Matador Network's Blog, page 931

Yosemite’s “firefall” on in February

There is no shortage of natural wonders at Yosemite National Park, but for two weeks in February, the “firefall” steals the spotlight.

Horsetail Fall is a small waterfall located on the eastern edge of the El Capitan mountain in the Yosemite Valley. Every year, from mid to late February, when the fall is flowing, it takes a beautiful and bright orange glow at sunset. The striking phenomenon gives the impression that lava is flowing down the mountain. For a true firefall to take effect, however, there need to be clear skies and enough snow to allow water to flow, so plan your visit accordingly.

Photo: Phitha Tanpairoj/Shutterstock

This year, the firefall will be visible from February 12 to 28th, with the best time being between 5:28 and 5:40 PM on February 22. The National Park Service is not requiring a permit or reservation to see Horsetail Fall, but there will be daily crowd restrictions from February 14 to February 27, from noon to 7:00 PM.

The term “firefall” was first used to describe a practice that occurred at Yosemite’s Glacier Point as early as 1873. Campfires built for guests near the edge of Glacier Point, where the Glacier Point Hotel used to stand, were pushed off the edge, creating the illusion of a stream set ablaze. That practice has since been outlawed, however, for safety reasons.


More like this: The best national parks to visit this winter

The post Yosemite’s surreal ‘firefall’ is back, but only for two weeks appeared first on Matador Network.

New emojis for 2020

Forget the climate emergency, the impeachment trial, and the spread of the new coronavirus — It’s time for light-hearted news, like the new emojis making it to your phone in 2020.

Luxury riverboat cruises to Amazon

River cruises typically bring to mind leisurely journeys past Budapest or Vienna, with silver-haired clientele and a bedtime before the sun sets. While those European river cruises have been getting a bit of an upgrade in the last few years, they’re still nothing compared to what’s available on the other side of the world in the Amazon jungle, where river cruises are still an actual adventure.

Now, that’s not to say you’ll be embarking on a Heart of Darkness quest into the sweltering unknown, at least if you’re boarding the luxurious Delfin III in Peru. There’s air conditioning, for one, and comfortable beds with floor-to-ceiling views of the river, gourmet food, free-flowing beer, and even a gym. Plus, little looks into life on the Amazon and an expert education in its flora and fauna.

Roughing it this is not, but the five day trip on the Delfin III is a stress-free, memorable way to see the world’s most infamous jungle — with endless pisco sours and the right balance of luxury and adventure.

It’s one of the only ways to experience the Amazon in the lap of luxury.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

Though classic trips to this region of the world are fantastic if you’re looking to immerse yourself in nature and culture, they’re not so great if you’re looking to immerse yourself in fine wine and 1,000-thread-count sheets. Most of what lines the river are remote villages, and even the major cities like Iquitos and Manaus have more rustic offerings.

But after driving 100 minutes from the Iquitos airport, dodging tuk-tuks and mule-drawn wagons, arriving at the Delfin reception area in Nauta feels like an instant relief from its stress. Delfin is part of the Relais and Châteaux collection, one of only a handful of boats in the esteemed luxury brand and the only one operating on the Amazon.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

It’s the kind of place that greets you with mint-scented towels and cold fruity cocktails, where everyone on the ship knows your name by the first day, and your waiters know your drink order before you sit down. Delfin’s ships have no more than 22 suites (Delfin III is the largest), so the groups are always small and the itineraries flexible. Not to say visiting the Amazon in other fashions isn’t worthwhile, too, but if you’re not into filtering your own water and sleeping under mosquito netting, this cruise may be for you.

The water is the best place to see the wildlife.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

You can hike through the Amazon, in many places, with many tour companies. But the region is based around a river that fluctuates up to 30 feet a year, meaning most of the wildlife around the river is either in trees or in the water.

That means the skiff rides — which are the bulk of your itinerary aboard any of Delfin’s ships – are the closest you’ll get to most of the wildlife you came to see. That includes the aforementioned early-morning bird-watching rides. But also rides at sunset where you can fish for wild piranha or late-night rides scoping for the bright eyes of caiman crocodiles floating in the water.

You’ll also spot monkeys and sloths in the treetops both from the skiffs, the sunny pool deck, and often through the windows of your room. You’ll also find yourself spotting so many dolphins — both grey and pink — by the third day that you don’t even stop to look. Though they’re harder to spot in the brown water, the animals are still plentiful. Just don’t get excited and try to swim in after them.

Serious wildlife experts explain it all.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

The team of experts aboard the ship is an endless fountain of knowledge, and they’ll happily explain everything from the cacophony of animal noises to the cargo aboard the ships floating down the river. They’ll take you down some of the hundreds of tributaries, stopping for picnic lunches in aquatic fields of giant lily pads and directing you to fishing holes where catfish and piranha bite hardest. Even when you don’t see animals, you’ll learn about what you might see, just in case a panther happens along. And they always come with a full cooler of water, beer, and Champagne.

