Phoenix Considers Hiking Ban During Extreme Heat
Posted on 06/30/2016, 8:30 AM
The city of Phoenix is considering new rules that would close its vast network of hiking trails during periods of extreme heat. Under the policy being mulled over, the closures would kick in for hikers whenever temperatures reach 110 degrees (dogs would be banned from trails at 100 degrees). The proposal comes amid a wave of life-threatening heat in Arizona that has resulted in dozens of emerge...
Travelers to Dominican Republic Lead Positive Zika Tests in NYC
Posted on 06/30/2016, 8:15 AM
According to data from New York City's health department, more than half of residents who have tested positive for the Zika virus had recently traveled to the Dominican Republic. Recent visitors to Puerto Rico were a distant second. The mosquito-borne illness results in mild symptoms or none at all for most who contract it, but Zika poses a special risk for pregnant women because it can result ...
Elevated Park Opens at WTC Site
Posted on 06/29/2016, 4:45 PM
An elevated park overlooking the World Trade Center memorial opened in New York City on Wednesday. Modeled after Manhattan's popular High Line, the 1-acre, $50 million Liberty Park helps cover up a security building used to screen vehicles entering the site of the September 11 attacks. The park's most striking feature is its "Living Wall," a vertical garden featuring more than 22,000 plants. Loc...
Discount Airline Coming to Newark
Posted on 06/29/2016, 8:00 AM
Allegiant Air will soon begin offering flights to and from Newark Liberty International Airport. That makes it the airport's first discount carrier since a government lawsuit charged United Airlines with monopolizing takeoff and landing slots there. Starting in November, you'll be able to fly on Allegiant between Newark and Cincinnati, Ohio; Savannah, Georgia; Asheville, North Carolina; and Kno...
Deadly Suicide Bombings at Istanbul Airport
Posted on 06/29/2016, 7:45 AM
Three suicide bombers attacked Istanbul Ataturk Airport last night, killing at least 41 people and injuring more than 230. According to Turkish officials, police shot at the attackers near the entrance to the international terminal, where they detonated their explosives. They did not make it through security. All flights were temporarity suspended at the airport—Istanbul's largest and busiest...
Cuban Hotel Becomes First Operated by US Company
Posted on 06/28/2016, 4:30 PM
Sometimes slapping a Four Points by Sheraton sign on the side of a building can be a historic event. That's what happened in Havana this week, as the Gaviota 5th Avenue Hotel began undergoing a Sheraton rebranding, making it the first hotel in Cuba to operate under a US company since Fidel Castro siezed control of the island nation in 1959. Owned by the military, the hotel is one of two that wi...
Spirit Airlines Seeks to Improve Operations, Reputation
Posted on 06/27/2016, 11:00 PM
If ever there were a company dedicated to proving you get what you pay for, it's Spirit Airlines—the budget carrier often named #1 when it comes to customer complaints and not arriving on time. Those who've never flown with Spirit might know the company best for its borderline-raunchy ad campaigns. Those who have flown on the airline probably know it best for nickel-and-diming them with a pleth...
Record Number of July 4th Travelers Expected
Posted on 06/27/2016, 10:45 PM
A record 43 million Americans are expected to travel during Independence Day weekend (Thursday, June 30-Monday, July 4). And according to AAA, a whopping 84% of them will be traveling by car. You can credit low gas prices and a pretty strong domestic economy—two good things you might find yourself cursing as you try to navigate the nation's clogged highways. All told, the number of travelers is ...
Uber to Downplay Surge Pricing
Posted on 06/27/2016, 10:30 PM
If you use Uber to get around when you're on vacation (or when you're home), you'll soon see a change in the ride-sharing service's most hated feature. That would be surge pricing, of course, which activates when demand for rides increases—on New Year's Eve, say, or during rush hour. Request an Uber during surge-pricing periods and you could pay up to six times the regular fare. Uber isn't do...
"Poshtels" Come to the USA
Posted on 06/27/2016, 8:45 AM
A new breed of posh hostels—or "poshtels"—have begun appearing in the United States after gaining popularity in Europe. Far from the old image of hostels as rundown, cramped, and uncomfortable, poshtels from brands such as Freehand and Generator feel more like boutique hotels at super-cheap prices. Rates for shared rooms can be as low as $25 a night, with many properties offering private rooms a...
