Latest news with #itinerary
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Tourist trap or worth it? These are the world's best things to do, says Tripadvisor
When building out their itinerary, travelers first turn to the destination's top attractions – but sometimes it can be hard to know what's a must-do or tourist trap. To help travelers determine what's worth adding to their upcoming travel plans – or deserves a new spot on their bucket lists – Tripadvisor released its annual 2025 Travelers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things To Do last week. Based off Tripadvisor reviews from April, 1 2024 through March 31, 2025, the awards highlight the highest-rated attractions and experiences around the world. This year, the top attractions around the globe went to the most iconic landmarks and historical places while the family-friendly NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida won for the top U.S. attraction. Meanwhile, culturally immersive and adventurous experiences dominated the list for best experiences. "With such a huge selection of travel activities and excursions available on the platform, Tripadvisor helps travelers find the experiences that turn a trip into a lifelong memory," said Tripadvisor President Kristen Dalton in a statement. "Whether you crave adrenaline or prefer to take things slow, 'The Best of the Best Things to Do' showcases the world's top-rated experiences." Here are the best things to do in the world, according to Tripadvisor. Need a tropical vacay? These are the top 10 islands to visit, says Expedia Top attractions in the world Basílica de la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain Eiffel Tower, Paris, France NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Merritt Island, United States Louvre Museum, Paris, France Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia Mutianyu Great Wall, Beijing, China Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Duomo di Milano, Milan, Italy Plaza de España, Seville, Spain Top attractions in the US NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Merritt Island, Florida Empire State Building, New York, New York Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee Central Park, New York, New York Stetson Mansion, DeLand, Florida John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo, Florida Brooklyn Bridge, New York, New York National Museum of World War II Aviation, Colorado Springs, Colorado The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California Top experiences in the world The Best Tour in Florence: Renaissance & Medici Tales, Florence, Italy Full-Day Ninh Binh Highlights Tour from Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam Blue Cave Small-Group Boat Tour from Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs, London, United Kingdom All Inclusive 90 minutes Canal Cruise by Captain Jack! Amsterdam, The Netherlands Early morning Chichen Itza Tour: Cenote and Tequila Tasting, Cancun, Mexico Three Cities in One Day: Segovia, Avila & Toledo from Madrid, Madrid, Spain Grand Tour Around Island 16 locations plus Snorkeling, Honolulu, United States Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour, Istanbul, Türkiye Best of Ubud Full-Day Tour with Jungle Swing, Ubud, Indonesia Top experiences in the US Grand Tour Around Island 16 Locations plus Snorkeling, Honolulu, Hawaii History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour, Salem, Massachusetts Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard First Lady, Chicago, Illinois 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket, New York, New York Secret Food Tour of Chinatown and Little Italy, New York, New York 2 hrs Miami Private Boat Tour with Cooler, Ice, Bluetooth Stereo, Miami, Florida Honolulu Xtreme Parasail, Honolulu, Hawaii Clear Kayak Tour of Shell Key Preserve and Tampa Bay Area, St. Pete Beach, Florida Grand Canyon West, Hoover Dam, Breakfast, Lunch. Optional Skywalk, Las Vegas, Nevada Dark Philly Adult Night Tour, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The best attractions in the world and US, according to Tripadvisor
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Watch: Kids arriving at DXB get souvenir 'passports' to help them explore city
As the summer heat intensifies in Dubai, crafting an engaging itinerary can be challenging for visitors, with most outdoor attractions becoming virtually inaccessible. To help those coming to the emirate make the best of their stay, Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, has announced that children arriving at Dubai International Airport (DXB) will receive souvenir 'passports' to help them navigate the vibrant city that thrives all year round. In a video shared by Dubai Media Office on X, kids arriving at Children's Passport Control are shown as they receive their passport from officers, shake hands with airport officials before getting their real travel documents stamped. Take a look here: Dialling up the excitement surrounding the #DubaiDestinations summer campaign, Brand Dubai and the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs partner to highlight the very best of Dubaiâ��s summertime experiences for visitors. @BrandDubai | @GDRFADUBAI — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 25, 2025 The colourful passports serve as a guide for young visitors to explore the city, providing them with curated itineraries and interactive guides. By using a QR code in the passport, kids will be directed to Dubai Destinations website for guidance on where to go and what to do in Dubai this summer. The initiative is the fruit of collaboration between Brand Dubai and the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Special immigration counters dedicated for children were set up at DXB Terminals 1, 2 and 3 in 2023 to make the arrival process 'more enjoyable and interactive' for children aged between 4 and 12. More than 550,000 children have passed through these counters since they were first opened, GDRFA announced last year.
