You’ll feel like royalty in the Queen Elizabeth’s Grand Lobby.

  Winning comparisons to a Las Vegas-style resort, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas made quite the splash when it launched late last year. Among the features on the world’s largest cruise ship: a water theater, a zip line and a replica of Central Park.
  The cruise industry will build on this momentum in 2010 with more new ships, representing the newest technology afloat and offering unparalleled passenger comforts and amenities. Here is a brief look at some of the top new ships on the horizon.
Allure of the Seas
  Oasis of the Seas’ sister ship — Allure of the Seas — will debut in the fall. The revolutionary design will fill your days at sea with wonder: Wake to two-story ocean views in contemporary Loft Suites, hop onto a classic, full-sized carousel in the Boardwalk neighborhood, spend some quiet time in the adults-only Solarium, and let the kids’ imaginations run wild in the Youth Zone – the largest dedicated youth area at sea.
  Jump right into the Pool Zone, where you’ll find the H2O Zone, cantilevered whirlpools, FlowRiders and a thrilling zip-line view of the ship and sea below. Go for a stroll in Central Park – a lush public space lined with foliage and fine restaurants – or take in the majestic view from a balcony overlooking the AquaTheater, the first amphitheater at sea.
  With 28 ultra-modern loft suites and 2,700 spacious staterooms, this 16-deck marvel proves the impossible is possi­ble. Like Oasis, Allure of the Seas will sail alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale.
Celebrity Eclipse
  Celebrity Eclipse will feed your wanderlust, offering the best way to explore Europe and the Caribbean when she sets sail in April.
  Luxury and spectacular design are mainstays aboard this floating masterpiece whether you’re being pampered in the AquaSpa Relaxation Room, indulging at the main dining room beneath a two-story glass wine tower and dazzling chandeliers, or enjoying the show inside the Eclipse Theatre.
  Like her sister ships Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, the 2,850- passenger Eclipse will carry on some of the hallmarks of the new Solstice class, including a half-acre Lawn Club with real grass and a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass.
  Dining venues offer trendsetting cuisine and design like the sophisti­ca­ted steakhouse Tuscan Grille or Silk Har­vest Restaurant for the cuisines of Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, China and In­­dia, served family-style. And entertainment varies widely, including spectacular new shows in partnership with Poet Theatricals.
Queen Elizabeth
  The most anticipated ship arriving in 2010 has one of the most famous names in maritime history. Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth will feature the Cunard traditions linking her with her sisters Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and their predecessors, with exciting features that will give the vessel her own style and personality.
  The new ship will reflect Cunard’s first Queen Elizabeth in interior grandeur, décor and style, but with a modern twist. From the outside, her distinctive black and red livery will hint at an experience that differentiates a Cunard liner. This will be most evident in the ship’s adherence to liner traditions, with elegant double- and triple-height public rooms on a grand scale, luxuriously endowed with rich wood paneling, intricate mosaics, gleaming chandeliers and cool marbles.
  As part of its extensive entertainment lineup, the ship will offer some unique programs inspired by the era of the first Queen Elizabeth, such as country house parties at sea, evening piano sing-alongs and period dancing, from traditional ballroom to the jitterbug and the jive.
  Her maiden season will run from October to January and include voyages to the Western and Central Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
Nieuw Amsterdam
  Also reviving the name of a grand ocean liner from the past is Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam. Delivering in July, the ship will reflect the glamour and history of New York City.
  It further defines Holland America Line’s premium brand with the innovative pan-Asian Tamarind restaurant and Silk Den lounge surrounded by panoramic views of the ocean expanse and the Lido pool. Other additions are an Explorer’s Lounge Bar, a premium wine-tasting lounge, an elegant luxury jewelry boutique, new atrium bar area, enhanced and reconfigured show lounge, and a new photographic and imaging center.
  The ship will include outside-view, glass elevators at midship; the Explorations Café, a cyber coffee house powered by The New York Times; the Pinnacle Grill and Pinnacle Bar; the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine, where experts provide cooking demonstrations and intimate classes in onboard show kitchens; an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon with thermal suites and hydro-pool; and a youth facility with a teens-only Loft.
  Nieuw Amsterdam will feature 11 guest decks and staterooms that spotlight all the Signature of Excellence premium amenities. Also featured are innovative spa staterooms with additional spa amenities.

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A Travel Counselor can help you select a cruise that’s best suited to your needs and budget.

  Choosing the right vacation is not always easy.
  But if you’ve been thinking about a cruise because of all the glowing reports about these all-inclusive vacations — meaning that your fare includes almost everything onboard, such as accommodations, meals, snacks, entertainment and activities — here are some things every first-time cruiser should know.
  First and foremost, consult a AAA Travel Counselor to help you select a cruise that’s best suited to your needs and budget.
What length of cruise should I take?
  Cruise vacations come in many lengths, spanning the globe. Most experts say it’s a good idea to take a cruise of at least seven days for maximum relaxation.
Where should I cruise?
  Young couples and families with children often opt for the Caribbean or Alaska. European Cruises, the Mediterranean, Baltic and Far East are popular with 50-plus travelers who have a little more time available because the voyage is longer.
What ship do I choose?
  Cruise ships come in all shapes and sizes, from 3,000-passenger vessels to more intimate ships that carry less than 100 people. Large cruise ships have more entertainment, activities and dining options, while smaller vessels offer a casual atmosphere and often visit ports that larger vessels cannot enter.
What should I pack?
  Many cruise ships now feature a more relaxed and casual approach to dress throughout the cruise, while on others, formal dinners or parties are commonplace. Attire is dictated by the occasion. Your cruise documents and AAA Travel Counselor can give you guidance on your particular voyage.
What about a cabin?
  Cabin size varies, but you can ask your travel counselor the size of various staterooms before you make your choice. If you are on a tight budget and will be out and about most of the time, book an inside cabin. However, many cruisers feel that an “outside” cabin, with a porthole or picture window, or a cabin with a verandah is well worth the money.
Do I need a passport?
  Your travel counselor can answer all your questions about document requirements.
How do I pay for things?
  Cruise lines operate on a cashless system in which you sign a receipt for each purchase and settle your account at the end of the cruise with a credit card, cash or travelers check.
What about tipping?
  Tipping is an individual matter. All cruise lines offer general guidelines, but passengers are free to adjust the amount at the end of the cruise.
What are the dining options?
  On virtually all cruises, meals or snacks are available 24 hours a day. There are formal dining rooms, buffets, pizzerias, poolside bars, espresso cafes and room service. Most ships offer at least two seatings, and you will be asked for your preference when making your cruise reservation. On many of the newer ships, you can pay a small additional fee and dine in a specialty restaurant on board.
Will I get seasick?
  Popular cruise itineraries include some of the calmest waters in the world. In addition, stabilizers on modern ships, availability of advance weather information, and development of effective preventive medications have, for the most part, eliminated the incidence of motion discomfort.
Can I be reached in case of an emergency?
  Yes, instructions will be included with your cruise documents.
Will I have access to e-mail and the Internet?
  Guests can send and receive e-mail via a high-speed satellite link 24 hours a day on most ships.
What about air arrangements?
  If you have selected a port of embarkation requiring a flight, check out the air/sea packages available through the cruise line. If the cruise line books the flights, transfers are usually included.
Do I need travel insurance?
  You might want to insure against unforeseen circumstances such as an illness. Check with your travel counselor for the best policy.
Can I leave the ship in ports?
  Cruise ships offer a variety of shore excursions to help you make the most of your time in port. A shore excursion brochure will be included with your cruise documents.

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New at Disney: Princess Tiana and La Cava Del Tequila.

  A high-tech virtual thrill ride built to the rider’s exact specifications.
  A unique Mediterranean restaurant designed by an Iron Chef.
  A new princess making her debut among classic royal characters.
  Mickey and friends are ringing in the New Year with a variety of new additions. Here are some of the new sights and experiences guests will find at Walt Disney World Resort in 2010.
Attractions
  The Great Piggy Bank Adventure: Located in Epcot’s INNOVATIONS section, The Great Piggy Bank Adventure teaches parents and children basic financial concepts through fun, interactive games. Guided by an animated piggy bank, participants select a financial goal, then visit activity stations, learning about saving, inflation and investing along the way.
  The Sum of All Thrills: The first ride within INNOVATIONS lets guests design a personalized thrill experience using math and technology. Riders begin by choosing a theme – bobsled, jet plane or rollercoaster – then design the journey on a special touch-screen table. Using engineering principles and tools, guests can add corkscrews, inversions, steep hills and more. Once the ride is saved on a card, each guest can take a ride on a 4-D simulator, using wind and 3-D robotic motion for an authentic adventure.
  The Princess and the Frog: This December, Disney welcomed a new princess – Tiana, from the new animated feature “The Princess and the Frog,” starring Anika Noni Rose. To celebrate the movie’s release, Princess Tiana and her friends have journeyed from their New Orleans home to Orlando. Young princesses-in-training can enjoy a Tiana-themed makeover – complete with hairdo, makeup and costume – at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, at Downtown Disney and the Magic Kingdom.
Dining
  Kouzzina: Cat Cora, a competitor on TV’s “Iron Chef America,” has opened a Mediterranean-themed rest­aurant at Disney BoardWalk. Kouzzina, which means “kitchen” in Greek, is a family-friendly, sit-down restaurant serving breakfast and dinner. Signature breakfast dishes include spinach-tomato-feta scrambled eggs and turkey-sweet potato hash, while cinnamon-stewed chicken and the char-grilled lamb burger are popular dinner entrees.
  La Cava Del Tequila: Spice up a day at Epcot with a visit to La Cava Del Tequila, in the Mexico Pavilion. Learn about the history of tequila making in Mexico, from agave plant to finished margarita. Choose from 70 authentic brands of tequila, and savor your drink while sampling homemade tapas, including tostados, ceviche and more.
  Sanaa: In the Animal King­dom Lodge, Sanaa celebrates the tastes of Africa and India. Sanaa is Swahili for “artwork,” and its name is reflected in the elaborately decorated dining room, overlooking the Sunset Savannah. Signature dishes include tandoori chicken, slow-cooked spinach and paneer, and vanilla-coconut rice pudding.

Give a Day

This year, Disney is celebrating service – and you’re invited to join. Disney is giving away a million vouchers for free one-day park admission, hoping to inspire volunteers to help their communities,   Follow these three easy steps to get your ticket:   1. Starting Jan. 1, visit DisneyParks.com and sign up for a volunteer activity at one of the more than 70,000 nonprofit, school and community organizations in the HandsOn Network.   2. Complete your selected activity, ranging in length from a few hours to a full day. After your service is finished and verified, you’ll receive an e-mail with a link to your park ticket voucher.   3. Print your voucher and redeem it by Dec. 15, 2010, at one of the following Disney parks: Disneyland Resort’s California Adventure or Disneyland; Walt Disney World Resort’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios or Magic Kingdom.   Already have a multi-day, multi-park, or annual pass? You can still get rewarded for helping your community by choosing from one of three options:   1. Receive FASTPASS cards for certain attractions for you and up to five additional members of your party.   2. Get a collectible Ear Hat figurine with exclusive trading pins.   3. Donate your free ticket to a nonprofit organization designated by Disney Parks.   Please note: Children must be at least 6 years old to participate in the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day promotion. Visit DisneyParks.com for full details.

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Escape at the North Shore’s secluded beaches, or ride a helicopter above Waimea Canyon.

  There are a thousand reasons to smile when visiting Hawaii. But nothing will put a grin on your face like seeing the best local attraction: the ubiquitous rainbow.
  There are many sights you’ll want to see – and don’t hesitate to island hop.
  “Where do I start?” asked MaryJean Wilson, AAA Travel Counselor. “The Hawaiian islands are absolutely beautiful.”
  “They’re all so unique and different, it’s hard to pick one – there’s something I liked about each,” said Marissa Minassian, AAA Rockland Travel Counselor.
O’AHU
  If not for Pearl Harbor, the events of Dec. 7, 1941, could fade into the past. The Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pacific Aviation Museum, U.S.S. Arizona Memorial and U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park help keep alive that date which will live in infamy for the attack on the republic of America and its precious, hard-fought, hard-won freedoms.
  On Wednesdays and Saturdays, neighboring Aloha Sta­dium hosts a flea market and becomes a shopper’s paradise.
Navigate Dole Plantations’ pineapple maze, or relax on the North Shore’s gorgeous, secluded beaches.
  Interested in undersea adventure? Try Snuba – a cross between scuba and snorkeling – at Sea Life Park, or snorkel through Hanauma Bay’s underwater park.
THE BIG ISLE
  Oft overlooked for more developed Maui, Hawai’i has unique attractions. With the natural fireworks that can take place in this, one of the world’s most geologically active areas, Volcanoes National Park is a must. The Thurston Lava Tube transports explorers from a little wooded trail through the lit tube to stand in front of a bat cave in the middle of a rain forest.
  The 1984 lava flows will stop visitors in their tracks where the lava hardened across the road. Consider a helicopter tour to see the volcano from above.
  There are many opportunities for hiking, biking and forays into nature – the island is made for the adventurous.
HIDDEN MAUI
  The second largest Hawaiian island, Maui offers its volcano experience in Haleakala National Park, a dormant volcano on east Maui’s upper slopes.
Reintroduced to the island in 1962, the state bird – the nene, or rare Hawaiian goose – might be seen near park headquarters.
  Take the Haleakala sunrise bike tour, beginning at the summit before dawn and culminating with an ocean dip 38 miles later. “It’s just breathtaking and a memorable experience,” Ms. Wilson said.
  Take the Hana Highway, winding through the brushy ravines, bamboo forests, hamlets, horse-ranch country and fishing settlements of “Up Country.”
“That’s where the locals go to escape the tourists,” said Bruce Hebert, AAA Warwick Travel Counselor. “But rent a car, and go all through that area – hidden Maui.”
  Don’t miss nature’s show with the Rainbow Eucalyptus – trees revealing a rainbow of stripes as they shed their bark.
  A nice tangent is a stop at Tedeschi Winery, the only pineapple winery in the state, where one can sample the sought-after Maui Blanc and Maui Brut Champagne.
  Head back to civilization, Front Street in the former whaling capital of the mid-Pacific, Lahaina, featuring art galleries, restaurants, shopping and nightlife.
  Check out the whaling ship moored at the Pioneer Inn – it was built at the turn of the 20th century in a southeastern Massachusetts shipyard.
  And don’t leave Hawaii without attending a luau – the Old Lahaina Luau offers an introduction to Hawaiian history and culture through traditional food, music and dance.
“That’s the best luau on the island,” Ms. Minassian said.
CAPTIVATING KAUA’I
  It’s just as beautiful as Maui but smaller and less developed. Waimea Canyon State Park is perfect for some kayaking and hiking, and there’s a eucalyptus trail perfuming the air with its scent on the drive to Poipu beach.
  “They call it the Grand Canyon of Hawaii,” Ms. Minassian said. “If anyone were to do a helicopter tour, this is the island to do it on: The coastline is hard to hike to, and it’s spectacular – you don’t want to miss it.”

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Lush and tropical St. Lucia is a popular Caribbean destination for honeymooners.

  Everyone knows the Caribbean is hot, but here are some singularly sensational spots that sizzle, according to AAA’s travel counselors.
  The list is long – the Turks and Caicos for the best beaches and dining, the Grand Cayman and the new Ritz Carlton for an unforgettable experience and Puerto Rico with its many high-end resorts and much to see and do.
  “You don’t need a passport for Puerto Rico,” said Silvana Comeau, Saugus Travel Counselor. “We’re fortunate living on the East Coast because we can get there so easily.”
Here’s a sampling of counselor’s picks:
ARUBA
  With a climate considered one of the most desirable in the Caribbean, this is prime real estate for people wanting to recline on the sand. “Aruba offers wonderful beaches and fabulous weather,” said AAA Travel Counselor Athena McGrath. For those who want more activity, snorkeling and water sports are worth a whirl, and the Atlantis Submarine Expedition offers excellent underwater views of Barcadera Reef, marine life and coral formations.
BARBADOS
  With beach and food scenes distinctive from Aruba’s, the “Little England of Eternal Summers” is a big draw. Far south, Barbados offers island excursions and city tours best booked before traveling to ensure a great experience. It has its own Atlantis Submarine Expedition that takes passengers past coral formations, marine life and a sunken ship.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  With its reputation for great all-inclusive resorts such as Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic has quickly grown on families. “You’re bound to stay at your resort, and my suggestion would be to stay at a higher-end resort,” Ms.   Comeau said. But there are some sights to see:
• Altos De Chavon – This artistic community was built in 1976 to resemble a 16th-century Renaissance village and promote Dominican and international culture.
• Colonial Santo Domingo – The UNESCO World Heritage Site features the New World’s first fortress, cathedral, monastery, hospital, palaces and government offices.
• Columbus Lighthouse Monument – The explorer’s tomb is at the heart of this seven-story monument, commemorating the 500th anniversary of his landing.
JAMAICA
  Ya, mon! The third largest of the Greater Antilles offers a multicultural population and varied scenery that are sure to charm. Jamaica offers experiences beyond the all-inclusive resorts. Attractions include Brimmer Hall, Dolphin Cove at Treasure Reef, Prospect Plantation and Rio Grande Rafting.
ST. KITTS
  Off the beaten track is the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, a narrow gauge railway once used to transport sugarcane, and the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which features a massive British fortress once called the “Gibraltar of the West Indies.” The 3.5-hour tour makes a complete circuit around the island, providing views of old sugar estates, villages and farms, cane fields, rain forests and the volcanic cone of Mt. Liamuiga. The park’s fortress was reportedly so intimidating, ship captains often changed course rather than come within range of its powerful guns.
ST. LUCIA
  “The Helen of the West Indies,” this island is the polar opposite of Aruba. While Aruba is flat, St. Lucia is mountainous, and flowers permeate the landscape. “That’s my favorite – it’s lush and tropical and out of the norm of Caribbean islands,” Ms. McGrath said. A popular destination for honeymooners, hiking, horseback riding and sulfuric mud baths are three of the draws. One tip: Try the fresh cinnamon and fruit of all kinds while on the island.
ST. MARTIN
  Shared between France and the Netherlands, the island ­— the smallest territory in the world governed by two sovereign states — is St. Martin or St. Maarten, depending on where one is on the island.Many agree the Philipsburg Boardwalk — on the Dutch side — is the biggest attraction in town. You can stroll, skate or even take a Segway tour to cruise the half-mile-plus ribbon of concrete, where street musicians perform.

