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Sailing to Mexico with the Mouse

Disney has already started its first season of summertime sailings from L.A. in three years, with a dozen weeklong Mexican Riviera trips scheduled. But that doesn’t mean you’ve missed the boat.

“There is a misconception that we’re sold out for the entire season,” said Jason Lasecki, spokesman for Disney Cruise Line. In fact, he said, most of the Disney Magic’s sailings have openings.

The round-trip cruises, visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, have a Latin twist. Cruise-only fares start at $1,449 per person, double occupancy. (888) 325-2500, www.disneycruise.com.

-- Jane Engle

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Flash your pass

The coolest way to get your boarding pass is on your PDA or cellphone. You order it up, show the screen to Transporation Security Administration reps and they scan the bar code.

The Mobile Boarding Pass, as Continental Airlines calls it, is so far available at only a few airports, including those in Newark, N.J.; Boston; certain Houston terminals; and at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

You must be a single traveler on a nonstop domestic flight. Northwest Airlines is also doing paperless boarding passes, from Indianapolis. Some tips: Use the airline’s mobile website. Save the boarding-pass page off-line on your PDA. And remember: You’ll still need to show a photo ID at security.

-- J.E.

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Fight and flight

Here’s an idea that will fly: Vintage warplanes from five countries on display in a custom-built hangar at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Dubbed the Flying Heritage Collection, the planes, most from World War II, are owned by billionaire Paul G. Allen, Microsoft co-founder. And yes, they actually work. Starting June 14, several will take off on “fly days” every other Saturday through Oct. 11. Watching the flights will be free. Getting into the museum, which houses 15 planes, video interviews with their pilots and interpretive displays, costs $12 per adult. (877) 342-3404, www.flyingheritage.com.

-- J.E.

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Top sands

Each year, “Dr. Beach” -- also known as Stephen Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research -- comes out with his picks for the top 10 beaches in the U.S.

He uses 50 criteria in selecting the best beaches -- including water and sand quality, facilities and environmental management. Here are the top five 2008 picks; to see the rest of the list and photos of each beach, go to latimes.com/2008beaches.

*--* DR. BEACH’S TOP 5 U.S. BEACHES 1. Caladesi Island State Park Clearwater/Dunedin, Fla. 2. Hanalei Beach, Kauai Hawaii 3. Siesta Beach Sarasota, Fla. 4. Coopers Beach Southampton, N.Y. 5. Coronado Beach San Diego *--*

-- Mary Forgione