The Living Desert: Good Fun, Great Price

Bighorn sheep at The Living Desert.

The Living Desert in Palm Springs could charge the $12.50 admission for each of its three attractions: zoo, botanical gardens or model train display.

But you have to pay only once for all three. It’s a pretty good deal and a nice way to round out a trip to swinging Palm Springs.

Besides, it’s only $11 per person with the discount for seniors, AAA members and military personnel. Admission is $7.50 for children 12 and under, and free for children 3 and younger.

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Get Compensated When Hotels Fail To Deliver

Did you ever check into a hotel only to find the pool closed or some other amenity unavailable?

It has happened to me, many times. Usually, if it’s temporary, I just deal with the disappointment. But there are times when it’s appropriate to complain, and even to ask for some kind of compensation.

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Cheap Fun Around Honolulu

View from Diamond Head.

$5.50 – $6 Climb Diamond Head. Admission is $1 per person and you can take the bus for $2.25 each way or pay $5 to park a car. Then you have to climb rather a lot (though I’ve seen grandmothers do it, and small children in flip-flops) for a spectacular view of Honolulu.

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Milwaukee From $168, Round Trip

Got any peeps in Milwaukee? If you have any interest in visiting the city, now might be a good time to book.

If you’re flexible about travel dates, there are round-trip fares from Bradley as low as $128, coming out to $168 with taxes and fees, from Delta, Midwest and American. Many other cities around the Northeast have similar fares.

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Frommer Reveals Bargain Destinations

Where will the best travel deals be in the coming months? Arthur Frommer revealed all at the New York Travel Show last weekend and then generously shared his wisdom on his blog.

Las Vegas, Orlando, Central America, Cancun and China are on his list. And that’s not all. Head on over to Arthur’s blog and read it all.

Continental To Charge For Exit Rows

Continental Airlines will begin March 17 to charge a fee for passengers who sit in exit rows that provide extra leg room, as the Chicago Tribune reports.

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Vermont Resort: $99

There’s a nice deal on Travelzoo for the Castle Hill Resort & Spa in Cavendish, Vt. — $99 per night, which comes out to $108 with tax.

That rate is available Sunday through Thursday through April. You need to book via the link on Travelzoo. Rates through the hotel’s website are much higher.

Resort Fees Should Be Illegal

What if a store advertised a refrigerator for $600 and when you showed up to buy it the cashier added a $50 store admission fee and told you it was to cover your parking, bathroom privileges and the right to use your cell phone in the store.

You’d be outraged. Maybe you’d call the state consumer protection department.

So why do hotels get away with essentially the same thing?
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Passport Fees Expected To Increase Soon

If you’re looking to renew or apply for a passport, do it now because it looks as if the cost will be going up as soon as next month, according the the Los Angeles Times’ Daily Travel & Deal Blog.

The State Department has published a notice of its intent to raise passport fees by $35. That will increase the cost of a new passport to $135 and a renewal to $110. The State Department says $15 of the increase will pay for the cost of processing applications and $20 for increased border security.

The application fee for a passport card, which allows limited land border crossing and port entries, will rise from $20 to $30.

Also, if it looks like you’re going to need more pages in your passport for visa stamps, get them now. It used to be free but will cost $82 when the new fees go into effect.

Choice Hotels: Free Night After Two Stays

If you stay twice at Choice hotels before April 30 you can get a  free night on a third stay. Here’s the deal:

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