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Phoenix has the best airport food

I’m not a Phoenix homer. I understand Phoenix is hot and sprawling, and while it definitely has its charms, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. I don’t live there or visit the city much, nor do I have friends at the airport I’m trying to help out. I do, however, fly a lot — about 200,000 miles a year — and I have layovers in Phoenix pretty regularly. I can safely say that in addition to golf and desert landscaping, there’s one thing Phoenix does better than anyplace else in the country, and that’s airport food.

I’ve been to One Flew South in Atlanta and Deep Blue at JFK, Whitetail at DFW and Tortas Frontera at O’Hare. All great. But one great restaurant does not necessarily make for a great food airport. What makes for a great food airport, in my mind, is showcasing what the city does best in a convenient, accessible way so that pretty much anyone traveling through can see the best of your city’s food scene.

Phoenix does that better than anyone, and it’s not even close. And it’s not just because it has a recording of Phoenix City Councilwoman Vania Guevara calling it “America’s Tastiest Airport” playing on a loop, either. Yeah, that not-so-subliminal advertising probably works. But it’s the rare baseless brag that’s completely true. And here’s why.

1. There are plenty of local restaurants.

Photo: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport/Facebook

Phoenix Sky Harbor fits more local restaurants into a small space than anywhere else. While airports around America are making an effort to include local restaurants, you can literally eat your way around Phoenix without leaving Terminal 4. No fewer than 26 restaurants sit in that terminal — post security — ranging from authentic Mexican to brasserie to local ice cream shops.

“I think it’s because Phoenix has such a great diversity in its food scene,” Sky Harbor’s public information manager Heather Lissner told me when I called to ask why Phoenix did food better than other airports. “We’re able to take a lot of that and put it in our airport to show people how fantastic it is.”

Sky Harbor doesn’t just put a few fast-casual joints in the terminal and call it “going local.” The airport really offers a taste of the city, with iconic spots and local gems sharing the same sets of gates. Perhaps the city’s most iconic restaurant, Matt’s Big Breakfast, has a location at the airport where you can get the breakfasts made famous on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives at all hours.

Photo: Blanco Tacos + Tequila/Facebook

Mexican food and tequila are in abundance. One of the city’s most beloved Mexican restaurants, Silvana Salcido’s Barrio Café, has a full-service location here. For quicker food and tequila cocktails, you can hit Blanco’s Taco and Tequila for burritos with caramelized onions and fresh cilantro rice. Or Sir Veza’s tacos. Or Los Taquitos. You’ve got options. If you want authentic Southwest Mexican food and are only in Phoenix to change planes, it’s easier than getting Wendy’s.

Not content to rest on its Mexican-food laurels, Sky Harbor also showcases the city’s West Coast influence at Olive and Ivy. There you’ll find light Mediterranean fare like farm-fresh salads, shrimp scampi, and fine California wines.

Photo: Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles/Facebook

There’s even a local brewery, Four Peaks Brewing Co., with a taproom in Terminal 4, so you can try a local beer on your layover instead of sticking with something familiar. There’s another local brewery, O.H.S.O, located pre-security. Also pre-security, you can find Lolo’s Chicken and Waffles and Joe’s Real Barbecue, both of which show a side of Phoenix cuisine that doesn’t usually get discussed.

The most notable pre-TSA spot you’ll find is Chelsea’s Kitchen, a massively popular local restaurant that serves everything from green chilli burgers to jidori chicken to ahi tuna tacos. Lissner told me that locals often drive to the airport to eat at this Chelsea’s because it’s easier to get a table.

2. Sky Harbor has reasonable prices.

Photo: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport/Facebook

The words “reasonable prices” and “airport food” really shouldn’t be in the same sentence in the era of $4 bags of Cheetos. But Sky Harbor’s prices are, according to Lissner, only a 10 percent markup from what you’d pay on the street. So, where two slices and a soda from Pizza Villa might run you $14 in the food court at MIA, you can get that same two-slice-and-a-soda combo at NYPD Pizza in Sky Harbor’s Terminal 4 for only $8. That might be the best lunch deal at any airport in America.

It’s not just pizza that’s reasonably priced. The burrito with caramelized onions and braised meat at Blanco’s is $10, and it’s big enough to be two meals. Ditto for the burgers at Modern Burger. Though the sandwiches at Wildflower Bread Company aren’t quite as robust, they’re also not all that expensive. I’ve had lunch there with chips and a drink (and a cookie if I’m particularly hungry) and never dropped more than $16. Oh, and they’re open 24 hours, too.

