Thousands of visitors are expected to fill the streets of Indianapolis throughout the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, 2012.

While many of those out-of-town guests will dedicate their time in the Circle City to football-related activities, it’s important to realize that Indianapolis has many other types of attractions and offerings. ... Read More

I love most restaurants but like everyone else, a few stand out in my mind as favorites. Additionally, getting a good deal is always a bonus.

The places I mention below prove that food doesn’t need to be fancy to be good. It can be as simple as putting love in your pies, adding whimsy to hot dogs or cooking a burger just right — all of which will have people coming back for years to come.  ... Read More

Unlike Alice on an adventure in Wonderland, I don’t need a little card demanding, “Eat me!” to reach for the cake. You see, I have a raging sweet tooth. Whenever I smell freshly baked cookies, for example, my desire to eat them is like a five-year-old child having a tantrum on the floor.

The logical “parent” part of my brain lectures me on the consequences of failed exercise routines and excessive fat consumption while reminding me of the extra pounds I’ve gained lately. The five-year-old part simply doesn’t care. ... Read More

AAA’s Las Vegas eTourBook guide was awarded the 2012 Non-Fiction Publishing Innovation Award from Digital Book World. The Publishing Innovation Awards honor publishers of the most innovative ebooks, enhanced ebooks and book apps in 14 categories.

Currently 91 AAA eTourBook guides are available, with 10 additions planned for release by the end of February. Each title in the series highlights a top North American travel destination and provides detailed information, listings for AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants, AAA Editor’s Picks for attractions, events and nightlife, and other proprietary travel information available exclusively through AAA. ... Read More

Indianapolis is buzzing in anticipation of hosting Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, 2012. While final preparations are still being made, it’s important for both local residents and out-of-town guests to understand how standard traffic patterns are going to change for the event, especially around Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center and the Super Bowl Village along the downtown area’s Georgia Street.

In fact, the Indianapolis Host Committee has prepared a variety of tips (noted below) to help with navigation into and around the Circle City.... Read More

AAA announced today the 126 lodgings and 53 restaurants that earned the AAA/CAA Five Diamond Award® designation for 2012. These select establishments represent just 0.3 percent of the total 59,000 AAA/CAA Approved and Diamond Rated lodgings and restaurants.

Among the 16 new additions for 2012 are first-ever Five Diamond establishments for Rhode Island and Antigua. In the restaurant category, New York tops the list for growth with three new Five Diamond establishments. California is the only state to grow in both categories, with two additional lodgings and one restaurant. ... Read More

Modified from story written by William J. Purpura and originally appeared in AAA's Home & Away magazine.

Bobbie Thomas’ path to NBC’s Today show is best described as unconventional. During her three years of graduate studies, she volunteered as an advocate and counselor at the Valley Trauma Center in Van Nuys, Calif., a rape crisis treatment facility.

Later she served as the West Coast editor and columnist for two national teen magazines, J-14 and Twist. Soon, Thomas found herself moving from print to television, doing work for Fox, CNN, VH-1, MTV, ABC, Style Network, E! News and Extra.

Her work is part fashion, part beauty and part female empowerment. ... Read More

San Francisco is one of the world’s great restaurant cities. In addition to a plethora of Four and Five Diamond establishments, it offers a global smorgasbord of savory delights, not to mention the bounty of nature’s table by way of the greater Bay Area’s many organic farms.

But I’m here to help answer the question of where you can turn when you need to fill your stomach without relying on an expense account or owning a wallet that faints at the thought of Gary Danko or The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton. What if you just want to eat some good, well-prepared food that won’t break the bank? Keep reading; I have some recommendations. ... Read More

Tailgating has two definitions according to Wikipedia. One involves driving too closely behind another vehicle, which as a professional driver and a AAA employee, I do not condone. 

The other is a social event that takes place around the tailgate of a vehicle and “involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food.” While correct, this simple definition lacks the tradition, the spirit and the overall sense of camaraderie that tailgating brings to fellow sports fans. ... Read More

Unsure of what’s happening Martin Luther King Jr. Day? For ideas of things to do this January 16, check out the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Events blog post. 

Popular activities include cook-offs, commemorations and celebrations. The calendar of events list is compiled by AAA travel editors. Search for additional event listings at AAA.com/travel. ... Read More