Tag: active travel

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8 Travel Safety Tips to Avoid Getting Mugged

May 20, 2013 at 2:22 PM | by | Comments (0)

We were robbed. It may have happened just over a year ago, but we still live with the effects (like a fear that comes while biking and we hear a moped motor approaching). Read the full story, but also take away whatever knowledge you can from our horrible experience in order to prevent it happening to you while away from home.

Only a few days ago, Lifehacker posted a brilliant list of tips for travelers toting nice cameras, including how to deter would-be thieves. In this vein, we're revisiting our own 8 safety tips to avoid being mugged abroad:

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7 Upcoming Marathons That Take Place on Actual Airport Runways

May 6, 2013 at 3:28 PM | by | Comments (2)

We don't know about you, but the idea of running on an actual runway—while aircraft go about their usual flying business—sounds awesome. So awesome, that in fact we just finished one such 5k (on JFK's major runway) and can't wait to do it again. Thus, we did some research and discovered there are SEVEN upcoming runway runs, six in the US and one in Canada:

· Bellevue AFB 7-mile Runway Run
Where: Bellevue, Nebraska. A course through Bellevue-Offutt Air Force Base and on the runway "through a formation of Air Force planes."
Date: Sunday, May 12
Price: $30
Official site & entry form

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Here's the Best Place to Watch the Sun Rise over Hollywood

April 19, 2013 at 10:37 AM | by | Comments (0)

Yesterday, while the rest of Hollywood slept, we were up at the crack of dawn, lacing our Merrell hiking shoes, filling up a bottle of water, and setting off along Los Feliz Boulevard towards Griffith Park, aka the Central Park of Los Angeles.

Griffith Park ranks as the second-largest city park in all of California (though that doesn't include much larger state parks like Yosemite and Joshua Tree), and it is incredibly easy to access from multiple LA neighborhoods, such as Los Feliz, Franklin Village, Atwater Village, Glendale, and, of course, Hollywood. Its attractions include the Greek Theatre, Griffith Observatory (which is best visited at night, for obvious reasons), and the LA Zoo.

Oh, and off to the south, on Mount Lee, there's a little thing called the Hollywood sign. Ever hear of it?

We set off at 6:15am from our friend's apartment, and in fifteen minutes, we had arrived at the park's western entrance, Ferndell Nature Center. Here, a woodsy hiking trail winds along a small babbling brook (complete with the little footbridges), under a canopy of California sycamores and over 50 different species of fern.

What struck us most was the tranquility of the place: though we had just come off a busy main road populated by impatient commuters trying to beat the morning traffic, we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of pure, noiseless nature.

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What It's Like to Run on a Runway at New York's JFK Airport

April 15, 2013 at 2:01 PM | by | Comments (0)

Let's race! Running shoes? Check. Healthy breakfast? Check. Warm-up stretches? Check. A runway course at New York's busiest international airport? CHECK.

This past Sunday, April 14, nearly 1,000 runners and aviation enthusiasts resisted hitting the "Snooze" button and got their butts to JFK Airport for the 41st Annual JFK Runway Run. The 5K course actually closes a major runway to air traffic, while the rerouted aircraft continue landing and taking off like normal on other runways. No earplugs needed, but most runners had a camera in hand.

Registration was $25 in advance and $30 onsite. We were lazy and showed up at 7am for the 9am race to ensure we secured a last-minute spot. Come to find out that our worry was all for naught; anyone who showed up and paid was welcome to race.

The 963 participants were runners and walkers of all ages and ability levels, and even those in wheelchairs were welcome to have a pusher. We watched as one little girl, who couldn't have been older than 8, spent her time walking the runway and taking iPhone photos of planes. Very cute. Meanwhile, the serious runners were probably well into their lunches; the fastest times were just over 20 minutes while the slowest (ours) was 1 hour and 20 minutes. Yes, we proudly finished 963rd on account of all the aircraft distractions.

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Would You Pay to Take an Urban Walking Tour of NYC with 'Peek?'

April 4, 2013 at 1:23 PM | by | Comment (1)

In October, we took a sidelong glance at Peek, a new-ish travel experience site focused on fun, unique activities that help travelers really get to know a place. San Francisco, San Diego, California Wine Country and Hawaii were the first destinations to be unveiled, but this week the menu is expanding to include New York, Miami and Orlando.

Being pretty active New Yorkers ourselves, we thought we'd size up some of the options Peek is offering for visitors to the Big Apple—among them, a Brooklyn Brewery tour, red carpet tickets to the TriBeCa Film Festival, and a package deal on New York's still-thriving interactive theater show, Sleep No More.

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Register Now to Run Down a Runway at New York's JFK International Airport

April 2, 2013 at 10:19 AM | by | Comments (0)

Have you ever wanted to walk on a major airport runway? Hopefully you never have to because of emergency circumstances (see an example of that here), but there is a legal (and safe) way to take a stroll one of New York-JFK's runways, and that's by registering for the JFK Runway Run 2013.

