Travel in county Sonoma

Enter the Williams-Sonoma “Trip to Thailand” sweepstakes by February 18, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a six-night trip for two to Thailand, including air, hotel, a Bangkok tour, cooking classes, and Thai massages.

TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) recently released its 2018 Travel Trends Report, naming the most popular travel experiences, tours, and activities booked by its users last year. The data points to a shift toward non-traditional and experiential activities as travelers look to expand their options.

“Best airport” rankings aren’t typically the most helpful in terms of travel planning: If I want to go to Boston, I’m not going to head for Las Vegas instead because its airport is better. But those best airport lists do come in handy in two cases—when you have a choice of airport for your connecting flight, and when you can choose between multiple airports within a single metro area.

“There’s nothing wrong with that view,” says Annette McDonnell with honest pride from her vantage point at the Paradise Ridge wine tasting room in the small Sonoma town of Kenwood. Out the window, dormant grapevines soak up sun above a sea of bright yellow wild mustard flowers. Beyond the vineyards, the fire-scarred hills are developing a hint of green as winter grass stakes the first claim of renewal after the fires swept through the area in October 2017.

Georgia’s leafy capital is due its time in the spotlight. Dynamic, progressive and home to one of the country’s most exciting food scenes, Atlanta is the new star of the South. Whether you stay for a week or stop by on a layover, you’ll soon discover why it’s one of our top 10 cities to visit this year.

If you're planning an autumnal escape, check out where our editors and writers have chosen as their favourite destinations at this time of year.