The food is the best you’ll ever find on a ship.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

It’s no big secret that cruise ship food has gotten a serious makeover since the heyday of the midnight buffet. But the food onboard the Delfin ships ranked at the top of most restaurants I’ve tried, at sea or otherwise. Each day Peruvian chefs create three-course feasts for lunch and dinner, with fresh ceviches, pepper-crusted sirloin with sweet potato mash, grilled paiche with coconut salsa, and plenty of saltado, all plated with immaculate detail. It is almost like having the best of Lima’s culinary scene floating along with you.

Dinners are complemented with Peruvian white and red wines, as well as fresh-baked bread and desserts. Breakfasts are washed down with fresh-squeezed maracuya and camu camu juice. Those are also used in the onboard ice creams. There is a small gym on board if you want to keep up with your home routine, but feel free to just cut yourself some slack and dig into the delicious Peruvian food with abandon.

The ship is a welcoming beacon after a long day in the jungle.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

No part of a Delfin cruise is going to test your tolerance of the elements; this is a trip for the kind of people who don’t necessarily want their limits tested on vacation and are willing to pay for it. But the Amazon is still the Amazon, and your Champagne-filled evening kayak trip can turn to a blinding paddle through a thunderstorm without warning. It’s still one of the wildest places in the world, and having a soothing place to return makes a monstrous difference.

So at the end of one of your many adventures, when you turn a corner and see the bright lights and big windows of the Delfin III sitting in a hidden corner of the river, it’s like seeing your parents house after a long, wet walk home from school. Everything about it is inviting, from the muted colors of the interior to the memory foam beds and the plush bar where your beers and pisco sours are all on the house. Though the trip won’t make you tough, the days can still be trying. And the welcoming faces and soft touches of the ship make it feel like home, if only for a few short days.

You’ll get to take a peek into life on the river.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

Though luxurious, Delfin’s cruises aren’t floating all-inclusives that aim to insulate you from the land you’re traversing. Part of the experience is visiting one of the remote villages along the river to connect with the the local people and learn what life is like this far from cell service. (The ship doesn’t have WiFi and service is almost non-existent, so be prepared to totally unplug.) The ship visits five to seven different villages per season, where passengers can tour open-air homes on stilts and buy crafts made by the villagers.

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

Our group stopped in a small village near Sequenta, where we delivered school supplies and notebooks to some of the local children. They sang a well-rehearsed rendition of “Como esta mis amigos,” before telling us — via one of our guides — a little about their lives. A full-on cultural immersion it was not, but between interacting with the kids, touring their open-air homes, and buying souvenirs in the craft market, it made the trip feel less exploitative than many luxury cruises around the world can so often be — especially in a region whose resources are constantly under threat.

How else are you gonna avoid bugs?

Photo: Laura Grier/Beautiful Day Photography

After the cruise, our group spent the night at the Lakshmi Lodge, a land lodge on a hill overlooking the Amazon with spacious cabins topped with palm-frond roofs. Though the places had fantastic food, sweeping views, and comfortable accommodations, it simply had no escape from the onslaught of insects that call the Amazon home. But it’s the jungle — complaining about bugs here is kinda like complaining about bad drivers in Florida.

That said, when you’re on a moving ship in flowing water, your exposure to insects is minimized. Especially when you have a spacious suite from which to enjoy the scenery with no exposure to the outside. So if this part of the world has been on your list for a while, but the threat of bugs intimidates you, Delfin makes the whole experience a lot more comfortable — and may be worth the $3,200-4,500 price tag.


More like this: Small-ship cruising is the best way to explore Thailand’s southern islands

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Top kiteboarding in Baja California

Imagine needing only water and wind to unlock the sensation of flying. Although kiteboarding is still in its infancy, it’s the fastest-growing watersport in the world. With the indescribable sensation of freedom it gives you, it’s not hard to see why ever more people around the world are attaching themselves to large kites and whizzing across the water.

When winter hits in North America, thousands of snowbirds flock to Baja California to chase the sun and the wind. With over 2,000 miles of coastline, it’s no surprise that Baja offers some incredible destinations for kiteboarding. The hard part becomes narrowing down your search to where you will find consistent wind. Thankfully, a handful of places have developed a reputation as excellent wind-sport destinations. Whether you’re a beginner wanting to learn this revolutionary sport or an experienced kiter planning your next adventure, you will find your perfect playground in Baja California.

1. La Ventana

Photo: christinejed/Shutterstock

Baja California’s most popular kiteboarding destination is La Ventana, which translates to “the window.” Thanks to a consistent thermal effect that pulls cool air off the Sea of Cortez to replace the hot air rising above the desert, La Ventana enjoys hair-dryer-smooth wind all winter long. There isn’t much in the way of waves here, but with wind that’s this consistent, you won’t even care. On any given day, it will turn on by 10:00 or 11:00 AM and turn off late in the afternoon, like someone flicking a light switch. The calm turquoise bay, golden sand, and beautiful mountains jutting up from the island off the coast create a scene that is hard to compete with.

