Travel Tips & Trends

Elitch Gardens celebrates 120 years
Italy passes Australia as top destination
Fall color websites
Outdoors in Tucson
Tucson eco-resort offers Nickelodeon Getaway
Historic Western art on show at Denver Art Museum
Traveling with your dog
Kids and cruising
Stranded on the tarmac
Beer festivals return to Denver

Downtown office buildings are the backdrop
for Elitch Gardens’ wooden roller coaster.
© PeterPhoto.

Elitch Gardens celebrates 120 years

Elitch Gardens, Denver’s urban theme park, is the oldest continually operating theme park west of the Mississippi. It celebrates its 120th anniversary this year.

The park opened on May 1, 1890, at 38th Avenue and Tennyson Street, under the ownership of John and Mary Elitch. It became one of the most popular entertainment destinations in Colorado, and was home to Colorado’s first zoo, theater, movie house and symphony orchestra. In 1896, the first movies ever seen in the West were screened here, projected by the just-invented Edison Vitascope.

The park’s Trocadero Ballroom, which operated from the 1930s until 1975, and the Elitch Theatre both hosted many world-class performers and musicians over the years and were major venues in Denver’s arts and culture scene.

Thrill rides were a feature from the beginning. The park’s first roller coaster opened in 1904, and its first carousel (thrilling in those days) came in 1906. That carousel is now the Kit Carson County Carousel in Burlington, Colo., where it offers rides for 25 cents throughout the summer. It is the only remaining antique carousel of its kind in the USA and still has all the original paint.

John died of pneumonia just one year after the park opened, but Mary continued to run it until 1917. The park was family-owned until 1996. It is now owned by a Florida-based company, PARC Management.

Elitch Gardens moved to its current location beside the Platte River in 1995. Many of the old rides were kept, but the hugely popular Mister Twister wooden roller coaster could not be moved, so a replica was built—Twister II.

Today, with more than 65 rides, shows and attractions including seven roller coasters and a water park, Elitch Gardens attracts more than one million visitors each year during its May through October season.

To celebrate its 120th anniversary, the park has undergone a $1.5 million renovation. Six slides and seven rides were given new gel coating (including hand-rolling all 500,000 feet of lumber making up the wooden roller coaster). The Ferris wheel has new lighting, in the form of 243,360 LEDs—a system that will use only 40 to 50 amps of electricity per hour, almost seven times less than the old lighting system. Visitors who associate Elitch Gardens with the aroma of funnel cakes will be happy to see that the funnel cake shop has expanded.

This year, the park has hosted special “Thank You Denver” events and concerts throughout the season. October brings more events with a Halloween theme. For information, visit www.elitchgardens.com or call 303-595-4FUN.

Italy passes Australia as top destination

Seaside villas near Portofino, Italy.
© Daniel Breckwoldt.

If money was no object, where would you go for a vacation? A recent poll by Harris Interactive revealed that the top pick for Americans in 2010 is Italy. Previous favorite Australia dropped to second place this year, only the second time since 1997 it has left the top spot.

Gender and generation made a difference to people’s choices. Italy was the most common choice among women, Echo Boomers (ages 18–33) and Baby Boomers (46–64). Australia was favored by men, Gen Xers (34–45) and Matures (65 and older).

Ireland was in third place, Great Britain was fourth and France was fifth. Greece and Germany tied for sixth place, followed by Japan, Spain and New Zealand.

Two countries—Brazil and Jamaica—dropped off the list this year. The Netherlands made its first appearance on the list (at number 14) and Israel returned for the first time since 2001.

Almost half of Americans (49%) chose a country in Europe as their dream vacation spot. One quarter (24%) chose a destination in Asia or the Pacific. Just over one in 10 U.S. adults (11%) picked a country in the Americas or the Caribbean, while 4% chose a country in Africa and 3% chose one in the Middle East.

One surprising result was an increase in the number of people who said they wouldn’t go anywhere outside the USA, even if cost was no object. These respondents increased from 4% in 2009 to 7% in 2010.

Many Americans will act on their desire to visit Italy, Australia or Ireland this year. For others, these types of vacations are dreams to save up for. As an easy first step if you are in the latter category, move from fantasizing about your dream vacation to planning it. A travel agent can give you a realistic idea of costs and possible itineraries, and the dream is more likely to become a reality when you have a goal to work toward. AAA travel agents can help you plan and book any type of domestic or international travel.

Fall color websites

You want to take a scenic fall drive, but where? Have the aspens turned yet? Did you leave it too late last year and find a scenic drive full of bare branches? In Colorado, peak fall foliage depends on a mixture of altitude, latitude and the weather.

There are websites to help you find the best color on any given weekend in autumn. Try these—some will still show 2009 information in early fall, but will start updating as soon as the leaves start turning for the 2010 season.

Outdoors in Tucson

Tucson, Ariz., is bordered on all sides by natural areas: five mountain ranges, Coronado National Forest, Catalina State Park, Ironwood Forest National Monument and Saguaro National Park. Its setting makes Tucson a natural choice for Coloradans who want to extend their outdoor summer activities into fall or winter.

