A salute to Ocean City

-- and to summer

Here's to the long, lazy, sunlit days of summer. Here’s to bathing suits and flip-flops and beaches and boardwalks, where, as the Drifters famously sang, “You can almost taste the hot dogs and french fries they sell.”

And here’s to one of America’s finest boardwalks, the 2 1/2-mile wooden walk that borders the beach in Ocean City, Md. Cover its length by walking or biking or taking a tram. And never mind almost tasting the french fries. Stand in line for some of the real thing at Thrashers. They are easily the finest fries I’ve had anywhere.

Like boardwalks everywhere, this one has its share of razzle-dazzle attractions, from whirling rides to a Believe It or Not museum with a pretend shark bursting through the building, to shops that sell enough T-shirts to clothe everyone in Maryland. But the boardwalk is clean and wide, with a lot of benches, many of them containing plaques that memorialize relatives who both loved the boardwalk and brought sunshine into the lives of many. There are dining options galore, and there is a unique lifesaving museum.

There are hotels, too, dozens upon dozens of them snuggled right up against the beach. Some have porch chairs where you can rock your cares away as you watch waves wash up on the beach.

So here's to Ocean City, and to all the summers of our lives.

Essay and photos by Richard P. Carpenter

Along with Branson, you get lakeside living

Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa, which is near the many attractions of Branson, Mo., has a  “Stay 2 nights, and get the 3rd night free” offer Sunday-Thursday nights through Oct. 1. In addition to accommodations, the offer features complimentary use of paddleboats, sea canoes and kayaks at the resort’s Chateau Marina on Table Rock Lake; complimentary use of the 24-hour fitness center; nightly movies in the resort’s Sassafras Theatre; and free meals for children 5 and under with a paying adult.

Call 888-333-LAKE (5253). The Web site is www.Chateauonthelake.com.

What's in a name?

Big Ben, London's famous clock, began telling the time 150 years ago today. But how did it get its name? That remains a mystery. One theory holds that it was named for Chief Commissioner of Works Benjamin Hall. But another maintains that the name honors  Benjamin Caunt, a popular heavyweight boxer nicknamed Big Ben.  But there are no records, so we'll never know. But to learn the many things that are known about Parliament's legendary clock, click here.

A chance for teens to see the real Berlin

Berlin's Hotel de Rome has partnered with Berlin Teen to let teenage travelers 14 and over the opportunity to experience Berlin the way the locals do.  Responsible English-speaking students will accompany the teenagers. Activities include a tour of hip and trendy clubs, a guided street art tour,  a tour of World War II bunkers, a guided bike tour along the trail of the former Berlin Wall, and a guided Segway tour of the city.  Parents who book a deluxe room or a junior suite will getc the second room free, plus a complimentary breakfast buffet. Rates begin at about $750 a night.

Click here or call 888-667-9477.

Fascinating fact

By a quirk of the law, the queen of England owns all wild mute swans living in open water. 

Now just what does the National Park Service mean by the sign on this bin at the Grand Canyon? Is this anything like trailer trash?

(Photo by Richard P. Carpenter)

We're still traveling, but perhaps not as far

Despite the rough economy, most families are still planning summer vacations, but some changes have been made. A new survey yielded these results:

* 82 percent plan to take vacations.

* 33 percent of those families, however, are spending less time or money on trips this year.

* Families who are not traveling cite economic concerns.

* Fifty-six percent are taking shorter trips.

* Forty-one percent are driving instead of flying.

* Forty percent are figuring out ways to eat out less often while on vacation.

The survey was commissioned by Disney Family.com, which has ideas on helping parents make the most of the summer. For the site's travel section, click here.

What's in a name?

Butt Hole Road in South Yorkshire, England, was recently renamed Archers Way. Wonder why.

Telluride has a summer season, too

Mention Telluride, Colo., and most people immediately think of skiing and other winter activities. But there's a lot doing in summer, too, such as music, food, wine and film festivals, and many free activities. What's more, it can cost as much as 50 percent less to stay there. Lodging in both Telluride and Mountain Village now starts at $49 per person per night. A 4th Night Free special is also available, along with golf and spa packages. But let's get to the free stuff. No-charge activities include gondola rides, fly fishing, hiking, mountain biking, cultural events and concerts.

Visit http://www.tellurideskiresort.com/ (and never mind that "ski" is part of the Web site's address) or call 800-778-8581.

Here's a chance to give back just a little bit

People who travel to other countries, expecially Third World ones, are often struck by the poverty they encounter. A simple way to help a tiny bit is to visit the Hunger Site. Just a click on the various icons, with no purchase necessary, ensures a donation to fight hunger, improve literacy, protect animals and even help save the rainforest.
Visit http://www.thehungersite.com/.

A travel joke, of sorts

A man was crossing into Mexico on bicycle. At the inspection station the official noticed he was bringing several bags in. What's in the bag?" the guard asked. "Sand," said the cyclist. Sure enough, an inspection showed nothing but sand. Two weeks later, the same thing happened and only sand was found. This went on every week for six months. Then one day the guard happened to meet the cyclist downtown. "Say, you sure had us crazy," said the guard. "We knew you were smuggling something across the border. I won't say a word, but what is it you were smuggling?" And the man answered:

"Bicycles!"

Prices drop on European hotels

TourCrafters is discounting rates on impressive hotels in Spain, France, Greece and Turkey by up to 25 percent. Some examples from Italy: In Rome, the four-star Hotel Cicerone has reduced the price of a double room from $406 to $324 a night. The four-star Hotel Beverly Hillshas lowered its prices from $366 to $304. Florence's Plaza Hotel Lucchesi has reduced rates from $384 double to $306 double. Even in pricey Venice, there savings. The four-star Sofitel has cut the cost of its$528 rooms to $378. And the three-star Hotel Malibran, on a hidden square near the Rialto Bridge, has lowered the price of its air-conditioned, Venetian-style rooms from $220 to $198.

Visit http://www.tourcrafters.com/ or call 800-482-5995.

A taste of Scotland -- and its famed whisky

Strathisla Distillery on Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail (Photo by VisitScotland.com)

Scotch whisky and Scotland go together like ... welll, scotch and soda. Nowadays, aficionados can tour several top distilleries and visit themed events while staying at one of Connoisseurs Scotland’s 23 upscale hotels. Three of Scotland's most popular distillery attractions are located near one or moreof those properties. For example:

* The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa is close to the Malt Whisky Trail,  a 68-mile route through the glens of Speyside, connecting several distilleries. The five-star country hotel is offering a Partner Stay Free package, allowing a second guest to stay at no extra charge when a single rate Executive or Deluxe room is booked Monday-Thursday. A full Scottish breakfast is included.
* Whisky Live takes place in cities from Glasgow to Tokyo, bringing together hundreds of different whiskies for tasting by both industry professionals and novices. Hotel du Vin, in Glasgow's  fashionable West End,  is offering a free half or whole bottle of Macallan to those booking Standard/Club or Superior rooms, respectively, and a complimentary in-house whisky tasting to those booking suites. 
* The Glasshouse, Edinburgh’s five-star boutique hotel, is convenient to Glenkinchie, the 19th-century distillery known for its single malt whisky. The Glasshouse is currently offering three nights for the price of two, with regular prices starting at  $250 per room per night, with full breakfast included. Scottish whisky's name is derived from name is derived from "usige beatha," which is Gaelic for "water of life." So live it up, responsibly of course.

