The Truth About Those Stealable Little Hotel Toiletries and Why They Were Replaced with Refillable Dispensers
U.S. states including California, New York and Illinois have banned single‑use hotel toiletries, prompting chains like Marriott and InterContinental to roll out refillable dispensers. Hotels tout the switch as a waste‑reduction win, claiming hundreds of millions of mini bottles are kept out of landfills each year. However, an Ohio State sustainability scientist warns the carbon savings are negligible—about 10 grams of CO₂ per guest—unless dispensers are reused roughly 200 times. The analysis suggests hotels should focus on larger emitters such as energy use, food waste and bottled water.
This Florida Beach City Is a Cheaper, Calmer Alternative to Miami
Fort Lauderdale offers a cheaper, less crowded beach experience compared with Miami, while maintaining comparable shoreline quality. The city’s hotel rates and dining prices are roughly half of Miami’s, and its water‑taxi system and Brightline rail provide affordable, scenic transportation....
How to Drive Route 66: Stops, Motels and Detours that Make the Trip Unforgettable
In 2026 Route 66 celebrates its centennial, marking a 2,448‑mile stretch from Chicago to Santa Monica. The guide advises travelers to start with a historic breakfast in Chicago, avoid relying solely on Google Maps, and allocate 14 days for a relaxed pace. It...
Novel Vacations: 9 Book Retreats to Make Your Next US Getaway a Page-Turner
Travelers are turning vacations into literary getaways as Google reports record‑high searches for “book retreats” and “reading weekend” in 2025‑26. The surge, fueled by Book‑Tok and younger travelers, has inspired a wave of curated reading retreats across the United States....
Burger Chain Closes Its Last Location After a Decade in Business
California‑based Amy’s, the nation’s first organic vegetarian drive‑thru, has shut its final restaurant in Rohnert Park on March 8, ending a decade of brick‑and‑mortar operations. The closure follows a ten‑year experiment to bring wholesome, plant‑based meals to fast‑food consumers, with the...
‘Shrink’ Is Down at Target to Pre-Pandemic Levels and Could Signal an End Shoplifting Spree that Plagued Retailers
Target reported that its inventory shrink has returned to pre‑pandemic levels, reversing a spike that cost the retailer $600 million in 2022. The CFO credited improved inventory predictability and industry anti‑theft efforts for the decline. While shoplifting received most of the...
Flying with Kids Is a Seating Gamble. Should U.S. Airlines Fix It?
Southwest’s shift to assigned seating in January 2026 spotlights a broader U.S. airline dilemma of keeping families together. Parents now must pay extra for adjacent seats or gamble on random allocation, and even purchased seats can be reassigned after last‑minute...