Wednesday Travel Ticker: Slight rise expected in holiday travel
Thanksgiving holiday traffic will rise for the fourth straight year, gaining 0.7% from 2011, as trips by automobile rise even as airplane trips decline, AAA says. The auto club predicts that 43.6 million people will journey 50 miles or more from home this year, up from 43.3 million last year. But the increase would be the smallest since 2009 . . . . Among the differences LAX travelers will notice this holiday season are Chevrolet Caprice police cars equipped with automatic license-plate recognition systems, new motorcycles, and three-wheel electric stand-up vehicles . . . . . The pest control experts from Orkin encourage travelers to take precautions against bringing home bedbugs by placing dirty clothing in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting immediately upon returning home. And, as always, keep luggage off hotel beds. . . . Olympic Gold Medalist Kami Craig will serve as the grand marshal of Santa Barbara’s downtown holiday parade, Nov. 30 at 6:30 . . . . . Hearst Castle is offering a special package that lets volunteers help with preparations to showcase the castle’s grounds for the holidays. In exchange, they receive a evening tour of the castle and the grounds. The all-inclusive package starts at $495 for four days. Info, click here . . . . Avis new line of rental cars in 2013 will include BMW’s Z4 roadster and the 740i sedan . . . . In Napa for the holidays? Check out Napa on Ice, an outdoor skating rink that opens Friday and runs through Jan. 13. Skating and ice skate rentals will cost $12 . . . . Travel quote of the day: “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” (Irish novelist George Moore)
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