Latest news with #TheVacationer
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Looking for the best staycations in Arizona? These 2 cities topped list of US travel spots
If you're craving a summer vacation but don't have the budget to go on a trip, a local "getaway" can be a fun alternative. A recent survey from The Vacationer found that 82% of Americans plan to travel this summer. But with rising costs due to inflation and tariffs, many people are rethinking their travel plans or cutting back on expenses. Luckily for Arizonans, two cities in the state made it into the top 15 U.S. cities for staycations, with a wide range of options for entertainment and relaxation at affordable prices, according to a recent WalletHub study. Staying local also means saving on flights and hotel stays. But if you're craving that resort experience, you can still get it for less. As a bonus, many Arizona hotels offer steep discounts in the summer when fewer tourists visit due to the scorching desert heat. That means you can lounge by the pool or enjoy a spa day at a fraction of high-season prices. "A staycation can save you a lot of money while being just as memorable," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "Not only do you avoid the cost of overnight accommodations and minimize travel costs, but you can also discover all kinds of fun activities close to home that you might not have tried out otherwise." Here's a look at the best Arizona cities for staycations, WalletHub's national rankings, and some local hotel deals to help you plan the perfect summer escape—without leaving the state. Tucson ranked highest in Arizona, landing at No. 12 nationally. The city mostly stood out for its rich food and entertainment scene. Earlier this year, Tucson was named one of the most entertaining cities in the U.S.— right behind heavy-hitters like New York, Las Vegas and Chicago. According to the Action Network, Tucson shines with live theaters, cultural attractions, museums and outdoor experiences — all backed by social media buzz. This southern Arizona gem offers local highlights like Grammy-winning artist Linda Ronstadt's favorite bakery, Barrio Bread, and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Food lovers can enjoy authentic dishes at El Charro Café, while outdoor enthusiasts can escape the heat with stunning views from Mount Lemmon. Scottsdale followed right behind at No. 13, scoring high for recreation options. With luxurious resorts, relaxing spas, fine dining and plenty of family-friendly fun, Scottsdale makes it easy to feel like a tourist in your own city. And the best part is you don't need a big budget to enjoy it. According to Scottsdale's tourism website, the best time to take advantage to these amenities is during a summer staycation, when "locals can access five-star luxury at three-star prices," the website states. These 15 cities are the best for staycations, according to WalletHub: Cincinnati Orlando Las Vegas Honolulu Chicago St. Louis Tampa, Florida Salt Lake City Atlanta San Diego Portland, Oregon Tucson Scottsdale New Orleans Denver These are the 15 worst cities for staycations, listed from worst to best, according to WalletHub: Yonkers, New York Fremont, California Pearl City, Hawaii Chula Vista, California Hialeah, Hawaii Irving, Texas Oakland, California Santa Ana, California Anaheim, California New Haven, Connecticut Santa Clarita, California Newark, New Jersey Bridgeport, Connecticut Huntington, New York Jersey City, New Jersey Here are some of the best summer 2025 staycation deals in Arizona. Talking Stick Resort's Summer Playcation Package offers starting rates of $139 Sundays through Thursdays and $169 Fridays and Saturdays, plus discounts on treatments at The Spa at Talking Stick and cabana rentals and $25 in free casino play. Arizona residents with valid ID do not have to pay the $25 per night resort fee. The North Phoenix family resort, home to the AquaRidge Waterpark, is offering two deals for summer 2025. The Savings on Summer package offers up to 35% off best available rates plus a $100 daily resort credit, self-parking for one vehicle and a $10 game card to Copper Alley, the resort's arcade bar. The package starts at $334 per night. The Wigwam's Summertime and Sunshine package offers a low starting rate and a $75 daily credit for the resort's restaurants, spa and golf courses. Rates start at $169 per night. Following roller rink and summer camp-inspired summer events in past years, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has a Wild West theme for Summer at the Princess 2025. Activities include gem panning, campfire stories, horseshoe tossing and a Western-themed miniature golf course. As is tradition, the summer festivities also include a staycation deal − up to 40% off best available rates for a limited time. Rates start around $300 per night with the discount. To find the best places in the U.S. for a staycation, WalletHub looked at 182 cities, including the 150 biggest cities plus at least two major cities from each state. They scored each city based on three main areas: Recreation, like parks, pools, hiking trails and bike lanes. Food and entertainment, including restaurants, coffee shops, theaters and nightlife. Rest and relaxation, such as spas, beaches, and the cost of relaxing services like massages. They used 41 different factors in total, such as how many parks or restaurants a city has per person and how much it costs to see a movie or get a massage. Each factor was scored on a 100-point scale, with higher scores meaning better conditions for a staycation. For population-based metrics, WalletHub adjusted the numbers to compare smaller and larger cities fairly. Finally, they averaged all the scores (based on how much each factor was worth) to give each city a final score and ranking. Data came sources like the U.S. Census, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and others, and was collected in May 2025. Republic reporter Michael Salerno contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2 Arizona cities ranked top for staycations. Here's why
