Category: Bucket List

The Best New Flight Routes in 2016

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah MichelleLeave a comment

This post was posted by theHipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on January 5, 2016. Screen-Shot-2016-01-05-at-5.02.07-PMIt’s not just the internet and smartphones that are bringing the world closer together. Airlines are expanding and adding more non-stop routes to their schedules, making it easier to get from A to B. In the new year, London residents will be able to fly direct to Crete and Biarritz on British Airways, and the United States and Canada will be easier to transverse with new flights from Air Canada. But the real stars of 2016 are the new long haul flights, the best of which are featured below.

Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) on American Airlines

After a prolonged battle that edged out Delta’s Seattle-Tokyo Haneda service, American Airlines has announced a direct flight from LAX to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport that will begin on February 11. American will partner with Japan Airlines to operate the flights on Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. American already operates a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, but Haneda is an hour closer to the city center and makes it far easier to connect to other regional Asia Pacific flights. Travelers should be aware that due to restrictions at Haneda, the flight arrives in Tokyo at 11pm and departs at 1:30am local time. Despite the odd schedule, the new flight will be add a new and convenient option for travelers trekking east. To take the hassle out of the late arrival, book a room at the Grand Pacific Le Daiba for a luxurious pad close to the airport.

Istanbul (IST) to Atlanta (ATL) on Turkish Airlines

In May 2016, Turkish Airlines will add a flight from Istanbul to Atlanta to its schedule. This is the third flight to the US that Turkish Airlines has launched in a year, and will complement their Istanbul-Miami flight (which started service in October 2015) and their Istanbul-San Francisco flight (April 2015). The flight will operate once a day from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, pushing in on Delta’s Atlanta hub. Turkish Airlines’ advances into the US market will help to connect American travelers to its huge network of 250 destinations worldwide.

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Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD) on American Airlines

American Airlines makes the list again with its newly announced nonstop flight to Sydney, Australia, its first in 24 years. One of the major draws of the flight is the revamped cabin of the Boeing 777-300ER, which features first class beds that lie fully flat as well as an in-flight bar. Even those in economy will have touch screen entertainment systems with USB ports and power outlets. Service will begin December 17, 2015 and will be partnered with Australia-based Qantas Airlines. The flight will compete with with routes offered by Delta, United, Virgin Australia flights, as well as two a day from Qantas.

Doha (DOH) to Boston (BOS), Atlanta (ATL), and Los Angeles (LAX) on Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has announced a major expansion into the American market. Flights from Doha will head to Los Angeles on January 1, Boston on March 16, and Atlanta on July 1. With these new flights, Qatar now offers service to the largest 10 metropolitan areas in the United States. They will also be adding a second daily flight to New York (which they have served since 2007) starting March 1. The flight from Doha to Los Angeles will be particularly long, clocking in at over 16.5 hours. As you book your next trip on these exciting new long haul flights, check out Hipmunk’s tips to stay happy and healthy on board.

Screen-Shot-2016-01-05-at-5.06.44-PMDubai (DBX) to Yinchuan (INC) and Zhengzhou (CGO) on Emirates

Expanding their service to five points in mainland China, Emirates has announced a new flight route from Dubai to Yinchuan’s Hedong International Airport. Beginning in May 2016, the route will fly four times a week, with a connecting leg continuing to Zhengzhou. If Yinchuan and Zhengzhou seem like smaller cities than Emirates’ other Chinese destinations — Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai — that’s because they are. However, Yinchuan and Zhengzhou are two interior cities ranked among Asia’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, and the new route will provide business travelers a quicker trip than before — and give Emirates a strategic leg up on Middle Eastern-to-East Asian air travel.

Holly (Not so Jolly) Folly: Holiday Travel Fails

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah MichelleLeave a comment

This post was posted by thehipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on December 12, 2015.blog_travel_fails_A

Traveling for the holidays can be nuts. Between the traffic, crowds, and the inevitable issues that arise when people travel en masse, it’s no wonder that most of us have experienced some sort of travel fail. It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s not always the most wonderful time to travel.

Yup, holiday travel fails happen to the best of us—one was even the impetus behind the smart luggage startup Bluesmart. On a Christmas trip to his home-country of Argentina, Co-founder and CEO Diego Saez-Gil found himself without presents (or clothing!) after the airline he was traveling on forced him to check his luggage due to weight restrictions. Despite his reservations, he agreed to do so, and then found himself at the carousel waiting for a bag that never materialized. He’s not alone:

“30 million bags are reported lost each year, and most happen when during the holiday season,” Saez-Gil said.

That holiday travel fail inspired him to create the Bluesmart carry-on, with GPS technology and a built-in scale, amongst other techy tools for savvy travelers.

Victims of numerous holiday travel fails ourselves (nights spent in airports and traumatized pets, to name a few), we understand that there’s no better consolation than camaraderie. And so, the company that promises to take the agony out of travel planning took a look at what agonizes travelers once they’re en route.

We asked more than 200 Hipmunk enthusiasts to tell us about their holiday travel fails (Hint: It usually has something to do with flying). From exploding toiletries to getting drunk on the plane, scroll down for even more (though less common) holiday horror stories:

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More Travel Troubles:

I wasn’t allowed to check my presents with my baggage 1%
My gifts were broken in transit 1%
The hotel had no record of my reservation 1%
I accidentally booked the wrong day/time to travel and couldn’t get a new flight 2%
My toiletries “exploded” in flight and wrecked my holiday outfit 2%
My pet was traumatized from flying in cargo 1%
I drank too much on the flight and was hungover by the time the flightlanded 2.5%

Best (or Worst) Holiday #TravelFAILs:

“Don’t eat a big breakfast and then get in the car. It can get messy.”

“The flight was delayed, and when we seated they informed us that the engine was malfunctioning– then shortly after, the plane took off. I was terrified the entire flight.”

“Because of snow in Minneapolis/St. Paul, we didn’t realize we’d parked in a tow zone and yes, we were towed. Very hard to prove ownership of a rental car – spent 6 hours trying to get out of impound.”

“A 1 kg pot of honey leaked in my bag, covering my laptop.”

“I had torn my quadricep muscle a week into my three week vacation I knew I couldn’t fix it there or they wouldn’t let me fly home, so I waited until I got home to have knee surgery. I made the best of the trip and cut down on my sightseeing. Then I almost got snowed in in Chicago on the way back and I had a guy from India accidentally kick my injured leg. Don’t worry I didn’t hurt him.”

“No one had told us we need yellow fever vaccine between Argentina and Jamaica. We had to stop in Panama City, where we were able to go on by getting another flight to Jamaica. No one seemed to care that we had just gotten off a flight from Argentina.”

“The flight was at 12:01, so it was confusing as to which day it was actually on. I missed it.”

What was your worst holiday travel fail? Sound off in the comments below!

What to do in New England This Winter

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

Maybe exploring New England in the wintertime isn’t the wisest decision, especially considering I’m from Texas and I don’t know how to drive in snow. The winter months offer some unique opportunities that make it worthwhile to visit this time of year. My bucket list is all about trying new things, so winter in New England, here I come.

Burlington, Vermont

I hear Vermont has great summers, but Burlington, Vermont, evokes images in me of snowy winter all year round. I picture kids and dogs frolicking the hills in knee-high snow, traipsing across rivers and valleys, making smoke rings with their winter breaths. Burlington is the quintessential old-world small town. Even in 2015, the one-road main street is still the center of town and hosts events frequented by tourists and locals alike. The final scene of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” comes to mind, with the Whos of Whoville standing in the town center singing in unison. Besides the usual Christmas-themed celebrations, the town holds on to the last of the festive winter with the annual Winter Lights Event on Church Street. Located in downtown Burlington, the extravaganza features light installations and canopies that cover the streets, buildings, and trees. The event runs over a weekend in early February.

BurlingtonImage provided by David Kim via Trover.com

New Haven, Connecticut

I have spent a lot of time in Connecticut. I have family there. When I was young, a family friend strongly encouraged me to consider Yale University to further my education. I was 6. If he had mentioned that I would have access to the historic and fairytale storybook mansions of Hillhouse Avenue, I might have considered it. I had no clue about the history in New Haven, Connecticut, until planning this trip. Charles Dickens and Mark Twain (one of my writing heroes) considered Hillhouse Avenue’s historic district to be the most beautiful street in America. From two of the most descriptive scribes in the world, you can’t find a more ringing endorsement. The section of mansions, built in the middle and late 1800s, is considered the first suburb in America. Yale University uses the ornate mansions as department buildings, and the oldest, Abigail Whelpey House, built in 1826, is a resident hall for Yale administrators. The street makes me wish I had studied more in high school, applied to Yale, and attended just to have unfettered access to these gorgeous historic homes that are a part of U.S. history.

