'We Want To Tour Germany Without Boring Our Daughter'

Name: Budget Travel LLC
Price range: $

By The Staff

June 8, 2005

To keep René and Andy Reed's daughter, Jenna, happy on her first trip abroad, we suggest castles and more castles.

Last year, René and Andy Reed, of Mission Viejo, Calif., went to Hong Kong and were dazzled by the bustling city. The year before that, they enjoyed a peaceful driving tour of southwestern England. For both trips, their daughter, Jenna, stayed behind with friends and relatives. But after a recent vacation to Washington, D.C., where all three Reeds had a great time, Andy and René felt that Jenna was ready for her first trip overseas.

Touring the medieval villages, castles, and gorgeous countryside along Germany's famed Romantic Road seemed like a good fit. "We want to focus on a small portion of the country and not rush too much," René wrote to us. "We're looking to see as many sights as possible but at the same time have an easygoing, relaxing trip."

Andy bought a few guidebooks and did some Internet research to put together an eight-night itinerary. The route planner at viamichelin.com and tiscover.de, a German booking engine and tourist source, proved especially helpful. Andy and René mapped out the trip to include visits to the medieval city of Rothenburg and two famous castles near Füssen. They booked lodging on their own but contacted us for advice about sights that would make the trip especially fun for Jenna. "Our daughter really likes traveling," René wrote. "She's into art and history and castles, as well as typical kid stuff--adventure, animals, and such."

One of the Reeds' first questions was whether to stick to Germany or dip into neighboring countries. We said concentrating on Germany was the way to go. There's no shortage of worthwhile destinations while touring the Romantic Road and Bavaria. Moreover, the experience is already like visiting several countries, given the strong regional identities that developed over Germany's long history of being divided into many small states.

After picking up their rental car in Frankfurt, the Reeds will drive 75 miles southeast to the baroque city of Würzburg, where the Romantic Road officially begins. We suggested that their first stop should be the Residenz, the immense, 18th-century palace of the local prince-bishops. This UNESCO World Heritage site arguably surpasses any of Europe's royal residences, thanks to the marvelous design of Balthasar Neumann. An unknown when the Residenz was built, Neumann is widely considered the greatest architect of his era. Behind the beige, relatively understated facade are more than 300 ornately decorated rooms. At the center of the horseshoe-shaped palace is the treppenhaus, a grand stairway in an all-white room.

Given Jenna's interest in animals, she's sure to want to see Wildpark, one of the largest zoos in Europe. It's less than an hour from Würzburg in the spa town of Bad Mergentheim. Many of the animals live not in cages but in environments approximating their natural habitats. There are otters, bears, and birds of prey, but the big attraction--albeit kind of a creepy one--is a pack of wolves that emerges from the forest to eat their fill before disappearing back into the woods.

The Reeds will spend two nights at Rothenburg ob der Tauber, about an hour south on the Romantic Road. Encircled by stone walls from the 13th century, Rothenburg is worth the visit even with the summer crowds. We recommended walking around the walls and climbing up the tower of the Rathaus (town hall) to gaze down on the compact old city. Nearby are several attractions that appeal to kids. Käthe Wohlfahrt is Europe's largest year-round Christmas store, with a 12-foot-high nutcracker and a towering tree decorated with more than 1,000 glass balls and 7,000 lights. The Puppen & Spielzeug Museum houses a huge collection of historic dolls and toys. And then there's the Figurentheater, famous for its puppet shows. Performances are in German, but the puppeteers include some material in English and anyone can enjoy the broad humor.

With a full day to cover the remaining 160 miles to Füssen, the Reeds have time for several quick stops. At Schillingsfürst castle, falcons, eagles, and vultures fly during three daily demonstrations. Farther on are two medieval towns that, like Rothenburg, are surrounded by preserved walls: Dinkelsbühl, with its cobblestone streets and 16th-century homes, and quaint Nördlingen, which lies in the heart of the Ries, a moonscape formed 15 million years ago by a meteorite.

Toward the end of the Romantic Road, the isolated Wieskirche (Meadow Church) is not to be missed. What's most interesting here, beyond the rococo extravagance of the building, is the reason the Wieskirche was built. In the late 1730s, word spread that tears had appeared in the eyes of the Scourged Savior, a statue of Jesus shackled in chains. Pilgrims flooded the area to see the statue--it was said to work miracles--and a richly decorated church, completed in 1754, was constructed to welcome them.

In order to avoid the worst of the crowds, we recommended the Reeds leave early from their hotel in Füssen for visits to Schloss Neuschwanstein, the most outrageous of the fantasy castles commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria (and inspiration for the faux castles at Disney parks), and the adjacent Schloss Hohenschwangau, which was built for his father, Maximilian II. A short, rewarding hike leads up behind Neuschwanstein to the Marienbrücke, a slender iron bridge that spans postcard views of the castle and surrounding mountains. Alternatively, they could drive to Schloss Linderhof, the only one of "Mad" Ludwig's castles actually completed during his lifetime. It's in a park dotted with follies, including a pavilion with a throne framed by enamel and wrought-iron peacocks.

The following day, the Reeds will drive to the small town of Maulbronn, clustered around an impressive, well-preserved medieval monastery. The Kloster Maulbronn is a compound of more than 30 buildings, most constructed between 1150 and 1390, with a remarkable irrigation network of canals, drains, and reservoirs that still distributes water.

Back on the castle track, we steered the Reeds to nearby Schloss Lichtenstein, set magnificently on a high, narrow peak. It remains the property of the Urach family, who had it built more than 150 years ago. If the Reeds are feeling ambitious, they can check out the Urachs' original seat, the spa town of Bad Urach, home to many cute, half-timbered buildings so characteristic of central Germany.

From Maulbronn, the Reeds will continue on to Speyer; its 11th-century Kaiserdom (Imperial Cathedral) was once the largest church in the West. Speyer has a distinguished culinary tradition: It is widely considered the birthplace of brezel, the salted bread that, across the Atlantic, became the pretzel. Fresh, hot pretzels cost about 50¢ at bakeries throughout Germany, and Speyer is a good place to give them a taste test.

The Reeds will spend their last three nights at the village of Beilstein, on the River Mosel. We suggested they take a relaxing cruise on either the Mosel or the Rhine and let the pretty scenery of waterside towns, steep vineyards, crumbling castles, and rocky outcrops come to them. Depending on their mood, they can book an all-day voyage or hop from one village to the next as they please.

Before the Reeds return to Frankfurt for the flight home, there's one final castle. Owned by the same family and kept largely intact for more than 800 years, Burg Eltz is in a remote wooded valley near the Mosel. While touring the soaring stone building, with four separate residences and multiple turrets and towers, it's easy to envision living like a king--or a princess--during the Middle Ages.

Transportation

K-D Line 011-49/2212-088318, k-d.com, riverboat trip from $3.50 round trip

Attractions

Residenz Würzburg, 011-49/931-355170, schloesser.bayern.de, $5.75

Wildpark Bad Mergentheim, 011-49/7931-41344, wildtierpark.de, $10.25

Käthe Wohlfahrt Herrngasse 1, Rothenburg, 011-49/9861-4090, wohlfahrt.com

Puppen & Spielzeug Museum Hofbronnengasse 13, Rothenburg, 011-49/9861-7330, spielzeugmuseum.rothenburg.de, $5.15

Figurentheater Herrngasse 38, Rothenburg, 011-49/9861-3333, figurentheater-rothenburg.de, from $10.25

Schillingsfürst 011-49/9868-201, schloss-schillingsfuerst.de, $9

Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau 011-49/8362-930830, neuschwanstein.de, hohenschwangau.de, joint ticket $22, parking $5.15

Schloss Linderhof Ettal, 011-49/8822-920349, linderhof.de, $9

Kloster Maulbronn 011-49/7043-926610, maulbronn.de, $6.50

Schloss Lichtenstein 011-49/7129-4102, schloss-lichtenstein.de, $5.15

Burg Eltz Münstermaifeld, 011-49/2672-950500, burg-eltz.de, $7.75

Resources

Tiscover Deutschland burg-eltz.de

Michelin Route Planner viamichelin.com

Romantic Road Tourism 011-49/9851-90271, romanticroad.de

Plan Your Next Getaway

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Paradise by the Dashboard Light

