The 12 best places to ski in Canada

While it’s tempting to save a few bucks on your next trip by booking a stopover flight, don’t overlook the time you’ll spend waiting around the airport eating an over-priced stale muffin instead of enjoying your final destination. Fortunately, there are a ton of new nonstop routes launching, so you can get to where to you actually want to be without wasting any of your precious vacation time. Here are the seven coolest new routes of the year that we’re most excited about.

1. Canada — Mexico

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The relatively new Canadian budget airline Swoop announced service to three Mexican cities including Cancun, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta beginning January 8, 2019. “Mexico continues to flourish as one of the most popular vacation destinations for Canadians,” said Steven Greenway, President of Swoop, which in part has to do with the attractive exchange rates. With service out of Hamilton, Ontario, and Abbotsford, British Columbia — two cities just a stone’s throw away from the US border — families and budget travelers can now trade in their winter coats for swimsuits.

2. San Francisco — Tahiti

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Starting October 30, United Airlines will be the only US carrier to offer direct service between a US city and the picturesque island of Papeete, Tahiti — the capital of French Polynesia. As one of the many overseas flights added to United Airlines’ routes, this particular eight-hour flight from San Francisco will operate three times a week through March 28 aboard a Boeing 787. Crystal-clear waters are in your near future.

3. Chicago — New Zealand

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Starting November 30, the award-winning, high-tech carrier Air New Zealand will launch a new nonstop flight between Chicago and Auckland. The new route will operate three times weekly on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday with an approximate flight time of 15 hours going northbound.

4. Newark — Singapore

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Get your neck pillow and eye mask ready for this one. At a whopping 18 hours and 45 minutes, Singapore Airlines reclaimed the title of the world’s longest commercial flight with its new flight from Newark to Singapore. The flight launched in October and is currently operating daily out of Newark with only 67 business class seats and 94 premium economy class seats. The route primarily caters to business and premium luxury travelers who no longer have to stop over to get to Singapore. The luxury carrier has also improved its in-cabin experience with the addition of LED lights that allow flight attendants to simulate sunrise and sunset, cabin air replaced every two minutes, and a more spacious interior with higher ceilings and larger windows. Singapore Airlines also announced a partnership with Canyon Ranch, a wellness brand, to offer new meals on select long-haul flights.

5. Los Angeles — Mammoth Lakes

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Ski season is swiftly approaching, so United Airlines will begin flying nonstop daily to Mammoth from LAX (replacing the Alaska Airlines route) beginning December 1. The airline offers service to more ski destinations (12 to be exact) than any other airline and even added a few new seasonal routes including Denver to Mammoth Lakes; Los Angeles to Vail; and Sun Valley, Idaho, to Mammoth Lakes. If you are willing to pay a little extra to fly like a VIP, you can also fly on partner airline JetSuiteX, which will resume its seasonal service from Burbank or Orange County to Mammoth.

6. Southern California — New York City

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Residents of the Inland Empire in Southern California can now book a direct flight to JFK, thanks to JetBlue. The airline will be the only airline to offer nonstop service between Ontario (the Californian city, not the Canadian province) and JFK. As the US airline with the most nonstop routes to New York from California, JetBlue’s Ontario flight will now be the 10th city served in California. Passengers can expect the same beloved in-flight amenities like the most legroom in economy, unlimited snacks, more than 100 SIRIUS XM channels, and 36 channels of free live DIRECTV programming.

7. Boston — Honolulu

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Bostonians looking to escape the cold weather can now experience warm Hawaiian hospitality and island cuisine 36,000 feet in the air five days a week. The inaugural nonstop Hawaiian Airlines flight will take off on April 4, 2019, becoming the longest domestic route in history. First-class passengers can enjoy lie-flat leather seats that transform into 180-degree beds to enjoy the long haul aboard the all-new, appropriately named flight HA90 to commemorate 90 years of operation.

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If you’re a fan of science fiction and have always wondered what it would be like to step foot into a bizarre new world, you can do so without traveling light years through zero gravity. There are countless natural phenomena on Earth with mind-bending colors and formations that look straight out of fantasy novel (or a drug trip) that are only a flight away. Here are seven of the coolest, weirdest places on Earth — from Alaska to Yemen — that are even stranger than fiction.

