Houston Tourism Bounces Back

PICK YOUR OWN APPLES & PUMPKINS Hurd’s Family Farm, in Modena, NY, offers views of the gorgeous granite Shawangunk Mountains and the opportunity to pick your own fresh apples and pumpkins, take a hay ride, and enjoy family-friendly games and rides. Free admission! You just pay for what you pick and for certain activities. Eat at the Big Apple Cafe on the grounds. You'll find reliable lodging in nearby New Paltz, NY, for well under $200.  GET ROMANTIC Montauk, NY, at the very east end of Long Island, is a super-romantic "beach town bargain" in fall, when the summer crowds have gone home but the oceanside vibe remains as awesome as ever. Stroll the perfect beaches, grab amazing seafood, and visit the iconic lighthouse. We love the cozy and snuggle-worthy Ocean Resort Inn, with rates under $175/night in October DO SOME LEAF-PEEPING Who says New England has cornered the market on vibrant autumn colors? Milford, PA, one of Budget Travel’s Coolest Small Towns In America 2017, is just 85 miles west of NYC in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, which light up in bright red and gold in October and early November. It's an artsy place to enjoy the autumn splendor, boasting a charming historic district, adorable shops, restaurants, and bars. You'll find great lodging for under $150/night. ENJOY HIKING & CAMPING State parks often play second fiddle to the marquee national parks, but in the Northeast, state parks offer some of the best affordable fall getaways. High Point State Park, in Sussex, NJ, has it all: hiking, fishing, mountain biking, and canoeing in a park designed and landscaped by the legendary Olmsted brothers, whose father designed Central Park. TREAT THE KIDS - AND YOURSELF - TO A COOL UPSTATE TOWN Beacon, NY, is a bustling, forward-thinking town in Dutchess County, NY, that is about to lose its “under the radar” status. Kids adore the big, colorful contemporary art at the DIA Beacon museum, easy hikes on Mount Beacon, and the gourmet hand-made palapas (popsicles) at Zora Dora alongside Main Street's great restaurants and cute boutiques (Zora Dora's flavors include spicy pineapple, fresh fruits, and - for the parents - espresso). Insider tip: As you stroll along Main Street, don't miss the two inspiring murals painted by local artist Rick Price. You'll find affordable lodging in nearby Poughkeepsie and Hopewell Junction. BOOK YOUR FALL ESCAPE RIGHT HERE AT BUDGETTRAVEL.COM

What traveler hasn’t gone on vacation, fallen just a little bit in love with a new locale, and fantasized about picking up and moving?  It’s not hard to see the upside of expat life, but those truly considering taking the leap can’t afford to wear rose-colored glasses—not all destinations were created equal. For insight into what it’s really like to live abroad, this year’s Expat Insider study ranks 65 countries on factors, ranging from feeling welcome to family well-being, based on more than 12,500 expats’ experiences. Here, the five locations that offer the warmest welcome to long-term residents. #1 Bahrain Immigrants make up about half the total population of Bahrain, and they seem to be flocking there for good reason. Expats named this archipelago in the Persian Gulf the best overall destination and the easiest place to settle, even without speaking the language—25 percent of local survey respondents said they started to feel at home right away. With a capital city boasting a mix of avant garde and traditional architecture, a lively food scene, and a dynamic artistic community, it’s a country that extends a warm welcome. Culture vultures should be sure to check out Manama’s postmodern museum or catch a show at the third-largest theater in the Middle East, while those with a historical bent should see Beit Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa, a circa 1800 home in Muharraq Island that gives a glimpse of ruling-class life in the time before oil. There’s also Bahrain Fort, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and the lesser-visited Arad Fort, built by the Bedouins a hundred years earlier, not to mention mosques, markets, and malls galore. Don’t miss: The Tree of Life, a 400-year-old mesquite thriving in the desert. #2 Costa Rica For folks unwilling to give up a social circle in exchange for warm sun and sandy beaches, Costa Rica is the place to be. Known for its sustainable adventure travel and pura vida perspective, this Central