Yes, Frank Lloyd Wright designed a gas station, and it’s pretty cool

I recently wrote on AARP.org about five Frank Lloyd Wright-designed commercial buildings across the country that you can visit, stay overnight in, dine at or take classes.

One of those buildings was the Lindholm Oil Company gas station in Cloquet, Minnesota, which is about two hours north of the Twin Cities. It’s reportedly the only gas station Wright designed–and it’s still open and operating.

With a cantilevered oxidized-copper roof, glass-fronted lounge and skylighted garage bays, it doesn’t look like your average gas station. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Here’s some extra information that wasn’t in that article — plus some photographs I took.

Here’s what the gas station designed by Frank Lloyd Wright looks like today. (Sheryl Jean)

The story goes that Wright approached Best Oil company owner and former client, Ray Lindholm, with the idea of building a gas station in his hometown of Cloquet. Wright had designed a gas station as part of his Broadacre City project–his utopian idea of “the future city”–in the 1930s.

Wright built the Lindholm Oil Company Service Station in 1956-58. The gas pumps were originally designed to hang overhead, but were changed to meet safety regulations, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

Chris Chartier has owned the business, initially with his brother who has retired, since 1982. It’s been a Phillips 66 and a Spur, but it’s currently unbranded and now called R.W. Lindholm Service Station. The building, which he leases, still was owned by the Lindholm family up until 2018, when Andrew Volna bought it.

Chartier lets visitors roam and walk up to the lounge. He told me that tourists visit from all over the world.

You can even see the Cherokee Red ceramic tile embedded into the building that Wright signed, but it was chipped after a camper crashed into the observation deck at some point, Chartier said.

The gas stations still has the Cherokee Red tile signed by
Frank Lloyd Wright. (Sheryl Jean)

The futuristic look of the gas station is slightly marred by an addition of a gray wooden building to the backside.

If you want to learn more about Wright’s Stockman House and other Prairie-Style architecture in Mason City, Iowa, read this article I wrote in September 2023 for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I visited Mason City earlier this year and stayed overnight in the only remaining Wright-designed hotel there.

Stay tuned: Soon, I’ll post some extra information and photographs about the Wright-designed Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, California.

12 new Airbnb features and changes consumers will welcome

No doubt Airbnb is a popular lodging and vacation option. But many people also have been vocal on social media with complaints about everything from high cleaning fees to ridiculous checkout requirements by hosts.

Well, Airbnb has listened to those grievances and made some changes to its vacation booking platform. Specifically, it has launched more than 50 new features and upgrades to improve the booking and lodging experience.

“Millions of people have given us feedback on how to improve Airbnb,” Airbnb cofounder and CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement. “We’ve listened.”

He said the company analyzed “millions of customer service tickets,” reviewed “thousands of social media posts” and spoke with “hundreds of thousands of guests and hosts.”

Chesky called the resulting changes Airbnb’s “most extensive set of updates ever.” Airbnb, which expects 300 million guests this year, just posted its first-ever profitable quarter for the first quarter of 2023.

Here are a dozen of the most notable changes or new features for Airbnb guests:

This is what Airbnb’s new total price feature looks like. (Photo courtesy of Airbnb)

Price transparency: Users of the website and app now can see the total price, including fees but excluding taxes, in addition to the nightly rate.

Longer stays: With more people having flexible work schedules, Airbnb is offering stays of a month or longer under a new “months” search tab. Users can search for listings available for one month up to 12 months.

Better maps: Airbnb said more than 80% of guests use its map feature. Now, the maps are faster, contain persistent pins when zooming and panning, and show more listings.

Reimagined Wishlist: Airbnb redesigned its Wishlist feature, where you can save listings you like for future trips. Changes include larger images of saved homes and being able to add notes to saved listings.

These images show Airbnb’s redesigned Wishlist feature. (Photo courtesy of Airbnb)

Curated private rooms: To get back to its roots, Airbnb has unveiled a curated category of private rooms in a host’s home. It’s an option on the home page called “Rooms.” Private rooms also tend to cost less: Airbnb said the average nightly rate of a private room on its platform is $67. CEO Chesky has even listed a room in his San Francisco home on Airbnb to show his commitment to this idea.

Increased security/privacy: The listing page for a home now show if there’s no lock on a private room door, if the bathrooms are shared or private and if people other than the host will be in the home during your stay.

Improved search filters: It’s easier to switch between viewing rooms, entire homes or all types of places and see the different prices within the “type of place” filter

Host passport: Users can read more information about hosts, such as what college they attended, their favorite song in high school and their pets.

Checkout changes: Guests now can see checkout instructions on the listing page before booking a stay. And if guests think the instructions are over the top, they can choose “excessive checkout tasks” in a post-stay review. Airbnb said hosts with repeated low ratings for “unreasonable chores” will be removed from the platform.

Instant rebooking credit: If a host cancels a reservation within 30 days of arrival, most guests will receive an instant credit to be used to rebook another stay immediately.

Faster customer service: For customers with problems during a stay, Airbnb aims to answer 90% of support calls within two minutes.

Payment options: Guests in the United States and Canada can pay for stays in four interest-free installments over six weeks thanks to a partnership with Klarna. For U.S. bookings over $500, guests can pay monthly. Airbnb said more countries will be added.

Note: The featured photo at top is courtesy of Airbnb.

Get ready for another hectic season of summer air travel

Perhaps you’ve noticed that more people are traveling. And air travel is expected to hit record numbers this summer, surpassing pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

With fading pandemic worries and few travel restrictions, people are eager to travel again, especially to international destinations.

“The demand for air travel far exceeds our ability to meet that today,” Geoff Freeman, CEO and president of the U.S. Transportation Association (USTA), said today in a Zoom call with the media. He and other travel experts hope the industry can avoid some of the issues that created chaos last summer, with many flight delays and cancellations.

The issues lie with too few air traffic controllers (1,200 less than 10 years ago), too few airline and airport staff, long waits for travelers to enter the United States, and chronic underfunding of aviation infrastructure and technology, Freeman said. If these issues aren’t fixed air travel woes could continue into 2024 and beyond, he added.

Air travel trends

Regardless of those issues and airfare being up nearly 18% in March from a year earlier, more travelers than ever are expected to crowd airports, planes, trains, cruises and popular destinations this summer and beyond.

In addition to the USTA’s forecast, David Pekoske, head of the Transportation Security Administration, this month told Bloomberg that he expects a potential record number of travelers to pass through U.S. airports this summer. And Delta Air Lines said it is seeing record advance bookings for travel between June and August.

U.S. domestic leisure travel is driving the increase in air travel, per the USTA. Business and international travel still are below per-pandemic levels.

A new Ipsos survey commissioned by the USTA shows that 53% of all Americans and 80% of U.S. leisure travelers plan to travel in the next six months.

More than a third (35%) of people who have traveled by air for pleasure in the past 12 months reported a flight delay or cancellation, the survey found. And less than a third of recent U.S. air travelers say they’re “very “satisfied with the air travel experience.

Travel website Expedia has said that summer flight searches as of April 1 were up 25% from the same period of time last year. Interest is up by triple digits for international destinations in Europe and Asia.

Popular U.S. and international destinations this summer, according to Expedia.

Top 5 U.S. destinations            Top 5 international destinations

1.  New York                                       1.  Cancun

2.  Los Angeles                                   2.  London

3.  Seattle                                           3.  Rome

4.  Orlando                                          4.  Punta Cana

5.  Las Vegas                                      5.  Paris

The USTA’s Freeman advised summer travelers to be patient as they likely will experience longer lines at airports. “We’re already starting to see that,” he said. “I’m hopeful we’ve learned lessons from last summer.”

Check back here in a few weeks for tips on how to make your summer travel smoother.

Deadline to get your Real ID for travel has been extended again

If you don’t have your Real ID yet for travel, don’t worry. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today said enforcement of the Real ID driver’s license has been extended by 24 months to May 7, 2025, from May 3, 2023. The initial deadline was in 2008.

May 7, 2025, is when you must show the new form of identification if you’re age 18 or older and want to fly within the United States.

Americans with state IDs that don’t comply with the federal government’s new “Real ID” standards won’t be able to get past airport security checkpoints. A state-issued driver’s license is the most common form of identification for air travel.

“This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement. “DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible.”

Work on the Real ID began in 2005 based on a recommendation in the 9/11 Commission report that the federal government should “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification.”

Find out if you need a Real ID

If you haven’t had to renew your driver’s license for a few years, chances are you don’t have a Real ID. To check, look for a star at the top of your license conveying it’s certified as a Real ID. Instead of a star, California uses a star on a golden bear and Ohio uses a black cut-out star.

