Company plans ultimate balloon ride to the edge of spaceVideo
Looking for a trip that’s out of this world? Well, almost. How about a balloon trip up 19 miles over the Atlantic Ocean? That would be high enough to view the Earth’s curvature and take in a sight that only astronauts have been lucky enough to see. The company —...
Norwegian Cruise Line extends cruise suspensions as pandemic continues
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will be extending suspensions for three of its cruise lines. On Tuesday, Norwegian said three of its cruise brands will extend cruise cancellations. All voyages embarking from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30 from Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will be canceled....
Airlines suspend in-flight alcohol service during pandemic
If you’re expecting to have the chance to grab a cold one while in flight to your next destination, don’t. Airlines around the world, including Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, domestically, are halting alcoholic beverage service in response to the coronavirus. According to CNN, the move is part of...
New roller coaster highlights Hersheypark’s reopening on July 3Video
After months of coronavirus precautions, Hersheypark is getting ready to reopen. And when guests finally start visiting on July 3, they’ll be able to experience a new ride that’s billed as the park’s fastest, tallest and longest roller coaster. Candymonium reaches 210 feet high with a max speed of 76...
Care-free days at theme parks giving way to virus safeguards
TOLEDO, Ohio — Hugs from Mickey Mouse are out at Walt Disney World. So is bunching up at Six Flags to snag a front-seat roller coaster ride. But the season won’t be completely lost for thrill-seekers. Carefree days of sharing cotton candy on crowded midways will give way this year...
Pack swimsuit, mask, California welcomes back tourists
SAN DIEGO — There will be no packed double-decker safari buses with tour guides rolling through the San Diego Zoo, nor animal shows that draw crowds — nor breakfast buffets at hotels. Instead, hotels are adorning lobbies with hand sanitizing dispensers and will be limiting how many people lounge by...
Disney plans to reopen California theme parks in July
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Disney is proposing to reopen its Southern California theme parks in mid-July after what will be a four-month closure due to the coronavirus, the company said on Wednesday. Disney Parks, Experiences and Products said in a statement that the goal is to reopen Disneyland and Disney California...
Cedar Point to reopen in July, starting with season passholders
Cedar Point announced Tuesday it will begin a phased reopening for the 2020 season, starting with Season Passholders only. In a statement on the park’s website, the company said it “has put stringent health, safety and hygiene protocols in place to allow a safe opening.” On July 9 and 10,...
Cedar Point, Kalahari Resorts sue Ohio over coronavirus restrictions
Three Ohio amusement and water parks are arguing that the state’s Department of Health does not have the constitutional authority to keep them closed despite the coronavirus pandemic, according to a lawsuit filed Friday. The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, which filed the suit on behalf of Cedar Point, Kalahari...
Universal takes 1st steps reviving Orlando theme park bizVideo
ORLANDO, Fla. — With masks on their faces and temperature checks at entrances, Harry Potter fans and roller coaster lovers streamed back into Universal Orlando Resort this week in one of the first major steps toward reviving Florida’s theme park industry, which was left temporarily moribund by closures to stop...
Disney plans to reopen parks beginning July 11Video
Looks like a lot of people are about to get a whole lot happier. Disney announced Wednesday it is hoping to reopen all four of its parks — the Happiest Place on Earth — in Orlando, Fla., by mid-July, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The phased reopening would begin July 11...
Universal Orlando seeks to reopen theme parks in early June
ORLANDO, Fla. — Universal Orlando is aiming to reopen its theme parks in early June, a resort official said Thursday, more than two months after the company joined crosstown rivals Disney World and SeaWorld in closing their gates to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. Universal Orlando executive John...
Uncertain future rattles Italy’s famed restaurantsVideo
ROME — Italy’s restaurants and pizzerias, for foodies the world over a key reason to visit, are facing an existential threat. Those that didn’t fold after 10 weeks of a strict coronavirus lockdown are emerging to find that new social distancing requirements might yet drive them out of business. While...
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...
