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The flagship location of Jay-Z‘s nightclub, the 40/40 Club, has officially shut its doors, according to a report from Vibe.

A representative from the 40/40 Club told the publication that the esteemed nightclub ended its run at the end of July.

The 40/40 Club originally opened in Manhattan’s Flatiron District in 2003, and became a favorite of New York’s celebrities and elite. The club — which housed a sports bar, lounge, and restaurant — also opened locations in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Atlanta. According to the representative, a new 40/40 Club location will open in New York sometime next year.

Unfortunately, the 40/40 club isn’t the only venture of Jay-Z’s that recently took a hit. Earlier this week, it was reported that Made In America festival, which was founded by Jay-Z, had been cancelled “[d]ue to severe circumstances outside of production.” Lizzo and SZA were set to headline the festival, however, fans are suspecting that the festival was cancelled due to a recent lawsuit filed against the “About Damn Time” singer.

In the meantime, fans of Jay-Z can check out The Book Of Hov an exhibition highlighting Hov’s humble beginnings which led to a remarkable career in hip-hop. The exhibition is currently running in Jay-Z’s hometown at the Brooklyn Public Library.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong while traveling. You must book the trip, get to the airport on time and have appropriate passports, visas, and vaccination papers. Add to that the problems that can come with renting cars, buying train tickets and dealing with your hotel arrangements.

When you finally arrive, you may have some uncomfortable situations that come from not knowing the language or local customs.

But all the troubles are worth it the moment when you and your traveling partner turn to each other and say, “We made it!” After all, if travel were easy, it wouldn’t be as much fun.

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A Reddit user by the name of Medium-Decision6899 asked a revealing question to the Travel forum: “What is the dumbest travel mistake you’ve made?” The reactions were a mix of booking mistakes, airport errors and passport problems. Some were funny, while others were a reminder of things to avoid when traveling.

Here are 16 of our favorite responses to the prompt: “What is the dumbest travel mistake you’ve made?”

1. Long wait, buddy

“I booked a ticket to the Anne Frank museum tour and stood in line. Ticket was for the following year.” — Dickasaurous2000

2. Check your passport

“Not me but my husband. The night before our first trip to Barcelona he noticed his passport had expired. Hotels were nonrefundable at that point so I waved goodbye and did the trip solo.” — Trekker_Cynthia

3. Double-check before you book

“I once booked a month-long Airbnb for the wrong month.” — Bruce_e

4. Beer Blunder

“Mine was being an inexperienced 19-year-old traveler bringing lots of German beer to Liverpool in a duffel bag. About 10 or 12 bottles broke, and the bags on the conveyor belt were soaked in beer, and the people were angrily mumbling over it. Then mine came, the whole bottom was drenched, and eyes were all over me as I quietly snuck out.” — DoneTravelling

5. Delhi belly

“I ate a meal with raw vegetables at a gas station on the bus from Kathmandu to Delhi. Big mistake, was ill the remainder of the trip.” — Kaste

6. Don’t assume

“I booked a trip to Istanbul in December, assumed it would be warm because it was on the Mediterranean and in the Middle East, didn’t check the weather predictions, didn’t pack any warm clothes, and it was snowing when I arrived.” — ShinjukuAce

7. Lucky duck

“Recently went to Japan and must have been extremely jet lagged my first night because I threw my envelope of 40000 yen (like 280 USD) into the trash can in the bathroom of the floor of the hostel I was staying in. Was checking the bathroom as a last ditch effort, moved a few pieces of tissue and there it was untouched.” — Ducey89

8. When all else fails, bribe

“I once traveled to an African country and forgot my mandatory vaccination book. I had to bribe the lady in the office with 50 bucks, which she did hide in her boobs and here I go across the border!” — notskeleto

9. A tale of two Sydneys

“Sydney, Australia, and Sydney, Nova Scotia are not close to each other. I have no idea why I didn’t question why the ticket was so affordable!” — egd-f

10. The maritime rub

“Took a cruise in the Mediterranean. I signed up for International coverage, but didn’t realize that didn’t include maritime roaming, or that maritime roaming was even a thing… was in for a painful surprise the next morning. Fortunately, it was just the first day but the charges were over $250 and I was able to negotiate the cost down when I returned.” — dotthemcqueen

11. Now, that’s dumb

“Packing a passport in the check-in bag.” — riceingonthecake

12. Now, that’s smart

“I mentally earmark a few hundred dollars per trip for ‘mistakes’ since I plan my own trips. No one is perfect, and expecting to make a few errors helps me deal with it when it happens.” — Maddbadger

13.​ Wrong island

“Booked a car while traveling to Kauai, this was when rental cars were low so felt lucky to have one. The day before realized it was for a completely different island in which the airport name sounded similar.” — Whistle-KNower59

14. Wrong country

“Booked a flight to San Jose, CA. Went to check in and they asked me for my passport. Turns out I had booked a flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. I was traveling with my partner, an adult child, and a cello, the cello needs its own ticket. So that was stupid x 4.” — ketkate​

15. Overbooking

“Continuing to try and visit too many places in a short amount of time. I do this all the time. I tell myself I won’t next time. Perhaps not the dumbest but when you repeatedly do the same thing, it’s pretty dumb.” — Blindemboss

16. Buzz kill

“Took my son (5yo) to a toy store before going to the airport. forgot to pat him down so he set off security with a pair of fake handcuffs, a giant nickel, a huge metal eyeball, and a joy buzzer. Scared the hell out of him when he got searched. They confiscated the handcuffs and the joy buzzer.” — Dinodigger67

I stood in the back-to-school section at Target throwing my kindergartener’s school supplies haphazardly in the red cart when suddenly I couldn’t catch my breath. I found myself attempting to control a panic attack while deciding between RoseArt and Crayola crayons. (Crayola always wins, even though the price tag is bigger.)

My panic attack wasn’t over the crayons, though that would’ve been easier to stomach. I was flooded with anxiety over having to send my innocent 5-year-old off to school in America. Being a dual-income middle-class family, there’s no viable option for me not to send him into a classroom, so I stood in Target with the full weight of sending my youngest child off for an education and a lifetime of trauma.

In the few minutes it took me to understand why I was having trouble breathing, I decided this was the year I’d add bulletproof backpack inserts to the school supply list.

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As I read reviews on the different brands of inserts, one company was having a back-to-school sale. “How absurd,” I thought to myself. We live in a country where bulletproof inserts for backpacks are so sought after that ballistics companies can have back-to-school sales on them. Give that a moment to sink in.

My disgust over the absurdity of it all didn’t stop me from recognizing a good sale, though. After texting my high school children to see if they also wanted an insert, I ordered three and had them expedited to my doorstep. It was an almost instantaneous relief, albeit short-lived.

My teens had questions, and they weren’t completely comforted by the answers I could provide. They wanted to know the ballistic grade and if there was an insert that could withstand assault rifles. My middle son asked if I could buy an extra one so he could have one in the front panel of his backpack and one in the back to increase his protection against an AR-15. To be truthful, the highest grade insert was around $600 and if you multiply that by three it made it out of my price range.

Until I asked my older children about the insert, I had no idea they were calculating what items in their classroom would give them the best protection if a shooter came in. I’ve seen them walk through school tours like little soldiers trained for war, pointing out spaces that could be easily breached and classrooms that would make it difficult to hide.

My heart broke once more when my adult daughter informed me that she still has nightmares about active shooter drills four years after graduating. What are we doing in our country where traumatizing children from kindergarten up is the norm? How is it that buying a bulletproof insert for backpacks seems like the reasonable option? We don’t live in a war-torn country, but preparing for school feels like it.

