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Tags: Airport WiFi / SLC / Airport News / → All Tags

Salt Lake City Airport Bends To The Masses, Will Offer Free WiFi

Death to $7.95-an-hour airport WiFi! After five years of ponying up more than $1 for every ten minutes online at Salt Lake City's airport, the airport itself has finally come to its senses will go free from July 1.

The beginning of free WiFi airport access at SLC in July shows that not only does passenger complaining work, but that it can help bring an airport up to date in keeping people connected. With their Boingo contract set to expire, Salt Lake had to make a choice, and for once it wasn't in favor of the nearly $100,000 in revenue that they got from the Boingo plan.

Now if only the masses who use major hubs like JFK, Las Vegas, LAX and Denver can have the same affect so that they too will make the decision to switch to free WiFi. Do we need to organize a picket line?

Related Stories:
· Salt Lake City airport to offer free WiFi starting July 1 [Salt Lake Tribune]
· Airport WiFi Coverage [Jaunted]

[SLC waiting area photo: stewf]

Tags: JetBlue / A320 / Plane Wraps / Ad / MLS / Salt Lake City Travel / → All Tags

JetBlue Reveals Their 'Real Blue' Soccer Plane

Could we have a battle of the airplane wraps on our hands? Southwest unveiled their SeaWorld One this week and today, JetBlue has just christened their "Real Blue" plane in Salt Lake City, Utah. The new A320 is part of a sponsorship of Salt Lake's Major League Soccer team, Real Salt Lake (JetBlue is their official airline) and of course, a way to promote the JetBlue flights to the city.

Looking to fly on Real Blue sometime soon? You better book fast. JetBlue has special fares between Salt Lake and Long Beach, San Diego and New York starting at $49 one-way but only until the end of today. Additionally, the flights are only good for Tuesday and Wednesday travel from June 23- August 26. However, you can get another better perk out of all of this. JetBlue customers will get 50 percent off tickets to the Real Salt Lake game against Toronto FC on Saturday, June 27th.

Related Stories:
· Eep! Southwest Has Penguins On A Plane! [Jaunted]
· JetBlue Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: JetBlue/Twitter]

Tags: Marathons / Active Travel / Running / Sports / Athletic Travel / → All Tags

Start Stretching For This Weekend's Utah Valley Marathon

If you’ve got a lengthy layover in Salt Lake City and are looking to make the most of it, you might be interested in the Utah Valley Marathon. Starting bright on early this Saturday, June 13, the race takes places only 50 miles south of the airport and is fairly convenient to several National forests. So after the race you can enjoy even more physical activity.

There’s no cheesy stuff to keep you motivated during this course, just nature at its finest. Runners will be surrounded by mountains on all sides while following canyon roads that run along the Provo River and swing by Utah Lake. For the most part you’ll be headed down hill, so if you’re new to running, this should be a good pick. Also, this race is USATF certified, so a good time can help you qualify for the bigger races, like the Boston Marathon.

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Tags: National Parks / Camping / Hiking / Great Outdoors / Utah Travel / → All Tags

The New York Times Goes Camping, Nobody Gets Hurt

In southern Utah the forecast this week calls for thunderstorms and possibly snow, but don't tell that to the New York Times travel section: Writer Tony Perrottet reminisces about last year's trip to the unmarked trails of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, little changed since John Wesley Powell and others traversed its canyons for the first time.

The sun-baked expanses peppered with friendly-enough locals are tempting even this close to spring, but the use of the word "outback" though is, for us, a little problematic: As we learned about from the end credits of "Australia," the land Down Under wasn't always so benevolent towards its aboriginal tribes -- but they managed to let them alone to the extent that they can still live on their tribal lands. Explorer Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh had a Ute Indian to guide him through America's outback; Perrottet had park rangers.

Still, the lure of hiking these deserted locales, even in a few months, makes us want to get our hiking boots on posthaste. And in this economy, camping sites on national park land may be gearing up for the best summer ever as budget-conscious Americans dig out the tents and propane grills. Any national parks (American and otherwise) you think we should check out in '09?

Related Stories:
· America’s Outback: Southern Utah [NYTimes]
· Utah coverage [Jaunted]
· Making You Feel Bad About Not Going Outside [Stuff White People Like]

[Photo: vtveen]

Tags: Pub Travel / Drinking / Utah Tourism / Travel Media / → All Tags

Drinking in Utah: It Can Be Done

Did you know you can drink in Utah? The Beehive State has a puritanical reputation due to its majority of Mormons, who don't smoke, drink or Starbucks it up, but that doesn't stop you from drinking. And as this weekend's New York Times travel section points out, a little resistance can mean better beer from the state microbreweries.

Writer Vanessa Chang visited several brew pubs, defined by Utah law as a place where beers produced on site are served, and discovered that yes, Utahns do drink beer. Other options for drinking include taverns, which can sell any beer under 4 percent alcohol by volume, restaurants, where beer drinkers must also buy food, or "private clubs" which charge a membership fee to enter their full bars.

The Times recommends Uinta Brewery (1722 S. Fremont Dr. in Salt Lake City) and Wasatch Brew Pub (250 Main Street in tony Park City) for their delicious eats and local brews. So where's your favorite place to drink in Utah?

Related Stories:
· Brew Pubs Gain A Foothold In Utah [NYTimes]
· UT Liquor Laws Explained [Utah Beer]
· Drinking coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: toprankblog]

Tags: Travel Health / Celeb Travel / Uma Thurman / → All Tags

How Uma Thurman Stays Fit In Flight

We try not to think about what days of cramp-inducing flights every year are doing to our poor, abused muscles. So if, as the New York Post just reported, Uma Thurman is really doing yoga on a plane, we should support her! And maybe ask what her secret is.

Thurman was flying from JFK to Salt Lake City to attend the Sundance Film Festival, where her indie movie "Motherhood" was debuting, when she got up out of her seat and started stretching in the back of the plane, using the flight attendants' station for balance.

Then again, maybe in-flight stress relief is overrated: Thurman was spotted in the Salt Lake City airport frantically looking for her car service and yelling at the airport-provided escort.

Related Stories:
· Page Six: Limber Lungs [New York Post]
· Uma Thurman's Airport Stress [CeleBuzz]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Uma at the beach with her kids in 2007: Celebrity Moms]

Tags: Sundance / Film Festivals / Winter Travel / Baya Voce / → All Tags

Real World Brooklyn Kicking Off Sundance Early

Sundance 2009 doesn't officially start until Thursday, but at least one always-hungry-for-publicity "Real World: Brooklyn" cast member is already in festival mode.

Baya Voce, who like another cast member realized she liked DJing while filming a reality show for a cable channel that used to play music videos, will be hosting the fun tonight at The Star Bar in Park City. As it turns out, the Salt Lake City native has been to Sundance before but never to its exclusive parties, she tells The Salt Lake Tribune:

I was always the person standing outside in the snow, not getting in.

God, we know the feeling! During Sundance, The Star Bar competes with Harry O's for who can bring the most celebrity wattage while simultaneously causing blackouts on Main Street thanks to excessive sound and light equipment. (Seriously.) This Thursday, Star Bar hosts the Slamdance Opening Party while Paul Oakenfold and Mark Lewis will drop in on January 20. Harry O's meanwhile brings T.I. to town on Saturday. But who booked Chet Cannon?

Related Stories:
· The Star Bar [MySpace]
· Harry O's [MySpace]
· Cast Member Getting Real in Park City [SLT]
· Six Tips for Surviving Sundance 2009 [Jaunted]

Tags: Sundance / Film Festivals / Winter Travel / → All Tags

Six Tips For Surviving Sundance 2009

Once was enough. We're skipping Sundance this year, but for those of you first timers hoping to enjoy the Park City insanity, here are six ways to make your film fest fun.

