Safety first: Tips for camping teenagers and their parents

When children go to camp -- be it a traditional overnight camp,   a school field trip or a adventure halfway around the world --  parents understandably worry about their children's safety. And that worry doesn’t cease when the youngsters reach their teen years. Here, from a Chicago-based service adventure travel company called The Road Less Traveled,  are safety tips for both parents and teenagers.

 For Parents
Choose a credible company.   Select a program that has a great track record and an established reputation.  Don’t be afraid to ask for references or testimonials from previous participants.  Another possibility is to choose a program that is accredited by the American Camp Association. 
 
Check the State Department’s website. At www.travel.state.gov,  you can find up-to-date information on country-specific travel warnings.

Check your family’s overseas medical insurance coverage. Make sure your policy applies to overseas and will cover emergency transportation expenses. If it doesn’t, you might consider supplementary coverage for your child.

Check the certification. See what minimum first aid certification level the leaders are required to have. If your child will ever be more than two hours  from a hospital, the best training is Wilderness First Responder (WFR). The Road Less Traveled maintains that standard first aid, and wilderness first aid, are not sufficient certifications in remote settings.

Talk to the directors of the program. If they are inaccessible when you are making a decision, they may well be inaccessible during the summer. Ask what their mission and values are. Make sure they align  with your own values.

For Teens

Leave a detailed itinerary and duplicate documents. Make copies of your itinerary, passport and credit cards and leave them with your parents. Make sure the itinerary includes addresses, phone numbers and any other relevant information.

 Register. For those traveling in another country, register your trip on Smart Travelers Enrollment Program (STEP). The program is a free service from  the U.S. government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country.  STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist  in an emergency. 

 Locate the American Embassy. Take the embassy phone number and address with you and keep it in a safe place. Should an emergency arise, you may well need to contact them for help.

Stick together. Avoid walking around alone, especially at night.  Stay away from isolated areas and always take a friend or staff member with you if you need to venture away from the group.

Know the laws of your destination. While in a foreign country you are subject to its laws.  Be aware of local conditions and respect  the local culture.

For information about The Road Less Traveled, visit www.theroadlesstraveled.com or call 800-939-9839.

Trivial question
Which country is nearest to Scotland’s Shetland Islands? And no fair peeking at a map. (Answer somewhere below.)

The holidays are half off at this St. Thomas resort
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa., an all-inclusive resort in St. Thomas, has launched an early booking sale for travel this upcoming holiday season.  The Holiday Sale provides a 50% discount on all-inclusive reservations of four nights or more Dec. 23-Jan. 1. Rates start at $$439 a night, including meals and beverages, entertainment, half-day access to the supervised Kid’s Club, and a comprehensive activities program. Book through July 17  by calling 888-582-9104 or visiting www.sugarbaywyndham.com. 

Afternoon tea in London for 11 cents
To honor its 1865 opening, The Langham, London will bring back the original price of afternoon tea  on June 10.  For just 7 pence (or U.S. 11 cents), guests will  experience the Wonderland Tea, normally priced at £38 (U.S. $62). This signature tea features dainty sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream,  pastries and cakes and a variety of teas. Guests must submit their table reservation request at www.palm-court.co.uk/1865 by midnight May 31. Names will then be chosen at random and  recipients will receive  reservation notifications by email on June 3. I stayed at the Langham a few years back and loved it.

Book those Disney dining reservations early
As soon as you know the dates for a trip to Walt Disney World, you might consider making dining reservations because some dinners, especially those that feature the Disney characters, book up fast. I’m speaking from experience: After booking a trip to Disney World for late September yesterday, I tried to make reservations for Donald Duck’s Safari Breakfast at the Animal Kingdom theme bark. Tables for every day of my stay were already filled. No breakfast with Donald? I don’t know if I can survive this!

Worth quoting
“Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain

A special Father’s Day weekend for the golfing dad
The Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C., will hold its third annual Father’s Day Weekend  June 17-19 with a celebration of golf and golf stories, and a round on the recently restored Pinehurst No. 2 where guests can attempt to re-create the Father’s Day putt that won Payne Stewart the 1999 U.S. Open.  The package, which starts at $795 per person, includes three nights’ accommodations; a Saturday round of golf on Pinehurst No. 2 with a caddy followed by an early Sunday round on Pinehurst No. 4; access to the U.S. Open VIP room all weekend; breakfast each morning; and two dinners with speakers. Visit www.pinehurst.com or call 800-487-4653.

