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...
Travel tip: AAA survey reveals concerns about self-driving cars
A January AAA survey on automated vehicles says only about 12% of drivers would trust riding in a self-driving car. Driver concerns include knowing who will be legally responsible in the event of a crash, having laws to make sure self-driving cars are safe and knowing how vulnerable the vehicles...
Airlines relax policies, step up cleaning as coronavirus spreads
Major airlines are relaxing policies around flight change and cancellation fees and stepping up their cleaning efforts as coronavirus continues to spread. The global travel industry has taken a hit from the novel respiratory virus that causes covid-19, as the death toll from the virus continues to rise in the...
RSVP ‘maybe’? Coronavirus puts wedding industry on edge
NEW YORK — Guests are jittery, travel is tangled, and soon-to-be brides and grooms are facing tough choices because of the coronavirus outbreak: postpone, cancel or forge ahead with their weddings? Uncertainty as virus cases grow in the U.S. and elsewhere has sent ripples through the wedding industry, from photographers...
Travelers can now take up to 12 ounces of hand sanitizer through airport security
Transportation Security Administration officials announced travelers can bring larger amounts of liquid hand sanitizer on board with them in response to coronavirus concerns. Passengers can now pass security with 12-ounce containers of hand sanitizer in carry-on bags until further notice. The adjusted policy only applies to hand sanitizer. Limits on...
Disney World closes theme parks for rest of March as coronavirus concerns swell
ORLANDO, Fla. — Throughout its nearly 50-year history, Walt Disney World has closed briefly a handful of times from looming hurricanes and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but late Thursday, the company announced it would shut down for nearly two weeks starting Sunday because of the coronavirus pandemic — an unprecedented...
Marilyn, soup cans, wigs feature in Warhol show at Tate in London
Images of soup cans and Marilyn Monroe’s lips are on display in a new Andy Warhol show at London’s Tate Modern — alongside several of the artist’s wigs. The exhibition includes more than 100 works by the pop-art icon, including Coke bottles, Campbell’s soup cans and celebrities including Dolly Parton,...
Travel tip: Tour Northwestern Pennsylvania maple sugarhouses
One sure sign that spring is coming is when the maple sap starts flowing, and farmers tap their trees to begin the syrup-making process. The Northwest Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Association has scheduled its 16th annual Maple Taste & Tour Weekend for March 14-15, including free tours of working regional...
Wisconsin hosts largest technical dairy competition in world
MADISON, Wis. — The largest technical cheese, butter and yogurt competition in the world started Tuesday in Wisconsin, with a record 3,667 entries from 26 nations. The 55 judges taste, sniff and inspect the 132 classes of dairy products during the biennial World Championship Cheese Contest. The judges include cheese...
Escape the crowds with Disney World VIP experience packages
With an average annual attendance of more than 52 million visitors, Orlando’s Walt Disney World is the most-visited theme park in the world. While most guests wait hours in lines during a typical visit and might spend a little extra for some ice cream or sodas, others fork over a...
Travel tip: 10 destinations for cheap spring break travel
College students have their priorities, like picking the right major, studying hard, getting good grades — and figuring out where to go for spring break. If saving money is also on the list, U.S. News has a list of cheap spring break destinations, determined by factors including lodging costs, atmosphere,...
Travel tip: Let Ohio scenic railroad be your designated driver
Talk about a designated driver. Among various themed excursions, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway in Ohio offers “Ales on Rails” and “Cocktails on Rails” tasting trips for passengers 21 and older. A Bacardi-themed cocktail run, offering passengers three drinks and appetizers, is scheduled for Feb. 28. On March 6, Ales...
These 5 day trips will make rare Leap Day Saturday special
Leap Day falls on Saturday only once every 28 years, and 2020 is one of those special years. It’s an occasion worth noting, since the average person will experience it twice or — maybe — three times in a lifetime. Keeping with the special day theme, here are five Leap...
