Want To Avoid Weather Delays? Travel + Leisure Experts Say These Hidden Gems Are Worth The Trip
If you're mapping out your next vacation, don't just follow your wanderlust—check the forecast, too.
'Weather can make a vacation magical or really dampen the fun,' warns Amandine Robin-Caplan, Chief Brand and Communications Officer for Travel + Leisure Co. 'Of course, always consider global weather patterns when you're planning a trip.'
(MORE: Travel Like A Pro: Expert Tips To Save Your Trip)
From hurricanes in the eastern U.S. and Caribbean to typhoons in Southeast Asia and tornadoes in the Midwest, Robin-Caplan points out these high-risk zones can disrupt travel plans—especially in late summer and fall. And winter weather isn't much kinder. 'I've been stuck at airports with flights that couldn't leave because of winter storms. It's not a fun place to be.'
Still, travelers aren't shying away from adventure—they're just getting smarter about how and when they go. 'Since the pandemic, people have put travel as their top priority,' Robin-Caplan said. 'They want to go to all these must-see destinations, and some that are lesser-known.'
One trick to lessen weather's impact: Stick closer to home. 'Take advantage of a drive-to destination,' she suggests. 'Some of the popular drive-to destinations are Orlando, Myrtle Beach, and the national parks. It's a good hack to consider with those weather delays.'
(MORE: Flying This Summer? Dodge Storms, Delays)
For those looking to beat the crowds and the storms, Travel + Leisure's editors recommend a handful of unique spots. 'We're noticing travelers getting excited about those lesser-known destinations,' Robin-Caplan said. 'Especially for the summer—the White Mountains in New Hampshire for outdoor adventures, Colombia for its beaches and lush coffee regions, and in Europe, Slovenia, with medieval architecture.'
Winter travelers also have choices that go beyond the ski slopes. 'There is Baraboo in Wisconsin, a snowy, small town with small-town vibes,' Robin-Caplan shared. 'Sevierville in Tennessee offers outdoor adventure and family time. And then I'm French, so of course I'll mention Paris for the winter—the Christmas markets, gentle snow, and holiday shopping are wonderful.'
(MORE: Best Destinations For A Winter Getaway)
Looking for sun instead of snow in the winter months? 'If you want to escape the cold, you have Costa Rica, that was Travel + Leisure's Destination of the Year. Also, Tunisia, which is a bit more unexpected internationally,' she adds.
As for awe-inspiring destinations that put the weather front and center, Robin-Caplan suggests Avan, Colorado for sleigh rides and outdoor ice skating, the Scottish Highlands for moody weather and mystical atmosphere and the Big Island in Hawaii for stargazing under dark skies.
For aurora seekers, Alaska tops her list, along with Canada's Northwest Territories and Iceland's volcanic landscapes.
If you're eyeing popular cities like New York, Chicago, Paris, or Amsterdam, Robin-Caplan recommends a smart workaround: travel in the shoulder season. 'It can be more affordable and you'll also have fewer crowds.'
National parks, too, are best enjoyed in spring or fall. 'You have comfortable climates and fewer crowds,' she said. 'Yellowstone was our #1 National Park by Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards. And there's Yosemite, Arches, Canyonlands."
(MORE: Crowd-Free Alternatives To America's Busiest National Parks)
And no matter where you go, tech could be your best friend. 'There is so much online,' Robin-Caplan emphasized. 'I was just on a huge traveling trip with flight delays, but I went online through the airline and their chat and got served in five minutes instead of the two-hour line at the airport.'
Her final advice: 'People want travel to be a priority, continue to make it a priority, explore the world—whatever you're into, whether it's national parks, winter, summer, beach, or nature. There's something out there to discover. So if you have any doubts, just go for it.'
Weather.com lead editor Jenn Jordan explores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities.
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Travel + Leisure
32 minutes ago
- Travel + Leisure
How Winning a $15k Price From T+L Led Me to Buy an RV and Visit 20 National Parks Around the U.S.
The white was blindingly bright against the blue, cloudless sky. But it wasn't fresh snowfall; we were in the desert of New Mexico. It was gypsum—undulating dunes of gypsum sand, one after the other, stretching across the horizon. We were in White Sands National Park. The sun appeared gold on a distant spire. It could have been a golden temple in Thailand, but it was a distant mountain glowing at dusk. We were in Death Valley National Park. The trees dripped. The ocean below heaved. But it was quiet under the redwoods, their girth dwarfing our truck and trailer. We'd driven to Redwood National Park in northern California on the road trip of a lifetime. White Sands, Death Valley, Redwood—we visited 20 U.S. national parks and monuments on an 11,000-mile, two-month journey through southern and western America. And we have Travel + Leisure to thank for it. I entered T+L's World's Best Awards survey by rating hotels we'd stayed at in Singapore and Thailand. Then, I forgot about it. Months later, I received an email saying I might have won a prize. I thought it was a scam. But it wasn't: I had won $15,000. I thought, what could I do with $15,000? I could take a trip. In 48 years of marriage, we'd traveled to Europe, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, Thailand, and China. We'd been to resorts and on cruises. But other than the Grand Canyon, I'd never been to the national parks. It had to be a road trip, and it required a traveling "home,' a recreational vehicle. The prize money from T+L helped us buy Rosie, a small camping trailer named for her likeness to the robot maid in The Jetsons . She had everything we needed: a queen-sized bed, a diminutive kitchen with a dinette, and a bathroom just big enough for Superman to change in. Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri. Jane Siegel/Travel + Leisure We left our home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Nov. 25, 2024. Our first national park was the smallest one: Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. We took the ratcheting little elevator up to the top of the world's tallest arch at 630 feet. The view from above St. Louis was pretty, but I found the one from below, at the base of the stainless-steel monument designed by Eero Saarinen, to be even better. We spent Thanksgiving near Oklahoma City, and had steak, eating local, instead of turkey. After a long drive following Route 66 through Texas and New Mexico, we visited Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Entire trees, some 200 feet tall, left where they fell in the Painted Desert more than 200 million years ago, are now crystalline. The Route 66 wall mural in Winslow, Arizona. Jane Siegel/Travel + Leisure Entering Death Valley National Park, we stopped at the first overlook, Zabriskie Point. The view was shocking: miles and miles of rock—mudstone badlands—filling the horizon. People were scrabbling over these enormous piles far off in the distance. It was just before Christmas, and The Inn at Death Valley, a restored adobe compound set in a desert-oasis garden, was decorated with pinyon pine. Frank Sinatra's voice, singing Christmas songs, wafted in the air. From our first view of El Capitan and Half Dome, Yosemite felt big—big sky, big climbs, big views. The valley is ringed by monumental granite walls, made famous by photographer Ansel Adams. On our second night, we visited The Ahwahnee hotel for dinner. Walking into the dining room, we were overwhelmed by the height of the windows at one end and the timbered ceiling beams above us. When we left Yosemite, snow was just starting to fall. Our last national park before the holidays was the Redwood. It was wet with rain, but silent under the protection of the big trees. We hiked quietly through the park, the only sounds the squishing of our shoes and the dripping of water onto our heads. The iconic Joshua trees in Californias Joshua Tree National Park. Jane Siegel/Travel + Leisure In January, we visited Sequoia National Park, California wine country, and Palm Springs, followed by Joshua Tree and Saguaro national parks. In Carlsbad Caverns, we walked 750 feet down into the earth, met at every turn with calcite formations. Big Bend National Park is in the southwest corner of Texas, along the Rio Grande. It's one of the biggest and most remote national parks, with 1,250 square miles that includes the Chihuahuan Desert, the Chisos Mountains, and spectacular river canyons. We hiked Santa Elena Canyon, its sheer walls rising in Mexico barely a stone's throw away. Traveling through Big Bend National Park in Texas. Jane Siegel/Travel + Leisure Our last park was a national parkway, the Natchez Trace, which follows an ancient trail used by Native Americans and explorers such as Daniel Boone, from Natchez, Mississippi, to Memphis, Tennessee. We hiked parts of the Sunken Trace, a portion so deeply worn down that its walls can reach up to 15 feet above the trail. We arrived back in Michigan on Feb. 1, 2025. Rosie is now in storage, waiting for the next adventure. And I am itching to get back out again. The national parks restored in me a childlike sense of wonder. Every day brought something new to see. You should go. And when you see the next T+L contest, enter it. You might be surprised by what happens next.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kids' Passports Expire Much Faster Than Adults—What Travelers Need to Know
Some parents get an unwanted surprise before a family trip when they learn that child passports have a short validity window. Child passports are only valid for five years, compared to a 10-year validity span for adult passports. Experts recommend that parents or guardians renew their child's passport every three and a half planning an international trip may want to carefully check their child's passport expiration many travelers understand that a regular United States passport is valid for 10 years, the policy isn't the same for a child's passport. In fact, the U.S. Department of State, which manages the passport process, states that passports for children under the age of 16 are valid for half of the normal term: just five years. To be on the safe side, parents should plan on replacing a child's passport at least every three and a half years, as many countries require more than six months of passport validity to be able to use the document for entry to their country. The State Department has a helpful checklist for parents who are in the process of replacing or obtaining a first-time passport for a child under the age of 16. Some of the special instructions include providing evidence of U.S. citizenship and both parents submitting information and consent for the passport. "Both parents or guardians must approve that we can issue a passport to a child, and go with the child to apply in person," the State Department's website explains. The policy further explains that renewals cannot be completed through the DS-82 form, and instead have to be processed as new passports. The current processing time for a routine passport application is four to six weeks, and expedited service takes two to three weeks. For many families, the five-year expiration can cause panic and disruption before flights. 