Photo: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport/Facebook

This is where Sky Harbor outshines the airports in which award-winning chefs set up outposts with $50 entrees. While Phoenix might not have the star power of Kevin Rathbun’s Whitetail or Todd English’s Bonfire at JFK, it offers up food that pretty much anyone who can pay for a plane ticket can afford. This allows Phoenix to showcase its food scene to everyone, not just the people who can afford fine dining.

3. You can eat great food even on a short layover.

Photo: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport/Facebook

Again, the problem with spots like One Flew South or Whitetail is that you need some time to eat there. The service at those restaurants may be designed for people with planes to catch, but if you’ve only got 50 minutes to make your connection to Fresno, you’re not realistically eating there.

At Sky Harbor, the fast-casual offerings are numerous, most of which can be ordered and devoured with enough time to calmly walk to your gate. Terminal 4’s quick bites include pitas at Pita Jungle, burgers at Delux Burger and Modern Burger, fresh sandwiches and salads at Wildflower, and tacos at any of the aforementioned Mexican spots. If you’re traveling in a group, everyone can split off and get what they want without having to wander too far. Sky Harbor is really more like a food hall with airplanes than it is like an airport.

4. Good food is easy to find and get to.

Photo: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport/Facebook

With that abundance of food, you never have to walk more than a few gates to find something great. At many airports, you have to slog through franchise after franchise to find a local gem. In Phoenix, the restaurants are in one of three concourses in Terminal 4 — and all have front-facing counters or host stands, so you’re never going upstairs or behind a nondescript door to find them. While that kind of thing might be cool for a Friday date night, most people at an airport don’t have time to search for a place.

Thanks to that combination of great food, value, and accessibility, I actually look forward to layovers at Sky Harbor now. When I hear the pilot announce the final descent, my mouth starts to water thinking about the fresh guacamole I’m going to get at Barrio Café or the sweet, rich ice cream at Sweet Republic. I’ve only left the airport and ventured into Phoenix proper three times in my life, but I feel like I know the food scene here better than some cities I’ve been to far more often. As a frequent flier and consumer of airport food, I can say with confidence that Phoenix showcases its food better than any other city’s airport. And you don’t even have to leave the air conditioning to try it.


More like this: The best places to eat in America’s 25 biggest airports

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China to launch an artificial moon

Technology can be used to create pretty much anything these days, but few probably thought we’d be creating a planetary body. In essence, that’s what the Chinese city of Chengdu wants to do. City officials are planning to build an artificial moon by 2020 to hang over the city; it would be a massive illuminated orb, eight times brighter than the actual moon.

No, they’re not doing it because the people of Chengdu are all lunar enthusiasts. It’s actually intended to save the city money by eliminating the need for streetlights.

While the moon would be able to illuminate an area up to 50 miles in diameter, it would be visible all throughout China and even overseas. The man-made moon is designed with a highly reflective coating, which would reflect light from the sun with adjustable solar panels. Although the fake moon would provide significantly more light than the regular moon, it would only be capable of a dusk-like glow, so the city won’t exactly be bathed in light at 1:00 AM.

Chengdu’s moon project might be ambitious, but it isn’t the first of its kind. In 1993, the New York Times reported a failed Russian attempt to launch a solar reflecting system, or “space mirror,” to produce light “equivalent to three to five full moons.” The original idea for an artificial moon actually came from a French artist, who envisioned hanging a necklace of mirrors above Earth to reflect the sunshine throughout Paris all year round.

Because the moon can impact the routines and behaviors of many animals, some are concerned that this artificial moon may have ill effects on local wildlife. However, since the moon will only provide a dim, “dusk-like glow,” it should not have any negative effects on animals.

H/T: Live Science

More like this: This traveling moon exhibit lets you bathe in moonlight up close

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The 10 most beloved regional candies in the United States

No matter what may divide us, there’s one thing US citizens share from coast to coast: a love of sugary treats. Regional candies from every corner of the United States not only showcase a bit of local history but also represent their birthplaces in unique ways. From Florida’s Coconut Patties to potato-shaped chocolate bars in Idaho, these 10 tasty, regional specialties are the sweet pride of locals — and the rest of the country needs to catch on to how delicious they are.

1. Sifers Valomilk Candy Cups — Kansas and the Midwest

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Long-time family-owned Valomilk Candy Cups are one of the more unique candy offerings out there: inside each package, you’ll find milk chocolate cups filled with liquified marshmallow. Though they’re the pride and joy of birthplace Merriam, Kansas, today Valomilks are more readily accessible in Cracker Barrel stores throughout the Midwest.

