And while would-be travelers are accustomed to clicking around on travel search engines to find the best deals on flights, hotels, and rental cars, many people don’t realize that they can use these same types of sites to book cruises, too.

But is there one best site to book a cruise? That depends on what you’re looking for. Sometimes the best cruise website is actually a cruise line’s own site—since technically, cruise booking websites aren’t allowed to undercut the prices that the cruise lines set.

Often, though, the best cruise search engines are indispensable for locating incredible deals, including ones that throw in booking incentives worth hundreds of dollars—in Amazon gift cards, complimentary shore excursions, onboard freebies, and so on.

To save you the hassle, SmarterTravel investigated the glutted space of cheap cruise sites to determine which are worthy of listing as the best cruise websites; below are a few that come highly recommended.

The Best Sites to Book a Cruise

• Expedia (including Travelocity and Orbitz)
• Priceline
• TripAdvisor
• Avoya Travel
• CheapCaribbean.com
• CruiseDirect
• Cruise Critic
• Costco Travel
• Cruisewatch

Expedia

Expedia is an obvious first mention in a list of the best cruise booking sites, in part because it’s an absolute juggernaut (Expedia also owns Travelocity and Orbitz). Its cruise-booking interface is simple and straightforward, only requiring you to enter your preferred sailing destination and date range, as well as how many passengers you’ll be bringing along. Then Expedia does the heavy lifting for you, with comprehensive results that make it one of the best cruise search engines.

On Expedia, it’s common to find bookable cruises for 70 percent off face value, with the ability to sort by price so the best cruise deals come up at the top of the list, saving you the scrolling. A sample search for a mid-June cruise to Alaska, for example, quickly came up with a seven-night itinerary starting at $389 per person—that’s less than $56 per person, per night for a mostly inclusive weeklong vacation.

Expedia’s cruise deals tend to come paired with other enticing offers, including steep discounts on pre-departure hotels when you book both your cruise and hotel through Expedia. There’s also a dedicated 800 number that lets you speak to Expedia’s cruise experts and, often but not always, a generous amount of onboard credit thrown in for good measure.

Best feature: Sheer search power. Expedia’s easy-to-use cruise search engine generates a useful and well-ordered list of the best cruise deals, without much effort required from the user. Also, Expedia’s prices frequently match what the cruise lines themselves offer.

Priceline

Priceline is another powerhouse among cheap cruise websites. The initial interface comes off a bit clunkier than, say, Expedia’s or Kayak’s, but the tradeoff is that you can quickly search by cruise line, both standard and luxury, as well as by cruise length and departure port.

Using the seven-night Alaska example, Priceline brought up an itinerary aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas that starts at just $374 for the full week—roughly $53 per night. Hard-to-believe cruise deals like this show up on Priceline with regularity, which is part of what solidifies it as one of the best cruise websites.

Also adding to the appeal: deals exclusive to Priceline, plenty of bonus amenities (examples include $50 in onboard credit, third and fourth guests sailing free, and free specialty dinners for two), no money down to book certain sailings, frequent onboard credit sales, an 800 number to call should you need assistance while booking, and a loyalty club that’s ties in with every cruise line’s loyalty program. Priceline also lets you click a “senior discount” box if that applies to you.

Best feature: Priceline’s “110% Best Price Guarantee” promises that if you find your cruise listed at a lower price on another website within 48 hours of booking, then Priceline will refund you 110 percent of the cost difference, including port charges.

Tripadvisor

Many people think of Tripadvisor mainly as a travel review site, where you go to get real talk on hotels and attractions, and to see non-glamorized photos of places as seen through actual travelers’ eyes. But Tripadvisor is also an excellent site for travel deals, including on cruises.

Tripadvisor Cruise, which launched in April 2019, is among the best websites for cruise deals—it lets you nab the lowest price by comparing more than 70,000 ocean and river cruises from some 60 of the best cruise websites. It’s got an attractive, inspiring landing page, and its newest function, “Explore Ship-tinerary pages,” lets you browse full ship profiles, details, photos, and itineraries.

Though Tripadvisor is technically a meta-search site for cruises, which means that it will send you elsewhere to actually book, its search engine lets users sort by destination, length, cruise line, and month of travel. The default search results are ordered by “best value”, unless you specifically click that you’d rather see the results organized by price, cruise length, departure date, or cruise ship. Even when you click on “price,” the lowest-priced offering doesn’t always come up first, though it only takes a few seconds of scanning to determine which itinerary has the lowest price—that seven-night Royal Caribbean International trip to Alaska came up on Tripadvisor starting at $365.

Best feature: What makes Tripadvisor one of the best sites to book a cruise? In addition to having one of the best cruise search engines, Tripadvisor lets you read other cruisers’ candid reviews of the cruise that you’re considering, so that you get the non-sugarcoated truth about each sailing.

Avoya Travel

A rarity on the internet, Avoya Travel is a family-owned company that has been dealing in travel for more than 55 years. Avoya is one of the best sites to book a cruise in part because of its patented technology that lets travelers search cruises by destination, date range, cruise line, and last-minute status—and then get matched up, in real time, with one of Avoya’s expert vacation planners, who use that algorithm to customize a cruise booking to your specific preferences. (From Avoya’s website: “…we combine the ease of online search, with the expertise and personalized service of Independent Vacation Planners, plus secure exclusive deals and extras so you get more out of every vacation.”)

Avoya’s team of staffers and wide network of independent agencies make for a cruise booking website that’s a bit different from the rest. Its front page shows the “Best Travel Deals,” which might include half-off cruise fares, onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, and free or reduced airfare.

Like several of the other best cruise websites, Avoya offers a low-price guarantee; if you book a cruise with Avoya and then find a lower rate on another website within 24 hours of booking, Avoya will refund the difference.

Best feature: Avoya offers free membership, and members get exclusive deals and discounts, access to unpublished fares, first dibs on promotions, the ability to save favorite searches, and the right to book, change, or cancel travel without incurring any Avoya fees.

CheapCaribbean.com

When looking for the best site to book a cruise, don’t be put off by CheapCaribbean.com’s overly specific moniker. Despite the site’s name, it offers cruises all over the world. The site’s vibe is beach-oriented and a bit cheeky, with a front page that can overwhelm—but click on the “Cruises” tab, and a cleaner interface appears. There you can search by cruise line, ship, destination, departure date, and departure port.

CheapCaribbean.com offers refunds on 24-hour cancellations (within certain parameters) and a “110 percent best price guarantee,” a promise that if you find a lower price on the same cruise within 48 hours of booking, the company will refund you 110 percent of the difference. The site also lists traveler reviews about each cruise ship (as supplied by Cruiseline), though the reviews often include comments about the ship’s destinations other than the one you’re considering, which isn’t entirely helpful. There’s also a live chat widget if questions come up while booking.

Best feature: Helping to make CheapCaribbean.com one of the best cruise search engines is the fact that it lets you check boxes for additional discounts, including a senior discount, discounts by state (just enter your ZIP code), and past guest discounts if you’ve previously sailed with, say, Princess, Norwegian, or Disney.

CruiseDirect

Its front page is clunky and sort of in your face, but CruiseDirect is still one of the best cruise sites for a variety of reasons. As a cruise-only company, CruiseDirect doesn’t deal in flights, hotels, or rental cars, allowing it to focus its full capacity on helping you find the best cruise deal possible. On the site, you can search by destination, departure port, month, length of cruise, and cruise line. There’s real-time online chat and a contact number for support from a cruise expert. If you aren’t quite ready to buy, you can “heart” cruises to save them as favorites to refer back to later.

CruiseDirect offers perks on most sailings, like onboard credit, free drinks, free Wi-Fi, free gratuities, free travel insurance, or a free specialty dining experience—check out the “Bonus” box on the cruise listing you’re considering to see what extras it comes with.

Best feature: Like some of the other cruise websites on this list, CruiseDirect offers a “best price guarantee,” which means that if you find a lower price on another cruise booking website within 24 hours of your initial booking, you’ll get refunded the difference. But one key difference between CruiseDirect and the other cruise sites is that you don’t have to pay the cost of your cruise up front, just a deposit—and then if your cruise fare drops before you’ve made your final payment, CruiseDirect will readjust your rate accordingly.

Cruise Critic

A subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Cruise Critic has similar search results to that site, but it offers a bit more comprehensive information for seasoned cruisers who want more details before they book. Cruise Critic has tons of filters and sort options to help you find what you want, including everything from cruise line to cruise style (family cruises, luxury cruises, cruises for the disabled). Each itinerary clearly lists what is and isn’t included in the fare; Wi-Fi, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, and port taxes and fees are among the common exclusions.

Certain itineraries are marked with graphics declaring that the ship has won one of the site’s “Cruisers’ Choice” awards, denoting vessels that Cruise Critic members declare to be the among the best in categories such as cabins, entertainment, and family-friendly features.

You can sign up for price alerts, which will notify you by email when the fare on your selected itinerary drops.

Once you’re ready to book, Cruise Critic shows you a variety of offers from some of the best cruise booking sites, including bonuses such as onboard credit and prepaid gratuities. Then you click off to the site of your choice to make your purchase. Prices generally match what’s advertised on Cruise Critic.

Best feature: Under each search result is a tab for “reviews” where you can read reviews from Cruise Critic members who’ve previously traveled on the ship. On certain cruises you can click over to a full-length write-up of the ship by one of the experts on the Cruise Critic editorial team, including detailed information on dining options, cabins, entertainment, dress code, and more.

Costco Travel

When you think of Costco, you probably think of bulk food and toilet paper. But the next time you’re booking a cruise, it’ll be worthwhile to pull up Costco Travel, which is, unexpectedly, one of the best cruise websites.

The site doesn’t look fancy—it’s pretty bare-bones, visually—but the upside of going with a no-frills cruise-booking website is that Costco Travel offers extremely competitive prices, as well as some of the most attractive incentives, usually in the form of Costco Cash delivered to you after you get home from your cruise.

Though there’s no single point of contact if you need to call and discuss your cruise booking, Costco Travel’s call center is staffed with helpful agents from early morning until evening, seven days a week, and passengers can rest assured that Costco won’t go out of business before they set sail. Note that a Costco membership (starting at $60 per year) is required to book with Costco Travel, and that Costco doesn’t accept American Express.

Best feature: Rock-bottom prices—plus lots of cash back if you play your cards right: Costco Citi cardholders earn 3 percent cash back on cruise purchases, which can combine with the 2 percent Costco Reward for Costco Executive Members for a total of 5 percent back on Costco Travel’s already super low cruise rates.

Cruisewatch

Pondering which is the best site to book a cruise? Keep Cruisewatch in strong consideration—more than a typical cruise booking website, Cruisewatch bills itself as a “digital cruise advisor” that couples data power with personalization.

As an artificial intelligence cruise advisor, Crusewatch created technology that makes searching and booking a cruise more efficient—the first, it calls “Cruise Price Prediction.” In short, Cruisewatch collected and stored the daily price for each ship and cabin over a span of five years, resulting in millions of data points—and a massive database that informs exactly when cruise prices are lowest, and when the greatest saving potential exists.

Thanks to this comprehensive price history, Cruisewatch can predict cruise prices and drops with an accuracy rate of around 80 percent. Using the site’s cruise price prediction alerts, travelers can save up to 71 percent just by booking at the right time.

In addition to being able to predict prices, Cruisewatch tailors user search results to match their established preferences through customizable profiles and other similar features. This means you won’t waste time wading through cruises that may be cheap but don’t align with your vacation goals.

Best feature: Cruisewatch’s easy-to-set price alerts, based on tons of data, allow users to be notified in real time of the best new cruise deals the minute they come online.

Book a Stay With SmarterTravel Hotels

Need a place to stay the night before you set sail? Search SmarterTravel Hotels for great accommodations in your port of call.

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Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

Editor’s note: Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story.

The post The 9 Best Sites to Book a Cruise appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Editor’s Note: The airfares, hotel rates, and vacation package prices in this story are sample prices only, and may vary depending on your specific travel dates.

The Dominican Republic

The beaches of the Dominican Republic are as beautiful—and as safe—as any in the Caribbean, and round-trip flights to the island can cost as little as $250 from New York or Miami.

Choice Hotels’ Ascend collection includes two all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic with incredibly low nightly rates: Travel during the off seasons—spring and fall—and you can nab a stay at Emotions by Hodelpa Juan Dolio for as little as $65 per person per night, or at Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata from $54 per person per night.

Both are beachfront properties with a variety of all-you-can-eat restaurants, as well as outdoor pools, in-room fridges, microwaves, an on-site fitness center, and a location that’s within easy distance from the airport and major attractions. Members of the Choice Privileges Rewards Program also earn points by staying at either resort.

Pick the right dates, book a few nights, and do the math, and you’ll have gotten yourself a Caribbean vacation that includes airfare, hotel, food, and beverages (yes, even the alcoholic kind) for under $500.

Jamaica

Round-trip flights from Florida to Montego Bay can cost as little as $200, and room rates at the beachfront Royal Decameron, an all-inclusive property on Montego Bay’s lively strip, can dip as low as $90 per night per person for travelers willing to travel in the off-season, between mid-April and mid-December.

The Royal Decameron is within easy walking distance of the city’s best hot spots, shops, and restaurants, though all your food is already taken care of on-site. To stick to your budget, you can also stick to admission-free attractions in Jamaica—including Negril Cliffs and Castleton Gardens—and use local buses and taxis instead of renting a car.

Puerto Rico

You can often find round-trip flights from Miami to San Juan for around $100, and flights from other parts of the east coast are usually under $200 thanks to budget airlines like Spirit that fly there. 

Vacation rentals are the most affordable route as far as accommodations go, and you can find several cheap options that are right on the beach – like this studio in the  Condado Lagoon Villas that costs just $67 per person a night. Companies like CampoMar Van let you rent a camper to explore more of the island, at about $90 per person per night- giving you not only the accommodations for your stay but transportation as well. Park it near the beach for a beachfront property! 

Oahu, Hawaii

Budget airlines like Southwest and Alaskan have made trips to Hawaii affordable. Several times a year, these airlines have sales that bring flights to Hawaii down to less than $300.  (Airfare sites such as Airfarewatchdog, SmarterTravel’s sister site, will alert you when fares drop.)

If you’re lucky enough to snag one of these low fares to Honolulu—or if you’re the lucky owner of a Southwest Companion Pass, which is actually fairly easy to get if you keep an eye out for associated credit card offers—Oahu has worthwhile low-budget lodgings that could help keep your tropical vacation total under $500, including the Coconut Waikiki Hotel, where rates start from just over $50 per person per night. Another option is the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki, where rates start around $65 per person per night.

Once you’re there, Honolulu doesn’t have to be expensive, since the city has plenty of cheap street food and affordable restaurants—Moose McGillycuddy’s is a favorite for low-cost breakfasts—and bus transportation is easy and much less expensive than renting a car. Plus, many of Oahu’s most worthwhile attractions are free, including hiking up Diamond Head, paying tribute at Pearl Harbor’s USS Arizona, and sunbathing on Waikiki Beach.

The Bahamas

It’s always a good time to cruise to the Bahamas. And if you’re setting sail from Florida, you can, without too much effort, find a four-night cruise for about the cost of a single hotel night in any major American city.

A quick Expedia search brings up plenty of three- and four-night sailings from Florida that start under $300 per person, while Cruises.com offers a similar list. Cruise prices typically include all the food you can eat, live entertainment, and calls at ports such as Nassau, Freeport, and, often, private islands belonging to that cruise line. We even found an 8-day cruise departing from Baltimore, Maryland going to the Bahamas for $411 per person! 

US Virgin Islands

Believe it or not, the US Virgin Islands can be affordable! Thanks to budget airline Spirit, you can fly to St. Thomas for under $200 from Fort Lauderdale. 

With about $300 left in your budget, you’ll be able to stay at Lindbergh Bay Hotel and Villas for about four nights with rates averaging about $70 per person each night. The hotel is right on the water and features a pool and restaurant. 

If you can’t leave from Florida, a quick search on Expedia’s vacation packages search shows packages including airfare and hotel for under $500 from New York City, Atlanta, and more. 

Florida

Americans looking to keep their tropical vacations under $500 don’t actually have to leave the contiguous part of their continent to laze on the beach while shaded by palm trees. Orbitz’s list of vacation package deals under $499 usually offers some worthwhile all-inclusive deals to Orlando. Likewise, Travelocity has a dedicated Flight + Hotel Deals Under $400 page that includes various packages to Miami and Orlando, with stays at properties like the Hilton Orlando and the Westgate South Beach Oceanfront Resort.

If you’d rather book airfare and lodging separately, check out Expedia’s round-trip fares to Orlando for less than $100. Couple that with affordable lodgings, like the family-friendly Grove Resort Orlando—around $160 per night for a four-person suite—and you’ve got yourself a memorable tropical trip with the kids that won’t break the bank.

Budget travelers could also opt for a Panama City Beach vacation, to enjoy that destination’s perpetual sunshine, Southern charm, and 27 miles of white sand beaches. Average round-trip airfare into Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport from Atlanta costs $218 per person. And rates at the condo-style Origin at Seahaven, across the street from the beach, can drop as low as $99 per night, making a two-night getaway here cost less than $500.

Tips for Finding All-Inclusive Vacations with Airfare Under $500

Wherever you choose to book your affordable tropical vacation, one key strategy to keeping it under $500 is to understand what average prices look like for where you want to go—and to be ready to buy the minute you see fares that are listed well below that.

“If you’ve been watching for a good fare and you find one, don’t hesitate,” says Jeff Klee, the CEO of CheapAir. “When you go away for a few days or hours to consult with friends, or just continue to shop around, you may be surprised to find that the fare has disappeared while you mulled it over.”

One other tip for keeping vacations under $500, from Klee: “Flexibility is your friend. Unless your trip is for an event tied to a specific set of dates, often just shifting your search dates by a few days can offer big savings. Remember that mid-week flights—Tuesdays and Wednesdays—are usually a much better value than those on the weekend.”

The post 7 Tropical Vacations Under $500, Including Airfare and Hotel appeared first on SmarterTravel.

No one who knows how to be a great airplane passenger better than—you guessed it—flight attendants. Which is why we decided to pick their brains for their hard-earned wisdom about how to be a better, smarter traveler. Our panel of experts graciously spilled their flight attendant secrets, revealing insider advice that can help you get upgraded, combat jet lag, and fly smoothly with kids.

They also clued us in as to what it’s really like to be a flight attendant, what to wear on a flight, how to avoid germs on a plane, how to deal with fear of flying, and which food and drinks you should order—and which to avoid. Perhaps most importantly, they spoke about how to fly with a degree of civility that’s sorely lacking in society these days.

Flight Attendants’ Best Tips for Better Flights

Simply put, manners matter. “People who actually speak to me when I ask them what they’d like to drink is beginning to become a thing of the past,” says Heather Poole, who has worked for a major U.S. carrier for 20 years and who wrote a bestseller called Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet. “So when a passenger says please and thank you to me, I want to give them more water and extra snacks. If I see a passenger helping another passenger with luggage, I instantly think, ‘What a catch!’ and want to set them up with single friends because nice people are hard to find. Honestly, it’s the little things that make a difference.”

Jennifer “Jaki” Johnson has been a flight attendant for six years and is the founder of Jetsetter Chic, a travel-lifestyle subscription box company. Her preboarding advice to set the tone for a better flight? Check in early, watch to make sure your gate doesn’t change, eat a healthy snack or meal at the gate, use the restroom at the airport rather than waiting until you’re on the plane, and smile at your flight attendants when boarding.

How Passengers Can Boost Their Chances of an Upgrade

Many airlines prohibit arbitrarily upgrading passengers who are already on the plane. “This is a firm rule,” says Coral Lee, who has been a flight attendant and cabin manager for more than a decade and runs a blog for flight attendants called These Gold Wings, “although you can always try. Ask politely if there are any available seats in business class or premium. You’ve got better chances if you’re dressed nicely, if the flight isn’t full, if you’re traveling solo, and if you board last.”

“Upgrades are a big deal, and people who fly a lot earn frequent flyer miles,” explains Poole. “Those people know exactly where their name is on the upgrade list. If someone cuts in front of them, they’ll flip out. On one of my flights, we were delayed 20 minutes because one frequent flyer was upgraded to business class before another frequent flyer whose name should have been called first. Delays are a big deal in the airline world, so it’s crazy when we take a delay for something like an upgrade. But it happens because nobody cuts the line. You can dress nicely to increase your odds of getting upgraded if there’s nobody on the list. But that list is usually long.”

Keep in mind that this should be a conversation with a gate agent, not a flight attendant. “Once you step onto the aircraft, it’s our responsibility to get you where you’re going safely and comfortably,” says Nichole Dunst, a flight attendant and travel blogger who created Conscious City Guides, “but we’re not responsible for awarding upgrades. The gate agents have their own system for working upgrades, and gone are the days of getting an upgrade just because you’re cute and you brought us Starbucks. If you haven’t been awarded an upgrade before scanning onboard, I’m sorry to say it, but you probably didn’t make the cut.”

Of course, the most straightforward way to get an upgrade on your flight is to buy one. “Traveling is expensive, so you pay for service and quality,” Johnson points out. “You get what you pay for, so pay for what you want.”

Tipping Flight Attendants: Yes or No?

Flight attendants don’t expect cash tips, in part because they earn above-average wages and because their role of assuring safety is considered more important than their role of providing service.

In fact, most American and European airlines don’t even allow flight attendants to accept tips—except for Frontier, which has recently changed its tipping policy to allow flight attendants to keep gratuities; Frontier passengers are now prompted to add 15, 20, or 25 percent to their credit card charge after ordering a drink or snack. “But far from helping,” Lee says, “this has created a big controversy between the flight attendants who are happy with this new policy and the ones who think that this is a strategy to keep wages low and be treated like servants and not like someone who might save you in an emergency.”

“However,” Dunst advises, “we do love getting tipped in snacks, and that happens pretty frequently. If you’re headed to duty-free before your flight, picking up a bag of candy for your flight crew is a great way to make friends with us.” Another way to thank a flight attendant for a job well done? Write a letter to the airline that mentions the flight attendant’s name and outstanding service.

How Do Flight Attendants Deal with Jet Lag?

Flight attendants know better than almost anyone how to deal with jet lag: They drink plenty of water before and during the flight. They nap before and after long, time-zone-crossing flights. They avoid alcohol; many rely on melatonin instead if they need help falling asleep. And they try to adapt to their new time zone as quickly as possible. “Don’t even think about what time it is back home,” advises Dunst.

The Craziest Things Flight Attendants See on the Job

Flight attendants see some truly wacky—and disturbing—behaviors. “The list is never-ending,” says Poole. “Just when I think I’ve seen it all, something else bizarre will happen.

“People who don’t work for an airline seem to be most amused by naked passenger stories,” she goes on. “For me, the weirdest stories involve passengers stealing a coworker’s uniform blazer or chicken strips off a flight attendant’s salad. My coworker found his blazer standing in line at security, and the chicken strips were found clutched in the fist of a passenger sitting in the exit row.”

“My tolerance for crazy has certainly elevated over the years,” Dunst agrees, “and I have to remind myself that we see people in their most stressed-out state.” Dunst once had a passenger get so enraged with the flight crew for refusing to serve her alcohol during the airplane’s initial ascent—when the seat belt sign was still on—that she spent the next five hours harassing the flight attendants, taking pictures of and tweeting about them. “I don’t think this particular woman was in her right mind,” Dunst recalls, “and that can be a little scary when you’re at 30,000 feet.”

As for Lee, she cites medical emergencies—people fainting or having seizures—as well as people clipping their toenails in their seats or getting furious when they get caught smoking in the lavatory instead of being sorry. Also: an adult woman urinating on the floor after being told she couldn’t use the restroom.

How to Keep from Getting Sick on a Plane

Getting sick on airplanes can be par for the course when you’re a frequent flyer. This is partly because of all that circulated air, and also because being on a flight means being in close proximity to dozens of people—and their germs—for an extended period.

But getting sick on your next flight doesn’t have to be a foregone conclusion. To protect yourself from getting sick on a plane, follow flight attendants’ advice: Bring sanitizing wipes and use them to wipe down your seat, tray table (Poole sees parents change babies’ diapers on them), entertainment screen, and remote control. Also: Drink water. Take immune-boosting vitamins. Don’t touch your face, and don’t request drinks while the crew is picking up trash—their hands are now germy. Shower as soon as you get where you’re going, or at least change your clothes.

“Something I wish was more mainstream in the U.S.,” Dunst says, “are mouth masks like you typically see in Asian cultures. If you’re sick, it’s just a basic courtesy to prevent everyone around you from getting sick as well.”

As for airplane lavatories, they’re practically petri dishes and, like the tray tables, they don’t always get thoroughly cleaned. So don’t touch much in there—use a paper towel to open and shut the lid, to flush, and to use the door handle. Never sit directly on the toilet seat, never go in there barefoot or with just socks on, and always wash your hands well with soap.

What Passengers Should Bring Onboard

The flight attendants we interviewed recommend a light blanket, a neck pillow, an eye mask (if you’re hoping to sleep), earplugs, socks—and a good book, since it’s not uncommon for the in-flight screens or Wi-Fi to be out of order.

What Flight Attendants Want Passengers to Know

It irks flight attendants when passengers assume that they don’t have college degrees and that their previous careers were as bartenders. “My background is in radio and I hold a master’s degree from an Ivy League institution,” Johnson says. “Other flight attendants have been lawyers, medical students, real estate agents, and so much more. We want passengers to know that we are more than our uniform.”

Flight attendants also want passengers to know that the flight crew doesn’t get paid on the ground. “So that flight attendant greeting you at the boarding door? Not being paid,” says Poole. “Delays? Not being paid. We aren’t paid until the boarding door is closed and the brakes are released.”

This means that delays and cancellations can affect flight attendants dearly—not only are they not paid when flights are canceled or when they’re waiting for a delay to lift, but, as Poole puts it, “When flight schedules get screwed up, we have to make arrangements for children or family and we miss things we were excited to do. I’ve had passengers yell at me, ‘I haven’t seen my baby in three days!’ A lot of flight crew have babies too.”

Travelers should keep in mind that flight attendants aren’t getting paid during the boarding process, which is a flight’s most hectic time. During boarding, Poole says, “We have a lot to do with very little help, so we might seem a little snippy or rude but really, we’re stressing out to get things done so that a delay can’t get pinned on us. The problem is that boarding sets the tone, so then when we have time to relax and smile and be nice, the perfect flight attendant, passengers don’t notice because they’re mad that we took their bag to check it or that we didn’t answer their question or we didn’t allow them to use the bathroom or that they weren’t catered to. Nobody wonders why. They just think we’re rude and then they go and tweet about it.”

Dunst raises another point that airplane passengers don’t always seem to realize: “There’s a reason we ask you to keep your seat belts fastened whenever you’re in your seats. Turbulence can come out of nowhere, and you can never be too safe. That being said, the same goes for us. If the captain has asked us to take our jump seats for our safety, then no, we cannot get up to pour you a ginger ale. Unfortunately, getting injured on the job is almost inevitable. All it takes is one air pocket to jolt us around. We of course want to take care of you as best we can, but safety truly does come first—not your third gin and tonic.”

Flight Attendant Tips and Tricks for Fearful Flyers

Aviophobia is the most common phobia in the U.S., affecting 6.5 percent of the population, while many more Americans—almost one in three—have an anxiety or fear of flying that isn’t quite severe enough to be formally diagnosed as a phobia.

Given these statistics, flight attendants are accustomed to attending to nervous flyers. Their biggest recommendation? Loop them in. “Tell the flight crew that you’re a nervous flyer so that they can keep you informed of what to expect regarding turbulence, or be there for you if it does get bumpy and you’re scared,” Poole says. “I always tell fearful flyers when it’s going to be bumpy and for how long, so that they have a sense of control. I also ask them if they’re OK or let them know that it’s going to be fine when we hit a little turbulence.”

To help cope with fear of flying, flight attendants recommend doing mindfulness and breathing exercises, downloading an app like MyRadar to track weather and turbulence, playing games on your device to keep yourself distracted, and to take any appropriate medications. “If you need to take something to calm your nerves, we’re not going to judge you,” says Dunst. “But please don’t mix pills with alcohol. I promise it will just create more problems.”

The Best Food and Drink to Have in Flight

Flight attendants are unanimous about the best drink to order on an airplane: water. That’s because dehydration is a real risk onboard.

They advise against carbonated drinks “because your intestinal gas will expand and you’ll feel bloated, heavy, or become distended,” says Lee. They also warn against too much alcohol because it reduces your body’s ability to absorb oxygen, which can cause lightheadedness at high altitudes. Alcohol will also dehydrate you and make you feel more tired than you should.

“In my book, I wrote that Diet Coke was the worst drink for flight attendants to pour because it takes so long for the fizz to go down,” Poole says. “Nobody wishes you’d stop ordering it, but when passengers do order it, I’ll probably hand them a can because it’s faster and also because Diet Coke drinkers are addicted to Diet Coke and it’s impossible to keep up with them. One time I had a somewhat famous politician onboard who drank six Diet Cokes on a two-hour flight. Six. Diet. Cokes. Not only does it take forever to pour, you’re constantly pouring.”

And food? “As long as it’s not going to stink up the whole cabin, bring whatever you want,” says Dunst, who adds that flight attendants prefer that passengers bring their own food because the flight crew sometimes runs out of food or may not have your first-choice meal available by the time they get to your row: “It’s good to always have something nutritious and calorie-dense, like mixed nuts or protein bars, on hand in case of hangry emergencies.”

“The worst food to bring on a plane is food that gives off strong smells,” Lee agrees. “Remember that you’ll be sitting for many hours in a small, closed space with a lot of people. If you don’t want your neighbors to hate you, don’t bring strong cheeses or any kind of fish, eggs, or strongly spiced foods.”

Tips for Bringing Children on a Plane

“I used to travel during my son’s nap time so that he’d be more likely to fall asleep,” Poole recalls, “and I’d spend the morning letting him run around so he wouldn’t be as restless.”

Indeed, flight attendants are a font of knowledge about how to take your kids on a plane. Those we interviewed supplied us with a helpful set of tips: Pack plenty of food, snacks, wipes, and diapers. Always have a change of clothes. (“My cousin once had her four-year-old daughter get sick in flight and throw up all over herself, and didn’t have an extra outfit to change her into,” Dunst relates.)

Don’t forget your children’s official documents either, including passports, birth certificates, and visas. Stash stuff to keep your kids occupied: toys, workbooks, stickers, tablets. Bring a compact stroller that fits in the overhead compartment.

Dress your kids in layers, since temperatures can change drastically on a plane. Feed and change them before boarding, if possible. Fly direct when you can, since delays, diversions, and cancellations happen. “Reward them with little prizes during the flight for every hour they’re well behaved,” suggests Poole.

If you’re breastfeeding, know that you’re allowed to bring breast milk onboard, so pack extra bottles. And remember that families with young children get priority boarding, so you won’t need to stand in the same line as everyone else. When checking in, make sure that you’ll be seated next to your children; if not, a gate agent should be able to fix that.

Educate your children about how to act on a plane: “They should listen to what the flight attendants say and treat other passengers with respect,” says Lee. “From the youngest ages, they should be taught to behave politely and respectfully.”

Finally—and this should be needless to say—it’s your responsibility as a parent to stay alert and responsible for your child. “I’ve seen parents fall asleep and ignore kids, or book seats in first and leave kids in coach,” Poole says. “One time I was traveling as a passenger and found an infant crawling between my ankles. The mother was sleeping behind me.”

What to Wear During a Flight

“Airplanes are cold, so come prepared to be freezing,” Poole says. “Exit rows are the coldest rows. Invest in a cashmere sweater so you’ll look nice and be warm. If you don’t need to wear it, roll it up and use it as lumbar support. Wear shoes. Real shoes. So if you have to evacuate, you can run faster from the burning plane.”

In general, flight attendants recommend comfortable, well-put-together outfits that you can layer: “Nothing constricting, especially for a long-haul flight,” says Lee. “And to get through airport security faster, don’t wear too many metal accessories.”

How to Treat Flight Attendants

When you’re traveling a long way, basic etiquette can go a long way, too.

“Saying please and thank you while making eye contact at the same time is almost unheard of today,” says Poole. “Does it surprise you to learn that most passengers don’t even acknowledge my greeting when they’re boarding? After a while, I get tired of talking to myself. I always remember the nice passengers.”

“Truly, a little bit of kindness goes a long way,” Dunst agrees. “A simple smile and ‘How is your day going?’ can make all the difference.”

More from SmarterTravel:

• The 12 Best Flight Search Sites for Booking Cheap Airfare
• The One Thing You Need to Do on Red-Eye Flights
• 10 Underseat Carry-on Bags You Can Take on Any Flight

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post Flight Attendants Reveal Their Secrets for a Better Flight appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Editor’s note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, the U.S. State Department is encouraging potential visitors to reconsider all travel. Read more here for updates on the situation and information on when it might be safe to travel again to destinations like the ones below.

Costa Rei, Italy

Italy’s island of Sardinia boasts some of the most stunning beach destinations in Europe, not to mention the Mediterranean’s best scuba diving, thanks to its multitude of fascinating shipwrecks and protected marine parks. Claudia Tavani, a travel blogger at My Adventures Across The World, grew up on the island. She recommends Costa Rei near Muravera, about an hour’s drive east of the Sardinian capital of Cagliari. Though it doesn’t always appear on lists that round up the best beaches in Europe, Costa Rei is a local favorite for good reason—lucid waters, fine sand, bountiful sunshine, excellent resorts, and easy access to watersports like kayaking and windsurfing. 

Another gorgeous beach in Sardinia is Cala Goloritze, further north on the Tyrrhenian coast, while other beautiful beaches in Italy include San Fruttuoso in Liguria (check out the nearby 10th-century San Fruttuoso Benedictine abbey), volcanic Regina Isabella in Ischia (for hot springs, gardens, and castles), romantic Maiori Beach on the Amalfi Coast, nature-rich Cala Mariolu in Baunei, and almost anyplace on the shorelines of Capri. 

Where to stay: La Villa del Re is an elegant, adults-only boutique hotel that provides magnificent ocean views, gardens bursting with Mediterranean flora, traditional Sardinian architecture, an infinity pool, and luxury loungers on which to enjoy a pristine private beach.

Balos Lagoon, Greece

Balos Lagoon in Kissamos, on the island of Crete, is a secluded, wildlife-filled paradise that’s not exactly a breeze to get to (you’ll need to take a boat or drive and then hike)—but so worth it. Satwinder Singh, the CEO of Citrus Holidays, describes it thus: “Balos is home to turquoise waters and exotic white sand, which in some places turns a light-pinkish hue. The lagoon boasts wild natural beauty, mountainous scenery, and pools of azure water that are shallow and warm, ideal for swimming and snorkeling.”

In addition to its vivid colors and unrivaled scenery, Balos is also a protected shelter for monk seals and loggerhead sea turtles; show up early in the morning if you want to glimpse them. The surrounding area is full of delicious food and inviting beach resorts.

Runners-up for Greece’s most beautiful beach include Elafonissi Beach in Elafonissi and Kleftiko Beach in Milos—both of which earned their rightful spot on Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice list of the world’s top 25 beaches (Tripadvisor is SmarterTravel’s parent company). Also worth considering are azure Navagio Beach in Zakynthos; stunning Kolymbithres Beach on the island of Paros; Crete’s uncrowded Potamos Beach and its nearby ancient palaces; and the Halkidiki beaches, including Lagomandra, lining the North Aegean Sea.

Where to stay: Galini Beach Hotel is an affordable, family-friendly property just steps from the waves in nearby Kissamos. Its many amenities include excellent breakfasts, a sun terrace, and beach chairs for guest use. Plus, it’s close not only to Balos Lagoon, but also to Elafonissi Beach and the ancient ruins of Polyrinia.

Porto Santo Beach, Portugal

In a nation packed with many of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, those on Porto Santo manage to stand out. The tiny Portuguese island in the Atlantic, west of Morocco and northeast of its larger sister island Madeira, has a main shore that’s six miles long, laid out with soft golden sand—many believe that it has healing properties—and transparent water.

There are no high-rises here, and not much of a crowd, but there is plenty of opportunity for snorkeling, diving, dolphin spotting, or just relaxing. Bits of china wash up on shore from long-ago shipwrecks, and the dry climate, warm water, lack of undertow, and near-constant sun all add to the appeal. The scenery includes dunes, beach grass, and cactus flowers.

Christopher Columbus lived on Porto Santo for a time, so a nearby museum is dedicated to the explorer. The island also has golf courses, tennis courts, hiking trails, new hotels, and a historic downtown whose central square dates back to the 16th century.

Portugal’s mainland is also home to some of the best beaches in Europe. Among them: promenade-lined Praia do Molhe in Porto; dramatic Praia do Guincho in Cascais; Praia Foz do Lizandro in Ericeira (a World Surfing Reserve); and peaceful Praia da Ursa near Lisbon on the Sintra coast (worth a visit for the gigantic rock formations alone). And don’t miss thesouth’s iconic Algarve beaches including Praia dos Tres Irmaos, Praia do Martinhal, and family-friendly Praia do Canavial, which is surrounded by sheer cliffs.

Where to stay: Pestana Porto Santo, an all-inclusive beachfront resort, affords sweeping views of Porto Santo’s ocean scenery. Amenities include a full-service spa, two expansive outdoor swimming pools, a palm tree garden, six eateries, a kids’ club, and more. It’s also just a 10-minute stroll to the charming town of Vila Baleira.

La Concha, Spain

If it’s tough to narrow down the most beautiful beaches in Europe, then it’s even tougher to narrow them down in Spain. That’s because it’s home to spectacular places like Malaga’s Nerja, Ibiza’s Formentera, Menorca’s Cala Macarella, Catalonia’s Sitges, Cadiz’s La Caleta, and dozens of other memorable places where land touches sea.

But San Sebastian’s La Concha in Donostia tops many lists of the best beaches in Europe for good reason: It’s got clean water, soft sand, warm weather, a great boardwalk (with people-watching to match), as well as some of the world’s best swimming, strolling, and sunbathing opportunities. This is northern Spain, so there’s also distinctive food and a panoply of rich cultural offerings in the surrounding city of San Sebastian.

Where to stay: Book a sea-view room at the beachfront Lasala Plaza Hotel, where there’s a rooftop pool, heated bathroom floors, excellent service, and a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Sandwood Bay, United Kingdom

In Northwest Scotland’s Sutherland, Sandwood Bay is a magnificent expanse of sand and water in the highlands. “Sandwood Bay has escaped the attention of the crowds on the NC500 tourist route because reaching it involves a two-hour hike from the nearest road,” says Mike Peddie, who owns a tour company called Secret Scotland. “Don’t let the hike put you off this gem of unspoilt wilderness, however, as the path to the beach is well-made, the gradients are gentle, and the effort of getting here ensures that only true nature lovers and adventurers make the trip.”

Not many people visit, so the beach is clean and clear, save for the occasional whale bone and, some say, a ghost that’s dressed as a sailor. Presiding over Sandwood Bay’s mile-long stretch of sand is 213-foot-high vertical rock formation called Am Buachaille, which translates from Gaelic as “the herdsman.”

Elsewhere in the U.K., three-mile Woolacombe Beach in North Devon is worth a visit for its cleanliness, family- and dog-friendliness, rock pools, bodyboarding, and great surf.

Where to stay: The Old School in nearby Kinlochbervie is a casual, welcoming B&B situated in—you guessed it—a historic schoolhouse. The food and well-stocked bar are locally loved, the rooms are basic but comfortable, and the food is fantastic.

Reynisfjara, Iceland

In south Iceland, about 115 miles from Reykjavík, is a locally famous volcanic black sand beach called Reynisfjara. Its scenery—otherworldly, wild, and powerful—is said to have inspired the memorable beach scene in Frozen II, and is made all the more dramatic because of its cubic basalt walls, columns, and sea stacks. There’s a cavern to explore, dangerous waves, and sweeping Atlantic beauty so epic that it’s been chosen as a filming location for Game of Thrones and Star Wars.

There are other Nordic seascapes that qualify as some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, including the limestone beaches of Sweden’s Faro Island; Denmark’s Grenen Beach, where you can walk out into the water to stand in two seas simultaneously; and family-friendly Amager Beach, also in Denmark, with its wide view of the Oresund Bridge.

Where to stay: Hotel Kria in Vik offers modern decor, impressive mountain views, and an Icelandic breakfast included in the overnight rate.

Santa Giulia Beach, France

Most roundups of the best beaches in Europe include Palombaggia, on France’s island of Corsica. And yes, Palombaggia is gorgeous—but everyone knows that, which means that it’s overcrowded. For a lesser-known alternative in southern Corsica, head to Santa Giulia Beach.

“Nested in a mature pine forest and surrounded by wild mountains, this incredible shallow, turquoise lagoon could be mistaken for a Caribbean destination,” says Julien Mordret, a French travel blogger who runs ExplorationJunkie.com. “Located near the city of Porto-Vecchio, this sunny stretch of fine white sand has all the facilities you need—a restaurant, restrooms, large parking areas—to make your visit totally hassle-free.”

Headed to the French Riviera instead? Try the white-sand shores of Bouillabaisse; Cheval Blanc St. Tropez’s private beach has 60 loungers on the soft sand, a Guerlain Spa, an infinity pool, staffers who come onto the beach to massage sunscreen onto guests’ faces, and watersports including paddleboarding and kayaking. History buffs, meantime, might head to Omaha Beach in Normandy.

Where to stay: Hotel Alivi di Santa Giulia, surrounded by greenery and overlooking the bay, is a five- to 10-minute walk from Santa Giulia Beach.

Zlatni Rat, Croatia

Zlatni Rat, on Croatia’s southern coast, is famous for having shiny pebbles in place of sand, and a slice of land that extends out into the shallow water so that if you stand at the end of it, you’re surrounded by sea. Encircled by mountains and affected by dramatic tides, it’s easily one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, with a golden shoreline, smooth and clean.

It draws lots of tourists, so there are plenty of services to accommodate the beach-loving masses: restaurants, hotels, a snack bar, speedboats, and even a nudist section. Zlatni Rat is also great for windsurfing, sunbathing, and swimming.

Croatia has some of the most enviable beach destinations in Europe—the Dalmation Coast is dotted with more than 1,000 islands, after all, and Croatians enjoy 2,715 hours of sunshine a year—so we’d be remiss not to mention the country’s other seaside wonders: Nugal Beach in Makarska, Pasjaca Beach in Popovici, and the rocky coves on the remote island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea.

Where to stay: Hotel Bol is a modern new boutique hotel with excellent breakfasts, great service, and shuttle service to and from Zlatni Rat.

Ada Bojana, Montenegro

Ada Bojana in Montenegro is set on a beautiful segment of the Mediterranean Sea on a pearly white beach. “One of Europe’s hidden gems, it’s secluded and far from the city crowds right next to the River Bojana,” says Torben Lonne, the editor of DiveIn.com, an online magazine about scuba-related travel. “Unlike other beaches in Montenegro, the one in Ada is completely covered in sand which makes it attractive for campers as well.”

Ada Bojana’s water is a transparent blue, its sunsets supremely romantic, its location on the Montenegrin coast right below the rocky mountains that help form the contour of this land, and the local prices quite affordable.

Where to stay: Ada Bojana Cottage & Spa is an attractive family-friendly chalet right in front of the Bojana River—you can dive off the porch or use the ladder to drop down for a swim. Comfortable and secluded, it’s also fully equipped and luxurious.

More from SmarterTravel:

• Planning a Trip to Europe: Your 10-Step Guide
• 27 Awesome Natural Wonders in Europe
• The 10 Best Caribbean Beaches for a Relaxing Escape

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post The 9 Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe appeared first on SmarterTravel.

The best places to travel in 2020 range from the aspirational to the dreamy to the eminently doable. No matter when you’re available to go, here’s a month-by-month guide to 12 destinations that are on the rise or otherwise in the spotlight this coming year, along with recommendations for each country’s key special events and most exciting experiences.

Jump to The Best Places to Visit by Month:

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

The Best Place to Travel in January 2020: Rwanda

Start the year off right by traveling to Rwanda, a country that’s enjoying something of a tourism boom: January is the projected opening month for the One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, a beautifully designed resort in the jungles of the Virunga volcano range. And in late 2019, the $25 million Singita Kwitonda Lodge opened in the same region. Both of these new high-end luxury accommodations promise ultra-comfortable lodgings and only-in-Rwanda views, as well as unforgettable encounters with the region’s captivating mountain gorillas.

Highlights and attractions for travelers in the “land of a thousand hills” include the fascinating King’s Palace and nearby Ethnographic Museum, Kigali’s bustling Kimironko Market, and Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla-naming ceremony at Volcanoes National Park.

Another reason Rwanda earns its place on our list of the best places to travel in 2020 is that it has become more accessible to travelers. In 2020, RwandAir will introduce a direct flight from New York to Kigali so that Americans can get directly to Rwanda—no connections required.

Where to stay: Either at one of the resorts listed above or at Wilderness Safaris’ new Magashi Camp, a conservation-oriented glamping retreat that provides unbeatable views of Lake Rwanyakazinga and of Akagera National Park’s savannah and wildlife.

The Best Place to Travel in February 2020: Macau

More than just “Asia’s Las Vegas,” Macau’s tourism industry has been working hard on developing itself well past its elaborate casino scene. In 2020, the former Portuguese colony will debut Lisboeta Macau, a theme-park resort featuring a zip-line over the city center, indoor skydiving, and an IMAX theater.

Macau boasts numerous five-star hotels, including the world’s first Karl Lagerfeld hotel in the new Grand Lisboa Palace and the Londoner Macao, a British-themed hotel that David Beckham helped design.

