Let's hear it for generous older travelers who roam the globe

Here are three things you should know about older travelers:

* There are a lot of them. Between Jan.1 and Dec. 31of this year, more than 7,000 of the nearly 78 million American baby boomers, born 1946-1964,  will turn 65 every day.  Those statistics come from AARP.

* They are traveling and spending. More boomers are turning to travel as a top leisure activity and they     are outspending their younger counterparts by an average of 74 percent on their vacations. That's the word from suddenlysenior.com.

* They are a generous lot. The Grand Circle Foundation  is  working with an organization that serves orphaned children in earthquake-ravaged Japan. The foundation sent an e-mail to travelers one night this week between 7-11 p.m. and as of yesterday at 5 p.m., $62,853 in donations had come in from 615 donors -- which, combined with the $25,000 match by Grand Circle Foundation, brought the donation at that point to $87,853.  Donors are Grand Circle and Overseas Adventure travelers, associates in Boston and around the world, as well as trip leaders and program directors.

Grand Circle Travel, along with sister group Overseas Adventure Travel,  is a favorite of older travelers. (The fellow in the accompanying Grand Circle photo is meeting the terra-cotta warriors in Xian, China.) So it's no surprise that this week more than 1,000 seniors are participating in Boston meetings to talk about, and hear about, overseas travel.  As we indicated, there are a lot of older globetrotters out there ...  and I'm proud to be one of them.

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Trivial question

 The lily is the symbol of which country? (Answer somewhere below.)

Stay at these hotels and get your airline baggage fees back

InterContinental Hotels Group will be extending its Check It Free promotion through April 30. Guests can now get back up to $100 in checked baggage fees for each round-trip flight with a two-night weekend stay at any of InterContinental’s 4,500 hotels worldwide including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.

Worth quoting 

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” -- Aldous Huxley

Take 10% more off Nantucket inn's sale rates

People who stay at the Jared Coffin House on Nantucket now through May 18 will get an additional 10 percent off the inn's Hot Dates, Cool Rates sale. Those cool rates start at $125. 

Fascinating fact

The Himalayas have 19 of the 25 highest mountains in the world (but don't ask us to name them from memory). 

Royal Caribbean rolling out an alcohol-buying package
USA Today reports that Royal Caribbean Line is beginning to offer a package rate on buying alcoholic beverage. The offers range from a Beer and Wine Package for  $29 per person per day for all beers, house wine by the glass and a 25% discount on all other wines and liquors, to a Premium Package, at $49 per person per day for a whole lot more, including cocktails. Ah, but the offer will first be available only on selected ships that cater mostly to European customers.The full story is here.

So who says gasoline is getting expensive anyhow?

 Last-chance spring special in N.H. for $99

Snowy Owl Inn & Resort in Waterville Valley, N.H., has this offer for the first 100 bookings only: a $99 inclusive rate from now until the end of April for almost any room in the house. Book online using promo code JUST99 at www.snowyowlinn.com; the phone number is 800-766-9969. That price includes taxes, there are 10 room types to choose from, and the offer is even valid Easter weekend.

Trivial answer

The lily is the symbol of France.

 

 Cathedral windows in Setubal, Portugal

The top 10 things you can do mostly for free in Portugal

Flying to and staying in Portugal are relative bargains. And once you get there, you'll find plenty of free -- or nearly free -- activities to further cut costs. Here are the country's top 10 freebies:

1) Castles.  There are more per capita than in any other nation, and most are free. For example, the Castle of Guimarães, overlooking the Campo de São Mamede, played a role the foundation of the country and its struggles for independence.

2)  Cathedrals. – Hundreds of historic churches and cathedrals across Portugal are free, although some may charge to see the cloisters or sacristy. Here you can see a thousand years of architecture with  gold and silver, intricate woodwork and sculpture, and the tombs of priests, warriors, kings, and everyday people.

3) Festivals. From Lisbon’s Popular Marches, to Coimbra’s celebration of the Saint Queen Isabel in July, to the Sao Pedro Festival, late spring to fall, these ancient festivals and celebrations are free to all. Attending a traditional festival (festa) is a great way for any visitor to absorb some Portugese popular culture and get to know the locals.

4) City parks.  From the sweeping vistas of the Sao Pedro de Alcantara Park in Lisbon, to the stylish paths of the ancient Mata de Santa Cruz in Coimbra, to the   Garden of the Episcopal Palace in Castelo Branco,  Portugal’s hundreds of city parks rich in heritage and monuments, cost nothing to visit.

 5) Beaches. With more than 500 miles of  Atlantic coast, Portuguese beaches are great for swimming, surfing, and sun. The country boasts has more than 300 miles of sandy beaches, and some of the best weather in Europe.

