RAS AL KHAIMAH’S RENOWNED FIREWORKS AND DRONE SPECTACLE RETURNS THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE

A volcano is erupting near the most-populated area of Iceland, spewing flames and lava not far from the town of Grindavik. Travel impacts are minimal so far, but that could change as the eruption continues, especially if ash and smoke become a bigger issue.

Do you already have 2024 New Year’s Eve plans? What if you could celebrate the ball dropping twice in one day? The Napa Valley Wine Train is partnering with the legendary Grgich Hills winery for “Midnight In Paris: A Legacy NYE Celebration” to commemorate not only the new year but also to honor Winemaker Miljenko “Mike” Grgich who recently passed away at the age of 100.

The port of Gustavia in St. Barths is getting crowded this holiday season as the legendary superyacht showdown begins. The season started early, with the wealthiest men in the world and their celebrity friends anchored outside of Gustavia and neighboring St. Maarten and Antigua. Many will stay throughout Christmas, taking glamorous day trips to nearby islands, and then party with the traditional fireworks show above St. Barths Fort Oscar on New Year's Eve.

On New Year’s Eve, 1 million people will gather in New York City’s Times Square to watch an 11,875-pound geodesic hunk of Waterford Crystal be slowly lowered onto the top of One Times Square. Iconic? Yes. Worth experiencing in person? Not necessarily.

No city knows how to celebrate like Las Vegas — and Sin City was in full throttle for the grand opening of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a casino resort years and years in the making.

Looking for the perfect winter holiday? From festive light displays to powdery ski slopes, Europe has no shortage of enticing options.

New York City is practically synonymous with New Year’s Eve. The entire world watches and waits for the ball to drop in Times Square, while revelers at the crossroads of the world and across the boroughs celebrate the upcoming New Year. Plenty of restaurants far away from the chaos are also hosting celebrations for festive meals, toasts and a fun ambiance to ring in the 2024. Here’s where to celebrate:

The upcoming Gulf Cooperation Council unified visa, which would ease crossing borders like in the Schengen Zone, is forecast to supercharge inter-regional travel in the Gulf states, according to Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism boss.

United Airlines is betting big on Spain: On December 6, the carrier announced that for the first time, it is launching new nonstop service between San Francisco and Barcelona for summer 2024. Together with its other Spain routes, that marks a 30 percent increase in flights to Spain in 2024 compared to 2023.

It appears American Express' pilot program of a luxury vacation home rental platform is doing well enough to expand to new destinations and invite more members into the mix.

For most New Yorkers, Times Square is a place to be avoided at all times—especially and unequivocally on New Year’s Eve. The Ball Drop looks fun and exciting when watched from the warmth and privacy of your couch but in real life, it looks like a million people packed between police barricades and squished up against each other in the cold for way too many hours, waiting for a 10-second countdown. And there are no public restrooms.

The $1,500-a-night Vakkaru Maldives resort in the Baa Atoll will launch a sister resort in the UAE’s relatively quiet emirate of Fujairah. The project is called Naama Beach Villas and Spa, vying to become the most luxurious property in the emirate.