Matador Network's Blog, page 1192

Scenic train rides to ski resorts

Ski vacations truly are the antidote to the post-holiday winter blahs. But sometimes getting to said ski vacations involves inching your way up an icy, two-lane highway, spending more time crammed in your car than speeding down a mountain. Much like traversing cities, trains help people avoid the pain of traffic en route to their ski destinations. Whether day trips near American metros like Denver or week-long excursions through foreign terrain in, say, Switzerland, taking a train to the mountain can be a scenic, fun, and far less painful way to hit the slopes. We chatted with Vacations By Rail, which specializes in this kinda stuff, and they hipped us to the best ski vacation you can take this winter via train.

Day Trips
Winter Park, Colorado

Photo: Amtrak Winter Park Express/Facebook

Because this train leaves from Denver’s Union Station, you can literally fly into Denver, take the train downtown, and jump on the Winter Park Express to the mountains without ever getting in a car. In addition to avoiding the sometimes stifling traffic from the city to the ski resorts, this train is also one of the most scenic rides in the country, climbing the Rocky Mountains through old mining towns and 31 historic tunnels. The two-hour ride drops you in Winter Park where you can enjoy a full day of skiing until the train leaves back to Denver at 4:30 PM.

Mt. Snow and Killington, Vermont

Photo: Marcio Jose Bastos Silva/Shutterstock

A Vermont ski weekend doesn’t have to involve finding a car and battling snowbound traffic for alpine-inclined New Yorkers. A couple of trains bring skiers and snowboarders a short drive from Vermont’s most famous resorts at Mount Snow and Killington. First, you can ride the Ethan Allen Express, which takes passengers to Rutland, Vermont, in just over five hours. From there it’s a short half-hour shuttle ride to Killington. Skiers from Washington, DC; Baltimore; and Philadelphia can also join their New York counterparts on Amtrak’s Vermonter, which drops off in Battleboro, a short MOOver shuttle from Mt. Snow.

Stevens Pass, Washington

Photo: Cascade Creatives/Shutterstock

No chains required for Seattleites to head into the Cascade Mountains for a day of thrilling downhill action. Amtrak’s Empire Builder leaves out of downtown Seattle into the mountains, arriving in the charming Bavarian theme town of Leavenworth three and a half hours later. You can enjoy the ski chalets and adorable shops near Icicle Station before jumping on a short shuttle bus to Stevens Pass, where you can ski well after dark at one of the largest night skiing resorts in North America.

Wachusett Mountain, Massachusetts

Photo: Wachusett Mountain/Facebook

Though Bostonians will complain about the T as quickly as they’ll wax poetic about Tom Brady, it holds the distinction of being the only major American mass transit system with an entire car devoted to ski gear. The MBTA Fitchburg Line leaves from Boston’s North Station and takes you to Fitchburg Station in about an hour and a half. From there, you can grab your gear out of the designated ski car and board a shuttle to Wachusett Mountain, about 20 minutes away. This designated “ski train” runs on weekends all winter through March 31.

Snowbasin, Utah

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The self-proclaimed “best powder in the world” is easily accessible from downtown Salt Lake City, where you can enjoy a short but scenic train ride into the Wasatch Mountains to Ogden. The UTA Frontrunner train leaves North Temple Station (which, like in Denver, you can reach from the airport train) and reaches downtown Ogden in under an hour. From there you can take a quick Ski Service bus to Snowbasin Resort. And though this site of the 2002 Olympics Alpine Downhill races is the biggest name in the area, you’re also not far from Powder Mountain either.

Extended Trips
California, Utah, and Colorado

Photo: Adam Wilding/Shutterstock

Even if you don’t ski, Amtrak’s California Zephyr from San Francisco to Chicago is one of the most beautiful train rides in America. If you do ski, however, it’s literally the express train to the best ski resorts in the American West. Leaving Emeryville, you can disembark in Truckee for access to Lake Tahoe’s best resorts at Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, and Northstar. Jump back on the Zephyr and head to Salt Lake City where you can easily jump on the UTA train to Snowbasin or explore Park City and other resorts with a car. From there, continue on to Colorado, where you can get off in Frasier to ski Winter Park, or continue on to Glenwood Springs with easy access to Aspen, Snowmass, and The Highlands.

Canadian Rockies

Photo: VIA Rail Canada/Facebook

The majesty of the Canadian Rockies might be the most spectacular mountain scenery in North America, and the best — and most iconic — way to see it all is along VIA Rail’s Canadian route from Vancouver to Calgary. You’ll traverse the Canadian West seeing wildlife like moose and bears, and speed past glaciers and mountains lakes. The train takes you to Jasper, a town set in Jasper National Park a short ride to the slopes and grand hotels of Banff and Lake Louise. Vacations by Rail offers a pretty sweet eight-day package that includes a trip on the Canadian plus overnights at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

Switzerland

Photo: Glacier Express Switzerland/Facebook

For those who haven’t been, Switzerland in winter might seem like one giant ski resort, full of lakes surrounded by snow-covered trees and towering mountains. That’s not far off. The small country is easily accessible via train, with a ride from Zurich to the slopes of St. Moritz taking about three to four hours. From there, you can jump on the Glacier Express, where an eight-hour ride takes you through mountains, forests, and the three cantons of Valais, Uri, and Graubünden to Zermatt. At Zermatt, take the Gornergrat Railway up nearly 10,000 feet in 33 minutes, right past he famous Matterhorn to the Gornergrat Resort at the top. Sound like a lot of train booking for one trip? Vacations By Rail has an eight-day package for this one too.

Whitefish, Montana

Photo: Whitefish Mountain Resort/Facebook

Though the first half of this ride isn’t much on scenery unless you’re into windswept plains, once Amtrak’s Empire Builder hits the Rocky Mountains it’s one of the most breathtaking rides in America. Leaving Chicago, the train takes about 31 hours (about 22 hours from Minneapolis) to arrive in the outdoorsman’s paradise of Whitefish. From the downtown train depot, you can take free S.N.O.W. shuttle bus up to Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Alaska

Photo: Alaska Railroad/Facebook

You’d be hard-pressed to find prettier train rides than you will in Alaska, where the Alaska Railroad runs from the stunning waterfront in Seward past glaciers into Anchorage and up through Denali National Park into Fairbanks. The entire railroad is worth riding, but if you’re looking to ski, stop in Denali. Though you’ll need to be highly experienced to do the ungroomed downhill stuff and may even want to look into heli-skiing. Alternatively, cross-country skiing through the park is one of the great winter escapes in the world and a fantastic way to see Denali without epic numbers of tourists. If you’d like to take the train and still ski some groomed downhill runs, Adventures By Rail has an eight-day tour that includes trips on the Alaska Railroad and a road trip to the ski resorts at Valdez.

More like this: The TranzAlpine is New Zealand’s most epic train ride

The post These scenic train rides take you to the best skiing in the world appeared first on Matador Network.

