The Secret Hotels of New Orleans

Sure there's usually a fun singles scene at many ski mountains, but retreating to a ski resort is more often a family activity. Unfortunately, it can be a very expensive family activity. Children usually pay much less for lift tickets than adults, but kiddy expenses can still add up quickly. A family of four can spend $200 a day at the slopes, and that doesn't even include food or lodging. There are ways around paying full-price. In many instances, resorts will let kids ski (and even stay and fly) for free, as long as they are coming along with adults (and those adults' wallets, of course). But whatever the motivation for such offers, they are a means to save money on a healthy, fun family vacation. In many states, middle schoolers can ski dozens of days each season for only a nominal registration fee (just $10 in many cases). And all kinds of resorts and packagers throw in kids' expenses for free, so long as an adult is paying full price. While the resort packages change from month to month, the state sponsered offers tend to remain steady, so we list the best of them here below. Pre-teens ski free Several ski-friendly states including Colorado, Vermont, Utah, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and California allow youngsters of a certain age to ski for free. Programs vary, but most allow fifth graders (sometimes fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh graders) a few dozen days on the mountain totally free. And some let kids hit the slopes all season long without having to purchase a lift ticket. In most cases, it's not necessary for the child to live in the state he or she is skiing in either. Why fourth or fifth graders? It's simply a good age for kids to pick up skiing or snowboarding quickly. At around age 10, children are strong and coordinated enough to progress rapidly. At the same time, they're adventurous and fearless during these pre-puberty years, which helps when learning a sometimes scary activity. There is usually some kind of registration fee or a delivery charge, but other than that, the only provision tends to be that the child must be accompanied each day by an adult who is paying for a lift ticket. Utah's program (called the "5th Grade Passport"), for example, requires a $10 processing fee per child. An application has to be filled out, along with a photo and proof of age and school grade. The pass can be used for a free lift ticket for the fifth-grader, but only when presented at the same time an adult is purchasing a full-day pass. A maximum of two fifth grader can get a freebie pass for each adult daily. Kids can ski for free three times at each of the participating resorts (which is just about every resort in Utah, including Park City, Alta, Sundance, Snowbird, Deer Valley, Brianhead, and others). Each state's program is slightly different, so check with each for specific rules and regulations. In New Hampshire's "Earn Your Turns" program, fourth graders must research some aspect of skiing history and write an essay, draw a picture, or build a model. After a teacher approves of the work, the fourth grader receives a book of free lift tickets and cross-country passes. But most states simply require that a youngster fill out a form and submit a small fee to get their ski freebies. Info on each state's program can be found at: California: californiasnow.com/passport.htm, 800/627-5409 Colorado: coloradoski.com/, 303/866-9707 Maine: winterkids.org/, 207/761-3774 (Maine actually has free skiing opportunities for fifth, sixth, and seventh graders, but only for state residents) New Hampshire: skinh.com/ski_area_programs.cfm, 800/887-5464 (fourth graders only) New York: 44free.com/, 800/CALL-NYS (fourth graders only) Utah: skiutahlocals.com/, 801/534-1779 Vermont: skivermont.com/, 802/223-2439 Associate Editor Brad Tuttle started skiing at age 4, and these days splits his time on the slopes between skiing and snowboarding.

