Few would argue electric vehicles aren’t without their faults – they’re often expensive, take time to charge, etc. Their positive effect on the environment, however, is rarely brought into question. 

 The presence of an electric-powered battery instead of an internal combustion engine allows these cars to roam the roadways without producing any harmful tailpipe emissions. But between manufacturing, charging and recycling them, these batteries may not be as green as they seem. It begs the question: Are electric car batteries bad for the environment? 

 Let’s follow an electric car battery through its life cycle to see where it’s helping the environment and where it’s not. 

Raw Materials

The environmental toll of electric car batteries begins before the product is even assembled, most notably in the mining of its active material, lithium. To extract lithium from the earth, an immense amount of water is pumped down into salt flats, bringing mineral-rich saltwater to the surface. Lithium is filtered out of the mixture left behind after the water evaporates. 

 This water-intensive process is problematic for several reasons, including its potential to contaminate the water supply. Further complicating the issue is the location of these mines, many of which are found in desert regions of Australia and China. More than half the planet’s lithium supply, however, is in an area called the Lithium Triangle, spanning Andean Mountain sections of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. The area is one of the driest places on the globe, and lithium mining consumes as much as 65% of the region’s water, according to the United Nations. 

 Lithium isn’t the only potentially hazardous electric vehicle battery material. The process of mining for cobalt, the majority of which is done in the Democratic Republic of Congo, produces hazardous byproducts that can toxify the environment. Cobalt mine sites often contain sulfur, which generate sulfuric acid when exposed to air and water. This process wreaks havoc on rivers, streams and aquatic life, creating damage that can last for hundreds of years, according to the United Nations. 

Production

Because of methods required to mine for its raw materials, and their subsequent environmental effects, battery production is likely the most environmentally damaging stage in the manufacturing of electric vehicles. Research by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found battery manufacturing to account for 15% to 20% of an EV’s lifecycle emissions.

If you remove the lithium battery from the equation, production of electric- and gas-powered vehicles is very similar and thus, have nearly identical effects on the environment. Its inclusion, however, makes electric vehicle manufacturing slightly less environmentally friendly than that of gas-powered vehicles.  

In-Use

Critics of electric vehicles are often quick to point out that green vehicles aren’t, in fact, green. They are charged by an electrical grid likely powered by fossil fuels. This is true. Unless the electricity utilized to power an electric car battery is derived entirely from renewable energy, there are emissions associated with it. 

But electric grids across the country are shifting to a mix of natural gas, wind and solar power. Currently, nearly 20% of the electricity in the country is powered by renewable energy, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. (Close to home, nearly 17% of New England’s electrical grid and more than 40% of upstate New York’s is fueled by renewable sources.) Regardless of where you live, you’re likely getting at least some of your power from green energy. 

Even accounting for electricity emissions, however, research shows that an electric vehicle is typically responsible for lower levels of greenhouse gases than an average new gasoline car due to the complete absence of tailpipe emissions over the entirety of the car’s lifespan. Gas-powered cars, as we know, are another story. The EPA has continuously found the country’s transportation sector to be the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, with cars and trucks leading the way within the category. 

Recycling

Electric and internal-combustion vehicles have drastically different environmental effects when the cars are in use. But when it comes to recycling, the situation is completely reversed. As little as 5% of the world’s lithium batteries are recycled, according to the American Chemical Society, a stark contrast to the 99% of lead car batteries recycled here in the U.S. 

The dearth of recycled lithium batteries has significant economic repercussions, but it also takes a dire toll on the environment. Most lithium batteries end up in landfills, where their hazardous components can leak into the soil and groundwater. Landfills are also a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, the EPA reports. Recycling would also limit the need for mining raw materials, an environmentally destructive stage in an electric car battery’s lifespan. 

So why are so few lithium car batteries recycled? In short, because it takes a lot of time, money and effort. Unlike lead batteries, there’s no standardization when it comes to lithium car batteries. They often vary in size, shape and component ratios from one manufacturer to another. Each one, therefore, needs to be broken down in a different manner, creating a highly labor- and energy-intensive process. Making matters worse, battery packs are not designed to be disassembled. They can contain several thousand individual battery cells plus a complex system of circuitry and sensors. All of these components are tightly packed together and secured in a plastic or aluminum case. 

Like other aspects of electric vehicles, lithium battery recycling finds itself stuck in a chicken-and-egg problem. Because of the hurdles, governments and private companies have been hesitant to invest in large-scale recycling programs, but improving recycling efficiency won’t occur without such efforts. We are beginning to see some changes, however. In 2019, the Department of Energy announced the creation of the ReCell Center, the government’s first lithium battery recycling research center, dedicated to developing a cost-effective, environmentally sound recycling process that “will help enable the United States to compete in a global recycling industry and also reduce our reliance on foreign sources of battery materials.”

In Conclusion: Are Electric Car Batteries Bad for the Environment?

Environmentally speaking, electric vehicle batteries are far from perfect: assembling them depletes the Earth of its natural resources; manufacturing them is energy intensive; charging them requires dirty energy; and recycling them is nearly impossible. 

These negative effects, however, are offset by the absence of tailpipe emissions throughout the vehicle’s lifetime. the aforementioned ICCT study found electric vehicles in the U.S. produce 60%-68% fewer emissions over their lifetime than gas-powered cars. 

So, in short, electric vehicles are the more climate-friendly choice. That said, there’s room for improvement. More efficient manufacturing methods, greener electric grids and improved recycling options would benefit electric car batteries – and the environment – going forward. 

Visit AAA’s Electric Vehicle platform for more information on these cars of the future.

If you’re driving through New England, you’re bound to find more than a few covered bridges along your route – and you’ll be glad you did. They serve as a picturesque reminder of olden times.

Yes, they’re beautiful, but when most covered bridges were built back in the mid-1800s, they were all about being practical. The roofs kept rain and snow off the wood and prevented decay, thus keeping the structure safe. Sadly, the number of covered bridges is dwindling.

Here are some of the best covered bridges still dotting the New England landscape.

The Artist’s Bridge

Newry, Maine

Built in 1872, this covered bridge was originally named the Sunday River Bridge for – you guessed it – the river that it spans. The origins of its nickname are up for debate. Some say it earned the name for being one of the most photographed and painted covered bridges in Maine. Others say this 87-foot long bridge got its nickname because impressionist painter John Enneking often painted in the spot. Either way, it’s a beautiful structure that’s on the National Register of Historic Places. You can no longer drive across the bridge, but it is open to foot traffic.

The Robyville Bridge

Corinth, Maine

This covered bridge spans the Kenduskeag Stream in a section of Corinth known as Robyville Village. It’s 73-feet long and was designated as a Maine Historic Engineering Landmark in 2002. Built in 1876, the Robyville Bridge is most notable for being the only completely shingled covered bridge in Maine. The structure was reinforced as part of a major rehabilitation in 1984, so you can drive your car over it just horses and buggies once did.

Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge

Cornish, New Hampshire; Windsor, Vermont

There are over 60 covered bridges in New Hampshire. The longest and most impressive of the lot is the Cornish-Windsor covered bridge, which runs across the Connecticut River into Vermont. At 449.5 feet in length, this is the longest wooden bridge in the country. It’s also the longest two-span covered bridge in the world, so it’s not to be missed.

Albany Covered Bridge

Conway, New Hampshire

The Albay Covered Bridge was constructed back in 1858 and is arguably one of the most scenic bridges in New Hampshire. It’s located in the White Mountains along the Kancamagus Highway, one of the most scenic roads in the Northeast. This bridge closes during the winter but is open to foot traffic all year long.

Arthur A. Smith Bridge

Colrain, Massachusetts

Measuring 100-feet long and open to pedestrians and cyclists, the Arthur A. Smith Bridge is the only Burr arch truss bridge in Massachusetts and the last covered bridge in the town of Colrain, which once boasted 12 covered bridges. Originally built in 1869 and named for a then-prominent local resident, flood damage saw it largely abandoned until the town voted to rebuild and move the bridge to its current location in 1896.

Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge

Gilbertville, Massachusetts

This covered bridge was built in 1886 and has been closed and refurbished several times throughout the years. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and is one of the few 19^th-century covered bridges still in existence in the Bay State. It measures 137 feet long and is open to traffic, although it can only manage a single lane of cars at a time.

Pulp Mill Covered Bridge

Middlebury, Vermont

Pulp Mill is one of the oldest covered bridges in Vermont. Its exact year of construction is unknown, but it has a history of repairs and refurbishments dating back to 1860. It is also one of the state’s few double-barrel bridges. Instead of one opening for traffic, there are two so each direction has its own lane, making the entrance look a bit like a double-barrel shotgun.

West Dummerston Covered Bridge

Dummerston, Vermont

Measuring 280 feet long, West Dummerston is the longest covered bridge located entirely within in the state of Vermont. It was built in 1872 by Caleb Lamson, a master builder of his time, to span the West River. The bridge’s intricate woodworking includes town lattice trusses and diamond-shaped openings that look beautiful from the outside and add light to the inside.

Swamp Meadow Covered Bridge

Foster, Rhode Island

This is the only covered bridge on a public road in Rhode Island and it’s also rather new. It was devised of in 1986 to celebrate the state’s 350^th anniversary. The work was done by volunteers and intended to replicate 19^th-century styling. Shortly after opening in 1992, the bridge was burned by arsonists, but volunteers immediately came right back out to rebuild. The current 40-foot bridge was dedicated in 1994 and is open to traffic.

Comstock Covered Bridge

East Hampton, Connecticut

The Comstock Bridge was built in 1785 as an uncovered bridge but received an upgrade with a roof in 1873. It needed significant reinforcements in the 1930s since it wasn’t originally built with a roof in mind. The bridge got its name from the town’s first postmaster and still has much of the original wood mixed in with the newer pieces that were added over the years.

Bull’s Bridge

Kent, Connecticut

This covered bridge is 109 feet long and spans the Housatonic River. It’s tucked away in a beautiful, wooded area with ample trails for hiking and exploring. It’s one of only three public highway covered bridges in Connecticut, and one of only two that accept vehicular traffic. A bridge has spanned this spot in the river since the mid-1700s with the current bridge dating back to 1842.

