Swap your Time To Go Home Tuesdays for the way more satisfying Wall Street Wednesdays at the 411 – the perfect mid-week pick-me-up.
Sure, it looks like your average London hot spot on the outside, but on the inside, the prices of drinks go up and do in the same way the stock market does. We’re travel nerds, not finance bros, but this concept is something we can definitely get behind.
It works on popularity. If a drink is being ordered by everyone who walks through the door, its price will go up. If a drink is being neglected as much as your house plants, then the price goes down. And there are screens positioned throughout the bar so you can track exactly how high a pornstar martini is climbing (choose a different cocktail), or just how low it’s falling (double park it).
Just like in real life (hello 2008), the market can ‘crash’ where drinks hit an all time low, with some only setting you back a couple of dollars. And if you need something a little more solid to go with all your discounted drinks, the 411 serves comfort dishes full of big flavours – think seriously spicy hot wings and juicy smash burgers.
But don’t expect to be here for an hour or two, this is definitely an all night kinda place with vinyl DJs playing the bar’s signature sound (R&B, Classic Hip-Hop and Soul) all night long. You can even challenge your friends to a chilled game of pool or a rowdier midnight round of beer pong. Bottom’s up!
Unfortunately, Majestic Whale Encounters isn’t a marine-inspired alternative band that performs songs about the world’s most magnificent mammal. It’s actually Australia’s largest whale swimming company (surprise) and it’s just dropped its range of unforgettable wildlife encounters for next year.
Our first thought is, ‘Sign us up for everything,’ but our second thought comes from the more logical side of our brain: ‘Where are the tours, and what are they’? This part is obviously smarter.
Kicking things off in March is the Antarctica Expedition, an invitation to dive deep into the icy waters of the Pacific Ocean alongside majestic whales. You’ll be aboard the luxurious Sylvia Earle and have plenty of time to hone your photography skills with an animal subject that’s not your house cat. Meow.
Next up there’s the Sandy Beach Tour in July, offering a chance to swim with whales and relax on a remote island in Tonga. We’re already picturing ourselves sipping coconut water and reading the newest Stephen King thriller while watching whales frolic nearby (say that three times fast).
Fast forward to September (we’re still in Tonga), and you’re blessed with the option of joining an Off the Grid Tour featuring everyone’s favourite holiday morning activity (yoga) and a bit of kayaking. We’re not 100% sure, but we reckon you might be able to hear the whales singing to each other as you paddle across the ocean’s glassy surface.
There’s a few other tours to choose from, including the Orcas & Lights Expedition in November (our flights to Norway are booked already). But whether you’re a thrill-seeker or a zen-loving beach bum, witnessing these gentle giants in their natural habitat just got a whole lot easier.
There’s street parties, and then there’s Lan Kwai Fong’s epic Halloween-themed street party in central Hong Kong. It’s the craziest spook-filled gathering of ghosts, ghouls and costumed revellers you’ve likely ever come across.
Yes, usually Lan Kwai Fong is a tame yet bustling maze of bars and eateries, but when October rolls around (and especially when Halloween hits), it transforms into an explosion of cobwebbed alleys where gory face painters dance to the sickest DJ beats echoing through the neon-lit streets (apparently we’re dressing up as poets this Halloween).
Wander through the cobbled lanes and you’ll be met with a bizarre lineup of activities: try to make it through the haunted houses without spilling your drink (talk about almost impossible), or watch the massive costume contest pick a winner between a nightmarish marionette doll and an instantly recognisable plague doctor. You can even catch a classic Hong Kong-style horror flick.
And when you get thirsty, there’s plenty of bars to choose from with each one rolling out a range of special options – think ‘Blood Punch’ and ‘Zombie Brain Shots’. To soak up all that mummifying alcohol, food stalls are on hand to satisfy your creepy cravings with everything from grilled skewers to sizzling dumplings on the menu.
But this place gets busy, like busy busy. Imagine shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of zombies, witches, and characters you can’t quite identify (is that a costume or your usual get up?) squished into streets definitely not meant for 25,000 people.
Local authorities are putting extra safety measures in place but keep your wits about you, prepare for the chaos, look out for others and hit up the Unholy Halloween Party (just a suggestion) for a hauntingly good time.
We could say Miasma is just a haunted house, except it isn’t. It’s a series of nightmare-fuelled attractions that only the brave (or slightly insane) dare to enter. Those who’ve survived call it life-altering; others don’t talk about it at all.
