What stories did you love this year? With everything from an unusual Yellowstone eruption, royal honeymoons, naturists and everything you’ve ever wanted to know about airplane mode, we compiled the most popular from 2018.
1. Yellowstone geyser spews up objects from the 1930s in rare eruption
Steamboat geyser minor eruption in Yellowstone National Park. Image by Shutterstock
A surprise eruption from one of the national park’s least active geysers resulted in park officials cleaning up coins, baby pacifiers and cigarette butts from as far back as the 1930s. It prompted park officials to warn visitors never to do this in the future as it could lead to killing the geyser entirely.
2. What happens if you don’t put your phone on airplane mode on a flight?
“Please turn your devices to airport mode” Image by Getty Image
We’ve all heard the safety announcements and wondered what catastrophic consequences this could have. To satisfy our curiosity once and for all, we asked aviation expert John Walton for a full run-down on why the rule is in place and why it’s important to follow it.
3. From Princess Grace to Queen Elizabeth: royal tradition of exotic honeymoons over the years
Harry, Duke of Sussex. and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave from the Ascot Landau Carriage. Image: Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty Images
2018 was certainly a great year for the British royal family with Harry and Meghan’s fairytale wedding igniting interest into their glamorous jet-setting lifestyle. If you’re looking for some inspiration, we looked back at some famous royal couples and where they chose to honeymoon.
4. The Caribbean destination that leaves travellers more satisfied than anywhere else in the world
Bathsheba Park in Barbados. Image by Westend61/Getty Images
Want a sure bet for a fantastic vacation? You’d do worse than heading for Barbados as fascinating research revealed it gave travellers the most satisfaction in a broad range of categories. Pristine beaches, vibrant nightlife and lots of good rum; what’s not to like?
5. Inside the world’s new luxury airline with glass floors and private rooms
Newly-released images of what the interior of the Airlander 10 could look like. Image by DesignQ/Airlander
There’s first class flying and then there’s Airlander 10. The concept renderings for this airship hybrid opened up new possibilities for luxury air travel. It travels slowly but can bring guests on multi-day floating “travel expeditions” to some of the most remote corners of the world. Definitely something to save up for in the future.
6. A new website is offering holiday homes around the world for naturists
Petri and Minna Karjalainen have launched a platform for those seeking naturist-friendly accommodation. Photo: NaturistBnB
In case you haven’t heard, nudism is on trend again and where there is a trend there is an Airbnb-style website catering for it. NaturistBnB is for those who feel more comfortable without clothing, so you can strip off without shocking your hosts. They’re not the only ones; some museums have started to offer clothing-optional ticketed events.
7. You can now tour the infamous Brushy Mountain Penitentiary in East Tennessee
The exterior of Brushy Mountain. Image by Brushy Mountain
For 113 years, this prison was one home to some of the most notorious prisoners in the state’s history. It closed in 2009 and now curious visitors can take self-guided tours during the day or smaller paranormal tours overnight. There’s also a moonshine distillery, restaurant and even a concert space on site. A prison in Barcelona recently followed suit.
8. Adopt dogs that failed TSA training for being too nice
TSA puppies Hoey (L) and Hatton. Image by Alex Wong/Getty Images
Passenger-screening dogs sometimes fail the rigorous training scheme because they’re too nice, shy or just uninterested in the work. They’re usually between two and four years of age, though some are retirees and they all need a good home. Interest is so high that applications are currently closed however, so you may need to wait for your own trained pooch.
9. Lounge on the Book Heaven floor in Oodi, Helsinki’s stunning new library
The flagship library for a nation of booklovers. Image by Tuomas Uusheimo
The city’s new central library is Finland’s birthday gift to its citizens on the 100th anniversary of Independence Day. It boasts 100,000 books, a cinema, restaurant, soundproof studios and 3D printers. Tourists are welcome to visit and use the facilities too!
10. Email your hotel with these secret questions before you arrive
What questions might you ask your hotel? Image by Marco Poggioli / EyeEm/Getty Images
Want to get the most of your hotel stay? They’re often an under-used source of great intelligence about the area. We asked an expert about some examples about how they can help you hit the ground running.
The post The most read Lonely Planet travel news stories of the year appeared first on Lonely Planet Travel News.