April 2014 East Penn Traveler by AAA East Central

www.AAA.com Sept 12-22: e 3 luxurious daytim in ts gh ni th wi , rail rides (3), Seattle, Vancouver (2), er sp Ja Kamloops, Lake Louise, Banff & Calgary

April 2014

ERIENCES

PEAK EXP

Rocky Mountaineer Train Summit Helicopter Tour

CANADIAN ROCKIES: Seattle to Calgary

ertain travel experiences stimulate the senses, stir the soul and embed them selves forever in our psyche. Timeless and awe-inducing natural scenery — combined with unique and exhilarating adventures — forge lifelong joy-filled memories that may be called upon later to soothe & uplift us when we need to be soothed & uplifted. Such is the potential and priceless benefit you’re likely to reap if you join AAA’s Sept 1222 “Canadian Rockies: Seattle to Calgary” tour. And, for AAA members who book & make a deposit by 4/30/14, some other more-material benefits (savings up to $500.00!) are waiting as well; see box at right. Witness stunningly jagged mountainscapes soaring above and around you...icy-cold alpine lakes of uncommon hues more often associated with jewels...brilliant star-bright nights, silent but for sounds of the wild…dense forests redolent of evergreen and what can only be described as the smell of “clean.” Being temporarily dumbstruck by nature calls for an equally “moving” manmade experience that’s sure to get your heart racing — riding on the world’s foremost luxury touring train. This extraordinary 9-day tour includes daytime rides on Rocky Mountaineer — Seattle

Don’t just imagine it or read about it; discover all of the pleasures of a Rocky Mountaineer journey in “rail” time; enjoy the highestlevel Gold Leaf Service on 3 daytime train rides, just one feature of AAA’s Sept 12 “Canadian Rockies: Seattle to Calgary” tour.

ONLY AAA MEMBERS SAVE UP TO $500.00

Mark Your Calendar

FREE Battery Wellness Clinics from AAA

Premium............. $500.00 Plus..................... $450.00 Basic................... $400.00 and get a pair of compact 8X BINOCULARS! Book & make a deposit by 4/30/14. SAVINGS/BINOCULARS PER ROOM, BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

Exclusive AAA MEMBER BENEFIT: Each adult receives a $100.00 onboard Rocky Mountaineer souvenir credit! to Vancouver, Vancouver to Kamloops, Kamloops to Jasper. Even more extraordinary? The 3 rides are just 1 highlight of this tour! Great rail journeys transcend mere travel, and those on Rocky Mountaineer rate as one of the “World’s Greatest Trips” by National Geographic...“Best Train Experience in the World” by the Society of American Travel Writers...and “Best Rail Vacation” by Travel Weekly. Rocky Mountaineer’s highest-level GoldLeaf Service features reclining seats in a bi-level glass-domed coach with full-length windows and a lower-level dining room, where you’ll savor hot gourmet meals from an à la carte menu prepared by chefs trained at Michelinstarred restaurants. Enjoy complimentary snacks & beverages (soft & “hard”) at your seat as friendly hosts offer stories and alert you of photo opps, from your seat or the lower level’s outdoor vestibule. Relax to the train’s hypnotic clickety-clack and soothing sway. Marvel at the sights appearing and unfolding beyond the panoramic windows, with the promise of something even more spectacular just ahead or around each corner. In addition to the train experiences, you’ll also visit other wonders in 3 national parks that form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. And you’ll enjoy hotel stays in Seattle, Vancouver (2 nights), Kamloops, Jasper (2 nights), Banff and Calgary. It all begins Seattle; after some self-guided continued on page 10

April is Spring Car Care Month and AAA Mobile Battery Service is hosting Free Battery Wellness Clinics. State-of-the-art diagnostic equipment will confirm whether your battery will hold a charge or if the problem lies deeper in the electrical system. If a replacement is needed, it can be purchased and installed on the spot at a special AAA Member price. Battery checks will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16 and Tuesday, April 22 at the following AAA branch office locations: ALLENTOWN 2072 Downyflake Lane 610-434-5141 BETHLEHEM 1520 Stefko Blvd. 610-867-7502 LANSDALE 1250 N. Broad St. 215-855-8600 ROYERSFORD 70 Buckwalter Rd. 610-323-6300 No appointment necessary

It’s AAA Day at Philadelphia Premium Outlets

Saturday, May 3 is AAA Member Appreciation Day at Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick and will feature a grand prize of a $200 shopping spree at Neiman Marcus Last Call. Stop by the AAA table in the Food Court from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to register to win one of the day’s door prizes. For more information turn to page 9.

AAA’s 2014 State Advocacy Agenda Priorities Include Distracted Driving and Teen Driver Safety

by Charles J. Kelly, Chairman, AAA East Central, East Penn Region

wo thousand and fourteen may prove to be a watershed year for our transportation infrastructure. Many states lack the funding to build and properly maintain the roads we use every day. The federal government’s failure to adequately address this issue means state legislatures must look for new ways to pay for improvements and reduce congestion. AAA will do everything it can to support states in achieving these goals. AAA has prioritized a number of important state advocacy issues this year, including transportation funding, distracted driving, teen driver safety, impaired driving and connected cars. Our goal is to make driving safer, improve mobility and protect the rights of all motorists.

Transportation funding — Congress has not updated the 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax that funds the Highway Trust Fund in more than 20 years. Inflation and lower tax revenues due to improved fuel efficiency have significantly eroded federal transportation funding per mile. Last year, six states including Pennsylvania passed legislation to adjust their statewide gas taxes to help fund roads and bridges and as many as 28 additional states will take up the issue this year. AAA will provide expertise as state policymakers examine ways to pay for critical transportation projects and safety improvements. Distracted driving — AAA will continue working with state legislatures to reduce distracted driving. In 2009, AAA launched a national legislative campaign to ban texting while driving for all drivers in all 50 states and only eight states remain without a law. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration distracted driving is responsible for about 3,000 fatalities and 420,000 injuries per year. Taking your eyes off the road for more than two seconds can double your risk of being involved in a crash. Teen driver safety — Car crashes take more teen lives than cancer, homicide and suicide combined. AAA is urging all states to adopt and enforce a comprehensive three-stage graduated driver licensing (GDL) system for teen drivers. While all states have some form of a GDL law, there is much room for improvement. Only seven states including New York and West Virginia currently have GDL systems that meet AAA’s guidelines for nighttime limits, passenger limits and practice requirements. Safety experts credit GDL laws for much of the 57 percent decline in traffic fatalities for 16- and 17-year-old drivers between 1995 and 2010.

Impaired driving — More than 10,000 people die in alcohol-impaired driving crashes per year, accounting for approximately one-third of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States. Ignition interlocks have been proven to be effective at reducing repeat offenses, but only 18 states mandate or highly incentivize ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. AAA is urging the 32 remaining states to save lives and prevent needless tragedies by requiring ignition interlocks for all offenders. Connected cars — Wireless connectivity promises to transform the driving experience by improving safety and more new cars are being equipped with this technology. It also has the potential to collect and transmit vast amounts of user data outside the vehicle without the knowledge or informed consent of the owner. AAA is working to educate state policymakers on the ramifications of this technology by promoting consumer rights for car data that ensure transparency, choice and security.

AAA Foundation Finds LATCH-Installed Car Seats to be a Weighty Issue Majority of Car Seat Installation Experts Encounter Weight-Related Errors A final rulemaking from RATING SEVERITY the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), revises weightlimit labeling for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)-installed car seats to include both the weight of the child and the car seat itself, unlike current guidance which only accounts for the child’s weight. Caregivers, unaware of weight limit restrictions, may be unknowingly exceeding weight limits by neglecting to factor in their child’s weight along with the increasingly-heavy car seat. A recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey of Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs), those certified to check and educate parents on the installation of car seats, found that 85 percent of CPSTs have encountered LATCH weight limits that exceed recommendations, and nearly one in five report seeing this often.

APRIL 2014

RATING

FREQUENCY

Negligible: Less than minor injury to the child.

Improbable

Marginal: Minor injury to the child, including minor abrasions and contusions.

Occasional

Critical: Severe injury, including broken bones, spinal damage, head injuries, internal organ damage, and/or loss of life.

Frequent

“In the event of a crash, exceeded weight limits may cause the lower anchors and tether to perform improperly, leaving children vulnerable to injury or death,” warned AAA’s Director of Traffic Safety Research and Advocacy Jake Nelson. “Clear labeling is a step in the right direction, but standardization of equipment and proper education of caregivers remain the priority.”

The primary purpose of LATCH, required as of 2002, was to increase the likelihood that caregivers could achieve a correct car seat installation more often than when using the seat belt. However, according to the AAA Foundation’s survey, more than half of CPSTs report caregivers are less likely to install a child seat correctly using LATCH.

Additional survey highlights include: • 80.5 percent of CPSTs report that LATCH installation errors are not obvious to caregivers. • Nearly one-third (29.7 percent) of CPSTs feel LATCH is more complicated than it needs to be. • More than half (54.6 percent) of CPSTs believe LATCH needs to be improved. Continued on page 23

ADMINISTRATION OFFICE

1020 W. Hamilton Street, P.O. Box 1910 Allentown, PA 18105-1910

AAA EAST CENTRAL

Chairman: Vice Chairman: Vice Chairman: Vice Chairman: Vice Chairman:

Richard S. Hamilton James E. Broome, Jr. Douglas W. Caldwell Mary Lynn Laughlin Martha Hartle Munsch

OFFICERS:

President: James E. Lehman Executive Vice President: Thomas J. Ashley Vice President of Operations: Allen J. Ruch Assistant Treasurer: Edith W. Martel Secretary: Robert H. Compton

GOVERNING BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

James E. Broome, Jr., Steve D. Bullock*, Douglas W. Caldwell, Charles O. Casto, Edward C. Coaxum, Jr., Robert S. Collins, Robert H. Compton, Jon E. Denney, Debra A. Dinnocenzo, Pamela C. Fritz, Richard S. Hamilton, James H. Kanicki, Mary Lynn Laughlin, Richard D. Linderman*, William Duff McCrady, James M. McDonnell, Thomas V. McKernan, Jr., Martha Hartle Munsch, Gary K. Munsie*

AAA EAST CENTRAL

GOVERNING BOARD OF DIRECTORS Charles J. Kelly, Chairman, Llyena F. Boylan, 1st Vice Chairman, Carol Dean Henn, 2nd Vice Chairman/Secretary, Richard A. Adams**, William J. Albert**, Glenn B. Bachman, Charles R. Broderick**, Douglas W. Caldwell, Ralph A. Clemmer, Donald E. Ellis**, Barnet H. Fraenkel, G. Patrick Frank**, Pamela C. Fritz, Gregory E. Grim, James W. Harper**, Robert M. Johnson**, Joseph Kovatch**, Frederick E. Kutteroff, John P. Lavelle**, Richard D. Linderman, Franklin Mann 3rd**, Robert E. McNabb, Charles M. Meredith III**, Terrence L. Walton *Emeritus Directors **Honorary members

AAA EAST PENN REGIONAL STORES HOURS

Allentown Bethlehem & Lansdale Store Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed. & Fri. : 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thurs. : 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sat. : 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Royersford Store Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed. & Fri. : 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thurs. : 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sat. : 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ALLENTOWN 2072 Downyflake Ln. 610-434-5141 BETHLEHEM 1520 Stefko Blvd. 610-867-7502 LANSDALE 1250 N. Broad St. 215-855-8600 ROYERSFORD 70 Buckwalter Rd. 610-323-6300 TDDs 610-435-0226 • Visit us online: www.AAA.com Reservation Center: 1-800-472-9367

Get Expanded Traffic Information on PennDOT’s New 511PA Website P

ennsylvania’s 511PA traveler information system is now providing motorists with better access to traffic information with a new and improved website, www.511PA.com, as well as improved phone and personal-alert systems. The redesigned website, which works on both computers and mobile devices, provides free, 24-hour travel information for thousands of miles of state roads including the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Incident and construction information is available for 40,000 miles of state roads, essentially the entire PennDOT-maintained system, plus the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The original 511PA system offered information for the 2,900 miles that make up the ‘core system’ of interstates and select U.S. routes. Information on current traffic conditions has improved with real-time traffic-speed data now available for 15,000 roadway miles, expanded from 659.