Matador staff's favorite trips 2018

The Matador staff is based all around the world, which means we’re a well-traveled bunch. In 2018, team members went across the globe — sometimes for fun, sometimes for work, and sometimes for a mix of both. We explored the polar-bear-filled north and surfed the coast of Spain. Some of us went to cities; others took on the great outdoors. Some of us got to know our own backyards a little better. All of us took along our one piece of gear we can’t travel without. If you want a guaranteed amazing trip in the new year, follow our lead and venture to our favorite places we traveled to in 2018 — the places you should definitely consider adding to your 2019 itinerary.

Sea kayaking on the coast of British Columbia

Carlo Alcos, video editor:

“My wife and I spent five nights exploring the wild little islands off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, in July in kayaks. We went with Spirit of the West Adventures with eight other travelers and two guides. We watched humpback whales and orcas, paddled past eagles and porpoises, and learned a ton from the guides. The group became a tight unit because we had to work together hauling kayaks and gear up and down beaches, and we grew closer from setting up camp and hanging out. Even though we were out in the middle of nowhere, the guides cooked up amazing dishes and kept us well energized. There’s nothing like being completely off-grid, far from cars, electricity, and especially the internet to reset!”

Read more: This remote floating resort in a rainforest in British Columbia is Canadian paradise

Bucharest, Romania

Photo: joyfull/Shutterstock

Aryana Azari, copy editor and digital producer:

“It’s so hard to choose just one place, but one that’s definitely high up there is Bucharest in Romania. I visited in March 2018 for half a week. I went because I had traveled all over Western Europe before and hadn’t really gone to Eastern Europe much yet. The people were incredibly friendly, and there’s a lot of history there. It’s also an easy place to use as a base to see other parts of Romania, including Transylvania. I definitely recommend having dinner and drinks at Caru’ cu Bere. It’s a popular spot among both locals and visitors — the wait can get long if you don’t have a reservation, but you won’t even notice it going by. My friend and I visited at night and had a nearly two-hour wait, but we didn’t even feel like it was long at all. While waiting, we bonded with a couple of people and ended up having dinner and drinks with them that night that lasted for hours.”

Read more: The ultimate arts trip through Bucharest

Azores Islands, Portugal

Photo: ArjaKo’s/Shutterstock

Matt Meltzer, senior staff writer:

“These volcanic islands have been called Europe’s Hawaii, but let’s hope that never happens. While it’s easy to draw the geographic parallels — the Azores sit in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, smack between New York and Lisbon — these islands still feel unspoiled, a place you can enjoy without getting price gouged or fighting mad crowds from cruise ships. São Miguel, the largest of the Azores, has only a couple of large waterfront hotels but has sprawling cliffside coffee plantations, tropical rivers where you can slide down waterfalls, and hikes with views out over the Atlantic and the islands beyond. You’ll also find villages like Furnas, set in the caldera of an active volcano, where you can drink tea made from geothermal water. On other islands, like Terceira, you’ll find cow pastures dotting the hillsides and daily bull runnings in the tiny villages.

Because the islands have so much agriculture, visiting here won’t demolish your wallet like it might in Hawaii or the Caribbean. A good steak dinner can be had for $20. Hotels are rarely over $100 a night. And flights, if you hit the right Azores Getaway deals, can get you here for a week with a hotel for under $800. Though they seem to be atop a lot of people’s must-travel lists this year, the islands still don’t feel saturated quite yet. And they might just be the best tropical paradise for the money in the world.”

Read more: You can run with the bulls every week in the Azores Islands

Oaxaca City, Mexico

Photo: Kelli Hayden/Shutterstock

Stefan Klopp, director of development:

“I visited Oaxaca City, Mexico, in May. It was my favorite place because it checked all the boxes I look for in cities: highly walkable, vibrant, great food and drink, and lots of things to do in and around the city. You should go to Oaxaca if you love mezcal, exploring ancient ruins of past civilizations, mole, colourful cities, and chocolate (people in Oaxaca absolutely love chocolate). I suggest doing a cooking class and trying the many forms of hot or cold drinking chocolate — including tejate!”

Read more: 17 portraits from the Carnival in Oaxaca, Mexico

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Photo: gnoparus/Shutterstock

Dayana Aleksandrova, community manager:

“I loved Rotterdam. The city is so underrated because it doesn’t have canals like Amsterdam. The city was bombed to the ground through WWII and was completely reconstructed, so it’s got funky sculptures, cozy neighborhoods, parks, beer gardens, salsa clubs, and lots of creative and entrepreneurial people. I loved Little V, a Vietnamese restaurant in the center. The spices and recipes are super creative, the drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are delicious and flavorful, and it was so cheap.”

Read more: The sugar-coated, crispy-fried, deeply comforting guide to Dutch winter food

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Photo: Patrick Foto/Shutterstock

Tim Wenger, associate editor:

“Malaysia stood out as a highlight in Southeast Asia, a place where I’ve spent a good deal of time exploring and stuffing myself with street food. Kuala Lumpur was the unexpected star of my most recent trip. I found it easy to fall into the rhythm of the city as the top sites are easily navigable and closely located. Hidden music venues and funky bars await all over town, often at the most unexpected of places. The city is increasingly diverse, and it shows in the cuisine — I binged Indian food from downtown to Bukit Bintang but also sampled excellent Chinese, Malaysian, and western fare. The city is also surprisingly walkable for such a cosmopolitan capital; after making the trek in from the airport, I only hopped in a rideshare a few times. The WiFi is great, and there are cool cafes everywhere to plop down with a laptop. Plus, my suite at the Cosmo Hotel was $40/night and came with free Heineken.”

Read more: Penang, Malaysia, is the most underrated foodie capital of Southeast Asia

Slovenia

Mike Dewey, art director:

“No doubt, Slovenia was my favorite place I traveled. I was blown away by this little country. It’s tiny — only two million people — and yet packs a punch in so many ways. You can have wine in a wine country (goriška brda) that looks like Tuscany and a couple hours later be in Soca Valley river rafting and mountain biking, then be at the sea sailing on the bluest, clearest waters ever. In addition to the wine scene, the food is incredible. Super underrated destination where I’ll definitely go back with the family next year.”

Read more: Why Slovenia should be a mandatory stop on your next trip to Europe

Buffalo, New York

Photo: Harold Stiver/Shutterstock

Matt Meltzer, senior staff writer:

“Part of why I love Buffalo so much is the reaction I get from people who ask, “What’s your favorite place you traveled?” and I respond with an excited “Buffalo.”

Usually it’s followed by a hearty, “Ok, but seriously…”

But it’s not a joke. This rust-belt city written off for dead half a decade ago was hands down the most fun I’ve had traveling solo anywhere, whether it was ziplining between old grain silos at Riverworks, scarfing wings along the historic Buffalo Wing Trail, or staying out way later than I should at the venerable Old Pink. The city has done more with its industrial-era relics than anyone expected, like turning the old Larkin Soap campus into a hotbed for young creatives in Larkinville or repurposing those same silos as an eerily beautiful kayaking trail along the Buffalo River.

But its not simply urban revitalization that makes Nickel City so inviting. Bars here close at 5:00 AM, giving the city an underappreciated nightlife insanity you won’t find touted in tourism brochures. It’s the only city I’ve visited where every single night I go out solo, I make a new group of short-term friends who cajole me into staying out by buying me drinks well past 3:00 AM. The food is great, the people are greater, and if you’re looking for an affordably insane place to spend a weekend, you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere better than Buffalo.”

Read more: The most underrated cities for a fall weekend escape

Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya

Juan Carlos Piña, photographer and video editor:

“My favorite place in 2018 was a trip to Kenya in August during migration time at the Maasai Mara National Reserve for wildlife photography. The city tours there through Airbnb were also great, like the soap-stone handcrafts and coffee farm tours. If you love wildlife, cheerful people, and really good coffee, Kenya is a must for 2019.”

Read more: How to plan a do-it-yourself African safari on a budget

Svalbard, Norway

Photo: ginger_polina_bubli/Shutterstock

Eben Diskin, staff writer:

“Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago situated between Norway and the North Pole (but closer to the North Pole) and one of the most accessible ways to see the real Arctic. The town of Longyearbyen has just over 2,000 people, and it’s the northernmost town in the world with over 1,000 residents. It’s the perfect destination for snowmobiling, dog sledding, glacier hiking, and viewing the northern lights, and you’re legally required to carry a rifle when venturing outside town due to the 2,500-plus polar bears on the archipelago.”

Read more: Everything you need to know about planning an epic trip to Svalbard

Egypt

Photo: Sam O’Brochta

Sam O’Brochta, social media producer:

“In January, I finally fulfilled a lifetime bucket list item and went to Egypt. After years of being afraid because of the negative media about it, I pushed through my fears and booked a trip. It was better than I ever could have imagined. Walking through the temples and historic sites ruined museums for me for life because how can anything else compare to being there in real life? The people were kind, the food was delicious, and the ancient monuments made me feel like I was in an Indiana Jones movie. My favorite moment was sleeping under the stars while sailing down the Nile on a felucca with a crew of Nubians who cooked for us and danced around a bonfire with us when the sun went down. It’s the perfect country to visit in 2019 because tourism is still down there, and they really appreciate the visitors willing to give them a chance.”

Read more: 7 underrated sites in Egypt worth visiting, according to an archaeologist

Galicia, Spain

Photo: Migel/Shutterstock

Noelle Salmi, Outdoors and Family editor:

“We lived in Barcelona for two years and have been all over Spain, but we just loved our two weeks in Galicia last summer. I arrived there on foot after walking the Camino de Santiago, then switched to mountain bikes. Then, we swapped up for a van and surfed multiple empty beaches in secluded coves or on wide stretches of sand. I think they may be the least crowded beaches in Spain.

Outside on the pedestrian alleyways of the old town in La Coruña on a Saturday night in August, you see lots of people, but hear only Spanish. The revelers are locals. The pulpo a la feira really is the best octopus I’ve ever had. Stunning topography, empty beaches, incredible surfing, best food in Spain, and a cool Celtic influence going on as well. What more could you want?”

Read more: Why Galicia is the most underrated region of Spain

Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

Photo: Ksenia Ragozina/Shutterstock

Alex Bresler, copy editor and digital producer:

“I went to Uruguay in February, and all these months later, it’s still the first place that springs to mind when I think about my favorite trips of 2018. Hands down, one of the major highlights was Cabo Polonio, a funky little hippie haven wedged between panoramic dunes and surfable waves about an hour from Brazil on Uruguay’s east coast. Brightly painted cabins, modest posadas, and rustic hostels all powered by generators and solar panels fleck the seashore, forming a community so far off the grid you’d be hard-pressed to find running water there. Attractions include a lighthouse overlooking the hamlet where horses graze, a sizable sea lion colony, and a surrounding national park you can explore on foot or via 4×4, but at the end of the day, Cabo Polonio is one of those places you go simply to soak up the vibe — because it’s unlike any you’ll find elsewhere.”

Read more: 11 things I wish I knew before visiting Uruguay

Denver, Colorado

Photo: f11photo/Shutterstock

Nick Hines, Food and Drink editor:

“I traveled more in 2018 than any other year, but whenever I talk with people about where I’ve been, I seem to linger on Denver the longest. I rode horses, I visited a few of the many (many) local distilleries, I sampled some of the local legal goods, and, as one does in Denver, drank some really good beer. I even left with a Rockmount cowboy shirt covered in multi-colored and sparkly Martini glasses. It wasn’t my first time to Denver, but it was my first trip to see Stranahan’s, Laws Whiskey House, Bear Creek Distillery, and the rising cocktail scene in what is very much a beer city. There’s something magical about visiting a new place, yet there’s something to be said for returning to somewhere you love to further explore what makes a city special.”

Read more: The ultimate guide to Denver, Colorado

Myanmar

Photo: ESB Professional/Shutterstock

Eben Diskin, staff writer:

“While Myanmar often makes headlines for its Rohingya refugee situation, the crisis is primarily confined to a region in the north, and boycotting the region doesn’t do any good for the local people. The country as a whole is extremely safe and is actually one of the most exciting tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. Myanmar might not have the beaches Thailand and Indonesia are famous for, but its ancient pagodas and prehistoric-looking landscape can keep travelers busy for weeks.

Once you’ve visited the Shwedagon Pagoda, a massive golden complex in the capital of Yangon, venture north to Bagan, where you can watch the sunset over thousands of smaller pagodas from a hot air balloon. To really immerse yourself in Burmese culture, check out Hpa-An in the east, a small town known for its temple caves. Myanmar doesn’t have a ton of tourist infrastructure right now, but that won’t last long — and you’ll want to get there before it turns into the next Thailand.”

Read more: What it’s like to drink anti-ageing beer in Myanmar

Idaho

Photo: CSNafzger/Shutterstock

Kati Hetrick, supervising producer:

“Idaho is super underrated but incredible for winter and summer adventures, hot springs, wilderness, whitewater, and remote camping. It’s one of America’s last big wilderness areas. I’m almost hesitant to say anything because it’s so incredible, and I don’t want it to blow up.”

Read more: Why you need to visit Idaho this winter

Parma, Italy

Photo: Laura Reilly

Laura Reilly, managing editor:

“Visiting Italy, the country whose culture I was raised on, has been at the top of my bucket list from the moment I first got a passport. This year, I traveled to the Emilia-Romagna region with my mother, with nothing on our itinerary but eating fresh pasta, hard cheese, and salty meat. Emilia-Romagna is the food heart of Italy, famous for producing authentic Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar of Modena, and Prosciutto di Parma. These protected products can only be made in specific areas of Emilia-Romagna and have to meet a litany of consortium standards before they can hit the shelves with the coveted DOP labels of authenticity.

On the outskirts of the city of Parma, organize a tour of the factories to see how both Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma are made, and be dumbstruck at the sheer quantity these facilities churn out for the whole world’s consumption. (Be sure to get a picture of yourself dwarfed by shelves of cheese and ham, too.) Then, take a walking tour of the city to indulge in even more traditional food, from stuffed anolini in steaming hot broth to a pesto di cavallo panini, aka raw horse meat (tastes like a spicy tuna roll!). Don’t worry about not fitting into any of the clothes you packed to go home in; there’s plenty of colorful, cobblestoned streets in Parma to walk it all off — but packing a pair of stretchy pants certainly wouldn’t hurt.”