In one generation, schools went from being worried your bully might try to trip you in the hallway to being worried someone would come in and shoot everyone. I was in high school when Columbine happened and remember thinking that it was a sad isolated incident. It never crossed my mind that school shootings would become normal.

But until something’s done about the frequency of school shootings, I’ll buy whatever I can to ease my mind and give my kids the best chance of coming back home to me.

Identical twins get to do some things the rest of us don’t, from forming their own unique language as babies to fooling friends, family and teachers with identity-switching pranks.

Usually, parents of twins are immune to such tricks, as they recognize the subtle differences between their offspring even when others might be duped. However, under the right circumstances, identical twins can pull a fast one even on their mom or pop.

Such was the case with two adult twin men who decided to surprise their dad. Musa, who plays basketball overseas and hadn’t seen their father in a year and a half due to the pandemic, pretended to be Muhammad, the son their dad sees frequently. Musa donned his brother’s glasses and clothing and even held Muhammad’s child when he arrived at the father’s door in an attempt to fool their old man.

Both twins have the same beard, and in the dim light of night, it’s understandable that Dad wouldn’t think his son wasn’t who he appeared to be. And to be extra sneaky about it, Musa-pretending-to-be-Muhammad immediately asked their unsuspecting dad if he had talked to Musa lately. Well played.

Watch the father’s face when the other brother walks through the door and he starts to figure out the practical joke.

That few moments of confusion as dear old dad tried to figure out who was who was hilarious, but his joy in having his sons together was palpable. Clearly, he didn’t mind that his kids tricked him. And those forehead kisses? Too precious.

USA Today talked with Muhammad, Musa, and their father, Rashad, about their close relationship. Gotta love a family filled with so much love, affection, and mutual respect—and of course, a great sense of humor.

It’s been 12 years since the U.S. military overturned its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and allowed openly gay LGBTQ people to serve. But even though the discriminatory policy was overturned, tens of thousands of those dishonorably discharged between 1980 and 2011 still have to live with the scarlet letter of the designation.

Veterans who were thrown out of the military after their sexuality was discovered have to relive the trauma every time they present their DD-214 paperwork when accessing VA benefits or applying for jobs, homes or loans.

Further, dishonorable discharges often ban veterans from receiving essential benefits such as education, unemployment, healthcare, and housing benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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But all of that may soon change if a civil rights lawsuit filed by five veterans against the Department of Defense is successful. The lawsuit claims that the DOD should overturn the dishonorable discharges and update discriminatory language on their discharge papers referencing their “real or perceived” sexuality.

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“Thousands of veterans discharged for their actual or perceived sexual orientation often received a less than Honorable discharge or had their discharge flagged with separation codes publicly associated with ‘homosexuality,’ denying them benefits they rightfully earned based on their service,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit addresses the emotional damage caused by the discriminatory laws by referencing a quote on the tombstone of Vietnam veteran Leonard Matlovich: “When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”

Although there is a process for altering dishonorable discharges, the lawsuit argues that it should be the job of the DOD to facilitate such changes instead of putting the burden on the victims of the discriminatory policy. It’s a lengthy bureaucratic process requiring some veterans to hire lawyers.

“Requiring LGBTQ+ veterans to first bear the stigma and discriminatory effects of carrying indicators of sexual orientation on their [discharge papers] and then navigate a broken record correction process to seek resolution violates their constitutional rights to equal protection, informational privacy, property, and due process protected by the Fourteenth and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution,” the suit says.

The lawsuit does not aim for monetary compensation. Instead, it urges the DOD to proactively update the discharge documents for these veterans by eliminating any mention of sexual orientation instead of requiring the individual veteran to initiate the process.

This ruling could have a tremendous effect on the lives of thousands of veterans. It’s estimated that if the lawsuit succeeds, it could affect at least 35,000 service members discharged because of “real or perceived” homosexuality, homosexual conduct, or “sexual perversion.”

