Nov 05, 2009 11:56 - By: Britt Reints
Is Your Vacation Safe From Swine Flu?
It’s not just schools that are thinking about the spread of Swine Flu.
Travelers all over the world are talking about how safe their vacation plans are with the widespread H1N1 virus on the loose. Theme parks are of particular concern for families as they debate whether or not to cancel their trips to some of the happiest places on earth.
Places like Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida are known for their rides and attractions. But they are also home to thousands of international tourists, crowds and close encounters with other guests and costumed characters. In other words, it’s a potential gold mine for germs!
Rest assured, park officials at most major theme parks are taking extraordinary precautions to keep their tourist havens safe. Disney World has installed over 200,000 individual hand sanitizing stations across the parks. Employees are being vaccinated and taught to closely monitor whether guests they come in contact with show signs of illness, and how to respond accordingly with things like costume changes. (If you sneeze on Goofy, he’s going to be changing his shirt.)
Experts at the CDC say that theme parks aren’t necessarily any more dangerous than any place else, pointing out that there are numerous opportunities for people to catch the H1N1 virus during their normal day to day activities.
There are, of course, a few things you can do to help stay health while you travel.
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Nov 03, 2009 6:33 - By: Britt Reints
Orlando Family Vacations
Orlando, Florida is well known as a family vacation destination. However, one of the common misconceptions I hear from families is that they have to wait until the kids are “old enough to appreciate it” before they can invest in a family trip to the theme park capital of the world.
To a certain extent, I agree. Places like Universal Studios and even Disney World are not great for kids under five. They can’t go on roller coasters and a lot of young children are terrified of the rides that are supposed to be made for them. My daughter was so scared of Magic Kingdom’s Snow White ride that we had to leave through one of the emergency exits. And don’t even get me started on Universal Studio’s 3D Shrek experience. (Note to attraction designers: small children are scared of the dark AND graveyards AND ghosts. Duh.)
It makes sense to avoid these places until your children are old enough to appreciate the hundreds of dollars you’ll be spending in admission prices.
But what if you have one kid who is the perfect age to experience these things and another much younger child? Can you plan an Orlando vacation that includes activities for younger children?
Absolutely.
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Nov 01, 2009 12:45 - By: Kim Tracy Prince
There’s something about November 7 that’s bringing celebrities out to make appearances in Los Angeles. In the space of half an hour I read about two that I share with you now:
Pink's hot dog stand
Bill Cosby and Jason Alexander are among the notables who will be dishing up famous franks at Pink’s Hot Dogs at the corner of La Brea and Melrose. The dog stand is celebrating its 70th year in Los Angeles by selling its wares for 70 cents, during 7 days, 7 hours, and 7 minutes – with proceeds to go to the charity of each daily celeb’s choice. Pink’s is a landmark food stand in a town that has a lot of landmark food stands, and if you’re in Hollywood during this promotion it’s a sure chance to get a star sighting. For me the only thing legendary about Pink’s is the line outside every time I drive by. I have yet to sample the dogs, being an impatient Angeleno who hates to pay for parking. But if you stop on by, let me know how the hot dogs taste. I’ll bet they’re much more tasty at 70 cents a pop.
Also next Sunday (on that day only; sadly, this one doesn’t last all week) the cast of “Glee” will appear at the Barnes & Noble location at The Grove, adjacent to The Farmer’s Market at Third and Fairfax. The show is releasing an album of cast recordings from the show on November 3. The event begins at 4:00 PM, but I would advise getting there early. If the trending topic on Twitter during any airing of this show is any indicator, I’d say this one’s gonna be mobbed.
Glee cast members at a mall appearance in Boston
[photos from pinkshollywood.com and myspace.com/musicfromglee]
Oct 26, 2009 4:58 - By: Ed Lamaze
The Mississippi River Bridge Looking Into Louisiana from Vicksburg, MS
Today’s travel tip is brought to you by that oft overlooked arm of the travel industry, The Office of Tourism. What office, you may be asking? Pick your state I answer, for every state has one. The purpose of the tourism office in a particular state is to encourage vacationing, visiting by both residents and non-residents. They help to promote the economy by promoting the tourism industry within their respective states. Some offices even manage the state’s park systems.
They have information. Lots and lots of information. And that’s what we really need when planning a trip. Where to go, what to do, what to eat, schedules of events and festivals.
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Oct 16, 2009 13:19 - By: Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
Digging in the dirt at the Fossil Fair
October 31st might signal Halloween treats to you, but for South Carolina science fans it’s also a day of archeological fun at the South Carolina Fossil Fair hosted at the Ocean Lakes Family Campground’s Recreation Building in Myrtle Beach. The day-long event features a mock dig site, PCS Phosphate Mine, a fossil hunt and lots of bones. Experts from the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History will dust off your discoveries and identify the fossils.
Start at the mock dig site where a museum specialist will illustrate how to create a plaster cast to move a specimen from the dig site to a museum. You can observe how the fossil is removed from the plaster and prepared for display. The fun part is that you get to help clean the specimen. Read More »
Oct 07, 2009 22:30 - By: Kim Tracy Prince
I love books. I love guidebooks, too. Nothing is more comforting when traveling than whipping out a guidebook and flipping through it to find what you’re looking for. But on the way to my first visit to Oahu, I realized I hadn’t made time to get one. I looked over the shoulder of the guy sitting next to me on the plane, considering asking him if I could look at his. Turns out it didn’t matter. I had my computer, my iPhone, and Twitter.
I spent my first day on the island without internet access on my computer, because I didn’t see the ethernet cable that my hotel provided for access in my room, and I never felt like schlepping my laptop down to the business center just to look up directions. Luckily I was able to use my iPhone to Read More »
Oct 07, 2009 14:47 - By: Laura Charon
I’ve mentioned before, more than once, that Boston Massachusetts is one of my favorite cities. It’s hard to beat the combination of fresh seafood, architecture, and history of the place. Handily, there is one ideal location that combines all three, to provide you with an unforgettable experience on your next trip to Boston – The Freedom Trail.
The Freedom Trail is a three-mile walking tour along the heart of historic Boston, marked by a red line or red brick along the sidewalks. It begins in Boston Common (America’s oldest public park), and ends in Charlestown at the Bunker Hill Monument. Area maps can be purchased at the Information Booth near Park Street Station, and are also available at most area hotels.
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Oct 05, 2009 12:08 - By: Laura Charon
It might be kind of obvious, why a person would love to travel. But I recently had a conversation with an acquaintance who said that he absolutely HATED to travel. The thought was so bizarre to me, and I automatically defended my own love of journeying to new places – seeing new landscapes and experiencing new cultures. He reminded me that practically ALL of the travel he does is business-related, whereas I have only taken a couple of business trips (and had a grand time, actually – though I could see how one could become sick of travel, being constantly on the road).
I thought I would try to articulate some of my reasons for loving to travel – other than the obvious, “Duh! I’m on vacation!”
1 – It puts my husband in a really great mood. Almost all of my travel is with my husband, and it puts him in “vacation-husband” mode, which to me is one of the best sides of him. All the cares of day-to-day life just fall away. He’s affectionate, and relaxed, and in a great mood all of the time. Which isn’t to say that he isn’t those things, at home, but… well, you know, it’s different. Surely I’m not the only wife whose husband transforms while on vacation.
2 – It puts ME in a really great mood. Cheery husband notwithstanding, I turn into an incredible optimist while I’m travelling. I appreciate all the good things about my life – not the least of which is the ability to take a great vacation once a year. And I can put the not-so-good things in my life into better perspective. I temporarily cast all of my typical worries and anxieties away and say to myself, “I’ll let tomorrow take care of itself.”
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