2. Coconut Patties — Florida

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What began as a souvenir aimed at tourists visiting the Sunshine State in the 1980s blossomed into a candy craving that can only be satisfied through a visit to Florida. Coconut Patties, marketed to the masses by family-owned Anastasia Confections in Orlando, are exactly what they sound like: thick patties of sweet coconut encased in a smooth and creamy layer of dark chocolate. Stop in any tourist shop or convenience store in Florida and you’re likely to spot a bright yellow box of the tropical treat. Coconut Patties also come in key lime, orange, mango, almond, piña colada, and island rum flavors.

3. Goo Goo Clusters — Nashville, Tennessee

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Invented in a copper kettle in Nashville in 1912, Goo Goo Clusters remain an institution. These rounded treats debuted as the first-ever combination candy bar in the world, containing layers of marshmallow nougat, caramel, and roasted peanuts, all coated in a thick layer of milk chocolate. If this bit of Southern charm makes your mouth water, plan a trip to Nashville or order a box online; today, lovers of the original Goo Goo Clusters can also try the Goo Goo Supreme and Peanut Butter Goo Goo variations.

4. Salt water taffy — New Jersey

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Legend has it that salt water taffy came to be in the late 1800s after a little girl walked into an Atlantic City candy shop that had been flooded by a major storm and asked for taffy. The store owner jokingly offered her taffy that had been ruined by saltwater after the influx of Atlantic Ocean sea water. She must’ve loved it because she made a purchase and the accidental invention became a local staple. Today, Forbes Candies in Atlantic City remains a traditional source of this beachside favorite — “full of sea breeze and sunshine,” according to the box. But you’ll find the taffy sold on every boardwalk throughout the entire Jersey Shore.

5. Candy Raisins — Wisconsin

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Candy Raisins are a traditional gumdrop-like candy from Wisconsin. Though they’re a mix of orange and brown in color and sport a wrinkly top, that’s where their similarity to raisins ends; they don’t taste like raisins and contain no raisins in the mix. No one can agree on their flavor (floral? spicy?) but one thing’s for sure: Wisconsinites can’t get enough of this nostalgic favorite. After purchasing the Candy Raisin recipe back in 1976, candy giant Stark Necco shut down production in 2008, but the candy’s devoted following refused to let that be the end of an era. After reverse-engineering the last bags of Candy Raisins in existence, Lake Country Candies was able to figure out the recipe and reproduce gummies just like the ones you used to get from Grandpa.

6. Idaho Spud — Idaho and the Pacific Northwest

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Nope, the Idaho Spud isn’t a potato-flavored confection. This potato-shaped chocolatey treat has a cocoa-marshmallow center, is coated in dark chocolate, and sprinkled with coconut. Since its debut in 1918, it has been a bestseller and a beloved treat in the Pacific Northwest. Idaho Candy Company, out of Boise, is also responsible for regional nostalgic candies like Horehound Lumps, Huckleberry Gems, Burnt Peanuts, and the Old Faithful candy bar.

7. Abba-Zaba — California

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A West Coast favorite, Abba-Zaba bars are slabs of chewy white taffy with a peanut butter center. Annabelle’s Candy Company, headquartered in Hayward, California, is also responsible for other regional candies with cult followings, such as Big Hunk (honey-sweetened nougat with whole roasted peanuts throughout), Look!, and U-NO truffle-like chocolate bars.

8. Peanut Chews — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Found primarily in and around Philadelphia, Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews are bite-sized bars of roasted peanuts and chewy molasses coated in dark chocolate. They typically come six to a pack and were actually developed for World War I ration boxes in 1917.

9. Blue Monday candy bars — Kentucky

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Candy maker Ruth Hunt came up with her signature Blue Monday candy bars after hearing a traveling minister remark, “Every Monday I have to have a little sweet to help me through my blue Monday.” The old-fashioned sweet is made from simple ingredients such as sugar, cream, butter, and semi-sweet chocolate, and has a soft cream center covered in a chocolate shell.

10. Cup-o-Gold — West Coast

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West Coast candy Cup-O-Gold is sort of like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, but without the peanut butter. Instead, this chocolate cup by Adams & Brooks has a marshmallow center with almonds and coconut. Named after the fervor of the 19th-century Gold Rush, this California treat is a quick sugar fix in a cup of creamy-crunchy goodness.