We first saw the trucks northbound on the Pan-American Highway, halfway between San Jose and Liberia. There were two and they weaved in front of us, the rear one on the other's bumper. To our right, we saw that the cab of an 18-wheeler had run up a hill. Something noxious steamed from under its hood. To our left, hundreds of feet down a canyon, its trailer had shattered into oblivion. "I've got to get around these trucks," said my wife, Regina. "Are you sure?" The trucks lurched. Anything 20 feet in front of us was hidden by a sinister curve. An eternity of switchbacks ensued. Jungle melded into grassland, with little hints of desert below and rain forest above. And this was the ugly part of Costa Rica. Finally, a straightaway appeared. The rear truck put on his left blinker. "What's he doing?" Regina said. "I think he wants you to pass him." The blinker moved faster, almost insistently. Regina whipped into the left lane and gunned the engine. We got by the first truck without a problem, but about halfway past the second truck, we had trouble. A guy on a bicycle was coming toward us. Regina gave a little yelp. I buried my head in my right arm. When I looked up, the trucks were behind us. Regina was gripping the steering wheel with ardor. "That was awesome," she said. Generally, there are two ways to approach a trip to Costa Rica. You take the package tour, which shuttles you from the airport to the resort to various nature experiences and back again, or you strap on a backpack. We wanted a little of what both offer--accessibility, authenticity. We wanted a "real" trip, and we figured a car would allow us to go deep. We soon learned that nothing is more real in Costa Rica than driving. And that would be Regina's job. A few years ago, driving through Ontario, I got distracted while listening to a particularly suspenseful part of The Talented Mr. Ripley on tape, and I switched lanes into a vanful of high-school soccer players from Alberta. Thankfully, there were no injuries, except to my reputation. Since then, I've been restricted, at Regina's orders, to local routes. She handles all the highways, especially foreign ones. Costa Rica is about the size of West Virginia, with a population of under four million. Less than a quarter of the roads are paved, and only 19 percent are in good condition. People, particularly in rural areas, have no fear about walking in the middle of the road. According to the World Health Organization, of the 75 countries it surveyed, Costa Rica has the world's eighth highest traffic fatality rate, 20.1 deaths per 100,000 people. (The rate in the U.S. is 15.) I'm surprised the difference isn't higher: Costa Rica may be an earthly paradise, but driving there is Death Race 2000. We had five days, so we limited ourselves to the province of Guanacaste, in the north, and to the Nicoya Peninsula, which juts west off the northern mainland. We figured we'd be able to take in some road-trip scenery but also have time to enjoy Costa Rica's famously lush nature. We didn't count on roads comprised mainly of potholes the width and depth of family-size lasagnas. We also didn't count on getting bumped off our outbound flight from Houston to Liberia. Instead, we were put on a flight to San Jose, four hours by car to the south. This put a serious cramp in my plans to spend our first morning lolling on the beach. Instead, we got up before dawn and drove. The death race was on. Just past Liberia, we caught glimpses of Pacific surf bashing jagged cliffs. A plain of dry, mildly hilly grassland was dotted with thick-based, spherically crowned evergreen guanacastes, the national tree of Costa Rica, which look like umbrellas and give even the harshest landscape a pleasing feel. We arrived at our hotel, Los Inocentes Lodge, around lunchtime. At the center of the property stands a commanding two-story wooden lodge, dating from 1892. The front porch faces the dark Orosí volcano, and the rest of the property abuts Guanacaste National Park. The park's 85,000 acres span several ecosystems, connecting the dry Pacific coast with volcano-peaked cloud forests before sloping down to rain forest on the country's Caribbean side. Los Inocentes was handy, if not exactly lavish. Our room was small and rustic, with a 26-foot angled ceiling, twin beds, and a private bathroom across the hall. The place was empty, so we had full run of a shared porch running the length of the lodge, with an array of hammocks and rocking chairs. At lunch, the restaurant's theme seemed to be "Feed the Americans anything and pretend it's local." The meat was stringy and the salad had come from a bag. I should've known not to eat at a hotel restaurant, but I'd slept two hours the night before, and when you're that tired, you don't make the best choices. The road we'd taken to the lodge headed up into the hills, and far in the distance it looked like it skirted a narrow gap between two volcanoes. We got back on it to explore. Ten minutes in, we came upon the town of Santa Cecilia, on the edge of a mammoth corporate-owned orange plantation. At this point, our National Geographic Adventure Map, invaluable so far, let us down. It indicated mostly paved roads after Santa Cecilia; the drive looked short and easy. Half an hour out of town, when the roads were still mostly rocks and deep holes, we began to worry, particularly because we hadn't yet reached the next town on the map. I realized that we probably wouldn't see the sun set along the beach, which was at least two hours in the other direction. When you're on a five-day vacation, it's kind of a drag when you waste three hours in a landscape that offers little more than skinny cows and orange groves. Nothing lay ahead of us except potholes. Around 4:30 p.m., the heat finally eased a bit from its high of 97 degrees, and the scenery improved. We had hit volcano country. The road was enclosed on either side by walls of tropical forest. Fading light cast a gilded penumbra around a canvas of deep green. The air smelled old, like earth and pine, cool and wet, a stark contrast to the crisp aridity we'd been passing through just an hour before. As we cruised down the paved exit road, we stopped for a few minutes in Rio Naranjo. In the twilight, the village appeared like a Central American Brigadoon. Little brooks ran through town. Children in school uniforms skipped along the roadside. My attention turned to some hand-painted dinosaur sculptures that faced the highway. I asked the sculptor what was going on, expecting to get some sort of outsider artist spiel. He was building them, he told us, for a Jurassic Park theme park. The next morning, before the day's heat could dominate, we went on a horseback "monkey safari." For two hours, a guide led us through dry lowland forest, wet high forest, and a couple of moist forests in between. We spotted spider monkeys, howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, a tree sloth, a rare local woodpecker, and several toucans. Atop my grouchy old horse, I saw a baby monkey jump on his mother's back as she swung from tree to tree by her tail. It felt like how I imagine the world used to be. The day's goal was to get from the northern tip of Guanacaste to the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula before sundown, a six-hour drive. It was ambitious. The first two hours down the highway bisecting the peninsula were dull and dry, but easy. After a while, we cut east toward the Gulf of Nicoya. The scenery resembled, in turn, the hills of Kentucky, the gently rolling pastureland of Wisconsin and northern Iowa, and the Oregon coast. An hour and a half from the peninsula's base, we came to prosperous towns and passed nice resorts. We rolled down the windows to let in the salty air, and attacked the smooth, hilly roads with enthusiasm. The town of Cabuya is basically a one-lane road, a few houses, a sign for an Internet cafe (though we never found it), and Hotel Celaje, a seven-bungalow oasis operated by two efficient Belgians. Our thatched-roof bungalow had a spacious, high-ceilinged sleeping loft with teak walls and floors. There were little shelves on the walls, and a table, chair, and hammock on the front porch. The hotel's pool was cool and blue and recently tiled. We could hear the soft waves of the rocky beach, which lay beyond a small thicket of palms. It's always a good idea to stay someplace where Belgians are cooking. We left the Celaje the next day at 11 a.m. with our bellies still full from the night before, when we were served anchovy toast, smoked fish, and steak with bordelaise sauce. The seven kilometers we then traveled must be one of the greatest drives anywhere in the world. Cabuya connects to the Pacific side of the Nicoya Peninsula through the Cabo Blanco Absolute Wildlife Reserve, 2,896 acres of tropical forest, with 150 different kinds of trees and untold varieties of fauna. The road skirts the reserve, with steep climbs and magnificent drops, to where the ocean butts up against the western edge. It