jtrent238 test blog: Travel Dispatch: No Eclipse Plans? Try These Last-Minute Strategies.

March 30, 2024

A colorful street mural featuring three dancing women. People walk in the sunshine in front of the mural; one person rides a motorbike.

A mural of Bollywood's dancing divas by the artist Ranjit Dahiya in Mumbai's coastal Bandra neighborhood. Atul Loke for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

Did you know there's a total eclipse coming? (Just kidding.) A couple of weeks ago, we offered 31 eclipse-oriented events across North America. Now, for those who haven't made plans, we've got strategies for getting yourself into the path of totality at the last minute (that would be now).

Traveling to view natural phenomena has become increasingly popular and top on many people's lists are the northern lights. Our reporter went to Iceland in search of them and — I'll let you read what happened for yourself.

We visit some exquisite dry gardens in Kyoto, Japan, where rocks, gravel and moss take the place of flowers, and we've got a roundup of new hotels in historic buildings, including the London location where Winston Churchill led the war effort during World War II.

We also help you understand what a recent deal on credit card swipe fees might mean for your rewards points and how to reduce your carbon footprint when staying in a short term rental.

Our 36 Hours is in the fascinating and fast-changing city of Mumbai.

Finally, you may know Reed Hastings's name from his days as the chief executive of Netflix, but Mr. Hastings has a new job now — he is the principal owner of Powder Mountain, a Utah ski resort. And, perhaps not surprisingly, he's got some ideas about how to disrupt the ski business. We took some runs with him (Mr. Hastings is a snowboarder) and have the inside story on his plans.

Wishing you safe and happy travels and a Happy Easter if you celebrate,

Amy Virshup

GET YOUR SHADES READY

A giant pair of blue eclipse glasses is mounted on four supports in a grassy park. The glasses are decorated with drawings of suns and moons wearing glasses, cowboy boots, stars, trees, rockets and other whimsical drawings. The nose piece of the glasses reads,

Suzanne Cordeiro/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

No Eclipse Plans? Try These Last-Minute Strategies.

On April 8, parts of 13 U.S. states, Mexico and Canada will plunge into midday darkness. Miss this spectacle and you'll have to wait till 2044 for the next one so close to home.

By Derek M. Norman

A young boy lying on the grass, with black-framed eclipse glasses on, wears a blue jumpsuit with NASA patches on it. He is pressing the glasses to his face with both hands.

John Minchillo/Associated Press

31 Things to Do for the Big Eclipse This April

On April 8, the moon will blot out the sun along a roughly 4,200-mile-long, 115-mile-wide path across North America. Where will you watch it? Here are some ideas.

By Danielle Dowling

Continue reading the main story

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

36 Hours

36 Hours in Mumbai

Explore ancient caves, catch a concert in a former textile mill, feast on mangoes and go on a poetry crawl in this fast-changing Indian city.

By Saumya Roy

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

A close-up photograph of someone inserting their Visa credit card into a credit card swiper.

Getty

Frugal Traveler

Credit Card Swipe Fees Are Going Down. Are Points Going With Them?

A new agreement by Visa and Mastercard to reduce fees charged to merchants may drain the lucrative rewards that grant free travel to many credit card users.

By Elaine Glusac

The vast central room of a grand, century-old building has multiple broad sets of stairways carpeted in red, blue and white. The top stairway leads to a wide, open corridor with arches and ornate columns. Above is a circular skylight with a crystal chandelier dangling from it. The walls and ceilings are cream-colored and trimmed with ornate embellishments.

Raffles London at the OWO

5 New Hotels Where the Past Meets the Present

Turrets, towers and tapestries greet guests at these evocative hotels in reimagined historic buildings in London, New York and beyond. (The food's not bad, either.)

By Stephanie Rosenbloom

Buses and minibuses in a parking lot. The sky is dark blue, and a few stars are visible.

Sigga Ella for The New York Times

Aurora Tourism in Iceland: You Can Seek, but You May Not Find

The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights — especially this year, which is a peak time for solar activity. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found.

By Amelia Nierenberg

A man in a bright yellow jacket and black pants stands on a slope with one leg clipped into a snowboard and with mountains in the distance.

Alex Goodlett for The New York Times

Can Reed Hastings Disrupt Skiing?

The Netflix co-founder bought Powder Mountain, in Utah, and is turning half of it into a private club for wealthy homeowners who pay a hefty annual fee. Will the public-private model fly?

By Gordy Megroz

Continue reading the main story

TRAVEL 101

An illustration shows a woman from above, lying on the deck of a tall urban apartment building, reading a book. Birds fly around her, and plants surround her. A grouping of solar panels is in one corner of the deck. Many stories below her, is a busy street.

Weston Wei

Travel 101

Vacation Rentals: How to Shrink Your Carbon Footprint

Tips on finding a sustainable short-term rental, what you can do to conserve energy and getting involved in the community.

By Elaine Glusac

Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com.

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