America's Best Beaches, Top Kids' Club Resorts And More Travel News
Since 1991, Dr. Beach—aka Stephen Leatherman, a professor in the department of Earth & Environment at Florida International University—has released his annual list of the Best Beaches in America. This year's top spot is, amazingly, not in Hawaii. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York was ranked No. 1, ahead of two Aloha State beaches, Wailea Beach in Maui and Poipu Beach in Kauai.
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For those who appreciate the journey more than the destination, an increasing number of luxury train operators are offering culinary-themed itineraries that cater to travelers who long for the golden age of rail travel. Longtime Forbes travel writer Everett Potter explores a smorgasbord of culinary rail tours in his forthcoming book National Geographic's 100 Train Journeys of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Rides, and offers up five unforgettable train trips with a food and wine theme.
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When planning a luxury family vacation, it's not enough to spread out on a pristine beach with a few coloring books and a shovel. Today's discerning little travelers—and their (presumably) exhausted parents—demand more. Fortunately, many of Forbes Travel Guide's Star-Rated resorts in Florida are raising their game with imaginative programming, immersive experiences and innovative play spaces that engage, educate and entertain. Here are six resorts in Florida that elevate the kids' club experience.
This is the published version of Forbes' Passport newsletter, which offers a first-class guide to luxury travel. Click here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday.
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Heading to Europe this summer? Veteran travel writer Laura Begley Bloom warns that visitors should 'think twice before lighting a cigarette on the beach or strolling shirtless down a boardwalk.' With tourism numbers predicted to surge to record levels in 2025, many European destinations have implemented new bans, fines and restrictions that could cost travelers hundreds (if not thousands) of euros. Here's what you need to know before traveling to Europe.
'In America there are two classes of travel—first class and with children.'
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Plenty of travelers have been known to bring back a bottle of gin from a trip to London—or any duty-free shop, for that matter. But one innovative hotel in the Azores has guests packing a bottle when they leave for their trip. 'The rules are if they bring one I already have—I get to keep it,' says Ali Bullock, owner of the Solar Branco Eco Estate on the island of São Miguel. 'But if it's a new one they get to swap it for one of my gins. We're getting incredible gins that you will never see anywhere else in the world all in one place.' Bullock recently secured his 2,000th bottle and claims the largest gin collection of any hotel in the world. 'We started with my own personal stash of 300 and now we have bottles from 72 countries and every continent except Antarctica,' he says. 'We'll have someone visit from a small town in Tasmania and say, 'You don't have my local gin' and I'll say 'Here it is.''
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Travel Weekly
4 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
Premium partnerships are forged at the debut GTM Luxury
PHOENIX -- The clock strikes 10:16 a.m. and the room buzzes with handshakes, introductions and the swapping of business cards. At the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa here, the inaugural GTM Luxury, hosted by Northstar Travel Group (Travel Weekly's parent company), with its speed-dating-style approach to meetings between travel advisors and suppliers, is in full swing. The minutes fly by, but it's enough time to form relationships. GTM Luxury is the newest rendition of Northstar's invitation-only Global Travel Marketplace events. To be selected to attend, advisors must sell at least $1 million annually to clients who spend a minimum of $1,000 per person, per day; have at least two years of experience selling luxury travel; and have a roster of high-net-worth clients. At her table at the JW Marriott's conference center, Kristen Buckshire, who owns Travel Ease and is based in Augusta, Ga., has 52 appointments over two days with luxury-focused suppliers. Buckshire, who specializes in luxury family travel, is meeting with brands like Rental Escapes, Crystal and Scenic Luxury Cruises. While meeting with Arts & Leisure Tours, Buckshire tells the tour operator it may be a match for a client who wants to plan a multigenerational trip to Grand Cayman. "It seems like they have a good pulse on the luxury experience," Buckshire later says of Arts & Leisure, adding that she didn't currently have a good supplier for custom Caribbean trips. Kristen and Justin Buckshire of Travel Ease and Margaret's Travel at GTM Luxury in Phoenix. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman She has a similar reaction to Titanium Tours, a luxury DMC for Spain, Portugal, France and Switzerland. While still at GTM, she has already texted clients about the brand. Buckshire, who is on track to sell $5 million to $6 million in travel this year between Travel Ease and the recently acquired Margaret's Travel, has attended other GTM events but was drawn to the luxury-focused version to meet suppliers who understand the experience her clients crave. "They need something very curated -- very high-end -- to feel like they are getting that experience and leaving their kids with that legacy of travel," she says. In searching for suppliers, Buckshire says she and her husband, Justin, who left his corporate job to oversee Margaret's Travel, are on the hunt for "authenticity": suppliers with unique experiences that can't be replicated. GTM Luxury was created to meet the soaring luxury travel demand, said Alicia Evanko-Lewis, executive vice president of events for Northstar. And more are planned: The next GTM Luxury will be in January in Los Angeles, and GTM Luxury APAC is on tap in Singapore in April. Travel advisor Jami Turner of The Travel Fanatic, left, poses with Robin and Stella Mountain of Ntaba African Safaris. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman A match made at GTM Immediately after Stella and Robin Mountain of Ntaba African Safaris, a tour operator, sit down at Jami Turner's table, the advisor asks: "Next safari, what are we doing?" Turner, the owner of The Travel Fanatic in Odessa, Texas, is using one of her six-minute appointments to begin brainstorming a 2028 safari with the Mountains, with whom she connected at a previous GTM and sent a group on safari with earlier this year. Turner, who is set to do $2 million in sales this year, mostly in group travel, says planning a group safari trip was a leap of faith, but she feels confident in the operator since it was vetted by the GTM team. Typically, Turner won't bring a group back to a destination for at least five years after they've visited, but she's breaking the rule for Ntaba African Safaris. "It was that amazing," she says of the safari. "GTM works." Highlights from GTM Luxury 2025 Previous Next The appointment room at GTM Luxury, which kicked off July 28, is abuzz with business between 80 luxury travel advisors and global luxury suppliers. The event promises to build on the GTM concept, which pairs selected, high-producing advisors with suppliers for one-on-one meetings and networking -- but this time, the focus will be on selling luxury travel. Photo Credit: Generikal Design The appointment room at GTM Luxury, which kicked off July 28, is abuzz with business between 80 luxury travel advisors and global luxury suppliers. The event promises to build on the GTM concept, which pairs selected, high-producing advisors with suppliers for one-on-one meetings and networking -- but this time, the focus will be on selling luxury travel. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Cathy Kusuma Bennis of Audley Travel and Jennifer Hand of Champagne Vacations embrace after their 6-minute appointment. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Kiran Nambiar, Chief Strategy Officer, ANZCRO Australia & New Zealand DMC, participates in GTM Luxury Boardrooms, a 30-minute presentation to an intimate group of travel advisors. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Katharina Heuermann of Titanium Tours and Robert Tate of Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort toast to a successful GTM Luxury. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Sanya Weston of Your Premier Tavel Service Group, Debra Lee of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and Crystal Armstrong of Visually Rich Travel enjoy the cocktail reception, sponsored by Ship&Play. Photo Credit: Generikal Design The inaugural GTM Luxury kicked off July 28 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. The event promises to build on the GTM concept, which pairs selected, high-producing advisors with suppliers for one-on-one meetings and networking -- but this time, the focus will be on selling luxury travel. Photo Credit: Generikal Design The welcome reception at GTM Luxury featured Hawaiian dancing and music, sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands; Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort; the Wailea Beach Resort, Marriott Maui; and the Westin Maui Resort & Spa. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Paula McCarty of Montecito Village Travel – Travel Smart with Paula and Estelle Wilkinson of Wanna Get Away Travel pose together at the GTM Luxury welcome reception. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Glen Rothe, Crystal's vice president of trade sales, North America, speaks to luxury-focused travel advisors during the event orientation. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Brenda O'Neale, the owner of With this Ring Destination Weddings and Honeymoons, enjoys a glass of champagne during a Boardroom presentation at GTM Luxury, courtesy of Visit Napa Valley. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Sam Mosolino of Wishes Travel and Vanessa Seiger of Passport to Dream Vacations toast to a successful GTM Luxury. Photo Credit: Generikal Design GTM Luxury's first day included breakout Boardroom presentations, where advisors like Kim Riddle, a business development manager for the Aruba Tourism Authority, are able to address small groups of travel sellers. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Previous Next
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Travel + Leisure
8 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Florida Hotel Is Located in Tampa's Coolest Neighborhood—and It Has Chicken Yoga and Historic Charm
The hotel is located on 7th Street, in the heart of Ybor City's nightlife district. Suites have large balconies that run the length of the rooms and have enough seating for multiple people. Everyone can enjoy a late checkout time of noon. The hotel has a calendar chock-full of fun activities throughout the year, including chicken yoga, vendor markets, and DJ sets. Located northeast of downtown Tampa, Florida, historic Ybor City is arguably The Big Guava's most interesting and vibrant neighborhood. And there's no better place to experience all that the enclave has to offer than at Hotel Haya. Ybor City was founded in the late 19th century by Spanish, Italian, and Cuban immigrants, and was once home to more than 100 cigar factories, earning it the nickname of the "Cigar Capital of the World." Today, café con leche and Cuban sandwich shops abound here, and Ybor City is also known for its indie vibes and vibrant LGBTQ+ district. Hotel Haya is located in the heart of Ybor City and is named after one of Ybor City's founders, Ignacio Haya. The hotel opened in 2020, but feels as if it's been in operation for hundreds of years (in the best way possible)—and part of it actually has been around that long. The modern property encompasses Las Novedades, the first Spanish restaurant in Tampa, and you can still see original stained glass windows, exposed brick, tile work, and other architectural features throughout the space. Other fun design features include reproductions of art by Spanish painter Francisco Goya, along with glass-blown bulbs that pay homage to Tampa's historic street lamps. Whether you're in town to explore Ybor City's famous nightlife scene or you're on a staycation, Hotel Haya allows guests easy access to the unique charms of one of Tampa's most iconic neighborhoods. Here's what it's like to stay at Hotel Haya. Colorful interior of a guest room. Hotel Haya has 178 rooms. The most basic options start at 300 square feet, which is fairly roomy, but for a special treat, I recommend reserving a suite. During my stay, I slept in a Junior Suite, which had a separate sitting area and a large balcony. If you like to people-watch, consider asking for a balcony room that faces 7th Street, so you can look out over the nighttime action—don't worry, with the balcony door closed, the hubbub won't keep you awake at night. And if you get a late-night craving, the in-room minibar is well-stocked with tasty treats, including Moon Pies, candies, beef jerky, energy drinks, soda, local beer, and wine. Flor Fina has a fusion of Latin America and Mediterranean cuisine. Guests will find two restaurants and a trendy bar at Hotel Haya. Serving lunch and dinner, along with brunch on the weekends, Flor Fina is a Latin American-inspired dining venue that does not disappoint. In fact, the food at Flor Fina is maybe the best hotel restaurant food I've ever had. After feasting on the she-crab soup and plantain-crusted snapper with a citrus-chayote slaw, I felt like I had gone to food heaven. Brunch is just as exciting, with options like maple-whipped ricotta pancake bites, biscuits and gravy, and a Cuban Monte Cristo—the build-your-own mimosa with fruit puree is a must! For a morning pick-me-up latte, head to Café Quiquiriquí, where you can enjoy empanadas and pastelitos while sipping on café con leche—this is also a great place to work remotely. If you want something more substantial, there's also a full breakfast and