Grand Marais named best small lake town
The North Shore has been given a big accolade from Travel + Leisure, which has named Grand Marais, Minn., America's Best Small Lake Town.
In the global travel magazine's first ranking of small towns, Grand Marais was cited for its charming lake-town feel in the summer, colorful foliage in the fall and Northern Lights in the winter.
The town (pop. 1,340) on the shores of Lake Superior and two hours north of Duluth, was praised for being an entry point to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as well as its selection of places to eat, shop, play and stay.
The magazine highlights World's Best Donuts, strolling along the waterfront, the Grand Marais Lighthouse and Artist's Point, making sure to take a break to partake in the favorite pastime of "skipping rocks into the harbor." A vibrant arts community also pushed its best small-town ranking over the edge.
"Set along the forested edges of Lake Superior, up the state's North Shore, this is also Minnesota's artsiest town," the article reads.
Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson said the acknowledgment put a smile on her face.
"There are lots of beautiful places in the world, but what keeps visitors returning is our welcoming nature," she said in an email. "Ask any long-term county business owner, and they will tell you their customers become friends and 'family' over the years. Our community is more than happy to share the 'Tip of the Arrowhead' and thrilled to be recognized for what we have to offer."
NANCY NGO
Visits to Maui encouraged
Tourists were initially urged to stay away from the Hawaiian island of Maui in the immediate wake of a wildfire that killed at least 115 people and devastated the historic town of Lahaina.
But now, weeks after the catastrophic fire, officials and some locals are urging visitors to not cancel upcoming trips to other parts of the island, saying the tourism dollars are needed to keep locals employed.
For those who do visit the island, the No. 1 message is that tourists should steer clear of Lahaina in West Maui and nearby towns such as Kaanapali and Kapalua, which are housing relief efforts and displaced fire survivors.
Popular South Maui towns such as Kihei and Wailea are far from the destruction, as is Paia on the North Shore. Travelers are welcome in Kahului, Wailuku, Kihei, Wailea, Makena, Paia and Hana, as well as the neighboring Maui County islands of Lanai and Molokai, according to official state guidance.
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Book for Christmas now
In a report from Google Flights, travelers who are looking for cheaper Christmas flights should start shopping soon.
For travel starting in mid-December, you're most likely to find the best deals around early October, according to a recent analysis. "Average prices tend to be lowest 71 days before departure — a big change from our 2022 insights, which found that average prices were lowest just 22 days before departure," Google's James Byers said.
Last year's analysis showed price drops for domestic Christmas travel happened within 20 and 88 days before the holiday. Now, the company is predicting travelers will find the typical low-price range 54 to 78 days before takeoff.
WASHINGTON POST
Record spending in parks
National park visitor spending has hit a record high. In February, the National Park Service reported that visitation to the country's forests, monuments, historical sites and other parks reached 312 million visitors in 2022, about 5% shy of the pre-pandemic 327 million. However, a new report shows those visitors spent a record $24 billion in gateway communities located within 60 miles of these protected areas as part of their trip.
The report from Park Service economists, published on Aug. 21, says the most recent spending figure represents a 16% increase over 2021.
The $24 billion figure represents direct visitor spending on expenses such as accommodations and food. But the impact of that spending rippled much farther. It funded 378,400 jobs in 2022, and resulted in $50 billion in total economic output.
BLOOMBERG
