In a national survey, Hyatt Inclusive Collection found that 82% of Americans “feel they aren’t getting enough time with the people who matter most,” while 62% indicate they “consider travel to be quality time.”

Using those insights, Hyatt is elevating the guest experience by placing greater emphasis on “delivering services that maximize quality time and reduce planning headaches and distractions for guests, all while allowing connections and personal time to flourish,” a commitment further cemented by a partnership with mindfulness legend Deepak Chopra, M.D.

At the newly opened Secrets Mirabel Cancún Resort & Spa, that philosophy is felt from the moment you arrive.

A Stay Designed for Effortless Time Together

Greeted by welcoming staff with a grapefruit mimosa, the experience begins before you've even checked in. Walking into the light-filled lobby, you can see that the architecture around the property echoes the natural world, with marble, woodworking, and floor-to-ceiling windows that create a warm, grounded atmosphere.

While checking in, you can enjoy signature cocktails from the Rendezvous Lobby Bar, where the ocean views are just as memorable as the spicy mezcalita in your glass. The space also features a beautiful outdoor terrace with especially stunning views at sunset. For Preferred Club guests, you have a quiet, private check-in lounge with its own bar and a relaxing seating area with ocean views, and light appetizers.

Reflecting the resort's emphasis on genuine connection, 487 rooms and suites, six pools, diverse dining options, six bars, and a spa provide numerous opportunities for guests to relax with loved ones or savor solo moments. Secrets Spa further elevates the experience with traditional Mayan treatments, including ancient rituals and natural ingredients.

The property also offers many accessibility features and services to ensure guests with disabilities have an enjoyable, effortless experience filled with quality time.​ Here you can find accessible accommodations with rooms featuring wider doors, roll-in showers, and grab bars, in addition to wheelchair-accessible entrances, parking, and ramps to public areas such as pools. Staff are also poised to assist guests with disabilities, including those with seating and mobility needs.

There is easy access to the beach from the hotel pool area, where you will find beach chairs, straw thatch umbrellas, and beachside food and drink service. Guests can also easily arrange car service to and from the hotel at the concierge area in the lobby, and book special experiences on-site.

Secrets Mirabel Cancún Resort & Spa is conveniently located in the Hotel Zone of Cancún and is a quick 15-minute drive from Cancún International Airport.

Upgrade Your Experience with the Preferred Club

The Preferred Club tier is definitely a worthwhile upgrade, offering a selection of spacious suites, exclusive access to the infinity pool and rooftop bar, a private oceanfront lounge, and a noticeably more relaxed pace. With this tier, you have a selection of swim-out, plunge pool, and oceanfront suites.

The oceanfront king suite is a particularly great option, with a plush bed facing the ocean-view balcony, offering gorgeous morning water views. There is also a full soaking tub and rain shower to enjoy, along with your fully stocked mini-bar (the bottle of mezcal is a nice touch).

After spending your day by the pool or beach, you can wind down in the evening at the Preferred Club rooftop Sky Bar with sunset cocktails before dinner. This is one of the most relaxing and scenic spots on the property, with panoramic views of Nichupté Lagoon, a pool at the edge, and modern lounge seating. Cozy circular couches and high-top seating, along with great water views, invite quality time with loved ones.

Elevated Dining with Something for Every Craving

Secrets Mirabel delivers the ease of all-inclusive dining with the flavor and ambiance of quality, standalone restaurants. On-site, you can find à la carte dining at full-service restaurants, including Himitsu for sushi and Pan-Asian dishes, Olio Terrace & Restaurant for brick-oven pizza and Mediterranean dishes, Bordeaux for French fine-dining, El Patio for authentic Mexican cuisine, and Blue Water Grill for classic steakhouse plates.

For more casual dining, you can enjoy Barefoot Grill for poolside lunch options and Market Café for buffet breakfast and lunch. Coco Café is conveniently open 24/7, serving a selection of coffee drinks and café snacks. It is perfect for espresso lovers, offering made-to-order cappuccinos, lattes, Americanos, and more.

Aside from the quality of their menus, one of the best parts of these restaurants is their ambiance. Light is not an afterthought in these spaces. Restaurants are either flooded with sunny, water views courtesy of floor-to-ceiling windows, or effortlessly cozy and elegant courtesy of moody, low-light fixtures and warm wood architecture.

Each spot offers relaxing, welcoming areas for reconnecting with loved ones or savoring solo time. Private dining rooms are also available for celebrations such as birthdays and other special occasions.

​El Patio: Deeply Flavorful Mexican and Mayan Cuisine

When you enter El Patio, you are greeted by warm woodwork and a glowing ambiance that invites you to enjoy their authentic menu. Dinners start with a chef’s bite appetizer. This includes the traditional, pre-Hispanic Mayan dish called Sikil P'ak, featuring toasted pumpkin seeds ground with roasted tomato and cilantro, in addition to chicharrón, codzitos (Yucatecan rolled fried corn tortillas), guacamole, and Polcán featuring fried corn masa with pumpkin seed, white beans, epazote, scallions, and Cochinita Pibil pork.

