Travel getting back to normal — slowly
Yes, the U.S. travel scene is back to normal — or at least some semblance of pre-COVID. But if you plan to travel the rest of the summer or this fall, you can expect some substantial differences — changes and gotchas for which you have to prepare. The great slowdown First of all, just about everything you want to do will take more time getting there, doing what you want to do, and... READ MORE
In search of the Underground Railroad
Maryland’s most famous heroine, Harriet Tubman, was born enslaved in Dorchester County around 1822. She was rented out at age six by her owner, but at age 27 escaped to Pennsylvania. After her escape, Tubman became a highly effective “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, making 13 trips back to her home area to guide 70 people to freedom. “I never ran my train off the... READ MORE
Many wows await Yosemite Park visitors
Following the hairpin-curvy road that snakes through Yosemite National Park, every turn elicited another “wow” moment. It was challenging to decide which view was best: dramatic overlooks across deep gorges, soaring mountains or some of the highest waterfalls in the country? Suddenly, I found the answer. I spotted several people pointing binoculars at a cliff rising straight up from... READ MORE
Go to unwind on Virginia’s Eastern Shore
With two national wildlife refuges, a national seashore, one state park and three state wildlife management areas, Virginia’s Eastern Shore is “nature untamed,” wrote local author Kirk Mariner. The state’s Eastern Shore stretches 70 miles from Maryland to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on the east (“seaside”) and the Chesapeake Bay... READ MORE
Watch out for fake airline ticket sites
With the vaccines rolling out, travel is coming back. That’s great news for summer vacation plans — and for scammers. The Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker is receiving reports of con artists who create fake airline ticket booking sites or customer service numbers. If you’re buying airfare, always double check the URL or phone number before providing your credit card... READ MORE
Cowboys and culture on Canada’s plains
In the middle of southern Alberta Canada’s vast prairie, multicultural urbanity meets cowboy country in Calgary. The outlaw Henry Longabaugh, better known as the Sundance Kid, himself once owned a saloon in one of its grand hotels. Locals still brag that when the city hosted the 1988 winter Olympics, some Calgarians opened their homes to visitors from all over the world, and others... READ MORE
Stay in a treehouse, wagon or caboose
So you’d like to get away for a while without driving too far, but the idea of a cookie-cutter hotel doesn’t appeal. Fortunately there are enticing alternatives for a variety of preferences and pocketbooks, from treehouses to houseboats to museum-like houses that allow you to step into chapters of history. It’s no surprise that treehouse accommodations exist in a state that’s... READ MORE
Vaccination surge leads to pricier travel
The cost of travel will slowly rebound from historic lows as more people receive COVID-19 vaccinations and book long-deferred trips, according to industry experts. This time last year, air traffic in the U.S. plummeted, with 95% fewer travelers passing through TSA checkpoints in April 2020 than in April 2019. This reduced demand led to a corresponding decrease in airfare prices. The... READ MORE
Nashville tempts palate with reopenings
Now that many of us are fully vaccinated, we can finally plan a getaway. Our first trip might be a road trip, perhaps a longer drive than we would have undertaken before. After having to stay put for more than a year, I’m looking for a destination that’s within a day’s drive but feels different from my normal stomping grounds. It only takes 10 hours to drive from D.C. to... READ MORE
Springtime beckons at gardens nearby
Onlookers gaze in awe at topiary sculptures of riders astride galloping horses and hounds pursuing a frantic fox. Grandparents look on with delight as grandchildren make mud pies and dig in dirt to find ersatz dinosaur bones. Exquisite statuary, ornate stonework and splashing fountains create a scene which could be set in Italy — but isn’t. These seemingly disparate scenes have ... READ MORE
