Richard Weber III proudly comes from a protracted line of Western Slope ranchers, and on a recent bluebird day with temperatures below freezing, he looked the exact same. Weber stood amongst a crowd on the Ouray County Fairgrounds, wearing a red button-down shirt and blue jeans with a sparkling silver belt buckle.

However, there have been a pair of ski boots on his feet.

Weber has been organizing the event for nine years Saint John Skijoring Competition consisting of races by which horse-drawn skiers and snowboarders attempt to finish a snow obstacle course. It's Colorado's version of a winter rodeo with added adrenaline events like Big Air, where competitors hop over cars.

Organizers used 1.2 million gallons of water to create snow for this 12 months's Ridgway course. The fastest participants accomplished runs in lower than 25 seconds.

Weber has spent a few years pulling athletes through the courses and is currently competing in skilled level competitions on the helm of his trusty horse partner. But recently he decided to strap on a pair of skis and take the position in tow. He competed last Friday within the Novice division, which is specifically designed for those latest to the game.

“This is the most fun you can have with pants,” said Weber enthusiastically after his first ride. “People want to go out and buy a Corvette that has a lot of horsepower. Give me one horsepower on a skijoring course and I’ll be happy.”

Skijoring is claimed to have originated in Scandinavia, where residents used the historical equivalent of skis pulled by horses as a way of transportation. The sport made its first and only Olympic appearance within the 12 months 1928 Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland. More recently, it has turn out to be popular amongst skiers and riders since it is a seemingly uncanny combination.

Salt Lake City resident Jackie Nadel was first introduced to skijoring through a friend who was competing in a contest in Utah. Nadel couldn't consider what she saw, but as an avid skier who grew up riding, she couldn't resist the urge to try it out.

“The closest thing I could say is that it's like water skiing, with a little more excitement and a little more unpredictability,” she said.

As Nadel stepped onto the Ridgway track and adjusted the rope in her hands, she felt her stomach turn. She has competed before, but few things compare to the sensation when the rope is tightened and into motion. Seconds later she cleared the primary obstacle and gained some air that just about knocked her off balance.

“It’s similar to cycling in general, it’s a showstopper and a prayer,” Nadel said.

Nadel is committed to attracting more women to skijoring, particularly young women who competed in sports throughout highschool and college. Recruiting young professionals seems pretty easy.

Lacey Andersen of Durango competed in San Juan Skijoring's beginner class for the primary time last week after a friend's skier who rides horses dropped out of the competition. Andersen, a ski patrol member at Purgatory Resort, volunteered to fill the position without completing a single training session.

“You’re not allowed to do any training runs or anything like that. “You literally just look at the track and then you run behind the horse for the first time,” she said. The cheetah-print jacket and fringed chaps over her ski boots didn't officially win her any style points, but they did boost her confidence.

Likewise, Cam Stark had “a good friend who is a horse lover” and decided to present skijoring a try. Before the primary run of his budding skijoring profession, the Montrose resident said he was a little bit nervous, but in his faux fur coat and telemark skis he barely shook. However, after completing the course it was pure exhilaration.

“The centrifugal force in the first two corners, you really felt it,” said Stark. If the rope goes slack, it creates a whiplash feeling when it tightens again, he added.

Grand Junction skier Mike Ramsden donned a neon green jumpsuit and tried skijoring for the primary time along with his girlfriend. On his second run he fell heavily over the guidelines of his skis.

“This will probably hurt tomorrow,” he said afterwards. So would he do it again? “Absolutely.”

San Juan Skijoring was the primary of several upcoming competitions in Colorado. Here you’ll be able to watch the motion all winter long.

Skijoring events in Colorado 2025

Skis and saddles: 18th-Nineteenth January on the Archuleta County Fairgrounds, 344 Highway 84, Pagosa Springs. Admission is $10 for a day pass or $15 for a weekend pass. Children as much as 12 years have free entry.

Estes Park Skijor: Twenty fourth-Twenty sixth January on the Estes Park Event Complex, 1125 Rooftop Way, Estes Park. Admission is $17.30 for a day pass or $28 for a weekend pass.

Silverton Skijoring: Fifteenth-Sixteenth February in downtown Silverton. Entry is free.

Leadville Ski Joring: 1st-2nd March in downtown Leadville. Entry is free.

Originally published: January 21, 2025 at 8:37am PST

Be sure to envision out every little thing there’s to do that winter season.

Polar game days: Now through January 5, discover the magic and science at Tech Interactive at 201 S. Market St. in San Jose. Enjoy a mixture of creative activities, hands-on experiments and fun adventures this winter! There can be special activities on certain days, including a family chill zone and the chance to take photos with Santa. Adult tickets are $30 and youngsters's tickets are $22. thetech.org/polarplaydays

Circus Bella Presents Kaleidoscope Winter Holiday Spectacular: Be sure to envision out this fun and festive circus show from December thirteenth to January fifth at 4 p.m.! You can find this event at The Crossing at East Cut, 250 Main St. in downtown San Francisco. Enter the circus tent and experience over 12 exciting performances. It is the very best Christmas show you’ll experience this season. Ticket prices vary but start at $55. dothebay.com/events/2024/12/13/kaleidoscope-winter-big-top-holiday-spectacular-2024

Candlelight – Christmas songs on strings: Oh, what a joy it’s to observe a live musical performance by soft candlelight. Only on December thirteenth from 8:45 p.m. on the Hammer Theater Center, 101 Paseo de San Antonio in San Jose. Watch the Range Emsemble perform every classic Christmas song. Ticket prices vary and begin at $41. tinyurl.com/48hz6n5k

Wreath making workshop: The event will happen on December 14th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 377 Santana Row in San Jose. Start your morning by making a brand new fresh wreath for the vacation season! Led by Briars Briars Floral Design, embellish your DIY artwork with ribbons, dried flowers, and other hand-picked elements. Tickets start at $65. eventbrite.com/e/holiday-wreath-crafting-workshop-tickets-1090002098619?aff=ALLEVENTS

Festive ornament decoration and hot cocoa: Colibri Gallery, positioned at 17395 Monterrey Road in Morgan Hill, can be held December 14-15 and has all of the supplies and sentiment for anyone trying to make paper ornaments this holiday season! Design and decorate your very own ornament, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and create memories that may last a lifetime. Children should be accompanied by a parent or someone over 18 years old. Submission shouldn’t be permitted. Tickets start at $60. curacontemporary.com/events/16-holiday-paper-ornament-decorating-come-design-your-very-own-ornament

Fairy winter land: Visit Children's Fairyland, the Bay Area's hottest children's playground, at 699 Bellevue Ave, December 14-30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Oakland as they host their annual holiday party for visiting family and friends. Visit Black Santa on select dates, view the Wishing Wall, make candles and listen to festive stories from all over the world. Oakland is looking forward to this event. Free admission. fairyland.org/events-and-performances/winterland

Winter Wonderland @ The Plex: Join us for 2 days of winter fun at The Plex at 800 Embedded Way in San Jose. Fill your day with holiday cheer, hot cocoa to fill bellies, photos to snap with Santa, and fun holiday-themed activities for everybody to enjoy. Have fun this season with this free event. allevents.in/san%20jose/winter-wonderland-the-plex/100001084695175469

Snoopy's Home Ice: The skating rink is positioned at 1667 W. Steele Lane in Santa Rosa. Be sure to stop by throughout December to spend a number of hours skating around Snoopy's Ice Rink! Times and costs vary. This beautiful rink in Sonoma County can be open this winter season. snoopyshomeice.com/public-sessions

Winter walk: Check out the 10-day winter festival happening December 13-22 on Stockton Street from Post to O'Farrell in San Francisco. Between the 2 blocks of Union Square, there can be vendors, various food trucks, Instagram-style decorations and more to maintain you entertained. Experience the spirit of the vacations by attending this free event. unionsquarefoundation.org/winterwalk

Artful Wonderland: Emeryville's own festive holiday soiree can be held this 12 months from December thirteenth to twentieth from noon to six p.m. On any given day, there can be vendors to buy, hot cider to enjoy, and even photo booths to capture the memories! sf.funcheap.com/event-series/emeryvilles-artful-wonderland-2024-dec-1220

Holistica Events – Toy Drive and more: This event can be held in San Jose at 350 Barack Obama Blvd., #30 on December 14th only from 12pm to 3pm. The event is open to all ages and can be accepting recent toys to donate! Don't forget the free yoga and free cookies! Registration for the event is required to participate. tinyurl.com/mrykxjb5

Christmas Toy Ride and Show & Shine: Drive through the donation line to spread Christmas cheer on December 14th from 10 a.m. to three p.m. at Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive in Aptos! Give the gift of recent toys to children with cancer this 12 months and alter their lives. Any recent or unused toy is eligible to take part in the automobile show. Truly an event that everybody within the family can enjoy! allevents.in/aptos/3rd-annual-christmas-toy-drive-and-show-and-shine/200027589219954

