By Julie Myhre-Nunes | NerdWallet

I had never driven an electric car before, so, naturally, I made sure my first drive covered 500 miles across two states in one day.

Although public opinion on electric cars is still mixed, facts suggest these cars are not a passing fad. Electric vehicle sales in the U.S. topped 1 million for the first time in 2023, quadrupling the figure three years prior. And although demand has slowed, a recent study by industry group Cox Automotive found that more than half of shoppers previously identified as skeptics are poised to enter the EV market in the second half of the decade.

While my first experience with an EV was unusual — I rented one to drive from San Jose, California, to a work event in Las Vegas — it included many situations a prospective buyer would want to consider. If you’re new to EVs or just curious about what a road trip in one is like, here are the lessons I learned.

Maximum range isn’t the actual range

The 2023 Chevy Bolt EV 1LT that I drove has a combined miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) of 120 and a maximum range of 259 miles, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. These totals didn’t translate to real life.

That’s because an electric vehicle’s maximum range doesn’t take into account the use of anything in the car, including air conditioning/heater, the infotainment system, charging your phone or the terrain you’ll drive through. It’s just a measurement of what the 100% charged battery is capable of.

It turns out, though, that an electric battery functions best when it is between 20% and 80% full, because going over that exposes the battery to high voltages that can accelerate degradation over time. (Think of your phone battery and how the battery dies faster as the phone ages.) So if you’re keeping the car’s battery between 20% and 80% most of the time, your battery should last longer.

When I picked up the car, the battery was at 80%, which gave me a minimum of 151 miles. I had mapped out my trip based on where I could find public charging stations, and I knew the first leg of my trip would cover about 150 miles while driving through a mountain pass. Before heading out, I decided to top up the charge to a minimum of 163 miles — but, happily, I got to the first stop with 60 miles left, mostly due to regenerative braking that takes the energy usually wasted with braking and puts it back into the battery.

Charging isn’t always available

I charged the vehicle four times on my trip, using three of the four largest public charging companies: Electrify America, ChargePoint and EVgo. Because all three charging companies function differently, this meant that each time I was figuring out how payments and plugging in worked. It felt like I was 16 again and learning how to fuel up my car for the first time.

Depending on your area, you might have a plethora of charging options or not many at all, and it’s not always predictable. Consider two California cities of comparable size: Fresno with a population of 542,107 and Sacramento with a population of 524,943. When it comes to charging stations with Level 2 and direct-current (DC) fast chargers (the two fastest charging options), Sacramento has more than double the number of chargers in Fresno — 359 and 174, respectively, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. And there’s even more of a divide in different areas across the country.

Keep in mind, too, that not all of those chargers work for every car. Tesla has the largest network of charging stations by far, but while the company is opening up that network to other manufacturers and charge-point operators, that process is very much in-progress. What’s more, at any given station some of the chargers may be out of order (two of the four stations I visited had chargers that weren’t working), and if you get to a station and it’s full, you may have a wait ahead of you.

Charging may take a long time

Enter a drive from San Jose to Vegas in your favorite mapping software and it’ll say it takes about eight hours. My drive required 11 and a half.

Travel time in an EV depends on the vehicle you’re driving and what kind of public chargers you use. DC fast chargers can fill a battery electric vehicle to 80% in as little as 20 minutes or as long as an hour, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. When I stopped at the ChargePoint in Coalinga, California, I had a minimum of 60 miles left in the battery. I used a DC fast charger for 1 hour, 9 minutes to gain an additional 103 miles.

But most plug-in hybrids and many electric cars are not yet equipped for that type of fast charging, and so realistically it may take longer. I didn’t do any Level 2 charging on my trip, but that technology can charge a battery electric vehicle to 80% in four to 10 hours and a plug-in hybrid in one to two hours.

In total I charged for 3 hours and 6 minutes over my 529-mile drive. For comparison’s sake, I drove a gas-powered car back from Vegas and had to gas up only once for eight minutes.

Charging anxiety is real

Awful. That’s how it feels to be on a long drive in an EV wondering if you’ll make it to the next charging station.

I experienced this twice on my trip — when I reached Mojave, California, with a minimum of 20 miles left, and then pulling into Las Vegas, with a minimum of 32 miles left. Both times I was genuinely concerned that I wouldn’t make it to my next stop. I turned off the air conditioning, stopped listening to my audiobook, unplugged my cell phone and tried to remain positive.

I started to plan out my options for what to do if the car died. I looked up charging stations near me using my phone, but had no luck. Worst case, I was ready to use my AAA membership, although I don’t know what they could do other than tow the vehicle to a charger. Of course, this was first timer’s nerves, but in survey after survey, anxiety over charging and range is among the biggest blockers to widespread EV adoption, with one noting that some 40% of current EV owners still report having a little.

A smartphone is essential for EV drivers

When you’re driving a gas car, there are plenty of opportunities to stop. In fact, you’ll see road signs along the highway to let you know when you can stop. This isn’t something you can rely on in an electric car. Instead, you’ll have to rely on your phone or previously mapped out charging stations. Despite mapping my stops ahead of time, I ended up looking for stops when I started getting charging anxiety.

Additionally, paying for charging may require your cell phone. Gas stations generally have two payment options: at the pump or with an attendant. None of the charging stations I visited had an attendant working, and ChargePoint didn’t let me tap or pay at the plug. Instead, I had to pay using its app, which isn’t ideal if your phone is dead or you can’t get the app to work.

Would I buy an EV after this trip?

Yes, but there are some caveats. I’m fortunate enough to be a two-car household, and if we were to get an electric car, it would replace one of the gas vehicles. I suspect electric cars are great for short trips, like a daily commute, but I’m not ready for one on a longer journey. And if I did buy an electric car, I don’t think I would rely on public charging. I would install a Level 2 charger in my home, which costs extra for the charger and the electrician but gives peace of mind that I could quickly top up every night.

Julie Myhre-Nunes is an editor at NerdWallet. Email: jmyhrenunes@nerdwallet.com.

The article What I Learned From My First EV Road Trip originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Patrick Clarke | (TNS) TravelPulse

Summer is coming to a close but that doesn’t mean your travel plans have to be put on hold until the holidays.

Labor Day weekend signals the arrival of shoulder season, a fantastic time for travelers with some flexibility to save big on a spectacular getaway while avoiding the large crowds at the same time.

Make this the year that you capitalize on this golden opportunity.

The coming days and weeks will see airfares drop and become more affordable before beginning to climb again and eventually peaking around the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Summer is winding down and consumer focus is on returning to normal work and school schedules. Our data shows that airfares are trending downward, and we expect that to continue for the immediate future,” says Glenn Cusano, President of Fareportal, the corporation behind OTA brands CheapOair and OneTravel.

There are plenty of great deals out there right now as several airlines are launching sales with one-way fares under $40 and even offering discounted all-you-can-fly passes as demand dips.

Plus, travelers should be able to find plenty of favorable hotel rates, especially if they’re able to put those unused vacation days to work and stay mid-week.

Shoulder season globetrotters could potentially save even more on a more comfortable stay by booking a vacation rental. Vrbo experts point out that travelers can save hundreds per night on beach houses in popular coastal destinations such as North Carolina’s Outer Banks; Gulf Shores, Alabama; Charleston, South Carolina; and Pensacola, Florida.

Guests can even save up to $900 a night on an eight-bedroom beachfront property in Miramar, Florida, by booking during the shoulder season compared to peak summertime.

In addition to lower rates and smaller crowds, travelers can still take advantage of awesome weather, especially in southern locales that remain warm well into October.

Nonetheless, the potential for destructive and disruptive tropical storm systems and hurricanes remains through November. So those heading to the most at-risk destinations should strongly consider protecting their investment with travel insurance.

