Travel Bulletin North America Supplement 2015

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All About

March 2015

Your one-stop guide to all the latest news and developments in North America

Produced by

www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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All About

March 2015

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N INDICATION of when a region is performing well is when airlines put their faith in it and launch new routes or increase their flight frequency, So, if that’s the case, 2015 looks bright for North America.

Virgin Atlantic is switching its focus from other global routes to the US, launching a new service to Detroit and increasing services to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami.

French airline La Compagnie has taken the brave step of launching a thrice weekly all business-class service to New York, with a view to increasing it to a daily service by the end of the year. Delta Air Lines has also introduced new routes to Philadelphia, Jet2 has increased the number of shopping city breaks to New York, Thomas Cook is launching its first direct service to Reno for the ski season and Air Transat is improving access to Nova Scotia for the summer with a new service.

Operators are also feeling the love for North America, with new tours, packages and flydrives, while hotel chains are channelling new concepts for 2015/16. There are a number of big anniversaries coming down the line too, with the National Park Service of America celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year and Canada is gearing up to mark its 150th birthday in 2017. Canada is also looking forward to a big summer as the country prepares to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup. In this year’s All About North America supplement, we catch up with the specialists to find out what their plans are for the next 12 months. In Hotel Hotline, we include a snapshot on just some of the hotels opening across the pond this year. Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando have two big anniversaries coming up this year, and our Theme Parks and Attractions feature goes into more detail about the theme park’s plans to mark these big occasions. Everybody loves a road trip movie, and in our Road Trips feature, we turn to this genre of films for inspiration for our North American road trips.

In our final feature, we speak to the specialists to find out what are the top five must-experience wildlife and nature holidays across the pond. Don’t forget to read our For Agents section to find out what operators are doing for you, and our Holidays for Less Than section rounds off this year’s supplement. Hope you enjoy this supplement and I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Angela Cronin

Supplements editor

All about North America

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CONTENTS What’s new - 4

Hotel hotline - 6

Theme parks and attractions - 9

Road trips - 13 Wildlife and nature - 15

For agents - 17

Holidays for less than - 18

Published by

Lower Ground Floor, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX Tel: 020-7834 6661 Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe Written and researched by: Angela Cronin Email: angelacronin2003@yahoo.co.uk Design/Layout: Lee Telot Printed by: Buxton Press Cover Picture: Shutterstock ISSN: 0956-2419

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WHAT’S NEW

Airlines and operators are putting their faith in the American dream in 2015 with extra routes and new tours

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orth AmericA is the most popular long-haul destination with Britons, hands down. its diversity of holiday experiences for all different budgets make it a winner all year round, and airlines and operators are pulling out all the stops to satisfy the demand for holidays to the region.

An indication of how popular North America is with Britons is Virgin Atlantic’s decision to focus on its transatlantic services, and in fact, launch a new service to Detroit.

Known as the comeback city due to the years of political and economic upheaval it has endured, the city has a lot to offer visitors and is pulling out all the stops to cater for them. Detroit is the beating heart and soul of motown, but also has one of America’s most exciting food scenes in corktown, so is guaranteed to attract Britons looking to discover more of the US. here is a brief round-up of some of the biggest news from North America in 2015/16.

New routes Virgin Atlantic is investing in a range of transatlantic services including a new daily service from heathrow to Detroit. the new route changes include: a new daily service from heathrow to Detroit; an additional daily service from heathrow to New York, JFK; an extra daily service from heathrow to Los Angeles; an additional daily service during the summer season from heathrow to Atlanta; an additional summer seasonal service from heathrow to San Francisco flying five times a week; and an additional daily service during the winter season from heathrow to miami. there will also be a transfer of operations with joint venture partner Delta Air Lines that will see Virgin

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Atlantic fly a daily service between manchester and Atlanta and Delta fly one of Virgin Atlantic’s existing heathrow to Newark services. in addition, Delta Air Lines will launch a daily service between manchester and New York JFK this summer. virgin-atlantic.com

A larger bite of the Big Apple Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has launched its biggest-ever selection of New York city breaks for winter 2015.

Some 19 trips are available from five UK airports, with additional flights being made available from Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle due to demand. the packages also include october half-term so families can escape to the Big Apple too. the first four-night city break departs on 11 october from Glasgow Airport with the latest departure from manchester Airport on 11 December for three nights. Jet2.com flight-only options start at £399 per person including taxes with a £60 deposit securing package breaks. tradesite.jet2holidays.com

New Philadelphia service Delta Air Lines is to operate a new daily flight from heathrow to Philadelphia from 27 April. the new service, in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, will depart from heathrow on a 164-seat Boeing 757200. American Airlines has also announced that it will add a second daily round-trip flight on its route between Philadelphia and heathrow from 29 march.

Delta Air Lines will become the fifth airline to fly directly to Philadelphia from London joining British Airways, iberia, US Airways and American Airlines.

The new wave

The single factor Single travel specialist Solos holidays has three new tours for 2015. these include the eight-night miami, the everglades and Key West tour, which departs on 6 may and leads in at £2,949 per person.

Also new for 2015 is the three-night New York city Break, which leaves on 2 July, and costs from £1,899 per person. the new seven-night orlando tour departs on 9 may and 31 october and costs from £1,799 per person. meanwhile, the operator has reduced the cost of its nine-night Awesome Alaska tour by £200 to £4,799 per person. the tour departs on 23 August. solosholidays.co.uk The atlantic path Air transat, the airline arm of tour operator canadian Affair is launching a direct flight from Gatwick to St John’s international Airport in Newfoundland. the new service will start on 18 June, departing London on tuesday and thursday and returning on monday and Wednesday. the flight will then continue on to Nova Scotia’s halifax Stanfield international Airport. the new flight will continue throughout the summer until 3 September. meanwhile, canadian airline WestJet is starting a daily direct flight from Glasgow into halifax from 29 may until 23 october. the region of Atlantic canada comprises the coastal regions of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince edward island, and is just five hours from the UK. atlanticcanadaholiday.co.uk

Park it escorted tours specialist collette has

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WHAT’S NEW

Thomas Cook Airlines’ new service to Reno in Nevada will launch just in time for the start of the ski season

launched a tour to celebrate the 100th

anniversary of the National Parks Service of the USA in 2016. the operator has introduced a 15-day Denver and America’s National Parks tour, which features national parks, including Bryce canyon, Grand canyon, Zion, Grand teton, Yellowstone and rocky mountain. the tour also visits Denver, Salt Lake city and mount rushmore, whose four figures carved in stone represent the first 150 years of American history.

