QMy husband and I want to take advantage of the holiday school break and go some place warm with our two teens between Christmas and New Year’s Day. We usually spend two weeks at Bethany Beach in the summer, so we’re looking for something different from the beach, but active. What do you suggest?
– G.R., McLean
AMy first choice would be Death Valley National Park in California, where my wife and I once celebrated New Year’s Eve. The dry, mild climate is ideal for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. And all three park lodges maintain hot springs-served swimming pools. Details: 760-786-3200, www.nps.gov/deva.
Another Southern California option is the area around Palm Springs. Stay in one of the golf and tennis resorts, and go hiking and climbing among the giant red rocks at sprawling Joshua Tree National Park. Again, winter is prime outdoor season. Details: 760-367-5500; www.nps.gov/jotr.
I’ve got terrific memories of winter trips to Tucson. Hike among desert cactus at Saguaro National Park on the outskirts of town. Explore old Spanish missions at San Xavier Del Bac and Tumacacori National Historical Park. Visit the artist town of Tubac and the former Old West mining towns of Bisbee and Tombstone. Hike among the towering rock spires at Chiricahua National Monument (although because of the altitude, light snow is possible). Details: Arizona Office of Tourism, 866-275-5816; www.azot.com.
QI’ve read several times about Internet sites where you can search for low air fares. Since I don’t fly very often, I never wrote them down. Now I’ve got a couple of family trips coming up, and I need the information. Can you help? – S.J., Annandale
ATo find the lowest fare for a flight within the United States, take a look at such Internet search tools as www.Sidestep.com; www.Kayak.com; and www.Mobissimo.com. Enter your preferred departure and return dates and check what fares are available. The tricky thing is snagging a cheap fare before it disappears, grabbed by someone else. Rather than spending hours trying to find the absolute lowest fare, go for the first one that seems a real bargain. Remember that Southwest Airlines, a discount airline, prohibits the display of its fares on any search site, so you have to check it separately (www.southwest.com).
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