Authorities search for a woman who got off a cruise ship in Alaska to hike and didn't return
The Juneau Police Department said it received a report Tuesday afternoon that the 62-year-old from Kentucky, who told relatives that morning that she was getting off the Norwegian Bliss to hike, had not returned to the vessel by its departure time.
The woman's plans involved taking a tram popular with tourists partially up a mountain overlooking downtown Juneau and continuing from there, with plans to trek to Gold Ridge and Gastineau Peak, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
Juneau is a popular cruise ship destination. Many tourists who ride the tram stay close to the developed area that includes the tram.
There are still areas of snow on the local peaks.
The department said ground and aerial searches were conducted Tuesday, with ground searches resuming Wednesday and aircraft on standby due to overcast and rainy weather.
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Forbes
19 minutes ago
- Forbes
July 4th Is Coming And These U.S. National Parks Are Open To Last-Minute Visitors
Couple on top of the mountain, looking at beautiful summer mountain landscape of the South Rim in ... More Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. If you forgot to book your July 4th plans, you are not entirely out of luck. Not every national park in the United States requires advance reservations, timed entries, or a lottery system. Some offer open trails, stunning views and geological wonders—perfect for spending Independence Day, even if it is a last-minute decision to go. Yosemite National Park has already sold out its timed-entry tickets, making it nearly impossible to secure a spot for the Independence Day holiday for the timeframe between 6 AM and 2 PM PT. Rocky Mountain National Park will release its timed-entry tickets for July 4–6, covering the 9 AM to 2 PM entry window, on July 3 at 7 PM MDT. However, due to peak holiday demand, they will likely sell out within minutes. National Park Service (NPS) advises all visitors to "pack their patience," especially if they plan to visit this national park. Timed-entry tickets for Arches National Park over the July 4 weekend are still available in limited quantities. NPS will release additional slots on July 3 at 7 PM MDT. Access between 7 AM and 4 PM is only possible with a prepaid ticket. If you do not have a reservation but are eager to visit a national park this weekend, your best option is to arrive outside the peak entry hours or choose a destination that does not require a timed-entry ticket. But which ones are they? Zion National Park Wooden bridge and scenery in Zion National Park, Utah. Zion National Park covers nearly 150,000 acres in southwestern Utah and has ranked No. 12 on the list of most visited U.S. national parks for 2024, drawing almost 5 million visitors last year. Visitors can access the park through two main entrances: the South Entrance near Springdale, which is the most heavily used, and the East Entrance via the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway. While no general reservation or timed-entry ticket is required to enter Zion, select hikes will not be available. Its gates are open 24/7, and general visitors can enter at any time with a valid pass. Tickets for Angel's Landing and The Subway are lottery-based due to overcrowding and safety concerns. Without it, hikers cannot access the whole trail. However, if you want to go back during the fall, apply for a permit now to hike Angel's Landing between September 1 and November 30. The applications will close on July 10, and the NPS will announce the lottery results on July 25. 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The South Rim offers easy access to popular viewpoints, including Mather Point, Desert View, and the Bright Angel Trailhead. No reservation or timed-entry ticket is needed to enter the park, and gates remain open 24/7 for those with a valid park pass. However, backcountry routes and overnight hikes require permits that are often secured months in advance through lotteries. Yellowstone National Park Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Yellowstone spans 2.2 million acres across Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. It was the 14th most visited national park in 2024, welcoming over 4.8 million visitors in the previous year. No registration or timed-entry ticket is needed. Visitors can arrive at any time, as the gates are open 24/7 and can enter with a valid pass. Visitors can enter the park through five main gates: North (Gardiner), Northeast (Silver Gate/Cooke City), East (near Cody), South (via Grand Teton/Jackson Hole) and West (near West Yellowstone). 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Joshua Tree National Park Old Woman Rock in Joshua Tree National Park, California Joshua Tree National Park spans over 790,000 acres in Southern California, attracting nearly 3 million visitors last year. The park has three main entrances: West Entrance (near Joshua Tree town), North Entrance (at Twentynine Palms), and South Entrance (off I‑10 near Cottonwood). The West Entrance is the most popular and closest to iconic sights like Hidden Valley, Skull Rock and Keys View, as well as popular climbing areas and scenic hiking trails. No reservation or timed-entry ticket is required and visitors can enter 24/7 with a valid park pass. While campgrounds often book out in advance, day visitors can explore the national park freely. Kenai Fjords National Park Humpback whale pod in Kenai Fjords National Park Alaska. The nearly 670,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park showcases Alaska's rugged coastline, glaciers, and mountains on the south-central coast. 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CNET
