Surprise! These Ships Are Infinitely Superior, and Certainly Cheaper, Than a Standard Alaska Cruise
Posted on 02/23/2017, 7:00 PM
The 11 passenger ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System, each pursuing a different itinerary among up to 35 communities starting in Bellingham, Washington, are an authentic alternative to noisy and overpriced mainstream cruises....
Tourists Can Take Martial Arts Classes from Local Police in Japan
Posted on 02/23/2017, 12:00 AM
A novel activity will soon be on offer for English-speaking tourists in Japan: They can take a martial arts class led by local police officers. Starting in March, hourlong beginner-level classes will take place in the city of Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, and will be taught by members of the police force who have black belts in judo and kendo, which involves bamboo swords. After class, you can...
Toll Proposed for San Francisco's Crooked Lombard Street
Posted on 02/22/2017, 12:00 AM
A San Francisco city supervisor has proposed a toll for cars traveling on the city's famously crooked Lombard Street in order to ease the 600-foot thoroughfare's overwhelming congestion. About two million tourists visit the hilly zigzag each year, and the traffic can be maddening for residents, especially during the summer, when as many as 17,000 drivers and pedestrians come to Lombard Street...
WATCH: At Ancient Roman Site, Virtual Reality Transports Visitors Back in Time
Posted on 02/21/2017, 12:00 AM
Virtual reality is often presented as a way of going to cool or made-up places without actually leaving the sofa, museum, or shopping mall kiosk where you don the VR headset. But in Rome, the technology is being used to enhance rather than replace visits to ancient sites, revealing how they looked in their long-ago heyday. At the Domus Aurea, an enormous cavern that was once a palace belong...
The Travel Press is Reporting the 'Trump Slump,' a Devastating Drop in Tourism to the United States
Posted on 02/20/2017, 9:00 PM
Experts across the travel industry are warning that masses of tourists are being scared away from visiting the United States, and the loss of tourism jobs could be devastating....
White House Tours to Resume in March
Posted on 02/20/2017, 12:00 AM
The White House will soon be open for tours again. First lady Melania Trump announced in a statement that the tours will resume on March 7. They've been on hold since her husband took office because the Administration has yet to appoint someone to run the White House Visitors Office—something that has reportedly annoyed members of Congress fielding tour reqests from constituents. But now i...
TSA May Soon Stop Accepting Driver’s Licenses from These Nine States
Posted on 02/16/2017, 12:00 AM
Some airline passengers may be in for a rude awakening next January if they live in one of the nine states where driver’s licenses do not comply with the REAL ID Act, a federal mandate to establish minimum security standards for state-issued IDs. Starting in January 2018, non-compliant driver’s licenses from Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina...
New Airport Puts More Caribbean Islands in Play
Posted on 02/15/2017, 3:30 PM
St. Vincent and the Grenadines are some of the prettiest islands in the Caribbean. They're lightly developed, bucolic-feeling, famous for countless empty beaches and chill village nightlife. That's because up to now, their primary airport couldn't handle long-haul flights, so the best way to reach them has pretty much been by yacht or small ship. Limited access has a way of keeping a place quai...
Why You Should Renew Your Passport ASAP
Posted on 02/15/2017, 12:00 AM
Getting a new or renewed passport could take longer than normal this year. U.S. government officials are anticipating a higher volume of renewals in 2017 because a whole bunch of travelers got new passports in 2007, and now those documents are reaching their 10-year expiration dates. Processing all of those renewals will take some time. What was so special about 2007? That was when a law we...
Bulletproof Wall Soon to Surround Base of Eiffel Tower
Posted on 02/14/2017, 12:00 AM
A wall is being put up around the base of the Eiffel Tower, Paris officials have announced. The "aesthetic perimeter," as it's being euphemistically called, will be made of bulletproof glass and will stand 2.5 meters (8 feet) high. It's expected to cost €20 million ($21 million) and be finished sometime this fall. The move is being made in response to security concerns. France has been the ...
