Save on Rail Europe round-trip tickets, from $257

The Real Deal: Discounted round-trip tickets in Leisure Select class on the Eurostar route (18 departures daily between London, Paris, and Brussels) start at $257 per person—plus between $10 and $18 in fees.
Leisure Select class is more spacious than economy class, with reclining seats and more legroom; you also get complimentary newspapers and a three-course [...]

Park Service predicts peak for Washington cherry blossoms

Those famous pink and white flowers in Washington are expected to bloom on schedule on trees around the nation’s capital as soon as the end of March, the National Park Service predicted Thursday.
Horticulturalist Rob DeFeo, who keeps a close eye on the city’s cherry blossom trees for the park service, said they likely will bloom [...]

South Africa marks 100 days to World Cup

With 100 days to go before the World Cup, jackhammers shuddered and bulldozers rumbled Tuesday as workers wearing “Proud to be building Soccer City for 2010″ buttons readied South Africa’s main stadium.
Inside, the grass was smooth and inviting. But not far away stacks of pavement tiles waited to be laid, and parking lots and access [...]

Mexico’s spring break king rebounds

Mexico’s spring break king — Cancun — is rebounding quickly from last year’s triple blow to its tourism industry caused by the country’s swine flu epidemic, drug violence and a global economic crisis.
Those worries couldn’t compete this year against Mexico’s cheap airfare from the United States and phenomenal package deals that include the popular all-you-can-drink [...]

What’s new in Great Britain and Ireland in 2010

A key to experiencing Great Britain and Ireland smartly in 2010 is to embrace them not as “ye olde” destinations but as modern ones.
London is busily preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games, developing its Olympic Park site in the eastern part of the city. The con artists are getting warmed up for the big event, [...]

Affinity travel trips cater to traveler’s passions

What’s your passion?
Whether it’s Zumba or food, wine tasting or volleyball, exotic locales or family reunions, there’s likely a vacation that caters to it.
Travel industry experts say these so-called affinity tours are as fast growing as they are far flung.
“It’s really a specialized week that we offer to customers,” said Kate Moeller of Club Med. [...]

Family beach offers ways to save bucks on vacation

Myrtle Beach has a reputation as a family beach — a workingman’s destination where a week of sun and fun with the kids won’t break the bank.
In a time of layoffs, high unemployment and recession, that makes the Grand Strand — the 60 miles of shoreline from Georgetown, S.C. to the North Carolina state line [...]