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Protect Summer Plans from Unexpected Car Trouble
ST. LOUIS, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Summer is right around the corner, and whether you're planning a family getaway, a staycation, or just managing the hustle of summer camps and soccer practice, life doesn't slow down when school's out. According to The Vacationer's 2025 Summer Travel Survey, more than 75% of Americans (nearly 196 million people) intend to take a road trip this summer. More people on the road could lead to increased vehicle accidents. According to Enterprise data, the average car repair takes more than two weeks. But that doesn't mean you have to be without your car for that long. Rental reimbursement coverage helps cover the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link. Kelly Stumpe, better known as The Car Mom, shared: 'This coverage is affordable. A full year typically costs about the same as one day of renting a car.' Rental reimbursement coverage is a widely available add-on to your auto policy and is offered by most major insurance providers. Enterprise data shows that nearly 60% of full-coverage auto policyholders lack this coverage, which puts them at the risk and inconvenience of not having a backup vehicle in case of an accident that requires repairs or replacement. Even if they're aware it's available, some policyholders may find costly surprises when learning the rental replacement that they're eligible for doesn't fit their family's needs. If you own a vehicle that empowers a busy lifestyle like a full-size car, SUV, truck or minivan, make sure you pick rental reimbursement coverage that fits your family's needs. Before hitting the road this summer, check your insurance policy and call your provider to add the right amount of rental reimbursement coverage. Visit for more information. CONTACT: Media Contact: Evangeline Fanger 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
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
These 2 Texas metros are among the best, cheapest summer destinations in the US. See which
In case this week's record heat hasn't made it obvious, we'll just tell you: Summer is well on its way. Around 82% of Americans plan to travel this summer, and 42% say they'll go on more than one trip, according to a 2025 survey by The Vacationer. With inflation raising gas prices and airline tickets, however, this may be a season for more budget-friendly getaways. To determine the best summer travel destinations at the cheapest prices, WalletHub analyzed 100 of the largest metro areas across 41 key factors — from the cheapest flights to the number of attractions to the average cost of a two-person meal. "When picking a summer travel destination, it's easy to focus just on the types of activities you want to do or certain cities you've always wanted to see," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. "However, choosing a destination that's not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining and activity costs have surged so much in recent years. It can also allow you to have a longer, more relaxing trip." Where is the most affordable yet exciting place for a summer trip in Texas? Here's what the data shows. When do Austin pools, splash pads open? Here's a 2025 summer swim season guide. The Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown and the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro areas both ranked in the top 10 in WalletHub's list for summer travel. With an overall rank of five, the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metro area did well in the "attractions" category as No. 5. Its lowest rank listed was in the "travel costs and hassles" category, where it ranked No. 65. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area ranked 10th overall and 13th in the "local costs" category. Like the Central Texas metro area, it performed poorest in the "travel costs and hassles" category, at No. 50. A total of seven Texas metro areas were included in the analysis, and five managed to rank in the top 35 overall rankings. The McAllen metro area ranked second for highest costs and the most hassles, only ranking higher than Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It also had the third-fewest attractions. However, it outranked all other Texas metro areas in the "local costs" category, at No. 12. With an overall rank of 31, the El Paso metro area scored relatively high in weather (No. 10) and safety (No. 20). The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area ranked seventh in attractions despite its overall ranking at No. 35. The