Making fresh trackz
About Craigslegz Travels: I get around. My 40-plus years as a sports journalist in South Florida have taken me all over North America and on assignments as distant as Western Australia.
That has fueled a love for travel that Fran and I hope to continue to pursue once the coronavirus crisis has passed.
Travel is not necessarily about venturing a great distance, it is about exploring, expanding horizons. I am fortunate that when home in South Florida I am in one of the world’s premier travel destinations. I never take that for granted nor tire of fresh discovery, whether near or far from home. And it’s not just about the places, but about the people that make them distinct.
I have been a runner all of my life, and make a priority of running wherever I go. I learn the most about a place when I explore it on foot.
These are experiences and advice for fellow travelers from some favorite encounters along the way, with a preference for avoiding the well-worn paths.
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-Craig Davis
Travel habits for 2023 have changed since pandemic
Three years after COVID brought travel to a screeching halt, travelers are again moving freely in most parts of the world, though not quite to 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
While enthusiasm has returned, habits have changed in planning trips as indicated in the 2023 Travel Trends Report released in April by the travel pricing comparison app Hopper.
Here are some highlights:
Travelers are planning trips more last minute than ever before, starting the travel planning process nearly 1.5 weeks closer to their departure dates for domestic trips.
More than half of hotel bookings are made last minute.
Travelers are generally flexible on where and when they go.
The most searched destinations on the app are (domestically, in order) New York City, Orlando , Las Vegas , Miami and Los Angeles; (internationally) London , Tokyo, Paris , Rome and San Juan (Puerto Rico).
Travelers are spending more for additional flexibility, protection and miscellaneous extras to their vacations.
Europe continues to be the most in-demand international region among American travelers, followed by Asia.
Gen Z and Millennials plan to travel more and are willing to spend more in the process.
Travel in the time of coronavirus
On Valentine’s Day 2020 I attended a travel industry show in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a full day of presentations about exciting cruise and land vacations to Alaska, Europe, the Caribbean and beyond. Representatives of the various companies were almost giddy as they described the various vacation opportunities, with an emphasis on interactive experiences rather than just seeing a place.
Every session was packed, and the message was clear: The travel industry was booming and 2020 was the perfect time to take your dream trip.
Not once was there mention of a coming pandemic that was festering in Asia. Less than a month later, COVID-19 would become a global crisis that would bring all aspects of life to a standstill. Suddenly, traveling anywhere was out of the question.
Fran and I had plans for a 40th anniversary celebration in Paris, which is now on indefinite hold.
Entering the summer of 2020, cruise ships remained docked and air travel was severely limited.
South Florida, which depends on tourism, went from hosting thousands of visitors for the Super Bowl in early 2020 to discouraging anyone from flying in, especially from New York.
The best way to travel at this time is virtually via travel documentaries. There are plenty to choose from on a variety of platforms.
My new favorite for travel programming is Journy, run by arts network Ovation TV. It offers a diverse treasure trove of travel series. Best part, all programming is free.
Check out an enchanting trip to Mashpi Lodge in the Ecuadorian cloud forest. And look forward to a day when it will be safe again to take that trip of a lifetime.
Starting 2019 with a sip of Scotch
Summer of 2018 highlights Utah’s national parks
Exploring the natural wonders of Utah in a four-part series including visits to Arches, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks.
Arches only part of the allure of Arches National Park
Bryce Canyon’s unique wonders stir visitors’ imagination
Zion National Park shows other-worldly face on Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway
New look for 2018
This journey, which began at Craigslegz.com, continues here at Craigslegztravels.com. All of the stories that first appeared at the former site have migrated to this one. A number of new stories are in the works and will begin appearing soon, so please subscribe and you will be notified when there are new tales and travel news. Hope you enjoy the dynamic, new format.
2017 summer double feature: Return to Cape Cod
Whale watching: Provincetown prime spot for viewing humpbacks, fin whales and other whales.
Chatham charm: Influx of great white sharks only adds to popularity of outpost at the elbow.
Baseball All-Star Game now, then
Much changed with the Midsummer Classic from 1963 to 2017.
Rebuilding after Hurricane Irma
Fishermen in the Florida Keys pick up the pieces after direct hit from killer storm in September 2017.
Upheaval in Barcelona
Catalan capital copes with political conflict and terrorist attack
Sporting tour: Stadium Scenes
Check out a photo page of images from my travels as a sports journalist to some prominent ballparks and arenas.
Vintage tales: Good as new
Craigslegz debuts a new category featuring memorable trips from the past under Good Old Stuff:
A father-daughter pilgrimage found a winning combination of baseball and beer in Boston in the summer of 2007.
Summer of 2015 European feature series
Craigslegz tours the western Mediterranean
First stop: Whirlwind tour of Italy, Spain, Mallorca and France leaves memorable montage of people, places.
Second stop: It’s amore at first sight on the Amalfi Coast.
Treasure in Mallorca: Soller train a trip back in time full of surprises.
Photo gallery: sights from the colorful Amalfi Coast.
Quick links
Read all of the latest dispatches here.
Check out the latest Alien sightings.
Check out these random side trips
Craigslegz returns to scene of Philadelphia Marathon 45 years later and finds the spirit of Rocky Balboa thriving and inspiring fitness fanatics.
Giant Pegasis statue and Cuban food highlight Kentucky Derby Day in South Florida.
Toronto’s quaint island airport a joy for travelers and oh, so Canada. It’s named for a World War I flying ace who fought the Red Baron.
South Florida band called The Flyers will rock your socks off with the Jimi Hendrix Fire Drill.
Return to Aspen: Getting lost in the woods on Snowmass Mountain is a real blast.
How do Canadians survive the endless winters? Pass the maple whiskey
Our Blog page features quick stops in vastly different settings: Cpl. Klinger’s favorite in Toledo and an enchanting tea garden in West Palm Beach.
Track our Travel Alien
Craigslegz’s mascot is a three-eyed alien from the Toy Story films,
because when we travel we’re all aliens. See where he’s been and
look for the latest sightings here.
My brothers and I went back to Chagrin in April and it made me wonder about old friends though we moved away in 1965. Yours was one of the names I googled. Wow—we may have crossed each other on the street there, Isle of Skye, most likely in S Fla as we have a place in Vero now. Would love to have you come up for drinks and dinner when we’re there the 2 weeks before Thanksgiving so we can pick up whatever we were talking about when I last saw you, visiting me in Sylvania Summer 1965.
Craig, Skip Church told me about Craiglegz! Nice work. Also good to see old Woody Harlan on here. Just had our 50th class reunion.
Take care, Ruth