Although nothing can be done to completely repair the damage to the thousands of veterans who lost their military careers because of their “real or perceived” sexuality, let’s hope the DOD does its part to help right the wrongs committed in the three decades that LGBTQ+ people were discriminated against in the U.S. military.

The San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback room was a bit of a mess at the end of last season. With both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance going down with injuries, San Francisco turned to the Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy, to get them through the end of the regular season and the postseason. And then, Purdy got injured, suffering an elbow injury in the NFC Championship Game that basically doomed the Niners.

Purdy got replaced in the NFC title game against the Philadelphia Eagles by Josh Johnson, who also got hurt in the game. Things ended with Purdy stepping in and basically doing as little as possible, which played a major role in a 31-7 Eagles win. But there’s a fun question in this: What the heck would the Niners have done if they somehow made it past Philly and got to the Super Bowl?

Well, Kyle Shanahan answered that question on Thursday afternoon and said the team would have signed Philip Rivers as a free agent and hoped for the best as he made his debut for the team in the biggest game of the year.

Rivers, of course, was only available because he retired after the 2020 NFL season came to an end, so the last pass he threw in a live game came on Jan. 9, 2021. It would have been one of the all-time insane things to happen in the history of sports, but in the end, it didn’t come to fruition.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B and Afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

Halle Bailey officially launched her solo era with the release of her “Angel” single while Snoh Aalegra returned with her “Sweet Tea” single. Blxst and Remble released their video for “Child Of God” and Chloe shared a cover of Gunna’s “Fukumean.” Elsewhere, Tinashe announced a co-headlining North American tour with Shygirl.

Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:

Usher — “Good Good” Feat. Summer Walker & 21 Savage

Usher is picking up the pieces from a past relationship on “Good Good,” his latest single with Summer Walker and 21 Savage. Though he wishes the relationship didn’t come to an end, it isn’t stopping him from wishing his old partner the best going forward. In fact, he’s happy that a bit of a friendship has formed from it.

Jordan Ward & 6lack — “Mustard”

Jordan Ward, who is just months removed from the release of his stellar debut album Forward, connects with 6lack for their new single “Mustard.” It’s the first release from Ward’s Moreword(Forward) project out August 25 and it’s a record that both artists use to reflect on the past and celebrate the journey that brought them towards their current success.

Jorja Smith — “Go Go Go”

With her sophomore album Falling Or Flying out in September, Jorja Smith is back with another single. “Go Go Go” is her latest preview of the album, and it leans away from her usual R&B sound in favor of something in the indie lane. “‘GO GO GO’ is kind of a f you song. Why do people have to kiss and tell, kind of vibe.” she says in a press release. “I’m in my little alternative bag, but I’ve always kind of been in it. People might be like, ‘I didn’t expect this’, but I’m like: ‘well, I would!’”

Ciara — “How We Roll” Feat. Chris Brown

Later this month Ciara will release her Cici EP, and the first offering from it comes with “How We Roll” with Chris Brown. The record finds itself in the contemporary R&B lane, something that has come naturally to Ciara and Chris Brown. The track also arrived with a music video that put the singers’ dance skills on display.

Alina Baraz — “Keep Me In Love”

There’s a good chance that Alina Baraz may have an album on the way soon, but for now, we’ll happily accept a new song from her. The singer is back with “Keep In My Love,” which lands as a tender and heartfelt record aimed at a lover with whom she hopes to make it last. “We pour so much time, love, and energy into ourselves, effortlessly and indefinitely,” she said about the song. “The idea [for the song] came from wondering if someone could ever do that for you. It’s easy to fall in love but to keep me in love, I long for that.”

Yung Bleu — “Confirmation”

With a project to his name this year thanks to Love Scars II, Yung Bleu keeps the pedal to the metal with his latest single “Confirmation.” On it, Bleu sends a pleading message to an old lover with the hope that she’ll leave her new lover and come back to him as he knows he can treat her right.