Read more: 7 destinations to visit NOW before they’re overrun with tourists


More like this: The 12 best budget destinations of 2019

The post Matador’s favorite places we visited in 2018 appeared first on Matador Network.

The craziest travel stories of 2018

This year may go down as the year service animals finally got a little too extra. Though we’d tolerated dogs, cats, and even the occasional mini-horse onboard planes to help keep people sane, this year’s abundance of ridiculous emotional support animals culminated with Delta banning them on long-haul flights and Popeyes offering emotional support fried chicken. But ridiculous animals weren’t the only crazy travel stories to emerge from 2018. There was also a human heart erroneously left on a plane, human ashes all over Disneyland, a flight attendant suspended after he was videoed with a porn star in a lavatory, and other airborne insanity. Crazy a year as it’s been, here are our picks for the 18 wildest travel stories of 2018.

1. Plane turns around due to broken toilet with 85 plumbers onboard

In January, Norwegian Airlines saw fit to pull a mid-air U-turn on a flight from Oslo to Munich because a toilet was broken. The kicker: The plane held 85 plumbers who could have easily fixed the problem midair if fixing it didn’t involve stepping outside the aircraft. After deciding that sending a plumber outside at 30,000 feet was an bit risky, pilots returned to Oslo. The toilet was repaired quickly and arrived in Munch three hours late.

2. Airport employees babysit pet fish after Southwest refuses its boarding

Photo: Denver International Airport

Give Lanice Powless credit: She never tried to pass Cassie, her pink betta fish, off as an emotional support fish. But when Southwest Airlines told her she couldn’t board her flight from Denver home to California with her pet, she was left no choice but to give the fish a tearful goodbye. That is, until Cassie was found by an airport employee, who turned it into lost and found. There, fellow employees kept Cassie as their temporary pet until Powless returned home, going so far as to tweet a “letter” from Cassie saying, “Everyone has been really nice to me.”

3. Man sues British Airways after he’s seated next to an overweight passenger

Being overly-litigious isn’t just for Americans anymore! Stephen Prosser — who stands all of 5’3” — was seated next to a man weighing over 300 pounds on a 12-hour British Airways flight from Bangkok to London. Though he complained to the flight crew that he was being effectively smooshed beyond recognition by his rowmate, the crew informed him the plane had no empty seats. After the half-day ordeal, Prosser claims he was left with back spasms and a pelvic injury, unable to work overtime at his job, losing interest in his romantic partner, and forced to give up mountain biking. For this seeming complete destruction of his life, Prosser sued BA for the epic sum of $12,000.

4. Flight attendant suspended after lavatory romp with porn star goes viral

Adult film star Austin Wolf — often known for tweeting his videotaped escapades out to the Twitterverse — engaged in a little lavatory loving with an off-duty Delta flight attendant in October. The video went viral, and despite the FA not consenting to the recording, he was immediately suspended from duty pending an investigation. Though not on duty, the flight attendant was in uniform, and when Delta learned of the incident it immediately issued a statement saying, “This video does not reflect the standards of professionalism expected of our employees.” Twitter, after repeated requests, took the tweet down.

5. Disney employees reveal the park is full of human ashes

Photo: Walt Disney World/Facebook

If you’ve ever met a Disney-obsessed individual, you know they’re a special breed of human that lives and dies with the mouse. Sometimes literally. This year, several Disney employees disclosed to the Wall Street Journal that Disneyland and Walt Disney World frequently have to close popular attractions for “technical difficulties,” which actually means they are vacuuming up the fine ashes of people whose families have spread their ashes inside. Though the practice, like anything eccentric, is strictly against park rules, families are not deterred using everything from pill bottles to makeup compacts. One longtime custodian told WSJ, “The Haunted Mansion probably has so much human ashes in it that it’s not even funny.”

6. American Airlines passenger removed for refusing to stop doing pull-ups

We know that doing a little exercise on a long-haul flight is crucially important in maintaining circulation and staving off deep vein thrombosis. What is not crucially important is grabbing onto the overhead bins and doing pull-ups while verbally berating other passengers and anyone else who asks you to stop. We’d like to imagine the man who did this on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Boston did so with a Boston-proud Southie accent, until the pilot effectively said, “We get it, bro. You’re yoked,” and made an emergency landing in Kansas City so the man could be escorted off.

7. Woman removed from plane after bringing emotional support squirrel

A big part of why 2018 may be the beginning of the end for emotional support animals was Cindy Torok. She delayed a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando to Cleveland nearly two hours when she was removed after boarding the plane with her emotional support squirrel, Daisy. When the flight crew discovered the emotional support animal, they politely asked her to deplane. When she refused, Orlando police were called and yet another “Florida Woman” story was etched in history.

8. Peacock who had a ticket still denied entry to United Airlines flight

Photo: Dexter the Peacock/Instagram

Another big contributor to the support animal tipping point was the emotional support peacock one United Airlines passenger tried to bring onboard in January in Newark. Though the passenger had purchased a ticket for the peacock, he was not allowed onboard per airline and FAA policy. And probably because he couldn’t produce photo ID at TSA.

9. Man steps in dog feces on plane, told to clean it up himself

Trained service dogs are among the most disciplined animals on the planet, but sometimes even they get sick — as was evidenced in November when poor Matthew Meehan of Bay City, Michigan, stepped in a pile of leftover feces from a dog on his flight from Atlanta to Miami; it was also on his seat. Flight attendants handed him a couple of paper towels and a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin, though it’s unclear if the gin was meant for cleaning or coping. Delta apologized, claimed it was from an incident with an “ill service animal” from a previous flight, and gave Meehan a full refund and “additional compensation.”

10. Flight attendant breastfeeds baby

Photo: Patrisha Organo/Facebook

People sometimes complain that flight attendants aren’t as polite as they used to be, but Philippine Airlines’ Patrisha Organo did enough good for the entire industry in November. When she heard a baby screeching on her flight, she approached the mother and learned she had run out of formula. Either out of compassion or consideration for the planeload of people who’d have to listen to said starving baby, she took mother and child to a secluded section of the plane and breastfed the baby herself. Her Facebook post about the event was shared 35,000 times and received 145,000 likes.

11. Human heart found on flight

When quirky Southwest Airlines announced, “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, we have a heart left onboard that needs to be returned to Seattle,” one might have thought it was another classic Southwest story leading to an in-flight proposal. Not so in December when Southwest realized it had an actual human heart mistakenly left onboard, meant for use in a Seattle-area hospital. Unfortunately, the arriving flight to Sea-Tac had failed to unload the heart, and as the plane was on its way to Dallas, the airline realized the heart was onboard and turned around. It ultimately arrived at the hospital 12 hours before it would have expired, though it had no specific recipient.