If the idea of planning a shoulder season trip is daunting, working with a trusted travel adviser can help as these helpful experts can not only point you toward the best savings based on your own unique interests and help protect your trip but also land you special perks through their connections with various suppliers.

However you decide to make plans, don’t let another golden shoulder season go by the wayside.

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©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Colorado boasts some of the most famous mountain towns in the U.S., including playgrounds for the wealthy, such as Aspen and Telluride.

There are posh boutiques, fine dining, stunning views, and even more stunning prices. You could spend more on a weekend out than the ski bum washing your dishes earns in a month.

But you don’t have to break the bank for a mountain town experience this summer. Get away from the ski lifts and condos, and you’ll find wonderful small towns, places where the mountain-town spirit lives in a (relatively) affordable way.

Here are 10 mountain towns to put on your summer travel list, whether as a destination or just a place to grab a meal on your way through.

Buena Vista

This town in the upper Arkansas River Valley used to be hardscrabble town you drove through on the way to Salida or Leadville. But no more.

Buena Vista invested heavily in developing the area around the river, adding restaurants and shops, a rock-climbing wall and water park.

Where to stay: The Surf Hotel and Chateau, with a bar and restaurant right along the river.

Where to eat: Eddyline Brewing, with two locations and different menus.

What to do: Take a drive on stunning Cottonwood Pass, bring a (non-motorized) boat to Cottonwood Lake or hike one of the many 14,000 peaks in the Collegiate range.

Del Norte

This sleepy hamlet in the San Luis Valley, which was left dormant after the closure of Summitville mine, recently boomed with massive development in restaurants and shops.

The town also has a new play park on the Rio Grande for tubing and surfing, and each August, it hosts the hugely popular Rhythms on the Rio Music Festival.

Del Norte is no longer just where you turn right to ski Wolf Creek.

Where to stay: The Windsor, a restored Victorian hotel with a fine-dining restaurant. Dog owners will enjoy the Mellow Moon Lodge, where two dogs of any size can stay for a weekly fee of $25 per dog.

Where to eat: The Colorado Grill and Taphouse offers a variety of pub fare and comfort food. Three Barrel Brewing is known for its wood-fired pizza.

What to do: Mountain bike the trails around town, go rock-climbing or hiking at nearby Penitente Canyon or cool off on a hot day in the Rio Grande.

Georgetown

Some 40,000 vehicles a day pass this quaint former mining town on Interstate 70, but there’s more to do here than stop for gas and a restroom.

With a booming summer scene and dramatic mountain views, it’s a perfect day trip.

Georgetown is also the starting point for the road up Guanella Pass, an easy drive high into the tundra above.

Where to stay: Rose Street Bed and Breakfast is an easy stroll to the shops and restaurants. For hotel-style accommodations, try the new Microtel Inn and Suites east of town.

Where to eat: Cooper’s on the Creek offers a pleasant patio, pub fare and comfort food.

What to do: Drive Guanella Pass and take a hike up 14,065-foot Mount Bierstadt, known as one of the easiest 14,000-foot peaks to try. Ride into history on the Georgetown Loop Railroad or take a guided rafting trip on Clear Creek.

GranbyThis northern Colorado town is no longer just known as the place where a guy built a home-made tank and ravaged it. (really, look it up)

Located within an easy drive of lakes, hot springs, skiing, and hiking, Granby is a perfect base camp for a few days, where you can enjoy the outdoors while avoiding the crowds of nearby Grand Lake.

Where to stay: Inn at Silver Creek is an “adventure hotel” with a bar, restaurant, outdoor pool and golf course.

Where to eat: Maverick’s Grille offers a “Colorado-inspired” menu with a western-themed decor.

What to do: Boat, fish or paddle on massive Lake Granby, take a trip to nearby Hot Sulphur Springs, a historic spa resort or explore the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park on stunning Trail Ridge Road.

Mancos

You might not expect to find a thriving art scene in the desert of the Four Corners region, but pull off from U.S. 160, and that’s what you’ll find.

The town boasts eight art galleries, a historic opera house and a vibrant local business scene.

Mancos makes an ideal stopover on the way to Mesa Verde National, just five miles away.

Where to stay: With few lodging options, your best bet is the Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde or Durango.

Where to eat: The Boathouse on Grand is open for dinner only Thursday-Sunday, with a constantly rotating menu based on local ingredients.

What to do: Sign up for a tour of the Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde, take a walking tour of the arts district or go boating or fishing at Mancos State Park.

Paonia

This pretty town deep in central Colorado’s mountains isn’t on the road to anywhere.

Thanks to a mild climate, it is the heart of Colorado’s wine country.

In summer and fall, the Kebler Pass Road is open, making for a gorgeous drive into the West Elk Mountains to Crested Butte.

Where to stay: The Hitching Post Hotel and Farm Store offers an eclectic old-west feel.

Where to eat: Root and Vine Market is a winery with a breakfast and lunch cafe.

What to do: Take a winery tour in the Napa Valley of Colorado, drive to the north rim of stunning Black Canyon in Gunnison National Park, or visit in early July for Paonia Cherry Days, the longest-running community festival in Colorado.

Platoro

Now, we’re way off the beaten path. This town is 30 miles down winding dirt roads, deep in the South San Juan Mountains, and only exists because of the nearby Platoro Reservoir.

It’s more of a collection of rental cottages than an actual town, but the gorgeous landscape and proximity to outdoor activities will draw you back. It even has a couple of restaurants far from civilization.

Where to stay: The Sky Line Lodge and Cabins resembles a rustic hunting lodge and has its own restaurant.

Where to eat: See above. It’s the only game in town.

What to do: Take a hike into the South San Juan Wilderness, an area so remote it was home to the last grizzly bears in Colorado. Go boating or fishing on the gorgeous Platoro Reservoir or take an ATV drive to the top of Stunner Pass.

Ridgway

The area between Ouray and Durango in Colorado, known as the “American Alps,” swarms with tourists during the summer.

But Ridgway, about 10 miles from the mountains, offers a calmer experience. You can spend a day hiking or driving in these beautiful mountains and still relax.

Where to stay: Orvis Hot Springs offers a selection of rooms and campsites in a beautifully landscaped space with multiple hot pools.

Where to eat: The Colorado Boy offers good pizza and better locally-made craft beer.

What to do: Take a self-guided tour of the many old mines on gorgeous Red Mountain Pass. Soak at Orvis or drive into Ouray for the large hot springs pool. Hike the Bear Creek National Recreation Trail.

Trinidad

This former coal-mining town in extreme southern Colorado has reinvented itself as a tourist destination, with a thriving downtown (and perhaps the largest per-capita number of cannabis stores in Colorado.)

There are great mountain biking trails and several lakes.

Where to stay: All the hotels are chains, so take your pick.

Where to eat: For over 20 years, Rino’s Italian Restaurant and Steakhouse has entertained diners with its musical waitstaff.

What to do: Take a tour of downtown on the free trolley. Go boating, hiking or fishing at Trinidad Lake State Park. Visit the site of the Ludlow Massacre, where innocent women and children were killed in the 1914 labor wars.

Walden

This town in the remote expanse of North Park is ideal for “getting away from it all.”

Its wide-open country makes it the best place in Colorado to view moose and other wildlife, and hunters flock here in the fall to hunt deer and elk.

Rivers and lakes are known for stellar fishing, and the nearby Mount Zirkel Wilderness is one of Colorado’s last hidden gems.

Where to stay: Bring a tent or camper.

Where to eat: Four Winds Pizza

What to do: Hike to Rainbow Lake in the nearby Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Go moose-watching in State Forest State Park (they have a “Moose Visitor Center.”) Go fly-fishing on the Illinois River.

Laurie Baratti | TravelPulse (TNS)

Traveling can be a painful experience even if you’re someone who generally enjoys good health. In those ultra-cramped economy seats aboard airplanes, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who’d call themselves comfortable. But, for those who suffer with chronic pain, the proposition of travel presents a myriad of extra concerns and challenges.