More like this: Each US state’s most popular Halloween candy

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Australia’s Skywhale is back

The great thing about art is it doesn’t exactly have to make sense to make an impression. Patricia Piccinini’s Skywhale certainly seems nonsensical, but it’s definitely memorable. First appearing in 2013 over the skies of Canberra in Australia for the city’s centenary celebration, the peculiar hot air balloon is finally making its return. Its debut wasn’t exactly a rousing success, however. Given its unusual design, with the head of a turtle, body of a cetacean, and 10 huge hanging breasts, the balloon was criticized for not appropriately representing Australia’s capital.

But on November 22nd, the critics will be out of luck. The balloon is slated to make its triumphant return over the Yarra Valley in Victoria — an area famous for ballooning. Since its initial debut, the Skywhale has appeared in Japan, Ireland, and Brazil, and has only risen in popularity.

Indeed, the Skywhale is one of the biggest reasons for Piccinini’s celebrity, and its return to Australia coincides with the opening of her new exhibition, “Patricia Piccinini and Joy Hester: Through Love…” at the TarraWarra Museum of Art. Piccinini, known for her hyperreal hybrid silicone sculptures, told The New York Times, “It’s thrilling to just have her in the air because she’s such a beautiful presence.”

Victoria Lynn, director of the TarraWarra Museum of Art, isn’t too worried about criticism this time around. Of Piccinini’s work, she said it “engenders strong emotions and I think it’s because she’s dealing with difficult topics…art is there to challenge us, and Skywhale certainly does.”

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Along with many of Piccinini’s other creations, the Skywhale was inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein novel. Lynn points out the book’s message is to “love the monsters we create,” and in true Frankenstein fashion, the Skywhale is certainly a monster both beloved and misunderstood.

Check out this video of the Skywhale’s first flight in 2013:

H/T: The New York Times

More like this: The 7 most amazing places to go hot-air ballooning around the world

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A US customs beagle sniffed out a roasted pig in someone’s carry-on

If you can’t bring a tube of toothpaste on a commercial flight, it’s probably a safe assumption that a roasted pig in your carry-on won’t be making it through security. But that didn’t stop someone from trying to sneak in one through security at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Luckily, a six-year-old security beagle named Hardy — an esteemed member of the “Beagle Brigade” — sniffed it out and alerted customs agents.

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Carey Davis, a Customs and Border Patrol official, told Fox 5 Atlanta, “Our best defense against destructive pests and animal diseases is to prevent the entry of prohibited agricultural products from entering the United States…this seizure at ATL illustrates the tremendous expertise of our four-legged K-9 partners.”

Hardy joined the CPB after training at the US Department of Agriculture’s National Detectors Dog Training Center, and has worked at the world’s busiest airport since 2015.

According to US law, it’s prohibited to bring pork and pork products from other continents onto any aircrafts, as they can cause diseases like swine flu and foot and mouth disease. Upon entering the country, it’s also required to declare agricultural items, such as fruit, vegetables, and meats. Unfortunately for this passenger, customs officials confiscated and destroyed the two-pound pig (or maybe they just fed it to Hardy as a reward).

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: Everything you can do to make going through customs not terrifying

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Signs you'e in Philly

Philadelphia is not like any city on the East Coast — it has plenty of quirks that make it unique and fun. From finding cars parked in the middle of street completely normal to celebrating New Year’s Day with the Mummers Parade, here are 12 surefire signs you’re in inimitable Philadelphia.

1. You see the Philadelphia skyline.

That’s right folks, we have one now! With new additions like the Cira Center, FMC Center, and Comcast Technology Center, Philadelphia finally has a distinctive skyline to of its own.

2. There are cars parked in the middle of the street.

You know exactly where you are in Philly when you see cars firmly planted in the turn lane. It’s creative problem solving at its boldest.

3. You’re immersed in all sports, all the time.

Any conversation at any time held anywhere in or around Philadelphia will pivot into a discussion about the current state of the Eagles/Sixers/Flyers/Phillies, somehow, someway. It’s a very impressive skill that Philadelphians have.

4. You’re surrounded by public art.

The Mural Arts program and Isaiah Zager’s mosaics ensure that there’s visual inspiration anywhere we find ourselves in the city. We all have our favorites but it’s hard to top the figurative and literal stature of the Dr. J mural.

5. You’re blinded by the neon lights of Pat’s and Geno’s.

You know you’ve had a few too many when you see the bright lights of Pat’s and Geno’s as a beacon of comfort. We may cringe, but hating on them endlessly is something we all love to do.

6. You can watch the Mummers marching in.

We don’t believe in ending the party when the ball drops at midnight. We come for the costumes in the Mummers Parade and stay for the day-long party that goes all the way to Second Street.

7. You can order the Citywide Special.

You don’t know that you need one until it’s offered. The Citywide Special is a totally unnecessary but a completely satisfying taste of home.