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Image provided by Courtney Randolph via Trover.com

Newton, Massachusetts

If you’re not a cold weather person, then finding activities where you can escape the cold and have a good time is a must when traveling in New England in the winter. One of my favorite cold weather escapes is the local library. In Newton, Massachusetts, the local library may be a gothic cathedral-looking structure on the campus on Boston College. You can spend hours soaking in the ornate architecture of the John J. Burns Library. It looks like an 18th-century English cathedral. It’s a library that has its own blog. The library houses the archives of Boston College along with several collections of historical significance and makes my classic writer and historical writer fangirl insides go crazy. At present, the library houses an exhibit of text and contexts of the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Frederick Douglass.

NewtonImage provided by Christopher Skillman via Trover.com 

South Portland, Maine

I am not one of those people who only eat chili in the winter and salads in the summer. Food is food, but something about chowder in the wintertime warms my heart and my insides. New England is known for its lobster bakes and seafood grills, but there is nothing like a great chowder during a cold winter’s day. Any winter excursion has to end with a way to recover from all that cold. Gilbert’s Chowder House in South Portland, Maine is a must-stop. The thick, creamy chowder is full of flavor, and in a place where every restaurant has its own version, Gilbert’s chowder is tradition at its best. The clams are fresh. At Gilbert’s, they serve a generous portion, hot and satisfying with oyster crackers on the side. The price is reasonable, so you can enjoy the rest of their menu, too. Chowder is synonymous with New England anytime, but I agree it tasted best in the wintertime.

South PortlandImage provided by Jesse I. via Trover.com

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Budget Hacks: Traveling in New England Cheap

 

Budget Hacks: Traveling in the Midwest for Cheap

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

I found a few more stops in the Midwest on my USA bucket list trip, and since I’ll probably need to watch my funds, I found some cool, inexpensive cheap activities that show me what each city is all about.

Wichita, Kansas

Any activity with the word “nature” in the title means cheap. In Wichita, Kansas, a visit to the Great Plains Nature Center offers an opportunity to get close to nature without running into any bears or anything that might kill you. The park offers programs for children as well as for adults and seniors. Each activity offers visitors a better understanding of our relationship with nature, in a safe environment. They have bird walks in the morning for the bird watcher or bird curious and a Full Moon walk in the evening for those vampire enthusiasts or if you like full moons.

Guided walks are available free of charge.

wichita

Image provided by Hannah Osland via Trover.com

Des Moines, Iowa

My favorite country to visit is England. My favorite things to tour in England are the castles. Now I don’t have to travel across the pond to get a feel for England, I can take a trip to Des Moines, Iowa. Built in the 1920s and modeled after the King’s House in Salisbury, England, Salisbury House captures the medieval and renaissance architecture of jolly old England. The castle provides self-guided and guided tours and hosts many programs and performances such as musical performances, recitals and book signings. Self-guided tours cost $8, but fork over an additional $2 for the guided tour and get access to rooms not available for the general public.

salisburyImage provided by Erik Rowley via Trover.com

Minneapolis, Minnesota

In the conservative Midwest, you don’t expect to find an architectural marvel like The Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The stainless steel and brick building looks like the Tin Man’s residence. The famous architect Frank Gehry, known for his use of unusual materials and strange shapes, designed the building in 1990. The unique exterior houses a modern interior. The collection includes modern American art from artists like Georgia O’Keefee and Marsden Harley, along with ceramics and pottery from the 20th century. Admission to the museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is free.

The guided tours are free, too.

MinneapolisImage provided by Bradley Hanson via Trover.com

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Eating cheap is a must for traveling on a budget. In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, I have to try Mutts Amazing Hot Dogs. They offer over 30 versions of hot dogs, and if one of their creations doesn’t appeal to you, they allow you to create your own. You can grab a Liberty Dog (spicy mustard & kraut) or a S’noran Dog (bacon-wrapped dog, chipotle ketchup, mayo, mustard, cheddar-jack cheese, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, pinto beans) with sides, all for under $10.

If hot dogs aren’t your thing, they have burgers and my favorite, corn dogs, too. My stomach’s growling just thinking about it.

