
Rain expected to dampen Memorial Day traffic in Maine
"Just under 1 million vehicles are anticipated to travel the Maine Turnpike from Friday through Monday," said spokesperson Erin Courtney. "Stormy weather forecasted for Friday will likely keep folks away for the first part of the weekend."
Even with a slight dip, Friday will still be the busiest day, Courtney said, with the heaviest volume northbound from 3-7 p.m.
Saturday will be busiest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in both directions. Monday will be busiest southbound from noon to 7 p.m.
Despite the stormy weather, Miles the Moose, the turnpike's mascot, will greet travelers at the Kennebunk northbound plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
The turnpike, which runs from Kittery to Augusta and is part of Interstate 95, was designated a Gold Star Memorial Highway in 1965, honoring military members who died in service and their families. Signs along the highway reflect this designation.
Copy the Story Link

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
US hotel room construction hits 20-quarter low: CoStar
This story was originally published on Hotel Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Hotel Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: The volume of U.S. hotel rooms under construction decreased year over year for a sixth consecutive month in June, according to new CoStar data. As of last month, there were 138,922 U.S. hotel rooms under construction, a 20-quarter low, according to Isaac Collazo, senior director of analytics at CoStar subsidiary STR. The volume of rooms under construction decreased 11.9% year over year in June, per CoStar. The continued decline is not surprising given 'hotel demand trending downward, unrelenting economic uncertainty and rising construction costs,' Collazo said. Most of the rooms under construction are in the upscale and upper upscale segments, which STR previously forecasted would see the highest RevPAR growth this year, driven by changing traveler behavior. Dive Insight: The volume of U.S. hotel rooms under construction has decreased each month since January, coinciding with President Donald Trump's second term. In those months, U.S. government actions have caused economic uncertainty, and tariffs have negatively impacted construction pipelines. The volume of U.S. hotel rooms in final planning (266,276 rooms) also decreased year over year in June, albeit only by 0.1%, according to CoStar. The number of U.S. hotel rooms in the planning stage (349,802 rooms), meanwhile, increased 4.8% year over year in the month. The majority of rooms in the U.S. hotel construction pipeline are in these two planning phases, but 'many will likely not be built in the near future,' Collazo said. Of rooms currently under construction, the majority are in the upscale and upper upscale segments, according to Collazo, who also noted that more than half of all rooms under development are in the South, largely outside of the top 25 markets. Higher-tier hotel segments were a bright spot for the industry last year, driving performance as high-income households prioritized travel. That trend has continued, with high-income households anticipated to make up nearly half of travelers this summer, Deloitte reported in May. Ahead of this year's Memorial Day weekend, travel outlooks appeared mostly stable despite a dip in consumer confidence and dampening international visitation. Last month, however, CoStar and Tourism Economics downgraded their 2025 and 2026 growth projections for U.S. hotel top-line performance metrics, citing elevated macroeconomic concerns. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


New York Post
6 days ago
- New York Post
NYC airports face steep increase in flight cancellations this summer
These airports are definitely not ready for takeoff. Travelers are faced with a spike in flight cancellations this summer, compared to last year — and NYC's already unpopular airports are some of the worst offenders, new data showed. Flight tracker FlightAware crunched the numbers — and found that the cancellation rate is up about 29%, CBS News reported. Advertisement 5 Airports have reported a spike in flight cancellations compared to last year. REUTERS Between the week of Memorial Day and mid-July, the return-to-gate rate jumped from 1.4% in 2024 to 1.8% this year. That's despite nearly 256,000 fewer — about 18% — flights having been scheduled for this year's peak season, compared to last. Advertisement And of all the airports in the country, the less-than-holy trinity Big Apple flyers are forced to contend with are being called out as some of worst offenders. The much-ballyhooed 'new' LaGuardia Airport was the 5th worst, and perennially unpleasant John F. Kennedy International Airport was the 9th — while personnel-issue-plagued Newark Liberty International Airport came close behind at number 10. 5 New York City airports have some of the worst cancellation rates in the country. Markus Mainka – 5 Summer travel has been a hassle, especially at New York City airports. REUTERS Advertisement LaGuardia Airport has canceled about 5% of flights so far this summer — a 65% increase from last year. This has sunk its on-time performance rate down 6.1%. JFK Airport has canceled about 3% of flights this season — a 42% increase from 2024. Advertisement And over in New Jersey, Newark has cancelled about 3% of flights taking off this summer — a 28% jump from last year. The top three offenders were further south: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C., Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. However, not all the airports in the country are scrambling. Some have actually decreased their cancellation rates compared to this time last summer. 5 Between the week of Memorial Day and mid-July, the cancellation rate jumped from 1.4% in 2024 to 1.8% this year. REUTERS 5 However, some airports have actually decreased their cancellation rates compared to this time last summer. AP Miami International Airport's cancellation rate has dropped 40% with on-time performance up 7.3%. Just up the road, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has reported a cancellation rate that is 25% lower than last year, with on-time performance up 5.6%. Advertisement And if your flight isn't cancelled, but you have to drop out of the trip for another reason, you can just sell it to another lucky traveler. Nonrefundable vacations can leave thwarted trippers thousands out of pocket — and some are turning to increasingly popular online marketplaces to find someone to fill their seat. These sites allow sellers to post nonrefundable flights, room bookings or packages they can no longer use, and eager buyers can scoop them up — often at dramatic discounts, typically between 20% and 30% off the original price.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
