If you are taking your minor child on a vacation without your spouse, make sure you have a notarized letter from your spouse that specifically states you have permission to take the child to the specific destination during the specified dates.

Linda Whalen was working in Santiago, Chile, last fall, when she decided to travel north to the Atacama Desert -- one of the driest places on earth -- over a long weekend. "I loved the stark, lunar landscapes, which are unlike anything I've seen," she said. "What a contrast with Santiago and the nearby coastline, which looks a lot like Northern California with its rolling hills, rocky coast and verdant hills." The Beverly Hills resident used a Canon PowerShot SD1000.

Thrill seekers may anxiously await this summer’s arrival of Sin City’s newest adventure, the VooDoo Skyline, coming to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Here’s a fetching Ireland tour that includes airfare from New York, a rental car and six nights of lodging for $999 a person. The catch? Well, it’s a winter trip, available beginning Nov. 1 and running for five chilly months. And the car features a manual-shift transmission. But still.

One of the most famous aircraft in American military history -- the Lockheed F-104A Starfighter -- has landed at the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor.

Viridian, a Connecticut-based clean energy company, is taking travelers to plant trees in the Amazon.

Featuring a glass atrium with 150 species, Butterfly Wonderland opens in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Saturday, on a five-acre parcel on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

Trails and campgrounds in Point Mugu State Park damaged by the Springs fire earlier this month will reopen  Friday but officials warn visitors to stay out of closed areas to help the area recover, according to an announcement.

Here's one fish story that just may have a happy ending. On June 8 and 9, the Big Bear Lake Assn. is hosting its annual Fishin' for $50K Trout Derby. Big Bear Lake will be stocked with 15 specially tagged trout, and one will be worth $50,000 to the angler who reels it in.

Hungry for a change of pace? The World Street Food Jamboree in Singapore, May 31 to June 9, may be the place to find it.

For those spending Memorial Day weekend in the Bay Area, the USS Hornet Museum will hold a special Memorial Day ceremony Monday to recognize veterans. The ceremony will take place aboard the aircraft carrier and will begin at 1 p.m.

If you’re a baseball fan, you probably know that the Omni San Diego Hotel offers a unique tie to the game: It overlooks Petco Park, with a pedestrian skywalk connecting the hotel to the action. It’s the only hotel in the nation attached to a major league ballpark.

One of the classiest hotels on the Las Vegas strip – the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter – is offering a tempting “three nights for the price of two” offer through Sept. 5.

The sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, where rooms start at $1,525, is expanding the category of luxury accessories by providing all guests with a 24-karat gold iPad upon check-in. The hotel, part of the Jumeirah group of hotels and resorts, is often listed as the world’s most luxurious hotel and already provides iMacs in each of its 202 suites.

For couples hoping to get hitched in Las Vegas, the offer for free weddings on Memorial Day (Monday) could prove to be the deal of a lifetime. Victoria’s Wedding Chapel is offering free marriage ceremonies, with roses included, for active-duty service members and veterans.

Big Bear is combining the sweet cool of its mountain lake with the exploding popularity of stand-up paddleboarding, or SUPs, in a series of distance races and sprints June 29.

Given a choice between flying next to a crying baby or a smelly passenger, 63% of fliers would choose the crying baby over the stinky seat companion.

Fans of Asian food can sample dishes from a variety of nations without any jet lag during a visit to Richmond, British Columbia, the city that’s home to Vancouver’s international airport (YVR).

Those visiting Honolulu over Memorial Day weekend will have a chance to visit three museums at a discounted price -- and spend as much time as they like at each site. The Bishop Museum, the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Iolani Palace are offering a two-day pass good for unlimited visits.

Globus has joined the ranks of well-known tour companies offering trips to Cuba under a special U.S. Treasury Department license that permits people-to-people educational exchanges on the Communist island.

Longtime comic and impersonator Rich Little is extending the run of his one-man show, “Jimmy Stewart and Friends,” in Las Vegas. The show will now continue through July 1 at the LVH resort.

If you look — and feel — like you need a massage and a day at the spa, Rancho La Puerta has a deal for you.

The Time Warner Center in the curve of Columbus Circle in New York City houses markets, restaurants and shops -- what better combination of services for shopping and relaxing? A free pass is available with discounts and freebies for dining and shopping at the center as well as packages that add a massage or museum tickets.

A new tool from Danish travel site Momondo.com may help take away some of the stress of flight shopping by advising us when to buy an airline ticket.

It’s now possible to enjoy stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in the Mojave Desert only about half-an-hour from the Las Vegas Strip. Paddle to the Core offers boarding experiences at all levels on the tranquil waters of Lake Las Vegas, located in an upscale (think Celine Dion) community adjacent to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Campers and visitors are urged to take extra care with campfires when visiting Yosemite National Park  because fire danger is higher than average for this time of year, according to a park announcement.

If the pine trees, hiking trails and clear blue skies of the San Bernardino Mountains are calling to you, hop online fast or grab a phone. Big Bear Lake is kicking off the vacation season with a flash sale for Memorial Day weekend.   

Fans of National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service can meet the people behind the broadcasts on the seven-night “Newsmakers and Tastemakers” tour of Washington and New York City.

Hollywood actor-turned-bad boy Charlie Sheen will bring some star power to the Memorial Day Weekend party in Las Vegas at Sapphire Pool & Day Club, which bills itself as “the world’s largest gentlemen’s club.”

A unique new haunted attraction opening this summer at a small United Kingdom theme park will combine a walk-through horror maze featuring live actors with a dark ride journey inside an abandoned mine shaft.

“The Hangover Part III” is just the start of Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas, which also includes the debut of Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson tribute and a bounty of nightclubs overflowing with widely known DJs.

In last week's On the Spot column, letter writer Nancy Jones said she was going to London and expressed concern about whether her credit cards would work because they are not Chip and PIN (personal identification number). She said she didn't want to carry a load of cash. What should she do? It turned out to be a more complicated answer than I expected, but I did find a card that I think will work.

You can fly round trip from LAX to Guangzhou, China, in late summer and part of the fall for $942, including all taxes and fees.

There's an adventuress in every woman just waiting to come out.

I've just returned from a two-week visit to London and Paris. If you're heading over and art is important to you, avoid the giant museums and think small.

Garmin’s newest GPS superstar, the Nuvi-3597 LMTHD, has a crisp, high-resolution color 5-inch display screen and is packed with neat features in a half-inch-thick, 7-ounce body.

On surf trips to Baja take a roll of toilet paper in a zip lock plastic bag, a small bottle of Drano, and cheap rubber shower sandals. While unpacking your vehicle, pour a couple of ounces of Drano in the shower drain. Wait five minutes to turn on the hot water. Away goes trouble down the drain.

Earlier this year Alexandria Shankweiler spent three weeks island hopping in Hawaii. As she was hunting for sea glass on Oahu's Mokuleia Beach, she spotted a large rock that looked out of place. As she approached, she realized that it was a sea turtle, perhaps on the beach to escape the 12-foot waves. Shankweiler approached cautiously, she said, and lay on the sand to photograph the turtle. The Los Angeles resident photographed the majestic reptile with a Nikon D700.

Viking Cruises announced Friday that it's getting into the ocean cruise market -- in a small way.

Hotel Terra Jackson Hole in Teton Village, Wyo., sits at the base of the area's famous ski resort and about a mile from the entrance to Grand Teton National Park. As the season shifts from winter to summer, the hotel offers visitors a midweek break on rooms during a 72-hour sale starting at $199 a night.

American Airlines rolled out a new boarding policy Thursday that allows passengers with one carry-on item that fits under the seats to board planes earlier than others who require overhead bins.

Visitors to southern Nevada can immerse themselves in history and enjoy rafting on the Colorado River Exploration Tour, the latest Las Vegas-area offering from Forever Resorts.

If you’re waiting…and waiting…for an interview appointment to complete your application for the Global Entry fast-pass-through-customs program, help may be at hand.

Mama’s Fish House, the much-loved Maui restaurant, is installing a deepwater buoy in the Pacific Ocean this month in an effort to promote sustainable fishing.

The roughly 4-inch Lego likeness of Queen Elizabeth II will wear a silver-and-diamond crown less than an inch big to mark the 60th anniversary of the British monarch's coronation.

Wines made in L.A., Malibu and Ventura will be served side-by-side with wines from Rioja, Spain, and Argentina's Uco Valley at the eighth LAWineFest in June. Those who want to sample wine, beer and even some spirits (such as sake made in Rancho Dominguez) can buy tickets for $54, more than a third off the usual price, for a limited time.

It was a big job, but somebody had to do it, said editors at the Daily Meal. So they set out to recognize Asia’s top 101 restaurants.

Get that perfect picture in a national park, forest or wildlife refuge or other federal lands and you could win $15,000. Plus your photo could grace the 2015 America the Beautiful pass.

Oscar Goodman, the former mob lawyer-turned-mayor of Las Vegas, will showcase his latest career as an author, during the three-day “Being Oscar Bash” May 23-25 at the Mob Museum in downtown.

Demonstrating amazing hand-eye coordination and acrobatic skill, the reigning champion reclaimed his title Saturday at the World Fireknife Championship at the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. The winner, Joseph Cadousteau, last year became the first contestant from Tahiti to win top honors. The modern fire-knife dance involves the rapid twirling of razor-sharp knifes with both ends ablaze. It stems from an ancient knife dance performed by Samoan warriors to frighten their enemies. Cadousteau won the senior (adult) division. Honors were also awarded for juniors ages 6 to 11 and ages 12 to 17, as well as in the open group category. -- Jay Jones

Spa Nautica at Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey hosts a dog day this month with massages, acupressure, Reiki, stretching and strengthening for your hound -- for free.

No need to go to Turkey to see Konya's famed whirling dervishes or grab some fresh gozlemes (savory flat bread).

Fans of fine food won’t want to miss the Las Vegas Epicurean Affair at the Palazzo the evening of May 23. Nearly 75 of Las Vegas' finest restaurants and nightclubs will be on hand, inviting guests to sample their wares at the annual poolside gala.

These are images from photographer Alison Wright's "Face to face: Portraits of the Human Spirit." Follow us on Twitter @latimestravel Like us on Facebook @Los Angeles Times Travel  

Alison Wright got her first camera at age 10, a Kodak Instamatic. Then she learned there was such a thing as a photojournalist, a person who traveled the world taking pictures. So that was that.

Fliers are vastly more satisfied with their airline experience, and Alaska and JetBlue are tops at making customers happy, a new study released on Wednesday (today) shows.

Alex Collins, the San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy who survived being shot several times by fired L.A. police officer Christopher Dorner during a massive manhunt in the Big Bear Lake area, will receive a very public thank you from the mountain town June 15 when he serves as grand marshal of the annual Old Miners Days Heritage Parade.

The Kona Kai Resort and Spa may sound as though it should be in the 50th state, but it's really on Shelter Island, which the resort deems "San Diego's Hawaiian Isle." Technically, Shelter is not a true island because it remains connected to the mainland. Semantics aside, the resort puts you in the Point Loma neighborhood and on the waterfront.

When you ask Rachel Jackson about Oklahoma's "radical" past, she has plenty of examples.

Desperate to find your great-grandmother’s wedding ring -- the one you lost while cleaning house one day?

Some of the nation’s most talented young musicians are scheduled to take the stage in Las Vegas the next two Saturdays as part of the free Jazz in the Park concert series.

