UPS tips

As Irina Strembitsky and her mom planned a winter getaway last fall, they never imagined they'd become victims of a vacation rental scam. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened, and Strembitsky says it ruined their much-anticipated trip.

While neon-lit Tokyo moves ahead at hyperspeed, Kyoto ambles along at a leisurely pace. During its thousand-year reign as Japan’s imperial city, artisans from around the country flocked here to hone their skills in nishijin-ori silk weaving and kyo-yaki pottery. Today, in its traditional machiya town houses, ceramicists and woodworkers still produce the same fine wares as their ances- tors. But a group of younger makers is shaking up the scene, opening next-gen ateliers, teahouses, and concept stores that swap the sometimes-intimidating rules and rituals of traditional crafts with modern designs and easygoing retail spaces. Whatever the approach, one thing is for sure in Kyoto: The handmade reigns supreme.

Ever dreamed of spending a night in the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy, tucked in a bed crafted with the same leather as Ferrari car seats? What’s more, you’ll be surrounded by 110 elite trophies and encircled by the Ferrari cars that won those accolades and feel the speed of the Ferrari 296GTB on a private ride on the Pista di Fiorano, Ferrari’s private racetrack.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live and work in space?

Peering up at the snow-laced peaks hemming in the mountain town of Crested Butte, Colorado, it's hard to believe more than 1,400 people once crowded into this long narrow valley 8,885 feet up in the Colorado Rockies in the mid-1800s, weathering the winter in tents and shanties.

It’s been a year since we sat down with Daniel Calvert, the executive chef behind SÉZANNE in the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. And what a year, at that. Last May he shared secrets on how to pair wine with his award-winning cuisine. Now his esteemed French-inspired dining room has been named the best restaurant in all of Asia. The recognition came by way of World’s 50 Best Restaurants, which delivers its annual Asia-specific rankings each spring.

I pulled into the tiny hamlet of Hirase, in Japan’s Gifu prefecture, at the peak of the day’s heat. I’d just climbed several thousand feet through Hakusan National Park, on a twisting, waterfall-lined road, before eventually descending into the shimmering fantasy landscape of Shirakawa-go, an almost Tolkien-esque small village—and UNESCO heritage site—comprised of centuries-old thatched, peaked-roof farmhouses in the gassho-zukuri style. Replenishing myself with a black-sesame ice cream cone, I made the last push towards my destination. My cycling computer eventually told me “destination reached,” but all I could see was a succession of closed businesses lining a small street. Seeking shade, I flopped against a security gate.

The International Spirits Challenge is one of the longest running competitions in the liquor industry. Since 2007, the organization has been handing out medals across all major categories of adult beverage, with the top liquids receiving what it dubs “Key Tasting Awards.” At the end of last year, the prestigious panel of judges doled out this distinction in the bourbon space to W.L. Weller 12 Year.

Whether one’s mother is just starting to take lessons or is the Singles Champ of her club, anyone can benefit from some serious tennis coaching. Since many tennis programs are also located in destinations that are tempting vacation spots as well, holiday time goes along with the training.

This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.

On a still summer morning on Washington State's Orcas Island, I rented a pair of tandem kayaks from a sleepy-eyed, flaxen-haired attendant barely out of her teens, who quickly returned to painting watercolors in the tall grass beside the weather-beaten sales kiosk. A gentle wind went shhh through tall hemlocks as my family paddled, two by two, to a rocky islet at the center of Mountain Lake, on the flank of Mount Constitution. There we clambered ashore, and the kids, Agnes and Rex, immediately began darting among the lodgepole pines, collecting sticks and pine cones to build fairy houses. Aside from the faint smell of a forest fire burning in the Cascades and a smudge of smoke on the eastern sky, it could have been a scene from my own childhood.

Slovenia is an all-year destination. Every season has its appeal, but the best time to visit depends on your interests and priorities.

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

Gliding down rocky hillsides and winding lanes past great oaks, blossom trees, and Tudor manor houses, meet the grand iron gates of Fawsley Hall guarded by lion heads sat on gothic pillars as the thick misty fog sweeps over the rolling hills of Northamptonshire and you smell the scent of over 1,000 years of history burning in the air.

Before Brooklyn pizzerias claiming to offer the best version of everyone’s favorite food became the trend that they are today, there was Fornino.

Summertime in the Texas can really heat up. When temperatures spike, Texans and those who visit have two choices when they want to cool down. They can stay indoors and crank the AC, or head for water—if the drought hasn’t dried it up.

Are you planning some European travel this summer? Me too. Getting from A to B by train has never felt so exciting, with a thrilling mix of new routes, classic journeys, and under-the-radar options to choose from.

If it’s the last Wednesday in August, it’s got to be the world’s messiest festival.

There is no worse feeling at the end of a perfect beach day than having to lug a heavy, sandy, soggy beach towel back to your car. Thankfully, beach towels have come a long way over the years, with features like sand-resistant fabric and roomier dimensions that mean your legs won't be dangling onto the hot sand.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are two of our all-time favorite travel credit cards. They've got similar names and they earn the same kind of points, but that's largely where their similarities end.

I'm a frequent United Airlines flyer. I pretty much have to be since I live near Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) — a United hub where most of the gates in the airport belong to the legacy carrier.