Athens no longer a discount destination, but bargains still existATHENS, Greece — Athens is no longer a discount destination. Bears, berries and beauty: Scenery abounds on Olympic National Park’s High Divide trailOLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, Wash. — “Did you see the bear?” the backpacker standing at the side of the trail asked. “He sure saw you.” Iraq army arrests 3 men on charges of trafficking stolen antiquitiesBAGHDAD — Authorities in northern Iraq have arrested three men on charges they were trying to traffic stolen antiquities, including the bust of a Sumerian king, a local army commander said Saturday. Iraq army arrests three men on charges of trafficking stolen antiquitiesBAGHDAD — Authorities in northern Iraq have arrested three men on charges they were trying to traffic stolen antiquities, including the bust of a Sumerian king, a local army commander said Saturday. Officials at odds over historic designation for Badlands site where Roosevelt once ranchedBISMARCK, N.D. — Federal and state officials are at odds over listing about 12,000 acres of scenic North Dakota Badlands on the National Register of Historic Places to recognize an area that inspired Theodore Roosevelt. Jamaica seeks large cruise ships with construction of terminal along north coastKINGSTON, Jamaica — Construction of a cruise ship terminal expected to attract nearly 1 million visitors a year will begin now that Jamaica has secured financing, the government said Saturday. Roller coaster cable snaps at California’s Knott’s Berry Farm, injuring 12-year-old boy, manBUENA PARK, Calif. — An amusement park in Southern California says a cable snapped on a roller coaster, sending a 12-year-old boy and a man to hospitals with injuries. Northern New England tourism industry hopes to turn over new, colorful, leaf this fallCONCORD, N.H. — Northern New England’s fall foliage is expected to be spectacular this year, unlike tourism revenues, which likely will remain muted as the economy slowly recovers. Environmental group gives cruise ships bad report card on pollution effortsANCHORAGE, Alaska — An environmental group released its report card Wednesday on how well cruise ship companies operating in American waters are doing to reduce pollution, and not one received an overall grade of “A.” Extensive flood damage will force Kentucky Derby Museum to remain closed for rest of yearLOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Derby Museum will remain closed for the rest of the year as the tourist attraction showcasing the world’s most famous horse race tries to recover from flood damage. Friends baffled at why SC man who died alone and hungry in tent never reached out for helpANDERSON, S.C. — David Condon died broke and alone in a zipped-up tent on the banks of a South Carolina lake, his stomach empty and his lungs filling with fluid. PETA wants to rent Va. prison building and turn it into a chicken empathy museumTROUTVILLE, Va. — An animal rights group wants to rent a prison building the state plans to close and turn it into the nation’s first chicken empathy museum. A People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals official sent a letter Monday to Gov. Tim Kaine asking to rent the Botetourt Correctional Center building in Troutville. Conde Nast Traveler celebrates ‘America’s Best Idea’ with a list of 10 national parksNEW YORK — Conde Nast Traveler is marking Ken Burns’ new PBS series about the national parks, “America’s Best Idea,” with a look at 10 national parks and recommendations for how to see them. New items at Odd Wisconsin exhibit range from Casablanca script to Lewis and Clark journalMADISON, Wis. — An original script from the movie “Casablanca,” a journal from the Lewis and Clark Expedition and one of the world’s first atlases are among the new items at the Wisconsin Historical Museum’s exhibit of odd items. Yellowstone seeing record visitors this yearYELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — Yellowstone National Park hosted a record number of visitors this summer and remains on track for its busiest year ever. To bike, hike or drive, Skyline Drive is brought to you by another ’shovel-ready’ generationFRONT ROYAL, Va. — Skyline Drive specializes in solitude mixed with pulse-racing exhilaration. You can get that three ways as autumn colors come alive across the Blue Ridge Mountains. When in Copenhagen, do as the Danes: Bike around to see the sightsCOPENHAGEN — The Danish capital might rank among the world’s most expensive cities with pricey food and steep hotel bills. A beer on the picturesque Nyhavn harbor can be a costly experience and a stroll through the city’s famed Tivoli gardens can be easily be a larger-than-thought expense. However, Copenhagen can easily be affordable for those on a budget — with a little help from pedal power and a discount card. Finding homes for artifacts collected in sweeping Four Corners criminal case could take yearsSALT LAKE CITY — Once the legal dust settles from the nation’s biggest bust of Southwestern artifact looting, federal officials face another daunting task: deciding what to do with the ancient sandals, pipes, pendants and thousands of other items associated with the investigation. Anti-slavery senator’s death in 1859 duel with pro-slavery judge prefaced Civil War carnageWASHINGTON — Nearly two years before the first shots were fired in the Civil War, simmering hostilities over slavery erupted on a “field of honor” in California, where a pro-slavery judge mortally wounded an anti-slavery senator in a duel. The thrill isn’t gone at B.B. King Museum; Miss. Delta attraction celebrates strong 1st yearJACKSON, Miss. — The thrill is gone at many attractions across the country as recession-mired tourists stay home, but in Indianola, Miss., a favorite son is packing ‘em in at the B.B. King Museum. NYC Planning Commission: Museum of Modern Art tower must be redesigned shorter by 200 feetNEW YORK — New York City’s Planning Commission says a proposed tower next to the Museum of Modern Art is too high. Swiss city says law prevents it from returning painting stolen from Jews during WWIIGENEVA — Swiss law bars a museum from surrendering a 19th-century painting that it was given after it had been stolen from a Jewish family in Paris by the pro-Nazi Vichy French regime during World War II, authorities said Thursday. Looking for a holiday airfare deal? Procrastination might not pay offNEW YORK — The kids are back in school, and travel is likely the last thing on your mind. But it’s never too early to start scouting the best of those holiday airfare deals — which are now becoming more widespread and plentiful. New ‘America the Beautiful’ quarters series to debut with Hot Springs National ParkHOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Quarters dropped into fountains at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas next year could feature the park itself. Rare 14th-century Hebrew prayer book to go on display for first time at Israeli museumJERUSALEM — A rare Hebrew manuscript written in 14th century Germany is going on display for the first time, just before the Jewish New Year, Israel Museum officials said Wednesday. Swedish art museum settles dispute over painting looted by NazisSTOCKHOLM — A Swedish art museum said Wednesday it had settled a six-year dispute over a painting claimed by the heirs of a Jewish businessman who lost it when he fled Germany in 1939 to escape Nazi persecution. Security fears batter tourism in China’s riot-torn western region of XinjiangBEIJING — Tourist arrivals in the volatile western region of Xinjiang have plummeted since July’s deadly ethnic rioting, Chinese state media say. 9th Circuit Appeals Court: Holocaust survivor can sue Spanish government, museum over paintingLOS ANGELES — An elderly Holocaust survivor from San Diego can continue his legal battle against a Spanish museum to reclaim a valuable painting he says was taken from his grandmother by the Nazis, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. How the Obama girls spent their summer vacation: Harry Potter in London, gelato in ItalyWASHINGTON — If Malia and Sasha Obama write “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” essays as they head back to school this week, oh, the stories they can tell. Walt Disney Family Museum opening in San Francisco Oct. 1SAN FRANCISCO — Starting Oct. 1, you’ll be able to get a taste of Disney in San Francisco. |