Jan 20, 2025 • 6 min read
09.01.2025 - 15:27 / lonelyplanet.com
Jan 9, 2025 • 9 min read
Anna Haines has lived in Barbados, New York City and Montreal, but she keeps returning to her native birthplace of Toronto. Playing on the beach as a kid and taking the subway downtown to high school every day as a teenager, from a young age she’s appreciated the diversity of experiences and cultures the city offers. It’s for this reason she’s proud to call Toronto home.
When people think of Canada, they think of its natural beauty. So it’s no surprise Vancouver – a city cradled by mountains and ocean – gets all the glory. Vancouver might be a pretty package, but it’s an empty vessel when compared to Toronto, which was named one of the world’s top 25 cities this year (Vancouver placed 50th). What the country’s largest city lacks in picture-perfect scenery, it makes up for in character, largely thanks to its people. Over half of Toronto’s more than 6 million people is a visible minority. Vancouver has a large minority population too, but Toronto’s is much more diverse, with over 200 languages spoken in the city. This cultural plurality makes a trip to Toronto one filled with unexpected discoveries and one-of-a-kind experiences that will make you feel like you’re in another country, or better yet, a city unlike any you’ve visited before.
As you fly into Vancouver and Toronto, you’ll notice they both have a shiny façade. But once on the ground (which is notoriously clean in both cities), Toronto’s longer history of 231 years (compared to 138 years in Vancouver) becomes clear in its storied red brick buildings and charming Victorian houses. You can eat your way through St. Lawrence Market – which opened in 1803, long before Vancouver was even a city – or take a ghost tour through Old Town, the city’s founding neighborhood that boasts one of the largest concentrations of 19th century buildings in the province. Vancouver might have old Gastown, but in Toronto, you’ll find pockets of history all over the city.
History buffs will also appreciate Toronto’s 60+ museums, more than double the number you’ll find in Vancouver. With its eye-catching glass exterior, the standout is the Art Gallery of Ontario, one of the largest museums in North America. Walk north and you can explore the more than six million objects on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, which opened its doors in 1914, or the world’s largest footwear collection at the Bata Shoe Museum. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg – every night of the week, you can find some of the country’s best music, dance and acting taking place throughout the city, from the understated corner cocktail bar to the grand stages of storied venues like Massey Hall – a National Historic Site of Canada dating back to 1894. Even if you’re not attending
Jan 20, 2025 • 6 min read
Mullets in Australia. Ice swimming in Norway. Strict rules in Switzerland. These national features are united by their ability to surprise the British, according to a new ranking of culture shocks in popular expat countries.
The United Kingdom government has made a significant change to its new Electronic Travel Authorisation program just weeks after rolling it out to U.S. passengers Jan. 8.
Southwest Airlines’ planned expansion to Europe is quickly becoming a reality. The Dallas, TX-based carrier recently shared with Travel + Leisure that it has officially signed a joint commercial agreement with Icelandair to begin flights between the two airlines starting in February 2025. The inaugural Icelandair flights will take off from Baltimore, MD (BWI) airport to Reykjavik, Iceland, although a specific launch day within February has not been disclosed. Once in Iceland, travelers can connect to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Paris, Prague, and other destinations throughout Europe within Icelandair’s route network.
Jan 17, 2025 • 5 min read
JetBlue is already looking forward to warm weather days by adding a handful of new cities to its network, both within the U.S. and internationally.
Words can barely do justice to the devastation that has unfolded across Los Angeles this week amid the raging wildfires that have erupted everywhere from Pacific Palisades to Pasadena.Entire neighborhoods have been wiped off the map and residents have lost a lifetime of treasures.At last count, the death toll from the unprecedented four-day fire event stood at 10 and more than 9,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged.The Biden Administration has swiftly responded to the climate change-driven crisis. The president visited California on Wednesday and later vowed that the federal government will cover 100 percent of the disaster assistance costs for California for the next 180 days.“I told the governor and local officials, spare no expense to contain these fires,” Biden said. “We’re doing literally everything we can at the federal level.”The president has sent 400 additional federal firefighters to the state and more than 30 firefighting helicopters and planes. Canada is also providing firefighting aircraft.While all of these measures and promises have brought comfort to California, Biden only has 11 more days in office. And President-elect Donald Trump has taken the opposite tact, roundly criticizing California officials for the fires and spreading misinformation and falsehoods that have since been debunked.In addition to the Biden Administration, the travel industry has provided an outpouring of assistance and support for Los Angeles and its impacted residents.Local organizations such as the Hotel Association of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board are pitching in, as are international, national, and regional tourism industry operators including Airbnb, Delta Airlines, Internova, and Signature. Here’s a closer look at what’s unfolding.
Jan 13, 2025 • 8 min read
If «travel more» is on your 2025 resolution list, then first, let us say we're thrilled for you. The world is a beautiful place, and we can't wait for you to see and do it all. And if you're nervous to get out there and visit new places, that's OK too. In fact, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has a few ideas for destinations that will totally put your fears at ease.
The UK has changed its entry requirements, so most visitors need to apply for permission to travel to the country.
For most 8-year-olds, waking up at four in the morning would be an unwelcome experience. But for me, waking up on a frigid March morning in 1998, I was ready to go. It was our first family road trip , and we were headed down to my grandparents' Condo in Marco Island, Florida. And, in what was probably a bid to keep me quiet, my parents had bought me a brand new Gameboy with Pokémon — I was raring to go.
Busy airports are already setting records this year, but there are still a few affordable destinations travelers can seek out in 2025.