Trivial answer
Norway is the country closest to Scotland’s Shetland Islands.

Let's get a wee bit naughty with these photos from Bonaire, taken at the entrance to the national's park's  rest rooms for men and women. We bet you can tell which is which! (Photos by Richard P. Carpenter.)
 

From Harry to Hairy in Independence, Mo.
One of the many joys of travel is encountering an unexpected and unusual attraction. Take Independence, Mo., where many go to see the home of President Harry S Truman but leave talking about such eccentric attractions as these:

Leila’s Hair Museum, 1333 S. Noland Road, is perhaps the only such museum of its kind. Boasting over 2,500 hair wreaths, brooches, watch fobs, bracelets, earrings buttons, jewelry and artwork made partially or entirely out of human hair, the collection pays homage to the Victorian craft of hair work. Wreaths were created by women to illustrate family genealogy and were made from hair both of the living and the dead. Recent acquisitions include  framed hair from celebrities such as Elvis, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, and JFK.  The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for seniors and children under 12. For more information, go to www.hairworks.com/leila or call 816-833-2955.

And then there is the Puppetry Arts Institute, 11025 E. Winner Road, a store frontfilled with hundreds of puppets and marionettes from all over the world. Rod puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets and marionettes are displayed, as well as a special Punch and Judy display and puppets from the factory of Hazelle Rollins, world famous puppeteer, inventor and manufacturer of puppets. Her nearby Kansas City factory was the largest puppet factory in the world. When she died and the factory closed, its inventory was left to the institute. Visitors can choose a professionally made puppet head, paint and clothe it and put on an impromptu show on one of the institute’s stages. The institute is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and costs $3 for adults, $1.50 for ages 16 and under. There is an extra $5 charge to make a puppet. Visit www.hazelle.org or call 816-833-9777.

While in Independence you can also travel back to the Civil War era at the 1859 Jail, Marshal’s Home and Museum, 217 N. Main, as you step into the gloomy limestone cells with two-foot-thick walls and heavy metal gated doors. Imagine the stories of  residents like outlaw Frank James or Quantrill’s Raiders guerillas. Listen and watch for evidence of ghostly inhabitants who are rumored to haunt the premises. The jail is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. (closed during November, open from Thanksgiving weekend through Dec. 30 and then closed for the winter till April 1.) Visit  

www.jchs.org/jail/museum.html or call 816-252-1892.

For more information, lodging information, maps, discount tickets and a  list of events, go to www.visitindependence.com.

Trivial question

What is the most populous country in Central America? (Answer somewhere below.)

Travel products to go

Downy Wrinkle Release and Dryel Instant Stain Remover are two products that come in sizes small enough (under 3 ounces) that they are acceptable  as carry-on items for flights. Two non-liquid but handy products are the Bounce travel size Lint & Freshness Roller and the Tide Travel Laundry Bag, which eliminates odors and fits inside a suitcase.

Worth quoting

“Never stand when you can sit; never sit when you can lie down, and by God, if you find a clean toilet, use it!” -- Anonymous

A Native American view of historic Plymouth

Visitors to Plymouth, Mass., hear about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims. Native Plymouth Tours, however, gives those visitors a chance to learn more about the earlier settlers via walking tours of the city's historic downtown -- tours that tell about the shared history of the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims from a Native American perspective. The 1 1/2-hour tours are given April through November and cost $15 for adults, $10 for children and $12 for seniors 60 and older. Visit www.nativeplymouthtours.com.

Fascinating fact

The Kiliaen restaurant in Hasselt, Holland, is so small it seats but two guests. Check out a video here.

Visit Pittsburgh -- and leave a tree behind

Hey, there,  all you proponents of a cleaner, greener environment: Fairmont Pittsburgh’s Take a Trip, Leave a Tree package includes tickets to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a guided bike tour of the Three Rivers Heritage Trails, a picnic lunch and a tree donated to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. The package is available Thursday-Sunday through Dec. 31, with rates starting at $370 per night. Call  888-270-6647 or visit www.fairmont.com/pittsburgh. 

