Those pesky travel contracts are gotchas
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. When everything goes according to plan, the travel industry routinely delivers value for your money, and you don’t notice much else. But when anything goes south, the travel industry is, in fact, often out to get you. The basic business model of most travel is stacked against consumers. And one of the... READ MORE
Seven things nutritionists eat at airports
Airport terminals are like a giant impulse aisle, full of temptations you may usually resist. That can lead to regrets later in the day: Opting for unhealthy snacks can result in gastrointestinal upset or feeling hangry. Fortunately, there are plenty of good-for-you eats available at airports these days. We spoke to nutrition experts to find out which foods they eat before a flight. ... READ MORE
The sounds of music remain in Salzburg
Salzburg is forever smiling to the tunes of Mozart and The Sound of Music. Thanks to its charming old town, splendid Baroque churches, and one of Europe’s largest medieval fortresses, Salzburg feels designed to keep its visitors happy. With around eight million sightseers prowling its cobbled lanes each year, the city can feel pretty touristy. You don’t go to Salzburg to avoid the... READ MORE
Cruising to charming Southern locales
During a recent journey through several southeastern states, I knocked on an unmarked wood door, uttered a secret password, and was admitted into a throwback Prohibition-era speakeasy in the heart of Savannah, Georgia. My wife Fyllis and I also took a horse-drawn carriage ride through Beaufort, South Carolina — a small, picturesque town (pronounced BYOO-fert) that has served as the... READ MORE
How much travel insurance do you need?
You’ve probably seen a lot of stories explaining why you need travel insurance. They concentrate on speculating about all the bad stuff that might happen before or during your trip. Although the bad stuff is important, focusing on it is misdirected: You need travel insurance for only one reason: money. Insurance is all about money. It can’t stop a war or quiet a volcano; all it can... READ MORE
For a lakeside escape, head to Columbia
At dawn, as the sun’s rays glinted across Lake Kittamaqundi, 30 Canada geese floated silently across the water, casting their long-necked shadows on the silvery surface. This is the view from a balcony room at the Merriweather Hotel in Columbia, Maryland. Although the hotel is within sight of the Mall in Columbia and earshot of Route 29’s steady drum of traffic, it feels like a world ... READ MORE
Disney World is worth a visit at any age
Walt Disney once said, “Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.” Visiting Disney World in 1974 remains my happiest childhood memory. Before our family trip, I spent months poring over pamphlets and guidebooks in that world without the internet. Decades later, I found myself obsessively studying websites and apps to plan my husband’s 60th birthday adventure, his first... READ MORE
All-inclusive vacations with a difference
All-inclusive vacations can conjure images of food under heat lamps, too many poolside piña coladas, and being trapped on resort grounds. But sun-soaked packages are not the only type of all-inclusives. Sure, sprawling mega-resorts exist — and their numbers are growing. All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy has spent the last couple of years building a portfolio of nearly three dozen... READ MORE
Late March may be Vermont’s sweet spot
April showers bring May flowers. But in Vermont, winter storms make the sap flow. Sugaring season — tapping sugar-maple trees’ sap and boiling it down to syrup — swings into full speed in Vermont in late March. Last year, on a visit to a Vermont sugarhouse, I watched the clouds of steam rise and sniffed the sweet air before swinging open the doors. Inside, I was engulfed by... READ MORE
Charlottesville’s 19th-century sites to see
Thomas Jefferson dreamed of producing great American wine at his Virginia plantation, Monticello, just outside Charlottesville. He never succeeded. But today, winemaking is flourishing in central Virginia, with many vineyards in the Charlottesville area. Exploring the area’s wineries is only one of many reasons to plan a visit. You can tour U.S. presidents’ haunts and a Civil War... READ MORE