For some, their symptoms substantially restrict even their daily activities, so the notion of venturing outside their usual controllable environment seems almost impossible. These often-invisible afflictions can effectively incapacitate you or, at least, impede your ability to enjoy all kinds of things other people take for granted. But, with careful planning and some compensatory measures at the ready, travel isn’t necessarily off the table.

There are some things you can do to help ensure that your journey runs smoothly and minimize the discomfort of whatever mode of transportation you choose. And, while the change in your environment and routine that accompanies travel will undoubtedly challenge your body, you can do your best to prepare for likely eventualities. There may be nothing we can do about the pitch of airplane seating, but some things are still within our control.

Mentality

The first obstacle may be the lingering worry that you might experience a flare-up and find yourself unfit to travel when the departure date actually arrives, which could deter you from making plans in the first place. What if an attack comes on midtrip and you find yourself without your usual means of mitigating the symptoms? It will probably be necessary to remind yourself constantly of the benefits you’ll enjoy because of your trip — seeing friends or loved ones, experiencing new things or the singular enjoyment that comes from a change of scenery.

Planning ahead

If your budget allows, you may wish to purchase travel insurance with Cancel For Any Reason coverage, so that you can back out of your trip in case the worst-case scenario does occur. Be sure to look thoroughly into the terms of your policy, however, as some may not reimburse you 100% of your travel expenses.

Communication

If you’re traveling with companions, be transparent about your condition. The pressures of traveling, particularly in a group, can be compounded if other members of your party don’t realize that you’re in appreciable pain. With invisible ailments, it’s essential to communicate your needs and limitations to your group so that they are aware of and can accommodate your restrictions, or at least understand when you need to dip out of an activity and go rest in your room.

Reduce travel time

There are things you can do to help reduce the amount of time you spend on your travel journey, most of which involve some extra expense. You can minimize time spent standing in security screening queues by enrolling in TSA Precheck, which allows you to use a dedicated lane for expedited screening service. If possible, you’ll also want to opt for a direct flight to reduce time spent in transit and lugging your bags around multiple airports.

Pack light

Perhaps this one is intuitive (and it’s definitely easier said than done), but you’ll want to pack as lightly as possible. Hauling around a heavy suitcase can easily aggravate your chronic pain condition, and the walk between your car and the airport or hotel room can quite suddenly seem very arduous. Of course, ensure you’ve got a suitcase with wheels to make things easier. If possible, you could consider shipping bulky items directly to your destination. There are companies like Luggage Free, Send My Bag and Lugless that deliver directly to your accommodations.

Bring comfort items

Packing lightly can sometimes prove challenging given my next tip, which is that you pack items that keep you comfortable while both awake and asleep. If you need to stuff a special pillow, heating or cooling pads into a larger suitcase, by all means, do it. Perhaps you need to bring along certain food or snack items that help minimize inflammation. CBD products can be brought aboard airplanes as long as the THC content is no higher than 0.3% (and you are flying between states or countries where it’s legal).

Packing medications

It may be helpful to use a travel pill organizer so you don’t need to fumble through bottles buried inside your luggage and can bring only the amount of medication you need. If you’re on an international flight, however, you may need to bring the original bottles or copies of your prescriptions. Be sure to fill your prescriptions in advance of your trip and bring along an extra three days’ supply in case your flight gets delayed or canceled and you’re away from home longer than intended. To be on the safe side, you may want to bring along a record of your condition and a list of the medications you’re taking.

Prepare your carry-on

Be sure to pack your medications, water, snacks and pain management tools in your carry-on for easy access. In case your luggage gets mishandled, you don’t want to be caught without these things. That includes any NSAIDS or other analgesics you might need mid-flight or while navigating the airport. A good neck pillow and stick-on heating/cooling pads for tight muscles can prove indispensable during a flight. I also bring a supply of cold medications and supplements with me on every trip, as my pain becomes quite unbearable when I’m fighting any illness.

Wheelchair assistance

Airports are required to provide wheelchair or medical assistance to anyone who requests them, whether or not you typically use a wheelchair. Airlines recommend calling at least 48 hours in advance on your departure on either end of your trip to request a wheelchair or guided assistance, and you can also inform a gate attendant once you arrive. This also allows you to take advantage of early boarding, so that you don’t have to stand for extended periods of time as the masses try to board the plane ahead of you. For more in-depth information on these services, visit the U.S. Department of Transportation’s article on Wheelchair and Guided Assistance.

Flying in pain

Be sure to buy your ticket early so you have your choice of airplane seats, and opt for as much legroom and seat comfort as you can afford. Even if you can’t spring for First or Business class, scoring an aisle seat in Economy has its benefits, allowing you to stand up and stretch or move around more mid-flight. Even if you have to squeeze past seatmates to do so, be sure to get up and move a bit during the flight to reduce stiffness and improve circulation.

Throughout your travel journey, you’ll want to stay hydrated and eat as well as possible to keep your blood sugar levels stable and avoid inflammation-triggering foods (like most of the stuff that’s typically available on the go). This is definitely easier said than done when you’re having to dine at the airport, so keep some healthy snacks handy in your carry-on bag.

Go by train

If air travel comes with too many variables for you to be reasonably comfortable getting on a plane and flying, consider rail travel as a viable alternative. Going by train may take longer, but it comes with considerable perks, including ample legroom and often some stunning scenery along the way. You can also choose to book sleeper accommodations, which afford you more privacy, allow you more space to move around an allow you to lie down flat for maximum comfort.

Go by car

If you’re not going too far and will be driving to your destination, many of the above principles still apply. Keep medications and comfort items close at hand, stay hydrated and eat as healthily as possible, and make sure to take breaks roughly every hour so that you can get out, stretch and move around. You’ll also want to swap driving duties, if possible.

©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Lebawit Lily Girma, Bloomberg News

Ask a luxury-minded globetrotter to name their favorite hotel brands and chances are you’ll hear some combination of the following names: Four Seasons Resort & Club, Aman Resorts Group Ltd., Marriott International Inc.’s Luxury Collection and the Ritz Carlton Hotel Co. LLC, or Rosewood Hotels & Resorts LLC.

Now, Hilton Hotels Worldwide Holdings Inc. is doing its best to get on that list. Some loyalists would say it already belongs there — if only for its best-known Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts brands.

But even Hilton’s top brass concedes that the hotel behemoth’s reputation lies mainly with road warriors rather than luxury seekers. While Marriott has been busy expanding into luxury all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and Ritz-Carlton yachts, Hilton has spent the past year focusing on new corporate-leaning brands, such as Tempo by Hilton.

“Here’s the irony — Hilton didn’t have a full category’s worth of luxury brands a few years ago,” says Dino Michael, senior vice president and global head of Hilton’s luxury brands. “But if you look back before today’s proliferation of luxury brands, Hilton was the international hotel brand,” he says, citing its prominence from the 1950s to 1970s. “We have legitimacy in this space, we just changed focus for a while.”

That’s what Hilton is aggressively pushing to change. The corporate hospitality giant has been on an acquisition and partnership spree to expand its luxury lifestyle portfolio. Its hope is not just to grow in a segment that’s sustained high demand since the pandemic, but to offer its most loyal clientele — 190 million Hilton Honors members, including lots of those road warriors — more enticing ways to spend their hard-earned points.

“We are going from 100 to 500 luxury hotels in 2024,” says Chris Silcock, president of global brands and commercial services. “That’s going to be phenomenal for our customers and will continue to feed our loyalty program —it’s a huge, huge year for us.”