Okay, so its not so much a stroll as it is a full-fledged 5K race, but a portion of it does indeed include tramping on the longest runway at JFK, while aircraft are re-routed to land on a different runway during the race. Apparently the race has been around since the mid-1970s, which is pretty neat-o. Here's even more pertinent details to convince you to run:

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Google Maps Hits the Slopes While There's Still Snow

February 14, 2013 at 10:13 AM | by | Comments (0)

In case you missed it we’re in the middle of the winter, and pretty much everyone has been hit with the snow—especially those in the northeast. It’s definitely time to take a break from the shoveling and plowing, and make your way onto the slopes. Skiing down the mountain is way better than playing with the snow in your driveway, and now Google is even here to help you find your way.

Adding to their mapping empire, Google just recently revealed that they’ve got the scoop on a whole bunch of ski resorts. Their latest addition boosts their offerings by another 38, as they add to their collection of ski resorts and mountains across the United States and Canada. Different lines indicate lifts, trails, difficulty, and even the path to the best hot toddy by the fire. Okay—maybe not that last part, but we wouldn’t be surprised if that was buried in there somewhere.

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Now's the Time to Visit the US' Newest National Park, 'Pinnacles'

February 12, 2013 at 8:47 AM | by | Comments (0)

If you’re still planning to take advantage of the National Park Service’s free entrance days this year, then we’ve got another place to add to your national park to-do list. The next time the free days come along—that’s April 22 through April 26—we're thinking checking out the country’s newest national park might just be a good idea. Pinnacles National Park is hardly the new kid on the block, but after being a national monument since the early 1900s, it just got the upgrade into a full-fledged national park last month.

If you’re keeping track it’s certainly the newest national park, and it’s number 59 overall. We do apologize in advance if you’ve been to all of the national parks, but it looks like you need to head back outdoors to score one more stamp in your national park passport.

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The Evolution of Cruise Ships, from 1975 to 2013: Drinking and Dining

February 4, 2013 at 1:04 PM | by | Comment (1)

Imagine a cruise. Now picture yourself on that cruise. Are you playing shuffleboard and gobbling rum cakes? God, let's hope not. Over the next several days, we're going to dig back into the era responsible for creating these cruise stereotypes—the fun-in-the-sun 1970s, when ocean liners turned into cruise ships and voyages into vacations. In sharp contrast, we'll look at cruising 2013-style onboard the newest ship on the seas, the Celebrity Reflection.

The Cruising 1975 vs. 2013 Series:

1. Activities
2. Technology
3. Dining and drinking
4. Cabins and suites
5. The ships themselves

Beef Wellington. Poached lobster. A tower of chocolate eclairs. Daisy-shaped pats of butter to accompany as many glistening dinner rolls as you care to eat. These are the usual suspects on a cruise ship's menu, and it's as true today as it was in 1975. The big difference is that, now, there are actually other options. The ships of 2013 offer healthy and light cuisine, cater to vegetarians and food allergies, and even employ sushi chefs to handcraft rolls to order.

Boiling it down, the decades have brought a needed shift to put quality over quantity.

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The Evolution of Cruise Ships, from 1975 to 2013: Onboard Activities

January 30, 2013 at 5:46 PM | by | Comments (0)

Imagine a cruise. Now picture yourself on that cruise. Are you playing shuffleboard and gobbling rum cakes? God, let's hope not. Over the next several days, we're going to dig back into the era responsible for creating these cruise stereotypes—the fun-in-the-sun 1970s, when ocean liners turned into cruise ships and voyages into vacations. In sharp contrast, we'll look at cruising 2013-style onboard the newest ship on the seas, the Celebrity Reflection.

The Cruising 1975 vs. 2013 Series:

1. Activities
2. Technology
3. Dining and drinking
4. Cabins and suites
5. The ships themselves

"We're getting weirder."

It's a phrase that's been popping up in print more and more often, in attempts to describe how modern interests are evolving faster than ever before. Sure, we have the internet and its constant stream of new information and influences to mostly thank for that. Instead of coffee, we're drinking macchiatos or requesting cups brewed through a Chemex. Instead of going out for a steak dinner, we're hungry for hamachi or sous-vide venison. We're getting weirder and, oh boy, do the cruise lines know it.

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It's Not a Flash Mob, but the National Park Service Says Happy Holidays

December 18, 2012 at 10:06 AM | by | Comments (0)

The holiday greetings are now starting to stream in after starting with a trickle. Up this week is the country’s National Park Service, as they’ve uploaded their own little YouTube greeting to wish you and yours a very merry holiday season.

Park employees chime in to say hello from their national parks, historic sites, and monuments, and of course there’s even a little cameo by Santa.

There’s some cheesy special effects like everyone doing their thing inside of a snow globe, but we’ve got to say good for them and happy holidays right back at you, NPS.

[Photo: NPS]

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Snag a Sierra Club Volunteer Vacation for Under $500

December 13, 2012 at 12:31 PM | by | Comments (0)

The Sierra Club is proving volunteer travel doesn't have to be a major expense or time commitment.

The environmental organization already has dozens of trips planned for 2013, including a five day winter break in Florida's Ocala National Forest.The Ocala National Forest is home to the world's largest sand pine scrub ecosystem featuring hiking trails and camping sites, including the Florida National Scenic Trail.

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