Travel News, Trips & Tips

By Kevin Wierzbicki

Aulavik National Park in the Northwest Territories
(Credit: Wayne Lynch, courtesy of Parks Canada)

Oh, Canada

In conjunction with the 125th anniversary of the establishment of Parks Canada, the world’s first national parks service, Canopy Books (canopyplanet.org) has released a photo-filled coffee table-style book called Canada’s National Parks: A Celebration. Dozens of renowned photographers contribute their best shots of things you’d expect like grizzly and polar bears and stunning mountain vistas as well as scenes you might not expect from Canada like the swirling sand dunes at Brackley Beach in Prince Edward Island National Park and the temperate rainforest of Gwaii Haanas in British Columbia. A brief synopsis of what you can expect to see at each park is included as is a complimentary Daily Entry Pass good for individual or group admission at any national park, national historic site or national marine conservation area administered by Parks Canada.

Electric Beach

If you’re looking for a spring break getaway and thinking about heading to Cancun, here’s something different for you to do in the popular Mexican beach city. Beach Dog Presents is hosting a three-night mini music festival called Electric Beach: Spring Break Cancun V. 1.0 that’ll take place at the Gran Melia Hotel from March 17-20. Performers are primarily electronic and hip-hop artists with Pretty Lights, Wiz Khalifa, Sam Adams, Chiddy Bang, Savoy and the White Panda scheduled to appear. In order to get in you have to purchase a package from Beach Dog; all packages include lodging, festival access, unlimited dining and drink (soft and adult) and daytime activities. Details at beachdogpresents.com.

Pak Smarte

Nobody likes to drag luggage all over an airport and certainly nobody enjoys paying the fees that airlines are now charging to check your luggage. The Pak Smarte 3-Pocket Packing Organizer (paksmarte.com) can help – it’s designed to hold several entire outfits and keep them neat and wrinkle-free and make it easy to find what you’re looking for without digging. Great for when you’re “living out of a suitcase,” the lightweight vinyl organizer is meant to go inside a small carry-on bag, but in a pinch it can be carried as is and will fit under the airplane seat. Comes with a durable Ziploc-style bag that meets TSA standards for use with your small carry-on liquids and creams.

Wildlife Photography

Subtitled On Safari with Your DSLR: Equipment, Techniques, Workflow, Wildlife Photography by award-winning photographer Uwe Skrzypczak (pronounced Scripcheck) is a comprehensive textbook suited to beginners and pros alike. Skrzypczak leads the reader through the camera selection process, shooting techniques, image composition, editing techniques and even how to plan your trip if you’re going somewhere exotic on your photo safari. Skrzypczak purposely includes only shots (hundreds of them, each with a full explanation of how it was taken) from the Serengeti in East Africa because of that area’s biodiversity; you can use the same techniques spelled out here whether you’re shooting in Yellowstone, the Arctic or your local zoo. rockynook.com

EagleRider Motorcycle Rentals

Planning on renting a car for a road trip? EagleRider Motorcycle Rentals offers a two-wheeled alternative where you can rent a Harley-Davidson Sportster for less than $100 a day. Prices go up if you want to sail down the highway on an Electra Glide, but the company has 10 models to choose from to suit all tastes and budgets, including a plushed-out trike. All you need is your driver’s license with the motorcycle endorsement; helmets and driver pick-up and drop-off is included, and you can even rent a leather jacket if you want. If you don’t want to ride by yourself, EagleRider offers a selection of guided motorcycle tours, including the Wild West Tour that covers California from Mammoth Lakes to Yosemite then down the coast to Los Angeles as well as Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley in Arizona and Bryce Canyon in Utah. Visit eaglerider.com for more information and for a listing of Los Angeles-area locations.

Hostel Accommodations

A hostel stay is always a good option for those traveling on a budget, and statistics just in from last year show these cities as leaders in hostel and other budget lodging facilities: Atlanta, Orlando, Denver, New Orleans and Washington, D.C. But you can find a hostel anywhere, even if you’re headed to Hawaii or overseas. Find booking information for hostels in over 180 countries at hostelworld.com.