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Olivia Harden

Travel Reporter at SFGATE -- based in California. Writing about social justice and mental health everywhere else. Passionate about food, exploring the world, and uplifting the voices of those who often go unheard.

SFGATE •

‘Nobody wants that trip to take 3 hours’: SF’s worst holiday drive

Bay Area travelers braving Thanksgiving traffic for slices of grandma’s pumpkin pie should expect an unprecedented number of travelers to hit the road for the holiday. About 80 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles for the holiday, according to an annual AAA report based on data from INRIX, surpassing last year’s numbers by 1.7 million people. It’s also 2 million more than the number of pre-pandemic travelers in 2019.

Bay Area travelers braving Thanksgiving traffic for slices...
SFGATE •

Obscure Calif. town is the most popular for hotel searches

While trips to metropolitan cities are always in style, small towns are having their moment, with one California village dominating a new analysis for hotel searches.

While trips to metropolitan cities are always in style, small towns are having their moment, with one California village dominating a new analysis for hotel searches.

Three Rivers, a prime home base for exploring Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, is the top small-town destination for Priceline shoppers. The travel deals ag...
SFGATE •

Caltrain finds international buyer for retired diesel fleet

Caltrain is sending its retired diesel fleet to Lima, Peru, where it will have a second chance at life by providing commuter rail service. On Saturday, the U.S. Department of State, Lima representatives and several world leaders will celebrate the next stage for the trains while gathering for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Peruvian capital.

Caltrain is sending its retired diesel fleet to Lima, Peru, where it will have a second chance at life by providing commuter rail servi...
SFGATE •

Caltrain's electrification project is paying off big-time

Caltrain officials say the recently launched electrification project is paying off, after seeing a significant ridership increase since making the switch. The new trains officially took off from most Caltrain stations Sept. 21.

Caltrain officials say the recently launched electrification project is paying off, after seeing a significant ridership increase since making the switch. The new trains officially took off from most Caltrain stations Sept. 21.

This October, Caltrain saw more than 753,0...
SFGATE •

Disneyland's new ticket deal makes most expensive day of the year free

Just a month after Disney announced its yearly price hike on tickets to the Happiest Place on Earth, the company is rewarding its Disney+ subscribers with a mesmerizing discount.

Just a month after Disney announced its yearly price hike on tickets to the Happiest Place on Earth, the company is rewarding its Disney+ subscribers with a mesmerizing discount.

Disney+ subscribers who want to enjoy the holiday magic inside the California parks can buy a three-day park ticket and get the third day fo...
SFGATE •

California's ban on new motorhome sales could start in weeks

On Oct. 24, the California Air Resources Board voted to amend the Advanced Clean Truck regulations. Manufacturers for vehicles over 8,500 pounds — which includes motorhomes — must gradually increase the percentage of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) they sell in California. The change comes as California works toward its ambitious attempt to phase out sales of all new gasoline cars by 2035.

On Oct. 24, the California Air Resources Board voted to amend the Advanced Clean Truck regulations. Manufactu...
SFGATE •

New Caltrans intersection project is the first of its kind in the Bay Area

Caltrans and the Solano Transportation Authority broke ground Friday on a unique highway improvement for the Bay Area: Its first “diverging diamond interchange.” The $25 million project linking Highway 37 and Fairgrounds Drive in Vallejo will “significantly improve traffic flow and safety, while reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions,” according to a news release from the STA.

Caltrans and the Solano Transportation Authority broke ground Friday on a unique highway improvement for the...
SFGATE •

I saw the DOT’s new refund rule in action on a Calif. flight

One of my worst travel woes was actualized this week during an offseason vacation to the Caribbean. A hurricane warning went into effect, canceling my flight home to California. Having written nightmare stories about travelers at the mercy of airlines, I braced for the long fight with United Airlines for a refund because I had purchased the airline’s most restrictive ticket, which was ineligible for reimbursement.

One of my worst travel woes was actualized this week during an offseason vacation...
SFGATE •

A menu item that started as a joke propelled Calif. chain's incredible rise

At Miguel’s Jr., everyone knows about the Garbage Burrito. The unfortunately named dish is stuffed with almost everything on the menu and has been a staple for Riverside County and San Bernardino County customers for decades. The more-is-more construction is complex, but its origin story is simple. One day at work, co-founder Mike Vasquez spotted his daughter making a giant custom burrito for herself, using any (and seemingly every) ingredient at hand.

At Miguel’s Jr., everyone knows about the...
SFGATE •

California national park shakes from 130 earthquakes in just 3 weeks

A surge of earthquakes is rippling through California and reaching as far as Las Vegas.

A surge of earthquakes is rippling through California and reaching as far as Las Vegas.

Since Oct. 9, Death Valley National Park has seen 130 earthquakes. Elizabeth Cochran, a research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, confirmed the number to SFGATE in an email. The park saw the largest earthquakes on Oct. 25, reaching magnitudes 4.7 and 4.5.

Since Oct. 9, Death Valley National Park has seen 13...
SFGATE •

Disneyland's 'wall season' in full swing with 5 attraction closures

Disneyland's holiday season is right around the corner, and it's one of the biggest times for the park every year. It's also the season that rides traditionally go dark for repair. This year, visitors in November may be out of luck regarding five attractions at the park.

Disneyland's holiday season is right around the corner, and it's one of the biggest times for the park every year. It's also the season that rides traditionally go dark for repair. This year, visitors in November may be out of...
SFGATE •

Yosemite’s newest casino embraces name Feds ‘forced’ on Calif. tribe

The road to Yosemite and some of California’s most stunning natural beauty now includes a detour to an eclectic casino from an Indigenous tribe in the Sierra Nevada.

