Destination: United States
Photo You Must See: Moon Over the U.S. Capitol
by World Hum | 01.07.10 | 5:04 PM ET
REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang The three-quarter moon rises over the dome of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
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Yahoo! BuzzWorld Travel Watch: Smog in Hong Kong, Heavy UK Snowfall and More
by Larry Habegger | 01.06.10 | 11:25 AM ET
Larry Habegger rounds up global travel news
Video: Stuck in Newark
by Eva Holland | 01.05.10 | 3:44 PM ET
Caught in the latest round of security-related airport gridlock, one passenger decides to make the best of things.
76-Second Travel Show: Happy Birthday, Manhattan Bridge
by Robert Reid | 01.05.10 | 9:30 AM ET
Robert Reid throws a party, complete with commemorative booklets, for the venerable New York bridge
America’s HIV Travel Ban Ends Today
by Eva Holland | 01.04.10 | 4:59 PM ET
As of today, the ban on HIV-positive visitors to the U.S. is no longer in effect—and the first passengers to take advantage of the change will soon be en route from the Netherlands. Steve Ralls writes in the Huffington Post: “The arrival of [Amsterdam-JFK passengers] Clemens Ruland and Hugo Bausch will also signal the end of a shameful and discriminatory policy that has exacted a heavy price on our country’s reputation in the scientific community and kept countless individuals—both straight and gay—separated from their loved ones.” (Via The Daily Dish)
Video You Must See: People in Yosemite
by Eva Holland | 01.04.10 | 3:47 PM ET
(Via The Daily Dish)
Geoff Dyer on the Charm of American Travelers
by Eva Holland | 01.04.10 | 12:50 PM ET
The British travel writer tackles that persistent traveling stereotype, the Ugly American, in a funny and insightful New York Times story. Here’s a sample:
The archetypal American abroad is perceived as loud and crass even though actually existing American tourists are distinguished by the way they address bus drivers and bartenders as “sir” and are effusive in their thanks when any small service is rendered. We look on with some confusion at these encounters because, on the one hand, the Americans seem a bit country-bumpkinish, and, on the other, good manners are a form of sophistication.
(Via @douglasmack)
The Best Travel Videos of 2009
by World Hum | 12.31.09 | 11:14 AM ET
iStockPhoto We watched a lot of travel videos this year to come up with these: the 12 most hilarious, moving and memorable
Passenger Rights Breakthrough: No More Tarmac Strandings
by Eva Holland | 12.21.09 | 2:30 PM ET
The federal government moved to beef up air passenger rights today, introducing substantial fines for airlines that leave travelers stuck on the tarmac for hours. The new rules mandate $27,500 fines for any instance where passengers are left stranded for more than two hours without food, or prevented from de-planing for more than three hours. It’s a big step, and hopefully it means the end of long-term strandings like this one.
The Daily Dish Goes Below the Mason-Dixon Line
by Eva Holland | 12.18.09 | 3:11 PM ET
Over at the Dish, guest blogger Conor Friedersdorf asked readers for some advice on achieving “immersion” during a road trip in the South—and they responded with a slew of tips and recommendations. Selections are posted here and here, and my favorite email is below:
If you’re looking for somewhere to see how Southern the South is, you’re looking for a stereotype, which is exactly what we need to move past…
I’m not a born Southerner… but I did spend some time working there and got to rub shoulders with people every day. Did I see the southern stereotypes fulfilled pretty much every day? Yes, I did. I heard the accents, I ate the grits, I was called “darlin.” But it was much more than that. Was there some place to go there that would provide the kind of “local color” you’re looking for? Probably, there’s usually something to that effect in every small Southern town. But that’s exactly the kind of thing I’d tell you to avoid. If you want to immerse yourself, just immerse yourself. Go to a town at random, or go to several. Stop on the highway whenever you feel like it. What drives me so crazy is that people who haven’t been to the South continue to avoid it, which just keeps the status quo.
I’m sure you’ll receive loads of email telling you to try this barbecue joint or that small-town museum. I don’t really care where you go. Just go.
Video You Must See: The Bending of the Manhattan Bridge
by Michael Yessis | 12.10.09 | 12:17 PM ET
(Via Kottke)
Malaria in post-Civil War America, Mapped
by Eva Holland | 12.08.09 | 1:08 PM ET
We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?
Should Billy Carter’s Service Station Become a National Historic Site?
by Eva Holland | 12.04.09 | 3:40 PM ET
The Plains, Georgia gas station once run by the former First Brother could become part of a proposed Jimmy Carter National Historic Site—and, predictably, not everyone thinks that’s an appropriate use of taxpayer funds.
Travel Song of the Day: ‘Manhattan’ by Kings of Leon
by Eva Holland | 12.03.09 | 11:08 AM ET
R.I.P. Binion’s Hotel
by Eva Holland | 12.02.09 | 2:31 PM ET
Photo by Eva Holland The “gambling hall” portion of Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel will remain open, at least for now, but KVBC is reporting that the venerable downtown Vegas casino is closing down its nearly 400 hotel rooms. Roughly 100 staff are being laid off, too. Sad news for those who prefer Fremont St.‘s vintage charms to the super-sized fun of the Strip. (Via @jenleo)