A particular highlight of the tour is the overnight stay in a lodge in the heart of Yellowstone National Park where guests will get to see the old Faithful Geyser, a fountain of steam that shoots more than 60 ft in the air.

Prices for the tour start at £3,399 per person with a saving of £100 per person on bookings made by 30 April. the price is based on two adults sharing and includes international return flights, transfers and 19 meals. gocollette.com Due South Saga holidays has launched a 12night taste of the Deep South tour for 2015 that gives clients the chance to discover the musical heritage of the US’s southern states. the tour begins in Atlanta before heading to chattanooga for a trip on the incline railway up Lookout mountain – the world’s steepest passenger railway.

From here, the tour heads to Lynchburg for a tour of the Jack

All about North America

Daniels Distillery before heading on to Nashville – known as the country music capital of the world – for a two-night stay. While in Nashville, visitors get the chance to take in the country music hall of Fame and elvis Presley’s birthplace in tupelo on the way to memphis for a two-night stay. memphis is home to elvis’s home Graceland where guests can take part in an audio tour.

A two-night stay in Vicksburg follows for a tour of the city’s National military Park which commemorates the defence of the city during the American civil War. the excursion heads to New orleans with stops at Natchez and Baton rouge to see the antebellum plantation houses before checking in at the Sheraton New orleans for four nights with tours of Jackson Square museums and an evening on a traditional paddle steamer on the mississippi river for a jazz cruise. the final stop on the tour is montgomery, the town where martin Luther King pioneered the civil rights movement.

Saga recommends music lovers consider booking the tour on 12 or 22 April when New orleans will be celebrating its annual Jazz heritage Festival between April 24 and may 3.

Prices lead in at £2,199 per person and include 12 nights’ accommodation, 13 meals: 12 breakfasts and one dinner, return flights, transfers and a Saga tour manager. travel.saga.co.uk/destinations

First UK flights to Reno thomas cook Airlines is launching the UK’s first direct service between London and reno in Nevada in December. the new service, which will start in time for the ski season, will depart from Gatwick on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and will help to open up a host of ski holiday options for UK travellers. the flight programme begins on 19 December and runs until 9 April 2016, with prices starting at £399 return. thomascookairlines.com The business approach La compagnie, the boutique French all-business-class airline, is to launch a thrice-weekly service from Luton Airport to New York, Newark international Airport. the first flight will depart from London on 24 April with special launch fares for the first 500 people to book starting at £1,007 return for two people travelling together, including all taxes. La compagnie plans to increase the frequency to daily flights by the end of this year. lacompagnie.com

Newcastle service United Airlines is launching a direct flight to New York from Newcastle on 23 may. the service will operate five times a week with prices leading in at £549 per person including taxes. the new service will run from may 23 to September 7 initially, but if they are successful then United will look to extend the service to a year round one.✦

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HOTEL HOTLINE

Room to grow

New York City is set to welcome 61 new hotels this year, while on the west coast, some mu ch-loved favourites are benefitting from new investment

Las Vegas Ceasars Entertainment has added to its impressive portfolio of Vegas properties with the opening of the LINQ Hotel and Casino.

The resort has a mighty 2,256 rooms, including 204 suites and 29 cabana suites that directly access a reimagined pool deck area. The new rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, boasting views of the iconic Las Vegas Strip or the High Roller – the world’s tallest observation wheel.

One of the key features of the hotel is a new interactive system accessed from the television or from a smart phone, which gives guests access to hotel amenities and customised LINQ Hotel playlists on Spotify.

In the downtown district of Vegas, the first hotel venue by Downtown Project has opened. Bucking the large-scale hotel trend that Vegas is synonymous with, Oasis at Gold Spike is a boutique property with 38 rooms and six suites. The venue also features a reception area lounge, co-working space and library housing a collection of titles that celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of downtown Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Delano has taken its South Beach brand to Vegas with the opening of the Delano Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Each of the property’s 1,100 suites have

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The new Thompson Miami Beach Hotel combines Art Deco glamour with a 21st-century twist

been redesigned in keeping with the South Beach Delano style.

Finally, the SLS Las Vegas Hotel and Casino has opened bringing Hilton's new Curio brand to the Strip.

With 1,600 rooms, SLS Las Vegas houses a collection of sbe’s acclaimed restaurant and nightlife brands such as the Bazaar by José Andrés, Katsuya, Cleo, 800 Degrees, Umami Burger, The Sayers Club and The Griddle Café. caesars.com/linq oasisatgoldspike.com delanolasvegas.com slshotels.com/lasvegas Nevada The antics of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack are, for many people, what Las Vegas is all about so fans of Old Blue Eyes will get a kick out of the fact that Nevada’s first casino, formerly owned by Sinatra, is reopening in December.

Cal Neva Resort at Lake Tahoe is currently undergoing a multimillion dollar refurbishment to revive the property, which in its 1960s heyday, was a popular haunt of Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio.

The investment will modernise the resort to a luxurious 21st-century standard while maintaining its classic edge. The hotel will include 219 guest rooms and cottages, a spa, meeting

space and restaurants.

Meanwhile, iconic US brand Hard Rock opened a hotel and casino on Lake Tahoe at the start of this year.

Some $60 million has been invested in the property which boasts 539 rooms, a 25,000 sq ft casino, four restaurants and a live music venue. calnevaresort.com hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com

Denver A new 165-room boutique hotel in Denver is poised to open its doors next month.

The clue is in the name of what will be at the heart and soul of this new hotel. Next to the Denver Art Museum, the Art Hotel will be showcasing a lobby with modern art and guest rooms with vibrant art and wall coverings.

Hand-selected art will populate the walls of the rooms of the Art Hotel, which will also boast floor-to-ceilings views to capture the Denver skyline and the Rocky Mountains. thearthotel.com

St Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida The Florida beach resort of St Petersburg/Clearwater Florida is set for a busy 18 months as more than 1,000 new hotel rooms come online.

