NEED TO KNOW

We’re taking submissions for two more weeks on a destination you dreaded but visited anyway. It might be a city known for its beauty and history that nonetheless evokes loathing because of its crowds and cost. Or maybe it’s an amusement park where the lines are long and the people are pushy. In no more than 250 words, tell us about a place you weren’t thrilled about but visited nevertheless. The best anecdotes will appear in print Dec. 6, and most will be posted online. Go to latimes.com/placesyouhate to submit your spot.

-- Jason La

The St. Regis Princeville is set to reopen Thursday after a $100-million redo designed to give it more Hawaiian flavor. The 201-room, 51-suite Kauai hotel has added a spa plus such touches as koa wood trim, raffia and coconut palm hardwood floors. Then there’s the view, which wasn’t redone but is priceless. The hotel looks out on Mt. Makana, which starred as Bali Hai in the 1958 film version of “South Pacific.” The human star of the movie, Mitzi Gaynor, will return to help celebrate the grand reopening of the hotel, which has been closed for more than a year. Brochure rates begin at $850 and range up to $6,575 a night, but opening specials are available online or through travel agents. Info: (808) 826-9644, www.stregisprinceville.

You hadn’t planned on it

It’s back

-- Catharine Hamm

Freedom Trail

Get a free pass to the past during fall getaways to Boston, where a special program offers Freedom Trail guidebooks, walking tours, entrance to historic sites and budget hotel packages. The Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile path, leads to 16 significant historical landmarks such as the sites of the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre and the Battle of Bunker Hill. Twelve hotel packages, starting at $169 per night, include amenities such as free breakfast and parking. Info: (617) 357-8300 or www.thefreedomtrail.org.

-- Rosemary McClure

Snorkel lovers

Grab your goggles and flippers and head for Lovers Cove, Catalina, which rates among the top 10 places to snorkel, according to Coastal Living Magazine (www.coastalliving. com). The complete list includes Papalaua Wayside Park, Maui, Hawaii; Dean’s Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas; Buck Island, St. Croix; Crystal River, Fla.; Rockhouse, Negril, Jamaica; Pigeon Cay, Honduras; Stingray City, Grand Cayman; Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize; and Bimini Islands, the Bahamas.

-- Rosemary McClure

Carrying on

For the woman carrying a full load -- including a baby -- CindaB has designed a line of brightly patterned cloth bags that pair with matching diaper pouches and diaper pads. The Takin’ Care of Business zippered tote has a padded pocket to hold a laptop, and compartments for files, cellphone and other essentials. The backpack provides hands-free storage, with four inside pockets, a zippered pocket on the back and side pockets for baby bottles. Bag or backpack, $89; diaper pouch or pad, $19 at www.cindab .com; (877) 692-4632.

-- Judi Dash