Westmoreland february by AAA East Central

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Vol. 63 23 No. 1 2

WESTMORELAND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGION

FEBRUARY 2016 County Fee for Local Use Fund You may be wondering why your yearly registration has increased by $5.00. Effective January 1, 2015, your county may pass an ordinance to impose a fee of $5.00 for each vehicle registered to an address located in the participating counties. The $5.00 county fee is in addition to the cost of yearly registration fee; and will be collected by PennDOT at the time of initial issuance of registration and registration renewal. The funds may be used for construction, maintenance and repair of and safety on public highways and bridges and costs and expenses incident thereto. A few exemptions for the $5.00 County fee include disabled veterans and $10.00 retired status registration.

Travel | Insurance/Financial | Automotive | Member Savings | AAA.com

TAKE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH AAA PREMIER

Participating Counties Below are the effective dates for counties that have passed an ordinance to implement the $5.00 fee. Effective Date

Look to AAA Vacations® tours and cruises for the most member value

ot every AAA getaway is a AAA Vacations® vacation, but those that are feature exciting itineraries, engaging experiences and exclusive values — more now than ever before! As a AAA member, enjoy the 24/7 Member Care, memberonly benefits and Best Price Guarantee that come with every AAA Vacations® package. During February, save up to $100 on AAA Vacations® tours (guided or independent) or get up to $100 in onboard spending money on cruises carrying the AAA Vacations® brand. AAA Vacations® land itineraries are packed with exceptional built-in value, including experiences and complimentary inclusions considered “extras” on similar vacations (if offered at all!). Oncein-a-lifetime experiences — such as tickets to a hit musical in London’s West End Theatre District, hands-on pizza making sessions in Florence or a zipline adventure through Costa Rica’s rainforest canopy — may be included in your package. In February, save $50 (7-9 nights) or $100 (10+ nights) per new tour booking with deposit, based on double occupancy.

AAA Vacations® cruises have built-in values, which may include priority check-in, included shore excursions, AAAonly events, onboard spending credit, specialty dining, precruise hotel stays and more. These exclusive values can make your vacation experience a lot more enjoyable. Get $50 per stateroom onboard spending money on cruises of 7-9 nights ($100 for 10+ nights). AAA Vacations® tours and cruises are all about confi-

dence, trust and peace of mind. With many years of experience, AAA is here to look after your traveling needs with a personal touch. We’ve built our reputation by serving millions of vacationers. Our 24/7 Member Care (via Allianz Global Assistance, AAA’s preferred travel insurance provider) offers options to protect your vacation investment and provide even more peace of mind. continued on page 20

Participating Counties

4/7/2015

Cumberland

4/29/2015

Fulton

5/1/2015

Blair

1/1/2016

Allegheny

Visit your local AAA branch to assist with on the spot issuance of registration card and sticker. For more information call our member service center at 1.800.441.5008. Hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Forget the Stamp with AutoPay With AutoPay, you can avoid late payments and a lapse in your AAA membership. You’ll still receive a paper bill, and you can update your membership prior to making a payment. The credit or debit card you leave on file will be charged the amount of the bill. Any payments from your card will be debited 10 to 15 days before your renewal date. Simply logon to your account at AAA.com and select “Enroll” under Billing Information, or call the Member Service phone number on the back of your membership card to sign up.

PPG Paints is Newest AAA Discounts & Rewards Partner Providing quality paints and stains for homeowners and professionals alike for well over 100 years, PPG Paints is committed to providing homeowners with the highest quality products and services for all of your painting needs. They feature a broad product line, individualized customer service, including state-of-the-art color matching. PPG Paints now offers AAA members 25 percent savings on retail paint and 15 percent on sundries at 630 PPG Paints stores throughout the U.S.

Follow us on Facebook! Frequently posted topics include: AAA.com website features, travel specials, online discounts, gas price information, safety tips, car care advice and upcoming events. Visit Facebook.com/AAAEastCentral to start following AAA East Central today.

See Norway, Denmark & Sweden with AAA Travel

Check out the 2016-17 AAA Vacations® Catalog Get all the details — from pricing and day-to-day details — of your next dream vacation right at your fingertips — at home! This year’s catalog includes even more destinations, more departures, more inclusions and more value for you. Our expanded collection of vacations includes cruises, guided tours and independent vacations that offer everything from the traditional to the exotic. Visit AAA.com/AAAVacations to download and view the catalog.

Awe-inspiring fjords, timeless towns, and the northern lights dancing above a pristine wilderness — Scandinavia evokes many images. Sometimes called the Venice of the North, Stockholm is made up of 14 islands threaded by canals. In the fairytale city of Copenhagen it’s the life-size things that count. Norway’s elaborate lacework of bays and fjords is framed by picturesque medieval towns. Experience it all this summer with AAA Travel’s August 5-18 Spectacular Scandinavia tour. Book and deposit by Feb. 29, 2016 and enjoy member-level savings of up to $675 per booking. SEE PAGE 7.

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AAA MOTORIST

Top five ways to protect your identity while on vacation Safeguard your personal information with ProtectMyID®

dentity thieves don’t take a vacation when you do. As a matter of fact, traveling creates unique opportunities for identity thieves. According to a 2014 survey conducted by Edelman Berland on behalf of Experian’s ProtectMyID,®1 30 percent of Americans have either been the victims of identity theft while traveling, or know someone who has. That’s why it’s important to protect your identity as you prepare for your trip, and also while you’re traveling. Here are five steps you should take to help safeguard your identity: Travel light — The more you take with you, the more you have to lose. Carry only the essentials, such as your driver’s license, passport if you’re traveling outside the U.S., a credit card and your health insurance card (in case of emergency). Leave everything else securely stored at home, including your Social Security card, extra credit cards and other forms of identification. Backup important documents — Before you leave home, make copies of your driver’s license, passport, credit cards and any other vital documents, and carry them with you. When you leave your hotel room, lock the copies in the hotel safe. If your wallet or purse is lost or stolen, you’ll have the backups safely stored at the hotel. Plan your trip carefully — It would be nice to think you can wander around and explore freely wherever you go, but that’s not always the case. Carefully plan

FEBRUARY 2016

AAA DIRECTORY INTERNET WEB SITE: www.AAA.com AAA MEMBER SERVICES • ADDRESS CHANGE triptiks, tourbooks, maps, license 412-363-5100 or 1-800-441-5008 APPROVED AUTO REPAIR 412-365-7411 or 1-800-233-9733 EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE 412-362-1900 or 1-800-222-4357 EXPRESS TRAVEL RESERVATIONS

airline tickets, tours, cruises, rental cars

412-363-7283 or 1-800-354-8761

INSURANCE SERVICES: 1-800-207-7947 MEDIA RELATIONS: 412-365-7274 SAFETY: 412-365-7211 TDD for the hearing-impaired: 412-363-7144

AAA BRANCH OFFICE LOCATIONS

TRAVELERS A TARGET — Everyone enjoys a vacation, but don’t let your guard down. where you’ll go and the sights you’ll see. Investigate the companies you’ll be traveling with and learn the names of reputable taxi companies and transportation providers at your destination. Prep your home — Criminals who break into your home can now do worse than simply take your belongings. They can also steal your identity if they find documents or electronic items that contain sensitive information. Take steps ensure it looks like you’re still at home. Put lights on a timer so they switch on automatically when it gets dark.

Put a hold on all mail and newspaper delivery. Ask a trusted friend to water outside plants or bring trash cans off the street so your home looks lived in. Secure important documents in a lockbox inside the house. Finally, turn off your home Wi-Fi network so no one can access your home systems while you’re away. Stay alert — Of course you want to have fun and relax — you’re on vacation! But you still need to maintain some degree of vigilance. Be aware of your surroundings as you sightsee or pass through airports or other busy areas; thieves can physically pick your pocket and then use the information they reap to commit identity theft. Stay alert to scams, too — the “taxi” driver in an unmarked car who promises entry to a popular attraction at half the price or without a wait, or a hotel clerk who wants to keep your credit card for the duration of your stay. If you suspect your identity may have been compromised while traveling, or you’ve been the victim of a scam, check your credit report for signs such as new credit accounts you didn’t open. When you return home, you should also review all of your credit card and financial accounts to determine if there are any unauthorized transactions. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately if you see any activity you don’t recognize. With a few simple steps you’ll be on your way to enjoying peace of mind during your next vacation. Safe travels! 1. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vacation-report-travelers-need-more-thansunscreen-to-protect-themselves-this-summer-263615841.html.

PROTECT YOURSELF

For an added sense of security, AAA offers identity monitoring to members with enrollment in ProtectMyID®, a fullservice provider of identity theft detection, protection and fraud resolution. To learn more, visit AAA.com/protectmyid or call 1-877-440-6943.

Altoona 1634 Valley View Blvd. ............................. 814-946-1277 Butler 138 Clearview Circle .................................... 724-287-2713 Cranberry The Village Shoppes, 20510 Rt. 19 .......... 724-772-1122 Erie 6660 Peach St. Unit #2 .............................. 814-866-0246 Franklin 491 Allegheny Blvd, Suite 200 .................. 814-432-3960 Greensburg Eastgate Shopping Center 5142 Route 30, Suite 135 ......................... 724-834-8300 Grove City 24 Pine Grove Village Dr. .......................... 724-458-8930 Harborcreek 4430 Buffalo Rd. ........................................ 814-897-9508 Hermitage 1749 E. State St.......................................... 724-981-9141 Indiana 1169 Wayne Ave........................................ 724-349-4193 Jamestown (New York) 111 W. Fifth St., Jamestown, N.Y.. ........... 716-488-1981 Kittanning Franklin Village Mall. ............................... 724-543-1924 Lewisburg 530 1/2 North Derr Drive . ....................... 570-524-7455 Lower Burrell/New Kensington Area Crossroads Plaza 2503 Leechburg Rd.................................... 724-339-4440 McKean County (Bradford) 587 South Ave. .......................................... 814-368-3113 Meadville 18939 Park Avenue Plaza Unit #7 ............ 814-724-2247 New Castle 40 East St.................................................... 724-658-8551 Niagara-Orleans 7135 Rochester Rd, Lockport, NY. ............ 716-434-2865 Pittsburgh–Century III Area (Pleasant Hills) 9 Clairton Blvd. (RT 51). ........................... 412-655-6100 Pittsburgh–Downtown 538 Smithfield St. ...................................... 412-338-4300 Pittsburgh–East Liberty/Shadyside 5900 Baum Blvd. ........................................ 412-365-7196 Pittsburgh–Monroeville 2725 Mosside Blvd. .................................... 412-858-4640 Pittsburgh–North Hills Area (Ross Township) 4790 McKnight Rd. .................................... 412-367-7600 Pittsburgh–Robinson Township Robinson Town Centre 1760 Park Manor Blvd. ............................. 412-809-2800 Pittsburgh–South Hills Area (Bethel Park) 160 Ft. Couch Rd. ...................................... 412-833-5203 Rochester 300 Adams St. ............................................ 724-775-8000 St. Marys 1375 Bucktail Rd. ...................................... 814-834-7838 Somerset 110 N. Center Ave. .................................... 814-443-6526 Sunbury 1001 Market Street. .................................. 570-286-4507 Uniontown 111 W. Main St. ......................................... 724-438-8575 Warren 2285 Market St. ......................................... 814-723-6660 Washington 196 Murtland Ave. .................................... 724-222-3800 Waynesburg 184 Greene Plaza, US 21 & I-79 ................ 724-627-3434 Wexford-Wexford Plaza 10548 Perry Highway ................................ 724-933-3000 White Oak/McKeesport Area Oak Park Mall, 2001 Lincoln Way ............ 412-675-3400

