Welcome back to Departure, the weekly newsletter focused on slow travel, quiet travel, and travel for women. I’m beaming today because we officially reach 4,000 subscribers, and that is no small feat.

To celebrate, I’m awarding one reader a $100 gift card to the vendor of their choice. To enter: Like this post and comment with a bucket list destination you hope to see in your lifetime. Winner to be announced next edition. And as always, thank you for your ongoing support. 💕

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I originally hoped to do a feature this week on sleep and jet lag as I’ve tested out products for months, but the sources I heard from weren’t at the quality I wanted. So, I’ll be pushing that piece back until I can speak to more qualified experts. In the meantime…

How to Make the Best of Bad Weather

Last weekend, we made the seven hour drive to New Orleans, only to be hit with nonstop thunderstorms and flash flooding. The next three days were more of the same: Heavy rains, cancelled plans, and taking care of a pup deeply afraid of fireworks. The journey back home was similar to the drive there, wipers on full speed, hazard lights blinking, unable to see more than ten or twenty feet ahead of us.

It turns out, the weather was from a powerful El Niño forming, stretching hundreds of miles across the Eastern side of the United States. (This feels wildly underreported for how many people it’s affecting.) Causes aside—read: climate change—rainy weather can affect our travel plans, but it doesn’t have to make or break them.

Between this trip, the time we were hit by a Mediterranean hurricane in Santorini and stranded for several days, and a very wet few days in Miami on a friend’s milestone birthday trip, I am no stranger to shifting plans and finding new things to do. Keep these activities handy for the next time the weather isn’t going your way:

1. Live Like a Local

By this, I mean: Head to the nearest grocery store and peruse the aisles; grab new-to-you foods to try. Find a laundromat to throw in a load and chat with locals as you wait. Stop by a covered food hall and snack your way through the booths. Head to a nearby brewery and watch a sports game with the regulars.

(This could also be a good time to test drive the Google “Ask Maps” feature! Prompt it to create a rainy day itinerary across your destination.)

Ultimately, immerse yourself in their rhythms and ways of life: This is often one of the best practices of “slow travel” we try to do anyway.

2. Treat Your Time Like a Staycation

Because our most recent trip was our eighth (!) time in New Orleans, we didn’t feel too bad about staying in bed or taking luxuriously long afternoon naps as it stormed outside. If the hotel had had a spa, I probably would’ve booked a massage.

Maybe if you’re staying somewhere with a fireplace or a library, you can situate yourself in a cozy corner for the afternoon. Order room service, baby! Catch up on your sleep, your reading, your Netflix queue, your Nintendo Switch games.

Not all travel has to be exploratory; sometimes, it can simply offer a chance to breathe and step away from your day-to-day life.

3. Stop by Museums & Cultural Landmarks

This one seems the most obvious, I know, but my husband and I have really fallen in love with museums lately. We’ve visited six in the last few months, and every single one has been a worthwhile use of time—especially those that nod to a destination’s local culture or community.

Don’t sleep on niche museums either—we’ve stepped foot into one-room collections that we still talk about years later, like the Jazz Museum in Harlem or the Voodoo Museum in NOLA. You can find museums or landmarks near your location via the local tourism website, Atlas Obscura or the Niche Museums directory. (Just check their business hours before you head over.)

If you’re not a museum person, maybe you can find a local cinema that has subtitles, watch a live music set by a local band, or pop in and out of boutiques in a shopping district just to understand the arts and goods made in the area.

4. Book a Class or Learn a New Skill

In the pandemic, we became big fans of Airbnb’s online experiences. If you don’t feel like leaving your hotel room (fair), you can still learn something new via an online tour or on YouTube. If you’re with friends or family, try a PowerPoint party or skill-sharing together.

If you can brave the weather, consider a last-minute class that often have cancellations or allow drop-in attendance: Cooking classes, pottery workshops, spray paint tutorials. CourseHorse and Eventbrite are great for finding these, as well as the Events Calendar for most city websites. (Another tip: Find cool spaces or classes you want to check out on social media the weeks before you go, and they’ll often share last-minute openings or opportunities there.)

5. Give Into the Rain

Listen, I’m not above a moody moment, where you can lean into your feelings:

Frankly, some destinations are more beautiful in hazy or rainy weather: Amsterdam, Thailand, Seattle. So if you’re willing to get a little wet, take a walk in the rain anyway and enjoy the moment.

Walk slowly and with intention: What might you notice about a city’s infrastructure? What food or drink is this city known for when craving warmth and coziness? Are you experiencing a unique micro-climate? How might rain affect tourism more broadly?

If ambling outside with an umbrella isn’t of interest, perhaps you can divert to a local onsen or bathhouse where the sound of rain lets you unwind and relax. See also: #2, staycation.

—

I still get frustrated by plans thwarted by bad weather—I had a vision in mind, darn it! But I also appreciate that it gives us permission to slow down and simmer in the moment. And I hope that reframe is worth considering on your next trip, too.

PS: This is a good time to mention how invaluable travel insurance can be, especially if you have coverage for hurricane and weather conditions, or Cancel for Any Reason/Interruption for Any Reason policies. May you never have to use it, but better to be prepared.

• 🎧 During the drier hours of the road trip home, my husband and I listened to Who Blew Up the Guidestones? from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. If you’re looking for an intriguing mystery to uncover over the span of a few hours, this is it. It reminded me of S-Town, and you’ll hear about everything from the KKK to eugenics to QAnon in here. (And yes, the end is satisfying.)

• 🚗 Speaking of road trips: When I was eight years old, my family embarked on a three-week trip across the States. My parents removed the middle seat to give my brother and me some space to splay out and play on the long drives, and it became a core memory. This Texas Highway piece about a family traversing 3,000 miles all over Texas was deeply nostalgic and brought a smile to my face. Insert a corny ChatGPT line about how maybe the age-old question isn’t, “Are we there yet?” but that about the journey instead.

• ✈️ Still hoping to book a flight this year? shared the top cities where affordable flights have been most consistent over the last year. Some of my favorite trips were based on last-minute deals, so it’s never bad idea to scope out.

• 🪒 In an effort to stop buying laser hair removal sessions, I purchased this at-home device and have been pretty happy with the results! A year later, and my legs can go up to a week now without shaving. It’s not cheap, but it’s definitely cheaper than laser packages… and much less painful, private, and easy to use as we kick off summer.

• 🥲 An oldie but a goodie: “Travel isn’t always pretty.”

In the next week, I’ll be traveling to Florida, New York, and back to Europe—wish me luck, and I’ll see you then! x —Henah

Welcome back to Departure, your weekly travel newsletter. I’m back this week sharing about the second stop on our recent trip to Asia: Hong Kong. (You can find our first stop in Shanghai here.) The guide is quite long so you may need to open this in your browser, but I hope it feels like a thorough and handy resource. But first…

For a milestone birthday this year, my best friend and I will be ringing it in a little early in South of France, and I booked the trip on Delta for $1,428. More than I’d usually spend, but I knew I didn’t want to book Basic Economy in case the flight dropped.

Lo and behold—even during peak summer in Europe and with higher-than-average gas prices—the price did drop, and Sky Key was able to grab me $171 in credit. I paid the same price as Basic Economy, but got the benefits of Economy during the busiest travel months of the year.

Sky Key monitors flights from the time you book to the time you leave. If the price drops, it automatically rebooks the same flight and refunds you the difference after a 25% fee. (In my case, I received $171 in Delta credit and paid Sky Key $42.75 in cash.)

Even if you fly just a few times a year, there’s no reason not to try Sky Key yourself—it’s free until it gets you savings, and you’ll always come out ahead. A win-win.

Try Sky Key out for free

*Sponsored mention. All experiences and opinions are my own.

What to Know

• If you’re an American citizen, you do not need a visa unless you plan to stay more than 90 days. This was much easier than the process in the People’s Republic of China, though keep in mind that if you plan to go to PRC afterwards, you’ll need to exit to a third different region afterwards and can’t return back through Hong Kong.

• Also unlike the PRC, VPNs weren’t necessary here. Internet was speedy and reliable throughout.

• Upon arrival, you’ll want to grab an Octopus card at a local station or convenience store. It’s a reloadable card that gets you access to public transportation like the MTR subway, buses, and trams, and you can even use it to pay for snacks or toiletries at places like McDonald’s and 7-Eleven.

• Similar to Shanghai, you can also download AliPay if you don’t want to carry cash. Most places accept it, and it’s simpler to use if you don’t speak any Cantonese. For this reason, I also recommend downloading Google Translate upon arrival.

• Hong Kong was far friendlier for vegetarians than Shanghai, luckily, so if you were concerned about what you could eat in China, rest assured Hong Kong is seemingly more inclusive of all diets.

What We Booked, Stayed, & Paid

As I previously mentioned, our flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong to Taipei for two people was $730. To break that down further, the leg specifically from Shanghai to Hong Kong was $291, and then Shanghai to Taipei was $439, and we paid a bit extra for a nicer airline and luggage.

We split our time in Hong Kong between the Kowloon side and the Hong Kong Island side: The first three days, we stayed at the Shangri-La Kowloon for three nights. Maddie, our travel agent, helped us book the first two nights so we could receive exclusive benefits ($100 credit on site, late check-out, early check-in) and then our last night through Expedia because we had a cash-back offer. In total, our three nights here after some in-room service was $1,090. (This is a good time to mention that Hong Kong was undoubtedly the most expensive leg of our trip!)

Once we moved to the Hong Kong Island side of the city, we stayed at The Hari for two nights using our American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts $300 travel credit. This originally would have been $522, but we were able to stay both nights for $222. So in total, our accommodations in Hong Kong cost $1,312 or $262/night for five nights—not bad for four and five star stays.

If I could do it again, I would have added another night to our time on Hong Kong Island. There was so much we wanted to see but didn’t have time for. Overall, both hotels were great: The Hari rooms are much smaller (par for the course for that side of the city) but were very well-kept, polished, and had lots of dining options. The Shangri-La had the kind of epic buffets Asian hotels are known for, though the rooms are a little bit more dated. In both instances, you could not beat the location, so I would recommend them for that reason alone.