1. Socotra Island, Yemen

Photo: Sergey Kilin/Shutterstock

Just off the coast of Yemen, Socotra Island is the largest in a small archipelago that has been detached from the mainland for millions of years. This separation has made the island home to a surprising array of endemic biodiversity. The dragon’s blood tree, which emits bloodlike sap and looks like a flying saucer made of twigs perched on long stalks, looms over the craggy, mountainous landscape. The island’s only native mammals are bats, and there are many species of birds that are found nowhere else on earth, such as the Socotra starling. The flora and fauna of Socotra are not the only totally unique inhabitants; genetically, most of the female population of the island has DNA that can be found nowhere else on Earth. The island was visited by 1,000 tourists a year until 2014 when the looming Yemeni civil war seriously impacted Socotra’s accessibility to outsiders. There is a small airport although flights have been canceled since 2015, so the only way to get there is by cargo ship.

2. Kawah Ijen Volcano, Indonesia

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Within the plumes of smoke surrounding the top of this active volcano are two features that make East Java’s Kawah Ijen unbelievable: the blue flames spitting into the sulfurous air, and the deep turquoise lake that looks perfect for a swim — if it wasn’t filled with deadly acid. The blue flow looks like lava but is actually caused by gases erupting from deep inside the earth’s crust and forcing themselves to the surface under enormous pressure and heat (up to 600 degrees Celsius); when the gas hits the air, it ignites and spills over the side, sometimes condensing into liquid sulfur. The effect, only visible at night, is one of unearthly beauty. Nearby is Kawah Ijen Crater Lake, a hydrochloric acid pool that is considered to be the most acidic body of water in the world. The lake is warm from the volcanic activity, but swimming is an absolutely terrible idea: the lake is strong enough to melt clothes and human flesh, and the plumes of sulfur gas can cause a breathing hazard if you’re exposed for too long. The climb is not difficult, but all hikers must wear gas masks, and it is not recommended if you have existing breathing issues, such as asthma.

3. Chocolate Hills, Philippines

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In the middle of the island of Bohol in the Philippines sit 1,300 strangely regular hills of practically identical shape. The local legends say the hills came from a fight between two giants who threw rocks at each other for days until they were exhausted. For most of the year, these pillowy hills match the rest of the verdant jungle landscape, but in the dry season, the lawn-like vegetation turns brown and looks like an expanse of Toblerone bars. There is a viewing platform on one of the taller hills, but you can also get a habal-habal driver to take you on a motorcycle tour through the mounds to other viewing locations, as well to a less-well-known attraction called the Eight Sisters Hillocks — eight hills of similar size in an almost perfectly straight line. Sunrise paints the hills in a dramatic light, so get up early (5:00 AM in the summer months) and climb to the viewing platform. There are few places to stay near the hills, but the newly built adventure park with its campsite — as well as a bicycle zipline, butterfly garden, and zorbing — is a good option.

4. Lake Khiluk, British Columbia

Photo: Carlo Alcos

Known as “Spotted Lake,” Lake Khiluk in northern British Columbia dries up over the summer, leaving heavily mineralized pools, each with a different mineral content. The variety and concentration of minerals are what gives the “spots” their unusual colors. At the height of the dry season, the lake’s high concentration of magnesium sulfate crystallizes and forms natural walkways between the pools (although walking through the area is not allowed for environmental preservation reasons and as a form of respect to the local First Nations people). In 2012, a planetary geologist discovered that the mineral composition of the water was similar to deposits found on Mars; this otherworldly lake might be additional evidence that life could exist on other planets. The area is sacred to First Nations people in both Canada and the United States who believe the minerals of the lake can cure different diseases. Although the land was privately owned for some time, it was returned to the Okanagan Syilx First Nations in 2001.

