Camping Comforts
For those who like the idea of camping but don't own a tent or RV, Kampgrounds of America (KOA) provides the perfect solution--Kamping Kabins. An innovative leader in full-service campgrounds, KOA has more than 500 locations nationwide, 95 percent of them offering the cozy log structures. The simple cabins (often priced at less than $40 a night) have wood-frame beds with mattress, lockable doors and electric lights (in most areas). They also may have heating or air-conditioning. Guests just need to bring sleeping bags or bed linens and basic kitchen items to cook over the outdoor fire grate. The newest wrinkle in the KOA system is Kamping Kottages, which boast a kitchenette with dishes and utensils, a dining area, sleeping quarters for up to four people, and a bathroom with shower.
The KOA directory is available at KOA campgrounds or send $3 to: KOA Directory, (TravelAmerica Magazine), P.O. Box 30558, Billings, MT 59114-0558; www.koa.com.
Maryland Mountains
In western Maryland, the town of Oakland celebrates the fall foliage season with its 33rd annual Autumn Glory Festival October 12-15. Featured will be railroad excursions, fiddle and banjo contests, parades, Tall Tale Festival, glass blowing tours, a tournament of bands, and antiques, crafts, and collectibles. For information on this and other fall vacation ideas in the Deep Creek Lake area, contact the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, (301) 387-4386. For a free vacation packet, call (800) 800-5557 or key into www.visitdeepcreek.com.
Fast Lane
Hate to wait? Florida's Walt Disney World theme parks have a new FASTPASS system designed to reduce the time visitors spend waiting in line. The system is featured at several of the parks' most popular attractions, including Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Magic Kingdom; Test Track and Honey I Shrunk the Audience at Epcot; Star Tours and Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Disney-MGM Studios; and Countdown to Extinction, Kali River Rapids, and Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It is free to all guests.
At attractions offering FASTPASS, guests will find two clocks: one estimating the wait time in the regular line, the other denoting the current return time for FASTPASS. Guests choosing FASTPASS insert their theme park admission tickets into a turnstile, which then prints out a pass instructing them to return at a specific time. When the guests return at the indicated time to the attraction's FASTPASS entrance, they proceed to the attraction with little or no wait.
Contact: Walt Disney World (TravelAmerica Magazine), P.O. Box 10,000, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830; (407) 824-4321; www.disney world.com.
A Bug's Life
The new Monsanto Insectarium at the Saint Louis Zoo offers a look at the vast world of invertebrates. There are more insects on earth than any other creatures, but the Monsanto Insectarium is one of only a few facilities in the nation devoted to educating visitors about their important role in the ecosystem and the need for their conservation.
Highlights of the Insectarium include 100 different insect species; 20 major interactive exhibit areas; a geodesic dome flight cage filled with colorful flowers and flying insects; a research window, where visitors can watch and talk to entomologists at work; and a life-size exhibit of a typical American home and the insect "housemates" who share everyday life with us.
Contact: Saint Louis Zoo (TravelAmerica Magazine), 1 Government Dr., St. Louis, MO 63110; (314) 781-0900; www.stlzoo.org.
COPYRIGHT 2000 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois)
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group