For main courses, highlights include Empanada de Queso Bola with corn masa, pumpkin seed, and Maya chaya cream; Castacán taco with crispy pork belly, guacamole, and tomatillo salsa; and the Fish al Pastor featuring sea bass marinated in achiote and bitter orange with roasted pineapple, heirloom tomato salad, and charred onion.

To complete your meal with something sweet, try the churros served with caramel sauce, cinnamon crumble, and English custard perfumed with Maya Xtabentún liqueur.

​Himitsu: Fresh Sushi & Pan-Asian Dishes

Some of the property's most stunning architecture appears at Himitsu. Guests enter through an arched tunnel framing a turquoise-and-cerulean tiled bar, then proceed to a light-filled dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Nichupté Lagoon.

​Rivaling top sushi restaurants, Himitsu offers a wide selection of sushi, sashimi, and Pan-Asian dishes. Highlights include spicy salmon with tobiko and avocado, Acevichado Roll with tuna, shrimp, and avocado, and Batayaski Roll with tuna, avocado, crispy rice noodles, and shiitake tartare in browned butter.

You can also reserve one of their three teppanyaki tables to watch their chefs prepare your meal tableside.

Olio: Brick Oven Pizza & Refreshing Mediterranean Plates

Olio is perfect for Preferred Club guests to enjoy an à la carte breakfast while taking in the ocean breeze from their patio. Here you will find a wide menu, including classics like eggs and pancakes, as well as lighter options such as fresh papaya over cottage cheese, seasonal fruits with honey and Greek yogurt, and health juice blends.

​At lunch, all guests can dine in the open-air dining room or patio. Menu highlights include their flatbreads (the Toscano with burrata, chili, and honey is especially good). For starters, try their brightly flavored beetroot salad with oven-roasted beet, strawberries, yogurt, and dill oil with Eureka lemon zest, or their cucumber and mint soup. Among their cocktails, the Capro margarita is refreshing for a sunny day, featuring blanco tequila, Aperol, orange juice, lemon juice, and agave honey.

At dinner, enjoy brick oven pizza with wine or Mediterranean-inspired cocktails. The dining space here is relaxing and romantic, with a warm glow and cozy tables and booths. This is a place where you can lose track of time as you enjoy good drinks, plates, and company.

Secrets Mirabel Cancún

At Secrets Mirabel Cancún Resort & Spa, you’ll find quality time with loved ones at its many pools, bars, and restaurants, each filled with cozy and welcoming spaces to relax, unwind, and connect. In today’s world, time with loved ones is becoming simultaneously rarer and more important than ever.

In this region, travelers can discover Puerto Rico’s agricultural roots and the deep ties they have to the island’s cultural and economic history. As Puerto Rico imports about 90–95% of its food, businesses across the region are working to bring locally produced, nutritious food sustainably to their communities.

Travel has emerged as a critical driver of global socioeconomic progress, sustainable development, and environmental stewardship worldwide, and these transformations are evident in Puerto Rico, where forward-thinking businesses exemplify sustainable development.

Puerto Rico’s slow travel and agritourism revival comes to life through experiences rooted in land, flavor, and community. These locations and experiences—a culinary farm lodge, a family-owned farm, a chinchorreo experience, and unique restaurants—offer inviting opportunities to connect with the land and the community’s genuine warmth and hospitality.

El Pretexto is Puerto Rico's First Farm Lodge for Adults Who Want to Slow Down

El Pretexto, Puerto Rico’s first culinary farm lodge, is a true piece of paradise in the mountains, one hour from San Juan. This adult-only, woman-owned bed and breakfast invites guests to slow down and enjoy a relaxing stay with mountain views stretching all the way to the Caribbean Sea on the southern coast.

Onsite, you will find four private villas, an agroecological farming area, an agroforest, a free-range organic chicken and duck coop, and an outdoor dining area with a fire pit. Catch pop-up culinary events, unwind with yoga or spa treatments upon request, or savor sunsets from your villa’s hammock or the deck’s Adirondack chairs.

At night, listen to the coquí frogs while the mountain breeze drifts through your windows. This is more than a hotel stay, rather, an invitation to experience a beautiful way of life.

You’ll often see owner Crystal Díaz picking fresh herbs or experimenting in the outdoor kitchen alongside mountain views, with their friendly chickens and cats ambling by. A food policy analyst and marketing executive with 20 years’ experience, Crystal’s passion for food systems and sustainability is reflected in all aspects of the property and through her company, PRoduce, a local marketplace connecting food producers and consumers.

Before you begin your adventures in the region, be sure to enjoy the nourishing meals Crystal prepares from on-site and local ingredients, all placed on plateware crafted by local artisans.

Mornings begin with sounds of their rooster, Santiago, sweeping views of the mountain range, and breakfast—including tangy and creamy, house-made yogurt topped with juiciest tropical fruits you've ever tasted, a cup of freshly brewed Puerto Rican coffee, and pesto-drizzled, fried eggs from the on-site coop.

From Field to Plate at Finca la Zafra in Gurabo

At Finca La Zafra in Gurabo, farm-to-table dining shines in its purest form. Here, they curate gastronomic and educational experiences for visitors. At this family-owned farm, you can stroll through fields, harvest your own ingredients, and prepare authentic dishes honoring Puerto Rican land and culinary tradition. They employ sustainable agricultural practices to preserve the land’s richness and bring fresh, vibrant, and nourishing food to their community.