Amid these hotels are more than 20 UNESCO World Heritage sites that reflect Macau’s Asian-European melting pot, as well as a food scene that deserves mention: UNESCO has named Macau a “Creative City of Gastronomy,” thanks to notable street food and restaurants like the Michelin-starred Golden Peacock and chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s Chiado.

February is high season in Macau, when temperatures are mild and travelers flock to Asia to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Macau is just an hour from Hong Kong via ferry or the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), one of the longest bridges on the planet. Macau International Airport is also easily accessed via more than 30 direct flights from major Asian cities. Travel to Macau is affordable, too, with flights from North America costing as little as $500 round-trip—and there are no visa requirements for U.S. passport holders.

Where to stay: The Parisian Macao, which opened on the Cotai Strip along with the Wynn Palace, brought the Sands Resorts Macao to some 13,000 guest rooms and more than 850 name-brand retailers, and helped establish the resort as a prime destination for international superstars to perform. Sands also offers more than 150 dining options, including Michelin-starred restaurants.

The Best Place to Travel in March 2020: British Virgin Islands

In 2020, a fully rebounded British Virgin Islands—Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused billions of dollars in damage in 2017—welcomes back iconic resorts including Rosewood Little Dix Bay following a multi-million-dollar renovation, and new attractions like Norman Island, at the location that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Treasure Island. Scheduled to debut in early 2020, it’s being developed as a luxury eco-destination featuring an observatory, three boutique hotels, boat slips, and a spa.

In fact, BVI’s whole travel industry is pushing meaningful sustainability efforts. The Bitter End Yacht Club, one of the territory’s staples since 1964, is debuting a new marina in early 2020, followed by a nautical village later in the year, with architecture that mitigates the redevelopment’s impact on nature and uses as many upcycled materials as possible.

As for Necker Island, Richard Branson’s private island, it’s on pace to complete all post-hurricane construction soon; in the meantime, the famous environmentalist is having his employees wear uniforms made from recycled ocean plastic, following his installation of wind turbines in 2019 to help his island reach 90 percent renewable energy use.

Late March brings BVI’s annual Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. It’s also a time of year that’s ideal for underwater visibility, so scuba enthusiasts can check out new dive sites like the sunken Willy T, while ocean newbies can enjoy the crystalline seas from a snorkeling or beach perspective.

The best way to get to these paradisiacal islands? Either fly directly to Tortola’s Beef Island Airport (EIS), or land at Cyril E. King Airport (STT) in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and take an hour-long ferry to Tortola.

Where to stay: Cooper Island Beach Club, known for its eco-friendly measures (including a solar-powered brewery), recently introduced a turtle-tagging program and offers sailings on Electrified, an electric-powered charter yacht. Its 10 airy beachfront guest rooms offer sea views.

The Best Place to Travel in April 2020: Slovenia

The world recently discovered what an amazing (and affordable) destination Croatia is—and now its next-door neighbor, Slovenia, is set for its own moment in the sun. The verdant nation is a bastion of arts and culture, especially music; the Academia Philharmonicorum (today’s Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra) was founded in 1701, and its members have included Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, and Paganini.

Going to Slovenia in April means getting there before its newfound trendiness jacks its prices up—but after the country has gotten its own Michelin guide in March, a well-deserved testament to its growing culinary stature. April also brings the festive Easter holiday as well as Ptuj’s St. George’s Fair, a memorable medieval market.

In late April, Ljubljana is set to host the 2020 IIHF World Championship Division I, an international ice hockey tournament. Spring also brings a profusion of wildflowers and butterflies, making it an idyllic time to travel the Slovenian countryside, where pretty hilltop villages, farmhouses, vineyards, meadows, and woods define the landscape.

Other Slovenian must-sees include Lake Bled and its castle, seaside Portoroz on the Adriatic coast, glacial Lake Bohinj, the Julian Alps and their Pericnik Waterfall, the Italian-influenced town of Piran, and Predjama Castle, built into a cliffside. The country has two new UNESCO sites too: the Lower Mura Valley Biosphere Reserve, an alluvial forest on the Austrian border, and the wildlife-filled Mura River itself.

Where to stay: On Lake Bled, the 87-room Grand Hotel Toplice offers a spa, a private beach, and an indoor spring-water swimming pool.

The Best Place to Travel in May 2020: Bolivia

Bolivia easily earns its place as one of the best places to travel in 2020, thanks to draws like the elaborate Mi Teleferico cable car system; Lake Titicaca, Earth’s highest lake (where you can eat at floating restaurants and stay with indigenous local families); and the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni, the planet’s largest salt flat. Clearly, Bolivia is a place of extremes, and a trip here is guaranteed to be memorable.

From April 22 through May 3, 2020, 1,000 musicians from all over the world will descend on southeastern Bolivia to perform 100 concerts as part of one of the world’s largest classical music festivals, called the International Festival of American Renaissance and Baroque Music, which will play out in Santa Cruz’s Baroque-style Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos. It’s sure to be a sight to behold.

Where to stay: Hotel Palacio de Sal, which is built almost entirely of salt, is one of the world’s most unique hotels. Sitting at an elevation of 12,000 feet, it offers a full-service spa, a fine-dining restaurant, and an in-house tour operator that takes guests out onto the moonlike salt flats.

The Best Place to Travel in June 2020: Israel

The Holy Land has been holy for thousands of years—but it remains as relevant today as ever. In fact, Israel has seen an 11 percent jump in international travelers arriving over the past year. And it’s responding by adding dozens of new hotels and expanding Ben-Gurion Airport to the tune of $480 million, to allow the airport to welcome an additional 30 million travelers annually.

They come to see the moving, meaningful places that they wouldn’t be able to see anywhere else: one-of-a-kind religious landmarks, deeply historical sites, and impressive natural wonders. They include Jerusalem’s Old City, including the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, as well as Bethlehem, Nazareth, Tel Aviv’s bustling beaches and nightlife, Masada (catch a concert there if you possibly can), the Dead Sea (Earth’s lowest point), the Jordan River, gorgeous Eilat, the welcoming kibbutzim, and dozens of important archaeology sites, including Jericho’s ancient ruins.

All this is amid a warm, social culture that appreciates good food (and lots of it) and a vibrant cultural and social scene—the result of Israelis’ pervasive joie de vivre.

Where to stay: The Orient Isrotel opened in Jerusalem 2017 on a historic site that was once inhabited by the German Templar Society. In the German Colony, one of Jerusalem’s most upscale neighborhoods, it features luxurious accommodations, a gourmet kosher restaurant, a rooftop infinity pool overlooking the Old City, an extensive art collection, an on-site museum, and the Carmel Forest Spa, with an authentic Turkish hammam.

The Best Place to Travel in July 2020: Japan

It’s tough not to pick Japan as the must-go destination for July 2020, since the whole world’s eyes will be trained there for the Olympic Games, which play out in Tokyo from July 24 through August 9. Some 600,000 international travelers are expected to arrive in Japan for the 2020 Olympics, so if you’re thinking of going, now’s the time to book, either yourself or via a travel agency that specializes in planning trips to major world events.

Of course, there’s much more to the Land of the Rising Sun in summer than the Olympics. On Thursday and Friday nights in June and July, the Noboribetsu Hell Festival will play out in Hokkaido. Also in July is the 400-year-old Gujo Odori Dance Festival in Chubu’s Gifu Prefecture, and the same month brings Tohoku’s Lotus Festival in Miyagi Prefecture, transforming Lake Izunuma-Uchinuma into a floral paradise.

If you’re into seeing the Olympics in person but you’d prefer to stay far from Tokyo’s crowds, consider Shizuoka, where the men’s and women’s cycling events will take place on Izu City’s scenic hillsides on July 27 and 28. Afterward, visit Shuzenji onsen, a quaint hot spring town with bamboo forests and thousands of green tea farms in Mount Fuji’s verdant shadow.

Or you could consider Kyoto, where summer reliably brings green maples, and where several new museums and hotels (including Kyoto Nijo Hotel) will open in 2020. The city’s new Fukuda Art Museum celebrates Japanese art and culture.

One final reason Japan earns its place among the best places to go in 2020: It’s easier and less expensive to get to than ever before. Japan Airlines has pledged to connect 500 destinations to Tokyo Narita Airport by April 2020, via Zipair Tokyo, its low-cost carrier.

Where to stay: Tokyo’s 931-room Imperial Hotel manages to be historic yet modern while offering exceptional hospitality, a tearoom, a pool, a sauna, a fitness center, and 17 restaurants, lounges, and bars, including the Michelin-starred Les Saisons.

The Best Place to Travel in August 2020: The Arctic

An unfortunate reality of these times is that there exist places now that won’t exist the same way they will in, say, 20 years. Check out SmarterTravel’s list of places to visit before they disappear before deciding to dedicate August to seeing the Arctic, which is warming twice as fast as the global average—and where the ice that polar bears depend on is melting away.

Gondwana Ecotours offers a polar bear photography adventure to the Alaskan Arctic that’s packed full of wildlife viewing, and that gives guests the opportunity to discuss climate change and sea ice recession with an Arctic environmentalist.

If seeing the northern lights remains unchecked on your bucket list, consider visiting Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Thanks to its position north of the 60th parallel, it’s one of the world’s best places to see nature’s most spectacular light show dominating the skies over Great Slave Lake.

Or head to Baffin Island, home of Canada’s Auyuittuq National Park, where fjords and glaciers define the surreal tundra landscape. In addition to the aurora borealis, you may see narwhal, snow geese, ringed seals, Arctic foxes, caribou, and, yes, polar bears.

But if you’re intent on seeing dozens of the endangered white creatures, visit Manitoba’s Cape Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world. Local tour guides know how to get you up close to safely see the bears, and they can take you on beluga whale tours, too.

Where to stay: Yellowknife’s Blachford Lake Lodge, located inside the aurora oval, is an eco-conscious wilderness property where you can see the northern lights from all over the resort—including right from your bed. You can take an igloo-building workshop, too.

The Best Place to Travel in September 2020: Poland

The 75th anniversary of the end of World War II is in 2020, and plenty of commemorations are scheduled to take place across Eastern Europe over the course of the year—which makes Poland one of the best places to travel in 2020, especially if you have any connection to WWII history.

Abercrombie & Kent’s Poland to Prague tour makes somber visits to the Warsaw Ghetto and Auschwitz, while the company’s Tailor Made Poland: Warsaw & Krakow itinerary goes into Kazimierz, the former Jewish ghetto, and inside Oskar Schindler’s factory, now a museum that illustrates World War II’s impact on Krakow.

But a trip to Poland doesn’t have to be all about war and genocide. Krakow’s UNESCO-listed Main Square, the stately Rynek Glowny, is Europe’s largest remaining medieval town square—it was erected in 1257—and the entire city, which stood as Poland’s royal capital from the 11th to the 16th centuries, was included on UNESCO’s first World Heritage list in 1978.

Warsaw, for its part, will see nearly a dozen hotels open in 2020, including a Nobu; meanwhile, fairytale towns like Poznan and Swinoujscie are being recognized as emerging travel destinations. And the scenic, wildlife-rich Roztocze Biosphere Reserve, near the Ukrainian border, is one of UNESCO’s newest biosphere reserves.

Poland has long been one of Europe’s most affordable destinations, and new direct flights are making it even easier to access. American Airlines, for example, will run nonstop routes from Chicago to Krakow from May through October 2020.

Where to stay: Stylish Raffles Europejski Warsaw represents one of the Polish capital city’s most iconic buildings. It features 106 elegant suites, a central location, elevated dining and drinking experiences, curated Polish art, and a relaxing spa.

The Best Place to Travel in October 2020: Egypt

The pyramids have always been on pretty much everyone’s travel bucket list. But in 2020, you can add (and then check off!) the new Grand Egyptian Museum on the Giza Plateau, scheduled to finally open in October 2020 after years of delays. Set to be the world’s biggest archaeological museum, it’ll showcase a huge number of ancient Egyptian artifacts (30,000 of which have never been exhibited before), including the full Tutankhamun collection, as well as the 2,100-year-old, $4 million golden sarcophagus that was stolen in 2011 and recently recovered and returned to Egypt.

After the political tumult that played out across the country earlier this decade, Egypt’s tourism industry has made a resounding comeback. In late 2018, the U.N. World Tourism Organization named the North African nation the world’s fastest-growing travel destination after the country saw a 55 percent rise in arriving travelers.

Travel companies are seeing a corresponding rise in interest: Egypt is now Friendly Planet Travel’s number-two top-booked destination, Uniworld’s third, and Contiki’s fourth. Tourists come to see the pyramids, take multi-night Nile River cruises (and some that traverse the Suez Canal), snorkel the Red Sea in beautiful Taba (bordering Israel’s resort town of Eilat), and generally take in the temples, tombs, and churches that are unlike anywhere else.

In 2020, new additions beyond the headliner museum will include a 105-mile Bedouin-run hiking trail in the Red Sea Mountains, Giza’s new Sphinx Airport welcoming domestic flights, the resumption of flights to Sharm El Sheikh, and a new St. Regis hotel in Cairo.

Where to stay: The Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, on the banks of the Nile River, features gracefully designed guest rooms and suites, nine excellent restaurants, a full-service spa, and more than 200 museum-grade pieces of contemporary art on display.

The Best Place to Travel in November 2020: Canada

Late in the year is a great time to visit Canada, and specifically eastern Canada (though the wintertime charms of Whistler and Vancouver are not to be overlooked). Starting in November each year, the Ontario side of Niagara Falls transforms into Canada’s largest light event, the magical Winter Festival of Lights, which extends five miles long and promises to illuminate the dark through mid-January. While you’re there, check out the 40-foot-tall, 100-foot thick ice bridge that forms at the base of Niagara Falls each year—it looks like giant marshmallows on the Niagara River.

In Montreal, the annual Luminotherapie, an interactive art installation, lights up the Quartier des Spectacles from late November until late January. The new Four Seasons Montreal serves as the epicenter of the city’s glamorous and historic Golden Square Mile.

And don’t miss Toronto, which is still celebrating its first-ever NBA championship. Travelers are coming in droves to experience Queen St. West, voted one of the world’s coolest neighborhoods; to see the notable street art, including a brand-new Kawhi Leonard mural; and to explore the city’s bustling Chinatown.

Where to stay: The Renaissance Montreal, a 142-room Art Deco-style hotel in the heart of downtown, features street art by Alexandre Veilleux, live DJ entertainment, a contemporary pan-Asian restaurant called East, and a 12th-floor rooftop terrace serving up inventive cocktails, panoramic views, bistro fare, and dips in a stainless steel plunge pool.

The Best Place to Travel in December 2020: Germany

The year 2020 marks Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday. Bonn, where the composer was born in 1770, is making a huge deal of the anniversary all year long, with thousands of concerts everywhere from symphony halls to people’s houses. There will also be Beethoven-themed parties, children’s events, exhibits, films, lectures, parades, dance performances, and even a Ludwig-centric sound-and-light show.

Beethoven-Haus, where the composer grew up, is now a museum that displays Beethoven’s love letters, his frowning death mask, and poignant items that were made to accommodate his encroaching deafness, including his ear trumpet and his last grand piano, custom-built to play as loudly as possible.

On December 17, 2020, the 250-year anniversary of Beethoven’s baptism, conductor Daniel Barenboim will preside over an orchestral performance of the Ninth Symphony, including its “Ode to Joy” segment, as the jubilee’s grand finale.

