NEED TO KNOW

A new zip line in Las Vegas

Tourists can now fly down an 800-foot-long zip line at the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, gliding at up to 30 miles an hour under the arched metal canopy that displays the hourly light show. Canada-based Greenheart Conservation Co. has set up the temporary rig above Fremont that will operate until early January. If all goes well, the company hopes to install a permanent attraction that will span the five-block length of the Fremont Street plaza. The ride costs $15 before 6 p.m. and $20 after 6 p.m. (702) 410-7999., https://www.fremontstreetflightline.com.

— Steve Friess

Hotel Bel-Air’s reopening

It’s been little more than a year, but for fans of the Hotel Bel-Air, the elapsed time since the iconic hideaway closed for renovations might as well be in dog years. There’s an end in sight: July. When the 64-year-old Los Angeles hotel welcomes guests next summer, it will have 12 new indoor-outdoor suites, enlarged bathrooms with heated floors and the latest tech toys. Even the hotel’s trademark swans are getting a fancy new recycling and filtering system in their pond. Room rates will be updated too and are expected to be from $565 to $10,000 a night, up from $395 to $6,500 before the renovation. (310) 472-1211, https://www.hotelbelair.com.

Valli Herman

Southwest donation pledge

If there is an upside to airline fees, Southwest Airlines may have found it with its “Help Us Help Them EarlyBird Check-In” campaign. The program promised that for every $10 fee paid by passengers for preferred boarding and early seating between Sept. 21 and Oct. 4, Southwest would donate $1 to help wildlife and habitats in the Gulf Coast recover from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The campaign raised $100,000 for the National Wildlife Refuge Assn., Southwest says.

—Mary Forgione

An Amgen Tour first

The 2011 Amgen Tour of California will kick off May 15 with a lap and a half around Lake Tahoe, the first visit to the Sierra Nevada scenic treasure in the six-year history of the elite pedal-power race. Billed as the largest such event in the U.S., the eight-day tour will cover more than 800 miles of the Golden State, including Sacramento, Solvang (hosting individual time trials), Mt. Baldy, Santa Clarita and Thousand Oaks. https://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

—Benoit Lebourgeois

The Vacationer

The Vacationer ($119) from Cinda B is like a big, soft quilt that’s been turned into a big, soft duffle. The zippered bag, 24 by 14 by 14 inches, has two outside pockets, three inside pockets and16-inch carry straps. It stashes flat. It comes in a slew of luscious patterns and color combinations, from bold to muted. In a pinch, the Vacationer can squish into a nicely padded pillow substitute. (877) 692-4632, https://www.cindab.com.

—Judi Dash