12. Man steals $9,000 out of security tray in Rome

We all get a little antsy when we put our phones, wallets, and jewelry in the TSA X-ray tray, hoping some unscrupulous individual who gets to the other end first doesn’t swipe them before we get body-scanned. Those fears were realized this December in Rome when a passenger was spotted stealing envelopes full of cash from the security line. He hid in the bathroom with the estimated $9,000, where he was cornered and arrested by Polizia di Stato, an Italian national police force. They returned the money to its owner and per Italian custom wisely didn’t ask why they were traveling with envelopes full of $9,000 in cash.

13. Man readmitted to hotel 17 years after seagulls ravage his room

Photo: Nick Burchill

Nick Burchill, like many of us, wasn’t aware what pepperoni can do to a seagull. He learned this lesson the hard way back in 2001 when he left an entire suitcase of Brothers Pepperoni open in his room at the Fairmont Empress hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. Lacking an in-room fridge, he also left his window open so the cool Canadian air would chill his cured meat. What he didn’t realize was they he’d return to over 40 seagulls in the room, their digestive systems demolished by the pepperoni they’d found, completely destroying the room. Burchill was banned from the Empress for life. He wrote a polite letter asking for reinstatement this year and his request was granted, which Burchill credits to the Brothers Pepperoni he sent as a bribe.

14. Baby born on Paris train gets free rides

Imagine this: You show up for your morning commute in Paris, look up at the train schedule, and see your train is delayed due to an “unexpected baby.” This is what happened in June when a Paris woman went into labor and, after several fellow passengers ignored her, was helped through delivery by a couple of good Samaritans. The train was delayed 45 minutes — with the reason listed on the schedule screen — and the child has been given free rides until age 25.

15. Woman finds long-lost cruise friend thanks to Twitter

Photo: brianncry/Twitter

The friends we make on cruises are, more often than not, lost as soon as we leave the gangplank, which is part of the appeal of the floating city vacation. But 19-year-old Brianna Cry saw it differently. After making what she described as “basically best friends for that night” on a cruise to Hawaii in 2006, she posted a picture of them on Twitter in November asking her followers to find her long lost pal. It took all over 11 hours for the picture to find Heidi Tran, who tweeted back, “Heard you were looking for me,” with a family photo from the cruise.

16. Drunk man with blow-up doll forces emergency landing

Firing it up early for your buddy’s stag party in Ibiza is nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is dragging a blow-up doll along with you on your flight. However, when you and your inflatable friend drink so much you begin screaming profanity and getting unruly with fellow passengers, well, then it’s time to go. Which is what happened on a Jet2 flight from Belfast to Ibiza in June, when the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in France so the man and his plastic pal could be removed. The flight was delayed three hours, not exactly what one expects when boarding a flight set to leave just after 7:00 AM.

17. Massive 1,300-man party forces mass refunds on cruise ship

There are always “those guys” on a cruise ship who seem to wake up six shots deep and aside from embarrassing themselves are generally harmless. Then there was the September voyage of Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas from Sydney, where 1,300 Indian tobacco company employees took over the family-friendly ship, complete with scantily clad ‘burlesque” dancers. Families hid inside while the men raged for the week, filming unwitting female passengers with their phones and leaving their stateroom doors open intentionally. Royal Caribbean announced after the cruise they would offer full refunds to all offended passengers.

18. Woman delivers her own baby in a hotel room using YouTube

Photo: TheWittleDemon/Twitter

You really can learn anything online, just ask Tia Freeman. As she arrived in Istanbul for a 17-hour layover en route to Germany, she began going into labor while waiting in line at customs and immigration, a pain she attributed to a bad in-flight meal. Once at her hotel, she realized this was much more than some bad chicken, got in the bathtub, and pulled up a YouTube video on how to deliver a baby. Using her online education, she birthed the kid in the tub, cleaned up the room, and went to sleep. After some serious interrogation from Turkish officials at the airport, who wondered why she was leaving the country with an infant she didn’t have when she got there, Freeman was taken to the US consulate and given a birth certificate. The pair returned home with the most unusual birthing story of the year.


More like this: 10 unexpected destinations we loved in 2018

The post The 18 craziest travel stories of 2018 appeared first on Matador Network.

Best boutique hotels opening in 2019

It’s time to get stoked for travel in 2019, and if you’re the type that prefers a dash of originality and flavor in your lodging choices, the year is shaping up to be banner status. Destinations across the world are stepping up their boutique hotel game, and 2019 is filled with exciting openings, particularly for those willing to venture beyond the typical major urban hubs.

Boutique hotels first emerged in the ‘90s to meet the increasing demand for unique design, but they’ve come a long way since then. Over the last few years, two trends have emerged in the boutique scene: a stronger focus on experiences and a more nuanced understanding of reducing environmental impact. From Bristol to Bali, Sri Lanka to South Africa, here is seven of the most exciting boutique hotels opening up in the next year.

1. Sonop from Zannier Hotels — Sonop, Namibia

Opens: Spring 2019

Photo: Zannier Hotels

Designed in the style of a 1920s safari for none other than the incredibly wealthy, this absurdly opulent blast from the past is set in the heart of the Namibian desert and offers an extravagant end-of-the-Earth type of experience. Sonop, from the hotel group Zannier Hotels, is set up to be sort of like glamping but with a level of comfort on par with high-end colonial-style lodging brands like Raffles. There are 10 “tents” altogether, but don’t let the tents fool you; this isn’t the sort of camping with pegs, poles, and peeing in the great outdoors. The tents at Sonop come fully equipped with all the frills: air conditioning, vintage teak furnishings, colorful carpets, and antiques. There’s even a Champagne and cigar lounge, a heated infinity pool, and black-tie dinner service — so you can settle in deep after a day touring the range.

2. Harding Boutique Hotel — Ahangama, Sri Lanka

Opens: Autumn 2019

Photo: Harding Boutique Hotels

All eyes have been on Sri Lanka as one of the top places to visit for 2019, and as tourists surge towards Sri Lanka’s white palm-lined beaches, a huge number of developments are underway. Harding Boutique Hotel hopes to welcome some of those excited travelers in a newly crafted space in Ahangama. The Harding Boutique Hotel is the first in a series of planned properties designed by The Harding Group, which is using Sri Lanka as its debut destination. Incorporating a tropical modernism style that fits the Sri Lankan vernacular, the hotel will have just six luxury suites with butler service overlooking the ocean. Teaming up with internationally renowned architect Jonathan Ashmore — of previous architecture fame in London and Dubai — the Harding Boutique Hotel is bringing creative luxury to one of the main surf spots on Sri Lanka’s south coast.

3. Earthly Paradise — Ubud, Bali

Opens: Summer 2019

Photo: Earth Company

Bali has led the way in green development for several years now, something that nonprofit sustainable consultancy group Earth Company has been at the forefront of. Its latest innovation is an exciting eco-retreat that it’ll be using as a testing ground for new conservation techniques aimed at helping travelers reduce their impact on both the environment and local communities. Set to open in May 2019, Earthly Paradise is completely solar powered and features eight “Earthbag houses” designed by eco-architects, along with a probiotic cafe, plastic-free store, permaculture garden, and yoga shala. The effort is quite appropriate, given the hotel’s location in Ubud, the heart of yoga, health food, and sustainability in Bali.