Trivial answer

Guatemala, with 13,276,517 residents, give or take a few, is the most populous country in Central America.

Yosemite Valley National Park in California.

Free admission for a week at our marvelous national parks

Some of my happiest travel have come from visits to America's national parks, and I'm certainly not alone. But during National Park Week April 16-24, things get even better because admission is free at all 394 parks and special events are planned at many. Those events may not be earth-shaking but will give you a feel for the what the National Park Service has to offer. Here is a sampling:

* Steamtown National Historic Site, Pennsylvania. Short train excursions will begin on Sunday. These tours are offered on a first-come basis. For more information, call 570-340-5204.

Muir Woods National Monument, California. Celebrate naturalist John Muir's birthday April 21 with a quiet walk through what he called "the best tree-lover's monument in all the forests of the world." Phone the Muir Woods Hotline at 415-388-2595 for program information.

* Stones River National Battlefield, Tennessee.  Parks and volunteers nationwide are dedicating tomorrow to preserving America's Civil War sites. At Stones River National Battlefield and the Civil War Preservation Trust, employees and volunteers will fan out to remove exotic plants, trash, and modern fencing.

* Congaree National Park, South Carolina. National Park Week, National Junior Ranger Day, and Earth Day will all be celebrated tomorrow with guided walks, junior ranger programs and canoe tours. All events are free. For more information call 803-776-4396.

All right, let's get to the free part. For starters, many sites are free year round. But for 100 of the biggest parks, where admissions vary, the savings can be substantial. The waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. But they don't apply to other fees such as reservations, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties unless stated otherwise. In addition, many national park concessioners are joining the National Park Service with their own special offers. To see them, click here.

And if you can't visit April 16-24, take heart: Other free days this year are June 21, Sept. 24 and Nov. 11-13.

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Trivial question

Only one country that begins with an "A" doesn't also end with an "a." Name the country.

Discover France shrinks size of groups needed for discounts

Discover France Adventures,  specialists in France for cycling and hiking tours, announces that groups of four or more can now get group discounts on self guided cycling tours that previously were only available to groups of 10 or more. The amount of savings increases with the group size. For example, on the Self Guided Provence Vineyards & Lavender Tour, the posted per person rate is 1,335 euros. If four persons book and travel together, a discount of 55 euros per person is possible, adding up to a group savings of 220 euros, or about $320. This offer is valid for bookings through Oct. 31 for the 2011 season only.

Worth quoting

"I had a prejudice against the British until I discovered that fifty percent of them were female.” -- Raymond Floyd

Book a package and save nearly $600

As we've said before, you often can save substantially when booking a package or tour. Here's an example:

TourCrafters, which specializes in Italy travel,has a four-night Rome City Break that costs $1,252 until May 15 and again from Sept. 1-Oct. 31. That price includes a round-trip flight from New York, the fuel surcharge, airport transfer, hotel accommodations, daily buffet breakfast, a half-day sightseeing tour, service charges, taxes and even an ice cream cone in a historic gelateria. (Air fare from other departure cities is additional.)  If you were to book these elements yourself, TourCrafters notes that you would pay $815 for air fare, $420 for fuel surcharge, $99 for airport transfer, $316 for hotel, $72 for breakfast, $49 for sightseeing, $62 for service charges and taxes, and $3 for the ice cream cone — a total of $1,836 and a difference of $584.

Fascinating fact 

The Dominican Republic flag is the only one with a Bible on it. (You have to look carefully to see it, though.)

A chance to win 6.5 million hotel rewards points
Best Western’s “Jumpstart to Summer” promotion kicks off April 17 with a chance for one lucky traveler to win 6.5 million rewards points. That could mean more than two years of free hotel rooms!
 Best Western Rewards members (free to join) who register for the Jumpstart promotion at www.bestwestern.com/jump and stay with Best Western three times between April 17 and June 5 will earn a $50 Best Western Travel Card, which can be used like cash at any of the chain’s 4,000+ properties worldwide.  Those who register are also entered in a daily drawing for a $65 Best Western Travel Card.
Then, those who complete three separate stays at two different "descriptor" hotels (a Best Western, Best Western Plus and/or Best Western Premier) will be automatically entered into a drawing for the 6.5 million rewards points. Five second prizes of $650 travel cards will also be awarded.