6) The Cacilheiro. OK, these cost 95 cents, but the orange boats go from Lisbon to Cacilhas   and offer grand views of Lisbon from the river.

7) Museums on Sunday and holidays until 2 p.m.   Here are just a few that are free during that time period, but check out this site  (which, alas, appears to be in Portuguese only) for a full list. Plus, at other times children under 14 years old free and there is a 50 percent discount for seniors.

8) Lisbon’s historic Trolley 28. Trolley 28 runs through historic Lisbon beginning in Graça then  to the river. Cost is just  2 1/2 euros (or buy a one day Carris/metro ticket for 3.95 euros) and you pay the fare directly to the driver.  The 28 trolley crosses the city from east to west, climbing away from the center through the narrow cobbled streets and steep gradients of the Bairro Alto, Baixa, and Alfama districts.

9) Running of the bulls on Terceira. Part of life since the 16th century, the “touradas à corda” (literally “bullfights by rope”) are held by local Terceira villagers from April/May to late September. In these events, similar to the “Running of the Bulls,"  a bull is let loose from the town’s square (or other open space) with a very long rope around its neck. Courageous people then attempt to get close tothe animal while avoiding being gored. The animal is eventually retrieved and a festival begins.

10) Levadas on Madeira. The Levada "Walks" are walking trails along the maintenance paths beside the Levadas. Although the Levadas were constructed primarily for agricultural/industrial use, they offer an opportunity for tourists and localsto have outdoor adventures at places inaccessible by car.

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Trivial question

What is the only continent where you won't find glaciers? (Answer somewhere below.)

A batch of new guides for the traveler

DK Eyewitness Travel and Rough Guides has released a slew of new guidebooks this month and will issue more in April. The books, and their list prices, are Back Roads: Germany, Back Roads, Australia, Chile & Easter Island (all $25), Top 10: Italian Lakes ($14), Top 10: England's Lake District ($14, coming in April), Pocket Rough Guides: Amsterdam; Athens; Lisbon; Venice (all $14, coming in April). All have lots of details, photos, maps, and the sleek look that DK guides are known for.

Worth quoting

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends." -- well said by Maya Angelou.


Lighthouses, lobsters and lots more for $1,685
Atlantic Canada is one of my favorite places in the world in summer, and one way to get a taste of it is via the the one-week Maritime Sampler program from The Great Canadian Travel Company, which visits New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Priced from $1,685 per person, the  package includes six nights’ accommodation (based on double occupancy), transportation throughout,  most meals including a traditional Prince Edward Island lobster supper, a welcome reception and visits to Peggy’s Cove with its famous lighthouse, Lunenburg, Grand Pre National Historic Site, Hopewell Rocks, Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place and Prince Edward Island National Park.  There are 15 departures  between May 28 and Oct. 1. For more info and reservations, click here.

Fascinating fact

Only about 3 percent of the Earth's water is fresh water.

A $399 inn-to-inn summer sampler in N.H.

The Rosewood Country Inn and the Candlelite Inn in Bradford, N.H., are offering an Inn to Inn Summer Sampler for visitors to explore central New Hampshire. Available June 26 to 30 and July 17 to 21, the four-night package includes two nights at each inn, and a self-guided tour with admissions to some of the Sunapee region's most popular and scenic attractions. The package includes two nights at Candlelite Inn, two nights at Rosewood Country Inn, four breakfasts, to dinners, a picnic supper, admissions to Fuller Gardens, St. Gaudens, and The Fells, and tickets for Lake Sunapee Cruise. To book the package, which begins at $399, call the Candlelite Inn at 888-812-5571 or email  candlelite@conknet.com.

Trivial answer

Australia contains no glaciers.

Here's everything you didn't know about the Emerald isle

As St. Patrick’s Day fast approaches, here’s are some interesting and, we hope, entertaining facts about that land of beauty and, sometimes, tears. The information has been gleaned from assorted books and websites, so here we go:

* The longest place name in Ireland is Muckanaghederdauhaulia, in County Galway.

* Couples  could marry legally on St. Brigid's Day (Feb. 1) in Teltown, County Meath, as recently as the 1920s by simply walking toward each other. If the marriage failed, they could "divorce'" by walking away from each other at the same spot, on St. Brigid’s day the following year.

* An  estimated  80 million people of Irish descent live elsewhere than Ireland

* The original Guinness Brewery in Dublin has a 9,000-year lease on its property.

* A traditional Irish cure for a hangover was to be buried up to the neck in moist river sand.

* According to a 2007 census, the most popular boy’s name in Ireland is Jack, followed by Sean; and the most popular girls’ names are Sarah and Emma.

