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Taking the Kids: And checking out holiday lights before they are gone
Big or small? No, not the size of your Christmas tree. We’re talking about holiday light installations around the country, from ones that light up neighborhood streets like Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, New York, to snow resorts to big, splashy ones in theme parks, Las Vegas and New York.
The light displays in the Dyker Heights neighborhood of ...Read more
Review: Short stories look at those moments when living our lives feels unsettlingly like time traveling
Anita Felicelli’s stories are masterfully unsettling.
Combine your most eerie déjà vu moment with your most vividly prophetic dream and you have the tone of the 14 futuristic tales in “How We Know Our Time Travelers.” This is the new science fiction. Not so much Isaac Asimov’s techy gadgetry or Ursula K. Le Guin’s moral conundrums, ...Read more
Celebrity Travel: Go away with Stephanie Koenig
Stephanie Koenig currently stars as Gwen Sanders on the FX series “English Teacher.” The well-traveled writer, producer and actress said that if she had to pick one destination as a favorite, she’d select somewhere in Greece. “There are so many beautiful places to visit,” said Koenig, 37. “We traveled to Greece right after the ...Read more
Rick Steves’ Europe: Barcelona’s best day trips: Monasteries, beaches and Dalí sights
It’s hard to top Barcelona, Spain’s most cosmopolitan and fun city. But if you want a break from the crowds, several day trips from Barcelona are tempting scene-changers: the mountaintop monastery of Montserrat, the Salvador Dalí museum at Figueres, and the seaside towns of Cadaqués and Sitges.
For almost a thousand years, Benedictine ...Read more
Travel Troubleshooter: Cancelling An Uber One Membership Leads To A $99 Overcharge
When Carl Helwing tries to cancel his Uber One membership, he ends up with a $99 overcharge and a confusing paper trail. Can he get his money back?
Q: I'm trying to resolve a problem with my Uber One membership and recurring Uber Eats errors. I've been trying to cancel my Uber One membership. Uber wouldn't let me, so I disputed the charge with ...Read more
For Rachel Bilson, almost any destination will do. Here are her travel hacks
Rachel Bilson says her travel philosophy is to just say yes. The O.C. actor and co-host of the Broad Ideas podcast says she’s a person who will travel anywhere, carry-on in hand, if invited to see a new destination.
In October she said yes to a trip to Marrakech with her stylist, Nicole Chavez. They went to an event hosted by Fashion Trust ...Read more
Taking the kids: Holiday gifts for your favorite travelers
Would you rather get a gift or be gifted an experience?
According to a recent American Express Amex Trendex report on shopping for the holiday season, consumers want to give something special, like a shared fun experience. Roughly one in three said they plan to gift their significant other or their children an experience. ( AAA projects 119.3 ...Read more
Taking the Kids: Holiday Gifts for your favorite travelers
Would you rather get a gift or be gifted an experience? According to a recent American Express Amex Trendex report on shopping for the holiday season, consumers want to give something special, like a shared fun experience. Roughly one in three said they plan to gift their significant other or their children an experience. ( AAA projects 119.3 ...Read more
Celebrity Travel: Go away with Meghan Quinn
In her latest novel “ How My Neighbor Stole Christmas,” bestselling author Meghan Quinn sets up a holiday romance that takes place in fictional Kringletown. “Kringletown is not really based off of any town,” said Quinn, 38. “I wrote a book called ‘The Romantic Pact’ that takes place in Germany. The couple travels down the Romantic ...Read more
Rick Steves’ Europe: The Titanic and the Troubles - Exploring Belfast’s past
A visit to the Emerald Isle is not complete without including Northern Ireland. The most important single stop is its capital, Belfast, perhaps best known for the sectarian strife that took place here during the era of the “Troubles,” and as the birthplace of the Titanic. While these two claims to fame aren’t uplifting, this ...Read more
Travel Troubleshooter: Airbnb Rental Is Located In A High-Crime, Dodgy Neighborhood
Robert Harris ends up with an Airbnb in a high-crime neighborhood after his first rental falls through. Does he have to accept it, or can he get a refund?
Q: I had a long-term Airbnb booked in Washington, D.C., but my host canceled. Airbnb helped me rebook another location with a slight discount. I was just checking the new area out a ...Read more
Taking the Kids: Holiday smarts, whether you are joining the family or getting away
I get the appeal. You don’t want to be a guest (who wants to sleep on the lumpy sofa bed again?) Nor do you want to host (too many loads of laundry, too many meals to prepare).
That doesn’t mean you necessarily want to get away from your family. Multigenerational family travel grew by more than 35 percent during the first half of this year,...Read more
How the way we get around has changed since the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major disruptive effect on daily life that continues to shape our behavior in many ways. One way to measure that is to look at the changes to the way people travel.
The total miles traveled by all vehicles in the U.S. dropped 18% “overnight” when the pandemic hit, which resulted in a roughly 50% reduction in ...Read more
Celebrity Travel: Go away with Ruben Studdard
Born in Frankfurt, Germany, and raised in Birmingham, Alabama – where he currently resides – Ruben Studdard won the second season of “American Idol” when he was just 21 years old. Now 46, the Grammy-nominated recording artist – who’s also known for his critically-acclaimed portrayal of Fats Waller in the musical revue “Ain’t ...Read more
Rick Steves’ Europe: Nice is a laid-back Italian vibes on the French Riviera
A hundred years ago, bigwigs from London to Moscow began flocking south to the French Riviera and the sun-drenched city of Nice. They came to socialize, gamble, and escape the dreary weather at home, and ended up creating Europe’s first tourist boom. Today, this classy resort town is a popular fun-in-the-sun destination that caters to everyone...Read more
Travel Troubleshooter: Help! Iberia Airlines Suspends A $4,005 Ticket Credit
After Iberia Airlines suspends Thomas Kush's $4,005 ticket credit because of security issues, the airline promises to restore his voucher. But it doesn't. How do you get the airline to do what it promised?
Q: I canceled a recent flight on Iberia Airlines, and the airline offered me a $4,005 ticket credit, which was valid until Nov. 4. ...Read more
Taking the Kids: Having some fun in the snow
About this time each year, I can’t wait to get out on a bluebird day and ski down a perfectly groomed trail. But it’s going to be a while. Multiple knee surgeries have kept me off the slopes for more than two years (no, it wasn’t a ski injury!) My physical therapist asked me what goals I have after my most recent surgery this past month, ...Read more
Michigan Gov. Whitmer on pace to spend about 25% of this year outside the state
LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan's top elected official, spent about one in every four days outside the state's borders over the first nine months of the year, according to data released by her office and an analysis by The Detroit News.
Multiple former state leaders said the rate of trips totaling at least eight weeks ...Read more
Celebrity Travel: Go away with Hualālai Chung
Born and raised in Oahu, Hualālai Chung has a pivotal role in the new animated film, “Moana 2.” “Moni is everyone's best friend [and] is the most fun-loving, whimsical, warm-hearted person you will ever meet,” the Hawaiian actor said. “He is completely infatuated with the stories and legends of the Pacific, always wanting to follow in...Read more
Rick Steves’ Europe: One great day in Madrid
I'm standing on a tiny balcony overlooking the Times Square of all of Spain – Madrid's Puerta del Sol. Within a 10-minute walk I can visit one of the greatest palaces in Europe – Madrid’s Royal Palace, the ultimate town square – Plaza Mayor, or my favorite collection of paintings under any single roof in Europe – the Prado Museum.
...Read more