Hundreds of luxury hotels in one year

Hilton’s concerted luxury push started in February 2024, when it signed an exclusive partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, a collection of 560 luxury boutique hotels in 90 countries. Most of those are now bookable with Hilton points — think a beachfront all-inclusive suite at Hermitage Bay in Antigua and Barbuda, a luxury farmhouse stay with mountain views at a Himalayan lodge, or a swanky terrace suite at Nobu Hotel in Marbella, Spain. If you’re booking in points, it’ll cost you: The all-inclusive Caribbean suite goes for 1.3 million points per night in mid-November.

Also in February, Hilton partnered with outdoorsy resort brand AutoCamp. By the time summer travel season rolled around, Hilton loyalists could book the brand’s customized Airstreams and luxury tents, which are set near U.S. national parks in such locations as Zion in Utah and Yosemite in California, from around 70,000 points per night.

Then came the acquisitions. In March, Hilton spent $210 million on Graduate Hotels, a collection of roughly three dozen stylish hotels strategically located near university campuses, which this year will add locations near Princeton and Auburn Universities. By acquiring the majority controlling interest in Andrew Zobler’s Sydell Group, it then added expansion rights to its boho-luxe NoMad brand, which Hilton envisions growing from one London flagship location to as many as 100 hotels around the world. (So far there is no firm pipeline of openings, Hilton confirmed.)

The NoMad deal is especially sweet. While most hotel conglomerates manage the properties in their portfolios without owning them outright, Hilton will do neither for NoMad; it will only offer real estate development services for the brand while keeping it in the mix for Hilton Honors members.

Rethinking legacy brands

Meanwhile, Hilton is trying to up the ante for Waldorf Astoria and Conrad as it rapidly expands both brands. Its latest Waldorf outposts are jaw-droppers: It opened 50 seafront villas and six restaurants on an ultra-secluded private island in the Seychelles in late January, all amid lush forests, lagoons and coral reefs. The Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, meanwhile, opened in 2019. It sprawls across three islands, with overwater villas perched above the Indian Ocean. Each has its own dressing room with a glass floor and infinity pool, plus access to the country’s largest spa.

Waldorf Astoria’s flagship New York location will reopen this year, too, after a highly complex redevelopment spanning several years. After that, it will open a Waldorf Astoria in London — it’s being built into Admiralty Arch, a landmark building that neighbors Buckingham Palace and was originally used by the British Navy. In total, 15 new Waldorf Astorias and Conrads are in the pipeline, all set to open by 2026.

The company’s efforts to further upscale these brands are already helping Hilton’s bottom line. In its Aug. 7 earnings call, it shared that revenue per available room climbed 7.5% in the second quarter compared with the same period a year earlier for the Waldorf Astoria brand, and 8.7% for its Conrad brand. Meanwhile, brands such as Hampton by Hilton, which is focused on more of an upper-midscale market, posted a 1.8% increase in that measure.

A growing, profitable segment

All this is happening at a time when major hotel brands outside of Marriott are playing a big game of luxury catch-up. Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC has acquired Six Senses Resorts & Spas and is bringing its top-notch Regent Hotels & Resorts to the U.S.; Hyatt Hotels Corp. has bought brands such as Alila and Miraval, plus Apple Leisure Group and Mr & Mrs Smith. But as of late, Hilton has been the most aggressive in its luxury pivot.

Silcock says it’s just a way to give his loyalists what they increasingly want. “Many of these customers may spend their traveling life staying in many of our other brands for business or for different occasions,” he says. “But they all like to dream of luxury. The more options we have to offer them, the better.”

Of notable importance are the 30 million new Hilton Honors members who joined the loyalty program in the last year, and who Silcock now needs to retain.

Despite Hilton’s extensive efforts, some experts say it still isn’t doing enough. Bjorn Hanson, adjunct professor at New York University’s Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, believes the new acquisitions and partnerships will help fill Hilton’s luxury hospitality portfolio, but not completely.

“Luxury did especially well during COVID, and now it continues to do especially well,” Hanson says, giving credence to Hilton’s strategic timing. But with no other sector of the hotel industry showing greater occupancy gains this year than these five-star stays, Hanson says Hilton is limited to few acquisition opportunities — a challenge, when what it really needs to be doing is buying up more brands with larger portfolios to flesh out its own portfolio.

Hanson gives credit, however, for Hilton rapidly doubling the number of its Waldorf Astoria locations to 30 — an average of one new location each year, the pandemic and supply crises notwithstanding — since announcing the start of the Waldorf Astoria Collection in 2006, branded after its flagship Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City.

An uphill climb

Hanson isn’t the only one predicting an uphill climb for Hilton. Erich Joachimsthaler, branding expert and chief executive officer at strategic business reinvention firm Vivaldi Group, says that competing directly with Marriott —which has seven well established luxury brands — will require Hilton to better differentiate itself. If it wants to get there, Joachimsthaler says, it’ll need to be the one defining luxury.

“For Hilton to have any chance whatsoever, given they don’t have any scale in luxury right now, they must figure out these points of differences,” he says, noting that today’s luxury consumer isn’t merely seeking amenities that are available at any other brand.

Then again, Hilton’s top brass talks less about winning over market share than simply making its members happy. Take Michael’s obsession with opening a five-star hotel in Paris that his loyalists could book with points: He keeps it at the top of his priority list because Hilton Honors members have it at the top of theirs.

“The road warriors are staying with us because they want to accumulate their points to spend them somewhere they can celebrate and enjoy,” he says. “We know where the demand is.”

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©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Jim Rossman | Tribune News Service (TNS)

I love to drive, which is good, because I get a lot of opportunities to review gadgets for drivers.

This week I’m looking at a handful of useful things to make your drive safer or more comfortable.

You’ll notice I have included two air inflators. I like them both and they each have their advantages. Pricing included is retail price, but you may find them cheaper.

Dr Well Laxon DR-6000 Vehicle Air Massage Seat

As I get older, a comfortable place to sit is becoming more important. I love driving long distances, but my hips and back start to get sore after about 90 minutes in my driver’s seat.

The Laxon DR-6000 Vehicle Air Massage Seat ($399.99, Laxon.us or Amazon.com) is designed to sit on top of your seat. It straps to the headrest and around the back of the seat.

The DR-6000 uses a small air compressor to quickly fill air chambers strategically placed on the back and bottom of the seat. There are different massage modes that provide differing levels of massage. I’m a big guy, so I liked the more aggressive settings.

The compressor is housed in a small pouch that hangs down under your knees. It is quiet and fills the air chambers quickly.

The DR-6000 also has a seat heater that I didn’t need in Texas this summer, but I’m sure it’ll be handy this winter.

The massage and heat levels are controlled from a small wired remote that tucks into a pocket by the compressor.

Topdon V2200Plus Jump Starter

A small, battery-powered jump starter has replaced jumper cables in my vehicles for the last few years.

The Topdon V2200Plus ($149.99, topdon.us) can jumpstart your vehicle up to 35 times on a full charge.

It can jump up to 8-liter gas or 6-liter diesel engines, delivering up to 2,200 amps of peak current.

The clamps are smart enough to prevent you from doing damage to your vehicle or the jump starter if you’ve got them on the wrong posts.

The V2200Plus also has Bluetooth that can talk to an app on your phone that will give you a report on the health of your vehicle’s battery.

It also has an LED flashlight (handy) and it can charge your phone or other USB-powered devices.

I can’t tell you how many people I’ve helped with a portable jump starter. This is a good one.

HOTO Air Pump Master

Having a leaky tire is no fun. We’ve all been there. You see a little yellow low tire warning light on your dash and now you have to figure out which tire is low.

I also dislike hunting for a working air pump at a gas station, much less one that doesn’t require a credit card.

The HOTO Air Pump Master ($169.99, hototools.com) is a cigar-box sized compressor with a slick LED screen in its control wheel.

It’s easy to set your desired air pressure and let the pump do its job. It’ll stop when the target pressure is reached.