That’s because the attraction uses heavy story elements, combined with immersive contact to provoke you into feeling like you’re experiencing one of the worst nights of your life. To be fair, you probably are. But this place doesn’t just scare you—it sees into your mind, digs up the intense fears you’ve buried deep, and gives them a terrifying, sensory-overloading playground to muck around in.
You think we’re kidding? Miasma is so extreme, the website literally gives you a warning for the things you’ll come across during your experience. We’re talking aggressive physical contact, graphic adult content, emotional distress and psychological challenges. Do you have your psychiatrist on speed dial?
If you’re a sci-fi nut, ‘Death King’ is the experience for you. There’s nothing like religious themes, body horror and the threat of physical violence to have you dealing with the full spectrum of raw human emotions. Or maybe you want to try your luck with the ‘Desecration of the Seven Witches’? Perhaps fall into ‘The Great Silence’?
It doesn’t matter which one you pick, each room escalates into a terror you’ve never felt before, and you’re not just an observer—you’re the goddamn star of the show.
But don’t even think about just rocking up because you’re bored on a Friday night. Miasma is wildly exclusive, with a waiting list as long as your rolodex of re-occurring nightmares. It’s partly due to the attraction’s preference for small groups—so no scream goes unheard—but also because apparently Chicago is full of twisted individuals itching for a good scare. Are you one of them?
You might be familiar with Derry because of the popular TV sitcom Derry Girls. Yep, it’s the hometown of Erin and Co, but it’s also the Halloween capital of Ireland. Bet ya didn’t know that. And neither did we until we stumbled upon Derry Halloween.
Every October, this city transforms into a playground for the ghoulishly inclined, offering a (strong) cocktail of thrills, chills, and more spooks than your childhood self had nightmares after watching The Grudge for the first time. No? Just us?
There’s plenty to scare yourself with here: a front-row seat to the infamous Derry Halloween Carnival with its creepy clowns, haunting witches, and other not-meant-to-be-seen creatures is enough to have you passing on the pumpkin-spiced punch.
And that’s not all. Your eerie escapade continues with a selection of fiery performances, weird walking trails, and intricate lantern displays that’ll have you channelling Josh Lambert navigating The Further*.
Catch the Witchy Wonderland, dance with the Wailing Nuns, listen to Uncle Doom and his Organ of Gloom (no, we didn’t make that up) and improve your skills under the Zombie Circus’ big top.
But you won’t just have your friends to keep you company. The spirits of this city’s historical figures have been waiting all year for a good yap. They’ve escaped from their workhouses and slipped between the bars of their prison cells, ready to join in the horrifying Halloween festivities with a prime spot right by your side.
They’re terrifying enough, but the real spine-tingler is the atmosphere. As the sun sets, the walls of Derry whisper tales of centuries gone by, and the air thickens with anticipatory spooks and scares. Dare to join?
Airbnb just got a major aesthetic upgrade, darlings. Say goodbye to boring old Airbnb bookings and activities, and say hello to Delia Deetz’s latest masterpiece: a Beetlejuice-inspired art class just in time for Halloween.
That’s right, she’s stepping away from her Beetlejuice icon fame to host an experience that’s as avant-garde as her own sculptures – all in the name of honouring her legacy. Think of it like therapy with a side of acrylic paints – and possibly a seance or two.
Okay, so Delia won’t technically be standing over your shoulder, critiquing your creative technique (unless she’s doing it from beyond the grave). It’s her assistant that’ll help you unleash your own artistic side (in the creepiest way possible) with the help of a paintbrush and a black-coloured canvas.
Not much of an artist? There’s still plenty to explore. The house itself might be more New York City art exhibit than a comforting place to rest your head, but the spooky paintings, sculptures and a tastefully curated decor all combine to stoke your creative flame.
You can even go exploring; you’ll find the Handbook for the Recently Deceased in the attic, disorientating hallways to walk down and subsequent keyholes to peek through, and if you happen to say HIS name three times, don’t be surprised if you find yourself in The Afterlife.
While you can’t actually stay in the house, this three hour experience will have you putting your skills (and inner turmoil) to good use. Just remember to toss out the artistic rule book – Delia’s never read it.
Forget the usual bar-ridden hotspots of London, New York and Tokyo. The best bar in the world, as crowned by The World’s 50 Best Bars, is a clandestine gem in Mexico City called Handshake Speakeasy. But you won’t easily find it.
This bar isn’t on full display, it’s hidden behind an unmarked door tucked away on an unassuming street in the country’s bustling capital. But once you get inside, the place is anything but subtle.
