Scouting the best airfares, hotels, cruises and vacation packages

Lake Powell: Spring early onto 2009 houseboat deals

November 22, 2008 1:09pm

If you’re an early bird by nature, then you know well by now that planning vacations way ahead can sometimes save both money and stress. Lake Powell Resorts & Marina is catering to you deserving planners out there with special discounts available now for its 2009 season on Lake Powell, the houseboat haven sitting along the Utah-Arizona border. And this deal rewards the decisive: The earlier you book, the more you save.

Deal: The “Early Bird” package saves you 20% to 35% on houseboat rentals reserved for four or more consecutive days between March 31 and June 14, 2009. Reserve by Dec. 17, 2008, and you’ll get the maximum discount of 35% off. If you book after that but before Feb. 17, 2009, you’ll get a 25% discount. Bookings by April 17, 2009, get a 20% discount. Read the rest of this entry »

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When will Big Bear’s first snow fall? Guess for a chance to win lift tickets

November 22, 2008 10:21am

Oh when, oh when will Big Bear get a big snowfall? Skiers and snowboarders all over Southern California are wondering just that about the popular winter hub just a couple hours’ drive from Los Angeles. Big Bear resorts usually begin opening around now, but Mother Nature still hasn’t given the green light.

“While the nights have been cold, the days are still too warm to sustain a substantial snow base for any duration,” explains Bear Mountain resort’s website, “but we’re standing by to charge up the system as soon as the weather remains cold and dry.”

If your skis and boards aren’t unburied from the depths of your garage yet, get them out and ready to go. When snowfall begins, Bear Mountain expects that its turnaround time to opening will be quick: “Once the conditions are right for snowmaking, we can be open from top-to-bottom in as little as two to three days!” says its site. Bear Mountain and nearby Snow Summit are part of Big Bear Mountain Resorts.

Contest: Want to guess when the first substantial snowfall will arrive? Read the rest of this entry »

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Jonas Brothers to sign new ‘Burning Up’ book at Disney’s California Adventure

November 22, 2008 6:00am

The Jonas Brothers will be signing their new book, “Burning Up: On Tour With the Jonas Brothers,” on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 at Disney’s California Adventure — but be prepared to wait up to 10 hours for the privilege of being in their presence.

Anticipating big crowds and a tight schedule, Disney has taken the unusual step of warning fans not to line up for the 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. book signing before 1 a.m. on Tuesday. Anybody showing up before then will be turned away and asked to leave. A limited number of wristbands (Disney won’t say how many) will be distributed from 7 a.m. until noon on Tuesday.

So just how many books can Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas sign in 90 minutes? Nobody can say for sure. But Disney does promise that everyone who waits in line will get an autographed book (just maybe not autographed personally for you while you gaze longingly at the JoBros). The 90-minute autograph session will take place inside the former Golden Dreams Theater.

Naturally, there are a few more rules (this is Disney after all):
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Yosemite National Park: Curry Village cabins to close for good

November 21, 2008 1:47pm

Some of Yosemite National Park’s popular Curry Village accommodations will close for good due to an unstable cliff, announced National Park Service officials earlier today. See Associated Press article, “Rock threat danger closes part of Yosemite lodging.”

Yosemite, with more than 3 million visitors annually, is no stranger to sketchy cliffs: 14 people have died in more than 530 rockfalls that have occurred in tourist-heavy Yosemite Valley since 1857. The most recent reminder of this unpredictable force of nature occurred on Oct. 8, 2008, when a rock slide at Curry Village injured three people and destroyed several cabins. The slide, which rained “the equivalent of 570 dump trucks of rock,” onto the valley, originated from the overlooking Glacier Point cliff face.

Of the 618 cabins at Curry Village, about half have been unavailable to guests since last month’s incident. Today’s announcement marks the permanent closure of 233 cabins total. Read the rest of this entry »

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‘Staycate’ with Los Angeles guidebooks, on sale at Traveler’s Bookcase

November 21, 2008 12:06pm

When the concept of a “staycation” hit the travel world a while back, not everybody was on board. After all, how could a trip where you don’t actually go anywhere measure up to a venture abroad, or at least out of Dodge? As much as I toss around that “staycate” word in jest occasionally, I’ve become a fan of the concept. After all, Los Angeles is no Dodge City, and with a little motivation, we can build an exciting day-trip itinerary in our area that could compete with action-packed tourist checklists in major cities elsewhere.

