Travel In Life

Apparently, you can’t go wrong with a home that’s named after a piece of furniture. For solid evidence to support that oddball architectural claim, look no further than The Old Blue Chair tiny house, which is as adorable as it sounds. A husband and wife team designed the Chattanooga, Tennessee home and tapped Tennessee Tiny Homes to realize their vision.

Two years ago I was in a state of constant travel, on a trip that took me from my home in Seattle throughout the United States and Europe. Along the way, I learned a variety of lessons. I learned how to pack really, really well. I learned how to let go of attachments to most of my possessions, especially when I couldn’t fit them in my bag. And I learned a handful of useful (and not-so-useful) expressions in German, Greek, and French.

Have you ever seen a crowd going apes**t over a world-renowned art museum? Well, you could soon bear witness to this phenomenon, that is, if you’re one of the lucky visitors who get to take the new 90-minute self-guided tour of all the paintings in the Louvre that appeared in Beyonce and Jay’s recent music video. OK, so tourists will definitely be required to keep their reactions low-key (please see: European etiquette rules).

I love travel, which means I tolerate air travel. When the flight attendants say, “Sit back and enjoy your flight,” I feel like the more honest phrase would be, “Sit back and get through your flight.” And I am generally pretty good at doing just that: a few Netflix shows downloaded on my phone, some podcasts and Candy Crush and I can keep myself occupied for the next few hours. But, for the longest time, there was one part of flying I couldn’t figure out: sleeping.

No surprise we are big fans of IKEA’s home decor. But you ought to know by now that the Swedish superstore delights and amazes outside the home as well. In fact, an $14 IKEA find is the best travel companion that’s ever hit the road with me. (No offense to past travel buddies!) It was love at first sight when I saw this FÖRENKLA shoulder bag hanging on the wall at IKEA. I adore the color, the functionality, and the smart design.

Americans don't bat an eye at things like drive-through milkshakes the size of your face, and chatting up the waiter before leaving them a big tip. But it turns out that kind of behavior is downright strange to people who live elsewhere.

Softly lit chick-flick fans, rejoice: the romantic Cortona villa featured in Under the Tuscan Sun has recently been gut renovated for real, and is now available to rent for your next Italian getaway. While mentorship and mothering from Diane Lane are sadly not included, you can host a wedding there.

It’s officially summer and America’s birthday is on the way. With the Fourth of July approaching, Google Maps is encouraging everyone stay in good spirits by providing traffic reports for 25 major U.S cities to help us navigate through the huge holiday crowds. In my hometown of Washington, DC, traffic on the Fourth is extremely intense because of the yearly fireworks show held on the National Mall.

Planning a vacation with more than four people is always a headache, right? A relaxing girlfriends getaway to Turks and Caicos somehow turns into a huge web of commotion as everyone attempts to coordinate dates, costs, etc. Well, it looks like the days of major group chat chaos are behind us, as KAYAK has introduced Trip Huddle, a planning tool that helps ease the early stress of vacationing for the head planner-in-charge amongst your group of friends.

Maybe it’s the beautiful weather—or maybe it’s the surge of long weekends—but there’s something about summer that makes us want to pack our bags and go somewhere fabulous. To help get your summer off to an awesome, jetsetting start, we asked 15 designers about their favorite vacation spots. Whether you’re craving an all-American road trip or a week abroad, consider your summer travel plans set.

Depending on where you live and your proximity to a popular summer travel destination (the Grand Canyon? Disney World? New York City?) you may find yourself deep in houseguest season. I don’t live in a particularly touristy city, but I host houseguests frequently, and I think it’s part of the fun of having a house with room to share. In fact, in just a few weeks my husband’s brother and sister-in-law will be piling in with their three kids for a sleepover.

It’s official: the transparent trend has made its way to luxury travel. Modern luggage retailer Rimowa is celebrating 120 years of sophisticated travel with the June 25 release of their collaboration with Italian streetwear brand, Off-White. Creative-in-Chief Virgil Abloh and Off-White are used to making a statement; the designer’s upcoming collection with IKEA includes rugs that say KEEP OFF, as well as one that’s printed with a store receipt.

Airlines have gotten a bad rap lately for their treatment not just of people, but their pets—and rightly so, with regular incompetency dramas and tragedies making headlines. But one Florida-based airline wants to welcome all passengers flying with their companion animals—by enticing travelers with ridiculously low pet fees.

There’s a new, free way to get into the Outback, nary a Bloomin’ Onion in sight. Australia’s favorite airline and the tourism board for the Northern Territories want to pay your way to come and visit the real Outback for yourself.

Got big travel plans this summer? Whether you’re taking a staycation or going around the world, the question of the right luggage to bring is always top of mind. I’ll be doing a bit of my own world traveling this summer which means I’ve been up to serious suitcase research. For those flying this summer, we’ve, of course, offered a few of our own top picks for carry-ons, but now there’s a new bag that could very well be a game changer for the luggage industry.

Going on vacation is supposed to be relaxing and fun. But 9/10, everyone always feels like they need a vacation from their vacation. There is always so much to worry about before you leave. You need to check your luggage to make sure you packed everything you meant to. When you’re actually on vacation, you are worrying about your house and your pets, hoping that they are being good for the sitter. How many times have you stressed about turning the stove off before you left the house?

Growing up, my family went to a beloved, small lake town in the mountains every summer.

Stash these in your summer bag for lazy days, or in your everyday purse for those days when you want to take your lunch to the park.

How addicted to technology are you? Do you use your phone for everything? It isn’t just to text your friends and call your parents, right? You order food through your phone, shop online, scroll through social media. Hell, you can even do a ton of your banking and bills all right from your phone. What would you do if you lost your phone? Honestly, sometimes we need to put our phones down and just disconnect.

Booking a vacation is supposed to be relaxing, right? You go away for the sole purpose of escaping your day-to-day life for a week. But the actual process of planning that vacation can be a hassle. You can search multiple different sites to find the best deal and still feel like you totally missed out. If you are trying to book a flight, KAYAK is a great place to look. But what about where to stay? Hotels can be pricey, even at “discounted” rates.

Lagom is a Swedish lifestyle trend that just won’t quit. Defined loosely as “everything in moderation,” the concept of lagom (pronounced law-gum) is all about finding balance in your everyday life. To help us better understand the concept of lagom, we called on Niki Brantmark, creator of My Scandinavian Home and author of Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life, to break it down.

The architectural community is abuzz with the news that the first stateside IKEA hotel could be coming soon. Reportedly, the Swedish home goods giant has plans to expand its stake in the hospitality industry by converting the Pirelli Tire Building in New Haven, Connecticut into lodging.

You know what’s better than a call or a bouquet of flowers? Spending time with your mom. JetBlue announced a flight sale today so you can visit your family for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, starting at $39 each way.

If you’ve ever worked while on vacation, you’re definitely not alone. According to a recent study, 60 percent of Americans admit to working at least somewhat on their last trip. And while the desire to relax and the need to keep connected can be at odds, the trend of workcations don’t seem to be going anywhere. Like with many trends these days, we can point to millennials for the increase in workcations.

Life is better in Finland. Proof? A recent report from the United Nations finds that the Nordic nation’s inhabitants are the world’s happiest, as Finland ranks highest in top indicators of well-being, like income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity. (Norway, Denmark and Iceland take the next three spots, so clearly we should be taking these Nordic countries out for coffee and politely asking them to tell us everything).

Got a bad case of wanderlust? Maybe you’ve always dreamed of living abroad and wandering the stone streets of a medieval village or taking in the vistas of Iceland’s remote and unspoiled landscapes? Well, now you can live your dream. WOW Air, the Icelandic budget airline, has launched a competition to find the creator for its new Wow Travel Guides.

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.

If you’re planning your next vacation, might we suggest choosing Hawaii? You don’t need to shell out thousands for a luxury hotel. Instead, you can cut down on the space, but keep all of the class and check out this adorable treehouse cottage in a Hawaiian rainforest. Whoever said that you need a lot of space to have a nice place? They were certainly wrong and this little cottage proves that.

Forget sipping piña coladas on the beach. For their honeymoon, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are rumored to be heading out on a “glamping” trip in Africa. “Glamping,” which stands for “glamorous camping,” is a twist on the traditional tentpoles and campfire method of enjoying the great outdoors. Instead, Glamping sites come with all the luxe amenities of a hotel, while still immersed in nature.

How many times did your mom tell you to “never judge a book by its cover” when you were growing up? Well, as silly as that might have sounded when you were a kid, it is 100% true and this vacation home in Arizona is proof of that. This bunker might seem plain on the outside, but it is gorgeous on the inside. In Arizona’s San Rafael Valley sits Casa Caldera, an off-the-grid, self-sustaining home.

Apparently, catching a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis isn’t the easiest exploratory feat to check off your travel bucket list. But one surefire way of increasing the odds of witnessing the shimmery cosmic phenomenon up close and in person is to spend a few nights in the Panorama Glass Lodge, a family-owned seaside retreat in Iceland that grants guests full access to remote relaxation and plenty of aurora-viewing opportunities throughout the duration of their stay.

Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world this year, and no wonder! First there’s Kalsarikannit, the fine Finnish art of drinking alone at home in your underwear, and now there’s this extremely cool hotel situation. You can now take in the awe-inspiring majesty of the Northern Lights from the comfort of your own tiny hotel room.

Today’s #cabinporn alert comes courtesy of Mandalaki Design Studio‘s stunning seaside micro dwelling, the Monocabin. The sleek tiny home is basically the Greek getaway of every minimalist wanderluster’s dreams. For starters, the 270 square-foot-space sits near the Aegean Sea on Rhodes Island, but believe it or not, the prime location isn’t the only blissful architectural selling point.

You can shop Costco.com online without a membership. You may soon be able to get in the store to shop with only your library card. And if your store has an outdoor food court, you can eat as many $1.50 hot dogs as you want, uncarded. So you might be wondering why you’d ever want to pay $60 per year for a Costco membership in the first place. The membership club fans on /r/costco think that the warehouse store’s travel program is worth every penny of joining.

Now that Daylight Saving Time is upon us, we’re fast approaching a bunch of other indicators that spring has officially sprung. One of the loveliest is the blooming of the cherry blossoms in and around Washington, DC. Here’s when you can expect the trees to reach peak pink. The National Park Service is predicting that peak bloom dates for 2018 will be March 17th through the 20th.

Time can obscure memories as surely as fog can cloak a mountain, so when you posses an item — a totem, almost — that takes you back to a magical place you can never let it go. This romantic notion is how I come to own a dress that doesn’t really fit me and isn’t especially my style, but will never leave my hands.

When it comes to the average hiking enthusiast, not even unfavorable weather conditions could keep the intentional wanderers from setting out on foot for a mind-clearing, calorie-burning jaunt. However, a park guide in Brazil recently captured footage of an underwater hiking trail that would stop even the most persistent walker in their tracks.

Tiny house, big vacation? That’s what’s on tap at Tiny Estates, a former campground in Elizabethtown, Penn. that’s opening this spring as a Tiny House resort, the Daily Herald reports. Previously known as the Ridge Run Campground, the property was recently purchased by the Hobson family, who plan to build dozens of tiny homes for vacation-goers looking to get away. Each house will be unique, with its own design.

Are you interested in women’s only coworking spaces like The Wing but not all that interested in the working part? Have we got an island for you! SuperShe Island is a female only island in the archipelago of Finland. It officially opens to the public in 2018, so gather your girls and get to planning. SuperShe founder Kristina Roth was inspired to create the female-centric retreat after many “restorative vacations” in California.

If you look forward to busting out Scrabble or Monopoly as often as possible, we have good news. Every night is game night at this board game themed Airbnb in Claremont, Florida, outside of Orlando. Looks like Disney World and Universal Studios aren’t the only central Florida attractions. Dubbed Great Escape Lakeside, the 13 bedroom house sleeps a whopping 43 people and is basically a theme park in its own right. And with each room comes a different theme.

If you find yourself daydreaming about selling all of your possessions, downsizing into a trailer or van and just hitting the open road man, you’re probably not alone. If you find yourself held back from that life by a sense of practicality, a mortgage or a love of a particular city, then Camp Weathered might be exactly what you need. An adorable furnished teardrop trailer could be yours for all the mini adventures you desire, without the total lifestyle commitment.

Booking a stay at a traditional hotel is fine and dandy, unless you’re ready for accommodations that move you in a different direction – literally. Capitalizing off the architectural design theme of movement, Guntû is an upscale floating hotel that travels along the shores of Japan’s Seto inland sea. Japanese architect Yasushi Horibe created this unique vacation-themed vessel, which seems like the easiest way to kick up your heels and get your sea legs at the same time.

Aiming to escape your responsibilities by “getting lost” in the wilderness? Well, you might as well do it in style. This charming “Lost Cottage“, located in the lush hills of southwestern Ireland, is the perfect place to wander aimlessly and take in your surroundings for a bit. Situated on 85 acres, the sweet escape is now available as a vacation rental.

If you want to get a taste of what life is like in the North, then get yourself to Finland, where a Game of Thrones themed ice hotel has just opened. Lapland Hotels SnowVillage collaborated with HBO Nordic to create the 24 room accommodations—ten of which are suites—which is located beyond the Arctic Circle, an hour and a half flight from Helsinki. The White walkers are here. Would you like to spend a night in this bed?