What We Did (Kowloon)

• Kowloon Walled City Park: This City Park was a military stronghold back in the day, but by the 90s, it was once one of the most densely populated places on Earth, with 50,000 residents stacked atop one another. Eventually, the space was demolished in 1994 after being cited as a safety concern. By 1995, the City Park you see today was erected. It’s really beautiful and peaceful to walk around, and there is even a city exhibit to show what life was like at that time. (free)

• Thai Vegetarian Food: A vegetarian restaurant near the City Park area, a few blocks away. They had an incredible basil tofu fried rice and Thai tea, and the team here speaks fluent English. ($)

• Chi Lin Nunnery: A short Uber drive away, we headed to this stunning Buddhist complex. If you’re not a huge fan of how busy and crowded landmark temples can be, I would definitely recommend this one as it’s quiet and a bit more removed since it’s on the Kowloon side. The grounds were built in 1934 for Buddhist nuns, rebuilt in 1998, and it’s free to visit today with gift shops on-site. (free)

• Nan Lian Garden: You can find this Tang dynasty-styled garden across the way from the Nunnery. It’s described as a “beautifully designed oasis in the heart of the city,” and I’d agree. You’ll find a Chinese tea house, a few restaurants, a souvenir shop, rare trees and greenery, and more, with the hustle and bustle of the city and skyscrapers in the background. Set aside an hour or two to breathe it all in. (free)

• Kubrick Cafe: This community cafe, bookshop, and neighbor to Broadway Cinematheque (where you can catch global films) is a great place for a midday break and snack. We stopped in for fruit juices and a slice of apple pie with ice cream (delicious), and then spent a while ambling through the aisles. ($)

• A Symphony of Lights at Victoria Harbor: This LED and laser show lights up the buildings across the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon skylines. There’s a pier on the Kowloon side you can watch this from, though if you stay at the Shangri-La Kowloon, you can watch this from your room. ;) Live every night at 8PM. (free)

• Hong Kong Design Centre: We stopped by the HKDC to see the Luminous Neon exhibition (ended last week), which celebrated Hong Kong’s rich history of neon signage. It was free to enter, and the while the exhibition itself is quite quick to walk through, there are some fun photo opportunities throughout. The downstairs space dedicated to design and fashion is also a worthwhile pit stop.

• The Avenue of Stars: My husband really wanted to see the Bruce Lee statue, so we stopped by on the Avenue of Stars along the pier while heading back to the hotel. It’s along the waterfront, so you could grab a ferry or boat ride if you wanted to explore more from this area. (free)

• Junk Boats: If you see these iconic Chinese ships with red sails, they’re called junk boats, and you can book a tour if you’d like. We didn’t because we had such limited time, but if you want to try a sightseeing cruise or want to party, here you go! Prices range from $25 on a harbor cruise to several hundreds of dollars for a private rental.

• Fortune Tellers at Temple Street Night Market: I grew up with parents who really believed in palm reading, tarot, face reading, and so on, so I wanted to try this experience at the night market. The linked guide is fairly in-depth, but we didn’t see many English-speaking options, so keep that in mind. You’ll need cash to pay here and you should plan to show up around 8:30/9PM. We spoke to one gentleman who read our palms and while I took what he said with a grain of salt, it was a unique experience I’m glad I did. We walked around the night market afterwards. ($10–$20)

• M+ Museum: This is one of the largest collections of contemporary art across Asia, and we absolutely underestimated how big this space was and how immersive the exhibitions would be. We loved the Lee Bul exhibit so much we bought her book, and we became engrossed in a 40-minute documentary on Bitcoin mining in another room. Definitely keep a few hours open for this visit. (~$24)

What We Did (Hong Kong Island)

• Villain Hitting at Causeway Bay: Practiced across China, practitioners use a shoe to repeatedly hit a piece of paper with the name of someone causing trouble or anxiety in your life. They then take that paper and burn it to get rid of the negative energy. This was within walking distance of The Hari, so I wanted to try it out, and for $8, it made for a funny experience. You might have to wait in line so be prepared! Another unique activity you won’t find elsewhere.

• The Peak Tram: This tram ride is one of the oldest and most famous railways in the world, operating since the 1880s. You’ll go up to Victoria Peak, about 400 meters above sea level, and once you’re up top, there’s an entire complex with shops, restaurants, and even a Madame Tussauds. Splurge for the extra combo ticket to go up to the Sky Terrace, where the views were truly something else. The ride itself is only about five minutes, though I know for some people who are afraid of heights, so it can be less-than-thrilling. If you do want to take advantage of the ride and the views, sit on the right side going up and the left side coming back down. ($25)

• Man Mo Temple: If you want to see a Taoist temple (versus the aforementioned Buddhist one), this one is lavish and exquisite. It does get filled with smoke due to the incense and is fairly busy, but it’s in a walkable neighborhood filled with other shops and restaurants if you wanted to spend a few hours in the area. (free)

• Police Married Quarters (PMQ): After taking the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system (the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator), we headed to the nearby PMQ. These old police headquarters were transformed into spaces and studios for local artists. You can stop by here to pick up souvenirs or one-of-a-kind pieces for yourself: We found a light that we had shipped to us for our at-home library, and looked at beautiful wardrobe essentials, ceramics, and toys. (free)

• Ho Lee Fook: For my vegetarian friends, Ho Lee Fook (yes, that’s the real name) was my favorite restaurant in HK. It’s Cantonese style, Michelin-recognized, and everything we tried was incredible: Cauliflower Mushroom and Celtuce Salad with Mala Dressing, Salt and Pepper Tofu with Crispy Garlic, the Pork Char Siu my husband had, the Stir Shallot Oil Stirred Noodles with Crispy Spring Onion. And the cocktails and mocktails, too, were excellent—as was the decor itself. Reservations needed but you can book a few days in advance. ($$–$$$)

• Bakehouse: Grab a pastry (the egg tart or the pretzel croissant twist!) at this famous artisanal bakery, with locations all over town.

• You could head to Lantau Island via the 360 cable car, Macau, Lamma Island for the little villages, hiking near the New Territories or the Dragon’s Back Trail, ride old trams, or even go to Disneyland. If we’d had more time, I would’ve loved to see the other islands or even do a beach day—so sharing these here in case you have additional time to sightsee.

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• 🤩 Mom, I’m famous! I was quoted in this U.S. News and World Report piece about the best credit cards for folks between 25–40 years old, and I spoke almost entirely about financial independence and…travel. Surprise, surprise.

• 🤑 I treated myself to some very cute Farm Rio pieces (this top and this top, both 100% linen), and my Capital One Shopping extension saved me an extra $116. Bless.

• 💡 The New York Times asked solo women travelers what they bring on every trip, and there are valuable safety tips and quick fixes in here worth noting. I would never have thought to pack duct tape or zip ties.

• 🐌 AFAR’s Spring 2026 print edition is focused on slow travel. The team rounded up 20 types of “slow” trips for every kind of traveler, from cold plunging in Montana to learning the visual language of Mexico.

• 👀 I’m updating my primer on travel insurance, given the “Spirit Airlines, gas shortages, Hantavirus, and Ebola” of it all. What questions do you have or want to make sure I cover? And yes, the experts will be weighing in.

My husband and I are heading to our favorite city, New Orleans, for Memorial Day Weekend. We got married there in 2022, so we always try to make an annual trek back. I’ll be sure to update my New Orleans guide for any new places we scope out. Have a wonderful long weekend, and I’ll see you next Thursday. x —Henah

*CW: This post mentions loss of a loved one and grief.

While on my way home from Taiwan on April 7th, I received an urgent email from my mom. It was a forwarded flight confirmation she booked to head to California to see a close relative.

The United flight was slated for Tuesday, April 21st, though she had written, “Going on the 21st, coming back on the 21st.” In her oft-frenetic typing, I assumed she had just mistyped the second date—since her original flight booking also echoed the departure date as the 21st—and that she really meant she’d return home another day.

What I didn’t know, because I was in transit, was that this relative was in poor health and rapidly declining, and my mom wanted to spend some time together in case their condition took a turn for the worse.

By the time I saw her back home in New Jersey—at this point, on April 10th—I understood the gravity of the situation. But at one point over dinner, she casually said, “When we fly on Tuesday (April 14th), we’ll leave the car at the airport.” And I paused, saying, “Wait, do you mean the following Tuesday, the 21st? It says your flight is booked for then.”

It was in this moment that we realized my mom had inadvertently booked the wrong date, a week later than she had intended.

She immediately began panicking, chalking up the mistake to her grief and anxiety, understandable given the situation. Ever the flyer and Type A eldest daughter, I said we could figure it out together. (Luckily, my dad’s flight was separately booked on points, and that one was easy to move.)

The problem was, last-minute flights were nearing $500+ for one way tickets, and as retirees, my parents don’t have endless income. They could have paid out of pocket and eaten the cost, but that would’ve been an added stressor during an already heavy time—not to mention the flights back home.

It occurred to me, then, that both my husband and I were sitting on a pile of United points we weren’t actively planning to use. After seeing flights were only 13.5k points one way—a much better value than $500+ cash—we booked my mom on a United flight from our account to leave on the intended date, April 14th.

By the end of that week, on April 18th, my relative had passed away.

In the midst of my own sadness, I kept thinking about how those final moments my family had together were priceless, that they are core memories that will comfort us in our collective grief.

I also have not stopped thinking about the power of points. It’s easy to say that points and miles are “fake money” (something I myself have joked about many a time), to dismiss them as “currencies” that don’t hold much real world value. I’ve openly poked fun at my hoarding tendencies around miles, racking up hundreds of thousands of them without any clear path around actually using them.

But I consider the “unlock” points have given me: My husband and I once booked a getaway trip on points after our pet died, when we needed a break from our grief. I grabbed a last-minute ticket on points to see my father after he was admitted to the hospital and needed quadruple bypass surgery. Even in this case, points were the difference between an out-of-pocket stressor and a lighter financial burden.

Ultimately, our miles let us support the people we love, allowed us to have flexibility in a time when costs can be prohibitive, and gave us the gift of our family in the moments that mattered most.

That value can be far more important than cash.

Understanding the points and miles game can be time-consuming and expensive from the onset (hitting sign-up bonuses, tracking minimum spends, paying the annual fees), but it’s a worthwhile one. If you’ve racked up points and don’t know where to start, I’m always happy to talk through it—that’s what this community is for.

And if generosity is what moves you—or your points are at risk of expiring—many major airlines let you donate them directly to nonprofits. It’s one more way points can do something real in the world. 💌

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• ☎️ This isn’t about travel, but if you’ll allow me: Instead of a traditional guestbook at our wedding, we opted for an audio guestbook, because I always wanted to document the voices of my loved ones. (Something I miss dearly about my grandma, whose voice I can no longer remember.) As you might imagine, this audio recording has been invaluable lately, so I highly recommend it for anyone else having a milestone event.

• 🇵🇷 Virtual experiences can be a respite for hospice patients who can’t travel. This recent video collaboration between Discover Puerto Rico and Matador Network follows one adventurer on moments of reflection and reconnection. Simultaneously peaceful and insightful.

• 🥰 One of my favorite slow travel resources is officially on Substack. Welcome, !

• 📚 I quickly made my way through two books recently: A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst and Audition by Katie Kitamura. I’ll be honest that Audition left me with more questions than answers, which was intentional on Kitamura’s part, but I felt a little dissatisfied by the end. I flew through A Marriage at Sea—it’s an easy and engrossing read, which reminded me of how poorly I’d do if I ever was stuck in the middle of the ocean. I genuinely still can’t believe it was real. Now I’m making my way through Kin by Tayari Jones, already named a Best Book of the Year, and I am fully sucked in.

