Old Faithful? No, that's the Beehive Geyser, also at Yellowstone National Park.

Fascinating facts about America's wonderful West
Because America's West is fascinating,  Austin-Lehman Adventures has come up with fascinating factoids about the area. To wit:
 * There are fewer than 1,000 geysers in the world. yet more than 500 of them are within Yellowstone National Park, giving it the highest concentration of geysers on the planet. (Another factoid: Although the park is primarily in Wyoming, it extends into Montana and Idaho.)
* More than 2,400 miles of streams flow through Yellowstone, providing some of the best fly-fishing in the world.
* In the Black Hills of South Dakota, the work-in-progress Crazy Horse mountain carving will be the world’s largest sculpture  -- 563 feet high and 641 feet long.
* Mount Rushmore’s Thomas Jefferson sculpture was originally started on George Washington's right, but after 18 months Jefferson was dynamited off and carved on the other side.
* At the intersection of three separate ecosystems, Zion National Park has a more than 900 species of plants not found anywhere else in Utah.
*In most rural areas of the United States, 2500 stars can be seen on a clear night. But at Bryce Canyon in Southwestern Utah, 7,500 stars can be seen twinkling.

For more curious fun facts, click here. For information about Austin-Lehman trips to the above destinations and to places world wide, visit www.austinlehman.com.

   Search Amazon.com for National Parks

Trivial question

Where in the world can you find a pangolin? (Readers of Adam Mansbach's best-seller, "Go the F**k to Sleep" have a ready reference.)

Baby on the way? Take a break while you still have time

The Trump Collection's Babymoon Package caters to couples on their second trimester who want to savor what will soon be all too rare: lazy mornings, quiet time for two, and plenty of pampering. The package is available at at Trump International Hotel & Tower New York and Chicago,  Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and Waikiki Beach Walk®and Trump SoHo New York. Included in the two-night offer, which starts at $889, are a prenatal massage for her and Trump Classic Massage for her partner;  one in-room breakfast for two; a twice-daily selection from a menu of healthy mocktails, smoothies and teas; and prenatal pillows. Visit visit www.trumphotelcollection.com.


Worth quoting

"Travel is glamorous only in retrospect.." -- Paul Theroux

The circus is coming -- to Vermont's Okemo

In the winter, we associate Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow, Vt., with fine skiing. But in the summer, it's a variety of attractions. For instance,  on Fourth of July weekend, a circus  will feature aerial acts with trapeze and fabric elements, partner acrobatics, and comedy.  The three performers, each with credentials including Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey, Circus Smirkus, and Cirque du Soleil. You can save by pre-purchasing tickets online at Okemo.com. Cost is $12 for  13 and older and $9 for 12 and younger. Children 2 and younger will be admitted free. Tickets purchased at the door will be priced at $15 and $12 respectively. Okemo’s celebration of the Fourth of July weekend will also include concerts and fireworks

The resort's Fourth, Festival and Fireworks package includes a three-night stay at The Jackson Gore Inn or a mountainside condo and a three-ride coupon (for each person) for the new Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, plus access to the Spring House Pool and Fitness Center. Rates start at $68.24 per person, per day, or $545.95 total for a family of four. Okemo’s Vermont Symphony Package includes a two-night stay, two tickets to the popular July 3 Vermont Symphony Orchestra performance at Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center, a  Vermont gift basket and access to Jackson Gore’s Spring House Pool and Fitness Center, plus additional amenities. Rates start at $479 for 2 adults.Call 802-228-1600 or visit www.okemo.com. 

Tour guide joke

When tourists who are about to explore a cave ask worriedly, "Are there any bats in the cave?", some guides can't resist answering, "No. There were but the snakes ate them all."

Polar bears are a bargain in Churchill, Manitoba

The most famous polar bears in the world  live on the Manitoba coast of Hudson Bay, and come into the little town of Churchill every fall on their annual trek  onto the sea ice. A new three-day, two-night short tour is available for  $1,695, including round trip air between Winnipeg and Churchill, accommodations in Churchill, breakfast and a full-day Tundra vehicle excursion to view the bears.  There are seven departures for the Bear Country Adventure between Oct. 11 and Nov. 14.Call The Great Canadian Travel Company at 800-661-3830 of visit www.greatcanadiantravel.com.  To go directly to the  Bear Country Adventure  page, click here.

Trivial answer
You can find a  pangolin, or scaly anteater, in tropical regions of Asia and Africa. But do you really want to?


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Amazing questions -- and equally amazing answers

Not long ago, we looked at some, er,  dopey questions asked by visitors to Walt Disney World in Florida. Now let's cross the country and look not only at questions asked at Disneyland in California but also the clever (or is it sarcastic?)  answers that employees have been known to give. Information is from the book "Mouse Tales" by David Koenig.

Q. (During a downpour). Is that real rain?

A. It's not real.  Mr. Disney has arranged to have an artificial rainstorm in the park every day at 3.

Q.  Is that actual water in the Submarine Lagoon?

A. No, that's cellophane with blowers underneath.

Q. Are the ducks in the Rivers of America real?

A. No, the birds have to be wound up every morning.

Q. (While staring at a large trash can) What ride is this?

A. It's the Can Ride.

Q. How long is the submarine ride?

A. Two days. (So, the book reports, the couple went back to their hotel, packed their bags and returned with suitcases in hand.)

Discount book may cut the cost of NYC visit

New York CityPass contains tickets to the Empire State Building Observatory, the Museum of Modern Art, Statue of Liberty from Liberty Island or from a Circle Line Cruise, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim Museum. New York CityPass is $79  for adults, a savings of $61 over Individual ticket prices, and $59 for ages 13-17, a $42 savings. Booklets are valid for nine days.

Visit www.citypass.com.

Friday's trivia answer: the Caspian Sea

We asked for the name of the world's largest sea, and it is the Caspian.  The sea,  which some term a lake, has a surface area of 143,244 square miles.

Write an essay and win a $780,000 home

Roscoe, a comical Jack Russell Terrier – and his owners – will be awarding their $780,000, fully furnished North Conway, N.H., resort home to the winner of a creative essay contest, to benefit the Conway Area Humane Society. The 3,100-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath home is in the planned community of Hale’s Location, and abuts the first fairway of the golf course. Hiking and cross-country ski trails can be accessed directly from the community, and Echo Lake Park is a five- minute walk from the house. The entry fee is $50.

For details, visit www.newenglandhomecontest.com.

The most popular attractions in New England

According to the AARP Bulletin, these are the top attractions in the six New England states, along with the annual number of visitors: Maine, L.L. Bean's flagship store, Freeport, 3.5 million; New Hampshire, White Mountain National Forest, 5 million; Vermont, Ben & Jerry's factory, Waterbury, 293,000; Massachusetts, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, 20 million; Connecticut, Hammonasset Beach State Park, 1.9 million; and Rhode Island, Roger Williams Zoo, Providence, 505,409.

Little things mean a lot

When I stayed at the Hampton Inn in Smithfield, R.I., over the weekend, I was delighted to find that the included breakfast buffet had a choice of regular coffee or dark, robust coffee. As I sipped my coffee (the dark, robust kind), I pondered how little things like that can add greatly to a hotel stay.

Fascinating fact

In Japan, tipping is largely viewed as an insult.

Happy Canada Day! Here are some fun facts

Today is Canada Day. Why? Because on July 1, 1867, the British North America Act  united Canada as a single country of four provinces. Here are some more facts (some of them arguable, I suppose) about the second largest country in the world.

* Canada has  6,195,692.16 square miles of land, second only to Russia with 6,592,800 square miles. 

* Canadians are said to consume more macaroni and cheese than any other nation.
 
* With only three people per square kilometer, Canada has the fourth-lowest population density in the world.
 
* The world's smallest jail is believed to be in Rodney, Ontario. It is about 270 square feet.
 
 *Canada claims  many great inventions, including basketball, the electric light bulb, the electric range, the electron microscope, standard time,  television, the telephone, the baseball glove and the zipper. 

