The 9 best destinations to make your group trip a reality

With summer just around the corner in the USA, you’re likely already dreaming of where to spend your vacation. 

The Netherlands is a treasure chest of exquisite art-filled cities and towns, canals, windmills and tulip fields, along with shiny-new sustainable urban environments, and glorious natural landscapes, coastlines and islands. While it’s one of Europe’s smaller nations (you can cross the entire country in a handful of hours), choosing where to spend your time takes planning.

Whether it’s a multigenerational family vacation or a long-planned friends getaway, there’s an inherent coziness about sharing an accommodation with loved ones—versus being scattered between individual hotel rooms—that often makes short-term rental homes the go-to for group travel.

Golden sand beaches in the Algarve and the Canary Islands, wild secret counterparts in Greece, others with therapeutic power in Italy and lush, green beaches in Albania: They all grace this year’s rankings of the Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe assembled by the European Best Destinations (EBD) organization, offering something for everyone.

In many ways, the Netherlands is a year-round destination, with each season offering its own charms. Spring sees fields full of tulips in bloom. Summer spells long days at sandy beaches along the coast and on the Wadden Sea islands, and as autumn turns to winter, the darkening chill invites you to embrace the Dutch quality of gezelligheid (conviviality, coziness) at atmospheric cafes. Cycling is a Dutch way of life, while festivals fill the calendar throughout the year.

Over the past few years, Copenhagen has become a wildly popular destination. Some come to visit the Little Mermaid and walk in the footsteps of Hans Christian Andersen, others to have a bite of the famous food scene, but all are impressed by Denmark's capital.

The 60th edition of the art extravaganza that’s the Venice Biennale runs until 24 November at the two main venues Giardini and Arsenale. as well as countless offsite locations, official and unofficial. There are 88 National participations this year, with four countries participating for the first time: Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Democratic Republic of Timor Leste. Here are eleven of the must see country pavilions.

The traditional foods of Indonesia never quite get the credit they deserve. Thousands of islands spread across three time zones ensure a culinary diversity like no other nation.

"Yeah, right," I muttered while staring at a deal on Royal Caribbean's homepage last week. A countdown clock just below the promotion told me that I only had seven hours, 40 minutes and 28 seconds left to pounce on the offer before it would magically disappear.

The creations of Arizona-born Orlando Dugi, a member of the Diné Nation, are nothing if not dramatic: gowns glittering with delicate beadwork, silks embroidered with symbolic flora and fauna. Some have been exhibited at places like the Denver Art Museum and the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles. While his imagination is fueled by his upbringing—days spent watching his grandmother sew and nights stargazing at his family's sheep ranch—Dugi also finds inspiration in Santa Fe, which he's called home since 2010. “All the tribal, colonial, and Spanish history—it's all here,” he says. “It's very small, but it's also pretty international.” New Mexico's capital city is set to draw a global audience as host of the inaugural Santa Fe Native Fashion Week, the first of its kind in the country, held from May 2 to 5, where Dugi will present highlights from his mens- and womenswear collections. When he's not designing, he enjoys connecting with Indigenous culture on the ancestral lands of the Tewa people—or kicking back with a margarita.

As a travel writer, one of my greatest loves is experiencing a new country, region, or city with my son. But one place has always been our favorite: London.

What better way to celebrate the start of a marriage than with an unforgettable honeymoon in a dream location? But with so many exquisite island destinations to choose from, it can be difficult for honeymooners to decide which is the best for a romantic getaway.  On average, couples spend around $5,000 on their honeymoon, so they’ll want to make sure they get the most value for money.