Weekend Traveler

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- THANKSGIVING TRAVEL SPECIALS BEING POSTED

It's hard to believe that the Thanksgiving weekend is now less than two months away ... and how much farther away is the Christmastime holiday season? What this all means is the first real wave of Thanksgiving weekend specials has hit the Internet.

Among the specials on popular destinations being touted by hotel.com are stays in the nation's capital, always a big vacation destination in the fall. Many people combine a trip to Washington with a visit to New York City to do early holiday shopping.

Some use the super-quick Amtrak Metroliner service from Washington to New York to visit the Big Apple.

Among the accommodations offering deeply discounted reservations over Thanksgiving is the venerable Watergate hotel complex, now called the Swissotel-Watergate. The facilities special is $99.95 per night for stays between Nov. 28 and Dec. 1 in rooms where prices usually are in excess of $200. Essentially, it's a holiday half-price offer.

Check through hotels.com for the Watergate special and other major discounts during upcoming holidays.

NEW ORLEANS ... AFTER ISIDORE

The city didn't get blown away, but it will take some time for New Orleans to pump out its low-lying streets. The Crescent City is the largest urban area in the country that is below sea level. New Orleans uses huge pumps to keep city streets dry, even in the best of times.

Now, in the wake of the storm called Isidore, the city is gearing up for the fall travel season.

In the Dollar Car Rental weekly on-line newsletter, New Orleans is described as the city you'll like most if you're into music and food. The "Big Easy" didn't get its name for no reason.

In spite of the city's near-naked Mardi Gras image, it's also a great place to take the family. And, for seniors who want to travel in a more relaxed atmosphere, autumn weather in New Orleans can be delightful -- the rains are over and so is the awful humidity.

Leave your thoughts of dieting behind as you enter New Orleans. Enjoy the redone Louis Armstrong International Airport. Spend the night, all night, on Bourbon Street and enjoy breakfast as the sun rises with a plate of sugared doughnuts.

For more, contact the city's official tourism bureau at neworleanscvb.com on the Internet.

NEW FARES ANNOUNCED AT AMERICA WEST

For some reason we haven't talked too much about America West in recent weeks. That airline, in and out of financial trouble, just keeps on plugging. Many of its flights go through its hub at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.

The company's latest fares, announced this week on the Internet, include these specials on roundtrips: Atlanta-Phoenix for $198; Boston-Burbank $198; Las Vegas-Seattle $128.

There are also a large number of hotel specials in featured cities. Some with rates as low as $39 per night.

Give America West a look-see on the Internet at americawest.com. And remember, it's "America" West, not "American" West.

ICELANDAIR CONTINUES TO TOUT MUSIC

You would think that the natural wonders of Iceland would serve as enough of a drawing card, but in recent months Icelandair -- which provides great connections from U.S. gateways to European cities through its hub in Reykjavik -- has been touting a variety of music extravaganzas in that country as an extra incentive to come visit.

The UK's Fatboy Slim, Sweden's The Hives, Remy Zero from this country, The Rapture and Iceland's own Gus Gus are leading an all-star event in October in the Icelandic capital city and the airline is offering special packages.

Icelandair has always been an affordable way to get to Europe from this country and its marketing arm often has some of the most innovate programs of any airline offering transatlantic service.

Additionally, British Airways is still offering $139 one-ways to London from New York City, based on heavy restrictions and a roundtrip purchase.

ANOTHER TRAVEL TIP ...

If you're planning on staying with family in a remote city, it's not a bad idea to send a photocopy of your prescriptions to them in advance and take your back-up glasses.