Travel

It allows people to “be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there.”

Though they’re pretty ubiquitous now, the first guy to tote a U-shaped travel pillow on a plane probably got a few sideways glances. Alas, it’s not a perfect design, and many gadgets have since hit the market to try to maximize comfort during increasingly uncomfortable flying conditions. Here are five such products, silly though they look, that might just let you get some sweet, sweet sleep.

On the spectrum of Harry Potter fandom, I’m somewhere in the middle. Thanks to Pottermore, I know my houses (Hufflepuff and Horned Serpent at Ilvermorny, the American equivalent of Hogwarts), my Patronus (fox), and my wand (redwood, phoenix feather core, 12 and a quarter inches, pliant). I’ve read the original books and seen the movies, but I won’t win any trivia competitions, and I’m in no rush to sit through the five-plus hours of “Cursed Child.

Earlier this year, Target revealed its new line Made By Design that is all about getting back to basics, selling everything from coffeemakers to closet organizers. But the brand’s latest addition supports endeavors of trekking outside the home: with its new luggage. The products are meant to deliver elevated quality and design while staying affordable.

Airbnb is awesome – until it’s not. Ten years in, face it, it’s still a leap of faith as a traveler to go stay in a stranger’s home. You roll the dice and could land in a place that makes all your dreams come true — I’ve found some absolute treasures like that. Or maybe it’s not horrible but it’s a boring corporate rental.