Also: Solo travelers boldly go forth and the latest skiing trends
In our travel news roundup this week: the rise in solo dining, where to save money at US ski resorts, plus the Californian hot-air balloon company offering a rather cheeky package. By Maureen O'Hare |
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🎈 Your love keeps lifting me higher |
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A cozy couple's basket on a hot-air balloon ride. (Magical Adventure Balloon Rides) |
Is it getting hot in here, or is a gas-burner propelling a dirigible above our heads? A California-based hot-air balloon company is offering mile-high flights – with amorous Mile-High Club privileges – over the Temecula countryside. Guests can enjoy the views with a whole basket to themselves – and a privacy screen separating the pilot compartment from the passenger cabin. The pilot, who Magical Adventure Balloon Rides promises will be wearing protective hearing gear and focused solely on flying, ascends the balloon to 5,280 feet (about 1,610 meters), which is about 2,000 feet higher than a typical recreational flight. While intimate clinches are usually thoroughly discouraged in the skies, the company invites you to bring your own bedding and music playlist. A complimentary Champagne breakfast is included to fuel your frolics, of whatever sort. Pricing for two passengers starts at $1,400. If your mantra is "the more the merrier," each additional adult in the larger 10-person basket is $159. The Mile-High Club flight is just one of a host of packages on offer, from wine tours to company picnics, the rest of which are considerably more family-friendly. |
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Sometimes it can seem like the world is full of lovers floating high on cloud nine, but don't fret if you're going it alone this Valentine's season: You're bang on trend. Millennials and Gen Z are breaking down the stigma attached to solo dining in an era when more Americans live alone than ever before. Some do it for convenience; some do it for freedom — either way, reservations for one are on the rise. Once you've mastered dining alone, it's time for bigger challenges, such as walking across Saudi Arabia. British explorer Alice Morrison, who has been called "Indiana Jones for girls," is in the middle of her five-month trek of 2,500 kilometers (about 1,550 miles). Others are opting for a permanent adventure. Californian Jason Bennett gave up his life in San Francisco for a new home in Colombia. Today he says his happiness is "off the charts." |
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⛰️ Ain't no mountain high enough |
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North America's highest peak is back in the news, and now a New Zealand peak has been granted personhood. It's clear that mountains are having a moment. It's also prime skiing season. If you've already read our recent guide on where to save money at North America's "extortionate" ski resorts, then you might want to next take a look at the latest ski trend booming in the United States: "earning your turns" with an uphill climb. For lesser-explored slopes, snow enthusiasts should consider Turkey's Kaçkar Mountains, an unspoiled land of alpine adventure whose terrain creates ideal conditions for heli-skiing. In 2024, an 18-year-old Nepalese mountaineer became the youngest person to summit the world's highest peaks. Nima Rinji Sherpa now wants other Sherpas to realize their potential as athletes and professional mountaineers and not just as support staff for climbers. If you're hitting the powder this season, you will of course be needing to wrap up warm. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, has this guide to the best ski jackets of 2025. |
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Best places to visit in 2025
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Ballerina Victoria Dauberville was filmed performing a dance on a ship's bow in Antarctica that was so enchanting, social media users were convinced it was AI. Here's how she and filmmaker Mathieu Forget did it. |
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Some Canadians are boycotting travel to the United States because of President Donald Trump. "We're going to keep our money in our own country," says one. A state of emergency has been declared on the Greek island of Santorini. Around 11,000 people are thought to have fled the tourist haven after earthquakes. This snowy Japanese town is a hot spot for lovestruck movie fans. But overtourism is causing trouble in paradise. They met on vacation and became best friends. Then they recreated their favorite photo 30 years later. |
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