Driving Destinations

Rent Paddles, Pedals and More

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 GMT

On your next outing, choose these rentable get-abouts for the whole family.

By China Williams

Instead of carting the family around in a car to see the sights on your next vacation, skip the traditional get-abouts and cover ground with these curious contraptions that provide amusement no matter how far you travel.

Rent a Funcycle in Cannon Beach, Oregon

Pedal power gets a playful makeover with these recumbent tricycles, perfectly suited for cruising Cannon Beach's nine-mile stretch of packed sand. The trikes come in all sizes: minis for the toddlers and stretches for tall grownups.

Two locally owned companies, Family Fun Cycles (503-436-2247) and Mike's Bike Shop rent recumbents and cruisers for around $12 per hour.

Wait, you've never heard of Cannon Beach? It's one of Oregon's most adorable beach towns, and the humpbacked figure of Haystack Rock had a cameo appearance in the movie "The Goonies" — a favorite for parents who were once kids themselves back in the dark ages of the 1980s. Plus, Cannon Beach is an easy daytrip from Portland, Ore., only 69 miles away.

Podcast: Food Fight

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:00:00 GMT

We've partnered with the world-renowned travel publisher, Lonely Planet, to bring you the Progressive Driving Destinations Podcast series, which provides useful, innovative and easily accessible travel information.

Today, we're discussing regional preferences in pie. As in pizza pie and flaky dessert pie.

Food Fight - Total Time: 5:16

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It's a Small World: Ethnic Food Tour

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:00:00 GMT

This week we're taking a culinary tour through Southern California. Along the way, we'll sample some of the best ethnic cuisine the Left Coast has to offer, beginning with Danish meatballs in Solvang and ending with taste-bud-popping genuine Italian gelato in San Diego.

Southern California is perhaps the world's greatest culinary melting pot. Whether your passion is burrowing into burritos or scarfing Pad Thai to Elvis music, So-Cal's all that and a bag of chips – here's just a sampler platter. Loosen that seat belt. SoCal is known for foods from Latin America and Asia, but we begin our journey with old-world comfort food in Solvang, which bills itself as the Danish capital of America. No trip to this quaint red-painted timber-built town is complete without æbelskiver (apple fritters) at Solvang Restaurant; they're so popular that there's a special takeout window. Bit o' Denmark serves a classic smorgasbord (Danish buffet) of over two dozen items in Solvang's oldest building (1911); don't miss the frikadeller (Danish meatballs).

America's Great Amusement Parks

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:00:00 GMT

By Greg Benchwick

Cotton-candy dreams still run free in America. This is, after all, the land that brought you massive wooden roller coasters like Cedar Point's Blue Streak and Coney Island's Cyclone. From steel, sweat, and even a few screams, the U.S. created the juggernauting amusement parks that bring us together every summer to explore the best jaw-dropping adrenaline rushes the world has to offer.

NASCAR's Best Pit Stops: Start Your Engines

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Road trips are as popular as ever, and we've partnered with world-renowned travel publisher Lonely Planet to bring you some of the best driving trips in the United States. Each trip focuses around a specific theme, locale or passion.

This week's trip takes you on a NASCAR pilgrimage to experience the thrill of stock car racing for yourself.

Whether you spend your Saturday afternoons glued to the television watching NASCAR races, or have just seen "Talladega Nights" enough times to want in on the action, the only way to fully appreciate stock car racing is to experience it up close and in person.

The area around Charlotte, N.C., is the undisputed capital of NASCAR, and it's where the majority of teams, owners, governing bodies and fans are based. Start your trip just north in Concord, where you can experience the thrill firsthand at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Road Trip Down the Mighty Mississippi

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:00:00 GMT

This week's trip takes you along the shores of the mighty Mississippi River in search of its most noteworthy attractions.

Few other tributaries have captured our imagination the way the Big Muddy has. From "Old Man River" to "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," the Mississippi River has been immortalized in song, on stage and in literature.

The Mississippi River isn't our country's longest; that distinction goes to the Missouri River. But it is our most important waterway, ferrying fuel, goods and people to the Midwest and back again, just as it has for hundreds of years.

Splash around Chesapeake Bay

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:00:00 GMT

By China Williams

During the summer months, maritime merriment is afloat on the Chesapeake Bay, the country's largest estuary. To help you get your sea legs, follow this Chesapeake Bay guide that navigates the brawny port city of Baltimore and the tony sailboat capital of Annapolis, where family fun can be found both on and off the water.

Best U.S. Auctions

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:00:00 GMT

By Karla Zimmerman

"Five, five, five — do I hear five? Ten dollars for the pair? SOLD!"

Nothing beats the thrill of buying at a live auction. Sure, you could get those same two antique plates online at eBay, but then you'll miss pleasures like the warp-speed, sing-song voice of the auctioneer, and the chance to stare down and outbid your competition face-to-face.

48 Hours in Greater Phoenix

Mon, 18 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

This week's trip complements our podcast, "Trips in Your Own Backyard," which discusses horseback riding in Phoenix. We wanted to highlight some of the other things the greater Phoenix area has to offer for the perfect weekend in Phoenix — whether you're a local looking for fun suggestions or an out-of-towner looking for a sunny weekend getaway.