The site also now offers access to 30 additional traffic cameras from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, in addition to the 650 already available across the state. Users who opt to get their traveler information on the phone will find an easier-to-use system that provides information more quickly and includes better voice recognition technology. The phone system is accessible by dialing 511 from within Pennsylvania. Users who call 511PA from outside the state should call 1-877-511PENN (7366). In addition to the website and phone options, motorists can sign up to receive personal travel alerts through email and text messages. The alerts can be customized by roadway, time of day and days of the week. Alerts are also available through Twitter feeds assigned to each 511PA region, as well as a statewide feed.

Request Roadside Assistance From Your PC or Mobile Device

More Ways AAA is Putting Technology to Work For You information on AAA member offers (where available). Here’s a situation with a familiar AAA Mobile delivers a complete mobile

ring to it — it’s a busy morning and you’re running late for work. You barely have time to grab your keys before hurrying out the door. Then you realize your car won’t start. Vehicle breakdowns are an unfortunate fact-of-life and the timing is never good. You could call by dialing our toll-free number, but AAA has several additional ways to request road service — AAA Mobile, AAA Find Me, and AAA Road Service Online. Use them when you’re on the road, or from the comfort of your home or office. AAA Mobile AAA members can request roadside assistance electronically directly through their smartphones using the free AAA Mobile app. It also transmits the location of your vehicle using the GPS location on your phone. A new, next generation user interface, incorporating a series of interactive “cards” is beautifully responsive and optimized to look and work great on your device. Available for iPhone and Android-compatible devices, AAA Mobile makes the perfect travel companion for people on the go. In addition to roadside assistance key features include: • TripTik® — Trip planning with interactive maps and directions • Exclusive member discounts at over 114,000 locations • Mobile battery replacement quotes and AAA Approved Repair locations • Research, find and book AAA Diamond Rated hotels with reviews, inspector notes and

member experience. For more information or to download the AAA Mobile, visit the AAA Mobile Solutions page at AAA.com/Mobile. AAA Road Service Online Members can easily access AAA Road Service Online from their PC or tablet device by clicking on the Road Service Online link at AAA.com. If you are not a registered AAA.com user, you’ll then be asked to enter your member number and zip code to confirm your membership. You’ll quickly be guided through the online request process, providing the same information you would if you called, including vehicle information, location, and type of service requested. Shortly after the request is sent, members receive an e-mail confirmation that includes an estimated time of arrival for the road-service provider. Why request road service online? Service requests made online go directly to the dispatcher, so the time it takes to request service online can be considerably shorter than by phone. This is particularly true during severe weather when call volume can be heavier. Visit AAA.com the next time you need roadside assistance. AAA Find Me If you need roadside assistance and call from your AT&T or Sprint GPS-enabled mobile phone, AAA will rescue you — even if you aren’t sure where you are. AAA Find Me uses GPS technology to determine the location of authorized mobile handsets. There are no additional fees and the only requirement is that participants are current AAA members and an AT&T or Sprint subscriber. APRIL 2014

AAA Traveler Now Online at AAA.com AAA TRAVELER GENERAL INFORMATION: Affiliations: AAA, Pennsylvania AAA Federation. A not-for-profit organization. Issue #1075-668X USPS #0309-620 Vol. 92, No. 4 April 2014 AAA Traveler (USPS 309-620) is published 8X annually (Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, July, Sept. and Nov.) at 1020 W. Hamilton St., P.O. Box 1910, Allentown, PA 18105-1910 Publisher: James E. Lehman Editor: Theresa E. Deutsch Associate Editor: Lori McLaughlin PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID: At Allentown, PA 18101 and additional mailing offices. Subscription: $1 per year to PRIMARY members, paid through dues; non-members $1 per copy.

ow you never have to miss a single issue of your AAA Club publication. The AAA Traveler is now online for any time access to informative articles on getting the most from your AAA membership, helpful consumer advice and thoughtful commentary on issues relevant to all motorists. Planning your next vacation? AAA Traveler highlights some of the premier destinations and attractions from across the country and around the globe. Plus, there are in-depth reviews of the latest automotive technology, and practical information on buying and looking after your vehicle. Just go to AAA.com and click on the “Community” tab. When the drop-down menu appears, click on the “Motorist/Traveler” link and

enter your zip code for the regional edition created specifically for your geographic area.

POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: AAA Traveler, P.O. Box 1910, Allentown, PA 18105-1910. Advertisements in this publication, except for AAA club services and products, do not constitute an endorsement of the automobile club or the publisher. Liability of the publisher for errors and omissions in advertising or editorial copy is limited to printing a correction in the next issue of the publication after the publisher has been notified of the error or omission.

aaa’s Safe Driving for Mature Operators Course

Auto Insurance Save $$ onPremiums

Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. LANSDALE – May 8 1250 N. Broad St.

BETHLEHEM – June 5 1520 Stefko Blvd.

FREE 90-minute workshop for parents and their pre-permit teens focusing on concepts that a teen may not normally hear in a driver education class such as: Pennsylvania’s graduated driver licensing law; parent-teen agreements; crash statistics; and insurance coverage for teen drivers.

R.S.V.P.: AAA Public Affairs Dept. at 610-434-5141 or register online at AAA.com/events

APRIL 2014

AAA’s four-hour and eight-hour programs have been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for an insurance reduction. To qualify for the insurance reduction, all named insureds on the policy must be 55 years of age or older and successfully complete a AAA driver improvement course which meets PennDOT standards.

Choose from the following 8-hour courses ALLENTOWN: MAY 13 & 14 BETHLEHEM: JuLY 15 & 16 LANSDALE: JuNE 24 & 25 ROYERSFORD: MAY 20 & 21

2072 DOWNYFLAKE LANE 9:15 A.M. TO 1:15 P.M. 1520 sTEFKO BLVD. TuEs/WED 9:15 A.M. TO 1:15 P.M. 1250 N. BROAD sTREET TuEs/WED 9:15 A.M. TO 1:15 P.M. 70 BuCKWALTER ROAD TuEs/WED 12:30 P.M. TO 4:30 P.M. TuEs/WED

Choose from the following 4-hour courses

4-hour courses

(both must be AAA members)

Non-Member: $25

Non-Member: $20

aaa Member: $15 aaa Member: $10 AAA Member & Spouse: AAA Member & Spouse: $20 per couple $15 per couple

ALLENTOWN: APRiL 10 JuNE 4 BETHLEHEM: MAY 7 JuNE 11 LANSDALE: MAY 7 ROYERSFORD: JuNE 11

2072 DOWNYFLAKE LANE 5:00 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M. 9:15 A.M. TO 1:15 P.M. 1520 sTEFKO BLVD. WEDNEsDAY 9:15 A.M. TO 1:15 P.M. WEDNEsDAY 9:15 A.M. TO 1:15 P.M. 1250 N. BROAD sTREET WEDNEsDAY 9:15 A.M. TO 1:15 P.M. 70 BuCKWALTER ROAD WEDNEsDAY 5:00 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M.

THuRsDAY WEDNEsDAY

To qualify for the four-hour refresher course, participants must be 55 years of age or older and have taken AAA’s eight-hour or four-hour Safe Driving for Mature Operators course within the past three years.

To register for a course in Allentown or Bethlehem, call 610-434-5141; Royersford or Lansdale, call 800-564-0300.

Bike Buying Guide –

FIT THE BICYCLE TO THE CHILD

Kids Edition When it comes to buying your

For additional safety, riders should always wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet, wear bright colors and avoid loose fitting clothing.

Safety Flag

Typical size of bike for average child Under 6 years*

12"–16" wheel

BA SIC SAFET Y E UIPMENT

6 to 9 years*

20" wheel

9 to 11 years

24" wheel

For maximum safety, bicycles should be equipped with:

12 and older

26" or larger wheel

pedaling backwards. Keep in mind that youngster a new bike, AAA says it’s vital hand brakes can be dangerous for younger children, who have smaller that you find one that’s the proper size. T YPES OF BICYCLES and less Bicycles hands are manufactured in fourstrength basic types: in the How To Size A Bike: Single-speed middleweight—Coaster brakes; recomwrists. You’ll know the bike fits mended for young cyclists • Everyone, regardless of the child when he or she can BMX—Modified frame, special wheels, competition handlebars and seat, hand brakesshould wear age or and skill level, sit on the seat and balance Multi-speed lightweight—For long-distance cycling, a bicycle helmet onbrakes every the bicycle with the balls of hill climbing and racing; equipped with hand and requires maintenance ride. Head injuries are the both feet touching the All-terrain or mountain—Sturdy, multi-speed, wide tires, SO . . . YOUR CHILD WANTS A BIKE leading death in ground and without leaning upright handlebars, handcause brakes and of off-road capabilities Bikes are great fun, and most children want one. Before Coaster brakes are recommended hand brakes for a bicycle crashesover but wearing buying a bike, ask yourself the following to one side oryour thechild other. If the young children. Wait until your child has developed questions: greater strength in the hands and wrists beforebicycle buying a properly fitted bicycle seat is in the lowest bike with hand brakes. This may not occur until the child Is my child mentally and physically ready to ride a bicyhas reached the age of 10. helmet has been shown to cle in neighborhood And has my child received position and the childtraffic? cannot proper instructions on how to safely operate a bicycle? reduce the risk by up to 85 touch both feet to the A bicycle is not a toy! In fact, bicycles are considered vehicles, and cyclists must generally follow the same traffic according to thanthe ground, the bike is too large Bicyclespercent, are associated with more childhood injuries laws as automobile drivers. Make sure your child is mature any other consumer product besides the automobile. enough to handle this responsibility. National Highway Traffic to be ridden safely. (Consumer Products Safety Commission) 618 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes in 2010. Cyclists Safety Administration. To give the a traffic? If the answer Do we live in an bike area withas minimal under age 16 accounted for 11 percent (79) of those fatalis no, are there safe places to operate a bicycle near my ities, with males accounting for 53 of the 79. (National • Just as a bike must be surprise home—such present, thelots, parks bestor bicycle paths? as empty Highway Traffic Safety Administration) answered “no” and your child is not old enough In 2010,sized an estimated 52,000 cyclists were in correctly, soinjuredshould advice isIfto you to go to the bike ride on the street, it may be a good idea to postpone motor vehicle crashes, with 19 percent (an estimated a bicycle purchase. Doing so could save your child from 10,000)helmets. of them under the age of 16. (NHTSA) It’s best to try on a shop with the child’s serious injury or death. helmet, but if that’s not measurements and a tape possible, measure around the measure in hand. Measure the child’s inseam to the recipient’s head at the forehead to ground. The distance from the top of the determine which size to purchase. Make bike’s horizontal bar (or where it would sure the helmet meets safety standards be on a girl’s bike) to the ground should by looking for a sticker on the inside from the Snell Memorial Foundation, the be an inch or two shorter than that. Consumer Product Safety Commission Other Safety Suggestions • Consider brake design. Children’s (CPSC), ASTM International, or the bicycles typically have either hand brakes American National Standards Institute or coaster brakes, which engage when (ANSI). * Children age 6 and under need close super vision— even on quiet neighborhood streets.