FEBRUARY 2016

AAA MOTORIST

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Going the extra 100 miles for members AAA Premier offers 200 miles free towing & more Westmoreland Region Official publication of the Westmoreland Region of AAA East Central Published monthly (except bimonthly Aug./Sept., Nov./Dec.) by AAA East Central Eastgate Shopping Center 5142 Rt 30, Suite 135 Greensburg PA 15601-3604 724-834-8300 USPS 0522-130 ISSN 0891-1126 Periodicals Postage Paid at Greensburg PA Postmaster: Send address changes to AAA Motorist Westmoreland Region c/o AAA, 5900 Baum Blvd Pittsburgh PA 15206-3854 Subscription Rate: $1 included in Primary Membership dues. All others: $2/year.

Publisher.....................................James E. Lehman Managing Editor ............................Douglas O’Neil Editorial Office 5900 Baum Blvd, Pittsburgh PA 15206-3854 e-mail: motorist@aaaec.com

AAA EAST CENTRAL Chairman ................................................ Richard S. Hamilton Vice Chairman.........................................James E. Broome, Jr. Vice Chairman............................................... Gregory E. Grim Vice Chairman..........................................Mary Lynn Laughlin Vice Chairman..................................... Martha Hartle Munsch OFFICERS: President ....................................................James E. Lehman Executive Vice President ............................... Thomas J. Ashley Secretary .................................................. Robert H. Compton Treasurer .......................................................Robert S. Collins GOVERNING BOARD OF DIRECTORS Glenn B. Bachman, Neil D. Bassi, James E. Broome, Jr., Steve D. Bullock**, Charles O. Casto**, Edward C. Coaxum, Jr., Robert S. Collins, Robert H. Compton, Jon E. Denney, Debra A. Dinnocenzo, Gregory E. Grim, Richard S. Hamilton, James H. Kanicki, Mary Lynn Laughlin, William Duff McCrady, James M. McDonnell, Thomas V. McKernan Jr., Martha Hartle Munsch, Gary K. Munsie**, Terrence L. Walton** EAST CENTRAL REGION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Neil D. Bassi, Chairman, Robert S. Collins, Vice Chairman, Carol Asam, Christian Asam, Jack A. Barkley, William E. Bierer**, Ellsworth T. Bowser**, Peter Burton, Marianne B. Campbell, Michael A. Cochran, Daniel J. Collins Jr.**, Robert S. Collins, Robert H. Compton, Debra A. Dinnocenzo, James J. Dodaro, Jack G. Ellis, Charles W. Groce, Richard S. Hamilton, Mark Henschen, Luke Howe, Richard Kallenborn, Herbert G. Koenig, Mark S. Mansour, W. Duff McCrady, Martha Hartle Munsch, W. Lee Oswalt, III, Michael Parkes, John D. Petruso, Louis Pomerico, Jacob N. Skezas, James C. Stump, Jr., James F. Ward **emeritus directors

Regional President .......................Gary N. Beck Sr. Regional Board of Directors Kenneth A. Bacha, Gary N. Beck Sr., Dominic Ciarimboli, Mark S. Mansour, Gilfert M. Mihalich, Debra Pezze, Dennis J. Slyman, James C. Stump, James C. Stump, Jr.

Greensburg 724-834-8300 Eastgate Plaza 5142 Route 30, Suite 135 Lower Burrell New Kensington Area 724-339-4440 Crossroads Plaza 2503 Leechburg Rd

Copyright ©2016 by AAA East Central. Publication of an advertisement in the AAA Motorist does not constitute an endorsement of the product or service by the AAA Motorist or by AAA East Central, except in the case of products and services which are being offered by AAA East Central.

By Gary Beck, Sr. President, Westmoreland Region veryone’s needs are different; that’s why AAA offers several levels of membership. Just as AAA Plus expands AAA Classic coverage, AAA Premier is an enhancement to AAA Plus. Your benefits will only increase with each level, giving you the freedom to choose the membership option that best fits your budget and your lifestyle. AAA Premier takes the traditional advantages of AAA membership and supersizes them with a multitude of advanced benefits and services. Roadside assistance needs for example, tend to evolve in tandem with your driving habits, and everyone’s circumstances are unique. Members who need to go the distance will find that AAA Premier can deliver one tow of up to 200 miles per household, in addition to up to 100 miles on remaining tows per membership year. Lockouts remain one of the most common reasons for roadside assistance calls. If your vehicle key is lost, broken, or the service provider cannot gain entry, AAA will provide Premier members with locksmith service or reimbursement of commercial locksmith service up to $150. AAA Premier even protects you at home with up to a $100 reimbursement for Home Lockout Service at your primary residence. Should your vehicle need to be towed, and you’re stranded without transportation AAA Premier steps up by arranging a standard class rental car for one day at no charge. Premier members

Gary Beck are also entitled to a free Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership with enough Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Bonus Points for two free weekend rental days after your first Gold rental. AAA Premier Membership is much more than extended towing. It also entitles you to a specialized package of perks and personalized travel services. Suppose your trip is delayed or interrupted due to a collision, mechanical failure, vehicle theft, illness, injury or even severe weather. You’re more than 100-miles from home, and what do you do? AAA Premier members are eligible for up to $1,500 Trip Interruption benefits toward the cost of transportation, accommodations, meals or related expenses. Premier is so generous it even pays up to $500 to return your vehicle

to your home if these issues result in the use of substitute transportation. Rest easy the next time you’re on a domestic or international vacation. AAA Premier members have exclusive access to Global Travel Emergency Assistance 24 hours a day. One call is all it takes to arrange medical provider referrals, prescription replacement, lost ticket and document replacement and emergency translation services. Traveling on a domestic or international vacation of at least 100 driving miles from home? AAA Premier’s 24-hour Concierge Service can help make your stay more memorable and carefree with assistance in securing tickets to events, restaurant reservations, tee times, flowers and more. Premier members also save at AAA offices, with free passport photos and notary service on personal documents; waiving AAA Travel Agency flight and rail ticket reservation fees; and up to $300,000 Travel Accident Insurance when travel arrangements are made through AAA. AAA Premier will go as far as life can take you and it’s available at an annual fee of just $35 per household, in addition to the members’ Classic and AAA Plus membership dues. AAA Premier can be added at any time to an existing membership (benefits subject to 7-day waiting period). To upgrade to AAA Premier, call or stop by your local AAA branch office, or contact the Club’s Member Service Call Center at 800.441.5008. Visit AAA. com/premier to review a comparison of AAA Classic, Plus and Premier benefits.

membersonly Hertz named Best Car Rental Company by Travel Weekly AAA car rental partner finishes 2015 with more than 25 awards

AA preferred partner Hertz recently made a clean sweep at Travel Weekly’s 13th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Hertz won Best Domestic Car Rental Company for the 13th consecutive time, the only winner in the history of the category, and Best International Car Rental Company for the 12th time. These widely recognized and coveted awards are presented annually to the industry’s suppliers who led the way in product and service during the past year. The open-ballot phase of the voting was conducted during the summer. Readers were invited to write in the names of any company they believed best exemplified that particular category. In addition to the Travel Weekly awards, Recommend magazine recently named Hertz as “Best Travel Agent Support Car Rental Company” in their 19th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards, and readers of Premier Traveler magazine recognized Hertz as the “Best Rental Car Company” in its Best of 2015 survey.

These latest awards complement the vast array of honors achieved by Hertz during 2015, including being named as the “Best Car Rental Company” by TTG Asia; awarded the 2015 Travelers’ Choice for Car Rental in Italy, Spain and the U.K. by the TripAdvisor community; and receiving the GlobeRunner Award for “Best Car Rental Chain in the World” by Frequent Business Traveler. Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards program was named “Best Rewards Program of the Drive” category across the Americas, Europe/Africa and Middle East/Asia/Oceania at the 2015 FlyerTalk Awards, and the U.K.-based readers of Business Traveller magazine named Hertz the “Best Car Rental Company.” Additionally, Hertz was named to Newsweek’s 2015 Green Rankings, one of the world’s most recognized assessments of corporate environmental performance and was chosen as a recipient of the 2015 Airports Going Green Award from the Chicago Department of Aviation. Hertz is one of the most recognized

brands in the world, signifying leadership in quality rental services and products. This past year, Hertz has been honored with more than 25 bestin-class travel industry awards, both in the U.S. and internationally. Hertz understands customers want speed and convenience at every touchpoint of the rental experience, from pick up to drop off. Hertz is dedicated to maintaining superior quality and customer service in car rental through a variety of innovative service offerings, such as Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, a free loyalty rewards program entitling AAA members to a number of exclusive benefits and exclusive vehicle collections. NeverLost® GPS, the award-winning in-vehicle navigation system is available to rent along with a Hertz vehicle and offers hands-free calls, access to weather and flight information, live concierge operators and more. Carfimations, Hertz’s mobile email SMS text service, confirms a Gold customer’s reservation and advises them of their car location; and many others.

