Disney World to make Animal Kingdom ride safer

ORLANDO — Walt Disney World plans to make safety changes to an Animal Kingdom roller coaster in response to the death last year of an employee after she was struck by one of the ride’s cars.

March 2, 2008

Caribbean Travel Show coming to Novi Thursday

Can't get to the Caribbean? Let the Caribbean come to you. Tourism representatives of most Caribbean islands will be on hand for a travel show in Novi on Thursday. The free show, sponsored by the Caribbean Tourism Organization Detroit Chapter, features food, raffles, door prizes and information.

Paddler's paradise

Southwest Florida's Blueway gives kayakers a glorious place to glide

SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. -- The two-man kayaks lurched forward, backward, sideways. They spun around, bumped into one another and drifted into a thicket of mangroves. Luckily, the water was only about 3 feet deep.

Take your pick of adventures and get going

NEW YORK -- Forget the tan, the Mickey Mouse photos and the cliche souvenirs. These days, travelers want to experience something more than the gated resort and the cruise ship buffet.

Kayaking tours

Southwest Florida • Tarpon Bay: Tarpon Bay Explorers in Sanibel Island offers the 2 1/2 -hour kayak trail tour described in the story ($30); a more advanced kayak sunset tour ($40) and kayak rentals ($20 for two hours). (900 Tarpon Bay Rd., 239-472-8900, www.tarponbayexplorers.com).

Look, up in the sky, 10 great buildings in NYC

NEW YORK -- Everybody knows what the Empire State Building looks like. That's why Rick Bell, the head of the Center for Architecture, didn't put the famous skyscraper on his list of 10 great buildings to see in New York.

TRAVEL BRIEFS

Garden events herald spring

Like daffodils breaking through the cold ground, garden shows, festivals and events are a sure sign of spring. Here are a few around the country in the next few weeks and months: • The Philadelphia Flower Show, today-March 9, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, www.theflowershow.com

5 Web sites for frugal tourists

Aimed at the one in five online travelers willing to trade some convenience and/or certainty for bargains -- who are defined as "mercenary" by Forrester Research analyst Henry Harteveldt -- these auction and "opaque" pricing sites could be worth a click:

March 1, 2008

Quick passport service office to open in Detroit

The U.S. State Department will open an emergency passport agency in Detroit this year, eliminating the need for Michiganders with urgent passport needs to go all the way to Chicago.

February 29, 2008

TRAVEL DIVA

Detroit to get emergency passport agency

The U.S. State Department will open an emergency passport agency in Detroit this year, eliminating the need for Michiganders with urgent passport needs to go all the way to Chicago.

February 27, 2008

TRAVEL DIVA

More Leap Day weekend deals

OK, so your name's not Brad. You can't take advantage of "Brad Day" at Shanty Creek Resort, where everyone named Brad gets free skiing on Leap Day, this Friday, Feb. 29.

February 26, 2008

TRAVEL DIVA

Northwest issues waiver today

Because of a winter storm, passengers due to fly Northwest Airlines today can rebook flights without penalty, the airline has announced.

February 24, 2008

ELLEN CREAGER

European, South American and Asian ports are the hottest things afloat

Want to be part of a cruise trend? Cruise Europe. Want to be ahead of a cruise trend? Cruise South America or Asia.

Tips for the rookie cruiser

1. Do your homework through guidebooks and online to check prices, ships and destinations. 2. Consult with a travel agent who specializes in cruises. 3. If you are uneasy about time spent at sea, pick a shorter cruise for your first outing.

Flightseeing crashes scrutinized

Soaring over Alaska or Hawaii on a sightseeing airplane or helicopter is one of the most exciting things a traveler can do.

Nonstop food and fun create a cruiseaholic

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico -- Stuffing yourself with food is popular fare for jokes on cruise ships, but it's serious business. I gained eight pounds during a seven-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera in November. My wife gained six. Did we really eat that much in a week? Did we ever.

Sail the globe in 3 months

If you've ever dreamed of cruising around the world, you also might idly wonder, gee, how much does that cost? If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it. A 90- to 117-day cruise around the globe costs at minimum $23,000 and at maximum about $386,000 per person, depending on your cabin.

