Airlines relax policies, step up cleaning as coronavirus spreads
Major airlines are relaxing policies around flight change and cancellation fees and stepping up their cleaning efforts as coronavirus continues to spread. The global travel industry has taken a hit from the novel respiratory virus that causes covid-19, as the death toll from the virus continues to rise in the...
RSVP ‘maybe’? Coronavirus puts wedding industry on edge
NEW YORK — Guests are jittery, travel is tangled, and soon-to-be brides and grooms are facing tough choices because of the coronavirus outbreak: postpone, cancel or forge ahead with their weddings? Uncertainty as virus cases grow in the U.S. and elsewhere has sent ripples through the wedding industry, from photographers...
Travelers can now take up to 12 ounces of hand sanitizer through airport security
Transportation Security Administration officials announced travelers can bring larger amounts of liquid hand sanitizer on board with them in response to coronavirus concerns. Passengers can now pass security with 12-ounce containers of hand sanitizer in carry-on bags until further notice. The adjusted policy only applies to hand sanitizer. Limits on...
Disney World closes theme parks for rest of March as coronavirus concerns swell
ORLANDO, Fla. — Throughout its nearly 50-year history, Walt Disney World has closed briefly a handful of times from looming hurricanes and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but late Thursday, the company announced it would shut down for nearly two weeks starting Sunday because of the coronavirus pandemic — an unprecedented...
Marilyn, soup cans, wigs feature in Warhol show at Tate in London
Images of soup cans and Marilyn Monroe’s lips are on display in a new Andy Warhol show at London’s Tate Modern — alongside several of the artist’s wigs. The exhibition includes more than 100 works by the pop-art icon, including Coke bottles, Campbell’s soup cans and celebrities including Dolly Parton,...
Travel tip: Tour Northwestern Pennsylvania maple sugarhouses
One sure sign that spring is coming is when the maple sap starts flowing, and farmers tap their trees to begin the syrup-making process. The Northwest Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Association has scheduled its 16th annual Maple Taste & Tour Weekend for March 14-15, including free tours of working regional...
Wisconsin hosts largest technical dairy competition in world
MADISON, Wis. — The largest technical cheese, butter and yogurt competition in the world started Tuesday in Wisconsin, with a record 3,667 entries from 26 nations. The 55 judges taste, sniff and inspect the 132 classes of dairy products during the biennial World Championship Cheese Contest. The judges include cheese...
Escape the crowds with Disney World VIP experience packages
With an average annual attendance of more than 52 million visitors, Orlando’s Walt Disney World is the most-visited theme park in the world. While most guests wait hours in lines during a typical visit and might spend a little extra for some ice cream or sodas, others fork over a...
Travel tip: 10 destinations for cheap spring break travel
College students have their priorities, like picking the right major, studying hard, getting good grades — and figuring out where to go for spring break. If saving money is also on the list, U.S. News has a list of cheap spring break destinations, determined by factors including lodging costs, atmosphere,...
Travel tip: Let Ohio scenic railroad be your designated driver
Talk about a designated driver. Among various themed excursions, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway in Ohio offers “Ales on Rails” and “Cocktails on Rails” tasting trips for passengers 21 and older. A Bacardi-themed cocktail run, offering passengers three drinks and appetizers, is scheduled for Feb. 28. On March 6, Ales...
These 5 day trips will make rare Leap Day Saturday special
Leap Day falls on Saturday only once every 28 years, and 2020 is one of those special years. It’s an occasion worth noting, since the average person will experience it twice or — maybe — three times in a lifetime. Keeping with the special day theme, here are five Leap...
In Disney version of ‘Extreme Makeover,’ castle gets updatedVideo
ORLANDO, Fla. — Even Cinderella needs an “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Disney officials said Monday that the iconic Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World in Florida would be renovated over the next several months. The most noticeable changes will be the addition of gold trim to most of the castle...