Voyageurs National Park is located three hundred miles north of Minneapolis, at the Ontario border. You can go days there without encountering another soul. 655 miles of shoreline The park, one-third water, was named for 18th-century French Canadians who traveled in birch canoes and traded furs. Boating is still the only way to explore what is essentially a roadless area. Campers rent canoes or kayaks (Voyageurs Adventures, 877/465-2925, from $15) or cruise in floating homes (Rainy Lake Houseboats, 800/554-9188, rainylakehouseboats.com/, from $289/day for up to six people). Swimming is for the brave--the crisp waters, which flow from northern Canada, may cause hearts to skip a beat. But fishing is huge. Top prize is the rare walleye, known for its tasty white fillets. Boat-in campgrounds Visitors camp for free at 215 developed sites, or they pitch a tent pretty much wherever they want, which usually means sleeping somewhere humans haven't set foot in months. After dark, loon calls, both soothing and eerie, accompany the howls of timberwolves. The night sky comes alive, too: Voyageurs is one of the few places in the lower 48 states where, if you're lucky, you can see the northern lights. Little American Island In 1893, prospectors found gold on a speck of land in huge Rainy Lake, leading to a brief mining craze. During the peak months (June through August), rangers escort visitors through its abandoned shafts, as well as on cruises, canoe trips, and hikes along the park's 45 miles of water-accessible trails. Most excursions are free or cost less than $15, and they launch from three visitors centers, each located a few miles from International Falls, Minn. In winter, when there are more black bears and moose than hikers and blueberry pickers, the frozen park morphs into a playground for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. The Kettle Falls Hotel Built during a 1910 logging boom, the 12-room hotel, a National Historic Landmark deep in the park, retains its antique, middle-of-nowhere charm. May through mid-October, it charges from $50 per person (218/374-4404, kettlefallshotel.com/).

Airfare consolidators (a fancy name for discounters) differ in their ambitions: Some of them sell to the entire world. They claim to have deals to just about everywhere in the United States and abroad, and on dozens of airlines. But other, more modest consolidators (and we prefer using these smaller firms) specialize in just two or three countries and usually have quietly exclusive contracts with just one or two airlines flying to those few locations, at lower-than-usual rates. Most are located in the midst of large ethnic communities in the United States and mainly sell tickets to fellow countrymen traveling back to the homeland. And many of these same ethnic firms also deal with the public at large (a prerequisite for a mention in this article), and their agents speak English over the phone (another prerequisite). We've ferreted out the names and claims of 24 such specialist discounters (it wasn't easy; some are hesitant about revealing their special arrangements), and we proudly present their names, contact information, destinations, and typical prices below. Europe The Baltic nations: Vytis Tours of New York City (800/778-9847 or 718/423-6161, vytistours.com sells reduced-price tickets on five European airlines servicing Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia (plus Poland). Discounts are big. The father and three brothers who own this agency also offer customized tours and discounted hotels. The British Isles: In business for seven years, UK Air (800/577-2900 or 212/661-0550, ukair.com) works very closely with an airline it can't name (here's a hint: it hubs in London) to deliver discounts of as high as 30% off published rates. As you might guess from the name, its area of expertise is Britain, but can also get terrific deals to many spots on the continent of Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Croatia: As you'd expect from its name, Croatia Travel Agency, of Astoria, New York (718/726-6700, croatiatravel.com), specializes in that large area of the former Yugoslavia. Under a special arrangement with the airlines involved, it can write tickets for Air France, Virgin Atlantic, and Lufthansa flights on Croatian Airlines ticket stock. The Czech Republic: Closely partnered with Czech Airlines, Tatra Travel of New York City (212/486-0533 or 800/321-2999, tatratravel.com) offers well-priced airfares and air/hotel packages primarily to Prague, but also to Budapest, Vienna, Zagreb, Sarajevo and Sofia. The agency's Czech arm has been in business since 1932. Eastern Europe: Manhattan-based