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Travel

Japan increases tourist visa cost for first time in nearly 50 years

Japan increases tourist visa cost for first time in nearly 50 years

  • Lacey Pfalz, TravelPulse

Beginning July 1, all single-entry visa fees for international visitors heading to Japan will increase from 3,000 Japanese yen to 15,000 yen, a fivefold increase that will cost Americans nearly $100. The new price hike, according to the BBC, is the first made since 1978. Japan’s Foreign Mini…

A fake mountain and real magic transform Paris' oldest bridge

A fake mountain and real magic transform Paris' oldest bridge

  • Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times

PARIS — There's a present-day answer to the question that was posed in verse by the French medieval poet and street brawler François Villon: "Where are the snows of yesteryear?" They're right here, in high summer, on Paris' oldest bridge, the Pont Neuf, where an enormous art installation, a …

How Americans are hacking summer travel costs amid inflation

How Americans are hacking summer travel costs amid inflation

  • Mia Taylor, TravelPulse

Like many Americans, I have found it harder and harder to make ends meet over the past year amid skyrocketing inflation. My grocery and energy bills have more than doubled. Amid this reality, personal travels have largely been put on the back burner. This is especially true amid the Trump Ad…

Rolling on the Rhone: A new riverboat in France cruises through history, wine country

Rolling on the Rhone: A new riverboat in France cruises through history, wine country

  • Lori Rackl, Tribune News Service

Vincent van Gogh painted one of his masterpieces, “Starry Night Over the Rhone,” on the banks of this mighty river. Not far from where van Gogh set up his easel in the late 1800s, the new Lumiere riverboat docked during its recent maiden voyage to Arles, France. Lumiere, appropriately enough…

Family travel 5: Travel trends

Family travel 5: Travel trends

  • Lynn O’Rourke Hayes, FamilyTravel.com

The latest travel trends can provide inspiration for your next family getaway. Here are five to consider. Sight-doing If you’d prefer to “do” something rather than just “see” something, this trend may speak to you. It’s about diving a little deeper to learn about a place, rather than simply …

Solo travel soars: Record-breaking interest levels reported for 2026

Solo travel soars: Record-breaking interest levels reported for 2026

  • Mia Taylor, TravelPulse

Nearly 15 years ago, I went on a solo trip to Peru, hiking through the Andes to Machu Picchu. Much to my surprise, many of the other travelers I met along the way were shocked that I was making the trip alone. Couples and individuals traveling with friends regularly approached me to question…

You can soon explore underneath the Lincoln Memorial

You can soon explore underneath the Lincoln Memorial

  • Mike Stunson USA Today Network

For the first time in more than 100 years, the space beneath one of Washington's most iconic landmarks will open to the public.

Solo travel soars: Record-breaking interest levels reported for 2026

Solo travel soars: Record-breaking interest levels reported for 2026

    Nearly 15 years ago, I went on a solo trip to Peru, hiking through the Andes to Machu Picchu. Much to my surprise, many of the other travelers I met along the way were shocked that I was making the trip alone. Couples and individuals traveling with friends regularly approached me to question my solo travel status and were simply mystified by my decision to embark on a trip without a plus one. ...

    You can soon explore underneath the Lincoln Memorial

    You can soon explore underneath the Lincoln Memorial

      For the first time in more than 100 years, the space beneath one of Washington's most iconic landmarks will open to the public.

      A peek under the Lincoln Memorial

      A peek under the Lincoln Memorial

        Luxury hotels have a new VIP guest: your dog

        Luxury hotels have a new VIP guest: your dog

          Morgan Owens, a wellness, media and lifestyle entrepreneur, recently checked herself and her 7-year-old bichon frise, Ralph, in for a staycation to the Lytle Hotel in Cincinnati. There, they watched Netflix, and dined on room service. (Ralph enjoyed his own steak and rice.) Owens got a massage at Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa across the street, and Ralph literally touched grass in all the green ...

          Paint from Trump renovation peels off Washington's Reflecting Pool

          Paint from Trump renovation peels off Washington's Reflecting Pool

            The iconic reflecting pool, which stretches between Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument on DC's National Mall has turned green due to proliferation of algae in the water. It comes as the pool was recently reopened following renovation work ordered by Donald Trump that saw it painted…

            Some Colorado campgrounds won’t have water for visitors this summer

            Some Colorado campgrounds won’t have water for visitors this summer

              DENVER — Campers looking to enjoy Colorado’s wilderness this summer should be prepared to bring extra water for drinking and washing their hands, even when staying at established campgrounds. Several campgrounds across the state will be unable to provide visitors with water because their wells are low or dry amid one of the worst droughts on record, according to a spokesperson for the USDA ...

              Oxford vs. Cambridge: England’s Rival College Towns

                Cambridge and Oxford have been in a centuries-long competition as England's top two universities — but I've always felt that seeing one is enough. The big question is: Which one? For years, I've had it lodged in my mind that Cambridge was much better to visit than Oxford. But on a recent visit, I changed my view. Though it's a close call, I'd give an edge to bustling Oxford — the more substantial town with plenty to see and do. Cambridge is a close second, with lovely gardens along the River Cam and a simpler, charming atmosphere.

                Local Events

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                Movies & Television

                The best TV shows of 2026 so far, ranked

                The best TV shows of 2026 so far, ranked

                'Toy Story 5': Tom Hanks, Tim Allen reflect on bringing Buzz and Woody back

                'Toy Story 5': Tom Hanks, Tim Allen reflect on bringing Buzz and Woody back

                Review: Spielberg doesn’t wow with ‘Disclosure Day.’ He reassures

                Review: Spielberg doesn’t wow with ‘Disclosure Day.’ He reassures

                New movies drop and 'The Bear' returns after a trip to 'Gary' | Streamed & Screened podcast

                New movies drop and 'The Bear' returns after a trip to 'Gary' | Streamed & Screened podcast

                Partner

                Provided
                36 Million Small Businesses Are Quietly Fighting the Same Battle

                36 Million Small Businesses Are Quietly Fighting the Same Battle

                Provided content. New Federal Reserve data shows rising costs and tariffs are the top financial challenge for U.S. small businesses, with most importers passing some to customers.

                 

                Contributor
                Bland County Officials Push for New Guardrails on Route 52

                Bland County Officials Push for New Guardrails on Route 52

                Contributor content. Reports have documented blind curves and damaged infrastructure on Route 52, supporting the need for safety improvements.

                Contributor
                13 Birthday Gifts for the Cozy, Sentimental Cancer Zodiac Sign in Your Life

                13 Birthday Gifts for the Cozy, Sentimental Cancer Zodiac Sign in Your Life

                Contributor content. Find the perfect birthday gift for the cancer zodiac sign in your life. 

                Partner
                Cryptocurrency Adoption in Business: Advantages and Challenges

                Cryptocurrency Adoption in Business: Advantages and Challenges

                Provided content. In this article we examine the types of businesses adopting cryptocurrencies, along with the advantages and disadvantages they face.

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