AOL Travel Ideas

5 Summer Road Trips Inspired by Hollywood Movies

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-05-16T08:00:00+00:00

The crazy, fun-loving buddies' road trip in The Hangover has inspired countless others to set out on their own memorable adventures. Two Hangover movies -- including the upcoming finale The Hangover Part III -- later, it's clear you don't have to head to Las Vegas to have the movie-inspired road trip of your life. From the stomach-dropping Grand Canyon scenery in Due Date to The Descendants journey along the lush roads of Hawaii, there's more than enough cinematic ground to be covered as you plan your next trip.

Check out the video below for a look at those and other summer road trips inspired by popular movies. For other movies that inspire travel, hop on over to Moviefone.

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Vacation Bliss May Be Hiding in Your Forgotten Rewards Points

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-05-10T10:43:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks, Budget

With summer vacation season approaching, the hunt for great travel deals has moved to the top of a lot of to-do lists. But as you're clicking around the Web for cheap flights and bargain hotel rooms, and crunching the numbers to see how much fling you can afford, don't forget to check for discounts that may be lying fallow behind the plastic in your wallet.

Forgotten rewards points and frequent flyer miles can make a summer trip possible when you thought you might be stuck at home.

--View the full story on DailyFinance.

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American Airlines Invites Social Media's High Flyers Into Its Elite Lounge

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-05-09T17:35:00+00:00

Filed under: Air Travel

Airline lounges have long been the exclusive province of the high rollers willing to spend hundreds of dollars for the privilege of waiting for their flights in comfort. But they'll soon be joined by another kind of elite traveler: The person who's really popular on the Internet.

On Tuesday, American Airlines launched a new promotion that grants access to its Admirals Club - which has free WiFi and complimentary booze and snacks - to travelers who wield the most influence on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. To do so, it will team up with Klout, a service that measures just how big a player you are in the online world.

-- View the full story on DailyFinance.

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Top Spas for a Mom-Worthy Recharge

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-05-09T07:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Family, Spa & Wellness

Looking for something to do this Mother's Day? Take charge of your weekend to recharge by sinking into one of these sumptuous spa retreats.

Miraval, Arizona

Miraval, Arizona
Horses. Hammams. Happy hour. A seal of approval from Oprah Winfrey herself. If that meets your requirements for a relaxing long weekend, then Miraval is a must. The 400-acre luxury spa, a smattering of casitas in the sun-baked desert hills just outside of Tucson, offers an ideal, yin-yang balance of exercise and ease, of challenges and comfort. There are enough fitness activities to satisfy the most rabid gym rat, enough spa treatments to bliss out the super-stressed, and enough tequila, chips and guac at the nightly cocktail bar to go ahead and indulge, after all. Don't miss the outdoor Miraval relaxation massage, which combines the dry air of the Sonoran desert and the deep moisture of Clarins aromatherapy oils for reduced stress and improved circulation. The iced-cucumber water at the pool is pretty divine, too.

Read the rest of Top Spas For A Mom-Worthy Recharge on AOL's MapQuest Discover.

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Great American Road Trips

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-05-01T17:14:00+00:00

Filed under: Weekend Getaways, Road Trips

Planning a road trip? Of course you are. It's almost summer, and few American pastimes -- baseball, eating hot dogs, heckling baseball umpires between bites of your hot dog -- are as enticing as piling in a car with family or friends and heading toward the beach. Or heading for that national park you've always meant to visit. Or just pointing your car toward the horizon and seeing where the bends in the road take you.

Road trips appeal to us because they have a timelessness and tradition that tap into the rugged American spirit. But they're also appealing because they allow us to travel close to the ground and see take the pulse of the country's landscape and people.

Follow along as we highlight road trips that offer travelers a taste of both of these worlds. We'll start off in Louisville, and we'll venture across the country, from Virginia to Nebraska to Hawaii and beyond.

But rest assured, we'll leave room for another beloved part of any great American road trip: surprises. Our spring and summer road trip coverage starts here:

15 Reasons the Best Place in America to Start a Road Trip is Louisville, Kentucky
Driving the American Horse Trail
Exploring Maui's Upcountry

Also, be sure to check out some great road trip stories from our archive.

