| July | August 2005 Volume 79 Issue 4 |
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| Travel Tips & Trends
Set Sail for Bermuda The sand really is pink, and the style is decidedly British, in this island gem a day-and-a-half by ship from the East Coast. Most cruises to Bermuda are single-destination journeys, giving vacationers several days to enjoy the island while using their ship as a floating resort hotel. Bermuda has two cruise ship ports—one at Hamilton, the island's capital, and the other at Kings Wharf. The cruise lines enhance the itinerary with uniquely Bermudan experiences and excursions, such as visits to historic homes; tours by bike, foot or candlelight; kayaking the multi-hued blue waters; or glass-bottomed boat tours of the coral reefs. Tourists are not allowed to drive cars in Bermuda, but motor scooters and bicycles allow independent exploration. In Bermuda, travelers will find friendly residents, great shopping, beaches, unique landscapes and historic architecture. For action, there's snorkeling and scuba diving, sailing, swimming, fishing, horseback riding, bird watching and golf. Bermuda has an abundance of restaurants featuring the island's distinctively spicy cuisine. For information about Bermuda cruise vacations, talk to your AAA Travel professional.
Fall foliage travel—beyond Colorado
The fall foliage season offers an extraordinary opportunity for exhilarating travel. Here are some hints on where and when to best experience nature's annual autumn spectacle outside Colorado's borders. Where to go New England is the classic fall foliage destination, and with good reason. It boasts an abundance of maples and other great species for foliage and a variety of appealing landscapes from rocky coasts and pumpkin-studded farm fields to tree-cloaked mountains. Although not in New England, nearby New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and southeastern Canada also put on great autumn displays. In the south, fall foliage can be enjoyed in areas of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The Midwest also offers several options, including the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and parts of Missouri , Minnesota , Indiana , and Ohio. Several western states boast aspens displaying brilliant gold tones, while more varied foliage can be found in the Ozarks of Missouri, and in Arkansas, Oklahoma and even northern New Mexico . When to go In general, the foliage season runs from mid-September through late October. Foliage peaks earlier the farther north, the higher in elevation, or the more inland you travel. Later in the season, your best bet for autumn color is to stay near the coast, at low elevation, or farther south. For current information, go to www.leafpeepers.com. After the leaves begin turning, detailed foliage reports can often be found on state tourism websites.
Visitors to Walt Disney World theme parks don't even need to bring their own camera anymore. Disney has come up with an alternative way to capture treasured moments: Professional photographers throughout the parks take photos of guests, and you receive a Disney PhotoPass that links all these professional digital photos together into one online account for easy viewing and purchase. Guests can also add decorative borders and other Disney-themed elements to their pictures, or create photo scrapbooks, slideshow DVDs, and other special mementos. There is no charge for the photography, for obtaining a PhotoPass, or for viewing and sharing your photos online. The cost of ordering prints will be similar to the cost of buying the same photo at a Disney Photo Center. For more information, check out www.DisneyPhotoPass.com. Europe's Dozen Best Train Trips For beautiful scenery, fascinating sightseeing and an excellent travel experience, Europe 's rail system offers the traveler a convenient, relaxing way to absorb the best the continent has to offer. Here are the 12 best rail journeys, according to rail tour operator DER/Rail Europe: 1. For one of the best day-long train adventures in Europe, try Austria 's Arlberg Valley between Salzburg and Zurich in Switzerland . 2. For a mountain rail trip on a smaller scale, ride the Chemins de Fer de Provence in France between the Mediterranean resort city of Nice and the inland town of Digne. 3. At the top of Europe is the glacier-viewing train journey between Norway's capital of Oslo and the picturesque city of Bergen. 4. The legendary castles on Germany's Rhine River can be seen on the rail trip between Koblenz and Mainz. 5. In striking, modern contrast to some traditional rail journeys is the 186-mile-per-hour Eurostar train, speeding through the Channel Tunnel between London and Paris or Brussels. 6. A thoroughly satisfying Swiss train trip that takes about half a day is the scenic Golden Pass route between Lucerne and Montreux. 7. In Italy, you can travel in style at speeds of more than 150 mph on the rails between two of the country's richest sightseeing cities— Rome and Florence . 8. The breathtaking Bernina Express, between St. Moritz and Tirano on the Swiss-Italian border, is among Europe 's finest and most dramatic alpine train rides. 9. Ride the train that has made air travel practically obsolete between Paris and Brussels —the 186-mph Thalys train. 10. Travel through the historic treasure land of Roman France, starting in Lyon or Geneva, and continuing to Spain along the scenic Costa Brava coast of the Mediterranean . 11. Follow the Mediterranean coast of the French and Italian Rivieras, starting at Marseille and traveling east to Cannes, Nice and Italy's cliff-side Cinque Terre towns. 12. Trace the route of port wine vintners with a lovely slow train ride along Portugal's winding Duoro River Valley. For more information on train travel in Europe and railpasses, contact your AAA Travel professional or click on “Travel” at www.aaa.com.
Shopping in the Caribbean Duty free shopping has become an important part of any Caribbean vacation. Since many luxury goods and specialty products manufactured in the United States and Europe are sold here at substantial discounts, many travelers make it a point to include a shopping excursion in their island activities. For the best selection of duty free shopping values, the U.S. Virgin Islands can't be beat. On St. Thomas , visitors can take advantage of a $1,200 duty free allowance, about double the normal exemption for goods brought back to the States, as well as an additional $1,000 worth of purchases at 5% duty. On the Dutch/French island of St. Maarten/St. Martin , famous-name European perfumes, crystal, china, jewelry, linen, designer fashions and electronics sell for about 20% to 50% less than in the United States . Travelers are advised that many shops close for the traditional European two-hour lunch break from approximately 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Barbados, Puerto Rico and Jamaica are home to some of the world's best rum makers, and many distilleries conduct tours of their facilities. The Dominican Republic is famous for its beautiful amber and larimar jewelry. Cigar and rum factories offer tours here too. Although Puerto Rico is not a duty free island, there is no sales tax (except on jewelry) and no duty collected on items brought into the United States . All purchases are in U.S. dollars. Almost every island in the Caribbean offers excellent duty free or discount shopping values. Just be aware of the going rate in the United States to ensure you're getting the best price. Going all-inclusive gets you more for your money The old saying, “you get what you pay for,” has never been truer than when it refers to an all-inclusive vacation. One-price properties can provide the best value in leisure travel because much of what you need—food, lodging, activities, taxes and tips—is included. Here's a sampling of all-inclusive resorts: • SuperClubs—The original all-inclusive resort features beautiful beachside properties in the Bahamas , Dominican Republic , Brazil and Jamaica . Their Breezes resorts are geared for action-loving families or adults, while the luxurious Grand Lido Resorts & Spas attract couples seeking romance and pampering. • Sandals—These properties are nestled on the best beaches throughout the Caribbean and offer exclusive experiences for couples. The same company runs Beaches Resorts, where everyone is welcome, in Jamaica and the Turks & Caicos Islands. • Atlantis—Located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, this is an oasis of wonder, showcasing the largest marine habitat in the world, 17 restaurants, 10 swimming areas, clubs for kids and teens, casinos, and full-service spas and fitness centers. • Paradisus—This luxurious yet affordable hotel chain recently opened Puerto Rico's first all-inclusive property on Coco Beach . Other Paradisus properties are on Cancun's Mayan Riviera and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic . Most resorts have a tremendous array of room categories, meal options and activities to choose from. To ensure you get the best deal on an all-inclusive vacation, contact your local AAA Travel professional.
10 Travel Tips for Smooth Sailing 1. Consider purchasing trip/vacation cancellation and interruption insurance. 2. Review your cruise documents in advance for important information, guidelines and tips. 3. Prior to leaving home, call your airline or check its website for flight arrival/departure information. 4. Be at the airport early—at least two hours prior to your flight. 5. Minimize your carry--on luggage and be prepared to have it searched. 6. Make sure that your baggage is clearly tagged with your name and contact information and that you have completed and attached the cruise tags provided with your cruise documentation. 7. Verify that any required medical items are with you and not in checked luggage. 8. Verify that you have the proper identification required for all travelers in your party and that it's with you, not in checked luggage. 9. Expect some delays, and be patient. 10. Enjoy your cruise! Photo Contest: Is your pet a supermodel? Photos must feature at least one pet and have a travel theme. The winning entry will become a cover photo on next year's edition of Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook, in addition to a $100 cash prize, a year's supply of Milk-Bone dog snacks and five copies of the book. For contest rules, or to enter, visit www.aaa.com/PetBook. Entries can be submitted electronically or by mail. Entries must be received by Nov. 30, 2005. Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook contains valuable travel tips and information, as well as listings for more than 12,000 pet-friendly hotels and more than 400 pet-friendly campgrounds. It is available for sale at AAA club offices, online at www.aaa.com/barnesandnoble, and at better bookstores. |