The worst hidden travel fees and how to avoid them
With travel prices soaring, customers might be tempted to pick the cheapest base option they find. But the base price of airfare and hotels represents only a fraction of the total costs. A parade of add-on fees await any traveler trying to navigate the checkout process, ballooning the final price....
Lake Michigan car ferries make for fun Midwest getaways, plus 16 things to do once you land
A spin around Lake Michigan easily exceeds 1,000 miles and 18 hours of road time when following shoreline instead of interstate. That’s no vacation for the driver, or travelers low on leisure time. Another option: Shorten the loop by using two car ferries to cross the Great Lake, which turns...
These gadgets could make or break your next road trip
Crumbs, odors, discomfort — they can all ruin a good road trip with the family. For children, sitting in a vehicle for hours on end can be daunting. For parents who are unprepared, a road trip can be derailed by gas station stops for last minute supplies. Ensure your road...
Already booked your flight? A lower fare might still be available to you
One of the good things to come out of the covid-19 pandemic is that airlines eliminated those despised $200 and $300 change fees. I was sure that once things got back to “normal,” the airlines also would return to their former ways. But they haven’t, and this bit of airline...
The most welcoming destinations for senior travelers
Retirement is the perfect time to enjoy traveling, but where to go? New research shows the best places for seniors to travel. The Retirement Travel Index, created by AgingInPlace, compiled the list using several data points to reveal the most ideal places for older travelers to visit. Countries were ranked...
Wild meets serene at Tanzinia’s Grumeti Game Reserve
The late afternoon light is fading fast, and with the dust kicked up by the Land Rover catching the low rays of the sun, the terrain of trees, rocks and acacia-flecked hills of the Singita Grumeti Game Reserve seemed cloaked in gold. Maybe that’s why I missed seeing a pride...
Mountains, lakes, trains and villages: Switzerland has it all. And then there’s the chocolate
A few weeks before Swiss Air flew me to Zurich, I read that Switzerland had been anointed “fourth happiest country in the world” by the World Happiness Report. That, and two clever and humorous Switzerland Tourism videos featuring Swiss-born tennis legend Roger Federer, contributed to my decision to spent 10...
Yellowstone Park aims for quick reopening after floods
GARDINER, Mont. — Most of Yellowstone National Park should reopen within the next two weeks — much faster than originally expected after record floods pounded the region last week and knocked out major roads, federal officials said. Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly said the world-renowned park will be able to accommodate...
Silky waters of Turks and Caicos Islands perfect for adventuring, relaxing
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands — Snorkeling in sparkling, shallow water as clear as glass, my husband and I spotted schools of gemstone-bright fish in colors of sapphire, topaz and amethyst. On the white sand bed of the sea near a tiny atoll, slow-moving heavy-shelled conch sort of rolled along...
Yellowstone flooding rebuild could take years, cost billions
Created in 1872 as the United States was recovering from the Civil War, Yellowstone was the first of the national parks that came to be referred to as America’s best idea. Now, the home to gushing geysers, thundering waterfalls and some of the country’s most plentiful and diverse wildlife is...
Airlines were totally unprepared when travel came roaring back
Airline and airport executives spent the past two years trying to convince everyone it’s safe to fly during a pandemic, touting reduced touch points and hospital-grade filters. Little did they know how overwhelmed they’d be once travel came roaring back. From Sydney, where passengers are waiting for hours to check...
Towns near Yellowstone fear impact of lost tourism seasonVideo
RED LODGE, Mont. — A gnawing uncertainty hung over the Yellowstone National Park gateway town of Gardiner this week following unprecedented flooding that shut down one of America’s most beloved natural attractions and swept away roads, bridges and homes. Gardiner itself escaped the flooding but briefly became home to hundreds...
Do you think inflation is tough? Try vacation inflation
It’s not just gasoline prices that are making travelers swoon during this summer vacation season. From airfare to hotels, airport shuttles to parking, the cost for every aspect of leisure and hospitality is up and forcing vacationers to alter plans just as they look to shake off two years of...
Deadbolts, door stops and detours: The CIA shares how to travel like a spy
Staying in a high-rise hotel on vacation this summer? Ask for a room below the top floors, but above the first. Familiarize yourself with the exits. And bring your own door stop. The CIA is offering these tips and more to Americans, borrowing from best practices of CIA officers located...
Air travelers face cancellations over Memorial Day weekend
Airline travelers are not only facing sticker shock this Memorial Day weekend, the kickoff to the summer travel season. They’re also dealing with a pileup of flight cancellations. More than 1,200 flights were canceled as of 2 p.m EST Saturday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. That followed more than...
Bedford County cottages are last of their era in Lincoln Highway overnight stops
Nearly 40 years ago, Virginia natives Bob and Debbie Altizer got a map and drew a circle with a 200-mile radius centered on Washington, D.C. They were looking to operate a hospitality or retail business within that territory, and in 1983 they purchased the Lincoln Motor Court. Now the last...
Airbnb overhauls site searches with categories of rentals
SAN FRANCISCO — Airbnb said Wednesday it is overhauling the way that consumers search for rental listings, adding dozens of categories including “chef’s kitchens” and “historical homes” to its current listings, which are mostly searched by location. The company will also let people book split stays between homes and it...
Tourism, economic agencies join forces to market Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. — It’s an idea that almost seems as compatible as Mickey and Minnie. Take the tens of millions of tourists who are thinking about visiting central Florida’s theme parks each year and sell them on the virtues of moving their companies or businesses to the region. In the...
Countdown begins for Pennsylvania Real ID requirement
Pennsylvanians have one year until the Real ID requirement for domestic air travel in the United States goes into effect. After two years of pandemic-driven delays, the federal requirement will be put into place May 3, 2023. “Although a year seems like a long time to get ready, the deadline...
Afraid to fly with unmasked passengers? Call your airline
DALLAS — Airlines say they are offering options — including refunds in some cases — for people worried about flying now that other passengers aren’t required to wear face masks. However, the airlines aren’t providing many details. Customers could find themselves at the mercy of workers at airline customer-service centers....
Florida judge voids U.S. mask mandate for planes, other travelVideo
A federal judge in Florida on Monday voided the national mask mandate covering airlines and other public transportation as exceeding the authority of U.S. health officials in their response to the coronavirus pandemic. The mandate, recently extended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, covered a vast array...
Refusing masks, smoking weed and more: Unruly passengers still disrupt U.S. flights
The Federal Aviation Administration announced its largest ever fine for unruly behavior this month, demanding $81,950 from a woman who was duct-taped to her seat on an American Airlines flight to Charlotte in July. According to the FAA, the woman threatened to hurt a flight attendant after falling into the...
Mexico’s converted island prison ready to receive tourists
MEXICO CITY — A small archipelago off Mexico’s Pacific coast that had been home to an island prison colony is now ready to receive tourists. Getting to Islas Marias, however, will be a challenge for even the sturdiest tourist: a five-hour boat ride in often choppy waters. But some people,...
9 things you should never pack in a checked bag
While we’re big fans of packing light and sticking to a carry-on bag, for longer vacations or trips with lots of souvenirs (hello, wine from France), checking a bag can be the best option. But before you stuff everything into your suitcase and send it on its way, check out...
As air travel picks up in Pittsburgh, TSA reminds travelers: ‘Know what’s in your bag’
As air travel picks up again, Transportation Security Administration officials at Pittsburgh International Airport are reminding travelers to double check their carry-on bags for some of the more innocuous items that can cause headaches at security checkpoints. Across the country, TSA officers are screening between 2 and 2.3 million passengers...