The bridges are waiting, now all you need is a ride. Good thing AAA members can save up to 20% on Hertz rentals.

It’s common to feel blue about leaving your dog or cat behind on vacation. But what if your furry family member could come along? The good news is that many national hotel brands now welcome pets, including more than 1,200 Best Western properties throughout the US.

Where to Find Pet-Friendly Lodging

Before choosing a hotel for you and your four-legged companions, it’s essential to consider which animals are welcome. Hundreds of Best Western properties welcome dogs, but many also open their doors to cats, birds and other small pets. When in doubt, call and ask the hotel directly about their pet policy.

When you’re ready, book online or through a AAA travel advisor. Saving on hotel stays is one of the top benefits consistently noted by AAA members.

Pet-Friendly Perks

Once you’ve confirmed that your hotel is pet-friendly, look into the perks available for your furry friend. Common pet-friendly amenities include:

• Green spaces to walk your pet.
• Dog treats.
• Doggie waste stations.
• Recommendations for pet-friendly parks and pet-friendly restaurants in the area.

Pet Travel Tips

Here are just a few tips to make you and your four-legged companion comfortable and happy throughout your stay.

• Pack thoughtfully. Remember, you’re packing for yourself and Fido or Fluffy. You’ll need eating and drinking bowls, a pooper scooper, plastic bags, a collar and special treats or toys to help your pet feel at home.
• Get some fresh air. Dogs especially need exercise after long travel days. Why not take your furry friend on a long walk to scope the property after arrival?
• Create a comfortable sleeping space. Whether you bring a well-loved blanket from home or use one of the new pet blankets provided by some Best Western properties, your pet will appreciate a cozy corner for napping or nighttime snoozing.

Take advantage of your discounted AAA member rate and any available special promotions at Best Western-branded properties across North America. Book now.

 

With more than 700 vehicles on display across 1 million square feet of exhibit space, the New York International Auto Show is a hallmark event for the automotive industry. It’s often the first opportunity the North American public gets to witness the newest models and technology firsthand. And with the seismic shifts occurring in the car world, it’s never been a more prescient event.

Here are just a few of the highlights of the 2023 New York Auto Show, happening at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center through April 16. Get discounted tickets.

The Newest Electric Pickup

The most headline-grabbing debut at the New York Auto Show belongs to the 2025 Ram 1500 REV. The electric pickup truck has been teased for some time, including a concept version that debuted at CES earlier this year, but this is the first time the production version could be seen in public.

More noteworthy than the vehicle itself are Ram’s performance claims. The Ram 1500 REV will be offered with two battery options: a standard 168-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack with a targeted range of up to 350 miles and an optional 229-kWh pack boasting an estimated range of up to 500 miles. That number would be more than 150 miles better than current class leaders, the Rivian R1T (303 miles, according to the EPA) and Ford F150 Lightning (320 miles).

Other noteworthy performance stats include:

• 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds.
• 654 horsepower and 620 lb.-ft. of torque.
• Up to 24 inches of water fording.
• Up to 14,000 pounds towing.
• A maximum payload capacity of 2,700 pounds.

You can preorder your Ram 1500 REV right now, but the pickup truck isn’t expected to be available until late 2024.

It’s an EV World

Just about every car maker is showcasing at least one electric vehicle, if not multiple models at this year’s New York Auto Show. In addition to the aforementioned Ram, some notable EVs on display include the redesigned Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Blazer and Equinox EVs, Kia EV9, Nissan Ariya EV and Hyundai Ioniq 6, which won three World Car Awards at the event.

Visit AAA’s Electric Vehicle platform for more information on these cars of the future.

At the dedicated EV hall, the auto show is promoting EV education as much as the latest models, including an 83,000-square-foot test track for guests to experience the vehicles firsthand. (Visitors can also take rides in Ioniq cars and the Mustang Mach-E on Hyundai’s and Ford’s mini test tracks, respectively.) Numerous exhibitors are there providing information on charging and consumer programs as well.

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Guests can also stop by AAA’s booth to learn about our new mobile EV charging trucks.

Adventure Seekers Rejoice

Off-road enthusiasts will have a field day checking out the vehicles made for the great outdoors. First up is Subaru’s all-new Crosstrek Wilderness. With a higher ground clearance, improved climbing ability, increased towing capacity and upgraded suspension, it’s Subaru’s most capable Crosstrek to date.

Volkswagen, meanwhile, unveiled the 2024 Atlas in a new Peak Edition trim. The SUV’s 18-inch wheels and all-terrain tires, coupled with a more rugged aesthetic, will make it an even more suitable off-road option.

And finally, it wouldn’t be a New York auto show without a strong Jeep presence – the Empire State is the brand’s number one market. Jeep’s iconic line of Wranglers is getting interior and exterior upgrades for 2024 courtesy of technology, performance and aesthetic improvements. All this is in addition to the two new Wrangler models Jeep will bring to market: the electrified Sport S 4xe and Rubicon X.

A Kaleidoscopic Showcase

The current state of car colors is a bleak affair, but you wouldn’t know it by strolling the floor of the New York Auto Show. In a much-needed respite from the black-and-white scenes on the street, car makers are displaying their vehicles in every color and shade imaginable. Highlights include the Alfa Romeo Tonale in Verde Fangio, Lexus GX in Nori Green Pearl, Chevy Camaro in Rapid Blue, Chevy Trailblazer in Nitro Yellow Metallic and Ford Mustang Dark Horse in Blue Ember.

The most dramatic hue showcased, however, belongs to the Genesis GV80 Coupe concept car in the aptly named Magma orange.

You’ll find all this and more on display at the New York International Auto Show, taking place April 7-16. Get discounted tickets here!

There are plenty of details to get sorted when setting up a life insurance policy, such as whether you should go with a whole or term policy and how much you need to ensure your loved ones are well taken care of. As a policyholder or beneficiary, you may also be concerned about taxes. Does life insurance get taxed?

Timothy Boyle, senior life and annuity manager for AAA Northeast, helps to answer a few common questions about life insurance and taxes.

Does life insurance get taxed?

The death benefit from a life insurance policy is not taxable, no matter the amount.

However, life insurance may get taxed if the death benefit goes to an estate instead an individual, which happens if there is no beneficiary listed on the policy or if the policyholder outlives their beneficiaries. In this case, those that inherit the estate may be subject to pay estate taxes.

Do you pay taxes on life insurance payouts?

At the time of the policyholder’s death, beneficiaries have several options for how they can withdraw payout. They can choose to receive the money as a lump sum, have it roll over into their own life insurance policy or break it up into installments over the course of several years. “It is very important to discuss your options with your agent to make the correct withdrawal choices,” said Boyle.

In the instance where payment is withdrawn gradually, any interest that grows on the principal would be subject to tax.

There are some policies that gain a cash value that grows over time. If someone takes out loans on these types of policies, they don’t pay taxes unless they surrender the policy and there is an excess in what they owe.

Is a life insurance premium tax-deductible?

The premium on a life insurance policy is not tax-deductible.

Get a personalized life insurance policy through AAA. 

Do you have any other questions about life insurance and taxes? Ask us in the comment below.

Are you ready to enter the Grid? TRON Lightcycle / Run officially opens at Walt Disney World on April 4, 2023.

First announced at the 2017 D23 Expo, TRON Lightcycle / Run has been one of the most long-awaited Disney rides in recent memory. The first version of the ride, TRON Lightcycle Power Run, opened at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.

Will the coaster hold up to fan expectations after six or seven years of anticipation? 

Plan your Disney vacation with AAA Travel.

The Grid

TRON Lightcycle / Run is based on the TRON franchise, which takes place in the digital universe of the Grid. The coaster sits in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom, wrapped in a curving white canopy that glows with neon blue light. The track is partially outdoors, under the canopy, and indoors.

Riders, known in-universe as “users,” are assigned to Team Blue and tasked with defeating Team Orange in a lightcycle race. Think you’ve got what it takes to beat a team full of computer programs?

Before you hop on your lightcycle, you need to store anything larger than a cellphone in the provided lockers. You can access your locker with your MagicBand or park ticket and retrieve your valuables after the ride.

Though the ride is open all day long, it might be worth it to see if you can ride at night – the Grid comes alive when it’s completely in the dark.

There’s also a viewing area beneath the coaster, where you can watch for your friends and family or just enjoy the atmosphere.

The Lightcycles

TRON Lightcycle / Run is a rollercoaster with motorcycle-style vehicles. That means riders have to straddle their seats as though they’re riding a bike (or, in this case, a lightcycle). The seat is reminiscent of the seats on Avatar Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom. The safety harness forces the rider to lean forward while riding, and their legs are pinned into place on either side of the lightcycle with additional safety devices.

As a result of this unique design, some taller or larger riders have not been able to safely fit on the lightcycle seats. Fortunately, there are accessible seating options on some of the ride vehicles, so riders who can’t use the lightcycles can still experience the coaster. If you’re able to ride Avatar Flight of Passage, you might be able to ride TRON, but the seats are not exactly the same.

If you’re concerned about fitting on the lightcycle, you can try one of the test seats in front of the ride (and get a cool photo-op while you’re at it).

The Queue

The Grid isn’t the only thing that’s virtual – there’s no traditional standby queue for TRON Lightcycle / Run at this time. That means if you want to “wait,” you’ll have to do it virtually. To join the virtual queue, you have to use the My Disney Experience app to reserve a spot. Most new Disney attractions have been utilizing this feature to cut down on time spent waiting in lines, but reservations are known to get snatched up in seconds.

Queue reservations are released in batches at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. every day. You’ll need a reservation for Magic Kingdom to get a place in the queue, and you need to be in the park if you’re trying for the 1 p.m. group.

Want to skip the queue entirely? TRON Lightcycle / Run is also offering an a la carte Lightning Lane option. Pricing and availability will vary, but since it’s a new ride, it will probably sell out fast. A Disney hotel reservation can help you get early access to Lightning Lane options.

Disney100 at Walt Disney World

Disney is marking the company’s 100^th anniversary in 2023, which means that all the parks are celebrating. Walt Disney World is just finishing up an important milestone of its own, as it wrapped up its 50^th anniversary celebration on March 31. And, as always, there are some changes coming to the parks.

Fan-favorite nighttime spectacular Happily Ever After is returning to the Magic Kingdom on April 3, the night before TRON opens. Epcot will also see the return of the nighttime spectacular Epcot Forever on the same night.

That’s not all for Epcot, though. This year, Epcot will be the home of the Disney100 celebration in Walt Disney World, which means it’s going to be getting an all-new nighttime spectacular sometime later in 2023. Guests will also be able to meet Mickey and Minnie at Epcot, dressed in platinum outfits for the anniversary.

Announcements for more Disney100 celebrations at Walt Disney World are sure to come soon.

Are you planning a trip to ride TRON Lightcycle / Run? Think it can measure up to your favorite roller coaster? Let us know in the comments below.

Looking for savings on theme park fun? You can save up to 40% at theme parks, concerts, museums, attractions and more! Go to AAA.com/Tickets.

Featured image: Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort

Typically, COBRA is proposed as an option by your former employer if you depended on your job for health insurance. COBRA, which stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, is a federal law designed to help the newly unemployed, and those dependent on them, to continue their health coverage.

The Basics of COBRA Health Insurance

Essentially, under COBRA health insurance, you receive the exact same health care as you had when employed for a temporary amount of time. Generally, you won’t have to switch doctors or anticipate other changes to your medication or medical care. The plan counts as “minimum essential coverage,” so you don’t need to pay a fee to the government like those without health insurance. But you’ll likely pay a higher premium and an additional 2% fee.

The Price of COBRA Insurance Premiums

Typically, an employer pays around 90% of a health insurance premium, while the employee pays around 10%. If your employer doesn’t offer assistance in paying for your continued health coverage under COBRA, you may have to pay 100% of your health insurance premium. However, it’s also possible to deduct your COBRA health insurance expenses on your annual tax returns if they exceed 7.5% of your annual income. To get an idea of what your COBRA health insurance would cost, you can consult your company’s HR department and ask them the price of the full premium.

Who Qualifies for COBRA Health Insurance?

Aside from being laid off, COBRA health insurance is also an option if you voluntarily quit your job, and you can continue on the COBRA plan for up to 18 months. In addition, if an employee who was enrolled in COBRA as part of a family plan dies, spouses and dependents can still receive health care through the plan. If a young adult comes off of dependent status because of school status or age, they are also entitled to continue with COBRA.

Reasons You Won’t Qualify for COBRA

It’s important to note that if you worked for a smaller employer of less than 20 employees, you likely will not qualify for COBRA health insurance. In addition, if your employer stops offering company health insurance, or the company goes out of business, you also will not be able to apply to COBRA.

The Advantages of COBRA Health Insurance

So how do you know if it’s a good idea to choose COBRA or an option in the federal Insurance Marketplace? Although COBRA is most likely going to be the more expensive option, there’s a good chance that your employer’s health plan offered more extensive health coverage. If you like the doctors that are available under your employer’s plan and the quality of medical care you received, it might be worth paying the higher premium. If you’re considering finding a plan through the Marketplace, be sure to do thorough research on the coverage available and the doctors and services would have access to.

Other Health Insurance Options

If at some point you feel you need to reconsider your health care options, it’s usually possible to switch to a Marketplace plan. If your COBRA costs suddenly change because your former employer ends financial assistance for your plan, or if your COBRA health insurance is running out, you can change to a Marketplace plan at any time.

However, if you decide to end COBRA early in your coverage period, you have to wait for an upcoming open enrollment period to apply in the Marketplace. If you simply want to end COBRA because it’s too expensive and no other conditions have changed, you won’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. The situation is different if you’re looking to enroll in Medicaid. As long as your meet all of the qualifications, you can drop your COBRA health insurance and enroll in Medicaid at any time.

How to Decide on your Family’s Health Plan

If you’re certain you want to continue your employer’s health insurance with COBRA, remember that you are basically agreeing to an 18-month commitment, and you won’t be able to find alternative health insurance unless you qualify for a special enrollment period.

Regardless of whether you choose COBRA health insurance or another plan, the most important thing is to make sure you have health insurance coverage. You don’t want to have to pay the penalty fee for being uninsured, and in case any unexpected medical conditions arise for your family, you’re going to want some kind of reliable insurance in place. If COBRA health insurance provides more benefits than your other options, it can be a great health care choice for you and your family.

Have any advice for those enrolling in COBRA? Share below. 

The Catskill Mountains of New York have long provided a respite for weary city dwellers in need of an escape from the fast-paced grind and congested streets.

Although it’s just a few hours’ drive from New York City, the region feels far off into the country. All seasons offer inspiring natural beauty, whether it is the fresh-blooming flowers in spring, swimming holes in summer, colorful foliage in autumn or snow-filled ski slopes in winter. And it’s a perfect stopping point for road trips to farther locations like Rochester and Buffalo, N.Y., or Montreal.

Perhaps lesser known is the Catskills food scene, which focuses on local ingredients and pulls from a variety of cultures and cuisines. Whether you’re just passing through or staying a while, here’s a sampling of great restaurants in the Catskills to try, curated from my own adventures in the mountains.

Albergo Allegria

Windham

Albergo Allegria is a beautiful bed-and-breakfast in the Northern Catskills with food options available to both guests and the public. Fill up on a big breakfast before hitting Windham’s slopes for the day or nestling in Albergo Allegria’s dreamy, storybook setting. Order a Western Sammi, Albergo Allegria’s take on a western omelet in sandwich form, stacked with prosciutto, provolone cheese, bell peppers, baked eggs and caramelized onions.

Bread Alone Bakery

Woodstock

Patrons from outside the Catskills may recognize the business name from their packaged bread sold throughout the state, but the brick-and-mortar bakery is its own experience. The aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries hits you upon entering this popular breakfast spot. The full menu of breakfast and lunch items includes a variety of sandwiches, burritos and salads. My advice: order a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a brioche bun and all will be right with the world. Grab a slice of lemon poppy bread for the road to quell the late morning hunger pangs.

Brushland

Bovina Center

Chef Sohail Zandi and his wife Sara have created an experience that feels like a family celebration at this restaurant in the Catskills. Offering a nightly single sitting with a multicourse menu that changes weekly, their goal was to bring people together in the way that 19th century eating houses brought local diners and travelers together under the same roof. The pair host a Persian feast once every month that you will need reservations for far in advance.

Catskill Brewery

Livingston Manor

Catskill Brewery’s taproom offers quality beer in a relaxed setting. The brewery uses local ingredients and emphasizes sustainability when making their “honest hardworking beer.” This might not matter much to consumers if the beer didn’t also taste good, but fortunately Catskill Brewery has a diverse variety of delicious beers. I prefer a simple take on beer, and their Ball Lighting Pilsner satisfies my taste for a cold one. However, Catskill Brewery has a full arsenal of IPAs for beer connoisseurs like their Milkshake IPA and citrus-flavored Grass Wagon IPA.

Catskill Momos

Delhi

Momos are Tibetan, Indian or Nepali hand-wrapped dumplings stuffed with meat or vegetables and served alongside savory or sweet dipping sauces. They are best fresh from the steamer or the pan, so I recommend you grab a table and stretch your legs for a while. Catskill Momos has savory beef momos, as well as vegetarian and vegan options, and noodle soups with beef or tofu. Tibetan culture came to the region in the 1970s with the founding of the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra monastery in Woodstock, which is a wonderful place to learn about Buddhism or to spend time in silent reflection.

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Hamden General Store

Hamden

Chef Antonio Mora, aka Tiny, transforms the general stores of my youth into breakfast and lunch counters that serve classic sandwiches like New York City’s chop cheese and Chicago’s Italian beef. My first experience with Antonio’s cooking was at Russel’s General Store in Bovina Center, which he transformed into a similar must-stop haven for incredible sandwiches. At Hamden General store, you get all the comfort and nostalgia of Brooklyn’s bodega sandwiches, greatly enhanced by the chef’s skilled hand.

Peekamoose

Big Indian

Peekamoose serves a rotating menu of American fare with a focus on seasonal, local ingredients. The restaurant is set against a backdrop of lush, green mountains, and its interior is much like a rustic cabin dining room. The menu features hearty dishes – the kind of meals well-earned by a day of hiking trails or working long hours. The fishermen’s stew brought me back to life on a bone-chilling winter evening. Packed with Prince Edward Island mussels, arctic char and octopus, it reminded me of my travels in Western Ireland, where fishermen’s stew was my favorite nightly ritual.

Phoenicia Diner

Phoenicia

The Phoenicia Diner is a popular location for locals and weekenders, serving traditional diner favorites from skillful chefs who source local ingredients. Think: roadside greasy spoon meets the farm-to-table movement. Massive portions of comfort food will keep you fueled for a day of hiking in the mountains or for the long ride to the next stop on your road trip.

I’m a sucker for trout when I’m in the Catskills, and Phoenicia Diner’s Catskills Po’boy with cornmeal-crusted trout and all the fixings on a French baguette hits the spot. Wash it down with a bourbon milkshake and worry about counting calories some other day.

Rosie

Kingston

Both a general store and a restaurant, Rosie looks much like an antique store you might find on a country road. The shelves are packed with local, fresh products like pickled red onions, homemade hot sauces, local cheeses and a variety of snacks. They also serve delicious breakfast and lunch options, like the smoked trout pate on sourdough bread and mashed avocado with olive oil and tomato on a homemade bialy, as well as fresh-baked breads, cakes and cookies. Although it often draws a crowd, I promise it is well worth the wait for a seat. If I lived in Kingston, I would become a permanent fixture at Rosie.

Rough Draft Bar and Books

Kingston

Rough Draft Bar and Books is an independent bookstore with a cafe and bar. Come grab a drink while you are killing time, meeting with friends or reading a book in the warmth of the natural light that pours in through a wall of windows. The bar serves beer, wine and cider, as well as pastries and snacks. Follow their social media feed for popup events like pizza night or community-based events.

