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Boltbus to Baltimore For a Buck: A Success Story

May 11, 2009 at 3:41 PM | 1 Comment

Any day is a beautiful day when one can get from New York City to Baltimore for less than the cost of a can of soda. And indeed it was perfect sunny weather in the Charm City when on Saturday, we took our own advice and headed down the interstate for the weekend.

After boarding the nearly-full bus at West 33rd Street and 7th Avenue, next to a Sbarro's where tourists were, for some reason, eating breakfast, we settled into the bus' leather seats. Immediately we hooked onto the WiFi signal before the bus had even left, and we enjoyed a stable connection all the way down to Baltimore.

In our frenzy to get online however, we made the mistake of opting for an emergency exit row seat with perhaps an inch more legroom (laptop screen space). Why was this such a bad call on our part? Because the middle few rows on Boltbus do not have power outlets, unlike the other rows with their standard-size double plugs. Rest assured that we would not make this mistake again on the return trip.

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Megabus and BoltBus Going Head to Head in Baltimore

May 6, 2009 at 12:04 PM | 3 Comments

A clash of the cheap bus company titans is about to play out on the unlikeliest of East Coast soils: Baltimore, Maryland. It's to this seemingly average destination that Boltbus will begin routes tomorrow, throwing a huge wrench into the dominance of Megabus' own 32 trips a day between Baltimore and New York City.

Already both bus lines battle to be called "King of the Expressway" on routes to Philadelphia and Boston, but these cities are both larger than Baltimore and already significantly served by other seedier bus companies, which will remain nameless.

Who will survive the bottleneck of the Charm City, however, especially since BoltBus matches the Megabus promotional starter fare of $1 each way? There is a huge difference between the two already emerging, however: Megabus only offers the buck seats to the first few reservations on each route, while Bolt is stamping every seat of their 14 daily trips with the $1 fare between May 7 and May 10—even the Saturday and Sunday drives. Rest assured that we'll keep our eyes on this developing situation, even though it'd be way cooler if we were talking about high-speed trains.

Related Stories:
· Boltbus Launching Service: Baltimore to NYC for $1 [Baltimore Sun]
· Boltbus Versus Megabus, Round Two [Jaunted]
· Bus Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Boltbus photo: Baltimore Sun]

Baltimore Airport Not Hip to Free WiFi

May 5, 2009 at 2:48 PM | 0 Comments

Last week Baltimore celebrated the unveiling of the first TSA checkpoint in the country -- and by celebrated, we assume they mean "did nothing whatsoever to mark the occasion." What they should have done was sprayed it with some ceremonial Purel, since the first cases of swine flu were also officially announced last week, but that might have caused more panic than it was worth.

If you failed to get that first special checkpoint a present -- perhaps, a 3.3-ounce bottle of poison -- you still have time to send it a proper e-card, but you'll have to pony up $7.95 for WiFi access in the terminal. If only the TSA would pony up for that.

So what's your favorite TSA checkpoint? Sarcasm fully installed, tell us what airport has the best or worst wireless access. No one has to know it was you.

Related Stories:
· TSA Announces Successful Implementation Of Federal Passenger Screeners At BWI’s Piers A and B Security Check Points [TSA via the Internet Wayback Machine]
· 6 likely cases of swine flu in Maryland [Baltimore Sun]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]t

Best Jewish Delis in the World: Attman's in Baltimore

April 28, 2009 at 9:01 AM | 0 Comments

When Shira Lazar went behind the counter at Schwartz's Deli in Montreal, it got us craving some overstuffed pastrami sandwiches and potato latkes with applesauce. So this week Jaunted is taking a look at the Best Jewish Delis in the World. Got your own suggestion for tasty goody delis? Let us know.

Attman's Delicatessen in Baltimore proudly identifies its East Lombard Street location as being right in the heart of "Corned Beef Row." Once the center of B-More's thriving Jewish cultural and culinary scene, the street is no longer quite at its deli heydey, but the 80-year-old Attman's makes it still worth the trip.

With playful retro signs hawking all kinds of cured meats, the interior of Attman's looks like it hasn't been updated since it opened in 1927, and the food has also blessedly avoided any trend-induced changes. "The Original" Cloak and Dagger sandwich is corned beef topped with coleslaw and Russian dressing, served on rye, while the jumbo kosher hot dog is placed on a seeded role and topped with a grilled slice of bologna. Genius!

Being Maryland, no eatery can resist the lure of the state's favorite crustaceans, so while kosher-keepers will avoid this one, others can opt for a cup of Maryland crab soup instead of matzo balls.

Related Stories:
· Attman's Delicatessen [Official Site]
· The Best Jewish Delis in the World:: Katz's in New York [Jaunted]
· The Best Jewish Delis in the World:: Chicago's Ashkenaz [Jaunted]

[Photo: Mark Barry]

JetBlue 'Protects Its Turf' By Adding Boston-BWI Flights

April 23, 2009 at 2:43 PM | 4 Comments

Once upon a time, America's Low Cost Carriers were united in fighting against the big bad airlines by providing cheaper fares and a better flying experience to passengers. Now, the LCCs have turned on each other. And it's not pretty. Actually, wait. Yeah, it is pretty especially if you want cheap flights.

JetBlue not only announced some unreal one-way airfare deals from its SoCal aiports ($99 Burbank to NYC, $29 Long Beach to Vegas) but now The Baltimore Sun reports that JetBlue has just added nonstop service from Boston to Baltimore/Washington International (BWI.) No offense to the folks in Baltimore but this is purely a move to piss off Southwest which has also announced plans for Boston flights in the fall.

