Travel & Tourism

Louisville – October 08, 2026 -- Tickets for the 153rd Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks went on sale today at Churchill Downs Racetrack, including a brand-new Infield Turf Cabana option along the turf course.

Infield Turf Cabanas cost $480 per ticket for a two-day package

The covered cabanas seat groups of 12 and offer views of the first turn and the Derby and Oaks walkover. Amenities include executive restroom trailers, concessions and new bar concepts. Food and beverages are sold separately for Infield tickets.

Victory Run Reserved Seating runs $1,632 for the two-day package

This temporary stadium-style seating sits just past the Finish Line with overhead coverage for most of the area. The all-inclusive price covers food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, a daily program, off-site parking and shuttle service to the track.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – October 07, 2026 -- Atlas Ocean Voyages has announced its 2028/29 Antarctica season, adding 25 yacht-style expeditions that sail from October 2028 through March 2029.

Drake Fly & Sail departures double from two to four trips

The company's popular Drake Fly & Sail program, which pairs a sea crossing of the Drake Passage with a private charter flight for the return leg, expands from two departures in 2027/28 to four nine-night voyages in the new season. Atlas also continues its seven-night Drake Express trips, which fly guests across the Drake Passage in both directions for six full days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula, alongside nine-night Antarctic Discovery voyages that make the classic roundtrip sea crossing.

Celebration, Fla. – October 07, 2026 -- Disney Cruise Line will launch its newest ship, the Disney Believe, on December 18, 2027, sailing from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. General bookings open October 19, 2026.

The ship will offer four- and five-night sailings to the Caribbean and The Bahamas, with stops at Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. It is the fourth vessel in the Wish class, joining the Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, as the fleet grows to 13 ships by late 2030.

Aspen – October 07, 2026 -- Skiers at Aspen Snowmass will carry pocket-sized artwork this winter after Aspen One announced that Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes has designed the 2026/27 season's lift tickets and season passes. The collaboration falls under Aspen One's Art in Unexpected Places (ArtUP) program, which has turned lift tickets into collectible art for more than two decades.

Five Milhazes works transform everyday ski passes

Five pieces from Milhazes' screenprint and painting catalog -- Flip Flop (2010), Rosa Branca no Centro (1997), A Prata e o Ouro (1997/98), Bossinha (2011), and Belezinha (2011) -- will appear across the Aspen Cards used for lift tickets and season passes.

Denver – October 07, 2026 -- Globus & Cosmos have introduced Unpack and Explore Tours, a new line of trips that base travelers in one or two hotels for multiple nights instead of moving locations daily, with prices starting at $2,099 per person.

Travelers stay put while day trips do the moving

The tours let guests settle into a single destination and take included sightseeing excursions and day trips from that base, rather than packing and unpacking at a new hotel each night. Globus and Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides accompany each trip, offering recommendations while leaving free time for independent exploration.

Puerto Vallarta – October 07, 2026 -- Puerto Vallarta has been ranked the Second Best Small City in the World and the top small city in Latin America in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2026, based on votes from 798,867 readers. It is the second consecutive year the Mexican Pacific destination has held a top spot in the ranking.

The city placed behind Victoria, Canada, and ahead of Florence, Italy, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and Lucerne, Switzerland.

Readers cite beaches, cobblestone streets, and the Romantic Zone's nightlife

Condé Nast Traveler pointed to Puerto Vallarta's Historic Center, its culinary scene, art, and sea excursions to Yelapa, Banderas Bay, and the Sierra Madre Occidental as reasons for the ranking.

NEW YORK – October 07, 2026 -- Royal Grand Resorts, a new 30-room adults-only hotel built for gay men, opens this November in Manuel Antonio on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast, with reservations now open at royalgrandresorts.com.

The resort skips ultra-luxury pricing for upscale rooms and amenities

Rooms span five categories, from the 290-square-foot Royal Queen Room to the 527-square-foot Royal Grand Suite. Every room includes a private balcony, individually controlled air conditioning, robes, slippers, a mini fridge, a safe and a coffee maker. Breakfast is included every morning.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – October 07, 2026 -- The 6th Annual Pumpkins & Palm Trees Fall Festival returns to Las Olas Oceanside Park on Saturday, October 24, 2026, with free admission and an expanded lineup of carnival rides, a student pie-baking contest and a musical trick-or-treat trail.

Presented by the City of Fort Lauderdale Beach Business Improvement District (BBID), the family event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Las Olas Oceanside Park, 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd., with the Oceanside Community MKT open separately from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free admission covers photo stations, STEM exhibits and candy games

Entry to the festival itself costs nothing. Included activities feature an interactive photo station sponsored by Stoked on Salt, hands-on exploration aboard the MODS STEMobile, balloon artistry from SoFlo Community Markets, lawn games with candy prizes and the Broward Center Spotlights Trick-or-Treat Trail, running from noon to 2 p.m.

New York – October 07, 2026 -- Domestic holiday airfares have jumped sharply this year, with Thanksgiving round-trip fares up 15% and Christmas fares up 16% compared to last year, according to new data from flight deals app Going. International fares, by contrast, have stayed essentially flat for both holidays.

Going flight expert Willis Orlando attributes the increase to rising fuel and labor costs, strong summer travel demand that outpaced available seats, and the exit of a major low-cost carrier from the market. His advice to travelers: book early and know the right days to fly.

Monday before Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve offer the cheapest departures

Going's data shows Monday, Nov. 23, and Christmas Eve are the cheapest days to depart for Thanksgiving and Christmas travel, respectively. The weekends immediately before and after each holiday remain the most expensive days to fly, whether departing or returning.

Albuquerque, N.M. – October 07, 2026 -- River cruising, once dominated by guests in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, is now drawing Generation X, Millennial, and family travelers, according to Craig S. Pavlus, founder and CEO of Pavlus Travel & Cruise.

River cruising accounts for about 7 percent of total overnight cruise capacity but is growing quickly, Pavlus says, citing data from Cruise Lines International Association. Global river cruise capacity sits at roughly 61,000 berths compared with about 776,000 lower berths for ocean cruising.

Younger guests are booking thanks to onboard tech upgrades.

Pavlus credits innovations like Starlink internet, enhanced entertainment, and mobile apps for broadening the guest mix beyond the traditional Mature Traveler and Baby Boomer base.