Travel category, Page 20
Forecast: Pennsylvania’s fall foliage expected to bring vibrant colors in 2021
Vibrant fall foliage — even overachieving colors — can be expected this year in Pennsylvania, although the peak of the leaf-peeping season could be a week later than normal, according to the annual fall forecast from Accuweather. In Pennsylvania, the northern mid-Atlantic, southern New England and the Ohio Valley, “rainfall...
Macy’s Thanksgiving parade returns to New York City streets
NEW YORK — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return to New York City’s streets this year with covid-19 protocols including a vaccination requirement for parade volunteers, Macy’s and city officials announced Wednesday. The Nov. 25 parade will be broadcast on NBC and will feature the traditional giant balloons, celebrity...
How 9/11 changed air travel: more security, less privacy
DALLAS — Ask anyone old enough to remember travel before Sept. 11, 2001, and you’re likely to get a gauzy recollection of what flying was like. There was security screening, but it wasn’t anywhere near as intrusive. There were no long checkpoint lines. Passengers and their families could walk right...
5 things to know before traveling this Labor Day weekend
A three-day holiday weekend might entice some people to get in one more road trip before summer comes to an end. Officials are urging travelers to exercise caution as they travel this Labor Day. “As Labor Day weekend is a popular time for travel and celebrating, PennDOT is urging drivers...
Disney World will resume selling annual passes again Sept. 8
Walt Disney World will resume selling annual passes for its theme parks Sept. 8. Expect new names for the passes — which have increased in price — as well as strengthened ties to park reservations, which are staying around, the company announced Monday. The number of reservations that a passholder...
Universal Studios sets opening for 1st theme park in China
BEIJING — Universal Studios announced Monday that its first theme park in China will open in the country’s capital in September. The company set the opening date for Sept. 20, according to a statement and video posted on the Chinese social media site WeChat. Under construction since 2016, the theme...
27 people aboard Carnival cruise test positive for covid-19
Twenty-seven people aboard a Carnival cruise tested positive for covid-19 just before the ship made a stop in Belize City this week, according to the Belize Tourism Board. The positive cases were among 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista, which is carrying over 1,400 crew and...
Spirit Airlines cancellations, delays continue Tuesday for 3rd straight day
Flights on Spirit Airlines continued to be canceled and delayed Tuesday at Arnold Palmer Regional and Pittsburgh International airports. The “proactive cancellations” are a result of “overlapping operational challenges including weather, system outages and staffing shortages,” Spirit spokesman Field Sutton said. It was unclear when the issues might be resolved....
Majority of Spirit flights canceled Monday at Westmoreland, Pittsburgh airports
Numerous Spirit Airlines flights at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport were canceled Monday, mirroring problems at other airports the low-cost carrier serves. The Florida-based airline issued a statement indicating the problem was triggered by a series of “weather and operational challenges” over the weekend. It said rumors...
Air travel hits another pandemic high, flight delays grow
Air travel in the U.S. is hitting new pandemic-era highs, and airlines are scrambling to keep up with the summer-vacation crowds. Despite rising numbers of coronavirus infections fueled by the delta variant, the U.S. set another recent high mark for air travel Sunday, with more than 2.2 million people going...
Arnold Palmer airport offers 2 round-trip tickets in Steelers Week promotion
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority will be giving two travelers a free ticket for a southern trip as part of a Steelers Week promotion beginning Monday in Unity and Latrobe. Visitors to the authority’s Arnold Palmer Regional Airport may enter for a chance to win a round-trip ticket to any...
Contour to offer new flights from Pittsburgh International to Indianapolis, Milwaukee
Contour Airlines will begin nonstop flights from Pittsburgh to Indianapolis and Milwaukee on Oct. 12, the airline announced Wednesday. “Pittsburgh is a new market for us,” said Matt Chaifetz, CEO of the Smyrna, Tenn.-based airline. Contour had been in talks with Indianapolis Economic Development Corp. about adding flights to certain...
Canada to let in vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug. 9
TORONTO — Canada announced Monday it will begin letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada on Aug. 9, and those from the rest of the world on Sept. 7. Officials said the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived as of Aug. 9 for eligible travelers who are currently residing in...
Going abroad? U.S. government says passport waits top 3 months
WASHINGTON — Americans hoping to travel abroad this summer may have to delay their plans if they need new or renewed passports. The State Department said Wednesday that the wait for a passport is now between 12 weeks and 18 weeks, even if you pay for expedited processing. That’s because...
Italy to ban mammoth cruise ships from Venice as of Aug. 1
ROME — Declaring Venice’s waterways a “national monument,” Italy is banning mammoth cruise liners from sailing into the lagoon city, which risked being declared an imperiled world heritage site by the United Nations within days. Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the ban was urgently adopted at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday...
U.S. holiday travel expected to approach pre-pandemic levels
Americans are expected to travel in near-record numbers over the July 4 holiday despite the increased cost of gasoline, rental cars and hotel rooms, according to the trade group AAA. “Americans are ready to catch up on those missed opportunities with their friends and families from last year, especially to...
Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary party starts Oct. 1
Walt Disney World is planning an 18-month celebration in honor of its 50th anniversary. All four parks at the Lake Buena Vista, Fla., resort will take part in “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” beginning Oct. 1, Disney announced Tuesday. On Oct. 1, 1971, the resort opened to guests, culminating years...
Nearby getaways popular for Pennsylvania travelers this summer
After the pandemic forced many to scrap vacation plans last summer, a gaggle of travelers are gearing up for a getaway. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, 63% of people plan to leave their homes for more than two days to enjoy a summer getaway, according...
Safety first: Plan ahead to avoid vacation travel mishaps
“On the road again. Just can’t wait to get on the road again.” Willie Nelson sang it, and Americans are living it this summer — eager to make up for travel time lost during the pandemic shutdown. “Obviously, Memorial Day weekend was extremely busy for travel, and we’re seeing that...
Cruise ships restart in Venice, bring environmental protests
VENICE, Italy — The first cruise ship since the pandemic wended its way Saturday through the heart of Venice, escorted by triumphant water-spouting tugboats and elated port workers as it traveled down the Giudecca Canal but also protested by hundreds on land and a small armada of wooden boats waving...
Here are some top vacation getaways for Pittsburgh area travelers this summer
After covid-19 forced many people to spend most of their time at home over the past year, eager travelers finally might be ready to get out and enjoy a vacation this summer. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, 63% of people plan to leave their homes...
Princess Diana’s wedding dress goes on display in London
LONDON — The dress Princess Diana wore at her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles went on public display Thursday at the late princess’s former home in London. The taffeta-ruffled white dress designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, with its 25 foot sequin-encrusted train, helped seal the fairytale image of the...
Weird Pennsylvania: Your guide to unique spots in the state
Beyond the immortalized battlefields, museums of science and historic collections, Pennsylvania also is home to an amazing array of weird and wacky sites and attractions. Here’s a look at 23 of those special places, including a few right here in our own backyard. Castle Halloween, Altoona Decades of Halloween and...
Party of 4? Your trail is ready. Busy parks try reservations
ST. HUBERTS, N.Y. — Nick and Matthew Golebiewski climbed to the summit of Gothics mountain in the Adirondacks with packs, water, good boots and a new must-have item: advanced reservations. The free reservation system went online recently to handle the fast-growing number of visitors to the privately owned Adirondack Mountain...
Turnpike officials expect Memorial Day traffic to nearly double from last year
What a difference a year makes. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission project traffic on the toll highway over the Memorial Day holiday will almost double to 2.1 million motorists compared to 2020, when travelling options were severely impacted by shutdowns and safety concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic. The agency anticipates...
