Advisers offer tips on travel

Q: My husband and I will be in Seattle this spring. What are your must-see recommendations, including one side trip and some great local restaurants?

A: I would recommend Pike Place Market, the Theo Chocolate factory tour and Chihuly Garden and Glass. Even though the ride is short, taking the monorail is fun. (Yes, we skipped the Space Needle. Consider the taller Columbia Center instead.) I also really enjoyed hiking around Discovery Park. The Woodland Park Zoo is nice. Restaurants I like: Serious Pie/Serious Biscuit, Chan, Portage Bay Cafe and Top Pot Doughnuts. Beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, would make a great side trip. You can take the Clipper from downtown Seattle.

  • Becky Krystal

Q: My extended family is traveling to Mexico over Christmas, and I wanted to look into group travel discounts. What’s a reasonable amount of discount to expect?

A: I’ve not seen airlines offer significant discounts for groups. It seems as if they offer a discount of between 5 percent and 10 percent from their standard, rather than sale, fares. You may very well get a better deal going with an economy sale fare.

  • Carol Sottili

Q: My parents live outside Boston, and I live in Washington. They usually come down for a visit every spring, but this year we’ve decided to meet somewhere in the middle. Can you think of a fun location to meet for a weekend? Everyone enjoys historical sites, art, gardens, outdoors.

A: What about the Brandywine Valley? Lots of history, art, gardens and outdoors there. Sites include Longwood Gardens, Nemours Mansion and Gardens, and Brandywine River Museum (which includes the Andrew Wyeth Studio and N.C. Wyeth House and Studio).

  • Becky Krystal

Q: I’m headed to Atlanta in a few weeks for the first time. Will I need a car to get around to tourist destinations beyond downtown, or will public transit be extensive enough?

A: The MARTA system doesn’t extend very far. Traffic in Atlanta is also pretty bad, so I’d figure out my itinerary and then make a decision from there. But if you want to go outside Fulton or DeKalb counties, you’ll probably need a car.

  • Carol Sottili

Q: I’ll be traveling with my husband and 2-year-old to Denver in June. I’m looking for suggestions for things to do.

A: Denver is great for kids, with an entertaining mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Some options: the Denver Zoo, the Downtown Aquarium, the Children’s Museum, the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center, the Platte Valley Trolley, Lollipop Park, Elitch Gardens theme park and the Wizard’s Chest. For a day trip, head out to Dinosaur Ridge in nearby Morrison. You can also rent bikes and cycle along Denver’s more than 850 miles of paved off-road trails. A number of rental shops offer kid attachments to adult bikes.

  • Andrea Sachs

Q: My husband and I want to get out of the country in early to mid-May for a quick four-to-five day trip. He particularly wants to go to Europe. Any suggestions for places where temperatures might hover around 70-plus during the day? And if flights are $1,000 each or less, super gold star bonus.

A: How about Barcelona or Madrid? I’m seeing one-stops out of Baltimore-Washington International to Barcelona and Madrid for as low as $833. Temperatures are already in the 60s and 70s, so in a couple of weeks, it should be perfect.

  • Becky Krystal

Q: I’m getting married in the fall, and we want to go on our honeymoon right afterward. Our idea is to go and relax in the Florida Keys. Is October a good month for Florida travel, or should we look elsewhere?

A: Temperature-wise, October is a great time to visit Florida, plus the crowds are down, unless you go to Key West over Halloween. Prices are also lower, since it’s shoulder season. The one risk: October is still hurricane season, and the keys are vulnerable to storms. If you’re worried about hurricanes, check out one of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) outside the hurricane belt.

  • Andrea Sachs

Q: Are there golf courses in Paris or along a train or bus route?

A: There are tons of courses in or near Paris. Check out where2golf.com for a list.

  • Zofia Smardz

Q: My 12-year-old granddaughter is a fashionista of the highest order. I’d love to take her to New York on a fashion weekend. Any ideas?

A: Definitely hit the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Another good place for high fashion and art:the Museum of the International Center of Photography, near Bryant Park, the former site of the fashion shows. For street fashion, go down to the Village or shoot over to Williamsburg in Brooklyn (lots of witty mustaches, and boutiques to match). Wander around the indie shops and consignment shops downtown, such as INA and Buffalo Exchange.

  • Andrea Sachs

Q: We usually rent a house or condo in the Outer Banks for a week. This year, we’re a little strapped and may not be able to spend as much. Any ideas for a rejuvenating week somewhere that may be a bit less expensive?

A: Deep Creek Lake in Maryland could work. Also West Virginia. My family always enjoyed renting a condo at Deerfield Village in Canaan Valley.

  • Becky Krystal

Q: We’ll be in Paris at Christmas. I’m wondering about events that require tickets and when to get them. We’d like to attend the Christmas Eve Notre Dame International Service or other Christmas services you recommend. And we’d like suggestions for shopping.

A: For shopping, hit the many Christmas markets that spring up all around Paris. They sell wonderful crafts and French specialties from all around the country. I totally recommend Notre Dame for Christmas Eve. Lots of people flock there, but it’s a big church! There’s also St.-Germain-des-Pres, a beautiful, beautiful old church - the oldest in Paris - that doesn’t get as much attention as Notre Dame but is just as fabulous. For attractions like the Louvre, you could probably buy your tickets right now online. The earlier the better, for major holidays.

  • Zofia Smardz

Q: I’m going on a beach vacation and want to take along spray sunscreen (in an aerosol can). Am I allowed to take that on an airplane? Is it allowed in limited quantities?

A: You may. If it’s in your carry-on, it’s subject to the 3-1-1 rule for liquids, gels and aerosols. If it’s in your checked bag, take as much as you want. Just make sure it stays in a plastic baggie so it doesn’t make a mess!

  • Becky Krystal

Travel, Pages 50 on 04/28/2013

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