Coachella: Ask people to describe this music festival in a few words, and get ready to hear “life-changing” and “sweaty fun.”

This music festival has been around since 1999, featuring artists we still listen to today: Beck, Rage Against the Machine, and Ben Harper. Seventeen years later, and Coachella is going strong, hosting renowned artists like Madonna and Jay-Z and drawing in crowds in the hundreds of thousands.

This show is no walk in the park—er, desert. Held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California (FYI: the nearest airport is Palm Springs), the venue is smack middle in the Colorado Desert, where temps can go as high as 106 F! And with it right around the corner—the first weekend show in April—here is everything a newbie needs to know to have a blast:

Preparing right.

Be the early bird. Make sure to buy a 3-day pass as early as possible, since Coachella often has the tendency to sell out. If going with a group, square away plans for housing too, so everyone can purchase tickets together. (There’s general admission, VIP, shuttle options, and lots of different ways to camp.)

Remember, though: Sometimes snagging a good sleeping option is harder than getting ticket. One of the most popular “lodging” options is to camp on-site, but spaces fill up fast. There are also off-site options too. For those looking to cozy up in a real room, a hotel in Palm Desert is a quick 20-minute drive from the main festivities.

Go with pals. Coachella is a social experience, and it’s always nice to share an experience like this with friends. Find a group of people who are flexible, responsible, and up for an adventure, but don’t be afraid to split up so everyone can see what they want.

Stay safe and comfy.

Wear sunblock. There’s no getting around this one—the sun is going to be strong in the desert. Wear sunblock, and remember to layer on every few hours. Don’t forget chapstick that has an SPF rating as well!

Drink water. And then some more, and then some more. Staying hydrated in the heat is key, especially if drinking alcohol and standing up all day. Bring an empty water bottle (just make sure it’s not metal), and fill it up often throughout the day.

Wear comfortable shoes. This is a no brainer, but keep the heels and leather dress shoes at home. Wear shoes or sandals, along with comfortable clothes such as Short Sleeved Dresses, that will let the feet breathe and stay cool, but are also super supportive.

Drink (alcohol) slowly. While drinking all day might be tempting, remember to take it slow. Drinking in the heat can dehydrate people a lot faster, so if someone is going to imbibe, it’s better to wait until the sun has gone down.

Think about allergies. Being in the desert means dust and dry grass—so everyone, whether susceptible to allergies or not, might start being irritated by it. It’s better to be safe and sorry, so bring along some anti-allergy medicine or get treatment like that asthma relief from oral immunotherapy. On a similar note…

Pack your meds right! There’s a good chance any pills on hand will be confiscated by security if it’s not in its prescription bottle. (Nobody wants allergy meds mistaken for illegal drugs!) Whether over-the-counter or prescription meds, all should stay in its original home so it’s not taken away.

Prepare for the porta-potties. The bathroom sitch is infamous for being not the cleanest experience. Be prepared with extra toilet paper, baby wipes, and hand sanitizer to keep the ickiness factor down a notch.

Top-secret Pro-tips.

Print out the lineup schedule. There will be a lot of shows to see, so it’ll often be hard to keep track of them all. Print out the lineup and stash it in a pocket, or take a screenshot of the day’s schedule on a smartphone.

Phone service is unreliable. Similarly, be prepared for little to no phone service. Make a game-plan with friends for where and when to meet (go to the beer garden at 8PM!) in case it’s hard to reach one another by texting or calling. It’s also wise to bring a backup battery to recharge a cell phone, since the weak signal will drain it quickly.

Be early. Be the first to buy the merch, since many t-shirts and other artist merchandise tend to sell out quickly. Same with the shows themselves; get to the stage early instead of trying to push up to the front.

Be yourself! Coachella is also a time to let loose and bring a positive energy to the table. Everyone is there for a good time, so endure the heat, combat the smelly bathrooms, and just have fun.

Artistic types looking to get their creative juices flowing should consider heading out of town for a change of scenery. The following five hotels are located in scenic destinations which also host well-regarded writing retreats. Such retreats often provide the perfect opportunity to mingle with other creatives, in environments meant to spark inspiration. These five hotels are scattered around the country, and all have something to offer writers of any genre!