• 💳 If you’re inspired to get into the points game, always check out Nerdwallet’s Best Of list each month, which they update based on sign-up bonuses and perks.

• 🥲 Apropos of nothing and also something that made me laugh… What’s that line about, “You’re not a real New Yorker unless you’ve cried in public?” This piece on the “tried and true places to cry in New York City” kept me chuckling.

Take care of yourselves and one another. x —Henah

This edition is sponsored by Sky Key, a product I personally use for every flight.

Sky Key monitors your flights from the time you book. If the price drops, Sky Key automatically rebooks the same flight (yes, in the same seats!) while refunding you the difference. Sky Key only makes money (25% of savings) when they save you some—no savings, no fee. In the last six months alone, I’ve gotten $400+ in cash back and an additional 18,000 points back from the very trip you’ll hear about below.

With increased gas costs, fuel shortages, and volatile flight prices, I highly recommend making it easy on yourself if you’re planning to book travel any time soon:

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Greetings, friends! It’s been a whirlwind week since I last wrote to you.

Originally, I thought the Trump Administration would step in to save Spirit Airlines, but the airline ultimately folded over the weekend, leaving thousands of passengers without transportation and 17,000 employees without work. As I shared on my Instagram: Say what you will with Spirit Airlines jokes, but it’s sad to see a low-cost carrier shut down when it allowed so many people to travel who otherwise couldn’t. ❤️‍🩹 I’ll be curious to see if the crowdfunding plan to bring Spirit Airlines back will work…

In happier news: It’s finally time to share part one of my travels to Asia—the first leg we covered in Shanghai. While many travelers are familiar with Hong Kong, Shanghai felt like a hidden gem, so I hope the guide below is helpful.

As always, if you have questions about our time here (or my upcoming guides to Hong Kong and Taipei, Taiwan) or suggestions of your own to add, feel free to chime in.

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What to Know: Planning Your Visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC)

• You usually need a visa to enter PRC, and getting one is notoriously time-consuming, as you have to head to the closest embassy or pay a courier to go through the process for you. My husband’s job took care of his visa since that was his primary reason for travel, but I took advantage of the new 240-hour visa-free transit policy which means you can stay in PRC for ten days. In order to be eligible, you have to arrive from one country and exit to a different region or country afterwards (both Hong Kong and Taiwan count as a different region and country). In our case, our journey went from the US → Shanghai → Hong Kong. The only time we ran into an issue was when we departed from the Atlanta airport, but because I had read about this happening online, I came prepared with printouts about the visa-free transit policy and our flight information going to and leaving PRC. After the staff rang their manager, they allowed me to check-in, and I had no issues upon arriving or leaving from PRC itself.

• It was quite difficult to work remotely from a country with such a massive firewall, so I recommend either get a VPN and download everything you need before you leave (large files took forever to load), or just take the time off. After researching VPN options there, we used LetsVPN, which cost $13 for two people for a month.

• Download apps like AliPay before you get there. Nearly everything is paid for through AliPay, and you can use ride-share app Didi directly through there as well. Other travelers also suggest downloading WeChat once you arrive (like WhatsApp but simultaneously a payment platform), but you need a local who’ll vouch for you in order to sign up.

• If you download the Google Maps area of Shanghai before you arrive, you can use it to navigate around, but if not, locals recommend AMap as Google Maps doesn’t work with the firewall there. I also recommend downloading Google Translate for Mandarin/simplified Chinese before you arrive.

• We primarily used Didi to get around because of my plantar fasciitis and limited time to sightsee, but the Shanghai and Hong Kong metro systems are very affordable and accessible.

• Finally, it is exceptionally hard to be vegetarian in Shanghai. Hong Kong is slightly more vegetarian-friendly, but beware that some dishes may still use meat-based broths or fish sauce in your dishes. At one point, we walked to over 30 restaurants inside one mall, and the only one that had a veggie-friendly dish was Five Guys, so do with that information what you will (and maybe pack snacks).

Getting There & Back: What We Booked & Paid

My husband’s Delta flights into and out of Shanghai were booked via his work, as we headed there for a conference. As for me, the flights around that time of year were over $2,500 for premium economy on the same airline (preferred, since he agreed to give me his business class seat on the long haul there 😇), so I decided instead to opt for points.

Generally speaking, I would not call this a smart redemption: One way from Atlanta to Shanghai was a steep 96,000 points in premium economy. For reference, in years past, I’ve traveled to Paris for 25,000 roundtrip, so imagine my shock and horror. The good news was, by the time I left (thanks to the aforementioned Sky Key!), the cost dropped by 18,000 points, which was dutifully returned to me for the cost of $45.

I booked the return flight to Atlanta from Shanghai for 46,000 miles in regular economy, bringing the grand total of points spent on this trip to 124,000. I shudder at what this would have cost if my husband’s flights hadn’t been included. But I knew it was our biggest trip of the year, so nevertheless I persisted.

From Shanghai, we planned to head to Hong Kong, and from there, we ended our last leg in Taipei. Those legs—from Shanghai to Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Taipei—for two people netted out to $730. My husband also needed to fly back to Shanghai for his business class flight home (I will play my tiny violin 🎻) so that was an additional $234.

Where We Stayed

Again, because we were there for work purposes, our stay in Shanghai was fully covered. We stayed at the InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin, which looks to be about $200–$225 USD a night if paying out of pocket (or you could use IHG points). The only additional fee we paid was for my breakfast buffet at $24/day, but because of its location, you could easily walk around and grab a local breakfast for much cheaper.

Our stay here was largely positive: The rooms are spacious, the grounds are stunning and accessible to nearby neighborhoods, and the breakfast buffet was filling. I do have two caveats that feel specifically American, but are worth mentioning: The AC was extremely weak, so each night would be between 75–78 degrees in the room. In a desperate attempt to cool off enough to sleep, we had to open the door to the balcony and sleep exposed to the outside world (both people and mosquitos). We were bitten up by the end of our week here, sadly, but if it’s a nicer time of year or their HVAC is improved, I would absolutely stay again.

What We Did

• Before the food poisoning kicked in (lol), we spent our Sunday at Wukang Road and Anfu Road, walking around to look at boutiques and taking in the architecture. I highly recommend checking this area out if you can; it’s much more for locals than it is tourists.

• As always, I indulged in my travel ritual of getting a massage. I went to Yuting Profession Massage, and while at first I wasn’t sure if it was a real spa (if you get my drift), the massage ended up completely legit and it was wonderful.

• One notable restaurant we ate at was Yan Gege, a vegetarian hot pot restaurant based in the 800 Show complex in Jing’an. I am a huge fan of mushrooms, but even I felt like the wild mushroom hot pot was overkill, so I would maybe try a few other dishes along with the hot pot. Very delicious with timely service, though.

• Outside of our hotel, I stumbled into the cutest antique and vintage shop, Old Park Shanghai. Set aside 30 minutes to walk around this tiny store and check out all the hidden treasures in every nook and cranny. I bought some antique birthday cards here. Along the same road, I found CoolCam, which has a signature wall of vintage cameras, and anyone can take a guest Polaroid.

• Once my food poisoning subsided, I made my way to Yu Garden and Yuyuan Old Market by myself while my husband was working. (I felt safe using Didi, the ride-share app, and walking around by myself for hours at a time.) I tried some cheap street food, looked at all the vendor stalls in the market, and perused the garden’s grounds, though it gets extremely busy—I often felt like we were crammed in there. I would suggest going very early in the morning, if possible. I stopped by Shanghainese eatery Lu Bo Lang, as recommended by the New York Times guide, and tried their delicate and delicious rose cookies.

• We did walk through the Bund (Shanghai’s waterfront), and if we’d had time, we would’ve checked out the various art museums in the area. The Bund intersects with Nanjing Road, which strikes me as the Times Square of Shanghai, but it can be fun to amble around. You can also take a ferry across the way for very cheap (just 2 RMB or $0.29 USD!)—don’t waste your time or money on the sightseeing tunnel.

• If you want the best views of the city, you can skip the Oriental Pearl Tower and head to People’s Cafe instead for 360-degree panoramas.

• If you have the time, try taking a bullet train from Shanghai’s railway station. My husband did a day trip to the tea farms as part of his work, and he said it was a worthwhile experience given how speedy they are.

• Another good half-day sightseeing trip would be to Shanghai Film Park, which showcases the city’s cinematic history and transports you back to the 1930s.

• Due to jet lag (just a small 12-hour time difference), we had a hard time staying awake late enough to check out the jazz bars in Shanghai, but if we could’ve, we would’ve went to the Fairmont Peace Hotel (expensive and not that exciting, but a mainstay of the Bund), the Blue Note Shanghai (more international), Heyday Wine and Jazz (in the French Concession, more intimate), or Root Down (a vinyl jazz bar with inspired cocktails).

• If you’re not vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free, you must do a dumpling crawl. You could essentially pick any neighborhood and you’d find three or four places worth stopping at.

• Finally, if you happen to be there on a weekend, head to People’s Park to see the Marriage Market, where parents try to set up their children with one another.

According to my budget tracking app, we spent approximately $363 on excursions, food (besides breakfasts), and shopping across a week here, which is a timely reminder that Shanghai is exorbitantly cheap compared to Hong Kong.

Frankly, since we spent the week there working (or with jet lag or food poisoning), it feels like we barely scraped the surface of what Shanghai had to offer: We didn’t venture far into Pudong, had limited time to visit museums given their hours, and skipped many of the well-known temples and mansions.

Still, it was insightful to see how China’s second-largest city has expanded, and to see how locals live in a country we so rarely get to hear about. Plus, between the mild weather, the efficient transportation, and the affordable pricing, it’s a worthwhile pitstop in my opinion if you’re ever in the region.

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Soon, I’ll be dropping our guide to Hong Kong across Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, as well as our time in Taipei, Taiwan (my favorite stop of the trip). See you next Thursday, bright and early. —Henah x

This week’s edition is long but one of the best conversations I’ve ever had, so I encourage you to open it in full in your email. 💌

We’ve never had more access to information than we do now. Open up TikTok and we can watch someone throw pottery in Kyoto, or search “textile weaving” on Google and find an artisan in Oaxaca. We can research exactly how shoes are crafted, from start to finish, without leaving our home. For a fleeting second, we enjoy that dopamine hit and moment of immersion.

But knowing—or watching—how something has been made is different than learning it with your own hands. And imagine if you could do alongside a master artisan who’s spent their entire life devoted to that art form.

Last year, I stumbled upon VAWAA, a global platform offering mini-apprenticeships following these very artisans, and I immediately shared it here—a nod to the rise in craft getaways creative workshops, reading retreats.

But the more I considered what VAWAA uniquely offers, the more my interest piqued.