Many Americans are unaware that traveling by air will require a Real ID at airport security checkpoints, according to the U.S. Travel Association (USTA).

In addition to a Real ID license, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners will accept 15 other identifications including, a valid U.S. passport/card, a Global Entry card or a permanent resident card. If you have TSA Precheck or Clear, you still will need a Real ID or other acceptable form of ID.

To see if you will need a REAL ID for upcoming travel, answer some questions on the Homeland Security website.

Confusion over the Real ID

A USTA survey in 2020 found that many Americans don’t have a Real ID or are confused about it. Among the findings were:

• 65% thought their driver’s license was not a Real ID or they were confused
• 36% say they’re certain their license is not a Real ID
• 21% say they’re unsure if their license is a Real ID
• 15% thought they had a Real ID and could correctly identify the star
• Of the 52% of Americans who say they plan to fly in the next two years, 54% have a federally approved ID, such as a passport, but don’t have a Real ID or are unsure.

The numbers probably haven’t changed much since the USTA in May requested an extension in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to get a Real ID

To get a REAL ID, you must go to the DMV and bring proof of identity, which varies by state. Check with your state’s DMV for specifics. Some DMVs do not accept laminated social security cards. The DHS website provides a map with state-by-state information on getting a REAL ID.

Anyone under age 18 doesn’t need to show identification to travel within the United States with a companion who has identification. That typically includes children flying as “an unaccompanied minor,” who is escorted by an adult with identification. Check with your airline first because each carrier has different rules about children, especially unaccompanied minors.

For more information, go to the FAQs page on the DHS website.

Consumers ignore inflation, driving up Thanksgiving travel forecasts

Despite high prices on everything from gas to hotels, Americans plan to travel big for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Travel hubs will be busy this holiday season as AAA predicts 53.4 million people will travel, an increase from last year and 2020. It expects Thanksgiving-related travel this year to reach 95% of its pre-pandemic volume.

“This Thanksgiving, travel will look a lot different than last year,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “Now that the borders are open and new health and safety guidelines are in place, travel is once again high on the list for Americans who are ready to reunite with their loved ones for the holiday.”

Travel demand is rebounding as COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. People are eager to spend the holidays with family and friends or take that delayed trip to an exotic locale.

Inflation ignored

Travel demand is high even as Americans’ confidence about the economy declined in October.

October also brought good news as inflation cooled (to a 7.7% annualized gain), but while some prices fell, others rose. Gas prices have declined somewhat, but remain high. On Tuesday, the national average price for one gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.77, up from $3.42 a year ago but down from $3.89 a month ago, according to AAA. The peak was $5.42 in mid-June.

Prices for other travel essentials, such as airfare, car rental and lodging, are higher and could be affected by limited capacity and staffing shortages, said AAA.

Earlier this month, average domestic airfare for Thanksgiving was $282 round trip, up 17% or $40 from last year, according to travel site Hopper.com. The average international ticket cost $842 round trip, up 30% or $195 from last year. Both sets of prices are higher than in 2019.

Hotel prices are up to an average $155-170 a night, depending on the forecast. Car rental rates have subsided from their summer heights, but it depends on where you rent. The average rate nationally is just under $100 a day during Thanksgiving week.

More travelers

Stubborn inflation doesn’t appear to be affecting holiday travel.

Overall, AAA expects 6.4 million more Americans to travel this Thanksgiving. In addition, the United States on Nov. 8 began letting non-citizens tourists enter the country through land borders and ferry crossings for the first time since March 2020 if they’re fully vaccinated with proof.

Whether you travel by car, plane, train, bus or boat for Thanksgiving this year, be prepared for crowds, traffic and possible delays and cancellations.

AAA expects some 48.3 million Americans plan to hit the road this holiday season. Although travel by car still is popular, air travel has almost completely recovered from its dramatic drop during the pandemic. The number of air travelers moving through U.S. airports has exceeded pre-pandemic levels in November 2019, according the data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

One of the major U.S. airlines, Delta, last week said it plans to carry nearly 6 million people from Nov. 18-29, just below the number of passengers on the same dates in 2019.

So, where are travelers going for Thanksgiving? Big cities, beaches and Disney are the most popular. Anaheim, California; Orlando, Florida; and New York City are the top domestic destinations. Internationally, it’s Mexico and the Caribbean.