The Air Pump Master has two hoses that attach for filling everything you’d want to inflate, from car and bike tires to air mattresses, inflatable tents, kayaks and paddleboards and sports balls.

The interface is really easy to use and the inflation is quick. It takes about a minute to inflate a car tire or kayak.

The rechargeable 7,500 milliamp-hour battery can get the job done, or you can plug into your car’s 12v port for working all day. HOTO says you can inflate up to 16 car tires on a charge.

It has a built-in LED light to make using it easy at night and the internal battery recharges through its USB-C port.

It includes a nice sturdy storage bag to keep the inflator and all the hoses and filler tips organized and ready to go.

Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2

Everyone seems to have a phone mount in their car these days, and if you’re smart you have a charger built into that mount to keep your phone’s battery full.

The Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2 ($59.99, ipitaka.com) is a 15-watt wireless fast charger for your compatible iPhone or Android phone. Your phone can charge from zero to 100 percent in 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Connect the included USB-C cable to the MagEZ and your phone’s battery will stay full as you navigate down the road.

This mount comes in two models, one for cars with horizontal or vertical air vents and one for Tesla Model3/Y.

It uses the Qi2 charging standard, adopted by Apple and various Android phone manufacturers. Its magnet is strong enough to keep your phone steady on the bumpiest roads.

If your phone doesn’t have a magnet in the back like my iPhone, you’ll need a compatible case to help your phone stick to the charger. Pitaka sells cases, but you can get them from other places as well.

The MagEZ has one interesting feature that is unusual. It has a three-position switch that activate NFC shortcuts.

Once you set it up the NFC, you can have your favorite music or navigation app launch automatically when the phone is placed in the charger. Slick feature.

The MagEZ uses a 17mm universal swivel ball mount, so if you don’t want to use the included vent mount, you can get a different mount to attach it to your dash or a window or whatever type you like.

Syncwire Portable Inflator Air Pump

This is a tiny inflator that anyone can carry. I’d even recommend this one for e-bike riders or motorcyclists.

The Syncwire Portable Inflator ($79.99, syncwire.com) is about the size of a soft drink can and it can inflate car, motorcycle and bike tires or items like sports balls, air mattresses and inflatables. It has a maximum fill capacity of 150 psi.

The interface is quite simple. Press the power button, select the fill mode, set your desired pressure with the + and – buttons and attach the hose to whatever you want to fill. When connected, the display will show you the current pressure.

Pressing the power button starts the inflation and the compressor will stop when it reaches the desired pressure.

It has a 5,200mAh rechargeable battery that charges from a USB-C cable.

There is also a USB-A port that can charge your phone.

I tested this on my SUV. I deflated my tires down to 25 psi and it took about two and a half minutes to inflate them to 33 psi. I did note the inflator gets pretty warm during use, but it was manageable.

This inflator is inexpensive, easy to use and super convenient to stow in its included carry bag. It’ll fit in any trunk, saddle bag or toolbox.

Jim Rossman is a tech columnist for Tribune News Service. He may be reached at jrossmantechadviser@gmail.com.

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

TJ Fallon started visiting U.S. presidential gravesites during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“I did it out of complete boredom after being furloughed from my job,” the New Jersey native said.

Four years later, not only has he visited all 39 presidential gravesites at least twice, but — as of this week — his son, Henry, 10, has also seen them all.

On Monday, Henry of Brick, NJ, likely became the youngest person ever to check off the feat of paying homage to every dead president after he and his father disembarked from their inbound flight to LAX to visit the Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon libraries.

“I’m nervous and excited,” Henry said before walking to Nixon’s gravesite in Yorba Linda, the visit that would cap his achievement.

Afterward, he said he “kind of” felt accomplished to have seen every presidential grave.

The Fallons have traveled across the country to visit presidential libraries and cemeteries. They spent Henry’s spring break, for instance, road-tripping around Kansas and Missouri to see the graves of Eisenhower and Truman.

Henry’s favorite president? Lincoln.

But, like many 10-year-olds, Henry is not a big history buff and seems practically uninterested in politics. He zipped through the Nixon Library in an Aaron Judge baseball cap, spending more time practicing his batting swing than paying attention to the exhibits.

His favorite museum is the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, he said. And his favorite part of these road trips with Dad is not visiting the presidential gravesites, but stopping at the ballparks along — and sometimes out of — the way. The Fallons were also headed to Dodger Stadium and San Francisco’s Oracle Park — as well as Dinseyland — this week.

“People always ask me why I visit presidential gravesites,” TJ Fallon said. “It’s an odd hobby. But it humanizes all these great figures. They were people with families. They were mortal.”

The hobby began with a random Google search in 2020 when Fallon asked if any presidents are buried in New Jersey. In fact, Grover Cleveland is buried in Princeton. Though Cleveland never attended college, he fell in love with the area after delivering an address at the university in 1896, made Princeton his home after his second term as president and became a trustee of the Ivy League school.

After visiting Cleveland’s gravesite, Fallon made an ambitious Google search. “Has anyone visited every presidential gravesite?”

Based on his research, Fallon said it seemed like at least one person had done so and maybe others. He set out to do it faster.

So, he drove more than 60,000 miles through 34 states to visit all of them in nine months. He’s also gone to all 34 graves of vice presidents, 53 of the 56 graves of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and all 39 signers of the Constitution. He’s been featured by his hometown paper and Jay Leno’s show “You Bet Your Life;” he has 20,000 subscribers on his “Dead History” YouTube channel and 50,000 followers on Instagram.

Fallon says Nixon has the best epitaph of any president: “The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker.” Meanwhile, he believes Martin Van Buren might have the most unassuming gravesite in a small cemetery in his hometown of Kinderhook, NY.

Fallon’s enthrallment with presidential history might not have totally rubbed off on Henry, but at least they’ll always have this journey together to look back on.

Seeing America with his dad, Henry said, “means a lot.”

By Sam Kemmis | NerdWallet

Remember those old internet ads promising one “weird trick” to improve your fitness forever? I never clicked on those, but I wonder if the trick was “exercise often.” Because that would work.

Similarly, I’m asked all the time about the best way to use credit card reward points — specifically, points issued by banks designed to cover a variety of travel expenses. Three-quarters of credit card accounts offered rewards in 2022, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and many come with flexible redemption options. The answer is surprisingly simple: Learn how to transfer those points to travel loyalty programs.

Transferring points isn’t a particularly easy or obvious option. But the value of the points from popular issuer loyalty programs — such as Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One miles — can vary dramatically depending on how they’re used. That’s why NerdWallet offers both a “baseline value” and “maximized value” in our point valuations.

The baseline value is how valuable points are when used for booking travel directly through the issuer’s rewards portal, such as Chase Travel℠ or Capital One Travel. The maximized value relates to how much these points are worth when transferred to their best partner program. For example, the baseline value of American Express Membership Rewards is 1 cent, while the maximized value (when transferred to the best partners) is 2 cents.

Don’t be deterred

Most credit card reward programs make it easy to use your points for their baseline value. They usually show the cost of using points right next to the cash price when searching for travel on their booking platforms.

To be clear: There’s nothing wrong with using your points this way. Sometimes it’s actually the most valuable redemption option. And you generally get benefits like earning miles on flights booked this way. But there is another way.

American Express puts the “transfer points” option at the bottom of a hard-to-find menu on its account page. Don’t be deterred.

Figuring out how to actually transfer your points is one thing. Then comes the real challenge: Which partner program should you transfer them to?

This is the step where most people — including me — are most likely to get deterred. Each credit card program has a long list of transfer partnerships ranging from well-known U.S. brands like Delta Air Lines to international airlines like EVA Air. Which transfer partner is “best”?

Be clear about your goals

Many articles about maximizing points focus on redemptions that yield the best dollar-per-point value, which are almost always business and first class awards. But it’s worth asking: Is that what you want?

