MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Carnival Cruise Line has released another round of updates on what travelers can expect when its new private destination Grand Bahama Celebration Key opens. Debuting in summer 2025, the port of call will be welcoming ships from Florida ports Port Canaveral, PortMiami, Tampa and Jacksonville as well as six other U.S. ports. The 369-acre site less than 20 miles east of Freeport will be the first dedicated to Carnival Cruise Line, although Carnival ships have used sister line destinations Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay for years. The largest port construction project in the l ..read more

Do you like the Great Outdoors? For the kickoff of the annual National Park Week, which for 2024 will be held April 20-28, the park service is offering free admission to its parks and monuments on Saturday, April 20. This can save you $50 or even more, but here’s what you need to know, from someone who’s taken advantage of it in the past. Show up at dawn. Seriously. I know, I know. Don’t hurt me. But then you get there before the thundering hordes arrive. As you might guess, free passes are a huge draw. You don’t need to sign up or register. Just show up and go. Tourists stop to gaze at the sp ..read more

Laurie Baratti | (TNS) TravelPulse Google Maps is launching new updates that are intended to make finding travel inspiration and local recommendations in your destination easier. Users will start seeing these lists of suggestions popping up in Google Maps in more than 40 cities across the U.S. and Canada this week. These updates will also be rolled out globally on Android and iOS mobile platforms later this month. With this trio of updates, users can discover curated lists of local recommendations from other users and esteemed websites, customize their own lists and access key insights, making ..read more

By LILY O’NEILL | The Denver Post My birthday is close to Memorial Day weekend every year, and I like to take advantage of the long weekend by checking a town off of my Colorado travel list. In years past, my friends and I have soaked up the San Juan Mountain views in the warmth of the Pagosa hot springs and gone whitewater rafting in Class 4 rapids down the Royal Gorge in Cañon City. This year, we’re planning on sandboarding through Great Sand Dunes National Park. But it was my trip to Ouray in 2022 that still has me in pure awe. The mountain town is tucked in a valley surrounded by the San J ..read more

MIAMI BEACH — The COVID pandemic drove the cruise industry to a standstill, but numbers released Tuesday signal the years of comeback are officially over with more expansion on tap. More than 31.7 million passengers took cruises worldwide in 2023, said Kelly Craighead, Cruise Line International Association president and CEO, speaking at the annual Seatrade Cruise Global conference at Miami Beach Convention Center. CLIA is the lobbying group for member cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC and most other major brands. The pandemic shut down sailin ..read more

Hidden along California’s rugged Northern Coast lies the tiny town of Trinidad and its stunning coastal and forest landscapes. It’s a jewel of a town, with spectacular sea views and access to state and national parks. What you won’t see are a lot of people. With a population of just 370, it’s the smallest incorporated city in the state, but it’s well worth a trip. “It’s got a nice small-town vibe, the locals are friendly, and there’s a lot of stuff you can do here,” says John Adams, executive director of the local chamber of commerce. “If you’re staying in Trinidad, it’s going to feel pretty u ..read more

For me, this is the hardest time of year. Skiing is pretty much a wrap and those sun-filled yet snowy days are in the past. It should be spring,  and yet things are just gray. There’s mud and rain and damp air and cold when all we want is to take a lovely walk in lighter clothes. So why not escape it? Here in the Northeast, we are surrounded by ways to burst out of the bubble of bleh and find some warm, comfortable joy. Consider these easy-to-access day (or overnight) escapes to brighten your day — and your mood. Blooming Beauty in Boylston: Fields of daffodils, endless blooms of color an ..read more

By Sam Kemmis | NerdWallet Buying airfare has become a marathon of decision-making. Which airline do you prefer? Should you book in basic economy or main cabin? Do you want to pay for a window seat? Are free changes and cancellations a must? Increasingly, airlines are condensing this marathon of micro-decisions into a single choice between several “bundles,” which offer popular add-ons for one price. This price is usually discounted from the cost of buying each add-on a la carte — kind of like a value meal at a fast-food restaurant. The trouble with navigating these bundles and determining whi ..read more

San Francisco-based Afar magazine has just released its list of the 31 best new hotels around the world. It’s a rundown certain to inspire wanderlust, even if you weren’t planning to visit, say, Winston Churchill’s London digs or the highlands of Iceland anytime soon. But if you were, Afar’s editors suggest Iceland’s Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll. The sleek Nordic retreat about three hours from Reykjavík is run by the same team behind the Retreat at Blue Lagoon. And the new Raffles London at the OWO nestles 120 guest rooms and suites inside the historic Edwardian building that once served ..read more

Patti Nickell | Tribune News Service (TNS) Where can you taste the world’s best bourbon, make the acquaintance of the world’s most famous Thoroughbred, tour the home of the “Paul Revere of the South,” shop for high-end antiques in a converted schoolhouse, and spend the night in a castle — all in the same small county? If you said Woodford County, Kentucky, go to the head of the class. Located in the state’s scenic Bluegrass Region, Woodford County offers enough to keep a visitor occupied for an entire vacation. Start with the Thoroughbreds. Drive along US 60, and you will quickly discover that ..read more