Silvia

Woodstock

The first thing you notice when entering Silvia is the large open kitchen and wood-fired grill. Once you’re hit with the aroma of sauteing garlic and bread charring on the grill, you know you’re in for a fantastic meal. Silvia sources from local producers and serves pasture-raised chicken as well as grass-fed and finished beef. Their kitchen is GMO-free and ticks all the boxes of conscious eaters, but it’s also simply delicious.

I got the Local Mushroom and Pasta Rags, which came served in a bowl packed with broad pasta noodles, asparagus, black garlic butter, thyme and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It was salty and cheesy, and left me scraping every drop of flavor out of the bowl.

Tinker Taco

Woodstock

I popped into Tinker Taco for a quick snack while checking out Woodstock’s many unique shops along Tinker Street. It is true that their prices are on the steeper side, but my tacos were fresh, delicious and well worth the price point. Tinker Taco makes its tortillas from scratch each morning, which is evident in the taste. My selection of tacos – lengua, barbacoa and carnitas – were packed with meat, cilantro, onions, queso fresca and crema.

Top Taste Restaurant

Kingston

Kingston shares its name with the capital of Jamaica, so it feels fitting that there would be fantastic Jamaican food in town. Here they serve large portions of jerk chicken, curry goat or oxtails with rice and peas, plantains and veggie slaw, and the stewed meat options are tender, savory and packed with flavor. It may seem small and unassuming from the outside, but hungry travelers know that these are often the best places to grab a meal. This is filling, stick-to-your-ribs fare that will have you itching to come back.

Van Smokey

Livingston Manor

True to its name, Van Smokey is a smoked meats shop as well as restaurant and hangout. Their menu is full of sandwiches, burgers and tacos that use the variety of meats they smoke. The house-made pastrami sandwich is worth the drive from any location. As sacrilegious as it may sound, it rivals the pastrami of New York City’s greatest delis.

What are your favorite restaurants in the Catskills? Share with us in the comments.

In the Northeast, many of us just can’t wait to get our hands in the dirt and play in the garden when spring rolls around. But landscaping and gardening are activities that can be done throughout the year, from planting annuals in the spring to making sure your shrubs are secure for the chilly winter months.

Whether you’re the kind of gardener who starts with seeds or you just dabble in the occasional potted plant, we’ve got great gardening resources to help you cultivate your green thumb all year through.

Landscaping and Gardening Websites

One of our best virtual landscaping and gardening friends is the Vermont-based Gardener’s Supply Company. The site is packed with tons of articles about organic gardening and landscaping, controlling pests naturally, composting and planning a garden.

Connecticut-based White Flower Farm is another great resource. Sign up for a free catalog and you’ll be tempted year-round. The site sells and gives advice on perennials, annuals, flowering shrubs – including more than 40 varieties of hydrangeas – roses, bulbs and vegetables.

Visit HGTV’s website for project ideas that can be completed in just a few hours or a few days. The site breaks down gardening and landscaping projects into steps, so you can clearly see what kind of commitment you’re getting yourself into. Ever wanted to build a potting bench? You’ll find it here, as well as a guide to what to plant in the fall, how to make a raised garden bed and much, much more.

Having a beautiful garden doesn’t have to be a seasonal endeavor in the Northeast.

If you swoon when the latest issue of Better Homes & Gardens hits your mailbox, the website is just as inspiring, filled with tips, plans and projects that you can tackle on your own. The site’s garden plans feature is especially useful. You’ll find hundreds of illustrated gardens for every scenario – shady, long-blooming and beginner gardens, for example – as well as a list of plants you’ll need and a handy chart showing where they should go. It’s sort of like paint-by-numbers, but with plants!

Every gardener in the Northeast should be acquainted with the name Henry Homeyer. The self-proclaimed “Gardening Guy” – an organic gardener and author who lives in Cornish Flat, N.H. – is known for his weekly gardening columns that run in newspapers throughout New England. If you want practical, down-home tips about when to prune your rose bushes, plant those daffodil bulbs and make the most of your tomato harvest, Henry’s your man.

Landscaping and Gardening Apps

The Home Outside app is an amazing landscaping and gardening resource that can help bring your dream backyard to life. You can drop and drag more than 700 outdoor elements onto a map or photo of your property, so you can see what your designs will look like. Free, but currently only available on iOS.

Is there a beautiful tree, shrub or plant in your neighborhood that you’d love to see on your lawn, but you don’t know what kind it is? LeafSnap uses AI technology to identify it. Just take a picture and the free app will tell you what it is, plus details like peak season, how much sun and water it needs to thrive and more.

New and seasoned gardeners alike can benefit from a garden managing app. From care instructions and reminders to watering schedules, Planta supplies the tools you need to keep every kind of plant alive. The app is free to download but a range of upgrades are available for purchase.

Specifically for vegetable gardens, From Seed to Spoon is another free app you can use to plan and track your garden’s growth, providing planting dates, pest identifiers, tips, how-to videos and even recipes to make with your homegrown harvest.

Have any other landscaping or gardening tips you’d like to add? Share it with us in the comments! 

It’s easy to fall in love with beautiful Salem – especially in fall – but, it’s just one of the many lovely communities in this part of Massachusetts. And, it’s not just me saying this: Congress has designated 500 square miles – from 10 miles north of Boston to the New Hampshire line – as the Essex National Heritage Area.

And especially good news for fall-foliage-seekers: There’s a scenic route. The Essex Coastal Scenic Byway runs 90 miles, from Lynn to Salisbury, and features stunning views, period architecture, beaches and great dining.

Here are some highlights.

Gloucester

• Hammond Castle. Built by John Hays Hammond Jr., a prolific American inventor, the medieval-style castle is filled with Roman, medieval and Renaissance artifacts bought during his extensive travels. Hammond had more than 400 inventions mostly in radio control. You can tour the castle and the grounds, which have commanding views of the Atlantic coast.

• The Fisherman’s Memorial and Fishermen’s Wives statues, on the Stacy Boulevard Esplanade.

• The Gloucester Visitor Center in Stage Fort Park. Climb the steps to the granite Tablet Rock for great foliage views.

• The 1.2-mile HarborWalk is a self-guided walking trail through Gloucester’s history, working waterfront area, art and culture.

• Rocky Neck Art Colony. Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, Childe Hassam and others have lived and created here.

• Ravenswood Park. Find your favorite fall colors within 600 acres of hemlock groves and a magnolia swamp.

Essex

The Essex Shipbuilding Museum. Since 1668, more than 4,000 wooden ships have been built on the Essex River shore. Study historical artifacts and learn about the story of the Essex’s shipbuilding industry.

Rockport

• Motif No. 1. That iconic little red fishing shack with the lobster traps. Everyone else has its picture; you should, too.

• Halibut Point State Park. This granite quarry turned coastal park has views that stretch from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast.

Ipswich

The Crane Estate. Castle Hill is the centerpiece of the spectacular 2,100-acre Crane Estate, one of the region’s most scenic and ecologically diverse landscapes. The Great House, a 59-room Stuart-style mansion, presides over Castle Hill’s 165 acres of designed and natural landscapes with commanding panoramic views of the ocean.

Manchester-by-the-Sea

Singing Beach. Not really; it’s just the sound the sand makes when you walk across it.

Newbury

Old Town Hill. From the top of this 168-foot-high coastal promontory, you can see as far as Maine.

It’s human nature to always be searching for – and awed by – the latest and greatest. That tendency certainly extends to the automotive world, where the best new cars get all the headlines. But there are some important lessons to learn if we reverse course and look at some of the worst cars in history.

There was a good idea hiding somewhere within all of these vehicles, but in each case those good intentions were betrayed by ulterior motives, fueled collectively by a calamitous combination of greed, frugality, ego and short-sightedness. The result is five of the worst cars ever.

DeLorean DMC-12

It may be strange seeing the DeLorean DMC-12 on this list of the worst cars in history considering its fame and popularity. But off the silver screen, the car fell far short of expectations.

Former General Motors executive John DeLorean touted the DMC-12 as the sports car of the future. With its gull wings and sleek metallic look, it certainly has the aesthetics to meet that boast. But behind that façade was a heavy, underpowered and overpriced vehicle.

Originally, the company expected to sell 12,000 cars per year. In the end, only about 9,000 vehicles were made during its two-year run and the company was shut down in 1982. Ironically, the DeLorean became iconic just a few years later with its prominent role in 1985’s “Back to the Future.” The movie franchise ensured that the car’s legacy would extend well past its seemingly destined fate as an automotive footnote.

The Yugo

The Yugo was a decades-old Soviet-era Yugoslavia automobile imported to the U.S. in 1985. The decision to sell the car in America was the brainchild of entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin and was destined for failure from the start. In an interview with Car and Driver, Bricklin recalled tasking his employees to find the cheapest car in the world. They did so at a 50-year-old factory in Yugoslavia that was manufacturing a 30-year-old car. “We took this piece-of-crap car and within 14 months had set up 400 U.S. dealers and made 528 changes to the car,” Bricklin said.

Yugoslavia had been manufacturing the car for years. Bricklin’s plan was to spruce it up and bring to America. There was no amount of changes that could overcome the vehicle’s poor quality, however. The Yugo’s engine generated a measly 55 horsepower, making the car dangerous to drive on American roads. The car was notoriously unreliable (the rear window defroster was reportedly there to keep your hands warm when you needed to push the vehicle), had many parts made of plastic, and oddly enough, featured carpeting as a standard feature.

But for the people selling the Yugo, the car was all about one thing: profit margin. The vehicle only cost $2,000 wholesale and was sold stateside for nearly twice that. Consumers quickly realized that even $4,000 was too much for the Yugo.

Pontiac Aztek

For as much grief as the Aztek got, it was actually at the forefront of what would prove to be one of the top automotive trends of the past two decades. When the car was first introduced in the early aughts, SUVs were surging in popularity and the idea of crossovers – vehicles with the space and power of an SUV combined with the on-street abilities of a sedan – was just beginning to take hold.

In fact, if you look the Aztek concept car, it doesn’t look all that dissimilar to some of today’s crossover models. Time magazine may have put it best, saying, “The shame is, under all that ugliness, there was a useful, competent crossover.”