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Travel + Leisure
24-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
I've Been a Travel Advisor for Over Two Decades—Here's How to Craft the Perfect Itinerary for Any Destination
The most rewarding trips are those that gently push your boundaries and leave you with a new perspective. But creating a journey that ventures off the well-trodden path while still delivering comfort can be challenging. I've been designing itineraries for discerning, adventurous travelers for more than two decades. Here's what I've learned about crafting a trip that's both low-stress and deeply fulfilling—and how you can implement the tips into your trip planning, too. A traveler arriving at her stay while on vacation. Consecutive destinations can start to blur if they feel too similar. Back-to-back safaris, jungle lodges, or chateaus—no matter how impressive they are individually—might start to lose their appeal. That's why it's important to prioritize contrast on a trip. Each destination in an itinerary should justify itself by being palpably different from the last. Move from a buzzing city to a remote desert. Follow a rainforest stay with time on a wild coastline. Even within one region, make each stop serve a different mood or activity. Panoramic views while traveling by train. SL_Photography/Getty Images Contrast also applies to your lodging. Of course, you should absolutely treat yourself to a stay at an iconic hotel or a showstopper suite. But then blend that style of stay with a characterful boutique, design-led eco-lodge, or off-the-grid camp. Staying at properties that have their own feel makes each stop feel more meaningful and gives you a rich sense of place. The best travel days feel seamless, but that doesn't happen by chance. If you're going to multiple places in a row, try to plan that as a circuit, rather than traveling in and out of the same location multiple times. It's also wise to think about what each form of transport can offer. Flights are efficient, road trips open up more opportunities for discovery, and an epic train journey becomes a scenic highlight in and of itself. Start your trip at a slower pace, rather than jumping right into a bustling city. Taking a couple of days to decompress, whether that's in nature or a smaller town, allows you to ease your way through jetlag (if applicable), tune into your surroundings, and settle into the travel mindset so you're ready for busier destinations later in the vacation. A woman working remotely in a hammock. ac productions/TetraLonger trips demand space to breathe. This might mean scheduling 'down days' with no plans, ensuring the accommodation has enough rooms for every family member to take time to themselves, or, if you know you'll need to work a little bit along the way, setting up a room with dedicated desk space and a strong Wi-Fi connection. One common mistake I see travelers make is trying to cram too much into one trip. A meaningful getaway isn't a sprint through the highlights. It involves taking the time to go beyond the Instagram spots, explore, and ask questions. Yes, you'll want to visit the must-sees of a destination, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but allow yourself the freedom to veer off course and develop your own relationship with the environment around you. The best part of traveling to a new destination is forging connections with the people who live there. A great way to do this is to schedule tours operated by local guides, visit boutique shops instead of chains, and speak directly with local residents. As a seasoned travel advisor, connecting you with guides who are passionate about the area they live in is something I always prioritize. Steve Wilson is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in sabbatical trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Wilson at [email protected] .
