Roadtripping

Hot on the trail of losers

Just in case you haven't had your fill of politics and politicians, here's a Top 10 list of political sites you can visit -- sites associated with losing presidential candidates, from the South Dakota town where George McGovern was born to the Kansas bank that houses the Gallery of Also-Rans. 

Road trip: A doughnut tour.

Now this is a road trip I could get into. Get too far into for my own good, as a matter of fact. It's a road tour of Kentucky's doughnut bakeries -- not Dunkin' Donuts and the like, but the independent bakeries established by the region's German and Scandinavian immigrants. Check it out. It won't be long before your mouth is watering too. 

New Transformers ride to open at Universal Orlando next summer

If you’ve been to Universal Studios Orlando in the last few months and wondered about the construction in the middle of the park, Universal’s Creative Studio announced Thursday that it’s a ride based on the Transformers movies. The ride, already operating at Universal Studios in Los Angeles and Singapore, will open in the summer of 2013. Read the full story here. Still no word on the promised expansion of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — or what on earth could possibly be under construction on the site of the former Jaws ride, next to Wizarding World. 

Photo: Optimus Prime and Bumblebee from Transformers. Credit: Universal Orlando

Tourist attractions starting to reopen in storm's aftermath

Along the East Coast, all major airports have reopened, although flights are still being cancelled. Museums, theaters, tour buses and other tourist attractions that were closed by the superstorm are starting to reopen. Here’s a story about air travel. And following is a list, far from comprehensive, of what’s open and closed. Thanks to the Associated Press for much of the information.

In Manhattan, most Broadway shows were playing again. The Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and Rockefeller Plaza ice rink were open. Circle Line boats were operating again.

City parks, including Central Park, were expected to reopen Saturday. The 9/11 Memorial was closed but not damaged.

Ellis Island, site of the newly reopened Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island were closed after suffering severe water damage.

Elsewhere in New York City: Parts of the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx had reopened. The Brooklyn Botanical Garden was expected to reopen on Friday. The aquarium on the Coney Island Boardwalk was closed indefinitely. In Queens, much of the Rockaway Beach boardwalk was destroyed.

In Newport, Rhode Island, about half of the Cliff Walk was closed because of extensive damage but the historic mansions along the walk did not suffer serious damage.

In Seaside Heights, New Jersey, the waterfront rides on Casino Pier are gone and the boardwalk was destroyed.

In Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Institution's museums and National Zoo  reopened.

In Atlantic City, N.J., the casinos, although largely unharmed, remained closed.