Travel News & Reviews for Families

A Virgin America flight was delayed several hours Wednesday night after the accidental deployment of an emergency slide.

“A slide was inadvertently deployed by a maintenance worker during a routine check on a Virgin America Airbus A320 aircraft at the gate at JFK,” airline spokesperson Abby Lunardini told msnbc.com via e-mail. No one was on board at the time.

Kate Gardiner, a New York-based journalist booked on the flight, said the snafu resulted in a lengthy delay. “Between rolling it up, finding a new air canister and filling out all of the paperwork … four hours at JFK,” she said.

Full Story

Tweet This Post

A record number of tourists visited Los Angeles last year

The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau says 26.9 million people came to town — a 4.2 percent increase over 2010 — and they spent more than $15 billion.

Tourism officials say the increase was prompted in part by an improving U.S. economy and improved and new attractions.

Full Story

Tweet This Post

Passengers on a United flight operated by Continental Airlines made an unexpected stop in San Antonio last night. That came after a man on the flight apparently couldn’t make it the whole way to California without a cigarette.

At least that’s according to the San Antonio Express-News, which writes:

A Continental Airlines flight traveling from Houston to California had to be diverted here Tuesday evening because of an “unruly passenger” who reportedly lit a cigarette in the cabin and refused to put it out then fought with a flight attendant, officials said.

There were few details on the man’s identity, but KHOU TV of Houston says the FBI took him into custody before Flight 1287 resumed its journey to the Ontario airport in Southern California.

Full Story

Tweet This Post

Going on holiday is, for most people, the highlight of the year. We spend months, possibly years scrimping and saving for a week or two of pure relaxation in a balmy climate, free from the stresses of work and home life. Whether you like pitching up on a sandy beach and staying there for the remainder of your holiday, or exploring the cultural quirks of a new city, holidays are truly a sacred time to be treasured and spent doing exactly what you want to do.

It is frustrating then, when menial but necessary tasks get in the way of you enjoying your holiday. Although it should be the most enjoyable and relaxing time of year, holidays can often get off to a bad start, or may even be ruined by poor planning or just rotten luck; flight delays are frequently cited as the most annoying thing about going away on holiday, with packing coming in a close second.

Full Story

Tweet This Post

LONDON – The Northern Lights have lit up the skies above Scotland, northern England and northern parts of Ireland after the biggest solar storm in more than six years bombarded Earth with radiation.

The Canadian Space Agency posted a geomagnetic storm warning on Tuesday after residents were also treated to a spectacular show in the night sky.

Ken Kennedy, director of the Aurora section of the British Astronomical Association, said that the lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be visible for a few more days.

Full Story

Tweet This Post

Carnival Corp., the parent company of Costa Cruises, announced on Thursday a comprehensive audit and review of all safety and emergency response procedures across all 10 of the company’s cruise lines.

Carnival Chairman and CEO Micky Arison said in a news release that last week’s accident of the Costa Concordia in Italy has called into question the company’s safety and emergency response procedures and practices.

The Costa Concordia capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio on Jan. 13 after the ship detoured from its programmed route and slammed into a reef. At least 11 people were killed and 21 are missing.

“While I have every confidence in the safety of our vessels and the professionalism of our crews, this review will evaluate all practices and procedures to make sure that this kind of accident doesn’t happen again,” Arison said.

The review is being led by retired U.S. Navy Capt. James Hunn, who currently is the company’s senior vice president of Maritime Policy & Compliance

Full Story

Tweet This Post

Country singer Dolly Parton has announced plans for a new $50 million water and snow park to open in Nashville in 2014.

The project is a joint venture involving Pigeon Forge, Tenn.-based Dollywood and Gaylord Entertainment Co., which owned the Opryland USA theme park, shuttered in 1997. The new, as yet unnamed park will be located across from the sprawling Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

Details remain under wraps, but the water and snow park are just the first phase in the entertainment venue, the Tennessean newspaper reports. Nashville mayor Karl Dean was quoted as saying the park would add a “critical missing piece” to the city’s tourist scene.

Full Story

Tweet This Post

For animal-loving families, the highlight of any vacation is a close — but fun — encounter with a critter. At these 10 resorts, located in the U.S., Caribbean, Central America and Africa, families meet regional animals, learn about their behaviors and habitats and even, in some cases, interact with them.

1. Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas

2. Four Seasons Resort at Jackson Hole, Wyo

3. Gunflint Lodge, Grand Marais, Minn

4. Half Moon Resort, Jamaica

5. Because & Beyond’s Klein’s Camp, Tanzania

6. Tortuga Lodge, Costa Rica

7. J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort, Oahu, Hawaii

8. Occidental Grand Xcaret, Riviera Maya, Mexico

9. South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island, Fla

10. Robert’s Beach Resort, Placencia, Belize

Full Story

Tweet This Post