Locals and tourists visit this spot for its curated menu, seasonal events, modern dining space, and educational and immersive agricultural experiences. As this business grows, they remain committed to honoring and preserving the beauty of the land.

Tetas by Karla Z is Where Lunch Becomes Dinner Without Anyone Noticing

Tetas by Karla Z is the perfect place for a leisurely lunch with cocktails that seamlessly turns into dinner, with a laid-back atmosphere that invites you and your friends to linger and enjoy. Its playful name pays tribute to the two mountains it sits atop, Las Tetas de Cayey.

Here you can experience a menu that blends seasonal, local ingredients into earthy, vibrant dishes, combining classic Puerto Rican flavors with modern twists, amidst glowing lights and eclectic patio setups.

Must-try dishes include mini meat alcapurrias with spicy tomato sauce, roasted pumpkin with feta, nuts, and honey, and ravioli stuffed with mozzarella, spinach, blue cheese, pears, prosciutto, and nuts. For cocktails, try their memorable gin, uvas y espumas drink featuring lavender-infused, caramelized grapes and cava, or their mojito de la casa with gin, soursop juice, basil, and lemon.

A Chinchorreo Experience with Sofrito Tours That Brings History to Life

To complement the farm and restaurant experiences, immerse yourself in a different facet of local culture—the Chinchorreo Experience with Sofrito Tours by Laura Ortiz. This is both for the traveler who loves tours and those who avoid them at all costs.

Laura connects you to the soul of Puerto Rican history, told like interesting gossip, with a focus on human experiences over dry facts. Laura manages to make you forget you’re on a tour and makes you feel like you are hanging out with a friend, recalling memories over good food.

On this tour, experience the Ruta del Lechón in Guavate like a local. Stop at Calipso by Brian and have the best lechón (roast pork) of your life, and visit historical locations along the way.

One highlight is the guided tour through the Casa Histórica de la Música Cayeyana, where you learn the history of music on the island (and see one of Bad Bunny’s performance outfits and photos of his on-site listening party). This spot is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for local performers to play music and keep the vibrant musical history alive.

Sofrito Tours brings the past to life through food and relatable storytelling, meeting guests where they are and offering neurodivergent-friendly and fully inclusive options for all abilities. These tours reflect the island’s welcoming spirit and invite visitors to experience it like locals.

Aldeana in Cidra is a Restaurant Worth Planning Your Day Around

Aldeana, a restaurant in Cidra, is renowned for its refined yet relaxed setting and innovative cuisine. Run by chefs Xavier Pacheco, René Marichal, and Raúl Correa, the business prioritizes dishes made from local and on-site ingredients, curating seasonal menus that reflect both tradition and creativity.

Highlights include classic sofrito with plantain and taro chips, cauliflower vichyssoise with scallop ceviche, and chicken and maduros roulade. For dessert, try the local chocolate cremeux with olive oil ice cream, guava mousse with mango basil, or coconut and white chocolate cake.

Sustainable Hospitality, the Puerto Rican Way

Sustainable travel in Puerto Rico means authentic and intentional experiences that benefit both visitors and local communities. These businesses honor the island’s agricultural and culinary heritage and are paving the way for sustainable development on the island.

Through their work, they connect people to local, nutritious food and keep the Caribbean island’s history alive and thriving. Even more remarkably, they are doing so with open arms, welcoming locals and tourists to connect with the land sustainably and with intention and respect.

This year, while many travelers seek a tried-and-tested vacation in the comfort zone of familiarity, others want something more. This fast-moving wave of “intentional travel” comes from a Gen Z mindset, championed by TikTokers and Instagrammers for whom a paint-by-numbers itinerary won’t suffice.

The Vanguard of New Travel Ideas

At the forefront of this journeyers’ revolution is what Tripadvisor subsidiary and travel firm Bokun exposes as the latest trends. Bokun’s Senior Growth Marketing Manager, Samuel Jefferies, predicts four major travel market moves for 2026, namely:

• Thrift-tripping
• BookTok travel
• Astro-tourism
• Event-led travel

The art of “thrift-tripping” revolves around finding the latest deals in different countries’ flea markets, thrift stores, and neighborhood shopping zones. Travel operators can use local knowledge and research to promote thrift-driven tours in different cities and towns.

Feeling Thrifty

“Souvenirs are evolving, and for 2026, thrift tripping is emerging as a defining travel trend,” says Jefferies. This Gen Z-inspired movement comes from a desire for more sustainable fashion. What's more, UN Tourism puts “shopping tourism” central to much of the world’s economic development, which only makes this positive.

Younger generations are taking what has been a long-term favorite for retail lovers and serving a side dose of ethos. Weekends maxing out credit cards on 5th Avenue are now secondary to a generation looking for a more authentic dose of retail therapy.

A New Chapter in Travel

Literary fanatics are now queuing up for what Jefferies calls “BookTok Travel,” essentially, a book-inspired travel format. Moreover, travel writer Sarah Allard wrote about this in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2025 Travel Trends collection, so it is still going strong.