Apprenticeships aren’t new, of course. It’s one of the oldest forms of knowledge transfer, with families passing on traditional crafts and skills for centuries. But unlike the short-term experiences you might find on Airbnb or with a three-day respite around reading books (which, to be fair, I still welcome), mini-apprenticeships collectively help us remember what makes us human and what creativity can be.

With VAWAA, you can book a mini-apprenticeship with one of 200+ artists in 40+ countries around the globe. Each runs three to seven days long, with four to six dedicated hours in the studio each day, alongside your maker one-on-one. The price for a VAWAA includes an artist fee for their time and lessons, exclusive access to their studio space, use of their tools and equipment, your own personal artwork to bring home, and a small fee to VAWAA that allows them to run this platform (an invaluable and sorely needed infrastructure for artists, as you’ll soon see).

Today, I’m honored to speak with VAWAA’s founder, Geetika Agrawal, about how VAWAA’s model came to be, why craft and creativity are the ultimate slow travel markers, and the reason they intentionally don’t market experiences as “authentic.”

If you’re interested in supporting further, as I am:

• You can use code DEPARTUREFRIEND for 10% off your own VAWAA. (I do not earn any commission and this is not sponsored.)

• You can follow along with their work on Instagram or their weekly newsletter.

• Or, if you want to take it to the next level and also invest in human creativity (like I will be!): VAWAA is currently accepting early investor reservations to help grow the next chapter of their platform. Their private reservations are hosted on Wefunder ahead of a public launch on May 8th. You can reserve your allocation here starting at $1,000, and early reservation perks are here. Legal disclaimer: At this stage, VAWAA is “testing the waters” under Regulation Crowdfunding, which means no money or other consideration is being solicited and will not be accepted if sent.

Geetika, thank you so much for taking the time—and congrats on 10+ years of VAWAA! In college, you spent your summers working with local artisans across Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. You then had an idea about building VAWAA, and in 2015, you took a one-year sabbatical traveling 12 countries in 12 months with the hopes of launching the company. By November of that year, VAWAA was born. How did that intersection between craft, apprenticeship, and travel come into sharp focus for you?

I learned that spending my time with artists was where the most transformational learning happened, when you're sitting down with someone who's spent their life dedicated to what they do. To be spending the time in their environment which, in this case, is a studio, in their place of craft, and to be surrounded by the community that is always intersecting with their craft is very powerful. You're almost living someone else's life.

I started off spending that time with master artists because I was a designer, and that was extra special, because artists are the ambassadors for our past, present, and future. They are a reflection of the times. Their work is grounded in the past, but it's always looking to the future. That perspective was really inspiring and it changed my perspective on how to see the world, and how to incorporate that into my life.

That has always stayed with me. The goal was combining that into an idea where people could do what I had been doing personally: to discover these artists, get access to them, and be able to spend multiple days in their studio with them. VAWAA was just a manifestation of a possibility that I had based on my lived experience.

The range of apprenticeships VAWAA offers varies widely and covers a lot of niche crafts: I’ve seen traditional brass bell making in Toyama, Japan; Sicilian puppets in Sicily, Italy; woodturning in Montevideo, Uruguay. You recently shared you have 1,200+ artists on the waitlist to host apprenticeships all through word-of-mouth. How do you identify new partners/crafts to work with, and how do you slowly expand VAWAA’s reach in a sustainable way that benefits all parties involved?

We want to represent the world of crafts on our platform, because craft is just a medium for this transformation and people have different entry points. Our goal is just that people find any channel or any medium that resonates with them for their own learning: Some have it through painting, some have it through basket weaving, some have it through shoe making, bicycle making, whatever it may be. And aren't we so lucky to be living in a world so rich with different expressions of our creativity?

Then it comes down to, where is their demand? What are people really wanting to learn? What are the entry points that people find it easy to go deeper into their own creative practice?

For example, that could be ceramics. Within ceramics, you have a world in itself—you have different kinds of clay, firing techniques, making techniques, from hand building to wheel building. How can we just go deep as well as wide?

In terms of how to build it sustainably so that everyone benefits from it—interestingly, right now, there is absolutely zero infrastructure for artists to share their knowledge. If you look at the art world, which is a $60 billion industry, all the infrastructure for artists is around selling their artwork, whether it's fairs, exhibitions, galleries, markets, Etsy, or Amazon.

You do see artists who are on Instagram, but then there's a whole world of artists who are not connected to technology, who don't have the marketing means or know-how around technology to increase their reach. So we want to be able to create an infrastructure for artists around the world, across all levels of technology literacy, whether they are a master artist in Indonesia or India or Paris or an Indigenous community. That's the breadth of ideas that are expressions of our human creativity.

At the same time, these artists require a lot of handholding because this is new to them. We want to help them through onboarding, through how to structure their program, to help them with guest communications. And that takes time. That's where the balance is. With 1,200+ artists on the wait list, we need to get through them quickly so they can start teaching and start sharing their knowledge, but we want to make sure that the ones on the platform feel fully supported. That they can teach comfortably.

It's always a fine balance, and we've been especially careful not opening the doors completely that all these 1,200 artists could onboard overnight technically. Because that would not set them up for success, right? That would not give them the support that they need. It would also not ensure that the guests who are going to learn from them have a quality of experience and transformation for the time and money that they're investing in it. Quality becomes really important.

 Let's say that you've identified a demand. How then do you onboard artists, or how long does that process take to workshop together that this is the format you [the artist] generally want to follow and this is the best experience for all parties involved? How do you set them up for that success?

We believe that we create the systems and then the artists fill it with their creativity. We have created systems that generally say, “This is a multi-day experience. This is kind of the overall arc of the experience.” But it's more about the process, not the outcome.

It’s about personalization, so there's no fixed itinerary. There's a creative brief before people go there, where they share their goals and what they want to accomplish, and then the artist personalizes for it.

Shifting gears, I really love the concept of VAWAA gift cards, where loved ones can purchase gift cards towards an apprenticeship, and the recipient has the luxury of choice to pick what they’re most interested in. You mentioned an uptick in men buying their wives gift cards as gifts, but I'm curious about the inverse: Women investing in themselves, or women pooling together to send a friend. How common is that? Some apprenticeships can host multiple people, but I imagine there’s a large proportion of solo women travelers.

70% of the guests who go on a VAWAA are women, in the age group of 30 to 75. What's really interesting is almost 40% of the women go solo. But another 60% are going with their girlfriends. They're going with their friends, whether they are young friends, empty nesters, or celebrating one of their friend's 50th birthday. It's mothers and daughters, sisters, literally all kinds of women relationships who are going on a VAWAA for a very shared experience.

There is a stat that I always talk about: Morgan Stanley came up with a stat that 45% of the women in the “prime working ages” of 25 to 45 years old will be single by 2030. I'm not surprised by that stat because we already know a lot of single (and child-free by choice) women who are affluent, independent, and highly professional. They're leading amazing lives, and if they are not investing their time and money in raising a child or a family, they're investing in themselves because they still care about investing and living a very meaningful, purposeful life.

For us, VAWAA really falls in that space—for women who are investing in themselves, looking for constant personal growth transformation to be the best version of themselves, whether it's solo, whether it's with friends.

 Thank you for sharing that. Departure’s audience is 95% women and I think some readers are interested in a solo trip but have never gone on one before, and VAWAA seems like a “vetted” experience that they can ease into.

100%. There are a couple of blogs where people went on on their first solo trip to VAWAA, because they just thought that this was just such a easy way to go.

The other way I see it is, it's not just pure safety. That artist is your friend, and a person there in that place, who knows the place, who is going to be there with you for several days. And whatever you need, they're there. So it's also safety, but it's also around “You are not going to be alone.”

I think of it as the discernment between “I'm alone” and “I'm lonely.” You still have a human connection happening.

In that vein, each mini-apprenticeship you offer spans across several days, with about four to six hours in the studio each day. Whereas most travelers are conditioned to optimize (more landmarks, more cities, more passport stamps), how did you land on that “slow travel” model? There are probably several factors at play: The time it takes to actually learn—and internalize—a creative art form, visitors wanting free time, intentionally protecting the artist’s time and energy. Have you workshopped or tweaked that format over the years?

 Our real goal is can we create an experience that leads to transformation? And transformation needs time. There is no magic pill. It's a process. It's a journey. So for us, you have to slow down, connect with the process, connect with the person you are learning from, connect with the community. You have to connect with yourself. There’s no shortcut to it.

The number of days an experience lasts was purely how long does it actually take to make a clay pot, for example. I live in Brooklyn and I can take a class and I can make a small bowl in a quick one hour workshop. But I have no idea where the clay comes from, how the clay processes, what happens after I finish it? How does it dry? I don't get to walk away with that understanding.

And unless we really truly understand how things work and we fully give it the time to absorb, nothing happens. You have just done a quick class or you've watched a quick TikTok and it's given you the dopamine hit for sure, but nothing has internally shifted.

In fact, to your question about if we tweaked formats: For ceramics, we did because we were noticing some of the artists had initially structured it for four days, and they were finding four days was just not enough time for pieces to dry. Clay needs to dry. It could be rainy outside. It could be cold outside. Things that are not in our control. And so, well, you wait, and you go through it and you do other things. We extended most of our ceramic experiences to five days minimum.

In some cases, let's say a basket-weaving session was three days, six hours a day. And we realized, six hours a day basket-weaving is physically very tiring. Instead of compressing it in three days, let's spread it out over four days. Instead of doing six hours a day, let's do four hours a day.

We have a very strong feedback loop after every VAWAA with the artist and with the guests, to see what really worked, what didn't work, and where do we need to tweak at the system level.

On a recent visit to India, my family and I stopped at a rug-making facility where we watched weavers produce these intricate patterns. We ended up purchasing a hand-knotted silk runner from them that cost about $1,000 USD—but friends back home in the states gawked at the price. (To be fair, it’s definitely an investment piece!)

But traditional crafts are often undervalued, in a world where mass production and poor quality take precedence over labor, skill, and time, where I could hop onto Wayfair or Amazon and buy a similar aesthetic for a fraction of the price. I know you work with the artisans themselves on understanding their pricing, fees, etc. but how does VAWAA help consumers and visitors understand the value of artists’ work and the importance of supporting their livelihoods? Do you see VAWAA shifting how guests spend and what they’re willing to pay for, post-experience?

What I've found is it all comes down to creating the right dynamic and the right level of transparency and structures. We know how market forces work. If you price something super low, people are always going to want something cheaper, right? You need to feel confident to price yourself correctly and then stand by it.

We also never go to artists and say, do your VAWAAs for $400 because that's what customers want to pay. We say, price it for what is right for your time. In fact, sometimes they price it quite low because they don't know the full market, and we guide them. Or sometimes they price it too high. That happens, too.

We tell them: Make sure it is sustainable for you. Make sure you are calculating your time, your materials, your knowledge, your studio time, your prep time; incorporate everything into your pricing. We just lead from that place and give confidence to the artists to price themselves the right way.

Then for customers: A lot of customers in the early days, they would come to us and say, “This is $1,400 for five days. This is too expensive. I can do a class for $30.” Then we have to then explain why—we are very transparent about our pricing. This is why it costs this, this is how much time you're spending, this is one-on-one, there are other materials. We can break down to the penny of how we price things.

We haven't done a lot of education at a brand level, which we want to do more of, but at a customer’s individual level, we do a lot of that. In general, we always talk about the artists and the apprenticeships in an elevated way, where people understand what went into them: the years of training and mastery and discipline that went into it, the resources that went into it. For us, it’s about showing them the value and that's how you educate people.

 It's very “show not tell.” Similarly, you recently spoke on a podcast about your hesitancy to use the word “authentic,” which I found really refreshing, and how you said you want to focus on “timeless ideas, not trending ideas.” For our readers, can you speak to that decision to steer away from positioning VAWAA as an “authentic experience”?

It is down to “show, don't tell.” We are building a company based on this idea that has existed for years; this is not something we invented. We as humans have been learning from people forever. We've been learning from masters forever, so it's not the first time we created an authentic experience. We don't need to say that for the sake of marketing.

I've spent over a decade in marketing, and words come and go, and then they lose meaning. If you're trying to build something that is for real, you have to ground yourself in truth. You have to ground yourself in being honest. Give people the value and let people choose the word they want to choose to describe it.

Some people call VAWAA a very authentic experience. We don't say that. They say that. That's perfect because that was their experience of it. Some people found it transformative. They use that word because that was their experience. Someone said it was very human and intimate. Use that word. So we leave the choice to the person who experienced it, to describe it in the way that they experienced it.

It’s no surprise that women specifically feel burnout more, and creative retreats are on the rise. (You and I both shared that WSJ piece on craft retreats!) We also know travelers can’t partake in these apprenticeships indefinitely, so how have you seen travelers bring what they’ve learned back home and incorporate them into their daily lives, amidst full-time jobs, families, and shortening attention spans? You’ve spoken before about how a VAWAA you did with a photojournalist completely changed how you take photos now, for example.

 We hear of them all the time—in various capacities, because everyone has a different experience. Just this morning, I got an email from one of our guests who had never considered felting. She went and did felting with her husband two years ago.

After the experience, they turned the garage into a felting studio. And they've spent thousands of hours felting since then, and she didn't even think felting would be her thing. And it's become a big part of her life now. Others are coming back and saying, I just learned to be patient with myself.

You once shared a story about how, when you were growing up in India, you wanted to study architecture but there weren’t any architects in your family, so you just started calling people from the Yellow Pages. That eagerness and curiosity stood out to me, because I think it shows in VAWAA’s mission in working with artists today: To go directly to the source, and to also build that infrastructure that was missing for them like it was missing for you. Has that felt like a through-line across your life?

 I think it's just how I operate. But also I think how most of us operate, right? That's why even the internet exists—because we're seeking information and the internet helps us get that information. That's just the human quest to find out whatever we’re looking for.

For me, that quest goes a little further: I'm going to find it some way or the other, and being resourceful. Because I've spent a couple of decades doing this on my own, traveling around the world, finding these artists somehow, you know. There was no directory and I was still able to do this. I’ve found that’s not a natural thing for a lot of people, so how can I make that easier for others? How do I make this accessible for everybody, and also for the artists?

 How did you find artists or experiences when there wasn't a directory?

 I would land in a place and then just start walking the streets, and through a window, I would see someone working. I would peek in, I would knock, I would say, “Hello, I'm Geetika.” They would say, hello, connect, and then just start doing it. It was just very instinctual.

What a beautiful way to use a strength of yours to build this for other people. So many people like me are very grateful you’re doing this.

Two French scholars analyzed 73 guest stories from VAWAA and found four ways that guests are connecting deeply with creative travel: Domestic sphere (feeling at home with local artists and their communities), mentorship from expert artists, embodiment with hands-on multi-sensory practice, and bonding with meaningful others. (You noted this was also the first empirical study on intimacy in creative tourism, which is incredible.)

I’ve been thinking a lot about the hands-on piece: Last summer, I was attacked by a foster dog and lost a lot of use in my right hand/arm. That feeling is slowly coming back, but as a left-handed person, I didn’t realize how impactful that lack of sensory experience would be for my right hand. In an increasingly visual world on our phones and TVs, how important is that tactile, hands-on learning for visitors? Even if someone cannot do a VAWAA experience—because frankly, it does cost time and disposable income—how can they embrace tactile experiences?

Because we're living in an increasingly visual world, we need to have more embodied experiences to connect to our different senses. It is becoming really important for us to stay centered, to stay grounded, to not get carried away with all the chaos of the world that we are in right now.

We don't need to feel limited by our hands, because there is so much you can still do. As an example, you can dance, and that's creativity. It's not dependent on your hands, right? You may not have very fine motor skills, but you could still rub your hands in mud and clay and paint finger-painting. And that's the beauty.

If we are really looking for some tactile creativity, just cook your food. Make your sandwich. When we are making a sandwich, we are making a choice with bread, a layer of tomato, a layer of lettuce. Does the lettuce go above or under? What other color are we going to add? Every day we're living with so much creativity: how we get our desk organized, how we put up flowers, where we put up flowers. All of that is tactile creativity.

If everything else feels like a big leap, take a class nearby. You don't have to go to another country to do a VAWAA. That's just one way to do it. But you can start here in your local community or you can do an online class. There are so many ways to nurture your own creativity by creating time and space for it.

To close us out, are there other women-led organizations, artisan collectives, or slow travel experiences you think deserve more attention—or any you’re particularly interested in trying yourself?

I'm doing another VAWAA in August with Merlyn. She's a world-renowned printmaker in the South of the UK, and she makes woodblock prints. She is 70 plus years old. She goes swimming in the ocean, takes photos of the wild ocean, and then she carves that in wood and makes prints out of that. I want be like her, so that's why I am going for that VAWAA.

There are also a few other companies who are doing group trips—for example, Ace Camps and The Thread Caravan. I am not personally aware of the one-on-one model the way we have it, which is over multiple days and very slow. That said, group trips can still be a really wonderful way to slow down.

Finally, I’d love to shout out Lauren Bates of Wild Terrains and Deborah Needleman (former editor of WSJ Magazine and T: The New York Times Style Magazine, a design-world tastemaker, and basket maker).

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• 👩 Ahead of Mother’s Day, Greether is giving away two free experiences—one for you, and one for your mom. You can take them separately or together. Entries close tonight (Thursday, 4/30, 11:59PM).

• 👀 Afar is hiring an Assistant Social Editor—fully remote, up to $75k.

• 💚 What are the biggest sustainability trends in travel this year? Conde Nast Traveler has eight in mind.

• 😬 The Trump administration stepped in to save Spirit Airlines, but I’d still be wary of flying them without some sort of travel insurance. File this one under: Examples of the US bailing out companies deemed “too big to fail.” (Wall Street Journal)

See you next week! —Henah x

This article was sponsored by Adobe. As always, all opinions and ideas are entirely my own.

Every trip starts with a spreadsheet. For the last decade, the second I’ve conceptualized an idea, I’ve typed “sheet.new” into my browser and diligently started inputting inspiration: Dates, airports, budgets. By the time my husband and I leave for a trip, I have one Sheets document, separated into tabs; a living, breathing resource we refer to for our daily plans.

In some ways, I feel behind the times, like I’m doing manual work that could be automated. When everyone’s using AI and social media for their trip ideas, I’m more old school, looking for off-the-beaten-path ideas, the slow travel way—a fact I’m deeply proud of.

Most recently, though, our three-week trip to China and Taiwan—a plan that required understanding 240-hour transit visas, flights for both work and leisure, and an entire suite of apps necessary to navigate the Great Firewall and China’s payment systems—was a beast I needed more support with. As I’ve alluded to previously, I’ve never needed to plan for travel the way I did here.

Coincidentally, around the same time that I started planning in the fall, Adobe’s team reached out wanting to showcase a new Adobe Acrobat feature, PDF Spaces. (An aside: As a former teenager who spent hours after school teaching herself Photoshop for Xanga headers, to a professional who uses Premiere daily for work and Lightroom for film photography touch-ups, hearing from Adobe was truly a pinch-me moment.)

PDF Spaces is an AI-powered online workspace that aggregates and synthesizes your files, documents and web links in one place. For someone like me with a thousand tabs open at all times (something my friends and coworkers endlessly rib me about), this felt like a lifesaver. By the time I got off the call with Adobe’s demo team, I was sufficiently impressed with its capabilities, but I wanted to know: Could PDF Spaces actually be a better option for planning than my tried-and-true method? So, I decided to try it out for comparison.

Before I go any further, I want to clarify: One of my largest hesitations around AI is generative AI—from an ethical standpoint as a writer (em-dashes forever; I’ll never forgive AI for that), and from the climate change POV as an environmental advocate. Trawling the entire Internet and requesting curated itineraries may seem like a quick ‘n easy solution for individuals, but it comes with a real cost. Here, however, you’ll find that this process is contained in a closed-loop system—one I’ll share more about shortly, but ultimately one I felt much more comfortable with.

So, (Nathan for You voice:) the plan? Build my own itinerary by hand as usual, and also on PDF Spaces, to see if this would be a more efficient method and a worthwhile tool for future trips.

First, I created my Google Sheet as normal: A tab each for our overall schedule, our expenses, and a packing list. Because my husband was primarily flying to Shanghai for work, I knew the first week would be spent in that area, and I started inputting his flight information while I researched my own options (cash, points, or a mix of both). I ultimately ended up doing points at a very steep price, but I’ll be sharing those expenses in a separate post—stay tuned.

Then, we had effectively 10 more days we wanted to travel around, before returning to work in the States. As we debated splitting our time between Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, or Tokyo, the prices around cherry blossom season in South Korea and Japan were exorbitant. Relatedly, I’d heard a lot over the last few months around Taiwan as a rising destination. Rather than spend 10 days entirely in Taiwan, we decided to split that time between Hong Kong and Taipei, as a friend recommended.

For this part of the planning, I found myself continuing to rely on my spreadsheet. It was especially helpful for mapping out the possibilities of how many days to spend in each location, which hotels we wanted to stay at, and organizing miscellaneous expenses, in one central place.

Then came the question of: What do we actually want to do in each city? Many of our friends had been to Hong Kong, but fewer had been to Shanghai or Taipei, so it required a bit more digging around. The challenge I often run into though, as someone who doesn’t like using viral videos and AEO-generated results for recommendations, is that I’m often overwhelmed with what’s out there. There were dozens of “What We Did in Shanghai” posts to consider, and most of them were not really tailored to a slower form of travel. (Many recommended hitting five or six sights in one day, which didn’t seem realistic or honestly engaging for my type of trip.)

Well, I did what any resourceful millennial would do: I asked for recs on Instagram and here on Departure. Both friends and strangers came through with lots of useful tips and tricks, and then I was able to leverage PDF Spaces to synthesize them all for me.

