Tagged: airports

Unless We Make Immediate Investments in our Airport Infrastructure, We Are Bound to Face Horrendous Conditions in 5 to 10 Years

If you were at your local airport on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, you probably recall the visit as one of discomfort and dread.Crowds pushing and shoving, lines…

Theft of Mobile Devices Is On the Rise At Airports and In Airplanes. Here are Some Strategies to Keep Your Possessions Safe

Some 50% of the thefts in North America today involve mobile devices. That’s right: there are few more coveted prizes for criminals today than the laptop, phone or tablet you’re…

Confused About Navigating the Airport? One of Them Will Take $80 to Guide You Through It

More and more, airlines stand to make a lot more money when airports do their jobs inefficiently. Last month, I told you about how one airline at JFK was raking in fees for instant…

The Airlines Sometimes Profit when the TSA Does its Job Inefficiently

On Saturday morning at JFK, the line for passengers to have their I.D.s inspected by the Transportation Security Administration was extraordinarily long, and the lines to go through…

Traveler's Ski Report: Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana

Otherworldly is a fitting word to describe the scene atop Big Mountain, the trees bending over under the weight of the ice crystals -- collectively known as rime -- that have…

10 Survival Tips for Holiday Travel

Crowded airports, long lines, delayed flights, and angry people. Oh sure, you love the holidays, but there is little to celebrate about holiday travel. How do you cope? Here are a few…

Exploring the Knife River Indian Villages of North Dakota

If you have ever have wanted to visit an authentic Native American prairie village, you should get yourself up to western North Dakota and visit the Knife River Indian Villages…

Travel Troubleshooter: Help! They Upgraded My Hotel Bill

Olivia Suarez books a hotel room for her husband in Valencia, Spain, through a travel agent. But when he's sent to another hotel, his bill also gets an upgrade -- to the tune of more…

Paris: Free Museums, Sightseeing Tours, Concerts & More

Paris may seem like an expensive city, but it's possible to find free concerts, museums, and walking tours if you look beyond the obvious landmarks. Paris Zero Euro is the brainchild…

Paris: Photo Sightseeing Tours

Since Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, you'll want to take exceptional photos on your trip. Here's how to photograph Paris like a pro. Paris Photo Tips from…

Cruising in Asia Aboard Costa Allegra

Cruising in Asia is a great way to get a taste of the culture without the hassle of flying between countries, and the Costa Allegra is a casual, unpretentious option. Built 18 years…

The Best Bars and Live Music Venues in Key West

When you think of music in Key West, it isn't just Jimmy Buffett and Margaritaville that should come to mind, though that's a good start. Buffett is said to maintain a home here and…

New York City's Dutch Treats and Historic Sites

Even though the Dutch were only in charge here for some 50 years back in the 1600s, they had a profound influence on the city. The entrepreneurial spirit of the Dutch helped turn New…

Travel Troubleshooter: Wait! I Never Bought Flight Insurance

Angie Zimmerman calls United Airlines to fix a seat assignment and ends up with a mysterious $35 fee. The airline says it's for insurance, but she insists she never bought the policy.…

Hold Your Breath for Cancun's Latest Attraction

How can a collection of underwater man-made sculptures help protect habitats for sealife? One artificial reef expert thinks he knows how. Most artists go to great lengths to preserve…

How Free Wi-Fi Can Help Cure the Holiday Travel Delay Blues

Face it: you're going to get stuck somewhere this holiday season. That's already happening to friends of mine, who are (at this writing) waiting for an alternative flight to New…

5 Tips to Avoiding a Customer Service Nightmare

Ask Bonnie Friedman about her worst customer service experience, and she won't hesitate to tell you about the time she checked in for her flight from Venice to Frankfurt.An agent…

3 Family Cruises for Smarty Pants and Their Parents

As we preach from time to time, all cruises aren't created equal. There are the big mega ships that appeal to excitement seekers wanting a Vegas-y whirl of entertainment options and…

Park Notes: Playing Politics & Preparing to Get Burns-ed

Waiting Game on Director Appointment Here we are, nearly nine months into the Obama administration, and we still don't have a new National Park Service director.Why not? Political…

Victoria, British Columbia: Impossibly Beautiful

"Victoria is such a lovely place," said the lady on my left as we pulled into that city's fabled Inner Harbour. Yes, it is, I thought, and it's no insult to say that its planners…

Walk This Way: Five Great Sunday Strolls in Paris

There are many great Paris Walks, but you really need to pay attention along the way. Strolling through the city's streets lets you soak up the Parisian ambiance like a native. What:…

Deal or No Deal? Why a Free Night Isn't Always a Smart Move

Hotels and resorts are always giving away free nights these days. But free nights won't always save you money. That's because the "free night" may be calculated at a nightly rate…

Take a Trip Down Memory Lane at Disneyland

Come on. Let's have some fun. We deserve it.Ignore those office emails, forget all about the economy and for an afternoon focus instead on what's really important, especially on…

How to Get Up, Up and Away in Barcelona

Barcelona is blessed with a dramatic setting: the entire city slopes from dramatic hills down to the sea. But most tourists don't get much higher than Montjuic, the complex of museums…

Planning and Saving on Family Camping Trips

I never figured on the rain. The idea was to introduce the kids to the backcountry without all the work that backpacking entails. We planned to hike to a backcountry New Hampshire hut…