Paris seems made for couples and romance

National Dog Day is coming August 26 (my birthday, by the way). Which brings to mind that many pet owners are faced with a dilemma when traveling: either find accommodations allowing pets, or leave them behind.

It's getting dark at the end of the world, and the snow is falling fast. It's too dark to see the sea below—for all I know, krakens are churning the water white. The cliff top I'm standing on is Norway's North Cape, the northernmost point on continental Europe (71°10′21,″ to be exact). To reach it, my group steered Ski-Doos over frozen lakes and drove through a blizzard on fat-tired quad bikes, our headlamps turning the snow into brazier sparks. As we return to our cruise ship, we pass wind-carved formations as the northern lights appear and swirl across the night sky.

You’ve probably heard of La Rioja, Spain’s most celebrated wine-making region, but what about Castile-León or the town of Miranda del Ebro? It may be worth committing these names to memory—especially if you love good food and wine.

It’s no secret that it’s been a year of ups and downs—but one silver lining is the affordable travel possibilities it’s opened up for American travelers. Thanks to expanding air routes, a strong U.S. dollar, and tour companies catering to younger, more frugal tourists, the world is now more accessible than ever.

Who will be the next president of the United States, if the airlines had their way?

Eight years ago, seat maker Avio showed off an airline “seat” that supported passengers but didn’t really seat them. Instead, passengers would lean against a padded backrest and tiled semi-seat attached to a vertical pole, but they’d still support some weight on their feet. Dubbed the Skyrider, the seat would allow passenger rows with a front-to-rear spacing, or pitch, as low as 23 inches, compared with the minimum of 29 inches for today’s worst economy cabins and 30-31 inches for most giant lines.

Rapid Rewards members normally earn 600 points for qualifying car rentals. That’s 600 points no matter how long the rental, or how much the rental costs—not a very compelling proposition, especially for longer rentals.

Think overnight train trips in your own cabin cost a fortune? Not with Amtrak’s latest flash sale. Book an Amtrak roomette for one and get the companion ticket free if you buy by June 26. The deal is valid for travel this August 20 through February 15, 2019, with only a single blackout date: November 25, 2018.

Kayak is out with its Travel Hacker Guide for 2018, led by its list of the top trending destinations for 2018. There aren’t any out-of-left-field locales—they’re all pretty well-known destinations—but they have “the greatest percent increase in searches year over year.”

“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.

If you’ve ever wondered why someone couldn’t just invent a multi-purpose, comfy, and stylish dress for travel, you don’t have to wonder any longer. ZANNI’s little black dresses are everything you’ve ever wanted in a multi-functional travel dress.

AirHelp, the online service that files complaints against airlines on behalf of passengers entitled to compensation for air delays or cancellations, knows a thing or two about air travel. Because it’s hard for the average person to understand air passenger rights and pursue a legal claim when they’ve been wronged, AirHelp is always going toe-to-toe with airlines and airports—and reveals once a year which ones that treat their passengers for the better (or worse).