SJMade Winter Wonder Market: San Jose Made's second annual Winter Holiday Market can be held Dec. 14-15 day by day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 435 S. Market St. in San Jose. No matter what you’re feeling like purchasing for, SJMade has all of it. Admission is free, but be prepared to spend money to support your favorite Bay Area artists! sanjosemade.com/pages/events

Maggiano's Breakfast with Santa Claus: Only from 9am to 11am on December fifteenth, don't miss the chance to have breakfast with Santa! Held at Maggiano's Little Italy, 3055 Olin Ave. on Santana Row in San Jose. Children have the chance to put in writing down their Christmas wish list and provides it to Santa himself! Followed by a special breakfast, storytelling and a magical moment to capture all of it on camera. Tickets are $7 for kids and $8 for adults. allevents.in/freedom/breakfast-with-santa/200027584341528

Cheerie Emporium – a Christmas market: Visit Gilman Brewing Co. in Berkeley, 912 Gilman St., on Dec. 15 from noon to five p.m. for the vacation market, which is free for all. Grab some delicious food and browse the local vendors. Make sure you’re taking your DIY ornament home with you! Free event. sf.funcheap.com/cheerie-emporium-holiday-market-berkeley

Christmas candle competition: Combine your creative skills with the festive holidays and create something magical! Stop by 1140 Lincoln Ave in San Jose on December twentieth from 10am to 9pm to envision in for a number of hours of fun. Participation within the competition is free, however the fee for the candles is calculated based on size. Show off your candle making skills and potentially win a prize! Winners can be contacted on December twenty third. Hurry and light-weight your candle now! tinyurl.com/rfr7v7z2

Originally published: December 4, 2024 at 2:46 pm PST

We made our first rodent automobile out of a plastic cereal container. After trial and error, my colleagues and I discovered that rats could learn to drive forward by grasping a small wire that acted like an accelerator pedal. Soon they were steering with surprising precision to achieve a treat within the Froot Loop.

As expected, rats kept in a designed environment—complete with toys, space, and companions—learned to drive faster than rats in standard cages. This finding supported the concept Complex environments improve neuroplasticity: the power of the brain to alter throughout life in response to environmental demands.

After we published our research, the story of the drifting rats followed went viral within the media. The project continues in my lab with latest, improved rat-powered vehicles, or ROVs, designed by a robotics professor John McManus and his students. These upgraded electric ROVs—with rat-proof wiring, indestructible tires, and ergonomic control levers—resemble a rodent version of Tesla's Cybertruck.

As a neuroscientist who’s committed to it Since we house and test laboratory animals in natural habitats, I discovered it amusing to see how far we deviated from my laboratory practices on this project. Rats typically prefer dirt, sticks, and rocks over plastic items. Now we allow them to drive cars.

But humans didn't evolve to drive cars either. Although our ancient ancestors didn’t have cars, They had flexible brains This allowed them to accumulate latest skills – fire, language, stone tools and agriculture. And a while after the invention of the wheel, people made cars.

Although cars made for rats are removed from the whole lot they encounter within the wild, we thought driving a automobile presented an interesting method to study how rodents acquire latest skills. Unexpectedly, we found that the rats had strong motivation for his or her driving training, often jumping into the automobile and revving the “lever engine” before their vehicle hit the road. Why was that so?

The latest goal of joy

Concepts from introductory psychology textbooks got a brand new, practical dimension in our rodent driving laboratory. Building on fundamental learning approaches comparable to: operant conditioningwhich reinforces goal-directed behavior through strategic incentives, we trained the rats step-by-step of their driving programs.

First, they learned basic movements, comparable to stepping into the automobile and operating a lever. But with practice, these easy actions evolved into more complex behaviors, comparable to steering the automobile to a particular destination.

The rats also taught me something profound one morning through the pandemic.

It was the summer of 2020, a time marked by emotional isolation for nearly everyone on the planet, even lab rats. As I entered the lab, I noticed something unusual: the three driver-trained rats eagerly ran to the side of the cage and jumped up, like my dog ​​does when asked if he desires to go for a walk.

Had the rats all the time been doing this and I just hadn't noticed? Did they only wish to experience a Froot loop or were they expecting the ride itself? Whatever the case, they gave the impression to be feeling something positive – perhaps excitement and anticipation.

Behaviors related to positive experiences are related to joy in humans, but what about rats? Did I see something like joy in a rat? Maybe so, provided that neuroscientific research increasingly suggests so Joy and positive emotions play a critical role within the health of each human and non-human animals.

