In search of the world's best rum in Puerto Rico

Delta Air Lines is adding 30 percent more capacity to Latin America and the Caribbean next winter with more flights to popular destinations from Costa Rica to San Juan.

Low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines will launch flights to Puerto Rico this fall, marking the airline’s first-ever Caribbean destination and its latest expansion plans.

With destinations ranging from the pristine beaches of Rincón to the birdwatching paradise of Bosque Estatal de Guánica, the western reaches of Puerto Rico are home to a spectacular array of natural attractions—but for those wishing to stick closer to San Juan, there’s no shortage of gorgeous escapes to explore less than an hour outside of city limits. And for anyone hoping to combine spectacular ecotourism experiences with world-class hospitality, there’s no beating Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

Royal Caribbean already operates the world’s largest cruise ship—Wonder of the Seas—but next January it will break that record with Icon of the Seas, which boasts 2,805 staterooms (including more than 1,800 with balconies) and 179 suites. Nearly 1,200 feet long, Icon of the Seas has 20 decks and features a 55-foot-waterfall, multiple pools and waterparks and a “chill island” and a “thrill island”—depending on a passenger’s vibe.

As featured in SmarterTravel’s The 12 Best Places to Travel in 2019 and 10 Best U.S. Cities to Visit in 2019, Puerto Rico is a trending destination this year, and the musical Hamilton has a lot to do with it. Starting on January 12th, Lin-Manuel Miranda reprises his role of Alexander Hamilton for a special featured performance of the hit musical in his father’s home of Puerto Rico.

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.

If traveling more is one of your New Year’s resolutions for this year, you’ll want to check off all of the 12 best places to travel in 2019—there’s one for every month of the year.

If you want to stay at the best hotel in the United States, head to the French Quarter Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. And if you’re looking for the best bargain hotel stay in the world, it’s in a small town in northern Spain. That’s according to TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, which just shared the best hotel ratings for multiple categories heading into 2019.

In this time of isolation, businesses and individuals around the world are sending out messages of hope. Discover, in photos, how we’re keeping our spirits up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Review and booking website Tripadvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) is out with its annual list of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. It’s dominated by iconic attractions, some of which you’re guaranteed to wait in a two-hour line for unless you can purchase skip-the-line passes. It’s also worth noting that almost every attraction on the list is in Europe.

Backpacking can be one of the most rewarding ways to travel – with little more than your clothes on your back and an onward ticket in your hand. But where are the world’s best backpacking destinations? We asked our readers, and here are the results.