The road to Yosemite and some of California’s most stunning natural beauty now includes a detour to an eclectic casino from an Indigenous tribe in the Sierra Nevada.

The Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, off Highway 49 in Jamestown among the foothills of Tuolumne County, is slated to celebrate a grand opening Nov. 9 after opening for r...
SFGATE •

Distressed Hawaii airport awarded another $17M makeover project

The federal government has approved another round of funding for a Hawaii airport that is already undergoing major renovations.

The federal government has approved another round of funding for a Hawaii airport that is already undergoing major renovations.

On Oct. 24, the Biden administration announced that the Federal Aviation Administration is awarding $970 million as part of its next round of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolu...
SFGATE •

American Airlines tests new 'shaming tools' to deter boarding frauds

A major airline is testing a stricter approach to deny passengers who try to cheat at the boarding group game before a flight. American Airlines recently began testing new technology that audibly alerts gate agents when passengers attempt to board outside their assigned boarding group, sometimes called being “gate lice” within the airline industry.

A major airline is testing a stricter approach to deny passengers who try to cheat at the boarding group game before a flight. American Airlines rec...
SFGATE •

SF man alleges flying coach killed his dog on SFO-bound flight

A French bulldog died on a return flight to San Francisco International Airport, and the owner alleges the airline is responsible because the man and his dog were booted from first class.

A French bulldog died on a return flight to San Francisco International Airport, and the owner alleges the airline is responsible because the man and his dog were booted from first class.

“It makes no sense,” Michael Contillo told the Mercury News about the airline’s decision. “Because there’s less space in t...
SFGATE •

SFO passenger deplaned from Delta flight due to T-shirt

On Oct. 16, Catherine Banks, a Marine Corps veteran, was asked to get off her flight, which was departing out of San Francisco International Airport. Once she exited the plane, the flight attendant explained that Banks needed to change because her shirt was “threatening,” Banks told NBC Bay Area (KNTV). It featured a message about veteran suicide rates in the U.S.

On Oct. 16, Catherine Banks, a Marine Corps veteran, was asked to get off her flight, which was departing out of San Francisco Inter...
SFGATE •

Woman and California man die after sneaker wave hits Hawaii beach

A sneaker wave crashed onto the island of Oahu in Hawaii and swept up three visitors, killing two.On Monday, around 8 a.m., a 6- to 8-foot wave swept a man and two women into the water at Ke Iki Beach, Honolulu Ocean Safety spokesperson Shayne Enright told SFGATE in a statement. Lifeguards found the three people — a man from California and two women from Oklahoma — and brought them onto shore after hearing their calls for help and spotting them in the water.

A sneaker wave crashed onto the isla...
SFGATE •

Convenient I-5 stop in Calif. to close, lay off 45 employees

Bay Area travelers making their way to Oregon on Interstate 5 will soon lose a convenient rest stop in a town that was once known as the olive capital of the world but today is more famous for its truck stops and a massive casino.The TravelCenters of America in Corning is slated to close Oct. 15, the company confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle (the Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms). Forty-five employees will lose their jobs without severance or trans...
SFGATE •

Like clockwork, Disneyland does its annual October price hike

Disneyland parkgoers are already feeling the pressure of the price to visit the parks. But, like clockwork, Disney chose October to kick off another price hike.

Disneyland parkgoers are already feeling the pressure of the price to visit the parks. But, like clockwork, Disney chose October to kick off another price hike.

The California park will keep its base rate for entry the same, as it has for the last six years, but Disney fans looking to visit on more popular days at the park could see an...
SFGATE •

Caltrans seeks input on project to remove racist Bay Area freeway

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SFGATE •

Disneyland slashes park passes in half for kids in 2025

As ticket prices at the Happiest Place on Earth continue to climb, Disneyland is once again offering a reprieve for parents hoping to get a deal on admission for their small children.Beginning Oct. 22, parkgoers can buy one-park admission for children ages 3 to 9 for $50 per day on one-day, two-day or three-day tickets. The discounted price is valid for visits between Jan. 7 and March 20, 2025, Disney wrote in a news release. Guests must make a reservation for the parks that matches the dates th...
SFGATE •

Calif. company selling $725 gambit to skip LA traffic

The drive to Palm Springs is such a popular weekend getaway for Angelenos that bottlenecks going in and out of the desert are nearly a given. A private jet company is betting on Californians’ aversion to gridlock with a new flight service that would haul them only about 150 miles to avoid the traffic below.

The drive to Palm Springs is such a popular weekend getaway for Angelenos that bottlenecks going in and out of the desert are nearly a given. A private jet company is betting on Californians...
SFGATE •

Mother arrested at Disneyland after allegedly sneaking kids into park

In the latest example of unruly behavior at Disneyland, a Disney Magic Key pass holder was arrested after allegedly attempting to bring her children into one of the parks without paying for tickets.

In the latest example of unruly behavior at Disneyland, a Disney Magic Key pass holder was arrested after allegedly attempting to bring her children into one of the parks without paying for tickets.

On Sept. 24, a 26-year-old woman from Torrance entered Disney California Adventure Park with two chi...
SFGATE •

Calif. city was the hottest place in America for 3 days straight

It might be autumn on the calendar, but Palm Springs continues to reckon with extreme heat. The California desert city spent three consecutive days this week as the hottest city in the nation, according to the Desert Sun.

It might be autumn on the calendar, but Palm Springs continues to reckon with extreme heat. The California desert city spent three consecutive days this week as the hottest city in the nation, according to the Desert Sun.

On Sept. 24, Palm Springs reached a high of 112 degree...
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