Sail healthy with your medical info

Health is on a lot of people's minds, especially those who travel frequently and to foreign ports. Medical care also is in Crystal Cruises' crosshairs.

Disney cruising -- the voyage is elementary

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Taking a Disney cruise? Here are things you need to know. Happy Birthday Mr. Mouse: It's been 10 years since Disney started its cruises. Two more Disney ships will launch in 2011 and 2012. Fold 'em: You won't find casinos on any Disney ships.

February 18, 2008

New rule would turn cruise tourism industry upside down

WASHINGTON — Federal officials are working to finish a proposed rule that threatens to dramatically alter the itineraries of many foreign-flagged cruise ships, such as those operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean and others, by requiring much longer port stays.

February 17, 2008

Guide to civil rights sites illuminates some stories often forgotten

NEW YORK -- If you drive six miles southwest of Anniston, Ala., you'll pass the spot where a bus was bombed in 1961 and the passengers -- civil rights activists known as Freedom Riders -- were beaten by a mob.

ELLEN CREAGER

Air Maroc from JFK; info on USB

Dear Travel Doctor: What's the fastest way to get from Detroit to Marrakesh, Morocco? Flying Air Maroc from the U.S. may seem to make the most sense, but it's very difficult to find information on Air Maroc. -- Marrakesh Express

MICHIGAN TRAVEL BRIEFS

Alpine slide coming to Thompsonville

Hey, kids and adults! Look for a new alpine slide this summer at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville.

Enjoy surf and seafood in the Algarve region, Europe's end

SAGRES, Portugal -- The wind picked up after we left the last trees behind and the narrow road stretched out over the misty, scrub-covered plateau toward the end of Europe.

If you go to the Algarve region

Getting there: Lagos is 55 miles from Faro airport along the Via do Infante highway. The Portuguese capital Lisbon is 190 miles from Lagos by highway.

Resort can't manage 5th star

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Despite a $50-million renovation, a fifth star has once again eluded The Greenbrier. The Mobil Travel Guide recently released its annual ratings of the world's finest properties but gave West Virginia's historic resort only four stars for 2008.

TRAVEL BRIEFS

Act now for air bill of rights

If you are interested in seeing Michigan pass an Airline Passenger Bill of Rights, now's the time to contact your state legislator. Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, and Sen. Dennis Olshove, D-Warren, introduced SB 911 in November.

February 10, 2008

Oaxaca, after the revolution

OAXACA, Mexico -- Poinsettias carpet the carefully tended gardens of Oaxaca's arch-ringed main plaza, where smoking wreckage and barricades stood just over a year ago.

Famous and historic hotels nationwide update to compete

The big hotel companies -- Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Starwood and the like -- dominate the growing sector of high-end business center hotels. And why not? Chain-affiliated hotels gain competitive advantages through worldwide reservation systems, popular loyalty programs and slick marketing campaigns.

Party like it's presidential inauguration '09

Don't waste time quizzing presidential candidates about whether change is good. It's the managers of hotels and convention halls in Washington, D.C., who have the proof. The Jan.

TRAVEL BRIEFS

Mobil announces 2008 five-star hotels

CHICAGO -- The Mobil Travel Guide, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has for the first time awarded five stars to properties in Wyoming and Utah. The Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Mystery Spot

Clue 1: This bridge connects a rugged island with the mainland. Clue 2: Add an "e" to what's pictured in most of this photo, and your answer, aye, is obvious. Clue 3: If this bridge isn't your bag, just pipe up and send the Free Press your favorite mystery spot.

Hawaii Superferry confronts winter of discontent on seas

When high surf and minor rudder cracks recently forced the Hawaii Superferry to scuttle trips between Oahu and Maui for the fifth day in a row, it was the latest wave in what has been a sea of troubles for the high-speed catamaran.

February 6, 2008

Eight roads to romance

Every romantic getaway has one goal. "No dog, no children, no BlackBerry," says Lynnette Parkhill, director of marketing at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester. "People want a break from their life."