8. You yearn for fall and are heartbroken when it ends.

Our delightfully moderate autumn weather lasts about three days, but that makes us cherish the season of fall festivals, hayrides, and apple cider donuts from Beiler’s Donuts.

9. You can take in the outline of Boathouse Row.

We’ll never grow tired of seeing the illuminated houses of Boathouse Row welcoming us to Center City.

10. You have Yuengling, Philadelphia Brewing Company, and Yards on tap everywhere.

Thank you, Philadelphia breweries, for the wealth of delicious craft beer that pours from our local taps.

11. You visit the art museum for reasons that often don’t involve art.

You find yourself on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as part of your fitness regimen, meeting spot, or chance to enjoy fresh snow and go sledding.

12. You’re surrounded by students.

Constantly being surrounded by college students is a reminder that the 9,000 universities in and around the city have inspired one of the city’s greatest features: Insomnia Cookies. Who said there’s no plus side to late-night binges?


More like this: 8 things Philadelphians are weirdly obsessed with

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Early cherry blossoms bloom

This fall, Japan is enjoying a bloom it didn’t quite expect. While usually the country’s famed cherry blossoms bloom in the spring, over 300 people — from Kyushu in western Japan to Hokkaido in the north — have reported seeing cherry blossoms in their neighborhood this month. This news might perturb tourists who wait all year to visit Japan during cherry blossom season, but we imagine locals are delighted by the unexpected floral phenomenon. Hiroyuki Wada, a tree doctor at the Flower Association of Japan told local news outlet NHK, “This has happened in the past, but I don’t remember seeing something of this scale.”

The untimely blooming may have been caused by a recent series of typhoons that have struck the country. Typhoon Jebi, the strongest storm Japan has seen in 25 years, killed over 10 people and caused widespread natural and structural damage. According to Wada, the cherry trees’ leaves usually release a hormone that keep the floral buds from growing, but since the typhoons caused the trees to lose their leaves, that hormone wasn’t present. Warmer temperatures following the storms may have also played a role.

Perhaps causing even more consternation for prospective cherry blossom-viewers, the buds that bloomed this fall will not bloom again in spring. It should not, however, have much impact on the cherry blossom season overall.

H/T: BBC News

More like this: Fall in love with Japan one color at a time

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Immersive Houdini show in NYC

A new, immersive theater show has arrived in New York City, and it may just be the best way to celebrate Halloween this year. The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini will bring you into the world of Minky Woodcock, a burgeoning private detective who’s determined to make her mark in a man’s world and finds herself part of the mystery surrounding famed magician Harry Houdini’s final years of life.

The story primarily follows the unyielding Minky, who is first contacted to find out if Houdini is cheating on his wife, but after taking a job as Houdini’s new assistant finds that the fidelity case may be one of potential murder. But in a similar style to the massively popular NYC show Sleep No More, audience members follow various members of the cast to see the story from their perspectives, sharing conversations with them and even following them backstage.

The mastermind behind it all is Cynthia von Buhler, who’s also the writer and illustrator of the graphic novel of the same name that inspired the show. Buhler has a long history with the arts, and in addition to writing and art, she’s a performer and playwright. “I am a visual artist, and you know, I’ve been an illustrator and painter for years, so for me, the thing I love doing is creating an environment,” Buhler told Matador Network.

Photo: Cindy Stein

The entire idea stems from Buhler’s own belief that Houdini was murdered by spiritualists, rather than as a freak accident, as well as all the information she uncovered as a result of her own investigation into it.

For around the last two years of his life, the magician would debunk spiritualism at the end of his shows by showing the audience spiritualist tricks and then explaining how they were done. “He actually even put out a pamphlet [about it],” Buhler explained, “with one big spiritualist named Margery, who’s in the show. And the reason why he did this was that he felt like the spiritualists were preying on people for money. And they were, they wanted money and they were fake.”

Guests will choose their own side in the spiritualism versus pragmatism debate when purchasing their tickets, and that will determine what character they’ll follow throughout the show (though they won’t know which character specifically until they arrive). They’ll either be a spiritualist that believes in ghosts, a pragmatist that believes in science, or one of Houdini’s favored guests that wish ghosts existed but is doubtful of their validity and doesn’t like those who lie about it.

Pragmatist characters include Bess Houdini, Harry’s wife, and Bennie Woodcock, Minky’s brother, while spiritualist characters include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes series. Tickets for these will cost $100. To be one of Houdini’s favored guests and follow characters like Minky, Harry, and Margery, it’ll be $200.

