Talk About Travel: Transcript Hosted by Craig Stoltz Washington Post Travel Editor Monday, January 25, 1999

Craig Stoltz The Washington Post

Craig Stoltz: Hello again, everyone; thanks for dropping by this forum again. Remember, we're on the Web from 2 to 3 every Monday to talk travel.

I recommend two places, based on a correspondent's recent report: The Moorings cottages ($135/night for two) and the tonier Ladera Resort ($230-up). There's a new submarine offering underwater views of the shallows that's supposed to be a knockout; call it lazy vacationer's snorkeling. Much of the island remains undeveloped, and the Pitons are supposed to be spectacular. I haven't met anyone who's been disappointed.

Washington, D.C.: I'd love to combine a baseball trip with a trip to the islands. I know baseball is huge in Cuba, but are there other tourist-accessible places in the Caribbean that have professional leagues?

Craig Stoltz: This is a great question, but one we don't have recent reporting on. I know fans who have gone to the Dominican Republic for ballgames, and I know it's well developed there (something of a rivalry in Cuba). I'd start looking there. DR is mostly back from its Hurricane Georges damage now; it shouldn't be an issue. And yes, DR is much safer/cleaner than its island brother, Haiti.

Fairfax, VA: I'm getting married in Miami
in May and most of my faraway guest will be flying out of the same airport. Is there anyway we can arrange some kind of group rate if the all fly at the same time?

Craig Stoltz: Most travel agents can pull this off for you, often not even requiring folks to be on the same flight (big agencies have volume deals with airlines and can sell a larger number at a discount). I'd try an agent allied with a big group, like American Express, The Travel Company, Uniglobe, etc. They're the folks with the clout of numbers.

Arlington, VA: I'm a newcomer to the East Coast, and I'm looking for a relaxing and relatively uncrowded beach to spend a late spring-early summer long weekend. I've been to Ocean City, Dewey Beach and Duck...too tacky, too crowded and too expensive (I'm from Santa Barbara, CA). Any suggestions?

Craig Stoltz: If you're the rustic sort, Chinoteague/Assoteague (Md/Va) are beautiful and not overrun, though frankly a lot of the traveler amenities are second class and the developed areas have a shabby feel. (Lots of folks like this; urbane comfort seekers can be disappointed.) I'm also a big fan of the North Carolina Beaches, though I know what you mean about the developed areas. What I like about NC is the long, deserted national seashore. I've stayed in scrappy, tacky places in Nags Head and spent most of my time along the seashore areas, which are just gorgeous.

Anyone else out there help this poor soul?

Washington, DC: Have you ever been to Providence, RI and do you have any recommendations for interesting things to see or do, good restaurants, or daytrips? I have to go to Brown University for business and I'm wondering if there is any reason to stay in the area for the weekend.

Craig Stoltz: Search our archives for a story titled Divine Providence, by a Peter Mandel. It's a fond story by a non-native who's lived there several years, highlighting restaurants, historical places and some of the events. The river fires, which start up in spring, are not to be missed.

Arlington, VA: I'm not familiar with the Carribean, but would like to take a trip to one of the islands this spring. What would you suggest to be the best value? I've also heard that some of the most popular islands are also extremely over-crowded, which I would like to avoid!

Craig Stoltz: If you're looking for low cost and crowds, consider Dominica (though it's very undeveloped and mainly an eco-tourism destination. If you seek nature, Dominica's your pick.) Dominican Republic (a different island!) is cheap, and there's a resort called Punta Cana which every travel agent in the region is pushing. Puerto Rico can be a good value, because there are direct flights, but you'll have to work hard to find a place that's secluded. Aruba and St. Lucia, both a bit more costly, are good values and less crowed than, say, Jamaica, Nassau, Cancun.

Washington, D.C.: Where should we take our kids (5 and 7) for an August vacation given that everywhere seems to be packed with vacationers during that month ?