San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area came in at No. 20 for both local costs and attractions. Here's how the Lone Star State's metro areas measured up: Metro area (overall rank) Travel costs & hassles rank Local costs rank Attractions rank Weather rank Activities rank Safety Rank Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown (5) 65 21 10 21 25 44 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (10) 50 13 21 41 29 43 San Antonio-New Braunfels (18) 29 20 20 38 40 91 El Paso (31) 57 37 82 10 69 20 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land (35) 89 16 7 50 26 88 Corpus Christi (80) 67 41 78 34 79 92 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (97) 99 12 98 58 91 25 Source: WalletHub Here's which areas made the top 10 of WalletHub's 2025 list: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Urban Honolulu, HI Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Salt Lake City, UT Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Three California metro areas fell into the bottom three spots, followed by the McAllen Metro Area. The ten most poorly ranked were as follows: Bakersfield, CA Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Baton Rouge, LA Lansing-East Lansing, MI Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 2 Texas metro areas among top 10 best summer destinations in the US
USA Today
02-05-2025
- USA Today
Booze at altitude: The messy truth about drinking on planes
Booze at altitude: The messy truth about drinking on planes Show Caption Hide Caption Shoes off, reclined seats tops pet peeves when traveling by plane Among the top pet peeves among Americans traveling on planes are passengers reclining their seats, according to a survey by The Vacationer website. Ariana Triggs, USA TODAY A passenger's excessive alcohol consumption on a flight raises questions about the responsibility of airlines to limit service. While some support drink limits on flights, the issue is complex due to alcohol's revenue contribution and passenger/airport bar sales. Although a federal law exists against serving intoxicated passengers, enforcement seems inconsistent. Jodi Smith lost count of the number of rum and Cokes her seatmate ordered on a recent flight from Boston to Los Angeles. Was it five? Or six? "He was a nervous flier," Smith remembered. "Old enough to order alcohol, but too young to make good decisions." After the third drink, the passenger started slurring his words, so Smith made eye contact with the flight attendant who had been mixing the Cuba Libres. She gave her the look of, "Can you do something about this?" "She just shrugged," Smith said. Check out Elliott Confidential, the newsletter the travel industry doesn't want you to read. Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don't tell anyone! The flight didn't end well. For the sake of our family audience, let's just say it involved a lot of noise, agony and the discharge of bodily fluids. Smith, an etiquette expert, still has one question about the incident. "In most states, bartenders are legally obligated not to overserve," she said. "Why doesn't this also apply to those serving drinks in the air?" Are you the world's worst hotel guest? Here's how to tell (and redeem yourself) Everyone's talking about alcohol on planes She's not the only one asking. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary recently blamed most of the air rage incidents in Europe on overconsumption and suggested a two-drink limit at airport bars. Since then, there have been a string of embarrassing incidents involving alcohol on planes, including inebriated passengers, crewmembers, and even pilots. So as this summer rolls around, it's not so much a question of whether drink limits are a good idea – it's more an issue of what limits make sense. A new survey by Global Rescue found that some travelers support limits on alcohol. About 1 in 5 passengers say airlines shouldn't serve more than one drink every 30 minutes, while 17% favored a limit of one an hour. A majority say serving alcohol should be left to the discretion of the crewmember or bartender. Dan Richards, Global Rescue's CEO, said there was one takeaway, no matter how travelers voted. "While travelers should always be responsible for their consumption, airports and airlines also have a duty to ensure the safety of all passengers," he told me. The problem is surprisingly complicated Imposing a drink limit sounds like an easy solution. While we're at it, maybe there should even be a federal law that would limit alcohol consumption on domestic flights. But this issue is surprisingly complex. For starters, alcohol is by far the biggest source of onboard revenue, so cutting off passengers would make a dent in the airline industry's profits. (During the pandemic, some airlines stopped serving alcohol amid an epidemic of in-flight violence, but they quickly resumed beverage service in an effort to reclaim lost revenue.) It's common knowledge that limiting alcohol can improve the quality of the flight. Recent research by the University of Texas found that consuming alcohol was a "significant contributor" to passenger misconduct. And German researchers also discovered that drinking on planes can harm your health. But the problem is, neither passengers nor airlines want limits. There's yet another layer of complexity. Many passengers