Road Trip: Florida Spring Break 2013
5 Things I Learned Road Tripping through Florida on Spring Break
Road Trip Gear: Seven Must-Have Essentials

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8 Money-Saving Tips For Your Next Cruise Vacation

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-04-22T16:29:00+00:00

Filed under: Cruise, Tips & Tricks

Recent images of a cruise ship limping back to port after an engine malfunction didn't do the cruise industry any favors heading into the summer vacation season. And cringe-worthy accounts from passengers who had to make do without power or working toilets for five days may have turned some travelers off cruising for good.

But for those undeterred by the mishap that befell the Carnival Triumph in February, nor that of several other headline-grabbing woes that afflicted some of Carnival Corp.'s (CCL) other ships over the past year, this is a good time to save money on a cruise vacation, experts say.

Ready to set sail? Read these eight tips for saving money on a cruise vacation on Daily Finance.

You may also like:
2013 Cruises: River Cruising, Exotic Ports and More Trends for the Year
Cruise Tips: Five Things to Splurge on During Your Next Voyage
Titanic Attractions: 5 Cool Cruise Ship Exhibits
Titanic II: Coming to the Atlantic Ocean in 2016

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Virgin America Tops List of Best Airlines; United Ranks Last

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-04-08T16:31:00+00:00

Filed under: Air Travel

The report ranked the 14 largest U.S. airlines based on on-time arrivals, mishandled bags, consumer complaints and passengers who were bought tickets but were turned away because flights were over booked.

Airline performance in 2012 was the second highest in the 23 years that Wichita State University at Omaha in Nebraska and Purdue University in Indiana have tracked the performance of airlines. The airline's best year was 2011.

Read the rest of Virgin America Tops List of Best Airlines; United Ranks Last on AOL's Daily Finance.

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Tipping Tips for Travelers

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-04-04T12:59:00+00:00

Filed under: Tips & Tricks

Do you know the appropriate amounts to tip while traveling? You can now.

Cash may be king, but figuring out how much of it to tip -- and to whom -- can leave travelers feeling like paupers. Daily Finance asked experts and seasoned travelers for their tips on how to show appreciation for the people who make traveling worth doing.

Check out the full list of Tipping Tips for Travelers on Daily Finance.

More tips to help you travel better:
How to Find Under the Radar Travel Spots
Group Trips: How to Plan a Smooth Getaway
Flying With Kids: How to Avoid a Cataclysm in Seat 9B
How to Communicate Abroad When You Don't Speak the Local Language
How to Relieve Stress on the Road

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Vacation at a Whole Foods Spa? It Could Happen.

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-03-25T14:33:00+00:00

Filed under: Food + Drink

Whole Foods will soon open the company's first "upscale health resort."

The market's co-founder John Mackey told USA Today that the resort, which began as an internal idea after a successful program to improve its employees' eating and lifestyle habits, would likely open near Austin, Texas, in the next three years.

Check out Daily Finance for the rest of the story.

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Five Best Places to Party In Michigan

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-03-25T10:59:00+00:00

Filed under: Arts & Culture

These places all come hand-picked from Michigan's very own Wilson, a hard rock band whose members, according to our colleagues at Noisecreep, "take their partying very seriously."Wilson rounded up five of its favorite spots to party in its home state, including the Bronx Bar (left) in Detroit.

From Noisecreep: "Known as 'Detroit's Cheers,' just WAY darker and smokier. It's located in the historic 'Cass Corridor.' It's always filled with the up and coming Detroit 'talk abouts' and Wayne State students. The ambiance of this place will kinda freak you out if it's your first time plopping down one their dirty bar stools. It is very, very dim lit."

Read the rest of Wilson's picks at Noisecreep.

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Nine Videos to Spruce up Your Spring Break

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-03-22T18:39:00+00:00

Filed under: Spring Break

Spring Breakers, the new movie about girls going wild on spring break in Florida staring Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez and Ashley Benson, has been described as depraved and parent shocking. Our spring break tips video playlist? Fewer guns, no James Franco. Yet it's still entertaining and quite useful.

Check out all nine videos about how to get the best out of your spring break travels, or pick and choose from the playlist.

