Wednesday, Sep 14
Fair
Currently: 40˚F
Feels Like: 40˚ F
Hi: N/A˚, Lo: 32˚
Wind: calm, Gust: N/A MPH
Wind Direction: CALM (0) 
Tonight: 32˚
Sunset: 7:40 PM
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous
Thursday, Sep 15
Hi: 57˚, Lo: 42˚
Wind: 8, Gust: N/A MPH
Wind Direction: SE (142) 
Friday, Sep 16
Hi: 59˚, Lo: 51˚
Wind: 18, Gust: N/A MPH
Wind Direction: SSE (164) 
Saturday, Sep 17
Hi: 67˚, Lo: 59˚
Wind: 18, Gust: N/A MPH
Wind Direction: SSE (154)
Sunday, Sep 18
Hi: 73˚, Lo: 51˚
Wind: 5, Gust: N/A MPH
Wind Direction: SSW (193) 
weather feed courtesy of weather.com - thanks!
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CityPASS Launches Community for Avid City Travelers
MarketWatch (press release) Why spend time hopping from website to website, searching for travel advice, when you can pose your questions — as well as share your favorite travel tips and secrets — on City Traveler? Launched earlier this month, City Traveler is a dynamic online … |
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Travel Troubleshooter | Do today's flight attendants really care?
Kansas City Star Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the co-founder of the Consumer Travel Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for travelers. You can read more travel tips on his blog, Elliott.org, … |
Vietnam Travel Tips, Ho Chi Minh City (Jon De Leon). Mui Ne Beach – Kite-boarding and Windsurfing
Video Rating: 5 / 5
The Big Easy: Send your taste buds on a mission through downtown New Orleans. Credit: vxls
By Vince Font
People with a passion for seafood are usually willing to travel far to get it. And if your destination is New Orleans, you’ll probably put yourself up in any available New Orleans hotel just to be within easy reach. Whet your appetite: The weekend of Sept. 9-11 marks the fifth annual New Orleans Seafood Festival — a culinary extravaganza in a city already renowned for its taste-bud appeal. Here’s a sampling from the virtual platter.
Eats, beats & treats
This year’s festival will feature a variety of famous local restaurants, each serving up their inimitable creations, from voodoo shrimp at Café Giovanni to zydeco stick and gator sliders from Royal House. To sweeten the pot, there’s a celeb-tastic roster of chefs cooking up free demos at various downtown restaurants. And, as with any New Orleans vacation, you’re bound to shake it up with live tunes. This year, as in years past, the New Orleans Seafood Festival will feature an exciting lineup of local talent each day. To boot, the festival is absolutely free to attend. Just don’t forget to bring a fair chunk of change — you don’t want to be driven insane by the delectable aromas.
Downtown New Orleans Hotels
After feasting to your heart’s content — or maybe to its chagrin — you’ll want to book your stay in one of the nearby downtown New Orleans hotels. For a convenient location steps from Gallier Hall, check out the Lafayette Hotel or Parc St. Charles on St. Charles Avenue, or the Whitney Wyndham Hotel around the corner on Poydras Street. But if you want to burn a few extra calories, the InterContinental New Orleans is a short walk down St. Charles Avenue. Hook, line and sinker: All four downtown New Orleans hotels are under 0 per night.
Related resources
Vince Font is a travel writer with a deep love of weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations – as long as staying in a luxury hotel is part of the deal.
Big Apple style: the Gansevoort Park Avenue hotel
By Mark Chesnut
New York hotels are, by nature, designed to appeal to both leisure and business travelers. And the most recent round of New York hotel openings are an excellent example of how the Big Apple combines style, service and location to serve the needs of a variety of travelers. Anyone planning a New York vacation or business trip would do well to check out these new additions.
Aloft Brooklyn
Starwood’s growing Aloft brand — which aims to combine contemporary chic with affordable prices — has debuted in the borough of Brooklyn, near the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Its xyz Bar and Re:mix Lounge are designed to be social hubs, while the two meeting rooms are ideal for travelers looking to conduct business.
Andaz 5th Avenue
Hyatt’s boutique brand has wowed visitors with its great style and excellent cuisine. The hypo-allergenic rooms are modern, luxurious and comfortable, while the stylish Apartment 2E offers well-designed meeting space, strategically located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, just across the street from the iconic main branch of the New York Public Library.
Dream Downtown
Famed hotelier Vikram Chatwal has brought his Dream hotel brand to Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood with Dream Downtown, a delightfully modernist property with quirky-cool design elements and a rooftop lounge that offers inspiring views of the city.
Gansevoort Park Avenue
This company’s hotel in New York’s Meatpacking district became a hotspot so quickly that was no surprise when the newer Gansevoort Park NYC joined the list of must-see hotels and social venues soon after opening. Sleek and stylish, the Park Avenue location has sumptuous decor, a wonderful rooftop pool, extensive dining options, meeting and event venues for up to 500 people, and a see-and-be-seen bar and lounge.
Nolitan Hotel
Perhaps the newest of all is the 55-room Nolitan, which opens in early August on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a few blocks from the always-fabulous SoHo district. Special perks at this design-conscious boutique hotel include 2 p.m. checkout, free packing and unpacking services and free bicycle, skateboard and laptop rentals. The rooftop will be available for private events as of Sept. 5.
Mark Chesnut is a travel writer, editor and publisher of LatinFlyer.com, which focuses on business and leisure travel to Latin America.
Flower power: Escape the bustle of Manhattan to play in a field of wildflowers at Steep Rock nature preserve.
By Erik Torkells
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the city. Bypass a New York City vacation for value stays within driving — or train — distance to the metropolis.
1. Hudson Valley, N.Y.
How many places are so beautiful they’ve inspired an entire art movement? Drive up the Hudson River and hop from town to town. Storm King Art Center, on the western side, is home to extraordinary outdoor art, including Maya Lin’s “wavefield.” Continue the art quest at Dia:Beacon an old Nabisco factory in Beacon. It’s filled with contemporary art. The town of Hudson, meanwhile, is antiquing central—most every storefront is selling antiques. Then take a stroll at Walkway Over the Hudson State Historical Park, where a 19th-century railroad ridge is now open exclusively to pedestrians. Rail trails lead from either side of the bridge, so you can keep on walking…. As for a hotel, rooms at the four-star Tarrytown House — located on a private estate — start at 7 for the first weekend in August.
2. Litchfield County, Conn.
When the temperature is 90 in New York City, it’s generally more like 80 in Litchfield, the northwest corner of the Connecticut. You can stay in Danbury, which isn’t in Litchfield but has plenty of hotels, including the Ethan Allen Hotel (from 8 a night), which is owned by the furniture company. An amazing new restaurant, Community Table, has opened in an old house in Washington: It serves Manhattan-quality locavore food at a fraction of what you’d pay in the city. On a less sophisticated note, at the Goshen Fair on Labor Day weekend, you can watch tractor pulls, livestock judging, lumberjack contests, fiddler concerts and more. The area also has a lot of fun shopping, from the New Milford swap meet to tag sales to thanks-I’m-just-browsing antiques stores, as well as lovely hiking in places like the Steep Rock nature preserve.
3. Wildwood, N.J.
One of the kitschiest towns in the East, Wildwood is the Jersey Shore with all the neon trimmings — plus the beach, of course. The carnival-like boardwalk has fun for kids of all ages (including those of us who never grew up): miniature golf galore, roller coasters, water parks, go karts, old-time photos…. For you art-school types, the town also stakes a claim to the country’s highest concentration of mid-century architecture.
4. Connecticut Coast
A lot of us forget about the Long Island Sound when we think about the shoreline, which is a shame, because the Connecticut coast north of New Haven has something for everyone. There are classic New England small towns, like Madison and Guilford: Stop by the fantastic independent bookstore in Madison (R.J. Julia), then head to the town beach—and on your way back, pop by Ashley’s Ice Cream, a Connecticut chain. For a little more excitement, drive up to Mystic, which has all manner of maritime-themed attractions. If you’ve never been on a submarine, by all means visit the U.S.S. Nautilus. Stay in New Haven, where good hotels are cheap in summer — the Omni New Haven has rooms from 4. Plus, you can go for clam pizza at Pepe’s, which many folks think is the country’s best.
5. Philadelphia
If we’re talking about cool in the hipster sense, you gotta give props to Philly: The city has an arts scene and food scene that you only find in cities where rents are cheap enough that young people can take a chance and try something. (In other words, not New York.) To save money getting there, take a New Jersey Transit train from Penn Station to Trenton, then transfer to SEPTA for service to Philly. (The total one-way cost is as little as .) Explore neighborhoods like the Old City, Northern Liberties and Manayunk. The locals aren’t too cool for ice cream: Capogiro Gelato Artisans is worth seeking out.
Related resources
Formerly the editor of Budget Travel magazine, Erik Torkells has written for many other publications, including Travel + Leisure, the New York Times and T Magazine. He has appeared on MSNBC and “Good Morning America” on Orbitz’s behalf.
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Hot weather driving tips
Mason City Globe Gazette DES MOINES – The Iowa State Patrol is reminding motorists to take care during this summer's current heat wave when traveling Iowa's roadways. When leaving on a trip, motorists should pack a summer travel kit that includes plenty of water and a well … |
Highrollers' heaven: Play all day on the beach, then play to win at Trump Plaza Casino & Hotel.
By Vince Font
There are few cities in the United States that can lay claim to all of the things that Atlantic City can. Vegas is a killer gambling town, but there’s no beach. You can take gorgeous summer vacations in southern California, but good luck finding any casinos. And the nightlife up in San Francisco may be top notch, but I dare you to dip your foot into the bay on even the hottest day of the year. For all intents and purposes, A.C. is one of the best summer vacation spots in the country — and it’s not just great prices on Atlantic City hotels that keep people coming back in droves.
