Volcanic park shows off nature’s power

By Glenda C. Booth
Posted on May 26, 2022

In the northeast corner of California, the Earth’s innards spurt, spit, squirt, gurgle and boil from seen and unseen orifices. Sulphur Works belches. Steam whirls out of Devil’s Kitchen. And occasionally a volcano erupts (most recently in 1915). This is Lassen Volcanic National Park, where Earth’s ever-changing nature has been on display in this volcanically active region for three ... READ MORE

Don’t get taken doing foreign exchange

By Ed Perkins
Posted on May 23, 2022

With COVID-19 restrictions falling, chances are that many of you are considering a trip to Europe or Asia this summer. That means paying in euros, francs, yen or whatever when you’re at your destination. Unless you’re a currency speculator, you’ll almost always lose something in exchanging your dollars for another currency, but there are ways to keep those losses to no more than... READ MORE

An intergenerational Southwest road trip

By Don Mankin
Posted on May 12, 2022

“It’s crazy,” my grand-nephew exclaimed as we approached the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I heard Aaron say that often over the next several days as the two of us explored the national parks and monuments of northern Arizona and southern Utah. Aaron, 23, has spent most of his life in Florida, so for him the canyons, cliffs and mountains of the American Southwest were like... READ MORE

How technology is changing travel in 2022

By Sally French
Posted on May 05, 2022

For the athletes at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, travel entailed robots. Everywhere. These machines prepared and served noodles, rice and burgers, and roamed hallways to take the temperatures of passersby. They even passed the Olympic flame underwater. Even if you’re not an Olympian, your travels these days are far more likely to involve technology that you’ve never used... READ MORE

Fun in the sun: South Padre Island, Texas

By Victor Block
Posted on April 15, 2022

“Fish. Party. Repeat.” Those words, printed on a sign hanging on the wall of a restaurant in South Padre Island, Texas, refer to two of the most popular pastimes there. SPI, as the locals call it, and Port Isabel, perched at the other end of a causeway that connects the two, have outstanding beaches, a long list of both land and water activities, and intriguing historical tidbits... READ MORE

Philly may bring out your inner wanderer

By Don Mankin
Posted on April 05, 2022

I learned the art of urban wandering in Philadelphia, the city I grew up in. The French have a word for it: A flâneur is someone who strolls, rambles or saunters almost randomly through city streets, observing people and places, looking for the novel, the interesting and the unexpected. Flâneurs will peek down a street and change course, pulled in by the architecture, the look of... READ MORE

Plan your arrival at destination airports

By Ed Perkins
Posted on March 09, 2022

An old-time major league pitcher once said he worried about only two types of batters — righthanders and lefthanders. Similarly, only two kinds of airports present hostile environments: origin and destination. Origin airports are often the worst, but destination airports present their challenges, as well. Here’s how to avoid some of the worst problems. 1. Schedule. Even before you ... READ MORE

Aruba surprises, far beyond its beaches

By Victor Block
Posted on March 01, 2022

If you like to loll on magnificent white-sand beaches, visit the tiny Caribbean island of Aruba. When you’re seeking immersion in a fascinating multi-racial culture, think Aruba. Want to combine flashy casinos and a long-list of activities with an other-worldly moonscape setting? Yes, head to Aruba. With an area no larger than that of Washington, D.C., the island makes up in... READ MORE

Travel in 2022: My fearless forecast

By Ed Perkins
Posted on February 17, 2022

When I look back on 2021 and consider the outlook for this year, my primary focus remains “caution.” You’d think that 2022 must almost certainly be an improvement over last year, but the old aphorism comes to mind — “’Cheer up,’ they said, ‘things could be worse.’ So I cheered up. And, sure enough, things did get worse.” I’m not that pessimistic about 2022 — at ... READ MORE

The many denizens of Palm Beach, Fla.

By Glenda C. Booth
Posted on February 03, 2022

Florida’s Palm Beach and nearby communities have long been a favored destination of wealthy luminaries, industry power houses and high-profile politicos. The rich and famous are likely drawn to the area’s hidden estates cloistered behind thick hedges, carefully manicured landscapes, Mediterranean-revival mansions, championship golf courses, expensive resorts, and miles and miles of... READ MORE