AAA Colorado ~ EnCompass Magazine

Few other destinations so close to home reveal as many surprises as Mexico. Its varied landscape includes beaches, mountains, jungles, modern cities and old-world villages — offering relaxation, recreation, exploration or a combination of all three.

Of course, any discussion of Mexico begins with its famous beach areas. Cancun is the country's most popular vacation destination, where oceanfront resorts and a vibrant nightlife lie in the shadow of nearby Mayan ruins. The charming waterfront town of Puerto Vallarta is an artists' haven and tropical beach paradise. Acapulco has been a jet-setter's playground for decades. Here, the famous cliff divers launch themselves 130 feet down into the narrow, rock-filled gorge of La Quebrada, timing their dive so that an incoming wave provides enough water depth for survival.

Unfortunately, discussions of Mexico often end at the water's edge.

For that reason, many Americans never learn about breathtaking Copper Canyon, a natural wonder six times larger than the Grand Canyon that visitors explore by train, stopping in quaint little towns along the way. Most visitors never consider a stay at an authentic castle or hacienda in the twin colonial-era cities of San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. Here, wandering callejoneadas strum their guitars with traditional songs and serenades in the evenings. Guanajuato, nestled into a picturesque hillside, is reminiscent of ancient European cities with its plazas and narrow cobbled streets.

Even the capital, Mexico City, is often under-appreciated as a vacation destination. The ruins of the 2,000-year-old pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan — at that time, the sixth largest city in the world — and restored colonial Taxco stand in stark contrast to the city's modern offerings. In Cuernavaca, just an hour away, natural hot springs and colorful bougainvillea gardens are juxtaposed with the Pyramid of Teopanzolco. Contact your AAA Travel professional or visit www.aaa.com for more information about Mexico vacations.

Pearl Harbor's new museum

The highly anticipated Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, opened on December 7. The museum tells the story of military aviation in the Pacific-not just the Pearl Harbor attack itself-during World War II.

The Pacific Aviation Museum joins the USS Arizona Memorial, USS Bowfin Memorial Submarine Museum and USS Missouri Memorial as an important addition to the site of our nation's first aviation battlefield.

The museum has a significant collection of original American and Japanese aircraft, and numerous historical dioramas. A simulator enables visitors to experience "flying" a fighter, communicating via radio while surrounded by panoramic sky views. For more information, visit www.pacificaviationmuseum.org.

National Western Stock Show

The 2007 National Western Stock Show, held at the National Western Complex in Denver from Jan. 6-21, promises something to suit every taste.

The special events this year include two new Super Dogs performances.

A cast of 20 dogs provides non-stop action as the stars run, jump, master mazes and perform tricks and stunts. The Super Dogs show runs Jan. 15 and 16.

Horse lovers can choose from a wide variety of shows: Grand Prix showjumping, Gambler's Choice showjumping with a rock-and-roll atmosphere, freestyle reining, the draft horse show, and two performances each of the Wild West Show and the Evening of Dancing Horses.

It wouldn't be the Stock Show without the rodeo. In addition to 23 ProRodeo events and three Professional Bull Riders events, visitors can enjoy the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza on Jan. 6 and 7, with dancers and mariachi music, trick roping and riding, and much more. Another special event is the Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo on Jan. 15, in which top black rodeo stars continue the heritage of the African-American cowboy and the Buffalo Soldier.

Tickets to all special events include general admission to the showgrounds — 100 acres of exhibits, shopping, food, the Coors Western Art Exhibition and, of course, the animals! For tickets, visit www.nationalwestern.com or call 303-295-3959.

Chocolate decadence

Love chocolate? Today's travelers can eat it, learn about it and even soak their feet in it. Following are some suggestions on how to travel in chocolate-covered style.

Chocolate Museum, St. Stephen, New Brunswick
Bar-shaped benches, interactive exhibits and yummy treats reflect the chocolate theme running rampant throughout the museum. Learn about antique and modern candy making, and try your skill at packing a box. 506-466-7848.

Glendale Chocolate Affaire, Glendale, Ariz.
This early February festival turns downtown Glendale into a chocoholic's paradise. Purveyors entice passersby with such sinful snippets as chocolate pizza, crêpes and cheesecake. 623-930-2299. Hotel Hershey, Hershey, Penn.

At the hotel's spa, try a chocolate fondue body wrap, a Swedish massage scented with cocoa, or an invigorating chocolate sugar scrub. Chocolate Covered February is a month-long town event featuring chocolate-themed meals and other sensations. 717-520-5888.

Peninsula Hotel, Chicago, Ill.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, Windy City residents head to "Chocolate at the Pen" to warm up with jazz and creamy white chocolate cocoa. The high-end spread offers elaborate treats like chocolate soup as well as classic cookies and cakes. 312-573-6760.

Red Wine and Chocolate, Yakima, Wash.
This Presidents' Day weekend gastronomic fest pairs dark chocolate with red wine. Some 50 Yakima Valley wineries present mouthwatering desserts along with a special selection of velvety reds to stimulate your palate. 509-965-5201.

Scharffen Berger, Berkeley, Calif.
San Francisco chocolate aficionados can't live without their Scharffen Berger. The chocolate maker uses chemical-free cacao beans, and fans say this contributes to the flavor and texture. Factory tours display the history of cacao and show it being processed. 510-981-4050.

Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia
What a great idea-an all-you- can-eat Chocoholic Buffet. The hotel's master chocolatier prepares a gamut of delights, including cakes, ice creams, pies, pastries, and the signature Brittany crêpes. 604-682-5511.

Paying with plastic in the UK

Recent changes to credit and debit card technology in the United Kingdom may require traveling Americans to be better informed.

"The UK has gone completely 'Chip and PIN' and that's causing a bit of confusion for some travelers," says Scott Denman of AAA Financial Services.

Chip and PIN is a credit and debit card system that uses a microchip in the card in addition to a personal identification number. While the new system will make credit cards more secure, the issue for travelers is that their U.S. credit cards typically do not have a chip but instead use a magnetic stripe. So will your card work overseas?

"The answer is a definite yes, but you may need to be more persistent with merchants," says Denham. Card readers at points of sale in the UK are able to read the magnetic stripe on an American bank card, but will not recognize your PIN, so a signature will be required for purchases. Some merchants may not be aware that transactions can be conducted this way; ask the merchant politely to try it anyway. All merchants who display the Visa/MasterCard/Amex logo must accept any card bearing those marks. Overseas use of ATMs should be unaffected.

New state park opens

Colorado's newest state park, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, is now open to the public on a limited basis, with longer opening hours and overnight camping to come later this year as construction of trails and facilities progresses.

The 1,680 acre park, south of Colorado Springs, is significant for its variety of wildlife and its scenic beauty. Against the backdrop of Cheyenne Mountain, the landscape includes prairie grassland, pine forests, shrublands and mountain meadows. Wildlife in the area includes deer, elk, black bear, cougar, coyote, fox and prairie dogs as well as a wide variety of bird life, with golden eagles, wild turkeys and red-tailed hawks among the species represented.

The visitors' center has opened, and other buildings including cabins and an event center will be constructed over the next two years. Campsites with full utilities are expected to open this year, and a wheelchair-accessible trail is under development.

Twenty miles of trails are open as of press time, ranging from easy to moderate. All are open to both hikers and mountain bikers, but not to horse traffic or dogs. They include two technically challenging singletrack trails developed by local bike clubs: the half-mile Medicine Wheel trail and the .85 mile Cougar Shadow trail.

Access is from Hwy. 115 opposite Fort Carson Army Base. For more information and current opening hours, call 719-227-5250 or visit www.parks.state.co.us.