Trivial answer

Afghanistan, of course.

You want to check-in WHAT ??????????????????????

You never know what people will try to check in before their flight. Take these strange items that members of the Virgin Atlantic Airways check-in staff have encountered:

* A bathtub.   A woman passenger who had her family carry the tub through the airport at JFK expected the item to be checked in. It wasn't even wrapped or packaged.

* A pet tarantula hidden in a woman's coat at JFK airport. * A dead cow wrapped in plastic at JFK..  

* A bag of cutlery previously stolen from a Virgin Atlantic flight at Delhi airport.  

* A bag full of sand, sea and water. You see,  a couple fell in love on the island of Grenada and wanted to check in a memory.  

* A bag of soil and coconut trees at Grenada airport.

And how does the check-in staff react to such swell stuff? A Virgin Atlantic executive put it this way: "It certainly brightens up their day." 

Trivial question

 On what sea is Poland located? (Answer somewhere below.)

Funjet Vacations is having a Disney sale

Funjet Vacations says that when travelers booka vacation package to a Walt Disney World resort at a Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotel, they’ll save up to 30 percent for stays through Aug. 13. In addition, Funjet  will include the following when a package is booked by April 30 or  a $50 discount at Moderate Resorts; an additional $75 discount on Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts. Savings will automatically be included when booking a qualifying reservation. Click here or call 800-FUNJET-1.

Worth quoting

"I guarantee the flying public we will not sleep until we can guarantee that there's good safety in the control towers when these planes are coming in and out of airports." -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to ABC World News about several recent cases of about the several cases of air traffic controllers falling asleep on the job.  

A 2-for-1 Bahamas flight deal

For a limited time, The Bahamas is offering 2-for-1airfare or an instant air credit up to $300 for bookings of four or more nights. Book by May 9, and travel April 24 through Dec. 22, at one of 40 participating resorts and hotels throughout Nassau/Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island, The Abaco Islands, Cat Island, Harbour Island and The Exuma Islands, among others. For a full list of participating hotels and to book the offer, visit www.bahamas.com or call 800-BAHAMAS. No blackout dates apply. Visit www.Facebook.com/VisitTheBahamas to find out who’s been there, interact with fans of the islands, and get information, photos and a free Island Guide.

Search Amazon.com for Bahamas 

Fascinating fact

Finland appears to be the country with the most islands -- 179,584. But to be fair, the number of Canada's islands has never been counted. There are an estimated 30,000 islands along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay alone. 

Half off a second room with Florida baby boomer package

Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa in Jupiter, Fla. (of all places) has a Beach Boomers package starting at $169 per night.It includes 20 percent off the resort's best available rate, overnight luxury accommodations, daily breakfast for two, two-for-one bicycle rentals, a 10 percent discount in The Spa and Sinclairs Ocean Grill as well as daily beach chair and umbrella rentals.  Encouraging multi-generation travel, the package also allows guests to book a second room at a 50 percent discount, perfect for bringing the children and grandkids.  Call 800-228-8810 or visit www.jupiterbeachresort.com and use promo code BOOMERS.

Trivial answer

Poland is on the Baltic Sea.

Read this and  leave your flying fears on the ground

Recent problems with a Southwest Airlines plane have some people asking yet again, "Is  flying safe ... really?" The answer is, yes, flying is extremely safe.  Brian Clegg, writing in London's Daily Mail, puts it this way: "The statistics are remarkably reassuring. The risk of being killed in a plane crash in any particular year is one in 125 million passenger journeys. That’s three times safer than travelling by train — when did you last worry about that? — and 12 times safer than travelling by car. In fact, you’re more likely to have a fatal accident during six hours at work than you are during six hours on a plane." So stop clenching those armrests and relax as aviation expert Clegg clues you in to other things that worry some fliers:

* Wobbling wings are  normal. The upward and downward movements of the plane’s aluminium alloy body are rippling out along the wings. The tips of a large airliner wing  can move up and down as much as 3 meters (almost 10 feet) during flight.

