I visited Cedar Key several years ago and fell in love with the low-key atmosphere and the friendly locals. It was tough to see how Hurricane Idalia damaged the town so badly in August of last year. Things seemed to be back to some kind of normal, but then the town was hit by a massive fire that destroyed a couple of its charming waterfront buildings, which sit on stilts that rest in the waters of Gulf of Mexico. Published reports say the fire on Dock Street destroyed the Rusty Hook Bait Shop and Duncan’s on the Gulf Restaurant. That’s Read more
From Taylor Swift and Beyonce to Emily in Paris and White Lotus, Expedia says music and entertainment are driving travel traffic like never before. Expedia Group also says “dupe” travel is becoming big, a trend where travellers look for a lesser-known city or destination that somewhat duplicates the experiences they would have in a more famous location. Expedia Group on 08NOV unveiled Unpack ’24, a comprehensive look at what’s motivating travellers and where they’re going next year. Based on the company’s unmatched first-party travel data, plus a global consumer survey of 20,000 travellers, Unpack ’24 includes eight new travel Read more
It’s been a tough ride for Hawaii, and for Maui. Visitor numbers are down sharply since the August 8 fires that destroyed most of the Maui town of Lahaina. But the island is open, and they’re welcoming visitors with open arms. I’ve been compiling lists of some of my favorite things to see and do, and here are 20 more Maui tips from someone who’s been nearly three dozen times. Please visit responsibly. Do NOT try to visit Lahaina and do NOT take photos of damaged areas. Please do not pry into people’s personal lives. LA PEROUSE BAY AND SOUTH Read more
WestJet is making it easier for Western Canadians to visit several great U.S. destinations, including San Francisco, Nashville and Detroit. WestJet today announced four new routes as part of the airline’s summer schedule, unveiling significant opportunities for Western Canadians and Americans to explore both sides of the border this summer. Offering a comprehensive network of connectivity between two major Western Canadian cities and the United States, WestJet’s summer schedule will feature new routes between Edmonton and Atlanta, Nashville and San Francisco, along with new service connecting Vancouver and Detroit. “We are thrilled to be expanding transborder connectivity from Edmonton and Read more
A consortium of San Francisco business leaders has launched a spirited campaign to remind the world why San Francisco has been, and will always be, one of the greatest cities. With the goal of inspiring a more equitable, resilient and vibrant economy, the non-profit organization Advance SF worked with Goodby Silverstein & Partners (GS&P) to create “It All Starts Here,” a multimedia campaign to assert San Francisco’s role as an innovative and thriving hub for business and the arts. The campaign launches as San Francisco is leading the way in artificial intelligence and bioscience and prepares to host global Read more
Wednesday night was the first Slack Key Guitar Show at West Maui’s Napili Kai Beach Resort since the August 8 wildfires that destroyed almost all of nearby Lahaina. The evening began with a Hawaiian chant from Wainani Kealoha (who later performed some extraordinarily graceful hula). and a thank you to the audience for coming out to the first show following a tragedy that took nearly 100 lives, gutted Lahaina’s treasured historical landmarks and razed the homes of thousands of people, including several workers at the resort. Having driven past Lahaina and seen some of the destruction first-hand on my Read more
Black Friday and Cyber Monday/Cyber Week travel deals are coming in fast and furious, including deals for Florida, Scotland, Asia and South America. I also have news on Air Canada adding summer service to Stockholm next year. BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY DEALS FLORIDA Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach (Clearwater, FL) The Deal: Book between November 20th and November 27th and stay by 10/31/24, receive 30% off 3 or more nights! Rate does not include $35.00 Daily Resort Fee. Stay must be booked between 11/20/23 and 11/27/23, and completed by 10/31/24. Rates are subject to availability. Offer may not be combined with Read more
