Ever heard of a Silent Disco?

Well, you wouldn’t actually hear it. It’s silent, right?  But you could watch one on Oct. 29, when Traverse City adds yet another entry to its list of fall happenings: the first-ever Old Town Halloween Carnival and Monster’s Ball. And it’s a spooky sight to behold.

In a Silent Disco, dancers are issued wireless headphones through which music is broadcast via an FM transmitter. It’s the perfect eerie effect for a Halloween street party, since everyone appears to be moving to no discernible music at all. (An added benefit is that non-dancers don’t have to shout at each other over the music, and the neighbors don’t call the cops to report you for making a public nuisance.)

Already known among Halloween cognoscenti for its ghoulish  5K Zombie Run footrace, where shambling “zombie” runners chase down normal-looking “survivors,” and the unspeakable cuteness of its kid-friendly Downtown Halloween Walk, Traverse City seems determined to make itself the Halloween capital of the Midwest with yet another event.

Photo credit: Porterhouse Productions

Billed as “the largest Halloween event in Northern Michigan,” the Oct. 29 Halloween Carnival and Monster’s Ball starts with a Saturday morning “Monster Pancake Throwdown” – a contest among local chefs in this bastion of culinary competitiveness for the title of Best Pancake in Traverse City. Pancakes will be served out with a host of other locally-produced sausages, eggs, jams, syrups and ciders. Family-style fun continues from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a kids’ costume contest, a haunted bouncy castle, old-school carnival games, Halloween creatures, a pneumatic “virtual hearse ride,” a pumpkin pie-eating contest, performances by local bands and dancers and other fun.

But things really begin to happen after dark, when the streets are taken over by the Monster’s Ball, with local food, wines and microbrews, and music from live bands and DJs. Entertainment will include the last live performance of Michigan dance-rock group Ella Riot (this will be the band’s farewell show), a costume contest featuring premium prizes, and an all-night Silent Disco dance party featuring DJ Body Rock and Wally Sparks (of Ella Riot), DJ Dominate and others.

Tickets for the Old Town Halloween Carnival & Monsters’ Ball can be purchased online at www.porterhouseproductions.com.

Travel + Leisure has released their list of America’s most historic, charming, and downright beautiful neighborhoods, and folks across the country are bound to have strong opinions about which towns were left off the list. I’m happy to say I’ve personally spent time in four of the ten neighborhoods selected, and the others are now on my short list. I was surprised to see parts of Baltimore, Oklahoma City and Houston on this list, and you may be surprised by some of the other selections.

Check out the article and let us know which ‘hoods you think should have made the list, and which ones you think were deservedly named “Most Beautiful.”

Photo credit: Travel + Leisure / Nik Wheeler/ Alamy

Boeing’s newest and highly-anticipated aircraft, the 787 “Dreamliner” finally took off for Tokyo last week. It is scheduled to make its first commercial flight on October 26, with Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA).

The Dreamliner provides unprecedented fuel efficiency and travel comforts, and many industry experts expect the aircraft to revolutionize commercial flight.

Photo credit: Boeing

The Dreamliner is faster, lighter and more eco-friendly, thanks to new fuel-efficient technology and an external structure of composite materials instead of aluminum.

Travelers will experience more natural light from wider windows, a wider variety of in-flight entertainment, and higher humidity to alleviate dry eyes and headaches. The plane also sports larger drop-down luggage bins, and buttons to adjust light coming into the cabin, in place of window shades.

Experts consider the new 787 to be the prototype of air travel in the future, and that future may be here sooner than you expect. According to Boeing, there are 821 planes on order so far, which means you might be booking your own flight on a 787 in the not-too-distant future.

In just 17 days, LEGOLAND, Florida is set to open its doors to the biggest Lego park in the world. The park will offer a mix of over 50 rides, shows and attractions, including never before seen Lego models. Daytona International Speedway is re-created from more than 180,000 Lego pieces and 1000 “Minilanders,” as the Lego citizens are called, and allows visitors to race against each other by pressing a button to launch their cars.

Other interactive elements for families to enjoy together will include Pirate’s Cove with a live water-stunt show, and “Miniland” featuring New York City, Las Vegas, Washington DC and more, all created from hundreds of thousands of Lego pieces. You really have to see it to believe it!

Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND, Florida

Check out the huge countdown clock at http://florida.legoland.com and start planning a trip today to this unique family-friendly spot!

Google flight search launched last week, and it’s already become the buzz of the travel industry and travelers everywhere. It’s fast, fun to use, and easy to get the results you’re looking for.

Try this for inspiration: enter your departure city and the dates you’re thinking about traveling. Voila! Cities pop up with prices for flights on those dates. Click a destination and instantly get flight times and details, then narrow down by airline, frequent flier program, flight length and more.

The only thing you can’t do — so far — is book your flight. Head on over to your favorite airline website for that. And if you want to research an international flight, you’re out of luck — at least for now. But we’re sure it’s coming soon, along with lots more helpful travel features we’re sure they’ve got up their sleeve.

Google Flights