Travel News & Reviews for Families

U.S. airlines’ on-time stats dip slightly from a year ago

tiffany — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:05:26 +0000

The nation’s largest airlines were slightly less on time in March and canceled more flights than they did the same time last year, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported Wednesday.

In March, the carriers were on time 79.8% of the time, down from March 2012′s 82.2%. They canceled 1.6% of their domestic flights in March, up from the 1% cancellation rate in March 2012

Full Story

Top 10 weird foreign laws

tiffany — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:53:55 +0000

Ignorance may be bliss, but it can cause innocents abroad to unknowingly run afoul of local laws.

And there are plenty of legal oddities to run afoul of. Witness this list of top 10 unusual foreign laws compiled by GlobalVisas.com.

No word on how often these ordinances are actually enforced, but consider yourself warned.

Full Story

AAA says summer trends look good for travel industry

tiffany — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:52:12 +0000

The percent of Floridians hitting the road for a summer vacation this year is expected to rise, good news for Orlando’s tourism and hospitality businesses.

Auto Club AAA said its survey of Florida residents showed 70 percent of the state’s residents plan to take a vacation this summer of four days or more between May and September. That’s up five percentage points from a year ago, the organization said.

Full Story

6 hot resorts for adults only

tiffany — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:07:21 +0000

It’s not enough to eat good food, sit by the beach and sleep in for a week. Sometimes you need to make the most of downtime by stripping away anything that could potentially cause stress, including children.

Whether you need a recovery trip on the heels of spring break or a haven from other people’s cranky toddlers, some hotels and resorts remove that unpredictable variable of youth and allow for a special kind of exclusivity: adults-only properties.

Full Story

Airlines collected record baggage fees in 2012

tiffany — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:05:52 +0000

U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year — the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago. These fees — along with charges for boarding early or picking prime seats — have helped return the industry to profitability. … Continue reading →

USA’s happiest seaside town: The winner is …

tiffany — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:03:40 +0000

Beaufort, S.C.

The picturesque, laid-back Southern destination where The Big Chill was filmed won Coastal Living‘s annual “America’s Happiest Seaside Town.” contest and is featured in the June issue of the magazine.

Full Story

Over-reclining and other flier offenses: What would you do?

tiffany — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:57:00 +0000

You’re sitting in an airplane’s middle seat and your seatmates take both armrests. What do you do?

Nothing, apparently.

For all the air rage people express online, nearly 50% of travelers say they would sit quietly and say nothing, according to a Travel Leaders Group survey released Monday. About a quarter say they would say something directly to their seatmates.

Full Story

4 affordable trips for your family

tiffany — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:55:48 +0000

Laura Begley Bloom from Travel + Leisure shows off eight trips that you can enjoy with your family during summer vacation, including Jekyll Island in Georgia, Hidden Pond in Maine, and a beach escape in Saint Lucia.

Full Story

7 don’t-miss U.S. beer fests

tiffany — Sat, 11 May 2013 16:59:08 +0000

Forget the tuba and accordion. Put away the lederhosen, and keep the beer steins on the shelf. The vast majority of today’s beer festivals have little in common with the traditional Oktoberfest celebration.

As craft beer continues to rise in popularity, the trickle-down effect of that growth means more beer festivals popping up all over the United States. And the beer festivals of today offer a lot more than just drinking ales and lagers. Many offer live entertainment, educational workshops and even food pairings. Below are seven upcoming beer festivals that are setting the standard by which to measure all others.

Full Story

Some fliers admit leaving devices on in flight

tiffany — Sat, 11 May 2013 16:57:48 +0000

Do you really turn off your smartphone, tablet or computer before takeoff and landing?

Despite flight attendants telling passengers to power off, some people admit they don’t always shut down their devices.

Nearly one-third of passengers say they have accidentally forgotten to turn off their smartphones and other electronic devices in flight, according to this week’s joint study by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and Consumer Electronics Association.

Full Story