Beyond Bonn and Beethoven, there’s plenty else to justify Germany’s inclusion on any list of the best places to travel in 2020, including the fact that its borders now encompass 46 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Hamburg is worth a visit for its unique Beatles history, for December’s annual DOM Funfair, and for HafenCity’s Märchenwelten (“fairy-tale worlds”), a high-tech attraction that immerses visitors into the Grimms’ dark imaginations.

Germany is famous for its elaborate, fragrant Christmas markets; a few of the best are in Nuremberg, Munich, Berlin, Cologne, Dresden, and Bamberg—where dozens of nativity scenes span the city. There’s also the festive Speyer New Year’s market and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra’s annual New Year’s Eve concert, with fireworks to welcome the new year.

Where to stay: Hotel Adlon Kempinski, at the center of Berlin’s historic district, has been one of Europe’s finest hotels since it opened in 1907. Overlooking the Brandenburg Gate, the stately hotel has hosted kings and queens, movie stars, multiple U.S. presidents, and, notoriously, Michael Jackson—this is where he dangled his blanket-covered baby from the balcony of his suite. The Adlon offers expert hospitality, fine cuisine, and iconic decor, including the lobby lounge’s elephant fountain, a gift to the hotel in 1930 from India’s Maharaja of Patiala. To learn more, see SmarterTravel’s Adlon Kempinski review.

For more ideas, see The Top Travel Destinations for 2020.

More from SmarterTravel:

• The 9 Best U.S. Cities to Visit in 2020
• 20 Adventure Trips of a Lifetime to Take in 2020
• The 12 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the U.S.

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post The 12 Best Places to Go in 2020 appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Still, there are a few cities every year that are a bit more worth visiting, either because they’re experiencing some sort of renaissance, they’ve been underrated or overlooked for too long, they’re marking a meaningful anniversary, or they’re so big and familiar that would-be travelers lean too heavily on assumptions when deciding to skip them.

Which is why I set about narrowing down the scope of the best U.S. cities to visit in 2020. The resulting list is lean, timely, geographically diverse, and realistic to do in a single year. So get out there.

Oakland, California

Oakland’s relationship to San Francisco often inspires comparison to Brooklyn’s relationship to Manhattan: It’s the bigger city’s hipper, more relaxed neighbor, where creativity thrives and anything that buzzes tends to get its start. (I’ll refrain from using words like “hipster” and “gentrification” here.)

But Oakland is much more than San Francisco’s happenin’ sidekick. It’s a multi-cultural destination unto itself, with world-class attractions including Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, the Fox Theater, the Oakland Zoo, Children’s Fairyland, Temescal Alley, funky Telegraph Avenue, and the Coliseum (where the As play), adjacent to the Oakland Arena, where the Golden State Warriors saw their historic rise. No wonder almost 4 million people travel here every year.

And 2020 looks particularly promising for “the Town” to be one of the best cities in America to visit, what with the Oakland Museum of California poised to get a makeover in summer, and Oakland International Airport debuting 17 new eateries—including Brown Sugar Kitchen, Tay Ho, and A16—over the course of the year. It’s also the 130th birthday of the nearby University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

These days, major companies call Oakland home, including Pandora, Kaiser Permanente, the Sierra Club, and VSCO, whose trendy app is giving Instagram a run for its money—and whose building offers a gear-packed, free-to-use studio space for social media-ready photo shoots. Other of-the-moment places to be in this town of more than 1,000 murals include Super Juiced, Swan’s Market, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, bars like Drexl, and beer gardens like Temescal Brewing and Lost & Found. Try to be here in early March so you can bring something home from the epic flea market that is the White Elephant Sale.

Where to stay: The Claremont Club & Spa, a Fairmont hotel, was built in 1915 to overlook the San Francisco Bay. It sports a luxurious old-money feel with fine dining, an extensive spa, and elegant rooms. But this country club-style hotel is also surprisingly family-friendly: The cost of your stay (or even just the cost of your spa treatment or restaurant meal) also covers three hours of daily childcare at the fun-filled Kids’ Club.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Most travelers don’t need much convincing that Honolulu is worth their time and money. It’s easily among the very best places to visit in the U.S. But if you’ve been holding off, 2020 is the year to go. With a slew of new flights headed there from all over the U.S., including Hawaiian Airlines’ Boston-to-Honolulu route (America’s longest regularly scheduled domestic segment) and Southwest’s reasonably priced jaunts (book these well ahead—they sell out quickly), the balmy shores of Waikiki are easier to get to than ever.

But Honolulu is much more than a gorgeous beach town—though it’s that, too. It’s also a bastion of culture, both native and not. In 2020, the Bishop Museum will unveil an original exhibit, “Mai Kinohi Mai,” displaying Hawaii’s oldest surfboards, including Duke Kahanamoku’s. The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary, Oahu’s Ukulele Festival will be celebrating its 50th, and the USS Missouri its 75th.

Meanwhile, Honolulu’s food scene has been booming: 2020 will see chef Jason Yamaguchi’s Japanese-French restaurant Mugen open in the fancy new Espacio hotel. La Vie, serving modern French food, is the impressive new dining room in Waikiki’s Ritz-Carlton Residences. And a new boutique hotel, Halepuna Waikiki, proffers the casual Halekulani Bakery & Restaurant, whose menu focuses on indigenous ingredients.

But really, all these dining, shopping, and rich cultural experiences serve to enhance the true draw here, which is the natural beauty of a volcanic island in the far middle of the Pacific Ocean. The palm trees sway, the sunsets stun, and the gentle, warm waves keep rolling in. And, as ever, the tourism industry is working hard to help travelers find new ways to experience this unique capital city, from new Atlas Obscura tours to new cruise sailings landing in Honolulu, from Crystal to Carnival.

Where to stay: The Ko Olina Resort is a collection of four celebrated hotels about 15 miles west of Honolulu: Disney’s Aulani (don’t miss the Ka’Waa luau), the lovely Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina (try the spa-and-stargazing and/or the “Navy Seal for a Day” experience), the Beach Villas, and Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club.

Lexington, Kentucky

Never considered visiting Lexington, Kentucky? Time to reconsider. It’s one of the best U.S. cities to visit—especially if you have equestrian leanings. The “horse capital of the world” (thanks to more than 400 thoroughbred farms) is emerging as a prime Southern destination. The hometown of Ashley and Naomi Judd, as well as George Clooney (his mom was a city councilwoman), is also home to 14 of the state’s biggest bourbon distilleries and more than 120 worthwhile restaurants.

In 2020, Lexington will host the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Championships at Keeneland Race Course for the second time since 2015, a year that saw the event’s largest attendance ever. A few months prior, Equitana, the world’s largest equine fair, will be launching its first U.S. event at the Kentucky Horse Park. And all year long, travelers can enjoy previously unavailable access to champion race horses in the form of newly introduced private tours.

But Lexington isn’t just about horses. Located in the bluegrass region, it has plenty of music and other cultural events as well. After a successful inaugural year in 2019, the Railbird Festival, Lexington’s first large-scale music festival, is returning in August 2020 to the Grounds at Keeneland.

In early 2020, a vacant bus terminal will finish its transformation into a yet-to-be-named mixed-used space featuring a farmer’s market, restaurants, and boutiques. And the lively Distillery District will continue to grow as an entertainment and food hub that overflows with craft beer and live music.

Where to stay: The chic Origin Hotel debuted in August 2019 as the only hotel in the new Summit at Fritz Farm retail and entertainment center. It’s worth a stay for its modern style, central location, and affordable nightly rates.

Los Angeles, California

There’s a reason that Los Angeles got picked to host the 2028 Olympics—lots of reasons, in fact. It’s a complex, multilayered city full of art and grit, energy and culture. It’s packed with truly inspiring places, from the Griffith Observatory to the Getty Center. It’s got iconic beaches, including Malibu, Santa Monica, and Venice. It’s resilient, and often recovering and rebuilding from major wildfires. In short, it’s one of the best cities in America to visit.

And yes, there are two California cities on this list—but the Golden State turns 170 on September 9, 2020, and is celebrating the milestone by debuting a flurry of big attractions.

In Southern California, that includes a massive new sports and music venue—the 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium—that will serve as home turf for the Rams and the Chargers. It’ll also host the Super Bowl in 2022, the College Football Championship game in 2023, and the Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies. Taylor Swift will inaugurate the arena with concerts on July 25 and 26, 2020.

Other planned 2020 openings in the City of Angels include Destination Crenshaw, a 1.3-mile-long outdoor art and culture experience celebrating African-American culture; La Plaza Cocina, a Mexican food museum downtown; and the Miracle Mile’s Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, dedicated to film art and history.

Also in 2020, several legendary L.A. area institutions will be marking major milestones. The LA Art Show turns 25, LA Pride turns 50 (go in June to see this rollicking event), and the Huntington Library celebrates 100 years since it was designed. An easy day trip north, Hearst Castle also celebrates its centennial in 2020—while you’re in that region, don’t miss artist Bruce Munro’s otherworldly Field of Light installation, which was recently extended to stay up at Sensorio into 2020.

Thanks in part to the city’s vibrant and ever-evolving food scene, the Michelin Guide just returned to Los Angeles for the first time since 2010. Six L.A. restaurants (n/naka, Providence, Somni, Sushi Ginza Onodera, Urasawa, and Vespertine) nabbed two Michelin stars, while 18 others earned one.

Where to stay: Hotel Indigo is a modern boutique option in the heart of downtown, with a scene-y restaurant (Metropole) and easy access to DTLA highlights including the Staples Center, the Grammy Museum, the Broad, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is on most kids’ bucket lists, what with Disney World, Universal, and all. And yes, the activity-filled city is one of the world’s best destinations for theme parks. But there’s more to it than that. Whether you’re coming for Mickey and Harry or whether you’re after science and culture, Orlando is one of the best places to visit in the U.S. in 2020.

Let’s start with what’s happening at the theme parks in 2020. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Galaxy’s Edge will have its “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance” ride up and running, and in spring, “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway” will open. Epcot is undergoing a major expansion; its confirmed openings for 2020 include a Mary Poppins attraction, a “Ratatouille”-themed ride, and a new nighttime spectacular called ”HarmonioUS.” A new Disney-themed Cirque du Soleil show is coming to Disney Springs in spring 2020, with tickets already on sale.

Over at Universal, a show called “Bourne Stuntacular” will debut, while Legoland has deemed 2020 the “Year of the Pirate,” with a new hotel and water show to match. Icon Park will debut two thrill rides, including the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower, plus Ole Red, a restaurant by country star Blake Shelton.

About 50 miles east of Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center will be celebrating Apollo 13’s 50th anniversary, and NASA’s Mars 2020 mission will launch out of Cape Canaveral in summer. Also in summer, the Orlando Science Center will debut a new exhibit called “Pompeii: The Immortal City.”

In 2020 food news, Orlando is seeing fun eateries open over the course of the year: Camelo Pizzeria on International Drive will serve up Brazilian thin-crust pizza; Sixty Vines will turn out Napa-inspired seasonal cuisine in Winter Park; Norman’s is moving from the Ritz-Carlton to Restaurant Row; and chef Jérôme Bocuse’s La Crêperie de Paris will delight in Epcot’s France pavilion.

Where to stay: Orlando has the second-highest number of hotel rooms of any U.S. city, so there are plenty of options, with new properties popping up all the time. Two of 2020’s biggest openings include the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa, set to open in March with 516 rooms, a spa, a pool and splash pad, specialty restaurants, and a rooftop terrace where guests can enjoy the theme parks’ nightly fireworks. Looking for a budget-friendly option? The 2,050-room, coastal-themed Dockside Inn and Suites will open in 2020 as the second wave of Universal’s Endless Summer Resort, with nightly rates starting at $76.

Rochester, New York

Rochester—New York’s third-biggest city—is in the midst of a revival. The midsized metropolis on Lake Ontario’s south shore has always been the entry point to the Finger Lakes wine region. But now it’s seeing new levels of growth and revitalization, with more than $950 million being invested in the city’s downtown core, in a successful bid to make this one of the best U.S. cities to visit. Its food and drink scene is booming with new restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and coffee roasters. These include the new REDD Rochester, by Michelin-starred chef and native son Richard Reddington.

Rochester was also the hometown of Susan B. Anthony, whose 200th birthday will be celebrated in 2020 at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House (visitors can see the room where she died and the parlor in which she was arrested for voting). The year 2020 is also the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, and which very well may not have been possible without Susan B. Anthony. Those photos that go viral every election with “I Voted” stickers all over her grave? That’s in Rochester.

Hence 2020’s lineup of women’s suffrage events in Rochester, including Votercade, a yearlong series of performances, exhibits, and other events across the city to celebrate the right to vote. Denizens of “Flower City,” as it’s known, are experts at putting on events: Rochester hosts more than 140 annual festivals, including the Lilac Festival, International Jazz Festival, and the Fringe Festival.

Other key attractions include High Falls, a 96-foot Genesee River waterfall in the middle of downtown; the Lake Ontario shoreline; hiking and biking trails along the Erie Canal; Sibley Square (which is getting a new regional-ingredients restaurant marketplace, called The Mercantile, in 2020); the Strong National Museum of Play; the George Eastman Museum; the Rochester Museum & Science Center; and the richly stocked Memorial Art Gallery.

Where to stay: The Inn on Broadway is a historic boutique property with 25 guest rooms, and no two that are the same. A stay includes a hearty breakfast.

Washington, D.C.

Election years are always interesting in America, and the 2020 election promises to be one of the most dramatic ever. Whether you’re there on election night—November 3, 2020—or in the months leading up to it, Washington, D.C. is the center of it all.

At George Washington’s behest, Frenchman Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed much of the nation’s capital in a way that made it among the best cities in America to visit. He applied European aesthetics to the American notion of all people being equal, strategically placing D.C.’s center of power so that every citizen could access it. He didn’t live to see his vision of “Federal Town” come to life, but D.C. did end up being mostly a faithful replication of his design—National Mall, plentiful parks, and all.

On that Mall are some of the world’s best museums, many in the form of the Smithsonian institutions: The unmissable National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History (housing some 146 million scientific specimens), the inspiring Air and Space Museum, and many more. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum isn’t part of the Smithsonian, but it does provide a powerful and eye-opening education about racism and genocide; with 2020 being the 75th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, it’s a poignant time to pay tribute to the millions who were murdered there.

For more worthwhile attractions to add to your itinerary, see 8 Fun Things to Do in Washington, D.C. and 23 Must-See Washington, D.C. Attractions.

In 2020, D.C. will also be doing much to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American women finally winning the right to vote. The capital city’s suffrage centennial events will include extensive museum exhibits and major public events, including the League of Women Voters’ Centennial Celebration.

The year 2020 also marks the 50th anniversary of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Earth Day; climate activists will likely take to the streets on April 22 during EarthRise, to demand a more sustainable future. Other notable 2020 events in D.C. will include the Arsenal of Democracy Flyover (May 7 – 8) and the National Cherry Blossom Festival (March 20 – April 12).

Where to stay: The Watergate Hotel is famous as the place where Nixon’s 1972 political scandal unfolded—but this curvaceous property on the Potomac River still exudes executive elegance and leader-worthy luxuries, thanks to a recent makeover.

