Caymen Islands

It just keeps getting easier to visit the Caymans. Asoffall2022,CaymanAirwaysfliesnonstopfrom Los Angeles International to Grand Cayman, the first direct route from the West Coast to the British territory. “Getting to Hawaii takes longer,” said KennethBryan,CaymanIslandshonorableminister fortourismandtransport,inaninterviewwithT+L. Wherever they’re flying in from, visitors will find plentyofnewofferingsalongSevenMileBeach,on GrandCayman’swestshore.Chiefamongthemis thefreshlyrenovatedRitz-Carlton,GrandCayman, which is now outfitted with a La Prairie Spa and SaintJunerestaurant,completewithabeachfront bar. (The property is thankfully still home to the long-running, annual Cayman Cookout.) For travelerswhopreferheart-pumpingadventureto pool- or beachside relaxation, the Caymans can deliver:Hikingreserveslikethe100-year-oldMastic Trail on Grand Cayman or the Bluff on Cayman Brac may not be as well known as the islands’ beaches — but they should be. Whether it’s a trip to visit the friendly inhabitants of Stingray City, unforgettable horseback riding on the beach, a visittoseetheBlueIguanasattheQueenElizabeth II Botanic Park, or a journey into the past at Pedro St. James – a feast for the senses awaits you.

The 2020 opening of the Kinder Building, the latest addition to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, cemented the city’s spot among true international arts destinations. The recent reopening of the Rothko Chapel, after a $35-million renovation, has only reinforced that reputation. Today, a wealth of new ventures is poised to raise the profile of Texas’s largest city in other categories as well. Opening next year, the JMK5 Arena will transform a disused racetrack into a 12,500-seat concert stadium poised to rival the venues of Vegas. It arrives on the heels of the relatively more intimate 713 Music Hall, which has attracted artists ranging from Judas Priest to Lil Nas X.

Originally called the Colt .45’s, the Astros changed their name when they began playing at the famous Astrodome from 1965-1999. Minute Maid Park became the new home of baseball in Houston. The park was built using pre-existing historical architecture such as the Houston Union Station terminal as a cornerstone.

The Houston Zoo is undergoing a much-delayed expansion that will include a Galápagos Islands–themed exhibit, which will feature an underwater tunnel and a penguin habitat. And the Houston Botanic Gardens, which opened in 2020, features 132 acres of diverse ecosystems, from wetlands to prairie.