Just 45 minutes south of La Paz, La Ventana is rapidly becoming a glamorous resort area, with more multi-million-dollar estates being constructed on the beach every year. But there’s still a quaint charm to be found in this small town with just one main street running through it, small taquerias, and grocery stores. Sign up for lessons with Evolution Kiteboarding and find comfortable accommodations at La Ventana Hostel. On rare days without wind, you might try stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling with whale sharks, and mountain biking the extensive trails through the mountains and saguaro forests. Or grab a piña colada and post up under a palm tree to enjoy a heavenly day of rest.

2. Los Barriles

Photo: Barna Tanko/Shutterstock

If you’re looking to kite in some bigger swell and are willing to sacrifice a day here and there when the thermal doesn’t kick on, Los Barriles is your place. With no island off the coast to break up the swell, it’s common for barrels to come rolling through six feet tall and higher, not to mention some of those breaking at certain points along the coast. It’s a bit more challenging for beginners than La Ventana, but it’s still manageable to learn with a skilled instructor from Exotikite.

Just a few hours north of Cabo San Lucas, Los Barriles is easy to reach by car. The town is a decent size and offers plenty of accommodations, restaurants, and any other amenity you could hope for. Whether you opt for an RV park, hotel, or resort, you’ll find plenty of other North Americans keeping their feet wet and their skin tanned for the winter. This town tends to draw an older crowd than La Ventana, so if you’ve left your party years behind, you will feel right at home in Los Barriles.

3. Bahia Santa Maria

Photo: StephyPalomino/Shutterstock

One of the lesser-known kiteboarding destinations in Baja California, Bahia Santa Maria is a west-facing bay located just south of San Quentin. My friend and I discovered it by chance while cruising around looking for surf spots. Here, the incessant wind lifts in the afternoon and is strong enough to sweep sand all across the vast beach, which is somehow littered with intact sand dollars. Your only obstacle to kiting this calm bay is getting past a substantial shore break, which is not too difficult if you time it right. There are no kite schools here, so you may get lucky and have the whole bay to yourself — every kiter’s dream.

Perhaps because of its desolate location, or the quirky cantina/resort Cielito Lindo, this spot seems to embody something of a truly Baja experience. You can go the whole day without seeing a soul, then convene at the cantina for happy hour at 4:00 PM to share stories with a bunch of retired Canadians over the most amazing margaritas of your entire life. Okay, maybe your experience will be different, but there’s only one way to know.

4. San Juanico (Scorpion Bay)

Photo: Scorpion Bay Hotel/Facebook

On the subject of desolate surf destinations, San Juanico is about as good as they get. Long known by surfers on the west coast for its incredible point breaks that can last well over a minute, San Juanico is also incredible for kiteboarding under the right conditions. While the wind is nowhere near as consistent as La Ventana or Los Barriles, an afternoon thermal may allow an epic session on the same point breaks surfers spend their whole lives dreaming about. Unfortunately, this prize comes with a high risk as the wind that gets you there blows offshore. For experienced kiters, this may be well worth the risk, but beginners may opt to stay near the sandy beach where the launch is and kite in the sideshore wind instead.

This fishing village is very small, but you are guaranteed to be in good company with other surfers. In the mornings, while you wait for wind, you can rent a surfboard for very little and enjoy a long, peeling right off one of the six points. The locals know surfing works up an appetite, and you might just get lucky and stumble upon some fresh tamalés for sale after a session. You can also hire a fishing boat for a full- or half-day excursion for some other activity during the day. For accommodations, you will find options like the Scorpion Bay Surf Hotel, as well as the Scorpion Bay Campground on the bluff for a very reasonable price. As it faces out towards the Pacific, you can expect some epic sunsets here.

5. Punta Abreojos

Photo: Jaime Noia/Shutterstock

If you’re looking for a kite spot with a mix of everything, Punta Abreojos is your best choice. With a lagoon for flat water, beautiful breaks, including barrels when there’s enough swell, and the possibility of a 10-mile downwinder with the right conditions, this quaint fishing village on the Pacific will elate kiters. Steady sideshore winds generally start around noon, and the waves line up around the point for a nice side-offshore effect perfect for carving waves. Just beware of sketchy offshore conditions and stingrays buried in the sand.

In town, you’ll find plenty of restaurants and accommodation options like the Black Bass Lodge, plus options to camp near the point if you’re on a budget. Get your fill of tacos after a session and wash them down with a cold beer or two with some friendly locals. If there’s no wind but good swell, best to grab a surfboard for some fun. After crossing desert and highways to chase these waves, you can finally rest easy at the edge of the world. By now, it’s likely you’ve left your worries far behind.


