Wall Street Journal Travel News

'Land of Enchantment' Needs a Lift
State tourism officials are launching a $2.5 million effort to rebrand New Mexico as a place of charm and character, adventure, excitement—and mean green chili cheeseburgers.

'Premium Coach' Gets Popular
There is an increasingly popular offering from airlines: a mid-tier class called premium economy. But every airline has a different take on what passengers get for the extra money.

A Guide to Los Angeles
Break La-La Land into bite-size pieces and you can go cocktail-crazy, beach-bonkers, art-happy and food-frenzied in one perfect long weekend

A See-Worthy Wreck
The U.S.S. Kittiwake, scuttled last year in calm, clear waters off Grand Cayman, is an exciting and accessible site for scuba divers and snorkelers.

Adventures in Chilean Patagonia
Glacier-spotting, horseback riding, hiking and spa-going in Chile's remote and breathtaking southern Patagonia.

Ancient Sports Around the World
Long to be a gladiator or learn to hunt with birds of prey? Break out the bucket list—there are new opportunities around the world to experience ancient amusements.

Around the World in Eight Days
A writer attempts an art-inspired challenge, traveling around the globe on a tight budget to visit all 11 Gagosian Galleries in hopes of winning a Damien Hirst print.

Big Solar Storm Hits Earth
The largest solar storm in almost a decade swept across Earth on Tuesday, in a harbinger of fiercer outbursts from the Sun predicted for the year ahead.

Club Med Looks West For Fresh Powder
To cap a companywide renovation that started eight years ago, Club Med has chosen an unlikely destination: the ski slopes of North America.

Come to the Cabaret
The wild and decadent ways of the Weimar era are alive in Berlin's bars, theaters, galleries and hotels.

Cruise Crash Cuts Carnival Profit
Carnival Corp. estimates that the Italian cruise ship wreck will lower net income by $155 million to $175 million in fiscal 2012. Passenger bookings fell in January, but Carnival said it doesn't expect a significant long-term impact on its business.

Envoy to Belgium Sees All the Sights
Belgium is so small, you can see it all, which is what U.S. Ambassador Howard W. Gutman is trying to do.

Frequent-Flier Tax Traps
Consumers who got a chunk of frequent-flier miles as a reward for signing up for a new Citibank credit card are upset that Citi has sent a list of recipients to the IRS. Does this mean such rewards are taxable?

Getting In on Fashion Week
The Carlyle hotel's February fashion package comes with access to runway shows, private archives, Zac Posen's studio and more

Major Hotels Form Booking Site
Companies behind several major hotel brands said they are joining forces to start a new room-booking website in an attempt to fend off growing competition from third parties like Priceline.com.

Marseille's Cultural Renaissance
Marseille's extensive waterfront is teeming with construction sites for new museums, concert halls and galleries as the city prepares to become a European Capital of Culture.

Maui's Highway to Heaven
Maui's Hana Highway is lush, scenic, surprising—and one of the world's great drives.

New Zealand Luxury Golf Tour, Frank Lloyd Wright in Japan
Retired hedge funder Julian Robertson is offering a nine-day journey to his five-star golf resorts in New Zealand (at a price). A Frank Lloyd Wright-focused trip to Japan begins in March.

New on the Ski Slopes for 2012
New offerings in the ski world include Arctic tours, a vintage train to the slopes in Canada and pampered private access to the Rockies.

Starwood Perks Up Loyalty Program
Starwood Hotels is expanding the benefits it offers its most-frequent customers, part of a continuing race by the world's largest hotel brand companies to generate more business from recurring patrons.

The Tough Tactics to Avoid Luggage Check-In Fees
More travelers are carrying on or gate-checking bags, forcing fliers to change how they pack and airlines to alter boarding routines.

Who's the Fairest Fare of All?
Dozens of websites claim to offer the best deals on airfare. But the prices can be out of date, unavailable or even misleading.

Within Portugal's Cradle
As one of Europe's 2012 Capitals of Culture, Guimarães, Portugal, is playing host to an invasion of the arts, including the latest ballet from Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, concerts by Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet and a world-class jazz festival.

The World's Longest Flight, in Coach
Long-haul nonstop flights like the 15-hour one from Sydney to Dallas are increasingly popular among business travelers and high-end tourists who are willing to pay more to avoid a layover.