Escape to Montana’s Pristine Slopes: Pure Powder, Fewer Crowds

MIA officials expect more peak days this weekend and next week, as travelers make their way to and from Miami-Dade County and destinations across the region for New Year’s Day and Three Kings Day celebrations.

America's national parks continue to draw big crowds. In fact, attendance has bounced back almost to pre-pandemic levels, with nearly 312 million visitors in 2022, according to the National Park Service. Visiting one of the U.S. park sites remains an incredibly popular travel choice for many people.

Ratings that reflect progress across the country to pass 16 important traffic safety laws and countermeasures to combat dangerous driving have been announced.

My passion for tall ship travel is fueled by unique masted vessels that exude serenity, grandeur, intimacy and plenty of maritime personality. There is romantic allure as well, a nod to majestic windjammers of yore. While standing at the bow of a tall ship as it slices through waves, I always feel at one with the sea, inspired by possibilities on horizons ahead. There is an inimitable thrill in watching crew raise and lower sails by hand, as they climb knotted rope ladders and deftly edge themselves across wooden yards (spars on a mast from which sails are set) to unfurl thousands of square feet of canvas that catch wind, billow out and propel the craft forward, sustainably powered by nature. And it is a special joy when that sailing rush is also graced with modern amenities and luxuries—fine cuisine and wine, well-appointed staterooms, exacting service. Intrigued? Exclusive Sea Cloud Cruises, which harkens a renowned yesteryear, is bucket-list vacation bounty—the stuff of which memorable sea-faring dreams are made. Its full 2024 season has recently been announced in a photography-abundant, 95-page brochure, Authentic Sailing Journeys, which spotlights 80 voyages from four to 16 days.

Where do you find spectacular and life-changing destinations that are without the hordes that have become commonplace in so many destinations worldwide, particularly in Europe? Last week in Forbes, I asked some travel experts about where people are going. This week, I asked the same gurus about their choices for where to go next. I was looking for off-the-radar destinations they love, places to go before they get discovered.

One of my favorite things about living so close to New York City is ironically how easy it is to escape to somewhere else. Dozens of exciting destinations are just a short drive away from the Big Apple—meaning I'm always planning my next fun weekend away. There are no travel experiences quite as stress-free as the ones where all I need to do is pack up my car, drive, and arrive. That's what I was looking for when I planned my most recent NYC getaway: somewhere that was easy to get to and somewhere I could truly unwind for a few days.

After some gentle winter sunshine to warm your skin and soothe your soul? Take a trip to Gozo, an island with wonderful coastal scenery a short ferry ride from Malta. Walk along the coastline; swim in untouched waters on secluded beaches and admire the neo-Romanesque architecture of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu. Spend the evenings eating freshly caught fish with a glass of Maltese wine, which rivals its Mediterranean neighbours in quality. Laura B

From the high point in Pays de Gex, sun illuminates the flatlands and the blue waters of Lac Léman stretch into the distance. We’re in the realms of the Haute Chaîne du Jura, a national nature reserve where lynx and wolves wander and the mountain towns among the peaks offer far more than downhill skiing.

Ask people to name the places they’ve visited in the Caribbean and Bequia isn’t the first name you’ll hear. That’s an advantage — especially when you want all the beaches, beauty and local charm of an island vacation without feeling like you’re surrounded by more tourists than sand. And for the ultimate escape look no further than the newly opened Grenadine Villas overlooking Friendship Bay Beach, from the island’s top resort Bequia Beach Hotel.

Balancing on a narrow ledge at the top of Lone Mountain Peak, I peer down one of North America’s steepest and most challenging ski runs, the Big Couloir — a triple black diamond-graded gully ranging from 40 to 50 degrees over an intense 460 vertical meters. I’m going to ski down alone, with just the voice of legendary extreme skier Dan Egan cheering me on from behind. It’s the last day of Big Sky’s Steep and Deep camp, led by Egan, and this is the crux moment. 

Between the enchantment of snow-coated landscapes and the hush that comes with it, winter reveals a different world of national parks with significantly fewer crowds. 

On a bone-chilling December morning, a thick sea mist shrouds Venice’s towers and palazzi. The alleys are filled with damp, salty air and infrequent hurried footsteps. At this hour, few people are out enjoying the city, but it is a truly magical moment.