Warning Bell/Horn Hand Grips Rear Light (red)

Working brakes

Front Light (white)

Front light (white) Rear light (red) Reflective devices on front,

Reflectors Reflector

rear, sides and pedals

Warning bell or horn Safety flag Chain guard Hand grips

Coaster Brake Reflector Chain Guard

A PROPER FIT To determine if a bike is the proper size, the rider should be able to sit on the seat and balance the bicycle with both feet just touching the ground. The bicycle should not lean to one side. The seat may require some adjustments to accomplish this. If the seat is in the lowest position and the child cannot touch both feet to the ground, the bicycle is too large. Avoid the dangerous practice of buying a large bicycle with the assumption that your child will grow into it.

• Before taking a spin on a new bike, check that it’s put together securely and that additional safety equipment, such as horns or lights, have been installed correctly. • Wear brightly colored or reflective clothing and learn all safety rules. AAA offers a free brochure “So Your Child Wants A Bike – Now What?” which is

available at our offices in Allentown, Bethlehem, Lansdale and Royersford or by sending a stamped, self-addressed, legal-size envelope to: So Your Child Wants A Bike, AAA East Central, P.O. Box 1910, Allentown, PA 18105-1910. For more safe bicycling tips, go to ShareTheRoad.AAA.com.

APRIL 2014

The Secret Life of Your Automobile Battery Keeping Up With Your Car’s Current Affairs I

f you could go undercover, under your hood, you might come away with a new respect for your battery. But do it soon. Growing energy requirements mean the average life expectancy of a battery is getting shorter. Depending upon usage, a battery’s life span can range from 24 to 60 months — with only about 30 percent actually lasting the full five years. Automotive batteries last longer when maintained at or near a full state of charge. However, when it comes to charging batteries, you can have too much — or too little — of a good thing. A malfunctioning component in the charging system, usually the voltage regulator, can lead to overcharging and a slow death for your battery. Too many accessories are another big turn-off. When batteries mysteriously drain, add-on accessories like your mobile device should be the prime suspects. Unplug your phone and charger when you don’t need them, and any other electrical device before you shut down the engine.

Under-use can also result in a premature death. Your battery will drain faster if you regularly drive for 20 minutes or less, because it won’t allow your battery to fully charge. Even the tiny amount of power required to maintain computer memories, will gradually discharge a battery over time. Winter may be over but few people realize that hot weather can be even harder on your car battery. Heat can weaken internal components, evaporate critical fluids, and accelerate the corrosion on your battery terminals. This can lead to insufficient electrical power being available and leave you stranded without warning. Another item that stands out as a battery’s worst enemy is vibration. Unnecessary vibration damages the delicate plates inside, so your battery needs to be firmly anchored. They will also do better if they are covered by a protective casing.

POWER TO SPARE — AAA’s Mobile Battery Service can accurately diagnose your batteryrelated problems at the roadside.

The inside story on battery longevity comes down to care and cleaning. Most modern batteries are “maintenance free” which means motorists no longer needed to check or top off the electrolyte levels. In fact, forcing or prying these caps open may destroy or permanently damage your battery. You still need to check the terminals for corrosion and battery cables to ensure they are securely attached to the terminals. Corroded terminals can be cleaned with a brush (such as a discarded toothbrush) and a light paste of household baking soda and water. A thin coating of petroleum jelly on the cables and battery terminals helps to minimize future corrosion. Keeping the terminals bright and tight will help ensure that your battery performs through its entire service life.

AAA BATTERY SERVICE • Fully mobile service • Free battery testing using advanced technology • All batteries meet or exceed original manufacturers specs • Fast, professional installation • Environmentally friendly disposal and recycling • Battery freshness guarantee • 36-month nationwide replacement warranty • Exclusive AAA-member pricing. FOR MORE INFORMATION AAA Battery Service is available from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 7 days a week. To verify AAA Battery Service availability in your area, call our toll-free number: 1.800.222.4357.

AAA 2014 Great Battery Roundup

Batteries can be dropped off at the following sites April 21-25 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ALLENTOWN

LEHIGHTON

1637 Tilghman Street

640 Interchange Road

Seibert’s Auto

PENNSBURG

No. 1 Service Center

1701 Union Blvd.

BREINIGSVILLE

Getz Service Station 10635 Hamilton Blvd.

DOUGLASSVILLE

Douglassville Auto Body 1501 Ben Franklin Highway

EMMAUS

Mechanics Plus Towing 4701 Colebrook Ave.

LANSDALE

Bob’s Auto Clinic 145 E. Main Street

APRIL 2014

Frank’s Service Center

Rick’s Towing & Hauling LLC 105 E. 7th St. Suite 400

POTTSTOWN Lenny’s Auto Service Inc.

1851 Pottstown Pike

TRAPPE

Jack Nolan Exxon 567 W. Main Street

WHITEHALL

Yocum Towing 615 Front Street

Hindsight is 20/20: Consider These Common Regrets When Buying Auto Insurance

By Robin Jones

magine you’re stopped at a red light when you catch a glimpse of the car behind you in your rearview mirror. It’s coming way too fast, and you know it’s not going to stop in time. Sure enough, the car slams into your rear bumper, going about 25 mph. Shaken, you climb out of your car to exchange insurance information. That’s when the other driver confesses: She doesn’t have auto insurance. This is the moment when you might think to yourself, “Do I have collision coverage to repair my car?” Collision coverage can help pay to fix your vehicle regardless of who is at fault and even if the other party is uninsured. The next morning, you drop off your vehicle at a collision repair facility and are informed the repairs add up to several thousand dollars and could take up to 15 days. You contact your auto insurance company and breathe a sigh of relief when you learn you had indeed requested collision coverage when you purchased your policy several years ago. In order to save money, some drivers might decide to purchase only the required liability coverages and waive physical damage coverages such as

collision and comprehensive. Or they might forgo physical damage coverages because they think they’re a safe driver, and if they’re involved in an accident caused by another driver, that person’s insurance company would cover the repairs. However, as the above scenario shows, they might lament those decisions. Bypassing collision coverage is just one of the common regrets people have after an accident. Here are a few others. 1. Buying an auto policy before you understand your coverages. The variety of coverage options in your contract can be intimidating. That’s why it’s important to take the time to study each item when you’re purchasing insurance and to be clear on the types of coverage you’re buying (liability, collision, comprehensive). In addition, carefully consider the limits for each category. If you’re confused or just need help making your decision on what to purchase, don’t hesitate to ask your agent questions. 2. Buying only the minimal coverage required. People typically cite a couple of reasons for buying the least amount of coverage allowed under state laws: They want to save money, or they think they don’t need much coverage. Both reasons fail to take one

significant thing into consideration: If you are legally liable for damages in excess of your policy limits, your personal assets—for example, your house, your future earnings, and any other valuables you have—could be at risk to compensate for the injuries and damages you cause to another person and their vehicle. One type of affordable coverage that’s commonly overlooked is rental car coverage. You may need it if your vehicle isn’t drivable after an accident and you don’t have other transportation options. Rental coverage covers the cost of a replacement vehicle while your car is being repaired. 3. Shopping solely on price. It’s not always a good idea to choose an insurance company on the basis of price

alone. Why? Because not all insurance companies offer the same protection or quality customer service. If you have to file a claim, you want to feel confident it will be settled quickly and fairly. So before you choose an insurer, research its reputation. Ask friends and neighbors, read consumer publications, look at the A.M. Best or J.D. Power websites, and check the company’s consumer complaint record with your state insurance department. Be sure that you’re getting the best value for your money, even if that means you spend a little more. Your insurance agent can provide more information. Stop in at your local AAA East Central branch, call 1-800-2403603, or visit AAA.com/insurance.

More reasons to love your membership. Save with discounts on Sprint monthly service. Plus, for a limited time, get a $100 Visa® Prepaid Card for all new line activations. Act now! Offer ends 05/31/2014.

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off select regularly priced Sprint monthly service. Req. new 2-yr agmt.

Use this code to claim your discount. Corporate ID: NATRI_AAA_ZZM

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Offer for members of AAA

Get a reward

100

Visa Prepaid Card for all new line activations, for a limited time. Req. new 2-yr agmt/activation.

Trade in your old phone from any carrier. Get account credit for eligible devices through the Sprint Buyback Program. Visit sprint.com/buyback for details.

Claim your reward at sprint.com/promo/iLDB81124

Call: 800-754-6907 Click: AAA.com/sprint Visit a local Sprint Store: sprint.com/storelocator

Activ. Fee: $36/line. Credit approval req. Early Termination Fee (sprint.com/etf): After 14 days, up to $350/line. Individual-liable Discount: Available for eligible company or org. employees (ongoing verification). Discounts subject to change according to the company’s agreement with Sprint and are available upon request for monthly svc charges on select plans. No discounts apply to second lines, Add-A-Phone lines. Unlimited Talk, Text, My All-in Plan, Mobile Hotspot or add-ons $29.99 or less (excludes Unlimited, My Way Data). IL Visa Prepaid Card Promotion: Offer ends 05/31/2014. IL only. While supplies last. Excludes tablets. Device requires activation at point of sale. Visa Prepaid Card request must be made at sprint. com/promo or Visa Prepaid Card will be declined. New-line must remain active and in good standing for 30 days to receive Visa Prepaid Card. Subject to CL corporate gifting policy. Allow 10-12 wks for delivery. May not be combinable with other offers. Other req. may apply for installment customers. See store or sprint.com for details. Visa Prepaid Card: Cards are issued by Citibank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and managed by Citi Prepaid Svcs. Cards will not have cash access and can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Sprint Buyback: Offer ends 6/30/2014. Limit of 3 returned devices per active mobile number during one 12 month period. Phone must be deactivated and all personal data deleted before recycling. Device will not be returned. Credit varies depending on phone condition and valuation. Credit applied to store purchase or account within 3 invoices. Also available at sprintbuyback.com. Other Terms: Offers and coverage not available everywhere or for all phones/networks. Restrictions apply. See store or sprint.com for details. ©2013 Sprint. All rights reserved. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. Android, Google, the Google logo and Google N135359 Play are trademarks of Google Inc. Other marks are the property of their respective owners. MV1234567

APRIL 2014

Canadian Rockies: Seattle to Calgary touring of the caffeine-fueled Emerald City (as the locals call it), board Rocky Mountaineer for its Pacific-hugging “Coastal Passage” to Vancouver, with views of Everett’s fishing fleets & Boeing jets, the fields at the foot of the Cascade Mountains and Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands beyond. Discover Vancouver’s delights on a sightseeing tour (including the Capilano Suspension Bridge & Treetops Adventure!) and ride a gondola up Grouse Mountain for breathtaking views. Then enjoy a full day on your own for further exploration or perhaps a day trip to Victoria or Whistler. From Vancouver, Rocky Mountaineer enters the heart of British Columbia’s interior on its “Journey through the Clouds.” Pass through lush green valleys, piney forests, winding river canyons and then dusty desert hills on the way to Kamloops, known for its public art, including pole carvings and murals. Overnight in Kamloops, then head for Alberta, entering dramatic Fraser Canyon and climbing toward the lofty peaks of the Continental Divide. Ascend through the Spirals — massive tunnels in which the train doubles back on itself to reduce the steep grade. Climb up and over Yellowhead Pass and into picturesque Jasper, site of your final deboarding. Canada’s largest national park, Jasper abounds with rugged peaks, rushing waterfalls and other natural attractions. Take a short guided scenic tour and then explore the sights on