* The last woman accused of witchcraft in Ireland was Dame Alice Kyteler, born in Kilkenny in 1280. All four of her husbands died, and she was accused of poisioning them. Today you can dine at Kyteler's Inn in Kilkenny (www.kytelersinn.ie), which operates in her old home.

* Some historians maintain that over 40 percent of America's presidents, Barack Obama among them, have had some Irish ancestry.

* Dublin was originally called "Dubh Linn," which means "Black Pool." The name refers to an ancient treacle lake in the city, which became  part of a penguin enclosure at the Dublin City Zoo.

* It’s not the custom in Ireland to wear green ties, hats or other green clothes on St. Patrick's Day. A sprig of shamrock in the coat lapel is considered plenty.

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Trivial question

In Ireland, what is a banshee’s wail believed to foretell? (Answer somewhere below.)

Four nights at Dublin’s Four Seasons for $699

Sceptre Tours has a  package that includes four nights at the Four Seasons Hotel Dublin and round-trip airfare to Dublin starting from $699 per person.  If you put the package together yourself, Sceptre says you’d pay over $1,099. The $699 price, which excludes fees of course, is from JFK Airport in New York. The price is $719 from Boston, $789 from Chicago, and $769  from Orlando. The price is based on two people traveling, on select Wednesday and Thursday departures from March 20 to May 16.  call 1-800-221-0924 or click here.

Worth quoting

“Definition of an 'Irish fact': That which tells you not what is the case but what you want to hear.’’  -- Hugh Kenner

$100 discount for exploring all of Ireland

CIE Tours is offering the Irish Classic vacation, a 13-day/11-night comprehensive escorted tour of all Ireland with more than 50 departures,, operating on Wednesdays and Fridays from March 11 through Nov. 18.  Land tour prices start at $1,758, but in honor of St. Patrick, CIE is extending a $100 per couple discount on any departure if you book and pay a deposit before March 31. Use code 033111CLA50. Call 800-CIE-TOUR or visit www.cietours.com.

Who’s confused?

There is a village in Kerry called Inch, and a road sign outside the village reads,  "Inch 1 Mile."

An eight-day walking tour of Ireland

Walking is a wonderful way to tour Ireland, and Boundless Journeys has an eight-day walking trip called Gems of the Emerald Isle. Participants will walk and hike the  forested valleys of the Ring of Kerry, the  hills of the Dingle Peninsula, and the  limestone paths of the Burren. Walking the quaint streets of villages dotting the south and west of Ireland will be complemented by evenings in a traditional pub. Dates are May 22-29, July 22-29 and Aug. 14-21, and the land cost is $4,095 per person, which includes guides, accommodations, all meals but one, transportation in Ireland, park fees and activities. Call 800-941-8010 or click here.

A chance to see Scotland as well as Eire

A 15-day Brendan Vacations tour begins in Glasgow, witnessing the rugged beauty of Scotland's glens, locks, and isles. Participants then visit Cawdor Castle, famous for its associations with Shakespeare's Macbeth. The trip moves on to Edinburgh, visiting places from Edinburgh Castle to the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace. Next up is Ireland. with time to explore the cities of Letterkenny, Connemara, Killarney, and Dublin and, of course, have a pint of Guinness. Prices begin at $2599 land only, double occupancy. Visit www.brendanvacations.com or call 800-428-6000.

Trivial answer

A banshee’s cry is said to foretell a death in the family.

 Attractions and adventures put the 'new' in New Brunswick

Ah, New Brunswick.This province in Atlantic Canada combines friendliness and relaxation with adventure and excitement. Here's what's new:

 * St. Andrews by-the-Sea will welcome a new state-of-the-art aquarium in June.  The $8.1 million Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre will boast a 40,000-gallon habitat devoted to species from the Bay of Fundy including sturgeon, salmon and stone crabs.  (With the highest tides in the world, the bay is home to 12 species of whales including 50 percent of the world’s endangered right whales.)

*  Stonehammer, North America’s first Geopark, is in its first full year of operation is.  Lying on the bay, the 965-square-mile area has rock formations dating back a billion years along with sea caves and walking trails.

* A new 20,000-square-foot conference centre is opening in Canada’s first free wireless city, Fredericton.

* One of the last remaining coastal wilderness areas in North America is now more accessible via the Fundy Trail.  Some nine miles of coastal road and a large network of trails offer spectacular views and  opportunities for whale watching.  Last June a new segment opened and another section is under construction, due to open in two years.

*  Visitors can now dine or overnight at the Fundy Parkway Trail’s Hearst Lodge built as a fishing lodge for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.