The beach and boardwalk
Undoubtedly the most famous Atlantic City landmark, the boardwalk is the epicenter around which everything cool, awesome and any other colorful adjective you can think of to describe A.C. has sprung up. You could spend an entire day and evening wandering around here, getting wet from head to toe trying your hand at everything from boogie boarding to kayaking, or visiting the abundance of beach bars that line the oceanfront. You can even ride the rocket at the Steel Pier amusement park. Just don’t forget the sunscreen or you’ll be fully baked before you can hit the nightlife.
Nightlife
It doesn’t matter what you’re into, you’re going to find it in Atlantic City. From uber chic dance clubs to mellow, laid back lounges and bars, you never have to settle for an environment you’re not into just to get a drink. And if you’re a music or theater lover, you’re really in for it. Atlantic City is known for hosting some of the world’s biggest entertainment luminaries, and there are more Broadway-caliber shows playing here than you can shake a stick at. Not that you’d want to, but still.
Dining
You’d better come with an empty stomach. It also helps to have a somewhat adventurous dining spirit, although that’s not an absolute necessity. But with chefs like Wolfgang Puck, George Perrier and Bobby Flay demonstrating their culinary skills in A.C., you’d rank high on the fool meter if you opted instead to hit the local Burger King.
Atlantic City Hotels…
Next to the boardwalk itself, the Atlantic City hotel skyline is one of the most recognized — and inviting, might I add — man-made landmarks that practically screams summer vacation comfort and relaxation. And that’s without even taking a look inside. You’ve got the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, Caesar’s Casino and Hotel, the Trump Taj Mahal Hotel, and the Tropicana Casino and Resort Atlantic City just to name a few. This is where you’ll find the most comfortable beds and coolest casinos in town, both within walking distance of one another for you die hard gamblers that like to keep the slots moving ‘til the early morning light.
Related resources
Vince Font is a travel writer with a deep love of weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations — as long as staying in a luxury hotel is part of the deal.
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5 Tips For Speedy Summer Air Travel
KOCO Oklahoma City Summer means vacation time, and that vacation necessitates travel. Traveling a few hundred miles or more used to come with a couple options — the big two are driving or air travel. But with sticker shock at the gas pump, fewer of us may be hitting the … |
Live the suite life on your birthday with a stay at the Palazzo and a spa treatment at Canyon Ranch.
By Vince Font
If you’ve got a birthday coming up, we’ve got some killer ideas on how to spend it in Sin City. Want to feel like a movie star for a night? We’ve got ideas. Feel like getting in touch with your inner child? You got it. Want to cram a year’s worth of relaxation into a single weekend? Check. Here’s a rundown of a handful of Las Vegas vacations that are stone guaranteed to make any birthday celebration unforgettable.
1. Relaxation: Canyon Ranch SpaClub (Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino)– Cake and ice cream are a great birthday treat no matter what age you are, but it takes a particularly discerning individual to know the difference between fleeting sugar overload and the long-lasting effects of a full-body massage. The Canyon Ranch Spa Club knows what it’s talking about with regard to relaxation, and offers special full-day packages that can make even a brief stay feel like those endless summer vacations of youth.
2. Nightlife: JET (The Mirage Hotel and Casino) – They don’t call JET the ultimate nightlife experience for nothing. Odds are even if you’re well-versed in high-class club hopping, you’ve never experienced anything quite like it, and what better way to find out for yourself than your birthday? You’ve made it this far – you’re a survivor of life. It’s high time you treated yourself like the star you are by securing a VIP table at The Mirage’s own 15,000-square-foot night club. Although you run the risk of having every future club experience pale in comparison, it’s a chance worth taking. After all, that’s what Las Vegas vacations are all about.
Sure, 99% of Vegas isn't for the kiddies, but the Tournament of Kings at Excalibur is.
3. Family Fun: Tournament of Kings (Excalibur) – If dinner theater’s never been your idea of birthday fun, you’ve never experienced the Tournament of Kings. This is the kind of stuff that makes family vacations eternally memorable, and whether you’re taking everyone to Vegas to celebrate your youngling’s special day, or hauling the kids along to celebrate your own, this is one attraction not to miss. Get medieval on your dinner by feasting with your hands as you take in the fireworks, dancing maidens, and horse jousting that all takes place at center stage.
If you want to party it up Vegas-style with your homies or your BFFs, you’ve come to the right place – and really, where else would you go? Here’s a tip: Sin City’s bar hopping opportunities are plentiful, whether you feel like kicking it old style up around Fremont Street or are more interested in catching the action down on the southern Strip. If you start early, you can even do both – just keep it safe and call a cab, or designate a DD for the night.
Vince Font is a travel writer with a deep love of weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations – as long as staying in a luxury hotel is part of the deal.
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