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.  

 Search Amazon.com for Europe 

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.

You can find the darndest things in Michigan

Only in Michigan can you see roadside attractions such as the World’s Largest Tire (I-94 east of Detroit Metro Airport), The World’s Largest Cherry Pie Pan (Traverse City), and the World’s Largest Stove (Detroit). Some of the state's roadside attractions include:

• Big Gus, the world’s largest working chainsaw. Gus is 23 feet long, is powered by a V-8 engine and is the star of the fittingly named Da Yooper’s Tourist Trap in Ishpeming.

• The Eiffel Tower. Well, sort of. In Paris, Mich., north of Big Rapids, you'll see a 20 foot tall replica of the landmark. Crafted by welding steel, the monument sits among the tall trees and was made by industrial arts high school students.
• The house with 60,000 soft drink bottles. The bottles lay on their side with the bottoms forming the outside wall. the Bottle House is in Kaleva, 10 miles from Lake Michigan.
• Mystery Spot. Someone tall is suddenly small. Or climb a wall into the air without falling. This puzzling attraction is 5 miles west of St. Ignace and the Mackinac Bridge on Highway US-2.
• Cross Village. Following a short drive through the Tunnel of Tree that begins in Harbor Springs, you come upon upside-down stove legs that decorate the roof of the inn. Meanwhile, the interior features unusual shapes crafted from polished twining tree roots. Good Polish food is available, too.
  
• The Musical Fountain. From Memorial Day through Labor Day on Friday and Saturday evenings, you'll hear and see this sound and lighting masterpiece as it pumps out 4,000 gallons of water a minute and sprays 125 feet in the air. Grand Haven, where the foiuntain is located, had the idea in 1963, way before Las Vegas built the Bellagio.
• Paul Bunyan. The statue stands 15 feet tall in Manistique..
• The Shrine of the Snowshoe Priest Bishop Baraga. This one is 35 feet tall, high atop US-41 in L’Anse. The good Bishop founded 5 missions after he first came to the Upper Peninsula in 1830 from Slovenia.
• Hiawatha. This statue, in Ironwood, tops them all. It's 50 feet high, weighs 16, 000 pounds and can withstand 140 mph winds.

For other quirky attractions and destinations, visit www.michigan.org.

15 years of fire and water in Rhode Island
Water Fire is celebrating 15 years as one of the premier attractions in Providence. The award-winning art installationconsists of 100 bonfires that wind through the three downtown rivers, with lightings on selected Saturdays during summer and fall. Upcoming lightings take place on July 17, July 31, Aug. 14, Aug. 28 and Oct. 9. WaterFire has attracted millions of spectators through its visual aesthetics and fragrant wood smoke scent. The lightings are synchronized with music from around the world and often accompanied by dance performances. The July 31 lighting, for instance, will feature a live performance from the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, accompanied by a dance performance from Festival Ballet Providence. Spectators can enjoy every WaterFire experience on both land and water with boat and gondola rides available for an additional fee.

Visit www.waterfire.org or www.goprovidence.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." -- Susan Heller

Here's a chance to stay in Cinderella's castle
A Southwest Airlines sweepstakes with an entry deadline of July 15 promises the winner a chance to win a package for four to Walt Disney World and stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite. Included are roundtrip flights, a one-night stay in Cinderella's digs, two nights at another deluxe Disney resort property and four-day park tickets. For details, go to www.southwest.com and wait for the Cinderella squib to magically appear.

Fascinating fact
Bagpipes are believed to have originated in Rome, not Scotland.

Explore Nassau's past with Hilton package
Validthrough Dec. 31, British Colonial Hilton's Historic Tour of Nassau Package takes guests on a journey through the island's culture and history. With rates starting at $239 per night based on double occupancy, the package offers renovated accommodation, daily breakfast and a two-hour guided Surrey ride of the island’s most enchanting sights. Travelers will visit old forts, botanical gardens, white-sand beaches and parliamentary buildings, accompanied by the driver’s tales of old. For reservations or more information, call 1-877-GO-HILTON and mention promotion code P7.

BoltBus marks a milestone
BoltBus, a discount curbside bus service, has reached its 3-millionth passenger milestone since it was launched in March 2008. The bus now provides express service between New York and the following locations: Baltimore; Boston; Cherry Hill, N.J.; Greenbelt Park & Ride, Md.; Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Tickets are available for purchase in advance at www.boltbus.com, bycalling 1-877-BOLTBUS (265-8287) or from a driver before boarding. Prices are available on the website.

