Scouting the best airfares, hotels, cruises and vacation packages

My weightless Van Nuys Valentine? A zero-gravity flight on Saturday

February 9, 2010 6:17pm

Attention, last-minute Valentine’s Day gift-seekers. For a chance to sweep that special someone off her feet and keep her that way for 15 seconds or so, peel off a whole bunch of fifties and look no further than the Van Nuys Airport this Saturday.

On that day, the Zero Gravity people will be in town with their specially outfitted Boeing 727, G-Force One. Instead of holding the customary 150 grumpy coach passengers, this plane has been mostly emptied, with padded walls added, to give 32 passengers a brief chance (we’re paraphrasing the poet and pilot John Magee now) to slip the surly bonds of Earth.

To achieve the outer-space effect, the plane flies in parabolic pattern between 24,000 and 34,000 feet above ground. The plane typically climbs and descends 12 to15 times, each rise-and-fall offering weightlessness for 15 to 30 seconds. Along the way, the marketing folk say, you sense Martian gravity (about one-third of what you’re used to), lunar gravity (one-sixth) and zero gravity.

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San Francisco Bay Area: Cavallo Point achieves LEED Gold certification

February 9, 2010 8:58am

Since making a grand entrance in July 2008, luxury hotel Cavallo Point, the 21st century’s first new national park lodge, has earned many awards and accolades in its still-short life. And now it can boast about its  LEED Gold. The resort at Fort Baker in Golden Gate National Recreation Area said last week it achieved the status for its environmentally sustainable design and construction.

With the achievement of a LEED Gold standard, Cavallo Point joins the ranks of California hotels such as Montage Beverly Hills and Gaia Napa Valley Hotel.

The Gold certification applies to the entire lodge project, including its historic and new buildings and the overall site. The project’s green elements, a hotel statement said, include its use of solar panels in its metal roofing; low-VOC glues, paints and carpets, and materials such as bamboo and recycled wood.

The site’s open spaces near the endangered Mission Blue Butterfly habitat “were restored with more than 58,000 native plants, all raised from seeds collected from the surrounding parklands,” the statement said. Read the rest of this entry »

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Climb aboard for Kimpton Hotels’ train-travel deal

February 9, 2010 5:58am

Forget taking a gas-guzzling road trip and hit the rails. If you’ve got the extra time, a train can provide fun and memorable transportation for your next vacation —plus, it can save you money on accommodations, thanks to Kimpton Hotels’ “Ride the Rails” promotion.

Deal: Take 15% off of a participating hotel’s “best available” rate when you present proof of your train ticket at check-in. Dozens of Kimpton hotels all over the U.S. are participating, including Hotel Solamar in San Diego, Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, and the Muse New York. The promotion code is “RAILS.”

When: Validity dates vary by location, so check your preferred hotel’s website for more details. The deal must be booked in advance, and your train ticket must be valid for your hotel-arrival date.

Tested: Online, and confirmed with a call in to the reservations desk, I checked out a stay at Hotel Solamar, in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, in mid-March. I found a room with one king bed available for $169 per night, pre-tax. Read the rest of this entry »

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Five tips for finding hotel deals in 2010

February 8, 2010 1:14pm

Penny-pinching travelers got a great ride in 2009 — U.S. hotel rates last year fell nearly 9% on average. But fasten your seat belts: 2010 may be rougher going. Average room rates will continue to slide this year but only by about 2% as more travelers hit the road, predicts expert Scott Berman, U.S. leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers Hospitality & Leisure Practice in Miami.

“There will likely be higher occupancy in 2010,” Berman said in a recent interview. “And if the past is any indication, that will bring higher rates.”

That means goodbye to great deals 24/7, 365 days a year. Holiday trips may pull off a major heist on your wallet as hotels get “more aggressive on pricing” for high-demand dates, Berman said. But you can still find ways to sleep cheap, or at least cheaper, in 2010. Five tips:

>Try hotels in financial districts on weekends, after business travelers have fled. Sunday nights can be especially cheap.

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Solvang hotels: The more the merrier with free-room deal

February 8, 2010 5:57am

February may be traditionally a month to celebrate just the two of you, but here’s a deal that encourages you to invite the whole gang along on your next getaway. And the best part is that you don’t have to go very far to experience a taste of “Little Denmark”: The fun village of Solvang is about 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Deal: Just announced by the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau, the “More 2 Love in Solvang” promotion offers a free extra room when you reserve any room at participating hotels in February. The free room must be of equal or lesser value than the booked room. In addition, at check-in, you’ll receive a “Solvang Sweet Treats Trail” map to guide you to homemade chocolates, pastries and other goodies in the area. Call your chosen hotel directly to reserve this deal; mention the “More 2 Love” promotion. Or, if you book online, use promotion code “MELOVE2010.”

The offer is valid at nine hotels: Hadsten House Inn & Spa ([800] 457-5373); Holiday Inn Express Solvang ([888] 465-4329); Hotel Corque ([800] 624-5572); King Frederik Inn ([800] 549-9955); Petersen Village Inn ([800] 321-8985); Solvang Gardens Lodge ([888] 688-4404); Solvang Inn & Cottages ([800]-848-8484); Svendsgaard’s Lodge ([800] 733-8757); Wine Valley Inn ([800] 824-6444). Read the rest of this entry »

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Miami: Five budget-friendly hotels, post-Super Bowl

February 7, 2010 10:02am

If you’re not already in Miami for the Super Bowl, then all the buzz might just get you thinking about taking a trip there soon. Beaches, balmy evenings, hopping nightlife and superb Cuban food are just a few of the city’s lures.

Despite the inflated price tags surrounding Super Bowl weekend, a stay in Miami, during most of the year, doesn’t have to break you. Following are five examples of digs to be had for under $150 per night; prices below are pre-tax:

Clay Hotel & Hostel
In South Beach, just two blocks from the beach, this hotel offers private rooms for as low as $75 per night, weekday or weekend. Hostel beds are $22 per night, for four to eight people in a room. TripAdvisor travelers seem generally in agreement that this property’s location is great, but more than one person warns us to bring earplugs. Read the rest of this entry »

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San Diego: Linger longer for lower rates at updated Paradise Point Resort

February 7, 2010 7:05am

Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego’s Mission Bay is beginning to show off a new look. The popular resort is undergoing a $20-million renovation of its guestrooms and meeting facilities that is due to be completed by the end of February.

Among the improvements you can expect are Asian-inspired touches in rooms’ furnishings, accents and artworks—crafted to “exude a sense of calm,” according to a statement by the hotel.

See for yourself, but before booking anything, be sure to browse the resort’s promotions to see if one works for you. The “Stay and Save” deal, for instance, rewards those who stay the longest.

Deal: With Stay and Save, you get a discount of 10% for a one-night stay, 15% for a two-night stay and 25% for a three-night stay. The promotion code is “SS10.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Loews Hotels’ Twitter contest for romantics starts Monday

February 6, 2010 10:02am

On your mark, get set and get tweeting. Loews Hotels (@Loews_Hotels) is about to launch its first Twitter contest, and it’s a fun Valentine’s Day-themed one — especially for you romantic-film buffs out there.

To enter, start following @Loews_Hotels, if you are not already doing so. Beginning on Monday, Feb. 8 and running each day through Feb. 12, a romantic-movie trivia question will be posted on the company’s Twitter page at 8 a.m. PST. The first person to answer each day’s question correctly will win a DVD that relates to the question and a $50 food-and-beverage credit for participating Loews properties.

Reply to @Loews_Hotels directly with your answer, not through a DM (direct message). You can submit your response anytime between 6 a.m. and 8:59 p.m. PST (obviously any reply before 8 a.m. would be in response to the previous day’s question). Because time is of the essence here, you probably won’t want to mull anything over too long.

On Feb. 12, one of the five winners (from that day and previous days) will be chosen at random to win the grand prize: a “Drive-In Movie” package, which includes a two-night weekend stay at a Loews city hotel of the winner’s choice, free parking, daily in-room movies and popcorn from the lobby’s “concession stand.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Vote for your favorite wooden and steel roller coasters

February 6, 2010 6:58am

The polls remain open for fans to vote for their favorite wooden and steel roller coasters in the United States. We’ll declare a winner of the unscientific survey at the conclusion of voting.

Poll: Vote for your favorite wooden and steel roller coasters.

With the help of our expert panel, we selected our top 10 wooden and steel roller coasters in the U.S.

Photo galleries: View the top 10 wooden and steel roller coasters.

With more than 1,000 votes tallied so far, The Voyage at Holiday World holds a commanding lead in the top wooden coaster poll, with The Beast at Kings Island running second and Dollywood’s Thunderhead in third. El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure hovers in the middle of the pack.

In the top steel coaster poll, two rides at Busch Gardens Europe are battling for the lead: Apollo’s Chariot and Griffon. Cedar Point’s Millennium Force and Six Flags New England’s Bizarro trail close behind the leaders.

Recent theme park stories
> Six Flags Magic Mountain adding Mr. Six coaster for 2010
> Michael Jackson returns to Disneyland in ‘Captain EO‘
> ‘Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln‘ at Disneyland weds nostalgia and technology
> ‘Toy Story‘ musical replacing ‘Aladdin’ show at Disney’s California Adventure
> Six Flags Magic Mountain to reclaim ‘Coaster Capital of the World‘ title in 2010
> Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open at Universal Studios Orlando in spring 2010
> Fantasyland to get extreme makeover at Disney World by 2013
> Star Tours reboot coming to Disneyland and Disney World in 2011
> When, where and how: Marvel characters in Disney theme parks
> Director Peter Jackson spills details on new King Kong attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood
> Sneak peek: Scene-by-scene preview of World of Color water show at Disney’s California Adventure

Photo galleries
> Top 10 wooden roller coasters in the U.S.
> Top 10 steel roller coasters in the U.S.
> Top 10 most anticipated U.S. theme park rides and attractions for 2010
> Top 10 most anticipated California theme park rides and attractions for 2010
> Top 10 rides and attractions at each of the Disney World theme parks
> Top 10 rides and attractions at both Universal Studios Orlando theme parks

Find the latest amusement and theme park news at the Los Angeles Times Funland blog: www.latimes.com/funland. Follow Funland on Twitter and Facebook.

— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times staff writer

Photo: Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure. Credit: Six Flags Great Adventure

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Los Angeles Dodgers spring training package at the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa

February 5, 2010 1:31pm

If you’ve been reading the Dodgers Blog, I expect you’re getting excited about spring training. Die-hard fans had their travel plans set up months ago, but for those of you still contemplating a trip out to Phoenix to see your Boys in Blue, check out the “Spring Training Special Offers” at the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa in Litchfield Park, a smidge west of Phoenix. The resort has already secured premium infield box seating for you; just pick your game.

Spring training: One package, called the “Camelback Ranch Spring Training Package: Dodgers,”  which includes two nights’ lodging and two tickets, starts at $399 per room — or $200 per person pretax, based on double occupancy. I found the package readily available (with the option for several types of room upgrades for additional fees) on March 5-7, when the Dodgers play the Chicago White Sox. There are several date options for games being played March 5-31. The Wigwam shows the full schedule on its Spring Training page.

If you don’t mind getting your own tickets (the Dodgers play at Camelback Ranch), the Wigwam also has “Spring Training Escape” packages starting at $219 per night. This package includes a $25 food-and-beverage credit, a bag of peanuts and other snacks, and a team banner or baseball hat.

Note: The Wigwam Resort is only 5.5 miles from the Camelback Ranch stadium. See the map on the Spring Training page for distance and estimates for the other fields.

Contact: Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa, (623) 935-3811

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger

Photo: Camelback Ranch in Arizona, where the Dodgers conduct spring training. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Related:

Dodgers and Angels alter spring-training ticket prices

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