The second section of The Sunday Times carried the travel pages. Based on the articles and ads, New Yorkers most likely would not be traveling to far away destinations for their summer vacations that first year after the war. Of course, with much of Europe still in rubble and short of food, it would not have been a particularly fun destination in 1946.
One feature story warned that if you had not already made a reservation, you could pretty much rule out a cruise. Most of the larger cruise ships had not yet been overhauled and retrofitted for a return to passenger service. Travelers would have to rely on trains, automobiles or planes to get around, a much easier prospect now that rationing and restrictions had been lifted.
The travel column noted that Denmark was requiring that all visitors have proof of accommodations before they arrived. Bermuda took an ad all but asking people not to come. The country announced that it was not yet ready to play host to a large number of visitors and advised anyone planning a trip there to secure hotel reservations in advance and possess a round-trip ticket with a definite day of departure.
A feature story noted that dude ranches out west were expecting a boom season. Many already were fully booked for the summer season and were having trouble hiring staff and renovating their facilities. West Virginia was opening its park cabins early this year due to the increased demand. The Canadian railway was partnering in a tour package to the Gaspe Peninsula.
Closer to home, the Manhattan sightseeing boats that circled the island would begin their seasonal operations on April 20, initially departing from West 42nd Street and later from the Battery, stopping at 42nd St to pick up additional passengers. They had a lecturer on board to point out the sights and sold sandwiches and soft drinks. Another article explored the hiking trails of nearby Rockland County.
Ads were plentiful for hotels in Atlantic City and elsewhere on the Jersey shore as well as for resorts big and small in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Berkshires and Poconos. Tours were offered to California, the US national parks, the Canadian Rockies and Mexico. The hotels in Miami Beach were well represented and American Airlines advertised its direct flights to Miami on twin-engine DC-3s as well as service to Washington D.C., Richmond and Lumberton, NC. Lumberton? What's in Lumberton? Or was it a refueling stop?
Aviation also was covered in the travel pages. The aviation column said the era of the private flier had begun according to the exhibitors at the National Aviation Show which had closed Saturday night at the Grand Central Palace. More than 100 private planes were bought at the show. Grand Central Palace was an exhibition hall that frequently hosted trade shows. It occupied the block between 44th and 45th, Park and Lexington where a high-rise office tower now stands.
The aviation column also noted that veterans could use their educational benefits under the GI bill for flight training. The CAA was able to offer guidance on the courses. The Philadelphia baseball team was chartering a TWA plane to travel to Chicago for an upcoming game. This was the first time an American baseball team would be traveling by air for a game since Pearl Harbor according to the column.