LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Never line up for the Louvre—and more

Even with the growth of commercial art galleries, art fairs and auctions over the past several years, museums are still the best places to get up close and personal with the world’s most sought-after masterpieces. But with crowds in the highest-trafficked institutions tallying in the millions annually, it can be difficult to have an intimate experience—or any kind of experience at all—with the art. At the Louvre, which draws about eight million museum-goers per year, herds of tourists jockey for position, peering over one another’s heads for just a fleeting glimpse of the Mona Lisa.

“The Louvre is a thrilling monument to human creativity,” says Ellen McBreen, director of Paris Muse, which offers 20 private tours of nine different Paris museums, “but visiting it can also be a test of human patience.”

See our slideshow of VIP Museum Tours.

That’s where private tours come in. ]]> Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:57:13 GMT

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Stellar scenery from Venezuela to China

The Alps are gorgeous. So are the Rockies and the Himalayas. But if shown a picture of one of them, could you tell which it was? That’s not a problem when it comes to Venezuela’s tepui mountains, giant tables of stone that rise thousands of feet out of the jungle, teeming with prehistoric plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

How about beaches? Maui’s nice. So is Sydney. But Namibia’s Skeleton Coast is littered with shipwrecks from the thousands of captains that got lost in its ever-present fog. Its ochre dunes climb high into the distance, interrupted only by the footprints of hardy antelopes that can survive with less than half an inch of rain a year. You may not want to suntan there, but there’s no chance of mistaking it for somewhere else.

See our slideshow of 10 Unique Landscapes. ]]> Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:40:39 GMT

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Where the big boys go to berth

A 400-foot ship enters a harbor...

The beginning of a joke? Not exactly, but it does pose an interesting question for the yachting industry: Then what happens? As the number of megayachts on the seas continues to grow, only a limited number of marinas can accommodate these giants, and competition for slips is fierce.

There are more 2,000 megayachts in the world, and that number is growing. Since 1997, the number of megayachts built has increased 400 percent. While the definition of a megayacht starts with a length of 80 feet, those that stretch more than 200 feet constitute the most rapid sales growth.

See our slideshow of The Biggest Megayacht Marinas.

Megayacht captains struggle to find marinas that not only have adequate dock space, but the facilities—like speedy gas pumps—needed to berth these oversized vessels. Refueling a megayacht isn’t as simple as pulling up to a Mobile. ]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:10:46 GMT

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Alien-themed adventures worldwide

The UFO stories started out simply enough. A craft hovering at high altitude. Strange lights. Lasers. A disc glowing far above in the Nevada sky. Then DeWayne Davis, a retired Air Force engineer, dished dirt on a particularly revealing saucer sighting. According to him, "It emitted an orange sodium-vapor color, not the xenon glow you’d usually see."

I was sitting at a bar in Rachel, Nev., a trailer park town two hours north of Las Vegas. Outside, past the big sign featuring an alien face, Nevada State Route 375—aka the Extraterrestrial Highway—traced north to cross an expanse as desolate as the dark side of the moon. In the inky night sky above Rachel, where stars pack dense on a black dome, more UFOs are sighted than at any other place on the planet. Or so says the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

See our slideshow of X-File Odysseys. ]]> Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:29:30 GMT

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Where toilets, teddy bears and ramen get respect

If "Night at the Museum" had been set somewhere other than New York’s Museum of Natural History, it would be a very different movie. This 2006 blockbuster starring Ben Stiller made hundreds of millions of dollars and, reportedly, boosted museum attendance. But it could have been a much stranger beast. Instead of Teddy Roosevelt and Sacajawea, one night in Philadelphia’s Mutter Museum could've led to a romance between Siamese twin skeletons and the corpse of an obese woman whose fat has turned to soap. At the Venthaven ventriloquist museum, the big laughs could've given way to the scariest Twilight Zone episode ever.

World-class museums aside, a lot of people find second-rank museums lacking. At best, they're hermetically sealed repositories of dusty culture; at worst, they're tourist traps teeming with children on field trips. Sometimes, you gotta take a walk on the weirder side.

See our slideshow of 11 Oddball Museums. ]]> Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:38:10 GMT

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Great gear for cool cruising

By the time you read this, a gallon of gas might cost as much as a fifth of good Scotch. But we’re Americans: We love our cars, and we love driving them. A cross-country trip might be out of the question right now, but buzzing the coast or a turn through your nearest lake district is a reasonable pleasure. This little list of a dozen gear and gadgets can significantly up the fun factor and keep the driver happy.

Start with a good driving jacket. It’s the place to stash all the stuff you don’t want to cram into your pants pockets and sit on: house keys, wallet, spare sunglasses, phone and pocket knife. But don’t get outlandish.

See our slideshow of Road Trip Gadget Guide.

“If you actually own a Ferrari, and wear the branded jacket, you’ll look like a tool,” says Dan Neil, the L.A. Times Pulitzer-prize winning automobile columnist. ]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:06:06 GMT

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Sophisticated strolling from Paris to San Francisco

Exploring a major tourist city? Take a walking tour. Yes, I know about all the iPod tours. And I’ve stuck my fingers in the pages of a guidebook, while simultaneously following a map and asking questions at street corners. However, after taking many guided walks in London, Rome, Paris, Dublin, and New York, I’m convinced they provide a much richer experience.

Guides know the enchanting alleys and shortcuts. They are long-time residents of the cities and excellent, often native, English speakers. They are constantly researching, and they give an overview of the city so that walkers can more easily return to places they see along the way.

See our slideshow of The Best Guided City Walks.

The tours themselves also provide entertainment. ]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:16:32 GMT

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Take a dip in style

“We’re all attracted to water environments, and we associate pools with luxury,” theorizes Elon Kenchington, COO of the Gansevoort Hotel Group. “The swimming pool also captures a desire from our childhoods.”

At their dramatic rooftop pools in New York and Miami Beach, the Gansevoort Group aims to capitalize on that combination of primal aquatic desire with grown-up sophistication. The 110-foot-long pool on top of their Miami venue is lined with palm trees and plays underwater music; it’s also elevated, so swimmers have views of the ocean and the surrounding city. At night, Kenchington says, “we add candles and rearrange the atmosphere into a leisure-lounge bar feel.”

See our slideshow of The Best Hotel Swimming Pools.

As our list of incredible hotel swimming pools attests, resorts’ aquatic oases have moved far beyond chlorinated squares with diving boards and lifeguard towers. ]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:30:00 GMT

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Hell on wheels

It was just last month that we extolled the virtues of "The World's 10 Best Taxi Rides," interesting routes that can add fun and excitement to what might normally be just another trip across town.

And now, the flip side.

Everyone has a taxi horror story to share, a tale of woe that may involve scamming, intimidation, extortion, physical threats, drunken driving, faulty shock absorbers, unending traffic jams, malfunctioning meters, or simply oppressive body odor. Add infrequent but terrifying armed robberies and kidnappings, and simply sticking out your arm on the sidewalk can seem like a dangerous roll of the dice.

Naturally no city that wants to maintain a good business environment and attract tourism can allow this vital point of contact with its visitors to be uncomfortable or dangerous, so in most places, taxis are heavily regulated and carefully controlled. Guidebooks are full of suggestions about how to distinguish real taxis from fakes and what to do once you slide into the back seat. ]]> Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:26:57 GMT

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A foodie noshes his way around modern Iran

You think you’ll find tuna on a bagel in Iran?” my assistant Kathy asked as I shut down my computer for the next three weeks. I laughed. Finding my favorite lunch was the least of my concerns. I was, after all, traveling to a country that President Bush identified as one-third of the Axis of Evil.

I'd wanted to visit Iran for years to view its ancient monuments and to understand this country that was closed off to Americans for a generation. But there never seemed to be a good time, and now was no exception. There's been recent U.S. saber-rattling over the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's involvement in Iraq, and ever-pressing questions about Iran's nuclear capabilities and support for terrorist groups. That's not to mention the hateful pronouncements from its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Mac 'n cheese, meet truffles

Occupying two floors of the trendy Ponce Loft Building, Repast is Atlanta’s latest culinary hot spot, with its hipster-chic décor of exposed concrete and towering ceilings along with its nouvelle American menu. The brainchild of husband-and-wife team Joe Truex and Mihoko Obunai, this trendsetter serves expectedly distinguished dishes like Muscovy duck breast a la plancha, braised Australian lamb shank and…hot dogs?

Yes, hot dogs. These are no Oscar Meyers. Each meaty tube of Americana is meticulously handmade, topped with foie gras and sweetbreads and served on a brioche bun with homemade three-onion ketchup.

See our slideshow of More Luxury Comfort Food.

While hot dogs will likely conjure up childhood memories instead of Michelin stars, the frankfurter’s image is changing. And these dogs are hardly the only traditionally down-market item crossing over into high-end restaurants—many of yesterday’s blue-plate specials are receiving decidedly white-collar touch-ups by some of the most distinguished chefs around. ]]> Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:33:00 GMT

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

A fresh view at the surprising seaside city of Qingdao

Even if it weren't hosting the 2008 Olympics—which will begin on August 8 at precisely 8:08 p.m. local time—China would still be making headlines this summer. The latest setback is a massive algae bloom that's choking the coastline of Qingdao, which will host the Olympic's sailing events. All eyes are on the Chinese government as it works feverishly to clear the water in time for the first race, on August 9.

Regardless of the algae invasion, visitors will find that this city of 2.7 million retains its charms. Long before it was named the Olympics' sailing city, Qingdao was a popular, and strategically important, port town. But it was the Germans, who took over after the Boxer Rebellion of 1897, who lent Qingdao a remarkable European style, particularly in the Badaguan area west of the city that is now a favorite with Communist Party officials.