Handshake Speakeasy screams old-school sophistication thanks to the 1920s art deco building it’s in – the kinda place where all the bartenders wear suits and there’s high-concept cocktails on offer that’ll blow up your tastebuds with a flavour combination you didn’t even know existed. Probably featuring some liquid nitrogen.
But while you might feel as though you can’t let your hair down properly here, this isn’t a pretentious bar. Yes, it’s sleek and intimate, but it’s also cool and relaxed. And it might only just be getting the worldwide recognition it deserves, but Handshake Speakeasy’s been shaking (and stirring) the globe’s cocktail elite for years.
It’s just that now, everyone knows about it. Which is great for the bar, but bad for you considering there’s almost certainly going to be a very big line to get in. We can’t tell you how to to pass the time, but we can say this bar is definitely worth the wait. Salud.
The enchanting Rastrello hotel in Italy’s Umbria/Tuscany region has just snagged its first ever B Corp certification – in layman’s terms, it’s doing the planet a solid. This prestigious certification means Rastrello’s facing issues of sustainability, social impact and transparency head on and, to be fair, receiving eco-warrior status is no easy feat.
There’s plenty of hoop jumping involved including comprehensive assessments that are more intrusive than every first date you’ve ever been on – “So, tell me about your environmental practices?” – and rigorous review processes before you can wear that B Corp badge with pride.
And this charming hotel wears it really well, it did take them 9 months to receive its coveted status after all. They’ve swapped out single-use plastics for reusable goodies, have changed all bedding to feature organic linen and supplied each bathroom with eco-friendly toiletries (your hair can tell the difference).
They also boast a farm-to-table dining experience that would make even the pickiest eater salivate, with fresh local produce on the menu. We’re talking vegetables, herbs and fruits all from the onsite organic garden. The property even has multiple olive groves for efficient extra virgin olive oil production (B Corp certified too, of course).
Sustainability stuff aside, Rastrello promises exclusivity thanks to its modest nine rooms but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in beauty. A comfy but chic vibe oozes out of the property’s rugged stone walls and its stunning countryside views simply can’t be beat. Bravo Rastrello, bravo.
Ready to hear just how loud your scream can get this Halloween? We bet you aren’t, but you should still give your vocal cords a workout at Scream-A-Geddon, a collection of haunted houses that’ll ruin sleep for the rest of your life (if you even manage to make it out).
There’s no trying to act tough here. Sure, you can pretend you’re not absolutely terrified when a chainsaw-wielding maniac is chasing you, but the never-before-heard, your-mum-will-wonder-what’s-wrong kind of screaming your mouth will emit is going to be a dead giveaway.
These haunted houses are fully immersive, interactive experiences – think mazes filled with abnormal creatures to assault your senses, demon-infested bayous, and an asylum bursting with deranged patients who can sniff out fresh meat (you) from miles away.
And even though you won’t feel like it, once you step into each experience, you finish it. The evil priestesses, manic monsters and mutated animals won’t let you out of their sight until you cross the threshold of sweet, sweet freedom or as other people call it, the end of the haunted house. Seriously, it’s enough to question whether you’re strong enough to hold onto your sanity. Spoiler alert: you’re not.
But blood-curdling horror aside, this place sounds pretty fun. Just don’t look directly at the creepy clown. Or stand up to the hoard of leg-dragging zombies. And if you need us, we’ll be drinking craft brew in Bonzo’s Beer Garden.
Coulrophobics, look away now. Your worst nightmare is coming true.
Welcome to the Clown Motel, the only place where you can check in with a smile and wake up having had the worst sleep of your life – if you even wake up, that is. Its location in the heart of Nowhere, Nevada (Tonopah) adds to the eerie atmosphere you’ll likely experience here, and so do the creepy clowns that litter every possible surface of this joint.
Seriously, they’re everywhere: waiting to greet you behind the concierge desk, smiling down at you from the ceiling of your room, hiding underneath the toilet seat, and popping out at you from the mini fridge to give you the biggest fright of your clown-hating life. Okay the last couple might not be true, but you get the gist.
But while the clowns themselves don’t actually seem all that terrifying, The Clown Motel isn’t for the weak (or the young and easily impressionable). There’s a lot of paranormal activity that goes down here, from dark silhouettes roaming the hallways to slamming doors and tingly sensations. You might even hear, ‘Wanna play a game, Georgie?’ as you’re drifting off to sleep*.
If that’s not enough to have you running and screaming in the opposite direction the second you pull into the Motel’s driveway, learning about the local cemetery and the ghosts that haunt it certainly will. And if you do stay, remember to take pics, you’re gonna want proof you survived the ultimate circus-themed sleepover. Say ‘cheese’!
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