Regarding that aforementioned closed-loop system: What I specifically appreciate about PDF Spaces is that the tool only aggregates and analyzes the data you put into it; in other words, it’s not searching the entire World Wide Web for what to pull in, only what you upload. That also helps me avoid the dreaded AI slop I often see online when folks use AI chatbots, where travelers are sent to destinations that don’t even exist, or contribute to overtourism by heedlessly heading to popular destinations from generative AI’s recommendations.

In my case, with permission, I compiled texts of what friends recommended, screenshotted entire conversations from WhatsApp and Instagram (I first made them readable PDFs, but you could just copy/paste the text separately), downloaded Google Map highlights, webpages of recommendations, and saved PDFs of articles with worthwhile suggestions. In each PDF Space—one for China, and another for Taiwan—I uploaded all the files.

Then I created the prompt: “Please create an itinerary for our time using these sources. We will have three days available in early April, from Sunday April 5 to Tuesday April 7.” To make this easier, you could also customize the Assistant by creating a “Travel Guide” and giving it instructions such as, “You are a travel guide that is helping me maximize my time in China.”

Within seconds, I had a day-by-day breakdown of what to do based on the recommendations I had compiled, without having to read through them all on my own and seeing what came up repeatedly as worth visiting.

At the bottom of each itinerary, there were also “additional notes” to keep in mind: Recommended transportation around the city, or the weather to consider—notes that came from friends, but that were easily shared here. Planning for several weeks of travel immediately seemed more manageable, and every rec came with a citation of where it internally pulled that data from so I could go back and reference the source of the original suggestion.

Once you’ve reviewed your itinerary and finalized any files you want to upload, you can save your prompt section as a “Note” for easy access. This was helpful, because it loaded fairly quickly without needing a ton of data, and especially since we were in China, it worked seamlessly with our VPN. If you’re nervous about not having any roaming data or WiFi at all, you could also download your Note directly as a PDF or Word Doc to have on hand to reference.

Another feature in PDF Spaces I personally liked is that you can share it, so other travelers can add information as well—a must-have if you’re carrying the mental load of planning a trip and want to spread the effort. Not speaking from personal experience or anything. 😉 Other scenarios could be a joint bachelorette party you’re planning with other bridesmaids, or a family trip with multiple generations who want to try different activities. The collaboration feature is a great way for everyone to pull their own weight.

I did run into a few things worth keeping in mind as you use PDF Spaces. Since it works based on what you upload and supports specific file types, certain content—like an Instagram Reel—can’t be directly pulled in. In my case, I watched the Reel, noted the recommendations, and uploaded the text instead, which worked well as a workaround.

Similarly, while PDF Spaces can break down a daily itinerary, it doesn’t automatically account for things like specific dates aligning with days of the week. It’s helpful to do a quick pass to double-check details like hours and availability as part of the final polish process.

As with any AI tool (especially with any AI tool?), you’ll definitely need to go over your plans with a fine-tooth comb instead of assuming you’re good to go…and that’s where my old trusted method of manual research came back into play. (In my case, the tool wasn’t aware that April 7th was a Tuesday, so there is some fact-checking along the way that you’ll need to verify.) I’d say this tool saved me several hours of time, though.

Overall, while I still plan to keep a main document for trips, I really liked how effortless it was to use PDF Spaces for day-by-day plans: If you’re someone like me who wants to amass as much information as possible and make the most informed decisions and itinerary you can, I think this tool will reduce most of the heavy lifting for you.

You could also take the next step and upload all your flight confirmations, hotels, etc. and get a detailed hour-by-hour schedule—down to your check-in time—which can be useful if you’re already on the go and just need a simple answer, without going back through dozens of emails. Another moment of speaking from experience. 👀

If you already use Adobe’s product suite for other reasons, PDF Spaces might be included in your subscription; otherwise, plans start at $24.99/monthly as part of Acrobat Studio, which is the complete set of PDF tools, Acrobat AI Assistant, Adobe Express Premium and PDF Spaces, or you can test out a free trial here. Ultimately, I do think it will be hard to go back to my manual approach alone, so I’m hoping to continue using these two tools in tandem—an effective way to make travel planning smarter, not harder.

• ⛽️ What do travelers heading to Europe need to know about the jet fuel crisis? ’s Brian Kelly has three tips to keep in mind (and I agree with all of them). Please protect yourself.

• 🩹 I had a hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) flare-up while traveling over the last month, and I’m extra grateful I had a mini-first aid kit on me to deal with the mess. (I’ll spare you the details.) Travel first aid kits are often just $2–$3 and worth bringing along.

• 🌴 File this under “a dream getaway one day if I can afford it:” a hidden treehouse nestled inside the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Prices start at $1,490/night for two people which is currently outside of my budget, but wow, is it stunning.

• 😇 New quarter, new AmEx Platinum benefits, particularly the $75 lululemon credit. I’m not a huge fan of their excess production, but for the sake of using the credit (or for an early Mother’s Day gift), these would be my travel picks (affiliates): This fitted jacket, this foldable crossbody, or this dual-compartment toiletry bag.

• 📚 At the intersection of everything I love: on Substack. Author Oyinkan Braithwaite of Cursed Daughters and My Sister, the Serial Killer even joined their latest book club meeting.

Soon, I’ll break down everything on where we stayed, spent, and ate over our nearly three weeks in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Taipei. If you have any questions about China or Taiwan, let me know and I’ll try to answer them as well. — Henah x

As part of my community-based ethos, I shared earlier this year that we’d launch guest guides. These enable me to spotlight other women travelers from around the globe—some are reporting on places I’ve never seen before, while others share their favorites from popular tourist destinations. Every guest who writes a guide is compensated for their time, made up in part by our paid subscribers. It’s a community I’m very proud of—the gift that keeps on giving within this beautiful ecosystem.

For our first-ever guest guide, I’m thrilled to share ; I don’t know when we first got in touch, but we’ve been longtime online friends, and she’s an incredible writer, skier, and marketing expert. The destination she chose—Jackson Hole, WY—is one I’ve only tangentially touched by way of Bozeman, MT and Yellowstone, but after seeing the resources she so thoughtfully put together (and to be honest, the photos she shared), it’s moved to the top of my list.

Before getting into her full guide below, I asked why this destination matters so much to her, and why it might be a good fit for Departure, and I really loved her answer:

“My first visit to Jackson was in 2014 on a ski trip. By the next summer, I had moved there for a summer job, and then a “gap-winter” to ski bum and work. I landed back in the Tetons permanently after my final year of Undergrad thinking I’d take a year or two to “get it out of my system,” but never left.

When you think of Jackson Hole, you probably think of billionaires, cowboys, or both. The great news for Departure readers is that Jackson is great for both the budget and the luxury traveler. The Four Seasons will run you over $2,000/night during the summer high season; however, there are also affordable campgrounds or even free dispersed campsites that give you unobstructed Teton views.”

Setting the Stage

97% of all land in Teton County, Wyoming is public and owned by the federal government, meaning it’s restricted from development. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—which includes Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole area—is one of the largest ecosystems in the world. This is what makes the area so special—it’s home to wildlife, thousands of miles of trails, biodiversity, and so much more.

But wait, what’s the difference between Jackson Hole and Jackson? Jackson Hole refers to the entire area, encompassing Grand Teton National Park, the town of Jackson, and the other small towns in valley (including Teton Village, Wilson, and Hoback). Jackson is where you’ll find most of the lodging, shops, and restaurants.

I recommend visiting Jackson during the summer/early fall (mid-June through September), or winter (late December through March). The remaining months (April, May, October, November) are what we call “mud season.” You can score some great deals on lodging, but many of the activities that you’d like to do while you’re here are inaccessible due to snow (but not enough snow to do winter activities), and weather is inconsistent.

Where to Stay

Remember how I said 97% of all land is public? With nowhere in proximity to expand, real estate in Teton County is extremely expensive. To keep housing available for residents and local workers, there are restrictions on short-term rentals—meaning you won’t find many options on Airbnb.

The town of Jackson is pretty small; there are dozens of options that you can’t go wrong with. In the summer, you’ll be looking at ($400–$800+/night) on average in town. During the winter, the same spot will run you ($200–$400+/night) on average.

If you come to ski, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is about 12 miles north of Jackson in Teton Village. There are only a handful of options—including the Four Seasons and Caldera House if you’re looking to splurge. You can’t beat being ski-in and ski-out in the winter, and it’s a quiet, mountainside retreat in the summertime. There are fewer restaurants in Teton Village, so keep that in mind if you choose to stay here, but the town of Jackson is only a 12-mile drive away!

Lastly, if you’re adventurous, camping in the summertime is an amazing way to take in the Tetons in their entirety. There are hundreds of options so I won’t get into them here, but I’ll leave you with a sunset view from camp one summer…

Where to Eat & Drink

For being such a small town, there are so many dining options, and surprisingly a lot of variety!

• Bin22 is a great dinner spot for wine lovers and tapas enthusiasts. There are plenty of vegetarian options as well, including my favorite—the Wild Mushroom Mozzarella. With an extensive attached bottle shop, enjoy a bottle with dinner (and no corkage fee).

• For coffee and a pastry or quick lunch, don’t skip Persephone Bakery. Next door, Healthy Being Cafe has fresh juices, salads, and smoothie bowls.

• Ride the gondola at Snow King Mountain from town and enjoy a one-of-a-kind summit dining experience with Teton Views at Aurora.

• Sushi? In Wyoming? Hear me out—fresh fish is flown in daily. I recommend King Sushi and Kampai (Kampai’s Executive Chef landed here by way of Nobu).

• Also file under cuisine you don’t expect to be good in Wyoming: I love Thai Plate and Teton Thai Teton Village.

• For a more traditional “Wyoming” dinner, both Local and Snake River Grill are great options.

• And lastly, rapid fire of a few other spots I love as this list could go on forever! Hand Fire Pizza, Nora’s (for breakfast), Glorietta’s (Italian), The Bird (burgers), Creekside (made-to-order deli sandwiches perfect for a picnic).

What to Do

If you were to google “what to do in Jackson Hole,” you’d get a long list of thrill-seeking activities like whitewater rafting, skiing/snowboarding, horseback riding, snowmobiling, dog sledding, paragliding, via ferratas, mountain biking—the list goes on. Here are some quieter ways to enjoy the Tetons, perfect for slow travel.

A Morning in Grand Teton

During the summer, Grand Teton National Park can get busy during the day. Beat the crowds by starting early! Catch the sunrise (it’s eaaaarlly in the summer but so so worth it); I recommend posting up at Schwabacher Landing, Snake River Overlook, or Moulton Barn.

After sunrise, you’ll head into the heart of the park. For some activity, the hike to Phelps Lake is mostly flat and about two miles round trip from Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve Trailhead as an out and back route. You can make it longer by walking along the lake, and turning around when you’re ready to head back. I recommend the North Side of the lake!