Craig Stoltz: Last year I spent part of August with my two boys, 8 and 6, on the shores of Lake Michigan. I think it's one of the last great undiscovered places to beat the heat yet hang at the beach. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is on the pristine northeastern rim of the lake and has wide, clean beaches and plenty of historic and cultural attractions. (You can fly to Traverse City, about 30 miles away, or take one of those dirt cheap BWI to Detroit ProAir flights and drive 6 hours upstate).

Falls Church: I'm single and want to explore tour groups. Is there anything like this for singles?

Craig Stoltz: It depends on what you mean by single--whether you want to meet, and perhaps develop a relationship with, other single people, or whether you just want to have a good vacation in good company. If it's the latter, I'd recommend not a "singles" tour group (there are many, often meet markets), but one that caters to your interests--art, archeology, shopping, history, dance, theater, whatever. Single people tell me they are welcomed into groups of other singles and couples on such trips, and make good friendships based on mutual interest--not their current marital status.

Arlington, VA: My girlfriend and I are traveling to see my parents in mid-March. Before we get there, though, we'd like to spend a quiet evening on the road by ourselves. We'll probably drive I-81 to I-40 and are looking for something in that general corridor. Any suggestions or suggested resources for finding a place?

Craig Stoltz: You may want to consider Townsend, Tenn, on the lip of Great Smoky Mt. Park, but well afield from the tacky tourism center of Pigeon Forge. Nice cabins, beautiful parkland, comfort but nothing fancy. . . nice, inexpensive day or two as a rest from the road.

Bethesda, MD: For a very nice, quality beach vacation of 4-5 days, I would recommend Kiawah Island, SC. The resort is beautiful, immaculate and the beach incomparable. You can reserve a condo or townhome through several real estate companies, most of which advertise in the back of Southern Living Magazine.
For a 3 day trip, I like Cape May, and you can find accomodations from expensive B & B's to regular motels.

Craig Stoltz: Thanks for the tips about mid-Atlantic beach spots; glad to pass them on.

Springfield, VA: My husband and I are looking for a place to spend a short (3-5 day) vacation in late spring/early summer, within one day's drive of DC that features historical attractions like Williamsburg, but without the crowds and loads of small children. Any suggestions?

Craig Stoltz: I've never been disappointed by Charlottesville, which of course has Monticello (a must-do if you haven't) and UVA (a Jeffersonian history lesson itself) and lots of BandBs, including the inevitable Boar's Head Inn. Yes, Monticello can be crowded at times, but not nearly as bad as Williamsburg. I also like Charlottesville's proximity to the mountains and, a bit farther out, the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Arlington, VA: I enjoyed your recent story about Charlotte, NC. Do you plan future stories on North Carolina travel destinations? Seems like there is a lot to see and do in the Tar Heel state.

Craig Stoltz: North Carolina can be a tough sell for folks from around here; much of the charm (mountains, rivers, fishing, mountain culture) can be had in much nearer-by West Va. We are planning a story on Fayetteville some time soon, and we always consider the NC beaches part of our turf. We also have a reporter going to visit one of the state's newly designated "wild" rivers.

Fort Lauderdale, FL: Craig:

I am a journalist recently out of college. I want to visit England and Ireland and am wondering how difficult it would be to string for publications overseas, or for stateside publications while abroad. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Grant Heston

Craig Stoltz: People ask about this a lot, so I'm happy to take up the question here. First things first: The Post probably can't use your stuff; the paper has reporters and correspondents in most places we write about. We're not a good place for folks to sell freelance stories to.

Having said that, many publicatins do buy freelance travel stories, and I know from our mailbag that many people circulate them among the 200 or so places listed in Writer's Guide, sometimes for eternity. It's a percentage game, and be aware that your story has to be an unusually good read, and absolutely clean, even to win an editor's full reading.

Fontainebleau, France: My wife and I are thinking of vacationing in the south of Portugal the first week of March. We are thinking of driving from the Paris area to Portugal. That would mean driving almost 1,000 miles each way. Would you suggest flying instead (despite high airfares) because of time pressures?

