Hotel sticker shock in NYC, San Francisco If you want to save a few bucks on your next hotel bill, stay clear of New York and San Francisco. The latest statistics on hotel rates show that the Big Apple still charges the highest rates among the nation's most popular destinations, with average rates for a double-occupancy room at $446 per night. Also atop the list of high-priced cities are San Francisco ($247), Miami ($232), Boston ($214), Washington, D.C., ($203) and Los Angeles ($185), according to numbers for mid-September from TravelClick Inc., a New York consultant on hotel revenues. Meanwhile, average hotel rates in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area are $103, the lowest among the nation's popular destinations.
LOS ANGELES TIMES
North Carolina's Outer Banks are back Hurricane Irene came to the Outer Banks, but it did not conquer and destroy. Last week, North Carolina officials reopened Route 12, which had been closed south of Nags Head due to severe storm damage. On the section of the highway between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe, drivers should still be on alert for lowered speed limits and continuing repairs. Access to Hatteras Island also means the return of ferry service to Ocracoke Island.
WASHINGTON POST
Share 'nerdy day trips' on this website Calling all geeks: www.nerdyDaytrips.com is a site where you can share, find or discuss all those trips to your local dairy or wig museum. The site offers up funky pit-stop options for road trips in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and more. People can add their favorite quirky exhibits and locales to this user-generated map of eccentric museums and pit stops. One annoying drawback: The site is map-based, so clicking on pins and seeing what's there gets old quickly.
LOS ANGELES TIMES
