Sherman's Travel

With spring break right around the corner, now is the perfect time to plan your next adventure. Even upscale hotels are offering great rates for March and April travel, so you can stay at those luxe hotels you used to think you couldn’t afford, even during this prime travel period. From a boutique hotel in Denver to a brand-new 5-star resort in Goa, you can treat yourself to a spring break without breaking the bank. Read more

Last week I got a sneak peek at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, which opens to the public on December 1st.

Keeping to the “everything is bigger in Texas” mandate, the museum sits on nearly five acres and offers 180,000 square feet of exhibit space and places to play, and the result is something of a nerd’s paradise. On the prehistoric side, they’ve got several dinosaurs nonchalantly looming overhead, including an Alamosaurus (who sounds like he ought to be a Texan, but is in actuality New Mexican) that measures 85 feet tall, or in class trip parlance, is two school buses high by two school buses long.

Many more exhibits dutifully document natural history as well as earth and space, but the biggest thrills for me were on the high-tech side – which makes sense, given that the museum is named for tech company magnate (and former U.S. presidential candidate) Ross Perot, whose children helped fund the museum in his honor.

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Dallas is one of America’s largest, most sprawling metropolises, and touching down there for the first time can be somewhat intimidating. If you’re sent to the heart of Texas for business, however, there’s nothing to be afraid of. In an effort to get you outside of the boardroom and into the wilds of Big D, we’re offering up two restaurants, two attractions, and one bar that you can hit with just a few extra hours between meetings.

Unlike some cities, which shove their meeting venues to the outskirts of town, Dallas’ primary convention center is located right in the middle of the action. Nestled between Union Station and City Hall, you won’t have to walk far to find good grub. Just a few blocks away sits Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse. While in Texas, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t have a taste of Texas-style BBQ. For the vegetarians that may be in the group, a hearty helping of green beans, sweet potatoes, and onion rings ought to fill a similar void. Dallas is chock full of chain-style BBQ eateries, but this one is a cut above. And yes, you’ll need to temporarily ignore whatever diet you’re on. Read more

Planning a trip in the South? Skip the frisky screeners at TSA and take a bus instead, as Megabus expands its operations into Texas and other Southern states with fares as low as $1.

Beginning June 19, customers who book early can secure dollar seats from Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio to locations like Austin and other states like Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana. While prices go up as the traveling date gets closer, Megabus is giving away 10,000 free seats and capping the price of its tickets at $1 during the first week of sales to promote its new service. Read more

Guests at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas may be in for a super-luxe surprise on the pillow at turndown this year: the hotel plans to give away one Bulgari Carbon Gold watch a month to random guests who book a special package. The Suite Treasures package will always include an overnight stay in a Deluxe Suite, in-room breakfast for two, and free valet parking, as well as transportation to the Bulgari store at NorthPark Center and a personal shopping concierge experience with a Bulgari gift to take home. Book the package from June 1 through December 31 for one of seven chances to win the watch between now and the end of the year. Rates start at a cool $469/night, but the Bulgari bling is worth $2,000 so it might be worth the gamble! If you need further incentive, a portion of all proceeds will go to the North Texas Food Bank, so you can feel good about your splurge.

For general trip-planning information see our Dallas destination guide, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates and travel deals on flights, hotels, vacation packages, and more.

With summer — and school break — just around the corner, it’s time to start planning a great getaway for the whole family. These money-saving deals are suitable for a group, whether you’re taking the kids to Orlando for some theme park hopping, planning your next family reunion on a cruise, or hiding out at a Caribbean resort where little ones stay free. We found those deals and more, good for travel throughout summer and fall, starting from just $87. Book soon to lock in the best savings.

$87+ Orlando: Disney-Area Hotel w/Breakfast, Save 50%

$389+ Weeklong Mexico Cruise to Cabo, Save 45%

$599+ 5 Nights at Jamaica All-Inclusive Resort w/Air; Kids Stay Free

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Now that we’re all trying to avoid that dreaded checked-bag fee, the maximum three-ounce allowance for carry-on liquids means that favorite perfumes and colognes might stay at home during quick trips and getaways. Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has solved this particular problem, however, with another niche butler service. After checking in at any participating Rosewood location, call up the Fragrance Butler, who will bring ten fragrances on a silver platter, free for your use.

The fragrance menu varies by location, as the scents are meant to reflect the area in which the hotel is located. You can use Tom Ford Black Orchid at the Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, Hermes Eau des Mervailles at New York’s The Carlyle, or Givenchy Dahlia Noir at The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. Fragrance Butlers are also available at Crescent Hotel in Dallas, The Mansion on Peachtree in Atlanta, the Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, Rosewood Sand Hill and CordeValle in California, and Al Faisaliah Hotel and Rosewood Corniche in Saudi Arabia. With Rosewood having your olfactory needs covered, you can let your three-ounce worries waft away.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to the lowest rates on flights, hotels, cruises, and other travel deals.

PCWorld recently published a list of the “Top 20 Airports for Tech Travelers,” marking the first time such a comprehensive analysis of domestic airport and airline technology has been published. Research for the piece involved canvassing the 40 busiest U.S. airports and a staggering 3,300 gates to identify the industry’s ultimate tech-friendly winners (and losers). Rankings were based on accessibility to electrical outlets, USB ports, and charging stations, as well as on airport Wi-Fi quality and cell reception. PCWorld also looked at individual domestic airlines for their own tech-friendly rankings, based on technological offerings at their gates, in their planes, and on their websites. Read more

Swirling rumors of American Airlines pending bankruptcy proved true this morning, when the parent of the carrier, the AMR Corporation, filed for bankruptcy protection. The airline – the last major legacy airline in the country to file for Chapter 11 – has pledged that the filing will allow it to emerge as a stronger company, by affording it the opportunity to reduce labor costs and emerge from debt. Speculations are being made that this latest bankruptcy filing might give birth to another round of airline consolidation, considering that the bankruptcy declarations by Delta led to their teaming up with Northwest, while United’s led to a merger with Continental. So what does this all mean for you, the traveler? Well, by all accounts, not too much – it’s really the airline’s employees and stockholders that will bear the brunt of the envisioned restructuring. Read on for some Q & A on what to expect if you already have tickets or are still interested in booking a flight with AA:

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The Luxury: Madonna’s cone bra, walking mannequins, and more than 120 haute couture creations take their rightful place among more than 240,000 masterpieces at Dallas’ Museum of Art this November, when the traveling Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit lands at the museum – one of only two U.S. cities to claim the showcase, dubbed “Sidewalk to the Catwalk.” To celebrate, The Joule Hotel in downtown Dallas unleashed an exclusive package that bundles museum tickets, cocktails, and other goodies into the price. Rest assured that the property itself is as fashion-forward as the exhibit: The custom-designed suites and guestrooms are each bedecked with local call-outs, such as original photographs of Dallas and Fort Worth by Bram Tihany and a direct dial on each phone to the Neiman Marcus flagship store a few doors down.

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