'The plans were booked last minute and I noticed today his passport is expired!' one parent shared in a Reddit post. Another family described the "urgent situation" in which their vacation to Punta Cana was completely ruined when they realized their child's passport was two months expired, sharing in another Reddit post, 'we had to rebook and make an appointment for expedited passport renewal at a passport agency, this sucks!' Frequent travelers may also consider applying for a Global Entry membership for their child, which can provide expedited airport security screening. The process similar to what an adult would do to get Global Entry membership, including the in-person interview. However, children under the age of 14 do not need to submit fingerprints. The State Department regularly offers "Special Passport Acceptance Fairs" as ways for first-time passport applicants to receive special help and insights on the application process. A full listing of the events is on the State Department's website at Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
Inside Look: Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres Review
A quieter and more intimate adults-only alternative to Cancun's traditional all-inclusive mega-resorts, Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort opened its doors on Isla Mujeres in November 2024. The resort is one of just a handful of large hotel brands that have planted a flag on the serene island, located only a 20-minute ferry ride from the mainland. As a frequent visitor to Cancun, I was looking forward to experiencing the property, which joins several other new openings on the heels of rising demand for luxury-focused all-inclusive resorts. During a recent girls' getaway with my mom, I checked in to experience the boutique-leaning property firsthand. Read my full review below. divider Atrium at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres. Rafael Luhrs divider My journey to Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort began on a boat—a complimentary sea transfer, to be precise, from the Renaissance Cancun Resort & Marina in Puerto Cancun. After a 20-minute ride, I arrived at Almare's dock and was promptly greeted with a cold towel and a mocktail. Yoga practitioners were doing sun salutations under a thatched roof on the dock, while guests sunbathed on the private beachfront. Inside, an open-air lobby lined with ocher pillars, hanging wicker lamps and lush greenery provided a tropical feel. Main pool at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres. Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres The resort has two pools, the larger one located in front of the property's three connected buildings and featuring a swim-up bar, The Breeze. Neither pool is directly on the beach, but the rooftop infinity pool, located in front of Seasalt restaurant, offered more direct views of the ocean. An on-site fitness center was spacious and well-equipped with a wide variety of machines, and I was impressed by the Alma Spa, which came complete with a steam room, sauna, salt room and hydrotherapy pools. I booked a relaxing massage, which started off with a welcoming ceremony featuring a carved effigy of Ixchel, the ancient Mayan goddess associated with the island. divider With just 109 rooms, Almare skews closer to a boutique hotel than the average Cancun mega-resort. This is the general atmosphere of the hotel as well: Walking through the hallways, the property feels more like a beachy apartment complex. I stayed in a Deluxe Guest Room, which featured two double beds, a small sitting corner with a desk, a detached double vanity, a separate toilet and shower and a private terrace with views of the pool and ocean. Every room at the resort includes a private terrace—one of the benefits of a smaller property. Deluxe Guest Room at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort, Isla Mujeres. Marriott At about 750 square feet, the area was spacious, but I found the room design to be a bit unusual: A whirlpool tub sits between one of the beds and the vanity. While there are standalone tubs in every room category (a nice touch), the positioning of the tub right next to the bed in the Standard and Deluxe room categories felt awkward. Much like the open-air lobby, the room featured the same resin-coated pillars as wall décor, but aside from that, there were few pieces of art or design elements; the most luxe aspect of the room was the collection of Byredo toiletries. divider Almare is home to six food and beverage outlets, and over the course of my stay, it became clear that food is the resort's strongest offering. Seasalt, the rooftop restaurant that sits underneath a beautiful thatched palapa, offers Mediterranean dishes alongside Mexican classics; I had a few great pasta dishes here as well as a very creative lobster pizza. In the evenings, performances by jazz singers and pianists add to the sophisticated atmosphere. Seasalt restaurant at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort, Isla Mujeres. Marriott My favorite dining outlet was Boga, which offered flavorful Mayan-influenced dishes from all parts of the country. At breakfast, I ordered eggs made with local chaya leaf, native to the Yucatan Peninsula, and at dinner, I enjoyed lobster papadzules with pumpkin seed sauce; I was also impressed by the wide variety of Mexican wines available, including many from Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico's equivalent of Napa. The ceviches and poke bowls at The Breeze, the pool bar and restaurant, were fantastic, as was the tikin xic, a locally sourced grilled fish prepared Mayan-style with a variety of amazing sauces and a side of tortillas. The menus at Almare cater to a well-traveled crowd that isn't afraid to be adventurous at mealtime—a refreshing change from the many all-inclusives that have earned reputations for mediocre dishes. divider The resort offers plenty of activities for guests, including several wellness-focused excursions like morning runs and yoga classes on the dock. I enjoyed coffee-tasting and chocolate-making classes, both of which focused on Mexican-grown beans. While I did not have enough time to experience it during my stay, Isla Mujeres' most famous beach, Playa Norte, is about a 15-minute drive from the resort (guests can rent a buggy, as cars are generally not recommended for visitors on the island) and is a great option for a day trip. divider Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort is located on Isla Mujeres, which is a 20-minute boat ride from mainland Cancun. The property offers complimentary boat transfers to and from Renaissance Cancun Resort & Marina in Puerto Cancun (transfers run roughly every two hours), which is about a 30-minute drive from Cancun International Airport (CUN). Guests can book ground transportation to Renaissance via Almare or set up their own ground transportation independently.
