Disney, Universal may require masks, but will tourists comply and how can it be enforced?
ORLANDO, Fla. — Quarantined alone for weeks, Kristen Hariton listens to Walt Disney World ride soundtracks while she works in her one-bedroom condo. Her music playlist is the best she can do right now since she has lost her happiest place on Earth. Hariton says she would do anything, including...
When Disney parks reopen, masks will likely be the normVideo
Disney amusement parks in Orlando, Fla., and Anaheim, Calif., are still closed, but with the park in Shanghai reopened Monday, there are signs of what may be in store for the other parks when they reopen. Among the measures in place in Shanghai are: smaller number of people in the...
Stuck on cruise ships during pandemic, crews beg to go home
MIAMI — Carolina Vásquez lost track of days and nights, unable to see the sunlight while stuck for two weeks in a windowless cruise ship cabin as a fever took hold of her body. On the worst night of her encounter with COVID-19, the Chilean woman, a line cook on...
Outer Banks set to reopen to visitorsVideo
Three counties on North Carolina’s tourist-reliant Outer Banks announced plans Wednesday to lift coronavirus-related visitor restrictions, although they warned of the need to continue to practice social distancing amid the ongoing pandemic. In a joint statement, officials in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties said restrictions on entry for visitors will...
Ocean City set to reopen beaches, boardwalk Mother’s Day weekend
The boardwalk and beach in Ocean City, Md., will reopen Saturday, WBAL-TV reported. People will not be required to wear masks, but city council is urging beachgoers to continue to practice social distancing. Restaurants will still be open for carry-out only, and hotels are open only for essential workers, WBAL...
Carnival Cruise Lines plans to sail again starting in AugustVideo
Carnival Cruise Lines said Monday that it plans to gradually resume cruising in North America in August, nearly five months after it halted operations because of the new coronavirus. Sailings will begin Aug. 1 with eight ships setting off from Galveston, Texas; Miami; and Port Canaveral, Fla. A majority of...
Nemacolin to reopen with limited occupancy, private butlers
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington plans to partially reopen its five-star hotel — Falling Rock — on May 8. Private butlers will provide each guest with a customized itinerary and will be available 24/7 via phone call, text or video for assistance. All guests will receive a mask, hand sanitizer...
American, JetBlue want travelers to wear masks while flying
As the covid-19 pandemic decimates demand for air travel, U.S. carriers have taken several unprecedented steps to increase onboard safety. The latest: urging passengers to wear face masks. The world’s largest carrier, American Airlines, said Monday that passengers will be handed a mask and hand sanitizer when boarding some flights,...
Average gas prices in Pittsburgh area remain over $2 a gallon
Pennsylvania is among a dozen states where average gasoline prices remain over $2 a gallon, despite nine straight weeks of declines. Pennsylvania’s statewide average is about $2.03 a gallon, according to the price-tracking service GasBuddy. The average price is slightly higher in the Pittsburgh area, at $2.15 a gallon, GasBuddy’s...
5 virtual vacations you can take right now
It is the start of yet another week of staying at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus. We are looking forward to the day we can again hop a plane, train or automobile and explore the world. But until we get the all-clear from officials, you can take...
Virtually tour Fallingwater and other Frank Lloyd Wright sitesVideo
Tired of touring your house during this coronavirus lockdown? Why not tour someone else’s house — particularly one designed by Frank Lloyd Wright? Fallingwater, the Wright-designed home in Western Pennsylvania that’s considered one of the world’s most prized architectural wonders, is among a dozen Wright-designed properties participating in a virtual...
‘It cannot get worse’: Airlines see fewest travelers since 9/11 attacks
The number of people boarding flights in the United States reached a new low Tuesday, with likely the fewest travelers in a single day since flights were grounded in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Transportation Security Administration said 87,534 people boarded flights Tuesday, down 96% from...