And here are some of New Brunswick's adventure activities:

* Among the barrier islands of Kouchibouguac National Park, visitors can paddle to North America’s largest tern colony (7,000 nests) and check out over 300 grey seals frolicking.

*  Adrenaline junkies can take the 500-foot zipline ride over the Saint John River or try deepelling (that’s rappelling head first) down a 135-foot rock wall in the Grand Falls Gorge – or go off with kilted bikers on a heavy-duty cycling trip.

* Some of the world’s best salmon fishing is on the Miramichi and Restigouche rivers and late spring is peak time for fly fishing.

For more information, visit www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca.

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Trivial question

Kanchanaburi, Thailand, is known for what famous structure? Answer somewhere below.)

Philadelphia hotel package should delight art lovers

The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s first-time Art & About in Philadelphia Hotel Package, which gives buyers access to all  Philadelphia Museum of Art  properties, is now available through 2011. The two-night package comes with two combination tickets —a $62 value— to five Philadelphia Museum of Art-administered buildings: The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building, the Rodin Museum, Cedar Grove and Mount Pleasant. Over two consecutive days, visitors can return to their favorite art hotspots as often as they want. Available at more than a dozen hotels with rates starting at  $159 per night, the package also includes free hotel parking. The package can be booked at visitphilly.com.

Worth quoting
 “When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.” -- Anonymous (but very true)


N.H. resort proves that mud can be a treat
In many parts of New England, mud season is coming up. To prove that a little mud won't stop you from having a great time, Wentworth By the Sea Hotel & Spa in New Castle, N.H., has a  Mud Season Spa Package, with rates starting at $249 when you use promotion code P91. The package includes a two-night
stay, an organic mud wrap, a seawater pearl facial with mud mask and a molten chocolate cake upon arrival. Visit www.wentworth.com  or call 603-422-7322.

Fascinating fact

Older baby  boomers  -- those born from 1946 through 1954 --  make up 15 percent of leisure travelers and take an average of 4.4 leisure trips each year.

$50 cash and more with this Oregon offering

The Portland Perks program is a special hotel package available only through the Travel Portland website (www.travelportland.com). Among other things, it offers $50 cash back on qualifying hotel stays. Upon check-in at a Perks hotel, guests get a  Portland Perks coupon book with more than 40 discounts on entertainment, shopping and dining. To get the $50 cash deal, visitors must book their stay at one of the participating hotels through the Travel Portland website and travel before , April 30. A minimum two-night stay is required.

Trivial answer

Kanchanaburi, Thailand, is home to the Bridge on the River Kwai of World War II fame. Nowadays the bridge is surrounded by cafes and souvenir stalls and has both the original curved spans and straight spans, which replaced those damaged in the 1943 bombing..

10 sometimes surprising facts about amazing Alaska

The Milepost is an annual publication that modestly calls itself The Bible of North Country Travel. It certainly is filled with facts about Alaska. Here are 10:

* The state's 20,320-foot Mount McKinley/Denali (it has two official names) is the highest mountain in North America. On a clear day, you can see the mountain from Anchorage, some 200 miles away, yet the mountain isn't visible inside Denali National Park until Mile 10 on the Park Road. Visit www.reservedenali.com.

* The access road to the town of Whittier passes through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. At 13,200 feet, it is the longest highway tunnel in North America as well as the longest combined highway/railroad tunnel on the continent.

* The White Pass & Yukon Route railway (oictured) is the farthest north narrow-gauge railroad and has one of the steepest railroad grades in North America.

* Glaciers cover about 5 percent of the state, and dozens are accessible for up-close viewing, by road or by water.
* Juneau is the only state capital in the continental United States that is not accessible by road from the rest of the state. You've got to take a boat or a plane to get there.

* On June 21 in Fairbanks, you can watch a baseball game at  midnight, without artificial lights. The summer solstice offers 22 hours of daylight.

* Anchor River Road on the Kenai Peninsula ends at the most westerly point on the North American continent accessible by a continuous road system.

* The state boasts the second greatest tidal range in North America from Beluga Point on the Seward Highway, just 16 miles south of  Anchorage. (The Bay of Fundy in Atlantic Canada has the greatest tidal range.)

* Alaska has more than 10 percent of the world's volcanoes, and one of the most recently active -- Mount Redoubt -- may be seen from the Sterling Highway on the Kenai Peninsula.

* Alaska has two of the largest islands in the U.S. (after Hawaii). Kodiak,  in the Gulf of  Alaska, is known for viewing the Kodiak brown bear. Prince of  Wales Island, which has the most extensive road system in    southeast Alaska, is a popular sport fishing destination.