And if you want to see what's really goes on in Florida during spring break, have a look at our Florida Spring Break Road Trip 2013. Earlier this month AOL Travel contributor Terry Ward traveled from St. Petersburg through Orlando, Daytona and down the coast to Miami to find out if there's more to Florida spring break than the "Girls Gone Wild" cliché.

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Road Trip: Florida Spring Break 2013

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-03-08T10:43:00+00:00

Filed under: Spring Break

Florida spring break is the stuff of hedonistic legend. Wild parties. Nights that end in the daylight. Sunshine and bikinis (and sunburns) on the beach.

But is there more to Florida spring break than the "Girls Gone Wild" cliché? Earlier this spring, AOL Travel contributor and Floridian Terry Ward (on Twitter @terrywardwriter) road tripped across the state to see what Florida spring break is really like in 2013. She visited classic Daytona spring break dives and the swanky poolside scene in South Beach. She explored the state's natural side, too, taking a glimpse at where people are getting away from the stereotypical Florida spring break. Along the way she chatted up bikers and families and inebriated college students - and you.

Find recaps of her visits to St. Petersburg, Orlando and down the coast to Miami right here and on Twitter and Facebook. Terry shared her adventures as she drove through the heart of Florida spring break 2013.

Day 1: St. Petersburg Spring Break Check-in: 'I Want to Chill and Party'
Day 1: Florida Spring Break Photo of the Day: St. Pete's Beach
Day 2: Orlando Spring Break is Still Warming Up
Day 2: Florida Spring Break Photo of the Day: Downtown Disney
Day 3: Daytona Beach's Parallel Universes: Spring Break Meets Bike Week
Day 3: Florida Spring Break Photo of the Day: Daytona Beach
Day 4: Fort Lauderdale's Spring Break: Pretty Palms and Pretty Loose
Day 4: Florida Spring Break Photo of the Day: Fort Lauderdale
Day 5: In Miami's South Beach, a Different Kind of Spring Break
Day 5: Florida Spring Break Photo of the Day: Miami Beach
Finale: 5 Things I Learned Road Tripping through Florida on Spring Break

Also, check out some spring break coverage from AOL Travel, our Gadling travel blog and elsewhere on AOL.

The Savvy Grown-Up's Guide to Spring Break on a Budget
Budget Locations for Spring Break 2013 Travel
Alternative Spring Break Ideas
8 Strategies For Avoiding The Spring Break Crowds
How to Stay Healthy on Spring Break
Cheap Spring Break Ideas For Broke People
9 Videos to Spruce up Your Spring Break

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Travel and the Sequester: What You Need to Know

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-03-04T13:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Air Travel

The sequester - $85 billion in automatic, across-the-board spending cuts in U.S. Government spending - officially began last Friday at 11:59 p.m. In the pre-sequester debate, many pointed to the travel industry as an area that would be hit hard by cuts. The FAA would suffer $600 million in cuts, which would affect air-traffic control staffing. Within terminals around the country, it was suggested security lines would grow and flights would be delayed.

Now that the sequester is here, what's happening? Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said this morning at a Politico playbook breakfast that longer lines at airport security checkpoints could be blamed on the sequester. She said lines are"150 to 200 percent as long as we would normally expect." Elsewhere, the Department of State announced its passport agencies will be closed March 9 due to the cuts.

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This Man Earned 4 Million Airline Miles by Buying Dollar Coins

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-03-01T10:49:00+00:00

Filed under: Air Travel

Brad Wilson's scheme involved using rewards cards to buy money directly from the U.S. Government.

"The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 sought to put dollar coins into circulation by allowing citizens to buy the coins directly from the Mint's website at face value," Matt Brownell writes at Daily Finance. "Shipping was free, and the website accepted credit cards. So Wilson pulled out his rewards card and bought nearly $3 million in coins."

Check Daily Finance for the rest of Brownell's fascinating story.

[Photo: Brad's Deals / YouTube.com]

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Titanic II: Coming to the Atlantic Ocean in 2016

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-02-27T11:42:00+00:00

Filed under: Cruise

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer has unveiled his blueprints for Titanic II, a replica of the ill-fated cruise ship that succumbed to an iceberg in 1912 and, in the wake of that tragedy, became an object of fascination for generations.