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Explore medieval history throughout Great Britain, from London to Wales.

  From the medieval to the modern, Great Britain offers visitors the opportunity to write some Canterbury tales of their own.
  There’s plenty to see and do while exploring the kingdom – the third most populated island on Earth and home to England, Scotland and Wales.
ENGLAND
  Visitors can begin unlocking the crown jewels of England’s rich history and heritage in London.
  Big Ben. St. Paul’s Cathedral. Westminster Abbey. Tower of London. Parliament. Trafalgar Square. Kensington Palace. Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard. The list of   must-see sites goes on.
  And no visit to London is complete without a trip to the famed West End.
  “The theater is fantastic – probably the best in the world,” said Anne Hoelzel, AAA Quincy Travel Counselor. “Many times, you can see shows before they go to New York – and it’s usually easier and less expensive.”
  AAA Worcester Travel Counselor Danuta Sodha recommends the Apollo Victoria Theater, designed as a “super-cinema” in striking art-deco style in 1930.
  “It’s a nice way to end the day,” she said.
  There are art galleries to tour and world-class opera to hear.
Browsers and spenders alike will find Harrods a unique shopping experience and Hamley’s Toy Store, on Regent Street, a kid’s treat.
  “There is so much to do in London, that you could spend two weeks,” Ms. Hoelzel said.
  And you won’t want to limit yourself to London. Day trips abound – Windsor Castle, Bath, Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Oxford and Canterbury Cathedral.
  A longer trip, York – and the northern Yorkshire County and its rolling hills and moors – is worth a visit.
  Anyone up for an overnight should consider spending two days at Windsor Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare and Shakespeare’s Globe.
SCOTLAND
  Scotland isn’t to be overlooked – it has crown jewels of its own. “To see Scotland will take a good five, six days,” Ms. Sodha said.
  If history and royalty are the draw, head to Edinburgh’s bustling succession of cobbled streets called the “Royal Mile.”
  The Scottish crown jewels – crown, sword and scepter – reside at Edinburgh Castle with the Stone of Destiny.
Ms. Sodha recommends the internationally acclaimed Edinburgh Military   Tattoo, running a three-week season in August – its Diamond Jubilee this year.
  “The 90-minute shows are set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle – it’s a beautiful view and has spectacular music,” she said.
  Plan to journey north to the highlands and hunt for the fabled, mythical Loch Ness Monster.
  “You’ll look for the monster, but you’ll never find it,” she said. “But who knows …”
  The relaxed, scenic drive contrasts gentle wild moors and rugged mountains. Don’t fail to link up with the seaside St. Andrews and its legendary golf course.
WALES
  Think Celtic, castles and choirs – and that’s not all you’ll see and hear in this land where the national motto is “Wales forever.”
  “Wales is an absolutely great place with spectacular scenery and beautiful, unspoiled coastlines,” said Anne Hoelzel, AAA Quincy Travel Counselor.
  For the more active types, Snowdonia National Park is a great hiking destination.
  Music is a huge tradition with many festivals, including one of the world’s most famous competitions, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, where renowned tenor Luciano Pavarotti once competed.
  Visitors will find one of the world’s greatest collections of male choirs. The tradition of singing in chapel in their 19th-century heyday heavily influences their music today.
  And the medieval castles of Beaumaris and Conwy and others will lure you with the promise of romance and royalty. “One of the most famous is Caernarfon, which is the site of the Investiture of the Prince of Wales,” Ms. Hoelzel said.
  The last Investiture was for Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1969.

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The Coliseum is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

  Rome, Florence, Venice. Rome, Florence, Sienna. Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast.
  AAA travel counselors agree no trip to Italy is complete without a stop in Rome, rich with culture and heritage. But there’s far more to bella Italia than this cosmopolitan capital.
  “The whole country is memorable – and some destinations you can’t get enough of,” said Jaki Foran, AAA Middletown Travel Counselor.
ROMA
  Begin with a double-decker bus tour of the city, said Lelina Favazza, AAA Rockland Travel Counselor.
  “I recommend doing that first because it will get you used to the city,” she said.
  Highlights include the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps – the 138 steps climbing the steep slope between two piazzas is Europe’s longest and widest staircase.
  No visit to Rome is complete without touring Vatican City, the world’s smallest country by area and population.
  Gems include St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum and its four Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo’s powerful “Last Judgment” is among the masterpieces adorning the chapel’s entirely frescoed walls and ceilings.
  Those unhurried in their tours might discover simple treasures such as the unassuming sacristy one could happen upon while walking into the Sistine Chapel: Nothing more than an altar, a crucifix and a kneeling bench, it’s a contrast to the surrounding opulence.
FIRENZE
  Take the pulse of life in this Italian Renaissance birthplace – and stay near the Duomo, the Gothic-styled basilica at the heart of Florence’s historic center, or near the Ponte Vecchio and its shops.
  “The two museums most people want to visit are the Academia and Uffizi,” Ms. Favazza said.
  The Galleria dell’ Accademia features Michelangelo’s 1504 masterpiece, David.
  “The David is a draw,” Ms. Foran said. “It’s an amazing piece of art.”
Galleria degli Uffizi lures art lovers with 45 rooms filled with the largest and best Renaissance-painting collection.
SIENA
  Architectural treasures include the town square, Piazza del Campo, and its cathedral, an example of Italian Romanesque architecture.
  “The Campo,” home to the Palazzo Pubblico and the 320-foot Torre del Mangia, is famous for the medieval bareback-horse race Palio in July and August. The palazzo’s museum contains many frescoes, including “Allegories of Good and Bad Government.”
  Begun in the 12th century, the Duomo is unusual for a Christian cathedral because of its north-south axis. It houses many gems. And the city comes alive at night, Ms. Favazza said.
  Ms. Foran savored Siena and Florence because they are walking cities.
“We wandered around most of the day and got to see the sights and visit great little shops that way,” she said.
VENEZIA
  “Magnificent,” describes this City of Bridges, another walking city.
Base your stay near the oldest and most famous of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal, Ponte di Rialto, or near Piazza San Marco, St. Mark’s Square.
  The most famous of Venice’s churches, Basilica di San Marco a Venezia offers one of the best-known examples of Byzantine architecture and has been branded “Chiesa d’Oro” – Church of Gold – for its opulent design, gilded mosaics and status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power.
  Be sure to visit Burano for lace and Murano for glass, Ms. Favazza advised.
“If you do one of the gondola rides, do it at sunset – it’s romantic,” she said.
NAPLES & THE AMALFI COAST
  Savor some of Italy’s finest cooking in Naples, including signature wood-oven-fired thin-crusted pizza coupled with local wines such as Lacryma Christi.
  Make an easy day trip of the delightful, tiny island of Capri before heading south to the Sorrento Peninsula and Amalfi Coast.
  In Sorrento, pick up one of Europe’s most beautiful coastal roads and wind your way through a string of spectacular vistas and seaside villages.
  A must-stop is absolutely, positively Positano, where you won’t want to leave the colorful pyramid of houses tumbling down the cliffs.

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Dine atop the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas.

  Snow-white lions and tigers and an Asian elephant romp and roam in a secret garden in the western desert. It’s no mirage set amid the glitzy, glamorous surrounds – Las Vegas.
  The Mirage’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat and the MGM Grand’s Lion Habitat offer a safari of fun.
  “The Secret Garden was one of my favorite activities,” said Wendy Morrison, AAA Newton Travel Counselor.
  And there’s plenty more to do in the World’s Entertainment Capital. “You have to see Las Vegas shows for the sheer grandeur of them,” said Janet Leite, Travel Counselor in AAA’s Call Center.   “They’re wonderful.”
  Cirque du Soleil shows are favorites – AAA Warwick Travel Counselor Bob Connors re­c­ommends “The Beatles LOVE,” at the Mirage ().
  And Vegas visitors find themselves hotel hopping, checking out the varied architecture in these communities unto themselves.
“You don’t have to gamble,” said Mr. Connors, who spent $1 on a casino chip to begin a growing collection. “Just walking in and out of the different-themed hotels is something to do.”
  Ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Las Vegas (), glide through the canals on a gondola at the Venetian (), or come face to face with sea creatures at the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay ().
  Shop — or at least browse — like the rich and famous at Wynn Las Vegas (), Caesar’s (), or MGM-Mirage’s new CityCenter.
  And don’t hesitate to get off the beaten Strip for some other fun:
• Golfing – putter around on championship and less-demanding courses in excellent desert-climate conditions.
• Horseback riding – grab your Stetson and saddle up for a cowboy trail ride or an Old West experience.
• Hot-air ballooning – lift up, up and away to scope the Strip from at least 500 feet above.
Anyone looking for a 15-minute thrill in the air can head to Vegas Indoor Skydiving for an adrenaline rush in the simulated experience in a 21-foot vertical wind tunnel.
And these don’t even begin to touch upon the thrills outside Las Vegas.
“A lot of members I work with will take a helicopter or bus trip to the Grand Canyon,” Mr. Connors said.
  LEAVING LAS VEGAS
  The Grand Canyon National Park’s West Rim is the closest scenic overlook, though another point easily accessible for a day trip from Vegas is the South Rim.
  Adventurers may choose to make their canyon tour an overnight. Or, they may decide to explore closer to Vegas.
  East of Vegas, through a desert oasis, is Lake Mead. The 1.5 million-acre expanse in western Arizona and southern Nevada extends 140 miles along the Colorado River, from Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz., to Bullhead City, Ariz. It is the meeting point for three of the four desert ecosystems – the Mojave, Great Basin and Sonoran deserts.
  Mead is one of the largest man-made lakes in the United States.
“There’s a lot of recreational activities you can do,” Ms. Morrison said. “We went to the Hoover Dam. It was incredible to see, definitely much larger than you’d imagine.”
  The dam was built between 1931 and 1935 in Black Canyon for flood control and water storage. At 726 feet high, it is one of the highest concrete dams ever constructed. A 45-minute self-guided tour begins at the visitor center.
  West of Vegas, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area contains outstanding geological formations such as the Keystone Thrust Fault. Self-guided hiking trails lead to a spring, waterfall, water-containment areas, small canyons – or washes –and an old homestead’s ruins.
  About two hours north of Vegas is Zion National Park. It’s off Interstate 15 in Utah, where the West Temple and Watchman stone masses stand sentry at the park’s southern entrance.
  Huge sculpted rock formations coexist with hanging gardens and desert terrain. And the spectacular Zion Canyon – carved through strangely colored sandstone and shale – begins just north of the park’s southern entrance.

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An Alaskan CruiseTour offers up-close encounters with wildlife in their natural environments.

  Glaciers calve with thunderous crashes into the bay. Whales surface before serenading with their songs of the sea. Wolves howl their eerie echoes at night.
They aren’t the only stars of the spectacular show of sights and sounds nature offers in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
  There’s no predicting what you’ll see when nature takes center stage on your trip to Alaska.
  AAA Quincy Travel Counselor Jackie Saunders recommends visiting mid-year.
  “All the animal babies are born in March, and it seems their parents bring them out in June,” she said.
  The salmon runs are a fabulous sight, said Linda Burke, AAA Worcester Travel Counselor. “It’s amazing to see them swim upstream,” she said. “They’re enormous fish, and it looks like a sea of orange as they fight their way up to spawn.”
  They and other AAA travel counselors recommend building your trip to a thrilling finale – a land extension of the cruise.
  “You want the best part of the trip to be the last,” said Bruce Hebert, Warwick Travel Counselor. “And when you go on land, the scenery is absolutely incredible because it’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth.”
INSIDE PASSAGE
  The only way to do the Inside Passage is to cruise it. Most ships depart from Vancouver, making stops in Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka, perhaps Alaska’s most exotic port of call. They are charming towns with plenty to see and do besides stroll the streets. “I love Juneau,” Ms. Saunders said. “It looks like a town in the Old West. The governor’s mansion is right in the center, and when we were there the governor was down on his knees planting.”
SKAGWAY
  Hordes of enthusiastic gold- diggers descended here in the icy winter of 1897-98 after hearing of the Klondike gold strike. But when the gold rush ended, the settlement that had swelled to more than 20,000 people shrunk. “Skagway really fascinated me,” Ms. Saunders said. “It had the wooden sidewalks and the old saloons, and you were expecting the cowboys to come riding down or the prospectors to walk out of the saloon.”
GLACIER BAY
  Entrance to this collection of fjords and inlets – and 16 active tidewater glaciers – in the middle of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is closely guarded to ensure the natural habitat continues to be the setting of choice for endangered humpback whales and other species. The bay – and region – is accessible only by plane or boat.
HUBBARD GLACIER
  Set in a more remote location than Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier – the largest tidewater glacier in Alaska – creaks and groans, occasionally sounding its “white thunder” as the glacier “calves” when huge chunks of ice break off, crashing into the Bay: “It’s spectacular to see,” Mr. Hebert said.
SEWARD
  A tour through Kenai Fjords is the highlight before the cruise ships disembark in Seward. “It’s a great cruise: It shows you how beautiful and untouched Alaska is,” Mr. Hebert said.
DENALI NATIONAL PARK
  Everybody raves about Denali. Home to “The Great One” – Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest mountain peak – this park offers a smorgasbord of native wildlife, active glaciers and snowcapped peaks. “I was amazed by the abundance of wildlife I encountered,” Ms. Saunders said.
  Ms. Burke recommends the eight-hour tundra tour that takes visitors to McKinley’s base. “You’ll see more wildlife there, but the train ride is exciting on its own,” she said.
  Mr. Hebert recommends a visit to the Husky Homestead, where the Winningest Musher in the World, Jeff King, his family and Iditarod-winning dog-sled team make their home.
FAIRBANKS
  A former trading post, Fairbanks is at the Alaska Railroad’s northern terminus, ser­ving as supply point for arctic oil operations in Prudhoe Bay and airlines’ departure point.
  “We went into a chapel at the University of Fairbanks, and it was all window behind the altar,” Ms. Saunders said. “I wouldn’t want my daughter to get married there – it’s so pretty, you’d never notice the bride.”

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Disney’s Castaway Cay serves as the home port for the ship from “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

  As my family awaited our turn to board the Disney Magic, in the Disney Cruise Terminal in Port Canaveral, Fla., the excitement was palpable. But it was nothing compared with the moment we crossed from land to boat. A crew member asked my family name, then announced our arrival over a microphone. A dozen crew members standing on either side of us erupted in cheers and applause. They did this for everyone.
  My 3-year-old daughter, Natalie, thought this was great fun and promptly started to run down the corridors that became our home for the next seven days. But I was a bit embarrassed — and puzzled. Why do people love cruising so much?
  It’s not that I didn’t like the idea. I just never thought about taking one until a friend with a 4-year-old returned from a Disney cruise raving about the experience. My husband, John, though, was a skeptic. I had to convince him it could be fun. Once aboard, I started to wonder if he might have been right.
Somehow, by our third day, John and I were discussing which itinerary we should sign up for next. By the fourth day, we were in full Disney mode, lining up for a family photo with Mickey Mouse. By day six, I was trying to figure out how we could stow away so we’d never have to get off the ship. How did this happen to us?
Was It the Service?
  The reception we got upon embarking should have been a clue, but I was still surprised by how terrific the crew was. This was particularly true regarding our servers in the dining room, Wilson and Gladys. Sure, they got all the basics just right, never rushing us and always happily complying with any special requests. Sliced bananas may not have been on the menu, but Natalie got them whenever she wanted. More than that, Wilson and Gladys lavished Natalie with attention, and she soaked it up with glee.
  The same went for the hosts, who tend to the staterooms. Our host, the charming and cheerful Geronimo, had the basics down pat. I knew he was a step above on John’s birthday, halfway through the cruise. When we got back to our room after lunch, there was a three-tier cake, made out of bath towels and decorated with curled ribbon, balloons and chocolates, perched in the middle of our bed. It may not have tasted as good as the slab of chocolate cake we celebrated with that night, but it was every bit as sweet.
Could It Have Been the Ports?
  Lots of our fellow cruisers were excited about shore excursions. The prices were too high for our budget — $75 per person and up — so we decided to see the cities on our own. We didn’t spend more than $25 for all three of us in any one place.
  Our first stop was Key West, where we walked to the Hemingway Home and Museum. We wandered around the grand old house, but Natalie was most intrigued by the 40-odd cats that live there, descendants of a cat given to Hemingway by a sea captain.
  Grand Cayman couldn’t have been more different. We found a van that taxied us, for $4 apiece, to Seven Mile Beach. We set our towels on the soft white sand and plunged into the warm, clear, turquoise water.
  Our final stop, Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, provided the perfect last day. John and I dragged chairs up to the water’s edge and basked in the sun, the water lapping at our feet, while Natalie played in the gentle waves. Even the shells were perfect; Natalie collected them, and I put them in a bag. Now I pull them out whenever I need to remember how it feels to be totally relaxed.
Maybe It Was the Kid-Friendly Attitude?
  Almost everyone aboard had young kids with them, so no one gave us dirty looks when Natalie climbed under the table at dinner or fidgeted in the movie theater. Moreover, the whole ship had clearly been designed with kids in mind, and that made even the littlest things stress-free. Of course, the big things were kid-friendly, too, particularly the child care. The Oceaneer Club, where Natalie played with other preschoolers, was a kid’s dream, with a two-story pirate ship, craft projects and visits from Disney characters.
  Most evenings, Natalie would go play in the club, leaving John and me alone, with no plans or time constraints. After taking a couple of laps around the top deck of the ship, we’d often end up in the adults-only lounge, playing Scrabble over glasses of wine, like a couple of real grown-ups.
So This Is Freedom
  When it comes down to it, that’s what won John and me over — the sense of freedom. Freedom from worries, from stress, from even having to make plans. We were free to just relax and enjoy each other’s company, for seven days. And for a busy family with two working parents, that’s an unfathomable luxury.
Back on land, we run around every morning to get to work and school on time, and we run around every night doing chores and preparing for the next day. But we also find ourselves slowing down when we can — skipping the Saturday errands, say, in favor of a day at the beach. I might not have found a way for us to stow away on the ship. But it seems I was able to bring a little bit of the ship home with me.