“BookTok—a category of TikTokers focused on literature content—is putting fresh momentum behind the ancient concept of book tourism,” she wrote. Put simply, if you love reading books, why not travel to where one of these takes place and relive it?

What’s more, it isn’t only TikTokers like Abby Parker of abbysbooks who are integral to this new trend. The Every Girl site writer Lauren Blue has a list of fiction-inspired travel destinations, many of which are in the United States. For example, her top choice is Asheville, North Carolina.

Bookworms Unite Across the Globe

It’s in Asheville where Nora and Charlie fall in love in Book Lovers, a tale beloved for author Emily Henry's captivating mountain town imagery. “Stroll through downtown, popping into local coffee shops and boutiques that channel that Book Lovers charm,” Blue writes.

Then again, you may prefer to join a group or have someone else plan your literary adventure for you. In this corner of the travel market is where companies like Explore! shine, offering tailored vacations for bookworms in many guises.

Explore!’s Four Corner Book Club gives customers the chance to peruse novel-inspired itineraries and tours to any part of the globe, even Antarctica. While it may be more for the more discerning tourist, the experiences on offer range from “Polar” to “Family Adventures.” Here, introverts and extroverts alike can share literary common ground on foreign soil.

Dark Skies and Bright Ideas

Another new trending category, named “astro-tourism,” is about as experiential as one can get. Put simply, this cohort of tourists lives by witnessing wild skyscapes and even flying up into them. There is a clear spectrum for this side of the travel world. At its more expensive end, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space tours hit the Earth’s mesosphere; at the other end, tourists enjoy dark-sky stargazing road trips in their own state.

Remarkably, there are now tours involving sensory extraterrestrial “cheating,” whereby tourists attempt to mimic other planetary environments. A study shared by Bokun’s Charlotte Gannon addresses this concept.

Back Down to Earth

Its researchers sought to find the world’s best places that can double as extraterrestrial doppelgangers. For instance, Gannon cites the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia as being Earth’s closest Venus-like landscape; the Atacama Desert in Chile can double as Martian terrain. These places are just a couple of the many “planetary dupes” on her list.

“Think hiking through sandy deserts, stargazing under crystal clear skies, or deep-sea diving to get a taste of low-gravity,” she writes. “These immersive experiences bring the feel of space travel within reach, and allow tour operators located in these celestial settings to tap into an exciting new market.” Such vacations can also be planned to coincide with astronomical calendar events, such as eclipses or meteor showers.

Whatever the Event

Of course, one of the most notable Gen-Z traits right now is the “you only live once” (YOLO) mindset. This ideal may be most present in the final category: event-based travel. While vacations remain for most people a chance to unwind and rest, many of us are incorporating our favorite sporting or musical heroes into the adventure.

Naturally, these escapes cost more than just a flight and hotel: sporting events, festivals, or concerts are renowned for their wallet-busting nature.

Yet, a recent Future Partners blog post reveals that 43.2% of Americans “actively seek travel experiences that support their physical, mental, or spiritual health.” Powered mostly by millennial and female travelers, event-based travel is a massive part of this new dawn of personalized journeying.

The Bold and the Beautiful

There is a very good reason why so many new trends are emerging: the age of the influencer as a marketing format is clearly here. Shivam Rawat of marketing watchdog Taggbox looked at which travel influencers to follow in 2026, forming a top-15 ranking. In his list of powerful travel influencers, the most striking thing is how good-looking they are. Incidentally, the top-two entities are fit, young, tanned couples.

One Instagram couple, named moments_of_yugen, could just as easily find themselves on the cover of health or glamor magazines as travel commercials. These perfectly marketable young people sell more than a location: they sell association, lifestyle, and a modern call to authority. Furthermore, they market a new way of reaching the YOLO generation, desperate not to relive the formulaic travel habits of their parents.

The year ahead will surely see new trends emerge, subsets of the current ones, splintered off into even more niche subcategories. Therefore, it is only a matter of time until the next influencer strikes gold, bringing yet another intentional travel trend with them. It remains to be seen what trends they will be perpetuating, but you can be assured that they will be new and dynamic.

That mindset is changing. More travelers are choosing to break long journeys into smaller, more meaningful pieces, turning layovers into short stays that add depth to a trip rather than delay it.

Airline stopover programs have helped drive that shift, and Copa Airlines has been one of the carriers leading the way. Its Stopover in Panama program allows passengers to add a stay in Panama City at no additional airfare for 24 hours to 7 days, on either the outbound or return portion of their trip. The program also includes discounted hotel stays and exclusive dining and activity offers.

The idea is simple. You are already passing through Panama. Why not step outside the airport and experience it?

Stopover In Panama City

To see what that kind of stay looks like in practice, I flew from Los Angeles to Panama City as part of a hosted trip showcasing what travelers can experience during a stopover. While I did not personally book the program, the itinerary reflected how it works in real life: arrive, settle in, explore, and continue on your way.

Panama City is particularly well-suited for this kind of travel. As Copa’s main hub, it connects North America to dozens of destinations across Central and South America, including Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The city is compact and easy to navigate, with historic neighborhoods, natural areas, and major attractions located close together.