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A crash course in automobile insurance Tailor your coverage to meet your personal needs by Robin Jones f you’re overwhelmed with all the coverage options on your auto insurance, you’re not alone. In fact, you might even be tempted to just buy the minimum insurance required by law and call it a day. But unless you own little more than the clothes on your back, that may be a bad idea. Why? Because the legal minimum liability limits may not be enough to cover injuries or damage to other people and property due to an accident. And if the costs of a crash you cause exceed your policy limits, the other driver can sue you for anything of value you own. An insurance policy has two main purposes: 1) to cover the damages you cause to other persons and property (liability coverage), and 2) to protect you and your insured vehicle (other optional coverages). What you need depends on your financial situation, your risk tolerance level, and other factors. To help you make informed decisions, we explain three types of coverage that most often confuse people. If you have questions about coverage limits or other types of coverage, such as collision and comprehensive or umbrella policies, talk to your insurance agent. You may also want to consult a certified financial planner, attorney, and/or estate planner to help you decide how much insurance is right for you.

your passengers against bodily injury or property damage related to the accident, up to the limits available. Uninsured motorist coverage is not required in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky and many other states, but without that coverage, your options are not appealing: trying to collect from the other driver for damages, and, if unsuccessful, possibly filing a lawsuit for compensation.

Rental Reimbursement

UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS — Drivers are often unfamiliar with all the coverage options available on their auto insurance. Liability Coverage Liability insurance is required by law to cover bodily injury and property damage that you cause to other people and property while driving your insured vehicle. This coverage is usually stated as three numbers that indicate, in order, 1) the amount your policy will pay for bodily injuries you are liable for per person if you are at fault, 2) the total amount it will pay for injuries you are liable for per accident, and 3) the total amount it will pay for property

damage that you cause while driving. For example, a 100/300/100 policy will pay each person injured in a crash that you cause while driving up to $100,000, with a maximum limit of $300,000 for the accident, and up to $100,000 to repair damage to the other person’s vehicle and/or property.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

If someone who has inadequate or no insurance hits your car and is at fault, this coverage protects you and

Breathtaking! This isNiagara Falls! Two nights from $159* CAN PP/DB including meals... 2 full breakfasts, dinner at

Coco’s Steakhouse, and superb dinner high atop Skylon’s Revolving Dining Room overlooking the Falls. Ask about our Niagara Attractions Package... From $129* CAN PP/DB.

Call Now! 1-800-263-9393 holidayinnniagarafalls.com Niagara Falls, Canada *Rates are per person, double occupancy. Prices valid Sun. to Thurs. Holidays, weekends higher. Tax extra. Free parking. Rates valid Oct. 12, 2015 to May12, 2016. Child add-ons, whirlpool suites, gift certificates also available. *Subject to exchange rates. Visit www.holidayinnniagarafalls.com for details.

Two nights from $154*PP Coco’s Steakhouse, and a superb din overlooking the Falls. Ask about ou

If you’re involved in a crash and your car needs extensive repairs, this coverage will pay for the rental car while your vehicle is in the shop, up to the rental limits on your policy. It will also pay for a rental vehicle for a specified period if your vehicle is totaled and you need transportation while you’re shopping for a new car. If you can’t easily borrow a car, it can be a smart investment, since rental car costs can add up quickly. FOR MORE INFORMATION

Trust AAA to steer you right on all your current and future Auto, Home and Life insurance needs. Combining your coverage with one insurance company could make a significant difference in your premium. Call 800.207.7947, or visit AAA.com/insurance for more information or to schedule a comprehensive Insurance review. AAA – your trusted insurance advisor.

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FEBRUARY 2016

Member Benefits • Exclusive Offers

1-800-354-8761 • AAA.com/travel

Spectacular

SCANDINAVIA!

MEMBERS SAVE! $675 Premier • $650 Plus • $625 Classic NEW BOOKINGS WITH DEPOSIT • FEB 1-29, 2016 • PER ROOM, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

Slip away this summer to... NORWAY, DENMARK & SWEDEN!

harborfront, another World Heritage–protected site. Fly to Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital; amble along its maze of cobbled lanes, including Europe’s longest pedestrianized shopping street. A city tour includes Amalienborg Palace, the Royal Theater and the much cherished Little Mermaid statue. Savor dinner in this Scandinavian culinary capital, where a “New Nordic Cuisine Movement” currently holds reign. Enjoy a full day on your own to explore the city’s many delights. Cross Øresund Bridge, Europe’s longest combined road-and-rail bridge, into Sweden. In Malmö, enjoy a fika (traditional coffee break, often with kanelbullar, sweet cinnamon rolls) and overnight in a family-run manor house. Then head to the cosmopolitan capital, Stockholm, to visit City Hall, stroll through Old Town, see the Royal Palace and step back in time at the Vasa Museum, where a perfectly preserved 17th-century warship offers a rare glimpse into that era. Take in more sights of this attractive city built upon 14 islands during a full day on your own. Afterward, enjoy a farewell dinner ATURE at Fem Sma Hus, a stunning Old CA O Town restaurant TI comprised of 5 timber-framed houses from the 17th century that capture the flavors of a bygone era. VA

Despite the large size of some of them, Scandinavia’s countries seem to draw little attention to themselves, especially compared to some others on the Continent. It’s likely many Americans know the many reasons to visit Italy or France, but fewer are privy to the relative secrets being quietly kept by Norway, Denmark and Sweden. That’s why AAA’s ”Spectacular Scandinavia“ escorted tour will almost certainly surprise and delight you with this trio’s abundant natural beauty, pleasantly warm summers, fascinating history and unique cultures. And, with included AAA Member Choice Vacations Experiences, it will reveal the unforgettable charms of lands and peoples. Oslo — Norway’s capital and largest city — is both ancient and modern. Gorgeously set between harbor and forested mountains, most of its main sights (National Gallery, Royal Palace, City Hall & Akershus fortress) are just steps from the city center. An architecturally stunning opera house (2008), built partly into the harbor it abuts, shines like an iceberg in the sun; visitors climb its popular ramp-like roof for its views...and for the fun of it! Marvel at 3 ancient vessels at the fascinating Viking Ship Museum and visit a park where an intriguing collection of statues comprises sculptor Gustav Vigeland’s life’s work. Travel to Norway’s breathtaking fjord region and see Borgund’s wooden stave church (1180). Ascend 3,000 feet on the Flam Railway past mighty waterfalls, towering mountains and steep-walled valleys. See Briksdal Glacier and cruise into Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and see Seven Sisters, Bridal Veil and Suitor waterfalls. Experience Old World charm at Bergen’s picturesque

AUG 5-18. AAA MEMBER RATE: $6,749. Rate is per person, double occupancy, is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip flights (Pittsburgh-Oslo, Stockholm-Pittsburgh), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, 20 meals, hotel luggage handling (1 bag per person), sightseeing per itinerary and taxes/gratuities for included features. Visit AAA.com/travel for more information. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Passport required.

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Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

1 BOOK PER ROOM, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

S N

AAA MEMBER RATES are per person, double occupancy, are subject to availability at time of booking and include roundtrip flights from Pittsburgh (except YELLOWSTONE EXPERIENCE, which is a land-only package), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, meals as noted, hotel luggage handling (1 bag per person), sightseeing per itinerary, taxes/gratuities for included features, services of a AAA Tour Manager (upon arrival at destination, if participation goal is met). Visit AAA.com/USA for more information. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details.

AMERICAN MAJESTY: Aug 27–Sept 3 • $3,239 (includes flights!)

Celebrate the American West during the 100th year of the National Park Service by roaming the home of the buffalo and discovering America's wide-open spaces and iconic landmarks. Start in Salt Lake City, with an opportunity to witness the weekly spectacle of a Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast performance (choir schedule permitting). Travel past Great Salt Lake, through Logan Canyon and beside Bear Lake. At Grand Teton National Park, take a scenic float trip on the Snake River. Next, visit Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs and other sites in Yellowstone National Park. Enjoy historic Cody, the Buffalo Bill Center and a chuckwagon-style dinner. Marvel at Devil’s Tower, feel the Old West at Deadwood and enter the scenic Black Hills on the way to Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument. After a Wildlife Jeep® Safari at Custer State Park to see buffalo (and more), end at the inspirational Mt Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony. 13 meals.

“MIGHTY 5 & MORE” CELEBRATION: Oct 11-19 • $3,845 (includes flights!)

Commemorate the National Park Service centennial on a tour of some of the USA’s most popular and beautiful parks. After an evening in Las Vegas (“Entertainment Capital of the World”), travel past Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, visit Kingman's Route 66 Museum and be enchanted by the Grand Canyon. Enter the Navajo Nation with a stop at a trading post offering Native American handicrafts. Continue to Lake Powell and photographically famous Antelope Canyon. Enjoy a scenic cruise, then a 4-wheel-drive-vehicle tour of spectacular Monument Valley, sacred to Navajos. Experience an evening of Navajo culture, food and entertainment. Time for the “Mighty 5” national parks: See many of the more than 2,000 natural arches in Arches National Park. Dine outside at a dramatically located lodge on the Colorado River. An exciting Jeep® tour of Canyonlands National Park reveals its amazing beauty. Ride a jet boat on the Colorado. See ancient ptetroglyphs at Capitol Reef National Park, the fairyland hues and shapes of Bryce Canyon National Park and

the 2,000-foot-high stone towers of Zion National Park. 16 meals.

BRIGHT LIGHTS/BIG CANYONS: May 22-30 • from $2,895 (includes flights!)

Fly to Las Vegas and settle into your centrally located casino hotel. An evening Pink Jeep® tour lets you experience the dazzling excitement of the Strip in a unique way. Enjoy a full day to explore everything Vegas has to offer. Travel on to Lake Powell and your lakeside hotel; enjoy a dinner cruise. Appreciate the spiritual aspect of Navajo territory and the photographic beauty of Antelope Canyon on a guided off-road tour. Enjoy 2 nights in a lodge at the Grand Canyon. Ride the Grand Canyon Railway to Williams. At Sedona, take a Pink Jeep® tour to see majestic red rock formations. 12 meals.

YELLOWSTONE EXPERIENCE: June 20-26 • $1,859 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 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.

GLACIER NP DISCOVERY: June 21-27 • from $3,039 (includes flights!)

Tour a silver mine in Wallace ID (once “Silver Capital of the World”) and Smokejumpers Aerial Fire Depot. Visit artsy Big Fork MT and enjoy a float trip on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Stay at an Old World–style lodge in Glacier National Park. Cruise on 2 lakes. Travel “Going to the Sun” Road amid snowy peaks and virgin forest. Ride a vintage Red Jammer Touring Car. Cross the Continental Divide. Take America’s longest gondola. Visit Lake Coeur d’Alene. Dine on a paddle boat. 11 meals.

SAVE $25 on popular FEATURED VACATIONS to US West destinations! COLORADO TRAIN ADVENTURE July 9-16 • $2,145

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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 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 in Golden. 15 meals.

Maps, facts & photos

Full color 272 pages

NEW BOOKINGS FEB 1-29

$22.95 value Published by National Geographic

ATURE

ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THE AMERICAN WEST! Get this guidebook to celebrate 100 years of the National Park Service

BEST OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA July 21-29 • $4,379 (includes flights!)

So many delights in 1 tour — from the endless charms of San Francisco to the natural splendor of the redwoods at Muir Woods to the opulence of Hearst Castle. Cross Golden Gate Bridge, enjoy the Mediterranean ambiance of Sausalito, sample wines at Napa Valley vineyards, savor lunch aboard the Napa Wine Train. Ride Amtrak’s scenic California Zephyr to Lake Tahoe. Visit the ghost town of Virginia City NV. Dine & dance on a riverboat paddlewheeler. Marvel at Yosemite’s wonders. Explore coastal Carmel, Big Sur and Monterey. 14 meals.

SAVINGS PER ROOM, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY; NEW BOOKINGS FEB 1-29

CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY Aug 28–Sept 2 • $3,319 (includes flights!)

Here’s a tasty tour starting in scenic San Francisco; see the City by the Bay's Twin Peaks, Haight Ashbury District, Embarcadero, Chinatown, Pacific Heights. Cross Golden Gate Bridge to Vista Point and on to Napa Valley. Tour & sip samples at wineries; enjoy a chef-prepared picnic at one and a “Blend Your Own Merlot” session at another. Savor an elegant dinner aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train. Visit Mediterranean-flavored Sausalito and ferry over to Fisherman’s Wharf. Back in Napa, visit 2 more wineries and dine at the Culinary Institute of America. 8 meals.

Before-discount AAA MEMBER RATES are per person, double occupancy, are subject to availability at time of booking and include roundtrip flights from Pittsburgh (except COLORADO TRAIN ADVENTURE, which is a land-only package), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, meals as noted, hotel luggage handling (1 bag per person), sightseeing per itinerary and taxes/gratuities for included features. Visit AAA.com/USA for more information. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details.

1-800-354-8761 AAA.com/travel

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Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

Free Travel Presentation!

Learn more about Member Choice Vacations guided touring. Space is limited — call now for your spot! ®

Altoona AAA

Pittsburgh: Cranberry, North Hills, Wexford

Butler AAA

Pittsburgh: Monroeville

Tuesday Feb 23, 6pm 1634 Valley View Blvd Tuesday March 1, 6:30pm 138 Clearview Circle

Pittsburgh: Century III, South Hills Wednesday March 2, 6:30pm Crowne Plaza, 164 Ft Couch Rd, Bethel Park

Erie

Wednesday March 9, 6:30pm Cranberry Twp Municipal Building, 2525 Rochester Rd Thursday March 10, 6:30pm Comfort Suites, 2731 Mosside Blvd

Uniontown

Tuesday March 22, 6:30pm Titlow Tavern & Grill, 92 W Main St

Washington AAA

Thursday March 3, 6:30pm Days Inn, 7415 Schultz Rd (off I-90 near casino)

Wednesday March 23, 6:30pm 196 Murtland Ave

Greensburg AAA

Pittsburgh: Robinson Twp

Tuesday March 8, 6:30pm 5142 Route 30 (next to Giant Eagle)

Tuesday March 29, 6:30pm Hyatt Place–Pittsburgh Airport, 6011 Campbells Run Rd

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Unforgettable experiences not found on cruises! Traditional salmon bake & a sternwheeler river cruise in Fairbanks 4-hour adventure flying over the Arctic Circle, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the Yukon River 7-hour Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali National Park, looking for grizzlies, moose & more...with an overnight in the park Meet a 4-time winner of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race and his canine crew Visits to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation & Begich Boggs Visitor centers 2-hour river float trip in Kenai Fjords National Park A ride on Girdwood’s Alyeska Tram — from sea level to 2,300 feet! Special welcome & farewell dinners with your fellow travelers

July 7-16 •

AAA Member Rate: from $6,155

Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes flights (Pittsburgh-Fairbanks, Anchorage-Pittsburgh), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, motorcoach sightseeing, accommodations (Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage, Seward: 2 each, Girdwood: 1), 16 meals, luggage handling (1 bag per person), gratuities for included features (includes driver, escort) and in-Alaska escort. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details.

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FEBRUARY 2016

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Fly to Calgary and drive into the spectacular Canadian Rockies to the resort town of Banff, your home for 4 nights. Ride Banff Gondola for panoramic vistas...then enjoy a gentle guided float trip on the Bow River; keep an eye out for wildlife! Cross the Continental Divide on the way to Yoho and Banff national parks. See Takakkaw Falls, Emerald Lake and Lake Louise (“Jewel of the Rockies”) and ride another gondola. Spot more wildlife along Columbia Icefields Parkway to Athabasca Glacier (ride atop the glacier in a unique Ice Explorer vehicle) and turquoise Peyto Lake. Cap off the week at Calgary’s famous Stampede (afternoon & evening admission), a 10-day celebration of cowboy life, chuckwagon races, rodeos, parades, fireworks and more. Gaze out over the city from atop the Calgary Tower, where dinner will be served at the Sky 360 restaurant.

AAA MEMBER RATE: $3,409

JULY 7-13

Canadian Rockies AND THE

Calgary Stampede © Sascha Burkard / Fotolia.com

Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip flights (Pittsburgh-Calgary), roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, 12 meals, sightseeing, hotel luggage handling (1 bag per person) and services of a AAA Tour Manager (upon arrival in Calgary, if participation goal is met). Additional airline fees for baggage may apply; contact your travel agent for details. Passport required.

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Avoid potential airport hassles: Motorcoach to & from your cruise! Park for free, then relax on AAA’s convenient “Cruise Express” motorcoach right to your ship!

Grandeur of the Seas — from Baltimore MD Bermuda & the Bahamas ....... May 12-21 ................ from $1,199 Bermuda & the Bahamas ....... July 21-30 ................. from $1,415 Canada & New England ......... Sept 1-10 .................. from $1,141 Canada & New England ......... Oct 13-22.................. from $1,094 Southeast & the Bahamas ...... Nov 12-21.................... from $969 AAA MEMBER RATES are per person (double occupancy), are subject to availability at time of booking and include roundtrip motorcoach transportation, cruise accommodations/entertainment, most onboard meals and taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $383.10 per person. Passport required. Ship’s registry: Bahamas. Visit AAA.com/motorcruise for details & PA pick-up points.

Be among the first to cruise on Anthem of the Seas! Get $50 shipboard credit! Sail roundtrip from Cape Liberty NJ to New England & Canada. Cruise includes a 1-night before-cruise hotel stay near the pier.

Oct 5-15 •

balcony staterooms from $2,083

Boston MA • Portland ME • Bar Harbor ME • Saint John NB • Halifax NS • Plus 3 days at sea AAA MEMBER RATE is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip motorcoach transportation (Pittsburgh–NJ), 1-night pre-cruise hotel stay (NJ), cruise accommodations/entertainment, most onboard meals, $50 shipboard credit per stateroom and taxes/fees/port expenses of $468.52 per person. Passport required. Ship’s registry: Bahamas. Visit AAA.com/motorcruise for details & PA pick-up points.

Celebrity Cruises

AMAZING AIR OFFER FOR AAA MEMBERS Western Mediterranean Cruise: Sept 15-24 Roundtrip from Rome on Celebrity Silhouette

Get $500 off airfare from AAA! *

first 2 passengers in stateroom

• Amalfi Coast (Salerno), Italy • Messina (Sicily), Italy • Marseille, France • Nice (Villefranche), France • Ajaccio (Corsica), Italy • La Spezia, Italy • Includes 2 full days at sea

AND CHOOSE TWO OF THESE PERKS! • PREPAID GRATUITIES FOR 2 value of up to $230 per stateroom • $300.00 ONBOARD CREDIT per stateroom, double occupancy • CLASSIC BEVERAGE PACKAGE FOR 2, beverage gratuities included, value of up to $924 per stateroom • UNLIMITED INTERNET FOR 2 value of up to $299 for 1 internet account

*To qualify, book Feb 1-29 & make a nonrefundable deposit for a Concierge Class stateroom (or above) AND pay in full for Celebrity air from Buffalo, Cleveland, Louisville, Philadelphia or Pittsburgh through AAA Travel.

Modern Luxury

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Rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes cruise accommodations/entertainment, most onboard meals and taxes of $320.21. Passport required. Ship’s registry: Malta.

AAA Member Rate: from $2,084

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LEAVE YOUR CAR AT HOME!

Car-free, carefree adventures ATURE

FEBRUARY 2016

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Rates are per person, are subject to availability at time of booking and include roundtrip motorcoach transportation from the Pittsburgh area, accommodations (for multiday tours, based on double occupancy), sightseeing/admissions, taxes/gratuities for included features, baggage handling (for multiday tours), meals as indicated and the services of a AAA Tour Manager. Visit AAA.com/USA for complete itinerary details and pick-up points.

SPRING AT BILTMORE ESTATE: Asheville NC April 25-28 •

AAA Member Rate: $1,409

Trek south to enjoy the colors of spring at one of America’s most opulent estates. Renowned for being the nation’s largest home, Biltmore is picturesquely situated among extensive gardens, landscaped grounds and its own winery. Explore the magnificent house on an independent walking audio tour AND during an exclusive rooftop tour, with access into areas not open on the regular house visit. Stay at the elegant on-site Inn on Biltmore Estate. Also enjoy shopping at Antler Hill Village and a short guided tour of Asheville. 6 meals.

