Podcast: The Black Masking Indians of New Orleans

Located in the centre of New Zealand's North Island, the town of Taupo sits sublimely in the shadow of the snow-capped peaks of Tongariro National Park. Fittingly, this 40,000-person lakeside town has recently become one of New Zealand's most popular tourist destinations, as hikers, trout fishers, water sports enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies have started descending upon it.

The days of unrestricted privileges for leisure travel across much of Europe are numbered.

A Delta Air Lines passenger threatened to hurt a flight attendant on board a recent flight to New Orleans, according to a report by the local television station FOX8. 

Chicago has enough cloud-poking towers, rockin’ live-music clubs and world-class museums to keep you occupied for weeks, but just beyond city limits, you can also scale sand dunes at a national park, rev a Harley and amble around wineries.

Tsakane Nxumalo is a sergeant in the Black Mambas, South Africa's first all-women anti-poaching team.

If New York has its way, the popular accommodations-sharing company Airbnb will be toast.

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.

According to a report in the Post-Gazette, people who live in the Pittsburgh area can now load up at those wonderful “Airmall” shops airside at Pittsburgh airport without having to fly anywhere. A new pilot “myPITpass” program allows people without tickets to go airside, as long as they show the usual ID and go through the usual TSA screening, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays.

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.

New Delhi is India’s vibrant, multi-faceted capital. The city is a part of the larger Delhi region and serves as the seat of all three branches of the Government of India. The sprawling metropolis known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards and is home to several beautiful parks and gardens, like the Lodhi Gardens and the Mughal-era garden Shalimar Bagh. It’s also famous for its bustling markets and numerous monuments, such as the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, and Humayun’s Tomb, which are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Planning a trip, especially a first trip to India, can feel like a mammoth job, and making sure you have a comfortable place to stay on arrival in New Delhi is one of the most important factors. It’s even worth siphoning off a portion of your budget to go towards staying somewhere a little more splashy. After a long flight and the sensory overload of the city, having luxury accommodations, first-class facilities and service to match is priceless. Here’s a reliable selection of New Delhi hotels famed for their traditional (and exceptional) Indian hospitality from world-renowned brands like Oberoi and Taj Hotels and Shangri-La.

The island of Maui has a brand-new luau to share with visitors.