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your own the rest of the day. Then follow Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most scenic highways to thundering Athabasca Falls. At Columbia Icefield, ride an Ice Explorer (an ice-&-snow–terrain vehicle) to the middle of Athabasca Glacier, learn how glaciers form and see interesting geological features. Stop at Bow Lake and overnight at Lake Louise, a mustsee-to-believe setting you’ll never forget, before exploring Yoho National Park and its Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake and natural rock bridge over Kicking Horse River. On a full-day tour of Banff National Park, see Bow Falls, Lake Minnewanka and the Hoodoos (wind-&-water– carved sandstone spires protected by hard-rock caps that stand guard over the Bow River Valley like vigilant sentinels). Ride a gondola to Sulphur Mountain’s 7,486-foot-high summit and, from Kananaskis, get even higher on an awesome Summit Helicopter Tour! Wrap it all up in Calgary, where cowboys rub shoulders with oilmen and financiers; enjoy a bird’s-eye view of this lively city between prairies and mountains from the world’s highest 360° observation deck atop 627-foottall Calgary Tower. In addition to all of the natural and man-made scenery on this tour, wildlife sightings are definitely possible; keep your eyes peeled, as Canada’s West is home to bear, elk, deer, moose, bald eagles, osprey, salmon, mountain goats and bighorn sheep!

Members save up to $500.00 per room! See page 1.

SEATTLE

VANCOUVER © PICTUREGUY32 / FOTOLIA.COM

JASPER

LAKE LOUISE © JEFF / FOTOLIA.COM

BANFF

CALGARY

Sept 12-22 • AAA Member Rate: $5,999 Before-discount rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip flights (Philadelphia-Seattle, Calgary-Philadelphia), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, 10-night hotel accommodations, luggage handling (1 piece per person), 3 train rides, 5 meals and taxes on included items. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Visit AAA.com/travel for details. Passport required.

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel • Visit your local AAA.

It’s not just a bigger engine. It’s a bigger discount.

Attached dining car At-seat 120-volt outlet Energy-efficient engine All-terrain maximum performance

BOOK AMTRAK® NOW AND GET AN ADDITIONAL 10% DISCOUNT FOR AAA MEMBERS. Making This spring, enjoy extra savings on select Amtrak long-distance trains. Plus, up to 2 kids can ride for half price with each adult! Reserve your trip between April 1 and May 10, 2014, for travel between April 22 and June 13, 2014. Call your AAA Office for details or visit AAA.com/Amtrak.

500 destinations a far better ride. Amtrak.com

This offer is valid for AAA members only. This offer is valid for 10% off the adult AAA discounted rail fare. This offer is valid for sale 4/1/14–5/10/14 and valid for travel 4/22/14–6/13/14. Blackout date applies: 5/23/14. Advance reservations are required a minimum of three (3) days prior to travel. Fares are subject to availability. This offer is valid on select long-distance trains only. This offer is valid for Coach seats only. Fares, routes, and schedules are subject to change without notice. This offer is not combinable with any other discount offer. Other restrictions may apply. Please visit Amtrak.com for complete details or call 1-800-USA-RAIL and refer to discount code H244. Amtrak and Enjoy the journey are registered service marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

APRIL 2014

Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

DEPARTURES

1-800-552-6679 AAA.com/travel NOW AMBER PUERTO VALLARTA

BEACHES OCHO RIOS RESORT & GOLF CLUB

Calculating how to fulfill your beach getaway dreams? is AAA’s foolproof formula! And, until 4/30/14, you can get (see details on the next page). Flush with deluxe amenities, overflowing with fun activities, stuffed with specialty dining options and pampering you with attentive service, the allinclusive oceanfront oases below are just a few among hundreds in the Caribbean and Mexico available from AAA travel partner Pleasant Holidays. Singles, couples, families and groups of friends alike can find a resort that suits their interests, budget and travel styles. Pay just one price for everything — accommodations, meals, drinks, snacks, pools, water sports, fitness centers, spas and much, much more — and enjoy the vacation of your dreams! BEACHES RESORT VILLAGES & SPA: Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

rants. Enjoy unlimited scuba diving, land & water sports and premium-brand drinks. Just over an hour southeast of Miami lies a jewel-like strand of islands called Turks BEACHES RESORT & GOLF CLUB: Ocho Rios, Jamaica & Caicos. Strung across indescribably turquoise waters, it's one of the world's Set where verdant mountains meet azure seas, this 223-room beachbest scuba destinations and it’s perfect for those looking for a true tropifront resort is the utimate vacation spot for those who love both cal hideaway. Named 2013’s #1 hotel for families in the Caribbean surf & turf and was voted among the Top 10 Best Beach Reby Travel & Leisure magazine and set on Grace Bay’s whiteALL-INCLUSIVE sorts by Parents magazine. With complimentary golf for the sand beach, this 758-room resort offers 4 uniquely themed ADVANTAGES entire family, a Pirates’ Island Waterpark with waterslides villages (featuring the architecture & ambiance of Italy, Avoid awkward tip moments, such as and motorized water sports, this resort caters to famiFrance, the Caribbean and Key West). Families love worrying about whether or how much to tip. lies of all ages. Take full advantage of kids’ programs Pirates’ Island, the Caribban’s largest theme waterNo worrying about where to go, how to get from one place to another, where to stay, what to see. and family suites. The natural beauty of luxuriant park, and there's something for all kids, from tots to One value-packed price for hotel, food, drinks and most greenery, mountains that loom over white-sand tweens to teens — Sesame Street® characters, the extras eliminates guesswork...and the need to carry cash. beaches and the world-renowned Dunn’s River Xbox 360® Game Garage and an under-21 disco No surprises: A placid predictability can be a wonderful panacea. Falls are what make the Ocho Rios area such an — all on one of the world’s best beaches. A few activities (massage or motorized water sports, in some cases) extraordinary destination. may involve a fee, but the beauty is the spa & beach are only steps away. Many resorts cater to couples (as well as child-averse or child-indifferent GRAND VELAS RIVIERA MAYA: Mexico adults) and offer the promise of serenity, romance and flirty fun. A grand estate 40 minutes by plane from South Just 5 minutes from downtown Playa del CarMany resorts cater to parents with children. Daycare, kid-specific Florida, this 245-room enclave sits on an exquimen, this 491-room beachfront oasis of luxury, pools, activity zones, monitors, performers and more make it site white-sand beach. Enjoy all-concierge service known for its “Beyond All-Inclusive, Beyond All fun and stress-free for everyone. and magnificently appointed villa and suite accomCompare” amenities, offers impeccable service Relative privacy & seclusion: All-inclusives can also be havens of solitude and stillness, where the mind quiets modations with abundant amenities. Deep within the and hospitality. The resort features spacious, welland settles into a delicious anti-routine. idyllic waters of the Exumas, it brings unprecedented appointed suites, upscale furnishings, native artwork Unless you pile on the side trips and menu luxury to the easy-going rhythms of the Bahamian Out and a AAA Five Diamond restaurant. It’s the only famiextras, all- inclusives make it easy Islands. You’ll feel like you’re the only ones there, where ly-friendly all-inclusive resort in the Mexican Caribbean to to stick to a financial plan.

SANDALS EMERALD BAY GOLF RESORT & SPA: Great Exuma, Bahamas

service reigns supreme and Bahamian-style architecture of elreceive AAA’s Five Diamond Award. Set on 80+ acres of proADAPTED FROM HOTELCLUB.COM egant villas and suites harmonizes with nature. Secluded within tected mangroves, jungle and natural freshwater wells (cenotes), 500 tropical acres along a pristine mile-long beach, civilized pleasure Grand Velas enjoys more than 1,000 feet of pristine white-sand beach. coexists with exotic adventures, from 3 impressive pools — including a halfLuxury accommodation options include uniquely exotic garden suites, oceanacre, zero-entry pool with a dramatic fire pit in the middle — to 7 exceptional restauview suites around the infinity pool and oceanfront suites with private plunge pools. more on the next page

APRIL 2014

DEPARTURES

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel

continued from the previous page

NOW AMBER: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

This all-new resort is a welcoming haven. Perfectly situated on a golden-sand beach on Banderas Bay, it features luxurious amenities and lavish accommodations. Reservationfree dining options, activities and nightly performances will keep you entertained. Now Amber Puerto Vallarta earned the highly coveted AAA Four Diamond Award in 2013. Every amenity you’d expect from a world-class resort is included as part of UnlimitedLuxury.® Every gourmet meal, fine wine & cocktail and much more. A private terrace or balcony and Jacuzzi are among the many amenities you’ll enjoy. Now Amber Puerto Vallarta features 327 spacious suites, each with modern décor, marble floors and stunning views as well as 4 à la carte restaurants, a buffet, a barefoot grill and a café. Or you can enjoy a delicious meal in the privacy of your suite. Your Unlimited-Luxury® amenities include all snacks and meals.

Get up to $100.00 savings!

SOLMAR RESORT ALL-INCLUSIVE: Los Cabos, Mexico

This intimate 100-room beachfront resort offers 24-hour room service, 2 bars, 2 restaurants, 2 pools, a swim-up bar and Wi-Fi. It’s blessed by one of the most enchanting and romantic locations in Baja California. Granite cliffs hide the property from the outside world, yet the sights and sounds of Cabo San Lucas are but a 10-minute stroll away. Spread your towel on the white sands of Solmar Beach and soak up the sun in private comfort, grab a snorkel or a fishing pole or choose from a long list of other activities the Pacific Ocean has to offer — or shop, dine, then dance the night away at one of the many hotspots in Cabo San Lucas. Solmar All-inclusive offers the best of both of worlds — unmatched privacy in an extraordinary natural setting. Solmar All-inclusive is exclusively all suites with kitchen facilities, private balconies, marble floors, granite countertops and fine linens.

AAA MEMBERS ONLY — NOW ’S THE TIME! Book & make a deposit by April 30 on a 2014 7-night-or-longer air-inclusive Pleasant Holidays vacation to the Caribbean, Mexico or Europe and enjoy:

$50.00 SAVINGS FROM AAA TRAVEL (per room, based on double occupancy • new bookings only)

PLUSEXCLUSIVE

S! THESE ER BENEFIT AAA MEMB

EUROPE

$50.00 SAVINGS off package price, per booking

APRIL 2014

THE CARIBBEAN & MEXICO

$50.00 CERTIFICATE toward purchase of optional sightseeing or activity, per booking

DEPARTURES

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel

PLUS... Get $50 savings from AAA Travel! PER ROOM BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY NEW BOOKINGS ONLY

Restrictions apply. Consult your AAA professional for details.

Best of the West!

BEST OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

San Francisco. Muir Woods. Hearst Castle. Golden Gate Bridge. Sausalito. Napa Valley. Lunch on the Napa Wine Train. Amtrak train to Lake Tahoe. Ghost town of Virginia City NV. Yosemite National Park. Carmel. Big Sur. Monterey. 14 meals.

