MSNBC.com: Travel
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Get on the plane ? pronto (May 12)

Opinion: You?d assume airlines would just want to get us on the plane as quickly as possible. Generally speaking, though, airline boarding procedures are as short on logic as they are long.

The happiest places on earth (May 12)

"Taking all things together on a scale of one to 10, how happy would you say you are?" With that question and global surveys, the folks at the World Database of Happiness have ranked 95 nations on a happiness scale.

America's wackiest festivals (May 12)

A month-by-month guide to the contests and parades that bring out America's best and quirkiest. Some people will dream up any excuse for a party!

Southwest passenger cited for cell phone chatter (May 12)
Southwest Airlines says a passenger who refused to get off his cell phone during a flight found Dallas police waiting for him.


California hotel packages, from $152 (May 12)
It wouldn't be summer without a little fun in the sun. These hotel packages factor in time for biking, volunteering, and chilling out at the beach.


Packages to the world's top hiking destinations (May 12)

For outdoorsy types and adventurers out there, we?ve scoured the world for the top hiking destinations that are bound to get your adrenaline going. What we found is a trio of excellent packages to get you to legendary trekking spots ? the Inca Trail in Peru; Patagonia at the southern tip of South America; and Nepal?s section of the Himalayas.

Hottest beaches of Central America (May 9)

The appeal of Central American beaches is an offbeat and organic sexiness that blends together visitors of all sorts. The beaches in this list stand out in terms of raw beauty, exotic draw and high potential for pleasure.

Top 10 extreme vacations (May 8)

If orbiting the Earth, bungee-jumping from a tower on the Las Vegas Strip, or getting up-close-and-personal with a gorilla sounds like your idea of a good time, you're in luck.

Unbelievable underwater adventures (May 9)

It was almost a century ago, on a cold and starry April night in the north Atlantic, that the unthinkable occurred: A giant iceberg tore through the underbelly of the RMS Titanic, sending the ?unsinkable? ship to a frosty grave, and claiming the lives of nearly 1,500 passengers onboard. For more than 70 years, the ship?s secrets lay on the ocean floor.

America?s most visited tourist attractions (May 8)

From the sensational shows at SeaWorld, to the thundering falls of Niagara ? ranking the 25 most popular cultural, natural, and entertainment sites across the U.S.