Price-Is-Right Guides

For the price of a post card, a toll-free phone call or nominal cost, an abundance of information is available from almost any holiday area or state. Here are some of the latest offerings:

Florida: A two-part guide contains information about vacationing on Florida’s Lee Island Coast, including Sanibel and Captiva islands, Ft. Myers Beach, Bonita Springs and Beach, Pine Island and Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island. The area offers 50 miles of white-sand beaches lapped by the tempting warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Phone toll-free (800) LEE-ISLE 24 hours a day.

Arizona: The 1988 edition of “Arizona All Wrapped Up” lists special summer lodging rates at 57 hotels, motels and resorts. Write to Arizona Hotel & Motel Assn., 1110 E. Missouri Ave., No. 720, Phoenix 85014.

Massachusetts: Available from Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod is a 32-page guide plus a 74-page listing of inns, guest houses, shops, restaurants and such outdoor activities as bike rentals. Also request the brochures on Cape Cod National Seashore. Write to Provincetown Business Guild, P.O. Box 421, Provincetown, Mass. 02657.

Massachusetts: The Spirit of Massachusetts Vacation Kit includes an 80-page “Holiday Planner,” an illustrated guide to the state’s city, country and seaside destinations, plus a comprehensive list of attractions and regional maps, along with additional sources of travel information. A “Calender of Events” brochure includes more than 500 fairs, festival and celebrations. Call toll-free (800) 447-MASS, Ext. 300.

North Carolina: About 1,600 accommodations are included in the latest “Accommodations Directory.” A map of the state and a booklet listing the state’s 1988 calendar of events are free. Call (800) VISIT-NC.

Virginia: The Shenandoah Valley Travel Assn. has published the 17th edition of its guide, which covers 200 miles from Harpers Ferry, W.Va., to Roanoke/Salem, Va. The 52-page booklet lists lodgings, restaurants and campgrounds, and includes a two-page map. Write to the association at P.O. Box 1040, Dept. TG88, New Market, Va. 22844, or call (703) 740-3132.

Best Western International: The chain’s “1988 European Atlas & Hotel Guide” features a list of more than 850 of its hotels in Europe and Israel. The full-color, 138-page guide also has a table listing the distance in kilometers between 14 European cities, along with a road atlas of Europe and each European country. Write to Marketing Fulfillment, Dept. BT, Best Western International, P.O. Box 10203, Phoenix 85064-0203.

Washington: “A Guide to Lodging in the Nation’s Capital” lists member hotels/motels/inns/B&Bs; in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Prices are listed and accommodations are classified by price range within the geographic regions. Write to Washington, D.C. Accommodations, Washington, D.C. Convention & Visitors Assn., 1575 Eye St. N.W., Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20005. Or call (202) 789-7000.

New York: The “I Love New York State Travel and Adventure Guide’s” new format combines the “State Travel Guide” and the “Camping and Outdoor Adventures Guide” into a 152-page book. It lists more than 400 campgrounds, boat launch sites, golf courses and adventures such as hang gliding, sky diving and horseback riding, plus guided wilderness trips. It includes sources for additional travel information in the state as well as a list of toll-free phone numbers for many vacation destinations. Write to Tourism, Box 992, Latham, N.Y. 12110, or phone (518) 474-4116.

Idaho: The 144-page “Idaho Outdoor Experiences” guide, liberally illustrated with color photographs, maps and outdoor tips, lists river runners, fishing and hunting guides, horse packers, guest ranches and other outdoor services, all members of the Idaho Outfitters & Guides Assn., P.O. Box 95, Boise, Ida. 83701. Phone (208) 342-1438.

Pennsylvania: The spring/summer travel guide, “America Starts Here,” along with a new Calendar of Events, lists more than 600 events, more than 50 farmers’ markets and information on where to find arboretums, zoos and amusement parks. Phone toll-free (800) VISIT-PA, Ext. 274.

Finger Lakes Region, N.Y.: The 170-page guide to the 14-county area has information about the 200 cities and villages in the region and serves as a directory to more than 1,000 travel-oriented businesses. The calendar details more than 700 events during the tourist season. Available for $2 from the Finger Lakes Assn., Dept. RQ99, 309 Lake St., Penn Yan, N.Y. 14527.

Maine: The 82-page “Lodging & Food Guide” of the Maine Innkeepers Assn. lists properties and services of members, who are listed by town and city. Send $1 to Maine Innkeepers Assn., 142 Free St., Portland, Me. 04101.