5. Vinicunca Mountain, Peru

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Vinicunca, also known as “Rainbow Mountain,” is a peak located deep in the Peruvian Andes. Striped in vibrant blues, reds, and yellows, the mountain culminates at 16,000 feet above sea level. There is a road that winds up the peak, making the summit accessible in only a few hours, but the altitude can seriously impact anyone who isn’t prepared for it. For many years, this unusual formation was hidden under snowpack and ice; however, as the global climate slowly warmed, that ice thawed and revealed the magical landscape beneath. Local Peruvians believe the mountain is holy, and every May, thousands of indigenous Quechua pilgrims visit it to celebrate Qoyllur Rit’i, or the Snow Star Festival, which according to the Atlantic “celebrates the stars, notes the reappearance of the Pleiades star cluster marking the start of the harvest season, honors Jesus Christ, and also honors the local glacier, which is held to be sacred.” Several local guides offer packages to assist individuals and groups on guided ascents. It is highly recommended to bring someone who knows the terrain with you on the climb.

6. Mendenhall Ice Caves, Alaska

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The Mendenhall Glacier (originally called Sitaantaagu by the Tlingit people) is only 12 miles from downtown Juneau, Alaska, but is accessible primarily by kayak. The caves inside can only be reached by ice climbing over the glacier itself and slipping into its interior. The Juneau Ice Field from which Sitaantaagu emerges is a sheet of white from the outside, but inside the caves, everything is a thousand shades of blue. This happens because the surrounding ice absorbs all light wavelengths except blue, leaving an unearthly glow to the rounded caverns. The bad news is that the caves were caused by the melting of the glacier. Meltwater continues to reshape the caves, and visitors may find that the layout of tunnels and passageways has completely changed from previous maps or visits. In fact, as global temperatures increase, the caves are likely to disappear entirely in the next ten years.

7. Great Rann of Kutch, India

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Almost 3,000 square miles in size, this vast salt flat in the middle of India’s Gujarat region is pure white — except for the occasional touch of pink from the flocks of flamingos that nest in the rare pockets of thorny scrub. In the monsoon season, the flat fills with standing water, but the beating sun of the summer months dries it to flakes rapidly — temperatures in this region can go as high as 50 degrees Celsius during the day. The remote landscape is surprisingly well populated by migratory birds and other animals, including desert foxes and hyenas, and hosts the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, home of an endangered species of wild donkey. To the west of the Rann (which means “desert”) is a 5,000-year-old Indus Valley civilization site called Dholavira with fossilized artifacts that you can explore before heading into the desert’s expanse.

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There is quite simply no more beautiful place during the summertime than the Pacific Northwest. Towering, jagged peaks reflect off deep blue water, as giant clear skies contrast with the deep green of the well-watered forests. The air is a pleasant 78, the humidity is low, and the people who live there are gleeful to be out from the grey blanket they usually live under.

That’s why going to Seattle or Portland is a perfect summer trip. And while both those cities have plenty to offer, getting out and seeing the nature that surrounds them is as much a part of the trip as Pioneer Square or the Voodoo Donuts shop. And this summer, ReachNow — BMW’s car-share service that allows you to tool around town in a Bimmer for cheap — is making that nature fully accessible to everyone. And free.

ReachNow’s new “Wild Within Reach” program is giving its members free admission to all the state parks in Washington and Oregon, all summer long. So you can hit spots like the very not-disappointing Cape Disappointment on the Washington coast or the Trail of 10 Falls at Silver Falls in Oregon at no extra cost.

“With more and more people in urban areas forgoing car ownership to avoid traffic and parking headaches, getting outside the city has become a greater challenge,” said Laura Gonia, head of marketing for ReachNow said in a press release. “ReachNow members can find a car within walking distance and take a road trip without the need to plan ahead.”

The whole experience isn’t free, mind you. But it still makes for an amazingly affordable way to take in all that glorious nature through the open sunroof of a snazzy new BMW. ReachNow has a one-time $15 sign-up fee, but is giving out $15 credits to new members — essentially paying you five bucks to sign up.

Download the app and you’ll have access to a whole fleet of BMWs, most of which are within walking distance of anywhere you’d want to be in Seattle or Portland. Cars rent from 45 cents a minute to $80 a day. Slightly more than Enterprise, but more convenient than getting to a rental-car agency anywhere other than the airport. Also, you’re in a BMW, not whatever motorized roller skate they’re calling a midsize now.

Once you’re in your car, you’ll find it equipped with a state park pass for whichever state you’re in. So you can just roll through the front gates like you own the joint.

You can make the experience even cheaper by doing what you already do and social media-ing the hell out of your state park getaway. Post a picture of yourself by the shores of Lake Wenatchee or in a cabin over the sea at Cape Lookout, tag @reachnow and #WildWithinReach, and you’ll get another $10 off. Plus, ReachNow will donate $30 to the Washington and Oregon State Park Foundations for every visit you make. So you can feel even better about yourself while tearing up the highway in a new 3 series.

The whole deal runs through September 3rd. No word on whether the promotion will run longer, or extend into other states as the weather cools off and skies in the northwest return to their familiar grey. But, if you’re headed that way this summer, or live there now, you’ve got more access to nature than ever before. And a decidedly-cool way to see it.

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The problem with anything great is everyone else knows about it. That great new neighborhood restaurant you found before anyone else now has a three-hour wait a year later. Many places that were once cool, undiscovered finds are now borderline unbearable, with sky-high prices everywhere you look. The good news is that for every one of these overplayed, overhyped cities, new cities come along and fill the void they leave behind. That’s why we’re proclaiming these seven cities officially over for visitors, and propose seven even-better alternatives.

1. San Francisco, California

Photo: canadastock/Shutterstock

Why it’s over: As long as it has its sweeping views of San Francisco Bay and Marin County, SF will never really be “over,’ per se. But, as the most expensive place in the country and a city increasingly becoming an industry town for tech, it’s lost a big chunk of the character that made it such a unique destination. Look no further than Giants games, where, once upon a time, guys, six-beers deep, talked about baseball in the bleachers. Now, you’ll overhear discussions of cryptocurrency and IPOs over $12 craft beers in $100 box seats. San Francisco has gone upscale, where landmark dive bars seem to close every month, replaced by a cocktail-bar-du-jour serving $20 drinks full of unpronounceable ingredients and a big garnish of pretension. That, and despite all the money, the city still hasn’t done much about its rampant homelessness problem, which seems to be the number-one observation of every new visitor after they return home.

Where to go instead: Oakland, California

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Those sweeping views of the bay you get in SF are even more sweeping if you take a hike through Tilden Regional Park in Oakland, where trails lead to vistas over the entire Bay Area skyline. You know what else you can find in Oakland? All those cool, quirky, creative people that were living in San Francisco a decade ago, but have been priced out by people allergic to fun. Food here is no step down from what you’ll find across the way, with dynamic ethnic offerings from Chinese at Shandong, to Jamaican at Kingston 11, to Ethiopian at pretty much anywhere on Telegraph (but go with Café Colucci). For now, it’s still home to three pro sports teams, including A’s games, which are a welcome throwback to the Candlestick outfield of yesteryear. Though it lacks the glamour of its western neighbor, Oakland is equally as fascinating a destination when done right.

2. Nashville, Tennessee

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Why it’s over: Nashville was once a fun place to go and catch up-and-coming country stars. Now, it’s a place to catch the latest up-and-coming penis hats as it seemingly hosts every single bachelorette party in America. Every. Damn. Weekend. That’s not to say throngs of women wearing jorts, black boots, and matching black “#samedickforever” tank tops is a necessarily a bad thing, it’s just that bars full of them might not be everyone’s cup of whiskey. The influx of tourists now means you’ll wait an hour for hot chicken at Hattie B’s, and possibly until 2022 at Pancake Pantry. Sure, you can still catch better live music watching Sunday Ticket at a sports bar here than at any club in most major cities. But you’ll also be doing it next to people rooting for every team BUT the Titans, and probably another bachelorette party.

Where to go instead: Memphis, Tennessee.

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

It’s the same neon and live music you’ll find in Nashville, minus the invasion of pre-nuptials. Beale Street is still touristy, make no mistake, but the blues clubs here still feel gritty and real, and if you sit down at the bar on a slow night you’ll likely find yourself next to a Memphian lifer, who can tell you stories about the city you wouldn’t believe. Go to the right place, and the food here is every bit as good as Music City’s, with inventive Cajun spots like The Second Line and upscale Italian like Catherine and Mary’s drawing national attention. Plus, it’s got Graceland, which is way better than Dollywood.

3. Austin, Texas

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Why it’s over: People used to wax poetic about Austin, saying it was “like a little slice of California in the middle of Texas.” And they’re still right. Except now that slice of California means endless traffic, high prices, and bars filled with tech dudes. Not only has Austin failed to “stay weird,” it’s sold the heck out. Its once quirky bars now feel gimmicky, with lines out the door and crowds full of transplants. Austin also failed to plan for its explosive growth, to the point where people sell the “fun” of waiting an hour for pretty-good brisket as a tourist attraction. Austin still has plenty of creative people and a vibe that’s decidedly different than most of Texas. The only problem is you’ll pay through the nose and wait forever to experience it.

Where to go instead: San Marcos, Texas

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The home of Texas State University is a popular destination for the musicians, artists, and general hippie weirdos priced out of Austin when California moved in. You’ll find the same quality of live music in spots like the Cheatham Street Warehouse and Stonewall as you will in most of Austin, as well as barbecue just down the road in Lockhart that won’t require an hour in line. Austin culinary stalwarts like Blue Dahlia have opened outposts here. Plus, San Marcos is home to its namesake river, where some of the best tubing and beer-soaked float trips in America go down all summer long.

4. South Beach, Florida

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Why it’s over: As greedy landlords, throngs of careless tourists, and an unstable nightlife industry have forced all the cool new things opening in Miami to the city’s mainland, South Beach has become a wasteland of abandoned storefronts, overpriced restaurants, and tourists twerking on top of police cars. You can still find some good restaurants on the beach, but most of what you’ll find are Italian restaurants who think $24 for a plate of spaghetti is normal, and bars who add tip to your bill without telling you. South Beach has become so dependent on soaking tourists, that aside from a handful of cocktail bars, the city hasn’t opened anything worth visiting in a decade. And as mainland Miami becomes a world-class city with most of the area’s art and culture, South Beach feels more like a giant tourist trap every day.

Where to go instead: Delray Beach, Florida

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Yes, once upon a time, this was only a place people went to live out their days playing shuffleboard and complaining about deli service. But over the past decade, Delray has turned itself into the South Florida city of choice for young professionals looking for great food and nightlife in a beachy destination. Clubs like Salt7 and Honey aren’t exactly LIV, but you’re probably not exactly LIV either. And clubs like this have the same attractive crowd with far more accessibility. Atlantic Avenue is lined with restaurants that measure up to anything further south, with spots like Max’s Harvest luring successful South Beach chefs with cheaper costs and easier crowds. The beach here is just as turquoise as it is in Miami, and unless you were looking to party with rappers and models, Delray will give you all you’re looking for in a South Florida vacation.

5. Napa, California

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Why it’s over: Even before the unfortunate fires of last year, Napa had become the most overplayed wine destination in the world. A spot that was once a high-class retreat for discriminating connoisseurs became a place where wineries lived and died by charging $25 a tasting to busloads of tourists. Will you find finer wine here than in most other American regions? Probably. Will you be able to tell the difference between a $50 bottle and a $10 bottle after winery number 2? Absolutely not, so don’t waste your money. Hotels and restaurants here get in on the gouging as well — burgers are $20 and rooms at the Holiday Inn top $300. All for food, wine, lodging, and scenery that can be found elsewhere for half the price.

Where to go instead: Paso Robles, California

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This small town about halfway between San Francisco and LA still feels like a small town, where vintners will come out and talk just for the love of the juice. And tour buses are nary a sight. Tastings run about $10 at places like Pomar Junction Vineyard, where Friday nights feature live music in the courtyard and a barbecue. Or Tobin James Cellars, where the tasting hosts pour with a heavy hand and the décor is a throwback to the wild west. It’s a far-less pretentious destination where tasting room cornhole is a regular thing, boasting all the Central California scenery of your Sideways fantasies. Even sommeliers will tell you a visit here is as worthwhile, or better than anything further north.

