Wednesday Travel Ticker: L.A. hotels shine

Two Los Angeles hotels, Hotel Bel-Air and the Redbury, have made Fodor’s list of new and noteworthy hotels of 2011. . . . Projected (and weather-dependent) openings for Tahoe ski resorts: Northstar-at-Tahoe, Friday (Nov. 18); Squaw Valley USA, Nov. 23; Alpine Meadows, Dec. 10. . . . Marking the return of the rodeo finals, Fremont Street Experience is hosting its 25th Annual Downtown Hoedown Wednesday, Nov. 30. . . . W Los Angeles - Westwood is transforming its pool deck into a winter getaway complete with an ice skating rink and a rink-side lounge. Skate packages start at $299. . . . CNN reports that a North Carolina couple is suing AirTran Airways, alleging that cockroaches crawled out of air vents and overhead carry-on bins during a flight from Charlotte to Houston in September. . . . Thomas the Tank Engine makes his debut at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk this season, Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 3-18; Cost: $28. For info, click here . . . . Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara is holding a winter wine festival, an unlimited tasting of premium wines Dec. 4. Tickets $100. For info, click here. . . . Fly.com’s five most-searched holiday destinations of the year: 1. Orlando, Fla. 2. New York City 3. Los Angeles 4. Las Vegas 5. Fort Lauderdale…..Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay holds its boat decorating contest Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m. . . . . Visits from North Americans to Ireland from October 2010 through September 2011 increased 11%, the country reported . . . . Travel quote of the day: “Boston’s freeway system is insane. It was clearly designed by a person who had spent his childhood crashing toy trains.”
(Bill Bryson)