*There have been no Saturday deliveries of regular mail in the country since 1969.

A night's hotel stay in Taiwan for just $1

Every year, 2 million travelers make a transfer in Taiwan while en route to  Southeast Asia, India or Australia. With a new tourism bureau promotion, they can add a night's stay at one of eight participating hotels for $1 or 1 euro.  In addition to  discounting fares, China Airlines and EVA Airways will absorb the  stopover fee.  If you need to stop for more than a night, those hotels will discount the additional time. 

To book, click here and go to the list of travel agencies.

Fascinating fact

Maine is the only state in the United States whose name has one syllable.

Fine furniture festival coming up in Vermont

Frank Lloyd-Wright, Shaker, American modern and kitchen contemporary are among many furniture pieces handcrafted that will be displayed Sept. 26-27 during the sixth annual Vermont Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival in Woodstock, Vt. Last year's event drew over 2,500 patrons who made off-the-floor purchases and orders for home furnishings valued at up to $12,000.

For more information, click here.

Get ready to groan -- here comes a travel joke

Two tourists stopped for lunch in the town of Oconomowoc, Wis., and immediately began arguing about how to pronounce the town's name. Finally, as they stood at the counter, one of them asked the  employee. "Could you please settle an argument for us? Would you please pronounce where we are ...  very, very slowly?

The employee leaned over the counter and said, Burrrrrr, gerrrrrr, Kiiiing."

An inn package especially for 'Twilight' fans

The Inn at Rooster Hill, a French Country Inn on 2-1/2  acres in Port Angeles, Wash., has a Twilight Book Tour offer starting at $368, The package includes a self-guided “Twilight” tour map of  area sites featured in the phenomenally selling book series, a $50 gift certificate to Bella Italia (where Edward and Bella shared their first date), a Twilight t-shirt, overnight accommodations and country breakfast.

Click here.

In N.H., a lakefront cottage for you and your pet 

A lakefront cottage compound called Anchorage at the Lake in Tilton, N.H.,  is offering a 20 percent discount on all two-bedroom cabins if you pay in advance by credit card and stay three or more nights. Anchorage at the Lake will also welcome pets for  $20 per animal per day in designated pet-friendly accommodations. Lodging options include studio cabins for two,  one-bedroom cabins for four or five, two-bedroom cabins for six to eight, an apartment for up to 10 and two large summer homes for up to 16.  Rates are from $89 to $199 nightly, with discounts     for multiple-night and weekly stays. 

Visit www.anchorageatthelake.com or call 800-943-6093.

Beautiful bugs in Beijing

We began today's postings with a buggy photo, so let us end with one. In Beijing, he Opposite House has partnered with F2 Gallery to exhibit work from the insect series by artist Feng Shu in the hotel's atrium, July 2-Sept. 27. Pieces on display  include a larger than "insect" life praying mantis, mosquito, beetle, scorpion, dragonfly, bee and spider.

Visit www.theoppositehouse.com and www.f2gallery.com.

All aboard for the world's 10 best train rides!

Photo by Rocky Mountaineer

Some of the most widely traveled people on earth were recently polled about what they considered the world’s most exciting and scenic train rides. Here, in order,  are the top 10 rides chosen by members of the Society of American Travel Writers, along with the organization’s descriptions.

1. The Rocky Mountaineer (www.rockymountaineer.com), which offers spectacular two-day journeys through the Canadian Rocky Mountains from Vancouver to Banff or Jasper.

2. The Glacier Express (www.glacierexpress.ch), the famous Swiss mountain railway from St. Moritz to Zermatt. This 7 1/2-hour journey crosses 291 bridges and burrows through 91 tunnels.

3. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (www.durangotrain.com), which winds through rugged canyons in the remote wilderness of Colorado’s two-million-acre San Juan National Forest.

4. The Bernina Express (www.rhb.ch), which runs from Chur, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy, and makes the highest rail crossing of the Alps, passing from icy glaciers to palm-shaded piazzas in just a few hours.