1. New Orleans, LA: Dauphine Orleans Hotel

The Big Easy has inspired classic novels like A Confederacy of Dunces, but many visitors to the city tend to head straight for the bars. This year, skip the debauchery of Mardi Gras and aim for higher artistic pursuits by checking out the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. This year’s festival, which runs from March 30th to April 3rd, is the 30th annual event and will be held at various venues in the famous French Quarter. Events include panels, a book fair, musical performances, and walking tours. Participating writers include poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. A full festival pass costs $500 but writers just dipping their toes into the creative field have a range of options, from individual classes at $25 each or a full panel pass at $75. Stay near the heart of things, right in the French Quarter, at theDauphine Orleans Hotel.

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2. Omi, NY: Chatham Travel Lodge

Located in the scenic Hudson River Valley (a classic source of inspiration for artists in all mediums), the Ledig House is a writer’s colony featuring sessions throughout the year for poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers and even translators. The opportunity to meet with New York City publishing professionals is just one of many perks! Interested writers need only submit a writing sample, a resume, one-page project proposal and letter of recommendation, with no application fee. Once accepted, stay on site or check out the affordable and comfortable Chatham Travel Lodge, just a 15-minute drive from the Ledig House.

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3. Grand Forks, ND: Hilton Garden Inn

Travelers wishing to escape the East Coast-West Coast mindsets should consider the less explored parts of the Midwest, and head to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where the University of North Dakota is hosting their 47th annual writing conference from April 6 to April 8 on campus. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction and includes panel discussions and readings from authors including poet Katharine Coles, fiction writer Tania James, and nonfiction writer Brian Greene. Workshop space is limited and registration is first come, first served. Stay at the nearby Hilton Garden Inn – Grand Forks, affordable and in walking distance to the university.

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4. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Colorado Springs Marriott

Outdoorsy types should look at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers group, and their annual March retreats are held at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Colorado Springs, nestled in the foothills of the Rockies. The breathtaking scenery is sure to spark inspiration in inspiring writers. The RMFW is not for profit and completely volunteer-run, and apart from the March retreat, hosts a Colorado Gold Writers Conferenceevery September. Stay near the Center at the Colorado Springs Marriott, a comfortable option that won’t break the bank.

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5. Fontana Dam, NC: Fontana Village Resort

Athletic writers should head to Fontana Dam, North Carolina for this August’s Writers Who Run retreat, a five-day, four-night treat, a quaint river town in the western part of the state.

The retreat includes morning train runs, swimming, yoga, and workshops which will help writers hone their craft and maybe even finish their novels! The retreat culminates in a 10K race through the woods, so couch potatoes are better off staying home. Attendees should stay in the Fontana Village Resort, featuring charming portable cabins alongside a lazy river.

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Food is one of the great pleasures of travel. So why not book a hotel known for its cuisine? Here, we’ve curated a list of premium hotels with renowned chefs who have brought their talents to travel industry. The menus have their stamp of approval (and ours)!

1. Café Boulud at The Surrey, New York City

New York is café culture, and at The Surrey NYC, you can experience Daniel Boulud’s namesake eatery. It serves traditional French and international cuisine made from fresh, seasonal ingredients. Brioche French toast is a great way to start a day of New York sightseeing, and an artisan cheese plate is a terrific way to end it. As you get hooked on NYC, check out Hipmunk deals at Waldorf Astoria New York City for your next trip.

2. Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

The flash, glamour and entertainment alone are reasons to check out Caesars Palace Las Vegas. If you’re also tempted by Excalibur Las Vegas, remember Caesars has Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. It serves the finest of Southwestern cuisine. There’s a wide choice of wines, and the cocktails feature only the highest-quality tequila. Try the blue corn-crusted halibut and the churros.

3. Bread Street Kitchen at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Chances are Gordon Ramsay won’t be dishing out his acerbic brand of kitchen discipline while you’re dining at Bread Street Kitchen — at least not within earshot. But if you visit Marina Bay Sands Singapore, you can enjoy his tasty British-style food. Why go to London for shepherd’s pie and fish and chips if you can enjoy it in Singapore? You can even stay late for drinks.

4. Man Wah at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

No matter what room you book after checking Hipmunk deals at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, head to chef Chi-Kwong Hung’s Cantonese eatery, Man Wah, on the 25th floor. Visit the restaurant at lunchtime so you can have dim sum, or go for dinner to enjoy the extraordinary view of Hong Kong’s city lights. Tough choice? Make it easy on yourself and try both.