For more information on Connoisseur's Scotland, click here.

Thursday's trivia answer

Canada has the world's largest coastline at  243792 kilometers or 15,1485 miles (including the coastline of the country's 52,455 islands). Good citizens that they are, Canadians contribute around $1 billion a year to help protect the coast from erosion and pollution.

Smile brightly, and Orlando may reward you richly

Orlando, Fla.,  is looking for a pair or people with great smiles and a lot of stamina. Their assignment will be to to experience every attraction in Orlando over 67 consecutive days, the time it would take to try the more than 100 attractions in this sunny land of theme parks and alligators, and share their adventures with the world via social media outlets and interviews. The Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau calls this campaign “Orlando Makes Me Smile.”  The pair will stay free in a two-bedroom downtown condo and will be given cell phones, digital video and still cameras, a rental car and $25,000. The experiences will include everything from roller-coaster riding to hang gliding, swimming with dolphins, spa-ing, golfing, gator wrestling, museum exploring, theater-going and dining.

Interested? Get all the details here. And smile. 

Worth quoting

"It's one of the prettiest states in our great country" -- Frank Sinatra, in concert. The Chairman knew whereof he spoke.

By the beautiful sea in Oxnard, Calif.

Oh, to be on the beach in California. Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort, which lays claim to being the only all-suite resort in southern California that sits directly on the beach, has a trio of similar offers.  The Summer Getaway Package includes three nights' accommodations, a $50 dining credit, an in-room movie or one-hour Nintendo play, two bike rentals, parking and Internet access. Prices start at $750. The Summer Fun Package is good for five nights, a $100 dining credit, two movies or two hours of Nintendo, three bike rentals, parking and Internet. The price begins at $1,250. With the Summer Vacation Package, the stay is seven nights, and the dining credit $150, along with  three movies or three hours of Nintendo, four bike rentals, and the parking and Internet. Rates begin at $1,750.

Call 805-984-2500. For hotel information, click here.

The wide world of the Web

Hotelicopter is among the latest Web sites promising great deals on hotels. The site searches more than 30 other travel sites for deals. Helicopter gained some notoriety on April Fools Day when it floated a story about a flying hotel, and people who should have known better reported it as true.

Visit www.helicopter.com.

Fascinating fact

The King Ranch in South Texas, with 82,5000 acres, is bigger than the state of Rhode Island, with 77,6957 acres. 

Keep the kids quiet with a free coloring map

A coloring-game map of the U.S. from "Miles of Smiles: 101 Great Car Games & Activities" can be downloaded free. When the kids spot a license plate, they color in that state, an activity that seems better than watching a DVD, zombie-like, in the car. The book, by  Carole Terwilliger Meyers, has games and activities  with travel-related themes.

For the game map, click here.

                                      

Wild horses couldn't drag you away from Assateague

Neither car nor camper can deter the horses of Assateague Island from their daily dining. (Story and photo by Richard P. Carpenter)

They're not very wild and they're not really ponies. Nonetheless, the legendary Wild Ponies of Assateague Island are well worth seeing, as is the rest of this 37-mile-long barrier island.

Depending upon where you are standing, Assateague, located in both Maryland an Virginia, is a national seashore, a state park and a wildlife refuge. Again, depending where you are, the attractions are off-roading, camping, birding and wildlife watching. During a recent visit, I was treated to the relatively rare sight of a hummingbird in its nest.

The big attraction, though are those equines, who have inhabited the island for some 300 years. There are some 130 of them on the Maryland side, but they don't make appointments for you to view them, so on a given day, you may see a few or a lot. I saw about 10 during my visit, and while it's true they have not been domesticated and ridden, most seem tame and will hardly gallop away at the sight of you. In facts, signs put up by the national park service, which owns and manages the animals, tell you not to feed them. And while some may look like ponies, many experts will tell you they are actually small horses. On Chincoteague Island on the Virginia side, meanwhile, horses are owned by the Volunteer Fire Department, and every July there is a roundup, during which the horses may splash through the sea, and an auction. The Maryland and Virginia horses are separated by fences at the border between the states. 

How did the horses get to Assateague in the first place? There are all kinds of mythical or magical explanations, and some believe they were survivors of a Spanish ship that sank in a storm.  But research turns up a more mundane explanation: At least some were put there by colonial planters to dodge livestock taxes and fencing rules.

For more information on this unusual island and its sights, click here and here and here.

Philly loves you so much that it will give you a gift

As part of the new With Love, Philadelphia XOXO campaign, visitors who book one of the nearly 100 packages on www.gophila.com/withlove will get a gift at check-in. The giveaway includes a Philadelphia Privileges coupon book, a five-pack of With Love postcards and a With Love pin, along with other brochures, coupons and maps. Starting rates range from $77 -$415 per night, and packages have perks that are based on a variety of interests. Examples: Star Trek: the Exhibition. Franklin Institute Science Museum, Spa and Romance, and Family Fun.

After checking the Web site, visitors can book their selected packages online or by calling their chosen hotel directly.

What's in a pronunciation?

Britain pronounces the Thames River as "Tems," but in Newport, R.I., the river of the same name is pronounced "Thaymes."

What's in a location?

Most of the 3.8-mile Las Vegas Strip is not in Las Vegas but in Paradise and Winchester, Nev.

Park Plaza celebrates summer in Boston

The Boston Park Plaza Hotel has four new summer packages. The Copley Place Shopping Package features a one-night stay, two $50 American Express Copley Place Gift Cards, and two Copley Place gift bags. Rates start at $259, and persons booking should use rate code CPSHOP. The Take Me Out to the Ball Game Father's Day Package includes a night's stay and two right field box tickets for the Sox vs. Braves game on June 20 or 21. The package is available Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21, with rates starting at $369.The rate code is FENWAY1. The Dinner & the Movies Package includes a two-night stay, breakfast buffet for two, an n-room dinner for two, and two tickets for Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour. Rates start at $499 and the code is DANDM. And then there's Fireworks on the Fourth, which features an overnight stay, two amenities that include supplies to view the city's famed fireworks from the Esplanade. The rate is $239 and the code is 4th2009.

Visit www.bostonparkplaza.com or call 617-426-2000.

Trivial question

Which country has the world's longest coastline? (It is not necessarily the world's largest country.) Answer Friday.

Golf for free at New Hampshire resort

The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch, N.H., has a Golf Free Package available Sunday-Thursday through June 30 and from Sept. 1 to the end of golf season for $119 per person, per night. The package includes lodging, breakfast, and unlimited rounds of golf on the resort's Donald Ross-designed golf course. The package is available now through June 30th and from September 1st through the end of golf season.

For details, click here. For resort information, visit www.thebalsams.com.

There's never been a rewards program quite like this one

The Memory Walk and garden at the Captain Lord Mansion.

Frequent-stay programs at lodging places are nothing new, but none is quite like the program at the Captain Lord Mansion in Kennebunkport, Maine (www.captainlord.com).

