The Buffalo News: Travel

Guaranteed dollar rates aren’t a sure thing: Updated: 07/06/08 7:59 AM; Again this year, you’ll see foreign travel ads that tout prices at “guaranteed” dollar rates. Hotels, local cruises, tours and car rentals often promote such rates, either as your only choice or as an option.

Drink in the sights of the Hudson River Valley: By Roger Petterson - ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 07/06/08 7:59 AM; History runs deep in New York’s Hudson River Valley, from Dutch settlers to modern families of the rich and famous, and the region also offers a wealth of scenery and activities to fill your next vacation trip.

India’s treasures shine beyond Taj Mahal: By Daniel Sorid - ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 07/06/08 7:59 AM; CALCUTTA, India — No doubt the Taj Mahal steals the breath away. But as a repeat visitor to India, I have often arrived at its gates too exhausted to have much breath left to steal.

Travel Deals /Bargains from around the world: By Carol Sottili - WASHINGTON POST
Updated: 07/06/08 7:59 AM; The week’s best travel bargains around the globe:

One Tank Trips

A unique blend of commerce, religion and history: By Deborah Williams - SPECIAL TO THE NEWS
Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; PALMYRA — Four elegant churches with their distinctive spires sit on Palmyra’s historic Main Street, one on each corner. The site earned the Erie Canal village a place in Ripley’s Believe or Not! because it is said to be the only place in the United States with a major church on each corner of a main intersection.

Artist carves a niche at Niagara Falls: By Christine A. Smyczynski - SPECIAL TO THE NEWS
Updated: 06/08/08 6:52 AM; NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — A dozen British Royal Guards stood silently, at perfect attention, on either side of the walkway as my daughter, Jennifer, and I entered the Niagara Totem Pole and Woodcarving Park. However, these soldiers weren’t real; they were carved entirely out of wood.

Shipboard entertainment takes a classical turn: Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; Sure, the fanfare and the feathers are still there: the high-stepping Vegas-look-alike hoofers, the brassy Broadway revues, and the bauble-bedecked million-dollar productions. But entertainment at sea is broadening to include classical music performances, opera, contemporary dance and theater.

Travel Deals /Bargains from around the world: By Carol Sottili - WASHINGTON POST
Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; The week’s best travel bargains around the globe, by land, sea and air:

Shipping baggage ahead is convenient, but expensive: Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; Do the latest hikes in airline baggage fees mean you should switch to advance shipment? Unfortunately, for most of you, the answer is still “no.” Although convenient, preshipment remains more expensive, at least in most cases. The best strategy remains to pack light so you can get all your stuff into a carry-on plus only one checked bag.

Summer recreation is hot in TVA territory: By Leanne Italie - ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: 06/08/08 6:52 AM; Despite historic drought in parts of the Southeast, there’s summer fun to be had at Tennessee Valley Authority lakes, reservoirs and dams this year as the nation’s largest public power company marks its 75th birthday.

Foreign travel firms may not fix problems: Updated: 06/08/08 6:52 AM; You prepay for an “inclusive” vacation in Mexico, but when you arrive, instead of a dream vacation, you encounter a nightmare: air conditioning that doesn’t work, rooms full of mosquitoes, no hot water, a surly staff that ignores your needs and instead hits on your teenage daughters, and on — and on. Your repeated complaints to the hotel’s management fall on deaf ears. After a few days, you decide you’ve had enough and move to a different hotel. But the first hotel refuses to refund the balance of your prepayment, and stonewalls your further requests.

Eight cities to enjoy Fourth of July celebrations: Associated Press
Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; NEW YORK— Plenty of Americans will enjoy a lazy summer day on July Fourth at the beach or a backyard barbecue. But if you prefer an urban setting for your holiday celebration, here are eight cities recommended by ProfessionalTravel- Guide.com as the best places for fireworks and other festivities.

California guides: Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; SACRAMENTO, Calif. — If you’re planning a vacation in California this summer, you may want to get a copy of a free new guide called “California Road Trips 2008,” published by the California Travel and Tourism Commission.

New Mexico culture: Associated Press
Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; SANTA FE, N. M. — The state of New Mexico’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Tourism has partnered with Travelocity to produce the New Mexico CulturePass.

How to avoid crime when traveling: By Hugo Martin - LOS ANGELES TIMES
Updated: 06/08/08 7:06 AM; Q: How can I avoid identity theft while traveling?

Google maps out Disney: Associated Press
Updated: 06/15/08 7:26 AM; BURBANK, Calif. — Tourists overwhelmed by the mind-boggling size of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., will now be able to plan their tour with the help of a 3D Google Earth map created by The Walt Disney Co.