VIPs get exclusive scenes prior to the set start time when everyone gathers in the beginning. Once everyone is all together, each group will sit in a row corresponding to which character they follow, and they’ll get a chance to interact with their character one-on-one before the magic (pun fully intended) happens. The actors are in character all night, giving guests a chance to get away from their day-to-day lives and slip into the ‘20s with an entirely new persona.

The show spans three different venues, all next to each other. Most of the main action takes place in Theatre 80, where guests will able to witness some of Houdini’s famous acts. The William Barnacle Tavern next door — a real speakeasy from the Prohibition era — is where guests will be able to assist some of the characters in theorizing the motivations behind the murder plot over glasses of absinthe. In a townhouse above both venues, some groups will witness affairs and take part in a seance. Fair warning, much of the show involves the art of burlesque, so audience members will see plenty of nudity.

Several of Buhler’s works take place in the 1920s and deal with mysterious murders. The catalyst was the 1935 murder of Buhler’s own grandfather, Frank Spano, the owner of several speakeasies in New York City. She used the discoveries from her investigation into his death as fodder for her first immersive theater experience, The Bloody Beginning. “It was only supposed to be a one night show,” Buhler said, “and it turned into five years.”

Minky and crew’s run will go until November 10th of this year, but there’s definitely potential for her to stick around for longer if audiences demand it. You can buy tickets here.


More like this: Brew your own Harry Potter cocktails at this New York City bar

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Why weekend cruises are awesome

At this point, it’s pretty safe to say that everything we once knew about cruising has been flipped upside down.

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Endless midnight buffets of mediocre food? Replaced by celebrity-chef-helmed restaurants and legitimate dining “experiences.”

Nothing to do but drink and play trivia? Try laser tag, go-karts, and entire waterparks.

Short cruises relegated to staid old ships? Not anymore because as Americans have moved towards taking shorter — and more frequent — vacations, cruise lines have responded. And the era of the premium short cruise is upon us.

All the good things about a long cruise — in half the time.

Once upon a time, if you wanted to take a shorter itinerary, you were stuck on what the cruise lines euphemistically refer to as “seasoned” ships. This was a nice way of saying they were about four more trips to Nassau away from being sold for scrap. Things like WiFi and waterslides were reserved for folks spending more money on longer trips, and if you had an “at-sea” day on your way home, you were relegated to a very long day of $6 beers and child-packed swimming pools.

But cruise lines have realized short itineraries are the way to lure people who’ve never cruised before and are moving to put their best foot forward for their short-term guests. Royal Caribbean, for example, recently began its $900 million Royal Amplified program in which older ships are gutted and reimagined with all the modern amenities you’ll find on brand new ones. Those “amplified” ships — complete with stuff like water slides, laser tag, ice-skating rinks, and luxe staterooms — are then sent out on shorter itineraries.

“We saw this as an opportunity to enhance our offerings to all guests,” said Laura Hodges-Bethge, Royal Caribbean’s Vice President of Customer Experience. “Guests try us first on a three- or four-night trip, so we want to make sure we’re giving them the best of Royal Caribbean from the start.”

Its latest foray into using premium ships for non-premium routes is Mariner of the Seas, a 1,020-foot, 3,114-passenger ship that had been sailing in Asia. It underwent a complete overhaul last year and now sails short cruises from Miami to the Bahamas. Onboard, it doesn’t feel much different than the headline-grabbing Harmony of the Seas — with a big, open main shopping thoroughfare that feels more like a narrow European street than a Lido Deck.

Photo: Royal Caribbean International/Facebook

The Mariner also has a tiki bar called The Bamboo Room where a salty old cartoon bird pops up all over the bar making snide comments to the guests, as well as a FlowRider for boogie boarding on the top deck. There’s also an escape room, a modern gym, and even a top-deck virtual reality trampoline park surrounded by a giant plastic globe so you don’t go falling out into the Atlantic Ocean. If the weather isn’t cooperating, the ship also has an ice rink that doubles as a laser-tag arena, plus a sports bar called Playmakers and actually usable WiFi. It’s not so much that you feel like you can’t possibly do it all — but enough that you don’t get bored on a short trip.

“The modernizations make this ship what a ship should be in this market,” Hodges-Bethge said. “It’s treated like a new ship, and that’s what’s made the difference.”

That difference is the best customer-satisfaction scores in company history, with ticket prices running higher than Royal Caribbean had anticipated. That said, it’s still a pretty affordable short vacation with two-night sailings to the Bahamas starting at $156 and four-night trips at $229.