JULY 24–AUG 1 • $3,699

YELLOWSTONE EXPERIENCE

Our first national park’s first explorers were called liars when they described its otherworldly geysers & bubbling mudpots and its free-ranging bison, elk, moose, bears & wolves. Begin at Salt Lake City and travel through scenic AUG 11-17 • $2,645 Idaho to Yellowstone. Enjoy Old Faithful & many other natural landmarks, as well as the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. A Wildlife Safari includes a picnic dinner. Also enjoy Grand Teton National Park, the cowboy town of Jackson, a Jenny Lake cruise, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (schedule permitting) and more! 12 meals.

COLORADO TRAIN ADVENTURE

This Centennial State tour features rides on the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway, the Royal Gorge Route RR, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge RR. Tour the US Air Force Academy and SEPT 13-20 • $2,739 marvel at the rock formations of the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Ride the country’s steepest incline and walk on the world’s highest suspension bridge at Royal Gorge. Visit Great Sand Dunes and Mesa Verde national parks. See the monoliths of Colorado National Monument. Visit the CO Railroad Museum. 15 meals. AAA Member Rates are per person (double occupancy), are subject to availability at time of booking and include roundtrip flights from Philadelphia, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, sightseeing admissions, taxes/gratuities for included features, baggage handling (1 bag per person) and meals as indicated. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Visit AAA.com/travel for itinerary details.

Sail on ALLURE OF THE SEAS for 7 nights to the Eastern Caribbean and enjoy the fun and entertainment of the DreamWorks Experience! Cruise roundtrip from Ft Lauderdale to Nassau, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas USVI; and Philipsburg, St Maarten. 3 days at sea. Member-exclusive AAA Featured Vacation benefits

PREPAID GRATUITIES of up to $168

Total for 2 persons in a stateroom, when you book a balcony stateroom by 4/30/14.

COMPLIMENTARY DINNER for 2 • $75 ONBOARD CREDIT Complimentary dining is available only for the first 15 staterooms booked. Credit per stateroom.

Oct 26–Nov 2 • AAA Member Rate: from $1,068 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes cruise accommodations/entertainment, most onboard meals & government taxes/fees. Ask about available add-on airfare. Ship’s registry: Bahamas. Royal Caribbean International reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement on all guests if the price of West Texas intermediate fuel exceeds $65 per barrel. The fuel supplement for 1st and 2nd guests would be no more than $10 per guest per day, to a maximum of $140 per cruise; and for additional guests would be no more than $5 per person per day, to a maximum of $70 per cruise.

APRIL 2014

DEPARTURES

APRIL 2014

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel

DEPARTURES

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel

An “outside the box” experience you’ll cherish for a lifetime!

One-of-a-kind Polar Bear Adventure! Tour also features Winnipeg, dog sledding, Eskimo Museum

Come with AAA to Canada’s “Polar Bear Capital of the World” — Churchill, Manitoba. Spend 2 full days tracking, sighting and capturing (by camera) polar bears on the tundra! Each October and early November, the massive bears (adult males weigh around 770 to 1,540 pounds and females about half that) wait near Churchill for Hudson Bay to freeze so they can hunt their primary food, ringed seals. Ride aboard the Tundra Buggy® Adventure’s specially designed all-terrain vehicles into and throughout the Churchill Wildlife Management Area on established trails that minimize impact on the tundra. Safely get right to the best locations with a high probability of wildlife sightings; viewing and photographing wildlife in its natural environment are thrills you’ll never forget! The interpretive drivers are experienced tour leaders and passionate adventurers knowledgeable about the tundra ecosystem and skilled at positioning the vehicle for optimal photography opportunities and wildlife viewing. The Tundra Buggy® Adventure’s long-standing relationship with Polar Bears International (PBI), the world’s leading polar bear conservation group, affords you an opportunity to spend time on the tundra with PBI Field Ambassadors and to learn about these incredible carnivores and their icy environment. Polar bears are surely the focus, but this getaway’s also packed with other great elements. Enjoy an excursion hosted by a local dog-sledding expert; learn about sledding’s historical significance and then enjoy an exhilarating

Glacier NP Discovery CHICAGO to SEATTLE

ride behind a strong team of huskies on a custom-made sled. You’ll also visit Port Merry, the Port of Churchill, the Eskimo Museum, the Parks Canada Interpretive Center and Manitoba Conservation’s Polar Bear Holding Facility (weather permitting). In Winnipeg, Canada’s seventh largest city, enjoy a stay at the centrally located and stylish Inn at the Forks. After a half-day tour that includes downtown, the historic Exchange District, St Boniface and the French Quarter, you’ll visit Assiniboine Park Zoo’s “Journey to Churchill” exhibit, which addresses issues related to climate change, polar bears and other northern species. Its Gateway to the Arctic zone is a viewing point for polar bears and ringed seals; from inside a 10-foot-wide acrylic tunnel, you can watch these creatures below the water surface of a swimming area where they often frolic between ice chunks. With only a clear wall bisecting the 2 habitats, the bears and seals see and smell each other, creating a dynamic and enriching environment.

Oct 20-26 • AAA Member Rate: $6,455 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip flights (Philadelphia-Winnipeg, Winnipeg-Churchill), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, hotel accommodations, luggage handling (1 piece per person), 17 meals, taxes/gratuities on included items and services of a AAA tour manager (if minimum-participation goal is met). Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Visit AAA.com/travel for details. Passport required.

Jazz, Blues & Rock ’n’ Roll

NEW ORLEANS

CHICAGO – MEMPHIS – NEW ORLEANS

Ride Amtrak’s Empire Builder from the Windy City to the Emerald City and explore the Crown of the Continent in between! Begin with a reception at Palmer House, a worldclass hotel steps from Chicago’s best attractions. Enjoy a city tour and a cruise on the Chicago River. Start your rail journey with Mississippi River views and glimpses of the Twin Cities skyline. Awaken in your private sleeping accommodations to cross North Dakota’s plains and traverse Gassman Coulee Trestle. Cross into Montana’s Big Sky Country to Glacier National Park; this vast ice-carved terrain of ridges, peaks, waterfalls, hanging valleys, glaciers, forests and more than 200 lakes is one of the world’s most pristine natural environments. Deer are among the most commonly spotted wildlife, but elk, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, wolves and bears are seen. Tour in a 1930s red “jammer”; rebuilt in 2001, they ply the park’s primary route — Going-to-the-Sun Road. Cross into Canada to visit Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park. Enjoy 2 nights at Glacier Park Lodge; its massive fireplace invites fireside chats, and there’s an outdoor pool, a golf course, a pitch-n-putt and a day spa on site. Your other in-park home for 2 nights is the Swiss-themed Many Glacier Hotel on Swiftcurrent Lake. Reboard the Empire Builder for Seattle. See the city’s many gems, including lively Pike Place Market. Then ascend the iconic Space Needle for breathtaking views and then, all too soon, it’s time to fly home!

The metronomic rhythm of your Amtrak® train will set you in the right frame of mind on this north-to-south music-inspired sojourn. Visit 3 fascinating cities where 3 authentically American music genres were born and continue to flourish. Train by night and day; be soothingly rocked to sleep on the overnight Chicago-to-Memphis leg (after enjoying an evening meal in the Dining car) and observe landscapes passing by your window on the Memphis–to–New Orleans portion. In the Windy City, settle into the luxurious Palmer House in the heart of the Loop. Tour the city’s landmarks, browse the Magnificent Mile and enjoy a Chicago River cruise to observe the city’s renowned architecture. Overnight on the train on the way to Beale Street, official “Home of the Blues.” Clubs and restaurants are just steps away. Tour Graceland, the home of Elvis; then, with musicians aboard (audience participation welcomed!), tour other sites of this city on the Mississippi named after the ancient Egyptian capital on the Nile. See Sun Studios, the Staxx Museum and the Rock ’n’ Soul Museum. Enjoy the relaxing journey to the Big Easy. Be welcomed into New Orleans by a jazz brunch in the French Quarter. Take a tour of the Crescent City, including the Garden District. Top it all off aboard a paddlewheel steamboat for a grand finale dinner cruise!

Glacier National Park Discovery: Chicago-Seattle

Jazz, Blues & Rock ’n’ Roll: Chicago–Memphis–New Orleans

GLACIER NP

Aug 16-25 • AAA Member Rate: $4,979 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes flights (Philadelphia-Chicago, Seattle-Philadelphia), train (Chicago-Seattle), roundtrip airport/hotel, 7-night hotel accommodations, 2-night train roomette accommodations, 17 meals, meal gratuities (except on train), welcome reception, 4 tours & 1 cruise in Glacier National Park, sightseeing per itinerary, hotel baggage handling (1 per person), air & hotel taxes and services of an Amtrak Vacations® escort (Chicago-Seattle). Visit AAA.com/travel for complete itinerary. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details.

Sept 26–Oct 4 • AAA Member Rate: $4,489 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes flights (Philadelphia-Chicago, New Orleans–Philadelphia), train (Chicago–New Orleans), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, 7-night hotel accommodations, 1-night train roomette accommodations, 14 meals, meal gratuities (except on train), welcome reception, Chicago river cruise & evening activity, motorcoach tours (Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans), hotel baggage handling (1 per person), air & hotel taxes and services of an Amtrak Vacations® tour escort (Chicago–New Orleans). Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details.

APRIL 2014

DEPARTURES

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel

Irish Pubs

&Folklore

ESCORTED TOUR OPERATED BY CIE TOURS INTERNATIONAL

Sláinte! Cheers!

Feel like a local at friendly pubs full of the craic — Ireland’s unique mix of news, gossip, fun, entertainment and enjoyable conversation! Tour Dublin: St Stephen’s Green, Georgian squares, O’Connell Street, Famine Memorial & more. Quaff a pint at the Guinness Storehouse • Meet the owners of a working beef/ sheep/horse farm. • Tour medieval Kilkenny, then explore it on your own. • Visit the House of Waterford; watch craftsmen transform molten glass into elegant tableware. • Kiss the “Stone of Eloquence” at Blarney Castle. • Browse at Blarney Woolen Mills...or visit a pub instead! • Circumnavigate scenic Dingle Peninsula and sample a local brew at Dingle Brewing Company. • Sit down to dinner & traditional entertainment (including step-dancing) in Killarney. • Ferry across the Shannon to view the Cliffs of Moher. • Stop in Galway on the way to Connemara. • Overnight in attractive Westport. • Cross over to Achill Island and see the Deserted Village (stone cottages abandoned around the time of the Famine). • Tour Kilbeggan Distillery and enjoy an Irish coffee. • Enjoy storytelling at Dublin’s oldest pub. • Spend a day on your own in Dublin, using included vouchers for an open-top bus tour and a visit to Old Jameson Distillery.

May 12-21, 2015 • AAA Member Rate: $1,899 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, motorcoach sightseeing, itinerary attraction admissions, local taxes, hotel service charges & baggage handling (1 bag per person), walking-tour audio headsets, 15 meals (including Kate Kearney’s Cottage Irish Night, “Food, Folk & Fairies” dinner show at Brazen Head Pub and 3 table d’hote dinners) and in-Ireland professional guide & driver. Ask about available add-on airfare.