More like this: 7 tropical beaches you need to try kiteboarding at

The post The most epic, windiest kiteboarding spots in Baja California appeared first on Matador Network.

New spa technology and experiences

The year is 2020. Technology has become so advanced and indispensable that it’s an integral part of our daily lives, from how we communicate to how we work. And now, how we relax.

In the age of self-care and living your best life, it’s all about the next big thing that holds the elusive secret to relaxation and beauty: the must-try facial that makes your skin look like it’s never been out in the sun a day in its life, the cutting-edge spa treatment that will finally get rid of that knot in your shoulder. Around the world, spas are breaking the mold of traditional health and wellness treatments to incorporate state-of-the-art technology, new scientific discoveries, and hip trends into their regimes and therapies, bringing the world of tomorrow into their client’s treatment rooms today.

From relaxation pools that look like they could belong at a rave to VR sensory stimulation, these are the most futuristic spa experiences you can try out.

Editor’s note: Please consult a doctor before trying an experimental treatment.

1. Luxury Escapism — New York City, US

Photo: Luxury Escapism/Facebook

If you’ve spent time online in the past few years, you’re probably familiar with the ASMR trend. Meaning “autonomous sensory meridian response,” ASMR is based on the notion that specific sounds — like a gentle whisper or stroking the tines of a comb — produce fuzzy, tingly, happy feelings in the people that hear them. Luxury Escapism, a playground of dark rooms lit by pulsing lights and filled with odd, visually deceiving objects, takes that idea (and ASMR) to the extreme with its treatments, which focus on multi-sensory relaxation with the aid of virtual reality.

Located in a nondescript building in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, guests rotate between different rooms and experiences that use “immersive technology” to provoke “tactile stimulation,” such as a Sonic Sauna where guests relax in a dark room while ASMR-optimized sounds are playe or a Rainbow Bed that vibrates while you’re off in a soothing VR world. Sessions last roughly two hours, and guests have reported leaving feeling blissfully relaxed, both physically and mentally, all without a therapist even laying a finger on them.

Where: 218 Plymouth St., Brooklyn, NY 11201

2. SHA Wellness Clinic, Alicante, Spain

Photo: SHA/Facebook

One would think that treating yourself to some R&R on Spain’s sunny Mediterranean coast would be more than enough to cure what ails you, but the SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante goes further. The high-end retreat, housed in a Jetsons-esque multi-terrace building of stark-white walls and gravity-defying infinity pools, has amassed quite the reputation for its unorthodox, highly personalized, and very expensive spa, detox, and wellness offerings.

Catering to those who are looking for alternative ways to improve themselves, inside and out, Dr. Bruno Ribeiro do Couto and his famously out-there (and controversial) “brain boosting” treatments are non-invasive neuro procedures that are reputed to have a wide range of beneficial effects on the brain, such as improved memory and energy, better sleep, and a more positive and energetic state of mind. The clinic offers two types of neuro treatments: photobiomodulation and transcranial current stimulation. The first uses infrared/red light to stimulate, regenerate, and heal brain cells in dormant sections of the brain while the others use electrical currents. Meddling with the brain doesn’t come cheap, however: Prices start at $4,000.

Where: Carrer del Verderol, 5, 03581 L’Albir, Alicante

3. Goku, New York City, US

Photo: Goku

Trouble falling asleep? Don’t bother counting sheep – just go for an hour-long, $150 Zeccho Head Massage at Goku, a Japanese spa that became ultra-famous around hard-working, sleep-deprived Japan for its cutting-edge, insomnia-erasing head massages.

This head massage is so effective, the spa is called a “sleep time machine” because clients fall asleep so quickly that they wake up at the end of the massage thinking that no time has passed at all. The chain’s first US outpost launched last year in New York City, and the Zeccho head massage (which roughly translates to “the highest feeling of euphoria”) combines elements of medical science, massage, psychology, and acupuncture to create a highly specialized head massage. In addition to releasing dopamine, improving blood flow, and relaxing muscles, the treatment has most people nodding off during the massage itself.

It has quite a cult following in Japan, where Goku has reported there is a waiting list of over 436,000. Treatment aside, Goku’s interior design is also ultra-futuristic, with mirrored, neon-lit hallways similar to a Yayoi Kusama exhibit and zen lounges of calming blue light.

Where: 18 West 38th Street, 2nd floor, New York, NY, 10018

4. Dr. Dennis Gross’s LED Light Therapy Mask

Photo: https://drdennisgross.com/

Face masks are great for addressing all kinds of skincare issues, they’re affordable, and let’s be honest, they look great in those “self-care” selfies. Now, how about a mask that looks like something out of “Tron” and uses colorful LED lights to fight acne and give you the most innovative, techy facial of your life? This is not something from a sci-fi film but a creation of skincare expert Dr. Dennis Gross.

