Top 5 Attractions in Tulsa, per TripAdvisor.com:

1. Philbrook Museum (Italianate villa housing 30 permanent collections)

2. Gilcrease Museum (World's largest collection of Native American and American West art)

3. DiscoveryLand (National home of Oklahoma!)

4. Boston Avenue Methodist Church (Historic, art deco church)

5. Linnaeus Teaching Gardens (Landscape includes 9,000 rose bushes)

Tulsa is 1,266 miles from Baltimore. That's 19 hours by car with a pit stop somewhere in the middle, say Louisville, Ky. You could even take Route 66 for part of the trip. Flights from BWI start at $280 roundtrip. Average hotel room is $80. Just sayin.

Anybody out there visit Tulsa recently? If so, tell us about your trip.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Just about everyone is trying to figure out how to save on summer vacation. Fewer days. Drive, don't fly. Stay with friends. Bring snacks. Here's an option: don't go. OK, it's a really bad option, I agree. The best plan is to know the dough before you go.

According to AAA's Annual Vacation Costs Survey, released last week, you'll need to budget $244 per day for lodging and meals for two adults traveling together in North America. Most expensive place to visit: Honolulu at $673 per day. Least expensive: Tulsa at $179 per day. And if you're wondering, Baltimore is 13th most expensive at an average cost of $281 per day. (Anybody got a room to rent?)

So how are you planning to save money on your summer travels? What are your secrets? C'mon, dish.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I'm surrounded by people who seem to travel more than the travel editor. It's kind of like the cobbler's kids going without shoes, I guess.

One colleague returned recently from London, which turned out to be more expensive than she thought. Another ran the Boston Marathon -- I'm going to ask her for some tips for runners who travel. Yet another co-worker was paddling around the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Still, my favorite vicarious vacation was one colleague's recent trip to Sardinia, a small island off the coast of Italy. I've asked him to contribute a few thoughts about his vacation and I'll post that, along with a few of his beautiful photographs, here shortly.

(Photo: Scott Calvert )

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

It's raining a flood outside, but in all ways we're lucky today to be where we are.

A 7.8 earthquake hit western China today causing mass casualties. Some 8,500 are believed dead, according to the official Xinhau News Agency. The center of the quake was located in the Sichuan region, 60 miles west of Chengdu. That area is home to a preserve well-known for its giant panda habitat and breeding program. The quake was felt as far away as Bangkok and Hanoi.

Less than 100 days before the Summer Olympics, this is painful news for China. Coupled with the volcano eruption that sent people fleeing Chile, the devastating cyclone in Myanmar and even the weekend tornadoes in Georgia, it's yet another reminder that no destination is without risk.

(Photo: Associated Press) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 4:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

When was the last time you bought a Lonely Planet or Let's Go travel guide? I checked some out of the library for my recent trip to Puerto Rico. But aren't you more and more leaving those heavy books at home?

The Atlantic Monthly's correspondent Wayne Curtis recently wrote about visiting Seattle using only Internet travel sites to guide him. A GPS unit and advice from sites such as TripAdvisor, Yelp, Chowhound and Wikitravel was all he had to depend on. How did he fare? Well he didn't find his poorly-ranked cheap hotel to be quite as deplorable as the TripAdvisor reviews described it. And Google Earth help Curtis easily locate coffee shops within walking distance from his hotel. Searching a plethora of social-networking travel sites (Ning.com, VirtualTourist.com, IgoUgo.com), Curtis does complain: "The biggest downside of Travel 2.0 is the surfeit of information—how do you sort through all this detail and random advice?" His most useful site? The foodie's playground: Chowhound.com

Do you agree with Curtis that traditional travel guides, with their tedious indexes, now feel like "15-century technology"? Or can't you leave home without them? Click here for Curtis's favorite travel sites.

(Photo: Pikes Place Market in Seattle. Associated Press.) 

Posted by Laura McCandlish at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

This week's Travel section takes a look at Mao Zedong's China, following in the footsteps of this dynamic and controversial leader.

Also, we visit Longwood Garden's treehouse exhibit and take a tour of Yankee Stadium in its last season.

(Photo: The academy in Changsha where Mao Zedong studied. Los Angeles Times) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Does getting married in Crawford, Texas, when you live in Washington count as a destination wedding? Discuss.

First daughter Jenna Bush heads down south this weekend for her much-talked-about wedding to dear Henry. (Betty will be mad.) I've searched high and low, but can't find Texas on any list of best places to go get hitched. Go figure.

According to weddingchannel.com, the top locales for the still-popular destination wedding are: Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida, Vegas, Europe or a cruise ship. I'd add to that list Fiji, Napa Valley and New York City, if you can swing it. If you're looking for tips on destination weddings, there's plenty to be found. The Knot -- all things to all brides -- has a book and a web site.

My three best tips: 1) Visit the place before you say I do. Who needs surprises? 2) Work with the hotel or resort to get the best deals possible. You're bringing them a lot of business, so ask for the moon. 3) Get trip insurance. I'm not a big fan of trip insurance, in general, but when it's this important and this expensive, a little security can't hurt.

As for Jenna and Henry, we wish them lots of luck and hope to see them soon in their new home in Baltimore. 

(Photo: Wedding bells ring at Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort in Orlando. AFP/Getty)

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 4:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

There are some things that come across my desk that I'm eager to share with you. Other things that I think you need to know. And then there's just a whole category of stuff that I figure, hey, why not?

Like a music CD that claims to calm your dog during road trips. Millions of people bring their pets along on road trips, and with Memorial Day coming early this year, Fido is ready to pack his leash -- and maybe he could use some tunes, too.

Although many dogs love car trips with the wind in their face, other hounds get nervous. The producer of this CD is a psychoacoustic expert (sure, isn't everyone?) working with a concert pianist and Julliard graduate. How bad can it be? "Through A Dog's Ear: Music to Calm Your Dog in the Car" is actually the second CD of a series of music for mutts. The music is supposed to relax your pet while keeping you alert on the road. I listened to one song briefly and nearly nodded off at my desk, but I have very sharp ears that may be more canine than human.

You can listen to a few songs and read all about it here. The CD ($14.98, 78 minutes) will be available May 22.

So what are your pet travel plans for summer?

(Photo: Associated Press) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

By the way, when was the last time you visited Annapolis?

It's one of my favorite lazy Saturday destinations. The Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau last month launched a snazzy new web site for visitors. It has event listings, hotel info and other details to plan your trip.

Check it out here.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)