I have a short list of travel posts this week, not because there was any shortage in great stuff, but because I had a little health scare that landed me in the emergency room.  I’ve spent a rather low key week as I’ve been nursing myself back to health, and so I just haven’t had the typical online time that I usually do.  Still, I think you’ll find plenty to like from these posts:
The Vacation Gals entreat the airlines and the FAA not to allow lap children.  The fares are cheap these days, but the costs add up.  Still, …read more

The Stardust Hotel & Casino long ago bit the dust, and I do mean that literally as well as figuratively — it was imploded on March 13, 2007.  The implosion was accompanied by a big extravaganza, complete with fireworks, prior to the building crumbling down. The casino-hotel complex was nearly completely rebuilt in 1991, meaning that it was a fairly new building at the time of its demise.
The Stardust opened in 1958, and had a rather checkered existence.  There were numerous rumors that it was a front for mob activities, and several managers and associates has criminal histories that …read more

When I’m on the road there never seems to be enough time to follow all my favorites travel bloggers, let alone find new ones.  This week, with travels to Las Vegas for five days, followed by a quick trip to Dallas,  was one of those weeks!
Here’s some posts you won’t want to miss:
The New York City Traveler combines two of my favorite food groups, bacon and beer, in his post about a limited production beer at the Brooklyn Brewery.  Another reason to make the trek across the bridge!
Nerds Eye View takes us along her road trip – in a …read more

There are great room, good rooms, and then there are the truly horrible.  We all love the great ones, get by with the good ones, but no one should be stuck with a truly horrible room.  What do you do when that’s the one that you’re sent off to?
Last Friday night, I arrived in Las Vegas, caught a cab, and was off to my hotel, arriving there 10:30 pm.  I had a reservation at a major hotel, and my credit card had already been charged for one night.  At the front desk, I was told that I could have a …read more

It’s been a busy week of travel, and I’ve had a lot of my plate this week, but I still found some good travel posts to share with you.  Enjoy your afternoon with this variety of travel information:
Luxuo introduces us to a new type of architecture, a house built out of the iconic Louis Vuitton brown and gold print.  It’s rumored to be located in Mexicali.  I wonder how many tourists stop by for a look.
LA Times Travel lures us with exotic details of a cruise to Antarctica.  I would love to be able to afford a trip to …read more

Here’s another matchbook that’s a blast from the past, as so many seem to be.  This one is from the old Tacoma Sheraton Hotel, in Tacoma, Washington.
I remember when this hotel opened.  It was the most luxurious hotel in Tacoma, had a great fine dining restaurant (I believe it was Italian), and since it was adjacent to the Bicentennial Pavilion, it catered to a lot of business and convention travelers.  I stayed there frequently after special events, planning to stay rather than drive, after a night of indulgence.
The Tacoma Sheraton was also happened to be a prime meeting spot for …read more

Many of you followed along on my recent trip to Las Vegas, and my quest to find some G-Rated activities.
Here are the top things that I found:

Spent a day at the pool at Mandalay Bay.  Renting a cabana, and have a place to get out of the sun occasionally, made a 100+ degree day at the pool bearable.
Watched the volcano erupt at the Mirage.
Saw Disney’s The Lion King at Mandalay Bay.
Dinner & a show at the Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur.

I’ll be writing about my experience, and providing some reviews and recommendations about them soon, but I wanted everyone …read more

I was in Las Vegas last week, and if you haven’t been recently, well. . . you haven’t been at all.  The landscaped has changed so much over the last several years.  With the demise of many Las Vegas institutions, and the building of new ones, the skyline along the strip doesn’t bear many of the original founding names.
Today’s Matchbook Monday is a little trip down Las Vegas memory lane, back to the glory years of the desert, and the once infamous Desert Inn.  The Desert Inn was once the home to reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes, who rented a …read more

I’ve seen a hotel room or two in my career.  Everything from a rundown dilapidated hotel, with no heat, but they’d send up a space heater, to lovely resort properties that cared about your every need.  So, today’s reader questions, from Marty, is one that is near and dear to my heart.
Marty asks:
Q.  I was wondering what flexibility you have, if any, in choosing what hotel to stay at?  I’m imagining that you probably have to stay at the airport location for whatever hotel chain that your airline has designated?  Is it the same chain in every city?  And …read more

Ah, vacation!  It conjures up all sorts of wonderful day dreams, grabs our attention and “forces” us to spend countless hours doing “research” on the internet at great travel blogs like Flyaway Cafe.    We pick up guidebooks, go to the library, we talk to friends.  Sometimes the planning is a great deal of the fun in arranging vacation plans.  Still, do you always find yourself going to the same old places and doing the same old thing?!
Maybe what you need to do to get out of your rut is to look at vacation through a different lens, and …read more