Tucson’s weather is warm and sunny year-round. Summer highs are around 100, but at this time of year temperatures typically range from 65 to 90 degrees.

An excellent first stop is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which combines elements of a zoo, botanical garden and natural history museum. Two miles of paths take the visitor through 21 acres of the Sonoran Desert, to discover more than 300 animal species and 1,200 plant species. Night life is not limited to indoor entertainment. Southern Arizona is the astronomy capital of the world. From Tucson, several famous observatories can be visited, including Kitt Peak National Observatory, Fred Whipple Observatory (Mt. Hopkins) and Mt. Graham International Observatory.

Golf and spa resorts are as popular in Tucson as in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. The greater Tucson area has more than 40 golf courses. Two of the world’s top destination spas are located here—Miraval Arizona and Canyon Ranch—along with many others that often feature outdoor activities such as tennis, swimming, hiking and horseback riding.

Tucson is a two-hour flight or approximately 13 hours’ drive from Denver.

Tucson eco-resort offers Nickelodeon Getaway

With five restaurants, four pools, a 20,000-square-foot spa and 27 holes of golf, the JW Marriott Starr Pass is the largest resort in southern Arizona. The AAA Four Diamond-rated hotel also boasts of being the only true eco-resort in Tucson. The surrounding Tucson Mountain Park highlights Sonoran Desert flora and fauna, with numerous hiking and biking trails.

In spring and summer of 2011, the resort will once again offer its popular Nickelodeon Getaway for families. Parents and kids can experience a character breakfast with Dora the Explorer or SpongeBob SquarePants, with poolside entertainment in the afternoon. Things get messier than usual for a high-end resort, with Nickelodeon-themed arts and crafts workshops, trivia shows and poolside game shows where contestants can end up with a pie in the face or an iconic Nickelodeon “sliming.” On Friday and Saturday nights, kids can enjoy a Nickelodeon Dive-In Movie and complimentary Slime Slushy at the pool.

The two-night getaway also includes a SpongeBob Squarepants or Dora the Explorer sleepover kit with pillowcase and gifts for the kids, and a photo-op with the characters. Talk to your travel agent for details.

Historic Western art on show at Denver Art Museum

“Long Jake the Rocky Mountain Man,”
by Charles Deas. Courtesy of DAM.

From August 21 through November 28, the Denver Art Museum (DAM) presents the first-ever retrospective of 19th century Western painter Charles Deas. The exhibition brings together 12 of Deas’ most important pieces, 30 paintings and nine works on paper, including many that have not been publicly displayed for 150 years.

“Deas’s work helped shape Americans’ perception of their country during the 1840s, the most intense period of westward expansion and emigration in our history,” said Joan Carpenter Troccoli, senior scholar at the DAM’s Petrie Institute of Western American Art and co-curator of the exhibition.

Charles Deas was born in Philadelphia in 1818. He achieved moderate success in the mid-1830s as a portraitist, but after an economic downturn restricted artistic opportunities in New York, Deas decided to seek his fortune in the West. In 1840, he arrived at Fort Crawford where his brother was stationed on the Mississippi River. While based there, Deas came into contact with Sioux, Winnebago and other Native American communities.

The fur trade provided Deas with subjects for some of his most important paintings. During the 1840s, he was one of the most renowned and influential painters of the American West. Sadly, his career was terminated at age 29 by his admission to a mental asylum. He left no descendants and by the end of the 19th century most of his works had disappeared from public view.

The Denver Art Museum is located on 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Streets in downtown Denver. For more information, visit www.denverartmuseum.org or call 720-865-5000.

Traveling with your dog

Traveling with the family pet—usually a dog—is big business today, and many AAA-rated lodgings have pet-friendly rooms available. Higher-end hotels often have amenities available for canine guests, from bowls, dog beds and treats to dog walking services and even spa treatments.

AAA TourBooks include an icon to identify pet-friendly accommodations. This can be used both by pet lovers, and by those who wish to avoid hotels where other guests might bring pets. Just as AAA marks the availability of smoke-free or smoke-friendly rooms, this gives all travelers the opportunity for an informed choice.

AAA offers these tips when staying at a hotel with your dog:

Inquire about pet policies before making a reservation. Some properties have a size or weight limit. Ask if there is an additional fee or deposit.
Keep pets on a leash in all public areas. Check in advance which areas of the hotel are off-limits.
If you must leave your pet in the room, crate or confine it, and make sure the housekeeper knows there is an animal in the room.
Don’t allow pets on the furniture. If your pet insists on sleeping on the bed, bring a sheet or bedspread from home to place on top of the hotel bedding.
It should go without saying: Clean up after your pet immediately, whether indoors or out.

Kids and cruising

© Disney.

Thinking of a cruise? Some cruise lines cater to families, while others provide a more adult-oriented experience. Whichever end of this spectrum suits you, it’s best to know before you go. AAA’s travel agency can help you choose the right cruise line and itinerary for your needs.