Clearly, the idea behind the car was good, but the execution was not. The problem was that the Aztek was designed by committee. No singular, coherent vision took the lead and just about everybody got a say in the design process. Even the bean counters made their mark involved. GM accountants reportedly ordered the Aztek to be built on an existing minivan platform in order to reduce costs. This platform, however, was not long enough to hold the Aztek, forcing designers to create a box-like tail end.

The Aztek was in production all of five years, from 2001-2005. But showing that everything comes full circle, the car got a significant popularity boost when it was prominently featured as Walter White’s vehicle of choice in the uber-popular television show “Breaking Bad.”

Ford Pinto

While most of the cars on this list are here due to aesthetic design fails, poor craftsmanship or lackluster sales, several of the worst cars ever made were actually dangerous to drive. These vehicles had such fundamental mechanical and design flaws that they posed a serious risk to the occupants of the car.

Chrysler’s PT Cruiser had a unique look, which many people derided, but it’s most notable for its mercurial nature. The car was known to shut off in the middle of driving, completely out of the blue. The 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, meanwhile, had an engine that exploded when it made 90 horsepower.

But the most infamously dangerous worst car in history is the Ford Pinto. The only feature that needs to be discussed about this 1970s vehicle is its fuel tank. The Pinto famously featured an exposed fuel tank. Cars involved in rear-end collisions, even at slow speeds, tended to burst into flames. Later on, the “Pinto memo” was publicized, which proved the company concluded it was cheaper to settle victims’ lawsuits ($50 million) than to recall and fix the cars ($120 million).

Aptly, the coda to the Pinto’s story is the car’s presence in American Museum of Tort Law.

Ford Edsel

We’ve reached the pinnacle of the worst cars in history. For decades, the terms “automotive failure” and “the Edsel” have been all but synonymous. So what went so wrong?

In the mid-1950s, Ford came to the conclusion that it should expand its product line. Specifically, it needed a new, mid-priced brand to go in between its flagship Lincoln and mid-level Mercury. Studies predicted that “by 1965 half of all U.S. families … would be buying more cars in the medium-priced field, which already had 60% of the market,” according to Time magazine. And so the Edsel was created, named after Henry Ford’s son, no less.

It’s not so much that the Edsel was such a terrible car – although it certainly had its faults, namely its price. It’s that it suffered the unfortunate fate of being hyped up as the greatest thing on four wheels. Believe it or not, Ford booked an hourlong prime time television slot on CBS to unveil the car, claiming the broadcast day as “E Day.” “The Edsel Show” included performances by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Louis Armstrong. By this time, however, the push for compact cars was well underway. Just two years after its prime-time debut, the Edsel’s run was over after less than 120,000 were sold. Ford had estimated it could sell up to 400,000 cars a year. In total, the company spent roughly $350 million on the Edsel’s research, design, tooling and production facilities, the equivalent of nearly $3.2 billion in 2021.

To add insult to injury, while the Edsel was cementing its place as the biggest automotive flop ever, “The Edsel Show” was nominated for an Emmy.

What do you think are some of the worst cars in history? Let us know in the comments below!

Embark on a virtual trip to seven of the hottest cities in the world. Known for their unbearably high temperatures, these places could easily make even the most enthusiastic warm-weather lover long for the chill of winter in the Northeast.

Think you could stand the heat?

@aaa_northeast Can you take the heat? 🔥  . . #traveltok #hottestcities #aaanortheast #aaatravel #travel #travelbucketlist #hotdestinations #california #arizona #iran #libya #australia #travelblogger #travelgoals #fyp ♬ Sunrise – Official Sound Studio

Hottest Cities in the U.S.

Yuma, Arizona

Average High: 107 degrees
Record High: 124 degrees

It’s normally hot in the Southwest, especially in Arizona where ordinary summer heat makes much of the state sizzle. But no city is as extreme as Yuma. With its desert climate, extremely hot summers, hot winters and often less than 10 inches of precipitation per year, it’s fair to say Yuma is definitely one of the hottest cities in the world! The average July high temperature can hit a scorching 107 degrees, making it one of the steamiest cities in the United States behind Phoenix. In 1995, Yuma reached its all-time high at 124 degrees. The high temperature isn’t the only standout trait of Yuma. The city set a world record for being the sunniest city on earth, averaging 4,050 of the possible 4,456 hours of daylight annually. That means the sun is shining a little more than 90% of the time in Yuma. Pack extra sunscreen.

Death Valley, California

Average High: 120 degrees
Record High: 134 degrees

It’s not called Death Valley for nothing! As one of the hottest and driest places in North America, the summers scorch around 120 degrees, but can even reach an unbearable 125. On one July day in 1913, the temperature hit 134, the official highest temperature in the Western Hemisphere. Death Valley is a long, narrow basin that is 282 feet below sea level and walled by high and steep mountain ranges. The dry air and bare plant cover allow sunlight to heat the desert surface and become trapped in the valley’s depths. In 1917, Death Valley recorded 43 consecutive days with temperatures over 120 degrees. Don’t expect much relief during summer evenings; overnight lows only dip into the mid-90s.

From fan bracelets to “ice” necklaces, stay cool in hot locations with these wearable cooling devices.

Hottest Cities in the World

Ahvaz, Iran

Average High: 116 degrees
Record High: 129 degrees

Even though it’s located in the Middle East, Iran has four seasons like many other countries. The city of Ahvaz – situated in southwestern Iran – has a desert climate and is known for its long, hot summers and mild, short winters. The summer heat is accompanied by high humidity, sandstorms and dust storms. The summer temperature tops off at around 116 degrees, but the soaring humidity and near-continuous sunshine make it one of the hottest cities in the world in July and August. From 1970 to 2000, Ahvaz reached 125 degrees or more than three days each year. The city set a temperature record on July 15, 1967 when it hit a stifling 129.

Dallol, Ethiopia

Average High: 118 degrees
Record High: Over 130 degrees

In terms of extreme heat, no place holds a candle to Dallol, the hottest place on earth. Located in the sizzling Danakil Depression (a geological landform sunken below the surrounding area), it can reach a boiling 145 degrees in the sun. Dallol has areas that are more than 328 feet below sea level, featuring hot yellow sulfur fields and craters amid sparkling salt beds – the result of a volcanic eruption in 1926. It gets worse: Dallol currently holds the record high temperature for an inhabited location on earth, where an average annual temperature of 94 degrees was recorded during 1960 and 1966. Dallol is also one of the most remote places on earth – there are no roads and the only regular transport service is provided by camel caravans that travel to the area to collect salt. According to the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia, Dallol has a total population of 83,930.

El Azizia, Libya

Average High: 132 degrees
Record High: 136 degrees

Any state located in close proximity to the equator will experience extremely warm conditions – but one African city in particular is record-breaking hot. The world’s highest official temperature of 136 degrees was recorded in El Azizia on Sept. 13, 1922. This isn’t a place you’re likely to hang outside for long. It’s located in one of the most hot and arid places on earth – the Libyan Desert – where rainfall seldom happens. Summer highs can reach anywhere from 125 to an intolerable 135 degrees. To make matters worse, a hot, dry, dust-bearing desert wind called a ghibli can raise the temperature 20 degrees in just a few hours.

Oodnadatta, Australia

Average High: 99 degrees
Record High: 123 degrees

The climate in Australia is as broad as the country itself. The interior is characterized as having a hot, dry climate; while northern, southern and coastal cities are considered tropical. The Tropic of Capricorn runs through much of the country. However, Oodnadatta, an exotic and desolate town in the Outback, hit 123 degrees in January 1960. On average, the weather tops off at between 97 to 99 degrees from December through February. Considerably cooler than the city’s record high, yet still stifling. It also receives about 10 hours of sunshine per day in December and averages 6.5 inches of rainfall per year. Oodnadatta is a quiet settlement inhabited mostly by indigenous Australians. As of 2021, the census reported a population of 318

Kuwait City, Kuwait

Average High: 112 degrees
Record High: 126 degrees

With more than 2 million residents, Kuwait City is the most densely populated metropolitan city that suffers from record-breaking heat. The city has an arid climate with hot summers and hardly any rain. The average summer temperature ranges from 102 to 112 degrees, but a heat wave can bring temperatures up to a scorching 122 degrees. The city has even had months with daily maximum temperatures averaging above 115. Depending on the specific location in Kuwait City, there can also be a degree of humidity to go along with the sweltering temperatures.

To plan a trip to any of these destinations, get in touch with a AAA travel counselor at AAA.com/Travel.

Which of the hottest cities in the world would you visit? Tell us in the comments!

There are almost an overwhelming number of river cruises in Europe that vacationers have to choose from when planning a trip. All the best cruise lines offer itineraries along picturesque rivers in Europe, with castles, wineries, historic sites and much more, just minutes away from your ship.

Here’s an overview of what would-be cruisers can expect to experience when traveling on a river cruise in Europe. Once you narrow down which region is most appealing to you, researching the best cruise line for you is the next step. Which river would you like to travel on first?

Let a AAA travel advisor help you plan your European river cruise.

Rhone

Sailing through Provence and Burgundy along the Rhone River is one of the best European cruises for food lovers and oenophiles, as every river cruise highlights the region’s rich wine heritage with plenty of tastings and visits to vineyards. A typical itinerary takes passengers between Lyon to Arles or Avignon.

Highlights include visits to Avignon; Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy; Vienne, home to the remains of a 14,000-seat amphitheater and a temple built in 25 B.C.; and an excursion to Arles, where Vincent van Gogh lived and painted.

Seine

The busy Seine, running north through Paris into Normandy into the English Channel at Le Havre, offers a wealth of fascinating places to visit, including the Normandy D-Day beaches; Rouen, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake; and Giverny, where Claude Monet lived for almost four decades.

The itinerary for most cruise lines is the same, sailing from Paris between Rouen or Caudebec. In Rouen, the capital of the Normandy region, tours to its historic cathedral, built between the 13th and 16th centuries and landmarks relating to Joan of Arc, are a must. All Seine cruises offer full-day excursions to the Normandy Landing Beaches, including Omaha Beach, plus visits to the Point du Hoc monument and the American Cemetery.