Royal Caribbean isn’t alone in expanding its short cruise offerings. Carnival Cruise Lines, which has made short cruising a cornerstone of its business model, is ramping up its offerings too. Though it’s been sailing massively popular three- to five-day departures from nine ports in four states for decades, like its competitors, Carnival realizes that people use these shorter trips to test cruising out and is improving the product.

Next year, Carnival will begin offering four- and five-day voyages on the newly restored Carnival Dream out of Galveston, Texas. Dream has a massive water park and two Guy Fieri restaurants, plus an increased number of balcony staterooms. It’ll be running trips to Mexico next year with four-day prices as low as $309.

“Short cruises offer consumers a way to test the waters, so to speak,” said Carnival Cruise Lines spokesperson Vance Gulliksen. “They appeal to millennial travelers as short cruises offer a great getaway at an affordable price.”

Cuba drives short cruises, some with open bars.

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

In addition to the already existing short trips from South Florida to the Caribbean and the upcoming Mexico itineraries, Gulliksen also mentioned that Carnival has added short trips to Cuba from Florida and Charleston. And that magical island has become a major part of why short cruises are getting new attention.

As the Trump administration tightened restrictions on travel to Cuba, cruising there has become a far easier way of visiting Havana and other ports in the country. As all cruise line tours comply with federal regulations, the logistic hassles of the trip are eased. As a result, 2017 saw over half a million cruise passengers visiting Cuba, up from just over 100,000 in 2016.

Photo: Norwegian Cruise Line/Facebook

After experiencing great success with short trips to Cuba, Norwegian Cruise Lines is renovating some of its smaller ships so it can expand service to the island. This year, the newly restored Norwegian Sun began sailing from Port Canaveral to Cuba with four-day cruises, including overnight stays in Havana, starting at $499. Its sister ship, the Norwegian Sky, runs the same route from Miami and will be getting its facelift next year.

But Norwegian upped the ante for its competitors on short trips. Knowing that millennials — or anybody else — don’t like being nickel and dimed once they get onboard, the cruise line is offering all-inclusive packages on the Sun and Sky. Those include an open bar. For a weekend trip full of free booze and endless food, plus an overnight in Havana, it’s an itinerary transparently designed to lure young travelers — and an enticing way to get those who have never tried a cruise to give it a short, relatively risk-free shot.

Four-day cruises to Cuba may not replace the Eurotrip as the millennial vacation of choice — but cruise lines have done an exceptional job of recognizing that sometimes shorter is better, and of putting just as much effort, attention, and money behind short cruises as they have historically behind longer ones. With more to do, lower prices, and interesting destinations, the hope is that first-time cruisers will take this experience and turn it into a lifetime on the water. Or, at least, that they’ll help spread the message that cruising is nothing like what many still imagine.


More like this: Millennials are suddenly cruising more. Here’s why.

The post You can go on weekend cruises, and they’re awesome appeared first on Matador Network.

French Basque Country experiences

While the Basque Country of Spain — with the bulls of Pamplona and the pintxo bars of San Sebastian — gets most of the attention, the oft-overlooked Basque Country of France, or Pays Basque as it’s known, has charms of its own. Beyond its rugged Atlantic coastline, postcard-pretty towns, and fascinating traditions, this region has its own unique scenery, food, and culture.

At once unashamedly French, it also shares more than a little in common with its rival Basque-Spanish neighbours. The combination makes for an identity unlike anywhere in either country, and nothing embodies the province’s character better than the range of experiences found only here. These are six you shouldn’t miss:

1. Dress up for Fêtes de Bayonne.

Photo: Delpixel/Shutterstock

This annual event started in 1932 when a group of friends from Bayonne went to the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and decided to start a similar event in their hometown. Eighty-six years later, Fêtes de Bayonne is now France’s largest festival with thousands of festayres, or partygoers, dressed in red and white like their Pamplonan inspiration, descending on the town.

The festival starts on the Wednesday before the first Sunday of August with the keys to the town being thrown from the balcony of the town hall to residents below. From then on, the town is overtaken by five days and nights of partying, as well as the traditional courses de vaches, when festayres can volunteer to enter into an arena with a bull and dodge its charges.

Fortunately, less dangerous competitions take place throughout the festival, as well. These include a foot race from Biarritz to Bayonne, pelote Basque tournaments, and even the Omelette aux Piments World Championships, during which contestants compete to be the best in the world at using the region’s signature spice in a classic French dish.