If you’re not up for a hike, head to String Lake. You’ll be early enough to get a parking spot 50 steps from the water to enjoy the views, read on a picnic blanket, or even take a dip in the chilly alpine lake. There are also some mellow hiking trails if you’d like to walk around a bit. As the crowds roll in, you can head back into town or explore more of the park by car.

Art & Culture

There are over 25 art galleries in Jackson, plenty to spend an afternoon walking around town taking it all in. You can find a gallery guide here. Just a couple of miles north of Jackson is the National Museum of Wildlife Art: “Featuring work by prominent artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Robert Kuhn, John James Audubon, and Carl Rungius, the Museum’s unsurpassed permanent collection chronicles much of the history of wildlife in art from 2500 B.C.E. to the present.” Plus, their outdoor sculpture trail is open to the public and great for kids.

Throughout the summer, there are Farmer’s Markets every week featuring local farmers, food vendors, artists and more. Several pop-up art fairs take over greenspaces in town throughout the summer, so keep an eye out for what’s going on while you’re in town!

The coolest concert venue you’ve never heard of sits atop Snow King Mountain and requires a gondola ride to reach the summit. For summer 2026, musical guests include The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, Greggory Alan Isakov, and many more.

Slow Adventure

A few additional ways to enjoy the scenery, Departure-style.

• Reserve a soak at Astoria Hot Springs Park

• Ride the Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

• Take a sleigh ride on the National Elk Refuge (winter only)

• Rent a bike from Hoback Sports and ride hundreds of miles of pathways (I recommend riding north from town for Teton Views!)

• Take a wildlife tour to explore Grand Teton National Park. I’ve taken one with Eco Tours, but there are many great companies to choose from.

• Take a daytrip into Yellowstone National Park. It’s too big to cover the entire park in a day, but you can visit the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Old Faithful Geyser, and Grand Prismatic on the south end of the park in a day. Plus whatever bonus wildlife sightings accompany your trip!

Final Notes

• Check the weather! If you’re visiting in the summer, evenings still get very cool, so a jacket or sweater is recommended when the sun goes down.

• There are buses between the town of Jackson and Teton Village, as well as Ubers and Taxis. Uber isn’t the most reliable option for things like an early morning airport ride, but it’s definitely improving. If you’re looking to explore Grand Teton National Park, visit Yellowstone, or pretty much anything outside of the Town of Jackson, I strongly encourage you to rent a car.

• Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone require a National Parks Pass. It’s about $35/day or $80 for a year-long unlimited “America The Beautiful” pass. If you’re planning on visiting more national parks, or both Yellowstone and Grand Teton over multiple days I recommend the “America The Beautiful” pass. You can purchase these when you enter the park.

Have questions or other recommendations? Erica will be coming back in the next few weeks to answer any comments, or you can message her privately on Substack. Erica, thank you so much again for your time and effort here—as an indoor cat, even I am inspired to visit Jackson Hole in the coming months. 💌

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• 💄 I’m not a big Sephora shopper, but the only item I ever carry with me besides my keys and my phone—whether at home or abroad—is this tinted lip balm. I’d restock now during the sale, but hilariously, I already own six of them. Perfect colors to layer on, so smooth and creamy, no stickiness, and great scent.

• 🪟 I always wondered why some flight attendants will tell you to keep your window shade raised during takeoff and landing, while others don’t. I figured the reasons were safety-related, but the exact reasons why make a lot of sense. (AFAR)

• 🌸 Flower tourism is booming ‘n blooming—and Lonely Planet’s guide includes destinations you can visit any time this year, from Jordan to Arkansas. Just don’t forget the Zyrtec.

• 👀 Wanna go camping this summer? These are the best adult-only summer camps across the US. We all deserve a bit of nostalgia and carefree moments right now. (Time Out)

• 🥹 “The upsides to feeling small.” (c/o )

See you next week! —Henah x

For this week’s edition, per reader request, I wanted to dig into how I’m able to pack 7–10 days’ worth of necessities into a carry-on suitcase and backpack. I’ve sworn by my method for several years, because I 1) hate paying airline fees, 2) don’t want to spend time at baggage claim or show up early for bag drop offs, and 3) live a pretty minimalist lifestyle to begin with.

A note: For eight years, I covered sustainable and ethical fashion, testing and reviewing products from hundreds of brands. I’ve linked affiliate options below, but the items I’m sharing are ones that: I personally swear by, have lasted over time, and are higher quality than the rest. Your trust is everything, so if there’s an item you’ve had a negative experience with that I’ve recommended, please let me know!

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Luggage

Carry On: My mother worked at Tumi Luggage for 20+ years, so we have a lot of their pieces. I’d caveat that they tend to show the wear and tear more than others, and that they’re extremely expensive investments—the kind of “Buy It For Life” products you’ll see on Reddit. If you’re not in the place to spend $500+ on luggage, I really like Away’s Bigger Carry On. I’ve had this for several years, and the bag looks brand new—the wheels glide well (better than my Tumi bags), they can be basically thrown around without worry, and Away has a generous warranty.

Personal Item: This is always a backpack for me. I have had a Dare to Roam backpack for years and I’m surprised by how well it’s kept up, but it doesn’t look like they’re in business anymore. I’d recommend a backpack or tote from Beis, Monos, or Dagne Dover instead.

In My Carry-On

I utilize the exact same list for every trip, give or take a few specific items (think mosquito repellent for subtropical climates, or thicker socks for a winter trip). I’ll share my basics below, but the general gist is: If I can’t mix and match it, it’s not coming.

• One pair of underwear for every day of travel, and a handful of bras/covers. I’m fairly bra-agnostic, but I like NOOD’s cover-ups if you don’t plan to wear one. For underwear, I really like Knix’s underwear for spotting and sweating and wear them almost exclusively.

• One pair of socks for every day of travel, and two pairs of compression socks (one to wear on the way there, one on the way back). My preferred brands for compression socks are either Bombas or Wellow. If you have plantar fasciitis like I do, these “Arch Booster” socks may offer some relief.

• 4-5 simple tees—I primarily wear Buck Mason’s t-shirts. I own the Slim in every main color, and every piece feels luxuriously soft and easy to mix and match. Size up!

• 2 pairs of jeans: I bring a pair of blue denim and black denim. My favorite blue denim jeans are from Warp + Weft (so stretchy and durable, partially recycled cotton, under $100!), and I consistently get compliments on these 100% cotton black Rails (which, fun fact, I visited seven stores in person to hunt down).

• 2 pairs of athleisure or more relaxed pants. The only leggings I wear nowadays are from Beyond Yoga (incredibly soft fabric and stretch, deep pockets). My pro-tip is to find these secondhand on ThredUp if you don’t want to pay full price; there are always gently used options floating around there. I’ll also pack something like these pants I bought years ago for warmer temperatures, because they’re breathable while still being relatively fashion-forward.

• 2 dresses—I’ve actually (surprisingly?) been impressed with Old Navy’s dresses recently. I do not recommend fast fashion almost ever, but these are easy to pack and steam, come in neutral colors, and hold up well.

• Three pairs of shoes: One pair of sneakers which I wear on the plane, my beloved Rothy’s clogs for casual days, and a pair of sandals or nicer flats.

• One cardigan or sweater, which I’ll usually wear on the plane to maximize space in my bag. I wear a black coatigan almost exclusively, but I also have a super comfortable and cozy taupe cardigan I love.

• The best use of my AmEx lululemon credit, by far, was this windbreaker. It was incredibly helpful on our most recent trip to China and Taiwan on rainy days. I like this style in particular because it’s cropped, can be conveniently folded up, and has a main pocket in the front.

• One pair of Spanx or similar-style shorts to prevent chafing. I used to love the ones from Uniqlo’s AIRism line but they no longer sell them—womp.

• One pair of pajamas (read: an oversized t-shirt and leggings, or simple PJ set).

• I’ve used a hair towel for nearly 20 years, and this one from Crown Affair (use code HENAH15 for 15% off!) is the best of the best. So much so that I accidentally left mine on a trip once and repurchased a new one immediately.

With this combination, I can easily create 10 outfits, as long as I’m not sweating profusely or staining my clothes with each wear. In my experience, local laundromats are easy to find though, at a much more reasonable price than hotel laundry or paying $25+ on baggage fees each way. In Hong Kong lat week, for example, we were able to do 15 pounds of laundry, folded and returned to us, for $17.

As for personal toiletries: I’ve shared this hack before, but I always keep a second set of these on hand exclusively for trips. Using two small toiletry bags, I pack: toothbrush, toothpaste, tongue scraper, Q-tips, deodorant, lotion, vaseline, moisturizer, sunscreen, makeup wipes, makeup, hairbrush, razors, shampoo, soap, perfume (I personally love Dedcool’s scents and Snif’s genderless fragrances), extra hair ties, bobby pins, and safety pins. I also pack a lint roller (because, pets), and a travel-sized curling iron or straightener. This all gets packed into my carry-on, or thrown into my personal item if I’ve run out of space.

In My Personal Item:

• Passports, visas, Global Entry passes, and IDs as necessary

• My ATM cards and credit cards

• Printed copies of my itinerary and travel insurance

• Portable chargers, wall chargers, and adapters (I like this Anker charger—a great gift, too)

• An attachable neck pillow (recommend this one or this one from Cabeau)

• My Sony XM-6s headphones and my Airpods

• Prescription sunglasses

• My film camera and film

• A day bag (my husband and I really like this one from Beis; it’s very roomy and even comes with a water bottle holder)

• A small selection of mints, gum, snacks, or protein bars

• An extra N95 mask

• A mini-first aid kit: Imodium, Pepto Bismol, Dramamine, Omeprazole, hand sanitizer, our medications (this pill box or this larger set are my favorites), sleep supplements (these work!), a few hydration sticks (this tastes like Nerds Clusters to me!), an eye mask, Tylenol, and bandaids

• My favorite lip balms (one from ILIA—I’ve bought these 10x over despite the higher price tag, and this SPF one)

• A travel umbrella

• My laptop and charger, along with my Oura charger

And that’s it!

The best part about having a minimalist approach is it’s easy to remember and replicate. I don’t have to overthink every time, and once I unpack from one trip, I already know what goes right back in the bag for the next one. If you have a system you swear by, I recommend sharing it, too—others may be grateful.

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• 📕 I started and finished 1Q84 in less than a week. At 1,200 pages, this book is quite the beast, and as my first foray into Murakami, I was a bit intimidated. But it was 100% worth it. When we’d be out exploring, I’d be thinking about this book and ready to get into bed and start reading it again. Inclined to start Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, or Kafka on the Shore next, but I need a brain break first.