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Rhine

The 776-mile Rhine River, which runs through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands, is known for being one of the best European cruises, famous for its castles and stunning scenery.

On a typical seven-night cruise from Amsterdam, ports and excursions include Basel, Cologne, Koblenz, the Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Mannheim and Strasbourg. There are a lot of variations, of course, with different starting points and stops, which offers cruisers plenty of interesting options.

Danube

The Danube, Europe’s second longest river, flows through 10 different countries and is, of course, famously named in Austrian composer Johann Strauss’ famous waltz, “On the Beautiful Blue Danube.” All cruisers on the Danube will hear it played at least once on a trip!

Common itineraries are sailings between Budapest, Hungary and Passau, Germany. Highlights include Vienna, once the center of the Habsburg Empire, with visits to the Hofburg Palace, the Vienna Opera House, and Ring Boulevard; Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart; and Melk home to the stunning Benedictine Abbey.

Elbe

Running from the Czech Republic through Germany, most river cruises on the Elbe River run between Prague and Hamburg. Cities on an Elbe cruise include Dresden, Meissen, Worlitz, Wittenberg and Magdeburg. In Dresden, nicknamed “Florence on the Elbe,” passengers will visit Zwinger Palace, the Semper Opera House and the Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady) with its unique bell-shaped dome that survived World War II bombings, but collapsed the following day, and then was rebuilt.

Meissen is famous for its fine porcelain and Wittenberg is where Martin Luther nailed his thesis to the door of Castle Church and triggered the Protestant Reformation.

Christmas Markets

While virtually all river cruises in Europe operate in the warmer months, the one exception is Christmas market cruises, which most river cruise lines offer. Christmas markets are a centuries-old tradition in European cities and cruising is a novel way to enjoy more than one.

Feel the enchantment of the holidays at markets in Germany, Austria, Hungary, France and Switzerland while you sip warm mulled wine and browse stalls of homemade toys and decorations, surrounded by twinkling lights and the smell of gingerbread and roasted chestnuts.

Main

Running across Central Germany, the Main River is formed by the joining of the Red Main and the White Main, meeting the Rhine River at the town of Mainz. Cruises on the Main are usually combined with Danube River cruises; since1992, the Main-Danube canal connected the two rivers with a total of 16 locks. On a Main cruise, running between Frankfurt and Nuremberg, ships stop in Heidelberg, Wertheim, Wurzburg and Bamberg.

Highlights include a visit to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s home in Frankfurt, and the town of Bamberg, a UNESCO site, which dates from 902 A.D., making it one the most impressive river cruises in Europe.

Moselle

Flowing through France, Luxembourg and Germany, the Moselle River is known for its medieval architecture and excellent white wines. The climate, soil and topography along the Moselle create an ideal environment for the cultivation of grapes. On any cruise, the region’s celebrated wines will be a highlight.

Stops along the picturesque river include Metz, France; Remich, Luxembourg; and several places in Germany, including Trier, the oldest settlement in Germany.

Douro

Lisbon to Porto (or the reverse) is a common itinerary on the Douro River in Portugal. The Douro River Valley is the world’s oldest demarcated wine region and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most cruises begin or end with an overnight stay in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, with ample time to explore.

Highlights along the route include seeing the world’s deepest lock, Carrapatelo, with its 115-foot-tall walls; excursions to Lamego to visit the 18th-century Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies pilgrimage church; and a full-day excursion to Salamanca in Spain. All along the way, passengers will get the chance to enjoy Portugal’s national beverage, port.

Tulip cruises

Another immensely popular themed river cruise in Europe is a voyage to take in the Netherlands and Belgium’s famous tulips. These are often called “Dutch Waterways” cruises, since ships go through a network of small rivers, inland seas and canals which are referred to as the Dutch Waterways. These mid-spring trips typically start and end in Amsterdam, and travel to Antwerp, Arnhem, Ghent, Rotterdam.

A visit to the Keukenhof Gardens, the world’s largest floral park, is of course, a highlight. Almost all cruise lines offer some version of a tulip tour.

What are the river cruises in Europe that you would like to explore? Tell us in the comments.

Start planning your river cruise vacation with AAA Travel.

The rolling green hills and towering ancient castles of Ireland and Scotland are waiting for you.

Whether visiting one or both of these Celtic nations, a guided tour ensures a carefree and well-rounded experience. On a tour, your accommodations, transportation and activities are taken care of, so all you have to focus on is enjoying your vacation. And with a trusted Travel Director at your side, you get fascinating insights and culture-connecting opportunities every step of the way.

Here’s a small taste of what you can expect on a guided tour of this extraordinary part of the world.

Ireland

You’ll be sure to receive a hundred thousand welcomes in the Emerald Isle.

From exploring the cities of Dublin, Belfast and Galway to kissing the Blarney Stone, a guided tour through Ireland, such as those offered by Brendan Vacations, plans special moments in bucket list destinations, accompanied by expert storytelling.

Other adventures may include driving along the scenic Ring of Kerry, seeing murals from the Troubles in Derry, traveling to the mystical Giant’s Causeway and more.

Scotland

During your journey in Scotland, your tour can take you to Glasgow, the historic streets of Edinburgh or to a whisky distillery for a taste of the country’s most famous libation. The breathtaking Isle of Skye, majestic Scottish Highlands and banks of Loch Ness are also popular highlights.

If you’re thinking of traveling to Ireland, Scotland or both, let Brendan Vacations lead the way. With unique experiences, customizable travel options and a commitment to sustainable tourism, they make it easy to find a guided tour that’s right for you.

Start planning your Celtic tour with AAA Travel and Brendan Vacations.

An estimated one to two million collisions between vehicles and wildlife occur every year in the United States, according to the Federal Highway Administration. In most of these crashes, the animal dies immediately or shortly after. The result is an abundance of roadkill strewn across American roadways.

Roadkill is more than just an eyesore. Animal carcasses in the street can pose a serious driving hazard for motorists. Therefore, if you come across roadkill, you should act. Here’s what to do.

Call the Professionals

Roadkill should be cleared from the road as quickly as possible. Not only do the carcasses pose a danger to drivers who may be forced to swerve around them, their smell attracts scavenging animals who will descend upon the road looking for their next meal. This creates more potential driving hazards and roadkill.

Your safest bet for getting roadkill removed is to contact the proper authorities. If you can safely pull over to the side of the road to make the call, do so. If not, make a mental note of the animal’s location and then contact authorities once you’ve reached your destination.

Figuring out who you should direct your call to can be a little tricky, as towns and cities designate this task to different departments. Most often, it’s the responsibility of the local department of sanitation, street maintenance, public works, animal control or wildlife management. You should be able to find the appropriate agency to call with a quick internet search. If not, call your local government’s helpline and ask to be connected. Workers from one of these government agencies will come to the site to remove the carcass.

If you stopped to report the roadkill, feel free to continue on your way after making the call. You do not need to remain at the location for the crew to arrive.

Discover how wildlife crossings can reduce the occurrence of roadkill.

How to Move the Roadkill Yourself

Moving roadkill yourself is usually not the best course of action. It can be dangerous to park your car on the side of the road, let alone walk into the middle of it. This is especially true if you’re traveling along a busy street or highway.

Furthermore, dead animals pose a serious health risk to humans. During decomposition, disease-causing bacteria normally contained inside the animal’s body can be released, exposing those in close proximity of the carcass. Dead animals also attract fleas, ticks and maggots, all of which can transmit their own set of diseases.

If the roadkill is in front of your house or on a quiet street and you feel compelled to move it yourself, make sure to do it safely and properly. First gather the necessary tools, including thick gloves, a shovel, heavy-duty garbage bag and some sort of face covering to protect your nose and mouth. Use the shovel to move the carcass off the road and/or into the garbage bag. Never make direct contact with the dead animal. Secure the bag and dispose of it properly, which usually means having it hauled to a local landfill.

Finally, you’ll want to make sure to clean the area. Start by hosing or wiping down the spot. Then use a disinfectant to eliminate any hazardous bacteria that could still be present.

Can You Salvage Roadkill?

Sport hunters may be happy to know that many states allow citizens to take roadkill home with them to salvage the meat for consumption. Most, however, have some restrictions and/or regulations, which usually include reporting the roadkill to authorities and obtaining a permit. In Massachusetts, for example, deer carcasses taken into possession must be brought to state authorities within 24 hours to be tagged and recorded. In New Jersey, only deer roadkill may be salvaged and only by obtaining a permit from local police.

It’s very important to note that roadkill is not always safe for human consumption, especially if it’s been exposed to the elements for an extended period of time. Although it certainly can be done (and is PETA’s preferred option if you choose to eat meat), make sure it’s safe to eat before bringing it home for dinner.

Deer are one of the most common large animals to be involved in vehicle-wildlife collisions. Here’s how to avoid them.

Have you noticed an increase in roadkill? Leave your thoughts and comments below.

Race car driving has always been seen as a stereotypically male sport. But men aren’t the only people who love fast cars and the smell of burnt rubber. For as long as there’s been professional race car driving, there have been female race car drivers. Racing is actually one of the few professional sports in which men and women are allowed to compete with (and against) one another.

From the first NASCAR race ever to the many active drivers today, women have always been a part of racing as a sport and as a culture. To celebrate Women’s History Month, we’ve compiled some of our favorite and most influential female race car drivers and pioneers.

Sara Christian

Sarah Christian was the first female NASCAR driver of all time. She competed in NASCAR’s first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Speedway. Though she competed in just seven races over the course of her career, she opened the door to racing for generations of women to come.

Janet Guthrie 

Janet Guthrie was the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR Winston Cup Superspeedway race. She holds the best finish by a woman in a top-tier NASCAR race for her sixth-place finish at Bristol in 1977 (she’s tied with Danica Patrick’s finish in 2014).

Janet Guthrie was one of the first people inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. She has also been inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Shirley Shahan

Nicknamed the “Drag-On Lady,” Shirley Shahan became the first woman to win a National Hot Rod Association pro event in 1966. As the daughter of a race car driver, she learned to drive at only 10 years old, and eventually became her father’s mechanic. She first started racing in the 1950s, and she won the first March Meet in 1959. A series of wins followed. After her 1966 Super Stock win at the Winternationals, she became a racing celebrity.