For more about the 784-page Milepost, which is also published digitally, visit www.milepost.com.

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Trivial question

Where would you find the islets of Langerhans? (Answer somewhere below.)

Cherry blossom package proves spring is coming

This year marks the 99th celebration of the original gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees from the city of Tokyo to the people of Washington, D.C., and the Mandarin Oriental is in there pitching with a exclusive Cherry Blossoms Bloom package. Included are overnight accommodations in a Deluxe room, a buffet breakfast for four in Sou’Wester restaurant,  overnight valet parking, cerry treats from the executive chef and a 20 percent discount on the Cherry Blossom Ritual in The Spa at Mandarin Oriental. Room rates are from $395 per night, and the package is valid from March 25 to April 10. Call 888-888-1778 or visit www.mandarinoriental.com/washington.

Here's more proof -- a Spring Fling offer in Florida

The Atlantic Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has a Spring Fling package available  through May 31. The  package, which requires a minimum three-night stay, begins at $249 per night, double occupancy, and includes accommodations in a  guestroom featuring a private balcony, a fully-equipped kitchenette and an oversized marble bathroom, a  $100 spa credit toward a treatment or service in the Spa Atlantic, 20 percent off any additional spa treatment or service, and two welcome drinks. If you stay five nights, you get a sixth night free. Call 954-567-8020 or visit www.AtlanticHotelFL.com and mention rate code PKGSSF.

Worth quoting

“I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad.” – George Bernard Shaw

Perillo adds culinary tours of Italy to its roster

In April, Perillo Tours will launch 12- and 13-day culinary and cultural tours of Italy  in cooperation with Slow Food Italia. There will be two itineraries to four regions in Italy: Piedmont & Italian Riveria, and Tuscany & Umbria.  The tours will focus on the local food and beverage products of each of the regions. Pricing for the two itineraries, which collectively have 12 departures between June 17 and Oct. 21,  ranges from $4,290 to $4,590 per person, double. Alternatively, individual trips can be booked through ItalyVacations.com for travel at any time of year. For more information, visit:www.perillotours.com/slowfood.

Fascinating fact

The world's southernmost flower can be found where else but in Antarctica. It is a cushion plant with the catchy name of Colobanthus quitensis and appears on a little-known archipelago called the Terra Firma Islands.

Trivial answer

OK, that was a trick question. The islets of Langerhans are found in the pancreas.

Orlando KOs Las Vegas for spring break championship

Orlando has dethroned Las Vegas as the top spring break destination, according to a new survey from Orbitz on consumer travel habits. Not only that, but Florida holds four of the top 10 spots, based on customer booking patterns. The leading 10 destinations, in order, are:


1) Orlando
2) Las Vegas
3) Cancun
4) Phoenix
5) Fort Lauderdale
6) Fort Myers
7) Tampa
8) New York
9) Los Angeles 
10) Denver

Guess what? Average hotel rates are up in all the top 10 except Los Angeles and Denver. Nonetheless, half the destinations -- Orlando, Fort Myers, Tampa, Los Angeles and Denver  -- offer average daily hotel rates under $100 per night. Other survey highlights:
* Beaches (29%), cruises (25%) and city escapes (24%) were of interest to most travelers booking a spring break trip.
* An overwhelming 88% of travelers will avoid destinations that are thought to be college party destinations, opting for a more relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere.
* Indicating that the destinations' images are recovering from last year's oil spill, over half of  travelers would consider the Florida Gulf Coast and surrounding beaches for their getaway.
Orbitz also offers three savings tips: Consider visiting a big city, such as Chicago or Boston, in the off-season. Look for packages that offer deals when flights, hotels and assorted amenities are booked together. And  search for hotel promotions such as "fourth night free" or "kids stay free."

Trivial question

What is the world's largest island country? And Australia doesn't count. (Answer somewhere below.)

A tasty shuttle trip with a Big Island chef
All  aboard the new Chef Shuttle at Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Hawaii's Big Island for a unique foodie weekend. Guests who book the Chef Shuttle Package wil be escorted by by the resort’s sous chef,  Jayson Kanekoa,on a trip to the farmers' market in Waimea on the first Saturday of the month. Together they will talk story (as they say in Hawaii) with farmers and vendors as fresh produce and seasonal items are purchased and taken to the resort to be prepared and enjoyed that Saturday evening at Hawaii Calls Restaurant & Lounge.  On Sunday, guests will  partake in the Royal Luau, which features traditional and contemporary Hawaiian cuisine, an open bar and Polynesian entertainment. The package starts at $289 per room night and is offered the first weekend of every month. A Friday-Monday stay is required.
Visit www.waikoloamarriott.com or call 808-886-6789 and use code D60.


Worth quoting
“Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel.” – Yogi Berra

Vacation in France and (probably) get a tax deduction

For A Cause organizes week-long cycling and walking vacations that raise money for nonprofit organizations. According to the organizers,  participants get a tax deduction equal to the cost the trip. This year's event,  France Walk or Ride on Sept. 11-17, lets participants cycle, walk or combine both both for their favorite charity.They will spend the week in an 11th-century castle in the Western Loire Valley, and make day trips, visiting towns, wineries and castles.
The registration fee is broken into three options: $500, $1,650 or $2,500, each with its own minimum fund-raising requirement. All expenses are included while on the event, such as accommodations, meals, snacks, and route support. Not included are transportation to and from the event, personal expenses and incidentals. The tax deduction comes into play because this is a fundraising event and a substantial part of the participant's day is dedicated to the fundraising activity. Participants, however, are encouraged to consult with a tax advisor or the IRS for their specific tax situation. Visit www.rfac.org.

Fascinating fact

Every day about 3,000 euros are thrown into the Trevi Fountain in Rome. The money is collected at night and goes to charity.

A six-night Irish idyll starting at $699 with air

Dooley Vacations is promoting an Ireland 3-City Package for six nights beginning at $699 per person, including round-trip air, two nights each hotel in Dublin, Galway and Killarney and a  rental car for the week. This package, Dooley says, saves travelers over $600 per person compared to the cost of booking air, accommodations, and car separately. The $699 (plus fees and taxes) is from New York City. It's $719 per person from Boston, $789   from Chicago, and $769  from Orlando. The price is based on two people traveling, on select Monday and Tuesday departures from April 1 to May 31. Other days of the week and departure cities are also on sale for slightly more. Discount pricing is also available for 1 and 3 travelers. Call 877-331-9301 or click here.

Trivial answer

Indonesia, with  an area of 1,919,440 km sq. (735,355 sq miles) is considered the largest island country.

Fun, fun, fun at Curious George Festival in N.H.

 You've got to love Curious George. New Hampshire's Waterville Valley certainly does -- so much so that the 4th Annual Curious George Cottage Family Festival returns  Aug. 13-15,  featuring a weekend full of family-friendly activities including a banana pancake breakfast, a family nature walk, a Fireman's BBQ lunch, photo opportunities with George and the Man With the Yellow Hat, a traveling barnyard, face painting, games for kids, a Curious George story hour and movie viewing, planetarium shows, and a family spaghetti dinner. Whew!

Headlining the festival will be musician Steve Schuch, and storytellers Rick and Carolyn Hunt Schuch will sing "Songs & Tales of the Earth," celebrating nature in all its diversity. Rick and Carolyn, better known as The Laughing Couple, combine Native American storytelling and improvised art into one program for audiences of all ages.

Wristbands for the 4th Annual Curious George Cottage Family Festival are $28 per person for a 3-day pass. Children two and under get in free with a paying adult. Limited tickets available at the event. While in Waterville Valley, families can also enjoy swimming and canoeing on Corcoran's Pond, walk along Waterville Valley's many hiking trails, skate at the WV Ice Arena, or play a game of tennis at the WV Tennis Club.

Participating hotels are offering  festival packages, which include Friday and Saturday night  lodging, a round of golf per day at the WV Golf Club, a Festival Wristband, and a Curious George souvenir.  (That wristband includes admission to the Fireman's BBQ Lunch, Photo Opportunity with Curious George, Petting Zoo, Live Music, Mad Science Show and Fun Station, Storytellers, Face Painting, Games for Kids, Curious George Storytime, Movie Viewing, Planetarium Show and Nature Walks). Additional fees are charged for the Banana Pancake Breakfast and Curious George Spaghetti Dinner; tickets  can be purchased with wristbands.
   
Curious George, a sweet simian who is now featured in books, movies and television,  was born in the imaginations of H.A. and Margret Ray, who spent their summers in Waterville Valley.
For more information about the area and the Reys, call 1-800-GO-VALLEY or go to www.visitwatervillevalley.com.

Trivial question

On average, how many people are airborne over the United States at any given hour?  6,100? 61,000? 610,000? Or 61,000,000? (Answer somewhere within this posting.)

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A memorable free travel exhibit in Boston

 To celebrate their  passion for travel, Grand Circle Corporation Chairman and Vice Chairman Alan and Harriet Lewis have accumulated an extensive collection of vintage travel posters dating from the early 20th century up to World War II. They are now sharing their collection with the public through the Grand Circle Gallery, which opens to the public Friday in Boston.
In addition to vintage travel posters, the gallery will feature the breathtaking photography of their late friend,  Bradford Washburn, who also was a founding honorary director of Grand Circle Foundation, their company’s charitable organization.