• 🧳 Speaking of baggage fees, Delta, United, Southwest, and JetBlue have all announced higher fees in the last week, citing rising fuel charges. Another reason to carry on. (New York Times)

• 🚶 Seven walkable cities where you don’t need a car in order to have a great vacation—can confirm nearly all of these. More walkable destinations, please! (Washington Post)

• 🥰 Women in Congo—which has been in conflict for more than a year—organized a three-day music festival to campaign against gender-based violence and showcase women’s talents. With how heavy the world feels recently, this women-led push for peace made me smile. (ABC News)

Coming up: Exactly what we did and how much we spent on 19 days in Asia, different products and tools I’ve been testing for the best sleep while traveling, and an interview with an expert I’ve always wanted to hear from. Talk soon! —Henah x

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It has been another heavy week in the world, and I hope you’re all hanging in there.

Earlier this week, I opened my Instagram DMs and the subscriber chat for AMA on all things travel. We used to do these when we first launched Departure, and I thought it’d be a nice source of levity (and a helpful resource) to do one today.

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Welcome back to Departure, your weekly dose of inspiration around slow, quiet, and worthwhile travel.

As I’ve shared, this issue’s destination holds a very special place in my heart. I love the Miami area: It’s easy enough to reach from the east coast, it’s affordable to fly into, and there are plenty of beaches to pick from, for a dose of warm weather. It’s, in my mind, the perfect getaway; I once had a supervisor who’d fly down just from Fridays–Sundays for a winter retreat.

As promised, I’m sharing my full guide to the area as a repeat-visitor with additional input from several close friends who’ve lived there for years—Sascha and Javi, thank you for your incredible recommendations. If you have any other suggestions, please share them so this can be as comprehensive as possible (and because nothing brings me greater joy than this community weighing in with thoughtful tips).

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How to Get There & Get Around:

• Fly into MIA, often the easiest route—15–20 minutes from Miami and Miami Beach. I’d recommend renting a car over taking Lyfts everywhere. In our four days there, we racked up $400 in ride-share transactions, and we didn’t go very far. Book a car in advance, though, as rentals can sell out early.

• Flying into FLL in Fort Lauderdale is an ideal choice if you’re open to staying outside of Miami and have already decided to rent a car. Some airlines like American, JetBlue, and Spirit prefer FLL over MIA so you’ll find more affordable or direct flights.

• You can get around via public transit—my friends and I famously did this in 2013 on spring break—but it will take substantially more time. A good idea though, if you’re looking for an economical option and have a flexible itinerary.

Where to Stay:

• For the quintessential Miami scene: Miami Beach and South Beach always top the list, especially if you’re looking for beaches and bars. Along Collins Avenue, you’ll find plenty of boutique hotels and restaurants, though this is definitely where I went in my 20s and not so much anymore. If you have the budget, I do recommend staying at either the W (a Marriott partner if you have points), or the 1 South Beach (a leading sustainable resort).

• For a quieter, more removed neighborhood: After staying around Brickell, Wynwood, and Coral Gables, I’d recommend Coral Gables or Coconut Grove. It’s a bit outside of downtown, but it’s easy enough to grab a Lyft, and it’s such a lovely place to walk around. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables on points last year, and would recommend it as an affordable points redemption. (It’s also close by to my favorite bookstore, Books & Books, where we’ve spent hours hanging out.) If you enjoy being near the business district, Brickell is another option, nestled in between Miami Beach and Coral Gables/the airport.

• For the quietest, most restorative stay: If you’re willing to drive, Jupiter—which is north of Fort Lauderdale—is a stunning place to spend your time. The beaches aren’t nearly as crowded, and you can experience some truly breathtaking nature between kayaking, watching turtles, or snorkeling. We personally stayed at an Airbnb, but there are hotels here worth checking out.

What to Do:

• Beaches: You can’t really go wrong with beaches here, but like I said, I prefer Jupiter or West Palm Beach over Miami, due to sheer crowding and pricing. During our recent Miami Beach visit two weeks ago, renting two chairs and an umbrella set us back $75 (set pricing). Worth it for the amount of time we spent there, but if you bring your own supplies and/or you don’t mind the sand and direct sun, you can ignore this cost.

  • Sascha recommends getting onto the beach around the W entrance (there’s a public boardwalk), or on 30th behind the EDITION and renting chairs from them.

  • The public boardwalk means you can ride bikes all along the oceanfront, and in years past, we rented bikes from Miami Beach Bicycle Center. There are probably 10 different places you can rent from, all with strong ratings, and I find that it’s a calming way to experience the beach.

  • For other outdoor activities, there’s Biscayne National Park, renting a yacht or boat for the day, or trying water sports like parasailing. Being out of breath doesn’t embody quiet travel for me, but maybe it does for you. 😉

• Art & Museums: The art scene in Miami is vibrant, ever-changing, and powerful. There is no shortage of art-related sights to see, so TL;DR: Make time to go.

  • Wynwood Walls is the best-known “art” spot—it’s a neighborhood filled with murals, graffiti, and photography. I recommend grabbing lunch or a coffee in the area, and walking around to check out the outdoor art as well as the local galleries. Sascha adores the Glottman Shop for stationary and gifts, BASE for men’s clothing, and the Sana Skin Studio for facials and skincare.

  • She also recommended the Pérez Art Museum Miami, which I’d never taken time to go see before, but it was 100% worth it. (Hot tip: The second Saturday of every month is free.) There are several floors of art that explore topics like immigration, colonialism, safety, grief, and family, and certain pieces brought me to tears. Erick and Elliot Jiménez’s exhibition in particular took our breath away.

  • Sascha also suggests checking out the Rubell Museum and the Wolfsonian-Florida International University museum, which she says, “has one of my favorite gift shops in South Beach!”

  • I’ve also heard good things about the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Paradox Museum, and the Margulies Collection.

  • Art Basel this year, for curious minds, will run December 2–6!

• Walking/Food Tours: Because there are so many neighborhoods in Miami, I highly recommend a tour to understand the various cultures and communities.

  • For example, a Little Havana food tour will show you everything from Cuban cigars, to the best Cuban food you can find nearby, to the history of mojitos. The tour we took in 2019 is no longer available, but there are plenty of alternatives you can find online, or by stopping at the Little Havana Visitor Center.

  • The Miami Design Preservation League hosts private art deco walking tours, if you’re a fan of the style or want to know more about this iconic architecture.

  • The Wynwood Art Walk Tour offers multiple experiences to immerse yourself in the local art scene—golf cart tours, walks, and even graffiti painting experiences.

  • Technically not a walking or food tour, but there are also a number of sunset or sightseeing cruises that go around the local waterways. I tend to find these a bit kitschy, but I can see value in privately renting one to enjoy the day.

Where to Eat & Drink, by Neighborhood

• Little Havana:

  • My favorite Mexican food is ironically in this area, but I do go out of my way to eat there so I’ll recommend it wholeheartedly: Taqueria Viva Mexico. Mi Ronconcito Mexicano is another establishment frequented by locals for a no-frills experience, though I prefer Taqueria.

  • Ball & Chain is probably the most historic of spaces here, where Billie Holiday and Nat King Cole used to play and it’s a fun space to eat, drink, and dance (salsa!). Old’s, Hoy Como Ayer, and Sala’o are best-known for Cuban food, though Javi says Rey de Las Fritas has a stellar Cuban hamburger and batido (shake)—he says to get the Mamey or Guanabana (soursop) flavor.

  • Sascha has three specific recommendations from classic staples: Grabbing a cafecito at El Pub, croquetas at Versailles, and drinks at Cafe La Trova.

• Miami Beach:

  • I’m going to be honest that I don’t often spend much time here anymore, but the girlies tell me Macchalina and Lucali (from New York City) are winners.

  • I like getting sandwiches here though when I’m on the beach and you can’t go wrong with La Sandwicherie, Sanguich, or Ocean Deli Market. Sascha also recs Sweet Liberty for afternoon snacks, and Kith for sweet treats.

  • If you’re looking for an adult bar/club vibe, Mac’s Club Deuce (cash only, Anthony Bourdain’s favorite place), the pool-side tiki bar at Broken Shaker, LIV, or Sola are worth checking out. Javi also says if you want to feel like you’re in a Belgian pub, Abbey Brewing Company is the way to go.

• Coral Gables & Coconut Grove:

  • We’ve gone for a fancy date night at Zucca in Coral Gables, which was delicious, and it’s worth walking around the downtown after. Motek, Bulla, and CRAFT are also highly rated here.

  • In Coconut Grove, we dined at the upscale Krüs Kitchen, part of Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $150 dining credits), and it was absolutely worth every penny.

  • There are also very highly rated coffee shops peppered all around the neighborhood, so you can’t go wrong. I’d personally grab lunch at Books & Books in their courtyard and peruse a few books—the epitome of slow travel for me, personally.

  • MIAM has the best pancakes I’ve ever had for brunch; Chugs has “insane breakfasts” worth trying in Coconut Grove; Facade Bakery has a cornflake matcha latte Sascha swears by.

• Wynwood:

  • Sascha frequents Wynwood more than we do, so her ideas include dining at the Taco Stand, Otto & Pepe for Italian, PARI PARI for handrolls (think “sexy date night”), or Arepera Tico Tico Edgewater. On the edge of Wynwood near downtown, Javi likes Lagniappe, inspired by New Orleans, where they have live music every night.

  • For dessert or matcha, she heads to Dasher & Crank, though there are a surprising amount of ice cream shops nearby that might be worth checking out, too.

  • Sascha says the “real locals” of Wynwood go to Dante’s HiFi, a vinyl listening bar, or the nearby Medium Cool in downtown which plays live jazz. Two of my favorite analog experiences.

What I love most about South Florida is that it can offer whatever you need. An energetic party scene for a bachelorette? A place to soak in the sun in peace and quiet? A way to connect with nature? It’s the rare place that truly “has it all.”

• 🤑 How a 20-something budgets for her vacations, and tips on where to save. Skipping new vacation clothes and budgeting for expenses outside of your control are two tricks I personally use. (h/t )

• 🦅 Talk about a niche deep dive: This photojournalism feature on the eagle hunters in Kyrgyzstan, and their long-standing traditions. To be clear, they hunt with eagles, they don’t hunt them. (Atavist)

• 😬 It’s been a real sh*tstorm between the East Coast blizzard—which cancelled my own plans—and the DHS flip-flopping decisions around TSA PreCheck. Like I said, I’d earmark extra time at the airport if you’re planning to fly any time soon. (CNBC)

• ❤️ The solid case for becoming a regular, frequenting your third spaces, and building community wherever you live (and travel, in the case of my nine visits to Miami, ha). (Self)

• 😴 More adults are taking extended career breaks than ever before. Whether it’s dubbed a “gap year” or “sabbatical” or “micro-retirement”, taking time for ourselves outside of work is increasingly trending. Big fan. (AP)

Here in Atlanta, I’ve been noticing the cherry blossom trees budding in the last week—the sorely needed reminder that spring is coming. Stay safe and warm wherever you are and remember: We’re almost there. —Henah x

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