Shirley Shahan has been inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Super Stock Magazine Hall of Fame and the Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Shirley Muldowney

Also known as “Cha Cha” and “The First Lady of Drag Racing,” Shirley Muldowney was the first woman to get a license from the NHRA to drive a Top Fuel dragster. Shirley Muldowney has won a total of 18 NHRA national events.

She won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1977, 1980 and 1982, making her the first person to have won two (and then three!) Top Fuel Championships.

Shirley Muldowney has been inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Lyn St. James

Named among the “Top-100 Women Athletes of the Century” by Sports Illustrated, Lyn St. James was the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award. She specialized in endurance racing, and won two class victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the GTO Class at 12 Hours of Sebring.

Lyn St. James was also the first woman to reach over 200 mph on a race track. She was president of the Women’s Sports Foundation from 1990-1993, and she has served as a panelist on NASCAR’s National Motorsports Appeals Panel since 2015.

Michele Mouton

As a French rally driver, Michele Mouton competed in the World Rally Championship from 1974 to 1986. She’s one of the only women to ever compete in that series. In 1981, she began driving for the Audi factory team and won her first event.

During her years with Audi, she won four victories and finished runner-up in the drivers’ world championship. As a driver for Peugeot, she became the first female to win a major rallying championship. Michele Mouton became the first president of the FIA’s Women & Motor Sport Commission in 2010.

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick is one of the most famous race car drivers alive, and the most successful woman in U.S. open-wheel racing. She started racing go-karts at age 10, and never slowed down. Danica Patrick holds the only women’s victory in an IndyCar Series race for her 2008 victory at the Indy Japan 300.

She became the first female race car driver to win a Cup Series pole position when she set the fastest qualifying lap for the 2013 Daytona 500. In 2015, she broke Janet Guthrie’s record for most top-10 finishes by a woman in the Sprint Cup Series.

Erica Enders

Erica Enders is one of the most successful female drag racers. She started racing as a Junior Dragster when she was only 8 years old. In 2000 (when she was just 16) she became the youngest NHRA national event finalist. Erica Enders has won five NHRA Pro Stock championships.

In 2015, Erica Enders broke Shirley Muldowney’s record for the most NHRA national event wins by a female driver. In 2022, she became one of only five Pro Stock drivers with five or more titles.

Looking for more women in automotive history? See our post about the most influential female inventors and engineers in the world of cars and driving.

Who is your favorite female race car driver? Tell us in the comments below.

Lake Placid may be known as a top ski resort, but spring has its perks, too.

As the weather warms up, and the days get longer, the streets and slopes become a little quieter, making it feel as though you have the whole place to yourself, at times.

With premium lodging at great rates, indoor and outdoor recreation to keep you busy (who says ski season is over?) and award-winning spas to recover and rejuvenate from the gray days of winter, Lake Placid is the perfect spring retreat you never thought of – until now.

See what this Adirondack getaway has in store.

For Families and Adventurers

Beat cabin fever and finally get some fresh air! Take the whole family spring skiing at Whiteface Mountain. Soft snow is great for learning, and experienced skiers love to make the most of “corn” season, when all the melting and refreezing makes the snow look like kernels of unpopped popcorn.

For those looking to discover more of nature’s beauty in the region, Lake Placid offers hikes for all experience levels, many of which lead to stunning waterfalls.

And if the weather is still a little too chilly, you can feed your sense of adventure indoor rock climbing at Mt. Van Hoevenburg Olympic sports complex.

For Rest and Relaxation

With so many opportunities for adventure, you may not realize that Lake Placid is also known as a relaxation destination. Treat yourself to any number of wellness services at one of the area’s full-service spas and return home feeling refreshed.

To keep your trip low-key and breezy, take in simple pleasures like enjoying a meal with a great view, shopping on Main Street and exploring the art scene.

You can purchase an original piece of local artwork at The Curious Otter wildlife gallery or Gallery 49, part of the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, which also presents regular classes, exhibits, galleries and musical and theatrical performances.

Those are just some of the ways you can make the most of a quick mid-week or weekend getaway in Lake Placid.

Explore more and start planning your Lake Placid vacation today.

From 007’s classically stylish Aston Martin to the beat-up station wagon that starred in “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” sometimes cars are the scene-stealers.

Here are a few of the most famous movie cars.

via GIPHY

The DeLorean

“Back to the Future” Franchise

One of the most famous movie cars of all time, the DeLorean didn’t just look cool – it also played a critical part in the plot of the “Back to the Future” movies. It was the DeLorean DMC-12 that Doc Brown chose as his time machine. Known for its distinctive gull-wing doors, fiberglass frame and stainless-steel body, the car was the brainchild of automotive engineer John DeLorean, a former General Motors executive who founded the DeLorean Motor Company in 1974. The first DMC-12 was released in January 1981.

The following year, the company filed for bankruptcy. The last car was manufactured in December 1982. Approximately 9,200 cars were built in total.

Ford Mustang GT

“Bullitt”

In this classic film’s most famous scene, legendary actor – and avid race car driver – Steve McQueen races around the streets of San Francisco in a 1968 Ford Mustang GT. Not only did the Mustang become one of the most iconic movie cars of all time, the scene became the standard by which all other car chases are measured. In 2018, Ford released its third special edition Mustang model to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of “Bullitt.”

Ecto-1

“Ghostbusters” Franchise

The Ghostbuster car became nearly as iconic the characters themselves. This spirit-hunting wagon, better known as the Ecto-1, was actually a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance. Only about 400 of these cars were made, and two found their way to the “Ghostbusters” set. Originally the car was to be painted black. That idea was scrapped because of how often it was going to be shot at night.

The Batmobile

“Batman” Franchise

Certainly one of the most famous cars in movie history, the Batmobile has undergone myriad transformations over the years. From the Lincoln Futura-based car of the 1960s to the more recent tank-like Tumbler, everyone has their favorite. While you’ll have a difficult time picking one up at the dealership, know that the long, sleek version in “Batman” and “Batman Returns” was built on the chassis of a Chevrolet Impala. So you can start there.

Ford Gran Torino

“Gran Torino”

The Torino was produced by Ford between 1968 and 1976. It was named after the city of Turin, considered to be the “Italian Detroit.” In “Gran Torino,” Clint Eastwood plays cantankerous Korean War vet Walt Kowalski, who has isolated himself from the world. It’s Walt’s prized 1972 Ford Gran Torino that serves as a conduit for a friendship between him and his young neighbor, which would have profound effects on both their lives.

Aston Martin DB5

“James Bond” Franchise

There are few more iconic film characters than James Bond, and few more iconic images of Bond than with him behind the wheel of an Aston Martin. Debuting in 1964’s “Goldfinger,” the Aston Martin DB5 has been featured in 12 films over the course of more than 50 years. The book version of “Goldfinger” had Bond driving a DB Mark III. But Aston Martin had just released the DB5 in 1963, so the decision was made to use the company’s latest car. Needless to say, sales of the DB5 increased when “Goldfinger” hit the silver screen.

Bumblebee

“Transformers” Franchise

We could list all the transformers here, but none underwent such a transformation upon landing on the silver screen (or had its own standalone movie) as Bumblebee. The yellow automobile was originally a Volkswagen Beetle, but took the form of a Chevrolet Camaro in the film franchise.

Wagon Queen Family Truckster

“National Lampoon’s Vacation”

For cross-country road trips, it certainly helps to have the right set of wheels. Unfortunately for the Griswolds, they’re forced to settle for the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. The station wagon was oversized, had a pale avocado and metallic green paint scheme, extensive imitation wood-paneling decals and eight headlights. The famous movie car was created specifically for the film. However, it was based on a 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire.

Herbie

“The Love Bug”

The eponymous Bug in Disney’s 1968 film “The Love Bug” was a pearl-white 1963 Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie. Of course, the beetle also came to life and had the ability to drive itself. Herbie has had a long and storied career on the silver screen. The car has appeared in six films, most recently 2005’s “Herbie: Fully Loaded.”

via GIPHY

250 GT California Spyder

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

If you’re going to skip school and gallivant around the Windy City, a proper set of wheels is a requisite. Fortunately for Ferris Bueller, his best friend Cameron’s dad just happened to be the owner of a cherry red 250 GT California Spyder. Although Ferris and company – and a pair of lucky parking garage attendants – enjoyed the car, it did, regrettably, meet an untimely end.

 

For famous cars from the small screen, check out our list of top television cars of all time.

Save up to 40% on movie tickets with exclusive AAA discounts.

An estimated one to two million crashes between a motor vehicle and large animal occur every year in the United States, according to the Department of Transportation. Once thought to be strictly a problem in large, rural states, such crashes are becoming increasingly common in more urban areas as roads and other construction expand into previously undeveloped animal habitats.

Fortunately, there is an effective, well-supported solution to this growing problem: wildlife crossings. Unfamiliar? We don’t blame you. These roadway features are a still rare find, especially in the densely populated Northeast. So, what exactly are wildlife crossings and when can we expect to see more?

Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions by the Numbers

Before we get to the solution, let’s define the problem. If you live in an urban area, you may not be fully aware of just how prevalent WVCs are. The scale and scope of the issue, however, quickly comes into focus once you look at the numbers. A study from the Federal Highway Administration found the following:

• There are approximately 300,000 reported wildlife-vehicle collisions per year in the U.S. Most researchers believe the actual number is much higher, however, as many such collisions are not reported for a variety of reasons. The FHWA estimates there are 1-2 million WVCs annually.
• Roughly 5% of WVCs cause human injury, resulting in 26,000 injuries per year.
• The vast majority (as high as 90% in some states) involve deer.
• More than 90% of collisions with deer and nearly 100% of collisions with larger animals such as elk or moose result in vehicle damage.
• The average cost of repairing a vehicle after colliding with a deer was estimated at $1,840. For collisions with elk and moose, the cost increases to $3,000 and $4,000, respectively.
• In most cases, an animal that has been hit by a vehicle dies immediately or shortly after a collision.