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Guests at NASA's Kennedy Space Center view the launch of space shuttle Atlantis in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

  If you’ve ever thought you might want to watch a rocket blast off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 2010 is the year for you.
  We all know that the Apollo moon missions, with the huge Saturn V rockets blasting off from Kennedy, are part of history. But after 2010, the Space Shuttle will also be history. With just five more missions, NASA is set to retire its four remaining Space Shuttles and focus on a new, and as-of-yet undetermined, manned rocket system.
  “Watching a Space Shuttle launch is a dream come true for a lot of people,” said Andrea Farmer, Public Relations Manager at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “It’s so powerful and amazing to see this colossal machine lift off into space. All of your senses are impacted by the launch — you see the shuttle launching, you hear the engines roar, and you feel the ground rumbling under your feet.”
  Until fall 2010, travelers to Florida still have time to see, hear and feel one of the world’s largest and most powerful rockets lift off for the heavens. Here’s what you need to know to plan the trip.
  There are currently five shuttle missions scheduled for 2010, starting with STS-130 in February. After September, the plan is to send astronauts to the International Space Station via Russian Soyuz rockets, until the shuttle’s replacement system (probably a combination of Aries rockets and Orion crew capsules) becomes operational in 2014 or beyond. This year’s shuttle missions are all focused on stocking up the Space Station with spare parts and extra supplies to last until then.
  Start your planning by checking out the NASA Shuttle Web site, www.nasa.gov/shuttle, as well as the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Web site, www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches/index.asp, and sign up for their launch and event e-mails.
  Perhaps the first thing to know about planning a trip to view a shuttle launch is that rockets don’t always take off on time. Roughly 40 percent of the shuttles launch as scheduled, while the rest are delayed due to weather or mechanical issues. So it’s important to leave a few extra days open after the launch in case it’s rescheduled, and be ready for the schedules to slip by weeks or even longer.
  One of the best places to view the launch is from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which is about one hour east of Orlando and just outside the gates of Kennedy Space Center. While you’re waiting, you can view space-themed IMAX movies, experience a simulated Space Shuttle launch, or explore the rocket exhibits. Although you can’t see the shuttle on the launch pad, you’ll see it just seconds after liftoff as it clears the trees. In the meantime, you can watch it on large TV screens and listen to live launch commentary provided by an on-site astronaut.
  In fact, the Visitors Center is one of the closest places to view the launch — it’s about 6 miles away. Only press, VIPs and astronaut families can get closer. But even they are 3.5 miles away.
  To watch a launch from the Visitor Center, you need to buy a ticket in advance. There are a limited number of launch transportation tickets available, which provide round-trip bus access to the nearby NASA causeway.   The causeway is the same distance from the launch pad but has an unobstructed view of the launch pad. In either case, make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen, since the Florida sun can be strong any time of the year.
  If you can’t make it to Kennedy Space Center, there’s lots of viewing along the beaches in nearby Titusville, Cocoa Beach or Port Canaveral.
  “People always tell us that watching a Space Shuttle launch is so inspiring,” Ms. Farmer said. So, before it’s too late, consider taking a trip to Florida to be inspired.

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The Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame are must-visits.

  I’ve been a country fan since country wasn’t cool, so Nashville had been high on my travel list for a long time. The Grand Ole Opry, the Bluebird Café and the Country Music Hall of Fame: That’s my kind of paradise.
  With my cowboy boots at the ready, I did not expect to find a revitalized city with top-notch cultural and educational attractions. But in the past decade, Nashville has seen the opening of a major arts center, a high-tech planetarium and one of the world’s most acoustically sound symphony halls.
  On open studios nights, the foot traffic outside art galleries rivals that on honky-tonk row. And while there’s no shortage of mouth-watering barbecue, the restaurant scene is far more eclectic than ribs and grits.
  Certainly, if your sole mission is a Music City pilgrimage that would make Hank Williams proud, Nashville delivers. But, if your travel companions insist twang makes their ears bleed, they may reconsider when they hear what the area has to offer.
The Arts
  Nashville is not just known as the “Athens of the South,” it’s also home to a full-sized replica of the Parthenon, complete with a 42-foot statue of Athena. “This is the only place in the world where you can see what the ancient Greeks wanted you to see,” said Museum Director Wesley Paine.
  Despite the nickname, it wasn’t until the Frist Center for the Visual Arts opened in 2001 that Nashville had a museum large enough to host major exhibits. And so, the Frist — a former U.S. Post Office with an Art Deco interior — has no permanent collection but instead offers a changing mix of works by local artists and national and international shows. Among the current offerings: “Georgia O’Keeffe and Her Times,” running through January.
  More O’Keeffe can be viewed at Fisk University — and only there. The small school boasts an extensive catalogue of African art and an O’Keeffe collection gifted by the artist with the stipulation it not be shown anywhere but the campus gallery she chose.
  Nashville also gives star treatment to the performing arts. When the Schermerhorn Symphony Center opened in 2006, it was the country’s most technically innovative concert hall. The shoebox-shaped building offers near-perfect acoustics for the Nashville Symphony’s classical, pops, cabaret, jazz, choral and world music.
History
  Nashville is steeped in history, from its founding as a Revolutionary War fort to its role in the Civil Rights Movement.
  Step just outside the city to the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. Cows still wander the fields of the 1,100-acre plantation, and inside, 90 percent of the furnishings are original. After viewing an introductory video, follow a costumed interpreter through the mansion.    
  There’s a bit of musical heritage here, too: The driveway is shaped like a guitar, and the family’s piano, guitar and lute rest in the parlor.
  For Civil War history, view the collection at the Nashville State Museum and visit Fort Negley, an important Union fortification after Nashville fell in 1862.
  Almost a century later, the city took center stage in the fight against segregation when African-American students held a sit-in at lunch counters near the Nashville Public Library. Today, the library hosts a Civil Rights   Collection where visitors can sit on stools at a symbolic lunch counter and view black-and-white newspaper photos from the era.
Family Fun
  Children will find plenty to do in Nashville, starting with the Adventure Science Center, which emphasizes hands-on education. “We want you to touch things, feel things, climb on things,” said Marketing Director Virginia Crowe.
  Its newest addition is Space Chase, where you can wander an imaginary galaxy and experience weightlessness like an astronaut. In the Sudekum Planetarium, watch award-winning, original productions that use new technology to immerse you in the experience.
  At the Nashville Zoo, get up close to alligators, giraffes and other critters. Ride the Wild Animal Carousel, and let loose at the huge Jungle Gym playground.
Country Time
  Whatever your taste, it would be a crime to skip the legendary country music sites. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Grand Ole Opry and Bluebird Café are musts.
  The Hall moved from Music Row to its stunning, bass-clef-shaped home in 2001. Among the artifacts: Elvis’ gold Cadillac and Johnny Cash’s “Man in Black” costumes. Sound booths offer a musical tour, and a wall of gold records doubles as a listening station.
  Most performances of the Grand Ole Opry take place at the Opryland complex, but there are occasional shows at the Ryman Auditorium, the “Mother Church” of country music. Legends like Emmylou Harris and Marty Stuart frequent the Opry, but the lineup changes daily, and you might catch a current star like Carrie Underwood or Keith Urban. No matter where you see the Opry or who’s on stage, it’s magical.
  Glimpse stars of tomorrow in an intimate setting at the Bluebird Café, whose stage has hosted the likes of Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton and Bill Monroe.
  If you were already a country fan, you’ll be in your glory. And if you weren’t, you just might become a convert.
  Log on to AAA.com/horizons for information on where to stay and eat.