When the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meets for its 37th session in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in June it will review nominations for its well-regarded World Heritage List, which includes notable destinations such as Yellowstone National Park and the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. Besides prestige and tourism, inscription offers opportunities for preservation aid. This year, 33 sites are being considered, including Mt. Fuji in Japan and the Medici Villas and Gardens in Italy. Though the World Heritage Committee makes the final decisions, two organizations spend months evaluating nominated sites. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reviews natural sites and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) reviews cultural sites. Here's a look at some of their recommendations for inscription.

Two young Komodo dragons are the newest residents of Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

After interviewing John Pistole, the head of the Transportation Security Administration, late last year, I renewed my determination to complete my Global Entry System Trusted Traveler application. That’s a program that allows low-risk travelers to whisk through immigration.

May marks the beginning of moonlight tours at the Colosseum in Rome. From now through October, the Archaeological Heritage of Rome takes visitors on night tours to see the arena and the amphitheater as well as the underground rooms and passages where animals and gladiators awaited their fate.

The Giants of the Savanna at the Dallas Zoo features elephants, of course. But unlike many zoos, this one incorporates other animals into the elephant area so they interact as they would in the wild. Thus you'll see impalas, guinea fowls, zebras, giraffes and ostriches together. It's a novel approach--the zoo says it's the only one in North America and only the second in the world to exhibit animals this way--but one that has won praise from at least one expert. Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus, Ohio, Zoo and Aquarium, thinks this may be the model for elephant habitats.

A summer’s worth of free concerts at the Fremont Street Experience will kick off Sunday when the band Theory of a Deadman takes the stage.

Question: We are planning a trip to London and have heard that some of our charge and credit cards may not be accepted because they are not Chip and PIN. If that's so, what are our choices? We don't want to carry a load of cash.

Ireland is beautiful any time of year, and United and Aer Lingus are teaming up to offer a $760 round-trip from LAX to Dublin for travel in November and December.

With this app, collect and organize vacation ideas before your trip, as well as digital memorabilia afterward.

Siesta Suites Hotel is a charming place, in the heart of downtown Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, but serenely peaceful. It's small (20 suites with kitchens ) but comfortable. There is a long patio for relaxing and enjoying the gardens and the odd bird tweet, yet the Giggling Marlin and the Jungle are only a block or so away. It's professionally managed with friendly help.

The Yo Lamp is a little battery-powered task light with a flexible 18-inch arm that winds out of and back into a yo yo-like 3.5-inch-diameter by 1.5-inch-thick plastic base.

Take scented dryer sheets in plastic bags. In a lot of countries, people still smoke. You can wipe down your clothes and hair and remove some of the smell. They can freshen a musty hotel room. If you are seated on a plane with someone who doesn't use deodorant and thinks showering is optional, it can distract you from the body odor. After you are out of sheets, you can put your dirty laundry in the bag.

Linda Beuret and her husband, Peter, traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia in January to sail on the Mekong River, which had been a dream of theirs.

Stephan and Andrea Fletzberger love scuba diving. They love each other. So it makes a certain kind of sense that they tied the the knot following their recreational passion. They got married last month in the Silverton Casino in Las Vegas -- in the casino's 117,000-gallon aquarium. Her wedding gown was weighted down, and the officiant communicated with special audio gear. Guests stood outside the tank, which contains a collection of sharks, stingrays and other fish. It is unknown whether sushi was served at the reception. #gallery-photos-more { display: none !important; }

What do affluent Americans look for when picking a hotel for vacation? It's not beach access, fitness centers or privacy but something far more practical: Internet access, according to the Resonance Report on Affluent Travel and Leisure released Thursday.

Summer at desert resorts can bring good values for those content to cool down by splashing in the pool or having a massage. Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage has a summer sale on rooms starting at $99 a night that's an inexpensive way to explore and enjoy this resort.

The supernatural side of Sin City will be on display as the Las Vegas Paranormal Conference casts its spell May 19-21 at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino.

Volcano House, uniquely located on the edge of the active Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, has reopened after a multimillion-dollar restoration by its new owners.