Shortly after arriving home, each new guest is sent an engraved pen and a $25 gift certificate for their next stay. On their second stay, fresh baked cookies are awaiting them in their room. Then,  every fifth visit, guests receive special gifts. The fifth visit gets them a cut-glass bud vase.  On the 10th stay, the guests' names are engraved on a marker and placed into the inn's Memory Walk, which has expanded to almost encircle the yard. The 15th visit brings them a cut- glass candy dish, and the 20th a cut-glass vase. For the 25th, it's cobalt blue salt and pepper shakers with silver tops.

After the 25th visit, hosts Rick Litchfield and Bev Davis get creative depending upon the guests' interests. Kathi and Hal Nelson, from Boston area, will have their 80th stay at the Captain Lord Mansion in July. For their 75th visit, Kathi Nelson received a solid gold lobster claw necklace with a diamond in the claw. Because Hal is a Red Sox fan, he received a Daisuke Matsuzaka Red Sox shirt.

And this year? It will be a surprise, but we can say that it involves a harbor cruise.  Lucky them.

A delectable Disney dining deal

Walt DisneyWorld guests buying a five-night/six-day room and theme park ticket package for stays most nights from Aug. 16 to Oct. 3 get a free Disney Dining Plan. The plan includes one quick-service meal, one snack and one table-service meal at up to 100 restaurants for each night of the stay. Thus, says Disney, a family of four can get a five-night stay at a select resort and a six-day Magic Your Way base park ticket, with free dining,  for as little as $1,390.

Visit www.disneyworld.com, call 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639) or see a travel agent and ask for package code RYH.

Oh, those wise-cracking flight attendants!

Illustration by Boeing

Flight attendants must get tired of making the same announcements and instructions several times a day, so some attendants give them a new twist. Here, from a variety of online sources plus the evidence of my own ears, are some announcements heard (or allegedly heard) on planes:

* There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only six ways out of this airplane.”

* Please turn off all BlackBerries and also blueberries and raspberries.

* You'll find the smoking section on the wing of the aircraft.

* Be sure to take all of your belongings. But if you're going to leave something, make it something we'd enjoy having.

* We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.

* Weather at our destination is 60 degrees with broken clouds, but we'll try to fix them before we arrive.

* We thank you for flying with us, and the next time you get an urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of us!

All-in-one summer fun in Waterville Valley, N.H.

In New Hampshire, Waterville Valley Resort's all-inclusive Summer Unlimited package lets  visitors to selected accommodations  pay one fee for a range of activities. In June, prices start at $37 per person, for a family of four. Included are two hours of mountain biking daily, a ride on Snow's Mountain Chair Lift, unlimited tennis, unlimited use of the White Mountain Athletic Club, unlimited ice skating, daily golf, unlimited transportation, boating on Corcoran's Pond, and gym programs. There are also a-la-carte optional programs.

For more information or reservations, go to www.visitwatervillevalley.com or call 800-GO VALLEY (468-2553). 

Fascinating fact

There is one slot machine in metropolitan Las Vegas for every nine residents. The area has about 200,000 slots and approximately 1.8 million people.

Eloise packages at NYC's Plaza Hotel

Do children still read the "Eloise" books. Apparently so, because come June 1, the Plaza Hotel in New York is going to offer Live Like Eloise and Live Like Eloise Slumber Party packages in honor of its most famous and mischievous fictional guest, Kay Thompson’s Eloise. Neither is inexpensive. The Live Like Eloise package includes overnight accommodations in a Deluxe Rose Suite, a complimentary upgrade to the next available suite category at time of booking, a copy of the Eloise book, a Super Duper Sundae from in-room dining, and Eloise postcards with complimentary postage. Rates are from $895 a night. And if you think that's pricey, try the Slumber Party package for up to six guests, which includes overnight accommodations in a Plaza Suite, a copy of Kay Thompson’s "Eloise Guide to Life: or How to Eat, Dress, Travel, Behave and Stay Six Forever" (would that we could),  Super Duper Sundaes from in-room dining,  Eloise postcards with complimentary postage, and an assortment of Eloise DVD’s accompanied by Eloise’s favorite movie snacks. Rates begin at $3,595 a night.

For details on both packages, click here or call 888-240-7775. For hotel information, visit www.fairmont.com/theplaza. 

Ride 'em Elvis: Graceland opens its stables

Beginning today, Graceland in Memphis will open its stables to the public. Elvis, you see,   "was happiest when riding horses," says ex-wife Priscilla. Among the equine attractions is Maxc From Maine, age 3, who was rescued from being euthanized, and Sun's Reflection, a relative of Elvis' golden palomino Rising Sun. Elvis Presley's Stable Tour at Graceland costs $8-$15.
For details on this and other Graceland tours, click here. 

Tangier: a Virginia island that's like no other

Top, golf carts are the preferred method of getting around. Bottonm, the Methodist parsonage.

(Story and photos by Richard P. Carpenter)

The first thing you notice on Virginia's Tangier Island are the accents. They are none like you've heard before, largely Elizabethan with a dollop of Virginian as well.

There's a reason for those unique accents. The island was settled in 1686 by people from Cornwall, England, and their isolation from the mainland of Virginia and Maryland, a dozen or so miles away, has kept that method of talking relatively intact.

Tangier, though, would be fascinating to visit even without those accents. Some 600 residents inhabit this 900-acre island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and, not surprisingly, most make their livings by fishing and crabbing. There are two churches, one Methodist and the other non-denominational, two schools and one policeman, whose official car is a PT Cruiser. (Good thing the island has virtually no crime. People get around the island by golf cart, motorcycles, bicycles and cars but there are only about 20 of the latter. Seven artesian wells provide the water supply.

The same family names keep cropping up, Crockett, Pruitt and Parks among them. "No, we're not all related," said one resident. They all know each other, though. How could they not in an island this small. They are susceptible to "outside" influences, though. They watch television largely by satellite and get on the Internet, mostly by dial-up. Residents have their own boat to take them to and from the mainland. No liquor can be bought or sold on Tangier Island, but there is no law against bringing a supply back during those mainland visits.

Tangier Island is accessible by commercial boats from Onancock and Reedville, Va., and Crisfield, Md. The ride takes a little over an hour, and residents are welcome indeed. For those who want to stay longer, there are three bed-and-breakfasts. One of them, Hilda Crockett's served a lunch so hearty -- there were crabcakes, clam fritters, ham and corn pudding -- that I felt no need to have dinner that evening.

For more information on the island, click here and here.

Travel tip

During flights, especially long ones, passengers' feet tend to swell. Consider wearing Crocs or other loose-fitting shoes, then changing to more traditional footwear after landing.

Family savings in St. Thomas

Summertime is savings time in the Caribbean. For instance, the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa in St. Thomas,has an an all-inclusive SunValue Island Getaway package available through Aug. 24. The price starts at $387 per room, per night, for two adults staying four nights or more, but here comes the good part: That price includes unlimited food and beverages, entertainment, non-motorized water activities and half-day access to the supervised Kids Club. Children under 12 who share a room with their parents stay, play and eat (from the children’s menu) at no additional charge. The cost for children ages 13 to 17 who stay in the same room with their parents is $95 per child per night. And for those concerned about the new passport rules, those documents are not required for US citizens who visit the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For that offer, click here or call 877-999-3223 and mention code PKGAIP. For resort information and other offers, visit http://www.wyndhamsugarbay.com/.

Monday's trivia answer

Sitka, Alaska, is the largest municipality in the United States by area, with a total area of 4,811.5 square miles. Of that amount, 1,937.6 square miles, or 40.27 percent, is water.

Let your dad heed the call of the wild

Looking for a memorable Father's Day gift? The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta is offering its first annual "men's only" weekend, July 3-5. The package features two nightsat the lodge, which is in the Canadian Rockies; a men's barbecue; two breakfasts and one lunch; a poker night; transfers to and from Jasper; unlimited onsite recreational rentals, including canoes, kayaks, and bikes; and a choice of one of the following: a whitewater rafting excursion,
guided fly fishing, or golf at the lodge. The cost is $1,244 based on double occupancy.

Call 800-441-1414. To learna bput the lodge, visit www.fairmont.com/jasper.

Worth quoting

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.

-- Robert Louis Stevenson

Let us now praise great tour guides

Photo by Austin-Lehman Adventures

A great guide actually knows what he is talking about and can convey his enthusiasm to all ages.

Over the years I have had some wonderful tour guides, and I have had some wretched ones. Why the difference?  Some of the traits, such as dedication to, and passion for, the job are obvious. But Dan Austin, co-founder and director of Austin-Lehman Adventures, cites a few traits than can make a guide not merely good but great. For instance:

Having ESP. No, really. The best guides are naturally intuitive, with the innate ability to foretell what a guest is thinking or wanting. 

Handling the unexpected. They have a Plan B ready in case of such things as sudden weather changes, lodging snafus and road delays.

Multi-tasking.They can quickly switch from chauffeur, coach,and doctor, to teacher, culinary wizard, athlete, mechanic, social worker and psychologist. 

Having a sense of humor. They can help even the most bashful particpants break out of their shells , thus creating bonds among strangers. 

Yes, there are times when even independent travelers wish they had a good guide around when confusion crops up. Everyone can use a guardian angel now and then.

Fascinating fact

New York's Central Park, consisting of 843 acres, is almost twice as big as the country of Monaco, with 485 acres. In 56 minutes, the average person can walk across the width of Monaco, which is  the second smallest country in the world, after Vatican City, which has 108 acres. 

See Cirque du Soleil in Toronto, for free

As part of Toronto's Luminato Festival, Cirque du Soleil will give free performances on the city's waterfront, June 12-14. That, of course, is just one of many events during the festival, June 5-14.

For festival details, including other free events and money-saving packages, go to www.luminato.com.

Worth quoting

The wise traveler learns not to repeat successes but tries new places all the time.

                                                                                                                      -- Paul Fussell

An online magazine all about Hawaii

Some say that one day we may real all of our magazines electronically. In any event, you can now read about Hawaii in that manner.  The Magazine is  published by the vacation-planning website Hawaii.com, with breezy page-turning technology. The first issue contains features about what you don't know about our 50th state, Father Damien, the whales of Maui, Kualoa Ranch, and the isle of Lanai.

   Visit www.hawaii.com/magazine.

Summer savings on cruises in France

France Cruises, which conducts luxury canal and river sailings, has cut prices for July and August. One example:  A $2,000-per-couple discount is available on  July 25 and Aug. 15 departures of the 16-day rand Exploration of France. Cruisegoers spend a week in Southern France aboard the MV Princesse de Provence, embarking and disembarking in Lyon. After an included TGV transfer to Paris halfway through the trip, they board the MV Cezanne for a week-long cruise, embarking and disembarking in Paris. Eleven guided land excursions are included. Prices start at  $2,925 per person.

For details, click here. For information on all trips, visit www.francecruises.com.

Trivial question

By area (not population), what is the largest municipality in the United States? (Answer Tuesday.)

States where drivers had better toe the line, or else

With the first major driving holiday of the summer underway, the National Motorists Association  has analyzed laws across the country to determine the best and the worst states
when it comes to exploiting the motoring public. The rankings were based upon traffic laws, enforcement practices, and the treatment of traffic ticket defendants.

And the winner is ... New Jersey!

With its toll roads, roadblocks, and speed traps, New Jersey knows how to extract cash cash from motorists, according to the association . The state  also recently pushed through a red-light camera pilot project, and then there are  "driver responsibility" fees.

The rest of the top 10, in order, are  Ohio, Maryland, Louisiana,  New York, Illinois, Delaware, Virginia, Washington and my state,  Massachusetts.

On the other hand,  the five states that the association says treated motorists most fairly are Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and Kentucky.

For a complete list of rankings, click here. To learn about the National Motorists Association (and to see if you agree with the group's goals, etc.), visit www.motorists.org.

A Yelllowstone family adventure, for all abilities

Wilderness Inquiry, which caters to travelers of all abilities including the disabled has a variety of Yellowstone National Park packages. One of them, for $695, is the five-night Yellowstone Pack and Paddle. Participants set up base camp at Grant Village and explore Old Faithful, Dunraven Pass and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. There will be geysers, thermal pools, mountains, lakes, canyons and other natural wonders along the way. The adventurers will paddle and fish Lewis Lake, hike to Norris Geyser Basin and go to sites that most tourists don't even know exist. Those who book before midnight Central time on May 26 will save another $50. 

For trip details, click here. For all the Wilderness Inquiry trips, visit www.wildernessinquiry.org.

I think I've stayed in that motel!

We are indebted to Resourcesfor Attorneys.com for this wacko list of signs that you've made a bad choice in picking a motel: The complimentary newspaper tells you that President Nixon has resigned; the mint on the pillow starts moving when you come close to it; The pictures are strategically placed  to cover up  bullet holes; you have to wait until the guy next door is done with the towel so you can use it; there's a chalk outline in the bed when you pull back the covers; the desk clerk has to move the body in order to get you some ice; and, finally, your wake-up call comes courtesy of a police helicopter.

Two inn packages that are nicely Nantucket 

The Union Street Inn in Nantucket, Mass.,  has opened for the season with two new packages. The Quintessential Nantucket package  includes accommodations for two in a deluxe designer room, a cooked-to-order gourmet breakfast on the patio or in bed, use of  a beach bag & towels, a $20 voucher for boxed lunches from Provisions, a one-day Jeep rental with a map of island highlights, a $20 voucher to Cisco Brewers  and a $100 voucher for dinner at one of several island restaurants.  Rates start at $549 a night. The ACK Getaway package features accommodations in a deluxe designer room, sparkling wine upon arrival, and a sunset cruise on the  Friendship Sloop Endeavor. This package is available Mondays-Thursdays and starts at $239 a night.  

Visit www.unioninn.com or call 888-517-0707.

Sit back, relax and enjoy this fellow's column

For the many of us who panic when a flight is canceled or delayed or some other travel glitch occurs, we recommend reading this  USA Today column by Craig Wilson. Click here.

Nothing could be finer than a zucchini festival

We're giving you plenty of advance notice to prepare for this event. On Saturday, Aug. 8, (rain or shine),  the West Stockbridge (Mass.) Cultural Council will host the 6th Annual Zucchini Festival in the town center.  There will be activities for youngsters and adults, including a pet parade, rides and  races, a zucchini recipe contest, zucchini decorating/weigh-off contests, live music and entertainment, games, and food booths. The event begins at 10 a.m. and continues until about 9:30 p.m. when fireworks and dancing in the streets take place. Attendance is free, with small fees for tickets at game booths. And why does West Stockbridge celebrate the zucchini? One version points to  the Italian heritage of many of the early settlers. The second, and possibly most accurate, version is that West Stockbridge views itself as a somewhat quirky town and the "love-to-hate, hate-to-love" aspect of the Zucchini fits right in. 

For a complete listing and schedule of events, click here or call 413-232-0222.

Friday's trivia answer

Domodedovo International Airport is in Moscow. According to Wikipedia, Domodedovo is the largest airport in Russia in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. A total of 20.43 million passengers used Domodedovo in 2008, a 9 percent increase over 2007. The airport is 22 miles south of the center of Moscow, and is one of the city's three major airports, along with Sheremetyevo International Airport and Vnukovo Airport. My principal memory of Domodedovo is being told that I could not eat my take-out sandwich within the security zone.

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Florida hotel and resort savings

Book the Boca Family Holiday Package from the Boca Raton Resort & Club and get two rooms for the price of one and a half-day session for your child at Camp Boca. Available holidays are Memorial Day (hurry, hurry), May 25; Father's Day, June 14; Independence Day, July 4;and Labor Day, Sept. Rates begin at $199 per room with a second room free. There is a two-night minimum with one night including the holiday.

Call 888-495-BOCA. For resort details and other packages, visit http://www.bocaresort.com.

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Palm Beach County is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding with what it calls the Deal of the Century. We wouldn'ty go that far, but you can get a room for $19.09 in 75 hotels, resorts and B&Bs. But first you have to stay two, three, or four nights at regular rates.

For the offer, click here. To learn about the area, visit http://www.palmbeachfl.com.

It's all relative

You don't need a deep understanding of Einstein's theory of relativity to know why, although the same amount of miles are covered, the ride home seems at least twice as long as the ride to your vacation destination. Going there, you are filled with thoughts of new sights, entertainment, and good food. Coming home, your are filled with thoughts of dirty laundry and bills in the unopened mail.

'Concierge packages' at a New England inn

The historic Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass., is introducing something called Concierge Packages, designed for those seeking shorting vacations or "staycations." The packages, for two guests, can be for three, four or five nights and include a full breakfast each morning in the inn, and dinners at night either at The Red Lion or Rouge Restaurant and Bistro in neighboring West Stockbridge. Also included are two “American Icons” passes entitling guests to visit three of the four nationally known museums in The Berkshires, including Hancock Shaker Village; Chesterwood, the summer home of Lincoln Monument sculptor Daniel Chester French; The Mount, Edith Wharton’s estate and gardens; or The Norman Rockwell Museum. The inn also includes a picnic lunch. Prices, based on two guests, range from $1,125 for a three -night stay to $2,185 for five nights in a suite. All taxes and gratuities are included. Packages are available Sunday through Thursday nights.

Call innkeeper Michele Kotek at 413-298-1656. For inn information, visit http://www.redlioninn.com/.

What’s in a pronunciation?

Calais, France, is pronounced Cal-lay but Calais, Maine, is pronounced Cal-iss.

A Super Pass for golfing in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is introducing the Golf Salt Lake Super Pass. Each pass includes an 18-hole round for one to four players, golf cart(s), complimentary range balls and a 10-20 percent discount on rental clubs per player. In addition to playing some of Utah's top public courses, the pass allows groups of two to 12 players to make tee times 60 days in advance, as opposed to the typical seven-day advance booking policy.

For information, click here. To learn more about the area, go to http://www.visitsaltlake.com/.

Ways to stretch your travel dollars as summer starts

Las Vegas is one of the vacation spots where many great deals are available, providing you don't gamble away what you saved, and then some. By the way, this famous sign, built in 1959, has just been added to the National Register of Historic Places. (Photo by Las Vegas News Bureau/LVCVA.)

With summer unofficially beginning this Memorial Day weekend, it's heartening to know that the rocky economy isn't stopping travelers from, er, traveloing. A survey of more than 600 American Express Travel agents hints that while Americans continue to book summer vacations, they are being savvier by making slight-but-smart tradeoffs to help offset costs. Among the strategies:

* They are booking vacations closer to dates of travel to take advantage of last-minute deals.

*They are vacationing closer to home.

*They are cashing in their frequent-flier miles and credit-card reward points.

* They are choosing destinations where the dollar goes farther (see below).

Here, from the agents surveyed, are tips for saving this summer:

* Look for packages with free-night promotions. (We would add that packages, in general, are a good way to save. Even if you don't use all the features in a given hotel or hotle-flight package, you could still come out ahead.

*Consider a cruise. This helps travelers manage their budgets because costs, including that of dining, are included.

*Be flexible about travel dates. The best deals are midweek.

* Twosomes might consider a couples-only resort. Deep discounts are currently available.

And the destinations that make your buck stretch? The agents picked these U.S. Cities: Las Vegas, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, New York and Los Angeles. For international destinations, they chose Rome, London, Paris, Madrid and Prague.

Travel tip

Do not turn your hotel room keycard in to the desk at the end of your stay because most contain your credit-card information. It's best to take them home and shred them. And speaking of those cardes, do not put them in your pocket next to your cfellphone. The phone could demagnetize the information strip on the card.

Elope and honeymoon in Texas for under $500

The Star of Texas B&B in Brownwood has one of the most affordable wedding packages we've seen. The package includes a wedding ceremony preformed in the Garden Room or on the outdoor wedding deck by the innkeeper/chaplain, a bouquet of flowers for the bride, a small cake for two with punch, plus a photo CD. The cost is $169 plus the price of the room, with rates from $129-$169 per night.

Call 800-850-2003 or visit www.hat.org.

Old and tired travel joke

A vulture was boarding an airplane with two captured carcasses. "Sorry," said the flight attendant, "only one carrion per person."

A summer stay on the Big Island for $67 a night

Shell Vacations Hospitality has an online-only deal at Hawaii’s Kona Coast Resort on the Big Island. Guests get 40-60 percent off when they book a fully-furnished villa, and to sweeten the deal even more, Shell is offering a 10 percent discount on all food and beverage charges in the resort’s restaurant, plus a free one-day snorkel rental for two. With this special, rates begin at $67 per night. The package is valid through Aug. 1, except for July 3- July 5 and Oct. 7 – 11.
Bookings can be made only at Shell's blog.Click here.

Trivial question

In what city will you find Domodedovo International Airport? (Answer Saturday. And, yes, we know that you can google the answer, but let's play fair.)

Midriff Islands: like the Galapagos, only less expensive

Photo by Baja AirVentures

You may never have heard of Mexico's Midriff Islands in the Sea of Cortez, but in these remote islands -- far from the country's health problems -- you will find:

* More than 900 species of marine vertebrates and more than 2,000 unique species of invertebrates.

* Up to 12 species of annual whales,  including Fin, Orca and Blue Whales (the largest animal that inhabits the planet).

* Bottlenose and Common Dolphins, California Sea Lions and Elephant Seals.

* Three orders of marine birds -- arctic, temperate, and tropical. The islands are inhabited by more than 50 species, including Blue Footed Boobies, Brown Pelicans, Royal Terns, Frigate Birds, Cormorants, Turkey Vultures and Osprey. More than 95 percent of the world's population of Heermans Gulls and Elegant Terns breed on nearby Rasa Island.

* In the Sonoran Desert along the coast, more than 20 cactus species,  Boojum and Elephant trees, Giant Cardon Cactuses (which are more than 60 feet tall) and Ironwood.