* It's not dangerous for your ears to pop while flying. Ears pop because as the plane climbs and the atmosphere outside thins, the cabin is artificially pressurized to a level that is different from the atmospheric pressure we’re accustomed to on the ground. The popping can be painful, though.

*  What about turbulence or (shudder) a lightning strike? Clegg notes that "no modern aircraft has ever been brought down by turbulence, although passengers have been injured or even killed, either because they weren’t wearing seat belts and hit their heads on the ceiling or because heavy luggage fell out of the overhead lockers." As for lightning, pilots are able to fly around or above most storms. "But if you do find yourself flying through one, don’t worry. The safest place to be in an electrical storm is inside a metal cage — such as an aircraft."

* Suppose some clown tries to open a door during flight? He won't succeed. As the plane climbs, the cabin air pressure pushes the door outwards, sealing it into place.  But, adds Clegg, please, don’t try.

* And then there's the most worrisome fear of all --  getting stuck on a toilet seat. There's even a tale about a woman who pushed the flush button before getting up and was sealed to the seat. Well, it didn't happen.  Lavatories do use vacuum flushes but  the flush button is normally placed behind the toilet lid, making it impossible to flush without standing up.

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Trivial question

Which Central American country uses English Creole as its principal language? (Answer somewhere below.)

Kids, they're speaking your language

To introduce its new Kid Spoken Here offering this summer, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is rolling out lower child and teen rates, new kids’ meals, and a broader variety of family-friendly outdoor activities at each of its lodges and huts in New Hampshire and Maine. The greatest changes are coming to AMC’s Highland Lodge, where a new “big mountain” outdoor playscape and child-only Kids Club activities are planned. AMC has also lowered everyday lodging rates for children by up to 25 percent and added a new teen rate. The AMC's outdoor experiences for families and young explorers range from free walk-on programs such as beginner family hikes to more adventurous overnight hut adventures and other backcountry outings. For full details on AMC’s new Kid Spoken Here offerings, visit www.outdoors.org/kidsguide.  New, all-inclusive nightly rates at Highland Lodge, including lodging, dinner, breakfast, and guided activities, start at $356 for a family of four ($296 for AMC members) in private room with private bath accommodations. For reservations, call 603-466-2727 or book online at www.outdoors.org/lodging.

Fascinating fact

The Mediterranean sea gets its name from the Latin phrase meaning "sea in the middle of land."

Marriott hotel stays in the Carolinas start at $69

At selected Marriott and Renaissance properties in North Carolina and South Carolina, weekend rates begin at  $69 per night for Friday and Saturday stays, and weekday rates from $99 per night for Sunday through Thursday stays. Travelers must book by midnight April 15 to get the special rates, which are valid for travel through July 25. Those rates are non-refundable, exclusive of tax, and subject to availability.To book, call -800-228-9290 or visit www.marriott.com or www.renaissancehotels.com.; refer to Promotional Code ADP.

Worth quoting

"We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lost sight of the reason for the journey, or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way."  -- Gloria Gaither

Everything you always wanted to know about lobsters in Maine

In Maine, Historic Inns of Rockland is featuring a Lobster 101: Lobsters, Lighthouses & Luxury package offered June 1-30. 

The package offers a two- or three-day itinerary including accommodations at a choice of four inns: LimeRock Inn, Berry Manor Inn, Granite Inn, and Captain Lindsey House, each representing the luxury component of the package.  In addition, the package includes:

• Two tickets to the Maine Lighthouse Museum for a self-guided tour or a special guided tour with a docent of the museum on Thursday mornings throughout June.
• A  guided tour of Rockland’s Historic Breakwater Lighthouse  every Wednesday at 10 a.m. (weather permitting) and  a copy of  the book “The Lighthouse at Rockland Breakwater Then and Now.”
• An official Lighthouse Map to all of Maine’s lighthouses and a driving map to six  local area lighthouses.
• The  Book of Maine Lighthouses filled with history and fun facts.
• Two tickets to Captain Jack’s Lobster Adventure Cruise where guests work  with a real Maine lobsterman (and a true salty character too!) and learn lobster lore.
• Two “Got Lobster” T-shirts.
• An afternoon tour of a working lobster pound followed by guided instruction in the best way to ea.t a lobster, complete with a freshly caught lobster dinner for each person (offered Monday-Saturday.)
• A Chocolate Seascape handmade by a local chocolatier.
• Two whimsical Lobster Hats.