American Travel Abroad (800/228-0877 or 212/586-5230, amta.com) has specialized in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union since 1946, and is busier than ever in these post-Cold War years. A consolidator for SAS, Lufthansa, and the new Swiss Air Lines. Germany, Russia, Africa: New York City's long-established Mill-Run Travel (800/645-5786 or 212/486-9840, millrun.com) is Lufthansa's biggest U.S. consolidator. Greece and Turkey: A top specialist here is Metro Tours, based in Peabody, Massachusetts (800/221-2810 or 978/535-4000, varsovia.com), which discounts tickets on airlines flying to Athens and Istanbul. Poland: The Varsovia Agency in New York City (212/529-3256, varsovia.com) is a consolidator for LOT Polish Airlines and other European-flag carriers. Russia: Flexi World Wide Travel (800/541-3523 or 212/507-9333, fax 212/370-1476) deals with several major carriers, but its consolidator contracts do not allow the sale of air tickets by themselves. Even so, its air/hotel packages are often cheaper than round-trip published fares alone. Scandinavia: Scandinavia Washington's diplomatic community uses Scantravel International in nearby Virginia (800/283-5023 or 703/281-3355, scantravel@starpower.net) for cheap flights to and from Scandinavia and Europe. Turkey, Greece: Used by a large community of ethnic Turkish and Kurdish residents of the Northeast, New York City's Anadolu Travel (800/262-3658 or 212/486-4012, atc-anadolu.com) has contracts with Turkish Airways (an American Airlines partner), for whom it's an active consolidator on flights to Istanbul and via Istanbul to other nearby capitals. Western European capitals:Destination Europe, of Portland, Maine (800/359-3876 or 207/842-2000, autoeurope.com), is the air-ticket affiliate of the well-known car rental consolidator Auto Europe, so one call can get you both air and a vehicle. Caribbean, Central & South America Brazil: Steve Foster's Brazilian mother became one of the first consolidators to South America some 39 years ago when she founded Brazil Tours of Sherman Oaks, California (800/927-8352 or 818/990-4995, braziltours.net). It also has both organized and customized tours, including an Amazon River trip with a guide who teaches jungle survival techniques to the Brazilian Army. Brazil primarily, but also to other nations in Latin America: Brazilian Travel Service of New York City (800/342-5746 or 212/764-6161) also has offices in Rio and Sao Paulo and is obviously a major player to its namesake nation. The agency, in business for 26 years, claims also to be one of the largest consolidators to other Central and South American nations. Dominican Republic: TravelSpan, of New York City (where it has three offices in West Indian neighborhoods) and Santo Domingo (800/817-6177 or 212/268-4632, travelspan.com), is big enough to occasionally charter its own low-cost flights to Santo Domingo and Trinidad, in addition to offering major discounts on scheduled flights of big international carriers. It also operates flights to Mexico's Cancun as well. Latin America in general: G.T. Tours of Coral Gables, Florida (800/666-8687 or 305/445-9600, ecuador-si.com, has contract fares with several airlines (even one that claims it does not normally work with consolidators) that serve Latin America, including Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela, all from Miami. Trinidad and Guyana: Sandra's Travel (718/848-3500) has one office in Trinidad and another in a West Indian neighborhood in New York. Although it offers discounts on several airlines flying to Caribbean locations, its best prices are on regularly scheduled charters flown there on BWIA West Indies Airways, World Airways, and other carriers. Asia China, Korea, and Vietnam: Far Eastern Travel International, of New York City (800/275-3384 or 212/532-8866, feti.com) is primarily a consolidator for China, EVA, and Korean Airlines, but occasionally for discount tickets on U.S. airlines too. India: India Omni Travel (503/643-0104) primarily services a large Indian and East Asian community clustered about a large Microsoft facility in Beaverton, Oregon. Again to India, especially from New York Hari World Travel (888/889-2968 or 212/997-3300, hariworld.com) is a big agency that started nearly 25 years ago in Canada to serve the Indian community there, and is now based in New York City. Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines: At Associates Travel (800/831-3108 or 206/621-9200) in the suburbs of Seattle, personnel speak a variety of Asian languages, including Japanese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog, and are consolidators for more than a half-dozen Asian-flag airlines. Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Singapore: Travelinks, of Washington, D.C. (800/238-8397 or 202/293-7090, travelinksinc.com), is a longtime consolidator for Malaysia Airlines. Kuala Lumpur:Malaysia Travel of Carbondale, Illinois (888/358-8655 or 618/453-2113, emalaysiatravel.com), began 20 years ago as a discounter for student travelers, and its American owner spends part of each year in the key country he serves. A consolidator for Malaysia Airlines, he offers terrific year-round prices (except during holidays). Seoul or Hong Kong: Boston's Korea Travel & Tours (800/473-1922 or 617/267-7777, paulchung@koreatravelboston.com) specializes in one country (Korea, and in flights from Korea to Hong Kong) and has contract fares with several Asian and North American airlines. Middle East, Isreal & Africa Middle East: Servicing one of the largest Middle Eastern communities in America, in suburban Southfield, Michigan, outside Detroit, consolidator American Center Travel (800/356-1030 or 248/350-1030, micki.act@wspan.com) boasts contract fares with several carriers flying to cities in the Middle East, and Africa too. South Africa and other nations in southern Africa: Karell's African Dream Vacations, of Coral Gables, Florida (800/327-0373 or 305/446-7766, karell.com), is a major consolidator for South African Airways. South Africa from either U.S. coast: Air Centre, part of African Travel in Glendale, California (800/727-7207 or 818/507-7893, africantravelinc.com), was founded in South Africa 31 years ago and opened in the United States five years later; it has offices both here and in Cape Town and contracts with several international airlines that service South Africa. A bonus: The agency supplies all clients with free cell phones for use in Africa.

Napoleon told us that 'an army marches on its stomach;' so do tourists. People enjoy their trips if the food at their destination is tasty and cheap; they feel vaguely dissatisfied if the meals there are dull and expensive. It's often as simple as that. And the country that can't provide decent dining at a reasonable price, is doomed to lose its vitality in tourism. Russia is a current example. Often, however, visitors themselves can both lower the cost and increase the enjoyment of eating with wise decisions. From a lifetime of pondering different approaches to meals in a foreign land, I've developed a dozen mighty rules: Eat what they're eating Concentrate on the local specialties: pasta in Italy, steak-and-kidney pie in Britain, herring in Scandinavia, moo goo gai pan in Taiwan. Local favorites are any nation's best dishes, well prepared and also cheap. Try ordering your own familiar favorites instead--a U.S. hamburger, a martini, apple pie--and you'll pay far too much for items poorly prepared. Drink what they're drinking In a wine-drinking country (France, Italy), order wine, not beer. The wine is marvelous and cheap; the beer execrable and no bargain. Contrary-wise, in a beer-drinking country (Germany, Scandinavia), drink beer not wine--the former is cheap and top-notch. Eat what they're eating at the time when they're eating it Follow the "food patterns" of the country in question. If their habit is to have a tiny breakfast and a giant lunch (Spain, France, Italy, Greece), you have the same. If, instead, you order a big breakfast in those countries, you'll pay through the nose for an inadequate meal. By contrast, if the tradition in a particular nation is to have a giant breakfast and a tiny lunch (Britain, Israel, Australia), do the same: you'll find that the mammoth breakfast is the best-prepared meal of the day, and relatively cheap. Eat less than you think you want We all eat far more while traveling than we are normally accustomed to at home. We feel intimidated, among other things, by foreign waiters. Will they think us an 'ugly American' if we don't order a soup-to-nuts meal? At home, none of us would dream of having four courses for lunch; yet overseas, we think it obligatory to order the table d'hote meal, and stuff ourselves into a state of torpor, at considerable expense, while the local resident at the next table has a refreshing, inexpensive, single plate. Split, share and divide Order one plate for the two of you, or an appetizer for her and a main course for you, and then split what arrives. You'll still send uneaten food back to the kitchen, and save money at the same time. The servings in most touristic restaurants are enough for a family (I exclude of course the haughty, haute cuisine places with their tiny portions). How many times, in a touristic setting, have you ordered a meat course for yourself, only to find it