Very child-friendly
Cruise lines in this category have extensive supervised activity programs for children of all ages. Teens usually have their own lounges and club areas. Pagers or phones are given to parents for easy contact while their children are participating in youth programs, there are plenty of options for parent-and-child activities, and daycare or nursery facilities are available for very young children.

Disney Cruise Line is the best bet for families with young children. Its minimum age for child passengers is just three months. The ships offer day care for babies and toddlers at Flounder’s Reef Nursery, which accepts children from three months to three years old. There is an hourly fee. Disney also has excellent programs for older children up to teens, and the entire cruise experience is family-oriented, as one would expect from Disney.

Royal Caribbean has a play program for children from 6-18 months old. Children cannot be dropped off and left—parental participation is required. One Royal Caribbean ship, Oasis of the Seas, has a nursery for children from six months to three years old, which offers day care or babysitting for an hourly fee. For older kids, activity programs are available in five age groups: 3–5, 6–8, 9–11, 12–14 and 15–17.

Carnival Cruise Line has youth programs for five age groups: 2–5, 6–8, 9–11, 12–14 and 15–17. There are limited fee-based babysitting services available for children under two.

Norwegian Cruise Line has youth programs for ages 2–5, 6–9, 10–12 and 13–17. Group babysitting is available for a fee, but private babysitting is not available and there are no programs or activities for children under two.

Holland America Line offers programs in three age groups: 3–7 (5–7 on one ship, the ms Prinsendam), 8–12 and 13–17. Children in the youngest age group must be toilet trained to participate. Babysitting services are only available when staff time permits. Ships have a limited number of high chairs, booster seats and cribs available, which must be reserved in advance when booking the cruise. One of Holland America’s features is its Culinary Arts program, which has classes available for children as well as adults.

Some child services
Cruise lines in this category attract a primarily adult crowd and do not have extensive children’s activity programs. However, babysitting or other services may be available. Parents should consider whether a young child will find the cruise experience interesting or enjoyable. Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises all offer in-cabin babysitting for an hourly fee. Reservations must be made in advance.

Cunard Line’s ships have nurseries and children’s centers with toys and games. Children one year old and above can be dropped off at these play areas, but parents must accompany children under one. Both Cunard ships have a family pool area and complimentary group babysitting is available in the evenings.

No child services
Azamara Cruises, Cruise West and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises all offer itineraries designed for adults. While none of these cruise lines prohibit children (Uniworld sets a minimum age of four), there are no special children’s programs or services available onboard for them and it is rare to find families traveling with young children on these lines. Cruise West encourages families with older children who are able to participate in their standard adult enrichment programs.

Stranded on the tarmac

Earlier this year, the U.S Department of Transportation enacted a new rule in response to increasing incidents of air passengers being stranded on board a delayed aircraft for uncomfortable periods of time. Airlines are now required to provide snacks and water to passengers on planes delayed on the tarmac for two hours or more.

The rule also requires airlines to:

Allow domestic passengers to deplane after waiting three hours, unless safety or security would be compromised.
Provide additional consumer information on websites or during customer transactions.
Display on-time arrival rates and incidents in which landings were more than 30 minutes late.
Designate an employee to monitor effects of flight delays, cancellations and long tarmac delays on passengers.
Acknowledge receipt of formal customer complaints within 30 days and issue substantive responses within 60 days.

The new rule applies only to situations when passengers are already on the plane. There are no federal requirements for passengers waiting at the airport for a delayed or cancelled flight—each airline has its own policies about what it will do to help delayed passengers in that situation.

Air travelers can register complaints about an airline at airconsumer.ost.dot.gov. The website also offers consumer information on baggage, on-time performance, rules for airfare advertising and airline overbooking policies.

Beer festivals return to Denver

The Front Range’s reputation as one of the world’s great brewing locations will be further cemented during the second annual Denver Beer Fest, Sept. 10-19. The festival debuted last year as a leadup to the main event: America’s most prestigious craft beer competition, the 29th Annual Great American Beer Festival, which runs Sept. 16-18 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

The Great American Beer Festival brings 522 breweries to Denver. Nearly 50,000 attendees are expected. Similar to a wine festival, craft brewers serve tiny tasting portions of more than 2,238 specialty beers. Responsible consumption is encouraged and enforced.

Some highlights:

Brew at the Zoo, Sept. 10, 7–10 p.m. Denver Zoo offers an evening of live music, dancing, beers from more than 40 of Colorado’s finest breweries and food from Denver’s best restaurants. Ticket prices range from $65 to $85, with special $30 tickets for non-drinking designated drivers. 303-376-4800, www.denverzoo.org/brew/default.htm.
Tour de Fat, Sept. 11, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. A day of beer, bicycles and live music in Denver’s City Park. The event kicks off with a costumed bike parade. This is a family event. 970-221-0524.
Rare Beer Tasting, Sept. 17, 1–4 p.m. This ticketed event at Wynkoop Brewery raises money for prostate cancer awareness, presenting 24 rare, exotic or hard-to-find beers from brewers across the USA. 303-297-2700.

For complete information and updates on festival events, visit www.DenverBeerFest.com.

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