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Universal announces Harry Potter park expansion May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Fans of Harry Potter and magic, rejoice: Universal Orlando is expanding its Wizarding World of Harry Potter with a new area based on the books' fictional scenes in Diagon Alley and London. Universal Orlando announced the new area will open in 2014.
California wineries with celebrity connections flourish May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
The MacMurray Ranch, once owned by popular actor Fred MacMurray and now owned by the Gallo wine family, is only open to the public only during the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend in Augus. It's one of several California wineries with celebrity connections, including wineries owned by "Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, the late "Davy Crockett" star Fess Parker, and the late "Perry Mason" star Raymond Burr.
On the road: ‘Wonder’ at the new Adler Planetarium show May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
The Adler Planetarium presents the new show "Cosmic Wonder" that tells the story of how humans have pieced together an understanding of the cosmos. Also make plans for the big tulip festival in Orange City, Iowa, that celebrates the community's rich Dutch heritage.
9/11 museum will have admission fee May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Faced with hefty operating costs, the foundation building the 9/11 museum at the World Trade Center has decided to charge an admission fee of $20 to $25 when the site opens next year. The exact cost of the mandatory fee has not yet been decided. Entry to the memorial plaza with its twin reflecting pools will still be free.
5 free things to do in California's Napa Valley May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Love the lush and lovely Napa Valley but hate how expensive it can be? You're not the first. In the late 19th century, writer Robert Louis Stevenson moved his honeymoon to the rustic, but free setting of an abandoned mining camp when the $10-a-week going rate for Calistoga hotels proved too much for his slender purse. You're not likely to find free lodging today, even if it is in a beat-up cabin. But there are a number of things you can enjoy in California's premiere wine region at no charge.
Elderly mom becomes her favorite travel companion May 11, 2013 12:00 AM
When I was young, I learned a lot about travel from my mother. She taught me how and what to pack. And most importantly, she taught me how to power-sightsee. "You never know when you'll be back," my mother used to say as she and my dad pushed my sister, brother and me to another art museum or Gothic church. Decades later, my mother and I still travel together, but now that she's in her mid-80s, our roles have changed.
Frontier adds carry-on fee for some passengers May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Frontier Airlines plans to start charging up to $100 for a carry-on bag and $2 for coffee or soda, although its announcement on Wednesday did say that passengers will get to keep the whole can. The new carry-on fee is for bags in the overhead bin, so small bags under the seat will still be free.
Airlines, passengers extra cautious about security May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Airline personnel and security agents take anything sounding remotely like a threat seriously with good reason. But sometimes it gets out of hand. Several years ago there was the passenger who caused a flight to abort and return to the gate by repeating "Bye, Bye airplane" during the safety demonstration. The passenger was considered a safety risk and removed from the flight. A reasonable response? Perhaps. Except the passenger was 18 months old.
On the road: Marvel at the creative genius of Taliesin May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
The tour season has opened at the 600-acre Taliesin Estate in Spring Green, Wis. Visitors can get a firsthand look into the creative genius of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin, which contains five Wright-designed structures. An estimated 10,000 beer lovers will congregate for their favorite beverage on Saturday, May 11, at the American Beer Classic at Soldier Field. Also, Mesick Mushroom Festival in northwest Michigan celebrates morels with a carnival, carriage rides, flea market, duck races and a parade.
New Mexico reveals a mix of cultures from pueblos to Georgia O'Keeffe May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Striped balloons dot a bright blue sky. Red rocks silhouette a lone dead tree. A white ladder leans on a brown adobe dwelling. On a road trip around New Mexico, this mix of motifs and cultures seems to echo across the centuries and turn up at every stop, whether you're visiting 1,000-year-old native villages, churches from the era of Spanish conquistadors or the landscape that inspired 20th-century painter Georgia O'Keeffe.