board their flights already intoxicated because they've been hanging out at the airport bar. And those watering holes in the terminal selling overpriced cocktails would, of course, go out of business without nervous fliers who order a few drinks before their flights. So you can't just limit or ban drinking on a plane. You have to apply sensible rules to airports as well. And if you were cheering for a new drink limit rule, consider this: there already is a federal law that limits alcohol consumption on planes. It forbids airlines from serving anyone who appears to be intoxicated or who has a deadly or dangerous weapon accessible to him, among other things. So why did Smith's seatmate get so many rum and cokes? Perhaps the flight attendant had to make her sales quota. Should you drink on a plane? The decision about whether to drink or not on a plane is a personal one. Here are a few things to consider: Don't forget – you're on a plane. I know, it sounds obvious, but most people don't think about the effects of being in a pressurized cabin. "Unfortunately, sometimes the effects of alcohol don't show until the plane is in the air or the passenger has their next drink," said Beth Blair, a former flight attendant. She remembers serving a passenger a Bloody Mary – only one! – and the next thing she knew, he was knocking on the door of the flight deck, demanding to speak to the captain. "The FAA and FBI met our flight," she recalls. "There were severe consequences." I know, it sounds obvious, but most people don't think about the effects of being in a pressurized cabin. "Unfortunately, sometimes the effects of alcohol don't show until the plane is in the air or the passenger has their next drink," said Beth Blair, a former flight attendant. She remembers serving a passenger a Bloody Mary – only one! – and the next thing she knew, he was knocking on the door of the flight deck, demanding to speak to the captain. "The FAA and FBI met our flight," she recalls. "There were severe consequences." If you drink, do it in moderation. That's the consensus of the behavioral experts I talked to for this story. "If we get the little bottle of wine or beer in economy class with our meal, that should be enough," said etiquette expert Adeodata Czink. "No more alcohol than that. This way we would have our wine and there would be much less intoxication." That's the consensus of the behavioral experts I talked to for this story. "If we get the little bottle of wine or beer in economy class with our meal, that should be enough," said etiquette expert Adeodata Czink. "No more alcohol than that. This way we would have our wine and there would be much less intoxication." You're really better off avoiding alcohol on flights. That's especially true if you take any prescription medications. "The vast majority of medical emergencies our team have been asked to intervene in with other passengers have involved alcohol," said Bob Bacheler, managing director of Flying Angels, a medical transportation service. "It's usually a combination of alcohol and sedatives. I can't stress how dangerous the combination of sedatives, alcohol and decreased cabin pressure is." Ultimately, the choice is yours, of course. But ask yourself: Do you want to end up getting hauled off the plane in handcuffs, like the guy on Blair's flight? Maybe you can wait until you land to have that drink. So, how do you fix this problem? I've been writing about problem passengers since the 90s, and in almost all cases, alcohol is involved. Airlines have had plenty of warnings, from the drunken passenger who defecated on a meal cart to the epidemic of air rage during the pandemic. Take away the alcohol, and you remove some of the fuel that powers these outbursts of antisocial behavior. I've also seen the destruction alcohol can wreak on the ground. I've watched relationships get ripped apart, and I've lost friends to alcohol. And by "lose," I mean they are dead. It affected me so profoundly that I stopped drinking a decade ago. The debate over alcohol consumption on flights is more nuanced than it might initially seem. While limiting or banning alcohol could improve passenger behavior and reduce incidents of air rage, it's not a decision airlines can make lightly. After all, alcohol sales contribute significantly to their bottom line, and many passengers look forward to that glass of wine or cocktail during their flight. But the consequences of excessive drinking onboard – from unruly behavior to safety risks – can far outweigh the temporary pleasure of a drink. Abstaining from alcohol while in the air is a simple and responsible choice. After all, a few hours without a drink isn't too much to ask. And for airlines, perhaps it's time to prioritize passengers over profit and consider following the lead of carriers in the Middle East who have adopted a dry policy altogether. Maybe the real question isn't whether alcohol should be limited on flights, but whether the convenience of a drink is worth the potential risks it brings to the flight experience. As for Jodi Smith's seatmate, the rum-and-coke binge wasn't just a bad decision – it was a reminder that when alcohol is involved, it's not just the passengers who are at risk, but everyone onboard. So, the next time you're flying, ask yourself: Is it really worth it? Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at chris@