In doing so, my team and I even have shifted the main focus from topics comparable to the impact of chronic stress on the brain to the query of how positive events – and the anticipation of those events – influence neural function.

Collaboration with a postdoctoral researcher Kitty HartvigsenI designed a brand new protocol that uses waiting times to extend anticipation of a positive event. Incorporating Pavlovian conditioning, rats had to attend quarter-hour after a Lego brick was placed of their cage before receiving a Froot Loop. They also had to attend of their transport cage for a couple of minutes before entering Rat Park, their play area. We also added challenges like having them shell sunflower seeds before eating them.

That became ours Wait for it Research program. We called this latest series of studies UPERs—unpredictable positive experiential responses—during which rats were trained to attend for rewards. In contrast, control rats received their rewards immediately. After a couple of month of coaching, we subject the rats to numerous tests to find out how waiting for positive experiences affects their learning and behavior. We are currently peering into their brains to map the neural footprint of prolonged positive experiences.

Preliminary results suggest that rats forced to attend for his or her rewards show signs of switching from a pessimistic cognitive style to an optimistic one in a test measuring rodent optimism. They performed higher on cognitive tasks and were bolder of their problem-solving strategies. We linked this program to our laboratory's broader interest in Behavioral medicationsa term I coined to suggest that experiences can change brain chemistry in an identical method to drugs.

This research provides further evidence of how anticipation can reinforce behavior. Previous work with laboratory rats has shown that rats that press a bar to receive cocaine – a stimulant that increases dopamine activation – already feeling a dopamine rush as they expect a dose of cocaine.

The story of rat tails

It wasn't just the results of anticipation on rat behavior that caught our attention. One day, a student noticed something strange: One of the rats within the group, trained to expect positive experiences, had an upward-pointing tail with a curve at the top that resembled the handle of an old-fashioned umbrella.

I had never seen this in my many years of working with rats. When we reviewed the video footage, we found that the rats that were trained to anticipate positive experiences were more prone to hold their tails up than untrained rats. But what exactly did that mean?

Curious, I posted an image of the behavior on social media. Other neuroscientists identified this as a gentler type of what is named Straub tailtypically observed in rats given the opioid morphine. This S-shaped curl is just too linked to dopamine. When dopamine is blocked, Straub's tail behavior decreases.

Natural types of opiates and dopamine — key players in brain pathways that reduce pain and increase rewards — look like telltale components of the raised ends in our anticipation training program. Observing tail posture in rats adds a brand new level to our understanding of rat emotional expression and reminds us that emotions are expressed throughout the body.

While we will't directly ask rats whether or not they enjoy driving, we have now developed a behavioral test to evaluate their motivation to drive. Instead of just giving the rats the chance to drive to the Froot Loop Tree this time, they may also walk – or on this case, paw – a shorter distance.

Surprisingly, two of the three rats selected the less efficient route of turning away from the reward and running to the automobile to drive to their Froot Loop destination. This response suggests that the rats enjoy each the journey and the worthwhile destination.

Rat lessons to benefit from the journey

We're not the one team studying positive emotions in animals.

Neuroscientist Jaak Banksepp famous tickled ratsshow their Ability to enjoy.

Research has also shown that a low-stress environment is desirable for rats retune their brain's reward circuitscomparable to the nucleus accumbens. When animals are kept of their preferred environment, the world of ​​the nucleus accumbens that responds to appetitive experiences expands. Conversely, when rats are kept in stressful environments, the anxiety-provoking zones of their nucleus accumbens expand. It's as if the brain is a piano that may tune the environment.

The neuroscientist Curt Richter also advocated for this Rats which have hope. In a study that wouldn't be allowed today, rats swam in glass cylinders full of water and eventually drowned from exhaustion in the event that they weren't rescued. Laboratory rats, often handled by humans, swam for hours to days. Wild rats gave up after just a couple of minutes. However, when the wild rats were rescued for less than a short while, their survival time increased dramatically, sometimes by days. It seemed that the rescue gave the rats hope and spurred them on.

The Driving Rats project has opened latest and unexpected doors in my behavioral neuroscience research lab. While it’s important to look at negative emotions comparable to fear and stress, positive experiences also shape the brain in significant ways.

As animals—human or otherwise—address the unpredictability of life, anticipating positive experiences helps foster persistence to proceed looking for life's rewards. In a world of fast gratification, these rats offer insights into the neural principles that govern on a regular basis behavior. Instead of pushing buttons for fast rewards, they remind us that planning, forethought and having fun with the ride may be the important thing to a healthy brain. There's a lesson here, my lab rats taught me well.

