Sometimes it's really hard to believe that just a few years ago, in order to get where you had to go—especially on road trips, you needed to bring along one or more large, folding paper maps. Then there came websites like MapQuest, which alleviated people the hassle of having to actually figure out how to get from point A to point B. And now with GPS devices built into cell phones, navigating strange places is a breeze, and there's no need to bring anything you wouldn't have with you anyway.
T-Mobile recently released a new smartphone, the Garminfone (Garmin is one of the leading GPS makers in the world), which was specifically designed for travelers constantly on the go. It looks like any other touch screen smartphone (wait until you see just how smart it is), but as soon as you turn the phone on, you know it's made for travelers: there are three large icons on the homepage; one is labeled "Where To?" and the other, "View Map." (The third is for making phone calls.)
Forget your Imax 3-D and your 3-D TV. I have seen the future, and it’s called Liberty 360. Philadelphia’s soon-to-be newest attraction, scheduled to open in July, will be a mind-blower: the first 360-degree 3-D experience ever devised. Audiences will stand on a cantilevered platform in the center of a cinematic cylinder, 50-feet in diameter and 8 feet high, and find themselves entirely surrounded by a three-dimensional movie that begins with Benjamin Franklin and a mysterious box in his workshop then takes viewers on a “journey of discovery” of America’s most beloved symbols.
Think it's too late to book your summer vacation? Think again. There are some amazing deals this week on vacationist. Don't miss reduced-priced stays at:
CARIBBEAN Laluna in Morne Rouge, Grenada Looking to make your summer getaway a summer hideaway? Run away to this tropical cove in Grenada that is all about privacy—private beach, private cottage, private plunge pools. . . the list goes on.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa in La Jolla, California La Jolla is peaceful, but also close enough to San Diego's beaches and SeaWorld for an entertaining vacation for the whole family.
NEW ENGLAND The Essex, Vermont's Culinary Resort & Spa in Essex, Vermont Sharpen your knife skills or backyard grilling technique at the resort's culinary academy located near the Green Mountains.
There are only four days left to take advantage of specials. Head over to vacationist.com now and book your summer getaway.
Flights will begin at 4 p.m. EDT, and Spirit expects to resume full service on Friday.
Spirit pilots had been negotiating for more than three years before the strike started Saturday morning. The union said first officers in particular lagged their counterparts at other low-cost airlines like JetBlue Airways Corp. and AirTran Airways.
June 15, 2010: Just back from a family trip to Seaside, Florida, where I was expecting to see beaches marred by the oil spill. On the contrary, the Gulf Coast beaches that I saw (Fort Walton, Santa Rosa, Miramar), were as gorgeous as ever—fine white sand, blue-green water. Let's hope they stay that way.
Whitney Lawson is the photo editor at Travel + Leisure.
The rules of the New York Botanical Garden are very clear: Stay on paths. Deposit trash in designated receptacles. Do not climb trees. That last one makes me smile, because just recently, if you were walking through there at the right time, you would have found me 50 feet off the ground in the branches of one of their leafiest sweetgum trees.
You won't find Barbie lounging around her Dream House this summer. Instead, the famous blonde will be making her debut at Ellis Island, a far cry from Malibu. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Barbie Dolls of the World collection, Barbie gathered a group
of the collection's most iconic dolls, representing more than 40 nations, in a
special exhibit at the former immigration station in New York Harbor, which begins June 16.
Skyrocketing temperatures might have melted some travel companies’ brains! They’re giving away a $15,000 Nantucket vacation, a six-month trip around the world; a six-month New York City hotel stay and $5,000 in cash, plus oodles more. This Contest Watch is all about thinking B-I-G.
“Flip Out on Nantucket”, Nantucket Island Resorts, Nantucket, MA Now – September 6, 2010 Need a reason to take a Nantucket vacation? How does a $15,000 getaway sound? This summer, Nantucket visitors who make a 1-minute video montage about their trip and submit it to www.nuntucketislandresorts.com/flip-out-nantucket-submission.php or email nantucketvideos@gmail.com might just win the return-trip of a lifetime. Video submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges with the finalists put up to a public vote. The ultimate Nantucket itinerary includes a five-night stay at any Nantucket Island Resort property (including T+L favorites The Wauwinet and the White Elephant), dinner for two at Brant Point Grill and Topper’s, two hour-long massages at both the White Elephant and the Spa by the Sea, Nantucket Harbor Cruise, and more. Flip out indeed.
USA Today | Spirit Airlines is canceling all of its flights through Tuesday, stranding thousands more passengers as a pilot's strike continues into its second day.
The discount carrier said on its website Sunday that all Spirit Airlines flights have been cancelled through June 15. Spirit pilots walked off the job Saturday amid an ongoing contract dispute with the airline that has lasted for more than three years. Spirit pilots have said their pay lags behind competitors such as AirTran Airways and JetBlue.
"None of the planes are moving and none of our pilots have crossed the picket line," Paul Hopkins, strike committee chairman of Spirit's unit of The Air Line Pilots Association, said Sunday.
Are you a serious shutterbug when you travel? Submit your best shots to T+L's Photo Contest that just kicked-off last week to win a series of monthly prizes, including a Flip Video Camera and an Amazon Kindle. Monthly winners will also have a chance at being published in Travel + Leisure magazine—and be entered to win a Grand Prize trip for two to Hawaii!