Panama City Two Day Itinerary

I stayed at Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, located in the heart of the historic district. My balcony overlooked the ocean. The room was spacious and thoughtfully designed, with a large bathroom and a comfortable sitting area.

Being based in Casco Viejo made the short stay feel manageable. Cafés, museums, shops, and historic streets were all within walking distance, which meant less time in transit and more time experiencing the city. The hotel’s rooftop pool and bar offered views over the water, and a small speakeasy tucked inside provided a quiet place to end the evening.

A visit to the Panama Canal offered a perspective on the scale of the operation. Watching massive cargo ships pass through narrow channels is a reminder of how much of the world’s commerce moves through Panama.

Later, I took part in a Geisha coffee tasting in the city. Before this trip, I knew little about Panama’s role in producing some of the world’s most sought-after coffee. During the session, we learned how the beans are grown, harvested, and processed, and how specific climate conditions make this region uniquely suited to producing Geisha coffee. Sampling different varieties highlighted the precision behind each cup.

That evening, I walked from the hotel to Fonda Lo Que Hay, a local restaurant frequently named among the best in the world. The menu changes regularly, and the atmosphere is relaxed. The soup alone was memorable. Another dinner at Lazotea, a rooftop restaurant nearby, I watched the sky darken over Casco Viejo while eating ceviche that remains one of the best I have had anywhere.

I traveled to Gatun Lake by small boat with a local guide who explained the area's history as we glided across the water. Along the way, we passed massive cargo ships heading toward the canal. Between them, wildlife appeared: birds, crocodiles, monkeys, and a sloth resting in the trees.

I traveled along the river by dugout canoe to visit an Embera village. As we rounded a bend in the river, straw roofs came into view. Music drifted toward us. Children ran along the shore. Women prepared food and crafts. Men carved wood and played instruments. We were welcomed with warmth and pride.

Members of the community shared their traditions through music, art, and storytelling. What stood out most was the strong sense of connection among residents and the calm rhythm of daily life.

Break Up Long Journeys With Stopovers

Copa’s program removes much of the friction that usually comes with planning a short stay in a new city and allows travelers to explore a new destination along their journey.

For travelers heading deeper into Latin America or returning home from South America, the stopover becomes part of the trip rather than a break.

The idea behind intentional stopovers is not to cram in more. It is to travel with a little more awareness, and to recognize that the spaces between destinations can hold their own meaning.

The cold goes straight through your bones, your breath freezes in the air, and every step outside requires layers upon layers of clothing. But alongside the cold, there is something completely different: landscapes you won’t see anywhere else, absolute silence, and nature so powerful it simply stops you in your tracks.

We created our own itinerary and traveled independently without an organised group or guide. We built the entire route ourselves and booked everything in advance, knowing this wouldn’t be a cheap trip. Finland is expensive, especially in winter, but you can adjust your budget, combining luxury stays with simpler ones, choosing which experiences to splurge on and where to save.

We started the trip in Helsinki. A very orderly, clean and quiet European city. Everything runs like clockwork. The streets are wide, the buildings are beautiful, and the snow gives the city a very special atmosphere. We walked a lot despite the cold, ducked into local cafés to warm up, and joined a free walking tour that tells the story of Finland’s history and its relationship with Russia and Sweden.

One of our favorite places was the Old Market Hall, a small, cozy indoor food market full of local stalls. A hot salmon soup on a snowy day is exactly what you need to keep going for a few more hours outside. Even just sitting by the frozen Baltic Sea and watching the boats stuck in the ice felt like something you don’t see every day.

After a few days in the city, we flew north to Lapland. The moment you leave Helsinki, everything changes. Fewer cities, fewer people, and so much more nature. Endless forests, frozen lakes, and long roads that feel like they go on forever.

We arrived in the Saariselkä area, one of the best places in Finland to see the Northern Lights. There we stayed in special glass cabins with transparent roofs. The cabin itself is warm and comfortable, but the real magic is the ceiling, lying in bed and simply watching the sky.

No need to go outside, no cold. On our first night, we lay there for a long time just trying to absorb the fact that we were in the middle of a snowy forest, with no noise, no lights, just trees and sky.

During the day, we went out for winter activities. We did a reindeer sleigh ride, a slow and peaceful experience through snowy forests. Then we tried husky sledding, a completely different story.

Fast, full of adrenaline, and the dogs are absolutely bursting with energy as they race across the snow. We also went to a real Finnish sauna and then stepped outside into the cold, a strange combination, but strangely addictive.

In the evenings, we waited for the Northern Lights. They don’t appear every night, and it depends on the weather and cloud cover. Some nights are clear and promising, others show nothing at all. Then, one evening during dinner, we stepped outside and suddenly saw the sky glowing green.

At first, it looked like a faint haze, then it started moving, twisting, spreading across the sky. We stood there for a long time in the freezing cold, just looking up. It’s a feeling that’s hard to explain unless you’ve seen it yourself.

From the north, we continued to Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland. A small, charming town that feels very touristy, yet still keeps its local character. This is also where Santa Claus Village is located, with shops, decorations, and Christmas vibes all year round.

One of the most unforgettable experiences we had there was the icebreaker cruise. We traveled to the town of Kemi and boarded a massive icebreaker ship that literally plows through thick sea ice.