Palmer may be more fascinated by the Titanic than James Cameron. He and his team, including main designer Markku Kanerva, will attempt to build a ship that is virtually indistinguishable from the original. Plans are to sail Titanic II across the Atlantic in in 2016. Everyone on board the cruise will be required to wear period attire.

News of the Titanic II has been received with awe, snark and a little bit of fear for those pesky Atlantic icebergs. As HuffPost Live asked yesterday (starting at 1:35 in the video above), will Titanic II be safe? According to the Guardian, Palmer says not to worry. Due to climate change, he says, "There are not so many icebergs in the North Atlantic these days." Titanic II will, however, have enough lifeboat and life raft capacity to handle all of the 2,435 passengers and 900 crew members.

What else will Titanic II have? Three classes of passengers who will not mingle.

What will Titanic II not have? Internet or television, in hopes of recreating the feel of an earlier era.

What do some people wish Titanic II would have? Alexandra Petri writes in the Washington Post that Palmer should consider: "For a special fee, you can stand on the front of the boat and insist that you are the King of the World." And then: "For an extra fee, you are entitled to push overboard anyone who does [the above] or starts to sing the Celine Dion song."

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'MAKERS': Maya Lin on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Beyond

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-02-26T09:51:00+00:00

Filed under: Arts & Culture

One of the most visited spots in Washington, D.C. started out as a school project. Maya Lin developed the idea for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial during her senior year at Yale University, a process that came together in a moment of inspiration.

After seeing the memorial site on the National Mall and researching for almost two months, Lin went to bed one night. "The next morning I thought let's cut open the earth and open it up," Lin says. "That's all it was."

She shares the full story behind her now-iconic memorial in "MAKERS: Women Who Make America," a documentary airing tonight on PBS. A joint project of PBS and AOL, "MAKERS" chronicles the past 50 years of the women's movement through the stories of Lin and other trailblazers. (Check the listings for local air times.)

Lin's design ignited a firestorm of protests from Vietnam veterans. But soon after it debuted in 1982, the memorial became a touchstone for veterans and played a key role in healing the nation's post-war wounds. Four million people now visit the wall every year. "I knew I was right," Lin says. "[The initial reaction] wasn't just about the aesthetics. It was about that I knew that if that project was built it would help people. I cannot answer why I knew that. I'd never known anyone who died. All I knew is if we could face death, face it honestly, only then can we get over it."

Lin's memorial also launched a career that has seen her create artwork and memorials throughout the world. You can see five of her can't-miss works in person in the destinations in the gallery below.

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Oscar Movies Trigger Travelers' Wanderlust

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-02-22T16:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Arts & Culture

In Oscar-nominated movies, sometimes the scenery shines like the stars.In last year's best picture candidate "The Descendants," the Hawaiian eye candy almost upstaged George Clooney. In 2010's best picture winner "Slumdog Millionaire," you could taste the grit and hum of India. In 2003's "Lost in Translation," the bright lights and big crowds of Tokyo set the film's exquisite tone.

This year, the Oscar nominees shine a spotlight on a variety of wanderlust-inducing destinations. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul stars in the opening scene of "Skyfall," which is nominated for best cinematography. Vivid scenes from "Life of Pi" were filmed in Pondicherry, India's French Quarter. The musical "Les Miserables" counted on Gourdon, a village in Provence, as a stage for its scenes of early 1800s France.

Check out the video above for a look at those and other destinations that stand out in this year's crop of Oscar nominated films. For coverage of other movies that inspire travel, as well full-coverage of the Oscars Sunday evening, hop on over to Moviefone.

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Can Las Vegas Really go Green?

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-02-21T15:33:00+00:00

Filed under: EcoTravel

The neon-drenched city in the middle of the Nevada desert has been inching toward sustainability for a few years. Peter Greenberg chronicled green efforts in Las Vegas back in 2008. Modern Hippie did the same in 2010. Now, the city has taken a couple more interesting steps in the direction of eco-friendliness.

A $50,000 donation from the Consumer Electronics Association is earmarked for a solar installation project at the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign on the Las Vegas Strip. Elsewhere, MGM Resorts is working toward LEED certification for a new building development.

Nevada is currently ranked tenth in green building states by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Watch the video below for more on Las Vegas's move toward sustainability.

[Top image: Steve Allen/jupiterimages]

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Carnival Triumph Returns to Shore

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-02-15T09:37:00+00:00

Filed under: Cruise, News

After more than five days disabled at sea, the Carnival Triumph finally docked in Mobile, Alabama last night. Because only one elevator on the ship was working, it took several hours for all the passengers to disembark.

The passengers soon told all the horror stories about the dismal conditions on the ship in first person. "It was like a sauna of sewage," Cindey Gill told the Los Angeles Times.

At least one, though, had praise for the crew. Passenger Parisa Safarzadeh wrote on CNN: "If it wasn't for the crew on board, all of us would be severely injured, starved or crazy. Crew members always had a smile on their face and a concern in their voice. Honestly, these people deserve more than compensation. They deserve a huge thank you for their enduring support, service and compassion."

For the full backstory, check our earlier Carnival Triumph coverage.

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Carnival Triumph Remains Stranded in Gulf of Mexico (Update)

AOL Travel Staff — 2013-02-14T15:17:00+00:00

Filed under: Cruise, News

A tow line being used to pull the Carnival Triumph snapped this afternoon, setting back the efforts to bring the damaged cruise ship and its 3,143 passengers to port in Mobile, Alabama. Coast Guard Petty Officer William Colclough told the AP the ship is "dead in the water and when they reconnect safely, they then proceed on their way."
Feb. 14, 2013, 9:53 p.m.
The Carnival Triumph remains in the Gulf of Mexico for the fifth day, though the end of the sea-bound portion of the ordeal is almost over. The ship is now expected to reach port in Mobile, Alabama by 8 p.m. ET.

On Wednesday, a third tug boat began to help tow the crippled cruise ship. CNN also reports that the U.S. Coast Guard flew in a generator and other equipment via helicopter to help beleaguered passengers.

Carnival announced further compensation of $500 for each passenger aboard the Triumph. Passengers had already been told they'd be refunded for the cost of their voyage and that they'd receive credit for a future cruise.

Feb. 13, 2013, 2:41 p.m.
As the ill-fated Carnival Triumph slowly makes its way back to land in Mobile, Alabama, the city is readying to deal with thousands of unexpected guests. Huffington Post Travel spoke with David Randel, the president and CEO of the Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, to find out what's going to happen to the thousands of passengers and crew who, judging by reports of conditions aboard the Triumph, will be happy to leave the ship behind.

For now, though, the spotlight remains on the Triumph and Carnival's response to the situation. Cruise Critic Editor-in-Chief writes "the tragedy of Carnival Triumph" will linger in travelers' memories.

Travelers scheduled to sail on the Triumph will need to make new plans as well. Carnival has cancelled all of the ship's voyages through April 13.

Feb. 13, 2013, 10:56 a.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board have begun investigating the engine room fire that left the Carnival Triumph adrift in the Gulf of Mexico Sunday. The ship is currently being pulled toward Mobile, Alabama. It's expected to arrive sometime Thursday.

Carnival president and CEO Gerry Cahill discussed the situation in a press conference last night. Among the concerns aboard the ship: the appearance of norovirus or another disease outbreak. A former senior officer for Carnival Cruise Lines told USA TODAY that staff members are "probably working double shifts to keep the mess clean and wipe down and sanitize all the common areas."

Feb. 12, 2013, 10:53 a.m.
The Carnival Triumph begins its third day at the mercy of Gulf of Mexico currents and two rescue tug boats, which Carnival president and CEO Gerry Cahill hopes will be able to return the ship, its 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members to Mobile, Alabama by Thursday.

That won't be soon enough for many of those on board, who have seen the conditions aboard the ship deteriorate in the wake of an engine room fire Sunday morning. The fire left the Carnival Triumph with emergency generator power and some auxiliary power, but without propulsion.

One passenger told Fox News that, in the wake of the fire, he's seen water and feces on the floors. ABC News reports that some people are sleeping outside in tents to avoid the stench inside the ship. There are also reports of people waiting hours for food. To help relieve the situation, other ships in the Carnival fleet are reportedly bringing supplies to the Triumph.

Carnival's Cahill released a statement that all guests on the Triumph will be refunded for the cost of their voyage, and they'll also get a future cruise credit.

For more about the situation aboard the Triumph, and reports from passengers aboard the ships, check out the video below.

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