 Two-night packages are $395-$745 (plus tax, double occupancy).  Book early in the month to take advantage of low season rates (high season rates begin June 15). Book a third night and get 25 percent off rack rates.

Trivial answer

Belize is the Central American country where Creole English is principally spoken. The other nations speak Spanish.

A carpet of flowers in Brussels

Europe, the affordable, fun and sometimes quirky way

Travel to Europe is slowly picking up. In fact,  the European Travel Commission is expecting to see 2 to 3 percent more Americans in 2011 than in 2010, as the U.S. economy bounces back. Hotel prices and other costs have been lowered in  countries such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal, and Central European countries continue to be highly affordable.  

 

But where do you find the deals? One place is  www.visiteurope.com, with quick links to European Travel Commission members’  websites.  A recent search turned up packages such as these:

Virgin Vacations offers a  Brussels and Amsterdam city break for eight days, with three nights in each city, rail transfer with reserved seating, and daily breakfast.  Land prices range from $509 to $589, but round-trip air/land packages are available ranging from $1,199 to $1,649 from New York (including fuel surcharges but not taxes and fees; other gateways are of course available). 

Brussels is easily manageable in a few days, with fabulous museums from Old Master paintings to modern art, surrealist Magritte and even comic strips, plus funky neighborhoods for shopping and night life.  Amsterdam, meanwhile,  is a city of commerce with canals, cafés, museums brimming with the works of Dutch artists like Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, and Anne Frank’s house filled with historical exhibits.  The train ride in between is a classic European experience.  Visit www.virgin-vacations.com to book.

Sceptre Tours’ Emerald Isle independent tour features round-trip air, six nights' accommodation with daily Irish breakfast, and a weekly standard shift car rental for  $739-$1,129 per person, and offers travelers  flexibility to set their own itineraries.  First night is in a pre-booked hotel in Shannon or Dublin.  The next five nights are spent in  B&Bs sprinkled throughout the country.  Upgrades in accommodations and automatic cars are available, as are extra nights. Another option is an upgrade to a five-star castle for the final night.  Over 100 US gateways are available. 

Poland in One Go is an eight-day/six night all-inclusive escorted tour that covers all the must-sees for the first-time visitor, with extra treats for even a repeat visitor.  The $1,300 per person price tag covers lodging in Warsaw, Krakow and Zakopane, ground transport, an English-speaking guide and most meals. Highlights include the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising, a private Chopin piano concert, a Klezmer music concert in Kazmierz, a horse-drawn cart ride in Krakow’s Old Town, a cable car ride to Mt. Gubalowka, and visits to World Heritage Sites.  Land dates are June 3-9 and Aug. 5-11. Immediately following the August trip is the Simple Pleasures tour, Aug. 12-19 that visits lesser-known areas to experience everyday life.  A day is spent learning to cook  Polish dishes such as pierogi, and another day includes a class in pottery painting in a village where the houses are painted with floral motifs.  Other highlights include a  raft trip along the Dunajec River gorge and a farewell cruise on the Vistula River to the Janowiec Castle ruins, as well as visits to a 16^th century wooden church, a World Heritage Site, the Wooden Churches of Debno, and more.  Priced at $1,700 per person double occupancy, if booked with Poland in One Go, each package will be discounted by 5 percent.  Since prices are paid in Polish zlotys, the actual charge in U. S. currency could be lower, but will never be higher.  To book either or both packages, visit www.staypoland.com.  

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Trivial question

Which of the Great Lakes does not border Canada? (Answer somewhere below.)

A FASTPASS to see Mickey at Disney World ...

