This was the year the world (mostly) reopened for travel. It came in fits and starts, and a year that was supposed to be the year of big travel turned, for many, into a summer of staycations with rising costs and yet another spike in Covid cases. But travel did come back, eventually, and with it a whole host of postponements, cancellations and general chaos.
When we were finally able to get back out there and explore, many found that travel looked a little different, whether because of climate change, economic change or simply because our own ideas of what constitutes a good vacation had shifted in the course of the time that we mostly stayed home.
As the last couple of years have taught us, the ability to travel is truly a gift, and as we plan the adventures that 2023 will hopefully hold, let’s all agree never to take it for granted.
On the New York Times Travel desk, we spent 2022 navigating the twists and turns of this year along with everyone else. We dared to dream a bit, and this fall we brought back the popular column 36 Hours, after a two-year hiatus:
Of course, you can’t see all of New York City in 36 hours. But we do have some suggestions that will bring you a little closer to feeling the gestalt of the city.Credit…Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Does the cabin crew ever get scared in the air? Can middle-seat passengers really claim both armrests? How do I survive a flight with my toddler? Kristie Koerbel, a 20-year veteran flight attendant shared tips and answered all our questions — and some we never thought to ask.
Credit…Hannah Agosta
We got lost in the beauty and community of train travel and explored new alternatives to what (in the United States at least) has often been considered the least comfortable form of travel — long-haul buses:
If you preferred a more meandering kind of two-wheeled travel, Alex Crevar wrote about riding his bicycle from Italy to Croatia, taking in ancient traditions, sublime food and perched-village photo ops:
We brought you to the far corners of the world through spectacular photography:
And finally, we had some suggestions for stretching your travel budget, including some alternative locales to consider, ideas for traveling in Europe as a retiree and much more from our Frugal Travel column, which has been covering budget travel for almost 30 years! It’s something to consult as you plan — maybe you can squeeze in a little more travel next year than you thought? And isn’t that the dream?
Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places for a Changed World for 2022.