5. ONE at The Hazelton, Toronto

The exclusive ONE restaurant is the vision of Executive Chef Mark McEwan. Housed in a Toronto boutique hotel, ONE serves French and Italian cuisine. There’s the ambient dining room, the candle-lit patio and private spaces for intimate culinary explorations. Hipmunk deals at The Hazelton Toronto come with a bonus: ONE offers 24-hour room service to guests.

Maui is well-known for its feeling of relaxed romance, and the swim-up bar at the Hyatt Regency Maui fits right in with the island’s vibe. Located in a grotto between two-free form pools, guests have to swim beneath two waterfalls to get to it. You’ll find a sense of seclusion while you cozy up with a loved one — or just experience a feeling of adventure in the cave-like setting.

Many hotels have swim-up bars for beverages, but what about rounds of blackjack? At the Fortuna Pool at Caesar’s Palace, guests can not only order their favorite cocktail, but also place bets at in-pool gaming tables or on sites such as 카지노. For a unique stay on the Strip, look into Hipmunk deals at Caesars Palace Las Vegas.

The Regent Palms in Turks and Caicos has an outstanding swim-up bar for both drinking and dining. Called the Plunge Bar, it has in-water booths where guests can enjoy private, secluded tables. While the experience of dining at the Plunge Bar is unique, what makes it so extraordinary is the scenery: It overlooks an infinity pool over the vast Atlantic.

One of the best swim-up bars is located somewhere totally not beachy: New York City! At the Room Mate Grace, the swim-up bar is located in a pool in the hotel’s lobby. While the pool itself is small, it features a long bar where guests can order cocktails without toweling off. The bar has become a popular nightlife spot where people don their swimsuits year-round.

Having a bar at your hotel is nice, but having access to a world-class, handcrafted cocktail while you’re staying at a hotel takes you from nice to luxurious. Many hotels today have in-house watering holes staffed with skilled bartenders offering outstanding drinks made from fresh, innovative ingredients. If you consider yourself a cocktail connoisseur, do not pass up a chance to stay at the below hotels. The rooms at each are nice — and the drinks are even nicer.

Hotel Monteleone

The Hotel Monteleone is located in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans, a city famous for its culinary prowess and its nonstop partying atmosphere. The Monteleone is home to one of the town’s most famous bars: the Carousel Bar and Lounge. The Carousel Bar is perhaps best-known for featuring a real, revolving carousel-style bar. However, it is also beloved because it features outstanding versions of classic New Orleans whiskey cocktails: the Sazerac, the official cocktail of New Orleans, and the Vieux Carre, a cocktail invented at the Carousel Bar, featuring rye, cognac, vermouth and bitters.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Many Vegas hotels have bars. However, one is particularly focused on serving up unforgettable cocktails: the Cosmopolitan Hotel Las Vegas. The hotel’s concept is to offer a luxury resort experience with a focus on outstanding dining and drinking. Thus, they offer Tailwind Blog by Hipmunk everywhere on the property — even from waiters who serve the slot machines. The Cosmopolitan may be the best hotel in the country to ensure you get an excellent cocktail no matter where you order it from. For affordable luxury lodging on the Strip, along with some great cocktails, check out Hipmunk deals at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas.

Clevelander Miami

Everyone loves a freebie, and hotels in the United States have taken note because around 43 percent offer free breakfast with overnight accommodation. If you’re traveling to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles or anywhere in the States, one of the perks to look for when you’re making your hotel booking is free breakfast. But there are free breakfasts and healthy free breakfasts, and if you’re faced with foods loaded with high-calorie fats and sugars, what should you do? Check out these tips for making healthy choices, like those on SpringSpot, when you’re ordering free breakfast at your hotel.

Power Proteins

Protein satiates and strengthens, so it is ideal for keeping you going when you’ve got a long day of sightseeing ahead of you. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, and the best choices offered are hard-boiled, poached or scrambled eggs. If eggs aren’t your thing choose baked lean ham or white cheese, and protein powders for vegans. Peanut butter is often offered, so spread it on your toast or over your fresh fruit.