Tips if you’re driving

• If you can, avoid traveling on Nov. 23, which is predicted to be the worst driving congestion. Major metro areas could see more than double typical drive times, and Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York City may see more than three times the usual delays.
• Hit the road when there’s less traffic — before 11 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
• Make sure your gas tank is full and check your vehicle’s battery, tires, oil, brake fluid and windshield-wiper fluid to ensure it’s road worthy.
• Allow for extra time in case you get stuck in traffic or worse.

Tips if you’re flying

• Avoid the peak travel days of Nov. 18 and Nov. 27. Thanksgiving Day will be the slowest day at U.S. airports.
• Arrive at the airport early so you have enough time to park, get to the terminal, check luggage and move through longer security checkpoint and other lines. The Atlanta, Dallas Fort-Worth and Denver airports are expected to be the busiest. The general rule of thumb is to arrive two hours before departure of a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.
• Know the travel rules. Within the United States, people who are fully vaccinated don’t need a negative COVID-19 test and don’t need to quarantine, but face masks still are required on public transportation, including planes, and in U.S. transportation hubs, such as airports. If you’re traveling internationally, check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website for international travel information and its “Destinations” page for possible health risks and restrictions for specific areas.
• Download your airline’s app to access your mobile boarding pass, get flight alerts, track checked bags and more.
• Check-in online. Once at the airport, use a self-tagging kiosk to check bags and then go straight to a security checkpoint.
• Cushion your travel plans. For some people that may mean building in an extra day in case your flight is delayed or cancelled. For others, it may mean buying travel insurance that covers unexpected delays, trip interruptions or a sudden illness.

Tips sources: AAA; Delta Air Lines; Hopper.com; INRIX; ThePointsGuy.com; Sheryl Jean; Thrifty Traveler

Scotland Diary 3: Climbing 4,400-foot Ben Nevis is no trifle

Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands — the highest mountain in the United Kingdom — is no trifling walk even though it’s just over 4,400 feet.

In comparison, the highest U.S. peak — Alaska’s Denali — is nearly five times as tall at 20,310 feet.

But don’t be fooled by Ben Nevis’ height. There’s a reason why its Gaelic name, Beinn Nibheis, roughly translates into “venomous” or “malicious” mountain.

While the Highlands abound with hikes and walks, Ben Nevis is considered the crown jewel. The summit provides magnificent views of Glen Nevis, a long, deep U-shaped valley that’s been featured in films like Braveheart, Rob Roy and the Harry Potter series.

Each year 100,000 hikers reach the summit. There, it can snow on any given day of the year. It’s usually bitter cold, windy and rainy. Plus the top is enshrouded in clouds nine out of 10 days, which makes it hard to see the edges of the 2,000-foot cliffs surrounding it.

On the autumn day I climbed to the top of Ben Nevis, it was all of the above plus sleeting a bit. Later, however, it was glorious when the sun emerged.

Hiking down from the summit of Ben Nevis in Scotland. (Photo by Sheryl Jean)

The 10.75-mile, round-trip Mountain Track — also called the Tourist Path or Pony Track — is the simplest and most popular route to the summit. It was built as a bridle path for ponies to take supplies to summit buildings (an 1883 observatory and later a small hotel; both closed in the early 1900s).

The Walkhighlands website estimates the trek takes seven hours to nine hours round trip via the Mountain Track. The record time for the annual Ben Nevis Race is just under 90 minutes round trip. It took me about five hours, including time spent at the summit.

Fun facts about Ben Nevis:

• In 1911, Ford agents in Edinburgh drove a Model T car to the Ben Nevis summit as a publicity stunt. A film shot in May 1911 is available on YouTube via the British Film Institute.
• In 1981, a group of Glasgow University medical students pushed a bed to the top of the mountain.

Note: This is the last of three weekly features on Scotland that began on July 12. Read the first post, Scotland Diary 1: Five restaurants in Edinburgh to tickle your locavore fancy, and the second post, Scotland Diary 2: Walking is big business in Scotland.

Scotland Diary 2: Walking is big business in Scotland

Many visitors go to Scotland for its many miles of walking trails through some of the world’s most beautiful settings across mountains, bogs, lakes and cities.

Walking in Scotland is so popular that it typically contributes about $1.6 billion to the country’s economy, according to VisitScotland, the national tourism board. It’s one of the best ways to see the land voted by readers of the Rough Guide travel books as the world’s most beautiful country.

