ASIAN INSPIRED
Learn about flower arranging, origami, traditional tea ceremonies, sushi, sake, and more … An extensive calendar of festivals, seminars, exhibitions, lectures, and special events is awaiting visitors at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida. The 16-acre Morikami is the Southeast’s only museum wholly dedicated to the living culture of Japan. www.morikami.org
UNSPOILED TWINS
If you want an escape, consider the twin islands of Antigua and Barbuda in the heart of the Caribbean. Experience 365 white sand beaches, turquoise seas, luxurious accommodations, and authentic Caribbean cuisine. www.antigua-barbuda.org
HAPPY 60TH
Bal Harbour Village, located on a barrier island at the northern tip of Miami Beach — and some say glamour capital of Southeast Florida, is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its incorporation with a variety of first-class upgrades for chic travelers. www.balharbourflorida.com
POSH & PRIVATE
Villazzo has created a new standard for vacation villa rental by combining access to exclusive villas with the services of a five-star hotel. The result is a collection of private hotels at addresses in Miami, Aspen, St. Tropez, and Marbella. www.villazzo.com
FLIPPER & FINS
Marineland, located south of St. Augustine, Florida, opened its new 1.3-million-gallon Dolphin Conservation Center this spring as part of an ongoing major renovation project. A variety of interactive programs are fun for kids, environmentally conscious, and good for learning. www.marineland.net
WITH CHILD
Forget packing countless diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, food, bathing supplies, and the other necessities for the young ones. You’re supposed to be on vacation! Babies Travel Lite provides online shopping and delivery services to travel destinations worldwide. www.babiestravellite.com
WATER WAYS
• Through Dec. 13, a third guest sails for free on 12 Polynesia voyages on the Regent Seven Seas’ Paul Gauguin. www.regentexperience.com
• For its New England and Canada cruises for fall foliage this season, Crystal Cruises is traveling round-trip from New York. www.crystalcruises.com
• The SeaClusion, a 38-foot, Chien Hwa flybridge trawler motoryacht docked in St. Augustine, Florida, is offering a two-night “Bed and Boat” experience during America’s oldest city’s annual “Nights of Lights.” www.bed-boat-st-augustine.com
• Windstar Cruises is offering travelers to the Greek islands the option to extend their stays pre- or post-cruise with Windstar’s “Istanbul Discovery” tour package. www.windstarcruises.com
• The Biscayne Lady, a 111-foot, 400-passenger, Austal luxury yacht, offers a unique venue for corporate events, weddings, and other gatherings scheduled for the Miami area. www.biscaynelady.com
GO DOWN UNDER
As the seasons change, some golfers will follow the sun Down Under. PerryGolf, an international golf travel company, is taking reservations for its first golf tour to Australia and New Zealand. The golf itinerary reflects just what the Jan. 26-Feb. 5, 2007, trip is called: “The Greatest Golf in the South Pacific Tour.” www.perrygolf.com
ALSO DOWN UNDER
Orient-Express Hotels has combined two destinations to create one styling package in Australia. Spend three nights at the Observatory Hotel in Sydney, two nights at Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, and one complimentary night at either for a great vacation. www.orient-express.com
LIFESTYLE UPDATE
• The flagship beer of Boag’s Brewery in Tasmania — James Boag’s Premium Lager — is now available in the United States.
• If you love to cook, visit www.onecooking.com for recipes, cooking tips, and other information.
• And, if you love to pamper yourself, visit www.spa-addicts.com for exclusive spa treatment specials at leading day, medical, resort, and destination spas across the United States.
GOLF VILLAS DEBUT
The 27-unit, two-bedroom Las Terrazas Golf Villas have opened at Punta Mita, a 1,500-acre, master-planned resort and residential community just north of Puerto Vallarta. A three-night, “Tee it Up” golf package is being offered through Nov. 30. Punta Mita is home to a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, with a second Nicklaus course scheduled for completion in early 2008.
TRAVEL NOTES
• Here’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip for just 80 guests. It’s Abercrombie & Kent’s “The Best of South America by Private Jet.” Dates: Oct. 30-Nov. 20. www.abercrombiekent.com
• New passport rules for visitors returning to the United States from the Bahamas take effect Jan. 1, 2007. www.travel.state.gov
• Florida Adventure Treks combines luxury travel with soft adventure for small groups. www.floridaadventuretreks.com
• The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club opens in September. The new, 28,000 square feet of luxe surroundings will include 22 treatment rooms, special VIP rooms, and a barbershop overlooking the fairway of the Ocean Course’s second hole.
TAKE THE FIFTH
The 87-room boutique Inn on Fifth in Naples, Florida, is surrounded by chic bistros, unique studios, and high-fashion shops of the renowned Fifth Avenue South. Ask for a room within the 200-208 or 300-308 numbering and relax on a balcony overlooking the avenue à la New Orleans style. www.innonfifth.com
FAMILY REUNION
Reunion Resort & Club, a 2,300-acre golf resort community (36 holes) in the Disney corridor near Orlando, Florida, has introduced its “Ultimate Family Package” that includes villa or private residence accommodations, a personal concierge, a variety of amenities, theme park passes, a pre-stocked grocery selection, and more. www.reunionresort.com
BOOKSHELF
• Unexpected Orlando. This new guide from the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau shows that there’s more to Central Florida than a famous mouse named Mickey. The guide can be downloaded at orlandoinfo.com/unexpectedorlando.
• The Best Travel Writing 2006. This third volume in the Travelers’ Tales series offers 33 stories covering the globe, from sailing with pirates in the Java Sea to surviving a sandstorm in the Sahara.
• Tommy Dorsey: Livin’ in a Great Big Way — A Biography by Peter Levinson. No musician evokes the Big Band era more than Tommy Dorsey. Read this fascinating life story, and you’ll want to dance.