SEE PAGE 3
Vol. 62 No. 2
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
FEBRUARY 2015
TAMARINDO BEACH
New updates make AAA Mobile app even better
MEMBERS SAVE! Premier ... $450 Plus............ $400 Basic ..........$375 Book & deposit by 2/28/15. Per room, double occupancy.
Eureka! Tropical paradise found in fun-&-sun-blessed Costa Rica
A
lmost everyone who’s ever visited there can confirm that tiny Costa Rica has more natural delights per square mile than nearly anywhere on earth. All that nature can affect the senses in ways that can improve our moods: Sunshine warms us, lifting low spirits. Balmy breezes caress us, soothing weary souls. Melodic birdsongs and rhythmic tides comfort us, calming frayed nerves. Floral hues and Get close to fragrances captivate us, residents of the rainforest canopy! enhancing our sensual pleasure. And wild animals mesmerize us, inspiring awe and joy. Feeling nature’s physical and emotional impact is a significant part of the allure of Costa Rica, a tiny Central American nation with enormous potential to MONTEVERDE host your most memoCLOUD FOREST rable — and most revitalizing — vacation. Abundant with lush tropical forests, unique & exotic creatures, spectacular uncrowded beaches, genuinely hospitable people and endless outdoor activities, this is a magical place almost guaranteed to transform your mood from good...to better...to great! And AAA will even further improve your mood, by saving you as much as $450.00 when you book & make a deposit on our Oct 12-20 Costa Rica “cost a-little” escorted getaway now through Feb 28, 2015. The specific discount you’ll enjoy is tied to your AAA membership level and is per room (double occupancy). AAA Premier members
save $450.00, AAA Plus members save $400.00 and basic AAA members save $375.00. Costa Rica’s pristine beauty beckons those seeking to reconnect with nature — and themselves. But you certainly don’t have to be an eco-activist to feel the restorative powers of this “green” scene: If you’ve ever felt distanced from the purity of nature, Costa Rica just may be the ideal antidote to the “artificiality” of the workaday world. Fittingly, Costa Rica’s legendarily friendly ticos (what locals call themselves) use Pura Vida (literally “pure life,” but something akin to “this is living!” or “cool!”) as a greeting or to convey enthusiasm or agreement. The size of Vermont and New Hampshire, Costa Rica boasts an immense variety of landscapes, climate zones and life-forms; it’s estimated that as much as 6% of the world’s species flourish here — from enormous ficus trees to 1,500 different orchids, from elusive margays to showy macaws. Monkeys, sloths, wild cats and other fascinating creatures coexist with an amazing assortment of birds (800+ species), both migratory and resident. Take AAA’s adventure begins a ‘beak’ in San Jose, the colorful at the rest of this tour capital, and travels through on page 23. verdant Central Valley to...
Travel | Insurance/Financial | Automotive | Member Savings | AAA.com
SAVE THE COST OF YOUR AAA MEMBERSHIP EACH YEAR
The AAA Mobile app has been updated with an array of new enhancements including a more intuitive interface with easier access to features. An updated iPad version features a number of new functions: • A newly redesigned AAA Emergency Roadside Assistance feature now includes a selection of common issues to simplify your request for help, and an integrated Truck Tracker feature lets you track where the service vehicle is en route. • A streamlined card layout design that provides easy access to member services; • AAA’s newly enhanced TripTik Travel Planner product for mapping and route planning, allowing members to build, access and share trips across the mobile and online platforms; • Expanded membership features, including displaying your current member status and providing the ability to easily renew your membership. The updated mobile app also features traffic and construction information and maps that display gas station locations and updated fuel prices. The free download is available on iTunes, Google Play or AAA.com/Apps.
Auto Pay saves you time & money As winter weather tightens its grip, the last thing you need worry about is being stuck in the cold without a valid AAA membership. With AAA East Central’s Auto Pay annual renewal option, you’ll never have to worry about your membership benefits lapsing. Sign up, and your membership renewal will automatically be charged to your credit card or debit card each year. We’ll even send you a reminder before billing your card. And for a limited time, save $10 on next year’s membership renewal when you enroll in Auto Pay at AAA.com/renew, or at any AAA East Central branch office. Auto Pay automatic renewal can be added to your membership at any time, regardless of your membership expiration/renewal date. You’ll rest easy knowing your AAA membership is always there providing uninterrupted service. And, you always have the option of canceling at any time. For more information, visit or call your local AAA East Central Branch office, or call the AAA Member Services Center at 1.800.441.5008 or 412.363.5100 in Pittsburgh.
Members save 10% at PensGear team stores Show your Pittsburgh Penguins® pride and save on the latest clothing and merchandise at select PensGear stores. AAA members receive an exclusive 10% discount at the CONSOL Energy Center and SouthSide Works PensGear locations when they show their AAA card at time of purchase. Stop in and check out the new Third Jersey and Pittsburgh Gold Collection gear, or pick up the newest addition to the Iceburgh bobble head of the month series. The Penguins team store inside the CONSOL Energy Center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (hours vary on event nights). The SouthSide Works Store is located at 442 South 27th Street, and is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday; and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday. AAA member discount excludes Penguins Foundation items and game used equipment.
Make it your year to see Europe
Travelers are drawn to Europe by the magnetic allure of history, architecture, art, culture and cuisine. Now you can savor all the old-world sights and traditions and save with AAA Travel. AAA members who book & deposit an air-exclusive European package of $3,500 or higher per room through Insight Vacations, AAA Member Choice Vacations, Trafalgar, or Alexander + Roberts by February 28, 2015 will enjoy member-level discounts $100, $150 or $200. SEE PAGE 7.