travel

My needs are quite specific when it comes to a suitcase. It must be expandable, have a front zippered section large enough for my laptop, be lightweight and in any color other than black. Oh, and it has to have four wheels.

It’s a game changer for travel around south Florida. Brightline began express train service in January between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, and added service to Miami last week.

As summer comes to an end, trying to coordinate one last road trip can be stressful. Luckily, there are plenty of apps to enhance your travel experience. If you plan to hit the road, download these apps first:

Need a quick One Tank Trip getaway? Visit Poverty Point. Poverty Point World Heritage Site offers a look at the mounds and ridges built centuries ago by people who lived and hunted in the area.

I was shocked what a difference they made. I put on my noise-cancelling headphones as soon as I got on the plane and had the great sound quality I expected to watch a movie. But the bonus is I also felt less stressed without all that ambient noise from the airplane.

Whether you’re a New Orleanian hoping to explore colder climates or an avid traveler looking for unique experiences in the Last Frontier, the Alaska Railroad has a variety of offerings for everyone.

What’s on your 2018 bucket list? Did road tripping make the cut?

While they may not be taking a seat next to you on Space Mountain, your canine companion (or two) can now stay with you at a few of Disney’s resort hotels in Orlando. These are Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and the cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

Airbnb has more than 4 million listings worldwide. The #1 wished-for in the world? A charming treehouse nestled in the woods of northwest Atlanta.

I went to check in for a flight recently and located my confirmation number on my calendar. Then I hit a snag: I didn’t remember which airline I was on. But my days of searching for flight confirmations are over.

This week, GNO, Inc. celebrated the second anniversary of Copa Airlines’ establishing service at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Since the launch of direct service to Panama two years ago, GNO, Inc. has worked closely with Copa Airlines to ensure the flight’s success.

In 2004, the International Air Transport Association began pushing airlines to issue electronic tickets. Prior to that, most passengers received their tickets through the mail from a travel agent or from an airline ticket office.

The incredibly popular One Tank Trips signature program from WWL-TV, known to draw visitors to attractions across southeast Louisiana, is back for 2017!

Eight people travelled 76 hours and 511 miles as part of one great sailing competition. The NOLA-based crew of Southern joined 17 other vessels in the Pensacola a la Habana Race.

I doubt I’d grow tired of the beautiful beach, nightly shows, 24-hour room service, exquisite interior spaces, selection of food at four restaurants and adults-only atmosphere at IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Paraíso. But a stay at this all-inclusive in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, allows you entry to four neighboring sister resorts.

Cancun is a popular vacation destination, but a lesser-known retreat lies two hours south along the Caribbean coast. Tulum is a quiet Mexican town with quaint hotels, restaurants and shops where you can live like a local.

Years ago, travel agents were the ideal way to book vacations. Today, with online resources coupled with our ever-growing desire for personalized service, we need a new kind of partner to help with our holiday plans; we need a travel advisor.

Food choices have exploded at Hartsfield-Jackson the past few years. One of the newest is Chicken + Beer on Concourse D, opened in November. Hometown hip-hop artist Ludacris named this southern comfort restaurant after his third studio album.

I love bike tours: exercise, fresh air and a guided tour all in one. In New Orleans, we found Free Wheelin’ Bike Tours and selected the Queen of the South, one of five tours this highly rated company runs.

The first bishop of New Orleans’ St. Louis Cathedral was Cuban. When City of Havana historian Dr. Eusebio Leal saw the portrait of Bishop Penalver in New Orleans, he asked if he could get a copy.

Visiting the prehistoric Newgrange in County Meath, Ireland, requires traveling down a long, narrow and dimly lit passageway to a chamber of altars and carvings, dating to 3,200 BC. While Newgrange is believed to have religious and ceremonial importance, its original purpose is unknown.

Currently reigning as our most popular Founding Father with his own hit Broadway show, Alexander Hamilton was born in Nevis in the Caribbean. Visit his homeplace with the “Take it to the Bank” special from Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, a historic inn with 36 cottages on 30 lush acres.

It fit the picture in my mind perfectly of a cozy New England inn. The Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, has fireplaces in the rooms, wonderful views of the Atlantic Ocean and plenty of outdoor seating in the well-landscaped, plush green yard.

For me, travel = food. It’s a bonus when my hotel features one of the best new restaurants in town.

We sat on the front porch of Twin Oaks, her antebellum home in Natchez, Mississippi, while Chef Regina Charboneau served us her homemade jam and biscuits. We had just met her, but she treated us as long-time friends as I delighted in every layer of her biscuits, made from her recipe that has been featured in the New York Times.

I love hotels with a history. For my daughter’s wedding this past weekend, guests stayed at The Lancaster Hotel, Houston’s oldest continually operating hotel and a member of Historic Hotels of America.

“Hey Siri, adjust the temperature to 72 and turn off the lights.” It’s as easy as that to control the temperature and lights in your hotel room at two of Starwood’s Aloft Hotels.