These hands-free masks, which are covered in white and rose gold, use 160 narrowband, non-thermal LED lights which, while glowing and lighting up your skin in eerie shades of red and blue, activate the natural regeneration processes in your cells. First, the red mode stimulates collagen production by penetrating deep into the cells, then blue mode destroys acne bacteria. Overall, it also reduces lines and improves the firmness and appearance of the skin as well as preventing future breakouts. A single session lasts about three minutes, and its users (who look like skincare robots from the future) swear by it. Best of all, you don’t even need to go to Dr. Gross’s practice in NYC to get treatment; you can buy your own for a cool $435 and use it at home.

5. Liquidrom, Berlin, Germany

Photo: Liquidrom

Saltwater float pools have become all the rage ever since Eleven used one to connect with the Upside Down in Stranger Things. The buoyancy of the heavily salted water makes you feel utterly weightless, allowing you to disconnect and disassociate from your surroundings. But the Liquidrom in Berlin adds a sci-fi twist. Housed in an almost sinister-looking, circus-tent-like building, the Liquidrom’s crown jewel is its floating pool. Under the dimly lit arches of a domed cupola, guests float in the warm, salty water while strobing lights and music (ranging from classical to electronic) pulse through the water, giving the illusion that you are floating on nothing, completely surrounded by sound. Very Stanley Kubrick.

Where: Möckernstraße 10, 10963 Berlin

6. Solar Egg, Kiruna, Sweden

Photo: Swedish Lapland

If you came across a giant, gleaming golden egg in the middle of Swedish Lapland, your first thought would probably be that you’d found an alien spaceship. But no: The Solar Egg, located on the outskirts of the town of Kiruna in the far north of Sweden, is actually a sauna. The 15-foot tall, golden-plated egg, which was created by Swedish artists Bigert & Bergström, was a gift to Kiruna from the Swedish government after the town was forced to relocate due to the over-mining of iron ore, which caused sinkholes. As such, locals have free use of the sauna, but visitors can also partake of the toasty interior, which is warmed by a stove in the shape of a human heart. With Kiruna sitting 90 miles north of the Arctic Circle, temperatures in winter plummet to single digits, so cozying up in the Solar Egg’s austere, timber-clad interior to heat up and sweat out is just what the doctor ordered.

Where: Kiruna, Sweden

More like this: 2020 is the year to try a vegan hotel. These are the world’s best.

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Greece elects first female president

On Wednesday, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, high court judge and environmental advocate, became Greece’s first female president. She obtained 261 votes from the 300 members that form the parliament. Sakellaropoulou became the first female president of the Council of State — Greece’s top administrative court — in 2018. She also chairs an environmental law society and is known for advocating in favor of refugee rights.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece’s Prime Minister, said, “Let’s not hide from the truth, Greek society is still marked by discrimination against women. This now changes, starting from the top.”

The election is being seen as a huge step forward for a country that lags behind others in Europe when it comes to gender equality. It ranked last in the European Union on the Gender Equality Index in 2019, with 51.2 out of 100 points.

The election of Sakellaropoulou is even more groundbreaking because she is not only a woman but also doesn’t belong to a political party. Although the president is mainly a ceremonial position in Greece, serving a five-year term, it still symbolizes a step in the right direction.


More like this: Support Athens’ marginalized communities on this remarkable walking tour

The post Katerina Sakellaropoulou is the first woman elected president in Greece’s history appeared first on Matador Network.

How to apply for Airbnb Bahamas trip

We’re entering the heart of winter, which means you’re probably fantasizing about a tropical getaway. You could pay for an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation, or you could travel to the Bahamas for free with Airbnb. In partnership with the Bahamas National Trust, Airbnb just announced an eight-week Bahamas sabbatical for five lucky people to work on preservation projects on three beautiful islands.

Photo: Airbnb

The sabbatical will involve helping to restore coral reefs in Andros, supporting ethical fishing in Exuma, and promoting traditional agriculture in Eleuthera. According to Airbnb’s website, the program was designed to “directly benefit local communities while supporting efforts toward a sustainable future. Over the course of the program, you’ll support important preservation projects inside the country’s national parks led by the Bahamas National Trust, and help design future Experiences centered around The Bahamas’ unique cultural heritage.”

Photo: Airbnb

If you’re one of the lucky five chosen for the trip, you will live with local hosts on the islands, become part of their communities, and get intimately acquainted with the area’s ecosystems, culture, and traditions. You can expect to help preserve one of the world’s largest barrier reefs by constructing and installing a brand new coral nursery; learn to fish red lionfish, an invasive species, to help other species thrive; and establish a bush tea farm to spread awareness of traditional natural remedies with the help of a local master gardener. Participants will also harvest sponges, dive in blue holes, learn about traditional boatbuilding, harvest sea salt, sail the archipelago, get involved in conch conservation, and learn about farming pineapples.