One of the biggest projects to open in Clearwater Beach includes the 230-room beachfront Opal Sands Resort, All about North America

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HOTEL HOTLINE sister property of the luxurious

Sandpearl, is on pace to open in spring 2016. Down the road, the Wyndham Grand Resort, which will have 450 rooms in two towers, will be Clearwater Beach’s biggest property, will open in early 2017.

Work has also started on a 77-room gulf-front luxury resort in Treasure Island, and in downtown St Petersburg, plans are afoot for a new 174-room Hyatt. visitstpeteclearwater.com Chicago Hotel chain Loews has chosen the Windy City as the location for its latest hotel.

Located in the heart of downtown Chicago just two blocks away from the Magnificent Mile, the city’s biggest shopping district, and only one block away from the Chicago River, the new Loews Chicago has 400 guest rooms with a ‘home away from home’ vibe.

The property has a rooftop lounge, a spacious lobby with calming waterfalls, comfy seating, a big video screen and a 75-foot pool.

Prices lead in at £113 per room per night based on two people. loewshotels.com/chicago-downtown

Miami Everybody loves a bit of Miami’s South Beach, but if you have clients who want all the luxury and glamour of being close to South Beach without actually being right in the thick of the action, then Thompson Miami Beach is guaranteed to tick all their boxes.

Described as a jewel of the design mecca where Art Deco meets midcentury and Miami Modern, this beachfront hotel features 380 guest rooms, including 30 suites.

The hotel has two restaurants, two heated swimming pools, an open-air rooftop spa, a fitness centre, 24-hour in-room dining and lush, tropical gardens. The hotel’s social spaces include Crown Bar, an adjacent late-night venue and, an historic, Spanish-inspired beach house hideaway, the 1930s House. thompsonhotels.com Quebec There are three hotels opening in Montreal this year, starting with the

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Las Vegas’s new LINQ Hotel has 2,256 rooms

five- star boutique Mount Stephen Hotel towards the end of this year.

Sixty Hotels Montréal, which will be located near Old Montréal, will open next year featuring 120 stylish guestrooms and suites, expansive event spaces, a signature restaurant and lounge, and 70 branded luxury residences. It will be the first indoor and outdoor rooftop bar and pool with skyline views in the city. Boxotel will also open next year in the Latin Quarter, although dates have yet to be confirmed quebecregion.com/en

Palm Springs 2015 looks set to be a big one on the new hotel front for Palm Springs.

The Palm Springs Hotel is scheduled to open on 29 August. Conceived by four Hollywood families who had searched for the perfect, intimate retreat, but couldn’t find it, they decided to build their own – like you do.

This boutique property boasts desert-modernist architecture with bold interior flair and 21st century additions such as Apple TV. Dolce Hotels and Resorts is building a 200-room “urban lifestyle hotel” in Palm Springs in August. Set on 10 acres of land, the hotel will include two restaurants, lounge, recording studio, screening room, outdoor pools, spa, fitness centre and function facilities.

Meanwhile, the brainchild of Facebook employee number six – Ezra Callahan – the 32-room trendy boutique hotel Arrive will be opening in the desirable Uptown Design District.

The property will feature live

poolside music throughout the year and Callahan says it is designed to appeal to “travellers influenced by style, design, culture and who see travel as a social experience”.

Meanwhile, Kimpton is set to open the new four-star hotel Hotel Palomar on the former site of Palm Springs’ Desert Fashion Plaza.

Hotel Palomar will feature 190 rooms and a lively rooftop bar and pool. The hotel will also offer a chef-driven ‘destination’ restaurant, meeting space and views of the San Jacinto Mountains.

Finally, the 56-room Triada Hotel will open in Palm Springs as part of Marriot’s Autograph Collection, transforming the old Spanish Inn on North Indian Canyon Drive in the Movie Colony neighbourhood into a luxury hotel with two swimming pools, a spa and restaurant. visitpalmsprings.com ✦

New York, New York

THE CITy that never sleeps is preparing for a whole raft of hotel openings this year.

While there are too many to list in this small box, it’s safe to say that 2015 looks set to be a dynamic year as regards hotel activity, with 61 properties scheduled to open.

The hotels will vary in size and design, with the range as wide as the 54-room Estate at Ravel in Queens to the 600-room Riu Plaza New york Times Square. nycgo.com

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THEME PARKS & ATTRACTIONS

The ride thing

Legoland California Resort When Legoland California Resort opened in 1999, it was the first theme park by the globally popular kids building system outside of Europe.

A considerably tamer theme park that many of its rivals in the US, Legoland California, part of the Merlin Entertainments group, caters for young families and has grown extensively since its humble beginnings in the ‘90s.

Today, the theme park has more than 60 rides, shows and attractions including three rollercoasters.

These include: Orange Rush, a family tube slide where up to four people can ride together down a 312-foot-long curving track on an 11-foot in diameter half pipe; Twin Chasers, two side-by-side enclosed red tube slides that stretch nearly 130 feet and pour into a wading area below; Splash Out: an open body slide that invites guests to slide 240 feet and “splash out” into the water below; and Build-A-Raft River where kids customise their own raft made of soft Lego bricks before floating down a lazy river.

In the water park, there is also a Duplo Splash Safari for younger children and Kid Creek lazy river and a Joker Soaker with water cannons.

A relatively recent addition to the resort is the 250-room, three-storey hotel, which opened in April 2013.

Like its UK counterpart, the hotel is completely geared towards catering for families with pirate, adventure and All about North America

It’s a year of anniversaries and new world-record-beating rides from the theme parks and attractions across the pond

Splash out on Legoland’s Pirate Reef log ride

kingdom themed rooms to choose from, Lego models and interactive features, and themed indoor play areas.

What’s new for 2015? The theme park is set to open a new land this summer themed to the Lego Friends line of toys, which focuses on the lives and personalities of five girls: Mia, Olivia, Andrea, Stephanie and Emma.

Visitors will be invited to sing along with Andrea at her tour bus, stroll through Lego horse stables and go for a horseback ride on the carousel in Mia’s family ranch.

The ultimate ride/attraction: well depending on the age of your children, there are two ultimate rides to go on.

Lego chiefs describe the Coastersaurus, in Dino Island, as the “pink knuckle” coaster as children

won’t get white knuckles from riding it, but will get excited enough for them to turn pink!

