If you kept track of my Shake Shack odyssey a few weeks ago and built up an appetite, you’re a few weeks from being able to satisfy it. On October 10, 2010 … that’s 10-10-10, in case you didn’t realize it … the Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Times Square is going to make it easy for you. To celebrate the day of straight 10s, the hotel will give a $10 gift card per room for guests to use a few blocks away at the Shake Shack on 44th Street and Eighth Avenue (the last stop on my trip).
This deal is pretty wild. Too often, hotels try to ship you over to local tourist trap restaurants, where you really don’t experience the best the city has to offer. Fairfield Inn, on the other hand, is working with a Manhattan institution, making it easier for guests from out of town to dine like a local.
So, is the midtown Shake Shack the “tourist” one? Well, I can tell you from personal experience that it isn’t. This Shack can hang with the other three in Manhattan, and the staff uses the same techniques that it employs at the other locations (e.g., providing menus to customers when the line is long) to keep the process moving easily.
There is one catch, however. Keep your receipt: you may need it to get into the bathroom!
Yellowstone National Park truly is one of the great American destinations, and judging from the fact that it is on pace to break its all time attendance record this year, many of you agree. But for those of you who still haven’t made the trip for yourself, here are ten great things to do while you’re there:
1. Catch an Old Faithful Eruption
Sure, it may be the most touristy thing to do in all of Yellowstone, but it’s still a required activity. Old Faithful, the most famous geyser in the world, erupts every 90 minutes, give or take a few, and when it does blow, it’s still a fun sight to see. Grab a seat plenty early though, as the old smoking hole still draws quite a crowd. While you’re in the area, be sure to stop by the brand new visitor center as well.
2. Take a Hike!
With more than 1100 miles of trails, you can spend a lifetime trekking Yellowstone without getting bored. With hikes ranging in length from a few hours to a few days, you’ll find yourself wandering through spectacular and rugged backcountry that is both remote and scenic. Just be sure you plan your hike accordingly and have all the necessary permits.
3. Cycle the Park
One of the best ways to take in the sights in Yellowstone is by bike. You can opt to bring your own or rent one in the Old Faithful area, then hit the road for the opportunity to see the park in a unique new way. Just don’t forget that road elevations vary between 5300 and 8860 feet, which means a brisk ride can really take your breath away.
4. Wildlife Viewing
Yellowstone is home to the largest collection of free roaming wildlife in the lower 48 states, with bison, elk, deer and sheep prominently on display. The appearance of a bear, either black or grizzly, always draws a crowd and moose, coyote, and even mountain lions are seen from time to time. With this wide variety of animals on display, a trip through Yellowstone just might be the North American equivalent of a safari. 5. Take in the Sights at Artist Point
The park is filled with breathtaking scenery, but few places are as amazing as Artist Point, a location that overlooks the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” and the beautiful Lower Falls. You’ll lured in by the promise of a great photo opportunity but you’ll find yourself lingering to take in every detail of one of the most stunning landscapes you’ll find anywhere on the planet.
6. Stay the Night at a Yellowstone Lodge
Yellowstone is huge, encompassing more than 2.2 million acres and hundreds of miles of road. It’ll take you several days to properly explore it all, and with a number of great lodges within the park borders, there is no need to leave to find a place to stay. From the Old Faithful Inn to the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, the accommodations range from rustic to luxurious, with something that fits within the budget of just about everyone.
7. Paddle Lake Yellowstone
With all of the geothermal activity in Yellowstone, smoking geysers, hot springs, and bubbling mud pots are a common sight. One of the best ways to get close to those natural wonders is by kayak and paddling company OARS offers just such a trip. The 2-3 hour paddle allows you to drift in close to the Lakeshore Geysers, while the knowledgeable guides offer insights into what’s happening just below the Earth’s surface.
8. Go Wolf Spotting
Sure, wildlife viewing has already made the list, but the wolves of Yellowstone deserve their own mention. The predators were reintroduced to the park back in 1995, and have been a point of interest ever since, with a dedicated group of wolf spotters tracking their every movement. If you spot one of them peering through their powerful spotting scopes, they’re usually more than happy to share their view, and if you’re lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of the mysterious and elusive creatures in the wild.
9. Go Fly Fishing
With over 100 lakes and a thousand miles of rivers and streams within the park, Yellowstone offers anglers some of the best fishing in all of North America. There are several varieties of game fish to reel in, including rainbow, brook, and lake trout, as well as mountain whitefish, amongst others. The clear, pristine waters of the park are a fisherman’s dream come true, just don’t forget to purchase a permit before you make that first cast.
10. Have Some Winter Fun Too!
Typically, the summer months are the busiest time of year in terms of visitors for Yellowstone, but there is plenty to see and do during the winter as well. Active and adventurous travelers can don cross country skis or snowshoes and explore the trails on foot, or they can elect to take a guided ride on a snowmobile or in a snowcoach, going well into the backcountry. The park is much quieter during those months, but still well worth the visit. With a fresh blanket of snow, the landscapes may be even more beautiful.
Back in 1872, Yellowstone became the world’s first national park, and now, nearly 140 years later, it remains one of the most spellbinding places on Earth. No matter what season you go, you’ll find plenty of fun and outdoor adventure to last a lifetime.
As airlines cut routes and amenities while increasing fees, travel through the skies became a true labor. Sure, the cuts came as the result of market pressures that led to compensation reductions and other changes, but it also brought a problematic perspective. Somewhere along the way, it became acceptable for airline employees to claim that “you get what you pay for.” With low fares, essentially, you can expect substandard service.