Don't Drive: We know: It seems impossible to give up your wheels, particularly if you're coming from LA. But trust us, they don't say Sundance traffic's a bitch for nothing. The streets are backed up from dawn until well after sundown, and you're not going to find a parking spot anyway. Just take the bus.

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Tags: Bad Seatmates / Airline Hell / JetBlue / Shalom Yarimo / Videos / → All Tags

Reminder: Don't Talk About Shooting People Mid-Flight

JetBlue Flight 359 from JFK to Burbank late Monday night had to land in Salt Lake City so the FBI could arrest what it says was a drunken and unruly passenger. Shalom Yarimo, though, told local TV station KSL that everyone onboard just misunderstood him--including when he was chatting with another passenger about the people he shot while in Lebanon.

In an phone interview from his jail cell, the alleged troublemaker said he wasn't even drunk on the flight:

It wasn't on an empty stomach. It was a full stomach and I know how to drink and I don't go over.

After making a few trips to the bathroom, he admits, the crew told him they were diverting to Salt Lake City. But while Yarimo says the crew is just vilifying him, FBI Special Agent Timothy Fuhrman, who's heading up the case, paints a different picture:

Some of his activities included running up and down the aisles, opening the overhead bins, shouting at the flight attendants, making a statement he had shot people in Lebanon.

Yarimo is slated to make his first appearance in federal court today on charges of interfering with a flight crew, and he'll likely also face questions about his immigration status. The FBI says the Israeli may be in the US illegally.

Related Stories:
· Man Arrested on JetBlue Flight Talks to KSL [KSL]
· Unruly Passenger Forces Plane to Land in SLC [Salt Lake Tribune]
· Bad Seatmates coverage [Jaunted]

[Video: KSL.com]

Tags: Sundance 2009 / Film Festivals / John Krasinski / Michael Cera / Charlyne Yi / Joe Berlinger / → All Tags

The Five Must-See Films In Park City This January

Take it from Sundance veterans like us: No matter how good your intentions, you won't be able to catch that many flicks at the Park City festival. Between traffic, parties, "gifting lounges," ticket lines, velvet ropes, celeb spotting and art gawking, you'll just run out of time.

Don't beat yourself up: No one else is going to see movies either. But if you do want to catch a film at the, uh, film festival, we'd suggest these five off the recently released line up:

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Tags: Skiing / Winter Travel / Ski Resorts / Active Travel / → All Tags

Praying For Snow Proven Effective As Another Resort Opens

We already know how things are going in Colorado, and apparently our snow dance has worked. Snowbird Resort in Utah is set to open up the lifts tomorrow. They’ve already had three feet of snow this month and, with the help of a little grooming, they're ready to go.

The main tram as well as the Gadzoom and Mid-Gad lifts will be working out the kinks beginning at 9 am. This is the second-earliest opening in the mountain’s history, and Snowbird appears to be offering a better experience than some of the more forced openings at other mountains.

Even though it’s early in the season, an all-day lift ticket is still going to set you back $62. At least you’ll be enjoying the snow instead of shoveling it off the driveway.

Related Stories:
· Snowbird Opens for Skiing Friday [Salt Lake Tribune]
· Snowbird Resort [Official Site]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: vice48sr5005]

Tags: Missed Connections / OMG HSM3 / High School Musical / Zac Efron / Vanessa Hudgens / → All Tags

Missed Connections in Salt Lake City: High School Musical 3 Edition

Why are we so obsessed with "High School Musical: Senior Year"? We're not really sure, especially since we weren't one of the crazy children who ordered advance tickets weeks in advance.

Certainly the adorable moppets in the Disney juggernaut would never stoop to posting about that cute boy from the school play on Craigslist--and they'd be even less inclined to do it in scrubbed-clean Salt Lake City--but the rest of us, well, we're all in this together:

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