I tried Tripadvisor's free AI tool to plan trips to Maui and Montreal. It was useful in some ways, but I won't stop doing my own trip research.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Akso Heart, who attended Visit Finland's happiness masterclass. The course was meant to teach foreigners how to be happy like the Finns and was paid for by the country. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Just west of Portland is an area that encompasses much of what there is to love about Oregon – but it’s not a name on everyone’s lips. If you’re not aware of it, you might drive right through it on your way to Tillamook or Seaside, but that would be a mistake. The Tualatin Valley’s proximity to both Portland and Coastal Oregon make it a great place to stop, and once you’re familiar with what it has to offer, you may want to extend your trip a few days and enjoy yourself among the Oregonians who make the Tualatin Valley their home.

I took a three-day trip to Europe in November 2023, spending two nights on sleeper trains. One was a 30-hour ride on one of the world's most luxurious locomotives — the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

The travel industry considers the months following the peak winter and summer periods as “shoulder season.” (If you think of high season as the head, the months on either side are the shoulders. Just go with the metaphor.) And it has long been considered among the best times to get away as crowds are thinner and the rates are lower. From Macchu Pichu to Morocco, here are seven great destinations for shoulder season.

Last September, my husband and I left our kids with their grandparents and set off to Ireland. Our $2,132 itinerary took us from Minneapolis to Toronto to Dublin on tickets booked on United Airlines through Expedia but ultimately operated by Air Canada, a United partner. We had boarded our connecting flight in Toronto (and I was already dozing in my seat) when the captain announced an operator had crashed the jet bridge into the starboard engine. We were given hotel vouchers and told we would be rebooked for the next day. Checkout time came and went without a word, so we went to the airport and were told to call Air Canada customer service. An agent booked us a flight for that evening, and we printed out boarding passes at an airport kiosk. But when we tried to board, we were told the boarding passes were invalid. Eventually, we were offered two options for the next day: Fly to Dublin via Newark, or return to Minneapolis. We cut our losses and went home after staying the night in Toronto at a hotel. But United refunded us only $1,087, barely half of what we paid. Air Canada did reimburse us for the second hotel and other expenses, but we believe the airlines owe us not only a full refund, but also 400 Canadian each ($295 apiece) under Canadian law for denied boarding. Both refused. Can you help?

The City of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced the full lineup and programming highlights for the 2024 edition of the beloved Chicago Blues Festival, taking place June 6 – 9 as part of Millennium Park’s milestone 20th anniversary season.

A major Chinese airline has warned passengers not to throw coins into its planes' engines after an incident last week.

Decades ago, your vacation most likely began with a visit to a travel agent, who relied on a combination of expertise and connections to find the best deals on plane tickets, hotels, tours and more. Since then, the internet has turned most of us into our own travel agents, and artificial intelligence software is making research and self-booking even easier. But for some trips, that special insider knowledge can still make a big difference.

Ever since Liberty Tripadvisor disclosed in early February that it was exploring a potential transaction in which itself and Tripadvisor would be acquired in an all-cash deal, speculation was rife that a private equity firm was behind the possible move.

The cities of Scotland may be full to the brim with history and atmosphere, but it's the countryside in between that captures most visitors' hearts.

Driving in Iceland is a dreamy experience, and having your own set of wheels offers the freedom to explore the country at your own pace.

In January 2024, O‘ahu had the largest vacation rental supply at 209,200 available unit nights (+11.6% vs. 2023, -19.5% vs. 2019).