Reservation requests set record at California State Parks

Hugo Martín; Mary Forgione; Jane Engle
12:00 AM PST, February 18, 2007

RESERVATIONS at California state parks set a one-day record Feb. 1 when campground reservations for August opened, the reservation company and park officials said.

ReserveAmerica processed more than 17,000 reservations, an 18% increase from last year's single-day reservation record. The 17,000 bookings represent 65,000 camping nights, the company said in a release.

"Maybe people are thinking summer instead of winter," said Roy Stearns, a spokesman for the California Department of Parks and Recreation.

Cabins at Crystal Cove State Park, a beachy stretch between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach, and Mt. Tamalpais State Park north of San Francisco sold out in the first few minutes, said Sheryl Watson of California State Parks. Each site has nine cabins. Other popular sites: Sonoma Coast in Northern California and Huntington and Bolsa Chica state beaches.

State parks are bracing for another wave of eager campers March 1 when September reservations open, Watson said. Info: (800) 444-7275 or http://www.reserveamerica.com .

Meanwhile, Yosemite National Park launched a new online campground reservation system. Info: (877) 444-6777 or go to http://www.recreation.gov .

— Hugo Martín

Pack lighter, or you'll pay

MAYBE it's time to bag the extra bag.

Two airlines recently announced plans to charge passengers more for checking a second bag, a practice one airline expert predicts will be widespread by the end of the year.

Spirit Airlines on Feb. 10 started tacking on a new fee: $10 for checking a second bag; a third piece or more costs $100 per bag, a spokeswoman said.

On Feb. 13, British Airways said it would phase in (through Sept. 30) these charges for a second checked bag for economy-class travelers: $234 for long-haul flights, $117 for short hauls and $58 on domestic flights (within Britain). Transatlantic economy passengers, however, still can check in two pieces of luggage free of charge, said airline spokesman John Lampl.

"I think this is the beginning of a trend that will get to a point where airlines will charge for all bags," said Terry Trippler, airline expert at MyVacationPassport.com.

— Mary Forgione

Portland, an aerial view

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