One airline analyst said JetBlue is probably trying to protect its turf in Boston. Southwest could also serve people in Florida and other destinations from those same flights, further threatening some of JetBlue's territory.

The flights will begin in September and fly four times a day. And the introductory rate will be $10 cheaper than Southwest's introductory fare. And let's not forget AirTran is already on that route. But if you can choose between SW and JB why would you ever choose AT? No word on whether Virgin America will add BWI to its new Boston gates just yet.

Related Stories:
· JetBlue coming to BWI in September [B'More Sun]
· JetBlue adds BWI, sets stage for showdown with Southwest [USA Today]

BoltBus versus MegaBus, Round Two

April 6, 2009 at 1:31 PM | 2 Comments

Have you thrifty travelers noticed cheap-o Northeast bus lines BoltBus and MegaBus have been getting a little less crowded (and a lot harder to get those $1 fares on) lately?

Yes, Jaunted's 2008 Best Travel Newcomer and its double-decker competitor are now very much on the MSM radar. The latest to check them out is ABC Baltimore, which ran a BoltBus vs. MegaBus comparison in anticipation of BoltBus' upcoming Baltimore-to-New York service, where it joins MegaBus, already running an astounding 32 trips a day between the two cities.

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Tweeting Without Sucking: Our Tips For BWI

March 30, 2009 at 2:46 PM | 0 Comments

Who doesn't want to give Baltimore a leg up? Charm City has enough to contend with in the unflattering portrayals drawn by everyone from urban-renewal reporters to "The Wire," so residents like Michael Phelps and (guilty?) David Simon are determined to show its lighter side. But you know what would really impress us about Baltimore? An airport Twitter account that doesn't suck.

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He's Just Not That Into Baltimore

February 20, 2009 at 9:26 AM | 1 Comment

“He’s Just Not That Into You," the movie based on a book based on a line in “Sex and the City," is set in Baltimore but was primarily filmed in Los Angeles. They spent a few days filming in Charm City to sprinkle in some authenticity and gave the city plenty of shout outs but for the most part, the Baltimore in this Baltimore based flick is fake. Even the famous Domino Sugar sign that can be spotted through the window of Jennifer Aniston's apartment is nothing more than a backdrop on an L.A. soundstage. We've gathered a few tips for a taste of the real Baltimore.

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Obama Fans Dropping Anchor In Baltimore

December 23, 2008 at 3:05 PM | 2 Comments

A group of Obama supporters has chartered a 500-cabin ship to take them from Fort Lauderdale to Baltimore where they'll transfer to DC by bus for Inauguration 2009, bypassing the Washington hotel insanity by staying aboard the MV Regal Empress.

The nine-day cruise will leave Florida on January 16, steam to Baltimore for two nights in port, including an on-shore ball at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center and Inauguration Day activities, and then head back south late the evening of January 20. After a legally mandated half-day stop in the Bahamas, the ship returns to Ft. Lauderdale January 24.

The ship has all the typical cruise diversions, including a spa, a casino, bars, restaurants, bus transfers to DC and the vaguely described "entertainment." Staterooms as tastelessly decorated as this start at $2,000 per person and rise to $3,000 a ticket if you book one of seven "Admiral Suites."

Related Stories:
· Yes We Can 2009 Cruise [Official Site]
· Obama Supporters Are Cruising to Inauguration [Miami Herald]
· Inauguration Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Baltimore's Full of Bling

November 24, 2008 at 9:50 AM | 0 Comments

Looking for inspiration for the perfect piece of holiday bling? Forget Forever 21 and instead head to Baltimore and the city's Walters Art Museum. The museum has an exhibit running now through Janurary 4 called "Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry," sure to offer you tons of ideas and sparkly fun.

The show of about 200 pieces spotlights the collecting passion of Henry Walters, who gathered it from a large variety of cultures and periods and ended up with the most wide-ranging private collection of jewelry in the country. Highlights of the show include a gold bracelet from the first century BC and beautiful pieces on loan from New York gemologist Benjamin Zucker. "Bedazzled" also explores the history and meaning of jewelry throughout the ages, from a marker of religious or political affiliations to its current I'm-richer-than-you status.

If you're about to pop the question this season, don't miss the exhibit's special focus on finger rings, tracing their history with more than 50 examples. Don't worry, you don't have to be loaded to take in "Bedazzled": Admission starts at $8.

Related Stories:
· Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry [Official Site]
· Datebook: Baltimore [NYT]

[Photo: Walters Art Museum]

Southwest in High Gear for Its Favorite Holiday

October 28, 2008 at 10:15 AM | 0 Comments

It's no secret that Southwest Airlines is obsessed with Halloween, from flight attendants dressed as zombies to CEO Gary Kelly's infamous costumes.

So it should come as no surprise that these over-the-top decorations are up in Concourse B and Baltimore-Washington International.

We're actually heading to the Halloween festivities at Southwest HQ in Dallas on Friday, which should be outrageous. Guess it's easy to party when your airline isn't bleeding cash!

Related Stories:
· Halloween at BWI [TwitPic]
· Halloween coverage [Jaunted]

Private Jet Travel: Michael Phelps Shills For CitationShare

September 22, 2008 at 8:30 AM | 0 Comments

Has it been 15 minutes yet? Mega-Olympian Michael Phelps appears in a new commercial for CitationShares touting the private jet's absence of security. Wait, that's a good thing?

The fractional jet provider owned by Cessna boasts, besides comfortable service, the dream of avoiding the indignities of airport security. For anyone trying to carry large amounts of metal around, it's a plus! In Citation's other ad, after the jump, Phelps provides a little special in-flight entertainment.

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