TRAVEL

In an era where fliers complain air travel can feel like riding a city bus in the sky, Virgin America soared above the competition in Consumer Reports' airline rankings released Wednesday. “Virgin America is a cut above the rest,” Consumer Reportssenior editor Amanda Walker told NBC News. “People were very happy with their flights on Virgin.”In fact, the airline received some of the highest satisf...    

    

    

    

You really took our breath away and touched us this week with your excellent pictures capturing the spirit of AMERICANA. From shore to shore, field to flag, and all the inspiring and awesome places and smiles in-between, you showed what's great about these states united.Next week's photo assignment: NATIONAL PARKS!The U.S. government is sponsoring an amateur national parks photo competition where ...    

Traffic in southwest Connecticut could be a mess for as much as a week until service is restored to the commuter rail line affected by a derailment that injured scores of passengers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy warned Sunday. Malloy used dire language to describe traffic troubles for the work week ahead in an area that even in normal times is a pain for motorists. And the governor warned that the w...    

Summer vacationers can find a range of activities in the Aloha state, from volcano tours to culinary gems to whale watching. But where does one go in the archipelago? Discover the best spots that Hawaii has to offer with these island trip tips.OahuKnown as "The Gathering Place," the third largest Hawaiian island features an eclectic mix of eastern and western influences, from the historic architec...    

Clinton Shepherd’s world has finally stopped spinning.The 32-year-old operations manger at Chicago’s Navy Pier lakefront entertainment attraction spent the entire weekend riding a gondola on the Pier’s 15-story tall Ferris wheel in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for riding a fairground or theme park attraction the longest.“I didn’t just want to beat the previous record of 30 hours an...    

Not only do people edit their vacation photos they post on Facebook -- selecting the ones of the best experiences, a little cropping here, a little faux vintage filter there -- some are actually starting to edit what they do on their vacations in order to get a more impressive status update.In a way, living your travels in real time for an online audience is like producing your own reality show. A...    

The Burma Shave signs are long gone and Route 66 exists in name only but this summer travelers can hit the road in a rig that truly recalls the glory days of the Great American Road Trip. Launched earlier this month, Airstream2Go.com offers the first-ever rentals of the distinctive “silver bullets” that have been icons of the highway for more than 80 years.“Everybody recognizes them,” said Al Hess...    

    

    

After 123 days being grounded and then repaired to ensure its battery systems do not catch fire, Boeing 787 Dreamliners are about to once again make commercial flight in the United States. A United Airlines 787 will fly from Houston to Chicago Monday morning carrying more than 250 passengers including the CEO's of United and Boeing.Given the massive amount negative publicity, including video ...    

Never known for its reputation for speedy service, Amtrak is finally getting on the fast track in at least one regard. On Thursday, “America’s Railroad” announced it was upgrading its Wi-Fi service to take advantage of 4G cellular technology.“This upgrade is delivering the improved speeds and connectivity required to maintain a competitive edge,” said Deborah Stone-Wulf, Amtrak’s chief of sales di...    

It’s been a long time since scofflaw drinkers were forced to resort to bathtub gin. But after whipping up a batch of diluted grain alcohol flavored with juniper berry concentrate for about 40 curious students at a Moonshine University class in Louisville this winter, Colin Blake celebrated the end of Prohibition. “Happy Repeal Day, everybody!” he said.Whether its products are called moonshine or a...