May 2011 - Sightseers' Delight

Reports: Georgia Music Hall of Fame to close in June

May 24, 2011 The Travel Trolley

The Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon, Ga., is closing June 12, The (Macon) Telegraph newspaper reported Tuesday. The hall’s authority voted 4-3 in favor of shuttering the financially strapped museum, the newspaper reported. Most of the museum’s collections will move to the University of Georgia Special Collections Library, the Athens Banner-Herald reported. Macon and three other cities — Athens, Dunwoody, Woodstock — have been vying to host the museum, but state officials have

AAA: Slight increase expected for Memorial Day

May 23, 2011 The Travel Trolley

ATLANTA — The number of Americans planning to travel this Memorial Day is expected to increase, but only slightly, according to AAA. The auto club is predicting a 0.2 percent increase in the number of Americans planning to travel at least 50 miles during Memorial Day weekend (Thursday through Monday). A total of 34.9 million Americans are projected to hit the road despite higher gas prices than last Memorial Day. “The rising fuel costs this

Airlines cut trans-Atlantic flights

May 23, 2011 The Travel Trolley

ATLANTA — Citing an “increase in jet fuel prices” and “fluctuating seasonal demand, a trio of airlines, including Delta, are planning to cut trans-Atlantic capacity by 7 to 9 percent. The three airlines — Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Alitalia — operate more than 260 trans-Atlantic flights every day. The airlines did not say on which routes they will reduce frequency on select. “Our alliance allows us to make strategic decisions about our network

Florida’s Legoland slated to open this fall

May 23, 2011 The Travel Trolley

Central Florida’s newest theme park — Legoland — is on track to open Oct. 15, The Orlando Sentinel reported. Merlin Entertainment is building the theme park on a 140-plus-acre tract of land formerly occupied by Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven. “I think Legoland has its place in the theme-park community,” The Associated Press quoted park general manager Adrian Jones as saying in a recent report. “We focus primarily and always on families with children aged

Airline passenger revenue increases

May 20, 2011 The Travel Trolley

Passenger revenue on U.S. airlines increased 12 percent in April 2011 compared to the same month in 2010, marking the 16th consecutive month of revenue growth, according to the Air Transport Association of America (ATA). The revenue data is based on a sample group of U.S. carriers. “Growth in air travel spending at the start of the second quarter bodes well for U.S. economic recovery. ATA forecasts 1.5 percent more passengers will fly during the

Study: No suitable site for second ATL airport

May 18, 2011 The Travel Trolley

ATLANTA — There is no sport suitable for a second airport in Atlanta. That’s the upshot of a new study release Wednesday by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The $1 million Atlanta Metropolitan Aviation Capacity Study, Phase II, study, sponsored and 75 percent funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), looked at 29 sites that could potentially serve as a second commercial-service airport for the area. None would work, the study found. The sites were identified

Vegas landmark closes after 59 years

May 18, 2011 The Travel Trolley

A true Las Vegas landmark closed this week after 59 years. In its day, the Sahara hosted Vegas icons such as the Rat Pack and Elvis Presley. It also played host to the filming of the original “Ocean’s Eleven” movie. “Obviously, this is a sad day,” the Las Vegas Sun quoted Sam Nazarian, chief executive officer of SBE Entertainment Group, the Sahara’s owner, as saying. “But this is the day that will mark the ultimate

The North Coast of Curacao

May 16, 2011 The Travel Trolley

Taken May 5, 2011, in Curacao

Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival lineup announced

May 16, 2011 The Travel Trolley

WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao – Sting and Stevie Wonder will be headlining this year’s Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival. The two-day festival, scheduled for Sept. 2-3, will also feature Dionne Warwick, Ruben Blades and Earth, Wind & Fire. “Our incredible line-up of iconic Grammy Award-winning artists, including Stevie Wonder and Sting, will be a huge draw for this year’s Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival,” Curaçao Tourist Board Marketing Manager North America André Rojer said in a news

TripAdvisor names Travelers’ Choice Destinations awards

May 16, 2011 The Travel Trolley

TripAdvisor recently announced the Travelers’ Choice Destinations awards: New York City Honolulu, Hawaii San Francisco, Calif. Las Vegas, Nev. Lahaina, Hawaii Kailua-Kona, Hawaii New Orleans, La. San Diego, Calif. Sedona, Ariz. Seattle Award winners were determined based on a combination of travelers’ favorite places and overall destination popularity.