American country claimed the runner-up slot with its gregarious population, a painless acclimatization process, high quality of life, and family-friendly atmosphere. And with greater biodiversity than America and Europe combined, plus environmental protections for more than a quarter of the country, Costa Rica is a wildlife enthusiast’s paradise. Scope out monkeys, sloths, tropical birds, and frogs in one of the many national parks, or combine your love of animals with a volunteer stint at a rescue center on the Caribbean coast. It’s not all eco-tourism—the capital of San José, with its neoclassical theater and jade museum, provides a respite from all that nature—but there’s no shortage of outdoor endeavors here, from surfing in Pavones to white-water rafting in Turrialba. Don’t miss: Volcán Arenal, a recently active, resting volcano, located in a national park rife with hiking trails and lava fields.  #3 Mexico A perennial expat favorite, Mexico has appeared in the survey’s top five since its inception in 2014, and this year, America’s south-of-the-border neighbor takes third place—even with a few points docked for healthcare and safety. With 74 percent reporting general satisfaction with their financial situation, respondents raved about the low cost of living, the ease of settling in, great weather, amazing food, and a welcoming population, all of which are a boon to visitors and residents alike. Check the state department’s advisories before you book, obviously, but try not to let a bad reputation cloud your vision—this geographically diverse country rewards the intrepid traveler. Explore the sprawling metropolis of Mexico City, befriend artists in San Miguel de Allende, take a train through the Copper Canyon, or chill out on the Yucatán Peninsula or the Riviera Maya—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t miss: The ancient temples of Palenque, awe-inspiring Mayan ruins in the middle of the jungle.   #4 Taiwan Last year’s winner dropped a few spots in 2017, but Taiwan still ranked second in the overall quality of life index, taking top honors in the health and well-being category, earning great reviews for its transportation infrastructure, and claiming the highest percentage of expats who are completely satisfied with their healthcare. Though its environmental quality is cited as average, thanks to rapid industrialization, this island nation off the coast of China has no shortage of natural beauty. Hike the stunning Taroko Gorge (or for more serious climbers, summit the main peak at Snow Mountain), go diving at Kenting National Park, a reserve spanning the southern tip of the island, or jump in a hot spring in Wulai. And when you’ve had enough of the great outdoors, Taipei awaits. Between temple visits and shopping on Dihua Street, set aside time for the National Palace Museum’s impressive collection of Chinese art, take the elevator up to the 89th-floor observatory of Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building, and grab a snack at the bustling Shillin Night Market. Don’t miss: The 19th-century Dalongdong Baoan Temple, a beautifully restored, UNESCO-recognized archetype of historic Taiwanese architecture. #5 Portugal Crowning the quality of living index for its moderate temperatures and abundance of leisure activities, Portugal rounds out this year’s top five. Expats here are a happy bunch—93 percent of respondents say they’re satisfied with life on the Iberian Peninsula, rating it first in terms of friendliness and feeling welcome, and literally no one had a bad thing to say about the country’s climate or weather. For visitors seeking fun and sun in an approachable atmosphere, that’s good news. In Lisbon, meander through the narrow streets of the Alfama district, hit the beach in Cascais and the wine bars in Bairro Alto (making sure to save room for pastéis de nata, those much-beloved custard tarts found all over the the city, most famously on the Rua de Belém), and cruise the miradouros, a collection of terraces overlooking the city, for unbeatable skyline views; in Porto, gawk at the gold leaf–laden baroque interiors of the Igreja de São Francisco, wander the medieval alleys of Ribeira in the city’s historic center, and tour a port-wine cellar or plan a daytrip to the justly renowned Douro Valley wine region. Don’t miss: Sintra, a dreamy hillside town that’s home to colorful villas, lavish palaces, and the ruins of a 10th-century Moorish castle.

