Author: kristyalpert

Food & Wine

An Essential Guide to Texas Barbecue Here’s where to get’cha some smoked meat in the Lone Star State. By Kristy Alpert Backyard barbecues with beefy protagonists are about as Texan as it gets, but the tradition of Texas barbecue actually traces its roots to the state’s earliest immigrant and Native American…

Global Traveler

Explore an Enclave Steeped in Authenticity Just Outside of Ubud By Kristy Alpert The verdant hills, rice terraces and serene temples have long attracted visitors to the island of Bali, where incense perfumes the air and raindrops scatter with an almost spiritual significance on city sidewalks. Today many visitors decide to…

Cosmopolitan

10 Best Softside Luggage Options for Any Kind of Getaway They may be soft, but they travel hard. BY KRISTY ALPERT Payamona/Getty Images Fact: Some travelers like the beach and the mountains, but it’s beyond rare to find travelers who like hardside and softside luggage. You’re either a hard-shell or a soft-shell girlie, but never both….

Travel + Leisure

The 100 Best New Hotels of the Year It List 2024: The best new hotels of the year, all visited and reviewed by Travel + Leisure’s expert editors and contributors. 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis  Opening in August 2023 with the not-so-hidden agenda to breathe new life into one of…

Travel + Leisure

I Travel Alone Often, and These Are the 16 RFID-blocking Bags I Recommend to Keep Your Info Safe — From $10 They’ll give you serious peace of mind. By Kristy Alpert I first started traveling solo internationally long before my career as a professional travel writer began, back in college when protecting my…

Travel + Leisure

I’ve Road Tripped Solo on 3 Continents — Here’s What I Always Keep in My Car for a Safe, Comfortable Drive From personal safety devices to a comfy back cushion. By Kristy Alpert A road trip was a novelty when I was growing up. As the daughter of an airline pilot,…

Cosmopolitan

The 15 Most Underrated Summer Travel Destinations in the U.S. Time to discover them before your FYP does.  BY KRISTY ALPERT Summer travel can be sooo painfully predictable sometimes. You’re either blowing your vacation budget on international airfare, or laying towel-to-towel on a beach with crowds of people who came up with the…

Travel + Leisure

I Just Moved to Paris, and These Are the 12 French Fashion Basics That My Closet Was Desperately Missing These essentials make any basic outfit look effortlessly more French, and start at $12. By Kristy Alpert I landed in Paris in December with a suitcase filled with pots and pans, sheets…

Food & Wine

In Paris, Hot Chocolate Isn’t Just a Drink — It’s a Ritual Yes, the French dedicate an entire season to hot chocolate. By Kristy Alpert  It had been a hard week. The sheen of moving to Paris dimmed slightly as my son started his first week of moyenne (the French equivalent…

Travel + Leisure

Traveling Professionally Taught Me How to Pack a Purse That’s Ready for Anything — Here’s What’s Inside  Including one genius trick I learned from Samantha Brown. By Kristy Alpert There are many things I’ve learned since becoming a professional travel writer nearly 20 years ago; like the importance of saying “yes” more often…