Collectible seashells pile up on Outer Banks during coronavirus tourist banVideo
Seashells don’t normally stand a chance on Outer Banks beaches this time of year. The interesting ones get snatched up by families on spring break and end up as keepsakes or in crafts back home. This year, the coronavirus pandemic prompted counties along North Carolina’s coast to close their beaches...
Major airlines line up to split $25 billion in payroll aid
The nation’s biggest airlines have tentatively agreed to terms for $25 billion in government aid to pay workers and avoid massive layoffs in an industry that has been slammed by the coronavirus pandemic. The assistance will include a mix of cash and loans, with the government getting warrants that can...
Coronavirus ravages storied New Orleans Mardi Gras group
NEW ORLEANS — On Fat Tuesday, 51-year-old Cornell Charles was taking part in a storied New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition central to the city’s African American community — driving a car in the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club’s parade. A month later his wife of three decades was watching...
Warnings multiply against Easter holiday travel, gatheringsVideo
BERLIN — As the Easter holiday approaches, world leaders and health officials are fervently warning that the hard-won gains in the fight against the coronavirus must not be jeopardized by relaxing social distancing. A spike in deaths in Britain and New York and surges of reported new infections in Japan...
Bitter business for maple syrup makers amid virus outbreak
MARSHFIELD, Vt. — The sap has been flowing for weeks in trees in maple country, but syrup sales may not be so swift, with restaurants and specialty food shops closed, sugaring events canceled and fans staying home to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. In the largest maple-producing state,...
Air traffic plummets at Western Pa. airportsVideo
Josh Clevenger didn’t have to worry about having enough leg room or overhead bin space Wednesday on his flight from Fort Myers, Fla., to Pittsburgh International Airport. “I had five rows in front of me completely empty and five rows behind me completely empty,” said Clevenger, 31, of Englewood, Fla....
Pittsburgh International housing more than 100 grounded planes in its airfield
More than 100 planes are parked at Pittsburgh International Airport as the coronavirus halts travel across the world and airlines need somewhere for their aircraft to wait out the pandemic. A majority of the planes are owned by American Airlines and Republic Airways, according to BlueSky, the airport’s news service....
10 ways to make better photo memories when you can travel again
How to keep travel memories alive? Incorporate these steps into your travel routine before you head out the next time. Some are as easy as planning a meet-up with locals who know the lay of the land; others are about collecting information you can use when you return home. Here...
Travel tip: Cruise line offers credit to passengers changing plans
Royal Caribbean is offering a “Cruise With Confidence” plan to passengers already booked on a cruise, or those thinking about booking. The Future Cruise Credit plan allows passengers to cancel bookings on any cruise that embarks through July 31 from any port for credit on a future cruise. Cancellations must...
Many airline flights nearly empty as virus undercuts travel
Airline service in the United States is teetering on the brink of collapse, with near-empty planes and coronavirus outbreaks that have left some air traffic control towers empty. Even with sharply reduced schedules, airlines are consolidating some of the remaining flights because passengers aren’t showing up. An official of one...
Travel tip: Indiana County waterfall makes for scenic day trip
With a hiking trail, picnic pavilion and a 45-foot waterfall, Buttermilk Falls Natural Area near Clyde, Indiana County, makes for a quick and scenic outing. Steps leading to the base of the falls include several viewing platforms, and there is access to walk behind the falls at the bottom. The...
Now is a good time to plan future family travel bucket list
While most of us may not be traveling any time soon, that doesn’t mean we can’t plan for the future. While many schools are out and we’re spending more time at home, consider creating a family travel bucket list for future use. Here are five ideas to consider: Reflect your...
US tourists stranded abroad don’t know when they’ll return
Linda Scruggs and Mike Rustici trained for months to hike the winding trails leading to Machu Picchu’s complex of Inca ruins. So they were thrilled when their flight landed last Friday in the Peruvian capital. They managed to do part of their trek but now they are trapped in a...