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A boat tours an iceberg in Newfoundland’s Witless Bay.

  Cold is a relative thing. To anyone living south of the Canadian border, Newfoundland’s climate could be compared with that of a meat locker.
  But to adventurer Captain Bob Bartlett – who enabled Admiral Robert Peary to be the first man to reach the North Pole a century ago — Newfoundland represented the last warm glow of civilization before making the big push toward the Arctic Circle.
  The coastal hamlet of Brigus (where birdhouses surely outnumber homes two to one) seems like an odd place for a stopover for an expedition of global significance. Even today, less than 800 people call this paradise home. But, as I wander along a path strewn with summer wildflowers, I discover Bartlett’s real motivation: a home-cooked meal.
  Bartlett grew up in Brigus but left when he was 21 to seek fame and fortune. He conducted more than 40 polar voyages throughout his life and stopped in to see mom each time. His house (now a museum) has been left as if he might return at any moment; furniture and maps still fill the bedrooms. One wall of the lounge is covered with accolades from storied institutions and presidents past, but it’s the “Friendly Order of the Original Bad Eggs” awards that get my attention.
  It turns out Bartlett was a ham. A “Crocodile Hunter” of polar waters, he often filmed his Arctic voyages. Upstairs in the multimedia room, they play on endless loop. This is among the earliest exploration footage on Earth.
  I settle into a chair as Bartlett blithely narrates the harpooning of a narwhal (his exhibition relied on seals and whales for food and finance) but the most extraordinary footage is yet to come. Bartlett collected many samples of unusual creatures for zoos all over the world, and the cameras were rolling when he spotted a polar bear (later named Miss Carmichael) drifting on an iceberg. It took the entire crew to haul the reluctant creature on board, at which time it made a desperate break for freedom, attempting to jump overboard.
  In what is possibly the most outrageous example of he-followed-me-home-can-I-keep-him, Bartlett brought the animals (bears, walruses, musk oxen — the works) to Brigus and let them roam free in his parents’ yard.
While strolling the grounds (now devoid of predators), I hear talk of two icebergs crowding the waters around Corner Brook further north.
  “If you’re there at exactly the right time, you’ll hear them explode,” swears a local. Like an ice cube in a glass of lemonade, they make an audible crack before dissolving into the sea.
  I drive north, keen to discover by car the coast Bartlett surveyed by boat. Road trips are a relatively new phenomenon in Newfoundland. It took until 1975 (roughly 365 years after the first settlement in 1610) for a road system to link all the villages together. Towns like Keels, Heart’s Desire and the aptly named Come By Chance were left to develop in splendid isolation.
  I make a wide loop of Trinity Bay scanning the horizon for floating snowcapped peaks, but find nothing (it’s mid-summer and the soft warmth has coaxed flowers from even the rockiest crevice). In Cupids, I happen upon Bill Gilbert, chief archaeologist charged with unearthing the home of founding father John Guy. Gilbert and his team have amassed more than 138,000 artifacts: items from pipes to coins dating back to 1560 to Bellamine jars (beer mugs on which the face of a tee-totaling Cardinal Bellamine was emblazoned) now line the walls of the local museum.
  Finally, I land in Port Rexton and rest my bones at Fishers’ Loft. It’s here that I see my first iceberg. The following morning, with local fisherman/guide Bruce Miller at the helm, we weave through the mist over rocks hidden by inky waters. The air turns cold, then the mist parts dramatically.
  “Iceberg dead ahead!” I call. It had been sculpted expertly by wind and waves and glows an unearthly turquoise at the waterline. I feel I have discovered a gigantic gem. It’s absolutely mesmerizing. I want to wait until it detonates or until the sun shrinks it small enough to pop in my mouth.
Immediately, Captain Bartlett’s obsession with ice makes perfect sense.

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The ship’s Royal Promenade is open 24 hours.

  A Caribbean cruise is all fruity drinks, crystal-clear water, day trips to white-sand beaches, reading on the deck by the pool and soaking in the sun. In a word, relaxing.
  But what about rushing to the airport, paying to check your luggage with the airline, security, customs and the three-hour flight to Florida?
And don’t forget, you have to do it again to get home.
  OK, so flying to take an extravagant vacation isn’t necessarily a hardship. And some people actually like to fly. But if you’re not one of them, don’t give up on cruising the Caribbean.
  This spring, New Englanders can spend 13 nights aboard the Explorer of the Seas, without setting foot on an airplane. Royal Caribbean is offering the cruise out of Cape Liberty, N.J.
  If you don’t want to drive, either, that’s fine. Roundtrip motorcoach transportation to the pier is included in the package. A bus makes stops bringing New Englanders directly to the port.
Not only is the package convenient, it also can easily save you hundreds of dollars.
  “If you have a family of four, you don’t have to pay four airfares or four fees for baggage,” said AAA Cranston Travel Counselor Pauline Costantino.
Ms. Costantino has sailed from Cape Liberty — and many other ports — and doesn’t hesitate to recommend homeport cruises.
  “It’s so nice to avoid the airport,” she said. “It’s becoming more popular, especially for people who have a fear of flying.”
The cruise departs from Cape Liberty in March and stops for shore excursions in St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominica, Antigua and Puerto Rico.
  And if you cruise from one of many New England ports, you have all of the amenities of the ship to keep you occupied – the food, the casinos, the entertainment – even if the weather isn’t quite tropical for the first leg of the trip in the Atlantic.
  Go rock climbing; play a round of miniature golf; shoot hoops on a full-sized basketball court; work out or relax – or both – at the day spa and fitness center. You can even go ice-skating. Yes. There is an ice-skating rink on the Explorer of the Seas. Glide across the ice as you sail into the Caribbean.
  The ship is also home to a University of Miami Ocean Lab, using high-tech capabilities to conduct atmospheric and oceanographic research.
  All that, with room to accommodate more than 3,000 people – it’s no surprise Explorer is more than 1,000 feet long and weighs nearly 140,000 tons.
  If you can’t make the March cruise, there are plenty of alternate ports of call and destinations; Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Princess sail roundtrip from New Jersey to the Caribbean and to Canada. Holland America leaves Boston and cruises New England, or heads to Europe, also visiting Norway, Iceland, and the Netherlands, among other places.
  And if you want to stay domestic, Norwegian Cruise Line sails from Boston to New Orleans.
  Even though all cruises are not round trip, members need not worry about being stressed when they return to an unfamiliar port, said Charlotte Nichols, AAA’s Manager of Travel Sales and Marketing.
  “Our travel counselors work with our members to ascertain exactly what is desired and needed,” she said. “Many people like to add on a pre- or post-stay to their vacation along with the air back home.”
  AAA Travel Supervisor Venilia Sousa agrees; homeport cruises can relieve a lot of the burdens of travel. And she should know.
  “I’ve been on 46 cruises,” she said. “When you return, you get your luggage and you can be home in an hour or two — there’s no hassle of getting to the airport, clearing customs and flying.”
  Sounds relaxing, like a vacation was meant to be.

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AAA’s Adrian Petrie shared savings tips for traveling to Europe and NYC on recent episodes.

