THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505120073
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E4 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TRAVEL-WISE
SOURCE: STEPHEN HARRIMAN
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
GET OUT the picnic basket and the folding table and chairs. It's tailgate time.
There's no better time or place to do it - football Saturdays at your favorite school's stadium included - than alongside a plantation pasture when the sun is shining, the grass is green, the breeze is mild . . . and the horsies are running.
Steeplechase racing comes as close as it's going to get to Hampton Roads on Saturday with the third running of the Races at Marengo in New Kent County. Gates open at 10:30 with post time for the first of seven races at 1 p.m.
To get to Marengo, take Interstate 64 west to Talleyville exit (211), then north of Va. 106, following race signs. General admission is $20 for adults, $5 children 7-12; general admission parking is $5. Info: (804) 343-RACE. PLANTATIONS AT CUT RATE
The James River plantations of Charles City County - Berkeley, Evelynton, Sherwood Forest and Shirley - now offer a combination ticket that admits visitors to all four for $25, a savings of $5. A discount coupon for Indian Fields Tavern and Coach House Tavern is included with the combo ticket. Info: (800) 473-5075. FROM HERE TO THERE
The Chrysler Museum is sponsoring at trip to China Oct. 5-21 with a focus on the art of the ancient country. Stops include Beijing, Xian, Nanjing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou; tour members will be able to meet with artists and museum curators. Cost from Norfolk is $4,990 per person, double occupancy, and includes round-trip airfare, all sightseeing and ground transportation, meals and deluxe hotels. Info: (804) 664-6287.
The Optimist Club of Norfolk is sponsoring a cruise and tour to Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay June 21. Proceeds will benefit club's youth projects. Motorcoach departs Northside Middle School at 7 p.m. Cost of $65 includes round-trip motorcoach to Reedsville, cruise to Tangier, lunch and refreshments. Info: (804) 436-3373, 6-9 p.m. only. DON'T BE GOUGED
The first reports of hotel price-gouging in the Atlanta area were in even before tickets went on sale for the '96 Olympic Games. The Georgia Legislature last year outlawed price gouging during the Atlanta Games, allowing hotel owners, tour operators and wholesalers to charge only 5.7 percent more than their published 1994 room rates. Laurie Olsen, spokeswoman for the Atlanta Games, said that apparently not everyone had gotten the word on the law. So, if you think you're being gouged, call the police and ask them what they think. TRIED CAMPING?
One way to save on vacation costs is to camp.
Virginia has campgrounds and cabins available across the state - and this year will keep them open till Dec. 4. Nice brochure for the asking. Info: (800) 933-7275.
Florida has an extensive system of state parks, many of which are considered ``gems.'' For a free 47-page guide, write to Florida Park Service, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd., Tallahassee, Fla. 32399; (904) 488-9872. THE ABSOLUTE PITS
During the hot summer months, there's no better way to break up a trip through Georgia than at one of the many peach orchards. If Gen. Sherman had known that, maybe he wouldn't have had such a bad attitude.
The Georgia Peach Commission has a free brochure, ``The Great Pit Stops of Georgia,'' which features 10 peach orchards along Interstate 75 with directions to each. Visitors can view the entire peach-packing process and, of course, take home some of those sweet, juicy things. For a free brochure, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Georgia Peach Commission, P.O. Box 38146, Atlanta, Ga. 30334. 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, fax 446-2963. by CNB