The gallery will also include the Lewises'  black-and-white photography—some travel-related, like the vintage images of Europe photographed by George Daniell, and some reflective of times of historic world change, like the dramatic portrayals of the civil rights movement captured by photographer and filmmaker Danny Lyon, and photographs of the 1960s by Elliott Erwitt, including a portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy at her husband’s funeral in 1963.

Grand Circle Gallery is housed in Boston’s Fort Point Channel district, in a historic 19th-century brick building whose first tenants were Chase & Co., a confectionery company that patented America’s first candy machine in the early 1800s.  Today, it is the headquarters of Grand Circle Corporation, parent company of Overseas Adventure Travel and Grand Circle Travel. For more information on the gallery, click here.

Fascinating fact

American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class. Or so legend has it anyway.

A luxurious lake stay in Missouri

A Day on the Lake Package is being offered by Chateau on the Lake Resort & Spa in Branson, Mo. Featuring an Ozark mountaintop setting overlooking Missouri’s  Table Rock Lake, the AAA Four-Diamond resort features a full-service marina that the resort says offers more water sports activities than any other resort in the Midwest. Offerings include watercraft rentals, such as ski boats, fishing boats, waverunners, catamarans, paddleboats, sea kayaks, and canoes. Parasailing, guided fishing excursions, scuba diving, and snorkeling are among other options.

 

In addition to accommodations for two nights in a lake view room, the package includes a $150 credit for the Chateau Marina to be used toward one of the water sports offered, as well as a picnic lunch for up to four people. The package, which is available through Sept. 30, begins at $570 per room, plus tax, and is based on availability. For reservations or for more information, call 1-888-333-LAKE (5253) or (417) 334-1161 or visit www.chateauonthelake.com.

Trivial answer 

 On average, 61,000 people are airborne over the United States at any given hour.

For women: 101 tips to add to the joy of travel

Wear a wedding ring, even if you're not married. Follow the custom and use your right hand when dining in India. And whatever you do, don't put your purse on the floor in Brazil. You'll find this advice, and a lot more, in a free booklet, "101 Tips for Women Travelers," edited by Harriet Lewis, co-chair of Overseas Adventure Travel and Grand Circle Travel.

"The truth is that women travel differently than men do," says Lewis, who notes that more than 70 percent of her companies' customers are now women, who travel solo or leave their spouses at home to journey with female friends. Let us look at a few more tips:

* Pack a few fabric softener sheets. They help keep your clothes smelling fresh and Bounce sheets in particular are believed to help repel mosquitoes. If you're driving a rental car, put a sheet under the front seat to help the car smell fresh.

* Take only new dollar bills -- or iron them before you go. Banks in many countries such as China or Burma will only take U.S. dollars if they appear new and pristine. Even a slight tear or smudge could be cause for rejection. Carry those bills in a zip-lock bag to keep them from getting sweaty or dirty.

* Best seat in the house? The bar. For solo travelers, a good way to overcome the awkwardness of eating alone is to sit at the bar and order your meal there. The bartender will usually try to make you feel at home, strike up a conversation and often engage others at the counter to join in.

* Bring dual-language menus from ethnic eateries in your neighborhood. If you do, you can point to the dish you want and be assured the staff will understand what you want. In fact, bring extra copies -- the owner may want one when future English-speaking customers stop in.

* Reduce camera glare with sunglasses. You can do this simply by placing polarized sunglasses over the camera lens. Hold them as close to the lens as possible and check your viewfinder to be sure the sunglass rims aren't in your shot.

The 101 tips were compiled with input from the companies' own women travelers, staff members and guides. The 128-page booklet is designed to fit easily into a woman's bag. For a copy, call 1-800-873-5628 or visit www.oattravel.com/tips.

Five-star Aer Lingus Ireland package starts at $499

An Ireland Five-Star Resort Package from Aer Lingius, the country's national airline, includes six nights in a deluxe two-bedroom villa at The Heritage 5 Star Golf & Spa Resort, round-trip airfare to Dublin, weekly manual full-size car rental, entrance to the Belleek China Visitor Center and a Shannon Region Discount Booklet worth $500 in savings (if you use all coupons, of course).

The package begins at $499 per person, based on quad occupancy, for travel Dec. 1-Feb. 11 (blackout dates of Dec. 18-31 apply) for travel from New York or Boston. Other departure cities and dates cost slightly more. Taxes ranging from $98 - $165 per person are additional. For more information, call 1800-495-1632 or click here.

Fascinating fact

Taiwan inventor Chen Liang-erh spent 10 years and $1.4 million developing dinnerware made out of weat, so that you can eat your plate as well as the meal. Manufacturing is underway.

For shoppers: a hotel deal near Mall of America

The website CheapOair has a package at the four-star HiltonMinneapolis Bloomington, near the gigantic Mall of America,  as well as Nickelodeon Universe and the Minnesota Zoo. Rates start at $71 a night.

Click here or call 1-866-592-9685.

Worth quoting

“There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it.”                                                                                                                             --   Charles Dudley Warner      

                           

Chills, thrills, spookiness at 3 N.H. inns

Three country inns in the Sunapee region of central New Hampshire are offering  Halloween events the weekend of October 23-25.  Organized by GraniteStateVacations.com, the events  go beyond the usual pumpkin carving and trick or treating, and include spooky stories in a haunted barn, shaman healing and past life regression sessions, as well as communications with spirits. Brrr. Special packages are available at the three inns, which are the Highland Lake Inn (starting at $249 per person) , Rosewood Country Inn (third night at half off) and the Inn at Pleasant Lake (third night at half off).  

For more information on the Spirit of October weekend, click here.

Without $4 gas, Americans will keep hitting the road

A year ago, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $4.07. Today, according to AAA, the average is $2.69. Everybody say, "Whoopee!"

Lower gas prices, of course, mean more affordable summer travel for many. If last year's $4 prices had been repeated, a new survey finds that more than 67 percent of the people questioned would cut their summer travel plans, sometimes drastically. But the news is good, and BedandBreakfast.com, which conducted the survey of 3,300 travelers,  found that nearly 80 percent  plan to take as many or more trips this summer as they did last year and are evenly split between staying closer to home for “staycations”  and traveling farther away. Here are the survey results:

* 70.5% say they'll take two to four trips this summer. 

* 78.6% say they'll take as many or more trips this summer as last.

*  Respondents are evenly tied between staycations and "go-cations" to distant destinations.

* Although the recession has affected  travel plans for 6 out of 10 respondents, they're still anticipating summer vacations. A total of 51.2% of survey respondents said they would change their plans and spend less each day, while 43.4% said they would vacation for fewer days.

* 76% said good deals on lodging would encourage them to travel more, while nearly half said  the simple need to get away was the biggest motivator for travel. 
* Relaxation was the most popular anticipated activity for vacations (65%), followed by visiting with friends and family (56%) and swimming at beaches and lakes (47%). 

Inns that belong to BedandBreakfast.com have crafted more than 125 reward offers to help guests with their gasoline and other costs. Visit  www.bedandbreakfast.com and click the fuel gauge graphic in the center of the screen. The group also has an offer  to save an extra $50 on a three-night sunny destination vacation when booked online  by June 30. click here,  type in a destination and travel dates, look for the Book It button, and use the promo code BBSUN50.

And speaking of driving ... 

Clark Howard, money expert for the HLN network, says driving can cost you about 50 cents a mile because of wear and tear, so you might actually save by renting a car, thus putting the wear on someone else's vehicle.

Visit cnn.com/clarkhoward.

Fascinating fact

Seoul is Korean for "capital city," which of course is what Seoul is.

A room in San Diego for $19?

From Aug. 16-31, the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego will discount its $219 room rate drastically if you are willing to give up some amenities. Here's how it goes: $199 without breakfast,  $179 without honor bar,  $159 without air conditioning or heat,  $139 without pillows, $109 without sheets,  $89 without lights,  $59 without linens, $39 without toiletries and $19 without bed. After all, there's nothing like a good snooze on the floor.

Click here or call 877-517-9340

There's no accounting for taste

According to a survey by USA Today and TripAdvisor.com, America's favorite roadside store is that temple of tackiness, South of the Border in Dillon, S.C.,  picked by  33 percent of  those surveyed. My favorite, Wall Drug Store in Wall, S.D., came in a close second with 31 percent.

Begorrah, but it's germy

The aforementioned TripAdvisor has named Ireland's Blarney Stone the would's germiest tourist attraction. The stone is kissed by 400,000 people a year.

Travel tip

From From Sally Qu Yi, a program director for Grand Circle Travel: "If you are a market person, the first place you should go in Beijng is the Silk Market. The Chinese silk products ... are cheap but good quality... but there are also lots of cashmere  garments, down jackets, leather goods, shoes, hats, watches and some handcrafts and trinkets."

Travelocity sale

Travelocity is holding a Summer to the Rescue Sale, in which you can save up to one-third if you book by June 30 and travel by July 31.

Visit www.travelocity.com/sale.