RICHMOND — What was once the house of a Richmond cannabis dispensary has now been transformed right into a community space with a nine-hole pop-up mini-putt course handcrafted by local artists with the inner child in mind.

Hidden beneath a mural that encourages “keeping hope alive” near the Central Avenue exit of Interstate 80 in Richmond is a mini-golf course run by husband-and-wife team Julian Bergstein and Elaina Mastrilli, with assistance from Ben Grambergu, the pinnacle , conceived and built behind Exit Now, an area for arts and community events.

“People come to Richmond to have fun and are taken to a beautiful place,” Bergstein said. “It’s nice to be a part of it.”

The Pierce Street course offers challenges accessible to all ages, putting the type of your individual adventure on the classic family-friendly activity. A windmill on the primary hole can remain stationary or speed up to extend friendly competition. The swinging pillar of hole five has proven tougher for adults than children, and hole nine levels the playing field with a Plinko-style finish, leaving the end result as much as probability.

Vibrant colours and interactive features are designed to immerse course attendees in a board game, Mastrilli said. Each hole must be fun and exciting, slightly difficult but not frustrating.

“It should be part of a community space. Anyone can come and play. We wanted it to be affordable and accessible,” Mastrilli said.

Overall, players should have the option to finish the course in around 20 to half-hour. It is a self-service facility with a QR code at the doorway gate and a gumball machine that dispenses golf balls in the beginning, allowing visitors to enter and play anytime between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., seven days per week.

From conception to installation, developing the course took just a couple of months, Mastrilli said. The couple, mini-putt fans themselves, had long dreamed of constructing their very own course, and Grambergu was searching for an exciting activity to bring to the course.

As an artist who dedicated 16 hours a day to creating the course, which resembles an interactive sculpture, Mastrilli said watching people putt on the holes was each frightening and exciting.

“It’s the ultimate reward for any creator,” Mastrilli said. “Art is a language. When someone understands it and resonates with it, you feel seen and validated.”

For Grambergu, Exit Now was a passion project. The venue, at 3223 Pierce St., is meant to be a community space where neighbors of all backgrounds can enjoy entertainment, discover latest things like vegan food during a monthly food truck event and luxuriate in an art gallery created by Jacob Clark, an East-based artist Bay, is curated. Works are also presented within the room.

The vision first got here to Grambergu “like a fever dream” in 2022 at Burning Man, an annual desert event focused on art, community constructing and self-expression. But plans really took off during an April 20 cannabis event at 7 Stars Holistic Center, a cannabis dispensary that was once positioned in the identical constructing at Exit Now.

“I wanted to bring some of that whimsy into our own backyard,” Grambergu said, praising his landlord and executives, Zee Handoush and seven Stars co-founders Joe Dayem, for helping him realize his vision of the bottom.

The Putt-Putt pop-up is scheduled to be taken down before winter rains by October thirty first. Depending on demand, the date could possibly be postponed, said Grambergu. Gramsbergu said he could imagine that after the course is disbanded, it could potentially pop up in numerous locations, corresponding to a brewery or community space.

As for the longer term of Exit Now, Grambergu said he plans to seek out latest creative ways to make use of the space. He envisions a free tool library out front, arcade games inside, more art and food events and other activities that encourage people to place down their phones and connect.

“I can’t wait to see what comes next and who else this inspires,” Grambergu said.

LOS ANGELES – After a couple of wild seasons, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo finally seems relaxed.

The 10-year veteran has returned to a backup role as each Garoppolo and the Los Angeles Rams realized it was the proper time to unite. Garoppolo was in search of a solid foundation while the Rams wanted a reliable backup for starter Matthew Stafford.

It's been a fantastic pairing thus far, especially after Garoppolo has struggled with a lot uncertainty over the past few years.

“It was chaotic at times, but it was all learning experiences,” Garoppolo said. “That's one thing I took away from it. The NFL is crazy, man. Everybody has a story. Everybody's trying to make it somehow. But at the end of the day, it's your story and you have to make the best of it. Good, bad or indifferent, whatever happened in the past, it happened. … Now I'm here and I'm just trying to make every day the best day.”

Garoppolo's profession overall has been remarkably eventful. The New England Patriots drafted him within the second round in 2014, with Bill Belichick citing Tom Brady's age as a primary reason for considering a possible succession plan. But when Brady's performance didn't decline with age, the Patriots traded Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.