If you’re ready to explore Los Angeles, whether on a sightseeing tour or do-it-yourself style, what’s your first task? Well, if you’re going to treat this as a real trip, you need a guidebook. And Traveler’s Bookcase (8375 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles), our city’s very own travel-books mecca, is eager to offer up resources. Read the rest of this entry »

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Roundup: Mexico violence continues; pair attacked by grizzly return to Glacier; exclusive eats in Santa Barbara

November 21, 2008 9:07am

On this day in 1898, Surrealist painter Rene Magritté was born in Belgium (he died in 1967). Start your day with a good dose of culture with a browse through some of his works at the Los Angeles Museum of Art (LACMA) online. Or better yet, take some time to visit the museum in person.

Glacier National Park | In 2005, Jenna Otter and her father, Johan, made headlines after surviving a grizzly bear attack in Glacier National Park, Montana. Their story was especially intriguing due to its tale of heroism; Johan Otter had placed himself between his daughter and “the rampaging bear’s claws and teeth.” The pair recently revisited the park (photo above) and attack site; read “Jenna Otter returns to scene of grizzly bear attack.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Australia’: See the movie, take the tour?

November 21, 2008 6:00am

Baz Luhrmann’s World War II-era epic “Australia,” starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, won’t hit theaters until next week. But you can book face time with the film’s real star: the country’s ravishing, rugged East Kimberley region. Just make sure you see the real thing.

The tourism industry in Australia, banking on the biggest boost since “Crocodile Dundee” splashed onto the big screen, has cranked out dozens of tours and itineraries billed as inspired by the action-adventure romance. Many of these explore Australia in diverse ways, but not all take you to the actual film sites. Here’s a quick guide:

The real places: “Australia” was shot last year mainly on Sydney soundstages and in a suburb; the Queensland town of Bowen; Darwin in the Northern Territory; and the remote East Kimberley region of Western Australia, where the crew was based in the small town of Kununurra, Twentieth Century Fox publicists say.

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Cleavage and Legoland: anatomy of a double-take

November 20, 2008 4:43pm

OK, readers. Here’s your chance to rise above the cheap culture of Hollywood, the rampant materialism, the violence, the cleavage that looks like molded plastic. Instead, we’re here to have a grown-up conversation about Legoland and — molded plastic that looks like cleavage.

A couple of weeks ago, as outlined in “Legoland’s own small world,” I headed off to the amusement park in Carlsbad with my wife, Mary Frances, and our 4-year-old daughter, Grace. None of us had been there before, and we were much taken with the Las Vegas area, which the theme park’s minions of miniaturism completed in 2007.

Among the wonders of this scaled-down Vegas is a quickie-wedding chapel (below). Now, thousands of visitors have probably strolled right past it, since it’s not as tall as the fake Eiffel Tower, as familiar as the fake New York, New York skyline, or as splashy as the faux hotel fountains. But it’s clever.

If you wait and watch, an aged groom (in tuxedo with cane) and young, blond bride come striding out of the chapel, headed for a waiting bus. The bride is wearing red boots and either a red miniskirt or hot pants, it’s hard to say. But what startled the three of us was the bride’s top.

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LAX predicts fewer travelers for Thanksgiving and plans to open new lounge after turkey day

November 20, 2008 2:59pm

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is expecting fewer travelers than last year this Thanksgiving season, but that doesn’t mean you’ll sail through airline check-in or security lines.

LAX expects a 14% drop in travelers for the holiday travel period, which begins Friday and ends Nov. 30. LA/Ontario International Airport predicts a 30% drop, according to airport officials.

But don’t expect L.A.’s airport to be empty, especially on Friday, next Wednesday and Nov. 30 when flights are 90% or fully booked, according to a release from the Los Angeles World Airways.

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Weekend getaway in Mexico City; Hotel Nikko Mexico deal

November 20, 2008 2:00pm

News from south of the border lately hasn’t been easy to digest. With incidents of intense violence, mostly related to drug cartels, in various parts of Mexico, it’s no wonder many are looking elsewhere for their vacations.

But don’t dismiss Mexico just yet. After all, the country, with a vast array of cultural and historical attractions, not to mention great beaches, has long lured us south for good reason. In his article “5 favorite vacation spots in Mexico,” Reed Johnson recommended five “relatively safe” destinations: Mexico City, Puebla, Veracruz, Playa del Carmen and Puerto Escondido.

I’ve been seeing round-trip flights to Mexico City (MEX) from Los Angeles (LAX) for as little as $299 (including tax), though today I’m seeing early December 2008 fares of $317. Read the rest of this entry »

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