Want a free day at Disney? Go out and volunteer

For my Boston Globe essay on visiting Disney world with my grandson, click here.

Disney Parks recently launched its “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program that rewards volunteer service with a free day at Disney. And this week, Walt Disney World is doing even more for some superstar volunteer families, flying them to the park to celebrate their good deeds. Among thosee celebrants is the Glidden family of Lynn, Mass.

You see, when it comes to volunteering, 11-year-old Victoria Glidden is always game, bringing her own “team” – her family – to help in her philanthropy. In 2008, Victoria was elected a Red Sox Kid Nation Captain. As a captain, she organized a winter coat drive, and with the help of friends and family collected 350 coats for children in need. Through the Red Sox Kid Nation program, the Glidden family also participated in a backpack drive to benefit underprivileged students attending Boston schools. In addition to collecting more than 4,000 school supplies for the packs, the family spent the day at Fenway Park filling and handing out backpacks. The family is also involved with Blanket the Globe, a project led by children to increase environmental awareness for youth around the world.

Disney hopes to inspire such deeds this year through this first-of-its-kind program. One million people who perform volunteer service for a participating organization will receive a free one-day admission ticket to a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.disneyparks.com/(for the United States and Puerto Rico) or http://www.disneyparks.ca/ (for Canada).

Missy Piggy and Kermit the Frog lead a "VoluntEars" parade. (Photo/Walt Disney Co.)

Food, fun and murder at a Maine inn

The Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, Maine, is offering an intriguing Murder by Shopping package March 7-9. The mystery begins on Sunday evening and develops through Monday, but there will be enough free time to take advantage of the inn's restaurants and an indoor pool, or go shopping at over 170 designer outlets just blocks away. Tuesday breakfast is when the murderer will be revealed. The cost is $348 per person double occupancy, including two nights' lodging, many meals, taxes and tips, and, of course, participation in the mystery.

For reservations, call 800-342-6423. For information, click here.

Fascinating fact

The country of Tonga once issued a stamp shaped like a banana.

Did anyone notice the lodge?

The Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa in Chile’s Atacama Desert plays a significant role in Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue, now on the stands, The Atacama, the driest desert in the world, gave photographer Raphael Mazzucco the chance to work with an array of one-of-a-kind Andean backdrops to showcase the swimwear and the models. Likewise, the models posed for thousands of photos in the lodge's guestroom terraces and against the dusty orange hills that surround the property, at turquoise-colored salt flats, sand dunes and oases.

For information on the lodge, visit http://www.altoatacama.com/. For behind-the-scenes photos of the models at the Alto Atacama, visit www.si.com/swimsuit.

But hold on -- Portugal also claims a significant role in the photo shoot. The S.I. models and crew were also photographed in the Lisbon region, and stayed at the Ritz Lisbon Four Seasons.

All those museums, all that chocolate and all that beer!

Brussels: a capital like no other.

Belgium may be a small country -- it encompasses 11,787 square miles and has a population of 10.7 million -- but big treats are in store for visitors. Here are some of the things they will find: 

* 2,000 chocolate shops.

* 500 types of beer, from 125 breweries.

* 200 museums.

* 35 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

* 3,000 castles, farm-castles, citadels, manors or palaces, giving the country more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world.

* More than 500 buildings that are fully or partially Art Nouveau, in Brussels alone.

If you need more to whet your interest, consider this: The Belgian Tourist Office says that Brussels -- the capital of the nation and the headquarters of the European Union and NATO -- is less expensive to visit than London, Paris, Amsterdam, and most western European capitals. And wherever you go, you'll be sure to hear lively music. After all, the saxophone was invented in Dinant Belgium in 1846.
For more information, go to www.visitbelgium.com.

Worth quoting

"Laughter is an instant vacation." 

                                               -- Milton Berle.

The wide world of the Web

FlightCaster.com says it can predict flight delays up to six hours before official airline alert notifications, which should help travelers determine if they should change itineraries, notify colleagues, or alter their plans. The data is available free on the Web and through paid apps for the iPhone and BlackBerry.

Forget the heat and think about autumn foliage

The Appalachian Mountain Club is offering an all-inclusive "kid 2-for-1" deal at AMC's five lodges in New Hampshire and Maine throughout New England's glorious peak foliage season, plus a Moosehead Lake package at its Maine wilderness lodges with a cruise of Moosehead Lake. Prices vary but are reasonable.

Click here.

Fascinating fact

In addition to being nicknames the Sunflower State, Kansas has also officially or unofficially been called the Squatter State, the Grasshopper State, Salt of the Earth, the Battleground of Freedom, the Garden of the West, the Cyclone State, the Dust Bowl State, the Wheat State and the Jayhawker State.