  Planning a celebration? Head to Disney World – the happiest place on Earth.
  Looking for tips for cruising on a family budget or how to stretch your dollar in a down economy for that fabulous honeymoon?
  There’s also some sage advice for how to pack light for a weekend trip and the pros of using a AAA travel counselor contrasted with the cons of planning a trip yourself.
  Anyone tuning in to Fox Providence’s fun, chatty, magazine-format “The Rhode Show” on a Friday mornings on Channel 12 might have caught one of AAA’s live “Going Places” segments. The pieces feature a variety of helpful travel information from AAA experts and others.
  “We look for creative ways to focus our members’ attention on the expertise of our people,” said William Sutherland, Vice President of AAA Travel. “The information we present is reliable and well-informed and presents a basis by which members can make travel arrangements in a confident manner. ‘The Rhode Show’ has been a way for us to do that.”
  Back in March, viewers learned of AAA’s Travel Marketplace that month with World of Discovery animals visiting for the occasion and live on-air interviews.
Warwick Travel Counselor Bruce Hebert has been on the lifestyle show to gab with hosts Shawn Tempesta, Elizabeth Hopkins and Vince DeMentri about the many benefits of using one of AAA’s experienced travel counselors as opposed to “doing it yourself.”
  And Cranston Travel Counselor Pauline Costantino offered tips for cruising on a friendly budget – beginning with the advice that selecting a cruise that departs from a nearby “homeport” tops this list for value and convenience.
  “We feature some of our travel counselors to show the depth of their expertise and how they can help members with their travel planning and arrangements in a myriad of ways,” said Anne Berg, AAA’s Director of Marketing Services.
  AAA has been involved with “The Rhode Show” since its early stages and was on board with its Going Places segment when the show debuted in February.
  Topics have ranged from visiting Canada at any time to Smithsonian Journey’s Travel Adventures to how to plan for and take shore excursions during a cruise vacation.
  A two-time guest on the program, Auto Travel Information Specialist Adrian Petrie has spoken about the value of European travel in recent months and how to travel affordably in New York City.
  In addition to AAA’s expert employees, Going Places guests have included industry insiders such as Disney’s Peter Figueiredo, Universal’s Dennis Quinn, Quebec City Tourism’s Katie Lepage, Royal Caribbean’s Kelly Corbett and Member Choice Vacations’ Frank Marini, who discussed travel to South Africa.
  “It was fun to work with some of our travel partners and get their perspective embedded in the shows,” Mr. Sutherland said. “And what’s really good about this is even if you missed one of the shows, you can click onto AAA.com and view it.”
  For more Going Places tips and advice, tune in to Fox Providence at 8 a.m. Fridays. Those who want to revisit AAA’s segments or watch them for the first time should visit AAA.com’s Travel page and click on “The Rhode Show” link to access the video library.

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A tour group glimpses the magic of pastry-making at the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, N.Y.

  Cat Cora, Todd English, Duff Goldman, Sara Moulton, Anthony Bourdain — if you know who these people are, or even if you don’t, but just love all things food, you might want to consider a pilgrimage to their alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
  The gorgeous 170-acre campus, formerly a Jesuit School built in 1901, sits regally overlooking the Hudson River. It is more than welcoming to guests who want to take a tour or eat at one of the excellent student-run restaurants. For more intense foodies, workshops, seminars and longer one- to five-day boot camps are offered. Prices range from $250 for a workshop to $2,095 for longer programs.
  On a public tour, I was surprised to learn the college is a nonprofit whose modest mission is only to “provide the world’s best professional culinary education.” The nonprofit status explains why classrooms and lecture halls are named for sponsors such as the Conrad N. Hilton Library, the General Mills Food Nutrition Center and so on.
  As my guide, a current student, took my daughter and me around campus, we got to peek in on some of the 41 kitchens and bakeshops and the five restaurants. Tours are offered whenever the Institute’s school is in session.   They’re held at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays and 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, for $5 per person. Having a 10-year-old in tow was a definite advantage on the tour. Pastry chef professors came out of their classrooms with treats for us to taste more than once.
  Food enthusiasts can choose from a variety of classes. “Weekends at the CIA” classes take their topics from the many cookbooks the Institute has published. They include everything from bread-baking to Asian cuisine to soups to grilling. The classes are five hours long and include the cookbook you work from and an apron. While most classes are geared toward adults, there is usually a parent and teen day (kids must be at least 12) a few times a year.
  Boot camps are more intense and hone in on learning and polishing skills. In most classes, you’ll receive a chef’s uniform and eat dinner in one of the school’s restaurants. Topics include a basic training boot camp, skill development, BBQ, Italian cuisine, among many others.
  Special holiday programs in November and December include a two-day boot camp ($850) or a class just on holiday pies or cookies ($200).
  Professor Mark Ainsworth, who often runs the holiday boot camp, tries to get people to move away from some of their ingrained cooking habits. People get “tied to recipes,” especially traditional ones, but he stresses concepts over following a recipe. If you “understand how to roast a turkey, you can roast anything,” he said.
  A great component of the class focuses on what to do with leftovers, always a conundrum, especially if the same old turkey sandwiches bore you. You learn how to use all of the turkey, for example, plying the bones for stock, butterflying the breast and making a roulade. During the course, which runs from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, you will learn carving techniques, tips on making holiday beverages and how to pair wines with courses. And, oh yes, you will be critiqued on your food, which is served up to everyone.
  If you’d rather enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor, the campus has you covered. The excellent Apple Pie Bakery Café, run by the pastry chef students, has a nonstop line out the door almost all day long, if the day I was there is any indication. American Bounty Restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, features local Hudson River Valley ingredients. Escoffier, in tribute to its famous chef namesake, serves up French cuisine. Other options include the Italian Ristorante Caterina de Medicini and the more casual St. Andrews Café.
  Because students staff the restaurants, the prices are unbelievably inexpensive; yet because these are perhaps the next top chefs in the country, the food is outstanding. Bon appétit!

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Photo courtesy of Tara Watkins BJ Hill edges closer to home, walking in Granby, Conn.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Klein Above and below: BJ Hill ends his 4,250-mile journey in Copley Square.

  Boston never looked so good.
It was a snowy January afternoon with the temperature at a blustery 26 degrees. I had just crossed Mass. Ave., and I was hiking down Boylston Street toward Copley Square. It was the last mile of my Walk Across America.
  I had been crossing the country on foot since the previous March. I started on the Golden Gate Bridge, traveled over the California mountains and the Nevada desert to Salt Lake City, then through Wyoming and Nebraska to Omaha. The sizzling summer sun saw me sauntering to St. Louis, down to Mississippi, across the Deep South to Atlanta, toward the East Coast.
  Crammed in my backpack with my tent and sleeping bag was a small leather-bound notebook. Within this journal were personal notes from people I met along the way for the soon-to-be elected U.S. president.
  Some were hopeful: “Mr. President, I want to feel pride in my country again. Tired of seeing others with their heads hung low. Inspire us, so we can inspire each other. Please use your power wisely,” wrote a man from Paducah, Ky.
  And some were concerned. A woman from Mississippi wrote, “I would like more done for our troops; my son is there now.”
  Summer turned into fall, which brought Election Day. I was in High Point, N.C., staying with a Russian couple I had met online and watching the results roll in. We were glued to a giant flat-screen as Barack Hussein Obama was chosen as the 44th President of the United States.
  The following week I was headed into Greensboro, S.C., home of the 1960s lunch-counter sit-ins. The messages here, in these largely African-American neighborhoods, were of congratulations.
  “Mr. Obama, my family and I are so glad that you are the president,” wrote a Greensboro woman. “America is going to expect a lot of you but we all have faith in you. We wish you the best of luck.”
  When I first envisioned hiking across the country, I pictured rolling hills and wide-open farmlands. This is exactly what I found in central Virginia. The only downside was the late-autumn chill. I camped out behind a church near Spotsylvania one evening and woke to find frost clinging to my tent.
As New England reeled from a paralyzing December ice storm, I marched through D.C., Maryland and Delaware.
  In gray, overcast New Jersey, the sun didn’t peep out once. I trudged around the bottom corner of New York at Christmastime, into frozen Connecticut — New Milford, Torrington, Enfield — and into Sturbridge, my hometown of Leicester, Worcester, Framingham and Boston.
  As I hiked into Copley Square that Sunday afternoon, I can’t say a cavalcade of emotions overwhelmed me. Maybe I was tired; maybe the winter weather had worn me out; maybe I realized all things must come to an end.
  A few friends braved the cold to watch me cross the finish line. A few TV cameras were waiting; I gave my last of many interviews of the walk. Afterward, we ate at a nearby restaurant. And it was over.
  The event I had been planning for years, which I had dreaming of since I was a boy reading Peter Jenkins’ “A Walk across America,” was over. That night I boarded the commuter rail alone and headed back to Worcester. I suddenly found myself transitioning from “living my dream” to “lived my dream.”
  In reality, the walk is not finished. I still have three books, full of thousands of messages for the President. I am working with local lawmakers to present these to Mr. Obama personally. What he does with these journals is out of my hands; whether he archives them, tosses them aside, or maybe even keeps them nearby and opens them once in a while to remember why we voted for him.
  I’d like to think if he is reminded that one man was inspired to walk 4,250 miles across America to bring him the voices of the people, then maybe, just maybe, he’ll also be inspired to go the extra mile.
  And maybe, just maybe, when I do have an appointment with the President, I’ll walk to it.

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Photo Credit: Celebrity Cruises Cruises offer family members the chance to reunite and relax.