Public can comment on rule to limit support animals on planes
Roosters have boarded airplanes. So have turkeys, ducks and monkeys — all in the name of service. These animals allegedly helped their owners stay calm. Never mind that they may have had the opposite effect on nearby passengers. The “emotional support” designation also helped owners save money — calming, indeed,...
Travel tip: Pittsburgh is cloudiest U.S. city, but not world’s worst
Here’s another Steel City superlative that you probably suspected: Pittsburgh is the cloudiest city in the United States. According to worldatlas.com, the ‘Burgh averages 77% cloud cover and sees the sun for about 2,021 hours annually. So where to go for a dose of Old Sol? Here are the sunniest...
Travel tip: Go batty at Lincoln Caverns’ 14th annual Batfest
Go a little batty on Feb. 15 at Lincoln Caverns in Huntingdon County. The 14th annual Batfest will feature a day of programs, activities and interpretive tours designed to give visitors a deeper appreciation of these often-misunderstood winged mammals. The day will include bat crafts and games, bat house-building and...
Travel tip: New York City is top spot for Valentine’s getaways
Valentine’s Day isn’t a holiday usually associated with travel, but Global Traveler says New York City is the top U.S. destination for those who do plan a romantic getaway. Little wonder, since the Big Apple offers so many options for dining, entertainment, culture and just plain sight-seeing. Other top destinations...
Cleveland: The Turnpike staycation
Being a stalwart Terrible Towel twirler and lover of all things Pittsburgh Steelers, it pains me to admit it, but there are some pretty cool places to visit in Cleveland Browns territory. Now this may not be a “staycation” in its purest form, but you can easily drive out and...
Use these tips to upgrade your flight without paying full price
For me, flying in business or first class is not about the extra attentive service or the meals — which are, let’s face it, still airplane food — or even about the endless supply of free booze (well, maybe a little about the endless supply of free booze). It’s about...
Travel tip: What to know for Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney
Sunrise is scheduled for 7:26 a.m. Feb. 2 in Punxsutawney, the hour when Punxsutawney Phil will make his annual winter weather prediction. Thousands flock to Gobbler’s Knob in the small Jefferson County borough for a glimpse of the furry forecaster. Here are a few things to know before you go:...
Cutting-edge Viking cruise ship is headed for the Great Lakes
A big player in the cruise industry is diving into the Great Lakes market. Switzerland-based Viking, which built its name plying the rivers of Europe, is extending its reach into North America in 2022 with voyages exploring the largest surface of fresh water in the world. The announcement was made...
Delta Air Lines fined $50,000 by government for alleged discrimination
ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Transportation is fining Delta Air Lines $50,000 for alleged discrimination against Muslim passengers in two separate incidents in 2016. Atlanta-based Delta disagrees with the DOT’s contention that it engaged in discriminatory conduct, according to a DOT consent order issued Friday. The consent order comes...
It didn’t take long for someone to pilfer weed from an airport bin where travelers ditch their stash
CHICAGO — One person’s trash is another person’s stash. Chicago police say someone apparently stole marijuana this week from one of the blue boxes placed at Midway Airport for travelers who need to dispose of their weed before they get on a plane. The “marijuana amnesty boxes” were placed there...
Famous ice disk seems to be reforming in MaineVideo
A spinning disk of ice that made Westbrook, Maine, a tourist destination a year ago is returning. The city on Friday shared a photo via Twitter of a rather jagged sheet of ice gently rotating in the Presumpscot River. While it does not yet have the near-perfect round shape of...
Plan that dream vacation at the Pittsburgh Travel Showcase
It’s never too early to start planning your summer (or any season) getaway. In fact, making travel plans in the middle of winter might help chase away those January blues. Whether your vacation destination is in the Laurel Highlands, halfway across the country, on another continent, on land or sea,...
Travel tip: New Mexico’s White Sands now a national park
Travelers who like to visit America’s national parks now have an added destination — White Sands National Park near Alamogordo, N.M. Previously a national monument, the world’s largest gypsum dunes area — covering 275 square miles — was designated the nation’s 62nd national park on Dec. 20, 2019. Visitors will...
