Tips & Trips

By Sheila Callahan | January 7, 2005

SKIING

New York State has 48 downhill and 50 cross-country ski areas located between the Adirondacks to the Catskills. For up-to-date conditions and money-saving packages visit www.skiandrideny.com.

Now through March 1, any fourth-grade child can receive three free passes to many of the state's ski areas. For information and to download an application, visit www.44free.com. Send a completed application to the address listed along with a copy of a recent report card and a $15 registration fee. New York State will then send a "Ski & Ride Passport" allowing free entry with the purchase of an adult ticket.

For more information, call 800-CALL-NYS.

AIR SALES

Spirit Airlines has announced new bargain fares available January 10 through March 10. One-way tickets from La Guardia include $62 to Detroit; $60 to Fort Lauderdale; $84 to Myrtle Beach; $53 to Orlando; and starting January 10, a new service to Nassau, the Bahamas, from $124.

Effective January 17, flights from Fort Lauderdale to Santo Domingo start at $89 each way.

Access the low fares on southbound flights Monday through Wednesday, and northbound flights Tuesday through Thursday. Book by January 15. Blackout dates include January 17 and February 18 & 22. Extra taxes and fees apply.

For more information, call 800-772-7117, or visit www.spiritair.com.

FEAR OF FLYING

Experts indicate that anywhere from 20 million to 60 million people suffer from a fear of flying. Symptoms range from mild apprehension to full-blown panic, with some travelers avoiding planes altogether. To help, the creators of "Chicken Soup for the Soul" have cooked up "The Fearless Flight Kit: The Remedy for the Fearful Flyer" ($24.95).

Conceived by Captain Ron Nielsen, a commercial pilot with 35 years of flying under his wing, the kit includes: stories from formerly fearful fliers turned jet-setters; a flight guide to acquaint fledglings with the sights, sounds, and sensations of normal plane rides; and an audio program to assuage any remaining fears.

For more information, visit www.fearless-flight.com.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TEACHERS

RiverBarge Excursions is rewarding teachers with vacation scholarships. Encouraging an exploration of America's river heritage, "The Scholarship for Teachers" program runs year-round and dispenses half-price fares for current and retired teachers traveling with a full fare companion. All-inclusive scholarship rates begin at $1,930 a person for a seven-night excursion, based on double-occupancy.

Itineraries range from "Show Me the Big Muddy" to "The Route of Jean Lafitte." You don't have to be a social-studies teacher to indulge a yen for the Ohio, Upper or Lower Mississippi, or Missouri rivers, or the Cumberland River Valley.

For more information, call 888-GO-BARGE, or visit www.riverbarge.com.