Swimming tips

Jul 26, 2024 • 8 min read

Jul 26, 2024 • 5 min read

Jul 22, 2024 • 6 min read

This story about swimming in Paris is part of How Paris Moves, a series of dispatches about communities and social change in France through the lens of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

You could say that I have a public pool habit when I travel. From Reykjavík and Sydney to Phoenix and Palm Springs, Calif., it’s how I eavesdrop on and observe everyday life, wherever I am. Early one morning last summer in Tokyo, I entered the lobby of a sports complex in the Shimokitazawa neighborhood, joined the orderly queue of seniors, and enthusiastically pantomimed my way to a day pass.

About a year before starting a family, my husband and I applied for permanent New Zealand residency because we wanted to raise our future child in the United States and New Zealand.

Jul 12, 2024 • 7 min read

Jul 10, 2024 • 5 min read

Jun 26, 2024 • 7 min read

For much of my childhood in the Berkshires region of western Massachusetts, I didn’t give a hoot about the Housatonic River. In contrast to the many lakes where my brother and I would swim or skate, attend Scout camps or sprawl out for family picnics, the hushed and shaded Housatonic seemed unfamiliar and at times downright eerie. Notions of Edenic riverbanks came from my mom reading “The Wind in the Willows” out loud after dinner — not from encounters with the actual river that flowed 330 yards from our front door.

Jun 25, 2024 • 5 min read

Jun 19, 2024 • 8 min read

Heading to the beach or lake and taking a swim in the cool water is an essential part of going on holiday for many. But to save spending the rest of your hard-earned break sick, it's good to know how clean the water you’re jumping into really is. 

Immerse yourself in the lush hills, heather-capped mountains and river valleys of the Bannau Brycheiniog national park (formerly known as the Brecon Beacons) with a three-night retreat that combines nature’s restorative powers with yoga. Located on a historic country estate, accommodation is in comfortable converted farm buildings – including the old grain silo, ideal for two, with the grounds perfect for restorative strolls. The package includes two guided hikes, delicious vegan food, paddleboarding down the River Wye or walking into the nearby book lover’s town of Hay-on-Wye. Four-day retreat (various dates) from £649pp full-board; adventureyogi.com

As I slip out of my clothes, my stomach pinches with fear. The beach – Pevensey Bay in East Sussex – is inky black and eerily empty. The sound of slurping seawater seems noisier than usual, the air smells brinier than it does during the day, and the night breeze feels cool and sharp.

The best of California is not its famous cities or coastline. The most authentic version of the state is its freshwater, in its many wild forms. At least, for my family.

Cerulean waves crash into limestone cliffs and plump koalas doze in ghostly white gum trees on the wild southwestern coast of Victoria, a rugged natural wilderness within easy reach of Melbourne.

Mar Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort introduces new luxury spa and leisure facilities, featuring a Scandinavian-designed spa, modern gym, and expansive swimming pool as part of its redevelopment.

For years I had been hearing about the island of Pantelleria, the craggy, hard-to-get-to Eden with middle-of-nowhere tranquillity that sits 89 miles southwest of the island of Sicily and about 50 miles east of Tunisia. Luca Guadagnino’s 2015 film “A Bigger Splash” painted a seductive idyll of mud baths, romantic ruins and secluded swimming coves. Celebrities like Madonna, Sting and Julia Roberts visited, drawn to the striking, Africa-meets-Italy ambience, along with Giorgio Armani, a part-time resident since 1980. The fact that nobody was impressed by them added to the allure.

It’s officially pool season, and while swimming is a hallmark of summer vacations, some swimming pools rise above the rest. From beautiful pools overlooking rows of vineyards in the heart of wine country to the Caribbean’s first ever ocean pool, cooling down in some of these spectacular pools comes with the added bonus of scenic views on the horizon.

A family beach vacation is an American classic. But depending on their children’s ages and inclinations, some families may be drawn to different kinds of shorelines: those featuring clear, calm water for snorkeling and learning to swim; or, for shell collectors and young naturalists, sandy stretches carpeted with seashells or bordered by tide pools. For castle builders, fine sand is a must, while would-be surfers need tidy waves, ready to ride. Here are six great beaches in the United States and Baja California for family-favorite summer activities.