Check your attitude at the gate. Courtesy of Stock Xchng.

Even though there are an expected 14% less people traveling through LAX this holiday season, there will still be up to 2.35 million people doing it.  Um, that’s a lot of carry-on baggage, not to mention wait times in the security lines.

If you are flying in or out of Los Angeles over the next two weeks, pay attention to peak travel times and days:

• Friday December 19
• Monday December 22
• Friday December 26
• Friday January 2

For flight times from 6AM to 9AM, 11AM to 2PM, or 7PM to 9PM, the airport recommends that you arrive TWO HOURS before takeoff to allow time for security checks etc.  Also, the crazy weather hitting many parts of the country are causing delays, so make sure you check ahead.  There’s a cool delay ticker on the right sidebar of LAX’s website, but you can also call your airline  to be sure.

Encounter Restaurant, courtesy of IFlyLAX.com

There are a few ways to make your adventure at LAX a little bit more excellent.  Instead of taking a half hour to circle the airport 20 times waiting for your guests to emerge from baggage claim, wait at the Cell Phone Lot located at 9011 Airport Blvd.  It’s well-lit, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offers a safe place to wait in your car texting your friends while NOT burning extra fuel.  (Personally, I enjoy waiting at Encounter, the space-age-looking bar at the center of the airport complex.)

Going somewhere?  Avoid the hassle of parking by using the LAX Flyaway bus system, with terminals in Van Nuys, Westwood, and at Union Station.  Parking at those stations is cheaper, and you get a hassle free ride to the terminal.  You can even check in bags at the station.  Word to the wise:  if you arrive at the airport’s higher numbered terminals, those Flyaway buses are filled by the time they get to you and you’ll be waiting longer.  If you can, hike down to a lower numbered terminal to avoid missing the ride.

Baby's first plane ride, by Kathleen Tracy

If you’re traveling with young children, first of all, I feel your pain, having done it too many times already.  Be mindful of security guidelines about bringing liquids on a plane (only baby formula and milk are allowed).  And just in time for the holiday travel season, the TSA recently announced the opening of special security lanes for families to make the pressure of unbuckling the kid from the stroller, removing his jacket/shoes/hat, putting the stroller on the conveyor belt, putting all your bags/sippy cups/teddy bears on the conveyor belt, passing through X-ray, and reversing all the previous steps a little easier.

Oh, and another little tip:  snow globes count as items containing liquid.  Don’t carry them on.

If you live in central Florida, you know that it is not 90 degrees for 12 months out of the year.  However, if you live anywhere else in the world, you’ll mistakenly assume that the “Welcome To The Sunshine State” signs are sincere and equates to tropical paradise even in the dead of winter.

You have only to visit Florida’s famed Daytona Beach between October and March to realize the error of your thinking.

While even northern tourists will find it much too cold to swim in the Atlantic during the colder months, the beach is still a great place to find fun and relaxation.

How can you possibly enjoy coastal Daytona Beach with all of your clothes on?

Take A Walk Along Daytona Beach

Take a walk.

Sure, it sounds cliche.  But kick off your shoes, roll up your pants, and stroll along the edge where the tide changes its mind over and over again and you’ll soon understand how long walks on the beach became a romance movie staple.

It feels good.  It’s relaxing.  It’s cheap and easy entertainment for the kids that makes for very impressive pictures to take home.  Time flies by and before you know it’s time for everyone to head to bed, the sun and wind having sapped your children’s will to argue.

If you get tired of staring at the endless stretch of white sand, rolling waves and disturbingly unaware birds, Daytona Beach pier and boardwalk area offers slightly more commercial attractions as well.

A small amusement park provides the opportunity to have yourself shot into the air at a freakishly fast speed via The Slingshot for $25 per person, per ride.  A two story strip mall (it is still Florida) offers tourist style shopping and Starbucks as well as several themed restaurants.

But perhaps the most unique experience at Daytona Beach that can be enjoyed year round is the sea chairs ride out over the pier and the water.

Daytona Beach Sea Chairs

It’s an old, rustic attraction that scares the crap out of some people.  But if you’re a fan of nostalgia and old fashioned charm, a tour along the skyline trolley is a true can’t miss.

And if you ride in December, for Pete’s sake, bring a jacket!

All pictures taken by Britt Reints.

Santa Claus passes over Los Angeles on his yearly flight.

In just a few days Santa Claus will be gearing up for a trip that most of us can only dream about, a trip around the world.  Of course, his trip is business and he’s a bit pressed for time, but the concept is still beyond cool.

I was lucky enough to sit down with Santa recently and we had a conversation about his yearly journey, the best places for coffee and what music he likes for his trip.  For the record, this is just the second interview I’ve ever conducted while sitting on the subject’s lap (the first was Hugh Jackman).

Whit: Santa, I must say that this is awesome.  I know that you’re busy this time of year and I thank you for taking the time to talk to me for UpTake.

Santa: Whit, it’s my pleasure.  By the way, that Hugh Jackman interview almost landed both of you on the naughty list.   I know that the dark side is strong and that coal is a good investment right now, but seriously, what kind of example are you two setting?

Whit:  I’m terribly sorry, Santa.  I can honestly say it won’t happen again, and I have the court order to prove it.