Overall, tourism is important to the Scotland, accounting for about 5 percent of its total economy, according to the Scottish government.

During the pandemic

Travel declined worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. While international visits to Scotland declined, overall tourism grew in 2019, the most recent data from VisitScotland, as Scots sought the outdoors and isolated places where they could naturally social distance. That trend — as well as more visitors from England and Wales — also benefited the prime hiking area of the Highlands in northern Scotland.

Other sources, however, report that 2020 and 2021 were rockier as the pandemic adversely affected outdoor access in Scotland as lodgings and other businesses shut down.

Beyond the pandemic

This spring and summer, VisitScotland expects the Scottish Highlands to <a href=”http://&lt;!– wp:paragraph –> <p>https://www.visitscotland.org/research-insights/coronavirus-insights/uk-market</p&gt; benefit the most from overnight trips. In the post-pandemic world, focusing on the outdoors as part of tourism — perhaps combined with agritourism or links to local guides and top dining, cultural and sports experiences — will become an even bigger trend.

Scotland offers 29 long-distance trails stretching over 1,900 miles and an impressive 282 Munros (mountains higher than 3,000 feet). I’m a big fan, having hiked the West Highland Way, the urban Kelvin Walkway in Glasgow and Ben Nevis, the tallest peak in the United Kingdom (more to come on that later).

Visitors to Scotland no longer need to complete a passenger locator form, get a COVID-19 test to enter the country or isolate after you arrive. And last month, the United States also did away with its rule requiring all incoming air passengers to show negative COVID-19 test results.

Note: This weekly feature on Scotland began on July12 and will end on July 26. Read the first post, Scotland Diary 1: Five restaurants in Edinburgh to tickle your locavore fancy and the third post, Scotland Diary 3: Climbing 4,400-foot Ben Nevis is no trifle.

The West Highland Way, a long-distance hiking trail in the Scottish Highlands, offers spectacular views like this one. (Photo by Sheryl Jean)

A strong U.S. dollar helps American international travelers, but other challenges remain

If you’re thinking about taking a trip to another country this year, it might be expensive to get there, but once on foreign soil, it may be quite affordable for Americans.

The U.S. Dollar Index is near a 20-year high. The dollar closed Wednesday at 104.03, up from 89.54 a year earlier.

Despite rising airfares, the strong dollar means many currency exchange rates are better (excluding fees) and prices Americans pay for goods and services in other countries are lower.

In particular, if you haven’t traveled to Europe for a while (many of us haven’t because of the COVID-19 pandemic), you’re in for a treat. Europe is especially attractive for Americans as $1 gets you 95 euros, a level not seen since February 2017. A year ago, you would get 82 euros for $1.

The euro has lost value against the U.S. dollar as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has increased fears that rising energy, food and other costs will hurt economic growth in the 19-country eurozone.

Be prepared

The strong dollar comes as travel rebounds after two years of the global pandemic. Despite inflation driving up the cost of airplane tickets and gas (for road trips), U.S. travelers are ready to travel again.

The flip side is that travelers can expect long lines, crowded planes and airports, delays and cancellations if spring travel is anything to go by.

The Transportation Security Administration saw nearly 2.25 million passengers travel through U.S. airport security checkpoints on May 8, nearly at 2019’s level of 2.4 million for the same day.

International passenger traffic increased 257 percent in February from a year earlier across all regions. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, according to the International Air Transport Association. Domestic traffic rose 61 percent.

Many countries, including Italy, Jamaica and Sweden, have been re-opening their borders to international visitors in preparation for spring and summer travel. In early April, I blogged some spring travel tips.

Strong leisure travel demand reported by airlines, including the three biggest American, Delta and United, + higher airfares = strong airline revenue. But increased demand combined with staff shortages has forced some airlines to cut capacity. JetBlue and Alaska Airlines, for example, are trimming their planned summer flight schedules to mitigate the expected impact of bad weather and air traffic disruptions.

In April, airfare rose 33 percent from a year earlier, according to the federal government’s Consumer Price Index released on Wednesday. You can blame higher airfares, in part, on higher jet fuel prices, which many airlines, such as Delta and United, are passing on to customers.

Still, there appears to be no reticence yet by travelers.

“There appears to be no concerns, candidly, about any variant or the virus,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian told The Wall Street Journal. After the airline reported its “best cash sales month in Delta’s history” in March. “Everyone is ready to get past it.”