PIRATES VS CUBS Chicago IL

"SAMSON": Lancaster PA

May 12-13 •

AAA Member Rate: $459

Travel to the bucolic Pennsylvania Dutch country around Lancaster to see a multifaceted and mesmerizing performance of “Samson” at Sight & Sound Millennium Theater; enjoy spectacular effects, glorious sets and an inspiring story. Spend some time at Kitchen Kettle Village’s unique collection of shops. Dine at Hershey Farm Restaurant, an attraction on its own. At the Plain & Fancy Farm, gain instight into the Amish way of life; visit a homestead and schoolroom there, then enjoy an area farmlands tour. 3 meals.

MACKINAC ISLAND MI includes Dearborn, Frankenmuth

PIRATES VS NATIONALS Washington DC

May 12-15 • AAA Member Rate: $1,165

June 12-16 • AAA Member Rate: $1,129

July 15-17 • AAA Member Rate: $679

Join fellow Pirates fans for a fun-filled commute to one of the nation’s most exciting sports cities. Visit historic Wrigley Field and cheer the red-hot Buccos on to victory. Downtown lodging puts you steps away from city sights. Take a tour of the city’s sports venues and the Chicago Sports Museum. Step back into the Roaring ’20s for food & comedy at Tommy Gun's Garage “speakeasy.” Enjoy reserved seating at Wrigley Field’s Budweiser Patio, featuring unlimited ballpark food and beverages (including beer/wine). 6 meals.

In Dearborn, visit the Henry Ford Museum and explore Greenfield Village. Visit Edsel Ford’s luxurious estate. Cross Mighty Mac Bridge and ferry over to Mackinac Island, a charming and car-less Victorian-era village. Tour the island's sights by horse-drawn carriage and visit Fort Mackinac. Enjoy the renowned luncheon buffet at the Grand Hotel and then free time in town to visit its unique shops. Leave the island to enjoy the many delights of the Bavarian-flavored village of Frankenmuth, home of Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. 8 meals.

Follow the Pirates to the nation’s capital for a fun-filled weekend of sports and history. Take a guided sightseeing tour of the city’s many monuments and memorials. Attend a rooftop reception at your hotel (with rooftop pool and views of the Capitol!). Enjoy nearly a full day of free time to explore DC on your own. After a catered pre-game picnic, take your reserved baseline seat for the game and root for the Pirates. Visit the relatively new National Harbor complex; shop, browse, dine and/or ride the towering Capital Wheel on your own. 4 meals.

ULTIMATE NEW YORK CITY Phantom of the Opera option available

MAINE SEACOAST Portland to Acadia National Park

LAST CHANCE!

May 27-30 • AAA Member Rate: $945

June 12-18 • AAA Member Rate: $1,669

Spend a holiday weekend in Midtown Manhattan! Stay in the heart of it all at the Millennium Broadway, just steps from Times Square. Take a motorcoach tour of the Big Apple, then cruise out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Enjoy more than a full day of free time to explore the endless attractions, museums, restaurants, stores and parks this city has to offer. Visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Optional ticket for “Phantom of the Opera” (May 27: 8pm) available for an additional $105 per person (pay at time of reservation). 1 meal.

See the rugged beauty of Maine’s spectacular coastline. Overnight in Cromwell CT, stop at Portland Head Lighthouse and explore seaside Portland. From Boothbay Harbor, the boating capital of Maine, search for humpback, fin and minke whales on a 3-hour cruise. Enjoy free time in Boothbay before visiting the Maine State Prison Store and moving on to Bar Harbor. Tour Bar Harbor and marvel at the magnificent beauty of Acadia National Park. Visit West Point and overnight at Hotel Thayer on the way home. 12 meals.

EAGLE MIGRATION WEEKEND Central PA March 11-13 AAA Member Rate: $525

CHERRY BLOSSOM PARADE & FESTIVAL Washington DC April 15-17 AAA Member Rate: $739

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PIRATES HOME GAMES: Get a seat & more!

Cardinals Saturday June 11 @ 7:15pm Zambelli Fireworks

Dodgers Friday June 24 @ 7:05pm

Nationals Saturday Sept 24 @ 7:05pm

Travel Tumbler (first 20,000 fans)

ATURE

Cubs Saturday July 9 @ 7:15pm Reds Saturday Aug 6 @ 7:05pm Brewers Saturday Sept 3 @ 7:05pm

Free Shirt Friday (first 20,000 fans)

• Pirates baseball cap • Autographed baseball • Outfield box seat • Behind-the-scenes PNC Park tour • Pre-game food & drink • Watch batting practice if it takes place

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FanJam Post-game Concert

AAA Member Rate $99 per person per game Full payment due at time of booking.

AAA: The Preferred Travel Agency of the Pittsburgh Pirates

Century III (Pleasant Hills) . . . . . . . . . .412-655-6105 Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412-338-4305 East Liberty/Shadyside . . . . . . . . . . . . .412-365-7272 Monroeville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412-858-4640 North Hills (Ross Twp) . . . . . . . . . . . . .412-367-7625 Robinson Township . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412-809-2803 South Hills (Bethel Park) . . . . . . . . . . .412-833-5060 Wexford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-933-3000 White Oak/McKeesport . . . . . . . . . . . .412-675-3404 Rochester PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-728-6230 St Marys PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .814-781-3003 Uniontown PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-438-8575 Warren PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .814-723-6660 Washington PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-225-3600 Waynesburg PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-627-3434 Wheeling WV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-233-1810 Weirton WV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-748-1616 PITTSBURGH PA AREA

Altoona PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .814-946-1277 Bridgeport WV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-842-7676 Butler PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-282-8810 Columbiana OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330-482-3836 Cranberry Township PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-772-1122 East Liverpool OH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330-385-2020 Erie PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .814-866-0246 Greensburg PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-834-8300 Harborcreek PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .814-897-9508 Hermitage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-981-9141 Indiana PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-349-4193 Kittanning PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-543-4244 Lower Burrell/New Kensington Area PA . . .724-339-4440 Martinsburg WV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-263-4619 Meadville PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .814-724-3157 Morgantown WV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304-598-7470 New Castle PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .724-658-8551

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. 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. 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.

1-800-354-8761 AAA.com/travel

FEBRUARY 2016

ÂŠ Peter Cox / Fotolia.com

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Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

Soak up sun & savings while they’re hot!

Hawaii

The only real cold you’re likely to experience in Hawaii is an ice-filled tropical drink...a traditional rainbow-hued “shave ice” snowcone treat...or your accommodation’s air conditioning turned on full blast! In addition to an ideal year-round climate and plentiful sunshine, Hawaii offers a warm and inviting Aloha Spirit and promises you an unforgettable vacation experience. Hawaii is hiking sculpted cliffs or diving amid coral reefs in the afternoon and dining to slack-key guitar at sunset. Fresh, floral breezes energize you. Warm, tranquil waters refresh you. The breathtaking natural beauty renews you. Year-round gentle weather surrounds you on every island. With fiery volcanoes and cavorting whales, the islands are rich with natural wonders. Look around.There’s no place on earth like Hawaii. AAA Travel and Pleasant Holidays can customize the perfect Hawaii vacation for every traveler — from 5-star luxury to family-friendly value. And the folks at Pleasant Holidays are known as the Hawaii activity experts. Before leaving for the Aloha State, you can choose from hundreds of optional activities that will make your vacation even more enjoyable and more memorable. Whether you enjoy partaking in physically active pastimes or just taking in a special dinner or entertainment (or both!), you’ll find something of interest in Pleasant Hawaii’s activities “menu.”

Mexico’s exotic promise is fulfilled with swaying palms, dazzling white sands, Spanish colonial towns and broad swaths of wild hibiscus and bougainvillea. And Pleasant Holidays and AAA Travel make Mexico accessible to almost anyone. Pleasant Holidays has been customizing vacations with a range of value-added options since 1959. Whether you luxuriate in a spa, rappel through a waterfall or sip a Margarita under a thatched-roof palapa hut, your Mexican adventure begins the moment you choose your destination. Cancun has been called a beach with an island in the middle. Luxury resorts line the Hotel Zone, a seahorse-shaped oasis flanked by tranquil Nichupte Lagoon and the restless Caribbean Sea. Translucent turquoise waters are circled by 12 miles of beach with sand as fine as talcum powder. Shoppers browse for silver and folk art in the mercados, while party animals take full advantage of the legendary nightlife. About an hour’s drive south of Cancun, the slower-paced Mexican Riviera is a stunning, 70-mile stretch of blinding white beaches and romantic villages like Playa del Carmen, Playacar and Puerto Morales. Cozumel appeals to all kinds of travelers, from divers to beach bums, to seekers of the lost treasures of the Maya. Cabo San Lucas is home to gorgeous beaches and the celebrated Arches rock formations. Surrounded by the Sea of Cortez on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other, picturesque Playa del Amor (Beach of Love) is an isolated cove at the very end of the Baja Peninsula.

Mexico

Double Member Benefit from AAA Vacations

LIMITED-TIME Savings from AAA East Central

$100.00 activity voucher on select 4- & 5-star properties in Hawaii and Mexico

$50.00 off 5-9 nights $100.00 off 10+ nights Hawaii and Mexico vacations

Pleasant Holidays accommodation rating system, minimum 5-night stay

Feb 1-29, per booking, double occupancy

Visit or call AAA Travel for your Hawaii or Mexico vacation!

1-800-354-8761 AAA.com/travel

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Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

Taste of Scotland & Ireland Sept 19-30 SCOTLAND HIGHLIGHTS

IRELAND HIGHLIGHTS

• Glasgow city tour

• Titanic Belfast • Dublin: Book of Kells at Trinity College, canal dinner cruise • Rock of Cashel photo op • See dogs herd sheep • Blarney Castle & Woollen Mills • Killarney, Ross Castle, Ring of Kerry, Skellig Experience, Sneem, Moll's Gap • Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle medieval feast • Galway, Clonmacnoise Monastic Site

• Loch Ness scenic cruise • Blair Athol Distillery whiskey tasting • Spean Bridge Woollen Mill • Ferry from Scotland to Ireland • St Andrews: “Home of Golf” • Evening of Scottish cuisine & entertainment • Edinburgh Castle & city tour

MEMBERS SAVE! Premier: $325 Plus: $300 Classic: $275 SAVINGS PER ROOM

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AAA Member Rate: $2,468 Before-discount rate is per person (double occupancy), is subject to availability at time of booking and includes roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, accommodations, 18 meals, sightseeing, hotel luggage handling (1 bag per person), professional local tour director in Scotland & Ireland. Ask about available add-on airfare. Passport required. Tour operated by CIE International.

