This Overwater Pickleball Court is Causing a ‘Racket’
The pickleball craze continues! Not content to dominate community parks around North America, the sociable, ‘tennis light’ paddle sport is taking root in holiday destinations – not just on land resorts and hotels, but also at sea, and, in the latest twist, overwater! Pickleball on the Rivers of EuropeAmaWaterways made waves when it became the first river cruise line to introduce a full-sized pickleball court (pictured, below). That’s courtesy of the extraordinary (for river cruise ships) size of the AmaMagna, the...
New Experiences in Australia that Connect You to Indigenous Culture
A new selection of activities for visitors to Australia allows you to experience the country’s history and nature, with the added richness of Aboriginal culture. Australia’s Aboriginal people are the island continent's original inhabitants, with a history that dates back over 65,000 years. That makes them one of the world’s oldest continuous cultures. A revival of Australian indigenous cultural practices, oral traditions, spiritual beliefs and recognition of their deep and historic connection to the land means visitors to Australia can enrich...
Panda-monium! New Pandas Debut This Year in Two American Cities
There will soon be two new places in the U.S. to visit China’s iconic and endearing national animal. The giant panda, with its unmistakeable black and white markings and adorable fuzzy features, is a keystone species and symbol of global conservations efforts – and it’s one of the ‘bucket list’ animals many people want to experience in person. A pair of pandas from China make their eagerly awaited public debut at the San Diego Zoo on August 8, 2024. Xin Bao...
3 Idyllic Places to Practice Japanese 'Forest Bathing'
Your next vacation may be the perfect time to take up shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing.’ Wellness fans around the world are embracing the Japanese practice of immersing yourself deeply into the atmosphere of the woods, and the broader concept of spending more time in nature to improve your health and well-being. Renowned for their centuries-old practices of ritualized baths in outdoor or indoor thermal hot springs that dot Japan, the newer term of ‘forest bathing’ perhaps attempts to reflect how...
First LEGO Parade at Sea, Only Over-Water Swing and More on MSC World America
Building family fun on a cruise vacation couldn’t be easier. When the new MSC World America launches in April, 2025, it will have an over 10,0000 square foot kids’ area, complete with an enhanced partnership with LEGO that will offer first-at-sea experiences. Plus the only over-water swing ride – the ‘Cliffhanger’ - towering over 160 feet above the ocean - and other ‘can’t miss’ experiences for families. One of seven districts on the upcoming ship, Family Aventura is the destination for...
This Scandinavian Capital is Paying Visitors to Travel Green
Copenhagen is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to sustainable travel. The tourism board of the capital of Denmark is rewarding you to make green choices when you visit this summer as part of a pilot program that could lead the world in helping both locations and visitors to benefit more from travel. More popular destinations are struggling with growing numbers of visitors and their impact on the environment and local lifestyle. Instead of restricting visitors or...
Top Travel Destinations Inspired by the World’s Wellness “Blue Zones”
Interest in global "Blue Zones" is stronger than ever. The regions in the world where people live much longer and healthier lives compared to the global average are not just inspiring people to take a hard look at the overall wellness of their lifestyle – they are even inspiring people’s travel plans! “Blue Zones” is a term first coined by researchers who identified mysterious pockets of populations around the globe that were outliers in health and longevity, with a well-above ‘normal’...
Barbie Beach Vacation: 1st of its Kind Themed Collab in the Caribbean
Thinking pink for your next tropical vacation? Barbie has landed in the Bahamas! Fans of the world’s most famous doll with her own entertainment franchise can immerse themselves in her vivid universe in one of the most famous resorts in the islands. Through a new, exclusive partnership, Barbie Bahamas Beach Vacation has become a technicolor reality in Atlantis. It’s the first collaboration of its kind in the Caribbean. Friends of Barbie will discover Barbie-themed guest rooms, pool cabanas, activities, and café; a...
Beginning This Summer, Traveling Into the U.S. With Your Dog Will be Harder
It’s a dog’s life when it comes to traveling with man’s best friend. More and more people consider their canine companions something they can’t leave home without – even when traveling internationally. But new rules for both American pooches returning home, AND pets of visitors coming into the U.S. will mean dog owners have more hoops to jump through. The new rules could affect your summer vacation plans. Effective August 1, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is implementing new...
Shell-ebrating World Turtle Day! The Top 10 Places to Travel to See Turtles
May 23 is World Turtle Day, to celebrate and protect what may be the planet’s most captivating reptiles. Here are some of the best places to see turtles in the wild – and some tips to help protect turtles and tortoises in ways their own protective hard shells can’t. World Turtle Day is the brainchild of the non-profit organization American Tortoise Rescue. Tortoise is the name given to terrestrial turtles, often found in arid environments. No matter what name they...