Give a little space“No crowding,” shares Sharon Schweitzer, an etiquette expert. “In a multiple stall bathroom, don’t choose a stall immediately next to one in use. Sound a little extreme? It’s not. Taking care of private business in a public bathroom is unnerving when a stranger insists on crowding what little privacy is available in a stall.”ⓘ Hands off the handicapped stallNo, unless you’re genuinely handicapped. “Avoid using the handicapp

Forgetting to check with your doctor firstWhen can you fly with a baby? According to webmd.com, age isn’t a huge factor. Still, if you have a newborn less than 2 months old, you should check with your doctor first before buying tickets. Babies need time to develop their immune system, which is why not all babies may be ready for air travel. A pediatrician can say whether or not your baby is ready and counsel you on any precautions you should be taking. Being unprepared for take-off and lan

Leave your powders at homeNo one likes opening an eye shadow palette after a flight, only to have cracked pieces crumble everywhere. The fact is that your carry-on is likely to experience a few bumps along the flight. To avoid ending up with a grainy mess, leave your powders—both loose and pressed—at home. Divya Gugnani, Co-Founder of Wander Beauty, experienced these hiccups firsthand before creating a line of beauty products specifically designed for busy women on the go. “As a beauty ent

Plan your next tripPart of the heartbreak of returning home from vacation is having nothing to look forward to on the horizon. Fix that by planning your next trip. Even if hopping onto another plane isn’t realistic just yet, you can start small by scoping out possible places to go. Once you’ve got the location down, decide how you’ll budget for the trip. Knowing the exact steps you’ll need to take to make the vacation a reality will make the time go by even faster. These are the mone

If you dream of an island getaway, you like to completely switch offSome people look forward to being as active and adventurous as possible while on holiday, but this doesn’t really appeal to you. As someone who works extremely hard or has a lot on her plate on the home front, you want your time off to be as chilled out and stress-free as possible, which is why you would love to visit a place with sandy beaches and clear waters like the Elephants and Emerald Islands. “Those seeking a

Mall of America, Bloomington, MinnesotaTime really flies when it comes to Mall of America (MOA), which seems like it opened just a few years ago, as the largest shopping mall in the Western Hemisphere. Well, it has been 25 years since its emergence on the world-shopping scene and in that time, nearly 8,000 couples have been married at the mall—in its chapel and at unique venues such as on the mall’s roller coaster. You can even be married under water in full scuba gear in the Mall’s

1. Alaska AirAlaska Airlines scored the coveted number one spot. According to The Points Guy, this should come as no big surprise because Alaska Airlines is known to be an all-around excellent airline, which is why it placed in the top three for half the criteria, including airfare prices, on-time arrivals, lost baggage, customer satisfaction, and its frequent flier program. Alaska Airlines is currently in the process of merging with Virgin America, so the study authors combined their scores ins

Choose a focal pointOne of the best ways to make a landscape appear more interesting is to add a focal point. This could be a tree in the distance, a landmark, or a person. Choose something that will capture your audience’s attention and keep them interested. Your focal point could even add an element of story or mystery to your photo. Here are tips to make yourself look better in photos.ⓘ Create a sense of depthBeautiful landscapes sometimes don’t transfer successfully to photography beca

Have a morning-heavy itineraryAvoid the heat of the day by scheduling your most active activities for before noon. You’ll be more energized and less sweaty, and you’ll have the rest of the day to relax. Take a walking tourSpending time on foot is the best way to get a real feel of any city, village, or resort. As soon as you arrive at your destination, take the opportunity to walk around and explore your surroundings. Pick a few restaurants along your path and make reservations, and check out th

Book the right roomChoose a room on an upper floor, midway down the hallway if you can. That location is your best bet for staying away from noisy areas like vending machines, exits, elevators, pools, and meeting spaces, says Richard Shane, PhD, behavioral sleep specialist for New West Physicians, Colorado, and creator of the Sleep Easily Method. Ask if your room has blackout shades to keep the light out. “Most hotels have them, but they may be just in some rooms and not others, so you want to s

Make frequent stopsEvery two hours or so, give yourself a break by pulling into a rest stop to stretch your legs. Even if you don’t have time to shut your eyes while you’re stopped, the change of pace will lift your spirits and keep you more alert once you set off again. Read these tips for surviving 11 scary driving scenarios. Make it a buddy tripInvite a friend on a long road trip to keep you company. Chatting will help you stay alert, and you can switch drivers every couple of hours, giving y

Hack: Belts-in-shirt-collarsPants up, shirt sharp — it’s easy with this hack: Roll your belts into a circle and place inside your shirt collar. Not only will your collared shirts stay sharp and creased, but you won’t have to worry about forgetting a belt. Learn more ways to de-wrinkle your clothes without an iron. Hack: Pill case compartments for ringsTraveling smart is all about repurposing common household items, and your pill case is no exception. Those small, separate compartments are the pe

Start with the right-sized suitcaseFor a short trip, a small carry-on bag is ideal, and with skill, it’s possible cram all your essentials in there. But if you can’t travel light, it’s best to choose a bag that can easily accommodate everything you need. Trying to force a bulging suitcase to shut is a waste of time and energy, especially since you may return with even more stuff, if you like to buy souvenirs. When deciding which is the best suitcase for you, take a moment to as

Skydiving is actually a sportSkydiving is an activity that’s almost synonymous with bucket lists. But before you enter the wonderful world of skydiving, understand that jumping out of a perfectly good airplane doesn’t have to be a once-in-a-lifetime thrill. “People think that with skydiving, you just go do one jump,” says Nancy Koreen, director of sport promotion at the United States Parachute Association. “They don’t realize that it’s a whole sport that people do every week as a hobby and

Understand that the dangers of texting and driving are very realThe U.S. Department of Transportation reported that 1.6 million automobile accidents happen every year because of distracted drivers on their cell phones. All of those crashes cause around 500,000 injuries and led to 6,000 deaths. Verizon Wireless reported that “people who read or write text messages while driving are 23 percent more likely to be involved in a car crash than other drivers.” The statistics about the dange

It doesn’t look flimsyObviously your luggage needs will vary based on your activities, destination, and travel style, but especially if you travel often, you need something strong and durable. “If you’ll be rolling your suitcase over rough surfaces like cobblestones, stones, or broken pavement, consider looking for all-terrain wheels, or be prepared to carry your suitcase,” says Alexandra Jimenez, editor of Travel Fashion Girl. Jimenez, who spends more time in airports th

Isle of Skye, ScotlandVerdant grasses swathe the land around the tower of rock known as Castle Ewen. Photo by Kerstin Enderlein. Carlsbad, CaliforniaMulticolored flowers form a kaleidoscopic field pattern. Photo by Alex Maclean. Shimotsuma, JapanMorning fog settles over a field of wildflowers. Photo by Teruo Araya. Inyo National Forest, CaliforniaWeathered twisting branches of an ancient bristlecone pine seem to dance. Photo by Ken Lee. (Here are more spectacular photos of America’s nation

Score an A+ seatThe key to sleeping well on an airplane is all about location, location, location, according to Michael Breus, PhD, sleep specialist and author of The Power of When. “Obviously, first class is the best, if you can get there,” he says. But even if you can’t fork over the extra dough, you can still score a prime seat for sleeping with a few easy tips. For one, you’ll sleep best near the most stable part of the airplane: where the wings are attached. “A

The odds are in your favorWhile plane crashes do happen, they’re extremely rare. To put it in perspective, you’re 95 times more likely to die from unintentional poisoning (the odds are one in 103 on this one) than to die in an “air or space transport incident” (one in 9,737), according to the National Safety Council. One M.I.T. Sloan School statistician put this probability in layman’s terms (using a different set of statistics than the NSC). “If you take one

Crickets can tell you the temperatureA chorus of chirps at night isn’t just lovely atmosphere—it’s a musical thermometer, too. Studies have shown that crickets regulate the rhythm of their chirps based on the temperature outside. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, to convert Cricket to Fahrenheit, count the number of chirps you hear in 14 seconds, then add 40. (It’s shockingly accurate.) Storm heading your way? Count between the lighting and thunderLight travels much fast