Branson, Missouri

Branson, along with its surrounding Ozark Mountains, promises to be well worth traveling to in 2020 and beyond. It’s been a hidden-gem destination for a while now, but with a slew of new openings and tourist attractions, it’s headed into the mainstream as a first-rate family vacation spot in the American heartland, and one of the best places to visit in the U.S.

Among the region’s coming-soon attractions: Mystic River Falls, in Branson’s Silver Dollar City theme park, is a $23 million water ride that will feature the Western Hemisphere’s tallest drop. The new Aquarium at the Boardwalk will include a jellyfish infinity room, a submarine voyage, and an underwater “mermaid palace.” WonderWorks will debut as a science-themed indoor amusement park with more than 100 interactive exhibits, while Big Air Trampoline Park’s 57 attractions will include a ninja warrior course. The Shepherd of the Hills will add canopy zipline tours, and a range of restaurants will debut in 2020, as well as a new concert hall.

Golfers, in particular, might want to consider a trip here: A Tiger Woods-designed golf course, called Payne’s Valley, is set to open in spring 2020, and the Ozarks National championship course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, just opened in 2019.

Where to Stay: Big Cedar Lodge is a 4,600-acre wilderness and golf resort on Missouri’s Table Rock Lake, eight miles south of Branson. It offers homey lodgings and restaurants, two marinas, a spa, four golf courses, a 50,000-square-foot activity center, a wide range of outdoor adventures, and a new lakefront “glampsite.”

Salt Lake City, Utah

In September 2020, Salt Lake City is getting a $3.6 billion new airport—America’s first new hub airport to be built this century. A complete rebuild of the existing SLC, it’ll feature floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Wasatch Mountains, new restaurants and retailers, and a new light-rail station to make it easy for SLC’s 25 million annual passengers to get downtown.

Some of the world’s best ski resorts—Alta, Brighton, Snowbird, and Solitude—are within 90 minutes of the airport. The lively downtown is much closer—only six miles away, with all of its dining, nightlife, and performing arts, plus the Utah Jazz, the state capitol building, Temple Square, and the dinosaur-filled Natural History Museum.

Like other places on this list, Utah will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage—especially because it was the first state to give women the right to vote. The state will be commemorating the centennial with events all year long.

Where to stay: The Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City stocks 225 of SLC’s more than 19,000 hotel rooms. Everything about it is modern, hip, and fun, from its daily happy hour to its posh room decor. The Kimpton is also dog-friendly, centrally located, and the home of the city’s popular Bambara restaurant.

For more ideas, see The Top Travel Destinations for 2020.

What to Wear in the Best U.S. Cities to Visit

More from SmarterTravel:

• 11 Hidden Natural Wonders in the United States
• 7 North American Cities Perfect for a 3-Day Weekend
• Cheap Weekend Getaways from 9 Major U.S. Cities

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post The 9 Best Cities in America to Visit in 2020 appeared first on SmarterTravel.

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These days, finding vacations under $1,000 seems like a tall order. But it’s far from impossible. There are plenty of places, and types of journeys, that fit the bill. To help kickstart your travel planning, here’s a roundup of spectacular getaways that let you keep your trips under $1,000 per person—or sometimes even per couple.

Paris, France

At press time, winter flights to Paris from San Francisco or New York City were available for less than $350 round-trip on Priceline. To save money on accommodations, you can sleep in a hostel dorm room for as little as $20 per person, per night, or book an Airbnb room in someone’s home for a similar nightly rate. Alternatively, most hostels have no-frills private rooms that don’t cost too much more per person than a bed in a dorm.

If you’re a member of HomeExchange, you can take a two-week vacation to Paris with your whole family, and accommodations would run you just $150 total (the cost of an annual membership on the site). Et voila! A full French vacation for ridiculously little.

When it comes time to eat, pick up a baguette, a slab of brie, charcuterie meats, and a bottle of inexpensive but delicious local wine. Then find a place at Champs de Mars or in Bois de Boulogne, spread out a blanket, and enjoy a memorable pique-nique. Street vendors and outdoor markets offer cheap but delicious fare throughout the city. As for getting around town, the Metro is easy and affordable, and there are few better cities for walking than Paris.

Luckily, Paris boasts loads of free and timeless attractions, including Jardin du Luxembourg, Jardin des Tuileries, the Musée d’Art Moderne, and the Fragonard Perfume Museum. Admission to the Louvre is just 15 euros. And strolling through the fancy boutiques of the Champs d’Elysee, the art stalls of Montmartre, the bridges over the Seine, or the romantic scenery of the Left Bank all cost absolutely rien.

Japan

Japan doesn’t exactly top most people’s mental lists of places to vacation affordably—but it’s possible to find surprisingly cheap flights there from the West Coast, including some for less than $500 round-trip on sites like JustFly. (Avoid the spring and fall high seasons for lower fares.)

If you’re not opposed to sleeping in a capsule hotel—hostel-like facilities with tiny private rooms and shared bathrooms—you can nab nightly rates around $50. And if you’re willing to put in some elbow grease, like cleaning or gardening, some hostels let you stay for free.

Are you a fan of sushi or ramen? Good. Eating in Japan will be easy and cheap. And Japan’s version of dollar stores are the famous “100-yen” shops, where you can also pick up meals.

Getting around Japan is a bit trickier on a budget. Avoid taxis and high-speed trains, unless saving time is more important than saving money. You can buy a Japan Rail Pass for about $275 per week, which will grant you access to some, but not all, of the country’s high-speed trains.

A Grutt Pass—less than $20—buys you affordable access to many of Tokyo’s museums and temples. Many of Japan’s other museums are free or almost free.

(More interested in traveling to Southeast Asia? Use frequent flyer miles to get there. “Once your tickets are taken care of,” says Gary Leff, who cofounded InsideFlyer and runs the popular View From the Wing blog, “you want to fly far away to where costs are low. That way you can stretch your dollars without feeling like you’re stretching your dollars. Indulgences like spa treatments can cost around $35 an hour if you go to the better local places in Bangkok, and meals, lodging, and transportation are comparatively cheap.”)

Finland

If it’s a quieter vacation you’re after, take a trip to Finland—a country that has “silence, please” as one of its slogans. Flights from New York to Helsinki were $320 in mid-September, a lovely time of year to visit, though airfare is often even cheaper in January, if the cold never bothered you anyway.

Finland is famous for its natural attractions, so if that’s your thing, you’ll find campgrounds around the country, offering accommodations that cost less than $30 per night. Otherwise, stick to hostels or Airbnb rentals, where you can book a night’s sleep for as little as $20 per night.

Buy a Helsinki Card (less than $80 for a three-day card), which covers all your public transportation needs, entrance fees to popular attractions, and bus and boat sightseeing tours. Buffets are a great way to get a lot of food for not a lot of money in Finland—for about $15 you can load up on traditional all-you-can-eat fare, helping you stick to your goal of keeping your trip under $1,000.

Portugal

Portugal is one of Europe’s most affordable countries for travelers. Lisbon’s hotels and restaurants are markedly less expensive than those in other iconic European cities—and you can slash your travel expenses even more by staying at a hostel or family-run inn called pensão.

Those looking to keep their vacations under $1,000 should keep in mind that the most affordable time to visit Portugal is outside of its summer high season. These months are also less crowded, though the weather remains lovely through much of spring and fall. And even winter offers warm-ish days; January is the cheapest time to fly into Lisbon, though it’s not a stretch to find mid-September flights there from New York for around $325 round-trip.

Portugal offers plenty of worthwhile free attractions, including churches. Many of the country’s museums are free on Sundays and occasionally at other times as well; check in advance to find out when. The country has 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, with generally affordable admission fees.

Portuguese transportation options, including buses and trains, are efficient and budget-friendly. It’s also easy to get around on foot or by rental bike as well. Add all this up, and you’ve got a European slam dunk for those who refuse to let their strict $1,000 budget interfere with having an amazing vacation.

(Tip: Whenever you’re in Europe, EasyJet is a fantastic way to get from city to city or country to country—the company offers flights from $40 all over the continent.)

Puerto Morelos, Mexico

Fly into Cancun—round-trip fall fares from Houston were less than $180 in a recent search—and head 15 minutes south to Puerto Morelos, where great beaches and affordable food await.

Velas Condos offers accommodations for two starting around $60 per night, or stay at Posada Amor from just $43 per night. You’ll be close to one of the world’s great dive sites, so pack bring your own snorkeling equipment or rent a set for $8, then prepare yourself for the dazzling underwater sights.

While you’re here, go ahead and skip the touristy restaurants. Instead, walk or take a cab to where the locals eat and enjoy full meals of tacos, burritos, and pizzas for less than $10.

(If you prefer the Baja California side of Mexico, the Black Bass Lodge in Punta Abreojos rents rooms for less than $150 a night. The property is known for offering legendary surfing and fishing adventures.)

Los Angeles, California

Even if you’re not driving in from elsewhere on the West Coast, Los Angeles can make for an affordable vacation. The City of Angels offers an official list of 100 free things to in Los Angeles, which includes some truly rich cultural experiences, like the Getty, the Broad, the California Science Center, and the Griffith Observatory (yes, of La La Land fame), as well as some more fun touristy things, like the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

It’s not difficult to find round-trip flights from New York City to LAX for less than $270; pair that with a two-night stay at a property like the Westin Los Angeles Airport, the Westin Pasadena, or the Westin Long Beach (all around $170 per night), and you’ve got yourself a dynamic couples’ vacation under $1,000, especially if you stick to cheap eats and the aforementioned free activities. At prices like these, even a family vacation is more affordable.

West Virginia

You may have never considered taking a trip to West Virginia—but you should. Especially if you’re on the hunt for the best vacations under $1,000. And especially if you’re a fan of riding rivers.

A resort called Adventures on the Gorge offers the chance to raft Class IV rapids during an all-inclusive vacation under $1,000. Less than $600 gets you two nights in a cabin, plus most meals, a half-day of stand-up paddleboarding, a zip-line canopy adventure, and a full day of rafting Lower New River’s wild rapids.

In early June, American Airlines flies from Washington Dulles to Charleston, West Virginia, for around $340. But nearly half of the United States population is within driving distance of the Mountain State, so it’s a great option for a budget-friendly road trip—especially when the trees turn vivid colors in the fall and the waterfalls roar.

Along the gorgeous 180-mile Route 60 Midland Trail is a beachy, laid-back restaurant called Tricky Fish, serving up tasty seafood entrees for less than $15. On Interstate 64, Kenova’s Famous Griffith Pumpkin House is a vintage attraction that gets decked out with more than 3,000 jack-o-lanterns come October, and admission is free.

Hawaii

When you think of all-inclusive vacations under $1,000, Hawaii probably doesn’t come to mind first. But a round-trip flight from LAX to Honolulu or Kahului can actually cost as little as $350, while high-quality hotels like Honolulu’s centrally located Aqua Skyline at Island Colony—housed in Waikiki’s tallest building—offer sweeping ocean views, not to mention nightly rates starting as low as $109. Add up the flight and a two-night stay, and Hawaii starts to reveal itself as one of the most attractive vacations under $1,000 for couples.

More interested in staying on the Valley Isle? The Aston at Maui Banyan has rates starting around $170 per night, plus a swimmable beach within easy walking distance, two pools, a tennis court, and guest rooms with kitchens and laundry machines, helping to keep their guests’ trips under $1,000.

Tip: Both hotels listed above offer Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals that make it even easier to keep vacations under $1,000. Book on either of those days of the year and get 30 percent off the properties’ best available room rates.

A Cruise

When you’re looking for vacation packages under $1,000, don’t rule out cruises. There are plenty of ocean journeys that fit the bill, especially if your embarkation port is within driving distance of your home, allowing you to avoid shelling out for airfare. As a result, you can turn any cruise deal that you find into an all-inclusive vacation under $1,000.

At press time Princess Cruises was offering Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale starting at just $299 per person, as well as autumn trips to Canada and New England from New York City starting at $537 per person. These prices include all meals, select beverages, and a wide range of entertainment from theater productions to Zumba classes.

Or you can consider a cruise aboard one of the Maine Windjammer Association’s ships, which are perfect for solo travelers and start at $675 per person, a rate that includes lodging, all meals (including a lobster dinner), a daily hors d’oeuvres-packed happy hour, and the chance to steer the vessel.

To find great prices on cruises, and for your best chance at booking all-inclusive vacations under $1,000, plan to sail when kids are in school, or wait for last-minute deals when cruise lines are looking to fill empty cabins.

A Volunteer Vacation

Your travels shouldn’t just be about you. Ideally, your explorations should leave the places you visit—and the planet as a whole—better, not worse.

Enter International Volunteer HQ, a volunteer organization that has helped more than 100,000 travelers improve more than 50 places around the world, including Colombia, Croatia, Morocco, Ghana, Kenya, Fiji, and Nepal.

If you’re trying to plan trips under $1,000, this is a wonderfully meaningful way to do it. IVHQ’s journeys start from just $180 for a full week (plus a registration fee of $299). A weeklong program in Lima, Peru, for example, costs around $480, while a similar setup in the Philippines costs around $560.

The price includes lodging, food, airport transfers, and an orientation event to help you succeed in your volunteer work, which might involve teaching kindergarten, childcare, animal care, or construction work. Participants have the weekends free to explore their host countries at leisure.

The trick here is to get affordable airfare to wherever you’ll be headed, so don’t hesitate to call the airlines or a travel agency to help you find the best deal. To keep your vacation under $1,000, research the high and low seasons for travel in your desired destination; you’ll find cheaper fares if you fly at a time when most tourists aren’t visiting. See The 10 Best Flight Search Sites for Booking Cheap Airfare for guidance on where to search for flights.

What to Wear on Your Next Trip

More from SmarterTravel:

• 7 Tropical Vacations Under $500, Including Airfare and Hotel
• The 7 Cheapest Caribbean Islands to Find Your Paradise
• 7 Affordable Off-the-Beaten-Path Beach Vacations

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post 10 Incredible Trips Under $1,000 appeared first on SmarterTravel.

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December is a magical time for people around the world, and traveling during this most festive of seasons lets you experience a truly global spin on the holidays. Indeed, Christmas travel not only allows you to take full advantage of school and office closures, but also gives you and your family the opportunity to take in rich traditions from all over the world. The best Christmas vacations are meaningful, multicultural, inclusive, and filled with warmth and cheer.

Going beyond the obvious Christmas destinations like New York City and Paris, here are 10 of the world’s best places to go for Christmas, including those that are holy to Christians—as well as those that are decidedly not.

Rome, Italy

Vatican City, which is ensconced within Rome, is the home of Catholicism, making it one of the world’s best places to go for Christmas. Many practicing Catholics yearn to see the Pope give Christmas mass at the breathtaking St. Peter’s Basilica. Tickets to this epic yet solemn annual event are free, but you’ll need to reserve yours at least two months in advance. Instructions about how to do so are here—note that you’ll need access to a fax machine.

If you can’t get tickets to the papal mass, you can watch Pope Francis deliver his urbi et orbi homily live on a big screen from St. Peter’s Square, shop the lively Piazza Navona Christmas Market (or the Christmas market at the Spanish Steps), inspect one of the city’s many detailed nativity scenes, go ice skating near Castel Sant’Angelo, visit the Hanukkah menorah at Piazza Barberini, or simply stroll around to enjoy this sparkling city all dolled up for Natale.

Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City is magical any time of year, but winter makes it all the more so. Old Quebec, with its European-style streets and Old World charm, thoroughly transforms into a veritable Christmas village, exuding a very specific type of cozy, snow-covered magic.

