A Memorable Summer Day in Toronto
Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches
Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches
With the recent announcement from Spirit Airlines that they were going to charge as much as $100 for a carry-on bag, the days of simply comparing airfare prices are long gone. In fact, says Charlie Leocha, director of the Consumer Travel Alliance, this is a wake-up call for the Department of Transportation. “Consumers don’t fully understand just how much these extra fees end up adding to the total cost of travel.” He adds, “Our surveys have shown that more than half of the airline travelers in the U.S. find themselves surprised by extra fees after they have purchased their airline tickets.” Leocha notes that a typical US Airways flight from Washington Reagan to Boston can be purchased with an airfare of between $140 to $170 on most dates with an advanced purchase. Baggage charges for two checked bags will cost $120 round-trip, adding 70 to 85 percent to the cost of travel. Adding a special seat reservation can easily double the cost of travel. “Unless a passenger is traveling with only a small purse,” notes Leocha, “they will be required to pay some sort of fee on Spirit Airlines, which makes comparing only airfares bogus.” Make sure you take into account the price of luggage and reserving a seat the next time you book a flight!
For those of you headed to Idaho this summer to brave the rip-roaring rapids of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River or Hell’s Canyon on Snake River, you might want to get a little warm-up at the new Kelly’s Whitewater Park. Located an hour and half drive north of Boise on State Highway 55, the park is open to all kayakers, canoeists, rafters, and tubers, regardless of experience. Beginner and advanced areas of the park are divided by a man-made island, so simply choose your level of wave action and go play. The park is open to the public for free and a kayak school will help novices master the tough rapids to get them over to the expert section. The park is located in Cascade on the North Fork of the Payette River.
The Panama Canal turns 100 in 2014. That alone will garner the country much press. But we like the fact that Copa Airlines, the wonderful Panamanian airline, is now offering direct flights to Panama City from Boston. At this point, there is no direct service to any other Central American country from Logan, including Costa Rica and Belize. What you’ll find is the same rainforest, exquisite coastline, eco-resorts, macaws, and howlers you’ll find in Costa Rica with far less traffic. Upscale lodgings like the Waldorf Astoria are also starting to pop up on the Panamanian map. Go there now before it becomes overbuilt.
With the America’s Cup currently being held in San Francisco, celebrate its origins by taking a sail on Narragansett Bay in Newport. September is a glorious time to sail the bay, with the waters still relatively warm and boat traffic reduced to a minimum. Home to the smoky sou’wester, a prevailing wind with average speeds in the 10 to 20 knot range, Narragansett Bay deserves its reputation as one of the finest cruising grounds in the northeast. Yet, you don’t have to be an America’s Cup sailor to sample the sport. At Sightsailing, located at Newport’s Bowen’s Wharf, Captain Ed Early skippers the 34-foot O’Day called Starlight. A former instructor for Offshore Sailing School, Early has been sailing for over 30 years. He’ll guide you past Fort Adams, Hammersmith Farm, where JFK and Jackie O held their wedding reception, and Clingstone, a good name for the house that clings precariously to the rocks. Sweet talk Early and he might even let you take the wheel. Starlight can accommodate 2 to 6 guests. Cost is $270 for a private 2-hour sail, $495 for a 4-hour sail.
After devastating hurricanes left Puerto Rico, the BVIs, St. Martin, St. Barts, and other Caribbean islands in tatters last winter, the good news is that many classic resorts like Le Toiny and La Samannah are back in business this coming winter. Adding to the excitement are a handful of upscale properties making their debut. The Silversands Grenada will be the first new resort on the famed Grande Anse beach in 25 years, when it opens in November. The all-suite resort (43 total) features an Olympic-sized, 100-meter outdoor infinity pool, and a spa with Turkish hammam. The Liming Bequia will also make its debut in November on that speck of an island in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the property has 13 villas, each with an infinity pool. The hotel’s restaurant will serve ocean-to-table seafood and island-picked fruit and seasonal vegetables. Iberostar’s latest property will be housed in a circa-1911 hotel set in the heart of Old Havana on Paseo del Prado. The Iberostar Grand Packard will offer 321 rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, three bars and six restaurants, including tapas, when it opens later this year. ActiveTravels is happy to check availabilty and pricing if any of these resorts interest you.