Lotus Position, Latin-Style

Q. Do you have any recommendations for a week-long yoga vacation in Latin America? Preferably something that combines yoga instruction with free time to explore.

Heather Joffe, Washington

A. Yoga vacations exercise the mind and the body, with an equal share of spirituality and sporty endeavors. "A yoga retreat is good for anyone interested in nature, fitness, personal growth and spirituality," says Helen Tomei, founder of Sacred Earth Journeys (877-874-7922, http://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/), a Vancouver company that organizes yoga vacations. "It is an inner journey and an outer journey."

For a more meditative trip, consider an ashram, such as the Siddha Yoga ashrams in Mexico and Costa Rica ( http://www.siddhayoga.org/). The Art of Union ( http://www.artofunion.com/) organizes spiritual trips in Costa Rica. The group's "evolutionary retreat" (Dec. 27-Jan. 10) takes guests from Mount Chirripo to the Pacific Ocean and the Diamante Verde Spiritual Sanctuary for yoga, sacred song singing, etc. Cost is $1,100 per person, land only.

To get off the yoga mat and onto the beach, sign up with a group tour that incorporates active adventures into the itinerary. "Our purpose is for people to have an inner shift," says Michele Hebert, founder of Spa Spirit (858-459-0880, http://www.spaspirit.com/), which organizes retreats and workshops. "But we also want to have fun."

Sacred Earth Journeys has a yoga and sea kayaking vacation in Baja California, Mexico, for $1,295 per person double. Spa Spirit's Hebert leads yoga groups to the Haramara Retreat Center in Sayulita, Mexico, and Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Besides yoga, the ranch offers tennis and other resort attractions. Info: 800-443-7565, http://www.rancholapuerta.com/; all-inclusive weekly rates start at $2,535 double. Along the same lines is Maya Tulum Resort (888-515-4580, http://www.mayatulum.com/) on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, with all-inclusive rates from $1,128 per person double. For other retreat centers worldwide: YogaFinder, http://www.yogafinder.com/.

Where can I find historic ships on the East Coast?

Donald R. Garcia, Arlington

Historic ships are defined as "any warship or civilian ship made into a museum," says Jack Green of the Naval Historical Center in Washington, and about 100 ships worldwide fall under that definition. Most of the vessels are in the water, but a few are dry-docked or exhibited inside museums.

The East Coast has a high concentration of historic ships, from New Hampshire to Florida. In the District, the Naval Historical Center and its U.S. Navy Museum (202-433-4882, http://www.history.navy.mil/) at the Washington Navy Yard covers American naval history from the 18th century through the Korean War. (The museum requires reservations; for all ship visits, bring photo identification.) The District also is home to six ships, including the Navy Yard's USS Barry, which participated in the Cuban Missle Crisis and the Vietnam War.

There are many historic ships in Virginia (Richmond, Norfolk, Newport News) and in South Carolina, including the USS Laffey, the only surviving U.S. World War II destroyer that saw action in the Atlantic.

Massachusetts has more than a dozen ships. The most famous is the USS Constitution, which is docked at the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. About an hour south of Boston is Battleship Cove in Fall River, home of such vessels as the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Finally, Green suggests the USS Slater in Albany, N.Y., which has been extensively restored. "It's like going aboard a time machine to 1945," Green says. "There are uniforms in the locker and papers on the desk." For a statewide list of other historic ships: Historic Naval Ships Association, 757-356-9422, http://www.hnsa.org/.

Where is the best spot to watch a shuttle launch in Florida?

Kate Powell, Walkersville, Md.

The best place to see a space shuttle launch is three miles from the launching pad on the Kennedy Space Center's NASA Causeway on Florida's east coast. The $51 ticket includes a bus ride to the site, which has unobstructed views of the pad and the launch. However, tickets go fast -- the Dec. 7 flight is already sold out. Another option is to watch the launch from the center's Visitor Complex. Viewers gather in the Rocket Garden and can see the shuttle after it clears the trees. Tickets cost $38; purchase in advance. Info: Kennedy Space Center, 321-449-4444, http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/.

Off-site, many people congregate along U.S. Route 1 in Titusville; on any of the Port Canaveral beaches; at Jetty Park; and on Cocoa Beach. The next launch is scheduled for March, so start scouting out a space soon.

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