Marybeth Bond, an avid gardener, a National Geographic author and founder of GutstyTraveler, suggests taking your mom to a public garden this Mother's Day. Think of it this way: What better metaphor for the person who nurtured you into full bloom? "Together you will make memories that will keep giving long after the flowers fade," Bond said. "If you can't spend the day with Mom, consider buying her tickets to a nearby garden for a summer concert." Here are some of Bond's suggestions for excursions, both close to home and farther afield.

If you haven't made plans for Memorial Day, you might want to consider this hotel deal on the Sonoma Coast. The Bodega Bay Lodge in Bodega Bay, Calif., is offering a $149 room package through the end of May that comes with a room upgrade, wine tastings, a spa discount -- all within spitting distance of the ocean. 

After a year of construction, Universal Orlando  has finally admitted that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will expand in 2014 with a detailed re-creation of London's Diagon Alley from the wildly popular series of books and movies.

Songs from well-known musicals will be performed as the 2013 Super Summer Theatre presents “Broadway Meets Hollywood” on May 17 and 18 in the mountains west of Las Vegas.

Catch a pricey wave this summer at one of the world’s most exclusive surfing events in the Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean.

For travelers who want to be among the first to tour the Statue of Liberty when it reopens July 4, tickets are on sale for the ferry ride and tour options of the iconic landmark.

The eternal problem with Tomorrowland is that the commonplace reality of today inevitably catches up to and ultimately surpasses the ultramodern imagined future of yesterday.

Disneyland's forward-looking Tomorrowland has experienced many evolutions and reinventions since opening day in 1955. Through a series of major expansions and complete makeovers, Tomorrowland has seen more attraction turnover than any other area of the Anaheim theme park.

Friday will be a great day to stop and smell the roses. It happens to be National Public Gardens Day, which means free admission to acres and acres of botanical and other gardens from New York to California.

As warmer weather arrives in Edmonton, Canada, locals and visitors take to the city’s extensive trail system, hoping to make the most of the relatively short summer season in the provincial capital.

Downtown Las Vegas has a new entry in its growing galaxy of bars and restaurants. La Comida, with a menu inspired by the cosmopolitan fare of Mexico City, is the first foray in downtown for Jenna and Michael Morton, longtime nightclub operators and restaurateurs on the Strip.

What are you planning for Mother's Day on Sunday? A horseback ride in a California vineyard and sweet sampling at a chocolate festival aren't out of the question this weekend. Here are six travel-worthy ideas to get you started. --Mary Forgione

Campgrounds and trails remain closed at Point Mugu State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains after the Springs fire last week cut a blazing path from Newbury Park to Pacific Coast Highway. The 28,000-acre wildfire is expected to be fully contained as soon as Tuesday afternoon.

The tattered dress Anne Hathaway wore in her Oscar-winning performance as Fantine in "Les Miserables" recently went on display at Universal Studios Hollywood. It's among the wardrobe items featured at the theme park from three of five films nominated for 2013 Academy Awards for costume design.

Remember when Mr. T and "The A-Team" debuted on TV, and Sally Ride took a spin on the Challenger? That was 1983, and it also was the year Efrem Harkham opened a hotel called Luxe Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Men and women wearing the latest fashions will walk the runway Friday during the Set Sail With Saks fundraiser in Las Vegas, hosted by a star of CBS' "Criminal Minds."

Cancun tops the popularity chart with Memorial Day travelers bound for Mexico this year, according to statistics compiled by travel website Kayak.com.

The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco is offering its guests, locals and other San Francisco visitors an opportunity to help preserve some of Golden Gate National Park’s most treasured areas with its Give Back Getaways program.

Advice for summer travelers: Plan on a late-summer vacation to find the best prices. If online travel retailers are reading the tea leaves correctly, August might be the wallet-friendly sweet spot this year.

One of the best deals in Las Vegas -- the $2.99 shrimp cocktail at downtown’s Golden Gate Hotel & Casino -- will be an even bigger bargain on Friday. From 2-5 p.m., Du-Par’s restaurant will sell the dish for 50 cents.