BOOK WITH NONREFUNDABLE DEPOSIT FEB 1-29 •

FEBRUARY 2016

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Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

Your AAA membership enhances &

C R U I S E S

AAA Member Benefits* • $300 discount per stateroom plus a Welcome Gift (cruises of up to 13 days) • $600 discount per stateroom plus a Welcome Gift (cruises of 14+ days) • Welcome gift of a bottle of wine & a box of chocolates (Europe cruises) • Welcome gift of $50 onboard credit per stateroom (Asia and Africa cruises)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • $200 discount per stateroom • $150 onboard credit per stateroom (7-night cruises) • $200 onboard credit per stateroom (Myanmar cruises) • $300 onboard credit per stateroom (14-night cruises) AAA Member Benefits* • $50 savings per booking

AAA Vacations® Offers* • $200 onboard credit per stateroom ($100 per person) on specific sail dates on specific ships AAA Vacations® Offers* • $25 onboard credit per stateroom (sailings of up to 5 nights) • $50 onboard credit per stateroom (sailings of 6 to 9 nights) • $100 onboard credit per stateroom (sailings of 10+ nights) • Priority check-in on day of arrival (excludes Galápagos) AAA Vacations® Offers* • $100 onboard spending credit per stateroom (Inside/Oceanview/Balcony Britannia) • $400 onboard spending credit per stateroom (Princess Grill/Queens Grill Suite) • Enhanced afternoon tea service for 2 • Dinner at Kings Court or Lido onboard alternative restaurants (first 2 guests in stateroom) AAA Member Benefits* • $25 onboard credit per person (cruises of up to 7 days) • $50 onboard credit per person (cruises of 8+ days) • $50 onboard credit per person (Alaska cruisetours)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • Exclusive Savor & Swirl onboard culinary event • Pinnacle Grill dinner (first & second guests only) • Taste of Excellence cookbook (1 per stateroom) AAA Member Benefits* • $100 per stateroom shipboard credit (select sailings)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • $200 shipboard credit per stateroom and wine tasting event AAA Vacations® Offers* • Preferred check-In (embarkation day) • $25 onboard spending credit per stateroom (cruises of up to 5 days) • $50 onboard spending credit per stateroom (cruises of 6 to 11 days) • $75 onboard spending credit per stateroom (cruises of 12+ days) • Exclusive wine tasting experience for 2 AAA Vacations® Offers* • Priority check-in on day of boarding • Up to $100 onboard credit per stateroom ($25: 3-5 nights, $50: 6-9 nights, $100: 10+ nights) • Champagne delivered to your stateroom • Specialty dinner for 2 per stateroom (Oasis of the Seas® • Harmony of the Seas® • Allure of the Seas®) AAA Member Benefits* • $125 savings per person (river cruises of 8 to 13 days) • $250 savings per person (river cruises of 14+ days)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • 1-night pre-cruise city-center hotel stay with breakfast • Airport-to-hotel and hotel-to–river ship transfers *Additional restrictions may apply. Subject to availability. See your AAA Travel Agent for full terms and conditions. Valid for select travel tour dates and cruise sailings in 2016. AAA membership required. Valid for new bookings only. Excludes AAA East Central Featured Vacations. Some AAA Member Benefits may not be combinable with AAA Vacations® Offers; ask your AAA Travel Agent for details.

1-800-354-8761 AAA.com/travel

FEBRUARY 2016

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Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

adds value to your vacation dollar! AAA Member Benefits* • $55 savings per person (Independent Freestyle Travel packages of 5+ days) • $115 savings per person (Small Group Escorted Tours, Small Ship Cruising & Published Private Tours)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • 1-night pre-tour hotel stay with breakfast (select tours) AAA Member Benefits* • $25 savings per person (Customized Independent Vacations of $1,500+ per person, land only) • $40 savings per person (Customized Vacations — including Locally Hosted, Private Chauffeur and Self-Drive Vacations of $2,000+ per person, land only) • $40 voucher per person toward purchase of optional excursion (Guided Vacations)

T O U R S

AAA Vacations® Offers* • $25 optional excursion credit per person (Guided Vacations) • Killarney pub dinner with entertainment (Guided Vacations) • $40 dining credit per person at select restaurants (Ireland Locally Hosted Rail Vacations) • Hertz NeverLost® GPS system (Ireland & Scotland Self-Drive Vacations) • $40 dining credit per person at select restaurants (Private Chauffeur Vacations) AAA Member Benefits* & AAA Vacations® Offers* • $150 Visa gift card per person (Luxury Gold tours) • $40 voucher per person toward purchase of an optional experience (Premium tours) AAA Member Benefits* • $25-$100 savings per person on AAA Member Choice Vacations® tours

AAA Vacations® Offers* • $25 discount per person on select AAA Vacations® tours • $75 excursion credit per person (up to $100 per person if 2+ excursions are pre-purchased, on applicable tours) AAA Member Benefits* • $50 activity voucher per booking (Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, select Caribbean) • $50 savings per booking (Australia, New Zealand, Europe, select Caribbean) • $80 savings per booking (Tahiti, Fiji, South Pacific) • $25 savings per booking (US, Canada)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • Double Member Benefit (select 4- & 5-star properties with a 5-night minimum stay) AAA Member Benefits* • $100 CAD onboard souvenir credit per adult (GoldLeaf Service, 7+ nights) • $50 CAD onboard souvenir credit per adult (GoldLeaf Service, 3-6 nights) • $50 CAD onboard souvenir credit per adult (SilverLeaf Service, 7+ nights) • $35 CAD onboard souvenir credit per adult (SilverLeaf Service, 3-6 nights)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • Double Member Benefit (Canadian Rockies Getaway GoldLeaf & SilverLeaf Service) • Half-day Seattle tour (Coastal Passage programs) AAA Member Benefits* • Purchase Tauck air through AAA and receive per person... • $75 off (domestic tours) • $150 off coach class (international tours) • $300 off business class (international tours)

AAA Vacations® Offers* • $300 credit per booking on purchases made at http://www.necessarygear.com (select tours) AAA Member Benefits* • $40 credit voucher per person toward optional experiences

AAA Vacations® Offers* • Pre-selected complimentary excursion (applicable tours) • $25 credit voucher per person toward additional optional experiences *Additional restrictions may apply. Subject to availability. See your AAA Travel Agent for full terms and conditions. Valid for select travel tour dates and cruise sailings in 2016. AAA membership required. Valid for new bookings only. Excludes AAA East Central Featured Vacations. Some AAA Member Benefits may not be combinable with AAA Vacations® Offers; ask your AAA Travel Agent for details.

Find even more travel partners & perks at AAA.com/travel.

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Member Benefits Exclusive Offers

SPECIAL OFFER FROM AAA EAST CENTRAL — FEB 1-29 ONLY!

$50 off per room and a Universal logo/themed gift when you book 4+ nights at an on-site resort! Universal Orlando’s on-site resorts include Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, Sapphire Falls and Cabana Bay

AAA MEMBER BENEFIT — ALL YEAR LONG!

Restrictions apply. AAA membership required. See your AAA Travel Agent for details. Valid for new bookings Feb 1-29, 2016, with AAA East Central Club 215. Valid for travel anytime in 2016. Savings are per room, based on double occupancy. Gifts are per room/booking, while supplies last. Offers are combinable with AAA Member Benefits and Featured Vacations.

Book an on-site hotel and get a $50 activity credit, a coupon book (up to $150 in savings) and preferred seating at select theme park shows.

1-800-354-8761 AAA.com/travel

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Springtime is a time for romance in the Emerald Isle Legendary landscapes, Celtic traditions and non-stop charm W.B. Yeats can be forgiven for writing “Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone.” The Nobel-prize winning poet’s lyrical “September 1913” ballad was not about affairs of the heart, but a stinging indictment of the Irish bourgeoisie. Yeats, who famously suffered the pangs of unrequited love, still managed to pen some of the 20th century’s most passionate lines. Springtime is a time for romance in the Emerald Isle. Lovers can seek the blessing of the rings at Whitefriars Church near Dublin’s city center. The church is the final resting place of St. Valentine himself and visitors can get a glimpse of his saintly remains. Take an evening stroll along Grafton Street to St. Stephen’s Green, or check out Oliver St. John Gogarty’s pub in Temple Bar. Dublin’s pubs are more than just places to tip a pint. They’re places to meet, mingle and listen to Celtic music. Patrons are welcomed with blazing turf fires, gaslights and plenty of good talk, which the Irish call “the craic.” One of Ireland’s most romantic drives was immortalized in the Van Morrison tune “Coney Island.” The song chronicles a couple’s dreamy, Sunday morning drive along the western shores of Northern Ireland’s Lough Neagh. Along they way they pass postcardperfect villages and waterfront towns like Downpatrick, where St. Patrick is buried.

SWINGING SINGLES — The Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge in County Antrim. Those looking for a memorable location to pop the question should consider the rope bridge at Carrick-aRede in County Antrim. Set against an incredible backdrop of sea and sky, the 66-foot-long-bridge links the mainland to a tiny island. Dangling precariously 100 feet above the rocks, it dips and sways in the breeze but the view alone is enough to buckle a nervous suitor’s knees. Ladies with a reluctant suitor should make a point to visit this year.

St. Patrick decreed that women could propose on February 29, which only happens on a leap year. County Wicklow’s monastic village of Glendalough lies hidden under a veil of mist in a valley with two serene lakes. Amorous couples often interlock their arms in a mutual embrace around St Kevin’s Cross, said to have the power to grant your heart’s desire. If words fail you, Blarney Castle is located about 5-miles from the city of

Cork. Situated high up in the battlements of the 13th century castle is the Blarney Stone, which can bestow the gift of eloquence for a kiss. Ireland’s great country houses and castles provide an unforgettable locale for a honeymoon or anniversary. Ride a traditional pony cart around Muckross House, inside spectacular Killarney National Park, or live like a lord at Bunratty Castle, which hosts a nightly medieval banquet. Those still searching for their soul mate should visit Lisdoonvarna in County Clare. The local matchmaking festival boasts a better chance of meeting your one and only than OK Cupid or eHarmony. The music, dancing and merriment goes on for the entire month of September. Connemara’s stunning coastal scenery is dotted with quiet seaside hamlets framed by mountains, heaths and woodlands. And there is no better way to end a perfect day than gliding through a glassy bay in an elegant Galway Hooker. This traditional wooden sailing boat is known for its distinctive red sails, a feature that inspired lyricist Jimmy Kennedy to write “Red Sails in the Sunset.” FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please see your AAA travel professional or click on AAA.com for more European vacation ideas from AAA.

Are you at risk of the most common causes of road service? Components susceptible to failure most often overlooked

AA comes to the aid of stranded members nearly 30 million times each year. The three most common reasons for road service calls are dead batteries, flat tires and overheating. Remarkably, more than one quarter of these experiences could be avoided through improved vehicle maintenance. Millions of members call AAA each year for assistance with their battery. It’s the number one cause of roadside breakdowns. Battery care is even more important in winter because batteries lose approximately 35 percent of their efficiency when the temperature dips below freezing and close to 60 percent when the temperature falls below zero. For routine care, clean any corrosion from the posts and cable connections, wash all surfaces with battery terminal cleaner or a solution of baking soda and water, and re-tighten all connections. Automotive batteries typically last between 3-5 years — or less in highheat areas. Even leaving the lights on for an extended period of time can reduce your battery’s life expectancy. Safeguard against a dead battery by having it tested annually once it’s three years old. AAA Battery Service offers fast, accurate and convenient mobile battery testing and replacement. State-of-the

READY TO HELP — Millions of members call AAA each year for roadside assistance. art diagnostic equipment will confirm whether your battery will hold a charge, or if the problem lies deeper in the electrical system. Best of all, the service is included with your AAA membership. If a new battery is needed, you can purchase one and have it installed right on the spot. Motorists should also increase the frequency of checking their tires dur-

ing winter months. As the temperature starts to drop, so will the pressures in your tires—typically 1 PSI for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The proper tire pressure levels can be found in your owner’s manual, or on a sticker located on the driver’s side doorjamb. And don’t forget to check the spare. AAA recommends replacing a tire when it reaches 4/32”, which can be

tested by placing a quarter upside down in the tread groove. If the top of Washington’s head is visible, the tire should be replaced. Coolant leaks are more common when temperatures plunge because metal engine parts contract during cold weather, and hose clamps aren’t as tight as they should be. While your coolant never loses its antifreeze capability, the additives that lubricate the water pump and protect internal engine components from rust, scale and corrosion become depleted over time. Motorists should have the cooling system flushed and filled when recommended by the manufacturer. Some newer coolant formulations can last for up to 5 years or 150,000 miles. Check the coolant level in the overflow reservoir not by opening the radiator cap. If it’s low it should be filled to the “Full Hot” indicator line with a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water.

TAKE CHARGE

Count on AAA to turn battery problems into solutions. 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.

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Look to AAA Vacations® for Maximum Value!

AAA Vacations® will take you to some of the most remarkable places in the world. Your AAA Travel Agent will work with you to find the right vacation, from visits to US landmarks and natural wonders to explorations around the world. Choose from river or ocean cruises, escorted tours, locally hosted experiences, independent packages and self-drive itineraries. Here are a few unforgettable experiences available from AAA Vacations®: Eat exotically. Sample traditional Cape Town specialties and wines with a culinary guide in South Africa. Live like a czar. Enter the Kremlin to behold the dazzling collection of Imperial treasure, including bejeweled Faberge eggs in the Amory Museum. Think beyond Europe. You may

have seen the Eiffel Tower light up at night, but have you watched the sun rise over the ancient stones of Machu Picchu in Peru? Or taken a nature walk around the crater of Nicaragua’s Mombacho Volcano? Make your US vacation a familyfriendly adventure. Choose a tour of 5 of America’s best-loved national parks, or a heritage tour that takes you to history-defining spots in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Want to go westward-ho? Take the family on an 8-day guided tour of cowboy country. Put something spectacular in your viewfinder. Book an 8-day tour of Iceland and capture glaciers, sand deserts and the magical Blue Lagoon, a natural hot pool known to have therapeutic powers.

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Cruise a river. Experience grand European cities in your elegantly appointed stateroom as home base. Discover the rich history of Imperial Russia on the Volga River. Visit 2 amazing countries, Vietnam and Cambodia, on the Mekong River. Learn from locals. Join a sushi master chef to learn the art of preparing sushi in Tokyo. Listen to a Xian resident share his lifetime experiences. Mingle with residents at a Vietnamese market to learn how to choose the best spices for a hand-on cooking class. Go on a spiritual quest. Whether you are drawn to the Dead Sea or the Ganges, there is a tour sure to give you a new perspective on life. Visit the Holy Land or India, stately Vatican City or the natural majesty of Austra-

lia’s Red Centre. Create your own vacation — with help. Your AAA Travel Agent will help you choose your flights, transfers or car rentals and accommodations at more than 500 4- and 5-diamond hotels, resorts and all-inclusive properties around the world where you’ll receive special savings or activity credits. Visit AAA.com/AAAVacations and contact a local AAA Travel Agent to book your AAA Vacations® package or cruise today. BEST PRICE GUARANTEE: If you make a booking for a qualifying AAA Vacations® cruise or tour package and find a valid better rate for the exact itinerary within 24 hours of our booking, AAA Vacations® will match the lower rate and send you a $50 future travel credit certificate. Certain restrictions apply. Visit AAA.com/AAAVacations for details.

Just a sample of the many 2016 getaways with AAA Vacations® amenities! Treasures of France

11 days, 13 meals: from $2,899

Majestic Switzerland

Japan: Inland Sea to Alps

11 days, 15 meals: from $5,650

Paris • Aix-en-Provence • Avignon Zurich • St Moritz • Zermatt Nîmes • Saint-Rémy • Antibes Montreux • Lucerne Nice • Monaco Mountain Stroll (with nature guide) Scenic Rail Journey • Castle Visit Eiffel Tower Dinner • Nimes Tour Lake Lucerne Steamer Cruise Private Wine & Chocolate Tasting Vitznau Artillery Fortress Perfumerie Visit (create a fragrance) (with military guide) AAA Complimentary Inclusion: $75 credit* toward an optional excursion ($100 credit* if 2+ excursions are purchased) Member Benefit: $25 savings*

AAA Complimentary Inclusion & Member Benefit (combined): $150 Visa® gift card*

*PER PERSON **PER STATEROOM

Heritage of America

12 days, 16 meals: from $5,799

10 days, 14 meals: from $2,499

Kyoto • Hiroshima • Nara Kanazawa • Takayama Mount Fuji • Tokyo

New York City • Philadelphia Lancaster • Gettysburg Williamsburg • Washington DC

Kodai-ji Temple Geisha Dinner & Tour • Meet a Master Gardener Morning Market Visit & Sake Tasting • Tsukiji Fish Market Visit Sushi Making with a Master Chef

AAA Complimentary Inclusion: 1 night in Kyoto before the tour Member Benefit: $115 savings*

Breakfast at Ellen’s Stardust Diner Traditional Dinner with the Amish Mount Vernon Visit

AAA Complimentary Inclusion: $75 credit* toward an optional excursion ($100 credit* if 2+ excursions are purchased) Member Benefit: $25 savings*

Northern Isles Cruise

Holland America Koningsdam 14 nights: Aug 14-18 Staterooms from $4,139 Netherlands • Scotland Norway • Iceland AAA Vacations® hosts on trip

2-night pre-cruise Amsterdam package (hotel, breakfast, canal cruise dinner, City Pass and more) Onboard cocktail party • Edinburgh Military Tattoo • Savor & Swirl cooking demo • Pinnacle Grill dinner • AAA Vacations® branded gift

Visit AAA.com/AAAVacations to download and view the complete AAA Vacations® catalog...or visit your local AAA branch office.

Cunard Line® Cruises British Isles • Canada & New England • Eastern Mediterranean Greek Isles • Norwegian Fjords Panama Canal • Scandinavia & Russia • Transatlantic • Western Mediterranean • World Cruise AAA Complimentary Inclusions: Up

to $400 onboard spending credit** Enhanced tea service for 2 • Dinner for 2 in select alternative restaurants Member Benefit: Up to $300 onboard spending credit** and reduced deposit available during quarterly cruise sales

For AAA Vacations® to HAWAII or MEXICO with Pleasant Holidays, turn to page 14.

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A hidden treasure in the eastern Caribbean Finding your place in sun in the British Virgin Islands

verywhere you go in the British Virgin Islands, you see blue. Whether you’re island hopping across Drake Channel, exploring a centuries-old shipwreck, or soaking up the sunshine under cerulean skies, the BVI has more shades of blue than a Miles Davis album. Its easy rhythms evoke an atmosphere that has long since vanished elsewhere. A growing cruise destination, cruise lines calling here include Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and Oceania. Unlike its more glitzy Caribbean neighbors, the British Virgin Islands are best known for what they don’t have — high-rise hotels, casinos, fast food chains and crowds. The sounds and smells are the sounds and smells of the untouched Caribbean — from the aroma of orange blossoms lingering in the morning breeze, to wild roosters giving you a wake up call. Verdant hillsides descend into horseshoe-shaped harbors framed by a pastel rainbow of clapboard buildings, the highest no taller than a palm tree. Divers can explore Alice in Wonderland, a brilliant, rainbow colored coral wall that’s home to a stunning array of sea life. More than 60 islands dangle in the wake of Sir Frances Drake Channel — including the main island of Tortola, and Virgin Gorda, reclining on the eastern border. The barefoot island of Jost

ON THE ROCKS — The British Virgin Islands has some of the Caribbean’s most spectacular natural attractions. Van Dyke is where the beach doubles as the main road. A series of smaller islands have names that reverberate with echoes of swashbuckling pirates, including the infamous Blackbeard. Norman Island provided the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island,” while Thatch and

Bellamy were named after pillaging privateers. Uninhabited Dead Chest Island reputedly got its name when the notorious Blackbeard marooned 15 men on the beach inspiring the pirate anthem, “Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum.” Just off the coast of Salt Island rests the Wreck of the Rhone — made famous

in the movie, “The Deep.” The mighty, iron-hulled steam-sailing vessel sank in about 60-feet of water during the Great Hurricane of 1867. Tortola forms a protective backbone around Sir Frances Drake Channel, creating some of the best sailing in the world. With fair winds, most islands can be reached by line of sight navigation. Tortola, which means “land of turtle doves” in Spanish, is home to the largest bareboat fleet in the Caribbean. Just 12-miles across the channel lies Virgin Gorda. Hikers can scramble up the footpaths to the top of 1,370-foot Gorda Peak, while the island’s flat southern section is where visitors will find The Baths, one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular natural attractions. Visitors clamber down a steep trail lined with giant boulders to reach a small beach. It winds through hidden rooms filled with streams of light, coral ledges and grottoes that conceal emerald pools. A second trail ends at Devil’s Bay, a scenic beach framed the boulders carved into oddly human shapes by a relentless sea.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please see this issue’s Departures Guide or visit AAA.com/cruises for special values on Caribbean cruise vacations.

