Travel alerts straight to your inbox:

Tag: holiday travel View All Tags

Enter the Ox: Chinese New Year Celebrations Start Now

January 25, 2009 at 11:56 AM | 0 Comments

It's time once again for the Lunar New Year, as millions of people in China and around the world get ready to enter the Year of the Ox. According to tradition (and USA Today), Chinese people return to their homes to deliver hong bao (red envelopes stuffed with money) to family and friends, eat dumplings, and watch lion dances and fireworks at nearby temples.

more ›

All She Wants For Christmas...

December 24, 2008 at 8:45 AM | 0 Comments

If you're going away this Christmas, at some point you have to pick: Sun or snow? Mariah Carey, original artist behind one of the best modern Christmas songs ever, picked snow--specifically, celeb magnet Aspen. (Probably just so she can hang out with longtime resident Jack Nicholson, right?)

Well, at least the ski patrol won't have trouble finding her. She might be alone up there--a lot of celebrities have opted for the beach instead of the slopes this year, from Simon Cowell and Gwen Stefani to president-elect Barack Obama, whose trip home to Hawaii must be bittersweet after losing his grandmother earlier this year.

Related Stories:
· Baggage Fees? But I'm Mariah Carey! [Jaunted]
· Ice Fishing Too Easy For You? [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Faded Youth Blog]

Japanese Aquarium Features Swimming Santas

November 19, 2008 at 11:05 AM | 2 Comments

When we think of Japan, Christmas is probably one of the last things to come to mind. Still, it makes sense that a country that loves itself some kitsch would fully embrace what has become the world’s tackiest and most commercial holiday (arguments for Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Diwali will all be accepted in the comments).

So we guess it makes sense that the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium in Tokyo has started featuring underwater shows with dolphins and scuba divers dressed as Santa Claus. Looks like our childhood fantasy is true: Santa really can be everywhere at the same time.

But listen, even if the aquarium’s dolphin show is a bit hokey, it’s still a site worth visiting during a trip through Japan. Since dollars, euros and even pounds are all virtually worthless against the yen these days, the best part of the park (after the swimming Santa, of course) is that everything at the aquarium and its adjacent Pleasure Land is a la carte. Once inside this man-made island, you can pay-as-you go to ride on the roller coaster, see the swimming mammals or swing over the sea on a giant pendulum. Japan: Cornering the Bizarre Travel market.

Related Stories:
· Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium [Official Site]
· Japan Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium]

From Bengal to Nepal, Happy Diwali

October 28, 2008 at 10:30 AM | 1 Comment

Today marks the start of the five-day Diwali celebration, or The Festival of Lights.

The holiday has different meanings to Hindus depending on where they live, an educational site from the BBC explains. In northern India, Diwali commemorates Rama's return to India after defeating the demon king Ravana and getting his girl Sita back. In Nepal, it celebrates Krishna defeating his demon foe, Narakaasura. In Gujarat, it honors the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.

For everyone, Diwali signifies the renewal of life. Hindus today are celebrating by waking up early to take morning baths in oil, lighting candles around their homes, feasting with family, buying fancy new clothes, exchanging sweets and setting off fireworks. Sounds like the best of Halloween, Christmas and Independence Day combined. Pardon the blasphemy, but this and the infinite chances at do-overs makes this religion quite the offer for the purely opportunistic.

Related Stories:
· Diwali 101 [BBC]
· Goddess Travel: Child Deified in Nepal [Jaunted]

[Photo: P. Malik]

New York Breaks Out the Zambonis

October 23, 2008 at 1:16 PM | 0 Comments

Hey, speaking of Zambonis, New York's Wollman Rink opened today. Most recently the site of David Blaine's hang-upside-down "trick," it's probably the city's second-most famous skating venue.

The ice at Rockefeller Center is already open, though we tend to avoid it thanks to the public humiliation potential of wiping out in front of busloads of European tourists. Bryant Park is scheduled to open its rink tomorrow; admission is free but skate rental runs $12 a pair.

We'd rather lace up our blades at Lasker Rink on the north end of Central Park, where the scene is a bit more calm. Also worth checking out next month is the new rink the American Museum of Natural History is setting up behind its HQ on Central Park West.

Related Stories:
· Today in NY: Central Park Skating [NewYorkology]
· Museum of Natural History Opening Rink [NY1]
· Where to Skate in Manhattan [Jaunted]

[Photo: pbb]

Today Show Asks: Will Using Cell Phones Bring Down A Plane?

November 20, 2007 at 11:14 AM | 0 Comments

Long ago Fark's Drew Curtis hit the nail on the head when talking about the media's treatment of holiday travel:

Every single holiday, every local AAA chapter contacts their local Mass Media outlets to notify them that traffic will be bad. Here's a concept: Why not tell us when traffic won't be bad.

Of course, we all know that mass media, like the rest of us, doesn't really like to work during holiday time. Thus canned broadcast and newspaper stories are the rule rather than the exception, during times like these. Who do we really feel bad for on days like today? Guys like our boy Peter Greenberg, an absolute wealth of great travel information, who was in the ATL airport this morning answering silly travel questions from Today show viewers. However, the look you see on Peter's face in the above photo is not a reaction to a viewer question, it is a reaction to Today Show host Natalie Morales asking Peter to confirm that using a cell phone in-flight won't "bring down the plane". Yeah.

Peter eases Natalie's fears and tells us that cell phone usage is simply bad etiquette and WiFi is the direction airlines are going. However, WiFi on planes is also fraught with etiquette threats. Of course there is Skype, but does anyone remember the whole flying podcast thing?

The takeaway from all this? Air traffic and auto traffic is going to be heavy over the next couple of days and airline WiFi needs to take a movie theater approach to the uncouth. If you need more info, the story is now "breaking" on CNN.

Related Stories:
· Holiday Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
· Drew Curtis's Book [Amazon]
· Official Site [Peter Greenberg]

Holiday Travel Gets Some Help From the Government

November 15, 2007 at 2:36 PM | 2 Comments

Holiday travel is expected to be so bad this season that President Bush has stepped into announce some temporary practices that will reduce air traffic congestion and reduce long delays.

Military air space will be opened as an "express" travel lane for civilian flights and all nonessential maintenance projects will be suspended at FAA facilities. Additionally, real time reports on airports will be updated on the FAA website.

And if you get bumped from an airline, you just might get some more "spending" money:

The Department of Transportation will propose increasing the bump fee that airlines must pay to travelers who buy tickets but wind up without a seat. The department has been considering hiking the fee from $200 to more than $600.

However, the government didn't say exactly when these practices would start and begin only Thanksgiving and Christmas time frames were mentioned. Let's just hope nobody has to spend Turkey Day on a military-inspired cot at O'Hare Airport.

Related Stories:
· Federal Aviation Administration [Official Website]
· FAA Staffing Up for Busy Holiday Travel [Associated Press]

SeaTac: Not Bringing Back the Trees

October 23, 2007 at 10:00 AM | 0 Comments


Arborial encore? Not this year...

After making headlines for all the wrong reasons, SeaTac Airport has already released its plans for the upcoming holiday season: They're nothin' but secular. Seems a little early to announce the plans, until you remember last year's dust up.

Upon seeing a bunch of Christmas trees last December, a rabbi asked that a menorah be included in the display. Rather than face legal wrangling or deal with requests to add nods to other religions, SeaTac scrapped its whole "holiday tree" display. Everyone chimed in on the debate, which continued over a long weekend before the airport decided it would bring the trees back.

This time around, it should be pretty hard for anyone to get offended. Plans call for artificial birch trees, synthetic snow, images of Mount Rainier and the San Juan Islands. Actually, that kind of offends us, but not because it's without religious iconography. The whole thing just sounds so boring and ugly--spice it up SeaTac!

Related Stories:
· Holidays May Bring Harmony at SeaTac [USA Today]
· Trees Return to Seattle Airport [Jaunted]
· Seattle Airport Takes Down Trees [Jaunted]

[Photo: josiehen]

U.S. Holiday Weekend Drivers Aren't Learning

May 24, 2007 at 9:07 AM | 2 Comments

If you've ever traveled on Memorial Day weekend, you know what fun is in store: Not only will it take you twice as long to get wherever you're going, you'll be paying through the nose to do it. Unfortunately, because of some peculiar summer-induced amnesia, Americans are still traveling in large numbers over the holiday weekend, says yesterday's Newsday.

Some 38.3 million Americans will be celebrating the holiday more than 100 miles from home, according to AAA, a slight increase over last year even though gas prices are up for the 84 percent who are driving. The 4.4 million fliers will face fuel surcharges, both in ticket processing fees and in the ridiculously inflated snack shops on the far side of security.

Why not head to New Jersey? It's the only state where the average gas price is under $3, says CNN, and they'll even pump your gas for you (as one of the only full-service states left). Then again, if you have to burn a full tank to get there...

[Photo: tnachtrab]

Related Stories:
· Holiday Travel [Jaunted]

Not Necessarily Breaking Travel News

May 17, 2007 at 9:40 AM | 0 Comments

CNN, a world leader in news and information, has done it again. Today on the front door of CNN.com they broke an incredibly shocking travel story--Holiday travel likely to rise.

Furthermore, to accentuate their exclusive, they posted a traffic photo and the following sub text:

Lots of Americans will be taking to the highway over the Memorial Day weekend, a survey by AAA finds.

Hey ourman, it looks like we aren't the only ones who run into slow news days.

Seeing this story made us miss the first ever, best ever, video news blog. So we posted an episode here.

more ›

Celebrate Festivus the Jaunted Way

December 22, 2006 at 11:46 AM | 1 Comment


For the serious Seinfeld fans among you, tomorrow is Festivus day. Some celebrate it earlier, but the 23rd of December is the official date. You know the deal: it's a secular holiday "for the rest of us." For a truly orthodox Festivus celebration, one must not only erect a Festivus pole, but also participate in an airing of grievances and wrestling match. Though it's probably too late for you to pay for a proper pole, that's nothing that can't be remedied by rummaging through your neighbor's garbage or a quick visit to the hardware store. Also, if you live near a particularly nasty bodega that never refreshes its inventory, you may be able to find a six-year old pint of discontinued Ben & Jerry's Festivus ice cream.

Background information on Festivus can be found on Wikipedia, and some extras over here. There's even sheet music for an original Festivus song called "Gather 'Round the Pole."

Whether or not your friends have agreed to celebrate with you tomorrow, we'd like you to join us in an airing of the grievances. What travel news, experiences, and miscellany totally pissed you off this year? The comments are open and ready for your wrath. Here, we'll start: news of Emirates' impending policy to allow cell phone use aboard its planes reappeared on CNN this morning, though buzz over the decision broke earlier this year. To whoever thinks this is a good idea: YOU SUCK!

[Photo: btezra]

Related Stories:
· Yes, Virginia, there is a Festivus [Boston Globe]
· Festivus Poles [Official Site]
· International airline to allow cell phone chatter on planes [CNN]

Fogs Smothers BAA Website

December 21, 2006 at 10:58 AM | 0 Comments


Check out that nasty scene above. Passengers at Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London, but especially Heathrow, are suffering today and have been for some time. Most of their flights have been canceled due to fog. The trave pandemonium couldn't have descended at a worse time, considering many travelers are trying to make it home for Christmas. Some other UK airports have been affected, but not as heavily.

The chaos caused the website of BAA, the company that operates Heathrow, to crash. So many passengers have been logging on looking for information, that the site eventually imploded and now carries a temporary welcome message with links and basic information. Our deepest condolences go out to those stuck in Travel Hell today--some people don't even enjoy Heathrow when it's running properly.

If anyone out there is currently dealing with this travel hell--grab some WiFi and tell us about it, or just shoot us an email--in these situations venting helps.

[Photo: Daily Mail]

Related Stories:
· BAA website grounded by fog [The Register]