Travel and Play

Travel and recreation features from The Mercury News staff and columnists

By The Mercury News

California
10 ways Knott’s Berry Farm is better than Disneyland
The Mercury News - Michelle Mills
There is a bit of a rivalry between Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland and, while both parks do various things well, there are some things that …
Sex Workers
Amsterdam ends popular tours, says leering at sex workers is inappropriate
The Mercury News - CNN.com Wire Service
By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — Amsterdam has moved to end one of the city’s most popular tourist activities. The city government has announced that it …
Six Flags
Six Flags Magic Mountain to scrap 'one of the worst coasters ever'
The Mercury News - Robert Niles
Usually, it’s the opening of rides that gets theme park fans cheering. But this week, many fans have been celebrating a ride closing. Six Flags Magic …
Tunisia
Upside-down hotel faces demolition; said to have influenced Star Wars
The Mercury News - CNN.com Wire Service
(CNN) — A Tunisian landmark said to have made an impression on “Star Wars” creator George Lucas is facing demolition. The Hotel du Lac in Tunis, an …
Beaches
Travel: TripAdvisor's top 25 best beaches in America 2019
The Mercury News - Jessica Yadegaran
CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device With warmer weather, our minds drift to visions of sandy island getaways …
Santa Monica
A high-style weekend getaway in West Hollywood
The Mercury News - Amber Turpin, correspondent
CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device From the air, Los Angeles only seems to sprawl forever. Within the …
California
Step inside Oga’s Cantina, Disneyland’s wretched hive of scum and villainy at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
The Mercury News - Brady Macdonald
When you step inside Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland you’re likely to find a bartender mixing interstellar cocktails, a droid …
Compensation
Travel Troubleshooter: No compensation for a delayed Iberia flight
The Mercury News - Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I recently flew from Madrid to Lisbon on Iberia Airlines. The airline delayed my flight four hours. An Iberia …
Sugar Cane
Peek inside Oahu's Ko Hana Rum distillery and tasting room
The Mercury News - Martha Cheng, Correspondent
CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device OAHU — When Robert Dawson first considered sugarcane, he was thinking of …
San Francisco, CA
Sausalito day trip: 10 great spots to eat, drink and play
The Mercury News - Allen Pierleoni, Correspondent
CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device Perched on the edge of San Francisco Bay, Sausalito is an irresistible …
California
Small Southern California town's poppy fields draw big crowds again – and at least one proposal
The Mercury News - David Downey
Tens of thousands of people once again descended upon little Lake Elsinore on Saturday, March 23 to glimpse the big poppy superbloom that has …
California
11 Fox franchises that would fit perfectly in a Disney theme park — plus a few wildcards
The Mercury News - Brady Macdonald
Disney’s $71 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox means Mickey Mouse now has thousands of new television shows and movie titles at his white …
California
SFO security lines shut down after passenger gets through checkpoint with ammunition
The Mercury News - Nico Savidge
Three security checkpoints at San Francisco International Airport were shut down Saturday morning after a passenger made it through screening with …
Jurassic World
Universal Studios Hollywood announces details for Jurassic World — The Ride, opening this summer
The Mercury News - Kelli Skye Fadroski
Last May, Universal Studios Hollywood announced that its beloved Jurassic Park —The Ride would undergo a ginormous evolution. The ride, which opened …
California
How to fly the Millennium Falcon aboard the new Smugglers Run ride at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
The Mercury News - Brady Macdonald
“Star Wars” fans who have been dreaming of flying the Millennium Falcon for four decades will get the chance to climb into the cockpit and pilot the …
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
All 3 Disneyland hotels sold out on the night before the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge grand opening
The Mercury News - Brady Macdonald
All three Disneyland hotels are sold out for the night before the grand opening of the highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge themed land, …
European Travel
Travel show: Rick Steves, Cheryl Strayed, Peter Greenberg and more
The Mercury News - Linda Zavoral
The nation’s top experts on travel and adventure — Rick Steves, Cheryl Strayed, Peter Greenberg, Barbara Schultz, Johnny Jet — will deliver keynote …
California
Disneyland hotels roll out discounts, food and merchandise tied to Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday celebration
The Mercury News - Brady Macdonald
The three Disneyland hotels have rolled out a series of offers tied to the Get Your Ears On celebration designed to entice visitors to book a theme …
California
Could February showers bring March rattlesnakes? ‘Snakebite season’ begins
The Mercury News - Steve Scauzillo
After a wet winter, a warmer spring that began Wednesday will send hordes into the great outdoors just as the local snake population awakens from a …
Pets
Travel Navigator: Fur flies over travel industry pet cleanup charges
The Mercury News - Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Two weeks after Kim Bruno returned his rental car in San Francisco, he received a surprise $285 charge from Budget. The reason? “Pet hair,” says …
San Francisco Bay Area
Travel: The 10 best cities for family vacations in 2019
The Mercury News - Jessica Yadegaran
CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device What cities do travel experts recommend for family getaways? Anaheim …
California
Disneyland’s $199 peak daily ticket has been topped: Which park is most expensive now?
The Mercury News - Robert Niles
How much is too much to pay for a day at a theme park? Is $200 too much? Disneyland in January raised its top one-day ticket price to $199, for a Park …
California
Refinery fire will likely fuel price hikes at California gas pumps
The Mercury News - Steve Scauzillo
A partial shutdown of the Phillips 66 refinery in Carson — when combined with temporary closures of two other facilities on the West Coast — began …
California
Grand Canyon celebrates 100 years as a national treasure
The Mercury News - Patrick May
It’s one of the most difficult places on Earth to get your head around. The Grand Canyon, now celebrating its centennial as a national park, is a …
California
‘Disneyland-size crowds’ creating crisis at poppy bloom in small Southern California town
The Mercury News - Brian Rokos
Desperate Lake Elsinore officials, saying the city has been overrun by “Disneyland-size crowds” viewing the prolific California poppy bloom, said on …
San Jose, CA
The green streets of San Jose: Thousands turn out for inaugural Shamrock Run
The Mercury News - Joseph Geha
For some people, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day involves downing a drink — sometimes a beer with a green hue — and maybe seeking out some Irish-style …
Luggage
Travel Troubleshooter: An Iberia lost luggage problem
The Mercury News - Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: Last summer, my wife and I flew from Madrid to Munich on Iberia Airlines. The airline lost two of our bags. We filed a …
Southern Arizona
Why Arizona's Saguaro National Park stands tall among its desert peers
The Mercury News - Lisa Wrenn
CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device TUCSON — Hiking along a rocky trail in Saguaro National Park, it won’t be …
Mendocino County
All aboard Mendocino's rail bikes!
The Mercury News - Jackie Burrell
CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device Redwoods tower above. The fragrance of fir and mossy undergrowth fills …