  As the holidays approach and families gather to celebrate together, now is the perfect time to plan that big family reunion everyone has long discussed.
The challenge has always been finding the place where Grandma and the teenagers want to go — a place with activities for the 8-year-old twins and their 40-something parents, and where the college kids can get a cup of coffee and keep up with their online social network.
This can be a near impossible task, but there’s a remarkably simple solution. Best of all, it’s within the reach and budget of every extended family: a family reunion cruise vacation.
  Shipboard multigenerational vacations represent one of the fastest growing segments of the cruise industry for many reasons.
  Tops on the list: On a cruise, all family members can do whatever they want, when they want, individually or with others.
  There are babysitters for the youngest travelers, supervised activities for toddlers and young children, clubs and dances for teens, and a broad range of activities for adults and seniors.
  Depending on the ship, recreational activities may include climbing walls, ice skating rinks, fitness programs, spa treatments, cooking classes, wine tastings, and other opportunities
  Multiple choices of dining experiences and venues — from poolside snacks to the most elegant cuisine — ensure all guests enjoy themselves in the style and ambience they prefer.
  Daily entertainment, from movies to Broadway-style musicals, guarantees that every taste and interest is accommodated. And, in each port — there may be as many as six destinations visited during a seven-day cruise — a variety of shore excursions means land activities of interest to everyone.
  Other advantages of a family reunion cruise:
  • With pricing that includes accommodations, meals, entertainment, use of most of the ship’s recreational facilities, and travel from destination to destination, any cruise represents excellent value for the money spent. Cruise lines also make special offers to groups. These may include reduced fares for groups as small as eight and free berths for every 10 to 15 paying passengers.
  • Family groups may have the option to buy everything in advance, including cruise fares, onboard beverages shore excursions, spa packages and prepaid gratuities.
  • Further savings can be realized through reduced fares for third and fourth passengers in each stateroom.
  • Cruise lines offer vacations as short as a weekend, so there’s an itinerary to meet every family’s needs.
  • Family reunions may have opportunities to take advantage of accommodation upgrades, private events and special shipboard credits.
From voyages down the great rivers of Europe to the Caribbean’s tropical beaches, the diversity of cruise experiences means there is a cruise vacation for every interest and budget.

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Bridges connect Pittsburgh’s 89 diverse neighborhoods.

  A city for all seasons, Pittsburgh glitters even when the leaves are gone and the crisp chill of autumn fills the air.
  Skyscrapers made of steel and glass stretch deep into the Western Pennsylvania sky, reflecting a balance of heritage and innovation. Boats slice through the three rivers that ring the city center. Football fans flock across a gold-toned pedestrian bridge to Heinz Field, home of the powerful Steelers.
  Perched in the Alleghenies, halfway between New York and Chicago, Pittsburgh is a college town with a low crime rate, low cost of living and high interest in sports.
  Vendors peddling black-and-gold souvenirs of all sorts dot every neighborhood in the Steel City. As the official palette of all three Pittsburgh professional sports teams, it is no wonder these two colors seem ubiquitous here.
  Both the Steelers and the Pirates moved to new riverside parks in 2001. The horseshoe-shaped Heinz Field, which seats 65,000 for both pro and college football, has an open south end that faces Point State Park, at the confluence of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela rivers.
  PNC Park, with a retro feel, fronts bridges and skyline, creating a vivid setting for the park’s frequent firework displays. The pyrotechnics celebrate the area’s own Zambelli Fireworks, one of the oldest and largest fireworks companies in America.
  Pittsburgh is a handsome city, thanks to hundreds of bridges and the constant parade of trains and boats.
  Its cityscapes are even more sensational when sampled from the top of the Monongahela Incline, a funicular that climbs Mount Washington. Steeper, shorter and older than the nearby Duquesne Incline, the Monongahela went into service in 1869. The 35-percent grade makes the climb an experience to remember, though the other incline (circa 1877) still uses its original Victorian carriers.
  Too many trips on the incline may explain Andy Warhol’s dizzying sense of design, revealed without censorship at the Pittsburgh museum that carries his name. The most comprehensive single-artist museum on the planet, the Andy Warhol Museum contains thousands of the Pittsburgh native’s works.
  It is one of four impressive in­stitutions that comprise the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh – the others being the Museums of Art, the Museum of Natural History and the Science Center. Steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie established the museums more than 110 years ago, and today they are home to exhibits on Renoir, robots, rock formations and more.
  In addition to Warhol and Carnegie (a Pittsburgh transplant by way of Scotland), Pittsburgh has given the world legends like Perry Como, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, Joe Montana and Mr. Rogers. Even Heinz ketchup, a creation of H.J. Heinz, hails from the Steel City.
  An entire floor of the Sen. John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center is devoted to the evolution of the Heinz Company, with an exhibit of foreign TV commercials for pickles and baked beans. The six-story center also includes the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, featuring such Pittsburgh icons as Bill Mazeroski and Mario Lemieux, plus artifacts from the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays.
  Pittsburgh’s diverse heritage results in fun food finds for visitors. From Pad Thai to pasta to pierogi, authentic ethnic cuisine is prominent throughout the city at family-owned establishments, many of which have been around for decades. Several local eateries have even been featured on the popular Food Network show “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.” For an authentic (if not healthy) Pittsburgh experience, order the Pittsburgh salad – a heap of vegetables topped by French fries.
  With its old-meets-new skyline, impressive muse­ums, and plethora of parks and neighborhoods, Pittsburgh is thriving. Old-timers from the steel mill days wouldn’t recognize the place. But they should try: Pittsburgh is within a day’s drive of more than half the population in North America.

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Photo by Jason Savage Ken Burns films at Montana’s Glacier Bay National Park.

 If Ken Burns has it his way, Americans will soon be pouring through the gates of the U.S. National Parks.
 The acclaimed director — dubbed the rock star of public television — has been a fan of the parks since he was 6 and his father took him to Shenandoah, in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. His newest film,  “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” does more than boast stunning footage. It brings to light the stories of people who fought their entire lives to preserve natural landmarks for generations of Americans.
Mr. Burns spoke with AAA Horizons, as the six-episode series was set to debut on PBS beginning Sept. 27.
 Q: It’s interesting that the history of the parks is so connected with personal stories. This isn’t a travelogue, and this isn’t just a nature film. This is the history of the ideas and the individuals that made this uniquely American thing possible. This is a story filled with great great drama. There will always be people who look at a beautiful river and think dam. They will look at a canyon and think what mineral wells can be explored. There were people in American history who said, “No” — big, capital letter, emphatic “no” — “think about saving a relatively small portion of our environment to have a glimpse of who we are.” It crosses all political spectrums. This is a look at creation.
 Q: The “Father of our National Parks” John Muir is prominent in the film. Were you glad for the chance to cast a spotlight on him? I think people will be stunned to think, here is a man whose name they may or may not have heard, and he’s one of the top 10 important people of all American history — throwing in Washington and Lincoln. This is a hugely important person who got us to understand what our potentiality is and who could articulate in a way that Americans would understand. Far and away, he’s one of the most compelling characters I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know.
 Q: How about others? We worked on this for 10 years, and people would say, “National Parks: Teddy Roosevelt.” He’s huge, wonderful and central, but he’s one character in our second episode. We introduce you to 50 or so people who are not just white and male and famous, but black and brown and red and yellow and female and unknown. That’s a wonderful story: This did not come from any kind of political correctness on our part — this is a natural occurring diversity we are celebrating here. The story of each park involves so-called ordinary people saying, “I want to save this for people I will never meet.”
 Q: Do you have a favorite park? They’re so varied and so interesting and so beautiful that it’s hard to just say, “Do you have a favorite?” It’s like a movie or a favorite painting — there are so many and they’re so different. Yosemite always holds a very special place in my heart. The Grand Canyon is funny: People describe going for the first time and being awestruck, but other times being less so. I was awestruck the first time and it just keeps getting better; I’ve been five or six times, and each time is better.
 Q: What was the first National Park you visited? In 1959 when I was 6, my Dad took me for a weekend alone — just the two of us —to Shenandoah National Park. We drove from Delaware, where we lived, to the Northern entrance. We drove down Skyline Drive, checked into a little cabin. We went on hikes and I can still remember to this day what his hand felt like holding mine, the songs that he sang to me that I’ve sung to my daughters. It was hugely intimate and transformational.
 Q: What’s the message of your film? We see this as the Declaration of Independence applied to the landscape — democracy with a small “d” working at its very best. What democracy does is it levels things. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a billionaire or working in the factory of a billionaire. You are a co-owner of the most spectacular oceanfront property, the highest free-falling waterfall on the continent, the greatest collection of geysers in the world and the grandest canyon on Earth. That’s a pretty great thing to own. It makes us all rich beyond belief.
 I think what we understood in the history of the U.S., in the early days, the parks were visited by the rich, who could afford the cost of cross-country railroad tickets and package tours. With the introduction of the automobile, it was the great democratizing factor. The parks were rebuilt to accommodate ordinary folks.
 The big debate in film school was whether films could actually get people to do anything or whether they just preached to the choir. I’ve learn positively that they do make people do things. So, what we want people to come away with is a sense of the glory — the complicated glory — of these amazing parks that we’ve set aside.
 But then, also, we want them to go to them. Today everybody’s so digitally preoccupied that some of these places aren’t getting the kind of visitation they were getting a few years ago. Let’s change that. Let’s have every park superintendent angry at you and me for spreading the word about the parks.

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