To the surprise of many, Costa Rica stands high in the list of favorite destinations for American travelers. That little Central American country is receiving strong numbers of American vacationers, and almost all major tour operators now include it in their products, and especially in their lists of bargain products. Three particular programs to Costa Rica stand out.
Probably the most popular is a 10-night escorted tour of every important place in Costa Rica from the long-established Caravan Tours of Chicago (www.caravan.com or 800/CARAVAN). Departing on a frequent basis throughout the year, it sells for $1,095 per person in May and June (plus $234 in taxes and fees) plus round-trip airfare to Costa Rica (and airfares there are exceptionally moderate in price). For that sum, you get quality accommodations throughout, all three meals daily, all transportation within Costa Rica, and daily escorted sightseeing via a big and modern motorcoach. (May and June are not the months for the heaviest tourism to Costa Rica, and there are only five departure dates in May and seven in June, but they're so well-spaced that you'll always find one such date suitable to your needs.)
A somewhat different "hosted" (which means actually independent), 10-day tour of Costa Rica is offered for $1,149 per person (plus round-trip airfare to Costa Rica) by the estimable Gadventures of Toronto (catering mainly to U.S. travelers). It provides you with transportation from place to place, and accommodations for 9 hotel nights in the capital city of San Jose, in Tortuguero on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, near the Arenal Volcano, and on the Guanacaste Beaches on the Pacific Coast. You also get 9 full-scale breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners; and you book that assortment of features by going to gadventures.com or by phoning 800/800-4100. Look for "The Best of Costa Rica" in the tour operator's catalogue or website.
Finally, there are always bargain-priced tours to Costa Rica, this time including airfare, from Gate1Travel.com, in a large variety of itineraries and tour features (including self-drive tours of Costa Rica). They are best viewed at the tour operator's website, because the offering is rather complicated (and also constantly changing).
So if you're looking for an interesting vacation in the coming months, you might give a thought to finally viewing and experiencing a Central American country, easily reached from almost any part of the United States.
Just a quick post to let you know about a superlative deal: beds across Britain for just 10 GBP. And those ain't hostel beds. DeVere Venues are all proper, often pretty, hotels scattered across the UK. The sale holds for travel between June 28 and September 9, for those who can book by end of day today. Need more info? Go to http://www.deverevenues.co.uk/offers.html.
And in hotel amenity news, the Intercontinental Hotel Group (which encompasses that brand, plus Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn) will be giving free wifi to all its loyalty program members, beginning in 2014. The most elite of their members already have it. My advise: join the club! There's no charge, so why not exchange a pledge of loyalty for some much needed connectivity. They'll never know if your next sleep is a Hilton.
The Disney organization has announced stricter regulations for solo kids in the parks, a move that's undoubtedly going to lead to stricter parenting. Kids under 14 are now expected to be within shouting distance of their parents and "cast members" will be on the lookout for solo youngsters.
This will undoubtedly be a big deal for yearly passholders, many of whom routinely drop off their youngster at the park while they do other things, according to USAToday. One has to wonder if this move will also put a crimp in the style of larger families who split up in order to hit more rides, with the tweens going on the thrill rides, while the parents take younger kids to gentler entertainments.
I know, as a parent of a just-turned 14-year-old, that it was her major goal when she was 12 and 13 to be on her own at amusement parks, something we didn't allow. My guess: we're going to be seeing a lot more screaming fights in the Disney parking lots!
The questions keep coming, and they reflect widespread worries or appeals for help by would-be travelers. Here are some of the latest batch:
Q. How can I find a cooking class in the Napa Valley area of California where I'll soon be vacationing? A. Place the word "Visit" in front of the words Napa Valley--i.e., VisitNapaValley.com--and then punch the resulting longer word into the nearest computer search engine. Up will come all sorts of touristic information, including the available cooking classes in the area. Placing "Visit" in front of "[Location]" is often the key to that kind of travel advice.
Q. What sort of clothing shall I bring along for a trans-Atlantic crossing on the QM2? A. Clothing for chilly weather. Though the QM2 no longer crosses the "North Atlantic", but follows a longer, seven-day itinerary further south, the weather outside is still rather cool, even if you're crossing at the height of the summer season.
Q. Do I bring Rubles or Euros on a trip to Russia? A. Russia doesn't use the Euro, and you will need to have Rubles, best obtained once you are in Russia.
Q. I can't get the time of day from Carnival Cruises. They won't tell me whether they have cancelled or eliminated stops from an upcoming cruise I have booked. A. Phone the cruiseline industry association--Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) in New York--and they'll crack down on Carnival on your behalf.
Q. I'm anxious to vacation in Italy this coming July, but can't find a round-trip airfare there for less than $2,000? A. That's because you're insistent on a non-stop flight. Go there via another, less favored city and you'll spend at least $600 less. Fly on TAP Portuguese Airlines via Lisbon, or KLM via Amsterdam, and you'll pay $1,400 round-trip. Check out such one-stop fares on Kayak.com, Momondo.com, Do-Hop.com, Hipmunk.com, and others.
Q. Our daughter will be having a Bas-Mitzfah (birthday ceremony) when she turns 13 next year, and we want to take her--as a present--on a trip to France or Italy. Can you recommend a tour operator for the three of us (myself, husband, and her)? A. None of the standard group operators of motorcoach tours can be considered, because your daughter will be bored by their usual assortments of middle-aged and elderly people. Try a small-group, family tour on Intrepid Travel (maximum of 14 participants, including other children), or go independently on your own without a tour.
Q. My daughter and I want to spend two weeks in Africa, but only on a volunteer vacation, making a contribution to local communities. Whom shall we approach? A. You can't make any sort of meaningful contribution in two weeks. What sort of efforts will you offer? Most of the reputable volunteer vacation operators list stays of up to 12 weeks, and the best among them--like Cross Cultural Solutions--require a three-week minimum in many of the places to which they go. Stop and consider your skills, and ask yourself truthfully whether you can be of any assistance to African communities in two weeks.
Q. I will be in South Africa this autumn, but then want to go to Israel. How can I get there? A. Israel's El Al Airlines has been operating non-stop flights from South Africa to Israel for decades--and at relatively cheap prices (say, $400 for the one-way flight).