The whole city is strung with beautiful lights, the German-style Grand Marche Christmas Market sells one-of-a-kind gifts, and family-friendly offerings abound, including the Quebec Aquarium Light Festival, La Parade des Jouets (“The Toy Parade”), and the chance to meet Santa at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac and other spots around the city. You can also attend Christmas concerts, taste distinctive sweets, and stay through New Year’s Eve to experience the midnight fireworks over Quebec City’s Grande Allee, alongside the party-loving locals.

Israel

How better to spend Christmas than by making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land? It’s hard to beat Bethlehem as one of the world’s best Christmas destinations. The ancient town’s Church of the Nativity is where Jesus was born, and the annual celebrations there are meaningful and memorable. There are performances in Manger Square, inclusive Christmas masses with audiences from around the world, twinkling lights and ornaments, a parade and other processions, and Christmas markets and trees.

In nearby Jerusalem, there are biblical places galore, including the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus walked, as well as the Church of the Ascension, where Christians believe that Jesus ascended to heaven. Jerusalem also has one of the Middle East’s most impressive Christmas markets. And Jewish people visiting Jerusalem during this time of year will be deeply moved to see the menorah being lit at the Western Wall each night of Hanukkah.

In northern Israel, Nazareth, Jesus’s hometown in the Galilee, also hosts Christmas celebrations worth experiencing. On Christmas Eve, a colorful parade makes its way through town, with the procession ending at the Church of the Annunciation with fireworks as well as a Christmas mass. Surrounding the event are outdoor Christmas and Hanukkah markets, Santas, religious services, and festive lights.

North Pole, Alaska

Yes, Virginia, there really is a town called North Pole. And if ever there was a Christmas-themed entire town, this is it. Santa’s always available for visits in the Santa Claus House—where 400,000 letters per year addressed to “Santa Claus, North Pole” land. (Local volunteers respond to every letter.) And the streets have names like Kris Kringle Drive and Mistletoe Lane.

Even if you can’t arrange a trip here exactly on December 25, no worries: It’s Christmas here all year long, although only December attracts ice sculptors from around the world displaying their prodigious talents.

North Pole is just 13 miles southeast of Fairbanks, but if you want to stay overnight at this ultimate (if only slightly kitschy) Christmas vacation destination, there are several comfy hotels, as well as RV hookups and campsites.

Southern California

The best Christmas vacations for families are in Southern California. Mix blessedly snow-free weather with mile after mile of coastline—not to mention decked-out theme park after decked-out theme park—and you’ve got yourselves a Christmas vacation to remember.

At the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, there’s post-fireworks “snow” every night, a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree, holiday-themed parades, explosions of decorations, multicultural seasonal music, and holiday overlays to several beloved rides, including It’s a Small World and the Haunted Mansion. Disneyland makes a heartwarming effort to include traditions besides those that celebrate Christmas—a klezmer band and Jewish food tip a hat to Hanukkah, soul food is offered for Kwanzaa, and Latin favorites get presented for Navidad.

Over in Buena Park, Knott’s Berry Farm transforms into “Knott’s Merry Farm,” with Christmas-themed shows, a Christmas Crafts Village, and nightly snow in Ghost Town. In Studio City, Universal Studios hosts “Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” including an impressive projection show centered around Hogwarts Castle, as well as “Grinchmas,” with a huge tree and caroling Whos. Down in Carlsbad, LEGOLAND has the world’s biggest LEGO Christmas tree, limited-edition holiday treats, live holiday shows—and yes, a LEGO Santa. Keep heading south for San Diego Zoo’s “Jungle Bells,” during which the renowned attraction turns into a light-filled wonderland.

When you’ve had enough of theme parks, head to Malibu or La Jolla for a relaxing December afternoon on one of the Pacific Coast’s best beaches. Or head into the heart of Los Angeles for some culture. L.A. is a particularly great place to celebrate Kwanzaa: Pasadena has hosted a notable Kwanzaa celebration for 30 years now, led by Thanayi Karenga, the daughter of Kwanzaa creator Maulana Karenga. And South L.A. puts on the annual Kwanzaa Heritage Festival and Block Parade and candle-lighting ceremony.

The Canary Islands, Spain

Although Barcelona’s Día do los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day, is one of Spain’s most celebrated festivals, certain types of travelers might prefer for their Christmas travels to take them to Spain’s Canary Islands instead—which are actually not on the European continent, but off Africa’s northwestern coast.

Picture this for your December holiday: 900 miles of sun-drenched coastline, nativity scenes sculpted from sea sand, Christmas markets selling traditional pastries called truchas, Christmas feasts at local restaurants, open-air Yuletide concerts, and New Year’s Eve fireworks on the beach. Best. Christmas. Vacation. Ever?

Southern Iceland

For true winter lovers, South Iceland is among the world’s best places to travel for Christmas. Faced with all-day nighttime, this remote island knows how to cheer things up during this dark, frigid time of year with lots and lots of twinkling lights. Visitors partake in Arctic adventures in the plentiful snow and ice, including dog sledding, exploring ice caves by snowmobile, skating on frozen lakes, sampling Christmas buffets in restaurants, and strolling Iceland’s charming Christmas markets.

Southern Iceland provides some of the world’s best views of the northern lights—it’s a great place to check “aurora borealis” off your bucket list. And hotels here let travelers experience Iceland’s Christmastime tradition of getting visited by not one but 13 Santa Clauses. The festively decorated Hotel Rangá, for example, lets kids into the folklore by inviting its young guests to leave a shoe in the windowsill to get a holiday treat from the country’s festive elves.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

On Christmas Eve—Noche Buena—in San Juan, locals enjoy huge, traditional dinners of pork, rice, and beans. But more importantly, they drink coquito, a creamy, eggnog-like rum cocktail that signifies the occasion. After the feast, roam Old San Juan’s lit-up cobblestone streets and join (or just watch) the parrandas, which are Puerto Rico’s take on carolers, during which groups gather in front of houses late at night with traditional instruments to sing the lively songs of Navidad. In short, the events that happen here every December 24 make Puerto Rico one of the world’s best places to go for Christmas.

Stay on the island for New Year’s Eve and beyond, especially if you’re overnighting at the iconic Caribe Hilton, just as Liz Taylor and Sophia Loren used to do. The property is famous for creating the piña colada, and also for hosting epic New Year’s Eve parties. This year’s bash will be bigger than ever, thanks to the hotel’s recent $150 million renovation. If your schedule allows, stay in Puerto Rico until at least January 6, since Día de Los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day, is the island’s biggest annual celebration.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Another of the world’s best places to visit for Christmas is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and not just because the city’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue gets magnificently illuminated with the works of significant artists.

On December 1 every year, Rio debuts Lagoa, the world’s largest floating Christmas tree—more than 170 feet tall—to fireworks and fanfare on Copacabana Beach. The impressive tree stays lit and floats on the water until early January.

Rio is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the weather during Christmas is generally quite warm. There are Christmas Day concerts on Copacabana Beach, holiday pastries called panettone and rabanadas in the city’s bakeries, and plenty of restaurants that serve traditional Brazilian Christmas dinners to travelers. On Christmas Eve, the parties start late, with feasts typically beginning at 11:00 p.m. and the celebration escalating at midnight.

Stay through New Year’s Eve for unforgettable fireworks over Copacabana and the company of some of the world’s most enthusiastic partiers.

At Sea

If the mere idea of all the effort that goes into celebrating Christmas at home—shopping, decorating, wrapping, cooking, hosting—works you into a cold sweat, take a deep breath, call your relatives, and tell them you’re going on a Christmas cruise instead.

Holiday sailings make for the best Christmas vacations for families, and can be a fantastic option for cheap Christmas vacations. Many holiday voyages are reasonably priced and go to beautiful destinations around the world, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean to the Christmas markets along European rivers—the Rhone, Seine, Rhine, and Danube.

Onboard, there’s as much holiday theming as you can bear: ugly sweater contests, elaborate holiday shows, massive Christmas trees, Santa appearances, carolers on deck, huge gingerbread houses, mistletoe and wreaths, midnight mass, Hanukkah menorah lightings, and traditional Christmas dinners. Check out the offerings from Royal Caribbean, Carnival (featuring the Grinch!), and Norwegian, as well as Disney‘s Very Merrytime Cruises.

The best part? You’ll be able to kick back and enjoy the celebrations while others are doing the work—kind of like being a kid again.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 10 Tips for Holiday Travel
• 7 Ways to Save on Holiday Travel
• The Cheapest Time to Buy Holiday and Thanksgiving Flights

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post The 10 Best Christmas Vacations for Travelers appeared first on SmarterTravel.

If you’re like many travelers, you’ve long dreamed of taking a cruise to Alaska—and for good reason. An Alaskan ocean voyage provides an enviable almost-Arctic itinerary, opportunities for adventure at every port, and a constant supply of magnificently icy views, the likes of which probably won’t exist in 50, or even 20, years. You get all this via the comfort of an ocean liner that’s stocked with restaurants, theaters, hotel-like guest rooms, and much more.

I, too, had yearned to cruise to Alaska, so when the opportunity to hop aboard the Disney Wonder presented itself, I enlisted my husband and daughter as my travel mates. We flew to Vancouver to embark on a trip that would end up supplying us with exhilarating experiences, unforgettable nature encounters, heaping helpings of Disney fun, and, ultimately, lifetime memories.

If you’re not sure whether a Disney Alaska cruise is right for you, here’s a good idea of what you can expect based on my experiences and observations as a fellow first-timer.

Why Choose a Disney Cruise?

There are a few factors to keep in mind if Disney Cruise Line (DCL) is among the companies you’re considering for your journey to the Last Frontier.

Foremost among them: If any of the travelers in your group is a Disney fan, a Disney cruise will very much play into that enthusiasm. This may be too obvious to mention, but almost everything on a Disney cruise is Disney-themed, right down to the ketchup that’s squirted onto kids’ plates—in the shape of Mickey’s head. The characters and their stories pervade the ship, as well as some of the shore excursions.

The level of service, too, is thoroughly Disney. Everyone who works on the ship is there to make their guests’ experience magical, and it’s obvious that the hiring process is geared toward picking cheerful people who love to make other people—children, especially—happy.

“We have a fabulous, diverse team on board,” says Martin Kemp, Disney Wonder’s hotel director. “Basically, we get to go around the globe and hire the best talent out there. And when our team members first come onboard, we go through a very, very extensive training program to introduce them to our Disney brand, our culture, and our heritage.”

In addition to providing the exemplary hospitality that the company has become known for, other Disney-specific elements that you can expect during a Disney cruise to Alaska include exclusive shore excursions that are enhanced with Disney touches, like Goofy showing up at the lumberjack show in Ketchikan, or Donald Duck panning for gold alongside your kids in Skagway. Disney hand-picked the top Alaskan tour operators, then worked directly with them to create experiences that are reserved solely for Disney Cruise Line guests.

Onboard, Disney characters wear Alaskan gear—resulting in photos that are Instagram gold—while naturalists lecture about glacier science, and nightly menus spotlight regional cuisine: buttered king crab legs one night, roasted salmon steak the next, alongside Alaska-inspired cocktails that carry the theme even further. Also exclusive to Disney’s Alaskan itineraries: a “Frozen” deck celebration featuring Anna and Elsa, plus a joyous Pixar party in the atrium.

“We truly do believe that Disney Cruise Line is a great way for families to see Alaska,” says Melanie Curtsinger, a company spokesperson. “From our themed dining spaces to the live entertainment, extensive children’s spaces, and exceptional detailed service, there truly is something for everyone in the family on these sailings.”

Disney Alaska Cruise Itinerary

Disney’s Alaska cruises depart from Vancouver for five-, seven- and nine-night summer cruises, with stops, depending on your specific itinerary, for Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Sitka, Victoria, Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier, and Endicott Arm.

Mine was a seven-night cruise, and we spent a full pre-cruise day in Vancouver, where we rented bicycles from Club16 and took the spectacular waterfront ride around Stanley Park. (Other excellent in-Vancouver-for-the-day options include the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain.) We stayed overnight at the Fairmont Vancouver Waterfront Hotel, where Canadian hospitality is on full display, and where they personalize your shampoo bottles with your last name. The hotel is conveniently across the street from the Port of Vancouver, where we boarded the Disney Wonder. (Tip: Before boarding the ship in Vancouver, try an exotic flavor, like osmanthus flower, in a black cone at Bella Gelateria.)

After a day at sea, our first port of call was Skagway, where we took a stunning helicopter ride to a glacier (more on that below), hiked to land’s end, explored the Western-style State Street full of shops and saloons, and watched the visitor center’s film about the short-lived and ill-fated Klondike gold rush.

Next up was Juneau for some satisfying whale watching and browsing the shopping strip. There’s also the Mount Roberts Tramway, an aerial gondola that transports visitors to the top of the 3,800-foot peak for a wide-spanning, eagle-studded view over Gastineau Channel. Everyone kept saying how lucky we were to be here during such gorgeous weather.

In Ketchikan, we took a morning trolley tour to see the town’s iconic totem poles at Saxman Village. The afternoon was reserved for the raucous Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show (more on that below). In the early evening, as a light rain started to fall, we meandered the above-water walkways past Ketchikan’s former brothels—as colorful as the local characters—that now house curated art galleries, one-of-a-kind souvenir shops, and down-to-earth places to eat and drink.

At each port, there’s souvenir shop after souvenir shop, giving you no excuse to come home empty-handed. To save money, we returned to the Wonder for lunch, but there was plenty of opportunity to sample the local restaurants, many of which seem to be mom-and-pop outfits.

We also spent three full days at sea, including one in the Endicott Arm fjord during which the captain pulled the ship in as close as possible to see the 600-foot-tall Dawes Glacier, then did very slow 360-degree turns so that every passenger could take in its full splendor. Meanwhile, smaller icebergs floated past, crackling their presence. It was poignant to be in the presence of such threatened beauty—people all around us were telling their children to remember this scene, since they might not ever be able to see it look this way again. During the glacier viewing, Disney characters, donning galoshes and parkas, were on deck for hugs and photos.

After our last night onboard, we were shuttled back to Vancouver for an early-morning disembarkation. (Tip: Pack your bags the night before to have staffers lug them off the ship for you.) During our bus transfer back to the airport, Disney trivia played on the screens overhead, though our fellow passengers mostly slept through the ride, happily exhausted from such an activity-packed journey.

The Shore Excursions

Called “Port Adventures” in DCL lingo, there’s a menu of more than 200 family-friendly things to do whenever the Wonder docks in Alaska. Make sure to reserve ahead of time for these memorable shore excursions—you can easily find independent vendors to haggle with once you’re at the destination, but you’re taking a chance with the quality of your experience. You’re much better off booking in advance through Disney, whose contracted operators are total pros.

Disney’s most popular shore excursions in Ketchikan include the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour (a Disney exclusive that gives an inside look at the life of Alaskan crab harvesters) and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, a down-home demonstration of manly men showing off their impressive timber-sport skills, like chainsawing and log rolling. There’s plenty of enthusiastic audience participation, and Goofy makes an appearance. Wear red-and-black plaid if you’ve got it.

In Skagway, there’s the KlondikeGold Dredge and White Pass Railway excursion, during which you take a gorgeous train ride and pan for gold; and Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp, which includes a narrated motor coach tour of Skagway, panning for gold (you’ll find some, guaranteed), a scavenger hunt, a puppet show that’s both hilarious and educational, a Donald Duck cameo, and a salmon bake.

