Travel

10 songs that bring back memories of my travels: Garth Cartwright's playlist

Song For My Father by Horace Silver I’m a Kiwi who’s lived in London since 1991 and the pandemic made me both yearn for and fear for my family, so far away. To calm my huge angst, especially when my father’s health collapsed in March, I listened to music constantly, obsessively, jazz serving as a balm to my worried mind. Dad died in late June, not of the virus – a fall led to him departing this world. I mourned and celebrated his life with...

Check in to these time warp hotels from the past

From gloriously kitsch 1950s motels to Art Deco classics, these are the rooms to check out if you want to do the time warp (again).

9 reasons we’re crazy about Cornwall

In the UK you can’t turn on a television these days without a programme on Cornwall, and now its going to be in the global spotlight when the G7 summit is held there. Why do we love it so much?

TikTok video dare showing a car parked on railway crossing branded 'staggeringly stupid and dangerous' by police

The police are investigating the 14-second clip showing a car parked on a railway line in Greater Manchester in the UK.

United Airlines says Mexican beach destinations saw the biggest drop in demand after the US announced new testing requirements for travelers

Mexico has been a popular spot for American getaways during the pandemic as the country doesn't require a negative COVID-19 test for entry.

Real-life locations from American sitcoms

Even though most scenes from sitcoms are filmed on sound stages and specially built sets, every once in a while there's a shot or an opening credit that features a real-life location, attracting fans for years to come. We take a look at some of the most iconic locations from American sitcoms that you can actually visit.

America's historic attractions photographed through the decades

Take a trip back in time to see historic images of some of the USA’s most popular tourist attractions from the 1900s until the 1990s. Some are long gone while others are still popular today.

Biden just signed an executive order that mandates mask-wearing while flying and utilizing most forms of mass transit

All major US airlines and Amtrak require passengers to wear masks, but the executive order gives federal backing to enforce the rule.

Why these 11 US states no longer exist

We reveal the US states that disappeared into the history books.

10 things to do in Surrey during lockdown

The historic county of Surrey is blessed with a multitude of things to do outdoors. History, wildlife, gorgeous villages and amazing views can still be enjoyed during lockdown…

Saga requires all cruise passengers to have coronavirus vaccine

Saga has become the first UK tour operator to tell cruise and holiday customers that they must be vaccinated to travel with them this summer. The over-50s travel firm, which has reported a surge in bookings since the vaccination programme was announced, is taking reservations on condition that customers are fully inoculated, with two shots where necessary, at least 14 days before departure. Passengers will also need to take a Covid test at the...

Norwegian Cruise Line will require crew members to get the COVID-19 vaccine before boarding as sailings continue to be pushed back

Norwegian and its Regent Seven Seas lines both have the same vaccine requirement for its crew members, according to statements sent to Insider.

Which Movie Car Is the Best for a Road Trip? (And Which Is the Worst?)

A regional airport is using CARES Act funds to create a COVID-19 checkpoint for passengers

Eastern Iowa Airport will soon ask passengers health questions and take their temperature before they can go through the security checkpoint.

The Northern Lights captured on camera

Thought the Northern Lights are only visible from Iceland? Think again! These 12 far-flung places across the Northern Hemisphere are perfect for observing this spectacular natural phenomenon, offering a diversity of spectacle, with colors ranging from vibrant green to intense violet to acidic orange!

Europe's eerie abandoned towns where nobody lives

Silent streets, vacant houses and dilapidated buildings, Europe is riddled with eerie ghost towns. From depopulated military and mining towns and drowned villages to age-old enclaves destroyed by war and disasters or desolate modern developments abandoned due to economic decline.

No man's lands where tourists fear to tread

We take a look at taboo territories across the globe.

Sustainable tourism key to Cumbria’s new carbon neutral plan

Across Cumbria local communities, businesses and grassroots organisations are being mobilised to map out ways that they hope will help it become the UK’s first carbon-neutral county. The county has targeted 2037 to decarbonise, an ambition initially supported by £2.5m of national lottery funding, which was awarded last August and will be drip-fed over the next five years from this month.. Tourism will be an area of focus, alongside housing,...

Allegiant Air is adding 21 low-cost leisure routes to this year with service to 3 new cities - here's the full list

Allegiant is luring in flyers with low fares to popular vacation destinations as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout shows promising signs for summer travel.

DC hotels won't close during inauguration week after Airbnb canceled all area reservations amid worries of renewed violence

All five hotels that responded to Insider said they would be staying open during inauguration week, albeit some will be tightening security protocols.

New Picasso Exhibition Set to Make Only U.S. Stop in Nashville

The Frist Art Museum will display 75 of Picasso’s works this spring.

The world's most incredibly expensive bridges

From state-of-the-art mega-bridges to iconic builds we reveal the most costly crossings ever.

Florida is becoming a vaccine tourism destination as foreigners and out-of-staters head there to get a COVID-19 shot

Some out-of-stater recipients are part-time Florida residents, while others are using their connections to get the COVID-19 early.

From dolphins to rewilding: 11 environment-friendly holidays for 2021

Rewilding centres The idea of rewilding – moving away from current forestry and agricultural techniques and allowing nature to thrive – is gaining ground. One exciting new project is Wild Ken Hill in north Norfolk, where alongside pioneering regenerative farming and traditional conservation practices, a 400-hectare (1,000-acre) area is being returned to the wild, with the reintroduction of beavers, Exmoor ponies and old farm breeds like red poll...

Tell us about your lockdown discoveries for the chance to win a £200 holiday prize

Lockdown restrictions have made us see the world in a different way – the fact that we can only go out once a day and explore a limited radius means we are rediscovering our local areas and noticing things that we’d previously overlooked in our pre-lockdown busyness. That can be anything from a historical building, deserted factory or faded adverts painted on the sides of buildings, to animal footprints in the snow or mud, birds in leafless...