Santa:  Ho, ho, ho.  Very well.  Now what was it that you wanted to know?

Whit:  I suppose the big question is how do you do it?  How do you travel the world in one night?  Where do you start?

Santa:  It’s a combination of speed, luck and magic.  There’s a lot of math involved.  I usually start at the North Pole and take it from there.

Whit:  Was that sarcasm, Santa?

Santa:  I don’t traffic in sarcasm.

Whit:  Speaking of traffic, you’re on the road, or air as the case may be, for quite some time.  Do you have scheduled stops so you can rest and whatnot, or do you just sit a spell in random houses as needed?

Santa:  Generally speaking I don’t schedule breaks.  However, I have been known to hit a Starbucks every other timezone or so.  I’m a sucker for the Gingersnap Latte.  The Espresso Truffle is good, too.  Plus, they always have clean restrooms.

Whit:  I agree.  That’s good stuff.  Do you have a soundtrack to your trip?  Do you make mixes?

Santa:  Well, I’m under contract with iTunes to play at least 70% holiday music, but since everyone and their brother has a Christmas record out this days I rarely have any repeats.  I just hit shuffle on my iPhone and let it roll.  I’m rather partial to Dean Martin and Bing Crosby, but the new Barenaked Ladies is pretty good.

Whit:  Have you heard the Jack Johnson Christmas stuff?

Santa: I have.  That whole album is great.  I also like Sufjan Stevens.

Whit:  Very nice.  So, do you have a special place that you like more than others?  Does your route allow you to take in the scenery at all?

Santa:  My route varies depending on solar wind and military testing.  Interested parties can track my path and progress at NORAD.  They’re good people.  As for favorite places, Paris is lovely in the winter.  New York and Vegas are good as well.  Basically I like a place that’s well-lit.  Rudolph’s nose gives me a headache after awhile and it’s nice to let him rest it now and again.  I also like Seattle, for the coffee.

Whit:  Wow, that’s a lot of insight, Santa.  I really appreciate it and I know our readers will feel the same.  Is there anything else you would like to add?

Santa:  Just that people don’t leave bran for the reindeer.  It messes with their insides something fierce and it makes for a pretty uncomfortable ride- for all of us.  Other than that I’d just like to wish everyone a very happy holiday.  Peace.

Photo by Tricia Honea

Of all the vacation attractions in Connecticut, I think that Mystic Seaport in Mystic most defines the state’s history. From the seventeenth century, a naturally protected shoreline on Long Island Sound has provided safe harbors for trading, fishing and whaling ships. In 1929, Mystic Seaport—the Museum of America and the Sea—was founded as a maritime museum of these tall ships, ship building, and a recreated nineteenth-century coastal town. My family has a membership there which pays for itself with just two or three visits each year.

It won’t surprise anyone who knows me to learn that my favorite time of year at the Seaport is summer. Even in winter though—and especially around the holidays—there are some fantastic programs going on for visitors. This year Time.com listed Mystic Seaport as the number two holiday destination in the United States. Here are its three most popular holiday attractions.

Lantern Light Tours

Lantern Light Tour at Mystic Seaport

This is much more than a tour—it’s a show that moves its audience from place to place.  Groups are greeted by a costumed guide who’ll bring them through the town on Christmas Eve in the year 1876.  Based on the premise that the town is putting on a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the tour blends Seaport history with the familiar Christmas ghost story.

Tours run through December 28 on scheduled dates and reservations are strongly recommended.  Admission fees and other details can be found at the Seaport website.

Carol Sing

On December 21, the Seaport hosts its annual Community Carol Sing which attracts thousands of visitors each year.  Even better?  If you bring a canned food to be donated to charity, your admission is free.  All ships, buildings and exhibits will open at 10 a.m., the Seaport’s carolers perform at 2 p.m., and at 3 p.m. the Community Carol Sing begins.

The Community Carol Sing attracts thousands to Mystic Seaport.

Another great attraction to take in this day is at the Seaport’s planetarium.  The Star of Bethlehem is a show about “the splendor of the winter skies, merging science, mythology, religious observance, winter traditions and music.”  (I didn’t think I could paraphrase that great description.)  The planetarium program runs hourly from noon through 3 p.m. and does require an additional admission of $2.50 ($2.25 for members), but it’s worth it.

Holiday Magic

We all know that museums sometimes bore kids to tears. And I literally mean tears. But even my seven year-old has been enjoying Mystic since she was about two. There are playscapes (for warmer weather) and a children’s building that a lot of kids don’t want to leave.

Taking advantage of kids’ love for the Seaport, they’ve scheduled some activities for the school break that cater to families and kids. Tours aboard a historic fishing schooner include sailors’ stories about their holidays at sea and their families back home. Daily nineteenth-century magic shows and even some how-to magic should interest young illusionists. Special shows are also at the planetarium, and another exhibit lets kids explore a far away sea—the Arctic—at the museum’s newest exhibit. Daily schedules and admission fees are available at the Seaport website.

I may be a warm weather type of guy, but activities like these at Mystic Seaport make even me think winter in Connecticut may be bearable. As much as I love the Seaport any time of year though, I’m still waiting for spring and summer.

All photos courtesy of Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea.