Steamy New Orleans
Got a hankering to steam in New Orleans? With a humid-summer stay in the Big Easy, sweat you will, but great accommodations deals may make it all worthwhile. Check out what the International House Hotel is offering. The deal: Stay three nights here, two blocks from the French Quarter, for just $221 pre-tax. That amounts to less than $75 per night. If you’d welcome a dash more Southern hospitality to the mix, note that the hotel also is throwing in three free cocktails during your visit. With the average daily “best available” rate starting around $99 or $119 per night, depending on the day, this offer represents a decent savings. At press time, the hotel did not have this promotion listed on its Web site (ihhotel.com), so call (504-553 9550).
Think Europe in winter
For cheap travel to Ireland, or nearly anywhere in Northern Europe, go in winter. At these prices, you might not mind the cold. And if you do, just duck into the local pub. The Dublin City Package from Sceptre Tours comes with round-trip airfare between New York and Dublin, four nights at the Regency Hotel and a full Irish breakfast each day. Prices start at $299 per person, double occupancy, from New York and slightly more from other major airports, plus up to $175 total per person for air taxes, fees and fuel surcharges. A trip-protection plan, automatically included in the package’s online quotes, is optional; cost varies. For $50 per person, you can upgrade to the Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane, nearer the city center. For $50 per person per night, you can extend your stay. The package, subject to availability, is good for travel from Nov. 1 through March 31. The price varies by date, as may the airlines used. For info, contact Sceptre Tours, 800-221-0924, sceptretours.com.
Squaw Valley sports camp
Summer sports camps are a dime a dozen, but few offer a setting as striking as Squaw Valley in California. World Events is presenting a camp for basketball players Grades 3 through 12 July 6 to 10 at the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. Campers will work on ball-handling, footwork, coordination and injury prevention in the five-day class. High Altitude Basketball Camp is an all-inclusive camp featuring high-end accommodations, meals, 24-hour supervision and family packages. For those not sleeping over, prices start at $325. For overnight campers, the price is $625. Call 800-621-2945, highaltitudebball.com.
Air, sea and land
An air, sea and land tour includes a voyage on a Celebrity cruise liner, many ports of call and passage through the Panama Canal. San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; the Panama Canal; Cartagena, Colombia; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Ft. Lauderdale. Dates are Oct. 25 to Nov. 8. Price: Starting at $1,349 (double occupancy; single supplement $730), including two nights’ lodging before the cruise, on-board accommodations, a flight back to San Diego (if applicable; can be deducted), most meals and entertainment, transfers and port charges. For info, contact iCruise.com, Delray Beach, Fla.; 800-427-8473, icruise.com.