What Is a Wildlife Crossing?

A wildlife crossing is a manmade structure that allows animals to safely cross over or under a roadway. It is designed to act as an extension of the natural landscape, connecting animals to surrounding areas that are otherwise cut off by the road. In doing so, it prevents habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as reduces the prevalence of VWCs.

There are many different types of wildlife crossings. Some of the most popular include green bridges, overpasses covered in grass and other vegetation, and culverts, tunnels and passageways running underneath a roadway. 

Do Wildlife Crossings Work?

The answer is a resounding yes. Research by Montana State’s Western Transportation Institute in 2009 found wildlife crossings used in combination with fencing reduced WVCs by 86%. More recently, a 2021 study from the U.S. Forest Service found that wildlife crossings nearly eliminated WVCs completely (a 97% reduction).

There are numerous real-life examples supporting these findings. Animal mortality dropped 93.5% in Florida’s Paynes Prairie State Preserve after a wildlife crossing was constructed. A combination of over- and under-passes along Colorado’s State Highway 9 reduced WVCs by 88%. Since completion of a wildlife underpass across Oregon’s Highway 97 in 2012, the roadway has seen more than a 90% drop in collisions with animals.

Similar success stories have been reported the world over, including Brazil, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom. In fact, the most oft-cited wildlife crossing is found just north of the border in Canada’s Banff National Park.

As visitation to the park surged in the 1970s, so too did traffic congestion on the section of Trans-Canada Highway running through the area. More motorists also meant more WVCs. To combat the growing problem, officials constructed several underpasses along the road in the 1980s. In 1996, the first wildlife crossing bridges were constructed.

Today, there are six overpasses and 38 underpasses along this section of the highway. Combined with fencing, they have reduced WVCs by more than 80%, including a 96% drop for deer and elk. As Western Transportation Institute researcher Tony Clevenger told Canadian Geographic, “This is Canada’s biggest conservation success story.”

The Future of Wildlife Crossings

Although wildlife crossings have proven to be highly effective, they are still underutilized. That should begin to change in the near future.

Included in the massive bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last year is funding for a Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. The program will allocate $350 million over five years to federal, state and local governments and agencies to construct wildlife crossings in the U.S. that reduce WVCs and improve habitat connectivity for animals.

Learn more about traffic safety.

We all have our favorite television characters, but every once in a while, it’s their mode of transport that becomes most memorable. Whether it be for their flash or their uniqueness, a few cars have made an indelible impression over the past few decades. In no particular order, here are our favorite television cars.

The Footmobile

“The Flintstones”

The Flintstones may have lived during in the stone age, but they were light-years ahead of their time. Before cycling classes became en vogue, Fred & Co. were getting their workouts in while getting where they needed to go.

The footmobile was a car from a much simpler time. It existed solely for its function: transportation. All of the niceties we know today were nonexistent (an engine, a windshield, etc.), but that never got in the way of the prehistoric pedaling.

(Photo: “The Munsters” by twm1340 / CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Munster Koach / DRAG-U-LA

“The Munsters”

It’s only fitting that the Munsters, a family with a Frankenstein’s monster-like patriarch, drove a Frankenstein’s monster-like vehicle. Constructed by famed car builder George Barris in just 21 days, the Koach was made from three Ford Model T bodies, totaling 18 feet in length. It was powered by a 289 Ford Cobra engine from a 1966 Mustang GT. The 133-inch-long frame, brass radiator and fenders were all made by hand. Some of the eerie aesthetics that made the Munsters feel at home driving the Koach were the gloss black pearl paint and blood red velvet interior.

And let us not forget grandpa Munster’s drag-racing car, DRAG-U-LA. The body of the vehicle was built out of a real fiberglass coffin. It had a 350-horsepower Ford engine and the hubcaps were decorated with large silver spiders for good measure.

The Partridge Family Bus

“The Partridge Family”

It’s probably only proper that musical group consisting of school-aged children would forego the traditional rock band tour bus and instead travel around the country in a school bus. Although the bus – a 1957 Chevrolet Series 6800 Superior – certainly did earn some cool points its with a Modrian-inspired paint job.

The Beverly Hillbillies Jalopy / Hot Rod

“The Beverly Hillbillies”

The sight of the recently well-to-do Clampett family cruising into Beverly Hills in its old jalopy is one of television’s most iconic images. The truck was another George Barris creation. The builder stumbled upon a 1921 Oldsmobile Model 43-A touring car. Age and neglect had left it rusted and weathered, which made it perfectly suited for the Hillbillies.

One of the original cars now resides in the Ralph Foster Museum at the College of the Ozarks. It was a bicentennial gift from the show’s producer, Paul Henning, who grew up in the area.

A few years into the show, Barris was charged with creating another truck when the family finally decided to upgrade their ride. That vehicle, which turned out to be a hot rod, was based on a 1925 Oldsmobile roadster with a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 engine and other modern components.

The Mystery Machine

“Scooby Doo, Where are You!”

It’s a well-known fact that every team of crime stoppers needs a tricked-out van in order to fulfill their crime-stopping destinies. Scooby and friends were certainly no exception. The group opted for a psychedelic, flower-power aesthetic. We presume the good vibes acted as a buffer to ward off any ghosts and ghouls haunting the town.

(Photo: “1983 GMC G-Series panel van – A Team” by sv1ambo / CC BY 2.0)

The A-Team Van

“The A-Team”

The only thing scarier than facing down Mr. T was having the A-Team’s jet-black van in your rear-view mirror. The gang needed a vehicle large enough to hold all four team members plus whatever gadgets/cargo they needed for their particular mission. The car used in the show was a 1983 GMC Vandura. (In early episodes, the GMC nameplate was visible on the car’s grille. Beginning in season two, it was blacked out). The van was modified with a red racing stripe, roof spoiler and red wheels to make it all the more intimidating. Mission accomplished.

Optimus Prime

“The Transformers”

One of the few shows where the cars are the main characters. We could pick any of these shape-shifting autobots but we’ll go with team captain Optimus Prime cause we’re admittedly suckers for a red-and-blue color scheme.

K.I.T.T.

“Knight Rider”

No list of the top television cars would be complete without Knight Industries Two Thousand (a.k.a. K.I.T.T.). The crime-fighting vehicle was literally a character in and of itself (it helped that he could comprehend information and communicate with humans.) Actor William Daniels – best known as Mr. Feeney in “Boy Meets World” – was the voice of K.I.T.T.

The actual car used during production was a modified 1982 black Pontiac Trans Am. During the original run of the show in the 1980s, Trans Am owners could buy special aftermarket kits and add K.I.T.T.’s red “scanner eye” to their own vehicles.

The Bluth Company Stair Car

“Arrested Development”

The stair car was a microcosm of the Bluth family’s fall from grace. Unable to afford the company jet, they were stuck with the remains of what once was. Of course, the stair car was completely impractical for use on the roadways as it was nearly impossible to drive and resulted in a lot of hop-ons. Although the stair car seems like it was uniquely constructed from the ground up, it was built upon a Ford F-350.

Fun Fact: The stair car made a cameo in the background of a scene in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.” Anthony and Joe Russo directed both the film and multiple episodes of “Arrested Development.”

Looking for the Batmobile? We know it appeared on television, but thought it became more of a movie vehicle over the years so it’s on our list of the best silver-screen cars.

(Video: Courtesy of Hagerty)

The Monkeemobile

“The Monkees”

The Partridges weren’t the only musical act that needed a new set of wheels. But the Monkees opted for a slightly different aesthetic. Acclaimed customizer Dean Jeffries built the Monkeemobile using a pair of 1966 Pontiac GTO convertibles. Some of the more interesting features were a split two-piece windshield, a touring car convertible top, exaggerated tail lamps, bucket seats and an extra third row bench where the trunk originally was.

The Striped Tomato

“Starsky and Hutch”

A bright-red muscle car is always bold choice, particularly so if you’re two undercover cops trying to avoid suspicion. But the ’70s were a different time. The Striped Tomato, as it became affectionately known, was a 1975 Ford Gran Torino outfitted with distinctive white stripes running along the sides. Several Gran Torinos were used during the show’s four-year run. Eventually, Ford produced roughly 1,300 replicas for sale to the public.

1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder Replica / 1986 Ferrari Testarossa

“Miami Vice”

In the early seasons of Miami Vice, Don Johnson’s character of Sonny Crockett drives a black Ferrari Daytona Spyder in order to fit the part of the high-stakes Miami crime world he was investigating undercover. Except it wasn’t a real Ferrari. The Italian automaker declined to provide the show with any of its cars. Instead, the production team built replicas by essentially putting Ferrari fiberglass body panels on a Chevy Corvette chassis.

Ferrari was not too pleased by this and even threatened to sue the show. Instead, the company offered to provide two Ferrari Testarossas if “Miami Vice” agreed to get rid of the faux Spyder. The sparkling-white Testarossa made it debut in season three.

Black Beauty

“The Green Hornet”

Dean Jeffries, the aforementioned man behind the Monkeemobile, was also tasked with creating the Black Beauty. He did so using a 1966 Chrysler Imperial. The car was outfitted with all the requisite needs of a crime-fighting duo: a knock-out gas gun, two functional rockets and a small flying surveillance device.

The main on-screen car from the show is currently on exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Mach Five

“Speed Racer”

Speed Racer’s signature car was designed and built by his father, Pops Racer. This isn’t your traditional racing machine. The car’s steering wheel hub features seven buttons, lettered A-G. Each button activates a customized accessory, such as Frogger Mode, which supplies the cockpit with oxygen and raises a periscope should Mach Five ever go underwater.

Ferrari 308 GTS

“Magnum, P.I.”

In case Thomas Magnum’s life wasn’t enviable enough, he also drove the world’s coolest Ferrari. Three different model years were used throughout the show’s eight-year run. A 1984 version driven by Tom Selleck sold for $181,500 in 2017

What’s your favorite television car? Did we miss any great ones? Let us know in the comments below!

Do you have your own collector car? Protect it with insurance from AAA and Hagerty.