Why Aruba is an unusually good Caribbean option in summer

While there is reason to be wary when booking a summer holiday in the Caribbean, Aruba sits outside the traditional hurricane belt, which means the island usually dodges the worst of tropical turbulence. In fact, the weather is relatively stable year-round: warm, sunny and breezy. Aruba is known for its trade winds, what locals refer to as their “natural air conditioning.” This is low season, and room prices are as cheap as they’ll be all year. At the upper end, a one-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Aruba between August and September runs around $800. During high season, the same room costs more than $1,100. Getting there has gotten easier, with Delta Air Lines adding flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul (resuming Dec. 20).

New York Times

You’ll find Michigan’s iconic island in Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas. You won’t find chain hotels or even cars. So hop on a bike or in a horse-drawn carriage to explore the picturesque island along with locals and other visitors. In just under four square miles, you’ll find a spacious lakefront, outdoor dining, casual picnic spots, putt-putt golf, historic Fort Mackinac, interesting shops and farm-to-ferry culinary offerings. Consider a stay at the Grand Hotel for its historic grandeur or check into the iconic Mission Point Resort to enjoy the sprawling Great Lawn dotted with colorful Adirondack chairs. You won’t want to leave the Jewel of the Great Lakes without sampling its world-famous fudge (mackinacIsland.org).

FamilyTravel.com

While many people were upset by the CrowdStrike flight disruptions, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian attracted more flak when he took off for the Paris Olympics on July 23. “By golly, having Ed Bastian go off to the Olympics was perhaps the most Marie Antoinette thing any business could do,” said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst. Delta was still in crisis mode with employees “working 18 or more hours a day to try to help passengers” and mountains of baggage still piled up at hubs, he said. “I think Ed would have been a lot more useful to Delta, you know, helping to sort those bags, to get them delivered, and maybe even hand-delivering some.” Delta said Bastian was “fully engaged” with the airline’s senior operations leaders and that he delayed the trip “until he was confident the airline was firmly on the path to recovery.”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution