In summertime the livin’ is easy, and as more people vacation close to home, car trips will be back in vogue.  No more whisking off to the airport for a getaway weekend, instead we’ll be packing up the car and driving to the shore, the beach, or someplace that’s only a few hours from home.  The lower gas prices, attractively priced lodging, and reasonably priced food choices are making car trips an affordable family vacation.
Make life on the road easy by putting together a basic car kit to get you through any emergencies or mishaps that might occur.
In you …read more

I love offbeat and quirky kinds of places – for just the reasons that they are offbeat and quirky.  I’ve even been known to drive out of my way to see the “biggest,” “smallest,” “world’s only,” “oldest” thing or whatever.
Lucy the Elephant, a couple miles south of Atlantic City in Margate, New Jersey, is one of those quirky attractions that I’ve heard a lot about, but haven’t managed to see yet.
Lucy is a six story, 90 ton elephant made of wood and tin sheeting, and was erected in 1881 to attract tourism and development to the south Atlantic City …read more

Today’s Back to Basics tips come from Laura McHolm, the co-founder of NorthStar Moving & Storage Co., and who is also an on-site storage and organizational expert. 
As you might expect, she’s got lots of great suggestions, and I loved her ideas to help make the classic family car trip an easy adventure.  I’ve chosen my two favorite tips to share with readers here today:

Pack one backpack that stays in the car. Include your maps, files with your reservation information, first aid kit, camera, tickets, etc.  (Personal note:  this is a good idea for adult travel, too!)
Wrap items …read more

When you travel all the time, it becomes easy to take the whole process for granted.  Instead of being excited about heading off to the airport for a flight, you complain about having to go on “one more trip.”
It’s easy to understand how you feel when you’re traveling for business, but when it’s finally time to take the family on a vacation, it’s time to get your mind in a different space and make it fun for everyone.  Especially for the kids — who can all too easily pick up on any negative travel vibe.
Whether you’re traveling with the …read more

I’ve toured a city by car, bus, train, moped, bicycle, motorcycle, scooter, and on foot.  Each mode of touring offers different options and varying perspectives on a city.
Travelers in San Francisco and San Diego now have an additional choice on how to see the city — a GoCar.  The GoCar is a talking 3-wheeled vehicle that gives directions and tour commentary as you see the sights of the city.  And it speaks five different languages.
You can follow a standardized tour, deviate where you’d like, or just go off exploring on your own.  The GPS tour system is available at no …read more

Polly want a cracker?
At the World Parrot Refuge on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, winged residents get lots more than a mere cracker.
This non-profit, educational facility operated by FLOPRS (”For the Love of Parrots Refuge Society”) provides a “Home for Life” for previously owned pet parrots.  Parrots have a very long life span, so it is very likely that they will have a need for more than one owner over their lifetime.  Many parrot owners fail to foresee or plan for this, making it increasingly common to have parrots turn up in shelters.  The Refuge is a home for life for …read more

Today is Admission Day for Vermont, our 14th state, admitted to the Union on March 4th, 1791.
Vermont is located in the northeastern part of the United States, an area typically referred to as New England.  With a colorful, independent-thinking history, Vermont was once an independent nation known as the Republic of Vermont.  Today, Vermont is a small state, both is total area, 45th of 50, and population, 49th of 50 (only Wyoming has less people).
Vermont is frequently called the Green Mountain State, although it is unclear where the name comes from.  One theory is that it is called that because …read more

Today is Admission Day for Ohio, our 17th State, admitted to the union on March 1st, 1803. 
The date of admission was actually determined retroactively, because no formal date of statehood was set by the original legislation.  It wasn’t until 1953 that the date of admission was set as March 1st, 1803, the date that Ohio’s first legislature convened.  (Photo above of Ohio Statehouse)
Back in 1835, Ohio fought a war with Michigan, known as the Toledo War.  Somehow, my US History class missed this important battle, but as a result of it, Michigan got the western part of its Upper Peninsula as …read more

Location:  Napa Valley Vineyard.
One of my most enjoyable weekend trips is to spend time wine tasting in the Napa Valley (California).  While several large, major wineries are located in Napa, I’ve found that some of the most fun are the smaller, limited production, family wineries.
Photo:  Aaron Logan
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On a recent layover, as I was sitting in the transportation van with the rest of my crew, I looked out the window at the mass of tail lights and exhaust fumes, shook my head, and muttered “rush hour.”
For those of you who travel to and from the airport on a frequent basis, I’m sure that’s an all too familiar scenario.  While there may be no getting around the traffic, if you are traveling in the New England or San Francisco Bay area, there are ways to commute to the airport without polluting the environment.
Now, thanks to PlanetTran, there’s a …read more