2. Enjoy a game of pelote Basque.

Photo: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock

Entering a competitive pelote Basque tournament might be a bit ambitious for first-timers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this fast-moving sport as a spectator. Just don’t expect to understand it immediately. Pelote Basque dates back to the 17th century, and over the past 400 years, the towns and villages of the province have developed approximately 22 different variations of the game.

There are, however, several similarities to watch out for. In terms of the game itself, most versions of pelote Basque involve two teams hitting a ball, or pelote, against a wall using a woven basket tied to their wrists so that it lands back inside the court. Meanwhile, aesthetically, the clash of the traditional pelote Basque players — each team wearing white uniform pants with a single-colored shirt — on the province’s distinctive outdoor courts make it easy to spot when a game is being played.

3. Surf waves at sunrise.

Photo: Oscar Martinez Diego/Shutterstock

Pelote Basque and bull-running aren’t the only sports to have put the French Basque Country on the map. Cornered by the raging swell of the Atlantic Ocean and the snow-dusted mountains of the Pyrenees, geographically, the province was practically made for outdoor lovers. Surfers have been coming here since the 1950s when Californian tourists first brought surfing to Biarritz. The town of Anglet has 11 beaches alone, earning it the nickname of “Little California,” and kiteboarders also find plenty of spots to whiz across the sea.

Biarritz is now known as Europe’s historic surfing capital and the sight of Quicksilver’s European headquarters. A few miles beyond Biarritz, technically north of the Cotes Basque, or Basque Coast, are the beach breaks of Hossegor. Hossegor’s endless beach attracts surfers from around the world, and its massive dunes serve as excellent viewpoints to look down on the incredible surf scene.

4. Climb mountains at sunset.

Photo: Alberto Loyo/Shutterstock

Up in the mountains, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the Pyrenees is the starting point for the most popular route of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage path. Hikers and mountain bikers relish the mountains that mark the western end of the French Basque Country, but the majority come in summer. Outside the peak months of July and August, you can find peaceful mountain trails across the Pays Basque. Even in spectacular hiking spots such as the Gorges d’Holzarté, it’s rare to meet another walker — which, after one look at the rope bridge across the canyon, you’ll probably agree is a good thing.

5. Walk from the lighthouse to the Old Port in Biarritz.

Photo: Gaelfphoto/Shutterstock

Less taxing than hiking the Pyrenees, this walk along the iconic coastline of Biarritz is nonetheless just as scenic. In 1843, Victor Hugo wrote of Biarritz, “I have not met in the world any place more pleasant and perfect,” and it’s easy to see why. Starting at the lighthouse, which divides the sandy beaches of Landes from the rocky Basque country coast, the walk encompasses rugged cliff tops; the historic promenade; and the Rocher de la Vierge, a rock formation where a statue of the Virgin Mary overlooks panoramic views of the town.

Beyond taking in the sights, the route offers plenty to do. The Miremont Patisserie is just as known for its view as it is for its pastries; the Port de Pêcheurs is where you’ll find the town’s best and freshest seafood; and after the walk, at high tide, you can cool off by diving into the ocean at the Plage du Port Vieux.

6. Indulge in the provincial flavor of piment d’espelette.

Photo: Sasha64f/Shutterstock

Whether it’s in the local cuisine or the festoons that hang from every available space outside to dry, you can’t go far in the French Basque Country without coming across the province’s distinctive espelette pepper. Introduced during the 16th century, espelette chilli peppers were originally used medicinally and over time have become so popular in the local cuisine that they have their own festival.

Hosted by the Confrérie du piment d’Espelette, or Brotherhood of the Espelette Pepper, the Fête du Piment à Espelette takes place every October as a way of celebrating local producers and the gastronomic culture of the region. It includes the indoctrination of a dozen local experts in cooking, media, entertainment, and sport into the brotherhood, as well as a religious mass during which the peppers are blessed.

7. Go back in time in Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

Photo: Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock

Just a few miles north of the Spanish border sits Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a small seaside town that’s played a big role in French history. It was here, in the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church, that Louis XIV of France married María Teresa of Spain in 1660, putting an end to a bitter war. The main door to the church was then sealed off, representing a close to the troubles between the two nations.

Today, Saint-Jean-de-Luz is more likely to transport visitors back to its days as a thriving fishing town than its days as a political epicentre. La Nuit de la Sardine, or Night of the Sardine, still takes place twice throughout the summer while in July the Fête du Thon, or Festival of Tuna, sees tuna crowned the “King of Fish” — with restaurants serving nothing but griddled hot tuna steaks and music and dancing filling the streets. It’s an appreciation of food and culture that could only take place in the French Basque Country.


More like this: Why you need to ski in the Pyrenees’ La Cerdanya valley

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