By comparison, the much better-known Galapagos Islands has 29 types of land birds (30 percent of them found only on these islands) and 19 main types of sea birds. There are 400  t species of fish and 12 species of sharks. Marine mammals include dolphins, sea lions and whales including Brydes, Pilot, Minke, Blue and Cuviers.

And then there's the question of cost. Kevin Warren, owner of Baja AirVentures, puts it this way: An eight-day/seven-night Galapagos cruise on a first class yacht is approximately $3,200 per person  (about $400 per day) for just the cruise portion  before the additional expense of pre/post trip lodging and international and regional air. Flight times to the islands can be  6 to 8 hours or more from most U.S. cities. In contrast, for departures from now through August, guests booking a four or six-day Baja AirVentures package also receive complimentary pre-trip hotel accommodations at the Holiday Inn Express in nearby Chula Vista, Calif. A 6 day/6 night program including meals, lodging, guided activities and roundtrip air from San Diego is $1,695 per person, double occupancy, or roughly $285 per person per day. Warren's company operates Las Animas Wilderness Retreat that is home base for the explorations.

Visit www.bajaairventures.com or call 800-221-9283. For information on the retreat, click here. For information on the Midriffs, click here.

Worth quoting

Outings are so much more fun when we can savour them through the children’s eyes. 

                                                                                                                  – Lawana Blackwell

2-for-1 summer savings in Fort Lauderdale

Many people consider Florida as a place to escape winter chills. But  the Greater Fort Lauderdale area wants to convince you that there is enjoyment even in summer by unleashing a string of 2-for-1 offers, good June 1-Sept. 30, for such stellar attractions as Aloha Watersports, Billie Swamp Safari, Butterfly World, Dixie Divers, Jungle Queen Riverboat, Fort  Lauderdale Duck Tours and many more.

   For a complete list, visit sunny.org/summer.

Cupcake Tea in a classy Boston hotel

The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common is featuring its Cupcake Tea though June 27, with what the Ritz calls "bright, colorful and deliciously decadent cupcakes, along with a variety of other treats. The tea is  $20 per adult and $16 per child, plus tax and gratuity, and is available Saturdays 1-4 p.m. Reservations are required.  

Call 617-574-7176.  For hotel information, click here.

What's in a name?

In Canada, aspirin is not a generic name. Only Bayer Aspirin can be called by that name. All the rest are known as acetylsyclic acid, or ASA.

Angels, demons and then some

Rome's  Hotel Hassler Roma is offering an  Angels & Demons Package, where guests will experience first-hand the adventure from Dan Brown's novel-turned-movie. Guests will embark on a quest throughout the Eternal City that visits many of the settings from the book and movie and uncovers many of Rome's mysteries and secrets, the all while receiving service and pampering that the hotel says is comparable to what Hollywood stars received while filming the movie. The package, based on double occupancy, includes three nights in deluxe accommodations, daily breakfast, an "Angels and Demons Private Tour" of Rome conducted by an English-speaking guide, a map of the "illuminati" path, entrance fees for the Castel Sant'Angelo museum and all service charges. Rates start at about $2,323) and the package is valid through Dec. 21.

 For hotel information, visit www.hotelhassler.com. For package details, click here.

Friday's trivia answer

Greenland is both the world's largest island that is not a continent, and the least densely populated nation on earth. At 840,000 square miles, Greenland is three times the size of Texas. About 57,000 people live in an area of approximately 84,000 square miles.

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Kids stay free in Portugal's pousadas

For those unfamiliar with the term, a pousada is a type of exclusive and often historic hotel located throughout Portugal. And this summer, youngsters can stay free at some of those pousadas. The maximum is two children, up to age 12, in their parents' room. The Kids Menu is free, with parents in the restaurant, and you can get a 25 percent discount on the second room for children. Pousadas making this offer are: Alcácer do Sal, Amares, Arraiolos, Beja, Braga, Condeixa-a-Nova, Estoi, Gerês, Guimarães (Sta. Marinha), Proença-a-Nova, Sagres, Santa Clara-a-Velha, São Brás de Alportel, Sousel, Torreira/Murtosa, Viana do Castelo, Vila Pouca da Beira and Vila Viçosa.

For this and other pousadas packages, click here.

There's gold in them thar cards!

If you're visiting Anchorage this summer, look for the Gold Card, which is given to visitors when they check into their hotel or bed-and-breakfast if staying two or more nights. Visitors show the card to participating businesses for discounts or rewards. For instance, the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum is offering an aviation heritage poster; the Anchorage Museum is highlighting its “Gold” exhibit with a free gift; the Downtown Bicycle Rental is offering a discount on its Alaska Statehood Anniversary bicycle jersey; and the Flattop Shuttle is providing complimentary ice cream and bottled water for Gold Card holders on its $22 shuttle to Flattop.

The offers, which are added to daily, are available here. For information on Anchorage, visit http://www.anchorage.net/.

This trip might have a twist(er)

Want to track down a twister in Oklahaoma? Tempest Tours has a variety of tours that do just that, with participants seeking the wild weather patterns in "storm-intercept" vehicles. Spots are still available for four types of tours in June or July, with prices starting at $1,295 including accommodations.The Web site is http://www.tempesttours.com/. For available tours, click here.

Stranded in the jungle -- with a punster

Guides aboard the Jungle Cruise in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom parks will tell you, “Never play poker in the jungle. It’s filled with cheetahs who are always lion to you.”

60 percent off at Jamaica resort

Jamaica's Royal Plantation Ocho Rios, a sanctuary for Hollywood glamour in the 1950s, is offering up to 60 percent off for bookings made through May 26, providing you stay at least three nights. The offer is valid for travel from Aug. 1-Oct. 31, and Jan. 4- Dec. 21, 2010, and applies to all suite categories. In addition, the promotion can be combined with a First Night Free deal. The first night is free if you book a seven-night all-inclusive plan in a premium or luxury oceanfront junior suite. Pricing varies by date and package. For example, a seven-night, all-inclusive stay in a premium oceanfront junior suite in mid September is now $3,909 per couple, a savings of $6,226. For a room-only stay in mid September, the rate starts at $1,215 for three nights, savings of $1,385.

Call 888-487-6925. For resort information and other offers, visit http://www.royalplantation.com/.

Listen up: It's time to buy a passport

My favorite stamp in my passport

Passport rules change in 16 days, so don't say we didn't warn you. Come June 1, no mattter whether you return to the United States by air, land or sea, you are going to need a passport or other acceptable document. We'll get to those alternative documents shortly, but take our advice and make life simpler and less stressful by spending $75-$100 for a passport.

With a passport, you will know that you are covered for re-entering (or entering) the U.S. and for visiting most other countries (although a few also require a visa). But if you insist, and are traveling only by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda, a passport card, costing $25-$50, is allowed. And no matter how they are traveling, children under 16 can present the original or copy of their birth certificate, or other proof of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate or citizenship card. There are other allowable documents for specific groups such as people in the military and native Americans.

For full details on the new passport rules, click here. For fees, click here.

Worth quoting

No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one.

