Planning holiday travel to seasonal events or displays may be on your agenda - see Greg Seiter's blog on the Indianapolis Circle of Lights. If anyone has recommendations for upcoming things to see or do, please send them to us and we'll post a list of your favorites.  The AAA Thanksgiving travel forecast was released Wednesday and the slight increase is an encouraging sign. If you're traveling, map your route and get more travel information with TripTik Travel Planner. 
     Every day, AAATravelviews features stories, tips, news and answers to your travel questions. Post a...Read More

Having lived in Indianapolis for most of my life, I guess I’ve generally taken the festive holiday décor magnificently displayed throughout the Circle City’s downtown area for granted. After all, to say I’ve seen it more than once or twice in all the years I’ve been a Hoosier would certainly be an understatement.

However, in recent times, as I’ve matured and become somewhat seasoned in my experiences, and after having listened to my father tell me I should pay more attention to historically-relevant things of this nature for 35+ years or so, I’ve finally begun to gain a more in-depth appreciation for the beauty that illuminates the heart of downtown Indianapolis from November through early January each year. Truth be told, ... Read More

Tijuana, Mexico:  two-for-one taco specials, tequila shooters, burros painted like zebras, $5 supersized sombreros and an ugly drug war that’s keeping tourists away in droves. 
“You’re going to Tijuana? Are you insane?! You’ll be kidnapped and shot!”

Yes, I was headed for North America’s most notorious border town, solo, to do research for a travel guidebook. And I wasn’t scared. Ok, maybe a little. Recently, the streets of Tijuana have seen the ruthless Arellano-Félix drug cartel  battle the local police and Mexican army in shootouts the ... Read More

AAA projects 38.4 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more away from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend; a 1.4 percent increase over last year when 37.8 million traveled.

The number of travelers by automobile is expected to be 33.2 million in 2009 compared to 32.5 million last year; an increase of 2.1 percent. The number of travelers by air is expected be 2.3 million compared to 2.5 million in 2008; a decline of 6.7 percent. The number of those traveling by “other” means, including, trains, watercraft, buses and multiple-modes of transportation, is expected to be 2.9 million compared to 2.8 million last year, an increase of 1.2 percent.

Last year, Thanksgiving travel dropped a precipitous 25.2 percent in the wake of... Read More

It was a beautiful day in Philly. I was on a travel writing assignment and pounding the pavement in Center City looking for some lunch. At the corner of 13th and Sansom, my travel companion grabbed my arm and shouted “Look!”

I was a little puzzled as I scanned the four corners of the intersection. Then I saw it. A whimsical sign above a storefront said “Capogiro,” but it was the word “gelato” underneath that burned into my brain.

Ah, gelato.

Images of Florence, Italy,... Read More

 

A nine-hour flight to Athens lay ahead. I was settling into my coach seat and starting to doze off when suddenly someone pulled off my blanket. Fearing some calamity, I sat up and looked around. A little girl, perhaps five years old, was running down the aisle waking up sleeping passengers. When a flight attendant asked the mother to control her daughter, the mother rose and angrily informed the cabin that her angel was just letting off energy. Only when the girl got tired and fell asleep did the rest of us get some much-needed quiet time.

With flight cutbacks causing ever-more crowded planes these days, the need for manners at 30,000 feet is more important than ever. Here are some simple rules for airplane etiquette.

Carrying baggage... Read More

This winter, why not bundle up the family and make a run for the border, eh? The northern border, that is—to the Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls, Canada. My family and I visited the festival for the first time just after Christmas last year. The annual event, which begins in early November and runs into early January, is Canada's largest holiday lights festival.

A three-mile stretch of the Niagara Parkway is transformed into a twinkling wonderland each winter between Dufferin Islands and the Whirlpool Bridge (although there are few displays north of Rainbow Bridge). The colorfully lit falls themselves provides a dramatic backdrop to more than 3 million tree and ground lights and 125 animated... Read More

There are many attractions and activities in the Boston area that offer a change of pace for the non-traditional tourist.  Having been to Boston a few times, I was looking for unique experiences and was fortunate to find some.

Mapparium
One of Boston’s most unique attractions, and one I had never heard of, was the Mapparium.  Located in the Mary Baker Eddy Library, the Mapparium is a three-story stained glass globe.  It was built in 1935 with 608 glass panels that could be replaced as the world changed.   A 30-foot glass bridge takes visitors into the center of the globe.  Once inside, visitors are treated to a presentation that illustrates how different... Read More

It was a muggy day in Key West, but still I clung to the speed junky like white on rice. While riding aboard a rented motor scooter, my boyfriend and I zipped down narrow streets flanked by tightly parked cars and clusters of well-worn bicycles. Each twist of the throttle brought shivers down my spine as we sped through busy intersections alongside novice riders and blithe scooter pros. I watched the road when the boyfriend seemed distracted by the hubbub of Old Town, the city’s historic district, and tried to keep my frightened squeals (which initially occurred each time he made a turn, stopped or, well, just drove straight ahead) to a minimum.

Since it was our third day in paradise, by this point, we knew our way around town, so fortunately we didn’t... Read More

Register now to learn more about one of the most popular vacation savings at the AAA/CAA Virtual Travel Show: Best & Biggest Sales Event on Tuesday, November 10. Join us online and take advantage of exclusive special offers and special promotions. AAA Travel and CAA Travel have brought together our preferred partners to help get you the best deals. Whether you are looking for a quick getaway or a world tour – there is something for everyone. Visit online anytime between: 6 p.m. and midnight EDT,5-11 p.m. CDT,4-10 p.m. MDT and 3-9 p.m. PDT.  During the live event you... Read More