Salem-News.com Travel articles Page 6

Holiday Travel Troubles Across Much of the U.S.

Rain is in the forecast for cities like Detroit, Chicago, and St. Louis, while cities farther south like Louisville, Memphis, and Houston will have the risk for thunderstorms.

(STATE COLLEGE, Pa.) - Forecasters say a high located in Atlantic Canada will keep the interior Northeast chilly on Monday. By Tuesday, milder air will make its way into the region.

A storm will brew in the Mississippi Valley by Wednesday, and it will bring messy weather to the East on the busiest travel day of the year. Drivers should use caution on the roadways.

Travel Writer Inspects Chocolate Venues for a Chocolate Lovers Travel Guide

You Silly Rabbit...Balloons, and rabbit ears and handmade chocolates, oh my...

(CARSON CITY, Nv.) - Pet lovers and chocolate lovers are not necessarily one and the same. Chocolate is toxic to dogs but definitely not their owners. Americans consume about 11.7 lbs of chocolate per person annually .

CeliaSue Hecht, travel writer and dog owner, has combined her two loves and launched a new blog with interesting treats for both dog and chocolate lovers.

Portland International Airport Ready for Record Spring Break Travel

PDX set an all-time annual record in 2006, serving more than 14 million passengers.

(PORTLAND) - Spring break for regional schools means the pace picks up at Portland International Airport.

Oregon Holiday Travelers Will Pay More For Gas Than All Else in Continental U.S.

At $2.67, Oregon's average gasoline price remains 2nd highest in the nation. Hawaii has the highest average price at $2.83.

(SALEM) - While Oregon's average price gained almost three cents during the week, the national average increased by slightly more than a penny.

In the past week, gas prices across the nation generally continued their upward swing, boosting the national average price for a gallon of regular to $2.31, compared to Oregon's statewide average of $2.67.

The price of crude oil, currently below $63 per barrel, is about where it was one week ago. Late last week, OPEC announced it would reduce oil production by another 500,000 barrels per day, beginning the first of February, 2007.

Portland International Airport Offers Tips For a Smooth Holiday Journey

The busiest holiday period, Dec. 15th-Jan. 3rd, should see nearly 800,000 passengers traveling through PDX.

(PORTLAND ) - The Port of Portland expects more holiday travelers than ever this year at Portland International Airport (PDX), and has a few tips to make travel easy.

In the week surrounding Thanksgiving, an estimated 320,000 passengers will travel through PDX -- a 2 percent increase over 2005.

During the busiest forecasted holiday days -- Nov. 22nd, 26th and 27th, and Dec. 22nd and 26th-28th -- PDX will serve approximately 48,000 travelers each day, compared to the normal daily average of 38,000 this time of year.

Be Aware! Snow Could Affect Thanksgiving Travel Plans

The Cascades are one area expecting snow. Before you hit the road, get the latest Oregon road conditions at tripcheck.com or by calling 511.

(SALEM) - The National Weather Service has issued a snow advisory for the Northern Oregon Cascades, Cascades in Lane County, South Washington Cascades, Government Camp, Detroit, Santiam Pass, Mckenzie Bridge, Oakridge, Willamette Pass, Coldwater Ridge Visitors Center, and Mount St. Helens.

Lowering snow levels accompanied by accumulating snow expected over the south Washington and north and central Oregon Cascades this week snow levels are expected to fall across the South Washington and north and central Oregon Cascades this week with a series of colder systems expected to bring increasing snow accumulations across the Cascades that will likely affect holiday travel.

Travelers Will See Plenty of Orange This Summer on Oregon Highways and Byways (AUDIO)

(SALEM) - Summer vacation time is here once again, and for many Oregonians that means packing up the family and hitting Oregon roadways to get to their vacation destination.

Along with Oregon`s breathtaking scenery, travelers will see more construction projects this year than ever before.

For the next several years, ODOT will be replacing bridges, paving and widening roadways throughout the state.

ODOT Director Matt Garrett says Oregonians and tourists alike may feel like their in a sea of orange, but all of the work is a major investment in the state`s economy.

Saint Petersburg Russia: One Large Classroom

Part 2 in Michael Partick O'Connor's continuing 'Dispatches From Russia.'

(SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia) - It is an honor to be the eyes and ears of Salem-news.com readers during my two week stretch as a fellow at the Summer Literary Seminars Conference. According to organizers, the talent pool this year is exceptional. The event itself is the brainchild of Russian expatriate Mikhail Iossel who fled his native Saint Petersburg during the height of the Cold War.

My workshop is being led by Keizer, Oregon resident Gina Ochsner who has two masterful short story collections to her credit ("The Necessary Grace to Fall and "People I Wanted to Be") and is working on publishing her first novel under contract with Houghton Mifflin.

Get a load of this folks! "Jarhead" author Anthony "Tony" Swafford just walked into the foyer outside my room--this is what makes this conference so great.

Columbia River Gorge Landmark, Vista House, Restored

Vista House serves as a rest stop and viewpoint for highway travelers, and as a memorial honoring Oregon's pioneers.

(CORBETT) - Vista House first opened its doors in 1918.

88 years later, Vista House atop Crown Point opens in early May to those eager to see the newly restored icon of the Columbia River Gorge

Visitors will see the stone building`s outside surface restored from top to bottom, repairing years of water damage.

Copper roofing – added decades ago to try and stop leaks – was removed and stronger tiles that match the original tiles` honey, green and gold colors now adorn the dome.

Tillamook Forest Center Opens April 1st

The center is the outgrowth of a public-private partnership 10 years in the making

(TILLAMOOK) - The Tillamook Forest Center, Oregon`s newest visitor and interpretive facility, located on the Wilson River Highway in the heart of the former "Tillamook Burn," will open to the public on the first day of Oregon Arbor Week, Saturday, April 1st.

The center`s 40-foot tall replica of a fire lookout tower has already become a local landmark, as has a dramatic 250-foot-long pedestrian suspension bridge, which leads from the building across the Wilson River to the nearby Jones Creek Campground.