Also, what's the weather like in the Algarve at that time of year.

Craig Stoltz: I can't speak to the weather. But I would never try to drive that far in just a few days, especially in mountainous country. The biggest mistake people make is trying to do too much in a vacation. I'd fly to Portugal and relax with a bottle of wine.

McLean, VA: For the traveller going to Providence, RI--

If you have a rental car and an afternoon, try Newport, RI. It's about 30-40 minutes away driving, and there is plenty to see for an afternoon or a weekend. There are mansion tours, quaint restaurants, antiques shops, winding cobblestone streets, and a lot of history. Even in the winter it is very pleasant, and the locals tend to be friendlier than in the summer since they are not as overwhelmed by tourists in the off-season.

Craig Stoltz: Great; thanks for the tip.

Arlington, VA: What is your take on cruise ships for 20-somethings? Are they overpriced for what they offer and too tacky and crowded, like amusement parks or Las Vegas? Or are they generally good deals, in terms of exposing you to the Caribbean and in activiies offered on board?

Craig Stoltz: Says cruise correspondent Carolyn Brown, standing at my shoulder: "They are good deals, in terms of what you get for the price. But two things: Choose a line geared to younger people (Carnival and Royal Caribbean are the two biggest), and you want a route appealing to young folks (shorter itineraries in the Caribbean--3, 4 or 7 days. The shorter the cruise, the younger the crowd."

As for the Las Vegas factor: "the ships are becoming more sophisticated, particularly the new Carnival and RCCI ships. You'll have some raucuous drinkers, but lots of mellower people and couples too."

Chicago,IL: Where is Vira, the location of the O's final few spring trainging games? And what is the best way to get there from Sarasota, FL? Hotel recommendations, as well, would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Craig Stoltz: You refer to Vero Beach, which is on the east coast of Florida. You can drive cross state, via toll road 75, from Sarasota to Vero Beach. But the O's train in Ft. Lauderdale.

St. Joseph, Mo.: You're planning a story on Fayetteville? That place is the armpit of N.C.! I can't imagine. But I do suppose a lot of people end up there because of the military bases, and it would be nice to tell them what else they can do while they are stuck there. I lived in New Bern, N.C., a beautiful coastal city, and I highly recommend it. See Tryon Palace, the 18th cent. colonial governor's mansion reconstructed in the 1950s. Go to Beaufort and Morehead City. Go to Oriental, a half-hour from New Bern, a wonderful, quiet little sailing town. So much to do there. Loved it.

Craig Stoltz: Thanks for the note. I mis-typed earlier (the hazard of "live" Web chats); the story will be on Wilmington. Thanks for the tip on New Bern.

Arlington, VA: What is the best online travel agency with respect to price that you've worked with? I've used Expedia in past.

Craig Stoltz: I just completed another test of the big online bookers, and found, once again, a maddening inconsistency. Travelocity's quote was about $200 higher than the other three's quotes (Preview Travel, Expedia, Internet Travel Network). I suggest using at least two; I tend to shop with Preview Travel (good low fare tool), and check it against Travelocity and Expedia.

Arlington VA: Delta's decision to charge two bucks for booking a round-trip ticket seems like a smart business decision, encouraging people to book tickets directly on the Delta web site. When travel agents started charging fees (aren't some as high as $20) directly to their clients, no one asked for a DOT investigation. What gives?

Craig Stoltz: Good point. My only fear is that, if people get into the habit, thanks to incentives or coercion, of booking with an airline via the Web, that they won't check other prices from agents, online agents and other sites that kick out low fares. If we start shopping for convenience or to save $2, we may wind up paying much more.

DC: Speaking of cruises, what do you think about the "Big Red Boat" for families ? To me, it sounds like I would be trapped on a boat with tons of screaming kids. Do you have any other recommendations for cruises that both young kids and parents can enjoy ?