was an incredible ride and we noodled through it slowly. On the other side was Malpaís, a place that bore the signs of having recently been a sleepy fishing village. Much of the beachfront remains undeveloped, but not for long. The Pacific side of the peninsula is undergoing a land rush unlike any in Costa Rica's history. Ten or fifteen years from now, chances are good the area will resemble southern Florida, or at least the Yucatán. Large groups of college students were wandering the rocks, and ATVs roared along the dirt roads. We followed a dirt road toward the restaurant Soda Piedra Mar. The name literally means "ocean rock," and we could see why. Twenty feet in front of us was an inlet, framed by jagged rocks. The surf roared in and shot up through the rocks like a geyser, but always away from our table. On the other side was pristine beach. People pay top dollar to eat in settings like this. Our bill was $14, and only because I ordered the lobster, which still smelled like the ocean. Regina had fried chicken and rice, and it was delicious. We ate at a couple of relatively fancy, and very good, restaurants later in the trip. But the setting, combined with the high-quality home cooking, made Soda Piedra Mar one of the finest places I've ever eaten. I would have gone back 20 times if I could. Our hotel was down the road a couple of miles, in Santa Teresa, a town that's become a hangout for cool surfers and yuppies. I had booked a room at the Tropico Latino Lodge, just off the main road, months before. They had asked me to wire money for a deposit. Driving in, the wiring seemed worth it. Bungalows were spaced evenly along pathways lined with pretty foliage. A two-tier pool beckoned, overlooking a lovely stretch of private beach. In the middle was a buzzing bar. We checked in with the bartender, who was the head person on duty. He was named Richard, and he was laid-back, slick, and handsome, like a surf version of Peter Krause on Six Feet Under. He also resembled that character in that he didn't really seem to want any responsibility. After disappearing for 20 minutes, he returned to the bar and said, "There's someone in your room already." He shrugged. "I'm just here to make drinks." "Kick them out," I said. "I wired money." Apparently, a French gentleman had seen my name on the reservation sheet and pretended to be me, therefore stealing the last bungalow. The woman working the morning shift didn't seem to notice, or think to check his ID. Richard didn't know how to contact the hotel's owner, or perhaps he didn't want to try. In retrospect, I should've been wary of a hotel that wanted me to wire money ahead. But what could I have done differently? A confirmation number wouldn't have helped much on the Richard front. I stood at the bar for the next three hours as he mixed margaritas and chatted up everything that walked. In between, Richard made a few calls on our behalf, trying to find us a room. By the time I retreated in disgust--with a full refund--I looked like Richard had put me in a blender. I was wild-eyed. Sweat plastered my hair against my forehead. Regina and I drove up and down the road. Every hotel, at every price range, was full. We'd have to traverse the coast until dark. Maybe we'd find a place. As a last option, we turned in at a sign that read florblanca. Regina parked and I got out of the car to see what they had. The restaurant and bar looked like something on the Fine Living Channel, all cool concrete and wooden beams and tables. The hotel was filled with gorgeous, tanned people of many nationalities. I walked up to the front desk. Even though I must have looked scary, they smiled at me. "I need a room!" I said. "Now!" "Of course," the receptionist calmly replied. She showed me a room. I went to get Regina. "This is where we're staying," I said. "How much is it?" "A lot." She didn't bother arguing. Our casita had three rooms. The bedroom was fully enclosed, with the first air-conditioning unit we'd seen on the trip, and it had a mosquito-netted king-size bed. The living room contained many more comfortable chairs than we could handle, and our bathroom was entirely open-air, with an outdoor shower and a sunken concrete tub. In the lobby, the hostess handed us two virgin guava margaritas. The locally picked fruit is goopy and stringy at the same time. It tasted like a mango dipped in honey. We'd accidentally landed in someone else's vacation, a fantasyland of beach walks, swimming-pool dips, fancy drinks, and sushi under the stars. But we had to leave the luxury behind, because we couldn't possibly afford another day. Everyone warned us that part of the road up the Pacific side of the peninsula was literally on the beach. At high tide, it's covered by water. We left at 9:30 a.m. and followed the rough road out of Santa Teresa. Within minutes we had said good-bye to overgrown development. Just when we thought the driving couldn't get any better, the road dipped down and we found ourselves cruising along the sand. The tide was coming in, lapping over the road. "Follow the tire tracks," I said to Regina. She complied, flooring it like they do on the commercials. We came to an estuary, where I got out of the car, took off my shoes, and stepped in. The water came up past my knees. We backed up a couple of miles and took an alternate route, spending the rest of the day slinking through little towns and past small beachside communities that obviously intended to remain secret. Gorgeous view stacked upon gorgeous view. We became blase about foaming surf crashing against rocks with a backdrop of rolling farmland and jungle-foliaged volcano-scapes. At a bend in the main road, we were thwarted by a river. This was beyond our skills. We gazed at the water for several minutes, not saying anything, just awed, realizing that driving in Costa Rica will eventually defeat everyone, no matter how sturdy or determined. As though we'd dreamed it, an electric company truck pulled alongside us, and the driver indicated that we should follow him. He maneuvered his truck into the water, curved left, and then cut sharply right. He was submerged to well above his tires, and then he pulled the truck onto the bank and sat there, waiting. Regina followed his path precisely. The water came halfway up our doors. In my mind, I composed explanations to the rental car company about why their vehicle had washed out to sea. Suddenly we were on the bank. But we couldn't dwell on our success. It was still more than 100 miles to Playa Hermosa, our final stop. After the spectacular places we'd seen, Playa Hermosa seemed like your standard beach town. But on the main drag, just before the turn down to the beach, a restaurant called Ginger set it apart. An expat from Montreal is the chef and owner. She served us a meringue filled with and ringed by mango, pineapple, kiwi, and strawberry. It was one of the best desserts I've had anywhere. We chose Playa Hermosa because it's 22 miles from the Liberia Airport, and we had an early flight. At the airport check-in line, we waited behind a woman from L.A. "So where did you stay?" she asked. My wife and I exchanged the kind of look that makes marriage worthwhile. We'd traveled approximately one third of Costa Rica in five days, in very rushed and peculiar circumstances. We had seen beaches and jungle, overdeveloped tourist towns and unknown hideaways. We'd eaten well and eaten poorly and slept in some really nice beds along the way. We'd experienced a universe, all because we'd dared to get our own car. "Lady," I said, "you have no idea." Driving Survival Strategies Don't count on road signs for navigation. They're not always correct. The National Geographic Adventure Map is extremely detailed and generally helpful. It's a good idea to get where you're going before dark. Most roads don't have streetlights. If you see a branch or a pile of sticks in the road, slow down immediately. This is the Costa Rican version of a road flare. Gas stations are few and far between. When you spot one, take it as an opportunity to fill up. Don't assume that pedestrians or bicyclists in the road will try to avoid you. That's your job. Lodging Los Inocentes Lodge outside La Cruz, 011-506/679-9190, losinocenteslodge.com, from $60 Hotel Celaje Cabuya, 011-506/642-0374, celaje.com, from $70 Florblanca Resort Santa Teresa, 011-506/640-0232, florblanca.com, villas from $295 Food Soda Piedra Mar Malpaís, 011-506/640-0069, $2--$10 per person Ginger Restaurant & Bar Playa Hermosa, 011-506/350-2922, meringue $4.25 Attractions Monkey Safari Los Inocentes Lodge, 011-506/679-9190, $35 for hotel guests Guanacaste National Park costaricabureau.com/nationalparks/guanacaste.htm $7 Santa Rosa National Park costaricabureau.com/nationalparks/santarosa.htm $7 Cabo Blanco Wildlife Reserve caboblancopark.com Resources Costa Rica Tourism Board 866/267-8274, visitcostarica.com Toyota Rent A Car San Jose and Liberia airports, 011-506/258-5797, approximately $400 a week for a 4x4, automatic or manual

