COLORADO

Dude ranches have options for all ages: riding, rafting or fly-fishing

The crowd cheers and calls out encouragement as the rider nudges her horse faster past the barrels -- and t...

FAMILY TRAVEL

Hot on the trail of pioneering author's childhood footsteps

My boys and I unbuckled our sandals and slid down a muddy bank, slipping our feet into the cool waters of P...

FLORIDA

Looking for a quick getaway? Don't sweat it

Even during the heat of summer, Florida's got plenty of cool attractions.

MISSOURI

Oldies are still goodies at Branson's 50 theaters

The nation's live music-show capital has more than 50,000 theater seats -- that's more than Broadway, Las V...

MASSACHUSETTS

Natural, cultural wonders lure visitors to the Berkshires

It's really not a wonder that western Masschusetts' beauty would inspire artistic minds.

GEAR + GADGETS

Tools for the road are designed to make travel a snap

NEW YORK

Cheap seats are great seats on Broadway

The actress is so close to me that I could literally grab her arm. Another actor approaches behind me, star...

CRUISE LINES

Market rewards Carnival earnings report

Carnival Corp. beat Wall Street's earnings expectations through cost controls and less price discounting.

Cruising in style: 'Premium' ships offer luxuries without top-tier prices

On the new Celebrity Solstice, cruisers dine in a barrel-vaulted Tuscan steak restaurant divined by superst...

CRUISE VACATIONS

Florida-port summer cruises offer family fun

Many South Florida families are sticking closer to home these days, and with 16 cruise ships sailing from F...

NEW CRUISE LINE

Single-ship 'Celebration' targets bargain seekers

WATCHING YOUR WALLET

Planning, restraint keep cruise budget on course

You've found a killer cruise deal -- but you're worried that once onboard, you'll bust your budget. It does...

TAKING THE KIDS

For families, cruises are an easy -- and affordable -- way to go

Todd Hawkins never figured himself for a cruising kind of guy. He grew up camping and still loves long road...

Cruise datebook

The following list includes cruise lines sailing to and from Miami, Port Everglades and Cape Canaveral, bet...

FLORIDA

Looking for a quick getaway? Don't sweat it

Even during the heat of summer, Florida's got plenty of cool attractions.

Florida events: July 11-July 19

July 11-12: MangoMania Tropical Fruit Fair, Pine Island. A celebration of mangoes and other tropical fruit ...

Space Center lets visitors relive our longest journey

If you go to the Kennedy Space Center

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITORS COMPLEX Hours: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. year round, except Dec. 25 and certain launch...

FLORIDA

If you're going to Naples, pack your appetite

FLORIDA

Bringing the kids is child's play

The only thing the children won't get at our top 10 family-friendly resorts is bored.

Two Florida strands qualify as ''Best Beaches''

Two Florida strands qualify as ``Best Beaches'' College spring-breakers might be the real experts on the wo...

FLORIDA

Looking for a quick getaway? Don't sweat it

Even during the heat of summer, Florida's got plenty of cool attractions.

TAKING THE KIDS

Taking in the great outdoors family style

A little rain -- or even a lot -- can't douse a family's enthusiasm for camping.

Touring London with a 9-year-old can be jolly good fun -- and a royal pain

FLORIDA

Bringing the kids is child's play

The only thing the children won't get at our top 10 family-friendly resorts is bored.

TAKING THE KIDS

For families, cruises are an easy -- and affordable -- way to go

Todd Hawkins never figured himself for a cruising kind of guy. He grew up camping and still loves long road...

In Florida's Theme Park Central, everything's looking up this summer

FOR KIDS

Party options that your kids will really enjoy

MASSACHUSETTS

Natural, cultural wonders lure visitors to the Berkshires

It's really not a wonder that western Masschusetts' beauty would inspire artistic minds.

PENNSYLVANIA

Going with the flow has served Pittsburgh well

FLORIDA

If you're going to Naples, pack your appetite

MARYLAND

Checking out a romance novelist's romantic inn

Nora Roberts fans will want to book it to Inn BoonsBoro, where the rooms have characters.