Juneau transforms from politics to tourist town May 4, 2013 12:00 AM
The week after Alaska's 90-day legislative session comes to a close, its capital seems to slow down and take a huge sigh of relief. Juneau's streets are quieter, its restaurants are emptier; hotels are ghost towns. The city may seem like a sleepy town now, but in about a week or two, merchants will be accepting money from people wearing sandals and shorts instead of suits and wingtips.
6 things to ask before booking vacation May 4, 2013 12:00 AM
It's May. Memorial Day and the end of the school year are in sight. Suddenly, you're thinking about a summer vacation. A little advance planning — and some insider tips — can save you a lot of money. Whether you're booking airfare, a car rental or a hotel room, there are questions you should ask first.
Fans travel far and wide for music festivals May 4, 2013 12:00 AM
Karen Pery doesn't consider herself a jazz fan. Yet for each of the past four years, she's spent $3,000 and flown nearly 4,000 miles roundtrip to attend the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. "It's humid. It's hot. It's crowded," the 42-year-old Los Angeles resident recalled. But, "It's so much fun, and it's such a great experience."
Woody Guthrie Center opens in Tulsa May 4, 2013 12:00 AM
The opening of the 12,000-square-foot Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa doesn't mark some uneasy truce between Oklahoma and the Dust Bowl balladeer and his kin. The center's debut kicked off a two-day celebration that affectionately, albeit belatedly, welcomed the native son home with open arms and all the fanfare his longtime supporters can muster.
Lawmakers, Emanuel push hard for Chicago casino May 3, 2013 12:00 AM
Visitors to the nation's third-largest city are usually spotted wandering the Magnificent Mile, snapping pictures of the Willis Tower and sampling Chicago-style deep dish pizza, but if some persistent Illinois lawmakers and Mayor Rahm Emanuel get their way, a glitzy casino would be on their agenda, too.
On the road: Chocolate rules at annual Long Grove Fest Apr 28, 2013 12:00 AM
Enjoy everything chocolate at the 14th Annual Long Grove Chocolate Festival from Friday through Sunday, May 3-5. Treat your mom to a brunch or dinner cruise aboard the Odyssey or Spirit of Chicago on Mother's Day. Each cruise features plentiful brunches or entertaining dinners and all moms receive a rose and complimentary glass of champagne or mimosa.
Hard-core hiking a backcountry adventure Apr 27, 2013 12:00 AM
A few loose, fist-sized rocks tumbled by as we hiked down a steep mountain pass over unstable terrain, off trail deep in Yosemite's wilderness. Our guides were two of the world's most accomplished hikers, Andrew Skurka and Brian Robinson. We were far enough from help that Skurka had reminded everyone that a serious injury here would probably mean the most expensive helicopter ride we would ever have. This was fun.
8 tips for saving money on a cruise vacation Apr 27, 2013 12:00 AM
Recent images of a cruise ship limping back to port after an engine malfunction didn't do the cruise industry any favors heading into the summer vacation season. And cringe-worthy accounts from passengers who had to make do without power or working toilets for five days may have turned some travelers off cruising for good. But for those undeterred by the mishap that befell the Carnival Triumph in February, nor that of several other headline-grabbing woes that afflicted some of Carnival Corp.'s other ships over the past year, this is a good time to save money on a cruise vacation, experts say.
Even urbanites can navigate popular Yosemite park Apr 27, 2013 12:00 AM
We had been traveling for hours — six by plane from Philadelphia to San Francisco, then nearly four more in a car through city, suburbs, farmland and forest — when we finally glimpsed our reward. The vista of Yosemite Valley stunned me: a majestic waterfall, soaring granite, and a winding river flowing through an endless stretch of pine trees. I smiled, feeling oddly vindicated by its Brigadoon-like appearance.
Senate deal reached on FAA furlough bill Apr 25, 2013 12:00 AM
Under the measure, the Federal Aviation Administration would gain authority to transfer up to $253 million from accounts that are flush into other programs, to "prevent reduced operations and staffing" through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.