Budget Travel Lists

101 Ways to Blow $100

Everyone needs to waste a little money sometimes, preferably in a self-indulgent manner. The trick is to control it. General splurges The next pages are filled almost entirely with site-specific splurges--tours, train rides, decadent meals. But there are splurges you can do just about anywhere (even at home). Hotel room Flowers can turn a motel into a hotel. Don't pay for an arrangement: Buy cut flowers and use the ice bucket as a vase. Breakfast You have to order a room-service breakfast at least once during your stay--Eat it in bed, or if you're somewhere warm, have it delivered out by the pool. When you rent a room, you're also paying for the grounds--so make the most of the whole place. Nightlife Even better, make the most of a better hotel. Find the hot hotel in town, and sip a glass of champagne in its lobby bar. Marvel at the people wasting $400 a night. Car rental Go for the convertible! Reserve a regular model and when they try to upsell you at the counter, negotiate hard. Luggage Ship your bags ahead. No lugging them through the airport, and no waiting at the carousel. In-flight Airline blankets are scratchy, gross, and endangered. A pashmina is light and warm, and it can do fashion duty as a shawl. Recovery The best cure for the economy-class kinks is a professional massage, even if it's only a half-hour long. Here's a trend your dentist will hate Is dark chocolate your favorite food group? Are Ben & Jerry your closest friends? Well, there's finally a type of restaurant that allows you to skip right to the best part of any meal. "My wife, Chika, and I made a hobby of eating and drinking around the world," says Don Tillman. "To have a dessert that's taken seriously, we had to dine at a fancy restaurant and spend at least $150. So we decided to open a restaurant dedicated to special desserts." The result is the 400-square-foot ChikaLicious in New York City. (Chika is the chef; Don runs the front of the house.) Other dessert-only restaurants are sprouting up everywhere. They're full-fledged sit-down affairs, many of which offer tasting menus, thoughtful wine pairings, and enough variety to satisfy any sugar fix. Atlantic City At Brûlée: The Dessert Experience, the Banana-Nana is flambéed tableside ($18). Three-course dessert menus run $13 to $21. Quarter of the Tropicana, 3rd level, 609/344-4900. Barcelona The three-course dessert menu ($35) at Espai Sucre might feature yogurt cheesecake with rhubarb and lime marmalade and rhubarb ice cream, accompanied by a glass of cava ($4). The five-dessert tasting menu is $42. Calle Princesa 53, 011-34/93-268-16-30, closed Sunday and Monday. Boston The $18 prix fixe menu at Finale includes a small savory "prelude" and one dessert entrée--such as the baked-to-order molten chocolate cake with coffee ice cream and milk-chocolate-covered almonds. If you want dessert after that, you're truly depraved. 1 Columbus Ave., 617/423-3184. Chicago Everything on the dessert menu at Hot Chocolate is around $10. The signature dish is a flight of four hot chocolates and/or milk shakes ($9). 1747 N. Damen Ave., 773/489-1747, closed Mondays. Meanwhile, at Sugar: A Dessert Bar desserts cost $4 to $16. What the high end looks like: Tarzan of the Crepes, crepes with caramelized banana, maple ice cream, and hot fudge ($15). 108 W. Kinzie St., 312/822-9999. New York City The $12 three-course menu at ChikaLicious buys you an amuse bouche, main dessert, and petits fours; an additional dessert wine pairing is $7. One favorite is fresh cherries under a cinnamon macaroon with crème fraîche ice cream ($19). 203 E. 10th St., 212/995-9511, closed Monday and Tuesday. And one of New York's most lauded restaurants, Daniel, has opened Daniel's "Dessert Lounge." Look for the upside-down hot chocolate soufflé ($15). 60 E. 65th St., 212/288-0033, closed Sunday. Urban white water Most white-water rapids are created by Mother Nature. But in a growing number of cities, developers are engineering rapids from scratch by constricting water flow, dropping sculpted humps of concrete into riverbeds, and submerging boulders. In Minneapolis, the goal is to break ground on a new riverside park by the summer of 2007. No river? No problem. Dig a circular channel and pump water into it, as they're doing in Charlotte, N.C. The world's largest man-made white-water park will open there next spring, with guided trips for paddlers starting at $15. In the meantime, here are four white-water courses where you can get your feet wet right now. Denver A 400-foot section of white water built five years ago in the Denver metro area, Clear Creek White Water Park got to be so crowded that it had to be doubled in length two years later, extending it to seven city blocks with 13 Class II--IV rapids. It's one of the few rivers in the country where you can also rent a riverboard, essentially a thick Boogie Board with handles. Ripboard does half-day rentals for $45, with a quick one-on-one tutorial to get you oriented. 866/311-2627, ripboard.com. Fort Worth At Trinity River Whitewater Park, a series of three limestone barriers installed in 2002 create half-mile "chutes" of Class I--III rapids inside Fort Worth's Trinity Park. Guides from Kayak Instruction will meet you at the river with the necessary gear for a full-day lesson. $90, 214/629-4794, kayakinstruct.com. Reno Two white-water routes, separated by an island, can be found in a half-mile stretch of the Truckee River, containing close to a dozen Class II--III rapids. Tackle the river in a raft, a kayak, or even a tube--all within two blocks of the casino district. Wild Sierra Adventures rents inflatable kayaks for $15 an hour; Plexiglas ones cost $4 an hour more. 866/323-8928, wildsierra.com. Richmond And then there are the only natural urban rapids in the U.S. The James River runs through downtown Richmond, Va., and has Class I--V rapids. Kayak for free from public access points in the city's park system or take a guided four-hour raft trip with Richmond Raft Company. 800/222-7238, richmondraft.com, from $54. Cruise Cachet: Intimate dining experiences Specialty restaurants are a welcome option for cruise passengers ready for a break from cavernous dining rooms and assigned seating. Pay a small surcharge and you get a private table, white-glove service, and dishes that aren't available in the main dining room. Reservations are required and should be made upon boarding (because these restaurants fill up quickly). The best of the bunch... Carnival Cruise Lines: Nouveau Supper Club On all Spirit- and Conquest-class ships, $25. Celebrity Cruises: Normandie On the Summit. The Millennium, Infinity, and Constellation have similar dining rooms, named for other ocean liners. $30. Disney Cruise Line: Palo On Magic and Wonder, $10, adults only. Holland America Line: Pinnacle Grill All ships, $20 ($10 on first night at sea). Norwegian Cruise Line: Le Bistro On all ships except the Pride of America and Pride of Aloha, $15. Princess Cruises: Sabatini's Trattoria On all Grand-class ships and the Coral Princess, Island Princess, Pacific Princess, and Tahitian Princess, $20. Royal Caribbean: Chops Grille On all Radiance-class ships, Mariner of the Seas, and Navigator of the Seas, from $20, adults only. Books you'll never read! But so what? Something has to stop your coffee table from floating away. A Beautiful Catastrophe Bruce Gilden has been wandering the streets of New York City since 1981, capturing the weird and wonderful characters you see on every corner. $40, PowerHouse Books. Bordeaux Chateaux A History of the Grands Crus Classés 1855--2005 A peek inside the top winemaking estates in the Bordeaux region of France. $60, Flammarion. Earthsong Unbelievable aerial photographs by Bernhard Edmaier. We've recommended it before, but you still didn't buy it. Don't make us say it again. $60, Phaidon. Hollywood Life The fabulous homes and questionable taste of Old Hollywood--Cecil B. DeMille, Edith Head, and Steve McQueen, among others--as documented by Life photographer Eliot Elisofon in 1969. (It bears noting that the cover is velour.) $65, Greybull Press. The Most Beautiful Gardens in the World: Who are we to argue? Just take a look at the luscious Japanese Garden at Huntington Botanical Gardens, in San Marino, Calif. $60, Abrams. New York: The Photo Atlas Aerial images of every inch of New York City--it's the one view you can't get on your own, and it's fascinating. $60, HarperResource. One Hundred and One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy Check 'em off, one by one. Then start all over again. $45, Rizzoli. 1000 Signs Amusing and confusing signage from around the world, compiled by the folks at Colors magazine. $30, Taschen. The Snow Show Commemorating last year's chilly art-and-architecture exhibit in Finland. $32, Thames & Hudson. Did somebody say, "Calgon, take me away"? The big news in spas is something ancient--thhouse culture, imported from Russia or the Far East. What that tends to mean: You pay an entry fee, and you get access to an entire community of watery goodness, usually a steam room, a dry sauna, a hot tub, a cold plunge pool, and some chaises to rest. (Sweating is hard work!) Contemporary bathhouses have separate areas or times for men and women, communal nudity being an essential part of the experience, though some do offer coed hours. Treatments always cost extra, and kids are discouraged, if allowed at all. Las Vegas Inside Mandalay Bay, there's a new boutique hotel called THEhotel; within that you'll find the Bathhouse. It's chic, minimal, and gorgeous--the executive washroom of your dreams. Plus: free snacks. $35 for non-hotel guests, which includes entry to the gym (fee waived with purchase of a spa service; 25-minute massage $70). 877/632-9636, mandalaybay.com. New York Juvenex Spa is located in Koreatown, but the overall effect is more otherworldly, especially the signature Jade Igloo Sauna. Only women are allowed before 9 p.m.; open to male-female couples thereafter. $65 for 90 minutes, $35 with purchase of a service; 30-minute Express Massage $65. 25 W. 32nd St., 646/733-1330, juvenexspa.com. San Francisco A California take on the Japanese communal bath, Kabuki Springs & Spa also offers complimentary vanity products and sea salts. $16 to $20; 50-minute massage $75 ($85 for access to communal baths, too). 1750 Geary Blvd., 415/922-6000, kabukisprings.com. Seattle Banya 5 is a slick new bathhouse with a parilka, or brick oven, as the centerpiece of its sauna: Temps inside can get as high as 220 degrees. $25; 60-minute massage $65. 217 9th Ave. North, 206/262-1234, banya5.com; inquire for family hours. Family sleepovers Aquariums, zoos, and child-friendly museums around the country now offer occasional family sleepovers that come with behind-the-scenes tours, special lectures and games, and the unique chance to explore your kids' favorite spots without the crowds of daytime. Dinner, breakfast, and a souvenir are often thrown in (but you have to pack your own PJs). Some overnights, such as the Halloween one at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium (from $60, 312/692-3351, sheddaquarium.org), sell out well in advance. Others don't require as much advance planning. At the National Aquarium in Baltimore, you spend the night at an underwater viewing area for stingrays, zebra sharks, and other creepy creatures ($59 to $65; 410/576-3833, aqua.org). Expect to hear the sounds of lions roaring and monkeys howling--but don't expect all that restful a night--the San Diego Zoo ($81 to $110; 619/557-3969, sandiegozoo.org), the Honolulu Zoo Society ($39; 808/926-3191, honoluluzoo.org), and the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago ($65 to $75; 312/742-2053, lpzoo.com). Bunk with the fishes as part of the Family Sleepovers program at SeaWorld Orlando. Reserve an overnight stay in the underwater viewing areas and exhibition spaces, and wake up next to manatees, sharks, and polar bears ($75 per person, including pizza and continental breakfast, for children 6 to 12 accompanied by a parent, 800/432-1178, swbg-adventurecamps.com). Campers play Top Gun in a flight simulator in an overnight "encampment" aboard the battleship New Jersey, on the Delaware River across from Philadelphia ($50; 866/877-6262, ext. 203, battleshipnewjersey.org); or sleep in bunks on the U.S.S. Cobia, a WWII sub in Manitowoc, Wisc. ($30; 866/724-2356, wisconsinmaritime.org). If your family is already booked for summer, sleepovers that somehow make science seem cool are held during the school year at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute Science Museum ($41, 215/448-1114, fi.edu) and at the Dallas Museum of Natural History ($30, 214/421-3466, ext. 308, dallasdino.org). Audio tours: For your listening pleasure It's not the cost of an audio tour ($5 or so) that discourages us from renting one of those headsets's that the tours tend to be unwieldy and dull. Now, however, museums and attractions are making the extra effort to create exciting audio guides, and the technology has improved, so you can hear the information in whichever order you choose. Seven we think are worth the money and effort... Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago $12, gallery audio tour $4. Dallas The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza $10, audio tour $3. London British Museum Free, family audio tour, $6.50. St. Paul's Cathedral $15, audio tour $6.50. Louisville The Speed Art Museum Recommended donation $4, audio tour $3. New York City The Museum of Modern Art $20, audio tour $5. San Francisco Alcatraz $11.50, audio tour $4.50. How would you spend $100 of our money? We asked six readers that question--and then put our money where their mouths are. (Wish we'd included you? Then sign up for our e-mail newsletter! Details are at BudgetTravelOnline.com/newsletters.) New Orleans "Riding a Segway through New Orleans was a blast! The tour started on Decatur Street, where my group of three got a quick lesson. After a few tries it felt like I'd been riding my whole life. Our tour guide was great as we set out along the Mississippi River, then over on the ferry to Algiers Point. It was hard to get anywhere, however, without someone stopping us to talk about our fancy two-wheelers. I got so much attention it was like being queen for a day--and well worth the price." --Carmen Shirkey, Fairfax, Va. City Segway Tours, New Orleans, 877/734-8687, citysegwaytours.com, four-hour tour $65. Dominica "We went on a Caribbean sunset sail. It was 85 degrees, the sea was calm, and the sunset was fantastic. My wife Debbi and I saw sperm whales and baleen whales breaching right next to the boat--both adults and juveniles. Then suddenly the sun dropped from a cloud formation, there was a green flash, and the sun plunged into the ocean." --Larry Lunsk, Philadelphia, Pa. Ken's Hinterland Adventure Tours, 011-767/448-1660, whale and dolphin tour $50 per person. Waco "When we learned that our son would be playing in a baseball tournament in Waco, Tex., we jumped at the chance to turn it into a mini family vacation. We enjoyed viewing 19th-century homes, seeing the Suspension Bridge, and of course, cheering for our son's team. Plus our special dinner at Lake Brazos Steakhouse was delicious. We had fresh-baked rolls, juicy marbled rib eyes, charbroiled shrimp, the works! Despite going 0-for-4 in the baseball tournament, our family declared this vacation a winner!" --Laura Mrachek, San Antonio, Tex. Lake Brazos Steakhouse, 1620 Lake Brazos Dr., Waco, 254/755-7797. New York "My wife and I felt pampered from the moment we arrived at Aureole. Our four-course $35 tasting menu was superb: yellowtail sashimi, ricotta cavatelli with braised short ribs, Hudson Valley duck, and a chocolate and hazelnut pyramid that looked like a work of art. The dining room was elegant, with some of the loveliest flowers I've seen. And the service was outstanding. It was a wonderful experience, and certainly worth splurging." --Bill Wang, San Francisco, Calif. Aureole, 34 E. 61st St., New York, 212/319-1660. Moorea "After a fabulous two weeks in French Polynesia, my husband and I had a fantastic splurge at Te Honu Iti in Moorea. We got a table with great views of the bay, plus a closer look at the stingrays, parrot fish, and eels that swam next to the terrace. Chef Roger's gourmet specialties, paired with the setting, made for an unbeatable combination. While it was sad to think about leaving, we were happy to have our special last-night dinner." --Nancy Cooper, Seattle, Wash. Te Honu Iti, Cook's Bay, Moorea, 011-689/56-19-84. Italy "On vacation in Northern Italy, my husband and I looked forward to driving the Strada delle Dolomiti. The route winds through the Dolomites and we had planned a lovely picnic. The weather, however, didn't cooperate, and we were greeted with snow and heavy rain. We decided that an intimate lunch at the charmingly rustic Antico Pozzo Restaurant and Winery in Bellagio would substitute quite well. After our delicious salads, risotto, and calzone, we were fortified and ready to get on the road. Our splurge may not have gone as planned, but our lunch was still magical and romantic." --Diane Fiero, Castaic, Calif. Antico Pozzo, Salita Mella 26, Bellagio, 011-39/031-952-185. Leaders of the pack London A group called London Walks runs a repertory of over 300 walking tours 365 days a year. Themes include Beachcombing Along the Thames, Darkest Victorian London, the Blitz--erything but Hangouts of Posh and Becks. The tours cost all of $10.50, $8.50 for students and "Super Adults" (people over 65). 011-44/20-7624-3978, walks.com. New York City Richard Ruben, who wrote The Farmer's Market Cookbook, leads a tour of the Union Square Greenmarket that continues at the kitchens of the Institute of Culinary Education, where he shows you how to make lunch with the ingredients purchased that morning. You might learn to make (and get to eat) spicy pheasant sausage smothered in an eggplant, mushroom, and red onion ragout. $95, 212/847-0770, iceculinary.com/recreational/walking_tours.shtml. Oregon For a mix of the spooky and the spiritual, go moonlight canoeing on Hosmer Lake with the folks from Wanderlust Tours. The excursions depart from Bend and Sunriver, take four hours, and only occur on the five nights around each full moon, from June through September. (If you really want to have fun, put on a hockey mask, à la Jason from Friday the 13th.) Includes dessert and hot cider. $60 to $65; 800/962-2862, wanderlusttours.com; no kids 8 and under. Palm Springs Jurassic Expeditions leads four-hour motor coach tours of the San Andreas Fault, with theatrical interludes and a re-creation of a 6.5-magnitude earthquake. The goal: to better understand the land and what it means. "We've had people cry," says founder Tim Moreland. "It's powerful stuff." $68, 888/528-8133, jurassicexpeditions.com, January to March. Paris The tours led by Paris Walks cost $13 (kids $6.50) and tend to cover neighborhoods such as the Marais, the Latin Quarter, and Montmartre. Reflecting the book's popularity, the tour based on The Da Vinci Code is $2.60 more and reservations are required. 011-33/1-48-09-21-40, paris-walks.com. Singapore The City That Never Spits has a straitlaced reputation, but a diverse population. One ethnic group, Peranakans, are a blend of Chinese and Malay cultures. Tour East's 31D2-hour guided tours explore relevant sites in Peranakan neighborhoods. $24, kids $11.50, 011-65/6738-2622, toureast.net. Sydney Sydney is one of the most laid-back of cities--which is no reason not to tear it up on the back of a Hog. Easyrider Motorbike Tours runs 60-minute Harley-Davidson rides around town, including a photo op on Bondi Beach. $85, 011-61/2-9247-2477,easyrider.com.au. How to guarantee a stellar lunch It's no surprise the Michelin Man has a spare tire around his middle. The French tire manufacturer's red Michelin Guide has steered diners to Europe's best restaurants for over a century, and its star ratings are the most coveted award in the business. Initially, three stars meant an establishment merited a special trip, two stars that it deserved a detour, one star that you should stop if it was on your way. They're almost uniformly expensive, but the good news is that many also serve lunch, and for a fraction of what a dinner costs. Menus are typically three courses--limited selection of appetizers, main courses, and desserts--a fixed price. (If you'd like a glass of 1961 Château Lafite Rothschild Grand Cru Classe with your lunch, expect to pay extra.) Here are three notable Michelin-starred restaurants. Reservations are essential. Belgium Chefs Pierre Wynants and son-in-law Lionel Rigolet are the masters behind Comme chez Soi, a three-star Brussels establishment for 25 years. The $84 prix fixe lunch can include ham mousse from the Ardennes; sliced cod with tomato coulis, black salsify, and marjoram, plus a selection from the cheese or dessert menus, perhaps hot soufflé with Roquefort. 23 Place Rouppe; 011-32/2-512-29-21, commechezsoi.be; closed Sunday and Monday, and Wednesday lunch. England A 50-minute train ride from London's Paddington Station, The Fat Duck has earned accolades for chef Heston Blumenthal's brilliant but humble approach to modern French cuisine. (It earned a third star in 2004, which it retained this year.) The $70 lunch features velouté of fennel with lemon balm and oyster, braised pork belly with Savoy cabbage and lardo from Colonnata, and carrot toffee with butternut ice cream and pumpkin seed oil. High Street, Bray, Berkshire; 011-44/1628-580-333, fatduck.co.uk; closed Monday. France Under the direction of twin chefs Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, Le Jardin des Sens wins raves for its Mediterranean flavors and its enchanting garden. On the $64 seasonal menu (available Thursdays and Fridays): an appetizer plate of miniature shrimp brochettes, crusted skate brandade, and seared tuna rolled in herbs; and entrées such as rabbit fillet stuffed with wild mushrooms, hot foie gras jelly, and grated apple. After seven years as a three-star, the Languedoc favorite lost a star in 2005. Only Michelin judges know why. 11 avenue Saint-Lazare, Montpellier; 011-33/4-99-58-38-48, jardindessens.com. When the world really is a stage The natural mix of hills and rock can provide the perfect acoustics and seating arrangement--and there's little for humans to do but set up a stage and start charging for tickets. At these arenas, it honestly doesn't matter who's performing. Australia See ballet, jazz, theater, dance--you name it--in what was originally a limestone quarry (hence the name, Quarry Amphitheatre). The seating is on grass tiers, and you can bring your own picnic. The lights of Perth are visible in the distance. 011-62/8-9355-7144, quarryamphitheatre.com.au; open year-round, performances from November to March. Most tickets available through bocsticketing.com.au. Colorado Just outside Denver, Red Rocks is an amphitheater flanked by jagged 300-foot-high sandstone monoliths. From Easter services to rock and roll. 303/295-4444, redrocksonline.com. Sicily The Teatro Greco-Romano is a 2,300-year-old amphitheater dug into the hillsides of Taormina, with a view of Mount Etna and the sea. Greek drama, dance, and classical and pop music concerts at the annual Taormina Arte festival, from June through August (taormina-arte.com, from $19.50). The weeklong BNL FilmFest also takes place there every June (taorminafilmfest.it/2005, screening tickets about $9). 011-39/0942-21142. Washington State Attracting popular music acts and festivals, The Gorge Amphitheatre holds 20,000 people on a grass-covered terrace among basalt cliffs overlooking the Columbia River in central Washington. hob.com/venues; tickets through Ticketmaster, 509/735-0500, ticketmaster.com. New York shopping Everyone loves browsing at upscale shops; paying is a whole different matter. Even the highest-end boutiques, however, usually have something that's not too splurgy (and as a bonus, you get a chichi shopping bag). Tiffany & Co. America's most famous jewelry store. What we bought: sterling-silver key ring engraved with a registration number in case it goes missing ($90). 727 Fifth Ave., 212/755-8000. Takashimaya A luxurious Japanese emporium of fashion, cosmetics, housewares, and more, with a little tea salon in the basement. What we bought: green butterfly tea in a silver canister ($25), mini copper teapot with brass handle ($65), bamboo mini strainer ($5). 693 Fifth Ave., 212/350-0100. Jeffrey His and hers fashion excess in the Meatpacking District. What we bought: Stella McCartney's Greek-inspired flip-flops, in turquoise ($90). 449 W. 14th St., 212/206-1272. Moss A museum-quality gallery of design. What we bought: the 12-sided World Time desk clock. It adapts to one of 24 global time zones, depending on which side you stand it on ($75). 