PENNSYLVANIA

Site along creek gives clues to early civilization

GULFPORT

Gritty town cleans up its act, retains its charm

Today, tiny Gulfport is home to a trendy restaurant scene, talented artists and a spruced-up beachfront.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Visiting Greenville's a whole new ballgame

There's a lot going on in and around this revitalized small-town charmer.

Island time: The Caribbean is more affordable than ever

Never has a bargain been more coveted. South Floridians know that in the Caribbean, summer is always value ...

JAMAICA

Father-son jaunt filled with learning moments

BERMUDA

Loyal visitors find honeymoon never ends

Britain's oldest continuously occupied colony is celebrating its 400th anniversary.

SABA

Tiny island offers big welcome to gay travelers

While there are no gay bars or nightlife to speak of, Saba has earned a gay-friendly reputation.

BUDGET TRAVEL

Fishing for a deal? Resorts have the lures

The ususal summer discounts are being tugged downward by the lagging economy.

LUXURY

Luxury in the Yucatán

The iced cucumbers sent an arctic jolt pulsing down to my eye sockets -- not an altogether unpleasant sensa...

Yucatán on a dime

Could I spend a week in the Yucatán without busting my budget? That was what I asked myself a few weeks ago...

BUDGET TRAVEL

Save money, make friends through global websites

When Will Bradwell and his friends were planning a cross-country road trip three years ago, the idea of pay...

BUDGET TRAVEL

Fishing for a deal? Resorts have the lures

The ususal summer discounts are being tugged downward by the lagging economy.

Nature's playgrounds: Family-friendly, budget-friendly stops in the American West

Flames of light flickered through the camper window. Squinting one eye open, I found myself engulfed in bla...

Florida's top spots for family camping

To reserve campsites at state parks, see www.reserveamerica.com. Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas County: County...

ROAD TRIP

We're on a roll with the two boys in tow

Moving from Chicago to Miami turns out to be a vacation in disguise.

FAMILY TRAVEL

Summer festivals a cause for celebration

Here's a round-up of some of the best festivals being staged this year.

BUDGET TRAVEL

You can go a long way with a little planning

We've found nine hot values for family vacations this summer.

Comet bobsled ride lets anyone be an Olympian for a day

More than a few of the 20 or so folks in this small room at the Utah Olympic Park have thrown out the phras...

Powder Highway: New flights make British Columbia's 'authentic' ski area accessible to Americans

Top North American ski resorts

The Top 10 North American ski resorts as determined by Ski.com: 1. Snowmass, Utah 2. Breckenridge, Colo. 3....

FAMILY TRAVEL

Big improvements for the little ones in ski country

Resorts are offering smaller classes and bigger family discounts for the parents-with-children set.

New on the slopes

Ski resorts throughout the West have spruced up for the 2008-2009 season. Here is a sampling of what's new....

Freebies in Vail, Colo.: Keep skiing costs in check

Bargain-hunters got a break recently when Vail Resorts dropped multiday lift-ticket prices to last ski seas...

Mammoth: No 'cheap date' -- but manageable

You used to be a cheap date, a weekend fling who didn't care that my budget was tight and my wallet thin. I...

Cartagena sparkles with modern sophistication

COLOMBIA

Novice climbers find height of adventure in the Andes

BED CHECK: MACHU PICCHU VILLAGE

The high life: Machu Picchu hotel puts adventure travelers in lap of luxury

The citadel's quiet and calm are hard to leave. You can keep it with you by booking a room at Inkaterra Mac...

LUXURY

Luxury in the Yucatán

The iced cucumbers sent an arctic jolt pulsing down to my eye sockets -- not an altogether unpleasant sensa...

Yucatán on a dime

Could I spend a week in the Yucatán without busting my budget? That was what I asked myself a few weeks ago...

TRAVEL SAFETY

Drug crimes of little concern in the resort areas of Mexico

The airwaves have been filled with stories about crime in Mexico. But is that the whole story? No. The reso...

BED CHECK | TULUM

Wild Cancun has nothing like this resort in the Mexican jungle

In the beach town of Tulum, about two hours south of Cancun, a new kind of tourism is emerging: the jungle ...