Indeed, there is some truth to this. If you buy cheaper furniture, for example, you may be sacrificing quality to save a few bucks in the near term. We make these tradeoffs every day, and there’s no reason why a purchase from an airline should be any different. It’s clear that the standard has been set: you’ll pay less, and you’ll get a much lower level of service.
Take this concept to its ultimate conclusion, of course, is paying for physical movement, and you’re entitled to nothing else, despite the presence of beverage carts and headphones … not to mention employees who should provide a certain amount of customer service. I saw an interesting tweet to this effect not too long ago, claiming that transportation from Point A to Point B safely is what you’re paying those low, low fares for. But, I’m not so sure about that. There is so much more that’s explicit and implied in the air travel experience, and it’s delivered often enough that it should be expected.
So, why should we expect more than simply being taken from Point A to Point B? Well, here are five reasons why airlines are more than long-distance taxi services:
1. The airlines promise more than physical movement: Drinks are served on flights. Food is sold (or offered, depending on class and destination). There are movies and headphones and blankets and pillows, either free or for a fee. Whether you have to pay, in this regard, is irrelevant. The offering of amenities means that there is more involved in the transaction than the delivery of a seat from one place to another. So, something more than safe movement from Point A to Point B is implied.
2. Nobody wants substandard service: Basic customer service, which you can find on airlines only inconsistently, is expected in virtually every business transaction. While it doesn’t seem like much, this is an increase above the “physical movement” included in the price of a ticket.
3. A mere ride would (theoretically) cost less: Given that there are some services that could be sacrificed, a genuine low-cost, no-frills experience would cost less than existing flights. There would be no in-flight entertainment, no beverage service and no magazines tucked behind the seats. Rather than flight attendants, you’d have “safety professionals” (like lifeguards) who would only spring into action in the event of an emergency.
4. Low fares can still mean big money for passengerscustomers: While airline industry employees may drive home how cheap it is to travel these days, let’s not forget that unemployment is still through the roof, even if the recession did end more than a year ago. There are still plenty of mortgages at risk of delinquency and foreclosure. Simply put, the economic situation in this country is still dicey, and a little money is a lot when you don’t know how long you’ll have your job. Every dollar matters more to the consumer than it used to.
5. We’ve seen the possibilities: For everyone who has had a problem with a nasty flight attendant or a gate agent with a horrible attitude, you can find a story about one who helped someone out of a bind. I’ve had fantastic service on airlines that have reputations for anything but. And, some carriers have differentiated themselves through service (JetBlue and Southwest come to mind). We know it’s possible for airlines to do better; we’d just like to see it more.
Want to live like a celeb? First, you’ll need a “suite” ride. Guests at Beverly Hill’s famed property The Peninsula are finding that proposition even easier.
From now until September 30, 2011, guests who book any of the hotel’s 36 suites are offered complimentary use of their choice of three 2011 Cadillac models or a 2011 Chevrolet Corvette for the length of their stay. The Peninsula’s fleet of six vehicles includes the fastest V8 production sedan in the world (the 2011 Cadillac CST-V) , a hybrid Escalade Platinum Edition with three eight-inch backseat screens and wireless headsets and of course the famed Corvette.
“Los Angeles is all about the car,” says Offer Nissenbaum, managing director of The Peninsula Beverly Hills. “We want our guests to have the most luxurious driving option when making their way from the hotel to wherever they have to go-or want to go.”
Guests booking The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ suites-including the Villa Suites, Superior Suites, California and Deluxe Suites, Grand Deluxe Suites, Patio Suite, Peninsula Suite and Peninsula Villas-must request use of a complimentary automobile when making a reservation; they are based upon availability and guests must provide a copy of their driver’s license and proof of insurance. Tax, insurance and gas are not included.
Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.
All those extra fees may have helped the airlines out last quarter but don’t expect these “good times” to last forever. According to the International Air Transport Association, airline profits are expected to peak at $8.9 billion this year and will be followed by a decline. Pressure on demand and investments in new planes will be among the reasons for this turn. Next year, IATA forecasts an aggregate profit of $5.3 billion.
“The economic environment is still extremely risky and uncertain going forward,” Brian Pearce, IATA’s chief economist, said today. “In Europe, we’ve seen the markets are getting very worried about government debt in some countries. And we don’t really know what impact the austerity budgets will have.”
With 1,400 new aircraft to be delivered next year, carrier capacity is expected to grow by 6 percent, staying ahead of a 5 percent increase in “demand and depressing load factors, a measure of seat occupancy, which will in turn will keep yields or prices ‘flat,'” according to IATA.In 2010, seating increased 7 percent, with traffic up 11 percent. Disciplined operations helped lead to the filling of 78 percent of seats through the end of July. With the increase in capacity relative to demand next year, the 2010 successes are unlikely to be revisited.
Even though 2010 was a relatively strong year for the airline sector, the perceived successes come in part from a depressed baseline:
Global sales will climb to $560 billion in 2010, $15 billion more than previously forecast but less than the $564 billion achieved in 2008, IATA said. The forecast profit is also $4 billion lower than the figure for the pre-slump year of 2007.
So, what does all this mean for you?
Airline woes tend to become passenger woes pretty quickly, as anyone who’s paid to check a bag has learned the hard way. They’ll be looking for ways to protect their margins, so you should probably keep an eye on your wallet.