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The 2003 Sourcebook
Our annual directory of travel resources, including updated security information, tips on finding air fare discounts, tourism contacts and much more.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
The Federal Trade Commission calls them "trip traps," tickets to Heartbreak Hotel. They are the too-good-to-be-true vacation offers that flood mailboxes, fill the Internet or are pitched by fast-talking telemarketers:
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Airports now screen checked bags, most electronically. Here's what else you need to know to keep your trip hassle-free.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
You're traveling abroad, and you've left at home the trappings that fairly shriek "rich American": the logo baseball caps and T-shirts, the expensive athletic shoes, the designer watch and flashy jewelry. That's about all you can do to keep from being targeted by a terrorist, a con artist or a thief, right?
2003 SOURCEBOOK
The State Department is warning Americans to avoid travel to these countries:
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Here is a list of selected government tourist offices. For information about a country not listed, call the United Nations at (212) 963-1234; dial 0 and ask for the number of the country's U.N. delegation.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Alabama: Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel, 401 Adams Ave., Suite 126, Montgomery, AL 36104; (800) 252-2262, (334) 242-4169, fax (334) 242-4554, http://www.touralabama.org .
2003 SOURCEBOOK
This list of visitor information offices, edited by The Times for space, was provided in part by the California Division of Tourism in Sacramento.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Find out about scenic and historic sites as well as special programs, fees and directions to California's national parks, monuments and recreation areas:
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Ace Rent a Car
(800) 243-3443
http://www.acerentacar.com
2003 SOURCEBOOK
In Europe, better and faster trains are the order of the day. In the United States, the good news is that Amtrak apparently is secure for another year. In British Columbia, the poor economy has caused BC Rail to eliminate its passenger service on what once was among North America's most scenic routes. Here are contacts for selected trains around the world. (Note: Some numbers are for U.S.-based sales agents that have exclusive booking contracts with these lines, but most trains can be reserved by your local travel agent.)
2003 SOURCEBOOK
After returning from a recent trip to Florida, Chris McIntyre likened driving his car to life in a fishbowl. "The wind is not in your face, the sun is not on your arms, you don't hear any sounds or smell any smells," he said.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
America's baby boomers, seeking new ways to get away from it all, have helped RV sales skyrocket in the last year.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
For every traveler who has a special need or interest, there are agencies, Web sites and other resources that can help.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
You can't take all the risk out of travel in these uncertain times, but you can reduce the financial risk by buying insurance.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Here is a listing of cruise lines and their vessels. One caveat: Many cruise companies prefer to sell through travel agents. It's best to book through an agent who specializes in cruises.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
The following is a list of selected national and international airlines that fly out of major cities in the United States.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
The Internet is generally the best way to find deals on air fares, but there are other ways to save on that ticket to London or Hawaii. They take time, and you may have to make several calls to ferret out the best price. Your savings will vary from a few bucks to a couple of hundred. Generally, the more flexibility and time you have, the more money you save.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
In San Francisco, the tracks have been laid and the final touches are being put on the BART rail extension that will connect the city's airport with downtown later this year -- a system more than 30 years in the making.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Here are phone numbers and Internet sites for major lodging companies and associations.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
From a financial standpoint, if nothing else, the benefits of home exchanging are clear.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
The right shots are important, but don't discount prudent behavior on the road.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
When things go wrong on a trip and travelers seek an explanation or apology from a hotel, airline or other travel service, they often get neither. But in many cases there is an agency that wants to hear and count your complaints.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Our list of Web travel resources grows every year -- and with good reason.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
Geane Dvorak of Ventura frequently travels internationally on business, visits family in Brazil and has a daughter at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, so she often has to change U.S. dollars into the local currency.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
As you're budgeting for your trip abroad, add more money to the line marked "passport."
2003 SOURCEBOOK
I'm pretty sure somebody did a study recently and discovered there are now more companies publishing guidebooks than there are people to read them.
2003 SOURCEBOOK
In the Los Angeles area these stores specialize in travel literature and accessories: