With huge views taking in four countries – on a good day – the Isle of Man’s fells and peaks offer walkers a true sense of untapped adventure
There’s a magic pool in Ballaglass Glen. Scored deep into the ancient flagstone, amid the oak, larch and beech, it’s fed by a cascade, spangled with shafts of sunlight and probably hides mooinjer veggey – Manx Gaelic for the mythical “little people”. As I slid my tired legs into the numbingly cold water, I felt a sense of exhilaration.
It had been the most glorious of days, tackling my first of the island’s eight new summit walks; between them, these medium-to-challenging routes conquer 25 of the Isle of Man’s 300-metre-plus peaks. The island might not be big – just 33 miles by 13 miles at its longest and widest points – but it has plenty of rugged terrain and satisfying highs.
Effective April 30, 2024 Airbnb, the global vacation rental giant, announced a significant policy change: the prohibition of all indoor security cameras in its listings worldwide. This decision, aims to bolster the privacy of guests and address longstanding concerns about hidden cameras. While the majority of Airbnb’s over 7 million listings did not report having […]
The coastline near Marsala is the perfect spot to practise your Superman moves on a residential kitesurfing course
There’s no escaping it: kitesurfing is a daunting sport for beginners. Don’t be fooled by the name – it is nothing like flying a kite in a park. On the first day of a week-long kitesurfing course in Sicily, I found myself in the sea attached to an enormous polyester wing that was powerful enough to lift me clear of the water and send me hurtling through the air.
Despite my nerves, I could see that the Stagnone Lagoon near Marsala, western Sicily, is a great place to learn. The lagoon is shallow enough to stand up in, has no waves and is protected by four islands – Isola Grande, San Pantaleo, Santa Maria and La Schola – that create a natural wind tunnel; there is a consistent breeze from spring to the end of October. The area is popular with kitesurf schools, including mine, UCPA Planète, but doesn’t feel overcrowded.
There are a lot of reasons someone might choose to be child free, either for a short time or permanently. Some folks just don’t have any desire to be parents, some can’t afford to be parents, and some parents just need a break from their kids from time to time (which is totally normal and okay). Whether it’s a lifestyle choice or just a weekend, going places where you’re guaranteed to see no children can be a godsend.
Of course, just because you’re not bringing any kids doesn’t mean other people won’t. Some folks seem to believe that children should be welcome everywhere, in every situation, no matter what. And some people can’t afford childcare and have no choice but to bring their kids places they might rather not. Whatever the reason, you can’t always guarantee you’ll have a child-free experience—unless you plan ahead and choose your destinations wisely. Here are some of the best places to go when you don’t want to be around any kids.
55+ communities
If your desire to see no kids is an active lifestyle choice, you might consider living in a 55+ community following the 80/20 rule. These communities require that 80% of the homes be occupied by at least one person aged 55 or younger, which leads to two important scenarios: One, you can still live there even if you’re not yet 55 years old as long as there’s an opening and the ratio works out; and two, the chances of having kids in the community is very low. Not impossible, of course, but people with young children are unlikely to view a 55+ community as an ideal place for their kiddos to make friends and live their best lives. If you’re hoping to avoid kids pretty much all the time, this might be your solution.
Child-free resorts and cruises
If you’re planning a vacation or other kind of trip and want to deal with as few children as possible, you have a lot more options than you think:
Hotels and resorts. It’s actually pretty easy to identify adults-only hotels and resorts. Expedia has a whole category you can select to view adults-only hotels, for example, and the site Adulty Hotels maintains a listing of several hundred hotels that exclude children that you can search. And if you’re looking for a really adult resort, you can seek out “sex-positive” vacation spots where you can let it all hang out.
Cruises. There are more adults-only cruise options than you might think. Although often promoted as the ideal family vacation with ships littered with kiddie activities, there are a lot of adults-only options to choose from—heck, even Disney offers them. All of the cruises offered by Virgin Voyages are adults-only, for example, as are all Viking river cruises. And most cruise companies offer at least some adults-only cruises, you just need to look for them.
Restaurants
If you’re just looking for a night out without dealing with screaming kids or misbehaving pre-teens, finding an adults-only restaurant is just the ticket. While many restaurants aren’t specifically no-kids-allowed, there’s a growing trend of restaurants advertisingthemselvesas “adults-only,” promising a dining experience free of chicken fingers and the buzz of multiple screens designed to (hopefully) keep youngsters occupied while the adults attempt to have a conversation.
There’s no easy directory of adults-only eateries, but a quick Google search in your area will reveal them—or use the age-old tactic of making a few phone calls to ask what their age policies might be.
Spas
Few spas will be explicitly adults-only (and there’s actually a trend of more family-centric spa offerings), but if you find a kid getting a facial or having a schvitz in the steam room, rest assured it’s still rare. If you’re looking to have a child-free experience for a few hours, book yourself a couple of treatments at a nice spa and enjoy the silence.
If you've put off renewing your passport because the process is inconvenient, you may be about to catch a break. The U.S. Department of State has reopened a beta release of its online passport renewal system, which will allow a limited number of passport holders to submit renewal applications each day.
Online passport processing was initially announced in late 2021 but was paused in March 2023 for additional development. The standard steps for obtaining a passport include going in person to a passport agency or acceptance facility, though renewals can also be submitted by mail.
According to the State Department, the online renewal platform will open "midday eastern time" for a limited number of applications and will close once that threshold has been reached. There are a number of specific requirements to qualify for online renewals:
You are 25 years of age or older.
Your passport is or was valid for 10 years and issued between 2009 and 2015.
You are not requesting to change your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.
You are not traveling abroad for at least eight weeks.
You live in the United States.
You are applying for a standard tourist passport.
You have your current/most recent passport in your possession.
How to renew your passport online
Go to the MyTravelGov page to create an account or sign in using your existing login. Then click the Renew Your Passport button to start your application. (You won't be able to begin if the daily limit has already been reached.)
You'll be asked to enter information about your most recent passport, as well as your upcoming travel plans, upload a digital passport photo, and pay the renewal fee using a debit or credit card. You should receive two emails—one confirming your payment is pending and one confirming it has been received.
Make sure you keep your current passport on hand—do not mail it in. You can also sign up for status update emails one week after you apply.
Note that the online application does not speed up processing time, which remains around six to eight weeks at the time of writing. If you need expedited service (or are applying for a special-issue passport such as a diplomatic document), you must use the mail-in option.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors.
You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
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