What makes us happy? What is happiness, anyway?  The most recent attempt to define and quantify the intangible comes courtesy of financial website WalletHub, which assembled a team of experts to rank the 50 U.S. states in terms of contentment, based on relevant research in three categories: emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community and environment. Per WalletHub’s Richie Bernardo, “previous studies have found that good economic, emotional, physical, and social health are all key to a well-balanced and fulfilled life,” and this one aimed “to determine where Americans exhibit the best combination of these factors.” You don’t need to relocate to reap the benefits—that sense of satisfaction just might be contagious for visitors. #1 MINNESOTA  The Land of 10,000 Lakes ranked in the top five in all three of the survey’s happiness categories for a first-place finish. That fresh water must be cleansing—residents get plenty of sleep, love to volunteer, and report low divorce rates, and the North Star State is the fourth-safest in the country. Minneapolis and its art, culture, and food scenes may grab the headlines, but over the years, Minnesota has been a perennial favorite in our Coolest Small Towns contests, and it also hosts one of the best state fairs in the country. #2 UTAH The Beehive State took top honors in the survey’s work environment category and its community and environment category, bumping it up to second on the list (although it did poorly in the emotional and physical well-being category). Perhaps unsurprisingly, given its natural splendor and access to premiere hiking and skiing, it has one of the best sports-participation rates—and the fewest hours worked. Take full advantage of the state’s outdoor amenities and plan an epic road trip to Utah's unparalleled national parks.  #3 HAWAII The closest place Americans have to paradise may not have ranked #1 overall, but it shouldn’t come as a shock that Aloha State residents scored highest in emotional and physical well-being, with the lowest rates of adult depression in the U.S. Let that hang-loose, shaka attitude rub off on you as you explore the islands: From volcanoes, beaches, and jungles to shaved-ice and poke stands, there’s something for everyone. And we offer the ultimate Hawaii insider's tips, so take a deep breath and say ahhhh. #4 CALIFORNIA Second only to Hawaii in terms of emotional and physical well-being, the Golden State earns its moniker with low rates of depression and high rates of sports participation—not to mention its multicultural cities, pristine coastline, and gorgeous views. The road trip wasn’t invented with the Pacific Coast Highway in mind, but it may as well have been, with classic routes tailor-made for those with a restless streak. Check out the Ventura County Coast, spend a long weekend in Monterey, or fall in love with San Francisco all over again. #5 NEBRASKA  Those Cornhuskers know a thing or two about living a well-balanced life, getting in their 40 winks while juggling volunteer opportunities and steady work, with the state boasting one of the lowest long-term unemployment rates in the country. Thanks to its museums, eateries, sports fandom, and reasonable prices, the city of Lincoln earned a spot on our 2017 list of Best Budget Destinations in America, but there’s more to Nebraska than its capital. Drive through the heartland and visit the Sandhills region, or tour around the state and take in its pioneer history; either way, you’ll be stretching your dollar as far as it’ll go.

Having grown up in a half-Thai family, I was familiar with the basic concepts of Buddhism and had been practicing meditation since I was small, yet it wasn’t until I was in my 30s and living in Boston that I first heard of the Vipassana method. A friend mentioned she was attending a retreat. It got me curious.  The free courses offered by Vipassana centers around the world include lodging, food, and instruction in the Vipassana meditation method, popularized by S.N. Goenka, a Burmese teacher. Though secular in practice, it’s based on the original technique taught by Gautama Buddha. All the centers are in rural areas and their courses generally fill up months in advance. Wait lists are long.  Rather than focusing on repeated mantras or breathing, like many other meditation techniques, Vipassana trains the mind to see things “as they really are” and to break free from the cycle of stress, anger, and dissatisfaction in which so many of us find ourselves trapped. It does this through progressively attuned observance of sensations throughout the body, while simultaneously conditioning the mind not to react to those sensations. Training takes place over the course of ten days, all of which are spent in “Noble Silence.” There is absolutely no speaking, or even eye contact, with other participants. On top of that, cellphones and any other devices (even pens and pencils are considered “devices” in the Vipassana universe) are locked away before the course begins. Surprisingly, I didn’t miss my cellphone at all, but I admit that the journalist in me couldn’t handle ten days of not writing, so after a few days I dug some empty Kleenex boxes out of a recycling bin and took notes on the backs of them using a stray eyeliner pencil I found in my purse. The other rules include no intoxicants, no stealing, and “no killing.” A true practitioner of Buddhism is a strict vegetarian, after all.  I'd never done anything remotely approaching 100 hours of silent meditation, completely cut off from the outside world. As you can imagine, I found the prospect daunting. It’s made clear in the course description that Vipassana is not “a rest cure,” nor “a holiday,” but rather something more akin to a mental boot camp. But I was at a crossroads in my life, having recently lost my job and then, shortly after, ended a long-term relationship and moved out of the apartment we had shared. It’s never easy to drop out of the world for ten days, but finding myself unemployed, unattached, and essentially homeless, it seemed like as good a time as any to give it a try. When I arrived at the center, located in a remote part of Western Massachusetts, I was surprised to find not a rustic cabin resembling an abandoned kids’ summer camp, but a brand-new facility where I was assigned to a sparse, but comfortable room with a private bathroom. I relinquished my phone and chatted with the other students before we were plunged into Noble Silence. There were 80 of us, half women and half men, though we were separated at the check-in point. There were several young Thai women and older Indian women, your expected crunchy hippie types, a twitchy woman who appeared to be on the verge of some sort of mental breakdown, a few bubbly young girls from France, and a female surgeon who stopped meditating halfway through the course. She called her husband to complain the second the noble silence was broken. I was assigned a space in the group meditation hall and we settled in for the course introduction. I immediately noticed a potent patchouli odor coming from somewhere in front of me. It was irritating because we’d been specifically instructed not to bring “any perfumes or strongly scented toiletries.” Also, patchouli is revolting. In a brief video, Mr. Goenka welcomed us to the course and explained the schedule and its purpose. A rotund, elderly man, he told us the story of how he went from a wealthy but miserable businessman in Burma to a devotee of Vipassana meditation in a peculiar, slightly Transylvanian drawl. The next day we were awakened at 4am by the sound of a gong and then, as preparation before starting true Vipassana meditation, we focused on careful observation of our breath. By the end of the day, after ten hours of meditation, I was surprised to realize that I spend most of my time not living in the present, but thinking of the past or the future. It was also clear that trying to clear your mind of all thoughts is like trying to wrestle a greased pig into a coin purse. By the second evening, my senses were so heightened that I could tell that the patchouli smell was coming from the curly-haired girl one row up and one row to the right. Despite that sensory assault, I was feeling quite calm until videotaped Goenka returned with an announcement: “There is no dinner here.” I didn’t miss my phone or the Internet at all. Wearing baggy PJs all day was actually quite pleasant, and I had no problem sitting cross-legged on the floor for hours on end, but no dinner for ten days? A slight panic started to rise in my throat. Or maybe it was just the hunger setting in. By the third day, it became clear that men are truly the gassier of the sexes. (Or they just make less effort to hold it in). But far more distracting was the construction work going on just outside the meditation hall—perhaps an additional test of our resolve? On Day 4 I accidentally poured boiling water over my hand at tea time but somehow managed to maintain my silence. As I sat meditating afterwards, I realized that while I could still feel the burn, it no longer hurt—or rather, the pain didn’t bother me. This concrete demonstration of the power of the mind over the body and perception was a compelling epiphany. As the days passed and hours of meditation piled up, I came to recognize the sounds of coughing, hammering, belching, and farting as mere vibrations, rippling through the air and my body, and understood how pointless it was to let them bother me. But at night my stomach grumbled, and when I heard some of the other women sneaking out to their cars after lights-out, I imagined they were shoving contraband Luna bars into their mouths. On Day 6, empty spots around the room made it clear that during the night several people had “done a legger,” as the Irish say. Whether it was hunger, boredom, discomfort, or overwhelming urges to kill that had chased them off, I’ll never know. I was having occasional wistful thoughts of coffee and margaritas, but was determined to stick it out. As Day 7 dawned, I felt strong and serene. While my mind would still occasionally wander like a naughty monkey, I could do mental TSA scans of my body from front-to-back, top-to-bottom, any which way. At a certain point, I even felt, as hokey ask it might sound, the confines of my body dissolve and hum with the energy of each of my cells, in rhythm with the energy pulsing in the air all around. If you’d asked me a week before if I’d ever felt my body’s energy at one with that of the universe, I’d have given you some serious side-eye. As the end of the course drew near, I grew fearful of re-entering society after having made eye contact with only a robin in over a week, and with senses so heightened that I could detect the change in temperature in the air I inhaled—cooler as it went in one nostril, warmer as it went out. Would my head explode when I was surrounded by people, cars, traffic, the chaos of the city? On the last day, we were released from silence and informed that it was “Metta Day,” a day of “loving kindness,” which the two girls from France celebrated by having a screaming fight in their room. Though my middle name is “Metta” (no, really—it is), I freely admit that I’ve often had trouble maintaining feelings of affection towards all living beings. But in the week after the course, I cuddled a cat (an animal that I not only detest but to which I am severely allergic) and was completely unfazed by an accidental run-in with a toxic ex. But though this unearthly composure and beneficence would not last forever, I came away from the course with a heightened awareness and invaluable tools for the rest of my life—the ability, whenever I should wish to utilize it—to live each moment with truth and clarity, and the power to determine my own happiness.