Travel + Design, Author at Travel + Design

Design

Three Things You Need Before Travelling with a Baby

Travelling with an infant can be daunting, but don’t let having a little one in tow curb your wanderlust. The trick to making travel with a tot easier is to have the right gear to allow you to sightsee with ease. To help you prepare for your next vacation, we’ve rounded up three innovative items to help make travelling with a baby easier. A Travel Stroller Investing in a lightweight, collapsible stroller is a great option for the family who enjoys travelling. But finding one you can use both on vacation and in your everyday life, is a win-win for any parent. The BabyZen Yoyo+ is not only one of the most stylish strollers on the market, but it is also designed to go anywhere, it folds and unfolds easily, can be carried like a bag and is one-hand driving, with minimal storage required, it can be taken as cabin…

Design

This Travel Pillow Will Give You a 360-Degree Sleep

Have you ever found yourself on a long-haul flight trying to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in? Does the flimsy airline pillow or the pouffy donut-shaped neck pillow you picked up at the airport convenience store not cut it? The Montreal-based founders of Ibboo designed the product to solve those exact issues and to create a neck pillow that supports the head at 360 degrees during your flight. After countless sleepless flights and neck pains after an uncomfortable rest, Ibboo was created to solve those common sleep issue travellers face. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ibboo (@ibboo4u) on Aug 13, 2019 at 11:52am PDT The Travel Sleep Set Designed with memory foam, the Ibboo is a travel pillow with a unique design that supports the full weight of the head and offers 360-degree support to provide you with the ultimate comfort when…

New York

How to spend an affordable weekend in The Hamptons

The South Fork of Long Island is known for being a haven for affluent New Yorkers and celebrities fleeing the city in search of fresh farmland and Oceanside views. After a weekend road-tripping through this region, to my surprise, I realized that there were a ton of activities to do in the eastern hamlets and villages of Long Island that are accessible for the average explorer. Only an hour and a half from New York City, Westhampton is the perfect spot for those looking for more affordable accommodations. If you are hoping to experience The Hamptons like a local, your best option is to find a vacation rental property online with a group of friends. If you have the chance to travel during the “off-season”, to your advantage many of the properties are available for short-term weekend rentals (instead of a full week) with rates that are often lower then…

Asia

Why Suzhou Should Be On Your Travel Bucket List

If you go to China and don’t visit the Great Wall of China, did you really go to China? Contrary to the travel bucket lists you see circulating around the internet, there are a number of things to do and see beyond those checklists. And in China, the picturesque city of Suzhou is just that. Known as the Venice of China, the city is connected through a number of canals and waterways including the Suzhou Grand Canal that has been listed in the World Heritage Site List by UNESCO. Only a short train ride from Shanghai on the bullet train and a great stop before heading to other cities like Nanjing, here’s how to spend your trip exploring Suzhou, China. Visit the Gardens in Suzhou Lion Grove Garden Best known for its multi-story rock maze that rises nearly 23 feet into the air, the Lion Grove Garden is known for the labyrinthine…

Asia

How to Spend 24 Hours in Shanghai

Shanghai is a cosmopolitan city filled with the wonder of centuries past and a glimpse into the future. The city is often your gateway into exploring other Chinese cities with international flights landing regularly in Shanghai Pudong Aiport (PVG). Whether you are beginning your adventure in Shanghai before travelling to other nearby cities like Nanjing or Suzhou, or the city is your destination, here’s how to spend your first 24 hours in Shanghai. Dine in the French Concession in Shanghai Feeling more like you’ve stumbled across a promenade in Europe than in Asia, the French Concession is an elegant neighbourhood where cobblestones and leafy boulevards transport you to another time. The area is filled with cozy live-music venues and boutique wine bars and small fashion boutiques. If you have time, the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Museum is worth the visit. While there are a number of noodle shops, French bistros…

Asia

7 Places to Visit in Nanjing, China

As one of China’s great ancient capital cities, Nanjing is known for this history and rich culture dating all the way back to the Ming Dynasty in the Republic of China. Sitting on the situated in the Yangtze River Delta area 190 miles northwest of Shanghai, Nanjing is recognized as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. Nanjing has remained a popular spot for travellers to explore because it is filled with highly acclaimed attractions and affordable accommodations options. To help plan your trip to China, here are 7 things to do in Nanjing during your next vacation. Travel tip: If you’re looking to stay connected on social media while travelling, download a VPN to use before you go! The Grand Bao’en Temple The Grand Bao’en Temple has been restored to become an ultramodern museum that shares the history of the landmark and is home to the reconstructed…

Hotels + Resorts

These Hotels Have Figured Out a Way to Give Guests a Better Sleep

Travelling can be hard. Between the jet lag, time changes, early morning flights and busy days sightseeing… having a good night’s rest can be the difference you need to have a great vacation. Thankfully, hotels have figured out that this is the key ingredient to your perfect trip and have designed packages for guests to make their evenings more comfortable. According to the J.D. Power 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study, guests are looking for: More zzzs, please: Overall satisfaction scores increase 114 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when hotel guests experience a better-than-expected quality of sleep. However, just 29% of hotel guests had such an experience. Of guests who do experience better-than-expected quality of sleep, 78% say they “definitely will” return to that property and 71% say they “definitely will” return to that brand. The anatomy of a good night’s sleep: The top contributors to quality of sleep…

Hotels + Resorts

Unwind at the Adult-Only TRS Yucatan Hotel

Bringing a new level of contemporary luxury to the Rivera Maya, the TRS Yucatan Hotel is an adult-only resort located on Kantenah Beach. The Riveria Maya is located south of Cancun in the Mexican Caribbean extending along 130 km of coastline. This hotel is ideal for the discerning traveller who is looking for a modern mix of coastline with an impeccably designed guest room to unwind in during your stay. With private butler service, modern facilities and a salt-water infinity pool next to the exclusive beach club, Helios, the TRS Yucatan offers an Instagrammable vacation that offers a picturesque all-inclusive experience. What are the rooms like at the TRS Yucatan Hotel? The hotel has a collection of 270 Junior Suites, 90 Junior Suites with a private pool, 45 suites, 18 suites with a private pool and 9 ambassador suites. Each of the room categories will vary in size and room…

Travel

How to Enjoy the Other Side of Amsterdam

Everyone has heard about Amsterdam as the crazy European destination where travellers stop to explore and indulge in the liberties of the city. But this winter, I travelled to this Dutch city and learnt this beautiful city of canals has so much more to offer its tourists than just a trip down to the Red Light District. With over one million residents, Amsterdam is The Netherland’s largest city and a creative and cultural hub. Known as the Venice of the North, there are over 1,500 bridges that cross this charming European City. Amsterdam is also one of the largest registered historic city centers in Europe with over 7,000 registered historic buildings, a collection of eight windmills in the city centre and numerous streets lined with their iconic narrow houses. How to Get Around Amsterdam The city is centred around the Central Station with six major concentric canal rings that surround…

New York

6 Family-Friendly Activities To Do in Buffalo, NY

Are you looking for a family-friendly travel destination within driving distance from Toronto? Buffalo, New York is a great option for families hoping to get their kids out of the house during the summer without spending too long on the road. Over the last few years, Buffalo’s industrial areas have been revitalized to help showcase the beautiful waterfront and parkland areas this city has to offer. To help you plan your next family vacation, here are 7 family-friendly activities to explore in Buffalo this summer. Zipline at Buffalo RiverWorks The massive grain elevators are an iconic symbol of the city’s industrial past. The concrete structures at Buffalo RiverWorks have been repainted to resemble a six-pack of beer and adapted to inspire adrenaline junkies at any age. Onsite, there is an entertainment complex complete with a brewery, restaurant, sports sot along with areas for ziplining, rock climbing, roller derby, ice skating,…