Talking with Frances Mayes About Her Latest Book, 'See You in the Piazza'
Posted on 05/01/2019, 2:00 PM
Frances Mayes, author of the memoir Under the Tuscan Sun, is to Tuscan travel what ketchup is to Russian dressing. For tens of thousands of vacationers, her tale—both the book that sat on the New York Times bestseller list for two years, and the Diane Lane film that fictionalized it—was the reason they chose to go this bucolic and beautiful corner of "The Boot." Now Mayes has a new book called...
Books, Games, Apps, and Activities to Get Kids Excited About Travel
Prepare your children for upcoming vacations by harnessing their innate curiosity and instilling a spirit of exploration that will last a lifetime.
Amish Sotheby's: What to Expect at a Mud Sale in Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Each spring, Amish and other residents of rural Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, gather for festive fundraisers with farm auctions, baked goods, and a chance to meet the locals. Here's what to know before you go.
Hey, Airlines! Maybe We Don't Want to Watch TV on Our Phones
Posted on 03/05/2019, 12:00 AM
The airlines have stripped coach passengers of nearly every vestige of dignity—our legroom, our food, our free checked bags. But they're not done yet. Now they are taking away seatback entertainment systems. Last year, Alaska Airlines took over Virgin America, one of the world's top-rated airlines for customer service. Virgin had a devoted following. Customers loved the carrier's sassy style an...
Dollywood's New Expansion, Open in May, Is Its Largest Ever
Posted on 02/25/2019, 7:00 PM
Dolly Parton's Dollywood amusement park—located in the foothills of Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains, where the country icon grew up—is opening its largest expansion ever this spring. The 6-acre, $37-million Wildwood Grove is a new themed land that will have 11 guest experiences, including 6 rides. Parton worked with the park's creative team to come up with a distinctive quality for the area,...
Mascot Hall of Fame Ready to Rev Up Crowds Near Chicago
Posted on 02/12/2019, 12:00 AM
Original Phillie Phanatic Dave Raymond founded the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2005 to pay tribute to professional and college sports teams' costumed crowd pleasers. The enterprise started out online-only, but after a five-year, multimillion-dollar project, there's now a brick-and-mortar-and-faux-fur building in Whiting, Indiana, on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, about a 45-minute drive from dow...
Rare Civil War Artifacts Debut at Philly’s Constitution Museum
Posted on 02/08/2019, 2:00 AM
Philadelphia's National Constitution Center—chartered by Congress to "disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis"—is adding a new permanent exhibit recounting a crucial chapter in that document's history. Opening May 9, "Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality" will use interactive multimedia and scores of historical artifacts to illustra...
Arthur Frommer: River Cruises Are Rushing to Attract Younger Passengers
Posted on 02/07/2019, 12:00 AM
When I went on my first river cruise (a sailing of Europe’s Rhine), I was almost the youngest person aboard. And if you’ve seen a recent photograph of me, you will know what the average age of those passengers was. In the past, river cruises were almost entirely booked by elderly people, many in their seventies and eighties. That’s now changing. Led by AmaWaterways, the pioneer in...
You Can Throw Your Own Parade in New Orleans! Here's How
Posted on 02/06/2019, 12:00 PM
You don’t have to be the king of a Mardi Gras club to throw your own parade and march through the streets of New Orleans. But if you do, you’ll certainly feel like one. While it's a little-known fact, it’s actually quite simple to throw your very own second line parade in New Orleans, legally and complete with police escort and marching band. All you need to do is follow a few simple steps ahead...
Arthur Frommer: Carnival Cruises Adds a Whiff of Vulgarity to the Ocean
Posted on 01/03/2019, 12:00 AM
In a triumphant press release, Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will be adding an above-deck roller coaster to its new cruise ship, the Mardi Gras, largest ever built, when it makes its debut in about a year from now. The roller coaster will hurl its riders, on occasion, to speeds of greater than 40 miles an hour as it swoops over the open sea or around the central funnel of the ship...
