• Pet Travel Inc.,954-566-0171, www.pettravel.com. Worldwide lodging info and booking. Also, comprehensive info on immigration laws, airline policies and pet-friendly restaurants.
• Pets on the Go, 781-934-7202, www.petsonthego.com. Pet-friendly hotels, destination reviews and other resources on the info-packed site. There's even a "Pet Travel Trends" section. Membership ($15 annually) allows you to customize your search and access premium content.
_____2003 Way to Go Issue_____
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Booking Air Online With Ease (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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Free Cities! (Well, Almost.) (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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52 Great Weekend Escapes (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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Airport Security (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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How to Renew or Apply for a Passport (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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To B&B or . . . (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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Airline Contacts (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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Taking the Train (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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Cruise Lines (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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Catching the Bus (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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Airport Shuttle Services (The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2003)
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• Pets Welcome.com, 845-297-5150, www.petswelcome.com. Excellent listings on a variety of pet-friendly accommodations, info on international travel and tips on dealing with emergencies. The "Search by Route" feature allows you to see pet-friendly lodging between your starting point and final destination.
Seniors
• AARP, 800-424-3410, www.aarp.org. Popular advocacy group offers can't-be-beat travel discounts among its other services. Membership -- 50 and older only -- is $12.50 a year.
• Elderhostel, 877-426-8056, www.elderhostel.org. Nonprofit group organizes learning adventures for almost a quarter-million travelers over 55 each year. There's also an Intergenerational program if you want to take the grandkids.
• Grand Circle Corp., 800-553-1129, www.gct.com. Originally part of AARP, this company markets tours and cruises specifically to the over-50 set (but all ages welcome). The tours have a reputation for being unhurried and immersing travelers in local culture. The Overseas Adventure Travel division offers trips a bit bolder than those under the Travel division.
• Hostelling International, 202-783-6161, www.hiayh.org. Low-cost lodging in 70 countries is available to people of all ages, not just grungy backpackers. Membership for those 55 and over is $18 a year (normally $28 a year), and includes international travel insurance coverage and discounts on Greyhound.
• National Association of Retired Federal Employees, 800-627-3394, www.narfe.org. Group for federal retirees and their families offers travel discounts among its perks. Membership is $20 a year plus local chapter dues if you join before retiring, $25 annually after retirement.
• National Park Service, 888-467-2757, www.nps.gov. Offers the Golden Age Passport, which includes admission to national parks and discounts for those 62 and older; $10 for a lifetime pass (the comparable National Parks Pass is $50 per year for those under 62). Must be obtained in person.
• Senior Summer School, 800-847-2466, www.seniorsummerschool.com. Two- to six-week summer educational programs with classes and lectures in political science, art and the like. The sessions are at 11 universities in the United States and Canada, with Vienna and Prague added for 2004.
• Trafalgar Tours, 800-854-0103, www.ttusa.trafalgartours.com. Well- established travel agency specializes in senior vacations for budget-conscious and first-class travelers.
Singles
• Capital JetSetters Club, 301-390-4897, www.capitaljetsetters.com. Local travel club for solo African American travelers going to exotic locations, such as South Africa, Barbados and the Greek Isles. Membership $75 annually.
• Connecting: Solo Travel Network, 800-557-1757, www.cstn.org. Helps solo travelers find compatible traveling partners through a bimonthly newsletter and offers tips on single supplements and other downsides of solo travel. Half the members are over 50. Membership is $25 a year for Internet-only membership, $35 to receive the publications via mail ($45 after Nov. 1).
• Going Solo Travel Club, 888-446-7656, www.goingsolotravel.com. Offers international tours for single travelers -- it's not a dating service, and married folks are welcome as long as the spouse is left behind -- and matches travelers with roommates to avoid single supplements.
• O Solo Mio Singles Tours, 800-959-8568, www.osolomio.com. Travel club of group trips for individuals. It aims to arrange roommates for those who want them, but it's not guaranteed. Mandatory insurance included in trip prices.
• Singles Travel International, 877-765-6874, www.singlestravelintl.com. Agency guarantees you a roommate on its singles-only trips -- or it will pay for the single supplement itself.
• Solo Dining.com, 800-299-1079, www.solodining.com. Tips and strategies for dining alone, with a free online newsletter with advice on tipping and how to avoid getting a bad table.
