Evelyn Kanter ecoXplorer

Times Square New Year’s Eve 2024/25 Entertainment Schedule

For more than 100 years, Times Square has been the center of the world New Year’s Eve. Join at least one million of your closest friends in person, or watch on TV with millions of others around the world. This year’s event features live performances by Mark Ambor, Mickey Guyton, Rita Ora, Carrie Underwood, Jonas Brothers, Megan Moroney,Sophie Ellis-Bextor, TLC, Greeicy, De La Ghetto, and Kapo plus special activities and appearances throughout the evening. And fireworks, too.

NYC Guide: Best 2024 Holiday Trees, Light Shows, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa Events, Train Shows & More

New York City lights up for the holidays like nowhere else on earth. Here’s your calendar and guide to the best 2024 holiday tree and Hanukkah menorah lighting ceremonies, vintage subway rides, Kwanzaa celebrations and more.

Restaurant Deals for Christmas and New Year’s

If you don’t want to cook Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, check out these deals at national restaurant chains. Be sure to order ahead for take-out, or make reservations for eat-in. And also be sure to tip well, since the restaurant staffs are giving up their holiday to serve you.

What We’re Reading This Week

There’s always more happening than we can report here on ecoXplorer. So here’s what we’ve been reading about travel, automotive, food, fraud and the environment that you might have missed, along with news about my hometown New York City – from publications you might not follow, but we do. We link only to intel that’s
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Record Travel Expected Over Holidays

Get ready for crowded roads, airports and cruise ship terminals for the Christmas-Hannukah-Kwanzaa-New Year’s holidays – as many as 3 million more than last year’s holiday season. AAA projects a record 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home between Sat., December 21 and Wed., January 1. This year’s domestic travel projection is a bit more than the previous record set in 2019.

Top 100 Restaurants in USA in 2024

Eating out is an important part of our lives, and there’s a restaurant to fit our needs, from a casual family night out to a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary in an elegant and romantic bistro. This year’s list includes 53 cities, ranging from Michelin-starred spots to a neighborhood ramen shop.

Kids Ski/Snowboard Free in December

From December 7 through December 13, 2024, kids will get up to seven free lift tickets at 15 of Alterra Mountain Company’s North American mountain destinations to use during the new Kids Ski Free Week.

Last Chance for 2024/25 Ikon Pass Before Sales End

If you haven’t already purchased your Ikon Pass for the 2024/25 ski/snowboard season now underway, do it now before sales end on Dec. 17. The Ikon Pass gives you 58 destinations across the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, plus discounts on heli-skiing and gear and services from top outdoor clothing and travel
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Airlines Pocket Billions in Junk Fees for Checked Baggage, Seat Reservations, More

Domestic biggies American, Delta and United and budget airlines Spirit and Frontier have been pocketing billions of dollars in so-called “junk fees” by charging extra for customers extra to select a seat or to carry on bags, according to a just-published Senate subcommittee report.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer. ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is the Immediate Past President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA) and an active member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA). Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com. Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter