There's no denying that Shaquille O'neal is and was the most dominant center to ever play the game of professional basketball. No matter who he faced throughout the prime of his career, teams had no way to stop him from entering the paint and flushing down a forceful dunk over his opponents. Shaq was originally drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in the 1992 NBA Draft. He spent four seasons with the Florida franchise before signing a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers where he would become a household name and legend forever.
Shaq won three consecutive NBA Championships with the Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant from 2000-2002, all three years in which he received NBA Finals MVP before falling out with Bryant and the franchise and taking his talents to Miami where he won his fourth and final NBA title in 2006. It's hard to believe Shaq has only won one MVP Award which was in 2000 but has a long list of accolades that help him sleep well at night. To this very day, Shaq is everywhere from commercials to television as an analyst on Inside The NBA on TNT.
Wondering where to go in 2020 for an amazing deal, to beat the crowds, or for a truly once-in-a-lifetime travel experience? These destinations are on travel addicts’ radar for rightfully hyped 2020 events, new offerings, and recent developments that make them a must-visit right now.
On top of the majestic scenery its long been known for, Montana is a newly trendy nature getaway celebrated for its expanding luxury hotel scene, culinary offerings, and shop-local boutiques, according to an American Express study detailing where cardholders are traveling in 2020. But Montana is also about to get more accessible than ever before thanks to emerging flight routes sure to stir up competition. Launching two brand-new seasonal routes to Big Sky country, American Airlines will fly from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Bozeman and Kalispell, Montana, beginning mid-year and continuing through Labor Day. Take advantage of the new direct route before the secret gets out, and so that they’ll continue next year.
One of the cities featured in Booking.com’s travel trends for 2020, Urugay’s capital Montevideo is a stable and LGBT-friendly destination to visit in South America—a continent that’s seen dips in tourism of late thanks to political instability in travel destinations like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Travelers identified the city as a trending travel destination for anyone seeking an immersive, one-stop escape; according to the study, “over half (54 percent) of global travelers say they want to go on one long trip to a place that has all of their favorite activities and sights close together.” Montevideo’s offerings include beaches, nightlife, markets, theaters, culinary prowess, and festive Gay Pride Day celebrations in September.
Europe’s intensely overtouristed spots (Venice, Barcelona, Santorini) have new Eastern European hotspots to thank for stealing away some of the spotlight: Romania is making a name for itself as one of the top five most trending Airbnb booking destinations for 2020. The nation that’s home to Transylvania, Dracula’s castle, and well-preserved medieval towns nestled among rolling hills has seen a 298 percent annual increase in Airbnb bookings.