APRIL 2014

ESCORTED TOUR OPERATED BY CIE TOURS INTERNATIONAL

Bunratty Folk Park • Medieval banquet in a castle • Cliffs of Moher • Flying Boat Museum • Killarney National Park • Ring of Kerry • Skellig Experience • Moll’s Gap • Waterford Crystal • Dinner & song at a pub • Dublin: tour & free time ...AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

Oct 5-12 • AAA Member Rate: $1,459 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, guided motorcoach sightseeing, entrance fees, 11 meals (including Bunratty Castle medieval banquet/entertainment & Merry Ploughboy pub dinner/ entertainment), in-Ireland tour director, hotel luggage handling (1 piece per person), hotel taxes & service charges. Ask about available add-on airfare. Visit AAA.com/GoIreland for itinerary and information.

AAA’s special 9-night Hawaiian vacation features a 2-night pre-cruise stay in Honolulu, a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial and a 7-night Pride of America cruise featuring 4 islands (Oahu, Maui, Hawaii & Kauai).

Oct 2-11: from $1,965 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes hotel/pier transfers, 2 nights at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, USS Arizona Memorial/Pearl Harbor tour, 7-night cruise accommodations/entertainment, most onboard meals and government taxes/fees. Ship’s registry: USA. Ask about available add-on airfare.

DEPARTURES

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel

Italian Vista s

This 13-day escorted adventure features visits to 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — Rome, Pompeii, Florence, Pisa, Venice and Verona! Enjoy included extra-special “moments” you’d have to research & add on at your own expense & effort: Guided visits to St Peter’s Basilica and Vatican City’s museums, including the Sistine Chapel • A 4-course dinner with wine in Rome, with live performances of arias from the best operas • After-hours visit to a 14th-century monastery, followed by a family-style feast of Tuscan dishes, with wine! • A serenaded gondola cruise on the canals of Venice — one of the world’s most famous travel experiences Enjoy relaxing multiple-night stays in Rome (3), Sorrento–Amalfi Coast (2), Florence (2), Venice (2) and Stresa–Lakes District (2).

Oct 18-30 • AAA Member Rate: $5,179

Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes flights (Newark-Rome, MilanNewark), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, hotel accommodations/taxes/service charges/baggage handling (1 piece per person), 20 meals, air taxes & fees/surcharges, in-Italy tour director. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Visit AAA.com/GoItaly for details.

Portugal & its Islands It’s hot — and fast becoming Western Europe’s last “undiscovered” destination! Lisbon: Alfama Quarter, Jeronimo’s Monastery, Monument to the Discoveries, Tower of Belem • Sintra, summer residence of kings • “Riviera” • Silver Coast villages, vineyards & castles • Fatima Basilica • Batalha Monastery • Azores Islands • Madeira Island

Sept 12-24 • AAA Member Rate: $4,469 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip flights (Newark-Lisbon), in-Portugal flights, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, hotel accommodations/taxes/service charges/baggage handling (1 piece per person), 19 meals, air taxes & fees/surcharges and an in-Portugal tour director. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Visit AAA.com/GoEurope for details.

APRIL 2014

DEPARTURES

1-800-552-6679 • AAA.com/travel

ALASKA ...$200.00 OFF! Book a balcony stateroom by 4/30 & get $200.00 OFF your roundtrip AIRFARE!

ADDED MEMBER VALUES valid for all balcony & higher-level staterooms

SHIPBOARD CREDIT — $50.00

per stateroom • for beverages, spa, shops, etc

ONBOARD MARTINI TASTING 2 vouchers per stateroom

SPECIALTY-RESTAURANT DINNER 2 people per stateroom • 1 evening

COMPACT HIGH-QUALITY BINOCULARS 1 per stateroom • view wildlife & scenery

Cruise roundtrip on Celebrity Solstice from Seattle to Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Inside Passage and Victoria. Includes 2 relaxing full days at sea.

VIP PRIORITY CHECK-IN

Avoid waiting in check-in lines!

24–7 MEMBER ASSISTANCE

Available around-the-clock by telephone!

BEST-PRICE GUARANTEE within 24 hours of booking

IN-PERSON PLANNING ASSISTANCE AAA Travel professionals ready to help!

Aug 1-8 OR Aug 8-15 • AAA Member Rate: from $2,131 Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip airport/ pier transfers, balcony stateroom accommodations, onboard entertainment, most onboard meals and government fees. Ship’s registry: Malta. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Visit AAA.com/travel for itinerary details.

$200.00 AIR CREDIT UNTIL 4/30/14 ONLY!

ALLENTOWN . . . . . . . . 610-434-5141 BETHLEHEM . . . . . . . 610-867-7502 LANSDALE . . . . . . . . . 215-855-8600 ROYERSFORD . . . . . . . 610-323-6300 ____________________________________________________________ GENERAL TRAVEL DISCLAIMER: AAA Travel Agency makes every effort to provide accurate, up-to-date prices as of press time and cannot assume responsibility for typographic errors. Rates/offers are per person based on double occupancy, unless otherwise indicated, and are subject to availability and airline/operator changes. International rates/offers are subject to currency fluctuations and additional tax & security charges. Rates that include airfare include all taxes, government fees and surcharges. Additional restrictions may apply. Rates/offers are available at all AAA East Central travel agency locations. For tour details, contact AAA or visit AAA.com/travel. AAA Featured Vacations are specially priced, unique departures; therefore, tour operators, cruise lines and other travel providers often exclude them from additional discounts or specials they offer. AAA Featured Vacations include services provided by third-party tour destination service companies; see your AAA Travel Agent for details. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for more details or visit the air carrier’s website for baggage allowance and fee information.

Join us for AAA’s INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL DAYS April 17 & 24 MINI TRADE SHOW 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

THURSDAY April 17 THURSDAY April 24

AAA Royersford AAA Bethlehem

70 Buckwalter Rd. 1250 N. Broad St.

MINI TRADE SHOW WITH FREE TRAVEL SEMINARS 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

THURSDAY April 17 THURSDAY April 24

AAA Allentown AAA Lansdale

2072 Downyflake Ln. 1520 N. Broad St.

Thursday April 17 – ALLENTOWN OFFICE

2AprilWEEK SALE OFFERS 17-May 1 — All offices BOOK an international prepaid tour or cruise with participating vendors & receive MEMBER SAVINGS!

On any International tour or cruise valued at $2999 or higher

Premier Members Save $100* Plus Members Save $75* Basic Members Save $50* Ask your AAA Travel Agent about additional vendor sale offers

Mini Trade Show Event Offers: (valid April 17 and 24 only )

• Taste of the World Sample international food. • Pick up a AAA Event Day Passport, then VISIT WITH OUR VENDORS during the Mini Trade Show to get your passport stamped. – Every fully stamped Event Day Passport entitles you to a FREE GIFT*.

4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM

Thursday April 24 – LANSDALE OFFICE

4:00 PM

(Vendors vary by location)

• FREE PASSPORT PHOTOS* for all AAA members with the purchase of an international airline ticket! Passport photos for AAA Premier members are always fee-free! • Receive a Passport ID Holder* with a quote for an International Tour or Cruise Vacation with participating vendors. (While supplies last)

Travel Beyond the Expected on a AAA Vacations Trafalgar Guided Tour - Meet Stacy Nicolettos, Trafalgar Tours How You See the World Matters - Meet Annette Stolzberg, Tauck World Discovery. Exotic guided tours, small ship cruising, & solo travel Tour Europe in Style with Insight Vacations - Meet Shannon McGee. Italian Vistas by AAA Member Choice Vacations - Meet Bob Koch.

5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM

Travel Beyond the Expected on a AAA Vacations Trafalgar Guided Tour - Meet Stacy Nicolettos, Trafalgar Tours Discover Why the Road Best Traveled is a River — UniWorld Boutique River Cruise Collection. Meet Walter Nadratowski. Italian Vistas by AAA Member Choice Vacations - Meet Chris Lutkins. The Most Inclusive Cruise Line in Luxury Travel — Regent Seven Seas. Meet Kate Otto.

RSVP 1-800-552-6679, press 7, or online at AAA.com/events.

*AAA Member Fees apply to airline ticket purchases. Fees are waived for AAA Premier members. Maximum fee is based per reservation itinerary with all passengers on the same flights, airline and dates. Any fees charged by the airline are the responsibility of the Premier members. Member Savings are valid for new bookings only deposited April 17 to May 1, and are per room or cabin. Not valid on AAA Featured Vacations. Other restrictions may apply. Free gifts are selected randomly once you present an event paper passport entry stamped by each participating vendor. Free passport photos are limited to one set per ticket purchase, and need to be taken the day of the ticket purchase in the AAA branch office. To receive a free gift for a vacation quote, you need to sit with an AAA Travel Agent and complete a form. While supplies last. Quote must be for a prepaid international tour or cruise with a participating AAA preferred supplier. Limited to one quote per person per event. Must be present to collect the gift.

APRIL 2014

The Magical Calm of the Midnight Sun Unforgettable Views in the Land of Fjords

On The Road to Singapore Cruising into the Switzerland of Asia

BUG LIGHT — The Esplanade Complex against the backdrop of the city skyline. FOR MORE INFORMATION Please see your AAA Departures Guide or log on to AAA.com/cruises for special values on cruise vacations.

NATURE’S MASTERPIECE — Geirangerfjord is flanked by the steepest mountains on Norway’s west coast.

ailing up Norway’s winding blue pathways can be a little bit intimidating. Against this opposition of mountain, sea and sky, manmade objects seem to dwindle into dots, subordinated into insignificance by nature’s generosity. The tangled mass of inlets and fjords on Norway’s rugged west coast extend the 1,600-mile coastline by nearly 10 times, creating one the world’s most remarkable cruise destinations. You almost have to be there to believe it. Waterfalls tumble over slick mountainsides. Tiny farmsteads cling precariously to remote patches of land. Medieval towns line the quays, with wooden buildings painted in colors seemingly chosen to complement nature’s palette of greens and blues. Geirangerfjord is flanked by the steepest mountains on the west coast and is famous for the Seven Sisters and the Suitor waterfalls. Narrow Naerofjord (an arm of Sognefjord) bisects the sheer cliffs rising 5,600 feet straight up from the water. Lysefjord is home to breathtaking Pulpit Rock, a natural rock formation jutting 2,000 feet over the water. Or stand on Kjeragbolten, a 20-foot boulder wedged between a mountain crevasse that’s suspended above an abyss. Just two villages occupy the 23-mile-long fjord, each accessible only by water. Hardanger, the Queen of the Fjords, is where Edvard Grieg was inspired to compose In the Hall of the Mountain King. Nearly one million fruit trees thrive under the temperate influence of the Gulfstream, and in the spring the fjord is painted pink and white with their reflections. Hikers can make their way to Trolltunga (troll’s tongue) one of

IF YOU GO A number of cruise lines sail to this magical land each summer and fall, including Celebrity, Cunard, Crystal, Princess, Azmara, Holland America and Royal Caribbean. FOR MORE INFORMATION Please see your AAA Departures Guide or log on to AAA.com/ cruises for special values on European cruise vacations. Norway’s most spectacular scenic cliffs. Sognefjord — Norway’s longest and deepest — is 120 miles long and over 4,000 feet deep. The fjord and its namesake town have a rich history. More than a thousand years ago, the Vikings sailed from here to wreak havoc across much of Europe. The picturesque stave churches in this region all date back to the twelfth century. Set among the towering peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps, the picturesque town of Ålesund is known for its Art Nouveau architecture. Brilliantly colored houses incorporate Old Norse symbols like dragons and gargoyles. Take a drive or scale the 418 steps to the top of the Aksla overlook. In Aurlandsfjord visitors can board the Flåm Scenic Railway — one of the world’s steepest — for a spectacular, vertigo-inducing 12-mile journey past waterfalls, snow-capped mountains and mountain farms. Bergen is known as “the city between seven mountains.” A trading town since the Middle Ages, Norway’s second largest city is the gateway to the fjords. Visitors can ride the Fløibanen Funicular to the top of Fløyen mountain, or take a leisurely stroll along Bryggen Wharf, with its distinctive red-brick Hanseatic style buildings.

