'Stranger Things' Halloween attraction comes to Orlando and Hollywood

'Stranger' Orlando

Dungeons & Dragons-loving geek-hero Eddie Munson rocks out on the roof of his trailer in all his long-haired glory, while Dustin Henderson raises a nail-spiked trash can lid to shield against a swarm of demobats. Metallica's "Master of Puppets" blasts from unseen speakers, and the eerie scarlet glow of the Upside Down bathes every surface. Fans of the fourth season of "Stranger Things" will immediately recognize the scene inside the show's atmospheric new haunted house at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. The "Stranger Things" house features detailed sets and production-quality costumes, offering a stroll through the Hawkins lab and encounters with the grotesque Vecna. Hollywood Horror Nights runs on select nights through Nov. 4; tickets start at $79.99. A similar attraction is running at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Tampa Bay Times

Adults-only island

For those seeking a little serenity from the family-friendly fun found all over Royal Caribbean's private Bahamas island Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line has carved out a new space just for adults that will open in January. The area called Hideaway Beach will be devoid of children. The space has its own private beach and lagoon, two pools, seven food and drink locations, 20 cabanas, a live DJ and VIP experiences. Prices start at $39-$89 per person depending on sail date with the 20 cabanas available for an additional rate. The opening coincides with the arrival of what will be the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, that begins sailing from Miami.

Orlando Sentinel

Icon cruises

Royal Caribbean has opened bookings for seven-night adventures from Miami aboard the new Icon of the Seas — the largest cruise ship in the world — three months ahead of schedule due to record-breaking demand. Travelers can now book the voyages through Royal Caribbean's website. The cruise line saw the single largest booking day and highest-volume booking week in its history when Icon was first revealed last October, and Royal Caribbean is answering the unprecedented interest with the early release of 2025-2026 vacations. On the seven-night voyages, Icon of the Seas will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay and new destinations, including Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

TravelPulse

World's best hotel

The founders of the World's 50 Best Restaurants and Bars lists have crowned the world's best hotel for the first time — and it's Lake Como's Passalacqua. The tiny, 24-room hotel only just opened in June 2022 after a years-long restoration to its 18th century building — which has played host to guests as illustrious as Napoleon Bonaparte and Winston Churchill. The hotel's instant, meteoric rise in popularity among the jet set has come largely on the heels of charismatic owners Paolo, Antonella and Valentina De Santis who who had a built-in following as owners of the beloved Grand Hotel Tremezzo, also in Lake Como. Rates at Passalacqua start at around $1,800 per night for next summer's season.

Bloomberg News