146 Greene St., 212/204-7100. Pucci The Italian label known for its signature retro patterns. What we bought: silk bandanna ($100). 701 Fifth Ave., 212/230-1135. Sometimes you need extra amusement If your trip to the amusement park just isn't special enough, there are ways to liven it up. Los Angeles Buy used clothing fresh off a Hollywood set at Universal Studios' Wardrobe Dept. store. You might find a Seven for All Mankind jean skirt from Will & Grace ($25) or a Prada T-shirt from Passions ($50). Nothing is more than $150. 800/864-8377, universalstudioshollywood.com. Orlando Ten guests a day are able to rent Segways for a two-hour tour of Epcot Center's World Showcase Lagoon--better yet, it happens before the area opens to the public at 11 a.m. ($80 per person). 407/939-8687, disneyworld.com. San Diego Get a bird's-eye view of the lions and giraffes at San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park: A 15-minute ride on a helium balloon that rises 400 feet--but remains tethered to the ground--is just $15. 760/747-8702, sandiegozoo.org/wap. Tampa Bay Busch Gardens in Florida offers a two-hour off-road safari for $100 per person--where you can get even closer to big game animals like hippos, black rhinos, and elephants. An onboard professional photographer captures the whole thing (photographs cost extra). 813/984-4043, buschgardens.com. Washington, D.C. For a place to rest (and cool your heels in between dunks), rent one of the new four-person cabanas inside the Hurricane Harbor water park at Six Flags America, outside the nation's capital. $55 weekdays, $75 holidays and weekends; additional people $5 each per day. 301/249-1500, sixflags.com/america. Snowboarding is totally 20th century There's more than one way to get down a mountain, and we don't mean rolling--though that's always a risk. California Like a skateboard without wheels, Snowskates have no bindings, and they're normally relegated to terrain parks where you have more freedom. The park at Big Bear in southern California has half-pipes, rails, and jumps (rentals from $5 an hour). Colorado Snow Blades are essentially skis that are barely longer than your boot; perfect for tricks. They're permitted on most mountains, but liability issues stop many resorts from actually renting them. One that does is Keystone, in Colorado ($33 per day). Elsewhere, check the ski shops in town. New Hampshire The Snowscoot is a cross between a freestyle bike and a snowboard that you ride standing up; it's popular with the BMX set. Hold on to the handlebars, stand on the board, and let gravity do the work. A handful of U.S. resorts do rentals, including Loon Mountain ($23 for three hours) and Cranmore ($12 for two hours), both in New Hampshire. Oregon An inflatable bodyboard with side handles, the Airboard was designed for the backcountry and sledding hills. Hoodoo in Oregon allows full mountain access, including terrain parks ($28 for 30-minute lesson and daily rental). At Schweitzer in Idaho and Sugar Bowl in California, you can rent them at night on a lift-served run. Vermont A traditional bike frame with skis in place of wheels, the Ski Bike is popular in Europe; a growing number of North American resorts are opening their slopes to riders. Control the speed by making turns or sticking your heels in the snow. Try them at Sugarbush in Vermont ($40 per day), as well as at Keystone in Colorado and Whistler in British Columbia. To find other resorts that have Ski Bikes, check out ski-bike.org. Amazing trains Nothing captures the waning romance of travel quite like a train, and many lines offer worthwhile trips that allow you to sit back and soak up extraordinary scenery for a few hours. A century ago, trains were the quickest way to get somewhere--and now the best reason to take them is to slow down. These busy days, time is the biggest splurge of all. Alaska On the Coastal Classic, a four-hour-plus voyage from Anchorage and Seward, you'll definitely see glaciers and mountains, and you'll possibly see bears, moose, sheep, and beluga whales. Alaska Railroad hires high-school kids--who've undergone a special 10-week training--as guides. It's a summer job that sure beats flipping burgers. $98 round trip, kids 2 to 11 $49; 800/544-0552, akrr.com. California Built in 1885, Northern California's Skunk Train is now running year-round. There are many different ways to ride it, either from Fort Bragg along Highway 1 or from Willits along Highway 101. The 31D2-hour round trip costs $35 (plus $10 if it's a steam train), $20 kids. Also new this year: A Saturday-night Rail, Ale & Wine trip (two hours, $29). For a real splurgy splurge, kids can ride in the engineer's cab ($100). No matter which trip you take, you'll see mountains, tunnels, the Noyo River Canyon, bridges, and those extraordinary redwoods. 866/457-5865, skunktrain.com. Colorado One of the world's most beautiful train routes, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs between the Colorado towns of Durango and Silverton, along the Animas River. The tracks were laid in 1882, and the locomotives date from the 1920s (and are still coal-fired). The train was historically accurate enough to star in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The round-trip Silverton Summer Excursion is available May 7 to October 29, and takes 31D2 hours to go 45 miles. $62, kids $31; 888/872-4607, durangotrain.com. Massachusetts The Elegant Dinner Train, offered by the Cape Cod Central Railroad, is a three-hour scenic excursion from Hyannis to the Cape Cod Canal and back, during which a five-course dinner is served. Proper dress is required. The best time to go: Friday evenings, when the train crosses the canal on the vertical-lift railroad bridge at Buzzards Bay. $60, cocktails and gratuity not included; 888/797-7245, capetrain.com. Mexico On the Tequila Express, which is run by the Mexican government, mariachis provide a festive soundtrack for the 90-minute ride from Guadalajara through the blue-agave-studded landscape of Jalisco, Mexico's largest tequila-producing state, to the Herradura distillery. Contrary to what the name suggests, it's not a cheesy booze cruise--though there is an open tequila bar for sampling the local specialty. You get a firsthand look at the tequila-making process past and present, from wheel presses once pulled by mule to the steam ovens where the agave is cooked today. Tours are followed by an authentic buffet, and you're back in town by 8 p.m. $69, kids 6 to 12 $36; 011-52/33-3880-9099, tequilaexpress.com.mx. Hot tickets, cool shows Boston Catch the Red Sox from the newest seats in Fenway Park--atop the 37-foot-tall Green Monster in left field. Tickets go on sale via preseason online lottery. Standing room from $25, seats from $80, 617/226-6000, redsox.com. Cancún Celebrate Mexican culture at Xcaret Spectacular Nights--a folklore show at the Xcaret Eco Park in Playa Del Carmen. Kids will love the lacrosse-like game, which is based on a Mayan ritual and played with a flaming ball. Included with $49 park admission, kids $25, 011-52/998-883-3144, xcaret.com. Chicago With alumni named Belushi and Murray, The Second City changed the face of comedy. It all began 45 years ago on its Chicago Mainstage--now one of five companies in the U.S. and Canada. From $18, 312/337-3992, secondcity.com. Las Vegas Kà, at the MGM Grand, is Cirque du Soleil's most ambitious show (and each seat has speakers). Two shows nightly, Friday through Tuesday. From $99, 877/880-0880, cirquedusoleil.com. New York City The cabaret at Feinstein's at the Regency is world-class, with such past performers as Patti LuPone and Chita Rivera. $100, 212/339-4095, feinsteinsattheregency.com, mid-September to mid-June. Did someone say send in the clowns? None of the seats at the Big Apple Circus is more than 50 feet from the action. After its signature engagement every winter in Manhattan, the show tours the East Coast. From $15, 800/899-2775, bigapplecircus.org. San Francisco Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon has wowed crowds for more than 30 years. Recent spoofs include Arnold Schwarzenegger in leather gear. From $25, 415/421-4222, beachblanketbabylon.com; 21 and over for evening performances.

