AP Travel Columns

NEW YORK - Lazy weekends, outdoor cafes, daylight past 8 p.m. The kids are away at camp and it's too hot to cook at home anyway. Something about summer makes the thought of eating out especially inviting.

BERKELEY, Calif. - Growing up, Heather Menicucci's idea of a great vacation was a bed-and-breakfast with her mom or an oceanfront condo rental with her dad. When she was old enough to plan her own trips, she picked happening cities like Los Angeles and London.

Traveling alone? That doesn't have to mean utter solitude. There are many ways to find like-minded folks for G-rated get-togethers, no matter what your shared interest.

DES MOINES, Iowa - Small towns can be nice places to live, but sometimes they're also nice places to visit. Midwest Living magazine's June issue features a list of "The 100 Top Towns to Visit."

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - For rock'n'roll fans who like to travel, there's a new guide from Santa Monica Press: "Led Zeppelin Crashed Here," by Chris Epting ($16.95).

DUBLIN, N.H. - Time to start planning that New England vacation, and Yankee magazine has a special travel issue out that can help.

Food and music are always good excuses for excursions, and you can combine them in an early summer trip to a hot destination in the heart of the continent. Kansas City, Mo., of course.

NEW YORK - Q: I want to take a cheap summer vacation in a foreign country. What are some fun spots where my dollar will go far?

Summer is always a good time to visit Toronto, Canada's bustling and cosmopolitan city on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and this year it's the scene of an ambitious new international arts festival.

WASHINGTON - If the weak dollar has put travel to Europe out of your reach, stay closer to home and plan a trip around "Destination America," as showcased in Smithsonian Magazine.

NEW YORK - Want to experience quintessential Cape Cod this summer?

NEW YORK - Q. I'm going to Europe on vacation this summer, how can I feel less of a pinch from the dollar falling as much as it has against the pound and euro?

JAMESTOWN, Va. - This Oct. 16, 1957 photo shows Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Britain smiling as they pass a couple of "prisoners" in stock, during the royal couple's tour of the old fort at Festival Park in Jamestown, Virginia.

It's history time in the Tidewater/Hampton Roads corner of Virginia, which seems like a good excuse to go visit their beaches, try out the fishing and see the sights.

SEATTLE - I looked out the window of the 19-seat turboprop into the darkness over Washington's Cascade Range, and in the sharp moonlight could see the white peak of 14,000-foot Mount Rainier. It was so close it seemed you could reach down and grab a handful of snow.

NEW YORK - Do you love antiquing and flea markets? Lucky magazine's May issue lists collectible events around the Northeast in a state-by-state guide.

BRANFORD, Conn. - Ever dream of chucking the daily routine and moving with your family to a foreign country?

NEW YORK - Everybody knows about the great food to be had in places like Paris, Hong Kong, Italy and New York.

NEW YORK - Renting a car for summer holidays can be an expensive proposition, but there are strategies consumers can adopt to hold down the price of the vehicle as well as the costs for fuel and insurance.

DES MOINES - Dan Kaercher says his favorite park is Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. But he didn't play favorites in compiling "Parklands of the Midwest: Celebrating the Natural Wonders of America's Heartland" (Globe Pequot Press, $19.95), a new book that profiles more than 130 parks in 12 states.

Adjust your travel aim a little farther to the northeast than usual and go past well-traveled New England to Nova Scotia, Canada's scenic and charming province facing the Atlantic.

Head for the mountains this year for a dose of clean air, Wild West atmosphere, early American history and a full range of activities from a spectacular train ride to high energy hiking, biking, rock climbing and more.

MENLO PARK, Calif. - Niagara Falls, located on the border of New York and Ontario, is probably North America's most famous waterfall.

What's the best time of year to visit New Mexico? That all depends on what you like, according to the new "Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque" guide from Fodor's.

NEW YORK - With the advent of spring comes the planning of road trips.

It's time to renew yourself with some quality time in the heartland of the Midwest, and the small towns and river valleys in the southwest corner of Wisconsin provide a great environment.

Here's a fun way to prepare for a trip: Watch a movie about the place.

NEW YORK - Here's a reason to visit New Orleans: Go shopping!

You think you've seen all there is to see in New England? There's a corner of Connecticut that's isn't as urbanized and developed as some other parts of the region, where you can unwind and breathe country air.

NEW YORK - Q: What are carbon offsets? How do I choose among the organizations and companies that sell them? And is buying carbon offsets the best way for me to help the environment?