Walt Disney World  guests can now go backstage at Town Square Theater for photos and autographs with Mickey Mouse without waiting in a standby queue. That's the result of the first-ever use of Disney's FASTPASS Service for a character meet-and-greet. FASTPASS allows guests to reduce waiting by designating a window of time when they can return for a theme park experience. Town Square Theater is located just inside the Magic Kingdom entrance. Previously known as Town Square Exposition Hall, the venue has been re-imagined as a turn-of-the-20th-Century theater where posters proclaim Mickey as the star of a magic show.Ya gotta love it.

.. and an app to help you see everything else

The Undercover Tourist has a free smartphone app designed to save time and help you find attractions when visiting Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Visit www.undercovertourist.com.

Tour guide joke (Bonaire)

"That reddish-colored tree with falling-off bark that you see over there is a gumbo-limbo tree but we like to call it a tourist tree because it is red and peeling."

Mother's Day spa packages at Donald Trump's places

A Mother’s Day Spa Package is being offered at  The Spa at Trump's  four locations across the U.S.: Trump International Hotel & Tower- Chicago, Trump International Hotel-Las Vegas, Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk and Trump SoHo New York. You can  choose from two packages costing $299 each: a 90-minute Trump Classic Massage followed by a 60-minute, revitalizing Kate Somerville Dermal Quench Facial with a bonus Kate Somerville Protect SPF 30 sunscreen – a $494 value. Or a 90-minute Trump Gemstone Massage, combining gemstone-infused oils with flowers and herbal essences, followed by a 60-minute, balancing Kate Somerville Trump Results Facial and the bonus Protect SPF 30 sunscreen – a $504 value. The package can be purchased through Mother’s Day, May 8, and must be used by Sept. 5. A 20% service charge on treatments is additional. Visit www.trumphotelcollection.com/spa-reservations.

Fascinating fact

Lightning strikes the CN Tower in Toronto an average of 75 times per year. (Long copper strips run down the CN Tower to grounding rods buried below ground to prevent damage.)

It's a great time to go to jail -- for a tour, that is

The Missouri State Penitentiary  in Jefferson City, Mo., is now offering tours day and night -- as if it weren't eerie enough during the day. The landmark, which was decommissioned in 2004, charges $12 for a two-hour tour, $17 for special subject tours focused on specific themes, such as  the riot of 1954; $17 for two-hour Twilight tours; $25 for Ghost Hunt tours; and $100 for Open Paranormal Investigations, where you start with the standard tour and then spend the night at the penitentiary to investigate paranormal activity. Eeek! Visit  www.missouripentours.com or call 866-998-6998. 

 

Trivial answer

Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake entirely within the United States.

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.

Search Amazon.com for senior travel

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.

 

What's hot and cool (really, really cool) in Europe this season

Every year, the European Travel Commission meets to talk over the latest travel trends on the Continent. This year, members noted a desire among travelers for slowing down, for comfort and escape -- perhaps hopoing to get away for a while from out electronic gadgets, our computers and television screens. Accordingly, here is what's trending:

* They're going for the waters. Health through water, is making a comeback as the benefits of thermal waters, ocean bathing and mineral springs spark new interest in this time-honored European tradition among aging Baby Boomers. Accordingly,  Europeʼs spas are turning up the taps on treatments and amenities. Portugalʼs Vidago Palace Hotel, for instance, reopened in October 2010 after an extensiver enovation. With 70 rooms and suites, this Belle Epoque builting now sports a modernist wing housing a new spa, where guests try the Vidago spring waters, with hydro and Vichy showers, steam baths and sauna. Massages and treatments are taken in 20 rooms.

* Farm-fresh. What with many Americans turning to organic, locally grown foods, Europe is providing that via farm and mountain vacations. Example: “Holidays in the Countryside” offers farm stays along with B&Bs, guesthouses and small hotels throughout Czech Republic. Pension Javořice (pictured) in southern Moravia is a 400-year-old organic farm where guests can dine on honey, sheep products, apples, pears, cherries, fruit ciders and spirits, and mingle with three generations of the family owners. Gothic castles dot the  landscapes, and the nearby town of Telc is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


* Foodie heaven. Europe has been making it easy to discover its gastronomicdelights. Take Austria’s Via Culinaria  -- “Appetite Way” -- featuring seven  routes to culinary achievements in the region around Salzburg. The websiteʼs interactive maps unlock all things food, from bistros, coffeehouses and haute cuisine restaurants to farms and mountain huts serving country specialties. It also tells where to find the best wild game restaurants, the best seafood, the best stores, as well as how to find classes in making pastry, cheese, bread and beer. 


