http://www.ajc.com The latest headlines from AJC en-us Copyright 2008, Cox Newspapers Inc., AJC Tue, 2 Dec 2008 22:58:01 EST Newspapers COXnet RSS Generator v1.0 http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/08/17/52/image_1352178.jpg http://www.ajc.com 5 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/articles/stories/2006/11/23/1126airtravel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/articles/stories/2006/11/23/1126airtravel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:41:25 EST Infrequent travelers might have a few questions as they pack for holiday flights. Here are the answers. Q: Can I still bring a carry-on bag on the plane? A: Yes. You can bring a carry-on bag (9 by 14 by 22 inches) plus one personal item such as a purse or a laptop on flights within the United States. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/28/Helen_Georgia_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/28/Helen_Georgia_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:52:58 EDT Helen — There's more to "Alpine" Helen than bratwurst, beer and cuckoo clocks. Base yourselves in the kitschy Bavaria-in-the-Blue Ridge, and your one-tank trip can take you through nearly 200 years of Georgia mountain folk pottery. You can shop for Swedish farmers' cheese and just-ground grits and cornmeal, hike to waterfalls, picnic by Georgia's smallest covered bridge, explore one of our premier state parks, and end the day doing the "Chicken Dance" at Oktoberfest. Don't miss http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/09/28/appalachian_spas_southeast.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/09/28/appalachian_spas_southeast.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:26:53 EDT For centuries, the tranquil foothills and mountains of the southeastern United States have provided the perfect setting for world-class spas. From a soothing view of a soaring vista to the simple sounds of wind chimes blowing in the cool mountain breeze, higher-elevation spas in the region can be pleasingly peaceful. "As many vacationers are planning trips around the spa experience, the mountains of the Southeast make for a tranquil getaway," says Lynne McNees, president of the International SPA Association. "The beautiful scenery allows spa-goers to relax, reflect and revitalize while reducing stress." Whether for a quick weekend away or a weeklong spa vacation designed to take overall well-being to new heights, this overview of options focuses on resorts in the region's mountains and foothills that offer top spas on-property or nearby. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/va_stories/0114crookedroad.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/va_stories/0114crookedroad.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:09:44 EDT • What to know if you go Fries, Va. — Wade Petty's fiddling hums and thumps, driving along the weekly gathering of local musicians at Shaylyn's New River Trail Cafe. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/tn_stories/2008/08/31/Tennessee_Food_Tour.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/tn_stories/2008/08/31/Tennessee_Food_Tour.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Tue, 2 Sep 2008 14:48:10 EDT From Delano to Cleveland, Tenn. — Green hills roll to gray-blue mountains, nearly invisible in midsummer's haze. Corn grows lush. Farm stands dot yards. Tail-wagging dogs loll in the cool dirt under black walnut trees. Southeast Tennessee is in my bones — literally. I grew up nearby, eating corn, okra, strawberries and string beans from this rich soil. Even after 20 years away, Tennessee tomatoes taste better than any others. Today, agricultural traditions here have grown into agri-tourism. From award-winning wines to apples to hams cured the old-fashioned way, travel through southeast Tennessee has something for every palate. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/la_stories/2008/08/29/Gustav_Airlines_Flight_Changes.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/la_stories/2008/08/29/Gustav_Airlines_Flight_Changes.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:48:48 EDT Delta Air Lines and AirTran Airways encouraged travelers whose flights may be affected by Hurricane Gustav to check their flight status, and the carriers are waiving certain fees for those who change plans. Atlanta-based Delta said those whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed can get a refund. The airline is waiving certain change fees for those traveling to, from or through Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Gulf Port, Miss.; Louisiana; Mobile, Ala.; Panama City, Fla. and Pensacola through Sept. 3 who want to change plans with a new travel start date by Sept. 8. Delta also is waiving certain change fees for travel to, from or through the Dominican Republic, Grand Cayman and Jamaica through Sept. 1. However, passengers must pay for any increase in fare. AirTran, which is based in Orlando and has its main hub in Atlanta, is waiving certain change fees and fare adjustments for passengers with flights booked to or from Gulfport/Biloxi, Miss.; New Orleans and Pensacola through Sept. 1 who change their plans to another date within seven days of the original travel date. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/al_stories/2008/08/24/Magnolia_Springs_Ala_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/al_stories/2008/08/24/Magnolia_Springs_Ala_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:52:18 EDT Magnolia Springs, Ala. — Nobody can say Michael Cuccia has a fear of commitment. He just married the love of his life, Pamelia. He does, however, have a fear of heights, which makes one wonder why he chose to indulge his bride with a hot-air balloon ride on their honeymoon. Ahhh ... the things we do for love. When the Baton Rouge, La., couple started searching online for a honeymoon destination close to home, they discovered the Magnolia Springs Bed and Breakfast, a 19th-century plantation house in the Gulf Shores region. No doubt many guests choose Magnolia Springs because Gulf Shores' Orange Beach is only 9 miles south or because Bellingrath Gardens is 40 miles to the west, but what caught Pamelia's attention was the hot-air balloon ride package. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/24/Family_Golf_Resorts.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/24/Family_Golf_Resorts.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:19:11 EDT Scott Campbell's yearly golf trip started a decade ago as a getaway, a few rounds with an old buddy. Both of them had preteen sons, and Campbell left 10-year-old Joe back home in Lawrenceville with the rest of the family. But as his boy grew up and got interested in golf, Campbell realized how little time he had left with Joe. The same thing was dawning on his old golf buddy regarding his son. But would Joe get bored on the golf trip? Would having two boys along ruin the guy experience? Would it be an expensive bust? http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:55:37 EDT From great golf to great grub, Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand area continues to evolve — a grand destination for golfers and non-golfers alike. IF YOU GO http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Golf_Courses.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/24/Myrtle_Beach_Golf_Courses.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:54:12 EDT Myrtle Beach, S.C. — This seasonal resort area has its roots in sandy stretches and sand traps. The beach, golf and weather have played a big part in the Grand Strand's success and growth into a year-round, multi-faceted destination with star-studded entertainment, shopping and creative cuisine. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/tn_stories/2008/08/24/Chattanooga_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/tn_stories/2008/08/24/Chattanooga_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:00:31 EDT BUDGET Getting there Hop in your car. It'll take you only 90 minutes or so to reach Chattanooga from downtown Atlanta. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/13/Avian_Center_South_Carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/13/Avian_Center_South_Carolina.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:42:45 EDT AWENDAW, S.C. — With owls swooping through trees as a warm breeze washes in from the nearby Atlantic, a raptor center newly opened to the public here may transport some younger visitors straight to the pages of a Harry Potter book. For their parents, it's a chance to break the mold of the typical South Carolina tourist trip that revolves around golf courses and beaches. Here at The Center for Birds of Prey, you can see owls, hawks, kestrels and other raptors in flight demonstrations. And you can wander through the lavishly landscaped two-acre Owl Wood with its collection of owls from around the world — like the large white and brown striped Ural owl that skims inches above your head before alighting on a tree stump to the delight of visitors sitting nearby on wooden benches. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ky_stories/2008/08/13/Civil_War_Presidents_Tourism.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ky_stories/2008/08/13/Civil_War_Presidents_Tourism.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:20:15 EDT FRANKFORT, Ky. — From Abraham Lincoln's boyhood residence to the Mary Todd Lincoln house, visitors this year are flocking to Kentucky sites dedicated to the 16th president. But Lincoln's Confederate counterpart, Jefferson Davis, is experiencing a similar resurgence. Kentucky, which claims both men as native sons and has statues of both in its Capitol Rotunda, isn't the only place experiencing a Davis boost. "It'll be hard for anyone to approach the level of attention that Abraham Lincoln gets because he's always classified as one of our greatest presidents," said Paul Bradshaw, manager of a Davis historic site in Georgia. "But I think there's a trend to learn more about the other side." http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/08/BMW_Museum_SCarolina_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/sc_stories/2008/08/08/BMW_Museum_SCarolina_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Fri, 8 Aug 2008 17:52:26 EDT It's easy to see why BMW's visitors center could be a car-lover's BFF. The sleek building, named the Zentrum, beckons travelers on I-85 just north of Greenville, S.C., and the best part is, you can visit the museum for free. Even springing for the one-hour tour of the plant, which is the only BMW manufacturing facility in the United States and is undergoing a $750 million expansion, is just $5 (or $3.50 for students and BMW Car Club of America members). But be prepared: No matter how much money you're trying not to spend these days, spending some time at the BMW attraction is going to fuel the desire to drive to a dealership and plunk down some serious cash on one of the automobiles. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/10/Family_Attractions_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 http://www.ajc.com/services/content/travel/southeast/ga_stories/2008/08/10/Family_Attractions_Travel.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=23 Thu, 7 Aug 2008 14:49:26 EDT Another school season is upon us, and you're probably anxiously guarding your calendar's white space in the hopes that some "free time" will remain sandwiched between school events, sports, recitals, plays, parties and college football. All those different schedules can pull us so far apart that we tend to run in place next to each other, enjoying riveting conversations such as, "When are you going to get out of the bathroom?" Or "What's for dinner?" As the mother of my own loosely organized posse, I feel compelled to get creative when it comes to adventurous family time. Here's a recent year's worth of excursions to inspire other over-scheduled families to set aside time to do something together.