Paid Reservations Now Required to Visit California's Muir Woods
Posted on 11/30/2017, 12:00 AM
From Dubrovnik to Machu Picchu, popular tourist destinations around the world are devising new sign-up strategies to combat overcrowding caused by hordes of temporary visitors. The latest spot to add to the list, as Frommer's reported would happen back in 2015: Muir Woods National Monument in Mill Valley, California, north of San Francisco. Starting on January 16, 2018, each visitor who arrives...
Why It's Good Most Big Ski Resorts in North America are on Multi-Resort Passes
Posted on 11/28/2017, 5:45 PM
Skiing has always been a pricey vacation activity. But today, it’s difficult to know whether one’s investment will pay off. You reserve a room months in advance, buy your lift tickets, maybe make reservations for good après ski meals, and show up at the mountain—only to find it’s brown instead of white. True, many resorts are expert at snow making. But as dedicated skiers and snowboarders know, the...
Free National Park Entry on Nov. 11 & 12, But for Which Parks?
Posted on 11/06/2017, 5:15 PM
This weekend, Nov. 11 and 12, entry to many (but not all) national parks will be free in honor of Veterans Day. The National Park Service has posted a state-by-state list of the free parks at this link. If you love these free days as much as we do, buckle up. The U.S. Government is floating a plan to vastly increase their entry costs. Despite the fact your income taxes go to support these pristin...
Kohler, Wisconsin Is Flush with Tourism Appeal—And It's Not Just the Plumbing
Welcome to Kohler, Wisconsin—the plumbing mecca flush with history, nature, luxury, and adventure.
National Park Fees May Triple, Become Unaffordable
Posted on 10/26/2017, 11:00 AM
Entrance fees at many of the country's most popular national parks could soon go way up. To address a backlog of maintenance needs and infrastructure improvements, the National Park Service has proposed increasing admission charges to $70 per vehicle at 16 sites, up from the current fee of $25 to $30 depending on the park. That would mean more than doubling—or, in the case of the $25 fee, almos...
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...
WATCH: Drone Footage Takes You Soaring Over the Swiss Alps
Posted on 10/17/2017, 8:45 PM
As any Instagrammer will tell you, it's not easy to capture the majesty of the Swiss Alps with a camera. But a new short film made from drone footage sure comes close. Dubbed "Elevations," the roughly 3-minute video zips up and down snow-capped peaks, past waterfalls and jagged cliffs, to eye-popping panoramas you'll wish were your screensaver. The film was created by Gabriel Kocher, a Montr...
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...
California Desert Caves Soon to Reopen to the Public
Posted on 09/30/2017, 1:45 AM
The only limestone caves in the California state parks system will soon reopen to the public, the Los Angeles Times reports. Located in the remote Mojave Desert in the southeastern part of the state, the Mitchell Caverns had been a tourist attraction since the 1930s until the site was closed in 2010 due to budget cuts. Vandals later damaged a visitor center and other facilities related to the ...
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...
2018 Inca Trail Permits Will Sell Out Early Because of New Rules
Posted on 09/19/2017, 9:30 PM
If you were thinking of making 2018 the year you finally realize your dream trip of hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you'll need to start planning right now. Normally, Peru's limited allotment of permits for the trail goes on sale early in the calendar year—and they usually sell out quickly—but for 2018 trips, they will go on sale October 1, 2017. That means you'll need to start planning fo...