OklahomaImage provided by Tiffany Hawkins via Trover.com

Rosemont, Illinois

I had never heard of Rosemont, Illinois, before doing some research. It’s odd considering I used to live in Chicago, but if you’ve never heard of it, you might know it by its more common name, Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Yes, the city has its own airport that just so happens to be the third-busiest in the U.S. Fun in this region starts in Rosemont, and there is no better, faster and cheaper way to get around than the O’Hare Airport Transit. From the airport, the transit system can take you anywhere in Northern Illinois.

O'Hare TransitImage provided by Ryan Goodwin via Trover.com

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Craft Cider Is Making it Big in the Midwest

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

This post was posted by thehipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on December 5, 2015.

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While the craft beer scene is booming all over the country—from San Diego, to Cleveland, to New York’s Finger Lakes region—let’s all take a moment to acknowledge the meteoric rise of a new craft brew on the block.

Craft cider is the next big thing in the craft beverage scene, and it’s making a name for itself throughout the American Midwest, especially the Great Lakes region.

Turns out there’s a good reason for that: The Great Lakes region is the location of the country’s most diverse apple crop, reports USA Today. In fact, approximately one quarter of all apples grown in North America are produced around the Great Lakes. Cider makers across the Midwest have capitalized on this bounty by producing unique, complexly flavored ciders that set the region’s brews apart.

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The Rich History and Current Challenges Facing Craft Cider

Much like the making of craft beer or distilled liquor, cider brewing is nothing new. Hard cider was a staple of colonial America; Colonizers even brought over seeds from Europe in order to grow apples in America, and some of the offspring from those trees are still in production today.

But with Prohibition came the destruction of orchards, and the practice of brewing cider nearly dwindled into oblivion. While cider has yet to regain its previous status at the American table—cider currently comprises less than 1 percent of the U.S. beer market—today’s brewers hope to restore the cider-making tradition and cultivate an appreciation for great cider.

Another characteristic shared by all of the region’s brewers? Patience. Because the flavor and complexity of a cider is dependent on the apples from which it’s derived, brewers are beholden to apple trees, which can take upwards of 15 years to yield viable fruit.

In addition to their reliance on finicky crops, cideries face obstacles in the form of legal challenges. Under current federal tax law, the definition of hard cider only allows for 7 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) or less—anything more than that, and cider gets taxed at the more expensive rate for wine. Similarly, cider can only contain a certain level of carbonation or else risk being taxed at the even more expensive champagne tax. Because craft operations often aren’t able to precisely control the alcohol content and level of carbonation in their brews, these laws have placed financial strain on many small breweries.

To rectify these constraints, the United States Association of Cider Makers has been advocating for the passage of the CIDER Act, which would amend the Internal Revenue Code to increase the carbonation level for hard cider, include pears in the definition of “hard cider,” and change the alcohol content standard.

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Ticket to Cider Town, USA

While cider brewers advocate for themselves in the political realm, you can advocate for brewers—and your own taste buds—by visiting any of the Midwest’s best cideries. With cheap flights from all major airports in the US and a plethora of places within a few hours of each other, a cider pilgrimage is not a bad way to spend your next vacation. Here are our hand picked favorites:

  • Blake’s Hard Cider Co (Armada, MI). Blake’s is all about restoring the tradition of cider making to its rightful prominence—all while using the finest homegrown apples and other ingredients around. Their Ciderhouse boasts 12 ciders on tap as well as wines and a food menu. Bonus: The brewery is only an hour outside of Detroit.
  • Uncle John’s Cider Mill (St. Johns, MI). At this fifth-generation farm, what started as a wholesale fruit and vegetable operation has found a new mission as a cidery. The tasting room is filled with hard ciders and wines for the sampling. After you’ve had your fill, head to beautiful Ann Arbor (less than 1.5 hours by car) and stay for the night.
  • Vander Mill (Spring Lake, MI). Started in 2006, Vander Mill distributes its ciders throughout Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Try them in person at the brewery’s restaurant, which serves up house-made dishes inspired by locally sourced meats, produce, and cheeses. The cidery is only a 1.5 hour drive to budget-friendly accommodations in bustling Lansing, MI.

The best part about the Midwestern cider boom? It’s just getting started. We anticipate that many more great developments will fall from the [apple] tree.