#MyHT

(Pictured: Toy Story Midway Mania)

By Nicole Franzen

Asking me to choose my favorite theme park attractions in Orlando is a bit like asking a mother to choose her favorite child: it’s impossible! After all, there are far too many rides, shows, and even parks in the greater Orlando area to make narrowing down the choices an easy job. Of course most people know that Central Florida is home to the four Walt Disney World theme park, the two Universal Studios parks and SeaWorld. But there’s also SeaWorld’s Aquatica and Discovery, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, Wet’n’Wild, Gatorland, Legoland, Kennedy Space Center, and even The Holy Land Experience, a religious theme park. You could spend months here, in fact, and still not have the chance to experience everything. So if your time is more limited than that, make sure you check out the following five rides, some of the best and most popular attractions in Orlando.

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

Words can’t begin to describe how very cool I think this ride is. Located in Universal Studios’ Diagon Alley (the newer section of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter), this Harry Potter adventure begins innocently enough: with a visit to Gringotts bank. But before you know it, you’ll be on a high-speed 3D chase with the villainous Voldemort and Bellatrix on your heels. You’ll walk away feeling as if you’ve truly

Soarin’

This breathtaking, panoramic ride at Epcot takes guests on a hang-gliding style ride over the beauty of California. Feel the wind blow through your hair, smell the pine trees and oranges, and imagine your feet skimming the water as you fly over redwood forests, ski slopes, surf breaks, and the Golden Gate Bridge, ultimately ending in Disneyland. This is a Disney fan favorite.

Revenge of the Mummy Roller Coaster

This Universal Studios attraction is so much more than just a coaster. Sure, you’ll rocket through the darkness at speeds up to 45 miles per hour, but the real charm of this ride is in the immersive theming; you’ll feel the heat of fireballs, squirm as a fleet of beetles swarm toward you, and shudder as the Mummy—from the film series of the same name—tries to capture your soul.

Toy Story Midway Mania

This enormously popular ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is essentially a four-dimensional shooting gallery filled with all your favorite characters from the popular Disney-Pixar film franchise. Don a pair of 3D glasses and zip through a bright, colorful world of carnival games. Completely unique, this ride even features a great queue area, where you’ll come face to face with a giant, talking Mr. Potato Head.

Discovery Cove

Honolulu, Hawaii

You can sleep in hammock or you can sleep on the beach (but you might get sand in your shorts).

Check out this week’s featured deals:

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Kinzie Hotel | Chicago, Illinois

Pelican Grand Beach Resort | Fort Lauderdale, FL

Wanna score (of course you do)? You can 10% off these packages on March 20/21 just by using the promo code: SCORE

Strasbourg, France.

And it’s even more colorful in person.

Thanks to @thekdd, @chriscreature,@smallmoves, @chelsie_taylor, and @ricardoom90 for sharing five of our favorite pictures from this week! 

Instagrammer @doncarpanelli snapped this photo at Pelicanos in Costa Rica and used #MyHT which means he’s livin’ life pretty darn well.

By Daniel Taipale

We left a sunny morning in Nice behind and went to the airport to catch our flight to Barcelona. We were super excited and had huge expectations about this city! This is one of the main cities in Europe to visit, but neither one of us had been in Barcelona before. Our plane landed safely after the sunset and we were anxious to go explore the city in the morning. Our great hotel had bikes available for their customers. We decided to use this opportunity on our first day, as we wanted to see the city and didn't want to spend any time in the metro. This ended up being a very good plan and we got a nice overview of the city and the beaches. This city has such a good vibe and there's things to do for days! We were loving the mixture of old and new architecture. The next morning we used the public transportation and went to see some of Antoni Gaudís incredible work around the city. He has left astonishing pieces of art behind for later generations to see, even though his greatest and biggest work the Sagrada Família -cathedral is still in the works. After lunch we wanted take to a little rest and went down to the beach to relax. Couple of hours later we were heading back to our hotel, when Samuel started talking to a guy who rents electric bicycles. We got to try them out and we were hooked! We rented them out the next morning which was so much fun! Barcelona is such a good place for biking. There's bike lanes everywhere.

Barcelona is full of life! There is many good shopping streets and you can easily lose track of time and shop till you drop. Our tips for Barcelona:

Rent an electric bicycle

Great beaches are right by the city, but if you want more privacy, you should head north along the coast

Bring your longboard or skateboard along, Barcelona is made for skateboarding

The heart of delicious tapas food

Hey, @josina45454, it’s only fair because you deserve it! (Relaxing shot, BTW.)

(Pictured: Desierto de los Leones)

By Nicole Franzen

While Mexico City dwellers will never get tired of saying how much there is to do in the city and how hard it is to get bored here, we’ll also be happy to admit that, every once in a while, it’s nice to get out and explore surrounding cities and towns. Short day trips or weekend getaways are always great for clearing your head, exploring new cultural attractions, and of course, trying as much new food as possible. All the destinations in this list are very easy to access by car, so if you’re into driving in foreign lands or have a local friend who can give you a ride, it’s an excellent option because it allows you to do everything on your own schedule. However, you can also check out bus schedules in first-class bus lines, or ask your hotel concierge, as most hotels have transportation services that can take you to these neighboring towns.

Prismas Basálticos de Hidalgo

Less than two hours away from the city, near San Miguel Regla, these geometric basalt columns, drenched by four waterfalls, make for an impressive natural landscape. Spend the day marveling at the prisms and head back to the city in the evening, or spend the night at one of their cozy cabins, equipped with kitchenettes and fireplaces.