19 minutes ago
- CNET
I Tried AI for Finding Cheap Flights, but It Was a Bumpy Ride
If you're planning s summer vacation, you've probably thought about using an artificial intelligence chatbot to help save money on flights. Hunting for flights is all part of the summer travel adventure, but it can quickly take a turn for the worse when I feel like I'm playing cat and mouse with Google's algorithm. Log out. Turn the VPN on. Use an incognito browser window. Switch between my MacBook and iPhone. These days, any strategies often fall short when you try to "trick" the algorithm so that it doesn't hike up the cost of the flight after seeing your repeated interest in that route and those dates. Google Flights is my favorite booking platform, so I wondered if I could use Google's AI, Gemini, be the new most underrated travel hack for 2025? With the price of flights these days, I sure hoped so. Gemini was released in March 2023 (when it was known, briefly, as Bard) and is one of the biggest AI models on the market. It's free to use if you have a Google or Workspace account with admin-enabled access to Gemini. There's also a paid version, which is $20 a month, with a two-month free trial. See also: Traveler's Prep Checklist: Tips for Easier Flights and Road-Trips For me, an Australian who lives in the US, the cost of flying home and back is in the thousands. Any savings AI can find would make a world of difference to my bank account. How to use AI to find cheap flights With a dedicated Google Flights extension, I had expected Gemini to transport me to the best deals. I followed the prompts to enable extensions, but I couldn't get it to work -- even after poking around in my Google admin console all afternoon. A CNET editor was able to use this tool as expected (see screenshot below), so it's worth testing out to see if it works for you. Gemini / Screenshot by CNET Annoyed by the lack of ease, I ran a quick search for AI tools that could save me money on plane tickets, and in my "travels" I discovered Karma, an AI coupon code extension that I could easily install. I saw Expedia on its list of affiliated brands, so I used that travel platform to search for flights. I picked dates four months away for a hypothetical trip home to Australia. The cheapest return flight was $1,443. Not bad, but Karma pinged me with a coupon. I clicked "apply coupons." See also: Worried About Expensive Holiday Airfare? 5 Easy Tips to Save Money on Plane Tickets I copied the code and continued in Expedia, assuming it would automatically apply at the checkout page, but there was no area to apply a code. Turns out Karma coupons can't be applied to all Expedia purchases; maybe I could have found a way to use one somehow, but it wasn't working for this flight option. But for me, it's strike number two. Back to Gemini, but for some advice this time. I asked Gemini how AI can help me save money on flights. The answers were to be expected, but two words piqued my interest: "secret fares." Gemini / Screenshot by CNET I checked the age of those two links Gemini referenced and they were from 2018, so I responded to Gemini asking what platforms have "secret fares." Gemini / Screenshot by CNET While skiplagged sounds like an adventure in itself, I'm too old to fly with no check-in luggage or risk being blacklisted by airlines. When there's only one (practical) way to enter my country (by air), the potential reward wasn't worth the risk. It was interesting that Hopper wasn't mentioned in Gemini's list, although it was the source of the original "secret fares" information. It had come up in my own research, so I decided to give it a shot. Hopper's Price Prediction function is only available in the app. I downloaded it. 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ChatGPT/Screenshot by CNET What I did discover via ChatGPT is the new Google Flights refund feature on itineraries departing from the US. If the price drops on a booking (that had a price guarantee badge), you get refunded through the Google Pay app. Pretty cool. That one feature alone is enough for me to stick with Google Flights, alongside accessing advice from AI chatbots. You can also use AI to plan out a strategy to use credit card points to save on flights. However, AI has been found to pull up outdated card bonuses and rewards information, so it's important to vet it before applying for a new credit card. The verdict on finding cheap flights using AI After multiple attempts to use AI to save money on flights, I unpacked my bags. While I expected Gemini's Google Flights extension to be as smooth as Google Flights itself, I couldn't get it to work, even with the features enabled in my Google account. Gemini also admits it doesn't always get it right, so be sure to check the flight details on the airline's website. Given flight tickets are often in the thousands, you don't want to risk any mistakes. In short, using AI to find flight deals still has a way to go. I did, however, find some interesting things via AI, such as the refund feature. AI is a great thought partner but not yet a booking partner.
