Short-Notice Travel
Short-Notice Travel
Last-Minute Adventures, Minimal Planning
Sometimes, the most exciting travel experiences lie just a short drive from the city-center. An unexpected day-trip or weekend excursion can introduce you to some hidden treasures you wouldnβt have otherwise seen. These destinations, just a stoneβs throw from metropoles like Manhattan and Paris, require little to no planning ahead. So grab a few spontaneous friendsβor pack up your whole famβand head to these nearby neighborhoods, outskirts and picturesque towns.
Brighton, UK
If you live in London (or planning to travel there), take a day outside the Big Smoke to the seaside town of Brighton. While sunbathing may be off limits in the wintertime, the townβs scenery is just as quaint, with candy-colored houses lining the streetsβstraight out of a Wes Anderson film. Plus, fish and chips taste great all year aroundβtheyβre sure to be the best youβve ever had!
Porto, Portugal
Just up the coast from Lisbon, Porto is emerging as Portugalβs hottest new travel destination. Itβs easy to add this city by the sea to your agenda if youβre visiting Lisbonβin the summer, youβll stroll past countless beachy bars, cafΓ©s and restaurants to enjoy in the areas around the beaches Praia do Molhe and Praia de GondarΓ©m.
Versailles, France
Versailles is sophistication at its finest. After all, the ChΓ’teau de Versailles was home to infamous fashionista and lover of all things extravagant, Marie Antoinette. Just a 30-minute bus ride outside of Paris, the opulent palace stays open through the winter, and the size of its sprawling gardens will still make you gaspβa perfect day trip.
Brooklyn, NY
If you find yourself with free time after ice skating in Manhattanβs Rockefeller Center and staring upward at Shelby (the name of the plazaβs 75-foot Christmas tree), be sure to make a quick jump across the East River over to Brooklyn. Neighborhoods like ultra-hip Williamsburg are teeming with vintage boutiques and record stores (perfect for gift shopping!); while the Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Heights offers Winterfest through Dec. 31, where you can walk through a giant snow and take a selfie with the worldβs largest snowman.
Mount Hood, Oregon
Looking to slide outside Portland today? Grab your favorite flannel and take a short drive out to Mount Hood for some of the best skiing the Pacific Northwest has to offer. After a full day on the slopes, head to one of the dozens of local wineries scattered around the base of the mountain to warm up and get your merry-and-bright on. .
Kamakura, Japan
Looking to celebrate New Yearβs outside the buzz of the Tokyo? Kamakura, about an hourβs drive north of the city, is an incredible cultural trip with its countless shrines and templesβmany of which stay open all night on New Yearβs Eve. Kamakura is known for its street snacks, so be sure to sample everything from inari sushi to lemon sugar crepes andβif youβre one of those people that love drinking iced coffee in the wintertimeβmatcha gelato.