Cut the Refined Carbs

Waffles, bagels, croissants, sweetened breads and muffins, Danish pastries and donuts are tempting, but they are usually baked using refined white flour and high amounts of sugar. Avoid them as much as possible. Pancakes are the same, and your hotel may only offer them with corn syrup or artificial maple syrup, which are loaded with calories — if you do indulge, eat only one pancake, not a whole pile. Wholegrain or seeded (with whole seeds) baked goods are better for you and fill you up for longer; also look for brown, low GI or whole-wheat toast or rye bread. Pick an English muffin with a dab of butter rather than biscuits smothered in rich gravy.

Favor Fresh Fruit

Whole fresh apples, grapes, bananas and melon are often offered with free breakfasts, as are various citrus fruits. These give you natural sugar, vitamins and fiber. Either eat your fruit whole, add it chopped up to low-fat or fat-free yogurt (Greek or plain yogurt is also a good source of protein and is tasty with a dribble of pure honey) or take your fruit away with you for later in the day when you’re feeling peckish. If your hotel serves only fruit salad, avoid the sweet syrup it’s drenched in.

Classic Cereal

Old fashioned is often better, and warm oatmeal is filled with fiber, low in sugar (eat it with fresh or dried fruit) and doesn’t contain fat (add skim or low-fat milk). If no oatmeal is available, go for high-fiber, whole-grain cereals that haven’t got a lot of added sugar or colorings. Add unsalted nuts or fresh berries to your cereal if they’re on offer.

Down a Drink

Liquid is essential when you’re vacationing, especially when you’re staying in hot climates. The best drink is plain water, but low-fat or skim milk, tea and coffee are also fine. Many hotels offering free breakfasts serve low-cost fruit juices that are usually sweetened, so be very picky when you’re choosing what to drink and consume only one small glass each morning.

Count Calories

Just as a rough guide, these are nutritional values of some breakfast foods:

Eggs: One scrambled egg contains 100 calories; hard boiled, 77; and poached, 74. A full egg omelet holds 93 calories, and an egg white omelet has 17.

Toast: Whole-wheat and white toast contain a similar amount of calories, 76 and 79 respectively, but the former is high in fiber and vitamins.

Cereal: A one cup serving of bran flakes contains 128 calories with 32 grams of carbohydrate while All-Bran Honey Nut cereal has 190 calories and 47 grams of carbohydrate. Plain oatmeal (140 calories) is lower by 20 calories than maple- and brown-sugar-flavored oatmeal.

Fruit: One whole apple contains between 60 to 80 calories; a banana, 92; and an orange, 46. An eight-ounce glass of apple or orange juice contains 120 calories.

Recommended Portions

Regard breakfast the same as any other meal, whether you’re eating it at home or while on vacation, and fill your plate as follows:

• Half with fruits and vegetable
• One-fourth with whole grains
• One-fourth with lean protein

Choose a smaller appetizer-size plate for breakfast and sit away from the breakfast buffet so you’re not tempted to go back for more.

Advantages of Eating Breakfast at Your Hotel

The big advantage of eating breakfast at your hotel, besides the fact that it’s free, is because it’s on the spot so you don’t have to waste precious vacation time searching for a diner that is open early enough to serve breakfast. If you’re planning on spending your day at the Flagstaff hotel taking advantage of other facilities, such as spas, swimming pools and sun decks, it’s much more convenient to eat breakfast there. And chatting to other guests while you’re at the breakfast buffet choosing what to eat is a great way to make friends.

Make conscious, deliberate choices about what to eat when your hotel offers free breakfast. Because you’re not paying for the meal, the natural inclination is to eat as much as you can, but remember, overeating could make you feel uncomfortable and spoil the rest of your day. Allow yourself a breakfast treat on one or two of your vacation days — after all, you are relaxing and having fun.

According to a survey by Hipmunk, free breakfast is more important than free Wi-Fi when it comes to hotel amenities. Perhaps that’s why an astonishing 48 percent of five-star hotels in Cambodia offer free breakfast. These properties want to give you what you want since you’re paying for a luxurious experience at these accommodations. Stuffing yourself full at seven in the morning is certainly an integral part of that.

