8 Helpful Travel Apps You Can Use Without Wi-Fi

My Instagram feed is full of couples getting engaged at swoon-worthy spots across the globe, from Rome's Trevi Fountain to candlelit beaches in Mexico. 

Ely MacInnes and her husband, Tom, began traveling in the western United States with their 85-pound mutt, Alaska, in March 2020. Driving and living in an R.V., they visited White Sands and Petrified Forest National Parks in New Mexico and Arizona before heading to California, Oregon and Washington. They sometimes struggled to figure out where Alaska could and couldn’t roam, but often found that they could have wonderful experiences.

AI is part of the newest wave of technology sweeping across the world, and the next area it's making strides in is helping people travel easier — if you use it in the right areas.

Active volcanoes like Mount Vesuvius and Mauna Loa have long dominated the news cycle, but as of July 10, there’s a new volcano in town. And this one — deemed a “baby volcano” — has already put on quite a show. The eruption, which started near Litli-Hrútur, a small peak between the cities of Reykjavik and Keflavik in Iceland, has finally slowed.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has this week announced a year-long partnership with Mattel, Inc to coincide with Barbie’s upcoming 65th birthday. The hot pink-clad collaboration at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal will allow guests to experience a Barbie-approved stay at the downtown property.

Gwyneth Paltrow is inviting you to her house for a sleepover. Yes, you. 

Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines recently launched a brand-new monthly “all-you-can-fly” pass that promises customers unlimited flights for 30 days for just $149.

If you have a prepaid travel accommodation you find you can’t use, TransferTravel will list it for a possible resale to someone else. Although based in the U.K., TransferTravel is targeting an international market including the U.S. and Canada. The idea sounds great, but the travel industry throws up a lot of roadblocks to any sort of trade.

With multiple airlines (at the time of writing Delta, Alaska, and American) instituting a “smart luggage ban,” travelers have a right to be concerned if they travel with that pricey smart bag they bought. The part of the product in question is the suitcase’s battery, which with new regulations, must be removed in order to bring the bag onboard.

To the modern traveler, “living like a local” has become the name of the game. There is little patience for tourist traps, and convenient hotel restaurants fail to sate the appetites of the culture-hungry traveler. As the world becomes more connected, travelers are looking for authentic experiences and are turning to social media to find them.

February in Rio de Janeiro is usually filled with anticipation of sequins and samba with the arrival of Carnaval, but this year the streets of Rio will be a little less flamboyant. The city has decided to cancel the planned celebrations for this year’s Carnaval, and they’re not the only ones. Cancellations have occurred across Brazil in 48 cities for a variety of reasons. Some cities have voted to spend resources fighting dengue fever and the Zika virus that have been spreading throughout the country. Some cities were forced to cancel due to the economic consequences of what has been one of the worst recessions in Brazil’s history. For Rio, we can assume it’s a combination of the two with the added pressure of hosting the looming Summer Olympics.

Researchers in Connecticut are warning that tick populations are on the rise this year, so you need to be especially vigilant—not just at home, but also while traveling. If your trips take you anywhere within North America, Europe, or Asia, you could be at risk for ticks and the many diseases they cause.