ingapore has been described the “world’s only shopping mall with a seat in the United Nations.” Famous for its squeaky-clean streets and ban on chewing gum in public, the Switzerland of Asia is one of the smallest countries in the world. A causeway and a bridge link the main island to the southern tip of Malaysia. The only country in the world with a national campaign to promote kindness, shouting and other forms of unruly behavior are prohibited. So is face painting and wearing a disguise. Despite its small size Singapore is the world’s fourth leading financial center, and one of the world’s five busiest ports. Cruise lines calling here in 2014 include Celebrity, Holland America, Princess and Crystal. One of the more remarkable aspects of Singapore is the cosmopolitan nature of its five-million people. Established by Thomas Stamford Raffles as a British trading post in 1819, the small seaport soon attracted migrants and merchants from China, the Indian sub-continent, Indonesia, the Malay Peninsula and the Middle East. Today, the four official languages include English, Chinese, Malay, and Tami while Singlish is a widely spoken hybrid of all four. Singapore’s limited real estate probably explains the country’s fascination with high-rise buildings and architecture. The Esplanade Complex occupies 14 acres of waterfront land alongside Marina Bay and resembles the eye of a fly, or a giant durian, a popular local fruit. The nearby Helix bridge,

which looks like a strand of DNA, links Marina Centre with the $5.7 billion Marina Bay Sands hotel/casino, the most expensive casino project in the world. The mouth of the Singapore River is the city’s colonial core, with historical buildings and museums and providing a rare glimpse into the city’s past. In the densely packed Central Business District, most of the once-iconic shophouses and street markets have given way to skyscrapers. Singapore’s Chinatown is compact, ultra clean and pedestrian friendly. You can walk down Pagoda and Temple streets and see the traditional street markets, or visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum designed in the Tang Dynasty style. The polychromatic Sri Marriamman Hindu Temple is close by, so it’s easy to combine both in one trip. Little India, located along Serangoon Road, is filled with the smells of turmeric, and coriander. The iconic Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, built in 1855, is the starting point of the famous Thaipusam festival. Dining, along with shopping, is said to be the country’s national pastime. Many residents prefer the hawker stalls or food courts like Lau Pa Sat and Newton Food Centre, rather than restaurants. Hawker stalls tend to be inexpensive and include a huge variety of cuisines, ranging from Malay, to Thai, Indian, Western, Korean, Japanese and even Vietnamese. One favorite dish is barbecued stingray served on banana leaf with sambal chilli. APRIL 2014

Best Western International Has Three For The Road AAA’s Hotel Partner of the Year Offers Three Ways to Stay

est Western hotels are located everywhere from seaside resorts and national parks, from major cities to small towns, and across North America. They offer a welcoming experience among clean and comfortable surroundings, with all the amenities to ensure a restful and productive stay at an exceptional value. Best Western hotels all meet AAA’s high standards for a minimum 2-Diamond or 3-Diamond rating. In 2013, Best Western earned their fifth consecutive AAA Hotel Partner of the Year award. The world’s largest hotel family now has three for the road with Best Western Plus and Best Western Premier properties offering progressively enhanced amenities for dining and recreation. Best Western is the company’s classic hotel brand which offers a value-priced combination of comfort and convenience, with such state-of-the-art amenities as complimentary Wi-Fi, in-room coffee and tea maker, and available breakfast to help you get a good start on

your day. Best Western Plus always offers that little something extra. From wellappointed rooms to modern amenities, it’s thoughtfully designed to suit the needs of any business or leisure traveler. Amenities include upgraded bath products, in-room mini-fridge, a fitness room to help you stay in shape and a business center. All Best Western Plus hotels meet the high-standard requirements of AAA with a minimum 3-Diamond rating. Launched in 2011 the distinct style and personalized service of the Best Western Premier brand will always leave a lasting impression. Usually located in very desirable destinations, these hotels are aimed at travelers who appreciate unique experiences and genuine hospitality. Whether it’s a relaxing vacation or an important business meeting, plush amenities like fashionable furnishings, premium linens and towels, and HD TVs provide a refined level of comfort for all

travelers at these upscale properties. Best Western Premier hotels meet the highstandard requirements of AAA with a minimum 3-Diamond rating. The last thing you want when you’ve booked a single room is to find out you’re sharing it with millions of germs and bits of microscopic debris. Best Western International has adopted a high-tech approach to ensure their rooms are as clean and sanitary as possible. Their innovative I Care Clean program brings advanced cleaning technologies used in hospitals to the hospitality industry. Housekeepers in all of Best Western’s 2,200 locations are now using black lights and ultraviolet light wands to seek out and destroy germs and harmful bacteria. The key to memorable travels with pets is careful planning. Best Western is a leader in pet friendly travel with more

A LITTLE EXTRA — The Best Western Plus Las Brisas Hotel in Palm Springs. IF YOU GO AAA members save 10% or more on room rates at Best Western hotels in the U.S., Canada and Best Western hotels worldwide. AAA members also receive special benefits through Best Western’s exclusive rewards program, AAA Preferred Best Western Rewards. Membership is free and your Best Western Rewards points never expire. than 1,600 locations that accommodate your four-legged friends. Special efforts to accommodate pets include special amenities like doggie treats at check-in, water bowls, pet beds with blankets, and pet-friendly “Mini Bar” including pets snacks, toys and special clean-up bags.

TICKETS AMERICA’S TOP OLYMPIC MEDAL CONTENDERS

from the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi headline this season’s all-new

STARS ON ICE TOUR,

and you can see them perform April 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey or April 10 at Giant Center in Hershey, PA!

THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB HE HAS ISN’T ON THE PA TURNPIKE. Over the years, 33 PA Turnpike workers lost their lives while doing their job. Please don’t make it 34. Slow down in work zones.

APRIL 2014

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Get your tickets now to experience the passion and relive the spirit of the U.S. Figure Skating Team as they celebrate their performances from the 2014 Winter Games! As part of the AAA Discounts & Rewards program, MEMBERS RECEIVE 25% OFF TICKETS priced $90 and under when using the password ICE. Tickets are currently available at starsonice.com.

2/26/14 2:47 P

It Happens Every Spring The Many Wonders of in Myrtle Beach California’s Central Coast High Tides and Green Grass on the Grand Strand

Traveling Highway I from Los Osos to San Simeon

MOONSTRUCK — Moonstone Beach weaves a path along the California coastline.

MAGIC SWINGDOM — The Pete Dye Course at Barefoot Resort in North Myrtle Beach.

yrtle Beach isn’t just about the beach anymore. It’s a family-friendly mash up of sun, sea, golf, and eyepopping attractions all served up with a side order of Southern hospitality. Located at the hub of South Carolina’s Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach presides over a pristine 60-mile ribbon of coastline that stretches from Little River to Pawleys Island, along the South Carolina coast. Catch some rays on the beach, take in a show, tee off on Low Country links, or do some people-watching on the boardwalk. The mile-long boardwalk offers memorable oceanfront views as it unravels like yarn along the shore. Myrtle Beach didn’t invent the wheel, but they do have the biggest one on the East Coast. With 42 glass gondolas the 200-foot-high Myrtle Beach SkyWheel offers breathtaking panoramas of the Atlantic coastline. The grand strand boasts more than 100 golf courses, nearly one-third of which are rated four-stars or higher in Golf Digest’s “Places to Play.” Seven are ranked among the “Top 100 Public Courses in America.” Golfers may find themselves teeing off amid a cathedral of Carolina pines or staring down a stray gator in a water hazard. Courses come in all shapes, sizes and degrees of difficulty and include designs by top architects like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, and Pete Dye. Top shelf layouts include Tidewater Golf Club, the Caledonia Golf and Fish Club on Pawleys Island and Wachesaw Plantation Club on Murrells Inlet. The venerable Dunes Club, a Robert Trent Jones design, which opened in 1949, is still considered by

FOR MORE INFORMATION Please see this issue’s Departures Guide or log on to AAA.com/USA for special values on and vacation ideas from AAA Travel. many to be the region’s best all-round course. And Myrtle Beach has enough diversions to satisfy even the most gimlet-eyed golf widow or widower. With singing gondoliers, more than 100 boutiques, and attractions, like the NASCAR Speed Park, and the Palace Theatre, Broadway at the Beach offers an enticing mix of shopping and entertainment. Located on 350 acres surrounding a lake, visitors can also splash down in the $43 million Ripley’s Aquarium, filled with 1.3 million gallons of water and dozens of denizens of the deep. At Barefoot Landing, shopping feels closer to nature. Adjacent to miles of boardwalk overlooking the Intra-coastal Waterway near North Myrtle Beach, the popular complex features more than 100 retail shops and attractions like the Alabama Theatre. Visitors can take a walk on the wild side at Alligator Adventure, one of the largest exotic reptile parks in the world. Sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband, Archer, created Brookgreen Gardens in the 1930s, on the site of four abandoned rice plantations. Considered the finest outdoor presentation of American figurative sculpture in the world, a series of butterfly-shaped connecting gardens displays 900 figurative sculptures, fringed by white dogwoods, azaleas, fountains and reflecting pools.

panning 101 miles of prime Pacific coastline midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, California’s Central Coast is known for its endless ocean vistas, towering pines and romantic seaside villages. The bayside community of Los Osos is the gateway to Montana de Oro State Park, one of the most spectacular oceanside parks in the country. Famous residents have included Arthur Clokey, the creator of Gumby and Poky. Morro Rock is the best known of the Nine Sisters of San Luis Obispo County, a series of ancient volcanic plugs that line the Los Osos Valley between the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. The 581foot tall monolith rises out of the surf at the entrance to Morro Bay Harbor. Cayucos has been called “the last California beach town,” and appears like magic out of the fog, just north of Morro Bay along Highway One. With its solitary stretch of beach, and historic main street, this town of 3,000 is a beachcomber’s paradise. Cayucos means kayak or canoe, which natives once used to hunt sea otters along the coast. Now protected these fun-loving creatures are one of the area’s main attractions. The pier is a great place to stroll, watch the surfers, and scout for dolphins, otters, and seals. Known as the gateway to San Simeon, the picturesque village of Cambria enchants visitors with its historic architecture, distinctive shops and a burgeoning art scene. Visitors can hike, rent bicycles, enjoy a wine tasting, or watch the whale migrations at the historic Piedras Blancas Lighthouse. The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is a 430acre park that separates Cambria’s East