Craig Stoltz: Says Brown: "All the big lines offer family cruises during the school vacation periods, so kids are on every ship. Even Euro-hip Costa is offering family specials in January. But if you want to avoid kids, stay away from holiday periods. If you travel on any ship during school holidays, the ship expects and assigns staff to tending to the kids.

If you want to cruise with your family but want not to be overwhelmed by other people's kids, don't go to Big Red Boat. Just book a regular cruise on a mainstream line like Princess or Royal Carib or Carnival (even QE2 has a great kids facility). You should be OK.

Of course, there's always the Disney option. Yes, you can take just the cruise portion of the Disney Magic vacation now (before you had to do the theme park too). We haven't had a reporter go yet; we've read mixed reviews about how well kids and adults are segregated and tended to.

Falls Church, VA: My wife has never been to New York City, and I'd like to take her when the weather gets a little better. Am I doomed to pay outrageous hotel prices this spring?

Craig Stoltz: Last time we did a New York package (April 98) we did a report about budget accommodations; you should find it in the travel archives. You can find plenty of little, less publicized places for $100-$125 per night, in safe, great neighborhoods. Headline of Package: A Friend in New York.

Vienna, VA: I heard there was a cruise that leaves Old Town Alexandria, VA. Do you have any information on destinations, how long/much?

Craig Stoltz: Didion Cruises, based in Washington, arranged a number of charters out of Alexandria using Norwegian's Leeward--Mexico, Bahamas, Canada, Bermuda, etc. They may be doing them again next year. On the horizon: Carnival is hoping to sail out of Baltimore, to Bermuda, next year or so. (Remember, you read it here first.)

Washington, DC: My fiance and I are looking for a nice place to honeymoon for a late-July wedding. I studied abroad in Europe during college, but his only trip outside of the US has been to Windsor, Canada, and he's itching to break-in a passport. Any thoughts for a relaxing, not-too-sweltering get-away on a moderate budget.

Craig Stoltz: Check the Web site www.theknot.com; they have honeymoon package auctions. Windsor, Canada, eh? More exotic options may include Detroit (just kidding!), Prince Edward Island, Vancouver Island, Iceland (but no darkness at night may hinder romance), Scotland (inexpensive, cool, lots of places to be alone), and in July it's winter in Argentina. You want escape from the heat? Heck, you can ski.

Burlington,VT: Will be on east coast of Florida 3/15 to 3/22. Big Orioles and Cal fan. Is the team separated into "squads" where not all players are at each game? Any way to tell which games Cal will be playing in that time frame?

Craig Stoltz: In most cases, teams separate into squads, so there's no guarantee. You can call the O's and ask, but they'll never know lineups on given days. The Iron Man is well known to play regularly during Spring Training, however, so your chances are probably good.

Arlington, VA: Another excellent North Carolina destination: Asheville. It has mountains like W. Va. (more spectacular ones, actually) plus a thriving arts scene.

Craig Stoltz: Yes, thanks, but be aware that, from the DC area, Asheville is getting pretty far away, rather "deep" into NC's "interior." A bit closer is Blowing Rock--beautiful, mountainous, arty, but not quite as remote.

St. Joseph, Mo.: Wilmington is great, too, and only 80 miles south of New Bern. You guys might want to consider lumping New Bern in as a side trip from Wilmington. US 17, the road from New Bern to Wilmington, is a beautiful drive, and well worth it. Glad to know you mistyped. I was beginning to think military haircuts, tatoos and strip bars were considered good vacation getaway plans by the W. Post editors. (that's all that's in Fayetteville).

Thanks for including my earlier comments.

I almost got confused and told you about my transsexual boyfriend, but that's Carolyn Hax's field, I suppose.

Craig Stoltz: Thanks St. Jo, and you've struck the perfect ending note for today's festivities. Thanks for your questions and comments, and we'll see you next Monday. Meantime, look for Sunday's paper: a report on the Right and Wrong ways to do Disney; a visit to Argentina's Mendoza wine region; and notes from, yes, the longest scheduled flight in U.S. aviation. Fly safe!