THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408260105
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TRAVEL-WISE
SOURCE: STEPHEN HARRIMAN
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
LONDON BOUND? Buckingham Palace is once again open to the public, through Oct. 2. While Queen Elizabeth II is on vacation in Scotland, 18 ornately furnished state rooms - including the Throne Room and the Picture Gallery with masterpieces by Rembrandt and Rubens - will be open for viewing. Admission costs about $12 for adults, $6 for children. Proceeds from the tours go to repair fire-damaged Windsor Castle. For info on the palace, call the British Tourist Authority (800) 462-2748.
One way visitors can avoid the long wait for tickets is to book a tour that features the palace. Among those offering ticket packages is Keith Prowse, with offices in New York. Packages include a choice of 35 hotels in four price ranges for two or more nights; info: (800) 669-8687. Another source is Edwards & Edwards, a worldwide ticket agency with offices in New York and London. That package includes a 2 1/2-hour tour of London's West End and concludes with a direct admission to Buckingham Palace through a special entrance; info: (800) 223-6108. IRISH FLING
You can take in Ireland's fairy-tale castles on a 10-day ``Irish Supreme'' trip offered through October by CIE Tours International. Travelers will visit and even dine at some of the country's most famous castles: Ashford, Dromoland, Dublin, Blarney and Bunratty. The escorted tour is priced at $2,515 per person, including round-trip air from New York, and includes daily Irish breakfast, eight gourmet dinners, a castle banquet and free rail transfers. Info: a local travel agent or CIE (800) CIE-TOUR (243-8687). FAMILY ON THE ROCKS
American Family Cruises, launched in December as the first cruise line designed exclusively for families with kids, is going into dry dock on Sept. 10. The American Adventure's last voyage leaves Miami on Saturday. The company cited lack of business as the main reason for calling it quits. AFC said it was offering clients booked for sailings after Sept. 10 a refund or rebooking for the remaining summer cruises. TRIPS TO TAKE
New Mexico ruins: A 15-day trip to the Anasazi heartland in New Mexico will explore the most important archeological sites and well-preserved cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde and the Montezuma Valley, Navajo National Monument, Canyon de Chelly, Chaco Canyon and the Rio Grande Valley. The trip, which leaves Oct. 15, will include a two-day raft ride down the San Juan River through the heart of the Colorado Plateau to see prehistoric rock art. Participants will stay in lodges and ranches, except for one night of camping while on the rafting portion of the trip. Cost: $2,990 per person, double occupancy, including most meals, accommodations and ground transportation. Not included: transportation to Albuquerque, N.M. Info: Archaeological Institute of America, 675 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Mass. 02215-1401.; (617) 353-9361.
Carolina kayaking: Paddle the creeks, inlets, marshes and bays off Hilton Head Island, S.C., in four days of kayaking beginning Oct. 13 and Nov. 3. Participants need not have kayaking experience. Easy day trips start from a 140-year-old restored plantation home on Edisto Island, where guests stay. Kayakers will explore the Sea Islands and observe a variety of birds in the moss-covered marshes. Cost: $595, including all meals, kayaking instruction and guide. Not included: round-trip transportation to South Carolina. Info: Lookfar Adventures, P.O. Box 3005, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928; (800) 882-4424.
Fall on the Hudson: A series of six fall foliage cruises along a 150-mile stretch of the Hudson River is planned for September and October. Travelers sail by day on the Teal, a spacious yacht, and stay in historic inns and hotels by night. The cruise highlights the history and culture to be found along the river, as well as shopping and entertainment. Cost: $1,495; transportation to New York not included. Info: River Valley Tours (800) 836-2128. MEMO: Travel-wise is compiled from wire-service reports, news releases, trade
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