Bird’s-Eye View
In Panama’s Soberania National Park, 20 miles from Panama City, orchids and ferns cover ancient trees, and exotic creatures like howler monkeys, sloths, coatimundis, jaguarundis, and capybaras (the world’s largest rodents) thrive. And birdwatchers aim binoculars at toucans, crimson-bellied woodpeckers, the rare harpy eagle, and almost 500 other species. Two ecotourism hotels, both located within the park, immerse travelers in the rainforest. But despite their similar locations, Gamboa Rainforest Resort and Canopy Tower Ecolodge offer vastly different experiences.
The 140 rooms and suites of the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, near Summit Gardens and the Panama Canal, include 33 renovated 1920s apartments that originally housed Panama Canal workers. Guests wander among botanical and zoological exhibits and Smithsonian research sites. They take guided rainforest walks, or hop on pontoon boats to cruise the riverbanks or the lake and view wildlife. The resort’s aerial tram (constructed with manual labor to preserve the environment) offers a canopy-high vantage point from which visitors can spot plants and animals rarely glimpsed on the ground.
Just a few miles away, the all-inclusive 12-room Canopy Tower Ecolodge offers guests a purer rainforest experience. Perched atop Semaphore Hill, 900 feet above sea level, guest rooms open out to the treetops with a bird’s-eye view of, well, hundreds of birds, such as blue cotingas and green shrike-vireos, perched on the highest branches.
The U.S. Air Force built the tower, with its distinctive fiberglass dome, in 1965 as a radar facility. Over the years, the installation was used for air traffic control, as a communications tower, and to detect drug smugglers. In the mid-1990s, conservationist Raul Arias de Para converted the building into an innovative hotel offering unsurpassed wildlife viewing and bird-watching.
Which resort to choose? Depends whether you’re a dedicated ornithologist or a casual vacationer; whether you love resort amenities or prefer a quiet, intimate hotel; and whether you are bringing the family or not. Regardless, you will be sure to hear monkeys howl, see rare birds and iridescent butterflies flash by, and marvel at Panama’s ecological wonderland.
— Maryann Hammers
Buenos Aires
Dancing in the Streets
There’s dancing, and then there’s the tango. Sultry, yet simple, it’s one of the most popular dances in the world. In fact, if you go to the birthplace of the dance, Buenos Aires, you’ll find a milonga on most any street. Open to everyone, these public dance squares require only that you have a sense of rhythm. But if you don’t, there’s an easy fix. Places like the Piazzolla Tango offer classes and private lessons for dancers at any skill level. The Piazzolla even puts on shows by professionals, so waltzers and two-steppers can see why the tango is called la danza del amor. piazzollatango.com — Andrew Eitelbach
San Diego
This Place Sparkles
During the holiday season, we’re inexplicably drawn to lights. Lots and lots of lights. Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, Calif., 20 minutes north of San Diego, has more than 100,000 of them. Open December 7–9, 13–23, and 26–29, the Garden of Lights also features activities like horse-drawn carriage rides, marshmallow toasting, and a visit from Santa. There’s music, crafts for the kids, mulled wine for the adults, and refreshments for everyone. qbgardens.org — Kathleen S. Carr
Vail
Luxury Unvailed
When you’ve had enough of the usual post-ski grub, plan a visit to Vail, Colo. With the December 7 opening of Wolfgang Puck’s Spago at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Vail Valley visitors and residents can now opt for smoked salmon pizza or roasted côte de boeuf (both are Spago classics) instead of the same old same old. True to the Puck philosophy, Spago Bachelor Gulch features top-of-the-line local ingredients and a menu with Colorado appeal — think simple, clean, and healthy. The restaurant’s digs aren’t bad either. The rustic-meets-modern space complements the grand lodge–style architecture of the hotel as well as Puck’s sleek cuisine. And the Ritz itself is anything but ordinary. Nestled in an exclusive enclave on Beaver Creek Mountain, it offers guests access to a Mobil four-star spa (youth program included), first-class golf, ski valets, nannies, and even a Loan-a-Lab program with Bachelor, the Ritz’s resident yellow labrador retriever. ritzcarlton.com — Louise Flaig
San José
A Reel Good Time
Adventurous anglers should steer toward Playa Herradura, a scenic 90-minute drive from San José along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, for their next sportfishing challenge. Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series, based at Los Sueños Resort and Marina and taking place January 9–12 and March 12–15, is a pair of tournaments for boaters who catch — and release — spectacular fish like marlins and Pacific sailfish. Last year, each tournament attracted more than 50 competing boats. If a projected prize purse of about $150,000 and a few evenings of dockside cocktail hours aren’t enough bait, Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort will certainly get you hooked. Guests can check out the spa and casino and area adventures like Iguana Park and canopy tours. The resort also offers Spanish language classes and Latin dance lessons, so visitors can learn to converse with the locals as well as improve their groove. lstournaments.com — L.F.