Free hotel nights throughout Italy

TourCrafters is offering free nights at many hotels in Italy. In Florence, for example, the new 4-star Palazzo Ognissanti is offering a pay-for-two-nights-stay-for-three deal in August, November and December, cutting a third off the usual nightly price of $224. Rome's centrally-located Hotel Brasile, popular with budget travelers, has a pay-two-stay-three offer in August, November and December. In Venice, the Hotel Malibran ($174 a night)also has a pay-two-stay-three deal in August, November and December. Even on the Italian Riviera, the 4-star Hotel Continental ($284 a night) is offering pay-three-stay-four from September through December. Several villa hotels in Tuscany and other regions are offering similar deals from August through December. Hotels in Bologna, Perugia, Parma and Spoleto are also offering free nights.

For a list of all hotels offering free nights, visit www.tourcrafters.com. For more information and reservations, call 800-ITALY-95.

Disney World Halloween starts Sept. 4

On 24 evenings between Sept. 4 and Nov. 1, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom will be filled with friendly ghosts and goblins during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.Guests of all ages can dress up in their own Halloween costumes if they want, but in any case they get to trick-or-treat around the theme park, collecting candy. Special lighting and music transform areas of the park into haunted (but happy) hollows. The parties will be held Sept. 4, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29; Oct. 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 and Nov. 1, beginning at 7 p.m. and continuing till midnight. The event, which takes place following Magic Kingdom closing and requires a separate admission ($46-$59), also features two entertainment extravaganzas: Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween parade and a “Happy HalloWishes” fireworks spectacular.

Visit www.disneyworld.com/halloween or call 407-W-DISNEY.

Trivia answer

The statue pictured below is of Paul Bunyan and this particular one is located in Bangor, Maine. The question was not that easy because, among other places, you can also find Bunyan statues in Bemidji and Brainerd, Minn.; Westwood and Del Norte County, California; St. Ignace and Ossineke, Mich.; Enchanted Forest Water Safari, New York, and  Eau Claire, Wis. Bunyan, alas, exists only in folklore. Among the wondrous tales told about him is that he and Babe the Blue Ox, his companion, dug the Grand Canyon when he dragged his axe behind him.

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.

What they say ... and what they actually mean

Photo by the Walt Disney Co.

The July re-launch of the Hall of Presidents attraction at the Magic Kingdom adds an audio-animatronic likeness of President Obama, who will have a speaking role, along with the figures of Washington and Lincoln. Disney World employees do a lot of speaking, too, but some remarks need a "translation."

Years ago, a group of Walt Disney World employees (or "cast members," in Disneyspeak) put together a satirical newsletter that unofficially translated phrases frequently heard around the Magic Kingdom. Here are highlights from the list, which was reprinted in the book "Realityland."

* "We are experiencing technical difficulties."

Something bad just happened.

* "We should be operating again in about an hour."

I have no idea how long it will be.

* "These 3-D glasses will impair your normal vision."

They look goofy if you wear them outside.

* "Excuse us, please."

If you don't move, a one-ton cart will run you over.

* "Yes, I do work here."

What tipped you off, genius? The nametag or the dorky costume?

* "Please remain calm."

It's time to panic. You are all going to die!

Websites' airline-ticket trick upsets a senator

U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) has introduced legislation to stop online websites from offering service under a major carrier's name and waiting until buyers pay to reveal that a small regional carrier is actually doing the flying. "The airlines are pulling a bait-and-switch, and it could be making flying less safe," Schumer told the Daily News. He cited Expedia and the big airlines' own websites.

A luxury rafting trip for $995 a person

A new four-day Middle Fork of the Salmon Rafting Adventure, beginning Aug. 25, will be offered for $995 per person. The 70-mile trip, from ROW adventures is a one-time event. Rafting will start in Boise and end in Salmon, Idaho. The free-flowing Middle Fork drops 3,000 feet through central Idaho's remote "River of No Return" wilderness. Natural and diverse, the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is one of America's first "Wild and Scenic Rivers" protected by Congress.

Call 800-451-6034 or e-mail info@rowadventures.com. For more about Salmon rafting, click here.

Worth quoting

"Is there anything as horrible as starting on a trip? ... The last moments are earthquake and convulsion."

-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

A chance to see the Dead Sea scrolls in Toronto

The Fairmont Royal York is promoting a Dead Sea Scrolls Package that gives preferred access to the newly opened exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum. The package is available seven days a week and includes a night's accommodations, complimentary valet parking for one car, a $25 food and beverage credit and two adult tickets to "Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World," with a reserved time. Rates begin at about $205 U.S.