lunch menu, with things like fajita burritos and Cuban toast up for grabs. Delicious and fun cocktails are being made at Bar Haya. For a drink after dinner, go to Bar Haya, located just outside of Flor Fina. With a wide selection of beers, cocktails, and wine, it's the perfect spot to unwind after exploring the city. Guests at the hotel are enjoying the pool during a swim party. In true Floridian fashion, the biggest draw at Hotel Haya is arguably the pool, which is a hot spot for parties and pop-up events. There's also the seasonal Haya Swim Club, where you can dance away Saturday and Sunday afternoons as a DJ spins tunes. The hotel also has a packed events calendar. While activities vary by season, past events have included chicken yoga (during your time in Ybor City, you'll notice that the birds are allowed to roam literally everywhere ), poolside soundbath experiences, and a heels dance class, which has a unique legacy in Ybor City. There isn't an on-site spa at Hotel Haya. However, there is a 24-hour fitness center stocked with all the necessities you'll need to keep up with your routine. A dog on dog bed with bowls brought to him by the Dog in Room Dining. Hotel Haya doesn't explicitly have family-friendly amenities. However, kiddos will be sure to get a kick out of the outdoor pool. The property is pet-friendly, and a maximum of two dogs are allowed per room. There's a pet fee of $100 per dog. Bowls and pet beds are available on request, and you can also ask the front desk for a list of dog-friendly parks and restaurants in the area. There are nine accessible rooms at Hotel Haya. ADA-compliant rooms have features such as roll-in showers, lowered deadbolts, lowered electrical outlets, and widened doorways. There are also ramps available in all public spaces, single-use restrooms near the pool, as well as a pool lift. To help with sustainability efforts, Hotel Haya has recycling bins in every room, and housekeeping is only available upon request. Hotel Haya is seven miles (about a 20-minute drive) from Tampa International Airport (TPA) and sits on the main drag of Ybor City. The free TECO Line Streetcar System has a stop just behind the hotel and runs along points of interest, including the Florida Aquarium, the Port of Tampa, Amalie Arena, and downtown Tampa. Ybor is an easily walkable neighborhood, but if you would like to explore the rest of the city, you may want to rent a car. Since Hotel Haya is independently owned, it's not a part of hotel loyalty programs. It also doesn't participate in any travel credit card programs. However, you can find a page on their website detailing current offers—for example, Florida and Georgia residents can get 15 percent off their stays. Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
New York Times
9 hours ago
- New York Times
The Gift of Making Yourself Disappear
For my next act of fatherhood, I plan to help my son disappear. My oldest son, Sebastian, is about to turn 19 and — painful as it is to admit — what he really needs is a little less of me. OK, a lot less of me. When I was his age I pulled my own vanishing act. I left college, drained my bank account and bought a plane ticket to Prague. My plan? Live cheaply and finish my screenplay about a con artist who falls in love with a beautiful one-armed girl. I promised my parents I would check in by pay phone. This was 1994. My family had no cellphones, no GPS and the only inbox we checked was the one nailed to our front door. You could actually vanish back then. This sort of escape, of course, is a privilege — something you can do easily only with a passport that opens doors and a future to return to. I didn't appreciate this at the time. My mind was on other things, like whether my backpack would fit in the overhead bin. The first leg of my trip was a train ride to New York. My father drove me to the station in downtown Buffalo. The moment felt like 'Fiddler on the Roof' in reverse. In the musical, Tevye says a tender goodbye to his daughter at the station, as she departs for a life far from home; and here was my father, bidding me farewell as I returned to the land from which we came. My dad was so upbeat about my grand adventure. Both my parents were. It wasn't until I boarded the train and glanced back through the window that I caught a glimpse of something else. The glass was tinted: I could see Dad, but he couldn't see me. I watched as he searched the long line of windows. I saw his worry and his sadness; the breeziness had been an act and also his gift to me. Sebastian starts college in January, and in a strange, almost mythic twist, he's heading soon to Prague. The same city. The same age. The same beautiful, naïve hope of becoming something else. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