Garoppolo tore his ACL in 2018, led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019, and missed a lot of the 2020 season resulting from a severe ankle sprain. Garoppolo kept his starting spot in 2021 after the Niners invested heavily in Trey Lance, however the team had prepared to make use of Lance in 2022, setting off an unpredictable chain response that appeared to lay the groundwork for Garoppolo's transfer or release. Instead, he reworked his contract and filled in for Lance after the latter suffered a gruesome ankle injury in Week 2, but ultimately went down again along with his own Lisfranc injury, paving the best way for Brock Purdy's emergence.

There was never a dull moment: Garoppolo endured a grueling recovery from offseason foot surgery before joining the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. However, he was benched midseason, the identical day head coach Josh McDaniels was fired.

So it's comprehensible why a backup job with the Rams and the chance to start out over were attractive to Garoppolo.

“It's really nice to have a healthy offseason,” Garoppolo said. “I haven't had one like this in a long time. The foot surgery last year was tough. For anyone who's been through that, it wasn't a great recovery, but I feel like I'm back to being myself. In this role, I get to experiment with some things when I'm with the 2s. I get to be myself. I haven't had that in a long time, so it's nice to get back to that.

Garoppolo cited Stafford and Rams coach Sean McVay as the main reasons he wanted to play in Los Angeles. McVay in particular impressed Garoppolo when the two spoke on the phone. Garoppolo, who has also drawn interest from other teams, was also eager to learn more about Stafford's approach.

Garoppolo, who will begin the season serving a two-game suspension for violating the league's doping policy, also realized in the offseason that a guaranteed starting spot is out of the question. Of course, he could have gone somewhere to compete with a young quarterback, but that would have led to a similar dynamic to what he experienced in San Francisco, where the organization would inevitably be reliant on the long-term investment. Similarly, with teams starting over at the quarterback position, job security for head coaches is usually not as stable as he just experienced in Vegas.

McVay is hardly a sure thing in the league and his offensive scheme speaks for itself. The mood in the Rams building is also as good as it can be.

There were a number of reasons for Garoppolo to take a step back in Southern California.

“This place also lets you be yourself, which is different than other places I've been. You're put under pressure with a way of urgency, but in a very good way. Of course, everyone desires to win. Everyone desires to perform well. Here, they do it the suitable way. They push you in a positive way. There's just numerous good things happening, man. I'm having fun with every second of it. Even the meetings are a very good time. Everything's going well immediately.”

NEW YORK — Small businesses along popular vacation destinations comparable to boardwalks and piers across the U.S. say the variety of tourists Crowds on the beaches are back to normal levels, i.e. pre-2020 levels. But while the rich spend money freely, lower-income holidaymakers keep on with fastidiously planned budgets.

Sean Bailey, marketing manager of the SkyWheel Ferris wheel on the Boardwalk and Promenade in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, said ticket sales for the 13-year-old attraction have surpassed 2019 levels since 2021 and are barely above 2023 levels up to now this 12 months.

Bailey has noticed that tourists who buy the cheaper tickets — the worth of which rose from $18 to $21 this 12 months — plan ahead and buy online somewhat than walk to the 200-foot-tall attraction. A traditional ride, or “flight,” on the SkyWheel, whose glass-enclosed gondolas seat as much as six, takes 10 to quarter-hour.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the costlier tickets have turn out to be more popular. There are sunrise tickets for $35 and VIP tickets for $109 that include as much as 4 people and provides the customer a 30-minute flight. SkyWheel also offers a gender reveal package for $250 that features a light-weight show and a ride for as much as six people.

“People are looking for more immersive experiences that go beyond a regular flight,” Bailey said.

According to the US Travel Association's forecast, tourism volumes in 2024 are expected to exceed 2019 figures for the primary time because the pandemic began, with 2.45 billion trips being made, in comparison with 2.38 billion in 2023 and a pair of.40 billion in 2019.

Domestic tourism is recovering faster than international tourism. U.S. domestic travel spending, which incorporates general travel expenses and passenger fares, is predicted to be $975.6 billion in 2024, 98% of 2019 levels. International travel spending of $153.9 billion is about 83% of 2019 levels. Both expenditures are adjusted for inflation, in keeping with the USTA.

Similar to the CEOs of enormous, consumer-focused firmsSmall business owners say they see a spending gap between wealthy Americanswho’ve maintained their spending levels and people within the lower income brackets who’re more cautious. Wall Street has seen double-digit gains last 12 months and up to now this 12 months – despite recent volatility – Meanwhile, wage growth has slowed and inflation stays a burden, at the same time as price pressures on consumers have eased.

