 7 percent since summer 2012, according to Kayak.com.
World's Most Beautiful City Parks ]]>Best Places to Travel After a Divorce (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32108312013-05-03T16:02:07-04:002013-05-04T09:07:35-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
Travelers know that a change of environment helps clear your head and rejuvenate your spirit, and for the newly single, there's the added benefit of putting some physical space between you and your ex. Instead of rehashing what went wrong or revisiting the same old haunts, why not start calculating your award miles and plot a getaway.
Still, there are some places you'd be wise to avoid--honeymoon hot spots or anywhere that you might have traveled with your former flame. After all, salt is for rubbing onto the margarita glasses, not into the wounds.
]]>Best Pools in Las Vegas (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.31860562013-04-30T12:01:20-04:002013-04-30T13:36:43-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
Las Vegas has been called the new Ibiza, though in typical Vegas fashion, hotel casinos have taken the daytime electronic dance music scene and amplified it--with 32,000-watt subwoofers and custom lasers, international resident DJs, and cabanas with private infinity pools and beds for sleeping off the revelry. Add in beaches, swim-up gambling, and models as waiters, and it's safe to say that Las Vegas pools have never been cooler.
With nearly 40 million visitors hitting the Strip in 2012, many with a seemingly insatiable appetite for daytime drinking and dancing, it's no wonder hotels are devoting pool real estate to pay-to-play mega venues. New openings like Daylight in Mandalay Bay, Bagatelle in Tropicana, and the expanded Wet Republic at MGM Grand can host up to 5,000 partiers.
For details, dive in to our roundup of the best Vegas pool options, from family-friendly to adults-only, with some pools that bridge the gap nicely.
]]>World's Coolest Treehouse Hotels (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.31795192013-04-29T14:14:56-04:002013-04-30T11:49:41-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/treehouses offer adventurous travelers (read: unafraid of heights) a unique travel experience in an age of roadside motel chains and globe-stretching hotel corporations.
Building a hotel in the treetops is hardly a new idea: Brazil's Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel has been inviting guests to explore the jungle canopy from its rooms since the mid-1980's. But the concept has blossomed; today you'll find them everywhere from Massachusetts to China.
Better yet, this new breed is more than just planks of wood nailed to an old oak. The Costa Rica Tree House Lodge, in Limón, for example, has a full kitchen and luxurious bathroom built around a gnarled 100-year-old Sangrillo tree. Head to South Africa's Tsala Treetop Lodge, in Plettenberg Bay, and you'll find infinity pools and fireplaces.
Modern treehouses present a rare opportunity to drive past the McResort and break free of travel's predicable stops and well-traveled routes. Up in the leaves, you'll find something unique and exceptional -- surely the reward of any good journey. --Damon Tabor
]]>Best Desserts Around the World (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29586642013-04-17T16:17:32-04:002013-04-17T18:07:58-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
There's no arguing with pastry chef Joanne Chang, whose Flour bakery sees crowds lining up as early as 7 a.m. for her signature treats. Indeed, the best places for dessert inspire you to throw out all the rules—eat with moderation, save the best for last—and give in to sugary bliss, no matter what the time of day.
As part of T+L's coverage of the Best Places to Eat Like a Local, we surveyed the globe for the finest desserts, such as ricotta-and-chocolate-stuffed pastries in Rome and the "mango avalanche" in Taipei, shaved ice piled high with fresh fruit, mango pudding, and sorbet. Whether as an antidote to a long day of exploring or a quick pick-me-up between sightseeing stops, these sweets can define their destination in just one bite. —Nikki Ekstein
Best Seafood Restaurants Around the World ]]>The Best Seafood Restaurants Around The World (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29939822013-04-16T08:28:59-04:002013-04-16T08:29:05-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
Such dedication to the finest local ingredients unites the best seafood restaurants across the globe, where what's fresh is what's for dinner. From spaghetti with sea urchin on the Amalfi Coast to crabmeat roasted over a fire in a coconut husk on the Thai island of Koh Samui, we hauled in a mouthwatering variety of fish as part of Travel + Leisure's 100 Places to Eat Like a Local.
Consider a bouillabaisse that's oceans away from all others -- brash and intense, rich with saffron and garlic -- and could only come from a restaurant in the French fishing port of Vallon des Auffes. A similarly memorable meal awaits in Lima, Peru, where culinary superstars like Eric Ripert seek out Chez Wong in working-class Santa Catalina for the city's finest ceviche.
For travelers, sampling the catch of the day is one of the most satisfying ways to feel like a native -- and nothing makes you one quite like having a strong opinion. Does Honolulu's Ono Seafoods really have the best tuna poke? You'll have to order a portion tossed with pickled mango, kimchi, boiled peanuts, and poi to decide for yourself.
--Nikki Ekstein
More from Travel + Leisure: 100 Places to Eat Like a Local America's Best Places to Eat Like a Local Best Breakfasts Around the World Best Desserts Around the World ]]>The World's Most Beautiful Clock Towers (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30699342013-04-15T08:15:12-04:002013-04-15T08:15:18-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
A well-placed clock can remind you where you are and, in some cases, even push you along to where you're going. The train station clock in Limoges, France, used to run two minutes early to encourage passengers to keep moving along swiftly to catch their trains. In Saudi Arabia, the newest clock tower in the world reminds people when to pray.
All of this information conveyed by a clock -- time, location, scheduling -- is why clock towers were placed at the site of important historical events or built as part of city walls or part of transit systems such as train stations. Over time, several of the world's clock towers have become more than timepieces: they're landmarks synonymous with their locations. Regardless of whether you seek them out or not, these beautiful clock towers are emblems of their cities and help out-of-town visitors get their bearings far from home.
]]>America's Most Charming Accents (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30089472013-04-14T08:56:02-04:002013-04-14T08:56:08-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
"When I hear a Cajun accent, I picture hanging moss trees, French-style architecture, and good food," she says.
No wonder: that vocal Creole is heard on the streets of New Orleans, whose locals scored near the top of the America's Favorite Cities survey for their unmistakable accents. Every year, Travel + Leisure readers rank 35 U.S. cities for tangible features like great hotels as well as intangible qualities, such as a peaceful atmosphere and the refreshingly regional way that some locals talk. The friendly lilts in Savannah, GA, won for most charming accent, while two high-ranking island cities -- Honolulu and San Juan, P.R. --confirm that some geographic isolation can make a city feel, and sound, unique.
Lintner admits that she does judge folks by their accent when she travels, but in a good way. "I trust someone with an authentic accent," she says, "because they're probably natives -- and so they know the best hidden places to go."
]]>America's Best Places To Eat Like A Local (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29999022013-04-14T08:52:30-04:002013-04-14T08:52:47-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
Like beignets (made from a 143-year-old recipe) in New Orleans or a bagel sandwich in New York, the best regional American fare feels close to home -- even if you're dining far from yours.
With the combined forces of our staffers and contributors, we canvassed the 50 states, happily put our stomachs to work to yield a menu of America's must-try dishes from Maine to Honolulu. It's the all-American slice of Travel + Leisure's coverage of the 100 Places to Eat Like a Local.
]]>America's Best College Bars (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30702002013-04-14T08:44:09-04:002013-04-14T08:44:15-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/
Seriously, though, the best college bars offer more than cold beers and hot cheese fries. They're fan headquarters for away games. They're stages where college bands become national acts. They're divey, not sleazy, and give visitors an insider's perspective and memorable stories.
So here's a toast to the mayhem of college and those bars that make it a great four years (or, in some cases, five...or six).
]]>America's Strangest Taxes (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.30707102013-04-13T09:22:29-04:002013-04-13T09:22:34-04:00Travel + Leisurehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/travel-leisure/taxes are one of life's certainties, they can still surprise you.
Consider the iconic New York bagel: decide to have yours toasted, and it'll come with a tax. The rationale is that sliced bagels are usually consumed on a café or store's premises--and restaurant meals are taxed, whereas groceries (like a dozen unsliced bagels) are not.
State governments can be remarkably efficient when it comes to finding creative ways to pick up extra cash, and some of their esoteric taxes affect tourists as well as residents. Whether it's a tax on a hot-air balloon ride over the plains of Kansas or a lid for a coffee cup sold in Colorado, these strange fees won't inflict serious damage on your wallet. But they will make you say, "Huh?"
Find out what other taxes we uncovered from coast to coast. While at times befuddling and nitpicky, these taxes also remind us that each state is its own quirky destination, and the revenues should help keep them that way.