For the real thrill seekers in your family, Pirate Reef is guaranteed to get your stomachs flipping as the cart you travel in plummets down 25ft between the 30-foot long pirate ships of Captain Red Brick and Captain Blue Brick.

Any added extras: the shows at Legoland are always pretty impressive but this year, the resort is really pushing the boundaries with a new 4D animated film based on the popular characters of The Lego Movie, Emmet and Wyldstyle. The 4D elements of the new movie will include wind, water, smoke and special lighting effects.

california.legoland.com

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THEME PARKS & ATTRACTIONS Universal Studios Hollywood

A visit to Los Angeles isn’t complete without a day or two spent immersing your inner child on the movie-themed rides at Universal Studios Hollywood followed by a Studio Tour.

Who can not resist taking part in the 3D Despicable Me Minion Mayhem adventure or joining in the immersive Super Silly Fun Land, or going all sci-fi on the Transformers: The Ride-3D. And of course, there’s the muchloved King Kong 360 3-D experience on the behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, Revenge of the MummySM — The Ride and Jurassic Park —The Ride.

What’s new? Universal Studios Hollywood is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and yep, you’ve guessed it, the theme park has big plans to celebrate this momentous milestone.

In the second movie in the Back to the Future trilogy, the day that Marty, Doc and Jennifer travalled to in the future is 21 October 2015. To mark this occasion and the 50th anniversary of the studios the theme park is launching a night-time studio tour this summer, which will include the Courthouse Square and the car, which is located in the NBCUniversal experience.

The new Nighttime Studio Tours will aim to provide visitors with an insider’s look at moonlight movie-making magic as part of the theme park’s 50th milestone anniversary.

Twenty-one locations along the famed Studio Tour route will be engineered with practical lighting, to create an array of onset lighting effects used in night-time production shoots.

Expert Studio Tour guides will enlighten guests with Hollywood secrets, including how filmmakers create the effect of darkness during the bright light of day.

Visits under the night-time lights will include a New York Street and the filming location for such movies as Transformers and “The Sting,” Courthouse Square, made famous in Back to the Future and To Kill A Mockingbird, the cobblestone streets of Little Europe where such favourites as The Pink Panther and Pirates of the Caribbean, were filmed, and Six Points

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Texas, home to Hollywood’s greatest Western films.

Universal Studios Hollywood’s 50th year will also see the launch of the 3DHD thrill ride, Fast & Furious—Supercharged as the grand finale to the famed Studio Tour.

The ultimate ride/attraction: the new 3D Fast & Furious – Supercharged has got to be the ultimate ride to try this year. Inspired by Universal Pictures’ most successful film franchise of all time and featuring original cast members from the series, the imagineers behind the ride promise to catapult guests into the high-stakes underground world of fast cars, where they’ll join the cast in an escapade to save one of their own from an international crime cartel.

The adventure will culminate with action sequences that will send thrill seekers spiralling through the streets of Los Angeles—at perceived speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour.

Anything else? Springfield, the hometown of the US’s most famous family, The Simpsons, is getting a bit of a makeover this year. Visitors to the Simpsons Ride will find themselves truly immersed in the Springfield world when

they find themselves visiting the show’s signature eateries such as Krusty Burger, Cletus’ Chicken Shack, Luigi’s Pizza and Phineas Q. Butterfat’s Ice Cream Parlor, along with Homer’s favorite hangouts, Lard Lad Donuts, Moe’s Tavern and Duff Brewery universalstudioshollywood.com Walt Disney World Resort What’s new? The Florida resort has a number of new projects on the go this year, including the renovation of the iconic Disney Polynesian Resort and the transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs with the addition of new dining venues.

Anything else? Disney’s new animated feature Big Hero 6 is brought to life at Walt Disney World Resort as visitors will be able to step inside the lab from the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, and after the tour, meet Hiro Hamada and his buddy Baymax in Hiro’s garage workshop.

Meanwhile, a new Frozen attraction will open at Epcot next year, which will see sisters Princess Anna and Queen Elsa from the Oscar-winning movie take guests on a new journey to Arendelle.

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THEME PARKS & ATTRACTIONS Children get into character as the Hogwarts Express arrives at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Florida

And in 2017, Walt Disney Imagineering

will team up with filmmaker James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment to bring to life the mythical world of Pandora, inspired by Cameron’s Avatar movie, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. disneyworld.disney.go.com

Six Flags Theme Parks When it comes to traditional theme parks, Six Flags is a bit of a market leader, with 18 theme parks across US, Canada and Mexico, the first of which opened in 1961 in Texas.

The theme park operator prides itself on being an industry leader when it comes to world-class coasters, themed rides and thrilling water parks and unique attractions including upclose animal encounters and major events such as Fright Fest on Halloween and Holiday in the Park, a winter wonderland experience.

Six Flags has also teamed up with DC Comics and Warner Bros to create rides inspired by cartoon characters and super heroes, from Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes friends to DC Comics Super Heroes such as Batman,

All about North America

Robin, The Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and The Flash. This also allows the theme parks to have a full character programme, including character meet and greets, meals, photograph and autograph opportunities and retail options.

What’s new? Well, there’s quite a lot of new rides and events to mention, the biggest of which is what is claimed to be a world-record-breaking hybrid coaster, Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.

Described as the next generation of the wooden roller coaster, the ride imagineers have harnessed the power of new ride technology and combined it with a wooden structure to propel thrill seekers along 5,000ft of track and two lift hills in four minutes. Twisted Colossus will also feature a Top Gun element, the western hemisphere’s first High Five element, and a Zero G Roll.

Over at the Six Flags New England, the Wicked Cyclone will be welcoming adrenaline junkies this summer.

Combining the extreme characteristics of steel and wood, it will be the first hybrid roller coaster to hit the east coast. Wicked Cyclone’s steel track

provides riders with a smoother along its 3,320 feet of track. The ride stands 10 stories in the sky and reaches speeds of up to 55 mph, providing riders with fantastic views of New England.

The ultimate ride/attraction: well, for 2015, it has to be Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Anything else? Oh yes, there’s plenty going on at the other Six Flags parks including the debut of the new 3D interactive dark ride attraction Justice League: Battle for Metropolis where guests will become part of the Justice League Reserve Team in six-passenger vehicles to battle alongside Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to defeat Lex Luthor, the Joker and his henchmen.