*LGBT. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travel is not only out of the closet but actively encouraged. Germanyʼs gay and lesbian culture, for instance,  is legendary and the German National Tourist Board website has a gay-dedicated section that gives in-depth detail on gay travel for points north (Hamburg), south (Munich), east (Berlin) and west (Cologne, site of Gay Games VIII Jul. 31-Aug. 7), complete with hotels, bars, scenes and events.


* Memorable design. Europe these days is full of  arty, boutique hotels. Example: Hotel Fabian is a fashionable newcomer in Helsinki. Designed around a courtyard and a short walk from the
Market Square, the Esplanadi gardens and the Museum of Finnish Architecture, this boutique hotel, known for its stylish interiors, has 58 rooms. The hotel's Restaurant Savoy,  meanwhile, features an original Alvar Aalto interior.


* Sailing, sailing.  Cruisegoing is hot this year , especially in the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the famous
rivers with their fabled landscapes. Whatʼs more, Europe is again affordable for most budgets as new and bigger ships come on line. The average price of a 12-day Med cruise has steadily dropped since 2009.Many upscale cruise lines are offering free round-trip economy flights from North American gateways.  New vessels plying European waters in 2011 include Carnival Cruise Linesʼ Carnival Magic (3,652 passengers); Costa Cruisesʼ Favalosa (pictured; 3,502); Celebrity Cruisesʼ Silhouette (2,850); Oceania Cruisesʼ Marina (1,260); Seabourn Cruise Lineʼs Quest (450); Avalon Waterwaysʼ Panorama (166); Amaverde (162); and Uniworld Grand Boutique River Cruisesʼ Douro Spirit (128) and SS Antoinette (164).

Search Amazon.com for Europe travel 

Trivial question
Here's one for World War II buffs, among others: In what island  group do you find Guadalcanal? (Answer somewhere below.)


All-inclusive Caribbean getaway is free for Mom
During a sale, starting at midnight on Monday, May 2,  and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, travelers who book an all-inclusive Elite Island Resorts vacation will be able to bring Mom for free.  In fact, every booking  will be buy one, get one free, so anyone else is eligible, too. The "secret" booking code will be announced at midnight on Monday, May 2.  This offer will be valid for travel through Dec. 20,  also includes VIP treatment and a complimentary room category upgrade, when available at the time of booking. Prices and locations vary. Visit www.eliteislandresorts.com or call 800-858-4618.

Worth quoting

"Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry." -- Jack Kerouac


Family time in Paradise, starting at $219

The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort has launched a new Family Time in Paradise package that includes connecting rooms or suites where available, a daily $50 resort credit, free food and beverage for children under 12, complimentary non-motorized water sports, one welcome amenity per child per stay, a kids cup that can be filled up with juice, milk and soft drinks for free at the pool,  and a complimentary rollaway, subject to availability. Rates start at $219. For more information or reservations, call 866-716-8106 or visit www.sheratonnassau.com.

Fascinating fact

Many of us have flown into Chicago's O'Hare Airport, and at least a few of us have wonered why the airport's designation is ORD. We need wonder no longer: ORD  comes from the location's old name of Orchard Field.

 'Compliments of Bermuda' extended through June
The Bermuda Department of Tourism and its hotel partners have extended their “Compliments of Bermuda” promotion, inviting visitors to enjoy every third night free for hotel rooms booked in April.  In addition, travelers  who book a three-night stay in May will receive the fourth night free, and guests booking a four-night stay in June will receive their fifth night free. Thedeal is available at more than a dozen participating hotel properties, available for booking through May 30 for travel through June 30.  Accommodations range from luxury resorts and boutique hotels to beach clubs and historic beachfront properties. Prices, of course, vary. Visit www.bermudatourism.com/compliments or see a travel agent.

 Trivial answer

Guadalcanal is part of the Solomon Islands.