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THE PROS GUIDE TO
SUMMER TRAVEL
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By Pam Droog
Jones
Summertime and the living is easy. Headed for far-off cities like
Prague and Venice—or closer favorites like Orlando and Hilton Head—St.
Louisans are packing their bags again and leaving town for summer
vacations.
“People are tired of waiting and worrying about the possibility
of another disaster,” says Jeannie Moses of Accommodations to Go.
“They’re not afraid anymore, and even if they are they just want
to get out and go.” As a result, she says, “Everyone I know in the
travel business didn’t have enough hands early in the year. Our
phones rang off the wall from morning to midnight, and a huge number
of those calls were people booking summer trips.”
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Numbers from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) back Moses
up. According to the WTTC, demand for all levels of tourism—including
travel, investment, government spending and exports—is expected
to grow 7.3 percent in real terms, up to $1.5 trillion this year.
“People are going back to a lot of places they’ve always gone, but
doing them differently,” says Barbara Bilhorn, senior travel consultant
at Aldine Travel. “They want to get off the beaten path.” For example,
people who have been to Canada are now going back for a wine tour
or rail trip. Instead of going to California beaches, travelers
are discovering the Oregon coast.
Clipper Cruise Line's flagship, the 128-passenger
Cliiper Odyssey. |
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Another way to get off the path is to take to the seas. “Cruising
is hotter than ever,” says Stephanie Turner, president and CEO of
Brentwood Travel. “It hit a record high this year.”
Although cruise prices are creeping up, she says cruises are still
good values. Better yet, the cruise lines are offering new ships
and ports in the Caribbean, Central America and, especially, Costa
Rica.
“We see a lot of small ship cruising along rivers in North America,”
Bilhorn adds. “A lot of people are retracing Lewis and Clark’s route
this way.”
Above all, cruises attract families. “A cruise is a great multi-generational
trip,” says Mike Right, vice president of public affairs at the
Automobile Club of Missouri. “A cruise is no muss/no fuss. Everyone
can go his or her own way and then they all can get together or
not.” Bilhorn notes that some of the larger cruise lines have even
started allowing parents to bring infants along.
Family trips and reunions in general are increasingly popular, travel
experts agree. “Family oriented trips have taken a dramatic turn
upwards in recent years, especially since [9/11],” Right says. “It’s
becoming a whole industry.”
Bilhorn says that besides going on cruises, St. Louis families are
renting beach houses on Hilton Head and the Outer Banks in the Carolinas.
She notes people are not just laying on the beach in Honolulu, but
trying different activities like bicycling, taking nature walks
or exploring remote island towns.
Families also are lining up for Alaska cruises and land tours, according
to Turner. “Alaska has really opened up in the last few years as
the new frontier for Americans,” she says. “People feel comfortable
there because they’re still in America. It has a safari-like feel,
plus a little wild west, [and] there are the glaciers and wildlife.”
And then there’s the old standby, Florida, where Disney World remains
a top destination for Missourians. “It’s a comfortable drive from
here to Florida,” Right says. “St. Louisans have longstanding relationships
with properties along the Gulf and panhandle.”
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LEWIS
& CLARK BICENTENNIAL
The story of our greatest adventurers will be told in three
national “signature events.” Although one has already taken
place, two others will happen in May and July. “Preparations
Complete: The Expedition Faces West” is scheduled for May
14 through May 23 in St. Charles. Kansas City will host the
“Heart of America: A Journey Fourth,” on July 3 and July 4.
Both events are expected to attract hundreds of thousands
of visitors from around the world. And while you’re in the
mood for history, don’t miss the once-in-a-lifetime Lewis
& Clark exhibit at the Missouri Historical Society.
THE 1904 WORLD'S
FAIR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Participate in the reproduction ceremony of the World's Fair
at the Grand Basin in Forest Park on April 30, then stick
around for three days of international entertainment featuring
dances, music, food, and arts and crafts.
CARDINALS BASEBALL
Since 1892, St. Louis has enjoyed National League baseball.
Whether they were called the Browns, the Perfectos, or the
Cardinals, the team has never failed to thrill millions of
spectators every year.
MISSOURI WINE COUNTRY
With over 30 wineries within 100 miles of St. Louis, the region
is enjoying a renaissance of winemaking. Check out the Missouri
Department of Agriculture’s Web site, www.missouriwine.org,
and choose a winery to explore near you. With unusual varieties,
such as Cynthiana/Norton, Vignoles, Seyval and Chambourcin,
you’re bound to find something you like.
FAMILY ATTRACTION
Where does the list start? Check out mainstays like the Gateway
Arch and Old Courthouse, and then move on to Meramec Caverns,
Six Flags St. Louis, The Missouri State Fair, Silver Dollar
City, Mark Twain’s house, the Katy Trail…or any of the hundreds
of parks, historic sites and conservation areas maintained
by the state.
HORSES
Put on your cowboy hat and go for a trail ride. Try Bucks
and Spurs Guest Ranch in Ava; the Blue Mule Ranch in Long
Lane; or the Coldwater Ranch in Eminence. Aside from riding,
these fun spots offer rodeos, cowboy cookouts, American Indian
powwows, pack trips and more.
WATER FUN
Float trips are a fun and inexpensive vacation for families
who love being outdoors and staying cool at the same time.
The Current, Jack’s Fork and Black rivers are traditional
favorites. For the really adventurous, try some whitewater
kayaking on the St. Francis River.
DRIVING TOURS
Scenic drives are plentiful in Missouri, starting with Missouri’s
first Scenic Byway on Highway 79. Starting south of Hannibal,
this beautiful stretch of road extends to Louisiana, Mo. For
those with a day or two, try the Great River Road–part of
a national driving tour–stretching from Caruthersville in
the Boot Heel all the way to Iowa.
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But the truly big news among travel pros is Europe. “It’s back!”
Bilhorn says. “It’s amazing, even with the terrible exchange rate.
People laid low, but now they’re going back.”
The biggest winner so far is Italy.
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Stephanie
Turner, president & CEO, Brentwood Travel |
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“I have never seen anything like it,” Turner says. “People want
to go to Tuscany, they want a villa. They’re going to Venice, Sorrento,
the Amalfi coast, Sicily and, of course, the traditional Rome and
Florence.”
Spain, France and England remain very popular, but so do other European
destinations, such as Scandinavia, St. Petersburg [Russia], the
Croatian coastline and the Baltic states. “Prague [Czech Republic]
is huge,” Bilhorn says. “It has the vibrancy of a new city in that
there’s an influx of young, hip people, plus a fantastic medieval
history.”
Moses adds a number of St. Louisans are going to Normandy, France,
for the 60th anniversary of D-Day, and to Athens, Greece, for the
summer Olympics. Others are searching for history here in the U.S.
“People are looking to connect with their past, so we’ve seen a
lot of interest in Williamsburg, [Va.] Charleston [S.C.]…and Washington,
D.C.,” Right says.
No matter where St. Louisans may travel—from the Canary and Galapagos
Islands to Six Flags St. Louis and Branson—“Travel is about family
and memories and the people you meet along the way,” Turner says.
“Travel gives us a better understanding of the world. And the more
people travel, the better off we’ll all be.”
Pam Droog Jones is a freelance writer based in Jefferson City,
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