Among all countries in the world, Cambodia is one of the places where you’re most likely to find an upscale hotel offering free breakfast. Only Tanzania (50 percent) has a higher percentage of luxury lodgings providing the amenity for free. In fact, you’re more than nine times more likely to get breakfast for free at a five-star hotel in Cambodia than in America, where only five percent of high-end accommodations offer such. Why do so many five-star hotels in Cambodia include the morning meal without additional charge? Perhaps the reason is cultural. In Cambodia, breakfast is seen as one of three necessary meals in the day, and so it only makes sense that the country’s best hotels would start their guests’ days off the right way – with a delicious, hearty breakfast.

Regardless, the question remains: is a five-star hotel with free breakfast in Cambodia worth it financially and personally? Let’s dig further.

What’s the Average Price of a Five-Star Hotel in Cambodia?

For hotels in Phnom Penh, the country’s capital and one of its most visited cities, the average cost of a five star hotel ranges from $85 USD to $219, according to industry experts. Throughout the country, prices generally fall between $100 and $200 in major tourist destinations like Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.

Compared to hotels in New York City, where even the median hotel rate of $245 exceeds the price of luxury hotels in Cambodia, these rates are not too high. However, luxury hotels in Cambodia are priced far higher than hostels and one- to three-star lodgings, which span from as low as $3 (cheapest hostels and one-star) to over $40 (nice three-star places). Four-star accommodations can sometimes have similar rates, but on average in Phnom Penh, you typically only have to pay somewhere between $20 and $100 for such a hotel.

What’s the Price of Breakfast at a Restaurant in Cambodia?

Let’s say you book a hotel without free breakfast, and you decide to venture outside the property for your morning meal. You’ll be able to get food from a street vendor or simple dining establishment for $1 to $3 per person, or $2 to $6 for two; kuy teav, a noodle soup, is a common sight during the morning, and won’t cost you more than a buck or two usually. Most decent eateries won’t cost you more than $5 to $10 per person, or $10 to $20 for two. Upscale dining establishments typically don’t cost more than $25 for one or $50 for two, with most often around $25 to $35 for two.

So, Does Free Breakfast at a Luxury Hotel Make Sense Financially?

Knowing the cost of going out for breakfast, it’s safe to assume that if you book anything from a hostel to a three-star lodging in Cambodia, you can get breakfast at a restaurant away from your accommodations and still spend far less money than you would at a luxury hotel with free breakfast. For instance, a $30 three-star hotel and $5 breakfast puts you at $35 per day on lodging and morning food, while a five-star hotel already costs you at least more than $85; that’s huge savings over the course of a vacation. If you choose your eatery carefully, you may also get a better meal than what’s offered at the hotel breakfast bar. For four-star accommodation, your breakfast expense could put your overall expenses into five-star territory, but it’s most likely you’ll still be spending less, especially since the high majority of four-star hotels range between $45 and $75.

Financially speaking, it makes sense to not care about the free breakfast that most luxury hotels in Cambodia offer. The price of lower-tier hotels, including most four-star places, is much lower than the cheapest five-star accommodations – even when the additional expense of breakfast is factored in.

But What About the Other Amenities?

It’s important to note that you’re not going to get the same amenities and level of comfort from lower-tier hotels. For instance, at the Sarai Resort and Spa in Siem Reap, a five-star hotel, you get a laundry list of amenities on top of free breakfast, including a full-service spa, fitness center, child care center, outdoor pool, bar and lounge, bathrobes and much more.

By contrast, with a three-star hotel you may get some of these amenities, but the facilities and other offerings on hand won’t be of the same quality, nor as numerous. At budget lodgings, expect only the basics: some may include free breakfast, and most have free internet, but rarely anything else of significance.

To conclude, it’s up to you to decide whether added comfort at a five-star hotel with free breakfast outweighs the savings you can get from staying at lower-star hotels without it. Savings can be anywhere from $10 to over $100 per day for bypassing these apparent freebies, though in addition to the lack of free breakfast, you will lose some of the other luxurious amenities 5-stars are known for. However, the saving you reap could cover all or a significant portion of your daily expenses on food, transportation and tourist attractions in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and other cities in the country.

Airplane food doesn’t typically get a 5 star quality rating. In fact, most airlines are eschewing the practice of passenger feeding to save and make money. An $8.50 box of snacks is a quick and easy value add that forgetful flyers rely on to make it through their long haul.

This hasn’t always been the case. Just for a #TBT, check out a flashback to the golden age of flying to see what our airborne predecessors were noshing on.