Getting rid of your spare tire may cause problems Tire inflator kits a high-cost alternative for consumers

t’s that time of year when many of us are looking to lose our spare tires by jumping on treadmills, or cutting back on calories. But savvy car buyers should also be on the lookout for a spare tire — there may not be one. You might be surprised to learn that spare tires are not required by federal regulators because they are not considered an essential safety item. Automakers are facing increasinglystringent fuel economy standards and the spare tire has become a casualty in an effort to reduce weight and boost fuel efficiency. In the last 10 model years, vehicles without spare tires have steadily increased from five percent of 2006 model year vehicles to 36 percent in the 2015 model year. Today, more than 29 million vehicles on the road do not have a conventional spare tire. Vehicles designed without spares are usually equipped with some type of backup, and it is a good idea to be familiar with these devices before you encounter a flat. Solutions include runflat tires that allow the car to be driven to a safe location, or an emergency sealant or inflator kit to temporarily seal a punctured tire. AAA recently conducted an evaluation of tire inflator kits to determine how effectively they work and the impact on the motorist’s wallet. AAA tested the most common tire

NOTHING TO SPARE — Over one-third of new car models now come without a spare tire. inflator kits in today’s vehicles and found that the units worked well in some scenarios, but they are not a substitute for a spare tire. Tire inflator kits can only be used when a puncture occurs on the center tire tread and the foreign object remains in the tire. The kit cannot be used when sidewall,

blowout, pothole or curb-related damage occurs. While each four-pound kit eliminates approximately 30 pounds of vehicle weight, resulting in minimal savings in fuel consumption, the replacement cost is high. With some kits costing up to $300 per use, a tire inflator kit can

cost consumers up to 10 times more than a simple tire repair. Costs can include repairing the tire and replacing both the tire-pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS) and the inflator kit. The kit must also be replaced at its expiration date, which varies by manufacturer from four to eight years. Consumers may mistakenly believe that inflator kits are a one-size-fits-all alternative, but the reality is these kits can only accommodate specific types of tire damage. AAA is calling on automakers to put consumers first, and save the spare. Having the option to install a spare tire can save stranded drivers time and money. Despite tire and technology improvements, including tire pressure monitoring systems, AAA found there has been no decline in flat tire related calls in the last five years. And keep your AAA card handy — AAA responds to more than 4 million flat-tire service requests each year.

YOUR SPARE CHANGER

When faced with a flat tire or other roadside emergency, AAA members can request assistance at (800) AAA-HELP, by visitng AAA.com/RoadsideAssistance or via the AAA Mobile app.

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Carmakers seek solutions by mimicking nature Geckos could provide answers to some sticky problems

iomimicry is an innovative approach that looks to nature for sustainable solutions to modern-day challenges. Now Ford is hoping that biomimetic innovations can make auto manufacturing more sustainable and transform a vehicle’s interior design. A key challenge is the glue used to adhere foams to plastics and metals, which can make disassembling parts for recycling nearly impossible.

Enter the gecko The lizard’s toe pads allow it to stick to most surfaces without liquids or surface tension. The reptile can then easily release itself, leaving no residue. Consider, too, that a mature 2.5-ounce gecko is capable of supporting 293 pounds. The gecko could inspire a host of adhesive innovations for global applications at Ford, said Debbie Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader for plastics and sustainability research. “Solving this problem could provide cost savings and certainly an environmental savings,” said Mielewski. “It means we could increase the recycling of more foam and plastics, and reduce our environmental footprint.” This biomimetic approach is not new. Nature has provided numerous ideas for high-strength materials and low-friction surfaces. A dolphin’s

BIG FISH STORY — The Mercedes-Benz Bionic Car concept was modeled after the boxfish. snout became the model for the pearshaped bow, which enables ships to cross oceans with less water resistance. And Airbus engineers have copied the rough skin of the shark to develop a striated foil coating for the wings of their aircraft. Self-cleaning surfaces are based on the example of lotus leaves, and some of the latest, self-sharpening cutting tools were copied from rodent teeth.

The Bullet Train in Shinkansen, Japan was inspired by the kingfisher. Velcro took its cues from a burr. And improved medical needles were developed based on the mosquito. Interest in the approach has increased in the last decade, said Gretchen Hooker, project manager for design challenges at The Biomimicry Institute. In the auto industry Mercedes-Benz engineers worked hand in hand with

the Lamplighter Restaurant in Delmont and the Westmoreland County Parks office in Greensburg or call 724-733-3661. Tickets for the Youngwood show are available at the Westmoreland County Parks Office, Hayden’s Pharmacy in Youngwood and Mt. Pleasant or by calling 724-733-3661. THE SPINNERS — (February 14) One of the definitive vocals groups of the early ’70s, the Spinners created a body of work that defined the lush, seductive sound of Philly Soul with classic tracks like “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” “Mighty Love,” and “Then Came You.” For tickets and information, visit thepalacetheatre.org or call 724-836-8000. Tickets: $35-$68. Performance at 3 p.m. Location: Palace Theatre, 21 West Otterman Street, Greensburg. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER – THE MUSICAL — (February 17) Based on the 1977 movie starring John Travolta, Saturday Night Fever is packed with legendary hits from the Bee Gees, including “Stayin’ Alive,” “Night Fever,” “Jive Talking,” “You Should Be Dancing” and “How Deep is Your Love,” in addition to several new songs written especially for this production. Performance at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $38-$43. For information and tickets, visit

upjarts.org. Location: Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 450 Schoolhouse Road, Johnstown. URINETOWN THE MUSICAL — (February 18-21) Tony Awardwinning musical takes place in the not-so-distant future, where a terrible water shortage and 20-year drought has led to a government ban on private toilets and a proliferation of paid public toilets, owned and operated by a single megalomaniac company. If the poor don’t obey the strict laws they’ll be sent to mysterious “Urinetown.” With its outrageous perspective, wickedly modern wit, and sustained ability to produce gales of laughter, Urinetown catapults the “comedic romp” into the new millennium. Tickets: $15. Thursday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. For tickets and information, call 724-887-0887 or visit geyerpac.com. Location: The Geyer Performing Arts Center, 111 Pittsburgh Street, Scottdale. ALWAYS PATSY CLINE — (February 19) Based on the true story of Patsy Cline’s friendship with Houston housewife Louise Seger, this show, starring Carter Calvert, comes complete with true emotion, down-home country humor and 27 songs in the show, including

biologists to model their Bionic Car design concept on Ostracion Cubicus — more commonly known as the boxfish. Despite its unusual shape, this humble sea dweller from the tropics is extremely aerodynamic, and moves using a minimal amount of energy. It’s also able to withstand high pressures and collisions thanks to an outer skin consisting of hexagonal bone plates. In the case of automobiles this honeycomb-like structure increases stiffness by up to 40 percent, while the weight is reduced by around 30 percent. Nissan is working on a revolutionary approach to traffic management that draws its inspiration from selforganizing biological systems such as birds and schools of fish that demonstrate an extraordinary ability to navigate without colliding with one other. The technology would allow vehicles to communicate with each other and behave as a self-organizing network. “Taking a holistic, biomimetic approach makes sense because nature has efficiencies in design and uses minimal resources,” said Ford’s Mielewski. “Nature is the ultimate guide.” FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit AAA.com for information on all things automotive including tips on buying, operating and maintaining a vehicle.

aroundtown PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW — (February 12-15) A supermarket for anything on wheels. The entire Convention Center is filled with the latest domestic and foreign cars, trucks and SUVs from dozens of manufacturers and exhibitors under one roof. It’s also a preview of coming attractions in a nonselling environment, where visitors can inspect new models before they hit dealers’ showrooms. Slip into the driver’s seat of a sporty new convertible or pile their kids into a roomy sport-utility just for fun. For information, visit pittautoshow. com. Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh. COMEDY NIGHTS — (February 13 and March 4) Two laugh-filled nights are planned with proceeds to benefit the ongoing maintenance of the Westmoreland Heritage and Five Star trails. Both shows will feature professional comedians, raffles, 50/50 drawings, auctions and more. Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $30 and include diner from Leo and Sons Grille 31. Location: February 13 at the Delmont Volunteer Fire Department Hall; March 4 at the Youngwood Volunteer Fire Department Hall. Tickets for the Delmont show are available at Ferri’s Pharmacy in Murrysville,

unforgettable hits such as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walking After Midnight.” Performance at 8 p.m. Tickets: $25$40. For tickets and information, visit statetheatre.info. Location: State Theatre, 27 East Main Street, Uniontown. LEARN TO CROSS COUNTRY SKI — (February 27) Interested in seeing what cross-country skiing is all about? Then this program is for you! Meet at the Laurel Summit warming hut to learn some of the basics, then gear up in skis for a 2- to 4-mile ski session. Come prepared with warm layers, water, and snacks. Skis are available to borrow. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register by calling 724-259-2201 or emailing rmahony@pa.gov. Location: Forbes State Forest, 1291 Route 30, Laughlintown. CELTIC CONNECTIONS — (March 5) Organized by the River City Brass, this performance features music from Ireland, Scotland, and other Celtic nations with Irish dancing and members of the Carnegie Mellon University Pipes and Drums. For tickets and information, visit thepalacetheatre.org or call 724-8368000. Tickets range in price from $10 to $31. Performance at 7:30 p.m. Location: Palace Theatre, 21 West Otterman Street, Greensburg.

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