-- Elbert Hubbard

Yummy-yummy: Win 100 pounds of lobster

The Iles de la Madeleine, also known as the Magdalen Islands, are an enchanting slice of Quebec located in Atlantic Canada. To get your attention, the islands' tourism people are holding a Lobster in My Luggage contest, with the grand prize including a trip for two to the islands, a six-night stay with breakfasts and dinners, a gift certificate for those 100 pounds of lobster, and some transportation.

For complete details, click here. For information on the islands, click here.

Fairies, leprechauns and a handsome castle

Ashford Castle, in County Mayo, Ireland, is presenting a two-night family program titled "The Myths of Ashford Castle: Fairies & Leprechauns." Things begin in the drawing room, where a local historian tells children a tale about those self-same fairies and leprechauns. Children are then given a special leprechaun hat to wear throughout the day, and the group sets off for a treasure hunt in search of a pot of gold, eventually finding one filled with gold-covered chocolate coins. All children receive a four-leaf clover shamrock necklace and a book on Ashford Castle's myths. The day ends with hot chocolate in the drawing room. The package, for about $1,333, includes two nights 'accommodation in a deluxe queen room with two queen beds for two adults and two children (under age 12 ), with breakfast included.

In the U.S., call 800-346-7007. For castle details, visit http://www.ashford.ie/.

What's in a pronunciation?

The name Pedro is pronounced PAYdro, yet Californians pronounce the city of San Pedro as San PEEdro.

Free golf with a New Hampshire rental

Franconia Notch Vacations, which rents properties in New Hampshire's stunning Franconia Notch area at varying prices, is currently offering free golf with rentals. You must mention code VR FREE GOLF SPECIAL when booking.

Call 800-247-5536. The Web page is http://www.franconiarentals.com/.

Trivial question

It is the world's largest island that is not a continent, yet it is the world's least densely populated nation. What is it? (Answer Saturday.)

Wednesday's trivia answer

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, encompassing 814 square miles, is the most-visited national park in the United States. The park, located in Tennessee and North Carolina, drew more than 9 million visitors in 2008, compared with 4.4 million for Arizona's Grand Canyon and 3.4 million for California's Yosemite. (Source: National Parks Conservation Association.)

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Fun at the pier with this Chicago hotel package

A Day of Fun in the Sun package from Affinia Chicago hotel starts at $229 per night and includes overnight accommodations, four tickets to the IMAX Theater at Navy Pier, four tickets for the Ferris wheel, four tickets for the carousel, four tickets for the Wave Swinger, four tickets for miniature golf and a Navy Pier discount coupon book. Guests staying at the hotel on Saturday will also get a free trolley ride to the pier by showing a hotel keycard. The offer, which Affinia says represents an added value of $144, is good until Aug. 31.

Click here or call 866-246-2203 and mention the code PIER.

Socko slogan

The Week magazine had a tongue-in-cheek contest to come up with a new slogan for Canada. The winner: "Canada: It's Almost Like a Foreign Country!"

Let's not forget dear old Dad

Father's Day at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C., is designed for golf-loving fathers to share their weekend withtheir children. For $750 per person, golfers get three nights' accommodations at the Carolina Hotel, two rounds of golf (including one with caddies on famed Pinehurst No. 2), breakfasts, dinners and an opening night reception with author James Dodson. Golfers can also experience third- and final-round U.S. Open coverage on big-screen TVs.

Click here or call 800-ITS-GOLF (487-4653).

The biggest bargain at Disneyland

In the penny arcade on Main Street in Disneyland's Magic Kingdom, you can peer into an old-fashioned music machine to watch the antics of Charlie Chaplin and many other actors of old. The cost is still one cent, as it was at the turn of the 20th century.

All the Toronto you could possibly want

The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto is offering a Much More Toronto package, available until Sept. 7 and starting at about $118 U.S. Participants will get a booklet good for discounts at more than 20 attractions, dining experiences and touring activities. Included are tours of a brewery and a rooftop garden; two stage productions; three restaurants; four museums and galleries; and five Toronto landmark attractions.

Click here or call 800-441-1414.

$55 gets you into many homes you won't forget

Paul McCartney's childhood house at 20 Forthlin Road

It was in a little terrace house in Liverpool, England, that so much amazing musical history would be made. The house, on Forthlin Road , was Paul McCartney’s childhood home, where the Beatles rehearsed and composed many of their songs. Not too far away is Mendips, John Lennon’s home. Both are filled with photos and memorabilia, making them as much of a “must see” as Abbey Road. And you can easily visit them, along with homes that were once occupied by Winston Churchill, Sir Isaac Newton, and, yes, even George Washington. These places are protected and preserved by the National Trust of Great Britain. The Royal Oak Foundation, which is the U.S. membership affiliate of the National Trust, grants free access to those homes as well as all over 300 other historic houses and gardens, 700 miles of coastline, and 620,000 acres of open countryside. Membership is $55.

To join, or just to learn more, visit www.royal-oak.org. 

Trivial question

What is America's most-visited national park? Answer Thursday.

Las Vegas rooms on sale (again)

as Vegas may be the easiest place in the world to get a bargain on a hotel room. Right now, Hotels.com is touting Vegas rooms beginning at $20. Click here. Ah, but you know what some people are going to do with those savings.

A yuk from the tour guide

In Atlanta, home of CNN and Coca-Cola, some guides will tell you to avoid the F word and the P word because "in this city, they stand for Fox News and Pepsi." Ooooh, naughty.

Two ways to honor a serviceman or servicewoman

During Memorial Day weekend -- Saturday, May 23,  through Monday, May 25 --  deals will be offered for a cruise on New Hampshire's  Lake Winnipesaukee aboard the M/S Mount Washington.  Veterans, military personnel, and their families get a $10 discount. Additionally, children 12 and under cruise free. Breakfast, lunch and cocktails are available on board. The offer is good on all daytime cruises from all ports. 
The cruise around Lake Winnipes-aukee covers 72 square miles and contains more than 240 habitable islands. It is surrounded by the White Mountain range. For daily 2 ½ hour cruises, regular adult fares are $25, children 5 to 12 are $12, and children 4 and under sail  free.  The M/S Mount Washington’s official season runs May 23-Oct. 24.

Visit www.cruisenh.com or call 888-843-6686 or 603-366-5531.

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Through Memorial Day, here is another way to reward those servicepeople while doing a bit of good.  The Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com, in an amount of your choosing,  is valid at more than 4,000 B&Bs in the U.S. and Canada. Use promotional code FisherBB and 5 percent of the sale will be donated to the Fisher House Foundation to build “comfort homes” on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers, enabling family members to be close to loved ones during hospitalization. BedandBreakfast.com will match that donation with a 5 percent discount on gift card purchases when you use the promotional code. 

Visit www.bedandbreakfast.com.

Worth quoting (?)

“I’m from Buffalo. Drinking is a pretty obvious thing to do there.”

                                                          -- from the movie “You Kill Me”

Monday's trivia answer

The world's highest mountain is Mauna Kea on Hawaii's Big Island. Although its peak  is just 13,803 feet above mean sea level, the mountain is 33,476 feet above its base on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. That makes it taller than Mount Everest,  which is the highest mountain above sea level at 29,029 feet.

Photo by Hawaii's Big Island Visitor Bureau 

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Celebrating Memorial Day with style and savings

If you're planning a Memorial Day getaway, here are five appealing deals, tracked down by the new Web site DealBase.com.