Batman: the Ride is also opening at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Described as a 4D wing coaster, the ride features an imposing, floating and twisting track frame in which ride vehicles begin their journey by traveling up a 120ft elevator-type lift before going into two beyond-vertical free falls, in addition to six head-over-heels spins. sixflags.com

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THEME PARKS & ATTRACTIONS

News in brief

Legoland Florida will be welcoming overnight visitors for the first time when the theme park’s Legoland Hotel opens on May 15.

The first east-coast Legoland Hotel will have 152 themed rooms with separate sleeping areas for children, king-size beds in the adult sleeping areas, full breakfasts for guests, early admission to the park, and a Lego toy surprise in each room.

The five-story Legoland Hotel will also have interactive play areas; a pool and a restaurant and will be the fifth hotel from the group in the world.

Legoland Florida has more than 50 rides, shows and attractions, a water park and the Lego World of Chima. legoland.com/florida Universal Studios Orlando is gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary

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A Frozen attraction is due to open in Epcot next year

this year, although exact details of how it intends to mark the momentous occasion are being kept under wraps. Rumours include the opening of a new exhibition space to commemorate the theme parks 25 years as well as a new entrance to the ET Adventure ride.

The Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex is launching a 3D IMAX Space film that will take visitors on a Journey to Space.

The movie will showcases NASA’s plans for the future, including landing astronauts on Mars and capturing asteroids.

Chris Ferguson, commander of the final shuttle mission, Serena Aunon, a new astronaut chosen for future flights and film and TV legend Sir Patrick Stewart will give a sweeping overview of NASA’s past space accomplishments, current activities and future plans.

Using spectacular space footage shot in crystal clear IMAX cinematography, this inspirational new film puts into historical context the magnificent contributions made by the Space Shuttle Programme and its astronauts, such as deploying and repairing the Hubble Space Telescope and assembling the International Space Station (ISS).

The film concludes with a realistic scenario of how astronauts will actually get to Mars, live there, and then return home after a two-and-ahalf-year mission by using the Orion

Disneyland Resort in Anaheim California is gearing up to celebrate its 60th anniversary this year, beginning with thee new night-time spectacles on 22 May. The new displays include the Paint the Night parade, which will bring to life Disney stories and characters with more than 1.5 million LED lights.

Expect to see characters from Monsters, Inc, Cars, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Frozen and Mickey, of course.

The Disneyland Forever Fireworks spectacular will be bigger and bolder, while Hollywood actor Neil Patrick Harris will appear as host, along with Mickey Mouse, in a new presentation of the night-time World of Color spectacular in Disney California Adventure.

Meanwhile, the Frozen Fun show opened at the beginning of the year, bringing the characters from the hit Disney film to life, giving visitors the chance to meet Anna and Elsa in a new location, sing along with the “Frozen” soundtrack, play in the snow, meet Olaf the snowman and “chill out” at a nighttime, family dance party.

crew capsule, Olympus, an inflatable transportation habitat and the powerful Space Launch System rocket that will launch Orion and its crew. kennedyspacecenter.com

Attraction World has launched some new theme-park packages for 2015.

The tickets specialist has introduced a two-park unlimited rides ticket for Fun Spot Florida, which has two large amusement parks in Orlando and Kissimmee.

Their main amusement park is just off International Drive on Fun Spot Way and the other park is located in Kissimmee on Highway 192 next to Old Town. Rides include carousels, bumper cars, go karts, the White Lightning Wooden Roller Coaster and the Rip Curl and Enterprise ride.

The offer is buy a seven-day unlimited two-park ticket and get 75% off the usual price. Tickets cost £49 per adult and per child if booked by 14 April.

Meanwhile, Attraction World is offering 14 days for the price of seven at Walt Disney World Resort with prices from £325 per adult and £308 per child. This offer must be booked by 30 June.

Finally, there’s a three parks for the price of two offer, which includes SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Aquatica with prices from £102 per adult and £98 per child if booked by 31 December. attractionworld.com

All about North America

S05 TB North America Supp 2015 - Road Trips_Layout 1 09/03/2015 14:15 Page 13

ROAD TRIPS

O

Get to grips with North America on a once-in-a-lifetime road trip NE Of the best ways to get under the skin of North America is, without question, on a road trip, and where better to start looking for some inspiration than the iconic genre that is road movies.

Here we look at three legendary movies that have defined this genre and catch up with some of the operators to find out what tours and packages they offer so that your clients can follow in the footsteps of the movie stars and experience some of North America’s most legendary landscapes from behind a steering wheel.

Easy Rider Made in 1969, Easy Rider really set the standard for US road movies in the way that the cinematography showed off the true beauty of the US and its wide variety of landscapes.

Dubbed as a counter-culture film that was a “touchstone for a generation”, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper played the roles of Wyatt and Billy two Harley-riding hippies who decide to travel from LA to New Orleans in search of the real America. On the journey, they encounter a number of different characters that are reflective of the social tensions of the US in the 1960s, including the rise of the

The call of the road

hippie movement and drug use.

Follow in their footsteps: Easy Rider takes the iconic Route 66 which begins in LA and travels through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri and on to Illinois and Chicago.

Trafalgar Tours has a nine-day Colourful Trails of the Southwest that journeys through some of the landscape that formed the backdrop for Easy Rider, including Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. The tour begins in Scottsdale where the guests are joined by a local specialist, who accompanies them to the Grand Canyon National Park to explore the wide-open expanse of

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S05 TB North America Supp 2015 - Road Trips_Layout 1 09/03/2015 14:15 Page 14

ROAD TRIPS Monument Valley. Then it’s on to Mesa Verde National Park for

two nights before heading to Arches National Park to watch the sun rise upon the ancient, multi-coloured stone.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Taos Pueblo is next on the agenda. The site has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years by members of the Native American Pueblo people. A two-night stay in Santa Fe rounds off this tour . The town is a popular haunt of artists.

How much? Prices start at £2,815 per person and include eight nights’ bed and breakfast, transfers and sightseeing. trafalgar.com

Thelma and Louise Easy Rider may have been the trailblazer for road movies back in the 1960s, but Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon really breathed new life into this genre as Thelma and Louise. Davis played the role of oppressed housewife Thelma who decided to join her friend Louise (Sarandon) on a short fishing trip. Their mini break takes a tragic turn when Louise shoots a man who tries to attack Geena, and they decide to flee to Mexico to escape being arrested.

The journey they embark on really shows off some of the US’s most stunning scenery, with the two travelling from Arkansas through Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and California. The film's most iconic scene was filmed at Dead Horse Point State Park, near Moab in Utah when the two women drive off the edge of the canyon.

Follow in their footsteps: Insight Vacations has a 15-day Great Western American Adventure that crosses the states of California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. Highlights on the way include a guided tour of LA, the chance to marvel at the Grand Canyon, travelling across the Mojave Desert to reach Scottsdale, a chance to explore Yosemite and Bryce Canyon National Parks and scenic drives along Oak Creek Canyon, Desert View Drive and through the Painted Desert and Navajo Indian Reservation.

How much? Prices start at £4,475 per person and include 14 nights’ B&B, transfers and sightseeing. insightvacations.com/uk

On the Road The book that defined a generation was turned into a film in 2012 starring Twilight's Kirsten Stewart. First published in 1957, On the Road is a novel by US writer Jack Kerouac, which charts the travels of Kerouac and his friends across America against a backdrop of jazz, poetry and drug use.

The main character is young writer Sal Paradise, who has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. They embark on a number of journeys across the US, the most iconic of which is the one from New York to San Francisco via Chicago and Denver.

Follow in their footsteps: Trafalgar Tours’ 27 day TransAmerican Grand Adventure is a cross-country journey from Los Angeles to New York, stopping off at Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Salt Lake City, Jackson, Chicago, Cleveland, Niagara Falls, Pittsburgh, Washington, Philadelphia and finally New York How much? Prices start at £5,750 per person and include land and air, 26 nights’ B&B, transfers and sightseeing. trafalgar.com All about North America

S06 TB North America Supp 2015 - Wildlife & Nature_Layout 1 09/03/2015 11:47 Page 15

WILDLIFE & NATURE

Wild things

l parks of From exploring the great nationa holidays are America to heli-exploring, these what memories are made of

1. Polar bear spotting Seeing polar bears in their natural environment is top of many people’s bucket lists, but a tour that includes the opportunity to see beluga whales, and maybe even the northern lights too, is guaranteed to whet the appetite of your wildlife-loving clients.

Abercrombie and Kent’s eight-day Birds, Bears and Beluga Whales adventure travels far from the madding crowds and deep into the polar bear country of Manitoba in the Arctic region of Canada.

After an overnight stay in Winnipeg, the real adventure begins with a flight out to Seal River Heritage Lodge on the Seal River Estuary, which will be the base for six nights.

Four days of marine tours, beluga swims and trips on Tundra Trackers follow, with at least two expeditions by 12-person zodiacs boat to view beluga whales, seals, seabirds, and polar bears.

Your clients can expect to see literally hundreds of beluga whales, who are very curious and sociable and will be keen to investigate the presence of the boats.

As well as the marine excursions to spot whales, guides take guests out on custom-made Tundra Trackers to discover the shoreline and search out wildlife at the same time.

Trekking and walking tours are also a big part of the experience as this gives wildlife lovers the chance to see the other wildlife that populate this Arctic region,

All about North America

including nesting bird life (there are more than 100 species), foxes, caribou, and obviously more polar bears.

Evenings back at the lodge involve hearty dinners and talks from expert guides about travelling in Bear Country and the Wildlife of the Arctic .

How much? Prices lead in at £6,839 per person based on two sharing and include international flights, internal flights and transfers. A&K’s polar bear adventures are always popular and book up quickly, so advise your clients to make sure that they get their reservations in with you early.

To book: abercrombiekent.co.uk/canada/ polarbears.cfm

2. Adventures in Alaska Escorted tours specialist Cox and Kings has rolled out a new nine-day Highlights of Alaska self-drive itinerary of Alaska that features some of the state’s most impressive roads.

Offering a fantastic overview of Alaska’s unspoiled wilderness and mountainous grandeur, the nine-day tour begins in Anchorage and journeys up to Fairbanks, via Denali National Park, before looping back round to Anchorage via the picture-postcard fishing port of Valdez and the protected waterways of Prince William Sound, home to 10,000 glaciers.

The suggested itinerary features some of Alaska’s most iconic road journeys including the George Parks Highway, which extends through 358 miles of

Trafalgar Tours’ 14-day Scenic Parks Explorer takes in the magnificent Grand Canyon National Park

Alaska's most rugged terrain and crosses over 40 bridges, and the Richardson Highway, the state’s first major road, which was built in 1898 by the US Army to provide an "all-American" route to the Klondike gold fields.

Highlights of this itinerary include a full-day tour into Denali National Park offering an abundance of wildlife such as moose, wolves, caribou and bears and a scenic journey through Prince William Sound on the Alaska Marine Ferry with the chance to spot a vast variety of marine life including whales, porpoise, sea otters, sea lions and seals.

How much? Prices for the nine-day Highlights of Alaska self-drive itinerary costs from £1,495 and includes accommodation on a mixed board basis and car hire. International flights are not included.

To book: coxandkings.co.uk

3. The park run Next year, the National Park Service of America is celebrating its 100-year anniversary, and the association is keen to encourage visitors to explore, learn and be inspired by the country’s 401 parks.

While experiencing all of these parks in one visit is an insurmountable task for even the most determined of travellers, Trafalgar Tours has a 14-day Scenic Parks Explorer that takes seven of the country’s most-loved outdoor spaces. Starting in Las Vegas which will be a base for the first two nights, guests will have the chance to

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WILDLIFE & NATURE travel out to the graceful canyons and

towering cliffs of Zion National Park before checking out Bryce Canyon National Park, home to the world’s largest concentration of hoodoos-tall limestone spires that rise from the desert floor.

Then it’s off to Salt Lake City for a visit to Grand Teton National Park to cross over its impressive mountain range before arriving at Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was established in 1872 as the US’s first national park, and was created to protect the large number of geysers here, the most famous of which is Old Faithful. Visitors can watch as the waters rise up over 100ft from Old Faithful.

The adventure continues through Montana and South Dakota’s Black Hills to arrive in Colorado. After a stop in Denver, it’s on to Arches National Park where years of wind and rain have eroded the sandstone into more than 2,000 natural arches.

