Travel still safe to Hawaii and U.S. West coast

by Chris Owen on
Despite fears over effects of the recent Japanese nuclear power plant disaster, authorities pronounced travel still safe to Hawaii and the U.S. west coast. Stories of a giant cloud of nuclear waste on the way to cripple the United States and an e-mail predicting acid rain turned out to be a hoax. It is almost business-as-usual for travelers, with a few exceptions to be aware of.

“We get a lot of calls from people about possible dangers,” Cathy Brooks of CruiseOne told times-georgian.com. “We try to assure them it’s safe to travel.”

The U.S Department of State advised U.S. citizens within 50 miles of the plant in Japan to evacuate the area or to take shelter indoors, if safe evacuation was not practical. The U.S. Government also made available potassium iodide (KI) pills as a precautionary measure for American personnel and dependents residing in Japan at the time of the incident.

Earlier this month the Los Angeles Times reported that a small amount of radiation was headed for California but that health risks were not a concern. To help Americans understand their radiation-related health risks, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), the American Thyroid Association (ATA), The Endocrine Society and the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) issued a joint statement which noted that “current estimates indicate there will not be a hazardous level of radiation reaching the United States from this accident” and added “there is not a radiation emergency in the United States or its territories”.

Indeed, nuclear authorities gave the U.S. West coast and Hawaii a clean bill of health, clearing away the concerns of travelers.

“I want to reassure residents and visitors that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the highest authority on radiation in the nation, has indicated Japan’s nuclear emergency presents no danger to Hawaii.” Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie told the Hawaii Reporter.

That’s not to say everything is operating normally in Hawaii though. Several resorts and tourist destinations were damaged by the tsunami event but most are open.

Two resorts that remain closed are Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, which plans to reopen on April 30, and iconic Kona Village Resort which will remain closed for an extended period of time due to the significant structural and property damage it sustained

Kailua Pier was deemed structurally sound after the event, and all charters are operating as usual. Norwegian Cruise Lines Pride of America, the year-round cruise ship servicing Hawaii, stopped in Kona last week as planned.

King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel is also open, and guest rooms were not damaged. However, the lu’au area, ground floor public areas including the lobby and Kona Beach Restaurant, were flooded by seawater, sand and debris. Cleanup efforts are well underway, and several retail stores have reopened.

“Our state and county monitoring systems have not detected any increase in radiation levels, and based on all available information, state and federal experts do not anticipate any risk of harmful radiation exposure to our islands. We are open for business. Hawai’i continues to be the world’s paradise.” added Governor Abercrombie.

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Flickr photo by Merfarm


Three simple reasons why Palo Alto, California is like Reston, Virginia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Business travel often takes you to places you normally wouldn’t visit. I’d never plan a vacation to Peapack, New Jersey, for example, and London, Ontario is another that surely won’t make anyone’s “bucket list.” The upside, however, is that you get to see places you’d never visit otherwise. And, you remember that “off the beaten path” – the goal very committed traveler – isn’t necessarily sexy. This is what I’m seeing right now as I sit in Palo Alto. The conference I attended is behind me, and I’m killing some time before catching a flight home.

What I can’t shake, a feeling that’s been with me since I arrived in town on Tuesday, is that I’ve been somewhere like this before. I spent a couple of months in Reston, Virginia on business back in 2003, and the parallels stood out immediately.

Are Palo Alto and Reston brothers from another mother? I think so, and here are three simple reasons why:1. They are immaculate: when I was in Reston, I was blown away by the absence of litter … and the absence of dirt. The place is frighteningly clean (in a creepy, Monaco-esque way), and I wouldn’t be shocked if you could do surgery on the street with no fear of infection. Palo Alto is no different. I feel like I should take my shoes off before crossing University Avenue.

2. Planning is crucial: Both Reston and Palo Alto carry the ethos of a planned city. The seductive curves of Boston’s narrow streets are not to be found, and centuries of mismatched architecture – of the sort you’d see in Manhattan – have no home in Palo Alto or Reston.

3. These cities are purpose-driven: Reston, of course, arose as something of an enclave for employees of the federal government. There are some businesses in town, and they have effectively become part of the purpose. For Palo Alto, subtract “government” and add “Stanford.”

It’s eerie, right?! A country separates these twin towns, but the connection, if only spiritual, will never be severed!

[photo by richardmasoner via Flickr]

5 great spring break ski destinations

by Kraig Becker on

With spring break just around the corner, many of you are no doubt looking for one last blast of winter fun before the warmer temps set in. With that in mind, here are five great ski destinations that will make your spring break a memorable one.

Big Sky Resort, Montana
Big Sky bills itself as the “Biggest Skiing in America,” and for good reason. With over 150 runs to choose from, the longest of which is 6 miles in length, you’ll never run out of mountain to explore. And thanks to a strategic partnership with nearby Moonlight Basin, visitors have more than 5000 skiable acres to shred. The resort is so large in fact, that you’ll rarely have to wait in line for one of the 22 chair lifts and once you do get to the top of the slope, you may not encounter another skier until you get back to the bottom again. Throw in dramatic Montana skyline, a host of other on site activities, and over 400 inches of snow per year, and you have a skiers paradise to say the least. Complete your Big Sky experience with a Yeti Dog and thank me later.

Whiteface Ski Resort, New York
East coasters who can’t make it out west this year have plenty of options for hitting the slopes as well. Whiteface Ski Resort, located in upstate New York, is the perfect example. With 22 miles of trail, spread out over 86 runs, Whiteface truly has something for everyone. The mountain even boasts 3430 feet of continuous vertical drop, which is not only the most of any resort in the east, it is also more than Aspen, Vail, or Park City. Surrounded by the spectacular Adirondack Forest, the trails offer a remote solitude, but when you’re ready for some fun off the slopes, nearby Lake Placid has plenty of bars, restaurants, and shops to keep you busy too.

Mammoth Mountain, California
Skiers and snowboarders on the left coast will no doubt already be well aware of Mammoth Mountain, a fantastic destination for everyone from beginners to experts. Located in eastern California, in the Sierra Nevada range, Mammoth offers up 3500 skiable acres that are covered in more than 340 inches of snow on an annual basis. Of the 150 or so runs available, about a quarter are rated for beginners, while a third of the remaining trails are rated as a Black Diamond or greater. The place is a popular destination for the snowboard crowd as well, thanks to its 18-foot Super Pipe and 22-foot Super Duper Pipe. Known for its long season, (the resort was one open for an astounding 10 months in a row!) Mammoth is likely to have great conditions not just for Spring Break, but for weeks to come as well.

Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley Lodge, located in north-central Idaho, has been a top ski destination since it opened all the way back in 1936. At the center of the ski and snowboarding culture that has developed there is Bald Mountain, or “Baldy” as it is affectionately known. Baldy offers 3400 feet of vertical drop, with an excellent consistency to the terrain, that has made it a favorite for skiers from around the globe. It also offers some of the finest powder you’ll find anywhere and miles of trails with few crowds to contend with. Throw in a great freestyle park and a Super Pipe for the snowboarders, and you have an amazing destination that will keep everyone happy.

Ruby Mountains, Nevada
For a completely different skiing experience, consider going to the Ruby Mountains, located in northeastern Nevada. There you’ll find Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience, a company that specializes in offering heli-skiing opportunities in the pristine backcountry. Unlike the resort options listed above, you won’t find any groomed trails or ski lifts here, just 200,000 acres of fantastic powder that is only accessible by helicopter. You don’t have to be a world class skier or snowboarder to enjoy the Ruby Mountain experience either, as you can choose to take on long, slow, shallow bowls or adrenaline inducing slopes that will have your heart pounding out of your chest. At the end of the day, you’ll return to the lodge for an amazing home cooked meal that will be the perfect end to a perfect day.

The calendar may say that it is turning spring in just a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have just a little more winter fun. Enjoy one last blast on the slopes before putting the skis and snowboard away for one more season.



Shanghai’s House of Barbie closes; tour of China to follow

by Laurel Miller on

That Barbie really gets around. California-based Mattel’s best-selling toy has moved out of her shuttered Shanghai flagship store, “House of Barbie,” and is hitting the road. “I have gone on a tour of China!” says a cartoon Barbie on the store’s website. Apparently, the doll has itchy feet, and is road tripping–no doubt luxuriously–on a “Barbie Pink Bus Tour.”

The six-story flagship store opened in 2009, on Barbie’s 50th anniversary. Located in Shanghai’s commercial epicenter on Huaihai Road, the pink palace contained a spa, cafe, design studio, fashion stage, and a vast array of Barbies and Barbie products.

The store closed Monday, says The Jakarta Post, after the world’s biggest toy maker released a statement stating its plans to expand its customer base across China. Despite Shanghai’s being the hub of the country’s fashion industry, sales of the sartorially-savvy doll were disappointing. It seems parents are more likely to spend money on extracurricular activities for their children than on spendy Western dolls.

Safe travels, Babs.

[Photo credit: Flickr user Tinker*Tailor loves Lalka]

Hidden Malibu: Point Dume State Preserve

by Matthew Firestone on


You don’t have to be a travel expert to know that Malibu is one of Southern California’s most prestigious neighborhoods. With mansion-topped hillsides fronting the crashing surf of the Pacific, Malibu makes many of us wish that we could be hedonistic jingle writers a la Two and a Half Men.

If you don’t have a few spare million to drop on a palatial estate in the sunset belt, fret not as many of the city’s natural attractions are completely free of charge. All you need to do is get behind the wheel of a rental car – and escape from Los Angeles.

Depending on the traffic (which can be of legendary proportions in SoCal!), it takes around an hour or so to travel from downtown LA to Malibu via the Pacific Coastal Highway. And when you do arrive, be sure to buck the trend and skip out on the commercialism and the crowds at Zuma.

Your destination: the hidden gem that is Point Dume State Preserve.When this humble blogger arrived in Point Dume in late February, he was greeted by fields of yellow wildflowers terracing up the hillside. Up above, pelicans were dipping and diving. Down below, pods of dolphins were crashing in the surf.

(A picture of paradise by all accounts!!)


The reserve lies at the end of Dume Road, which provides access to dozens of gated complexes before terminating at the sea. From the free parking lot, walking paths wind through the reserve, and lead down the cliff sides to scenic viewpoints.

At the bottom, you’ll find sheltered tidal pools swarming with tiny fish, crabs, starfish and sea urchins. Migrating whales have also been known to stop by, as well as the occasional seal or two. There are also a few hidden coves down at this level that are perfect for snuggling up with a loved one.


The fun doesn’t stop there. On the contrary, Dume Point also attracts surfers and stand-up paddlers alike. If you’ve got the proper gear and a reliable buddy, you can even try your hand at technical climbing along the sea cliffs.

Back at the top – on a clean and smog-free day – you can see the vast sweep of Santa Monica Bay to the south, the Malibu Coast and Catalina Island to the north, and the inland Santa Monica Mountains. Stop by in the late afternoon for arguably one of SoCal’s best sunsets.

Any hidden spots in greater Los Angeles that you’d care to share with us? Feel free to chime in and let us know what we’ve been missing!

** All images are original photographs produced by this blogger **