AAA hosts Florida vacation for Cubs fans
From Dec.10-14, AAA (www.aaa.com or (866) 968-7222) will host an exclusive vacation for Cubs players and fans at Universal Orlando in Florida.
Cubs fanatics can indulge in a vacation package with current and former Cubs players while enjoying everything Universal Orlando and its entire destination has to offer. This limited package allows for 200 Cubs fans to stay onsite for four nights at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando and have the benefit of engaging in a private autograph session, a breakfast Q&A and other events hosted by past and present Cubs players.
Fans will also have the opportunity to play ball at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona with former Cubs Lee Smith, Jody Davis and Billy Williams, as well as several current players.
To guarantee a spot in this vacation package, or for booking information, stop by your local AAA branch, which can be found at www.autoclubgroup.com/chicago/about_us/branch_locator.asp.
Get bonus United miles to London
In support of its new nonstop flights between Denver and London that started on March 30, United Airlines is offering passengers bonus Mileage Plus miles.
Bonus miles range from 1,500 for coach-class passengers (Q, V, W, S booking class) through 7,500 bonus miles for United First (F, P, A booking class). To qualify for the bonus miles, tickets must be booked and all travel must be completed before May 31.
Mileage Plus members must register in order to receive the miles. To register, or for complete rules and restrictions, visit www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52418,00.html.
Bike, hike and kayak across Vietnam
If you're up for a last-minute adventure tour of Vietnam, BikeHike Adventures has the trip for you.
The 12-day active adventure (from April 23 to May 4) is lead by Trish Sare, BikeHike Adventures director and is rated moderate and starts and ends in Hanoi. Trip price is $2,099 land only, and includes all accommodation, most meals, all internal transportation, 21-speed mountain bikes, sea kayaks, airport transfers and veteran guides.
Highlights include exploring the Old Quarter of Hanoi by rickshaw, sea kayaking the Halong Bay and mountain biking and trekking through remote hill-tribe villages. There is opportunity for a three- to four-day extension to Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
The mountain biking is along dirt roads, around steep mountains and through remote villages. The sea kayaking is amongst rugged limestone cliffs and peaceful lagoons, while the trekking is into the heart of indigenous villages.
BikeHike Adventures specializes in small group multi-sport adventures in Asia, South and Central America, Europe, Canada, Oceania, and Africa.
Visit www.bikehike.com for more information or call (888) 805-0061.
Wayfarers adds Loire walking tour
The Wayfarers, an adventure company specializing in walking vacations, is offering a new walking tour this year: The Loire: River of the Kings, a seven-day walk with accommodations in a 15th-century chateau-fortress and a sail on the Loire.
This tour is priced at $3,795 per person, double occupancy, and is set for June 1-7 and Aug. 17-23. This is just one of 10 walking vacations offered for France and Italy.
Among the other walks available in France are The Historic Dordogne, available June 15-21 and Sept. 7-13. Priced at $3,595 per person, this tour combines history and gastronomy with a walk through the Dordogne region in Southwest France. Highlights include stays in a coaching inn in Perigord Noir and a charming period mansion at Roque Gageac.
Among the walks available in Italy are a woman-only tour, Cinque Terre & The Riviera, on June 15-21 and Sept. 21-27, priced at $3,795 per person. It highlights the pathways and rocky terraces of the Five Lands forged by the Romans as trade routes and features unusual accommodations in a former Franciscan monastery and a cliff-top retreat originally built for the doges of Genoa.
Tuscan Villas, Wines & Cuisine will be held on June 1-7, Sept. 14-20 and Oct. 5-11, priced at $3,795 per person. It will take vacationers through Tuscany and include a Brunello wine tasting and cooking lesson on an organic farm, stays in a 300-year-old villa overlooking the Orcia Valley and Renaissance monastery in Pienza, and visits to the hilltop towns of Montepulciano and Montichiello.
Named one of the Best Outfitters on Earth by National Geographic Adventure, The Wayfarers marks its 25th season with 83 diverse walks through 15 countries. Walks range from five to 12 days and are rated easy to challenging, with distances of anywhere between four to five miles to 12 to 15 miles per day.
For reservations or more information. visit www.thewayfarers.com or call (800) 249-4620.
JetBlue sells TrueBlue points
JetBlue Airways, in a partnership with Points International Ltd., owner and operator of reward-management portal, Points.com, now allows members of its TrueBlue rewards program to purchase points for themselves or to give to other members.
The minimum allowed purchase is $50 for 10 points and goes up to $500 for 100 points. On top of that, there's a $20 transaction fee and a 7.5 percent federal excise tax. That means it'll cost you $557.50 in total for 100 points, the amount required for a round-trip ticket (or two one-way).
For more information about TrueBlue, or to register to become a member, visit www.jetblue.com/trueblue.
Reach George Hobica at hobica@gmail.com, Kim Liang Tan at KimLiangTan@aol.comor log on to www.airfarewatchdog.com.