FIVE tips

A wide range of 2024 model year vehicles – from small cars and SUVs to large pickups and minivans – are among the 71 that have been recognized for their safety benefits in a new ranking.

Following a huge wave of winter storms, the California desert is expecting another spectacular wildflower super bloom.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey provided an update on the $4.2 billion redevelopment of Terminal 6 at New York's JFK Airport, saying that the first gates are on track to open in 2026. Construction began a year ago.

It's a great time for Wyndham loyalists or those looking to try the brand and its loyalty program for the first time.

Settling into the first tram of the morning at Vermont’s Jay Peak resort last month, I looked down to see a young boy wearing a neon helmet pressed against the window, his father next to him, as excited as I was to ski the foot of fresh snow. The boy told me that he was 10 years old. I asked him why he liked coming to Jay Peak.

It’s not often that Littlehampton, a small seaside town on the Sussex coast, makes the news. In the five decades since I was born there, I can count the times on the fingers of one hand: Nik Kershaw making the video for The Riddle in 1984 (oh, the teenage excitement); Anita Roddick, the town’s favourite daughter, being made a Dame in 2003; and the opening of the Thomas Heatherwick-designed East Beach cafe in 2007 (known to my family as the Rusty Tin).

If you've got one of the five Southwest Airlines credit cards from Chase, chances are you might not know about a little-known promo code that can save cardholders 20% off a last-minute flight redemption.

It’s a common debate: should air travelers invest in TSA PreCheck or Clear? Now, it’s possible to enroll in both programs at a discounted rate to make airport security a breeze.

Udaipur is a surprise oasis in the southern reaches of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India’s landlocked (and largest) state. The city wraps around a sequence of artificial lakes with Lake Pichola being the most beautiful. Reflecting the Aravali Range in its shimmering waters, this lake and its floating palaces have established Udaipur as one of the most romantic destinations in Northern India. Add your name to the long list of travelers who lost their heart to Rajasthan’s City of Lakes at one of these Airbnbs in Udaipur near Lake Pichola.

Drifting off the west coast of Greece (and Albania), Corfu is one of the seven Ionian Islands. Nereids and deities, fishermen and warriors, heroes and sea monsters from this region have inspired myths that still enchant Greek island-hopping travelers. Modern-day Corfu (Kérkyra) is just as beguiling for its craggy coastline and jaw-dropping beaches while the Venetian-built capital adds a surprising twist. Plan your next Greek odyssey to one of these idyllic Corfu Airbnbs on the beach or up on the cliffs.

Osaka is half the size of Tokyo but just as much fun. Lightning-quick shinkansen trains link the two cities in a little over two hours while nearby cities of Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara are an easy day trip. Osaka itself is home to its namesake castle, scores of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, and a belting street food scene. The central districts are defined by Honmachi, Dōtonbori, Namba (Minami), and Kita (Umeda) although Osaka Bay is a handy base for visiting Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan) and Universal Studios Japan. Mingling Japanese and Western traditions, these are the top-rated Airbnbs in Osaka’s coolest neighborhoods.

Brazos Valley, located in central Texas where the Southwest meets the Southeast, covers seven counties over 5,000 square miles. About 380,000 people call the region home. While Texas A&M University in College Station is the biggest name in the area, Brazos Valley is most defined by the small towns that dot the landscape. It’s here where you’ll find Navasota, the Blues Capital of Texas, as well as another side of Texas wine country east of the better-known Hill Country wineries.

Asheville is North Carolina’s most vibrant and dynamic city. It’s a place that appeals to all — mountain lovers, foodies, and culture enthusiasts. Whether you’re visiting Asheville to escape into nature or dive into downtown’s cosmopolitan and artsy vibes, these Airbnbs in Asheville provide a home base (or an experience into themselves) at a variety of price points.

Presiding over Manhattan since 1930, the Empire State Building is as emblematic of New York City as the Statue of Liberty. Observatories are installed on the 86th and 102nd floors but the experience starts at street level where craning your neck up the length of the Art Deco tower is a traveler’s rite of passage. Skip the subway and stay at one of these Manhattan Airbnbs near the Empire State Building.

I've been living in New York City for five years, and I grew up on Long Island, just 30 miles or so from Manhattan. But I try to avoid Times Square —  one of New York City's biggest tourist destinations — as much as I can.

Cunard Line has rolled out the new itineraries, including two simultaneous world cruises to depart in January 2026.

On a bright November afternoon at Euphoria Retreat on the Peloponnese peninsula, I find myself curled in the fetal position, my body supported by the cool wood floor. It's my first time trying somatic meditation, a practice that redirects one's attention away from the chatter of the mind and toward bodily sensations. Guiding me is Mary Vandourou, a spiritual instructor whose passionate demeanor belies her petite stature. She invites me to imagine the sensation of weightlessness. “We are born into water,” she says. “This is the beginning of our journey.”

Entertainment like The Bear, The Menu and Boiling Point isn’t wrong: Restaurant life can be brutal. The long and strange hours, the speed and the stress, and the culture of extreme commitment all too easily take their toll.

In the midst of winter with its low grey skies, the scents and colours of embryonic spring are a welcome morale booster. These gardens will offer spectacular views over the coming months, as banks of delicate snowdrops, and armies of budding daffs, bluebells and tulips return.

I moved from Sydney to Los Angeles more than five years ago, and I've come a long way from trying to order flat whites, thinking the entrée was the appetizer and assuming a biscuit was the same as a cookie. Learning to master the City of Angels goes beyond food and drink hurdles, but the following tips should set you on your way.

I'm wearing a barbie-pink bathing suit, but there are no palm trees in sight. The snow has just stopped falling and I can see broken chunks of iceberg inching toward the ship I'm on. The ambient temperature is 29 Fahrenheit. As I step to the edge of the gangway of Atlas Ocean Voyages' World Voyager, panic sets in. The air whips against my bare skin. The water below is a dark azure, its depths unimaginable. It's my turn to jump, but I stand frozen in fear as a flurry of intrusive thoughts take over. Then I think about how bereft my Antarctica experience will be if I don't do the hard thing that I've come all this way for.