Do you dream about Fallingwater? Wish you could call Taliesin West or the Robie House home? Well FLW fans and architecture buffs, you can now spend the night (or several) in one of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s original creations: The Eppstein House. In 1951, Wright designed The Eppstein House in Galesburg, Michigan for Samuel and Dorothy Eppstein (alas, no relation to this writer).

Last week, Prince Harry and soon-to-be duchess Meghan Markle released their astonishing engagement photos for the world to see and we’ve been itching for the 411 ever since. The royal couple wore complementing ensembles as they gazed into each other’s eyes and posed at the historic Frogmore House.

2017 is a big year for Bristol. Not only did the Rough Guides crown Bristol as the coolest city in Britain, the Sunday Times also named it best place to live in the country. This vibrant city in the southwest of England has beaten rivals like London, Oxford or Edinburgh, and should definitely be on the list for your next city break in the UK.

Losing your luggage can be a living nightmare. On top of not having access to your stuff while your traveling, you have the daunting task of filing claims and filling out lengthy reports to look forward to—and even then, the safe return of your luggage isn’t guaranteed. It’s no surprise then that more and more travelers are signing up for traveler’s insurance—i.e.

I know we’re in the middle of holiday season craziness—including all the bonkers travel many are about to embark on—but now would be a great time to plan a winter vacation. JetBlue is having a sweet sale, but it’s only good for two days. The folks at JetBlue realize even adults could use recess from time to time, so that’s what they’re giving you. From now until December 13, snag 15 percent off base fares with code RECESS.

Even if you’ve never heard of a ryokan, the traditional Far East style of bed & breakfast is about to start blowing up your social media feeds, according to Airbnb. The peer to peer vacation rental giant cites two cities in Japan in its top three most popular cities, and projects a 2175 percent increase in booking requests to Korea ahead of the Olympics, in its just-released 2018 Travel Trend Forecast.

Happy hectic travel season, y’all! If you’ve booked a red eye home for the holidays or are flying internationally to see your friends or family, you may be all too familiar with the in-flight sleep struggle. We’ve covered some of the best products to stick in your carry-on to help you drift off, and maybe you like to use it as TV catch up time, but winding down after a high-stress couple of hours is no easy task.

If your New Year’s Resolution involves more travel, you may need to start rethinking the way you pack. That is, if you’ll be traveling by air, and are the proud and stylish owner of smart luggage—the kind made by brands like Away, Bluesmart, and Raden. That’s right, the luggage that can charge your phone and track your valuables is no longer welcome aboard the cargo holds of some major American carriers.

800 million people use Instagram to share pictures of their friends, food and vacations. The popular app just released their end of year data, and it’s a fun look into where people are ‘gramming, who they followed, and what filters they slapped onto their photos. New York slides into the top place for most Instagrammed location.

Have you ever thought about just up and moving to a new city halfway across the globe? If you’re not just fantasizing and you’re really considering a major move, you may want to consider which cities have a super high cost of living first. Each year, The Economist releases their Worldwide Cost of Living Report which determines the most—and least—expensive cities around the globe. This year, the report ranked the most expensive city as Singapore.

If you’re more of an “experiences” person rather than a “stuff” person, Black Friday/Cyber Week can still be for you. Namely, airlines are offering sweet deals on flights to scratch your travel itch. Here are some great sales if you’re looking to get away for a little (or a lot) less. Southwest’s Cyber Week deals include both domestic and international options.

I’m not going home for Thanksgiving, but if I were, there are a few things I would do to prepare myself for traveling back to the Midwest during one of the craziest times of the year: Force myself to pack light, download a meditation app, and mentally prepare to have my hair touched. For many black women (but not all! I don’t speak for all of us! ) traveling means putting yourself in the line of fire of overly aggressive hands. But now there’s a game for us, by us.

Next week marks the beginning of every traveler’s least favorite time to fly: the holiday season. Between busy airports where human beings are on their absolute worst behavior to flight cancellations and delays, it’s a stressful time to be on the move.

Parisians have yet again cornered the market on being effortlessly chic: City officials just installed public fountains dispensing free bubbly water in each and every arrondissement. The public sparkling water fountains are a community initiative to “encourage residents to stay hydrated and reduce plastic waste,” according to Vogue.

