French Polynesia’s Best-Kept Secret: Tahaa
Want to get away from it all in the South Pacific? Crowds are small at this Tahitian island—it doesn't even have an airport—but the snorkeling, sunsets, and French Polynesian culture are richly rewarding.
To Visit This Island Paradise You Have to Pledge to Protect the Environment
Posted on 01/04/2018, 8:45 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 law...
Days When You Can Visit U.S. National Parks for Free in 2018
Posted on 01/04/2018, 9:00 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'v...
The Cruise Industry Goes All Out to Claim Caribbean Ports Have Recovered
Posted on 10/20/2017, 5:15 PM
When did you last see an ad for land-based resorts in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands? You probably haven’t. The damage to beaches and roads leading to some of those properties seems too significant to overcome concerns about them. While such major Caribbean islands as Jamaica, Aruba, Curacao, St. Lucia, and others have suffered no damage at all from the recent hurricanes, Puerto R...
If You Crave a Caribbean Vacation, Many Areas Escaped Storm Damage: A List
Posted on 10/10/2017, 4:45 PM
This coming winter, many thousands of Americans will agonize over whether they can enjoy tropical vacations in the Caribbean of the sort they once knew. Should they even bother to apply for reservations in an area broadly damaged by hurricanes? Fortunately, a majority of these famed islands was either unaffected by storms or else so moderately damaged that they can be restored and repaired...
Starting Oct. 13, Drive California's Highway 1 from Carmel to Big Sur Again
Posted on 10/09/2017, 2:45 AM
With the completion of the new Pfeiffer Creek Bridge in Big Sur, California, a key portion of the state's spectacularly scenic Highway 1 is set to reopen on October 13. The original bridge had to be demolished in March after damage caused by heavy rains. That cut Big Sur in two and made it impossible for drivers to complete the rugged central coast route that starts in Carmel—one of the country'...
Waterfront Entertainment Complex in D.C. Set to Open Oct. 12
Posted on 10/02/2017, 11:45 PM
A soon-to-open waterfront development in Washington, D.C. is set to offer visitors a bunch of new dining, entertainment, and outdoor recreation options just south of the National Mall. Scheduled to begin welcoming guests on October 12, The Wharf is an ambitious project combining more than 20 food and drink venues, three hotels, shops, a 6,000-seat concert hall, and a water taxi system along a mil...
Florida Keys to Reopen to Tourists October 1
Posted on 09/25/2017, 8:30 PM
The Florida Keys will reopen to tourists on October 1, government officials there have announced. The archipelago just off the southern tip of Florida was hit with extreme force by Hurricane Irma on September 10, when the Category 4 storm made landfall, destroying an estimated 25% of homes on the islands. In the immediate aftermath, officials advised travelers to postpone trips to the area w...
$5/Day One-Way Car Rentals to Florida Right Now
Posted on 09/20/2017, 11:00 PM
It's time for the Great Florida Drive-In. Each autumn, the major rental car brands need to shift inventory to their parking lots in Florida to meet winter tourist demand. Normally, it'll cost a hefty extra fee to drop off a rental car in a different location than where you picked it up. Not right now. For the next few weeks, renters in the northeastern United States will find deals that hover aro...
Not All of the Caribbean was Devastated by Irma: Don't Neglect the Rest
Posted on 09/15/2017, 6:00 PM
Our hearts go out to those island nations that suffered so badly from recent storms—St. Martin, the Virgin Islands, Barbuda, among them. But by assuming that all such islands were equally affected, and by then canceling our general plans to vacation in the Caribbean, we increase the suffering of that area. It’s important to realize that some Caribbean islands were totally or primarily by...
One U.S. Virgin Islands Resort Stands a Good Chance of Reopening First
Posted on 09/15/2017, 5:15 PM
Back in July, it was announced that a new management company had taken over the unique tented community known as Cinnamon Bay on the gorgeous island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The news was greeted with enthusiasm by the tens of thousands of unpretentious, cost-conscious tourists who, over the years, have used large tents as their beachfront accommodations in St. John. The new...
U.S. Expands Mexico Travel Warning to Include Cancun and Los Cabos
Posted on 08/24/2017, 7:00 PM
For the first time, the U.S. State Department has expanded its Mexico travel warning to include the states where some of the country's most popular beach resorts are located. Updating a warning released in December, the government names Baja California Sur and Quintana Roo among the places where U.S. citizens have been the victims of violence caused by criminal organizations. Baja California S...
