The Travel Experiences that Create the Most Happiness

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You’ve probably heard by now the studies that show how experiences make us happier than things. We get a thrill when we purchase an item, but that thrill fades. After a while, the emotional boost we got from that shopping experience is gone. Hopefully we are left with a purchase that is at least useful and necessary in our lives. But all too often, unnecessary shopping just leads to the planet’s garbage problem.Experiences, on the other hand, provide an emotional high that never fades. In fact, memories of experiences, especially ones shared with people we love, only increase our happiness over time. So instead of spending our budget on things for ourselves, or giving things to the people we love, the experiences of travel may be... more

Five Ways To Experience The Best of Hawai'i's Art and Culture

Story About Hawaii

The island of Hawai‘i’s vast, diverse and often breathtaking landscape is home to six distinct moku – the Hawaiian word for “districts” – with lots for you to see and experience in each.ISLAND OF HAWAI’I – Want to truly experience and appreciate the boundless natural wonder and diversity of the island of Hawai‘i’s landscape and its centuries-spanning intertwining with Hawaiian culture? For your next visit, plan a multiday road trip that’ll take you through each of the island’s moku.Moku is the Hawaiian word for “districts,” and each of the eight main islands of Hawai‘i has them. The island of Hawaii’s 4,028 square miles are comprised of six moku – Hilo, Puna, Ka‘ū, Kona, Kohala and Hāmākua – originally divided from... more

The Hotel that made Copacabana Famous

Story About Rio de Janeiro

Some hotels help define their destinations. Not only with an historic pedigree, but with a location that makes them central to the local lifestyle.The Belmond Copacabana Palace helped create the mystique of Rio de Janeiro that thrives even today.Imagine a time when Rio’s now-epic beaches were unused and unfashionable. In the 20’s, Brazil’s upper classes lived in the cooler elevations of the hills.So when the country’s president asked a local wealthy businessman to build a landmark hotel on Copacabana beach to help mark Brazil’s centenary, a lot of eyebrows lifted.But the idea turned out to be the start of a legend. A French designer created an Art Deco palace inspired by the elegant, white limestone and marble hotels lining the seashore in... more

Virgin Voyages' 'Save Water, Drink Champagne' Easy Button

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Oh, and there’s a caviar bar, too.Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages says it’s committed to ‘disrupting’ cruise travel, and that means a twist on one of the luxury cruise standards: champagne and caviar.The cruise line has already shared its ‘ship tease’, with the slogan ‘Save Water, Drink Champagne’ proudly displayed on an outdoor lounge.Now, it’s revealed what that slogan really means to guests, or ‘sailors’ on the Scarlet Lady when she sets sail in Spring 2020. In the rebellious luxe/ music festival at sea atmosphere of Virgin Voyages, it’s never too early for champagne and there’s always something to celebrate. To help every guest feel like a rock star, they’re offering a one-of-a-kind champagne service: Shake for Champagne.Virgin Voyages sailors have an app... more

3 Reasons to Book Off-Season Travel

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Experienced travelers know there’s a code when it comes to travel seasons. High season, low season, shoulder season and off season – your choice of travel season can make a big difference to your travel experience. Is there a perfect time to travel? Well, there are at least 3 good reasons to take ‘off’ season trips. Here’s why.By: Lynn Elmhirst, Producer / Host, BestTrip TVDo you find yourself always heading out of town during ‘high’ season?‘High’ season is when everyone is traveling. High seasons are the busiest, most expensive, ‘prime-time’ travel periods.Some ‘high’ seasons are due to ‘non-negotiable’ travel events. Think: the ones scheduled around school breaks and essential family holidays like Thanksgiving. Whether or not you want to fight the crowds, risk delays caused... more

2 Helicopters - And a Submarine! Video Tour of this New, Luxury Expedition Cruise Ship

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There are more ways to explore the earth than overseas and overland. And the new Scenic Eclipse takes you there. With 2 helicopters for ‘flight-seeing’ and a submarine to reveal vast beauty of underwater realms, this luxury expedition ship covers all the bases – and with its top Polar Class-rated hull, it can sail in any of the world’s seven seas.What’s more, Scenic’s sleek, sophisticated style makes the Eclipse feel like a billionaire’s yacht… with fewer than 200 fortunate guests at a time sharing an adventure of a lifetime.BestTrip TV got a tour of the Scenic Eclipse on her inaugural voyage and discovered there’s more than billionaire’s toys to the first ocean cruising vessel for a company that’s already made its... more

3 Hurricane-Free Caribbean Islands

Story About Netherlands Antilles

Recent, extreme hurricanes have devastated favorite Caribbean island communities.For travel, the impact of more extreme hurricanes is double. It can take years for tourism infrastructure in island destinations to rebuild and welcome visitors again, so your favorite destinations and resorts may be unavailable. Plus some travelers avoid Caribbean island vacations (and cruises) during the Atlantic summer and fall hurricane season, especially during the peak two months of risk mid-August until mid-October, for fear of being stranded or worse if a hurricane hits during their holiday.The solution? Head south.There's no perfectly 'hurricane-proof' island in the Caribbean, but the three Dutch 'ABC' islands at the southern most edge of the Caribbean are just beyond the fringes of the hurricane belt, and havens for hurricane... more

This Hotel Serves a Cocktail Made with Gold

Story About Montreal

If you haven't been to Montreal recently, the Golden Square Cocktail at Montreal's new Four Seasons Hotel (VIDEO ABOVE) is just one reason to book a trip or a pre or post cruise stay in the second-largest French-speaking city in the world.Montreal still has its European lifestyle, credentials as the fashion capital of Canada, and a UNESCO City of Design.It's still the birthplace of Cirque du Soleil, and a global city of festivals ranging from the Canadian Grand Prix race to the Guinness World Record-holding Montreal International Jazz Festival. And its culinary scene has been celebrating 'local' long before it became a trend.Celebrating its 375th birthday, Montreal also developed new, high concept attractions, including an observation wheel at the water's... more

Finding Wellness in the Waters of Jamaica

Story About Jamaica

You probably already know that Jamaica is famous for its beaches. And you may even have already come back relaxed from a beach holiday in the island country that has been voted top Caribbean destination, and one of the top 20 in the world.But the unique terrain of Jamaica has also yielded natural healing waters inland from the beach. Here are some of the places and ways you can make wellness a part of your next getaway to Jamaican waters. On the OceanOn the west end of famous Negril beach, a wellness escape combines the water with the principles of Shiatsu. Jackie’s On The Reef offers this treatment, called Watsu, at its whimsical, waterfront property. Guided by a specialized therapist, the treatment... more

Top Reasons This is Puerto Rico's Most Iconic Luxury Hotel

Story About Puerto Rico

Whether you love Old Havana colonial style, rhythms and cocktails, Mid-Century modern tropical, Rat Pack vibes, or contemporary luxury urban resort on a world's top beach... Puerto Rico's El San Juan Hotel fits the bill. Following a post-hurricane, $65-million reno, this grande dame of Puerto Rico society and must-visit destination for visitors to Puerto Rico's capital is back - in spectacular style combining all three eras and captivating your travel imagination. The El San Juan Hotel alone is worth the trip to this US island territory! It's ideal as a destination tropical resort for your whole vacation or destination wedding/ vow renewal / business event, or as an extension before or after your Caribbean cruise embarking or disembarking from Puerto Rico;... more

Why Travelers in the Know are Booking A Douro River Cruise in Portugal

Story About Portugal

Have you taken a river cruise in Europe yet? The 'Big Three' river cruises are the Rhine, the Danube and the Rhone/Saone. You may have heard about cruising on the Seine, even Main and Moselle cruises.But for a little 'off the beaten track' river cruising in Europe, Portugal's Douro river is enjoying its day in the sun. Warm-weather Portugal, in the heart of the Porto wine region's, scenic villages, history and picture-perfect vineyards, is an idyllic spring, summer and fall river cruising destination. Here's why we love river cruising on the Douro:The Route: The Douro river flows from Spain in the east, across northern Portugal to the western city of Porto on the Atlantic coast. Bookended by two UNESCO World Heritage cities, a... more

Hawaii and Tahiti Added to Holland America Line's FOOD & WINE Shore Excursions

Story About Hawaii

Now guests of the cruise line can choose from nearly 100 culinary-themed shore excursions that allow you to connect with destinations through their food culture while sailing on Holland America Line cruises. HAL's partnership with FOOD & WINE already includes exclusive tours in Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Canada & New England, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe. These shore excursions allow you to take hands-on cooking classes with top local restaurant chefs, culinary walking tours of a destination, taste authentic street food, explore local wine and culinary hideaways and insider access to hot spots. New FOOD & WINE shore excursions are now available to HAL guests in four Hawaiian ports and Papeete, Tahiti that bring the new culinary excellence and vibrant flavors of the... more

3 New Cruise Line Private Islands

Story About Caribbean

It used to be that private islands were the playgrounds of the ridiculously rich and fabulously famous. Then cruise lines got into the game. Now, cruise lines are competing with each other to build exclusive tropical enclaves in the Caribbean for their guests to experience not just a day on the beach, but create travel memories they can't get anywhere else.Most of the actual private cruise line islands are small, uninhabited islands ('cays', pronounced 'keys') among the hundreds of islands in the Bahamas, like the very first cruise line private island in the Caribbean, Norwegian's Great Stirrup Cay, Holland America's Half Moon Cay (WATCH VIDEO OF HALF MOON CAY HERE), and Disney's Castaway Cay.(WATCH VIDEO: THIS CRUISE LINE PRIVATE ISLAND... more

5 Top Spring Flower Spectacles and Where to Find Them

Story About Europe

If you're like me, Spring can never come too soon. And nothing says Spring like new flower blossoms. This year, treat yourself to an abundance of Spring in one of these famous floral travel destinations.By: Lynn Elmhirst, Host/Producer, BestTrip TV Tulips in the Netherlands Where: Keukenhof Gardens and surrounding tulip fieldsWhen: April It's the world's largest spring flower garden. The Keukenhof Gardens are a showcase for the Netherlands' biggest agricultural export: flowers and bulbs. The tulip is the ultimate symbol of a Dutch spring, and there are an astounding 7 million bulbs – tulips and other spring flowers - bursting into bloom on the 80 acres of castle grounds at Keukenhof. Open just a few weeks every spring, Keukenhof is a gardener's dream: themed... more

Think Overwater Villas are the Height of Exotic Luxury Travel? Try This UNDERwater Villa

Story About Maldives

It puts new meaning into being immersed in the local natural beauty. The pristine waters of the Maldives are epic, surrounding one of the world's most romantic, remote and legendary tropical eco paradise destinations. Now you can sleep alongside your sweetheart or family as well as the rich marine life that animates the waters of these tiny islands in the Indian Ocean. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is a pioneering resort: the first international hotel in the Maldives, the first underwater restaurant, and now, the first undersea residence.It's called the Muraka, or 'coral' in the local Maldivian language, and it is an extraordinary way for up to 9 guests to experience of one of the world's most breathtaking marine environments. Specialized aquarium technology was used... more