As of now, all travelers entering the United States, even U.S. citizens returning from an international vacation, must get a COVID-19 test.

And while the U.S. face mask mandate for public transportation and related hubs ended in mid-April, international airlines and other countries may have their own rules. Check with your airline and the country or countries you plan to visit before flying.

Addition: As of May 16, the European Union no longer requires face masks to be worn at airports and on airplanes as COVID-19 restrictions ease across its 27 member states. Rules, however, may vary by airline and country.

Dip your toe into spring travel with these 5 tips

Spring showers bring May flowers – and travel.

In addition warmer weather, many people are looking forward to being more active as COVID-19 cases and related restrictions continue to decline in many places.

Sweden is the latest country to reopen to international travelers. As of April 1, visitors no longer must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result. Other countries that have taken similar steps include Iceland, Italy, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just dropped its COVID-19 risk warning for cruise travel. Though the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) extended the federal face mask mandate for public transportation, such as trains and airplanes, and transit hubs, like airports and depots, through April 18. Update: On April 13, the CDC extended the federal mask requirement to May 3 as #COVID19 cases rise.

College spring breaks gave travel a boost in March. The TSA said it screened nearly 2.3 million people at airports nationwide on March 11, the highest volume since Nov. 28, 2021.

As winter lingers in some parts of the country, travelers seek warmer destinations. (Photo by La So on Unsplash)

Travel headaches and benefits

As travel demand returns, you can expect longer lines, more crowded flights and perhaps higher airfares.

But travel brings many benefits, too. Navigating new places, learning about new cultures and walking more help reduce stress, stimulate creativity and boost health.

Overall, travelers are happier and healthier than non-travelers, according to a study by the U.S. Travel Association and the Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.

Even a short vacation (four nights) can help reduce stress and increase your fitness level. One study found that people’s physical condition, sleep quality and remained better up to five weeks after a vacation.

Vacations can boost productivity when your back working again, too. A study by the Boston Consulting Group found that professionals who were required to take time off were significantly more productive than those who spent more time working.

Ready-Set-Go

If you’re not ready to jump in and book a two-week trip to Italy next month, here are 5 ideas to dip your toe back into travel:

Plan a trip. Start thinking about travel. Research ideas, airfare and lodging options. Having something to look forward brings joy to people. A 2020 study by the U.S. Travel Association found that 97% of people said having a trip planned makes them happier.

Plan a holiday spectacular. There’s nothing like a holiday to act as a catalyst for something special. Plan a weekend getaway or an Easter egg hunt outdoors for your children or grandchildren. Look ahead to Passover, Eid-al-Fitr, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Juneteenth or the Fourth of July. If you want to eat outside at a restaurant, make an early reservation because demand for patio dining may be high.

Gather with F&F. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of family and friends, many of whom may have been separated for a long time. Take time to re-establish connections with people. Some of the most enjoyable trips are those spent with family and friends. One study found that 80% of people enjoy week-long family vacations and 64% enjoy staying overnight with family and friends.

Explore your area. Is there a nearby town or landmark you’ve never visited or not in a while? You may find many changes since your last visit. During the pandemic, some businesses closed, but others opened or invested federal funds into improving their property or services.

Go to a park. The great outdoors lets you naturally social distance. Take a picnic, take a walk or just lie in the grass and smell the flowers in a local, regional, state or national park.

Residents and visitors flock to Chicago’s Millennium Park. (Photo by Sheryl Jean)

Note: The featured photo at top is by Anete Lūsiņa on Unsplash.

Traveling soon? Here’s what you need to know

Traveling is a lot more complicated than it used to be thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict. And travelers must be savvy to stay abreast of the fast-changing landscape.

If you plan to travel this spring, summer or beyond, here are two helpful articles I recently wrote for AARP:

• Traveling Soon? Don’t Forget These 6 Health Documents, March 11, 2022
• The Latest Rules on COVID-19 Vaccines and Travel, Jan. 20, 2022

And while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relaxed its indoor mask guidance based on COVID-19 community levels, you still must wear a mask on U.S. public transportation, such as airplanes and trains, and in transit hubs, such as airports and depots. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration just extended that federal mask mandate for public transportation and transit hubs by one month to April 18, 2022. Update: On April 13, the CDC extended the federal mask requirement to May 3 as #COVID19 cases rise.

If you plan to travel internationally, all air passengers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, still must show a negative COVID-19 test to enter or re-enter the United States within one day of departure.