Chicago
Put It on the Map
If you’ve ever printed out directions from an online map source — or drawn a map on your hand or glove to remind yourself where to go — then you’ll want to help Chicago explore the fine art of cartography. Appreciating the elements of mapping, from ancient clay tablets to the latest in digital technology, is what the Festival of Maps is all about. Institutions and organizations across the city are presenting a range of exhibits, lectures, and multimedia displays. This is a rare chance to see maps created by visionaries like Ptolemy, da Vinci, and Tolkien, at the Field Museum of Natural History; celestial charts at the Adler Planetarium; multidimensional maps created using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and GPS (Global Positioning System) technology and used in wildlife conservation, at the Lincoln Park Zoo; and an exploration of Paris’ architectural and urban development at the Art Institute. If the scale of all this mapping is overwhelming, head over to the Museum of Contemporary Art for a more introspective exhibit on Mapping the Self. The Festival of Maps continues into 2008 (end dates of individual exhibits vary). festivalofmaps.com — Karen English
Mont Tremblant
Call of the Wild
Usually, it’s a long walk in snowshoes from the beaver lodge to the trading post. So long, in fact, that in frontier days, trappers in the Canadian north wouldn’t dare make the trip without a team of dogs. Today, thankfully, a modern system of roads will get you most anywhere you need to go. But dogsleds haven’t disappeared completely. The Activity Centre in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, offers puppy-powered tours through the surrounding Laurentian woods. Teams of Alaskan huskies mush you out to a lake for an introductory ice fishing lesson or to an authentic reindeer-skin tepee for some tea and toast fresh off the wood stove. Guides will even let the adventurous drive the sled through certain trail sections, but you may want to have your camera ready when passing the Athabascan Bison Sanctuary, where the furry beasts are making their comeback. It’s a howling good time. tremblantactivities.com — A.E.
Austin
The Life of a Playwright
Most high schools have put on one of his plays at some point, which means most parents have enjoyed (or at least sat through) one of his masterpieces. But for those who don’t know American playwright Arthur Miller, a new exhibit takes a look into his creative genius. Rehearsing the American Dream: Arthur Miller’s Theater, on display at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin through December 30, features more than 150 items from Miller’s archives. Many have not been previously displayed, such as a page from his original manuscript of The Crucible, a page from an FBI file claiming Miller was involved with Communist organizations, and a picture of Miller from the late 1950s with his parents and his then wife, Marilyn Monroe. hrc.utexas.edu — Kristina Wong
Hong Kong
The Whole Ball of Wax
Rubbing elbows with the likenesses of Hollywood A-list stars and Asian VIPs has never been so easy. Madame Tussauds’ House of Wax in Hong Kong lets guests dance, dress up, and mingle like Hong Kong glitterati around a fully stocked bar where celebrities like Japanese pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki join in the fun. The British royal family is there too, along with President Hu Jintao of China. Visitors can pose as part of a Rembrandt painting in the Historical & National Heroes room, or putt with Tiger Woods, shoot hoops with Yao Ming, or dress as a sumo wrestler to take on the legendary Chiyonofuji. Starstruck fans can wax poetic about Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Madonna, or Asian movie heartthrob Andy Lau — the first silicon figure with a realistic beating heart. madame-tussauds.com.hk — Megan Robershotte
Bali
Sleeping in Eco-Comfort
The global movement toward environmentally friendly practices has people everywhere watching their step. After all, a large carbon footprint is a nasty way to show appreciation for the natural wonders of an exotic destination. That’s why Alila Ubud and Alila Manggis on the Indonesian island of Bali are committed to providing an eco-friendly getaway. These two sister resorts are certified for waste recycling and water and electricity conservation by Green Globe, a United Nations World Tourism Organization–recognized benchmarking program. They’ve also hired members of the local community, to help ensure that money spent in Bali stays in Bali. However, social consciousness isn’t all these resorts have going for them. Collectively, they boast panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and the Ayung River, professional spas, a cooking school, an art gallery, and a variety of eco-adventures including guided treks, mountain biking, sportfishing, and diving trips. alilahotels.com — Austin W. G. Morton
Getting There: All the destinations covered in “Go Explore” can be reached by flying Continental Airlines. To book your vacation, contact Continental Airlines Vacations at covacations.com.