Click here or call 800-441-1414.

And speaking of Toronto ...

Canada's largest city is multicultural indeed, with nearly 47 percent of its population belonging to a visible minority group. To emphasize that, someone decided to do a little Photoshopping on the cover of the city's Summer Fun Guide.

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New Hampshire enters the blogosphere

A new blog, "Karno Trip Picks," is continually updated with the latest travel news from selected New Hampshire-based travel organizations and destinations. These include the Waterville Valley Resort, the White Mountains Attractions organization, the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, the Cog Railway, the Barnstormer's Theatre in Tamworth, and the M/S Mount Washington cruises on Lake Winnepesaukee. Readers can subscribe via email, via an RSS feed, or follow the feed on Twitter @LkarnoTripPicks.

The blog can be found at http://www.karnotrippicks.com/. The Twitter feed is called "New Hampshire Travel."

Friday's trivia answer

No, Hagatna is not an East European stew. Rather, it's the capital of Guam and one of the American island territory's busiest commercial districts.

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.

What's coming up at Walt Disney World this summer

Walt Disney World is planning a socko summer, with new experiences and attractions. Not all  events will make the earth tremble, but they do sound like fun. Here is just one highlight from each park:

* The American Idol Experience, already underway, lets guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests  audition  and perform or vote for their favorite musical performances. The attraction, of course, is modeled after the enduringly popular TV show. Contestants 14 and older must first ace an audition, then they can display their talents for a shot at appearing on the TV show and other prizes. Any future Adam Lamberts out there? For full details, click here. 

* Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration is a live stage spectacle in Tomorrowland.  This musical revue features an animated version of Stitch interacting live with Magic Kingdom guests.

* Adventurers’ Celebration Gathering takes place near Disney’s Animal Kingdom entrance each evening during park closing and features Mickey, Minnie and many other characters, all clad in khaki and shaking pom-poms as they  urge guests to join in the street party  by dancing to the music and forming a conga line.

* Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure invites Epcot guests of all ages to take on the role of secret agents and save the world from  comical villains and their mad inventions. The "adventure" is offered in seven World Showcase pavilions.

There is a lot more. For a free DVD and details on saving up to 35 percent this summer at "moderate" resorts on Disney property, as well as other deals, visit www.disneyworld.com.

Dynamic duo: cows and corn

The Davis Family Farm in Sterling, Mass., has a split personality of sorts. It caters to children with its farmland, now open, and calls out to adults with its Lost Tomb corn maze, opening July 30. The Davis family calls the Loat Tomb "the world's most complex, 3-D adventure cornfield maze." Farmland tickets for ages 2-59 are $13.95 until June 13,  $16.95 from then through Labor Day, and $13.95 again Sept. 10-Nov. 1. Seniors (60-plus) pay $3 less at all times. Mega-Maze prices are not yet listed. Sterling is about 55 miles from Boston and an hour from Providence, R.I.

    For either attraction, visit www.davisfarmland.com or call 978-422-MOOO (6666).

Prince Edward would have been so proud!

I have always maintained that Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada is a special place. Here's just one example, as reported by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.: A Charlottetown landlord is thanking the strangers who helped scoop up the more than $10,000 in cash that blew into a city street.  Ian Walker was getting out of his truck to go to the bank when a gust of wind carried the money out of his unzippered deposit bag. Cash quickly scattered everywhere on the busy street.  Walker called out for help and passersby quickly came to his aid, scooping up the scattered bills and returning them to him. When Walker got to the bank he had $10,300, meaning all of the money was returned.

Would that have happened where you live?

The art of Midcoast Maine

A group of bed-and-breakfast inns in Camden, Maine, is offering an artsy Memorial Day weekend package. It features a two-night stay, admission to the Farnsworth Museum in nearby Rockland, a discount in the Museum Store, admission to three Andrew Wyeth films at the museum’s auditorium, an invitation to the opening of the Olson House and attendance at a panel discussion on the Life of Andrew Wyeth on Saturday, May 23,  at the art-deco Strand Theatre. Prices begins at $280.

For information on the inns, visit www.camdeninns.com. 

Travel tip

Bring stamps for postcards with you when you travel. Otherwise, you may spend a goodly part of your vacation hunting for a place that sells stamps. Also, mailboxes seem to be in short supply these days, so it may be best to mail the cards  from your hotel rather than conduct a street search.