4. Artist Residence Bristol — Bristol, England

Opens: Spring 2019

Photo: Artist Residence/Facebook

One of England’s most cutting-edge new hotel groups, Artist Residencies creates fun and friendly boutique hotels that have popped up all over the UK. Its newest offering, the Artist Residence Bristol, is inside an old boot factory in a funky boho neighborhood of Bristol. Consistently voted one of Britain’s favorite cities, Bristol has a contagious energy and a thriving alternative culture well-suited to the trend-setting style of the Artist Residence group. Opening in late March, the hotel has transformed the crumbling 19th-century building into an exciting 27-bed boutique hotel. You can expect hipster furnishings, most likely some exposed brickwork, and definitely delicious food and an effortlessly cool vibe.

5. Ace Kyoto — Kyoto, Japan

Opens: Winter 2019

Photo: Ace Hotels

Over the past few years, the Ace Group has built a well-respected name for itself as a leader in the hipster hotel revolution. The brand will bring its chic, creative urban style to Kyoto in 2019. The space is sure to appeal to the digital nomad, millennial crowd — think indie men with beards and trendy digital nomads hunkered over laptops and lattes in the lobby. The Kyoto opening will be Ace’s first Asian hotel and its first hotel in a non-English-speaking country. So although they’re keeping their plans fairly hush-hush, there’s no doubt they’ve got something rather special up their sleeve.

6. Blackberry Mountain — Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

Opens: Winter 2019

Photo: Blackberry Mountain/Facebook

There’s more to Tennessee than Jack Daniels. Stunning scenery and southern hospitality are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, Tennessee is so popular with tourists right now that luxury hotel Blackberry Farm will open a boutique property in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, home to the most popular national park in the country. The new property, Blackberry Mountains, will feature a limited number of cabins and cottages, offering boutique luxury in a wilderness setting. The restaurant is said to feature an underground wine cellar with over 10,000 wines and — if its previous hotel is anything to go by — there will be a strong focus on farm-to-table food culture.

7. The Farmstead at Royal Malewane — Kruger National Park, South Africa

Opens: Summer 2019

Photo: The Royal Portfolio

Super stylish hotel group The Royal Portfolio is bringing yet another artsy and adventurous residency to life next year with the opening of its newest property, The Farmstead. Locations don’t get much more exciting than Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Therefore it goes without saying that wildlife sightings and stunning views will be a given at The Farmstead. Made up of just three luxury farm suites, this hotel is the ultimate in boutique luxury.


More like this: The coolest things opening around the world in 2019

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Best Mexico City craft breweries

When you think about Mexico, you probably think about tequila. But you should really be thinking about beer. Mexico exports more beer than any country in the world, and it sends out more than twice as much as the second largest beer exporter, the Netherlands. Most of Mexico’s beer is from the large conglomerates you know like Corona and Tecate, but the capital, Mexico City, has a rising craft beer scene that’s worth paying attention to.

If the idea of taking nothing but tequila shots sounds like a great way to forget you even went to Mexico City, relax with a cerveza instead with this ultimate guide to every brewery in Mexico City.

1. Cerveza Cosaco

Photo: Cosaco/Facebook

Cerveza Cosaco is regarded as the father of craft beer in Mexico. Founded by Gustavo González in 2000, Cerveza Cosaco brews ales without any added preservatives, dyes, or artificial flavors. You can’t visit the brewery, but the beer is widely available in locations across Mexico City. Try the Cosaco red, black, or light ales, or sample the Ponderosa line of bottled beers with barley wine, an IPA, saisons, and more.

2. The Tasting Room

Photo: Tasting Room MX/Facebook

The Tasting Room is a bar with an ever-changing tap list of over 20 Mexican craft beers and international imports, but it also brews its own house beer under the name Casa Cervecera Morena. There’s no need to choose between the IPA, pale ale, farmhouse ale, or oatmeal stout because the option to order flights means you can sample all four house beers at once. The bar is a popular spot in the vibrant Roma neighborhood, and the quiet music and multilingual buzz of conversation always set a pleasant soundtrack for the night.

Where: Calle de Chiapas 173, Roma Nte., 06700 Cuauthémoc, CDMX, Mexico.

3. Escollo

Escollo is a small craft brewery from humble beginnings. It started in a basement with the capacity to make only half a barrel per batch and grew from there. Smudged menus display an eclectic mix of bottles and drafts in this dive bar, but the house-brewed beer reigns supreme. Try the Escollo porter or blonde ale on tap when you visit. Starting at only 60 Mexican pesos (around $3) for a pint, Escollo is the most budget-friendly craft brewery on this list.

Where: Calle Querétaro 182, Roma Norte, 06700 Cuauhtemoc, CDMX, Mexico

4. Taller de Cerveza la Graciela

Taller de Cerveza la Graciela is the first microbrewery restaurant in Mexico City, and stands out for its pub food as well as the beer. If you get there early enough, you may even be able to grab one of the coveted outdoor picnic tables before it fills up for the night. While you eat, take a peek at the brewing system behind a glass window and try the rotating taps of seasonal beers like the Mint Stout in the winter or the Poison Apple in the fall. Keep an eye on the brewery’s Facebook page as well to catch regular tap takeovers with other Mexico City microbreweries.

Where: Orizaba 163, Roma Nte., 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

5. Cerveza Cru Cru

Photo: Crucrumx/Facebook

Cru Cru is a small craft brewery that opened in 2014. Located in a renovated monastery behind a heavy wooden door, the stainless steel brewing equipment stands in stark contrast to the colorful murals on the walls. Cru Cru produces four beers: a pale ale, a porter, an American lager, and Cru Cru’s specialty, a gose beer made with grasshoppers. It’s the type of place to stop by for one or two beers, but don’t plan on spending all night here.

Where: Cjon. de Romita 8, Roma Nte., 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

6. HOP: The Beer Experience

Photo: Hop The Beer Experience/Facebook

If one brewery best captures the casual attitude toward craft beer in Mexico City, it’s HOP: The Beer Experience. The list of available craft beers is scrawled on the wall and the bar’s atmosphere is just as relaxed as the menu. Order a flight to try the house beer and sample from many of the other breweries on this list as well. HOP is the first of what is now a four-location chain, three of which are in Mexico City. If you can’t make it here, HOP 4 is similar to the original in size, though it’s a bit more modern and serves a full menu instead of just bar snacks.

Where: HOP: The Beer Experience is located at Roma 13, Juárez, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico, and HOP: 4 is at Av Ejército Nacional 622, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, 11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

7. HOP 2: The Beer Experience

This isn’t just a brewery, but an entire experience. There’s a food truck inside the cavernous building and you’ll find the constantly updated menu of 35-plus beers on your phone through the Hopulus TV system. This variety means there’s almost always something interesting to try, like a Pecan Pie Brown Ale or a Habanero IPA. HOP 2 is the biggest brewery on this list, has the largest beer selection, and is the only one to offer pitchers. With a bottle shop and regular promotions (like all-you-can-eat pizza), HOP 2 delivers on every level. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, this is your best bet.

Where: Avenida Cuauhtémoc 870, Narvarte Poniente, 03020 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

8. Principia Tasting Room

Photo: Principia Tasting Room/Facebook

The Principia Tasting Room is the sleek and modern tap room for the Principia Brewery. The draft list has up to 10 house beers on offer at any time, including multiple IPAs, an oatmeal stout, and seasonal brews. On the wall, neon lights claim the beers are “brewed with stardust” and Principia’s ethereal branding encourages visitors to #DrinkTheUniverse.

Where: Avenida Magdalena 311, Local A, Col del Valle Nte, 03100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

9. Cerveceria Reforma

Photo: Cerveceria Reforma/Facebook

Cerveceria Reforma is a microbrewery with a focus on the basics. It’s known for the red ale called the Templo Mayor and the Magna Imperial Ale made with old world hops. The brewery is not yet open to the public, but you can visit it on the Turi Cervecero weekend bus tour or try Cerveceria Reforma’s bottled beers at an extensive list of locations around Mexico City.

Cerveceria Reformaat is located at Calle Laura Mendez de Cuenca 21 A, Cuauhtemoc, Obrera, 06800 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico.


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Bomb explodes near Giza pyramids

Earlier today, a bomb hidden next to a wall exploded near a bus carrying 14 Vietnamese tourists in the Giza pyramid region of Egypt. As of now, two tourists are dead, and 12 — including the Egyptian bus driver and guide — were injured in the blast. Only two of the 16 people on board escaped unharmed.

While no further details are available at this time, the explosion is believed to be terror-related; militants have targeted foreign tourists in the past, but this would be the first attack on foreign tourists in Egypt in a year and a half.

The explosion comes at a time when Egypt’s tourism industry is seeing a resurgence since the political strife in 2011, with travelers worldwide beginning to view the country as safe to visit again. Regardless of future tourism prospects, the explosion will almost certainly cause authorities to tighten security around heavily-trafficked sites before the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations.

This story is developing.

H/T: BBC News

More like this: What you need to know about travel and terrorism

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Best Belarus potato dishes

The potato is one of the most versatile and popular tubers on Earth. Originally from Peru, potatoes spread around the world during the Age of Exploration and are now the fourth most popular crop after corn, wheat, and rice. Today, you’d be hard pressed to find a nation that doesn’t incorporate potatoes in its diet. But no one does it like Belarus.

Each person in Belarus consumes an average of 397 pounds of potatoes annually, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. That’s 1.08 pounds per day. No one else even comes close. Kyrgyzstan, the next most potato-eating country, consumes 80 pounds less per capita, and the US consumes 360 pounds less per capita.

Such devotion came out of necessity rather than love at first bite. For centuries, the Belarusians used locally grown food for survival. Potatoes were brought to Belarus from the Netherlands in the 1600s and quickly became one of the most popular crops in the country. It’s considered the second bread; there’s hardly a day without any kind of potato dishes for an average Belarusian.

And with all those potatoes comes many, many delicious potato-based dishes. These are six classic Belarusian potato dishes you don’t want to miss out on.

1. Draniki

Photo: Aleksandra Berzhets/Shutterstock

Draniki, a type of potato pancake, is the most popular potato dish in Belarus. It’s a simple dish. All you need is grated potato, onions, salt, and enough vegetable oil to fry each draniki to a golden brown. Draniki are usually served with sour cream, but kids like to have them sweet with a fair amount of butter and sugar, rolled up and eaten whole. Some recipes add ground pork or mushroom. Draniki are mostly eaten for breakfast.

2. Babka

Photo: Piotr Bednarczyk/Shutterstock

Babka means grandmother, but when talking about food, it refers to a savory Belarusian dish made as a cake of potatoes. It’s similar to draniki, but is cooked in a deep pan or ceramic dish and has a soft inside and crunchy outside. Depending on how it’s cooked, babka can be either for breakfast or fashioned into a hearty family dinner. “Morning” babka uses potato dough made with grated potatoes, meat, salt, and onions. All ingredients are mixed well, poured into a greased frying pan, and baked in an oven for about an hour. For “dinner” babka, the same ingredients are fried on a stove over low heat. The finished dish is served on its own or with sour cream on the side.

3. Kalduny

Photo: Fanfo/Shutterstock

The word kalduny translates to sorcerers or warlocks and has nothing to do with food — except when it comes to dumplings. For centuries in Belarusian cuisine, kalduny meant small dumplings stuffed with meat or mushrooms. Originally, kalduny were made with unleavened dough. Potatoes took over and the recipe was modified over time. It’s not the most popular dish on menus at Belarusian restaurants, but kalduny remains popular as a traditional family meal.

4. Kletski

Photo: Dar1930/Shutterstock

Kletski is a soft dumpling without filling that’s originally from Poland, where it doesn’t have a trace of potato in it. That changed when the dish made it to Belarus. Potatoes replaced flour, and the Belarusian kletski was born. Typically, the dish consists of small potato balls boiled in water or milk, and some recipes include meat and onions. Kletski can be served as soup, eaten on its own, or served with sour cream on top.

5. Tsibriki

Photo: momo2050/Shutterstock

Tsibriki is a traditional bar snack made to be eaten while drinking beer. Its consists of finely grated potatoes rolled into balls and filled with cheese, then rolled in flour and sauteed in lard or vegetable oil. Top it with sour cream and you have the perfect drinking companion after just a few minutes.

6. Tukmachi

Photo: Tatiana Vorona/Shutterstock

Tukmachi is a cake-like potato dish popular in southwest Belarus. It’s made with fried onions and is almost always served with salted curd or milk. Variations of the original recipe can be found throughout the country, but in the city of Kobryn, it’s elevated by centuries-old cooking traditions.


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The post Belarus eats the most potatoes in the world — by a lot. Here’s the best dishes to try. appeared first on Matador Network.

Strange blue light in New York City

It looked like a scene out of Independence Day just before the aliens descended on New York City. A strange blue light flooded the night sky over NYC around 9:12 PM last night, and New Yorkers gazed with wonder and a little fear. Bill San Antonio, who was watching the phenomenon from a terminal at LaGuardia Airport described it to The New York Times as “a sort of unnatural, fluorescent shade of blue.” Yiota Andritsakis, a resident of Astoria, said, “We thought it was a U.F.O.”

Aliens attacking the Empire State Building or power plant transformer fire in Queens?

Boy alive after being buried in snow

It was a lucky holiday for this 12-year-old boy and his family this Wednesday at La Plagne ski resort in France. The boy and his family had just finished a run of skiing when he got caught in an avalanche, and was dragged about 110 yards. He was buried in the snow for 40 minutes before being miraculously found alive. A rescue worker told RTE, “It’s a miracle because he had no victim detection device. The chances of survival are miniscule after 15 minutes under the snow.”

The boy was the only one caught in the avalanche. Sniffer dogs helped finding him quickly, and luckily, the snow didn’t block the boy’s airways, allowing him to survive long enough for rescue crews to locate him. He did, however, sustain a broken leg and was taken to a nearby hospital in Grenoble.

Captain Patrice Ribes, of the Bourg Saint-Maurice police, echoed the rescue worker’s sentiment on the improbability of the rescue. “We can call it a miracle,” he told ABC News. “A day after Christmas, there was another gift in store.”

H/T: Travel & Leisure

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Best unexpected travel destinations

Classic destinations like Barcelona, Tokyo, and NYC rack up huge numbers of visitors every year — and show no signs of stopping. While those cities no doubt deserve spots near the top of your travel bucket list, sometimes it’s the underdog that really takes your breath away, particularly if that means getting somewhere special before the masses. From way up north in Finland to the American South, here are 10 surprising destinations we loved in 2018 and will continue to rave about in the new year.

1. Nairobi, Kenya

Photo: Sopotnicki/Shutterstock

Between the historic launch of the first direct flight from the US to East Africa earlier this year and Nairobi’s growing popularity as a digital nomad hub, Kenya’s capital is more enticing than ever. It’s gaining traction for its food and nightlife offerings, including a craft beer movement that’s taking the city by storm, as well as an emerging arts scene. Nairobi even has its very own game reserve in Nairobi National Park, so there’s no reason to skip the city if you had your heart set on a Kenyan safari.

2. Belize

Photo: Simon Dannhauer/Shutterstock

2018 was a big year for the Belize Barrier Reef. One of the largest coral reef systems in the Northern Hemisphere and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, the reef narrowly avoided its 10th anniversary on the endangered list this year. Conservation efforts have quelled the immediate threats of offshore drilling and development on Belize’s mangrove forests and marine species, renewing its appeal among scuba divers, snorkelers, and eco-conscious travelers alike. On land, visitors can also trek through jungles, explore ancient Mayan ruins, and savor some of the freshest fruit and seafood they’ll ever try.

3. Uzbekistan

Photo: Evgeniy Agarkov/Shutterstock

Central Asia is among the most unexpected regions to catch the eye of travelers this year, and Uzbekistan proved the best place to get your feet wet. Ancient cities with Silk Road roots make a belt across the country, creating an obvious itinerary filled with architectural sites you don’t have to claw your way through crowds to see up close. Elsewhere, mountain landscapes provide backdrops for river rafting, horseback riding, trekking, and more. Equal parts historic and naturally blessed, Uzbekistan is packed with sights that made it a rising star in 2018 that we’re falling a little more in love with every day.

4. Lapland, Finland

Photo: Ville heikkinen/Shutterstock

This far north region of Finland usually gets some buzz come Christmas as its capital, Rovaniemi, doubles as Santa Claus’ official residence. But winter in Lapland also ushers in the northern lights, from November to April, and snowy pastimes like skiing and reindeer sledding through the Arctic wilderness.

In summer, the temperature hovers around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, plenty warm for hiking and camping around national parks like Pallas-Yllästunturi, Pyhä-Luosto, and Lemmenjoki, whose namesake river runs through the homeland of the indigenous Sámi people. To learn more, be sure to visit the Sámi Museum and Northern Lapland Nature Centre in Siida. Summer also makes for the perfect time to take a road trip under the midnight sun around the entire Nordic region.

5. Lesotho

Photo: mbrand85/Shutterstock

A small, landlocked nation encompassed by South Africa, Lesotho is proof that big things come in small packages. For starters, it’s home to both the highest abseil in the world at 676 feet and the highest pub in Africa, which overlooks the Sani Pass from 9,429 feet above sea level. It’s also one of the only places on the continent that gets enough fresh powder to have a ski resort. Even when Lesotho isn’t breaking records, it’s still an incredible spot for outdoor adventurers, offering everything from hiking and kayaking to horseback riding and off-roading, and even fishing.

6. Moldova

Photo: Calin Stan/Shutterstock

At best, Moldova is a big fat question mark for travelers; at worst, it’s a misunderstood country people avoid in fear of winding up someplace dangerous, boring, unfriendly, or just plain miserable. But with 2019 on the horizon, it’s time to forget those stereotypes and acknowledge what makes Moldova an unexpected must-see, starting with its ancient winemaking tradition.

Head out into the countryside and you’ll see hectares upon hectares of vineyards, many of which host wineries that put on amazingly affordable tastings given the quality of the wine. Moldova is also filled with a number of monasteries worth visiting. For the best of both worlds, move between the Cricova wine cellars and Orheiul Vechi archaeological site, stopping by the 14th-century monastery that’s run by Orthodox monks to this day.

7. Florida, United States

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Florida was hit hard by Hurricane Irma last year, meaning travel to the Sunshine State dropped off considerably. One of the best surprises of 2018 was seeing just how much the Keys have recovered despite their slow-to-rebound tourist stats, which ended up being a boon for those who did visit and had the beaches and resorts all to themselves.

Back on the mainland, Fort Lauderdale came into its own as a South Florida metropolis that isn’t Miami this year, granted that was more a matter of rebranding than rebuilding. Be sure to put both cities on your itinerary next time you’re in town alongside the Florida National Scenic Trail, a 1,300-mile trail network that traverses the Floridian wilderness and a seriously underrated trek that we adored in 2018.

8. Namibia

Photo: Radek Borovka/Shutterstock

Mountainous sand dunes, Big Five safaris, and a dramatic coastline are some of what make Namibia possibly the most underrated outdoors destination in Africa. Its top attractions come with some pretty special distinctions: the Namib desert is not only the oldest in the world, tracing back 50 to 80 million years, but also home to the tallest sand dune on the planet; Etosha National Park has the rare honor of hosting all five big game safari animals; and the Skeleton Coast near the Angola border might be the only place on Earth you’ll find both a massive seal colony and the rusty hulls of countless bygone shipwrecks.

9. Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Photo: Stan Jones/Shutterstock

Canadian wine may not have the street cred of Napa or Bordeaux vintages, but this wine region in southern British Columbia has seen a serious influx of tourists over the past couple of years. Mission Hill and Quails’ Gate are two visitor-favorite wineries, particularly for red lovers, though there’s no shortage of places to book tastings. From its 100-plus vineyards, farm-to-table fare, and luxury accomodations to its mountain trails, ski resorts, and water-sports-heavy beaches, Okanagan Valley was the place to be in 2018 if you like pairing the (surprisingly affordable) finer things in life with nature’s bounty.

10. Macedonia

Photo: Lukas Bischoff Photograph/Shutterstock

There’s no place quite like Skopje, the Macedonian capital, whose wackiest claim to fame is a massive collection of strange statues posed all around the city starting in 2014. A curious mix of architecture is the backdrop for the city’s modern monuments, incorporating everything from concrete slabs of Brutalist office buildings to Ottoman heritage sites found in the historic center’s Old Bazaar.

Cultural and quirky, Skopje definitely merits a visit, but where Macedonia really impresses is its outdoor opportunities. Visitors can hike or cycle along the coast, scuba dive off the Gradiste Peninsula, paraglide over Lake Ohrid, ski down the Šar Mountains, and much more. If you missed Macedonia in 2018, take our word for it and add the Balkan beauty to your travel to-do list for next year.


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