If you were planning to fly in a premium cabin already these articles can be helpful. But there are many problems with trying to book these awards, including restricted availability, complex booking processes, large fuel surcharges and other fees.

Flying economy might give you a worse dollar-per-point value than flying first class, but you might be able to squeeze more trips out of your points. And transferring points to loyalty programs for economy flights could still give you an edge over booking directly through an issuer. Don’t suddenly turn into a champagne-swilling points maximizer just because some article told you to.

Also important: Don’t transfer your points until you know the redemption you want to book is actually available. Otherwise you’ll be stuck with a bunch of points in random programs, and this one trick will turn into a big hassle.

Stick with it

The thing about this one weird trick — just like exercise — is that it requires persistence. It’s not a magic bullet.

Credit card holders earn $40 billion worth of rewards each year, according to a 2022 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. And most of those rewards won’t be used to maximum effect.

By simply considering transfer partnerships as an option when using your credit card points, you’ve already put yourself 10 steps ahead of most people.

Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: skemmis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @samsambutdif.

The article Maximize Credit Card Points With Just One (Big) Skill originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Greetings from Alaska! There’s nothing quite like escaping the sweltering dog days of summer in Florida to experience the land of the midnight sun and temperatures that helped me regain my chill.

It was just by luck that my girlfriend, Karissa, invited me on this epic expedition several months ago, prompting my immediate and enthusiastic “Yes!” Our adventure-filled itinerary included breathtaking views on hikes in Denali National Park, a soothing dip in natural hot springs and an icy trek on the Matanuska Glacier. Two other friends joined for the excursion, which featured a rental camper van for driving and sleeping.

The trip of a lifetime began in Anchorage, where we caught Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic Train to Seward on a route ranked among the top 10 train rides in North America by National Geographic. On the way to the quaint waterfront town that’s bordered by Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park, we gazed in awe at mountains towering over the train, cascading waterfalls and glaciers off in the distance. During our time in the small town of less than 3,000, we embarked on a sea kayaking trip to see otters and bald eagles in their natural habitat and spent an afternoon hiking the Harding Icefield Trail, which overlooks Exit Glacier.

Flatlanders be warned: Hiking up hundreds or thousands of feet of elevation gain during a hike proves challenging when all you have to train with are flights of stairs in parking garages.

After soaking in the waterfront views from Seward and a picturesque return trip on the train, it was time to pick up a rental 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. The van was decked out with a queen bed, a sink (with a hot water heater!) and plenty of storage. The adventure van included an awning, solar power and all-terrain tires for wherever our travels took us.

We dashed off to Denali National Park, which had just reopened after the Riley Fire near the park’s entrance. During our two-night stay there, we were only able to behold a mere fraction of the massive 6.1-million-acre expanse, which serves as home to North America’s highest peak. On several hikes, we stood amazed at sweeping views of mountains and valleys in front of us, also enjoying some lower elevation hikes through scenic forests, along lakeshores and next to rushing creeks. The fresh mountain air proved to be just what the doctor ordered, and it felt like everything was much bigger and open in Alaska.

Our aching legs needed a reprieve after a few hard hikes, so our next stop was Chena Hot Springs, a refreshing oasis an hour outside of Fairbanks. While the property is a destination for seeing the northern lights during the winter months, we enjoyed a “fire and ice” sort of experience with a soak in the more than 100-degree water and a visit to the on-site Aurora Ice Museum, an indoor building filled with ice sculptures where guests can sip appletinis served in carved-ice martini glasses.

Every stop on our journey benefited from long days when the sun didn’t set until almost midnight, allowing us to fit many activities into a single day.

After a unique dining experience at the Alaska Salmon Bake in Fairbanks and a quick stop at North Pole, Alaska — where we snapped photos with a towering Santa statue — it was time to head south on the Richardson Highway. Running for several hundred miles through Alaska’s interior, the scenic drive is where we camped for a night and hiked to the Castner Glacier ice cave. Along the way, we spotted a mama and baby moose in a pond right next to the road, just a few dozen feet away.

The end of our grand Alaskan adventure featured one of the trip’s biggest highlights: a full-day excursion onto the Matanuska Glacier, which is 27 miles long and 4 miles wide. Led by guides Samantha and Julian, our group of four learned how to use crampons for the first time for traction on ice, then used harnesses and ropes to scale ice walls and repel down frozen canyons. The landscape felt surreal and was certainly a welcome way to enjoy some crisp temperatures far away from the heat of Florida.

Determined to squeeze as much as we could into the final portion of our trip, we sprinted in the van down to the Homer Spit, a narrow finger of land that extends for 4.5 miles into Kachemak Bay. There, we watched a full moonrise after the sun finally set around 11 p.m., then woke the next day to find our first hot shower in days at a nearby campground before feasting on fresh salmon and halibut for lunch. Before hitting the road to catch flights home in Anchorage, we visited the famous Salty Dawg Saloon, established in 1957 and housed in a cabin built in 1897. The building formerly served as the town’s post office, a railroad station, a grocery store and a coal mining office for 20 years.

While the trip seemed to end too soon, I know we made many new memories in the 49th state and relished every second of our time there. Whenever Florida’s heat indexes soar into the triple digits, all I have to do is close my eyes and picture myself back on that glacier to find my chill once again.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.

I was floating in the wide saline lagoon of the Grand Hyatt Kauai, drifting along on my back. Buoyed by the semi-salty water, I watched the palm fronds waving in the trade winds above me, silhouetted against the blue Pacific sky. As a deep out-of-body sense of relaxation overcame me and time seemed to slow, it made me think: does it seriously get any better than this?

In Hawaii, many resorts pull out all the stops to create over-the-top poolside settings and experiences. Whether you’re lounging in an in-water chaise or being treated like Hollywood royalty in a private cabana, drifting in slow motion down a “lazy river” or floating at the edge of an infinity pool while soaking up a Hawaiian sunset, your pool experiences can be among the most memorable highlights of a Hawaiian vacation.

If you’re feeling the urge for some Hawaiian-style poolside pampering, here are some of my favorite resorts to check out in the Hawaiian islands. Whatever pool paradise you choose, remember that Hawaii’s magic extends far beyond the resorts. Make sure to take the time to explore the islands’ stunning beaches, hike through lush rainforests, experience the rich local culture and splash in some of the natural pools — you’ll find suggestions on that score below, too.

Kauai

Grand Hyatt Kauai’s massive pool complex of palm tree-lined terraces and lushly landscaped oases, has something for everyone, including a long lazy river and a large, wonderfully relaxing saline lagoon just feet from Shipwreck Beach and the ocean surf. Details: hyatt.com

Also in Poipu, the Koloa Landing Resort has been honored with a “Best Pool in America” accolade by USA Today several years running. A huge waterfall overflowing a rock arch is the centerpiece of the main pool, but my favorite aquatic escape at the resort is the secluded adult pool and hot tub, set away from the busy main pool complex. Details: koloalandingresort.com

Maui

In West Maui’s Ka’anapali resort region, Westin Maui Resort & Spa’s lush pool complex is just feet from the beach and includes an adult pool on the upper terrace and lower pool with a waterslide that’s a hit with kids and adults. An infinity pool for adults features a sandy bottom, perfect for wiggling your toes while sipping a tropical drink from the nearby poolside bar. Details: westinmaui.com

At the far end of the main stretch of Ka’anapali Beach, the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa’s pool is longer than a football field and has two swimming areas connected by a river. You can float between them, past waterfalls and tropical trees, plants and flowers. At one end, a family area includes a slide and shallow section for children. The other end has cabanas and a bar and is geared for adults.

Located between the pool and the beach, the Cliff Dive Grill provides prime seats for the spectacular nightly sunset torch-lighting and cliff dive ceremony at the promontory called Pu’u Kekaa (aka Black Rock). Details: sheraton-maui.com

In South Maui, the Wailea Beach Resort boasts several pools, including the serene Maluhia infinity edge pool overlooking the popular Wailea coastal path and the new Olakino wellness pool (reservations required), where poolside offerings include mini-massages, wellness workshops and wellness drinks and food.