Android Authority
20-07-2025
- Android Authority
This self-hosted travel app has completely changed how I travel
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Travel has always been a huge part of my life. Whether I'm planning a weekend getaway for a hike or a longer multi-country backpacking trip, I've relied on travel apps to help keep things organized. But after years of using some of the best travel apps like Wanderlog, TripIt, making notes in Google Keep or Notion, or even maintaining a pen and paper journal, I realized they all came with frustrating trade-offs. Too many ads, pushy upgrade prompts, opaque subscription models, lack of features, and most worryingly, an always-on stream of data collection and tracking. For something as personal as travel, that's something I really don't want. So earlier this year, I started looking for alternatives. I wanted something lightweight, customizable, and private. If it was self-hostable and open source, even better. Turns out, there really is an open-source project for every need. That search led me to AdventureLog, a self-hosted, open source travel tracker and itinerary manager that's as functional as it is privacy-respecting. I installed it on my Synology NAS with Docker, and it has completely changed how I travel and plan trips. Here's how. Planning without the noise Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority The first time I really put AdventureLog through its paces was on a weeklong trip to Prague. It's a city I've always wanted to revisit, not just pass through. So, with one of my favorite bands performing in the city, it made sense to plan a vacation around it. I wasn't interested in joining pre-planned walking tours or sticking to an optimized route of 'top 10 things to see.' I wanted to keep a free-flowing itinerary with some sights I wanted to see, open-ended enough to go with the flow, while keeping track of the smaller discoveries for a future trip. Before leaving, I created a new trip in AdventureLog. I added a rough outline of the week, including basics like arrival times, my Airbnb location, and a few scattered bookmarks of places I'd read about. A tucked-away cafe near Letna Park, a record store in Vinohrady, and a speakeasy bar in the Old Town that only locals seemed to talk about online. What was different this time wasn't just how I planned the trip, but how the tool I was using actually stayed out of the way. There was no clutter, no offers, no pop-ups, no ad-driven suggestions for other things I might want to do. Just a timeline and a clean map interface. AdventureLog behaves more like a super-charged travel journal than yet another travel app. All that might sound like a standard travel planning app, but AdventureLog gets a bit more interesting. It also functions as a travel diary. Each day, I logged entries as they happened. Cinnamon buns for breakfast, a random, unplanned visit to the Klementinum library that felt like stepping into a movie set. Or a long walk by the river. The act of logging things in the moment felt like capturing the flavor of the day, the kind of thing that would usually go in my diary and that I'd never preserve in Notion or a basic checklist. By turning the travel app into a travel journal, AdventureLog has become a tool I use a couple of times a week, versus only when I'm planning a trip. When used to its full potential, AdventureLog can create a personal archive of your trip, complete with notes, places, and impressions. Something few other travel apps can achieve. Organize, reflect, revisit — All in one place Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority AdventureLog is deceptively simple, but the more I used it, the more I appreciated the depth it offers under the hood. Built with modern tools, it runs fast and reliably even on minimal hardware. The interface is responsive enough to feel like a native app, whether I'm on a laptop or checking it from my phone during a layover. Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Each trip becomes its own timeline. You can add a name and cover image, then start building out daily logs. The text fields support Markdown, which I found surprisingly useful for structuring my notes. I'm used to Markdown from my notes apps, so it just made text formatting that much quicker. I use it for everything from quick restaurant recs to more reflective journal-style writing. Tags let you group entries across trips, and the integrated OpenStreetMap view ties everything together visually. The nice part about it all is that it's all optional. You can categorize as much or as little as you want. You don't need to know how to use a complex database or fiddle with formatting — it just works. For the first time, I wasn't switching between multiple apps to get through the day. One of the things I've come to love is how easy it is to glance back and get a bird's-eye view of my travel history. With other apps, things get siloed with a one trip per doc style, or half-written entries scattered across different platforms. With AdventureLog, everything is in one place. I can scroll through months of travel, click into a trip, and instantly drop back into that headspace. It feels more like a living archive than a planner, especially when coupled with the built-in calendar that gives me a bird's eye view of upcoming trips. And because it runs entirely on my own server, nothing leaves that space unless I export it myself. There's no data collection, no cloud sync to opt out of, and no analytics running quietly in the background. If you're interested in self-hosting, you probably value that just as much as me. By default, I can only access it on my home network. However, I've configured a remote proxy as well for on-the-go access. If the idea of self-hosting sounds intimidating, it's not. The installation process for AdventureLog is one of the smoothest I've encountered. I used Docker on my Synology NAS, but it runs just as well on a Raspberry Pi, home server, or cloud instance. The documentation is detailed and clear, with effectively a single Docker command that pulls the image, sets up your data and media folders, and gets the app running on your local network. On my setup, I mounted everything to Volume 2, which is where my Docker install lives, and exposed the right ports for the container. Once I opened it in my browser, AdventureLog walked me through creating my account and setting up the first trip. No dependencies to figure out, and no need to register for any third-party APIs. The app is fully self-contained. There's no official mobile app, but the responsive design makes it feel at home on any screen size. If you prefer, you can add it to your homescreen as a shortcut. That's what I've done. I use Tailscale to access my NAS while traveling, but you can just as easily expose it via a reverse proxy, like the one built into Synology NAS drives. Reclaiming the joy of travel planning Most travel apps are built around a business model, not your travel needs. Even the most polished ones are ultimately there to sell you something. It could be flights, hotels, local tours, a premium tier, or in many cases, your own data. If you just want a tool to plan and document your trips, these apps can often feel cluttered and overdesigned. Those are the last things you want to deal with when on the road. AdventureLog is the opposite. It doesn't try to sell anything. There are no ads, no feature limits, and no pop-ups asking you to upgrade. It gives you a clean, functional space to plan trips, take notes, and revisit past travels. That simplicity is what makes it more useful than most commercial alternatives for me.
Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Experience the ultimate in onboard entertainment
When thinking about booking a cruise, it might well be the destinations you'll be visiting that first get you excited about the itinerary. Or perhaps it's the knowledge that, once you set sail, you can kick back and relax with every detail taken care of. One thing you might have overlooked, though, is what happens when evening falls. Think a day spent sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise is over when the sun goes down? Not a chance. This is when the action will be heating up on board Royal Caribbean's hot new ship, Legend of the Seas – and you're invited to the party every single night. Your first stop might be the AquaTheater – something that really has to be seen to be believed. Flanked by two nine-metre-high diving platforms, this is the deepest pool at sea and features a vast waterfall that forms the backdrop to mesmerising shows featuring Olympic-standard divers flipping, leaping and twisting in an incredible performance of aerial acrobatics and jaw-dropping stunts. That's sure to take your eyes off the glorious ocean views that otherwise surround you when you take your seat in this unique theatre at sea. Each evening it's a different show here: you can expect the likes of the Fine Line tightrope walking show with its highliners and slacklines, and Aqua Action!, which combines futuristic technology with extreme athletics skills to blur the line between live show and action movie. Superhuman feats are guaranteed, and you're sure to be on the edge of your seat. Additionally, be sure to make time for Absolute Zero, the biggest ice arena Royal Caribbean has ever engineered and home to some of the most exciting shows at sea. Here you'll be wowed by professional ice dancers, spinning and whizzing across the rink to an immersive digital backdrop that transforms the arena into almost anything that can be imagined. Even better, you can strap on your own ice skates here by day and take your own turn around the ice, all for no additional charge. Prefer to hit the dance floor yourself? Royal Caribbean knows how to party – like it's 1999 – at the Totally Awesome 90s Street Party, led by a DJ, or like it's the 1970s at the 70s Disco Party, with its funky music and nostalgic vibe. And of course, there's the Greatest 80s Party Ever, taking to the promenade on your cruise and inviting you to don those legwarmers and get out those neon glow sticks for one incredible party. Alternatively, head to Lou's Jazz 'n Blues bar for soulful tunes inspired by the music scenes of New Orleans and New York, enjoyed at a classy table for two inside, perhaps, or as you stroll along the open-air boulevard of the ship's Central Park neighbourhood. Or get stuck into the battle at Duelling Pianos, where two talented pianists take your requests for toe-tapping favourites and try to outdo each other in both ivory-tinkling prowess and rib-tickling banter – you're sure to get drawn in and find yourself singing along. Dining in style One of the highlights of your time on board Legend of the Seas is sure to be the evening dining, when an enticing line-up of restaurants compete to tantalise your taste buds. You could take a seat at Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, an upscale restaurant that serves a menu of creative Asian-inspired dishes, all cooked by an expert chef before your eyes. Try the crispy chicken karaage, a tangy soya-ginger marinated chicken that's paired with a sweet Thai chilli sauce, or perhaps the teppanyaki lobster, before tucking in to a refreshing green-tea ice cream or the crispy sesame balls, which come with red bean and strawberry sauce. Alternatively, you could book a table for your tribe at Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, where a menu of Italian classics is served family-style. Order the tempting house focaccia, made with marinated artichokes, olives and pesto, then go for the meatballs in a tasty tomato sauce, or perhaps the grilled lamb chops, served in a merlot reduction. Whatever you choose, don't miss the tiramisu classico for dessert, a delicious blend of sponge fingers soaked in espresso and Kahlua, with mascarpone cream, cocoa powder and a chocolate cigar.