7 natural swimming spots in NY worth the summer road trip: See the list
Nothing says summer quite like splashing near a waterfall or natural swimming hole. There are many natural swimming spots around New York state - in lakes, streams and ponds and others at the base of waterfalls or tucked along a favorite hiking path. Sure, traditional pools are fun, but there's something special about taking a dip in a spot carved out over the years, created by Mother Nature. Many popular natural swimming spots don't allow swimming legally - whether deemed unsafe by police or located on private property - but that doesn't stop folks from taking a dip. Some spots are enforced more aggressively than others. Beating the summer heat in a natural swimming spot may at times feel nostalgic, but its usually a hit - a must-do on your summer bucket list given its unique draw. Here are seven such spots scattered around the state. Robert H. Treman State Park Located just outside Ithaca, Tompkins County, the natural swimming hole in Robert H. Treman State Park is in a wide-open area at the base of Enfield Falls. Swimmers can cool off in the stream-fed pool beneath the park's 70-foot-tall Lower Falls when a lifeguard is on duty. The pool's diving board is often busy - and a great backdrop for unique photos - while other swimmers prefer to splash near the base of the falls. The pool is 1 to 12 feet deep and can feel a bit chilly. Changing rooms and restrooms are located near the swimming hole. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car. Address: 105 Enfield Falls Road, Ithaca, Tompkins County Kershaw Park Kershaw Beach, the focal point of Canandaigua's Kershaw Park, opened for the season over Memorial Day weekend and will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day, weather pending. The nine-acre park at the north end of Canandaigua Lake in Ontario County is a popular swimming and gathering spot. In addition to the swimming beach, the park has a bathhouse, a playground, a small craft launch area and public dock with a boat pump-out station. More serious swimmers can also "swim the buoys" just outside the designated beach area, but be sure to check in with lifeguards before swimming in the open water. This year, city officials said there will not be an entry fee for beach-goers. Address: 155 Lakeshore Drive, Canandaigua, Ontario County Taughannock Falls State Park One of several parks that offers swimming in Cayuga Lake, Taughannock Falls State Park also has the tallest free-standing waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains at 215 feet. That spot alone is a huge draw for tourists and locals. But the swimming beach - located roughly 20 minutes north of Ithaca - is open daily in the summer. There's a wooden flotilla about 100 feet offshore that offers a fun splash zone for more experienced swimmers. Lifeguards are on duty. Outside the designated swimming area, visitors may only wade ankle-deep into the lake. There's a bath house with changing stalls and showers, a large playground and picnic spots nearby. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car. Address: 1740 Taughannock Blvd., Trumansburg, Tompkins County Eagle's Cliff Falls A 41-foot-tall waterfall at the center of a wide amphitheater-shaped rock wall showers people in the knee-high water at Havana Glen Park in Montour Falls, Schuyler County. The spot has a natural eagle-shaped formation at the top, the large rock cathedral makes the 15-foot-wide waterfall look small from a distance. The hike from the lot to the falls is short - roughly 20 minutes - but you will pass several smaller cascades along the trail. Posted signs prohibit swimming but many hikers still wade into the water or stand under the spray of the cascade. The park has a campground and daily parking rates are $3 per car. Address: 135 Havana Glen Road, Montour Falls, Schuyler County Fillmore Glen State Park A roped-off section of Dry Creek is the main attraction when open. Water levels change depending on the rainfall and time of season. Swimming is allowed in the stream-fed swimming space, but only when a lifeguard is on duty. The park offers changing rooms and restrooms. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car. Address: 1686 State Route 38, Moravia, Cayuga County Green Lakes State Park Located in Fayetteville, Onondaga County, Green Lakes State Park is best know for its two glacial lakes that are surrounded by upland forests. The turquoise waters cover a freshwater reef, which is exceedingly rare. Parts of the reef are visible from the shore, and it is fascinating to observe. The Green Lakes are meromictic lakes, meaning there is no seasonal lake mixing, and have a high potential for evidence of ancient plant and animal life. A large swimming beach is located at the north end of Green Lake. A bathhouse and nature center are located nearby. Visitors may not enter the water near near Dead Man's Reef. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car. Address: 7900 Green lakes Road, Fayetteville, Onondaga County Minnewaska State Park Preserve Minnewaska State Park in Ulster County has two swimming beaches - one of Lake Minnewaska with a pebble surface beach and one on Lake Awosting where there is a rock surface beach. You need to hike or bike 3 to 5 miles (distance depends on your route) to reach the Lake Awosting beach, making it a swimming spot you need to earn. The park is on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain ridge, more than 2,000 feet above sea level, and is surrounded by rugged, rocky terrain. State Park entry is $10 per vehicle. Address: 5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson, Ulster County Swimming tips Swimming tips Please remember: There are risks associated with any water source, natural or otherwise. Some of these watering holes do not have certified lifeguards on duty. Anyone entering the water, at any time, does so at his or her own risk. The New York State Department of Health recommends the following: Always swim with others. Never swim alone, no matter your experience. Do not consume drugs or alcohol while swimming, Both slow reaction time and can impair judgment. Be aware of any medical conditions that may impact someone's ability to navigate the water. Do not dive into water less than 8 feet deep, or into water where you aren't sure of the depth, conditions Recognize that currents cannot be seen and may prove risky for even the most experienced swimmer. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 7 swimming spots in NY worth the summer road trip: See the list Solve the daily Crossword