HOW TO TRAVEL BETTER

THE TRAVEL TIPS, INSIGHT, AND ESSENTIALS YOU NEED NOW.

O f t y: O f t y: th th Ib z Ib z

We’re Obsessed With

Salt lovers, unite! The Red Clay Spicy Drink Salt Duo jazzes up cocktails (or adds a little fl air to your morning eggs) with Southern fl avor. For citrus, spice, and a hint of sweet, reach for the Spicy Margarita; for a little heat and smoke, go for the Spicy Bloody Mary. $18, redclayhotsauce.com

Travel Intelligence

LGA’S FRESH LOOK

NYC’s LaGuardia Airport, one of the country’s oldest, is a few years into an $8 billion overhaul that’s already brightened it up considerably. Up next: Delta’s Terminal C, set to partially open this spring. The modern space includes 37 gates, the country’s largest Delta Sky Club, and an arts program with the Queens Museum. On the tarmac, new taxiways aim to cut down on the airport’s notorious gate delays.

STAR SEARCH

Michelin is bringing its lauded restaurantranking system to the Sunshine State, thanks to a partnership with Visit Florida. Inspectors are currently dining at the top outlets in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, with plans to dish out their coveted stars in a guide set to publish this year. Florida is the fi fth U.S. destination to get its own Michelin Guide, joining California, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

THE DOCTOR IS I

Driven by the demand for private villa escapes, Onefi nestay added retreats in 14 locations last year, including Santorini, Ibiza, and Aspen. Now guests staying at any of the company’s homes, villas, and chalets have complimentary access to nonurgent medical services – concierges can arrange a telephone consultation with a doctor (in English, Spanish, or Portuguese) within one hour of a request. Outside the U.S., in-person visits are also available, but fees apply.

INTERVIEW Coordinated Adventures

After a travel snafu that wound up costing them hours of rebooking time, California residents Kathleen Wade and her husband, Kelvin, ditched DIY and started working with Brooklyn-based Virtuoso advisor Claire Soares for travel planning. They’ve never looked back. “Claire has a love for what she does, and it appears beautifully in her work,” Kathleen says. Here, Kathleen’s travel takeaways.

Traveling is important to me because it’s a way to celebrate life, and it allows time for self-care. I travel to allow all of my senses to explore the wonders of creation.

One travel ritual we have is to coordinate our outfts and discuss which clothing is best suited to each occasion and destination.

Favorite trips? I loved Puerto Rico for the connection with the people there and the friends we made. And my birthday dinner on the beach in Cancún during a stay at Nizuc Resort & Spa is a memory I treasure. Claire planned the whole thing. It ranked up there with my wedding day. We loved the architecture, decor, and landscaping at Nizuc. It felt like we were on an enchanted island.

Our minds are at ease just knowing Claire will take care of our needs and wants. When the airline kept changing and delaying our flights, Claire made all the necessary changes to our itinerary; notified our hotel, transportation, and insurance about refunds due; and updated the travel app.

Next up: Portugal later this year. I’d also like to visit Africa to experience the culture of my ancestors.

Memorable Puerto Rican connections rank high with the Wades.

BACKGROUND RESEARCH

IF YOU’RE GOING TO ...

SWEDEN (“Sweden’s Warm Heart,” page 52): Bring the country’s beloved fika tradition home with help from Anna Brones and Johanna Kindvall’s Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break, an illustrated guide filled with recipes for classic Swedish pastries, breads, and more.

COLOMBIA (“Someday Is Now,” page 84): Revisit native son Gabriel García Márquez’s masterwork of magical realism, One Hundred Years of Solitude.

MURANO (“Fragile Beauty,” page 94): Pick up a copy of Marina Fiorato’s 2009 novel, The Glassblower of Murano, which links the tale of a seventeenth-century Venetian glassblower with the present-day journey of his descendant.

Total number of swimming pools at the soon-to-open Atlantis The Royal Dubai resort. (Not included in this number: the tank holding more than 2,000 jellyfsh.)