A first-time guide to Curaçao

Being from Southern California, many would ask why I'd want to spend the money to go to Walt Disney World in Florida when I had Disneyland in my backyard. I would say that if you ask that question, you've never been there. It is a magical world unto itself.

Saving money is on everyone's to-do list. I mean, just look around at the cost of things. The good news is that if you have an American Express card, it's actually easy to do so with a few simple clicks.

No matter when you decide to visit La Isla del Encanto, that’s the best time to visit Puerto Rico. As its nickname says, there's a certain kind of luxurious magic to the island. Any time is a good time to revel in all that the Caribbean island offers, like tasting fresh and local cuisine alongside the crystal-blue sea and dancing with friends in the historic-yet-buzzy streets of Old San Juan, whether you check in to a colorful Airbnb or a swanky beachside resort. And there's no shortage of things to do for all kinds of travelers: For the shoppers, explore PR’s stylish boutiques or vintage shops, some recommended by the iconic and local music artist Bad Bunny. For those seeking adventure, hike the limestone cliff caves of Arecibo. Around every corner in Puerto Rico, there are lush rainforests and beaches, history and art, music and cocktails—you name it.

Nerea Vera is renovating a house. In the republican-era neighborhood of Vedado, where salty air and hurricane rain and tree roots have gnawed at the façades, it's good to see neoclassical bones and Art Nouveau floors being buffed up. Open to visitors by appointment, Vera's house is a sort of accidental museum. It tells, in microcosm, the story of the Cuban Republic—that stretch from 1902, when Cuba grew as an independent country following the end of wars with Spain and the US military occupation, until the rise of Castro in 1959. Utilizing her skills as an engraver, sculptor, illustrator, and painter, Vera restored the house's moldings and murals. There are objects left by the house's previous owners, including a Baccarat lamp, a 1930 Victrola gramophone, and a 19th-century chess table, alongside Vera's own work (an intricate drawing of Che Guevara's corpse as a martyr and a series of relic-like blown-glass hearts kept in a suitcase), and items she has brought into the house, like a Steinway & Sons grand piano that used to belong to the Havana Cathedral.

Forget what you know about peak season; Peru's most famous site is changing—and with it, the best time to visit Machu Picchu. Hidden from Spanish conquistadors for centuries and abandoned to the elements, it remained the stuff of local legend until American senator and explorer Hiram Bingham’s fateful 1911 expedition. Today, this citadel in the clouds faces a different kind of conquest: nearly a million people each year are treading sacred ground at this New Wonder of the World.

Dec 20, 2024 • 8 min read

JetBlue plans to add a new first-class cabin, with larger seats and more legroom, to its domestic flights in the coming years.

With 2024 coming to a close, the countdown to qualify for Delta Medallion status is on. However, Delta SkyMiles members have one important task to complete before the year ends.

Dec 17, 2024 • 5 min read

New York’s Times Square in a chilly December is as far from the Dominican Republic as you can get, but the island's tourism office recently brought a piece of the country to the “crossroads of the world” in the form of a giant transparent dome in Duffy Square right in the heart of Times Square just weeks before the glittering New Year’s ball drops. 

Dec 16, 2024 • 7 min read

I never understood the concept of burnout at work. For me, the key to success in the rat race was simple: If you're hungry enough, you will endure; you can't possibly get tired of doing your job if you are tough enough.