* The Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Memorial Day Package starts at $319 for hotel and breakfast. Click here. 

* The Sunset Marquis Hotel  in West Hollywood.  The Home for the Holidays price begins at $200 a night, as opposed to the normal $600 and up. Click here.

* The Resort at Squaw Creek at Lake Tahoe. A Memorial Day Family Getaway for  $179 includes breakfast and a resort credit. Click here.

* The Silverado Resort Napa. The California resort's Stay 2 Nights, Get the 3rd Night Free offer for  $210 includes wine tasting, a dining certificate and a  bottle of wine. Click here.

* The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in Longboat Key, Fla. The Memorial Day Package for  $253 includes  beach BBQ, breakfast and a welcome gift. Click here.

As always, there is fine print. Read the rules and conditions carefully.

Boldly go to see rare Star Trek items

Rare Star Trek items are now on display at the new McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, N.H. The center is also telling the real history behind the eternally popular series. 
A uniform, worn by Chief Engineer Janice Rand, played by Grace Lee Whitney, in Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979) is on display, as well as chairs from the set of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987-1994). The items were purchased at the October 2006 “40 Years of Star Trek” Auction at Christie’s in New York. Fans can not only see the memorabilia but sit in chairs actually used by Captain Jean Luc Picard and crew. 

Visit www.starhop.com for information about the center. For Star Trek details, click here.

What's in a pronunciation?

Why is it that we pronounce Des Moines as DEH Moine but Des Plaines as DEZ Plaines? Just one of life's mysteries, I guess. (Then again, if we pronounced it DEH Plaine, it might sound like the opening of TV's "Fantasy Island.")

Special for newcomers to Maine resort

Point Sebago Resort in Point Sebago, Maine,  is introducing a First Timers’ Special: $995 for a family of four for a seven-night vacation, which breaks down to $149 per unit,per night. The special, available June 20-Sept. 4,  includes lodging,  access to Point Sebago's 775 acres of
resort amenities,  children’s programs, daily entertainment, and all other  activities. First-timers visiting during Family Fun Value Weeks will additionally receive a free Value Book with $400 in coupons for cruises aboard the Point Sebago Princess, free ice cream cones, canoe and kayak rentals, and mini-golf. Family Fun Value weeks are June 20-27, Jun 27- July 4, Aug. 22-29 and Aug. 29-Sept. 4.

   Visit www.pointsebago.com or call 800-655-1232. For the first-timers' special, click here.

 

It's all relative

After visiting Pennsylvania, one New Englander now refers to that state as The Tropics.

No charge for the kiddos 

The Elkin Creek Guest Ranch in beautiful British Columbia has  ‘Kids Free in August promotion. For every two paying adults, a child under age 13 stays  free, offering  daily savings of about $160 U.S. each day. (Youngsters 2 and  under stay free all season long.) The all-inclusive price for adults is about $260 U.S. per person per day.

For details on the offer, click here or call 877-346-9378.

The joys (and savings) of vacationing closer to home

“Bicycling in Nantucket is as charming as bicycling in Provence,” says Andy Alpine, co-founder of  Specialty Travel Index, a magazine-directory. “And an all-American deluxe dude ranch can be just as relaxing as a week at Club Med." His point is a good one: During this recession -- or anytime for that matter -- you can save a lot, at least compared to a similar trip overseas,  and have a quality vacation  in North America.  Alpine gives some examples:

* Become a family of dudes. With comprehensive  programs for children and teenagers, , rafting, riding, fly-fishing, hiking, massage, swimming, trips to nearby Mesa Verde, hayrides, and melodramas, Colorado Trails Ranch could please every member of the family. Rates begin at $950 for children under 5, $1,935 for children 5-12 and $2,335 for adults. Click here. 

* Go island hopping -- on a bike.  Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are perfect for Cycling . A trip from Bike Riders offers daily rides of 15-35 miles on flat to gently rolling terrain. Pedal past lighthouses, windswept dunes and cranberry bogs with stops for kayaking, a stroll through the whaling museum, some of the best restaurants in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, or a sunset sail on Nantucket Harbor. Stay  in quaint (and sometimes) luxurious) inns. A 5-day trip is listed for $2,880. Click here.

* Go on safari ...  in Alaska. Great Alaska Adventure Lodge  offers custom-designed safari vehicles  for up-close wildlife and nature viewing with groups of just 6-12 people. One day you will be on a cruiser surrounded by birds and mammals, another day  deep in a national park at a private bear viewing camp and  another day on a flight, seeing  mountaintops. and glaciers—and you’ll be back at a beautiful riverside lodge in time to share photos during happy hour. Rates vary but expect to pay $2,00-$3,000 a person. Click here. 

* Have a culinary adventure.   House on Bayou Road Inn in New Orleans is a petite plantation  set on two acres and features inviting antique-filled rooms, and a pool and hot tub among other amenities. The innn is also the setting for a cooking schoo featuring authentic Creole cooking and  hands-on classes.  In one  long weekend, participants tour New Orleans, take two cooking classes (afterwards enjoying the fruits of your labors) and have a three-course dinner at Brigstens, considered one of the finest restaurants in New Orleans. Prices from Epiculinary Distinctive Cooking Journeys are $975-$1,045. Click here.

For information about Specialty Travel Index, visit www.specialtytravel.com.

(Photo by Rick McIntyre/Alaska Division of Tourism)

Trivial question

What is the world's tallest mountain? Hint: It's not the one you're thinking of. (Answer Tuesday.)

Ever considered a vacation rental?

A sometimes money-saving  alternative to staying in a hotel is renting an  apartment, condo or cottages. Rentalo.com, which specializes in such rentals, cites this example for fans of golf and the music of Branson, Mo.:  Two miles from the Stonebridge Golf Course and five miles from Branson, a two-bedroom, two-bath condo is part of the Eagles Nest Resort at Indian Point. The  recently remodeled apartment has air conditioning, high-speed Internet, hair dryers and a hide-a-bed.  The nightly rate is $115 until May 31, $130 after, with a three-night minimum. The Rentalo ID is No. 101306. 

For vacation properties everywhere, visit www.rentalo.com. For the above offer, click here.

Jazz Festival update: free Stevie Wonder show

 Stevie Wonder will  launch the Montreal Jazz Festival's 30th anniversary with a free concert at the brand-new Place des Festivals on Tuesday, June 30, at 9:30 p.m. on the General Motors stage. See earlier item in May 10 posting.

You can sort of count on it

I wouldn't bet money on it or anything, but if you're flying coach and the passenger next to you is wearing a Rolex watch, chances are that watch is a fake. 

$75-a-week parking for Logan Airport

The Park, Taxi and Fly Service for Logan International Airport, Boston, will be launched Saturday and cost you $75 a week. Travelers who leave on a Saturday or Sunday can park at the Wonderland Dog Track  lot, about 10 minutes from Logan, and take one of the Onsite Taxis directly to their airline terminal. Upon their return, travelers call the local taxi company for transportation directly back to their car. Customers can return at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Parking is $49 per week and the taxi costs $26 roundtrip for a total of $75.  William Bell, who heads  the company, says, “The new service even includes a free jump-start if needed and if your car still won’t start, customers will be given a free ride home anywhere in Massachusetts."

Phone 781-289-4200. Bell's  other parking plan can be found at www.loganairportvaletparking.com.