Mesa Verde National Park is next on the itinerary. This park boasts the largest cliff dwelling in the world, with more than 600 still in tact. The cliffs provided a home to Ancestral Pueblo people for 700 years, from AD 600 to 1300. In the evening, guests will have the chance to enjoy a Navajo cookout regional dinner.

The following day will include a trip to Monument Valley before arriving at perhaps the most famous of all, the Grand Canyon National Park for the once-in-alifetime photo opportunities.

Visitors will have the chance to meet the Navajo people who have populated this land for many years, and they will also be joined by a local expert who will enlighten them about the 1.7 billion years of geology revealed in the canyon.

How much? Prices start at £3, 482 per person and include land and air transport 13 nights’ accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, VIP door to door airport transfers, sightseeing and the services of a professional travel director throughout.

4. From redwoods to sequoias Adventure specialist Mountain Kingdoms is looking to increase its activity with the trade (see page 17) to help raise the profile of its variety of tours.

One in particular visits a region of the US that is home to sequoias and redwood

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Abercrombie and Kent’s eight-day Birds, Bears and Beluga Whales offers the perfect opportunity to glimpse polar bears in their natural habitat in the arctic region of Canada

trees, some of world’s tallest trees.

California is America’s most bio-diverse state, and Mountain Kingdoms has put together 15-day Gentle Walking California adventure to experience this region’s diverse offering, giving hikers the chance to see a wide range of wildlife from sea lions to black bears, as well as travel across landscapes as diverse as coastal geologic faults to glacier carved peaks, and world-class grapevines.

The tour starts off in San Francisco before heading south through Monterey to Big Sur and on to the Sequoia National Park to get up close to the giant redwoods. Then it’s on to Santa Monica to take in the town’s beautiful sandy beaches and lively café-lined boulevards before heading back out on the trail to hike through the Joshua Tree National Park. A hike to Big Bear Lake is next on the agenda before heading to Death Valley to watch the sun set from Zabriskie Point.

A walk to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in Continental US, follows before moving on to Yosemite National Park, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary, for a trek to the incredible Half Dome, which rises 5,000ft above the Yosemite valley. A climb to its peak is worth the effort as the views are rewarding. The adventure then heads a lubricating turn to the Napa Valley wineries before concluding on the wild coast at Point Reyes Peninsula.

How much? Prices lead in at £4,225 per person and include flights, accommodation, 12 breakfasts and 13 lunches and the services of an

experienced leader. Departure dates are 20 June and 29 August.

To book: mountainkingdoms.com

5. New heights Tauck prides itself on the authentic experiences it can offer its clients, and with that in mind, the specialist has launched a new tour to the Canadian Rockies and the Bugaboos that is a little different to others.

Guaranteed to be popular with adventurers who have a head for heights, this new seven-day tour offers travellers the chance to take part in an heli-exploring experience in an alpine wonderland that is inaccessible to most visitors. The experience was first conceived by heli-skier Arthur Tauck with Austrian alpinist Hans Gmoser in 1978.

Described as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to soar with the eagles in places that entranced past generations of Tauck travellers,“ travellers hop from peak to peak by helicopter in the high country of the Bugaboos mountain range as well as embarking on guided hikes in the Purcell mountains.

How much? Prices lead in at £3,630 per person and include: two nights in lake-view rooms at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; three nights at the Bugaboo Lodge; exploration by helicopter; overnight stay at Banff Springs Lodge’ guided sightseeing in Banff National Park; airport transfers and 16 meals (six breakfasts, four lunches, six dinners). International flights are not included.

To book: tauck.co.uk/ ✦

All about North America

S07 TB North America Supp 2015 - Question Time_Layout 1 09/03/2015 11:54 Page 17

AGENT NEWS

Get the lowdown From mega fams to major anniversaries, there’s a lot happening Stateside over the next few years

For agents

Agents have until 3 April to enter into a competition to win a place on the Brand USA MegaFam 2015.

To be in with a chance of securing a place on the fam trip, agents in the UK and Ireland have to register any American Airlines, British Airways and US Airways flights they sell to the US from 1 January 2015 and complete the bespoke MegaFam Airlines badge on the USA Discovery Programme. The more flights agents log and the more USA Discovery Programme badges they earn before the closing date, the more chance they’ll have of securing a place on the Brand USA MegaFam. Meanwhile, the Santa Monica Specialist badge has just become the latest destination to launch on the USA Discovery Programme, Brand USA’s award-winning travel agent training site.

Agents can now log on to the programme to learn all about ‘California’s Most Celebrated Beach City’, from Santa Monica’s affordable to high-end accommodation, its dining options, nightlife, shopping and other must do experiences.

USAdiscoveryprogram.co.uk Adventure tours specialist Mountain Kingdoms is looking to build up its profile of its selection of treks and tours with the trade.

As part of its drive to raise awareness, the operator is offering 11% commission on land-only bookings which are capped at £180 per person worldwide except holidays in Europe which are capped at £100 per person.

This offer will apply to all bookings from agents irrespective of whether they are on our database or not, and if they are past customers, the past client discount

All about North America

Agents enjoy Dragoman’s hands-on approach to training

still applies, along with any early bird discounts the bookings may qualify for. If an agent puts through 10 or more bookings in one year, then Mountain Kingdoms will send the agent a case of wine.

For more information, email kerry@mountainkingdoms.com Tours specialist Insight Vacations is offering agents the chance to win £75 of Love2Shop vouchers if they book clients on the operator’s eight-day Southern Elegance tour by 14 April. insightvacations.com The team at Dragoman, the overland adventure specialist, have been using their imagination when it comes to staff training. Last September, they invited agents to a campout at a Suffolk farm near Dragoman HQ, with an evening full of quizzes, food and drink around a campfire The evening was a great success and the specialist is planning to repeat the event later this spring again in Suffolk but also at a destination to be confirmed in the north of England.

Lisa Smith from STA in Chelmsford attended the event, and said: “It was awesome seeing the trucks and all their

equipment, I didn't realise how much space there would be and how much they can fit. The tents were really good and cosy. It was a great taste of the outdoors and what Dragoman trips have to offer.” dragoman.com Need to know

Major events and anniversaries are vital for you to know about as they can help to drive sales.