From the moment the engines roared and the ship started crushing the frozen layers beneath us, the thrill was immediate. You can feel the vibrations through your feet, hear the ice cracking and groaning, and see the endless white expanse stretching in every direction.

The ship stops in the middle of the icy sea, and passengers don special thermal survival suits to float in the freezing water, an experience that is as surreal as it is exhilarating.

You feel completely suspended between two extremes: the harshness of the arctic environment and the safety of the ship, all while being surrounded by a unique frozen landscape that is almost otherworldly.

Finland in winter isn’t for everyone. It’s cold, it’s expensive, and it requires a lot of planning. But for those looking for a truly different kind of trip , one that doesn’t resemble anything else , it’s an incredible destination. Unreal landscapes, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and a level of silence that’s hard to find in the modern world.

The age of the digital nomad is a Millennial and Gen Z phenomenon: an army of solo remote workers has already been dispersing across the world for some time.

Yet, it is now becoming common for entire families to uproot their lives for a new international dialing code. The world is adapting, with countries competing for talent, offering enticing conditions for doing so. 

Global shipping and logistics company Seven Seas Worldwide has released a report exploring this trend. It explains how a cohort of professional parents is taking the reins of what was hitherto a solo-inspired career choice. 

Digital nomad families are now an official demographic: citizens no longer tethered to the same exhausting lives they saw generations live before them.

Yet, they are not jumping in vans or boarding yachts to create YouTube channels with infants in tow. These are modern families looking to recreate some form of the American Dream, albeit on foreign soil. 

Why Nomadic Families Need More Than a Backpack

"Families quickly realise that nomadic living doesn't mean travelling light forever," writes travel expert Wayne Mills in a Seven Seas Worldwide press release. "School books, toys, sports gear, and personal comforts matter, especially for children."

The report identifies several key areas influencing what is causing this huge reverse digital brain drain: 

• Competitive digital nomad visa programs
• Flexible work schedules and lifestyle
• International or online education for children
• Immersion in new cultural experiences
• Easy access shipping and expatriate moving services

"Ultimately, the rise of nomad families shows that global mobility has matured," concludes Mills. "This isn't about escape; it's about designing a life that blends work, learning, and family anywhere in the world." 

Spanish Living for the Win

Of course, many other factors drive families to take children away from their base, potentially separating them from friends and family. Spanish periodical AS looked at this scenario from the perspective of an American family that has spent years traveling and working abroad. 

The couple in question tried a whole host of different regions, running an online business from wherever they resided. They and their 12-year-old daughter now embrace Spain as their homeland. 

"One of the biggest motivators for their move was the cost of essential services — especially healthcare," writes Jaime Esteban. "In Spain, they've found medical care to be dramatically more affordable."

Subsidized Healthcare and Work-Life Balance

The Spanish healthcare system is nationalised, meaning services and procedures cost a fraction of the inflated American prices. For illustration, the William Russell price comparison platform puts the average cost of a hip replacement in the United States at $40,000, compared to $6,800 in Spain.

What's more, their daughter can now look forward to a state-subsidized higher education without the terminal financial implications. 

"Combined with Spain's healthcare system, this allows the parents to save for retirement and offer their child a more secure future," adds Esteban.

Put simply, possibilities now out of sight for many families back home are now within their reach. Yet, many other countries are now on the map, ready for the new influx of digital workers.

Where Families Can Relocate in 2026

In mid-2025, Kihumi Group's Mila Devenport published a summary of the best countries parents can choose to wield their digital skillset. A blend of safety, affordability, and family-centered resources is found in the following places:

• Portugal
• Costa Rica
• Estonia
• New Zealand
• Thailand

What is clear is that the Iberian Peninsula is an attractive prospect in the modern '20s, with Portugal's list of benefits similar to Spain's. For instance, childcare costs are some of the lowest in Western Europe, while international and Montessori schools are plentiful.

Eastern Promises

Europe might prove irresistible for parents who wish to escape the fast-moving American grind. This lifestyle swap is also possible at the other end of the list in Thailand, which may be less alluring for some nomads due to its distance from North America.

Nevertheless, it makes for an affordable, safe, and culturally rich living destination for the right digital nomad family. 

Financial literacy website Global Wealth Protection's Bobby Casey shared some key information for Americans considering a move. His review of places currently offering the best digital nomad experience for families puts Thailand firmly in the mix. 

Perhaps the biggest draw in the Land of Smiles is the economic requirements to obtain the visa. According to Casey, Thailand's minimum monthly income needed is only $2,500 per month. It's only half of the United Arab Emirates' $5,000 monthly income stipulation, which is in itself reasonable for many. 

Avoiding Nomad Visa Gray Areas

Casey's picks for Asia include the UAE and the Philippines, both of which offer excellent international education for dependents. Benjamin Collins of Asia Lifestyle Magazine includes Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia in his guide. 

Each of these countries now offers legal residency for digital nomads with kids — or at least some kind of "workaround." Thailand finds itself on the checklist of these workaround-type visas. 