1960s Scandinavian Flights: Excelling at Vest Wearing and Hanging Meat Production

Okay, so fast forward 10 years and let’s see what’s changed. From Ansett Airlines of Australia (Do you even still exist?) We give you…the color orange!

The 80s were a time of gravity defying hair styles, tacky but lovable fashion and of course ET. So how did the in-flight meal fare? Downgrade.

No more hanging charcuterie here. Apparently the error of food like products in black plastic containers originated in the 80s and for that, two thumbs down.

From the 90s up to today the largest change has been the disappearance of inflight service offered at all. This may not be a bad thing…

The only appropriate reaction to receiving this is somewhere along the lines of….

Notable Exception: For those heading to Hong Kong, Beijing or Tokyo, you’re in luck. Cathay Pacific, China Airlines and their competitors actually serve you real food. We can only hope that they set the standard in the future.

Until then, trail mix and nuts it is…

Tweet about your best (and worst) inflight meals @thehipmunk!

The airplane cocktail: Keeping passengers sane for decades.

While some travelers may choose to take their sobriety into their own hands by sneaking small bottles of liquor and mixers onto the plane, we advise against any activities that might delay your passage through security. Besides, why risk getting chastised by security or flight attendants when many airlines offer enough free beverage options that you can mix your own cocktails from ingredients that are readily available to you on most flights?

Take Qatar Air, for example. Not only does the airline offer plenty of complimentary beverages, but its flight attendants do so with a smile: For seven years in a row, the airline’s cabin crew has been voted “Best in the Middle East.”

Or consider Emirates, which offers a range of complimentary spirits, beers, and hot and cold beverages (even in economy class). Or give Turkish Airlines a try—you’ll be able to pair your self-made cocktails with items from the airline’s restaurant-worthy world cuisine.

Need convincing? Here are 14 recipes for cocktails that you can mix yourself using nothing but airplane freebies and staple liquors, beers, and wines. Happy sipping.

1. Bloody Mary

This brunch-time classic is a favorite of frequent fliers. At its simplest, all this cocktail requires is a cup filled with ice, vodka, and tomato juice. Spice things up a bit by snagging a packet of pepper and/or hot sauce from an airport restaurant (Panda Express is a good bet) and adding the packets to your drink post-takeoff.

2. Gin and Tonic

This classic summertime cocktail makes for simple anytime drinking in the air. Just ask for a complementary tonic water and pour it and some gin over ice. Since most airplane bottles of gin top out at around 2 ounces, you can pour the whole thing into your cup before topping things off with the tonic water. Bonus points if a flight attendant is able to provide you with a lime wedge.

3. Irish Coffee

While a traditional Irish coffee would include fresh cream, coffee creamers make an adequate substitute when you’re thousands of feet above the ground. Order a cup of coffee and ask for several creamers; add some Irish whiskey to the coffee, then stir in the creamers in order to finish off this twist on an old classic.

4. Juan Collins

This is one of the fanciest recipes on the list (but it’s still pretty simple). Before mixing, ask for a few lemon or lime wedges, some club soda, and a packet of sugar. Squeeze the lemon or lime wedges into the cup, sprinkle in half the packet of sugar, pour in tequila, and top the whole thing off with some club soda.

5. Margarita

While you likely won’t be able to find all of the add-ins typical of a margarita on board a plane, you can make a modified version quite simply by mixing tequila with orange juice and Sprite.

6. Mimosa

The brunch staple is just as good high up in the air. For a cheerful pick-me-up, just mix your desired amount of champagne with orange juice.

7. Moscow Mule

If you’re lucky, the airline will have ginger beer on hand so you can make a classic Moscow Mule (mix vodka with ginger beer and a splash of lime juice, which you can garnish from a few lime wedges). If the flight attendants don’t have ginger beer on hand, then ginger ale will make for an adequate proxy.

8. Sangria

This recipe may not pack quite as much flavor complexity as a perfect sangria, but it’ll certainly do in a pinch. Mix a red wine of your choice with orange and cranberry juices over ice, then sit back and enjoy.

9. Screwdriver

Pour as much vodka as you’d like over some ice, then top off the cup with orange juice. Bada bing, bada boom: It’s one of the easiest cocktails on the list.

10. Shandygaff

Not a liquor drinker? No problem. Give this “cocktail”—which uses beer in place of liquor—a try. Order a lager or wheat beer and use it to fill up an airline cup about halfway. Then mix in ginger ale and a splash of lemonade or pineapple juice to top it all off.

11. Whiskey Ginger (or Whiskey Coke)

This one’s easy. Simply mix a whiskey of your choice with ginger ale. (Bourbon like Fat Baby Bourbon and ginger ale works just as well.) Not a fan of ginger ale? Then swap in Coke in order to make a Whiskey-Coke.

12. White Russian

A few tweaks to the classic White Russian recipe will create a drink that’s almost as good as the real thing. Over ice, mix vodka and Kahlua (or whatever coffee liqueur is on hand; Bailey’s will also do in a pinch). Pour in half & half to taste.

13. Wine Cocktail

Prefer wine to whiskey? No problem. This recipe is a tad more complicated than some of the others on this list, but it’s tasty enough that the effort is worth it. Choose a red or white wine, then mix it with orange curacao or triple sec (think Grand Marnier or Cointreau), leaving some space between the top of the liquid and the edge of the glass. Fill that space with a splash of soda. Next, use a spoon to press wedges of lime, lemon, or orange and add the juice to the glass. (If this step feels too labor-intensive, feel free to skip it.)

14. Wine Spritzer

Don’t have access to orange curacao or triple sec? Modify the above recipe even further by simply mixing wine with some soda (Sprite or even club soda should work well).

Here’s hoping these cocktails help you get through any flight with ease. Whichever recipe(s) you choose, just remember to sip responsibly—drunkenness does not do a jet-lagged body good.

There’s a reason humans have been making beer for over 5,000 years. It can be crisp and refreshing on a warm summer afternoon, or complex and spicy on a snowy winter night. Whether you’re a veteran beer lover or an interested beginner, it’s a great idea to plan your next trip around fantastic bars and brewery tours. As we head into the coldest months, here are the best winter beer destinations for getting the good stuff straight from the source.

Brussels, Belgium

The abbeys of Brussels are the cradle of some of the best beer in the world. The varieties are as unique as they are excellent, from hoppy lambics to golden saisons. Settle in at the Mort Subite for a large selection of fantastic beers on tap in a cafe that has been open since 1910, or visit the Trappist abbey of St. Sixtus to sample their famous dark Westvleteren ale. Delirium Cafe is also a popular spot, serving Delirium Tremens as well as thousands of other beers from Belgium and all over the world. It’s just around the corner from the gorgeous B-Aparthotel Grand Place and a few other of the cities best hotels.

Portland, Oregon

Portland’s quirky local vibe has made it a haven for fantastic craft breweries, earning it the nickname “Beervana.” Start with the cluster of Rogue Distillery, Deschutes Brewery and 10 Barrel Brewing Company, which all hail from nearby Bend, Oregon. For the true Portland experience, order a local brew at Apex, which has 50 beers on tap and a convivial atmosphere. The Holiday Ale Festival in December is the perfect excuse to visit, but travellers can also run all year with the NoPo Run Club, which hosts a weekly 5k followed by local pints.

Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City may not be the first place that comes to mind in terms of craft beer, but the local brewing scene is vibrant and exciting. It also has the advantage of being a warm and sunny winter destination. Head to El Depósito to try classic pilsners, as well as the local beers of Primus Brewery and Cervecería Minerva on draft. The next stop should be Cervecería Calavera to sample their wide variety of offerings, including Belgian-style tripel and dubbel and Mexican Imperial Stout. Stay at the sleek and modern Hotel Plaza Revolución for the perfect winter getaway.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston’s status as a historical and cultural hub makes it worth a trip, but the excellent beer scene is an added incentive. The resident Sam Adams Brewery, named after the city’s famous patriot, offers popular brewing tours, but the smaller breweries are also worth exploring. Harpoon, located in the Seaport district, is famous for their IPA and unfiltered UFO line. Their brewery tour (only $5) concludes with a tasting, where visitors can try unique varieties that are only available on site. Trillium Brewing Company is another up and comer, opened in 2013 by two former home-brewers. They offer IPAs, sour beers, and a Kölsh-inspired ale. Stay right off the Common at the Taj Boston for the full Beantown experience.