Photo: Airbnb

The Bahamas Sabbatical runs from April 1 to May 31. Applications are being accepted through February 18. Just fill out this form on the website, explaining what excites you most about the sabbatical.


More like this: 8 traditional Bahamian dishes to get a taste of the islands

The post Airbnb wants to send you on a two-month, sustainable trip to the Bahamas appeared first on Matador Network.

Early check-in breakdown

“You need to check in,” my friend texted me, a full month before our cruise. This seemed a little excessive.

“Check in?” I asked. “Isn’t that a little presumptuous?”

“No!” she insisted. “I just got an email saying everyone needed to check in. So, go do it!”

“But doesn’t checking in mean, ya know, actually being there? Isn’t that the ‘in’ part of ‘checking in?’” I responded, feeling a little like I was inventing my own Seinfeld bit. “What happens if I check in, and between now and a month from now something happens? Do they already think I’m there? Are they gonna keep paging me in the terminal because I already checked in? Will the ship leave without me?”

My friend left me on read.

Though it wasn’t completely undeserved, my curiosity still lingered. Is there any advantage to checking in early? Do people actually save time this way? Do they just feel pressured to do so based on these urgent-sounding emails? Or is it just something people do to psych themselves up for a big trip? The answer is, like most things in life, it depends on your situation. Here’s how early check-in affects the most common places we do it when traveling: flights, hotels, and cruises.

Flights

Checking in early for flights can be advantageous in certain situations. If you don’t check bags, travel with your pet, or need to talk to an agent when you get to the airport, it can save you the 200-or-so seconds it takes to check in at an airport kiosk. You may lose those 200 seconds unlocking your phone and pulling up your mobile boarding pass every time you need to show it, but theoretically, it should save you a couple of minutes. Especially if you’re at a huge airport where it might take a while to find said check-in kiosks, or a relatively small airport with very few kiosks.

Checking in early is also beneficial if you bought a basic economy fare or are flying an airline that charges for seat assignments prior to check-in. In this situation, the earlier you check in the better your odds of avoiding a middle seat in row 32.

If you’re flying Southwest Airlines, check in as soon as humanly possible. Open seating may ultimately be simpler than assigned seats, but it does require setting an alarm on your phone for check-in time as Southwest devotees have boarding group order down to a science.

If you’re flying with a reserved seat and checking bags, which is the case for many people, checking in online saves you no time at all. As a matter of fact, it’ll cause you to go through an extra screen when the kiosk you use to check your bags asks if you’d like to reprint your boarding pass, with a little green leaf that makes you feel guilty for saying yes.

And for frequent fliers trying to score upgrades, it doesn’t do much either. Upgrades are generally awarded based on status and fare paid and even in the case of ties are based on the time the upgrade was requested, not when you checked in.

Verdict: Saves a small amount of time in a few situations, generally not necessary.

Hotels

Some hotel early check-ins still require you to get a room key from the front desk. While this might at first seem completely pointless, it does save you the time of having to run your credit card and listen to long property explanations. But that does make time savings pretty minimal, especially if you still have to wait in line.

Marriott Bonvoy and some other hotels have recently launched apps that put the entire check-in process on your phone. It gives you a key on your device, so you never need to talk to the front desk.

“If I’m a business traveler, and I show up and I’ve got a call at 1:00 PM, and its 12:50 PM, it saves me those precious minutes,” says Michael Melendez, the general manager at the Daytona Autograph Collection in Florida.

He says about 30-40 percent of guests now use the mobile check-in app, and Marriott aims to have that up to 95 percent eventually. You can still get a physical key if you want one, or know your phone will be out of juice by the time you get home. The hotel also allows you to check in up to 24-hours in advance if you know you’re planning to arrive during busy periods.

Verdict: You can save serious time with the right hotels, during busy periods.

Cruises

Cruises are perhaps the most perplexing of all travel entities offering early check-in as some cruise lines will literally send you check-in forms months before sailing. The difference is, cruise lines aren’t so much asking you to announce you’re on the ship, or at the terminal, as they are trying to streamline the check-in process once you arrive.

Because most cruises involve international travel, they need passport info to get you on board. They also need to take a picture associated with your onboard charge card, which usually doubles as your room key. With your picture taken and your passport info confirmed, the cruise line can then process you much faster — sometimes with as little as a boarding pass scan — once you get to the port.

This might not seem like a huge time-saver, but when you arrive at a cruise port and 2,000 other people are also trying to get on board, lines can be as immense and slow-moving as the ships themselves. If you’ve checked in already, you can bypass the check-in lines, scan your online boarding pass, and find your onboard charge card waiting for you on the door to your stateroom.

