THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 16, 1995 TAG: 9504140051
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TRAVEL-WISE
SOURCE: STEPHEN HARRIMAN
LENGTH: Long : 122 lines
THE RACES AT MARENGO, Hampton Roads' closest exposure to steepleracing, horsey fashion statements and elegant tailgate partying, will take place May 20 at Marengo Plantation in New Kent County.
The event is staged annually to benefit the Historic Richmond Foundation.
The racecourse is set on the 600-acre grounds of the historic 19th plantation on the banks of the Pamunkey River.
It's about 1 1/2 hours from South Hampton Roads. Take Interstate 64 to exit 211, then north on Va. 106, Va. 609 and Va. 606. It may sound a bit confusing, but it's not. The roads are well marked.
Gates open at 10:30 and races begin at 1 p.m. In between comes the judging for best tailgate layout and most elegant hat and then a parade of carriages. Nice show.
General admission is $13 for adults, $5 for children 7-12. If you want to be part of the show yourself, you can rent an entire riverside tent for $2,500 ($800 of which is tax-deductible). There are other ticket prices in between, depending how you want to ``position'' yourself in this society.
For ticket outlets, call (804) 343-RACE. EUROPE AT YOUR CALL
Send for ``Planning Your Trip to Europe,'' a free, 60-page guide with up-to-date information on 26 ETC-member countries. Write to Europe Travel Planner, P.O. Box 1754, New York, N.Y. 10185; (800) 816-7543. Here's a sampler of what you'll find:
Austria: The enormously popular Salzburg Festival marks its 75th anniversary July 25-Aug. 31. A feast for conductor groupies, with orchestras performing at various times under the batons of Solti, Barenboim, Muti, Mehta, Maazel and Previn. And of course, all the Mozart anyone can stand. Info (312) 644-8029.
Belgium: The 180th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo will be June 17-18 in, of course, Waterloo, with a re-enactment of the battle that was Napoleon's you-know-what, plus a sound and light show and other festivities. Info: (212) 758-8130.
Cyprus: ``Kataklysmos'' - a festival commemorating Noah and the flood - runs June 9-14, but the big day is June 12. That's when Cypriots throw water at one another. Info: (212) 683-5280.
Estonia: The Rolling Estonians? The country's monster event, the twice-a-decade Song Festival, is four years away - but there's still Rock Summer, an international rock festival, July 13-16 in the capital city of Tallinn. Info: (212) 247-1450.
Germany: Bavaria will be celebrating King Ludwig II's 150th birthday all year, but it will be especially fun in Fuessen, marking its own birthday - the 700th - with a festival July 14-23. For traditionalists, Munich's Oktoberfest runs Sept. 16-Oct. 1 and the Wagner Festival at Bayreuth is July 25-Aug. 28. But for everyone else, artist Christo and hundreds of assistants will wrap Berlin's Reichstag (it's 100 years old this year) in 119,000 square yards of shimmering but recyclable fabric. That's June 23-July 6. To be ``wrapped'' by Christo is to have arrived. Info: (212) 661-7200.
Scotland: This year marks the 250th anniversary of the ill-fated Jacobite Uprising led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, which is as good an excuse as any for a summer that will be full of re-enactments, Highland games and musical events. Info: (800) 462-2748.
Sweden: Goteborg welcomes the World Track and Field Championships - the closest thing to the Summer Olympics - Aug. 4-13. Time it right and take in the Stockholm Water Festival, too, Aug. 11-20. Info: (212) 949-2333.
Switzerland: One of the country's nicer northern villages, Schaffhausen, will celebrate its 950th birthday June 10, but for something completely different, don't miss the Yodeling Festival of Central Switzerland, June 30-July 2 in Brunnen. Info: (212) 757-5944. HOSTELING TOUR
One way for the young in spirit to travel both internationally and domestically is on a Hosteling International-American Youth Hostels' Discovery Tour. The tours include 30 hiking, cycling, backpacking and canoeing trips - all rated for various levels of experience - and led by a group leader. The inexpensive tours use hostels with dormitory-style lodging and are designed for various age groups from teenagers to those 50 and older. For information, write to HI-AYH, Dept. 860, 733 15th St., NW, Suite 840, Washington, D.C. 20002; or call (800) 444-6111.
Budget travelers can book hostels for an entire trip with a single phone call by calling HI's new reservation service in Washington. There's a small booking fee. You have to be a member, which costs $25 for adults, $15 for over 54, $10 for under 18, $35 for family - parent(s) or guardian(s) with kids under 16. Hostels won't suit everyone; they're mostly for those who like to save money and meet people. Reservation number is (202) 783-6161. LEAVE THE DRIVING TO. . .
Amtrak's Auto Train, which transports passengers and their vehicles between Lorton, Va. (just off I-95, just south of D.C.) and Sanford, Fla., is now using Superliner cars. The double-deck cars sleep 44 passengers each, doubling the Auto Train's first-class sleeping capacity. By next year, Amtrak hopes to use Superliners for all Auto Train service. Passengers on the Superliners have a choice of economy bedrooms, which can hold two passengers; family bedrooms that handle two adults and two children; and deluxe bedrooms that have their own shower. Another Superliner attraction: full-length feature films in the lounge area at night.
Auto Train prices change up to six times a year, but the one constant is that those who book early get the discount fares. Current round-trip coach fares for adults range from $115 to $175 per person, with each adult eligible to take two children ages 2 to 15 for half the adult fare. Children under 2 ride free. Current one-way prices for vehicles: southbound, cars $125, vans $160; northbound, autos $200, vans $240. No round-trip fares for vehicles. Info: (800) 872-7245. CHECK THIS OUT, BUBBA
Budget Rent a Car is expanding its current specialty fleet to meet the diverse lifestyles of today's consumers. In addition to its Jaguar and Lincoln Continental program, the company is introducing pickup trucks and major airport locations. Introductory rate for a Ford Ranger is $10 a day and 10 cents a mile. They're available at Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Baltimore, Raleigh/Durham, Nashville, Charleston, Savannah, Houston, Indianapolis, Albuquerque, Denver, Sacramento, Seattle and Portland. Info or reservations: (800) 527-0700. 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