The Best and Worst US Cities for Foodies

Of all the places to travel with children, Spain is up there with the best of them.

December may mean the year is coming to an end – but that doesn’t mean your travel plans have to. If you’re looking for the best place to visit in December, here are some of Lonely Planet’s top picks, whether you want stunning northern lights, epic beach adventures or cozy Christmas markets. 

Located roughly halfway between Paris and Amsterdam, the city of Brussels is often overlooked in favor of those two European tourism heavyweights. But Brussels has much to offer in its own right, and is a terrific base from which to explore some of Belgium’s most beautiful cities. During my recent visit to the unofficial capital of Europe, I had the pleasure of staying at the historic and charming Hotel Amigo, a member of the Rocco Forte family of hotels and The Leading Hotels of the World.

If you fly often enough, you have at least one airport on your list of places to avoid at all costs. A good airport can make your trip a breeze by making it easy to get to your connection, offering tasty restaurant options, and giving you a clean and comfortable place to rest before your flight. A bad airport can stress you out with crowds, dirty facilities, and poor dining options.

Travel apps and websites have significant room to improve in comparison to other industries, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Travel App Satisfaction and the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Travel Website Satisfaction Studies released Tuesday.The reports evaluate satisfaction with travel apps and websites in three different segments, including airline, hotel and rental car, considering key variables that influence customer choice, satisfaction and loyalty based on six factors: account management, day of travel/duration of stay (app only), navigation, reservation, speed and visual appeal.Research shows that airline, hotel and rental car app and website satisfaction trails the highest-scoring apps and websites in other industries. Specifically, overall satisfaction with travel-related digital travel channels is lowest among airline websites at 640 (on a 1,000-point scale).Meanwhile, hotel apps (682) and rental car apps (681) perform best among digital travel tools compared to airline apps (672), rental car websites (662), hotel websites (646) and the aforementioned airline websites (640).According to J.D. Power, the digital tools used most frequently on the day of travel are the boarding pass, check-in and flight status trackers on airline mobile apps. Nonetheless, their overall satisfaction scores pale in comparison to less frequently used tools such as those used for purchasing upgrades or tracking baggage.In terms of travel apps, Alaska Airlines ranks highest in overall satisfaction among airlines with a score of 688, followed by Southwest Airlines (687) and JetBlue Airways (680).

Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi was awarded the Guinness World Records™ title for the largest display of messages in bottles. The destination’s achievement stands as a testament to its uniqueness and was celebrated with a memorable stunt. 1,100 bottles, each containing a unique message, were collected, and prominently displayed at Saadiyat Beach. Inspired by Paris’s iconic Pont des Arts bridge, Saadiyat Island invited guests to partake in this endeavor. Participants were encouraged to write a brief note expressing their fondness for Saadiyat Island or sharing their personal reflections on the concept of love. These heartfelt notes were then carefully placed inside glass bottles and transported to Saadiyat Beach Club a week later where a local sand artist creatively arranged the bottles into a large installation forming the words ‘I ♥ Saadiyat Island’.

Tired of tourists, long lines, smoggy cities, and commercialized entertainment? While those options have a place in our vacation plans, more and more travelers are moving away from tourist-heavy destinations in favor of quieter, nature-loving adventures.

There's plenty to do on a visit to Taipei – you could be admiring spectacular views over the city, experiencing the very best foods in the legendary night markets, or learning all about Taiwan's history and culture in its many temples and memorial halls. 

There are 333 islands in Fiji's archipelago, so choosing the best one for you is an intimidating endeavor.

The decision of whether to drive and park at the airport or catch a ride can sometimes be a tough call. Fortunately, Upgraded Points has dug into the pricing data to reveal which choice makes the most sense financially.

JetBlue Airways has launched its Fall Real Sale offering one-way tickets as low as $39.The three-day sale can be booked now through Thursday, October 12 and is valid for Tuesday and Wednesday travel between October 17, 2023, and February 14, 2024.  Notable discounts available this week include Newark (EWR) – Miami (MIA) from $39 and Orlando (MCO) – Washington (DCA) from $39. Other $39 flights include Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – Charleston (CHS), Los Angeles (LAS) – San Francisco (SFO) and Atlanta (ATL) – Fort Lauderdale (FLL).Travelers can also fly between Boston (BOS) and Baltimore/Washington (BWI) for as low as $49; New York (JFK) and Milwaukee (MKE) for just $59 and San Juan (SJU) and Punta Cana (PUJ) in the Caribbean for as little as $89 one-way.Blackout dates include November 21-28, 2023, and December 19, 2023, to January 9, 2024.Contact your travel advisor or visit JetBlue.com to shop the Fall Real Sale.

WHY IT RATES: The appointments are noteworthy as the team works to drive visitation to its 13 member states and Washington D.C.—Patrick Clarke, TravelPulse Senior Editor