At Navy Pier, which juts out into Chicago's Lake Michigan, Robin Harris, owner of Confidence Apparel, which sells clothing with affirmations, says foot traffic and sales are up this 12 months in comparison with last. She says customers are more conscious of their spending, selecting things they will wear greater than once and selecting quality over quantity. Her best sellers are a $30 T-shirt in a wide range of colours that reads “Breathe in confidence, breathe out doubt” and a $75 jacket with a recipe-like list of ingredients, including “love, kindness, courage and resilience.”

“(Customers) are starting to think a little more consciously about what they're buying instead of just buying anything and everything,” she said.

Elsewhere on Navy Pier, Robert Gomez owns Beat Kitchen Cantina, a Mexican food stand, and Bar Sol, a full-service restaurant with a patio. He says sales on the food stand are up 30% from last 12 months, and customers are willing to spend $8 on a taco, $1 greater than last 12 months. Gomez has expanded his more upscale restaurant, Bar Sol, and made other improvements, so sales are usually not comparable.

Gomez also owns two places that supply live music and food away from the tourist areas. He says that while tourists on the pier are pleased to pay $40 for an entree at Bar Sol, they don't spend as much at neighborhood restaurants that attract mostly Chicagoans.

“Tourists come (to Bar Sol) expecting to overspend, while a local customer is looking for better deals,” he said. “They are much more price conscious, it's almost the other extreme. And so for me it was a problem compared to the neighborhood stores.”

“They know what it's going to cost them and they don't mind spending the money,” he said.

Michelle Rutkowski, owner of Boardwalk Best and Five Mile Marketplace on the Wildwood, New Jersey, boardwalk, which sells beach items and souvenirs, has seen business boom and bust over the many years as her family has operated there because the Nineteen Eighties.

In April and May, rainy weekends slowed down business. But since then things have been picking up again, especially after school resulted in mid-June.

Rutkowski said she was optimistic about sales momentum this 12 months, with shoppers spending big on souvenirs comparable to keychains and magnets, in addition to T-shirts featuring Wildwood, New Jersey's unofficial mascot, a seagull with a French fry in its mouth.

“People have budgeted appropriately for the holidays and are spending,” she said. “Maybe this isn't the year we get back to 100% of what we were originally, but we're definitely on that path.”

Originally published: August 11, 2024 at 1:04 p.m.

Sonoma County's largest city – its urban heart – is usually only a stopover for visitors who need to travel on and explore wine country. But Santa Rosa has gained prominence in recent times as a destination in its own right, a city with walkable neighborhoods and lots of exciting recent restaurants and other places to go to.

If you're planning a weekend getaway, your start line is a no brainer: Flamingo Resort & Spa, the recently revitalized historic motel inbuilt 1957. The refresh of this mid-century mod motel has breathed recent life into this family-friendly, budget-friendly property, with barely enough retro cool mixed with modern upgrades to spice things up.

The pool at the middle of the property, from which a series of rooms fan out like a blooming flower, is the middle of the motion. The large shallow a part of the pool is a splashy play zone for the little ones. Adult lounge chairs surround the deeper part, which is conveniently positioned near the small bar cart that gives glasses of ice-cold watermelon frosé and spicy Angry Bird margaritas ($13). And the Wild Bird pool menu offers casual fare starting from strawberry spinach salad and buttermilk fried chicken to quesadillas for youths.

Meanwhile, the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus on the resort are Lazeaway Club is just adventurous enough to intrigue adults and keep kids comfortable, too. Think fried Brussels sprouts ($10) with toasted coconut, spicy chicken bao ($15) and kalua pork sliders — and mac and cheese, too. And for brunch, try the gochujang-spiced baked eggs ($19), served in a large cast-iron skillet.

Summertime at The Flamingo brings Sunday sessions by the pool, with live DJ parties every Sunday afternoon through the tip of September featuring Mark Farina, Avi Snow, Truthlive and more. Inside, between the airy lobby and the restaurant, is the resort's nightly music venue, Vintage room. The lounge just began a rustic music night – called “Space Cowboy!” – on the primary Friday of the month featuring local country-rock musician Dustin Saylor and line dancing lessons.

A fun strategy to explore town with the entire family is a city-wide scavenger hunt on the theme of “Art, Wine and Redwoods in Santa Rosa” with Let's roam. The hunt is guided through an app and takes you to parts of town that supply a wide range of sights, historical sites and quirky places filled with trivia, with challenges that you should solve as a team.

