Spring travel options abound for trips in 2010

The allure of the islands, both great and small, draws visitors from around the world By Mike Briotta, PRIME Editor Although the old adage says that no man is an island, we all dream of retreating to an island destination to get some rest and relaxation, at least for a little while. PRIME Magazine recently took in the sights and sounds of the annual Boston Globe Travel Show, and this month we bring you an insider's glimpse of some of the best getaways on the planet. So get your flip-flops packed, your bathing suit ready and don't forget the sunglasses-we're off to the world's most interesting island locales. Perhaps the best-known name in the travel business, Arthur Frommer, spoke at this year's industry convention with his daughter Pauline. Frommer first gained world attention with his groundbreaking guide "Europe on $5 a Day" in the 1950s. His daughter has since taken up the calling of providing common folks with affordable solutions with budget books of her own. They now offer hundreds of titles in more than a dozen different series. Pauline writes guides that appeal to average travelers who want some of the perks of the rich and famous, but can't afford the high price of admission. Her Web site has a mantra of "Spend Less and See More." The younger Frommer said in a press release, "[My readers] want to see the world, but want to see it on their own terms. They want to stay in a nice place, eat nice meals. These books serve the vast majority of Americans, as compared to all the guidebooks out there that are either for the very rich or the very young." The Frommers spoke to travel show visitors about innovations that have made vacationing more comfortable in the past five years, and mentioned some of the downside that still needs improvement. Their primary discussion was aptly titled "What's Right and What's Wrong in Travel." The duo also talked about hidden travel bargains. The veteran travel expert said the current economic downshift is merely a great opportunity for travelers, essentially creating a buyers' market. He's dubbed the recent global financial doldrums as an "incredible era of travel opportunities." He finds abundant values in such travel sites as Hotwire and Priceline, where customers are encouraged to bid on travel expenses like hotel stays, car rentals, and airline tickets. Frommer has said that traditional travel providers are transitioning their deals to these auction-style online sites to sell out their otherwise empty plane seats, hotel beds, and rental vehicles. Florida's Eternal Sunshine Many travelers will be drawn to the small, coastal islands of Florida this year, namely Sanibel and its sister island Captiva. Greenbacks don't seem to stretch quite as far as they used to, but southwest Florida attractions offer some of the most affordable opportunities for history buffs, seashell collectors and beachgoers. "Fort Meyers is the spring training site for the Red Sox, but our area has so much else to offer," Shelley Grant, of the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau, said. "We are very nature-oriented, with paddling, canoeing and kayaking as well as many other soft-adventure options." She said that the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel are among the most overlooked vacation options, and that Sanibel island is among the top locales in the world for finding seashells. Other intriguing aspects of the area include the Great Calusa Blueway known for its beautiful coastal waters that are perfect for bird-watching from onboard a canoe or kayak. Lee County boasts 233 square miles of inland waterway, most of which is calm, easy to paddle, and usually less than a foot deep. The Blueway is also easy to navigate with a Global Positioning System device. "There's fishing and nature to be found here," Grant said. "This part of Florida is not all about theme parks. Sanibel Island is number on in the U.S. for shelling [finding seashells] and a great deal of the island is under conservation. There are no high-rises, no stoplights. Everything is at the tree-level or below, and bike paths are a common way of getting around the island." Some historically significant local connections in the area are the winter estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, whose unique business partnership influenced the evolution of American industry - and whose retreats continue to draw visitors today. "Thomas Edison's winter home is fascinating, with a lush tropical paradise that includes rubber trees, and it also houses Edison's laboratory," Grant said. "His friend Henry Ford bought the home next door. Edison was working on synthetic rubber, and so he had a huge area of exotic plants." The rare and unusual flora includes bougainvillea, bamboo, palms, fruit trees, bromeliads and orchids. A main draw for history buffs is the 'Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island, about a 45-minute drive from Fort Myers. Manatees swim in the wakes of boats near Captiva Island, and the pastel sunsets paint a romantic scene. The inn was named for its idyllic location, perfectly nestled between the breathtaking Gulf of Mexico to the west and a bay featuring beautiful Pine Island South to the east. The inn, which began as a charming collection of fishing cottages, dates back to the 1930s. It offers the Roosevelt Cottage, so named because it was visited by Teddy Roosevelt, who came to the island to fish. Other notable guests to the inn throughout history included Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Recent additions include a million-dollar spa and gym opening this year, complete with an Olympic-sized pool, a pool bar and two hot tubs. Canada's Far East With all the hype and hoopla surrounding Canada's west coast hub of Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, our neighbors to the north would like to remind us of another vacation destination, some 3.000 miles closer to home: the collective region of Newfoundland and Labrador. This eastern-seaboard getaway boasts the largest concentration of humpback whales in the world, which often appear in conjunction with one of the smaller seafaring creatures, the Atlantic puffin. The latter creature is a small, land-based oceanic bird that resembles a penguin. This area is also home to large moose populations, and a grazing herd of 6,000 woodland caribou. If you're looking for outdoor adventures in an unspoiled natural setting, this is the place. Newfoundland and Labrador feature a host of fauna alongside their fjord-like cliffs. "When you're visiting the cliffs, you can look up at puffins flying around you, while the humpback whales are swimming behind you," Sandy Hickman said. Hickman is a marketing specialist of outdoor adventure and leisure with the government of Newfoundland and Labrador. "We get icebergs in the summer, which we call iceberg alley," Hickman continued. "That lasts from April through June. It takes one year for an iceberg to get there from Greenland, and they melt off the coast of Newfoundland. They can be five-story-high blocks of ice." He quipped, "This is about as far from Disneyland as you can get." In other words, this area prides itself on being the opposite of luxurious; it still retains a rustic charm. Promotional materials call it: "Off, off, off Broadway." While the area is well-known to Canadian tourists who flock there from cities like Toronto, Newfoundland and Labrador is a less-common destination for American visitors. Tourism officials said it's an ideal summer trip from Boston or New York because when the Northeast is humid and sweltering in midsummer, the temperature in this neck of the Great White North is a refreshing 75 degrees. The Newfoundland and Labrador province is composed of large islands off the coast of Quebec province. Representatives of the area are quick to point out that it's not all wilderness, despite the wild adventures to be had. "You can only get to Newfoundland by ferry boat or plane," said Jeanette Yetman, manager of leisure travel for the area's tourism division. "Prince Edward Island is basically next door. Our capitol city, Saint John's, is the oldest in Canada; some would say it's the oldest city in North America." Saint John's downtown features fine dining, boutique shopping and a lively music scene connected by historic streets. "It's also known for colorful row houses," Yetman said about Saint John's. Although sandy dunes are rare there, some hidden beaches do exist. What's more alluring to most travelers, though, are the many stops for history buffs, including a locally built replica of explorer John Cabot's 1497 sailing vessel, and reminders of the area's 500-year fishing history. Making the place seem even more remote, Newfoundland locals will tell you they only joined Canada in 1949, prior to that remaining independent. The area operates in its own unique time zone, one half-hour ahead of the rest of Atlantic Canada. In other words, it's where the sun rises first in North America. It's also home to strong regional dialects that sound similar to Irish, English or Scottish accents. "You move 10 kilometers in any direction and the accent will change," said Yetman. "We even have our own dictionary of Newfoundland English." The terrain is as diverse as the dialects, ranging from stunning ocean views to peat bogs to lush forests. Newfoundland adventures are not for those short on time, however. According to Hickman, it's best to set aside two full weeks to account for travel to and from this island from New England. "We get no accidental tourists," he said. "Nobody is just driving through and stops here. You're coming here as its own destination; to visit our special little corner of the world." Jamaican Breezes A far more familiar and tropical island getaway is Jamaica, which has lured would-be Rastafarians for generations with its laid-back style. There's plenty new to be found, however, according to hotel and resort representative Kristi Miller. She's a senior director of United States field sales for a trio of resort brands: Hedonism, Breezes, and Rooms. As the first property's name would indicate, Jamaica can be an ideal spot for adult getaways. "There's something for everyone here," said Miller. "Our Hedonism Resorts are ages 18-plus, and we have our upscale Breezes grand resort and spa at Negril, for ages 16-plus." Negril is located at the western tip of the island. Part of their selling point is that their vacation packages are all-inclusive-no nickel-and-dime additional charges along the way for every drink. "All beverages are included in the price, for example our Chilean house wines," Miller said. "We have a la carte dining and fine dining, and there is no charge to dine in a different restaurant. Also, gratuities are included here, as is transportation to and from the airport." Simply put, this is still a great place to stick your toes in the sand. The resort town of Negril features a seven-mile beach of powdery white sand, which is ranked among the top beaches in the world. The surrounding ocean is a patchwork of bright emerald and turquoise Caribbean waters. Year-round clarity and warmth make its waters a haven for swimmers, snorkelers and divers exploring the reefs. The fun may begin with sunbathing at the beach, but it certainly doesn't end there. According to Miller, there are mountain-biking expeditions next to Dunns River Falls, a "mystic mountain" rainforest