As travel editors we chase long routes and small pleasures. This March, the London and New York desks at Condé Nast Traveler are trying everything from horseback rides and whale-watching to cutting-edge skin treatments. Here’s what we’re up to, what we’re packing, and what we can’t stop wearing.
Olivia Morelli, digital features editor
I’m in full wedding-season prep—coordinating bachelorette plans, mani-pedis, blow-dries, LED masks, hydration sachets, and outfit scouting. I borrowed a wide-legged strapless Nobody’s Child jumpsuit, bought comfy New Balance sneakers, and am pulling out anything white. After a rainy weekend I’ll hide inside and tackle a reading goal: I just finished The Safekeep and have started Keith McNally’s memoir I Regret Almost Everything. I’ve been bingeing Bridgerton and planning London date nights; favorites include Nina in Marylebone (don’t miss the stracciatella burnt cheesecake) and new spots on my radar like Cafe Kowloon and Tiella Trattoria.
Megan Spurrell, senior features editor
I’m at Circle Z, an Arizona guest ranch I visited as a child. Packing for trail rides meant choosing the right boots and jeans: comfortable Agolde jeans, a Gil Rodriguez tank I wear in the city, and proper western pieces from Ariat—a flattering boot-cut jean and a breezy button-down. I flew in vintage black cowboy boots and brought Blundstone Chelsea boots for muddier days. For early mornings at the corral I wear Paka thermal socks and a quilted barn coat so I can sip coffee and watch the horses return.
Sarah Bannerman, commerce editor
After a bucket-list stay at Peninsula Tokyo with vintage shopping and a suite overlooking the palace gardens, I’m keeping plans local. I’m looking forward to a weekend at Camber Sands in a new beachfront house called Seamark with a heated pool and a vineyard lunch. I was the First Guest at Six Senses London and am testing Soho Farmhouse’s new wellness offerings like an oxygen chamber and red-light therapy. Swim and sun looks include the Cannes one-piece from Away That Day; sunnies I’m loving are The Luz from Jimmy Fairly.
Hannah Chubb, senior commerce editor
I’m a winter person, heading to Pico Mountain in Vermont for a ski long weekend. I mix cozy and cute—renting trendy pieces via Nuuly and Vivrelle while depending on travel-friendly staples. I picked up Halara Flex rolled-hem jeans (bought two) and Dolce Vita Glamor boots for apres-ski. I’ll bring magnetic Yardsale ski poles and my Coach Bleecker bucket crossbody in a maple colorway my husband gifted me; it goes with everything.
Lydia Bell, senior features editor
April brings my first safari with my 14-year-old daughter—an old-school, family-run adventure in the Lower Zambezi with Yellow Zebra Safaris, staying at Kutali and Chula Island Camps via Classic Zambia. We’ll also keep our annual family trip to Constantine Bay, Cornwall. I’m keen on Gleneagles’ expanded Sporting Club at Frandy Water. For wellness I’ve been seeing Viviana Botocoa at Geneviv Clinic for Rexonage 3 for cellular rejuvenation and the Emerald Laser for noninvasive fat reduction. Style-wise I’m into Farm Rio’s Cornely embroidered jacket and neutral pieces like Nobody’s Child’s Mason shirt midi dress.
Charlie Hobbs, associate editor
I endured minus-25°F in Edmonton for the International Indigenous Tourism Conference and learned the value of serious cold-weather gear. My go-to is a Smartwool quarter-zip layered over a button-down with A.P.C. Renato trousers for a warm, flattering, slightly corporate look. Blundstones are reliable (though slippery sometimes), and ice cleats are life-changing on icy streets. I lean on L.L.Bean wool socks and COS ribbed tees. I still miss my Bosca Nappa Vitello bifold wallet I lost in Tribeca.
Tamara Southward, commerce producer
March feels like a pivot toward spring. I’m skiing in Austria at Das Edelweiss, hoping for Big Sky at the Montage later this month, and dreaming of warm-weather days in the Grenadines—Canouan Estate’s jungle villas look heavenly. In the city I’m swapping heavy cashmere for lighter coats like Sezane’s Clyde and silk dresses such as Reformation’s Jessalyn. Bobbies Kimi sneakers are my season-transition shoe. I’ve refreshed winter hair with an organic Florazzon treatment and plan a longevity-clinic visit to Dr. Vahe in Belgravia for IV and facial work. For calm, I’m re-reading Dale Carnegie’s How To Stop Worrying and Start Living.
Hannah Towey, associate news editor
March sunshine has me dreaming of Baja California. I’ll join National Geographic-Lindblad for a whale-watching trip in the Sea of Cortez at month’s end. For a week at sea I want active swimwear that works for water sports and casual bars—Left on Friday’s neon reef top is my pick—and Teva Original Universal sandals for coastal treks. I’ll bring a Stubble & Co. roll-top 20L waterproof backpack to keep camera gear dry. Sunglasses are crucial; I keep rebuying Crap Eyewear’s The No Wave because I lose them, but they’re affordable and stylish.
Products and essentials many of us keep reaching for
– Functional layers and base layers like Smartwool quarter-zips, merino bottoms, and Paka thermal socks for cold travel.
– Dependable footwear: Blundstones for mixed conditions, Ariat cowboy boots for ranch work, thermal all-terrain boots for deep cold, and Teva sandals for coastal trips.
– Travel-friendly staples: boot-cut and barrel-leg jeans (Ariat, Agolde, Halara), silk dresses for city and resort evenings (Reformation), versatile jumpsuits and midi dresses for events (Nobody’s Child), and roll-top backpacks for wet excursions (Stubble & Co.).
– Swim and activity-ready suits for ocean travel (Away That Day, Left on Friday), polarized sunglasses (Jimmy Fairly, Crap Eyewear), and compact crossbodies for exploring (Coach).
– Wellness splurges: LED masks, cryo and hydrating treatments, longevity-clinic therapies (Geneviv, Dr. Vahe), and organic in-salon hair treatments.
Whether we’re prepping for weddings, saddling up at a ranch, skiing, or heading to sea, March finds us mixing practical gear with indulgent treats—good books, memorable meals, and the latest beauty discoveries—so we can keep moving and keep enjoying the small pleasures travel brings.