THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 19, 1995 TAG: 9503170059
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Travel
SOURCE: STEPHEN HARRIMAN
LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
STILL WRESTLING with your vacation plans? Undecided about just where to go, what to do? Stop by CI Travel's 15th annual Vacation and Travel Showcase April 1-2 at the Virginia Beach Pavilion.
The theme is ``Going Places,'' and you could win a trip to one of a variety of global destinations. Such as:
Paris via Air France,
Australia by United Airlines,
Bankok by Northwest Airlines,
Bermuda by USAir,
Jamaica by American Airlines,
London by Continental Airlines,
Milan by TWA,
Tokyo by Delta Air Lines,
Cancun by Vacation Express,
Germany by Lufthansa Airlines,
or Bahama Princess Resort and Casino by Princess Vacations.
The two-day event features travel-destination displays, travel films, live entertainment - David Moniz and the Bermudians, flown in courtesy of USAir and Bermuda Tourism - a fashion show and some interesting adventure travel displays such as a hang-glider simulator provided by Kitty Hawk Kites and wildwater rafts provided by Rivers II Inc.
Free tickets - you need them for the prize drawings - are available at any of CI Travel's 28 Hampton Roads locations or at Crestar Bank offices.
Road to Appomattox
Gov. and Mrs. Allen will dedicate Virginia's newest regional tourism destination March 29 with the opening of the six-county ``Driving Tour of the Route of Lee's Retreat.''
Beginning at Petersburg National Battlefield, the tour retraces the route that Confederate and Union forces followed across Virginia in April of 1865, ending at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. Each of the 20 stops has a radio transmitter that broadcasts an interpretive narrative about each site on AM 1610.
The 10-month siege of Petersburg ended April 3, 1865, when Gen. U.S. Grant directed his Federal army to pursue that of Gen. Robert E. Lee. In less than a week the protracted war essentially came to an end when Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Grant.
For brochures or more info: (800) 6-RETREAT.
From here to there
Tidewater Community College is sponsoring a ``Spring in Prague'' tour May 16-29. Participation is open to all; students may get credit for History 299. The German novelist Thomas Mann described Prague as ``one of the most magical cities on earth,'' and many call it Europe's most beautiful capital city. Cost of $1,395 includes roundtrip air from Washington Dulles, all in-country transportation, bed and breakfast, guided tours and selected cultural events; registration fee of $200 is required. Info: Dr. Barbara Hund, TCC, (804) 484-2121, ext. 468.
The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Norfolk, is sponsoring two spring daytrips to Washington.
The first, April 25, includes a visit to the 1819 Decatur House facing Lafayette Park and the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the Department of State. Cost of $50 includes roundtrip motorcoach, tour director, admissions, $6 lunch voucher at Old Post Office Pavilion and driver gratuity. Tour departs at 7 a.m. from the church at 1530 Lafayette Blvd., and returns early evening. Info: (804) 423-8470.
The second, an embassy tour, is May 13. This is the 49th annual benefit tour for Goodwill Industries. Embassies open this year are those of Finland, Croatia, Greece, Indonesia, Venezuela, Japan and South Africa. Cost of $75 includes roundtrip motorcoach, gourmet box lunch, tour director and tickets and driver gratuity. Tour departs at 7:30 a.m. from the church and returns about 9:30 p.m. Info: (804) 423-8470.
Art Jones Travel of Franklin is sponsoring an ``Across Europe . . . 50 Years Later'' tour June 26-July 26 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe. The tour will begin on the south coast of England where invasion forces assembled and continue through Normandy to Paris across Holland, on to Berlin and south to Munich before returning to Frankfurt. Cost of $3,495 per person, double occupancy (single supplement $400), includes roundtrip air from Norfolk, motorcoach with tour guide, accommodations and many meals. Info: (804) 569-9250 or (800) 868-1069.
In good taste
Ingleside Plantation Vineyards at Oak Grove, Va., on the Northern Neck (on Va. 638, 2 1/2 miles south of Va. 3) will host a spring barrel testing and blending session March 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (blending at 2 p.m.). Admission $5 includes souvenir glass. Reservations: (804) 224-8687.
Visiting Bill and Hill
The new White House Visitors Center opened last week at 1450 Pennsylvania Ave., in the Department of Commerce's beautifully renovated Balridge Hall. Operated by the National Park Service, the center offers free, timed tickets for touring the White House plus historical exhibits and videos.
Latest on couriers
A free audiocassette from the International Association of Air Travel Couriers tells how to become an air courier, who accompanies materials on overseas flight in exchange for a discounted ticket. The Florida-based group monitors 60 companies that use members of the public as couriers worldwide. Info: (407) 582-8320. MEMO: Travel-wise is compiled from wire-service reports, news releases, trade
journals, books, magazines and the deepest recesses of the writer's
mind. Send comments and questions to Travel-wise, The
Virginian-Pilot/The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, Va. 23501-0449; phone (804)
446-2904.
by CNB