Nao — “Balance” Feat. Skillibeng

The last time we heard from Nao was with the 2021 release of her third project And Then Last Beautiful. Hopefully, her fourth full-length release is on the way as her new single “Balance” with Skillibeng is a sign of that. It’s a dance-friendly and upbeat number that leans into the house sound one may find in the tropics.

Destin Conrad — “Outta Control”

We’re here to tell you that Destin Conrad does not miss. His newest release, “Outta Control,” is proof of that. It’s sultry and laid back with a bit of rhythm that will have you wanting to dance with the special person in your life. As for Conrad never missing, check out his Satin and Colorway EPs to understand what we mean.

Kelz2Busy — 3 Typa Nights

Brooklyn singer Kelz2Busy — fka Kelz — has been nothing short of impressive over the last 12 months. Now, he adds to his growing portfolio with his new EP 3 Typa Nights. It arrives with three songs that showcase Kelz2Busy’s versatility through displays of his sound mixed with dancehall elements (“Lost & Found”), ballads (“Empty Night$), and captivating alternative R&B (“Right Now”).

Kevin Ross — “Ready For It” Feat. Eric Bellinger

After releasing Midnight Microdose, Vol. 1 earlier this year, Kevin Ross calls on Eric Bellinger for his latest drop, “Ready For It.” Both singers take a moment to express their commitment to loving a new woman in their life. It took them a moment to see their worth, but now things are clearer than ever in their eyes.

Marley Bleu & Pink Sweats — “Unintentional”

Marley Bleu and Pink Sweats join forces to celebrate an unexpected love on their new single “Unintentional.” The newfound romance they sing of on the song took them by surprise, but they couldn’t be any happier about it as it’s exactly what they wanted to experience in a relationship.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The opening night of the 2023-24 NBA season will feature quite the cast of star power. The Los Angeles Lakers will travel to Ball Arena for a Western Conference Finals rematch with the Denver Nuggets as Nikola Jokic and company collect their championship rings, while the Phoenix Suns welcome the Golden State Warriors to town, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The Nuggets swept the Lakers en route to their first NBA championship in the spring, though three of the four games came down to the wire and were decided by six points or fewer. That figures to be a rather enjoyable contest to begin eight months of NBA action. Then, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant will face their former teams. After three seasons with the Suns, Paul was dealt to the Washington Wizards in the Bradley Beal trade before being rerouted to Golden State this summer. Alongside Devin Booker, Durant, who spent two years with the Warriors and won a pair of rings, is leading a retooled Phoenix squad flanked by Beal that holds lofty championship aspirations. Much like Denver last season, Durant, Booker, and the Suns are looking to secure the franchise’s first Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The NBA’s opening night is consistently a fascinating and fun evening of hoops. Two games including Durant, Booker, Paul, Beal, Jokic, Jamal Murray, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis surely project to continue that tradition, particularly given the title hopes all four Western Conference clubs hold.

“¡Ay bendito! I’m in Puerto Rico!” I exclaimed (sorta quietly, mostly to myself) as I walked off the jet bridge and into the terminal of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. While it would be my second time to the island(s), I felt particularly excited to return to this U.S. territory and continue practicing my Spanish-speaking skills. I’m on an 800+ day Duolingo streak, so my hopes for being able to communicate were exceedingly high.

For those who failed HS government, Puerto Rico is one of the 16 territories owned by the United States. It’s wrapped in the same collection as American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. While these territories aren’t considered states, U.S. citizens can freely travel to these destinations without a passport. I repeat: YOU DON’T NEED A PASSPORT TO TRAVEL TO PUERTO RICO — making it exceedingly easy.

Another even lesser-known tidbit about Puerto Rico is that it’s more than just one island. In fact, Puerto Rico is an archipelago — consisting of the main island, four small islands, and hundreds of cays and islets. When planning a trip, you should definitely spend time on the main island (which takes only six hours to drive around completely) but also craft part of your itinerary to explore its second main sister island, Vieques. Which is exactly what I had planned.

