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✈️ Fall Travel Savings, a Major Museum Reopening & the 2027 Eclipse
Published about 1 month ago • 7 min read
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing August 24, 2026
Happy National Waffle Day from the USA. On this day in 1869, Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York, received the first U.S. patent for a stove-top waffle iron. We are celebrating the day by making homemade Belgian Waffles. Add a little maple syrup and whipped cream, and you've got a winner breakfast.
Yesterday, we saw the epic movie, The Odyssey, at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. It was my first time back inside the landmark theater in quite a while, and the first time Julie stepped inside for a showing. Our verdict - see it. It's epic. And if you can catch it in 70mm IMAX, it is an amazing experience.
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Your Adventure Agenda - Travel Tips
Holiday Flights: Track Now, Book Smart
It may still feel like summer, but if you’re planning to fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s, now is a good time to start watching airfares. Flight prices have been running sharply higher this year, so set up a price alert for your preferred route and dates on Google Flights. Google will email you when fares change significantly—and can even flag when prices are likely to rise. If your schedule has some flexibility, check nearby dates and airports too; shifting your trip by even a day can sometimes reveal a much better fare.
On the other hand, if your holiday dates are fixed and you find a nonstop flight, convenient schedule and price you’re comfortable with, don’t let the hunt for the absolute lowest fare cost you the itinerary you really want.
Consider avoiding Basic Economy and booking directly with the airline; many standard fares on major U.S. carriers can be changed without a traditional change fee, although fare rules vary. If the price drops later, you may be able to rebook and keep the difference as airline travel credit. Just check the airline’s rules before purchasing—and then enjoy having one less holiday task on your list.
Travel Gear Pick: If you’ll be checking luggage during the busy holiday travel season, consider slipping an Apple AirTag into each suitcase. The latest AirTag can help you keep tabs on your bag through Apple’s Find My network—and participating airlines can even use a shared location link to help recover delayed luggage.
Travelers heading to Europe are encountering mixed results with the EU’s new Entry/Exit System, or EES, which replaces traditional passport stamps with facial recognition and fingerprint checks for many non-EU visitors.
While some passengers are breezing through border control, others have faced confusing kiosks, technical problems, manual verification and hours-long lines—sometimes on different legs of the same trip.
For travelers, the key takeaway is to build extra time into airport connections and departures, avoid scheduling activities too close to arrival, and learn how the biometric process works before leaving home. Families with children under 12 and travelers unable to use the automated gates may also face longer waits.
The Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles will reopen on January 23, 2027, following more than two years of renovations.
Visitors can expect expanded gallery space, immersive installations, new technology, and exhibitions connecting 160 years of Japanese American history with contemporary conversations about race, democracy, and civil rights. Highlights will include In the Future We Call Now: Realities of Racism, Forging Democracy, an exhibition featuring 80 works by pioneering Japanese American women artists, and interactive StoryFiles that allow guests to engage with recorded personal histories.
For travelers exploring Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, the reopening will bring back one of the neighborhood’s most important cultural attractions with a significantly enhanced visitor experience.
A dramatic new cultural attraction is coming to Andenes in Northern Norway, where The Whale is scheduled to open on June 4, 2027.
Designed by Danish architecture studio Dorte Mandrup, the museum and experience center will explore whales through science, art, storytelling, and immersive sound.
Highlights will include a Species Gallery tracing 50 million years of whale evolution, a multisensory Soundscape filled with whale-song frequencies, and exhibits exploring global migration routes and humanity’s long relationship with whales. For travelers heading to Norway’s far north, The Whale promises to add a compelling cultural experience to a region already known for its dramatic landscapes and marine wildlife.
The next major total solar eclipse arrives August 2, 2027, with its path crossing southern Spain, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East. At its peak, totality will last about 6 minutes and 22 seconds—far longer than most eclipses—with Luxor, Egypt, among the best-positioned destinations for the full experience.
Travelers can also see totality from places including Málaga, Gibraltar, Tangier, and other locations across the region. Hotels, tours, and eclipse cruises are already filling, so anyone hoping to turn this celestial event into a memorable trip should start planning early, stay within the path of totality, and consider arriving several days ahead to avoid eclipse-day traffic and crowds.
MSC Cruises is making major changes to its Winter 2027/2028 deployment, keeping MSC World Europa in the Western Mediterranean instead of sending it to the Middle East and moving new flagship MSC World Asia to the South Caribbean. World Europa will offer seven-night cruises visiting cities including Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Rome’s Civitavecchia, Messina, and Valletta, while World Asia will sail seven- and 14-night Caribbean itineraries from Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Barbados.
For travelers, the changes mean more opportunities to experience MSC’s newest World Class ships in two popular winter cruising regions. Guests affected by the revised schedules will be contacted by MSC, with Middle East bookings on World Europa eligible for alternative sailings or a full refund.
Why Visit? Located in the heart of the American Southwest, Sedona offers a unique blend of stunning natural beauty, rich cultural experiences, and thrilling outdoor adventures. This picturesque desert town is a gem, and perfect to visit during the winter.
Top Things To Do:
Cathedral Rock Trail – One of Sedona’s most iconic landmarks and hikes, offering stunning red rock vistas and a relatively short but steep trail to panoramic views.
Chapel of the Holy Cross – A dramatic architectural gem built into the red rocks, this modernist Catholic chapel provides breathtaking views and a serene atmosphere.
Jeep Tours through Red Rock Country – A thrilling way to explore Sedona’s rugged backcountry, where guided off-road adventures take you to unique rock formations and hidden canyons.
Travel Tip: For the best experience, visit Sedona when temperatures are mild and crowds are smaller. Our winter visit offered perfect weather for lots of hiking among the red rock landscape of Sedona.
We’re big on planning travel, typically six months in advance. With an eye on February 2027, here are some top things you can consider for your travel itinerary:
Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo - Rapid City, South Dakota - Annual celebration of Western heritage, featuring more than 120 livestock, horse, and rodeo events alongside hundreds of vendors and attractions. (January 29 to February 6, 2027)
World of Winter Festival - Grand Rapids, Michigan - A free, two-month outdoor festival that transforms downtown Grand Rapids into a winter playground with interactive art installations, lights, live performances, and all-ages activities. (January 8 - February 28, 2027)
Nice Carnival — Nice, France - Giant themed floats, illuminated evening parades and the traditional flower battles bring weeks of festivities to the French Riviera. (February 9-28, 2027)
Jaisalmer Desert Festival — Jaisalmer, India - Folk musicians, dancers, camel events, turban-tying competitions and desert performances showcase Rajasthan’s culture near the golden city of Jaisalmer. (February 17-20, 2027)
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