The Caribbean to New Zealand: Top emerging destinations around the world, per Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor identified top emerging locations around the world for its Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards for Destinations.

Southwest Airlines just announced 5 new routes to new destinations on the West Coast from across the US - here's the full list

Southwest is adding its 12th and 13th cities in California as it competes with Alaska Airlines to be the airline of the West Coast.

China is spreading conspiracy theories that the coronavirus was created in an American lab and that a US-created vaccine is killing the elderly

The disinformation push comes as a team of WHO scientists begin a study into the origins of the virus in Wuhan.

Several cruise trips have already been cancelled this year. See when major cruise lines plan on operating again.

Most cruises in the US won't be sailing until May at the soonest, but cruise lines are continuing to push back sailing dates.

Biden will be the first president to use the new Air Force One - here's what we know about the $5.3 billion aircraft

President Trump pushed for a cheaper replacement program, resulting in the purchase of jets intended for a Russian airline instead of factory-fresh models.

Luxury resorts in the Maldives hire 'Barefoot Booksellers' to run their quaint island bookshops. Meet 2 women who got the gig.

Aislinn Shivakumar and Alice Spencer are living the dream, having left lockdown in London behind to become "Barefoot Booksellers" in the Maldives.

11 things you should never put down the drain

From paint and pasta to pills and oil, here are some things you should never put down your drain if you want to avoid health risks and clogged pipes.

Boneyards where planes, cruise ships, autos and trains go to die

Ever wondered what happens to vehicles and vessels when they reach the end of their useful life? Take a look...

Every single passenger on board 2 international flights to Canada informed that they were potentially exposed to COVID-19

The passengers who traveled on two Air Transat flights from Haiti to Montreal told that they are at risk of catching COVID-19.

The world's beautiful and abandoned subways

Hidden deep beneath the city streets, these abandoned, disused and forgotten subway stations are a fascinating window to the past...

Tourist hotspot Seychelles is welcoming back US travelers - but only those with the COVID-19 vaccine

Seychelles aims to vaccinate the majority of its local adults by mid-March, which will again change its international travel guidelines.

10 inspiring hobbies taken up by readers during lockdown

Winning tip: ‘I could be the person I am meant to be’ This is about my autistic daughter’s hobby. She’s nine, and since last March has become an avid birdspotter and photographer. It’s been great to be outside finding nature in the city, and to see her thrive and grow, walking to and exploring local parks. She’s now got an amazing mentor – wildlife artist and photographer Alfie Bowen – and has been winning competitions and had her photos...

Airlines are enacting security measures even stricter than post-9/11 on flights to Washington, DC as violent extremism threatens Biden's inauguration

One airline will not allow passengers to leave their seats for an hour after departure from Washington, DC, and limit ticket sales to the capital.

Where Can You Travel? What’s Open? What’s Closed? Here’s the Current Status for All 50 States

Vaccine passports essential for resumption of international travel

Vaccine passports must become essential travel documents in order to restart international tourism. The recommendation comes from the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, which met in Madrid this week to discuss measures to ensure the safe resumption of international travel. It called for international health and travel bodies to step up the coordination of a standardised digital certification system, as well as harmonised testing protocols. The...

America's beautiful historic castles will probably surprise you

Most castles with towers and turrets exist in Europe, but there are fairy-tale fortresses in the United States too. Although they're not always the real deal, they often take inspiration from majestic piles across the pond. While you might not be able to visit them in person right now, take a virtual tour of our pick of the most impressive.

The most mysterious places on Earth

Regina King's powerful 'One Night in Miami' is so good it's destined for Oscar glory

Regina King's feature directing debut is based on a stage play about a fictional night out between Malcolm X, Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke.

A man who lived at a Chicago airport for 3 months before being discovered said he was too scared to fly because of COVID-19, prosecutors say

He was discovered Saturday when two airline employees asked him for identification and he displayed a badge that had been reported missing in October.

American Airlines will now deliver wine to your door, and you can get air miles for every dollar spent. A 3-bottle monthly subscription costs $100.

You can choose a pre-selected box of mixed wines, build your own box, or buy a monthly subscription as part of American's "Flagship Cellars" program.

My voyage through a world of language in just one word: snow

A few years ago I spent a winter on Upernavik, a rocky island of 1,000 inhabitants off the north-west coast of Greenland. I’d been invited to Baffin Bay as part of a programme for international writers and artists to create new work about climate at one of the most northerly museums in the world. The museum director emailed a warning in advance: the winter was better for introspection than exploration. Sure enough, I found I couldn’t leave the...

5 authentic and unusual places to stay in Japan

You may have stayed in a ryokan, futuristic capsule hotel or even a love hotel. But a miso factory? Explore rural Japan and you will be one of few travellers to do so

Noodle soup ties me to Japanese New Year, and my roots – plus the recipe

Every year my mother would make a bowl of Japanese New Year’s Eve noodles for my American father and me. “Just this one tradition,” she would entreat; she didn’t like American New Year, and longed for Japanese-style festivities. One year, I found one of my noodles tied in a knot, which she assured me was a sign of good fortune. I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t even really like noodles. It was not until I was in my 20s that I experienced a full winter...

Everything coming to - and leaving - Netflix in February

Get ready to stream new seasons of shows like Tiffany Haddish's "They Ready" as well as films like "Malcolm & Marie" and "Inception."

Airlines have banned more than 2,500 passengers for not wearing masks - here are the carriers that have booted the most

President Biden has signed a mask mandate for US flights and airports but airlines took matters into their own hands long before.