How to Experience Paris Like a Local

Paris is a fabulous place to travel en famille (as a family), with a host of specially designed activities for kids of all ages, both inside for rainy days as well as out and about in the city.

Packed with iconic museums and monuments, together with low-key treasures cherished by locals, Paris is a city that emanates "la belle vie" (the good life).

When I visited Paris last year for the first time, I couldn't wait to eat my way around the city.

It's not often that I'm treated with a stay at a five-star hotel. It's even less often that I can stay at a hotel that's been ranked even higher than five stars — in fact, it's only happened once, earlier this month.

"Paris syndrome" describes the feeling of visiting Paris for the first time, only to feel disappointed that the city is not as beautiful or enchanting as you expected it to be.

One aspect of the Paris Métro is minimalism. Most stations are simply white subterranean vaults with no surface building to sully the beauty of the streets. Sometimes, a station entrance is indicated by art nouveau iron flowers of no known genus (except possibly triffid), and these – the creations of Hector Guimard in the early 1900s – signify the flamboyance that coexists with the minimalism.

Britain’s Monarch Airlines failed abruptly last week, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at resort destinations without a return flight. The British government is helping those travelers return home, but the airline shutdown raises the question of whether a similar collapse could happen elsewhere.

Looking for a new museum to add to your travel to-do list? TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) has released the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Museums of 2018, including the top 10 worldwide and the top 10 in the United States, with some surprising frontrunners. The findings also highlight bookable ways to see each winner—think VIP tours and scavenger hunts—with some offering the added perk of allowing you to skip the lines to get in.

An all-business-class airline called La Compagnie just announced the launch of five nonstop U.S.-France flights per week, from Newark to Nice, starting in May 2019. Introductory fares start at $1200 round-trip, but that price is limited to the first 1,000 customers to pounce. Even after, however, you can expect regular round-trip fares somewhere between $1500 and $1800 indefinitely, and the occasional sale fares.

As we head into a new decade, let’s take some time to acknowledge the incredible events and momentous changes in the travel world since 2010.

Whether or not her title remains “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex,” Meghan Markle will always be the queen of stylish packing. Her whirlwind schedule—jetting off for an appearance on The Today Show one day, touring South Africa as part of a royal visit the next—would leave even the most frequent traveler fatigued and worn. But not Markle, who always looks pristine and put together with a collection of tasteful sheath dresses, belted coats, and darling hats ready to be called into service. (Who else can make a Philip Treacy fascinator look modern and fresh?)