Tepoztlán, Morelos

This picturesque town is crowned by the imposing Tepozteco hill, considered by many as an important source of cosmic energy. Walk along its charming cobblestone streets, stop by its quirky boutiques, and get lost in the aisles of its traditional market, where you can pick up lots of knickknacks and enjoy huge, delicious quesadillas.

Desierto de los Leones

This national park is a mere 20 minutes away from Santa Fe, yet with more than 4,600 acres of forest, it feels like it’s much further away. Take a tour of the old seventeenth century convent, with underground tunnels and gardens, and then head to one of the many popular food stands for a steaming bowl of mushroom soup.

Tepotzotlán

You’ll only have to drive for about 45 minutes to get to this picturesque town, where the main attraction is the ex-Convent of San Francisco Javier, which houses the National Viceroyalty Museum. After exploring artifacts from Mexico’s colonial times, head to Plaza de las Artesanías and score some crafts to take back home.

Huichapan

When you’re in the middle of the woods and you escape from everything... Yeah, that’s how @timreynolds000 is feeling right now.

(Pictured: Girl and Goat)

By Nicole Franzen

Chicago is a first-class foodie destination where award-winning chefs routinely slice, dice and aerate their way to savory superstardom That said, there are some restaurants that shine a bit brighter than the others. It’s not that they are super-fancy, or exceedingly cutting-edge. These tables—the ones that locals clamor to visit time and time again—have that certain something, a winning culinary triumverate of killer ambiance, stellar service and outstanding flavors. Though very different establishments, they share common threads. Whether it is the ever-changing, themed menu at Next,  the out-of-the box flavor pairings at Blackbird, the artsy elevation of everyday foodstuffs at Girl and the Goat or the quirky carnivore shrine that is and Longman & Eagle, these kitchens owe their longevity to the fact that they have built a massive fan base by transforming a simple meal into a memorable experience. A bonus: they all have a convivial, see-and-be-seen atmosphere, too.

Next

Theatricality reigns at Grant Aschatz’s haute-moderne, ticket-only restaurant on Chicago’s West side. Every four months, a themed, multi-course menu dedicated to a time and place is introduced (say, Paris 1906, or A Tour of Thailand) and an online fracas ensues as foodies try to nab seats. (If your ideal date is sold out, try Craig’s List.)

Girl and Goat

Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard’s Cool-Chick-meets-girl-next-door verve shines through everything she dishes up—from escargot ravioli to country-fried loup de mer Her perma-packed  restaurant oozes hipster. The menu is delightfully accessible, a cross section of recognizable fare kicked up with global references and wow factor flavors. And the crowd? Let’s just say it matches everything else.

Blackbird

For more than 15 years, Blackbird has been a Midwestern culinary shrine. It’s no small feat to keep a decades-old restaurant fresh. The key? Low key glamour and high wattage flavors. The alluringly mellow interior is the perfect foil for James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Kahan’s bold redefinition of American classics—such as grilled striploin with boiled peanuts.

Longman and Eagle

You  may feel out of place at this Michelin-starred gastropub if you’re not donning a plaid shirt and a Grizzly Adams-style beard. But, once you peruse the carnivore’s dream of a menu, your angst will be replaced with a fierce desire to down a wild boar sloppy joe with a draught of single barrel bourbon. Beware: no reservations.

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

It’s the cheerful piano player banging out Sinatra in the crowded bar.The orgy of marvelously marbled  prime ribs, charred chops and colossal lobster tails.  And then, there’s the mountains of creamed spinach, the massive martinis and the Who’s Who of Chicago, fanned out at banquettes across the dining room. Gibson’s is Chicago’s ultimate steakhouse. Period.

Los Cabos AKA wow AKA OMG, right? This is how you crush the #MyHT hashtag, everybody.

The art of packing is a skill worth mastering. Packing like a pro means travelling light, but with (almost) everything you need. It’s not just being able to put fewer things in a bag, it’s also being at peace with presenting one version of yourself to the world, that’s confidence.

Travelling light is freedom and joy, being open to new possibilities and spontaneous situations. With a mixture of a carefree attitude and a bit of planning it’s easy to pack like a minimalist, taking only the Good Stuff with you.

First up you start with a travel outfit: This might vary but it should go something like: favourite jeans, a semi-smart trainer like a New Balance or Nike, plus some layering pieces you don’t want to stash in your bag. A T-shirt with a hoodie is a great option, or a bomber jacket for the fashion lads out there.

Pack for a minimal weekend away.

So you’ve been waiting all week for the weekend to start, but what to bring? Pretty much nothing to be honest – you want to be having fun, not lugging around an overstuffed bag.

Choose a simple bag like this Hershel backpack, which has an integrated tech sleeve, so you can slide in a shirt with an iPad or a Kindle (essential for whiling away a long journey). Just bring a T-shirt and a slightly creaseproof shirt (M&S does great ones). Stuff a pair of socks into the shirt collar to keep its shape.

Stores like COS do cloth bags with every purchase, use one of them or an old tote bag to keep your underwear, socks, and PJs separate from the rest of your stuff, also useful for sequestering funky laundry!

Toiletries are, at a minimum, basics like your toothbrush, razor (if you can’t bear to be stubbly), moisturiser, and deodorant. Staying at a hotel or friend’s house? Skip the shower gel. If you need to bring vitamins or painkillers, a giant pill box is perfect to decant.