AFAR Search

What Happiness Looks Like Around the World

Joy is different in every culture around the globe. Here’s how your passport can be a tool for tapping into that contentment.

July 31, 2019 01:50 PM

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Billie Cohen

Tips + News

U.S. Visas Now Require Social Media Details From Applicants

A new rule from the U.S. State Department demands that visa applicants submit their social media account information as part of an updated vetting process.

June 3, 2019 01:42 PM

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Sarah Buder

Art + Architecture

In New York City, 52 Old Doors From the Chelsea Hotel—and Their Ghosts—Go to Auction

The sale featured architectural relics with connections to a dizzying array of artists, authors, actors, and musicians.

April 13, 2018 07:27 PM

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Matthew Phenix

Outdoor Adventure

Free-Diving in Turks and Caicos Taught Me to Breathe, Not Just Hold My Breath

On the world’s most serene beaches, learning to dive without oxygen tanks becomes a meditation underwater and above land.

November 6, 2025 12:29 PM

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Vanita Salisbury

Hotels

Traveling Smarter: UNESCO Asks the Hotel Industry to Step Up

A collaboration between the U.N. organization and Expedia aims to improve sustainability at hotels.

March 29, 2022 01:55 PM

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Pat Tompkins

Books

Sail Away: 8 Books That Will Turn Your Couch Into a Cruise Ship

Eager to get back on a ship? While we wait for the cruising seas to calm, get your fill of ocean adventures through these 8 novels and nonfiction books.

May 3, 2021 03:14 PM

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Pat Tompkins

Loyalty + Rewards

It’s About to Cost More to Get Status With United

The carrier is updating its frequent flier program to reflect dollars spent and flying frequency rather than miles flown.

October 11, 2019 06:01 PM

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Michelle Baran

Hiking + Cycling

This 240-Mile Trek in the Swiss Alps Is All About Mountain Huts and Cheese Shops in the Clouds

The Via Alpina trail spans eight European countries, and Switzerland’s section is a hut-to-hut dream.

October 31, 2025 12:56 PM

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Lucy Kehoe

A few of the facade and pool of Auberge de Soleil in Napa Valley.

Health + Wellness

California Wellness Retreats Worth the Trip

Whether by the beach, in the desert, or among the redwoods, these wellness stays redefine self-care

Sponsored by Visit California

Air Travel News

Southwest Will Soon Stop Blocking Middle Seats

Only three other U.S. carriers still guarantee additional space to passengers.

October 22, 2020 04:56 PM

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Michelle Baran

Other

California’s Most Exciting Arts Scene Is Hiding in Laguna Beach

Originally founded as an arts colony, Laguna Beach continues to draw art lovers with its many galleries, museums, festivals, and public artworks.

October 30, 2019 03:02 PM

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Stacey Leasca

Hotels

In This Coastal Japanese Airbnb, Guests Are Given a Bed—and a Mystery to Solve

In a town in the Wakayama Prefecture, popular for hiking on the Kumano Kodo trail, this Airbnb invites guests to be immersed in a gripping mystery novel.

January 18, 2024 03:47 PM

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Jessie Beck

Tips + News

Venice May Reroute Large Cruise Ships From City Center

Huge cruise liners, which bring thousands of visitors to the city every day, have long been a hot-button issue.

August 8, 2019 04:13 PM

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Katherine LaGrave

Air Travel News

From “Star Wars” to Hello Kitty: The World’s Best Aircraft Paint Jobs

The livery designs on these one-of-a-kind airplanes are everything but boring.

June 27, 2018 09:10 AM

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Lyndsey Matthews

Books

6 Lessons Pico Iyer Has Learned From Living in Japan

In his new book, the famed travel writer reflects on the details of daily life in his adopted home country and shares some of his insights with AFAR.

November 14, 2019 03:22 PM

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Anna Mazurek

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