Grand Del Mar resort in San Diego is marking the opening of the Del Mar horse-racing season with a package that includes tickets, racing forms and even two mint juleps. The deal is pricey -- it starts at $475 a night -- but it saves a bit if you're up for a splurge and love the ponies.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's new exhibit, "The Open Sea," simulates the migration of ocean animals across the Pacific Ocean. The three-gallery, $19-million display replaces the Outer Bay exhibit at the attraction in Monterey, Calif.

How do you know when to trust hotel reviews posted by users on websites such as TripAdvisor and Yelp? Maybe you think you can spot a fake, but researchers at Cornell University recently developed a software program that they said can sniff out "opinion spam" better than you can.

The Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa has a midweek deal good for a late summer stay in Northern California's wine country. From now through August, snag a package that includes a suite, $50 daily credit and two wine tastings for $199 a night.

Cedar Point and Six Flags Magic Mountain have been battling over the coveted title of Roller Coaster Capital of the World for years.

Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia have been battling for years over the coveted title of "Roller Coaster Capital of the World." Which park is most deserving of the title? Let the showdown begin.

There is no shortage of legends surrounding the cat that went over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

A woman was arrested at Bob Hope Airport on Tuesday after a routine security check turned up a loaded handgun in her carry-on bag, authorities said.

Here's an idea for a leisurely autumn trip that's scenic and saves money: Amtrak is taking 25% off tickets on a stretch of the Coast Starlight route between Los Angeles and Davis, Calif. The sale applies to destinations such as Oakland, San Jose, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara and others.

The drug trade and drug wars continue in northern Baja California and the rest of Mexico, as this week’s series in the Los Angeles Times abundantly shows. And the U.S. State Department is still warning travelers about the risks of visiting Mexico.  But the rest of life continues too, as I found during on my trip across the border this past weekend.

Last week we showed you the purple sands of Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur. This week, we bring you a green beach, Papakolea, on Hawaii's Big Island. Olivine minerals, so called because of their tint, give the sand its unusual color.

Still recovering from March's devastating earthquake and tsunami, Japan is stepping up efforts to draw foreign travelers, even recruiting Lady Gaga to spread the word that much of Japan is safe for visitors.

If you were disappointed by the air ticket tax holiday that wasn't -- because so many carriers offset the drop by increasing fares over the weekend-- check out this near-rant by the chief of a group that represents airports.

Feel free to move about the cabin -- and hula. Twenty performers from San Francisco's Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu hula troupe stepped from their seats and started dancing on a flight from San Francisco to Honolulu earlier this month.

Reggae rock comes to Santa Catalina Island with a Friday night beach concert by Dirty Heads. Tickets cost $30 each, but you can score a free ticket if you buy a round-trip boat package for $70.