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

Scenic rushes from on high

Maybe you've been to New Zealand, but have you been above it? Imagine seeing the West Coast's craggy rainforests, snow-capped Southern Alps reflected off Lake Matheson, sleek Fox Glacier and mighty Mount Cook—all at once. Skydiving's open-air views make this possible, making the scenery as memorable as the jump.

For many of us, the thought of leaping out of a moving aircraft thousands of feet above the ground is terrifying. But the experience can actually be quite liberating, especially for first-timers who typically jump tandem. That is, attached to a jumpmaster who's made more than 500 solo leaps and has been skydiving for at least three years (according to the United States Parachute Association's standard). There's not much to do but arch your back and enjoy the view.

See our slideshow of The World's Most Scenic Skydives. ]]> Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:37:02 GMT

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Into the heart of the South Korean capital

Every weekend, the lobbies of the most exclusive hotels in Seoul are hopping with wedding guests, duty-free shoppers and families on outings—and tourists, of course. But more than just offering fancy accommodations, these hotels serve as social sites for South Korea's urban elite. Their strategic locations and top-quality services, especially in terms of dining and wining, help attract functions of all types, from birthday banquets and weddings to promotional shows.

In short, Seoul's hotels provide public spaces where local residents can cultivate an elite lifestyle. That's a far cry from when luxury hotels were first developed in Korea, when they were intended mostly for foreigners.

See our slideshow of Seoul's Hottest Hotels.

Antoinette Sontag was granted permission to build the first Western-style hotel in Korea at the turn of the 20th century. ]]> Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:28:58 GMT

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Authentic accommodations around the world

As the world globalizes at a frantic pace, travelers have come to expect that many hotel rooms in Capetown, Amsterdam, Rio and New York will pretty much look the same. While you may be the type who finds such predictability comforting, it's our guess that if you're a true traveler, you find it deadly dull—and you're eager to seek out accommodations that more closely match the culture you've come to visit. After all, when in Rome, why not try to sleep like a Roman?

Opportunities to discover what might be called "indigenous" lodgings abound around the world. Let's start in Spain, the country that leads the way in promoting the concept of traditional lodging and puts its money where its mouth is. Back in 1928, they created an entire network of state-run hotels retrofitted into magnificent old buildings, castles, fortresses, convents and monasteries. ]]> Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:13:33 GMT

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Live like a perpetual guest, room service included

For decades, the adventures of a mischievous little girl living at New York's Plaza Hotel in the classic children's book series, Eloise, have seduced both kids and adults alike. In fact, you can still see the portrait of Eloise by illustrator Hilary Knight hanging in the hotel. And while it may have seemed both absurd and magical for Eloise to call a hotel "home," today's discerning buyers are now actually doing it. Unlike condo timeshares and destination clubs where fractional ownership gives you taste of the good life but only on certain dates, living in a hotel has a certain cachet—whether it's a second home for monthly exotic getaways or a pied à terre for business travelers. As luxurious new hotels sprout up, they're not just building rooms to keep transient guests happy, but sprawling residential components—spaces that are quick to sell out. ]]> Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:10:46 GMT

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

From Puerto Rico to Rurutu

When Joel Simon was a kid, he and his brother began snorkeling around the pilings in murky Alamitos Bay near Long Beach. “It was one of the most intriguing places I’d ever been,” he says rapturously, nearly 50 years later. “These old rusty cans lying in the muck underneath the dock were actually like treasure chests containing barnacles and octopus and all kinds of wonderful encrusting organisms.”

He’s never lost his love of snorkeling. In fact, today he runs Sea for Yourself, leading trips that combine snorkeling with marine ecology in places from Florida to Fiji.

Snorkeling is one of the best ways to see a tropical vacation spot from a new perspective and gain a little appreciation of its wild side. “It’s a fantastic vehicle to get people introduced on a firsthand basis to some of the joys of the marine environment,” says Simon.

LAUNCH SLIDESHOW

A-list escapes from Napa to Fiji

Most celebrity relationships follow a distinct pattern: two A-list actors meet while filming the latest blockbuster, they engage in clandestine, off-screen rendezvous, and then tabloids catch wind of the budding romance. In no time, photographs of the hot couple are plastered across every gossip rag from Los Angeles to Sydney, but, for whatever reason, the celebs deny being involved. Eventually, of course, they're spotted on a romantic getaway—because the rumors were, in fact, true all along.

“Celebrities go on vacation for the same reason we do—to get away from it all. And that means getting away from Hollywood, the whole Tinsel Town scene, the paparazzi, and that’s why they choose these really exclusive high-end places,” says Delaina Dixon, celebrity reporter at OK!, the weekly entertainment magazine. “I think celebrities being spotted on vacation together allows them to say ‘we’re together’ without having to say it themselves. After all, a picture says a thousand words. ]]>