"Thailand's Long-Term Resident visa, Indonesia's B211A single-entry visit visa, and Vietnam's 90-day e-visa all fall here," he writes. "These require more creativity, carry some legal gray zones regarding remote work, or demand higher income thresholds."

Regardless, he insists they are still "battle-tested" for 2025 and will remain viable throughout 2026, at least. The tenuous nature of some visa situations means not all options are suited to some families.

The Digital Nomad Family Gold Standard

Nonetheless, his article rates Malaysia's "De Rantau Nomad Pass"as the gold standard for relocating digital nomads. What's more, the service includes spouses and dependents, and recipients only need to earn $24,000 per annum. 

Naturally, the digital nomad lifestyle comes with life's usual complications, and it isn't all plain sailing. For instance, not all digital nomad families can afford international school fees, and not all children can adapt to international education regardless.

Therefore, it may mean digital nomad couples must share homeschooling duties on top of working responsibilities. 

The Flip Side of the New Working Force

Moreover, not all locals are as welcoming of large foreign cohorts taking over their cities, pushing up property costs, and overextending the local infrastructure.

A recent Guardian opinion editorial from a "local" British Lisbon nomad, Alex Holder, asks just that question. He spoke to actual Portuguese locals about their experiences, with some Lisboans suffering digital nomad fatigue. 

"Foreigners will reach over my head in the supermarket, they'll have their head down on their phone, making no space for me as I walk down the street," says Lisbon resident Ines. "There is an arrogance to the way they move around the city."

An insightful piece on this subject comes from Emily Richardson-Dupuis of travel website Rough Maps. She exposes many digital nomad pet peeves, such as culture clashes, rent increases, and taxation envy. 

Adapting to One's Surroundings

For those remote workers giving serious thought to moving away from home, it might be worth consulting the Digital Nomad Nation's (DNN) online guide. There are several values underpinning the DNN mission, among which are being "warm and kind, diverse and open-minded, and giving and socially conscious." 

Being a digital nomad doesn't mean importing all your home nation's practices or expecting the host culture to include yours. Meanwhile, researching one's intended country should be a priority if you wish your stay to be successful.

In any event, it is a certainty that having children no longer means being excluded from the world's laptop-wielding labor force, which can only be a positive.

That version of wellness still exists and has its place. But a new kind of wellness trip is taking shape. One that doesn’t require travelers to leave the world behind in order to feel better in it. Some of the most restorative travel now is happening inside cities.

Cities like Vancouver are redefining what wellness looks like by weaving it into everyday life. Forested parks sit beside downtown towers. Thermal pools exist within walking distance of coffee shops and galleries. Indigenous-led experiences offer cultural grounding alongside spa treatments and scenic waterfront transit.

Vancouver fits naturally into this model because it never asks visitors to choose between nature and the city. Forest, water, and mountains are not day trips here. They are part of daily life.

A walk can take you from glass towers into shaded trails. A short ride can take you from a hotel lobby to a quiet stretch of shoreline. The city holds both without effort, and that changes how rest feels. It becomes something you move through, not something you have to reach.

That sense of ease carries indoors

At the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, the atmosphere is calm yet informal. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with wide windows that frame the city and the water, constantly bringing the outside in. Light moves across the space throughout the day. It feels like a place designed for people who intend to stay for a while.

The spa is where the pace softens further.

The experience begins not with a form, but with an invitation. Guests are asked to set an intention for their time there. It is a small ritual, but it immediately shifts the tone. This is not about checking boxes. It is about pausing.

After changing into a robe, guests wait in a quiet relaxation space with soft light and floor-to-ceiling windows. Clinicians arrive personally to escort each guest to their treatment. There is no sense of being processed or rushed along.

Treatments include a honey detox, which uses honey from the hotel’s own beehives to exfoliate and hydrate the skin, and customized massage work tailored to how your body actually feels. Recovery tools like Therabody jet boots and LED face masks are available for guests who want to rest quietly on their own.

One of the most memorable spaces is a zero-gravity chair used for vibro-acoustic sound therapy. Guests are tucked in under a blanket and an eye mask while sound waves and music create a deeply calming experience. It feels immersive and quiet in a way that is hard to find in daily life.

After treatments, guests return to the relaxation area to sip tea and look out over the city. Some sit in silence. Some read. Some simply watch the light change. No one is moved along.

Outside, the Aqua Lounge offers open-air space for yoga, hydrotherapy soaking, or quiet time on a chaise while the city stretches out below and the mountains sit in the distance. On the rooftop, herbs grow in raised beds and honeybees move between flowers. The ingredients used in the kitchens below are growing just a few steps away.

Food fits naturally into this rhythm

Meals at Victor and Honeysalt focus on seasonality and freshness without turning eating into a set of rules. You notice what you are eating because it tastes like something grown, not assembled.

Across the city, that same attention shows up in different ways. At Burdock and Co., the menu changes with the seasons and even the lunar cycle. The food reflects the time passing. It reflects where you are in the world.  You can taste the Pacific Northwest in every bite.

Wellness here is not limited to the physical

A guided walk with Talaysay Tours along Stanley Park's shoreline offers a deeper understanding of the waters that surround the city and the Indigenous communities that have lived in relationship with them for generations. The walk blends history, ecology, and storytelling. It slows the group down. It shifts perspective.