From 6 June to 5 July this year, Canada is hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The tournament will be taking place in Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Meanwhile, Canada is looking forward to 2017 when it will celebrate its 150th birthday. Ottawa will be the main place of celebration with the unveiling of a new monument to former Governor General Lord Stanley, who founded Canada. The federal government has announced an $80 million investment into the refurbishment of the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, with the reopening scheduled in 2017 as part of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations. fifa.com/womensworldcup; canada150.com

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S08 TB North America Supp 2015 - Holidays For Less_Layout 1 09/03/2015 14:17 Page 18

HOLIDAYS FOR LESS

The price really is right

From three-night city ‘shop ‘til you drop’ breaks in New York to 20-day Alaskan adventures, there’s an experience to suit all types of clients £1,000

Funway Holidays has two breaks that come in under the £1,000 mark. The first one is a seven-night Orlando family holiday in the Disney area.

How much? Prices lead in at £469 per person and include self-catering accommodation in a three-bedroom villa and flights with United Airlines.

Prices are based on six people sharing with flights departing the UK on 26 November.

The second break is a three-night New York city break.

How much? Prices lead in at £829 per person and include three nights at the three-star Wellington Hotel with return Virgin Atlantic flights. The price is based on two people sharing with flights departing the UK on 7 December.

To book: funway4agents.co.uk

Canadian Affair’s 14-day Maritime Magic Treasures flydrive starts off in Halifax for a two-night stay to explore the historic city before heading along the lighthouse route around the southeast coast of Nova Scotia towards Peggy's Cove before checking in for the night at Western Shore, which boasts views across to Mahone Bay and Oak Island.

The flydrive continues on to Digby for a visit to the renowned Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic before heahing on to the Bay of Fundy and on to Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island.

On day nine, it’s time to return to

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Nova Scotia to explore the coastal scenery, including a drive along Cabot Trail and across to Cape Breton Highlands.

A drive further along Cabot Trail takes visitors to Bras d'Or Lake and Baddeck before continuing on to West Bay. How much? Prices start at £849 including accommodation, car hire and a city tour. Flights are included.

To book: canadianaffair.com/holidays £2,000

Adventure tours specialist Infinite Adventures has a 20-day trip that takes travellers on a journey to explore Alaska’s wilderness and animals.

The journey includes travelling through Alaska on a converted yellow school bus. The operator is looking to build on its relationship with the trade and is offering commission rate of between 10% and 15%.

How much? Prices lead in at £1,910 per person and include all accommodation/camping, meals and many of the outdoor activities such as Denali National Park entrance and shuttle buses, wildlife viewing and hiking, a canoe trip on Maclaren River, the remote camp with glacier view in Wrangell St Elias National Park, whale watching in Seward along with sea kayaking in Katchemak Bay while staying in Infinite’s remote luxury camp.

Departure dates are: 14 June, 5 July, 26 July and 16 August.

To book: infiniteadv.com

Imaginative Traveller has an 11-day Deep South and Delta Blues tour that follows in the footsteps of Reginald D Hunter's TV series, Songs of the South.

The circular trip from Atlanta heads to: Nashville to visit the Jack Daniel's Whiskey Distillery, Wildhouse Saloon and Country Music Hall of Fame; Memphis for a tour of Elvis Presley’s former home Graceland, a visit to the National Civil Rights Musuem, Tupelo the birthplace of Elvis, and Clarksdale for a tour of a traditional cotton plantation.

The tour also visits Natchez, the heart of the slave trade, for a chance to listen to gospel music in a local church.

Three days in New Orleans follows to give visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in Creole and Cajun culture, watch a jazz performance at Preservation Hall, take a Louisiana swamp tour and visit the Civil Rights Institute and Museum in Birmingham.

How much? Prices lead in at £1,579 per person, and include 10 nights’

All about North America

S08 TB North America Supp 2015 - Holidays For Less_Layout 1 09/03/2015 14:17 Page 19

HOLIDAYS FOR LESS

accommodation and transport via a

minibus with wifi. The group size will be no bigger than 13 people. There are 17 departures this year with the first one on 21 March.

To book: imaginative-traveller.com £3,000

Trafalgar Tours’ The Californian allover experience includes two nights in San Diego and Los Angeles, trips to Santa Barbara, Carmel and Monterey and Yosemite National Park. The trip rounds off with a Be My Guest lunch in Sonoma at a family-owned winery and two nights in San Francisco.

How much? Prices start at £2,795 per person and include flights, transport during the trip and accommodation.

To book: trafalgar.com Insight Vacations has an eight-day Southern Elegance tour that includes visits to the antebellum plantations in Charleston, a tour of the Biltmore Estate for an insight into the daily lives

All about North America

of the elite Vanderbilt family, a horsedrawn carriage ride through Charleston, a tour of the Magnolia Plantation, a visit to St Simons and Jekyll Islands and indulging in a celebration dinner of authentic southern fare in Savannah during a private tour of the Owens-Thomas House. Visitors also get the opportunity to create Charleston sweetgrass baskets.

How much? Prices start at £2,870 per person and include flights, transport during the trip and accommodation.

To book: insightvacations.com

Cox and Kings has a 14-day Atlantic Canada Explorer self-drive private journey that takes in Canada's scenic Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Highlights of the adventure include a whale-watching cruise in search of humpback whales, visits to Kejimkujik National Park, renowned for its wilderness of lakes and rivers, an overnight stay in Shediac, known locally

Insight Vacations’ 15-day Trans-Canada Odyssey takes in the sights of Banff National Park

as the lobster capital of the world, and a drive along the Cabot Trail to visit Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a beautiful park with 20 walking trails.

How much? Prices start at £2,495, including accommodation on a mixed board basis and car hire. Flights are not included.

To book: coxandkings.co.uk £5,000

Insight Vacations has a 15-day Trans-Canada Odyssey tour that takes in the country’s dramatic landscape. The adventure includes a guided walking tour of Whistler, travel in an Ice Explorer on to the icy slopes of Athabasca Galcier, the chance to admire the natural wonders of Banff National Park, marvel at Niagara Falls at the base on board a cruise and enjoy spectacular scenery on a three-night train journey.

How much? Prices start at £4,870 per person and include land, air and rail arrangements.

To book: insightvacations.com

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S08 TB North America Supp 2015 - Holidays For Less_Layout 1 09/03/2015 14:17 Page 20

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