ROSEBUD Hearst Castle was the inspiration for Xanadu, in the 1941 Orson Welles film Citizen Kane, a thinly fictionalized account of William Randolph Hearst’s career. Welles combined exteriors in San Diego’s Balboa Park with Oheka Castle in Long Island New York, to stand in for San Simeon. and West Villages and protects over a mile of spectacular Pacific coastline. Moonstone Beach is named for the opalescent stones found along the shore and named for its mysterious shimmer. La Cuesta Encantada, “the Enchanted Hill” sits high above the San Simeon-Piedras Blancas coastline. This is where publisher William Randolph Hearst constructed San Simeon, his reallife Xanadu, with 127 acres of gardens, terraces, loggias and pools and the world’s largest private zoo. Zebra can still be seen grazing in the pastures along Highway One. Construction began in 1919 and continued through 1947, when Hearst stopped living there due to ill health. The estate eventually grew to encompass 165 rooms, 30 fireplaces, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a movie theater, and an airfield. Casa Grande, the magnificent main house, and the three guesthouses were built to house his vast collection of art and antiques. An omnivorous collector, Hearst had a habit of buying centuriesold ceilings, which dictated the proportions and decor of the 60,000 square foot interior. The Neptune Pool features the facade from an ancient Roman Temple dismantled and shipped from Europe and reconstructed at the site. Today the estate, and its considerable collection of art and antiques, is a state historic park that despite its remote location attracts over one million visitors a year. APRIL 2014

Shape Up Your Vehicle for Spring and Summer Undoing the Damage from a Rough Winter

Taking Care of Your Automatic Transmission Auto Industry is Rapidly Shifting Gears on Maintenance

GETTING IN GEAR — Cutaway of a BMW 8-speed automatic shows the complexity of modern transmissions.

his year’s epic winter created endless misery for motorists, and cars took an unusually tough beating. Some of us learned this the hard way as subzero temperatures took their toll, freezing door locks, draining batteries, icing up fuel lines, and leaving some drivers literally out in the cold. Winter driving conditions place a heavy burden on the systems and fluids that are vital to a vehicle’s performance. That’s why when the worst of winter is over, drivers need to inspect their cars for damage that could cause problems well into the summer. Tires — Collisions with potholes can cause concealed damage to a car’s tires and suspension. Under-inflated or worn tires are common problems leaving you with poor contact and increasing the risk of sliding on wet pavement. Tire pressure should be checked regularly and filled to the recommended level. Correctly inflated tires can improve gas mileage up to three percent. Brakes and suspension — Faulty brakes can be dangerous so a thorough brake inspection should include brake linings, rotors, drums and fluids. Other warning signs of a faulty suspension are if your vehicle rolls or sways on turns, or the front end dives when braking or bounces or slides sideways on a winding and rough road. Fluids — Just as with people, fluids are critical for vehicles when things begin to warm up. Check your owner’s guide for the proper procedures to verify the following: Engine oil, coolant level, automatic transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield washer

APRIL 2014

IN FROM THE COLD — A post-winter check-up can uncover lingering mechanical problems. READ A GOOD BOOK If you are like many motorists your owner's manual has been languishing in your glove compartment or in a drawer. Reading through it will give you some valuable maintenance and safety information and it could even save you some money. fluid. If you notice any fluid leaks or puddles or stains under your vehicle, it is a good idea to have it inspected. Battery — Cold weather is the enemy of your car’s electrical system — especially the car’s battery. Weak or old batteries should be tested and replaced if necessary. Clean any accumulated corrosion from the terminals. Wipers and lights — Good visibility is essential to safe driving. Inspect wiper blades for cracks and brittleness. If your blades are more than a year old or don’t get the windshield completely clean — without streaks — in three swipes, it’s time for new ones. Inspect your car’s headlights, taillights, brake lights and emergency flashers. Keep them clean and in good working order. Use a soft cloth to clear away winter grime on headlights and tail lights. Keep it clean — Cars can get pretty messy after a winter’s worth of snow, sleet, salt and slush. When the worst of winter is over, wash the underside thoroughly to eliminate corrosive chemicals and road grime. When the undercarriage is clean, check for damage caused by potholes or road salt and have it repaired as soon as possible.

ost people know that a transmission is a complex assembly of gears enclosed in a metal case somewhere under their car. They also know that a malfunctioning transmission can cost them a lot of money. Today’s automatic transmissions are quite reliable and built to last the lifetime of your vehicle. Modern automatic transmission fluids have also undergone significant evolution. Part of the reason is that the transmissions themselves have changed. In addition to conventional automatics as used in the past, many modern vehicles come with alternative designs such as automated manual, dual-clutch and continuously variable automatic transmissions. Depending on the application, these transmission types can have very unique fluid requirements, and use of the wrong product can quickly result in transmission damage or destruction. Your owner’s manual is the definitive source for information on the specific fluids required by any given vehicle. Checking the fluid level on a newer automatic transmission can be challenging because a growing number of gearboxes no longer have a dipstick. Modern automatics are increasingly being filled with “lifetime” fluids that do not need to be changed until the vehicle has traveled 100,000 miles or more. These transmissions offer no easy way to check or adjust the fluid level, and in many cases they are “factory sealed” with durable paint markings on the fill, check, and drain plugs that will indicate if they have ever been removed. The fluid level was correct when the car left the factory and, so long as no leaks are visible, the level is assumed to remain unchanged.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit AAA.com for information on all things automotive including tips on buying, operating and maintaining a vehicle. When fluid replacement or level adjustment does become necessary, the procedure for many sealed transmissions is quite involved and may require the use of special tools to monitor fluid temperatures. For example, the process required to check the transmission fluid level on a 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is 14 pages long! Vehicles that are not equipped with sealed transmissions and “lifetime” fluids may require periodic fluid and filter changes to remove contaminants and maintain proper performance. Transmission fluids also are susceptible to contamination by fiber and metallic particles created by internal wear. These should be done in accordance with the factory recommendations in the owner’s manual. There are two types of automatic transmission fluid changes. A traditional service involves draining and replacing the fluid (and sometimes a filter) in the transmission pan. Typically this replaces only about one-third to one-half of the total transmission and cooler fluid capacity. Some shops offer a full fluid replacement service in which a special flushing machine circulates new fluid throughout the system until all of the old fluid has been removed. Regardless of the procedure used, transmission servicing requires special care to ensure that no contaminants are allowed to enter the transmission where they can wreak havoc with precision machined hydraulic control components.

Take a Test Drive and Get Rewarded for Your Feedback! I

f you’re shopping for a new or used car this spring, the AAA Auto Buying Program is the easiest way to save both time and money. AAA members cut down the average amount of time spent at the dealership with Guaranteed Savings and upfront dealer pricing information* before ever walking on the lot. Using the Auto Buying Program online tools, AAA members have saved an average of $3,078 off MSRP**, received additional used car discounts, and enjoyed a hassle-free experience with pre-screened Certified Dealers. These dealers are committed to providing a simple and painless purchase process and want shoppers’ feedback about their service. For a limited time, take a test drive with a Certified Dealer, complete a quick survey about your experience and you’ll get a $25 gift card in the mail. (Details provided with your Certificate.) Take your first step on the AAA Auto Buying Program site at www.AAA.com/ autobuying where you can research new and used cars. Learn about any regional incentives and special cash-back offers available from the manufacturer or estimate the trade-in value of your used car and your potential monthly payment. The AAA Auto Buying Program lets you know when you’re getting a good deal and gives you unlimited access to free TrueCar Price Reports which show what others paid in your area for cars with the same features as the one you have chosen. You’ll also find reviews, photos, and specifications for a variety of vehicles and safety and crash test results allowing shoppers to compare various vehicles at one time.

Shaking Up the Status Quo in the Premium Segment 2014 Kia Cadenza Will Be Music to Your Ears

Once you’re ready to purchase, be sure to print your Guaranteed Savings Certificate or Used Vehicle Certificate, see how to get your gift card and visit your selected Certified Dealer. Your Certificate is like a golden ticket, so bring it with you or have it ready to show on your mobile device to make sure you receive your Member Savings and enjoy a hassle-free shopping experience. If you end up picking a different car on the lot than what’s on your Certificate, our Certified Dealers will give you the member savings for the car you choose on the spot. And unlike some other programs, there’s no additional charge to access this service – you have unlimited access as part of your AAA membership! So if you’re ready to buy a car, or want to find out how much you could save, go to www.AAA.com/autobuying and request upfront dealer pricing information for the car you want. You can also reach one of our representatives by calling 800-446-7433. Our Certified Dealers are waiting to take you on that test drive! * Guaranteed Savings and upfront dealer pricing information not available in all states. ** See www.aaa.com/autobuying for details.

ia has managed a remarkable turnaround in just a few short years by offering stylish, surprisingly well-equipped vehicles priced below the competition. But back in 1994, Kias were just plain cheap. The transition began in 2006, when the carmaker identified design as its “core future growth engine” and hired wunderkind Peter Schreyer as its chief design officer. Schreyer, best known for creating the Audi TT, has overseen a Bauhaus-inspired makeover of Kia’s entire fleet. Add in a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and some dancing hamsters, and Kia has become a credible part of the car buying conversation. This year marks Kia’s 20th anniversary in the U.S. market, and the 2014 Cadenza signals another great leap forward for the brand. With a long list of standard equipment, an upscale Euro design and plenty of muscle from Kia’s most powerful V6, Cadenza is making a powerful statement in the near luxury segment. Cadenza is not Kia’s first attempt building a premium car. The Kia Amanti introduced in 2003, was a clumsy knock off that looked something like a Mercedes E-Class after a three-car collision with a Jaguar and a Lincoln Town Car. At the time Consumer Reports called it “the worst-handling passenger car we’ve recently tested.”

Kia compares Cadenza’s silhouette to a beautiful glass droplet. Broad shoulders, a contoured hood, and a wide stance give it an imposing appearance that would not be out of place on the Autobahn. LED positioning lights and projection beam headlights frame Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille. The cabin wraps occupants in leather upholstery, soft touch points, and premium wood accents. Standard amenities include heated seats, navigation, back up camera, and dualzone climate control. The center console is angled slightly toward the driver for optimized control, with an 8-inch touch screen display. Front side windows in the step up Technology Package feature hydrophobic technology, which repels water for enhanced visibility during rainy weather. Cadenza shares its platform with the Hyundai Azera, Kia’s corporate cousin. The advanced all-aluminum engine produces 293 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and features dual continuously variable valve timing and a maintenancefree timing chain. The smooth-revving 3.3-liter V6 uses gasoline direct injection (GDI) technology for improved fuel economy and performance with reduced emissions.

AAA Foundation Finds LATCH-Installed Car Seats to be a Weighty Issue Continued from page 2

In addition to the CPST survey, and to help shape federal regulations, the AAA Foundation project included an expert panel and human factors analyses of the LATCH system. The panel rated various LATCH usability issues based on the frequency that the mistakes occur and the severity of the injury potential. Examples of frequent mistakes with marginal-to-critical consequences: 1. Confusion/misinterpretation of weight limit; not factoring in weight of both car seat and child. Consequence: Lower anchors, connectors and tether may not

adequately restrain the car seat and child during a collision. AAA Recommendation: At a minimum, set the lower anchor weight limit to 65 pounds for the combined weight of the child and the car seat; require standardization and clear labeling of car seat weights and limits. 2. Using LATCH in the center position of the rear seat by using inner bars of outboard lower anchors when not specified as an option by vehicle manufacturer.

Consequence: Lower anchors and connectors may not adequately restrain the car seat and child during a collision. A AA Recommendation: Make lower anchors available in all preferred seating positions, including the rear center seat – generally the safest seating position. 3. Not securing or stowing the tether when a convertible seat is used in a rear-facing position. Consequence: In a collision, the loose tether strap/hook may

swing freely, injuring the child or other passengers (e.g., projectile hazard). AAA Recommendation: Manuals should emphasize the need to store the tether and indicate where it should be stored. The full research report and white paper were provided to NHTSA in December 2013.

APRIL 2014