L.A. Times - Travel

Changing an airline ticket? There's a fee for that, and it's gone up

By Tom Parsons — Mon, 27 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

More for Your Money: United and US Airways are now charging more for changes. It's still free at Southwest, but if you're a no-show, it soon could cost you.

If you buy an airline ticket and need to change or cancel your itinerary, you could be in for an even more unpleasant surprise.

Las Vegas: New thrill ride to zip guests between Rio towers

By Jay Jones — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:30:00 PDT

Thrill seekers may anxiously await this summer’s arrival of Sin City ’s newest adventure, the VooDoo Skyline, coming to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino .

Daily Deal: 6 nights in Ireland, plus car, for $999

By Chris Erskine — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:00 PDT

Here’s a fetching Ireland tour that includes airfare from New York, a rental car and six nights of lodging for $999 a person. The catch? Well, it’s a winter trip, available beginning Nov. 1 and running for five chilly months. And the car features a manual-shift transmission. But still.

Major butterfly exhibit opening in Arizona

By Tracy Brown — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:15:00 PDT

Featuring a glass atrium with 150 species, Butterfly Wonderland opens in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Saturday, on a five-acre parcel on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

Dubai: 24-karat iPad for guests at Burj Al Arab

By Tracy Brown — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:15:00 PDT

The sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, where rooms start at $1,525, is expanding the category of luxury accessories by providing all guests with a 24-karat gold iPad upon check-in. The hotel, part of the Jumeirah group of hotels and resorts, is often listed as the world’s most luxurious hotel and already provides iMacs in each of its 202 suites.

Cuba: Globus now offers people-to-people tours

By Jane Engle — Wed, 22 May 2013 07:45:00 PDT

Globus has joined the ranks of well-known tour companies offering trips to Cuba under a special U.S. Treasury Department license that permits people-to-people educational exchanges on the Communist island.

Las Vegas: Paddleboarding in the middle of the desert

By Jay Jones — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:30:00 PDT

It’s now possible to enjoy stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in the Mojave Desert only about half-an-hour from the Las Vegas Strip. Paddle to the Core offers boarding experiences at all levels on the tranquil waters of Lake Las Vegas , located in an upscale (think Celine Dion) community adjacent to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area .

Thin snowpack, dry conditions bring early fire season to Yosemite

By Mary Forgione — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:30:00 PDT

Campers and visitors are urged to take extra care with campfires when visiting Yosemite National Park because fire danger is higher than average for this time of year, according to a park announcement.

Weekend Escape: Ventura, a breezy California jaunt

By Chris Erskine, Los Angeles Times — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Beach-front hotels, whale-watching excursions and fine seafood dining add up to a weekend well spent.

They say something in our salty blood draws us to the sea. As such, Ventura will always be one of our easiest, breeziest, saltiest options. You know you've left L.A. proper when the boot shops start popping up along the 101. You know you've arrived in Ventura when the wind begins to whip and the gulls begin to circle. The tab: $289 for two nights right on the beach, $120 for meals and $98 for three tickets to the whale-watching experience of a lifetime.

American Airlines allows fliers who pack lightly to board early

By Mary Forgione — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:45:00 PDT

American Airlines rolled out a new boarding policy Thursday that allows passengers with one carry-on item that fits under the seats to board planes earlier than others who require overhead bins.