If you’re looking to jet off across the pond, we have good news: Budget carrier WOW Air is currently selling one way fares from the US to destinations across Europe for just $99.

Nowadays whenever an airline is making headlines, it’s usually ranges from bad news to very bad news. But Southwest Airlines just released some news that is…good? Bad? It sort of depends on your general outlook; the airline will now offer surprise, pop-up, in-flight concerts.

The self proclaimed smallest hotel in the world is also something that might get you punched in the arm: A truly tiny and very stylish Volkswagon Beetle in the Jordan desert. Parked in the shadow of the 12th century castle of Montreal, the hotel is run by Mohammed Al Malaheem (who goes by Abu Ali, according to CNN) and has welcomed visitors into the repurposed car since 2011. Take a look inside: The Bug, which was decorated by Ali’s daughter, sleeps two people and costs $56 a night.

Sometimes, a vacation selfie just isn’t going to cut it. Sure, your tan looks great, but you can’t get the full ocean view and your lovely visage in one shot. Well the Conrad Maldives Hotel Rangali Island is now offering the services of an Instagram butler to help you get the best vacation shots possible. While technically less of a Mr.

Do you typically reserve your usage of Google Maps for finding places to go and things to do that don’t scare the crap out of you? If that describes you, then a) welcome to the fearful fold, fellow reluctant Halloweeners, and b) you probably won’t be mapping any of the locations on this list of 31 haunted places to visit that the search engine has taken painstaking measures to compile.

If glamour and camping equal glamping, that must mean floating while camping can succinctly be described as flamping, right? Who knows, but that’s our (really weird) attempt at describing The Shoal Tent by Smith Fly, an inflatable floating raft with a tent topper that allows campers to sleep on the water. Obviously, traditional camping rules don’t apply if you’re using this tent.

A lot goes into planning a vacation. Where should you go? When can you take time off? What gets you the most bang for your buck? Should you do a lot of long weekends or a few big trips? At times all of the run around and crazy planning can seem like it just isn’t worth it, how can you enjoy your vacation when you’re not doing it right. Luckily, science is here to remove some of the guess work.

We already know that Google knows all — that’s why we turn to our phone browsers for everything from mac and cheese recipes to remembering the capital of Wyoming. But it turns out that all our brainless searching serves a broader benefit. With all of that non-stop, up-to-the-minute data, Google can predict a lot. For instance, flights. Especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas when it seems like everyone is traveling.

It’s Apartment Therapy reader month! Join us every Thursday afternoon for Homebody Happy Hour—it’s your chance to unwind with fellow design fans and unload your thoughts on some fun conversation topics. Home is where the heart — and the coffee, bed and blankets — is. But as much as we love reveling in the homebody life, society and sanity both require that we get out of the house once in a while.

Exciting news, frequent fliers. You won’t have to miss out on messages while you’re in the air, thanks to one airline’s new free in-flight messaging. Delta CEO Ed Bastian announced on CBS This Morning Wednesday that the company will offer a free in-flight messaging service starting this weekend. It means that passengers can use use iMessage, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger on planes with wifi—without paying for internet service.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to traipse New York City and see its streets through the eyes — and stiletto-clad heels — of Carrie Bradshaw, then now is your chance. Sarah Jessica Parker has partnered up with Airbnb Experiences to offer four lucky fans the chance to shop and tour Manhattan for a day — not just alongside a legendary New Yorker, but with the actual actress who played Carrie Bradshaw (for six seasons and two movies) as your tour guide.

Pagans of the good times will love this design award-winning church conversion loft in London, which is now available for rent for approximately $1,000 per week. Hallelujah, travel gods. In the North East London borough of Waltham Forest, just about 10 miles by Tube to downtown London via Charing Cross station, the Chingford chapel loft on Buxton Road features two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, dining for 12, and enough designer appeal to bring one to their knees.

It’s not even officially autumn yet, but we’re here to tell you that it’s already time to start thinking about holiday travel (it’ll be here sooner than you think). If your Thanksgiving plans are a plane ride away, here is when you should be booking that flight. According to flight aggregator and booking site Expedia, 61 to 90 days in advance is when you should commit to your travel plans if you want the best deal.

With summer officially coming to an end in a few weeks, and Labor Day already here, it’s hard not to have a little FOMO about soaking up what’s left of the sunshine by the pool. Fear not, we poked around the interwebs and found a dozen swoon-worthy, Pinnable-for-later getaway ideas, all booking now for fall and holiday vacays so you can spread out the leisure. Because, you know, winter — it is coming.