Podcast: Trips in Your Own Backyard

Mon, 18 May 2009 13:00:00 GMT

We've partnered with the world-renowned travel publisher, Lonely Planet, to bring you this podcast series that provides useful, innovative and easily accessible travel information.

Today, we're discussing getaways you can take in your own city.

After listening to the podcast, take an even deeper look at Phoenix, one of the destinations mentioned in our podcast, with our "48 Hours in Greater Phoenix," article for even more travel ideas.

Trips in Your Own Backyard - Total Time: 4:44

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The content provided by Lonely Planet Publications, while as accurate as possible, is provided "as is." Neither we, nor Lonely Planet Publications, accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety) before you travel.

Five Ways to Travel Greener

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

By Greg Benchwick

What could make travel even better than it already is? Taking a few positive steps forward toward a greener future by traveling better — looking not only at our carbon footprints, but also at the way we travel, the impact we have on local cultures and environments, and the tiny steps we take along the way to give back. With this in mind, here are five valuable tips for greener travel.

Best U.S. Motorcycle Routes

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:00:00 GMT

By Greg Benchwick

There's nothing quite so pure as leaning into a well-executed turn on your motorcycle. It's a perfect confluence of precision and power, finesse and physics. And, it really comes as no surprise that most of America's best riding roads are also its curviest.

There's the Pacific Coast Highway, with its silky S-turns and mind-blowing views; the "Texas Hill Country Twister;" North Carolina's "Tail of the Dragon," considered by most to be the curviest road in the U.S.; and, of course, the 469 snaking miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs south from Shenandoah National Park all the way to the Great Smokies.

Podcast: Traveling With Your Pet

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Today, we're discussing top tips for traveling with your pet.

Top Tips for Traveling With Your Pet - Total Time: 3:49

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Four Spooky Halloween Haunts

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

By Mariella Krause

Costumes, candy and carved pumpkins are fun, but this Halloween, get into the spirit with some actual spirits. Whether it's a confederate ghost, the doll that inspired Chucky, or a seriously haunted hotel, these creepy Halloween destinations will make a believer out of you.

Voluntourism

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

By Aimée Dowl

Voluntourism is a new breed of travel that transforms time off into opportunities to do good by others. Millions of Americans are funneling their unused leave days into time spent in their favorite travel destinations, such as national forests and beaches, and helping others while they're there. Whether one's soft spot is for people, animals or the land, voluntourism offer visitors a chance to learn a new skill, understand a region better or connect with locals. Many voluntourist activities are free or require that the volunteer only cover travel and accommodation expenses, so these vacations can turn out to be meaningful and inexpensive. Instead of being a tourist who takes away only snapshots and souvenirs, the voluntourist also gets to leave a little love behind.

New England: Off the Beaten Track

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMT

By Mara Vorhees

In New England, getting off the beaten track means exploring its northernmost reaches. If you're yearning for the picturesque New England countryside without the picture-takers and the winding roads without the traffic jams, then hop in your car and drive up I-91. All the way up.

The Always Surprising U.S. Highway 395

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMT

By David Lukas

It's easy to dismiss U.S. Highway 395 as a forlorn back road that merely snakes from the north side of the Los Angeles Basin through desolate deserts and dusty ranchlands to its overlooked terminus at the Canadian border. But you would be wrong. Formed in 1926, this 1,300-mile stretch of highway endures as one of America's most surprising and sublimely beautiful road trips, with so many stunning viewpoints and points of interest that you'll be hard-pressed to reach your destination.

Southwestern Colorado's Finest: The Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMT

By Becca Blond

Southwestern Colorado is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the state — purple mountains crowned with caps of snow, towering rock walls, aspen glades. To really get a feel for it, take a drive — particularly on U.S. 550, also known as the Million Dollar Highway between Ouray to Silverton. Fall is a particularly brilliant time to travel this route, when the aspen trees turn the mountainsides into yellow seas. If you're into winter sports, however, visiting in the snowy season can be equally appealing.

America's Heartland River Roads

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:00:00 GMT

By Aimée Dowl

America's highway system is more than a convenient way to get from one place to another. Along some routes it's also a great chance to tap into the country's natural beauty and rich heritage. River roads are part of the Department of Transportation's National Scenic Byways program, which designates and preserves roads that have large numbers of cultural, archaeological and recreational sites. No matter where you are on a Scenic Byway, special signs keep you informed of approaching landmarks and historic towns, and because each byway is developed with the help of local communities, you are bound to run into plenty of local hospitality whenever your make a stop.

Wildlife Watching

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:00:00 GMT

By Matthew D. Firestone

From the soaring Rocky Mountains and the stark vistas of the southwestern deserts to the icy waters of the North Atlantic and the tropical heat of the Florida Keys, America offers a surprising degree of biodiversity. Indeed, the country is home to a stunning spectrum of unique wildlife that can serve as the focal point of some extremely rewarding travel.