Verdict: Massive time saver

Overall

Despite my initial hesitance around early check-in, in most situations, it will save you a little time, and in some cases, it can save you a lot. As one who always checks bags and has assigned seats, I still won’t check-in for flights until I’m at the airport. But with a hotel app and any kind of cruise, checking in early is actually a good idea. And I understand even more why my friend didn’t dignify my question with a response.


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Best Midwestern roadside attractions

Every respectable traveler knows that the journey is just as important as the destination, but if the journey is 26 hours of painfully boring farmland, punctuated only by corn silos and wind turbines, the destination takes precedence. There’s no escaping the monotonous landscape when on an American road trip west, but you can easily take a break from it by checking out some seriously weird and intriguing attractions — if you know where to look. You might not plan a vacation around seeing Idaho’s Oasis Bordello Museum, but it, along with these six other roadside attractions in the Midwest, will certainly liven up your car ride on your way to more entertaining pastures.

1. Carhenge — Nebraska

Photo: marekuliasz + marekuliasz/Shutterstock

Stonehenge is one of the world’s most incredible and mysterious monuments, but if you’re set on an epic American road trip, it won’t be part of your itinerary. Good thing Carhenge is here to pick up the slack. Exactly as its name suggests, Carhenge is a modern (and insane) interpretation of the English monument with cars instead of stones. Located on the western edge of the Sandhills near the city of Alliance, Nebraska, Carhenge is a circle of vintage American cars, painted gray to replicate Stonehenge, some standing vertically, some balancing horizontally, and others half-buried in the ground.

Carhenge was built by artist Jim Reinders in 1987 as a memorial to his father. Reinders, who lived in England, had studied the original Stonhenge’s shape, proportions, and size to create as precise a replica as possible.

2. Petrified Wood Park — South Dakota

Photo: Lemmon South Dakota

Lush forests are never an unwelcome sight on a road trip, but if you’ve been driving for several days across the US, chances are you’ve seen your fair share. A few pine trees might not inspire you to stop the car, but this Petrified Wood Park in South Dakota definitely will. Taking up an entire block in the city of Lemmon, the park is filled with over 100 constructions built completely out of petrified wood, fossils, and stone. The park was constructed between 1930 and 1932 and features a waterfall, wishing well, and a 300-ton castle with spires housing a museum. The perfect place for a pit stop, the museum displays historical artifacts from the Lemmon area and a miniature version of a petrified-wood house.

3. Sputnik Crash Site — Wisconsin

Photo: The Rahr-West Museum/Facebook

For those fascinated by the Cold War, the Sputnik Crash Site might be the ultimate roadside attraction. The Russian launch of Sputnik IV in 1960 was a big step forward for the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Its subsequent crash landing in 1962 was similarly symbolic. While you can’t see the satellite for yourself, you can visit the very spot where it crashed to Earth in the small town of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The spot of the landing is marked by a plaque, and a chunk of the satellite can be visited at the nearby Rahr-West Art Museum. The museum’s galleries also contain paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, Picasso, and Andy Warhol, all housed in a historic mansion.

4. Precious Moments Chapel — Missouri

Photo: Precious Moments Chapel and Gift Shoppe/Shutterstock

An impulse marriage at a roadside chapel is unusual enough, but doing it at this funhouse-like chapel in southwest Missouri takes it to the next level. The Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri is known for its many full-sized figurines, ranging from anime clowns to firemen, and its large-scale murals. It’s been described as “America’s Sistine Chapel” though Michelangelo would probably take issue with that nickname. The chapel is the brainchild of Samuel J. Butcher, a former janitor, artist, and inventor. It’s also home to a visitor’s center, gift shop, and garden dotted with fountains and bronze statues.

5. Leaning Tower of Niles — Illinois

Photo: Nejdet Duzen/Shutterstock

You can deny it all you want, but everyone kind of wants a picture of themselves pretending to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The problem is, getting there is a bit of a hike. Luckily there’s an alternative right here in the US. In Niles, Illinois, you can find the famous tower’s little-known cousin: The Leaning Tower of Niles. The tower is the closest thing to the original you’ll find this side of the Atlantic. It’s only 94 feet high compared to the original’s 177 feet and has a 7.4-foot tilt compared to 15 feet, but beggars can’t be choosers.

It was built in 1934 to conceal a large water tank and make the structure more aesthetically pleasing. In 1995, the village of Niles began a $1.2 million renovation project to repair cracks in the building, repair the concrete, install new lights, and build a plaza around the tower. A sister-city pact was also established with Pisa, Italy, to even further solidify the connection between the two landmarks.

6. The Enchanted Highway — North Dakota

Photo: northlight/Shutterstock

The best part about this attraction is that you don’t even have to venture off the highway to see it. The Enchanted Highway — a 32-mile stretch of North Dakota’s Highway 21 between Gladstone and Regent — features massive sculptures along the side of the road, which are sure to keep you from nodding off. It begins with a metal sculpture called “Geese in Flight” at exit 72 and also includes “World’s Largest Tin Family,” “Teddy Rides Again,” “Pheasants on the Prairie,” “Grasshoppers in the Field,” “Deer Crossing,” “Fisherman’s Dream,” and others. Each sculpture has a parking area and a kiosk. There’s even a gift shop in Regent with miniatures of each statue, in case you want to commemorate your magical journey along Highway 21.

7. Oasis Bordello Museum — Idaho

Photo: Visit North Idaho

Most bordellos ceased their day-to-day operations eons ago; the Oasis Bordello Museum in Wallace, Idaho, was an active establishment until the late 1980s. Here you’ll certainly find remnants of a bygone era, but they won’t exactly look like they came off the set of a Wild West movie. The bordello’s occupants fled town fairly hastily in 1988, leaving many personal items behind, including VHS tapes, groceries, modern furnishings, and clothing that still remains in the closets. Converted into a museum in 1993, the building has been preserved and includes a guided tour that explains the departure through the eyes of former maids, clients, and the sex workers themselves.


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How to transfer your travel points

Travel rewards programs can be an efficient way to optimize your spending on everything from travel costs to dining and entertainment to monthly bills. They can also be a great way for families to cut down the cost of a big trip. If you’ve collected a significant number of travel points across more than one program, it could make sense to combine them into one massive force of buying power. Here are a few such scenarios.

When flights spike to a pricepoint out of your budget

A rewards program balance really starts to mean something once it reaches the point where you can offset one of the major and unavoidable costs of a trip, say, a round-trip flight or a five-night vacation rental in a hotel or condo. Many of the top programs offer this amount, or close to it, as an initial sign-up bonus after you meet an initial spend. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, consistently ranked among the top rewards programs for frequent travelers, offers 50,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of possessing the card. This gives you the buying power of at least $750 in cash, plus whatever you accumulate through the actual spending to earn the bonus.

That’s enough to fly roundtrip between most major US airports. The thing is that once you use the bonus, it can be tough to build up that same buying power again. But you might not have to if you also happen to be a member of an airline rewards program that partners with Chase. We’ll use United’s MileagePlus program as an example, as it works in conjunction with both Chase and the global Star Alliance partnership that includes 26 airlines from across the globe, allowing users to accumulate and spend miles with each.

Now, let’s say you have built up a balance of 30,000 points on your Sapphire Reserve card. This is worth $450 in cash. You also have 10,000 MileagePlus miles. You need to fly from LA to Tokyo, and it’s relatively last minute — one-way flights are spiked to $565 on United for a flight two weeks out. But, United’s basic rewards program has the same flight available for 38,500 points, a decent chunk off of the original cost in cash value. Bingo. All you need to do is log into your Chase account, select “earn/use,” and then click the option to “transfer to travel partners.” Your points will be available immediately in your MileagePlus account, and you’re off to Tokyo for the mere cost of a $5.60 flight tax.

Transferring to a spouse or relative

If you and your partner or children are members of the same rewards program, it is possible, in most cases, to combine your points and boost buying power. This is useful in two primary situations. Perhaps one person in the family is about to embark on a big trip, and the family wants to help out, for example, if your child is heading overseas for a semester abroad. The other scenario is that the family is taking a big trip and wants to combine everyone’s points for maximum buying power. In this case, each member of the rewards program you wish to make your purchase through should transfer their points to the person handling the booking.

Chase, for example, allows you to move points to a family member with their primary travel rewards credit cards. You’ll need their Chase card number and last name, and points can be transferred immediately for no cost. After logging into your account, open the menu bar and select “combine points.”

A less-cheerful situation is the transferring of points when an account member passes away. Some major airlines allow the transfer of points to a family member without a fee in this circumstance, though not all do. Delta, for example, does not. American Airlines does. What you can do regardless of the airline is to obtain the login information of family members so that, when the time comes, you can transfer the points to another account on your own. Major point purchases such as timeshares are often handed down to a beneficiary in the will of the deceased, though this is dependent on the policy and status of specific programs and accounts.

Transferring between timeshares and airline rewards programs

For those who are timeshare members, or otherwise accumulate points via purchase on an annual basis, you can transfer your timeshare points to airline miles. Of course, the general concept of owning a timeshare is to use it — or transfer your points to a sister property in a different location — on an annual or bi-annual basis. But when circumstances conspire to keep you home or needing to travel beyond your timeshare’s reach, you can move those points over to a partner airline. You’ll want to do this then because timeshare points are bought and meant to be used within a set time frame, often two years, meaning that your money could go to waste if you let them sit there for too long.

Marriott Vacation Ownership members, for example, can move their timeshare points to partner airlines or to partner hotel properties around the world. Transferring the points to your airline program is a true hack because it allows you to hold on to them for longer and/or use them to buy flights if you elect not to visit your timeshare.


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