Travel

The hallway is silent except for the soft creak of the floorboards. The wallpaper, aged to a sepia tone, holds its breath as though it remembers. Somewhere far below, a piano plays a single hesitant note — too faint to be certain, too real to be ignored. At the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, guests whisper that the music comes from a ballroom that has been empty for decades.

The age of escapism is giving way to the age of intention. Modern travelers aren’t asking, “Where can I go?” They’re asking, “Why am I going?”

Travel is back—bigger, longer, and more intentional. After years of pandemic disruption, Americans are eager to explore, leading to record budgets and diverse itineraries. But rising prices, overtourism, and climate concerns shape the choices travelers make.

For decades, Medellín was defined by the darkness of its past, but step onto its streets today and you’ll find a story rewritten—not of denial, but of evolution. This is no longer a city escaping its history; it’s a city transforming it into art, architecture, and innovation.

There’s no simple way to return to “normal life” after the military. The uniform comes off but the Veteran identity doesn’t. The cost of living only goes up, political tribalism dominates the headlines and it’s easy to fall into isolation. That’s why a lot of Veterans are opting for a life on the beaches in the Dominican Republic, the jungles of Thailand or elsewhere abroad. An increasing number of Veterans are becoming expats, looking for peace, a higher quality of life and

Travel expands horizons and cultivates resilience. For W3 Magazine readers—entrepreneurs, veterans, and high performers—travel is more than leisure. It is a way to discover business opportunities, build cultural competence, and test situational awareness. Whether journeying to a booming startup hub or a remote wilderness outpost, travel equips us with insights, relationships, and stories. The Travel category of W3 Magazine curates must‑visit destinations and shares strategies