25 Reasons We Love Sedona

1. Rock stars up close: The breathtaking Red Rocks, which jut from the high desert floor in furious jags, have inspired everyone from the Native Americans who worshipped their energy fields thousands of years ago to the hikers who now worship the views. The setting for hundreds of Westerns--not to mention a bunch of car commercials--the Rocks are fully visible from town, but they're best appreciated from the hiking trails that encircle Sedona. You need a pass to park within the 1.8 million acres of Coconino National Forest; they're widely available, including from the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. 331 Forest Rd., 800/288-7336, sedonachamber.com, $5. 2. Soul innovation system: At the Mago Café, you can check your e-mail and drink a Green Esteem smoothie while strapped to a Brain Innovation System, which is allegedly able to smarten you up. (It looks like Star Trek sunglasses connected to a CD player.) Or simply give your brain the afternoon off and sit for a while by the lovely tearoom's fireplace. You'll leave more serene, if not sharper: In the guest book, one visitor wrote that leading a happy life is easier if you "worrie less." 207 N. Hwy. 89, 928/204-1047, smoothie $4.75. 3. Bacon and The Worm: Michael and Christina Eich--along with their mutt, Bacon--run The Worm, a 44-year-old book and music store. It's open 12 hours a day, 365 days a year, and Michael is happy to give advice on more than his favorite authors. "People ask us about everything," he says, "because we're open more than the chamber of commerce." And there are plenty of interesting titles to page through, from best-selling thrillers to How to Use Sages, Resins, and Herbs in a Wakan-Sacred Way. 207 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-3471, sedonaworm.com. 4. Delicious dirt: Inspired by the view of the Rocks, Sedona Fudge Company's Ann Evans created the shop's newest seller, Sedona Red Dirt. It's a heart-stopping concoction of cream cheese, amaretto, raspberry flavoring, and white chocolate. Too much? Try Slide Rock Swirl, made with vanilla cream cheese and a ribbon of chocolate. 257 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-1044; one-pound box $16. 5. Even veggies get TLC: Tender asparagus, precious Meyer lemons, and baby artichokes are lovingly arranged by dreadlocked, tie-dyed employees at New Frontiers Natural Marketplace--they earnestly believe the world can be improved one organic meal at a time. A mini-chain, New Frontiers has three outposts in Arizona and two in California. The take-out counter provides an ideal pre-hike lunch, including poached salmon and salads. Old Marketplace shopping center, 1420 W. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-6311. 6. Backward sunsets: In Sedona, the most dramatic "ooh..." moment comes when you face east, as the sun's rays seem to set the Rocks afire. People flock to Airport Vista, but you'll find more solitude paying $7 to park at Red Rock Crossing, which has unobstructed views of Cathedral Rock (where Addicus and Jen Patton, left, got married). Or just hang out in town on the patio of Canyon Breeze. "We have the best fish taco in Arizona," promises bartender Kevin Lefter. "And you can quote me on that." Who knew there was competition? 300 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-2112, fish taco $10. 7. The lullaby of a babbling brook: Don Hoel's Cabins are only 10 miles north of town, but you'll suffer delightful culture shock as you head deep into the forested canyon and arrive at what looks like a soundstage for Little House on the Prairie. A cozy cabin for two close to the creek, with quilts, a fireplace, and a full kitchen, is $125. (Cabin 7 is pictured.) For less rustic creekside lodging, the Best Western Arroyo Roble on Sedona's main street has seven two-bedroom villas that sleep six, with a full kitchen, two and a half bathrooms, and two fireplaces. The $330 rate includes breakfast, and the hotel has both an outdoor and indoor/outdoor swimming pool. Don Hoel's Cabins, 9440 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-3560, hoels.com; Arroyo Roble Hotel, 400 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-4001, bestwesternsedona.com. 8. Cactus as a side dish: Every first-timer to the Southwest should try fried cactus and rattlesnake soup, both of which are available at the Cowboy Club. But it's the restaurant's rib eye steaks and giant salads that draw tour guides at the end of a long day. Sidle up to the bar, which serves a full dinner menu, and leave the skull-and-horn-festooned dining room to the masses. 241 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-4200, cowboyclub.com, rib eye $23. 9. Hitting the ground walking: Dennis Andres is a gifted guide and an endless resource whose rates--$275 per couple for four hours--reflect both his experience and his exuberance. "I've walked 5,000 miles of these trails," he says, "and I still haven't found them all." Luckily, everyone can benefit from Andres's exhaustive knowledge with his book, The Insider's Guide to Sedona, an indispensable resource for lodging, services, and, of course, hikes. Order a copy before you plan your trip: The $21 cost, which includes shipping and handling, can easily be recouped by reading the "Saving Money in Sedona" chapter. Sedona Private Guides, 928/204-2201, sedonaprivateguides.com. 10. The mall rats are birds: The Spanish-style buildings at Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village enclose plazas with lush plantings and flowing fountains--which attract the likes of goldfinches, scrub jays, and even quail. The shopping's not bad either. Ogle the $685 carousel horse at Sedona Music Boxes, then pick up a hummingbird hurdy-gurdy ($10) to take home as a souvenir. 336 Hwy. 179, 928/282-4838, tlaq.com. 11. Southern food in the Southwest: Diners at the Coffee Pot Restaurant wait beneath autographed photos of Melissa Etheridge and Jane Russell for the opportunity to choose from 101 different omelets. Go for the weird (roast beef and cheese), the silly (peanut butter and jelly), or the old favorites, so long as you don't skip the side order of homemade biscuits and grits. 2050 W. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-6626, ham and cheese omelet $5.75. 12. A heaven-sent B&B: With 3 million visitors annually and only 17,500 residents, lodging in Sedona is a seller's market, leaning toward the cheapish hotel or the luxe resort. One exception is A Sunset Chateau. Janet Buillet, an artist who has decorated the walls with her paintings and murals, presides over a B&B where the standard rooms are in fact sprawling suites with full-size kitchens and private terraces nestled up to the Rocks. The two-acre grounds include a red-velvet pandal (a Hindu ceremonial structure), a pool, and dozens of hammocks and chairs. "I got a lot of the furnishings through prayers," says the charmingly eccentric Buillet. "One morning, I asked for a pillow with an Aztec bird on it, and when I went out, there it was." Better not to inquire about the lamp made from three furry goat legs. 665 S. Sunset Dr., 928/282-2644, asunsetchateau.com, doubles from $149. 13. Twice-caught trout: Spend an afternoon fishing at the Rainbow Trout Farm. Then grill your catch at their picnic area or head for The Heartline Café, where the specialty is the farm's trout cooked in a pecan crust ($22). The best table is next to the fireplace outside on the patio, but you won't care where you sit, provided that you end the meal with the poached pear stuffed with marzipan, drizzled in caramel sauce, and wrapped in pastry. Rainbow Trout Farm, 3500 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-5799, rod rental $1, caught fish $7--$10 each; The Heartline Café, 1610 W. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-0785, heartlinecafe.com. 14. Cool airport lodging: Sky Ranch Lodge is the best deal in town. Rooms are up on Airport Mesa overlooking the Rocks, with a pool from which you can watch the sunset. It's next to the tiny airport, but don't let that stop you. Only single-engine planes are allowed to fly in and out, and only during the day, so the noise is nothing to get too worked up about. Airport Rd., 928/282-6400, skyranchlodge.com, doubles from $75. 15. Baked is good: Sedona residents fought the Hyatt's latest development--a combination of time-share condos and shopping center--but many came around when a branch of the Arizona chain Wildflower Bread Company opened inside it. Wildflower has great coffee, popular breakfasts, sandwiches on their fabulous breads, and pasta for dinner. The line can be long, but you're likely to overhear local gossip. (Note: You may have to park at the neighboring Starbucks.) The Shops at Pinon Pointe, intersection of Hwys. 179 and 89A, 928/204-2223, sandwiches from $7. 16. Vortexes and vortices: One of Sedona's major draws is its vortexes (or vortices, depending on whom you ask). These are spots where believers claim the earth offers up a little extra zing: Effects can range from feeling highly caffeinated to experiencing a psychic moment. Locals are divided between eye-rollers and those who find themselves moved to tears; in any event, visiting the sites is another excuse to bask in Sedona's natural beauty. Such things being immeasurable, some argue there are 4 spots, others 13, but a definite one is at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, worth a look for its modern architecture alone. Any trail map will point you toward the vortexes. The Chapel, Chapel Rd., off Hwy. 179, about five minutes south of town. 17. Clarity for $5: Body Bliss Factory Direct sells locally made topical potions for whatever ails you, from sore feet to a broken heart. If the single serving of Need Some Clarity? bath oil ($5) doesn't do the trick, step into the store's spa for a 15-minute Gemstone Oracle Reading ($25) by owner Chanda Schmidt, who looks like a German Carol Alt. Schmidt is the patron saint of fidgeters, offering a tarot card reading where each pick corresponds to a gem that you're encouraged to fondle. "Most people listen better while they're holding something," she explains. May all fates be learned while pawing a giant ruby. 320 N. Hwy. 89A, Ste. Q, 928/282-1599. 18. Old masters: Sedona has a plethora of galleries, but they can't beat the rock art you'll see at Honanki, Palatki, and V-Bar-V Ranch, three U.S. Forest Service sites of Apache and Yavapai ruins with prehistoric pictographs and petroglyphs. Talk to the rangers at Red Rock Ranger District before going, since the sites can be closed due to inclement weather. Montezuma Castle, one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the country, is another ruin worth checking out. Red Rock Ranger District, 928/282-4119, redrockcountry.org; reservations required for Palatki; Montezuma Castle National Monument, off I-17, 30 minutes outside of town, 928/282-3322, nps.gov/moca, $3. 19. Spicing up your life: Two casual spots that offer knockout food at bargain prices, Tara Thai Cuisine and Thai Spices deliver a level of spiciness that the southwestern cantinas don't come close to matching. Tara Thai, 34 Bell Rock Plaza, Oak Creek, 928/284-9167, entrées from $8; Thai Spices, 2986 W. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-0599, entrées from $8.50. 20. Turquoise with poise: Don't be turned off by the chatting deer sculpture on the lawn of Garland's Indian Jewelry, which encourages you to "spend some bucks." (Or at least get over it.) Because inside, there's a cache of new and estate jewelry that Georgia O'Keeffe would have coveted--you may be so lucky as to snag an $8 pair of earrings. Next door, Indian Gardens Country Store sells a nice bowl of homemade beef stew ($5). 3953 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-6632, garlandsjewelry.com. 21. Rojo Roco Rojo: Say it three times fast! Rojo Roco Rojo is an excellent local red table wine that pairs nicely with a sandwich of grilled chicken, Gruyère, and caramelized onions ($10) during lunch at the Wine Basket at Hillside. On Friday nights, the Wine Basket hosts a wine-tasting dinner ($30), when co-owner and gourmet chef Jason Marchese prepares tantalizing meals to complement that week's selections of international wines. Recent menus included tilapia and leg of lamb. Hillside Shops, 671 Hwy. 179 E., 928/203-9411, reservations required. 22. Single-track minds: Area bikers take umbrage when Sedona is called Moab Light. While the Utah city has a bigger reputation, "we've got more single track and diverse trails," says Shaggy, who sometimes helps out at Mountain Bike Heaven. In fact, professional teams come here for training before their spring opening events. Rent a bike at Sedona Bike and Bean or at Absolute Bikes, both of which are close to the Bell Rock Pathway and Mountain Bike Heaven, which also leads group rides. Sedona Bike and Bean, 6020 Hwy. 179, Oak Creek, 928/284-0210, bike-bean.com; Absolute Bikes, 6101 Hwy. 179, 928/284-1242, absolutebikes.net; Mountain Bike Heaven, 1695 W. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-1312, mountainbikeheaven.com. 23. No worries: The crime rate is essentially nil, no doubt thanks to the town's population, which divides neatly into wealthy retirees, artists in love with the light, and service workers on a spiritual quest--for whom stealing would be totally bad karma. While there is an occasional car break-in, one local swears that the culprits aren't delinquent teenagers but transients on their way to explore the Grand Canyon, only two hours away. (A number of local outfitters on the main strip run day trips, if you're not inclined to make the drive or arrangements yourself.) 24. A half-off farewell margarita: Take a quick turn off Highway 89A and you'll feel miles away at the Hideaway Café, which makes comfort food--pizzas, sandwiches, BBQ--perfect for the end of your adventure. The lounge upstairs allows smoking, while the restaurant downstairs has a heated patio. The Hideaway also occasionally features live entertainment, like a solo guitarist. Score a 20 percent discount with a coupon from the chamber of commerce and consider your $4 margarita half-price. Country Square Plaza, 251 Hwy. 179, 928/282-4204, sandwiches about $8.50. 25. Jeep thrills: Sedona Red Jeep tour guide Kurt Raczynski bypassed medical school, but he never relinquished his passion for science. On the 90-minute Soldier Path tour, you'll learn why the Rocks are red (iron in the sandstone), how Native Americans hunted antelope (speared 'em or drove 'em over a cliff), and that a tarantula bite only stings. "But the Mojave Green rattlesnake is toxic," Raczynski says cheerfully. "You could be dead in 30 minutes." And you'll also get to stop at this natural pool. Bad backs, take note: The ride is pretty bumpy. 270 N. Hwy. 89A, 928/282-6826, redrockjeep.com, $54.

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