6. Honolulu, Hawaii

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Why it’s over: It’s no huge revelation that once-romantic Waikiki has become a chain-restaurant-stuffed shopping mall packed with tourists from both sides of the Pacific. That’s been over for a while. And though the city has improved its nightlife and restaurant offerings in places like Chinatown with Bar Leather Apron and Pig and the Lady, they’re not exactly close to the beach and are filled mostly with locals. Which, if you know anything about Hawaii, aren’t exactly embracing tourists with open arms. The city also has a rampant homeless problem (can you blame them?) and some serious drug issues it’s still trying to work out. And if you try and venture off the shopping-bag filled streets of Waikiki, you’ll run into them almost instantly.

Where to go instead: US Virgin Islands

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Aside from doing your patriotic duty to help rebuild one of the hardest-hit areas from 2017’s hurricane season, going to the Virgin Islands will also have you questioning why you ever considered Honolulu. What it lacks in surfing and Tom Selleck TV shows it makes up for in jaw-dropping scenery, whether it’s the emerald mountains along the gondola ride to the top of Paradise Point in St. Thomas, or the complete isolation of the beach at Buck Island in St. Croix. Locals here don’t just tolerate visitors, they’re welcoming in the warm, laughing way that gets people addicted to the Caribbean. Because of the hurricanes, tourists have been afraid to go back, and you’ll find the white powder beaches have plenty of space. As will the beachfront bars in St. John, where waterfall hikes through the jungle are every bit the paradise of Hawaii.

7. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Photo: Dean Fikar/Shutterstock

Why it’s over: Once upon a time, this was a charming, western-themed resort town that drew affluent guests alongside the rugged, western folk that gave the place its charm. Those people have been priced out of Jackson Hole, where the most expensive weekend rentals in America on some weekend now dominate the real estate scene. What’s resulted is a city that feels completely populated by rich tourists, like St. Tropez in the mountains. Which is great if you happen to own a shipbuilding company or you’re Kanye West. Not so great if you’re just someone looking for a ski weekend in a cool western town.

Where to go instead: Telluride, Colorado

Photo: Danica Chang/Shutterstock

It’s not cheap either, but Telluride is still the kind of place Neil Diamond can walk around in a baseball cap and jeans and never get bothered. It’s upscale, but somehow still feels authentic, like the rich folks who bought up expensive ski homes agreed to assimilate and go for beers at O’Bannon’s or The Last Dollar Saloon instead of opening up tasting rooms or anything with the word “craft.” The historic downtown might be the most picturesque of any small town in America, and the hikes in the mountains around the city are still free. So, for a place that feels like the old west but still keeps its class, Telluride is the place to go. Oh, and weed is legal here too.

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A new airline is causing an uproar in Canadian airspace by offering cross-country fares as low as $29 each way. Swoop, an offshoot of WestJet, launched service on June 20th and has adopted the model of budget-friendly airlines which upcharge for basic conveniences and shuttle passengers between smaller airports that are easier on the wallet.

At the launch of their service, the airline offers direct flights to Canadian cities such as Halifax, Nova Scotia; Hamilton, Ontario; and Abbotsford, British Columbia. They also fly into two major Canadian cities: Winnipeg, Manitoba and Edmonton, Alberta. Swoop hopes to bring their ultra-cheap fares across the border to the United States this fall with flights from Canada into Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa, as well as Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Those comfortable with the model of ultra-cheap airlines will feel right at home on Swoop. Fares may start at $29, but don’t plan on getting across the Great White North for quite that cheap. The airline plans to charge between $27 and $69 for a carry-on, up to $19.75 for seat selection, and up to $15 for priority boarding. If something goes wrong and you impulsively call their customer service line, that’s another $8 — if the issue could have been solved by visiting the airline’s website. Still, these add-ons keep a one-way flight under $100, a major dip from the more expensive carriers in a country notorious for high airfare-related taxes and expensive travel.

The airline is hoping to follow the success of other budget airlines like Frontier and Iceland’s WOW Air, and convince people turned off by the a la carte travel experience that it may still be cheaper to fly with them than an all-inclusive airline. “It is an education process and I think people will adapt over time,” said Swoop President Steven Greenway to the CBC. If you’re a budget traveler, you can finally take in the mountains of Banff or enjoy those famous PEI Mussels on the country’s east coast for less than the cost of a tank of gas — as long as you’re comfortable in the middle seat with a bag on your lap.

H/T: Conde Nast Traveler

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