To help build a travel itinerary that spans more than just a weekend and covers more than just the hits, I’m sharing the best places to visit and things to do that I’ve personally discovered in two trips to the territory.

Fly Like A Budget Travel Pro

Island-hopping in Puerto Rico doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, one of the most alluring factors when it comes to booking a trip to Puerto Rico is its close proximity to the states, making for cheap and short flights.

Most flights departing from the east coast of the United States cost as little as $200 roundtrip. Plus we’re only talking two to four hours from the east coast, so you can spend more time vacationing in the tropical sun and less sitting on a crowded airplane. If you want to parlay off of a larger Florida trip, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami all have under three-hour direct flights for as low as $100.

Scouting Google Flights with flexible dates and airlines will give you even more budget-friendly options.

Start With Some History In Old San Juan

You’ll want to land in San Juan to secure your cheapest flight to Puerto Rico from almost anywhere in the United States. At first glance, San Juan looks like any regular Americanized / fast-food favorable city. Take a taxi out of the main city limits and head to Old San Juan for a better (or at least prettier) representation of the city’s capital and enjoy some true Spanish and Puerto Rican history (the Indigenous history is less readily visible, which we’ve covered in the past).

Originally built/ conquered/ colonized/ etc. by the Spanish in the early 16th Century, Old San Juan is often called the oldest city in America, which is wrong for a few million reasons. I link to these articles (here’s another — from the tourism board no less!) because it’s important to wrestle with the interplays of Indigenous and Spanish history while you stroll the cobbled streets adorned with pastel-colored colonial buildings and apartments, leading you to Castillo San Felipe del Morro, or what the locals call “El Morro.” Spanning over 500 years of history, this six-level fortress was an important military outpost for Spain and later the United States in both World Wars (here again, the reappropriation of the island as a military hub is an issue that deserves your attention). A short half-mile walk away is also Fortín San Juan de la Cruz or “El Cañuelo.” Both forts allowed Puerto Rico to defend the island from invasions by the British, Dutch, and various pirates.

Cap off your day of walking (and wrestling with the heavy/ dense matter of colonial history in the Caribbean) with a meal at Marmalade. Nestled in the heart of Old San Juan, this might turn out to be one of your best culinary experiences on the whole island. While it’s certainly not light on your wallet, there’s nothing wrong with splurging on a five-course meal with a perfect wine pairing to round out the day and it’s my highest recommendation for a fun splurge.

Adventure In El Yunque National Forest & Sleep In Luxury

Once you’ve had a day in Old San Juan, take an easy hour’s drive east for some lush luxury at St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort. The resort is placed on 483 acres of what was once a coconut farm and is beautifully situated among natural rivers, lakes, and lush tropical greenery. Most of its buildings overlook the gardens and the two-mile Crescent Beach, or boast views of the nearby El Yunque National Forest (more on that soon). What makes this St. Regis stand out among the rest of its global locations is its 65% on-site green areas, including wildlife sanctuaries and nature trails. The resort works directly with public and private organizations to protect local endangered species – like the leatherback turtle – and is one of 21 resorts worldwide (and the only one in the Caribbean!) designated as a Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary.

Check in at the earliest time you can, enjoy the stunning five-star pool, and then head to the resort’s Paros restaurant for dinner. Because of the island’s location, the sun sets early here, usually around 5 p.m. Make sure to go around then to sip and eat overlooking the sea with its floor-to-ceiling windows. Some highlights for dinner that you should definitely make sure to order:

• Tuna Sashimi: I had this for a starter but I could’ve eaten it as a whole meal. It literally melted in your mouth, it was that fresh.
• Paros Signature Dish: As the restaurant’s “signature dish” I held this to pretty high standards. It’s essentially Puerto Rico’s version of paella but instead of prawns it came with pieces of lobster. It was so filling due to the richness of the lobster, though I will admit that I thought the rice was a tad dry. It’s big enough to share with the table – especially with the steep price of this dish.
• Cauliflower Steak: I’m not normally one to order many vegetarian dishes, but this one hit out of the park. The sunflower pesto sauce drizzled over this with fresh tomatoes were paired great together and made eating a roasted cauliflower anything but a chore.

After a lay day, the real adventure begins — head out to El Yunque National Forest just 25 minutes away. This ecological gem should definitely be on your itinerary, so make it a priority. It’s the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest system, spanning over 29,000 acres of some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world and home to over 240 plant species. You’ll find over 18 miles of roads and 24 miles of recreational hiking trails, boasting waterfalls, lagoons, and lush mountains. If you’d rather explore the beauty of the rainforest in your car, you can drive through El Toro Scenic Byway. But we recommend getting dirty and sweaty and having a proper adventure!

Book your stay at St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort here.

Fly (Don’t Ferry) To & From Vieques

In my humble opinion, no trip to Puerto Rico is complete without visiting its sister island, Vieques. You’ll find a lot of information online about taking a ferry to Vieques, but we’re here to tell you to skip that. You can take a flight from San Juan to Vieques, or even better, head to Ceiba. You’ll continue an hour Southeast from St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort to this tiny little airport. You’ll have to be aware of how much luggage you bring as everything is weighed, including yourself. It’s a whole add-on adventure on top of your trip and it saves you so much time.

A flight from Ceiba to Vieques takes exactly seven minutes and most flights are only $45. It’s a no-brainer.

Book your flight from Ceiba to Vieques via Vieques Air Link here.

Holistic & Ayurvedic Living At La Finca Victoria

Because Vieques is just a mere 21 miles long and three miles wide, you can get around pretty easily. With that said, there aren’t many hotels on the island!

I stayed at La Finca Victoria, a farmhouse-style bed and breakfast in the heart of the island. The property boasts luscious vegetation and soothing symphonies of the native Coqui frogs. Being on one of the highest points of the island, it had amazing views of the sunrises and sunsets and with the lack of light pollution, stunning views of the night sky. It was also 10 minutes from multiple beaches and the “downtown” area, so that was also a huge plus.

This was one of my favorite stays during my travels to Puerto Rico. Each morning starts off with an 8 am complimentary yoga class overlooking the island before you’re served an inclusive vegan breakfast prepared from the vegetables, fruits, and herbs from its onsite garden. It radiates peace and tranquility, with plenty of areas to unwind and find some quiet space. Every person there was young and exuded a positive and healthy persona that was infectiously admirable throughout all parts of the property.

Each “casita” was completely different but all had similar local vintage furniture and aesthetic. I stayed in one of the Victoria suites which was so cute, with its Victorian-style chandeliers and artwork. The private outdoor shower was pretty amazing to wash off in after spending some time at the beach as well.

Book your stay at La Finca Victoria here.

Plan Accordingly & Don’t Go During A Full Moon

You can’t go to Vieques and not visit the world-famous Mosquito Bay, known to be the world’s brightest bioluminescent bay. Unfortunately, I traveled to Vieques during the peak full moon (plan around this, people!) — because of how bright the full moon is on the water, you can’t successfully experience Mosquito Bay and see the bioluminescence certain times of the month. It’s one of my most epic travel fails to date.

Ideally, you should travel during a new moon. At the very least, go when it’s anything but full.

Horseback Ride Through Rolling Hills & A Black Sand Beach

Horseback riding seems kind of like a basic tourist activity but I promise you won’t regret booking it on Vieques. I took a two-hour horseback riding tour with Esperanza Riding Company and it was one of the best riding tour experiences I’ve had. I rode a native island Paso Fino horse through winding hills, open meadows, wooded terrain, and through the idyllic beaches of Playa Coqual and Playa Negra.