Don’t miss the resort’s Nalu Adventure Pool, featuring the highest waterslides in Hawaii — a top attraction for thrillists seeking helter skelter descents through two slippery tubes. Details: waileabeachresort.com

Next door, the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, draws thrill seekers to experience the Lava Tube Slide and its exhilarating three-story drop at speeds up to 22 miles per hour. The sprawling resort complex boasts multiple pools, including the thrilling Wailea Canyon River Ride. Take a raft down twists, turns and waterfalls—a surefire way to cool off and get your adrenaline pumping. Details: grandwailea.com

Oahu

Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, on Ko Olina Bay is where Disney magic meets Hawaii. Aulani’s pool complex offers family-oriented swim and water play spots ranging from the whimsical water fountain wonderland of the Menehune Bridge to the 3,800-square foot Rainbow Reef, a private lagoon where you can swim with ocean fish. An infinity pool and several whirlpool spas are perfect for parental rest and relaxation.

Kids will love the lazy river, the Keiki Cove splash zone with its water jets and slides or the more elaborate 2,100-square-foot Menehune Bridge splash zone, and the chance to meet Disney characters. Adults can unwind in the adult-exclusive pool or soak in a hot tub. Details: disneyaulani.com

Sheraton Waikiki Helumoa Playground offers two pools, two whirlpools, a water slide and a fountain play area for kids, all right beside the ocean and Waikiki Beach. There are 17 in-water chaise lounges. And during the summer — at midday Tuesday through Saturday — Citrine the mermaid, Tinker Fairy, Spider Super Hero, Polynesian Princess, Polynesian Warrior or another costumed character entertains children with storytelling, games and tricks. Details:marriott.com/hotels/travel/hnlws-sheraton-waikiki

Island of Hawaii

The luxurious Four Seasons Hualalai in Kailua-Kona has seven swimming pools ranging from oceanside lagoons to adults-only sanctuaries. Most unusual is the recently renovated King’s Pond, which provides a 1.8-million gallon swimmable aquarium hosting more than 1,000 tropical fish and more than 60 species that you can swim with — including the resort’s resident eagle ray, Kainalu. The pond also has an adjoining lounge pool and sun deck.

The swim-up bar at the Palm Grove Pool is a popular choice for in-water libations, a perfect place to gaze out at the endless blue Pacific Ocean or take a dip. Details: fourseasons.com/hualalai

The Hilton Waikoloa Village features multiple pools, each with its own unique charm. The jewel of the resort is a swimmable, four-acre saltwater lagoon connected to the ocean. It teems with tropical fish and green sea turtles that enter the lagoon under a footbridge, providing an opportunity for snorkelers to see a variety of Hawaii’s colorful underwater denizens up close. The quieter Kohala Lagoon Pool offers a swim-up bar and a beautiful lava rock waterfall, while the Kona Pool boasts a thrilling 175-foot slide. Details: hilton.com

Nature pools

The Hawaiian islands also abound with waterfalls and swimmable natural pools. In the Waimea Valley on Oahu, for example, a 1,800-acre valley features a natural pool fed by freshwater springs. It’s perfect for a refreshing dip surrounded by cascading waterfalls and tropical flora. Details: waimeavalley.net

On Kauai, join a five-hour guided adventure that starts with a kayak paddle on the wide, calm Wailua River followed by a hike through the lush jungle to the remote-feeling Uluwehi waterfall for an unforgettable swim session in the pool beneath the falls. Details: kayakkauai.com

Mary Ann Anderson | Tribune News Service (TNS)

On a gloriously cool and sunny day in late summer, as a friend and I kayaked in an estuary of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the Quebec Maritime near Baie-Comeau, an amazing thing happened. A beluga whale rocked my world.

As morning sunlight poured across the glacial water, Bard and I saw from a distance what appeared to be a small whitecap moving like quicksilver toward us. We stopped paddling right away as we instantaneously and startlingly realized the small wave was instead a beluga, her snowy white skin pristine and luminescent as she rose in and out of the water. With uncanny accuracy, she torpedoed straight toward our double kayak.

When she was but a few yards from us, the ghostly beluga raised her enormous, bulbous head above the water and then suddenly dived deeper, moments later sliding silently and directly beneath us, enough to slightly rock the kayak a foot or so but not overturn it, as if she knew exactly what she was doing.

It was then I realized I was shivering uncontrollably, not from fear but from a profound, primordial awe. In a moment of craziness, I wanted to jump in and follow her to discover her undersea world of marine majesty. Instead, I stayed put, Bard and I raising our paddles and shouting jubilant hallelujahs, the memory emblazoned in our souls forever.

No doubt the world abounds with scenic spots to kayak and canoe and experience firsthand nature and wildlife, among them the nutrient-rich St. Lawrence Seaway where beluga share the water with blue, fin, killer and humpback whales.

Other great places to hit the water in the U.S. are Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota, the Everglades, Prince William Sound and Glacier Bay in Alaska, and Lake Tahoe in California and Nevada. Globally, think of the Norwegian fjords, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Fiji and Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.

If you decide on visiting Quebec Maritime, a treasure trove of information on where to canoe and kayak and rental information is found at www.QuebecMaritime.ca, the official tourism website for Quebec Maritime. From Montreal or Quebec City, regional carriers fly to several smaller airports in the Maritime.

When you’re ready for paddle-worthy escape, here are four other places to see the world via the water, each with its own unique waterscape, landscape, birdlife and wildlife.

Whanganui River in New Zealand

The Whanganui Māori tribe of New Zealand’s North Island has a traditional proverb about the river: ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au, which translates to I am the river and the river is me.

In 2017, in a world-first move, the Whanganui River was given personhood, meaning it has been granted the same legal rights and responsibilities as human beings. The 180-mile-long serpentine river, its water silvery in sunshine, is best discovered by canoe. The Whanganui is the third-longest navigable river in the world, meandering past cavernous gorges, narrow canyons, bedazzling waterfalls and spectacular forests as green as emeralds.

Owhango Adventures offers incredible experiences through self-guided or guided tours on two- to six-person canoes for a day trip or multi-day journey up to five nights, with accommodations provided for the night prior to departure in Owhango. All food and provisions can be optionally catered. The longer adventures provide Māori-led cultural discussions of historical sites and stories of the river. Expect to see sheep. Lots and lots of sheep.

Find Owhango Adventures at www.canoewhanganuiriver.com for reservations. Get to Auckland on Air New Zealand on nonstop flights from Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Visit www.airnewzealand.com. Continue to Owhango via car rental or Kiwi Rail’s scenic Northern Explorer, with schedules at www.greatjourneysnz.com.

Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp

Call it what you will – mystifying, daunting, swampy, backwater, peculiar, spooky, bizarre – but still the Okefenokee Swamp remains one of Georgia’s most beloved natural treasures that’s an excellent choice for paddling adventures. Covering about 700 square miles of peat bog in southeastern Georgia, the Okefenokee Swamp, whose name means “Land of the Trembling Earth” in Seminole, is now a national wildlife refuge widely known for its staggering cache of biological and ecological wonders.

The dark, tannic water hosts a living jumble of pine, cypress and palmetto incorporated into peat bog, marsh, island and sand ridge. The unforgettable swamp, formed thousands of years ago, is now home to a hodgepodge of animal and bird life, including black bears, deer, otters, snakes, anhingas, ospreys and sandhill cranes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that up to 15,000 American alligators dwell in the swamp.