Fox News
23 minutes ago
- Fox News
Nature views, therapy llamas and 'impeccable' bathrooms give boost to 'best' airports
Most travelers hope for speedy security lines and simple layouts at airport — but some of America's travel hubs apparently soar above the rest. A recent survey of over 2,300 people identified one airport in the Pacific Northwest as the best in the country — thanks in part to its decor plus its food and drink offerings. Therapy llamas are even available on occasion to help ease pre-flight jitters for those in need. The analysis, done by The Washington Post, solicited responses from readers and looked at more than 450,000 Yelp reviews. Researchers collected data on gate capacity, parking and more for over 450 public airports and narrowed the list down to the top 50. "The best airport is the one that fills your needs and gets you to your final destination with minimal interruptions," Sheldon Jacobson, an engineering professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, told Fox News Digital — noting that the country's most trafficked airports did not make the list. (He was not affiliated with the new survey.) Counting down from 10 to 1, here are the airports that stood apart from the rest, according to the survey. Michigan's DTW landed at No. 10 on the best U.S. airports list, with flyers marveling over its underground LED tunnel that shuttles them through concourses. Another attraction is a 39-foot-wide fountain in DTW's McNamara Terminal, which shoots water in a pattern inspired by a flight map. Utah's SLC came in at No. 9. The facility was recently rebuilt – a factor many people appreciated. Participants noted the airport's spacious design, natural light and mountain views. Others gave it high-flying reviews because of its abundance of restrooms and cozy greeting room. One reader praised the "non-extortion prices" in SLC's shops and restaurants. Indiana's IND took 8th place. A simple layout, towering ceilings and sleek decor made it a fan favorite. One reader said it had "easy everything." The airport contains more than a mile of walking paths and the popular steakhouse Harry & Izzy's. New Mexico's ABQ, named in homage to the city known for abundant sunshine, is known for its southwestern architecture, which gives "local pueblo" vibes with murals by Native American artists. Flyers can grab a cup of piñon coffee flavored with a nut grown in the deserts of New Mexico. The bathrooms at PVD also got an honorable mention among survey participants, one of whom said they were "impeccable and beautifully designed." The Rhode Island hub also offers a free library, local food and live music. It boasts easy parking and navigation. Seattle's PAE feels more like a "posh hotel" than an airport, readers said, with bellhops for luggage, plus limestone-accented walls and leather couches and lounge chairs. The snow-capped Olympic Mountains can be seen in the distance. PAE includes a wine bar and a Beecher's Handmade Cheese outpost. The snow-capped Olympic Mountains can be seen in the distance. Travelers reported that MSP is a breeze to get through. Flyers can decompress in its designated quiet space and massage chairs — and even watch short films by local filmmakers. Music pays homage to Minneapolis-native Prince, and a store is inspired by the "Purple Rain" musician. Shops also offer T-shirts emblazoned with cans of Spam, which was invented in the state. DCA, in Arlington, Virginia, boasts first-class convenience thanks to its proximity to Washington, D.C., survey respondents said. The walk to DCA's gates is short, and it offers some of the best airport views in the country, including of landmarks like the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial — placing it at No. 3 on the list. Long Beach Airport in Los Angeles, California placed second on the list of the country's best airports. The Art Deco building is about 5 miles from the city's beaches and has a courtyard, al fresco dining and summer concerts that make it an "oasis," one reader said. Passengers also said the airport, which is the oldest in the Golden State, is easy to navigate. Travelers at Oregon's PDX — coming in at No. 1 in the survey — enjoy its live trees, sky-lit ceilings and natural landscapes played on video walls. Among PDX's defining features are a giant pink mailbox, occasional therapy llamas, and '80's-inspired carpeting. Vacation starts early with live music, a speakeasy and a "microcinema." "People don't mind spending time at the airport – when it's [PDX]," the Port of Portland said in a recent Instagram post. "Huge thanks to the nearly 10,000 people who keep PDX running with care – from the construction crews and custodians to the musicians in the concourse and the folks serving up donuts, beer and cheese curds with a smile."
