The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, so no surprise that tour companies would be trotting out their trips that highlight the parks. Cruising might not be what comes to mind when you think about National Park Service sites, but AdventureSmith Explorations would beg to differ. The company specializes in small-ship cruising and has more than 15 trips that explore Park Service locations by water. An example is the Olympic Wilderness & San Juan Islands cruise, which is based aboard either the 60-passenger Wilderness Adventurer or the 76-passenger Wilderness Discoverer and explores Olympic National Park. Both ships carry kayaks and paddleboards for getting up close with wildlife such as whales, seals and eagles. And there’s hiking in the Olympic Mountains. The seven-night cruise is priced from $1,795 per person, double occupancy. Check out all of these trips at http://tinyurl.com/jotlt9z.
Best frequent-flier programs
The folks at Card Hub, whose main focus is helping consumers pick the best credit card, are at it again with one of their detailed studies. This time they’ve taken a look at airline frequent-flier programs, an often confusing mishmash of options. Using 23 criteria, they’ve come to the conclusion that Delta Air Lines has the best program for light to average travelers, and JetBlue Airways is tops for frequent fliers. (A light flier is considered to be one who spends roughly $467 a year on air travel; average is $3,105, and frequent is $5,743.) Among the report’s findings, Delta and JetBlue are the only major airlines whose miles don’t expire because of inactivity, while the extremes on the other end are Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines, whose miles disappear after just three and six months, respectively. In addition to the report on the Card Hub website, there’s a tool that allows you to plug in the amount you typically spend on air travel each year, and it will suggest the best airline program for you. Read the entire report at http://tinyurl.com/j2w9wad.
Ice fishing girlfriend getaway
Girlfriend getaways tend to concentrate on creature comforts like spas and yoga as well as wine and fine dining. Then there’s the Drill Divas Ice Fishing Package. Offered by the Heidel House Resort & Spa in Green Lake, Wisconsin, the package aims to get the girlfriends out on frozen Green Lake for a three-hour round of ice fishing. You won’t be roughing it, necessarily, as the fishing shanty you share with the rest of the girls will be heated. Naturally your fishing guides will provide all of the tackle needed, and there will be hand warmers, a freshly prepared box lunch and, most importantly, a thermos of apple-spiced bourbon toddies or mulled wine. And, assuming you catch some fish, they’ll be cleaned and packaged for you to take home. Of course no girlfriend getaway would be complete without a 50-minute heated-stone massage after the strenuous fishing, and there’s access to the Evensong Spa with a waterfall whirlpool, eucalyptus steam room and relaxation room. The package is priced from $208 per person and includes lodging and breakfast. Info: 920-294-3344, http://tinyurl.com/hugp3k6.
Phil Marty is a freelance reporter.