Fly into Jacksonville, Florida, in Georgia either Savannah or Brunswick, with car rentals available at each airport. The North Entrance is at Okefenokee Swamp Park near Waycross and is privately owned. Visit www.OkeSwamp.com or call (912) 283-0583. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is at the East Entrance at Folkston and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; visit www.fws.gov/refuge/okefenokee or call (912) 496-7836. The West Entrance is at Stephen C. Foster State Park. Visit www.GaStateParks.org or call (912) 637-5274.

The Galapagos

The blue-footed booby is a tantalizing little guy with its bright, almost neon blue webbed feet. The tropical seabird is the unofficial symbol of the Galapagos Islands, a far-flung archipelago off the coast of Ecuador. About the size of a goose, it lives primarily on the open sea except when it is breeding. The red-footed booby, a kissin’ cousin of the blue-footed variety, is also found in the Galapagos, as are marine iguanas, Darwin’s finches, sea lions and giant tortoises.

Mere words can’t express how special it is to paddle the stunningly clear water of the archipelago and see these wonderful creatures up close. There’s just no equal with its unique landscape, seascape and flora and fauna. On a sojourn with Natural Habitat Adventures, each day you’ll travel by private motorsailer catamaran from island to island and then explore each by kayak, foot or snorkel.

Natural Habitat Adventures offers small groups and more adventurous, active experiences because it has special kayaking permits to get to those places the big ships can’t. Find out more by visiting www.nathab.com or calling 800-543-8917. The trips begin and end in Quito, Ecuador. Natural Habitat can help you make flight reservations for the most efficient experience possible.

Florida’s natural, clear springs

An amazing array of about 1,000 natural freshwater springs are embroidered throughout north and central Florida, many of them ensconced within Florida’s 175 state parks. There is a reason the state has so many springs, and that’s because it’s situated atop the Florida Aquifer. The springs are created when rainwater collects underground and then bubbles up to the surface through the aquifer.

The artesian springs, about 72 degrees Fahrenheit year round, are majestically and luminously clear. As you glide over the glassy surface of the springs, you can look down even in the deepest of water and easily see their sandy bottoms. In addition to canoeing and kayaking are opportunities for birding, diving, snorkeling, swimming and wildlife watching, so don’t be surprised to paddle alongside a manatee.

A few to consider are Three Sisters Springs at Crystal River with its good chance of manatee sightings; Ichetucknee Springs State Park at Fort White, fed from a network of springs; Silver Springs State Park with the possibility of monkey sightings; and Weeki Wachee with its striking blue water. The challenge is deciding which springs to experience, but the best starting point is visiting Florida State Parks at www.floridastateparks.org or Visit Florida at www.visitflorida.com. Type “natural springs” into the search engine and prepare to be gobsmacked by myriad offerings from underwater caves to old-fashioned swimming holes.

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Spending time at one particular Palm Beach County waterfront oasis, complete with sugar-sand beaches and picture-perfect sunsets, conjures lines from a popular Weezer song.

“On an island in the sun, We’ll be playing and having fun

And it makes me feel so fine I can’t control my brain”

That essentially sums up the experience of visiting Peanut Island, a nearly 80-acre haven for boaters, paddlers and beach enthusiasts who like to spend their days soaking up sunrays or visiting with marine life on a snorkeling excursion. For many area boaters, the island tucked just inside the Lake Worth (Palm Beach) Inlet presents a place to pull up for an afternoon beach cookout and swim.

This small slice of paradise also allows the option to stay overnight in one of 17 reservable sites, allowing campers to enjoy the island long after daytime revelers have pulled up anchor and headed back to shore.

Getting There

The only access to Peanut Island is by boat on the Intracoastal Waterway. Those with access to a pontoon, a fishing boat or personal watercraft will have no problem pulling up for a few hours or a night of camping. Kayakers and paddlers are also commonly seen around the island, and launching and rentals are available at nearby Riviera Beach Marina.

This is also where visitors can catch the Peanut Island Shuttle Boat, which departs at regular intervals daily for $25 per adult and $12 per child (online advance reservations). Dogs are allowed on the shuttle boat free of charge and permitted on the island as long as they are leashed.

The Palm Beach Water Taxi ($20 per person) makes multiple daily trips from the Sailfish Marina Resort on the eastern side of Peanut Island.

For those with their own vessels, launching at Phil Foster Park just to the north of Peanut Island is also an option — but parking may be limited on the weekends.

Things to Do

Paddling or boating around Peanut Island is inherent in the experience, and there are plenty of places to pull up on a sandy stretch of shoreline.

The island’s main draw is swimming, with a dedicated snorkeling lagoon and guarded beaches on the southeast side. The best time to snorkel is during the hour before and after high tide.

Get Wet Watersports, which offers snorkeling tours to Peanut Island, advertises that visitors will see plenty of colorful fish, rays and the occasional manatee or shark.

Fishing is also available to anglers at various points on the island, including a fishing pier near the campground.

A 1.25-mile walking trail takes visitors on a scenic stroll around the island. Plenty of picnic tables, pavilions, charcoal grills and a few chickee huts are spread out for daytime visitors to enjoy.

An Island Overnight

On a sunny weekend, especially during the summer, the island and surrounding waterways can get quite congested and loud, with revelers on boats blasting music and partying. But as the sun goes down and the riff-raff retire for the evening, all daytime visitors must leave the island, and only those who have reserved one of 17 campsites can stay.

Fourteen of those sites are single sites ($30 plus tax) meant for one tent and a maximum of six campers, while three are double-wide ($60 plus tax) for up to two tents and 12 guests. Each spot contains a tent pad, charcoal grill and picnic table.

Individual sites don’t have campfire rings, but there is a communal firepit and wood available for purchase on the island.

Although alcohol isn’t allowed for daytime visitors, it is permitted in the campground for overnight guests. Showers are available in the restrooms, exclusive to campers and only accessible by punching in a code.

As the moon rises, it’s nice to enjoy dinner and a beverage outdoors while taking in the sensations of wind whispering through the palms, crickets chirping and stars emerging overhead.

Peanut Island also makes for an interesting vantage point to watch cruise ships and giant cargo vessels pull out to sea under the setting sun, not to mention plenty of larger-than-life yachts.

A Nearly Nutty History

Originally named Inlet Island, the man-made enclave originally encompassed 10 acres created in 1918 with material excavated while dredging the Lake Worth (Palm Beach) Inlet. By 1923, the Port of Palm Beach was using the island as a spoil site, and eventually, the island grew to 80 acres.

The name came from a plan to ship peanut oil from the island, and while that idea was abandoned in 1946, the name Peanut Island always stuck.

Amid the Cuban missile crisis of the 1960s, a nuclear bunker was built on the island for President John F. Kennedy, who vacationed with his family at his “winter White House” in Palm Beach. The bunker was previously open for tours but closed in 2017. Historic buildings that previously served as a Coast Guard station sit near the site of the Kennedy bunker.

Brighter Days Ahead

While these facilities are currently fenced off and off-limits to visitors, Palm Beach County plans to renovate the historic structures, bunker and docks in a yearslong, multi-million dollar improvement project.

According to a sign placed in front of the site, the boat house will serve as home to exhibits and a gift shop while the Coast Guard station will house educational and historic displays. Eventually, the plan is also to reopen the Kennedy bunker for tours.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.

If you go

Peanut Island is located in the Intracoastal Waterway near the Lake Worth Inlet in Riviera Beach and is open for day use from sunrise to sunset. There is nothing for sale or rent on the island, so visitors should be prepared with supplies for a half-day away from the mainland.

The Peanut Island Shuttle can be reserved online or by calling 561-777-0438, or the Palm Beach Water Taxi can be booked online or by calling 561-683-8294. Peanut Island aims to offer online camping reservations in the future, but for now, sites can be booked by calling 561-845-4445 or toll-free at 866-383-5730 or by emailing pnutcamp@pbcgov.org. A maximum of three nights can be reserved up to 90 days in advance. For more information, visit discover.pbcgov.org.