5. Peru Rail Cusco to Machu Picchu (www.perurail.com), which carries passengers on a dramatic journey through the high Andes. There are three levels of service, from backpacker trains to Vistadome cars to the luxurious blue and gold Hiram Bingham train.

6. The Coastal Classic Train on the Alaska Railroad (www.akrr.com), which winds through the wilderness between Anchorage and Seward. Massive glaciers are visible from the track as the train climbs into the Kenai Mountains and travels to the shores of Resurrection Bay for connection to Kenai Fjords National Park, offering whale watching, sea kayaking, tidewater glacier viewing, fishing, and dog sled rides.

7. The Royal Scotsman (www.royalscotsman.com), which rolls through sweeping glens, towering peaks and mirror-calm lochs as the train weaves through wild countryside and along virgin stretches of coast on two- to seven- night journeys in the Scottish highlands.

8. The Whistler Mountaineer (www.whistlermountaineer.com) in Canada, a three-hour ride along the magnificent coast of British Columbia, from Vancouver to Whistler, famous for its views of cities, old-growth forests, deep valleys, snowcapped peaks and seascapes.

9. Mexico’s El Chepe (www.chepe.com.mx), which ventures into the imposing landscapes of the Sierra Tarahumara and into Mexico’s Copper Canyon, passing through 87 tunnels and crossing 37 bridges. The Copper Canyon is four times the size of the Grand Canyon – and deeper.

10. The Flam Railway (www.norwaynutshell.com) is regarded as one of the highlights of the “Norway in a Nutshell” tour. The 20-kilometer-long journey from the mountain station of Myrdal takes 55 minutes and presents views of some of the most magnificent mountain scenery in Norway.

For more about the Society of American Travel Writers, visit www.satw.org.

Worth quoting
“There isn't a train I wouldn't take, No matter where it's going.”
                                                                                      -- Edna St. Vincent Millay

In search of savings in Britain
Britain on the Cheap is a new website that seeks out bargains in B&Bs, hotels, restaurants, shops, theaters and attractions. Recent savings included 25 percent off Historic House Hotels stays; 20% off the Original Bus Open-Top Tour; and free upgrades on the Heathrow Express.
Visit www.britainonthecheap.com. For savings in other cities, check out www.citiesonthecheap.com.

How’s that again?
Sign spotted at a zoo in Japan: “Do Not Feed Your Hand.”


Cruisegoers can see an original Declaration 
A rare, original copy of the Declaration of Independence will be aboard Princess Cruises’ Alaska-based based ships the week of July 4. The Declaration will be on display aboard the vessels for about two hours while each ship is docked in Juneau. The document, valued at more than $8 million, will be shown aboard Diamond Princess and Star Princess on July 1; Coral Princess on July 2; Island Princess on July 3; Pacific Princess and Golden Princess on July 6, and Sapphire Princess and Sea Princess on July 8.

For full details, click here.

Got the pink slip? You may get a free getaway
In 1992, when Leslie and Brian Mulcahy came to the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford, Vt., Brian’s middle management job was being eliminated. So they went from being guests to embarking on a new career as innkeepers at the inn two years later. And now they have launched the Pink Slip Getaway Giveaway Each month through April, 2010 (except September and October 2009), the Rabbit Hill Inn will give away at least one two-night getaway to a couple who has been unemployed for six months or more if their letter explaining their situation is chosen.
For complete details, visit www.rabbithillinn.com.

Answer to Wednesday’s trivia question
The International Bridge links Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The bridge spans the St. Marys River. (The Michigan city, incidentally, is the birthplace of a notable journalist: Peter C. Hotton, the Boston Globe’s "Handyman on Call.")

The best food and the least rude

Singapore Airlines has the best food and the most polite flight attendants, according to a survey by SeatGuru.Com, which tells you all about your airline seat. Coming in second in the food category was British Airlines, followed by Continental and Air France. For the worst food, American Airlines came in first, followed by United, US Airways and Delta. As for the best flight attendants, Singapore was followed by British Airways and Southwest Airlines. United had the rudest, according to the 1,600 people who participated in the survey, followed closely by American and US Airways.

These questions have a kind of magic all their own

Photo by Walt Disney Co.

There's nothing temporary about the Contemporary Resort, near the Magic Kingdom.

Guests at Disney's Magic Kingdom sometimes ask the strangest questions. Here, from the book "Realityland: True-Life Adventures at Walt Disney World," are some of the questions that give a new meaning to the term "no-brainer":

* "Are you part of the scenery or do you work here?"

* "When will they tear down the Temporary Hotel and build a permanent one?" [Er, the hotel's name is actually the Contemporary.]

* "Is this bus going to the Polyester Hotel?" [Er, that's the Polynesian.]

* "This place cost over 400 million? Do you have any idea what that is in dollars and cents?"

* Is that the Fairy Godfather's Castle?

* "Just look at the water on that lake!"

* And, my favorite: "Can you show me the way to Toilet Land?"

Fourth of July will sizzle in Chicago ...

Chicago will be an excellent place to spend the Fourth of July weekend, with lakefront fireworks on both July 3 and July 4, the annual Taste of Chicago dining event and many fun and free family activities such as the Lincoln Park Zoo, Millennium Park, and Buckingham Fountain. For those who want to stay in style, the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, steps from Lake Michigan, and scenic Lake Michigan – has an Experience More package that sort of pays you to stay. Guests get a $100 to $200 room credit per night, based on room category, The credit brings room rates down to a starting point of $295 per night . Still not inexpensive, but this is the Four Seasons after all.

Call 312-280-8400 or click here.

... and sparkle in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's Waterville Valley Resort will have an old-fashioned New England Fourth of July with a town-wide parade on Sunday, July 4, a free outdoor concert and a fireworks display over Corcoran's Pond. And on July 3 at Packard's Field, there will be games, crafts, a 100-foot obstacle course, fireman's BBQ, band and dunk tank. A holiday deal: two nights' lodging, parade flags at check-in, a free glow necklace, and a host of included activities. Prices start at $46 per person per night, quadruple occupancy.

Go to www.visitwatervillevalley.com or call 800-GO-VALLEY.

Worth quoting

“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you traveled.”

-- Mohammed

Fall trip prices are expected to jump

With many airlines expected to cut capacity later this year, Travelocity.com says consumers are likely to see price increases as early as fall, making trips this summer a relative bargain. A Travelocity report shows average domestic airfare is $299, down 17 percent from last summer, and the average price of hotels is $142 per night, a decrease of 14 percent. For a family of four, that represents a savings of $374 on accommodations and airfare for an average six-night domestic summer vacation. Similarly, with both average international hotel rates ($197) and airfare ($690) down 14 percent compared to last year, a family of four can save an average of $847 on airfare and hotel for a typical 13-night international vacation.

Time for a (very small) chuckle

A sobbing hotel guest phoned the front desk to say she couldn't get out of her room. "I don't understand," said the clerk. "Why not?"

"Well, the guest said, "there are only three doors in here. One is the bathroom, one is the closet, and one has a sign on it that says, 'Do Not Disturb'!"

Vermont luxury lodge offers a deal for its birthday

Vermont's Stowe Mountain Lodge is celebrating its first birthday with a package with a package deal that is good through Sept. 30, but must be booked between 12:01am on Sunday, June 21, and Tuesday, June 23. A rate of $299 per night to include a choice of one a 50-minute pure results facial, a 50-minute massage of your choice, a 50-minute body treatment. a three-course dinner for one plus wine pairings, a one-hour guided hike followed by a royal foot treatment in the spa or a $100 gift card to be used in Stowe Mountain Lodge's retail shops. This represents a 30-50 percent discount, and although there are blackout dates, there is still room for July 4 weekend.

Visit www.stowemountainlodge.com or call 888-4-STOWE-VT and refer to booking code BIRTHDAY.

Answer to Friday's trivia question

The United States and Canada are the two countries that border three oceans -- the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic.

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.