It is not restful in the traditional sense, but it is grounding. It creates a sense of belonging to a place rather than simply passing through it.

For deeper stillness, places like Circle Wellness on Granville Island offer ninety minutes of quiet inside the city. A cedar soaking tub. A salt room. A cold plunge. Warm stone therapy. A private pod with light filtering in from above.

You arrive carrying the noise of the day. You leave lighter. This is what wellness looks like in cities like Vancouver.

It is not about transformation or self-improvement. It is about creating spaces where people can settle into themselves again.

You do not have to leave your life to feel better here. You simply move through it a little differently. And sometimes, that is enough.

Providence’s education scene, Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University, and Johnson and Wales College, makes it one of the most culturally rich small cities in the United States.

For travelers interested in art and food, Providence is an affordable city with as much to do as cities many times its size.

A Strong Foundation in the Arts

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has helped to turn Providence into a city that embraces art. RISD consistently ranks among the top art and design schools in the world. 

The RISD Museum has more than 100,000 works of art, including collections of textiles, ancient artifacts, modern American painting, costumes, and contemporary installations. If you love art, you will love this museum.

Providence is also home to Brown University, whose arts programs, theater productions, and film festivals have helped create an excellent merging of the arts, allowing visitors to enjoy art in one form on either of the two campuses.

Public Art and Performances

Art in Providence is not limited to museums and schools. The city invests in  some amazing public-art projects, theater, and music.

• Annual events such as the PVDFest bring artists from around the state to display their art, street performances, and outdoor galleries.
• The award-winning Providence Riverwalk and pedestrian bridges have rotating art, including student displays.
• The Providence Performing Arts Center brings Broadway touring companies to downtown Providence.
• Nearby Trinity Rep Theater is a Tony award-winning theater offering plays and musicals throughout the year.

One of the city’s most recognizable art events is WaterFire, held multiple times a year between May and November. During WaterFire, more than 80 braziers are lit along the rivers downtown, accompanied by music and live performances. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and is considered a core part of Providence’s cultural identity.

You would be hard-pressed to visit Providence and not experience some type of art.

A Culinary Scene Large Cities Covet

Providence’s food reputation packs a punch much bigger than the size of the city. It is well known in the Northeast as the little city with excellent food.

Providence experienced a food renaissance in the late 1990s when large parts of the downtown were revitalized. The Italian food that was predominant in the city gave way to farm-to-table restaurants that celebrated the coastal bounty of Rhode Island. Since then, tourists have flocked to Providence to eat amazing food.

Part of the secret of Providence’s success in the food world is its connection to the Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts, a local culinary school that is one of the best  in the country. Many chefs trained at Johnson & Wales stay in the area, making Providence a great city full of independently owned restaurants, bakeries, and coffee shops.

Fine Dining and Award-Winning Restaurants

Providence consistently appears on national “best food cities” lists. Several of its restaurants have received James Beard Award recognition. Two of the best examples are:

• Oberlin was named one of the best new restaurants in America by Bon Appétit.
• Persimmon is a New American restaurant known for modern, technique-driven dishes.

The city’s fine-dining scene is all about seafood, and because of Rhode Island’s coastal location, you don’t have to go far to get the freshest of ingredients. Raw bars, oyster tastings, and seasonal seafood menus are widely available. Or you can go for more traditional fare in Federal Hill.

Federal Hill All Italian All The Time

Federal Hill is one of the oldest and most well-known Italian-American food neighborhoods in the Northeast. You will find Italian markets, bakeries, delis, and restaurants that date back to the late 19th century, when the area was packed with Italian immigrant families.

It's a major draw for visitors seeking a reliable, authentic food district. If you love Italian food, you will love the taste of Federal Hill.

Global Cuisine in Providence

Providence has more than just Seafood and Italian Restaurants.

As immigration has continued, the food scene has expanded, and for the better. You can go way beyond traditional Federal Hill Italian fare and Rhode Island Seafood without venturing out of the city at all.

The Broad Street Neighborhood is a great place to find restaurants serving Dominican, Cambodian, Guatemalan, and Middle Eastern Food.

There are also small restaurants near Brown and RISD that are fusion restaurants that bring the flavors from around the world to students. It is a great place to try something new.

A Walkable, Accessible Cultural Destination

Providence’s compact layout is one of its greatest advantages. Both the cultural experiences on offer and the amazing restaurants.

RISD Museum, WaterFire, Providence Performing Arts Center, and other theaters, galleries, and top restaurants sit within a one-mile radius.

It is a great weekend trip city, you can stay in an awesome downtown hotel like the Aloft (which is right across from the Providence River), visit the museum, see a musical, and eat well the entire time. All on foot, and without rushing all over a large city. Plus, you have time to enjoy the journey, stop at a local independent coffee shop and grab a drink, or go to one of a number of microbreweries and enjoy some local color.

A City That Creates Its Own Magic

Providence isn’t trying to be Brooklyn or Boston or Portland. It doesn’t need to. It has its own unhurried rhythm — thoughtful, slightly quirky, and decidedly artsy.

Here, culture isn’t an occasional treat, it's part of every day life, and waiting for you to come and visit.