overflowing the plate, gargantuan, and impossible to finish? By ordering, say, one prime rib for the two of you, you end up with still more than enough, and save $17-or-so at the same time. Eat picnic-style once a day Instead of going to restaurants three times a day, and devouring one after another of those overly-rich, overly-sauced hot meals, alternate the routine; make one of those meals a cold, light snack, like a sandwich lunch at home. Go to the local equivalent of a delicatessen or to the food section of a department store. Order a slab of paté, some cheese, two rolls, two tomatoes, a pickle and wine, and then take the lot to a park bench or a river bank, and eat healthily, cheerfully--and for pennies. Oh, happy days! Look before leaping Never order any dish without first knowing its cost. Never patronize a restaurant that does not openly display its menu outside. Order nothing listed at "today's market price" or "s.g.'" (selon grosseur, according to weight). Give that latitude to a restaurant, and you'll pay a hideous price. Beware of waiters bearing gifts Eat nothing that's been placed on the table in advance of your arrival (like a jar of paté); it's priced at princely levels. Refuse anything (other than bread, butter, radishes, and the like) brought to your table unbidden in the midst of the meal unless it's explicitly described as free. Avoid the "household words" If the name of a restaurant immediately springs to mind in an unfamiliar city, it's because you've subliminally heard of it for decades. And that means: you're twenty years too late. The 'household words' are too often riding on their reputations, careless and blasé, and hideously overpriced. They can afford to be. Never eat at airports Stick sandwiches in your suitcase, pastries in your purse. Conceal a banana in the magazine you're carrying. Do anything, but don't place yourself in the position of ever having to eat at an airport. Need I explain why? Patronize the marketplaces When in doubt over where to eat in a strange foreign city, head for the big marketplace, the stalls under canvas or in a warehouse-like building where all the ingredients of meals are sold. Wherever there's a marketplace, there's a nearby restaurant with especially good prices for fresh food; that's because those marketplace eateries buy the makings for their meals from people they deal with throughout the day, at the very best rates. Save your money for one big splurge And finally, scrimp and save to the utmost, but treat yourself at the end of the stay to one memorable meal; it's the essential ending to a rewarding trip. Reserve at a three-star table in France, a four-fork restaurant in Spain, a shrine to food in Hong Kong. Have the chicken cooked for 24 hours in a clay casing (Hong Kong), the "poulet de Bresse" raised in a darkened coop and fed mashed grain mixed with sour milk (France), a suckling pig glazed over a smouldering wood fire (Spain). And then you'll know why so many Americans are travel addicts. An army marches on its stomach, and so do tourists. Naming names My very best meals ever: at Comme Chez Soi in Brussels, at Bouley's in New York City, at the Hostal Baumaniere in Provence, all three among the world's leaders in dining. My very best cheap meals, guaranteed: mussels and french fries ("moules et frites") in Belgium. Why can't the rest of us make french fries like they do? My all-time worst meals: at numerous hotel restaurants, and at a "household word" in Chicago (which last deserved its nationwide reputation a quarter of a century ago). My worst-ever food decisions: to take the advice of a teenager, a hotel clerk, and a gas station attendant, respectively, about where to have lobster in Eastern Long Island, bar-b-que in Kansas City, salted crabs in Baltimore. (Those requests for advice should always be put to persons of the same age, background and outlook as yourself). My second worst-ever food decision: to order 'Anguillas a la Bilbainas,' of which I had never heard, in Mallorca (they sounded colorful; they turned out to be worm-like baby eels, still writhing). I now carry a food dictionary to foreign restaurants. My worst mistake in writing about restaurants: to mention what I myself had ordered, without explaining it was a purely casual, random choice. A restaurant owner in Florence, Italy, once told me that every morning in summer, he prepared in advance sixty apiece of the luncheon dishes I had casually mentioned (without meaning anything significant) in the Florence chapter of Europe on $5 a Day. Not only did 60 visitors daily follow my recommendation and go to that restaurant, but they then proceeded to order the very same meal I had!