experience, zip-lining over the forest canopy, and a bobsled ride made famous by the quirky Jamaican bobsled team portrayed in the comedy film "Cool Runnings." "The island itself has seen a Renaissance," Miller said. "Gone is the old perception of Jamaica as being unsafe. It's a very safe island. Our huge Sangster International Airport is the best airport in the Caribbean. It's very efficient, with modern jetways and moving sidewalks." And there are many other surprises in store for travelers who haven't "come back to Jamaica" in a while. Rafting in the White River Valley; driving all-terrain vehicles to traverse its many trails. Horseback riding on the beach; tubing along one of its 120 rivers; and marveling at thunderous waterfalls. It's all part of the modern sales pitch: Jamaica is not just for beach bums anymore. A point of interest for the thirsty traveler is spirit-maker Appleton Estate, which offers a tour of its rum distillery, nestled in the picturesque Nassau Valley on Jamaica's South Coast. The company has been creating its renowned rum since 1749. Its beautiful buildings remain as testament to the "Great Houses" of historic plantations, which were built in the shadow of the towering Blue Mountains. The island is home to some of the finest rums and exotic blended drinks in the world, including the award-winning Tia Maria coffee liqueur. So if you're seeking seaside drinking and dining, rhythmic Reggae concerts and relaxing in hand-woven hammocks, then look no further than Jamaica. It's a familiar destination, but one that's been recently revamped for 2010, whose port city of Negril is affectionately dubbed by locals as "The Capital of Casual." The Emerald Isle In case you missed out on St. Patty's Day last month, another legendary island that has worked hard to shed its traditional image in the last few years is Ireland, whose economy was swept up in Europe's financial success of the past decade. The "Celtic Tiger" economy has calmed recently, but this also presents bargains to tourists. Those who think it's still all shepherding and Blarney are unaware of the metropolitan nightlife of Dublin and surfing-yes, surfing!-off the western coastline. "Everybody thinks of it as just golfing," Vivienne Nyhan, of the Castle Hotel Group, owners of Dublin's historic Georgian house hotels, said. "But Ireland also offers extreme surfing off the coast of Clare. These are very high waves. A lot of the surfers from Hawaii come over to experience it - especially if it's hurricane season in other parts of the Atlantic Ocean. We have great surfing schools." Who knew? On the east coast, the surprisingly active recreational pastimes include speedboat racing around Dublin Bay. "I'm from Dublin, and there are so many things you can do," Nyhan said. "You can race a speedboat around Dublin Bay, go cycling in Wicklow, or fishing on the white sandy beaches of Donegal. On top of that, of course, we do have some of the best golf courses in all of Europe." The traditional, pastoral allure of Ireland is still evident, but contemporary attractions also draw in the visitors these days. Nyhan continued, "People always associate Ireland with farming, and there's still a grain of truth to that. You can milk a cow, gather eggs and learn brown-bread making skills. But our four-star hotels in Dublin are really equivalent to five-star hotels by European standards." Many more travelers are now willing to venture to Northern Ireland as well, since the conflict there has virtually disappeared in the last 20 years. "In Northern Ireland, they are restoring parts of the factory that built the Titanic," Nyhan said. "Belfast has a large Ferris wheel, the Belfast Eye, from which you can see the city." While many know the fateful end of the Titanic ship, fewer realize it was built in Belfast in 1912. Belfast is now a buzzing metropolitan city, which has been undergoing a recent revitalization. Flights directly from New York are now a major selling point for the jet-set crowd. Of course, the traditional tourist mainstays of Dublin continue to draw crowds: the oldest (and perhaps most ornate) book in the world, the Book of Kells, whose colors are as vivid today as they were 1,500 years ago; the Guinness Storehouse headquarters, featuring the freshest pour of Ireland's globally known beer; and the cobblestone streets where authors James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, and Oscar Wilde once walked. Good, fresh food is another staple of Ireland tourism, from fabled Irish breakfasts to freshly landed Atlantic salmon for dinner. The Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork is a prime spot for herbaceous homegrown meals. It's also one of Frommer's heralded "13 Spots for Food and Wine Lovers." Many years ago, Irish cuisine was known only as simple peasant fare. Today, artisan producers of gourmet foods dot the countryside, from Cork's cheese makers to the vibrant apple orchards of Armagh. "There's so much to do, we have a lot of backup plans in case of rain," Nyhan said. "Ireland has everything from the New Grange-the oldest building in the world-to very modern buildings like the Gravity Bar, which offers a 360-degree view of Dublin." Like our many other island travel bargains in abundance this year, a trip to Ireland may seem traditional, but remains full of surprises. So whether you're looking to collect seashells at a sandy beach, challenge yourself to an adventurous trek up a mountainside or blaze a new trail, the many islands featured at this year's Globe travel show are sure to please. Just be sure to bring plenty of suntan lotion with you, double-check your travel plans, and of course, don't forget to bring a copy of PRIME Magazine along for the ride.