Destination: United States
Obama Tourism: Where to Go to Trace His Roots?
by Jim Benning | 11.13.08 | 12:32 PM ET
It would require no small trip. Writes the AP’s Beth J. Harpaz: “[T]o see all the places connected to Obama’s life story, you’d have to visit three countries, six time zones and six states.” Yeah, I’d say Obama qualifies as a global soul. Speaking of which, Global Soul author Pico Iyer was having hamburgers with Paul Theroux in Hawaii, pre-election, when he spotted the future global-soul prez on the beach with his family. Iyer writes about it in Time.
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Yahoo! BuzzWill Barack Obama Bring Buzz to the Hawaiian Plate Lunch?
by Joanna Kakissis | 11.13.08 | 1:31 AM ET
It could happen. The President-elect, born and raised in Hawaii, grew up loving the cheap, carbo-rich traditional Hawaiian lunch of white rice, macaroni salad and some kind of pan-Asian protein—kalua pork is a favorite.
Australia Named Top Country Brand for 2008
by Michael Yessis | 11.11.08 | 11:01 AM ET
Canada finished second and the United States placed third in FutureBrand’s fourth annual Country Brand Index Survey. Rina Plapler, the lead author of the study, explains her interest in country branding in an interview: “I’ve studied global culture and comparative religion and lived in North America, Europe and Africa,” she says. “I’ve been amazed how different the experience of visiting and living in a country is from one’s perceptions.”
Oil and Gas Drilling Coming to Arches, Canyonlands
by Valerie Conners | 11.10.08 | 11:23 AM ET
Utah’s Bureau of Land Management has stirred the ire of the National Park Service by announcing its plan to expand drilling in eastern Utah to on or near boundaries of Arches National Park, Dinosaur National Monument and Canyonlands National Park, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. “We’re not anti-oil and gas,” said one Park Service official. “But we’re very much pro-park.” Should drilling begin in these parcels of land—including sections dedicated as wilderness as well as Nine Mile Canyon—tourists may soon be seeing oil rigs pop up in their photos, a prospect that has wilderness outfitters concerned. Said one cycling guide, “It’s not a world-class outing if you can see oil wells.”
Is Maui the Next Haven for Foodie Tourists?
by Joanna Kakissis | 11.10.08 | 10:00 AM ET
Wouldn’t you love to eat a feast of hand-harvested vegetables and fruit, served with fish and tofu, amid the kaleidoscopic colors of Hawaii? Maui farmers and restaurateurs have partnered to power a locally sourced cuisine that intrigued E magazine’s Lori Shinn.
Obamania: Washington, D.C., Hotels Booked for Inauguration
by Joanna Kakissis | 11.07.08 | 4:31 PM ET
Accommodations are filling up at such a rate that Fairfax, VA, and Baltimore, MD, might currently be the best options for travelers who want to watch Barack Obama become the nation’s 44th president. Or, you can rent a bus with your friends and sleep inside. One Detroit woman is planning to do it.
8,000 Lbs. of Candy Stuck Inside World’s Largest Piņata
by Valerie Conners | 11.07.08 | 11:21 AM ET
Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs on 1940s New York
by Eva Holland | 11.06.08 | 12:05 PM ET
After years of legal wrangling, a collaborative novel by Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs—written years before either of them found fame—has finally been published. And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks, a crime story, had remained in limbo for decades because it was based on the real-life murder of one of Kerouac’s and Burroughs’s acquaintances.
High-Speed Train in California Will be Slow in Coming
by Jim Benning | 11.06.08 | 11:45 AM ET
Yesterday, we cheered the passage of the California measure to build the nation’s first high-speed train system from Los Angeles to San Francisco. We knew we shouldn’t get too excited. Indeed, today’s Los Angeles Times suggests that the country’s economic problems could delay necessary government matching funds. Reports the Times: “Even if all goes well for the proposed 220 mph bullet train down the spine of the state, it won’t be completed for at least 10 years.”
Chicago Is the New ... Crawford?
by Eva Holland | 11.06.08 | 10:19 AM ET
In a way. Not surprisingly, Barack Obama’s adopted hometown is suddenly becoming a hot topic on the travel pages.
‘Great’ Wall Street Crashes: The Three Hour Tour
by Valerie Conners | 11.05.08 | 11:46 AM ET
President-Elect Obama and the Future of Canadian Flag Pin Sales
by Jim Benning | 11.05.08 | 10:41 AM ET
The historic election of Barack Obama raises so many travel-related questions. How soon will he lift restrictions on travel to Cuba for Cuban families? And what does it mean for the number of “Canadian” travelers oversees? As the Times of London pointed out yesterday: “Many Obama supporters see his appeal as someone who can repair America’s tainted global reputation so they can, in the words of the American comic Sarah Silverman ‘travel abroad without having to pretend to be Canadian any more.’” Yes, we could witness a steep drop in sales of Canadian flag pins destined for American backpacks. Here’s hoping that’s the case.
Californians Vote for S.F. to L.A. High-Speed Rail System
by Valerie Conners | 11.05.08 | 10:40 AM ET
The plan has been talked about for years, but yesterday California voters passed approval to start construction of the nation’s first high-speed rail system, which would stretch from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
TSA Okays Bin-Bottom Ads Nationwide
by Michael Yessis | 11.04.08 | 12:14 PM ET
The ads that bewildered me and Walter Kirn at Los Angeles International Airport will now be seen at security checkpoints at terminals across the U.S.
How Will the Election Affect Travel?
by Valerie Conners | 10.29.08 | 12:05 PM ET
Though the answer remains uncertain, as the presidential candidates have said little on the topic, msnbc.com has an interesting overview of the travel-related issues the next president will face, such as a reassessment of the TSA’s effectiveness, modernizing air traffic control and defending the dollar’s value.