U.S. Civil Rights Trail Links Dozens of Historic Sites in 14 States
Posted on 01/16/2018, 6:00 PM
Fourteen states, covering a chunk of the U.S. from Delaware to Kansas, are joining together to promote tourism to more than 100 landmarks crucial to the struggle for civil rights.The U.S. Civil Rights Trail is a first-of-its-kind effort by tourism officials to expand smaller state programs, such as the Mississippi Freedom Trail, to cover a multi-state region predominantly in the South, the setting ...
Tour Operator to Pay Passport Fees for Travelers Age 18–35
Posted on 01/13/2018, 4:30 AM
More than half of Americans age 18–35 don't have passports, according to Contiki, a tour operator specializing in that very demographic.For a limited time, Contiki is offering some passport-acquiring incentive to first-time international travelers—at least, those who fall within the 18–35 age range.Contiki customers who book one of the company's trips lasting longer than seven days can get their pa...
Now You Can Fly Round-Trip to Europe for €399—with a Catch
Posted on 01/10/2018, 7:00 PM
First, U.S. domestic airlines introduced Basic Economy fares so their rates would appear more competitive with low-cost carriers in Web searches.Now the transatlantic airlines are stripping down their benefits to compete with low-cost airlines. First it was Icelandair, which came up with Economy Light, which only allows for a single carry-on up to 22 pounds (10kg)—no checked bags permitted.TAP Air ...
No More Airline Miles for Hotel Stays Among Changes to Hilton's Loyalty Program
Posted on 01/10/2018, 6:30 PM
Hilton Worldwide is making changes to its 70-million-member hotel loyalty program, Hilton Honors.Among the most consequential of the updates: Starting April 1, members will no longer be able to earn airline miles from stays at Hilton hotels. Though it will still be possible to transfer loyalty points to the airline of your choice, the move makes it even harder for ordinary travelers to gain miles f...
Strange Japanese Ferris Wheel Reopening After Nearly a Decade
Posted on 01/09/2018, 4:00 PM
It sure doesn't look like it, but the structure pictured above is actually a Ferris wheel. The oblong oddity adorns the Don Quijote discount shopping center along the Dotonbori River in Osaka, Japan.Opened in 2005, the ride hasn't been operational since 2008, when a mechanical problem put it out of commission.But fielding questions about the Ferris wheel for nearly a decade has finally persuaded th...
NYC's Met to Charge Mandatory Admission to Out-of-Towners
Posted on 01/05/2018, 6:15 PM
For the first time since its founding in the 1870s, New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art is instituting a mandatory admission fee. Starting March 1, visitors who do not live in New York State will be charged $25 to enter. That ticket will be valid for three consecutive days at the Met and its offshoots, the Met Breuer and the Cloisters. There will not be separate lines at any of those places ...
To Visit This Island Paradise You Have to Pledge to Protect the Environment
Posted on 01/04/2018, 3:45 PM
In order to enter the island nation of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean, visitors must now sign a "passport pledge" to protect the environment.The mandatory vow was enacted to counter the negative effects of tourism on the country's 200 islands and their coral reefs, volcanic hills, rich biodiversity, and cultural sites. The move makes Palau the world's first nation to change immigration laws in ...
Days When You Can Visit U.S. National Parks for Free in 2018
Posted on 01/04/2018, 4:00 AM
Each year, the National Park system throws open its gates for a few days and spreads the good word by admitting everyone without charging entry fees. It's a great way for low-income families, students, and seniors to experience the parks, and hundreds of thousands of Americans take advantage of the invitation annually.The Department of the Interior has announced the free days for 2018—and they've b...
When Southern California Museums Open for Free This Month
Posted on 01/03/2018, 7:30 PM
The 13th annual Free-for-All day at Southern California museums will be Sunday, January 28. Nineteen institutions in the area will waive their admission fees on that day, offering access to their artistic, cultural, natural, and scientific holdings at no charge.An additional 18 museums where admission is always free are also listed as participants—though in their cases, we guess the event is more o...
Huge Nature-Themed Light Show Illuminates Winter Nights in Japan
Posted on 01/02/2018, 8:00 AM
Each winter at Japan's Nagashima Resort in the city of Kuwana, millions of LED lights are used to create ravishing nighttime nature scenes. Held in the gardens of the complex (which also has an amusement park and hot springs), the Nabana No Sato display has previously depicted Mount Fuji and the Northern Lights, among other wonders.For 2018, the focus is Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture. As CNN reports,...
