Explore Boston virtually
See the city without leaving home during Boston By Foot’s special virtual tours. The Boston UnCommon series highlights the history of less-visited areas. Explore Bay Village, a neighborhood that was created by filling in the mud flats leading to Back Bay in the 1820s and that now overlooks the Renaissance and classical revival buildings around the old Boston and Providence Railroad (Feb. 1, 6:30-8 p.m.). Learn about the Great Fire of 1872 (March 1, 6:30-8 p.m.), which details how the architectural design in the city’s commercial district contributed to the spread and speed of the fire — and how this changed fire prevention policies across the country. $8 per person, per tour. www.bostonbyfoot.org
THERE
Big Sky’s first luxury resort
Montage Big Sky opened last month, offering easy access to Big Sky Resort (ski-in/ski-out), three world-class fly-fishing rivers, a private 18-hole golf course designed by pro-golfer Tom Weiskopf, and a full-service spa. It’s also just a short drive to hiking trails and the village-like town of Big Sky, home to boutiques and one-of-a-kind coffee shops and restaurants. The upscale alpine retreat is located just an hour from Yellowstone National Park (to the south) and Bozeman (to the north). It has an indoor lap pool, a bowling alley, a curated art collection with works from local artists, and 39 residences with two to six bedrooms. It also has an onsite restaurant, a market, and a “yoga lawn.” Room rates start at $1,395 per night. www.montagehotels.com/destinations/big-sky
Ski what’s new in Alberta
The only thing for sure is that nothing is predictable in travel right now. For that reason, the Banff/Lake Louise region (affectionately called SkiBig3 for the area’s three ski areas — Mount Norquay, Banff Sunshine, and Lake Louise Ski Resort) now offers a No Questions Asked cancellation policy, which lets you make changes to your reservations or bail out entirely up to three days prior to arrival — that means you can change or cancel lift tickets, rentals, lessons, and certain accommodations up to 72 hours in advance. Assuming you do get there this season (and you should, if possible), you can explore Lake Louise Ski Resort’s new West Bowl, 480 acres of additional terrain — geared mainly to advanced-intermediate and expert skiers and snowboarders — to the west of the main resort, accessible from the new Summit Quad Chair. Next month, Lake Louise also plans to open its new Juniper Express Quad chairlift and three new runs for beginner and intermediate skiers and riders. www.skibig3.com
EVERYWHERE
Comfortable wireless headphones
Tune in to your music, movies, and podcasts without the distraction of airplane and other noise with Philips’s new H9505 headphones. These over-the-ear headphones fold down flat for easy transport, connect to your phone using Alexa and Google Assistant, and have fast-pairing technology for wireless connectivity to Android devices (just press and hold the On button and the headphones prompt your device to pair). Tap or swipe the right ear pod to play or pause audio, change songs, adjust volume, and answer phone calls. Download the Philips Headphones app to customize the base, treble, and other sound controls. The headphones come with a semi-rigid case and have a battery that lasts up to 27 hours. The best part: They’re super comfortable thanks to the memory-foam ear cups. $179.99 on Amazon.com. www.usa.philips.com
Earbuds for active people
Prefer earbuds for listening while on the go? Jabra’s new Elite 7 Active earbuds work well whether you’re hustling through an airport or out for a run. The tiny earbuds, which incorporate ShakeGrip technology so they stay put in your ears, have adjustable Active Noise Cancellation, are IP57 rated so they can handle rain, sweat, and occasionally getting dropped, and come with a tiny fast-charge case. Use the Jabra Sound+ app to adjust ANC and HearThrough levels (so you can hear more around you while outdoors) and create a personalized hearing profile. The earbuds let you connect to your mobile device using Alexa, have wind-noise reduction, and come with three sets of EarGels so you can get the best fit. The battery lasts up to 8 hours. $179.99. www.jabra.com
KARI BODNARCHUK
Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at travelwriter@karib.us.
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