The overviews overlooking the coast and land are truly breathtaking and it was such a lovely way to connect to the land.

Book your Vieques horseback riding tour here.

Head Out On The Water With A Catamaran Tour

I spent two days in Vieques and felt that it was enough time to see the small, beautiful island. I flew back to the main island with another cheap $45 flight and was thrilled to spend the day at sea. Although I was disappointed I couldn’t experience Mosquito Bay and the bioluminescent water, I was thrilled to go out on a private Catamaran out of Fajardo.

I’ve been on plenty of boats in various locations, and I must say, East Island Excursions hosted a great day out on the water. I was originally supposed to visit the other famous island of Culebra and visit the world-famous Flamenco beach during the boat tour but my bad luck continued and I was rerouted to visit the small, uninhabited island Icacos due to intense currents. While I was disappointed I couldn’t get to Culebra, East Island Excursions made sure I had a great day snorkeling and wading in the ocean while also providing the best lunch I’ve ever had on a booked boating experience.

Here are several Catamaran experiences departing out of Marina Puerto Del Rey in Fajardo. Check out all the options here.

Ride The Longest Zipline In America

Now you’ll want to start making your way to the Western side of the island. Two and half hours into your drive from Fajardo, make sure to stop at Toro Verde Adventure Park. Nestled in the mountains of Orocovis, Toro Verde has one of the world’s longest and fastest ziplines, a 1.57-mile adrenaline-pumping adventure called “The Monster.” The ecological adventure park boasts some of the most breathtaking mountain views or “vistas” on the island, which can be seen through its other seven ziplines and suspension bridges.

Obviously, don’t go here if you’re afraid of heights, but if you’re up for an exhilarating adventure — this is a must.

Check out all of what Toro Verde Adventure Park has to offer here.

Be A Beach Bum & Surfing Babe In Rincón

We’re saving the best for last on this one. After throwing yourself through the air on some crazy ziplines, continue driving another two and a half hours and settle into Rincón. Once you visit, you won’t want to leave. Especially, if you’re in my age range and single and fun and adventurous. I was actually that girl who semi-seriously looked into renting an apartment here for a couple of months because I simply did not want to leave. There’s just a peaceful and slow essence about it that truly captures anyone who comes here.

Often overlooked, this small town rests on the far West side of Puerto Rico. With more than eight miles of coastline, the beaches of Rincón are some of the best in the world for surfing. So if you’re one to get your surf on, make sure to add this town to your list. I can’t stand on a surfboard to save my life, so I perfectly played the beach bum role by beach hopping Sandy Beach, Domes Beach, and Maria’s Beach.

If you want to change up your daily itinerary from just lounging on the beach, you can conclude your epic island vacation with a quick trip to Gozalandia Falls. Located less than an hour from Rincón, this “locals only” spot features a 60-foot tall waterfall for picturesque views, swimming, and rope jumping. Totally Instagram-able to round out your Puerto Rico trip.

Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour has arrived at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, and as one of the US cities where Beyoncé has her strongest support, the show is sure to be spectacular. Fans looking to maximize their experience with an adult beverage will probably want to use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, and fortunately, the stadium has provided a handy guide guide to the two rideshare locations on Northside Dr. That info pops up at the :30 second mark in the video below.

Beyoncé has so far hit the stage at varying times — usually, around or after 9 PM — so it’ll probably be a good idea to get there early enough to find your way around if its your first visit or visit the refreshments or merchandise counters. Beyoncé’s 11-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, typically joins her onstage to perform the songs “My Power” and “Black Parade,” which typically appear a little before halfway through the show, after Beyoncé performs “Run The World (Girls).”

Beyoncé plans to do three nights in Atlanta, including Friday, August 12, and Sunday, August 14, before moving on to Tampa, Florida on Tuesday, August 16. She’s still got 13 more cities to go, including three nights in LA and two in her hometown, Houston. You can check out the remaining dates here.