Sherman's Travel

Today, I learned about this incredible dining experience, and as a wanna-be-foodie, I couldn’t help but be intrigued. First thing I thought was: Leave it to Las Vegas to take something as simple as dinner and make it into a life-threatening, heart-dropping, stomach-churning experience. Enter: Dinner in the Sky. I poked around a little more into the phenomenon, and found that Sin City isn’t such an innovator, after all! The newest addition to Sin City’s roster of unique consumer experiences has actually debuted in a number of other cities and 40 countries around the world! This news sparked my curiosity: What are some of the other crazy dining experiences that I’ve never heard of? Here’s what I uncovered! Read more

I could rattle off a list of impressive and beautiful volcanoes (have you seen this one with three color-changing lakes on it?!), but none seem quite as amazing as this isolated mountainous landmass hundreds of kilometers off the coast of Tokyo, Japan. Aogashima is the southernmost island in the Izu archipelago. And, though it might seem improbable, people actually live on the island (and there are things to do there!). Read more

Using public transportation is a great way to get to know a new city and save money while on vacation. Sometimes, however, it just makes more sense to hail a taxi. Perhaps it’s late at night and you don’t feel comfortable on the subway. Or maybe you’re running late thanks to a jetlag-induced nap. Whatever the reason, taking cabs in new cities – both foreign and domestic – can pose challenges if you’re not familiar with how things operate in that locale. The last thing you want is to get taken for a ride – figuratively speaking – and wasting money on a cabbie that is taking advantage of you. Nor do you want to get lost because of innocent confusion between you and the driver. In order to stay safe and successfully get from Point A to Point B, be sure to keep our taxi tips in the front of your mind before anyone turns on the meter. Read more

Global travel exposes us to all sorts of cheap eats from roadside vendors, whether it’s dim sum in Hong Kong (pictured) or a hot dog with relish in New York City. New this spring, Peninsula Hotels gives a nod to this kind of street food with room service menu items called “Snacks & the City.” I’d like to know what street cart is selling Kobe beef sliders and fries with truffle aioli, like the Peninsula Chicago, or filet mignon hoagies, like the Peninsula Beverly Hills. Also, buying “street food” on the street is kind of half the fun. However, as room-service options these new menu items really spice up the old stand-bys, and they’re available 24 hours a day (unlike food trucks or street vendors). Though prices may start at street fare levels of around $3, expect to pay a bit more for many of the upscale delights. Participating Peninsula locations also include Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Manila. www.peninsula.com

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates and travel deals on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more.

Here’s a sliver of good news for Japan tourism: United announced today that it will resume twice-weekly flights to Sendai, Japan – the city closest to the March 11 earthquake’s epicenter – beginning October 2; it’s the first foreign airline to touch down regularly at the airport since it reopened April 13.

Visitor numbers fell by 73 percent immediately after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake devastated the country, fueled a tsunami, and set off a nuclear crisis, according to the Japan Times, but United’s restart of Sendai flights is one of a handful of signs that travelers are warming up to the idea of returning to the country.

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The March earthquake and tsunami decimated tourism to Japan, and officials are eager to remind potential visitors that the country is safe and open for business. Head off to Tokyo next month with a jaw-dropping four-night package – including hotel, airfare, plus all taxes and fees – for only $780. Departures are available every Wednesday and Thursday in June from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles (plus June 14), San Francisco, and Honolulu, as well as June 2 from Newark. For each booking, $50 will be donated to the Consulate-General of Japan for continued relief efforts. Book by 5pm EST on May 31.

THE VALUE: Airfare alone to Tokyo from L.A. costs close to $1,000, and East Coast fares run around $1,400 – with this deal, you’ll save $200 or more on airfare AND get a four-night hotel stay.

THE CATCH: Airlines and hotels (one of which is at Haneda airport, 30 minutes outside Tokyo) are determined by the travel agency based on availability. Stays cannot be extended beyond the four nights. The package is non-refundable.

THE DETAILS: Find the details of the package here.

Book through one of the following travel agencies:

• IACE Travel – 877-489-4223, 212-972-3200
• Nippon Travel Agency America Inc. – 800-682-7872
• JTB USA – 800-222-5824, 800-305-5824, 877-798-9808
• ANA Sales Americas – 800-826-0995
• Amnet – 212-247-1900
• Kintetsu International – 800-422-3481

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates and travel deals on hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more.

For general trip-planning information, see our Tokyo Travel Guide.

As Japan continues to struggle with the aftermath of last Friday’s earthquake and tsunami, it is clear travel to and from the country will not return to normal for some time. Most airports – including those in Tokyo – have reopened, and most public transportation in the capital has resumed. However, damaged roadways continue to disrupt overland transport.

UPDATE: The Japan National Tourist Office has posted information about travel to and within the country, as well as created a page with important links for those who are still in Japan. You can also find the most current information on what’s going on in Japan on the website of the Embassy of Japan in the U.S.

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We at ShermansTravel.com were shocked to learn of the devastating earthquake that hit Japan Friday and the tsunami that occurred in its aftermath, with waves hitting Japan and Hawaii and making their way towards the West Coast of the U.S.

For those who are currently traveling, planning to travel, or have friends or loved ones in the affected areas, here are some resources to find the latest information on the disaster:

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As a longtime lover of sake, I was thrilled to go to Tokyo for the first time. I imagined a paradise where junmai and ginjo poured from the city’s faucets.

It wasn’t quite that dramatic, but Tokyo didn’t disappoint. Sake is everywhere. But as an American who doesn’t speak Japanese, sampling the drink took some work – not that I mind a little effort, considering that my métier sometimes involves sipping (and making sense of) 50 pinot noirs in a sitting.

Having a few destinations in mind is key to making the most of a sake safari in Japan’s capital. I wanted to cover the bases and visit a hotel, a department store food hall, a sake bar, and a restaurant. After asking everyone from U.S. importers to Japanese sommeliers for ideas, I set off on my quest.

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Whether killing time or scrambling to find last-minute souvenirs, most of us are at one time or another saved by airport shopping. Yes, every airport comes with the standard magazine stands and tacky gift shops, but our top 10 airports for shopping take their retail seriously. We’re talking endless duty-free arcades, luxury boutiques galore, and, maybe most notably, small local retailers that supply homegrown items unique to the destination itself. And isn’t that what souvenir shopping is all about? These gateway hubs span the globe, from Portland to Dubai, and offer the traveler more than just a distraction before boarding – they provide a viable (not TSA-related) reason to arrive the recommended three hours before (international) departure time. Get a sneak peek at the goods with our Top 10 Airports for Shopping slideshow, then read our Top 10 Airports for Shopping article to plot your next layover.

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