Hollywood 100th
The Hollywood sign is one of Los Angeles' most iconic symbols, and it has now been around for 100 years. Visitors can admire the sign in a variety of ways. Griffith Park is among the best places to see the sign: There are various hiking trails with one of the best, the Cahuenga Peak Trail, going behind the sign itself. Bronson Canyon, Runyon Canyon and Lake Hollywood Park are other options for hiking. For an "only-in-L.A." experience, Sunset Ranch Hollywood offers guided horseback riding tours with spectacular views of the city and the sign. Bikes and Hikes LA Tours offers a 90-minute easy walk, and a hike on a slightly steeper trail. Starline Tours shuttles guests through the backroads on its one-hour Hollywood Sign tour. Several companies also offer helicopter experiences.
TravelPulse
Alberta mountain town
Lavish and historic, the Fairmont Banff Springs Resort in Banff, Alberta, stands as a luminous landmark in a picturesque alpine town inside Banff National Park. Tucked within a verdant forest, yet offering stunning mountain, valley and winding-river views, the 745-room castle-like resort is a destination in itself. Hiking, rafting, fly fishing, golf, tennis, indoor and outdoor pools and horseback riding are all available within minutes. The Willow Stream Spa offers a full range of soothing options within 27 treatment rooms. Choose from 14 on-site dining options or wander into town for more possibilities. If young kids are in tow, ask about the Kids in the Castle program and other adventure options (fairmont.com/banff-springs).
Carbon-free Europe
Travelers can lower their carbon footprint this summer. In Europe, a growing high-speed rail network presents a real alternative to flying between many major cities, offering competitive travel times with much lower carbon-emissions impact. Spain, France, Germany and Austria are among the countries investing to expand services. Links across borders are still a snag, as government-owned systems are optimized for domestic travel. Resourceful travelers can tap their inner Marco Polo to find a host of multi-country options. The Rome2Rio site has a useful tool. For a simple plan, the pioneering Eurostar connected London with Paris, Brussels and Lille, France, in 1994, adding Amsterdam in 2020.
Bloomberg News
Carnival crackdown
Sorry, weed smokers. Carnival Cruise Line has become what those who imbibe might consider a buzzkill. Despite continued momentum in the U.S. toward decriminalizing, Carnival has recently taken a sharp turn in the opposite direction by deploying drug detection dogs to deter passengers from bringing weed aboard its "fun ships." It's part of a new crackdown not just on weed, but on "people behaving badly" aboard cruises, CEO Christine Duffy explained in a video distributed to passengers. "Illegal drugs, including marijuana, on cruise ships and at cruise terminals, is prohibited," she said. "We are required to follow federal law, irrespective of the law in the state where you may be boarding your ship."
South Florida Sun Sentinel