Many of the stops are near areas you'll need to explore anyway, resembling the South A Street Art District, referred to as downtown's SOFA district, which is home to the best concentration of art studios in Sonoma County. Depending on how much time you will have, there's also a terrific place to refuel nearby. Chef Liza Hinman opened the very fashionable dinner-only Spinster Sisters in 2012 and recently opened Marigolda pop-up lunch spot with chicken sandwiches, seasonal salads and drinks like blackberry lemonade.

Check out before or after the hunt or in the course of it at Russian river brewing for a pint of Pliny or to sample your way through the range. Opt for the entire tasting board experience and sample 2-ounce servings of Californian and Belgian-inspired beers.

Whatever you do, don't miss town's Historic Railroad Square, with a 1904-built depot, train connections and all forms of attractions. Santa Rosa was home to cartoonist Charles M. Schulz for greater than 30 years, and all around the city—but especially here—you'll find sculptures paying homage to his unforgettable Peanuts characters. Find Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and more in Railroad Square, then browse the boutiques, restaurants and antique shops that populate this historic district.

Duck in Goblin Brothers Game store for board games, cards, role playing games and all types of numbered dice you would like. Go to Cast Away Yarn Shop for colourful skeins and other knitting and crochet supplies, craft kits, and gifts starting from felt strawberries to yarn tarot. Yes, tarot—so that you, too, can foresee the magical with cards depicting the Queen of Wands with a crochet hook and the Hermit with a ball of golden yarn.

You've been on the road for some time now, so go to Grossman's Noshery & Barright across from the train station. This traditional New York deli concept is all about big doses of nostalgia, from the mile-high pastrami sandwiches ($17) on house-made rye bread to your entire “Bubbies Favorites” section of the menu. They also offer delicious Mediterranean dishes here, including a rainbow-colored Sabich Board ($22) with falafel, perfectly fried eggplant, quinoa tabbouleh, and all of the dips and tender pita you possibly can want. And the bar is intriguing, with its house-distilled vodkas.

Terri and Mark Stark Grossman's opened in March 2020, just as lockdown began, however the place has done well – we obviously needed comfort food then and we still need it now. It's one among eight popular restaurants operated by the couple's Stark Reality restaurant group in Santa Rosa and Healdsburg. The list also includes Bird & the Bottle, Willi's and Augie's French, which opened last fall.

Another excellent spot to stop for a bite – or a treat – is Amy Brown and Joe Wolf's Marla Bakery. The bakery first opened in San Francisco, where it gained a big following, but closed in 2019. Late last yr, it reopened within the historic Railroad District. Be sure to try their famous crebble ($5.50), a twisted, knotted croissant with maple sugar and sea salt, in addition to their massive sandwiches. Friday nights feature fried chicken ($28), and Sundays feature a dinner series featuring local winemakers, guest chefs, and special menus served of their chic, modern setting.

And if you happen to fancy a correct pint, head to The Goose and the Fern. The pub atmosphere, with dark wood, green partitions and appropriately sized pint glasses, transports you across the pond. The menu of classic English pub fare is topped off with tantalizing fish and chips ($24), said to be one of the best on the town, and a blinding wine list.

When you go

Flamingo Resort & Spa: Rooms start at $237. The hotel is positioned at 2777 Fourth St. in Santa Rosa. www.flamingoresort.comCheck out the Lazeaway Club menu at https://lazeawayclub.com and the Vintage Space program at https://vintagespacesr.com.

Let’s roam: This 90-minute, 1.40-mile scavenger hunt in Santa Rosa costs $13 per person. www.letsroam.com.

The Old Maid Sisters: Open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with a pop-up lunch to-go, Marigold, open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., 401 S. A St.; thespinstersisters.com.

Russian river brewing: Open day by day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., 725 Fourth St.; www.russianriverbrewing.com.

Goblin Bros. Games and Equipment: Opens at 11 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. weekends at 129 Fourth St.; https://goblinbros.com.

Yarn Shop Cast Away: Open Wednesday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 100 Fourth St.; https://castawayyarnshop.com.

Grossman’s: Open day by day 8 a.m. to eight p.m., 308 Wilson St.; https://grossmanssr.com.

Marla Bakery: Opens Thursday through Sunday at 8 a.m. at 208 Davis St.; www.marlabakery.com

The Goose and the Fern: Open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. or later Wednesday through Sunday, 116 Fifth St.; https://thegooseandfern.com.

Any weekend with Elvis Presley, Pablo Cruise and award-winning beer is, in our humble opinion, an excellent weekend. And that's actually what we're doing straight away, so let's start, we could?

As all the time, make sure to check event and venue web sites for last-minute changes to health guidelines. If you desire to this Weekender program delivered free to your inbox every Thursday morning, simply subscribe at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

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