In Juneau, the Dog Sled Summer Camp lets you feel what it’s like to be pulled through the Alaskan wilderness at the speed of sprinting huskies, while the Whale Watching and Wildlife Quest on Stephen’s Passage guarantees humpback and bald eagle sightings aboard a comfortable catamaran stocked with a full bar; an expert naturalist explains everything you see.

By far the most memorable event of our Disney Alaska cruise—and that’s saying a lot—was the Glacier Discovery by Helicopter excursion, operated by Temsco Helicopters in Skagway. After a quick safety briefing, we boarded an Airbus helicopter manned by a very capable and personable pilot who was also an expert at calming any nerves, mine included. We flew over crystal-blue lakes, above vast expanses of gleamingly white ice fields, and incredibly close to steep, lush mountainsides. When we landed, it was on the 650-foot-deep Meade Glacier, but it may as well have been another planet. Confident, reassuring guides were there to explain what we were seeing—and to stop us from walking into danger—as we took in the surreal scenery before flying back to the Disney Wonder. The word “awesome” is egregiously overused, but this was awesome.

If you’re worried that your children won’t be able to make it all the way through that excursion you’re eyeing, or you’d just prefer some grownup time ashore, don’t feel bad about dropping your little ones off at the ship’s kids’ spaces before you disembark for some adventure. Most youngsters are ecstatic to have more time in these colorful rooms, where the storytelling is epic, the games and crafts are age-appropriate, and the movies are all Disney. Attentive camp-counselor types from around the world do an excellent job of supervising. (Read on for more about the kids’ spaces.)

Life Onboard Disney Wonder

The Disney vessel that shuttles passengers to and from Alaska is the impressive Wonder, which first set sail in 1999 and is one of DCL’s fleet of four (a fifth will be added in 2021; a sixth in 2023). The 83,000-ton ship has 10 floors, 875 guest rooms, 950 employees, and room for up to 2,713 passengers, a third of which are typically children.

Every day, there’s a program so packed with entertaining activity options that it’s easy to fall prey to some initial FOMO, but once you get into the swing of life onboard a Disney cruise (which doesn’t take long), the fun really begins.

Putting together the ship’s complex entertainment and dining schedule, says Natalie Bailey, Disney Wonder’s cruise director, “is a Tetris puzzle, truly a group effort of everyone coming together to try to create variety for our guests throughout the day, and the entire cruise. Our biggest thing when it comes to planning is truly ensuring that we do have something for everyone.”

To that end, there are live shows, deck parties, character greetings, first-run movies in the theaters, trivia games, karaoke, crafts, bingo, chef demos, and plenty more. The handy Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, which you should download before your trip, tells you what’s going on at any given time. In addition to providing the day’s full lineup, it lets you “heart” the activities you don’t want to miss, text your fellow travelers for free, book shore excursions, make spa and specialty dining reservations, link your reservation number, and check in online.

Disney is, first and foremost, an entertainment company, so yes, you will be thoroughly entertained the whole way to Alaska and back. Twice nightly in the extravagant 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre, a cast of Broadway-caliber performers display their prodigious talents, with a new live production to enjoy each night, including the Alaska-appropriate “Frozen, a Musical Spectacular,” “Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic” (a production that helped launch Jennifer Hudson’s career), and the life-affirming “Golden Mickeys.” You don’t need to reserve a ticket or pay anything extra to see these shows—just show up; seats are first come, first served. (Tip: Even if the theater appears packed when you enter from the back, there are often seats available way up front.)

If you time your sailing to coincide with the release date of a new Disney movie, you’ll get to see it premiered onboard, to much fanfare—we were at sea the day Toy Story 4 came out and got to see it for free, with Green Army Men photo opps in front of the theater and a bag of popcorn as an in-room amenity.

As mentioned above, children have a whole realm of entertainment catered to them: the fifth-floor Oceaneer Youth Club. Whenever I came there to pick up my daughter, she asked to stay longer, a testament to the amount of fun she was having and the level of comfort she felt with the kind staffers.

These elaborate kids’ spaces were created to immerse youngsters in Disney stories—kids can hang out in the Wandering Oaken trading post from Frozen, Andy’s playroom from Toy Story, or the Marvel-themed Super Hero Academy, where kids train alongside their favorite superheroes. There are many enriching activities for kids to choose from, like crafting, scavenger hunts, dance parties, performing in a talent show, story times, character greetings, and so on; you can use the Navigator app to find out what’s going on in the kids’ spaces. (Tip: Once you’ve made your cruise reservation, you can have a Disney character call your child to get them excited for the trip.)

As for the guest rooms, they’re comfortable and cleverly designed, with enough space for a full family to live, sleep, bathe, and store luggage in. While we dined, our room attendant transformed the couch into a kid’s bunk, adding a guard rail for safety. He also left memorable Disney amenities on our bed, along with Ghirardelli chocolates and towels folded into amusing figures.

The themed restaurants aboard the Wonder are extraordinarily thought-through and exist for much more than just feeding you. Take Tiana’s Place, based on The Princess and the Frog, a movie in which the title character dreams of opening a restaurant in New Orleans. Yes, the menu at Tiana’s Place includes gumbo and beignets, but the stage also features a talented quartet jazzing up favorite Disney tunes, while Tiana herself visits each table to take photos with young fans; the grand finale is a joyful parade that stars all the servers.

Over at Animator’s Palate, a screen-enhanced shrine to Disney’s drawn history, your server instructs you to draw a character on your placemat. Soon thereafter, your drawing, alongside those of your fellow diners, gets animated into a magical on-screen mashup. The food is good, too.

There’s also Triton’s, a traditional cruise restaurant, and Cabanas, a huge buffet on the ninth floor with great ocean views. Several walk-up-and-go snack counters hand out pizza, gyros, ice cream, and more. All food and beverage is included in the cost of your cruise (except alcohol; you can bring a small amount onboard), so you can order whatever you want without fretting about the tab.

The only restaurant with an upcharge is Palo, the adults-only Italian eatery atop the ship. The cuisine there is a step up, and the service is top-notch, too. If you’re interested in dining at Palo, make a reservation as far ahead of time as possible.

As you cycle through Tiana’s Place, Animator’s Palate, and Triton’s each night at your set dining time (5:45 p.m. or 8:00 p.m., your choice), your dedicated team of servers follow you from restaurant to restaurant. They’re genuinely kind and accommodating, and clearly hired in part for their ability to make kids smile, laugh—and eat. They joke around, bring you whatever you want, do magic tricks and origami, and give generous hugs and high fives.

If you’d rather skip the dining room, though, or if you get hungry in the middle of the night, room service is included in the cost of your Disney Alaska cruise, and you can order as much as you want without being charged extra.

Other features worth mentioning on the Wonder include the spacious spa and top-floor fitness center, where you can run on a treadmill while watching glaciers and icebergs glide by. No matter the weather, people are always using the swimming pool and outdoor hot tubs, while Disney movies play on the huge outdoor screen above. And the “nightlife district” is a collection of three handsome bars, including a classic British pub.

Wi-Fi on the Wonder is prohibitively pricey ($89 gets you 1,000 megabytes), so it’s wise to use your cruise as an excuse to unplug from email and social media.

Whatever you’re planning to do onboard, book as much of it that’s bookable well in advance, before departing for your vacation, to make sure that you get the spots you want. This includes nursery times, spa appointments, character meet-and-greets, shore excursions, and specialty dining reservations. Then once you get onboard, you can simply relax and enjoy.

What to Pack for a Disney Alaska Cruise

Once you’re ready to get your stuff together for your Disney cruise to Alaska, check out DCL’s full list of what to pack—and what not to.

There are some pretty specific things that you’ll want to bring along for this type of cruise, including binoculars (which are available for purchase at the Port of Vancouver), rain gear, boots, layers, and waterproof jackets. Bring fancy attire for the ship’s formal and semi-formal nights, and if you plan to dine at Palo, keep in mind that the dress code there encourages dress pants or slacks and a collared shirt for men, and a dress, skirt, or pants and a blouse for women.

It’s fun to wear red-and-black plaid in Ketchikan, especially if you’re planning to see the lumberjack show there, and it’s also fun to bring Disney-themed door decorations—check Pinterest and Etsy for ideas. Don’t forget Disney autograph books for your little ones to get signed, princess dresses for the young princesses in your life, Disneybounding gear for you (if you’re into that), and at least two bathing suits so that you can wear the dry one while the wet one dries.

It’s also smart to fold an extra duffel bag into your suitcase—what with the merchandise available onboard and the many souvenir shops on shore, you’ll be coming home from Alaska with way more than you packed.

More from SmarterTravel:

• Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide
• What to Expect on Your First Disney Cruise
• 10 Best Disney Hotels Around the World

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post Cruising Alaska with Disney Cruise Line: A First-Timer’s Guide appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Warm summer days bring sunshine, vacations, and blissful time spent outdoors. But they also bring swarms of mosquitoes and other insects out to get their fill—which could leave you trying to figure out how to protect yourself and loved ones from painful bites and stings that could trigger allergy or disease.

This is when many people consider trying a natural mosquito repellent, hoping that these products might be better for their health and the environment than standard bug sprays. But do natural mosquito repellents work?

According to University of California, Davis entomologist Walter Leal, who has done pioneering research on insects’ sense of smell, the answer is “Yes and no.”

DEET vs. Natural Mosquito Repellent

According to Leal, the common chemical DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), remains the most effective repellent on the market—the gold standard in fending off insects. It works by “blinding” mosquitoes to human presence by preventing them from smelling human sweat and breath.

“I wish I could say that there’s a better natural mosquito repellent,” says Leal, “but that’s not the case. One major problem with some natural products is the so-called complete protection time. They work for a short duration, but they don’t last long enough. Do people want to reapply a product every two to three hours? No. And they would forget to do it.”

Leal says that if people know that they’re going to be outside for only a short period of time, it’s okay to use a citronella-based repellent, or another natural bug spray that has shown short-duration effect, including compounds like eugenol, linalool, citral, and geraniol. But people shouldn’t expect these natural insect repellents to work for longer than about an hour, or for them to be as effective as DEET.

“Because they are volatile,” Leal explains, “natural insect repellents release a large [number] of molecules per time. This makes them work, but not for too long. DEET is a chemical of low volatility, so it releases a lower number of molecules per time and lasts longer.”

Is Natural Bug Spray Safer Than DEET?

What about the perception that DEET is more toxic than natural mosquito repellent, both to human health and to the natural environment?

“I think people sometimes get a little too nervous using so-called ‘synthetic’ products,” says Ari Whiteman, the director of Charlotte, North Carolina’s Urban Mosquito Project and an epidemiology fellow at the Centers for Disease Control. “Yet two large-scale reviews by the EPA have found that DEET ‘does not present a health concern.’ While natural insect repellents have shown inconsistent levels of effectiveness that may vary between species, DEET is widely effective [and] safe, and should not be avoided simply because it is not a compound that naturally exists in nature.”

Leal concurs, pointing out that no chemical is completely safe: “One may die by drinking too much water. It is all about the cost-benefit, and a matter of balancing how much risk is worth taking. I would say that the risks of wearing DEET are very low compared with the benefit of not being infected with mosquito-borne viruses like dengue, Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, and West Nile. Because DEET has been on the market for such a long time, it carries lots of baggage, but has been scrutinized many, many times. DEET has been evaluated by the FDA often, and they always conclude that it is safe to use. I wear it and recommend it for my family.”

Whiteman adds that it’s important to note that the terms “natural” and “non-toxic” are not interchangeable, since there are plenty of natural compounds that are highly toxic, as well as plenty of artificial compounds that are completely safe. “The majority of studies indicate that DEET is the most effective mosquito repellent for the longest period of time,” he affirms. “In comparative studies, natural insect repellents have turned in mixed results.”

Regarding environmental concerns related to DEET, “there really aren’t any,” Whiteman says. “It’s applied to the skin, so there is minimal risk of it entering waterways or vegetation. Some studies show it being slightly toxic to fish and birds, but the animals’ contact with it is so limited that there isn’t really anything to worry about in terms of environmental ramifications. Basically it breaks down so fast—days to weeks—that it doesn’t have time to have a major impact.”

A Non-Toxic Mosquito Repellent Made of Essential Oils

Still, there are plenty of people who, despite assurances from scientists that DEET is safe, prefer to use natural bug sprays. Abby Phon, a certified holistic health and wellness coach, traveled to South Africa and planned to get pregnant after that trip. “I wasn’t crazy about the anti-malaria meds and wanted to do my best to avoid DEET,” she recalls. “I was doing my best to keep my environment and body as non-toxic as possible, so I used a homemade essential oil blend as a non-toxic bug spray instead. It was a success—I didn’t get any mosquito bites.”

When Phon’s daughter was three months old, she took her family out to the country and used the same oil blend. “It was amazing how after one spray, the bugs that were swarming us at lunch disappeared instantly and never came back,” she remembers. “That was six years ago, and I’ve never used another bug spray since.”

Her recipe for non-toxic mosquito repellent? Mix a tablespoon of witch hazel with the following amounts of pure essential oils from a brand called Young Living: 15 drops of cedarwood, 15 drops of geranium (to repel ticks), 10 drops of citronella, and 10 drops of palo santo, and put the mixture into a two-ounce glass spray bottle. “Not all essential oils are the same,” Phon warns, “and it’s important to know what you are using.”

Anecdotal experiences aside, Whiteman acknowledges that there is some research-based evidence that eucalyptus oil can be as effective as DEET for repelling Aedes aegypti, the mosquito which spreads Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.

“That’s no longer a common species in the U.S., though,” he explains, “and the species that replaced it here, Aedes albopictus, doesn’t seem to be affected by eucalyptus oil at all, so DEET remains the best option to protect against them. Other comparison studies also find that DEET consistently outperforms ‘natural’ mosquito repellents, including citronella.”

How Strong an Insect Repellent Do You Need?

Asked whether Leal would want the public to know anything specific about using insect repellents, he pointed to his team’s research that suggests that people should use a higher percentage of DEET to fend off infected mosquitoes.

“The most dangerous mosquitoes are the old females,” he says, “because there’s more of a chance that they’ve been infected with a virus, and they’ve had enough time to let that virus replicate in their body. Now that old mosquito is dangerous. The problem is that old mosquitoes are less sensitive to DEET.”

If you’re wearing DEET just to rid yourself of nuisance mosquitoes, 6 to 7 percent DEET-based products are fine. When you’re traveling in an endemic area, however, Leal emphasizes that it’s important to wear a higher concentration of DEET—between 25 and 30 percent.

Circling back around to the question of whether natural bug sprays really work, the answer appears to be yes—but with plenty of caveats. If you choose to go with a natural bug spray over DEET, do so with the knowledge that you’re taking more of a chance of getting bitten, and therefore infected, than you would if you went with DEET, which science says is the safest and most trusted bug spray there is, at least for now.

Shop Mosquito Repellent Options

More from SmarterTravel:

• 5 Diseases in America You Could Get While Traveling
• Ticks and Travel: What You Need to Know to Prevent Tick Bites and Illnesses
• Bedbugs: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Too Disgusted to Ask

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter @avitalb or on Facebook.

The post Does Natural Mosquito Repellent Actually Work? appeared first on SmarterTravel.