Gear: Speaker pumps up the Bluetooth volume

Satechi's BT wireless bluetooth speaker looks like a tiny little hovercraft with a pop-up midsection. It won't actually go airborne, but the sound will.

Your Scene: Iconic beauty in southern Arizona

Alan Heller and his wife, Claudia, traveled to Tucson last February for a gem show. On their way, they visited Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southern Arizona along the Mexican border.

A "painting" from a past Pageant of the Masters show features actor Paul Goldie as artist William Wendt.

Valentine's Day: $14 deals at Squaw Valley, Pageant of the Masters

Valentine's Day deals don't come cheaper than this: $14 for a day of skiing at Squaw Valley or a ticket to the tableaux vivants Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach this summer. And really, you could take advantage of both. Isn't that better than chocolates and flowers? 

The view from Trail Crest, looking down on Guitar Lake, a spot along the Mt. Whitney Trail.

Eastern Sierra: Lottery for Mt. Whitney hike permits goes online

If your plans include conquering Mt. Whitney this summer, you'll need training -- and a $15 hiking permit. This year the annual lottery for the highly sought-after Mt. Whitney Trail permits will be conducted online.

The cliffs of Mendocino are a perfect place to watch Pacific gray whales during the spring migration.

Northern California: Whale-watch and festival-hop in Mendocino

The best time to go whale-watching in Egypt would have been about 37 million years ago. Smithsonian magazine recently profiled the amazing whale boneyard at Wadi Hitan where fossils reveal an important evolutionary tidbit: the whales had little legs and feet.

Hawaii's hotels did better in 2011. Here, Anlani Tower, a Disney resort on Oahu.

Friday Travel Ticker: Tired of taking off your shoes?

Travelers interested in participating in the TSA’s expanded pre-check screening, which pre-approves some passengers to pass through checkpoints without removing shoes and belts – should click here for information. The expanded program was announced Wednesday . . . . Hawaii hotel revenue rose 12.7% last year, according to a report by Hospitality Advisors LLC and Smith Travel Research. Occupancy was 73.4%, up from 70.7% in 2010. The average daily rate was about $189.62, up from $174.84 the previous year . . . . Nationwide, only New York City has higher room rates than Hawaii, Smith Travel Research says . . . . The 20th annual Zinfandel Festival takes place in Paso Robles March 16-18, featuring wine from more than 50 vintners. For info or tickets, go to

Tourists take advantage of the beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. A new U.S. State Department travel warning says no advisory is in effect for this coastal town.

U.S. State Department warning maps out unsafe areas of Mexico

The U.S. State Department issued a new state-by-state warning for travelers to Mexico that details the more violent areas of the country but also points out popular places such as Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City where travel advisories aren't in effect.

Looking for a romantic moment? This Laguna Beach stretch of sand is just one of the options.

Beaches with a real heartbeat

A romantic beach is one of those can’t-miss Valentine’s Day standbys — the more pristine the better. And no one knows pristine like Heal the Bay, which has released this guide to the West Coast’s most romantic sand. All have received an “A” for water quality.

The Crystal Serenity stops in Geirangerfjord, Norway, on the New York to London cruise in May.

A cruise with an NFL theme? Yup, Shula and Csonka are on board

For football fans, it's a cruise dream come true: NFL greats including former coaches Don Shula and Dick Vermeil, past Super Bowl MVP Larry Csonka and NFL referee Jim Tunney will set sail in May on a Crystal Cruises journey from New York to Dover, England. 

Galveston Pleasure Pier brings thrill rides back to Texas coast

A disaster-prone Texas tourist destination that for more than a century has been an on-again, off-again home to oceanfront amusements will once again lure thrill-seekers with roller coasters, midway games and carnival confections.

City Creek Center will offer some architectural twists, and plenty of shopping, when it opens March 22 in downtown Salt Lake City.

Thursday Travel Ticker: New findings on blood clots

A new blood clot study finds that flying economy class is not any riskier than first class, as sometimes thought, but sitting by the window seems to play a role, because it makes people less likely to leave their seats. Still, even on long flights (four hours or more) the risk for most people is extremely low, an American College of Chest Physicians' committee reported. For details, go to http://www.chestjournal.org . . . . Salt Lake City retail shopping scene undergoes a major upgrade March 22 with the opening of City Creek Center, a shopping and dining destination downtown.  With a total of 80 stores and restaurants, the rustic 700,000-square-foot complex will be anchored by Macy’s and Nordstrom . . . . A North Carolina hotel has...

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Tech Report- Tesla Model X

Checking out the tech inside of Tesla's newest all electric car....

Checking out the tech inside of Tesla's newest all electric car.

Tweets from the Los Angeles Times Travel staff.