Q: I’m going to Boston this summer for a week on business, but I also want to slip in some time to enjoy the city. I don’t know where to start! (Not a sports fan.) Can you point me in the right direction?
A: You won’t get bored in Boston. Hit the Freedom Trail, which takes visitors to 16 historical sites in the course of a two- or three-hour walk. Eat Italian in the North End — some favorite spots include Artu for eggplant and Modern Pastry for cannolis.
Q: My husband and I leave next week for England for two weeks to visit his family. It’s been five years since I’ve last been back and want to make this more of a vacation rather than getting stuck being told what we are going to do and when, so I’m looking for a few touristy day-trip ideas. The first week we’ll be at his parents’ near Oxford, and the second, we are heading to Coniston in the Lake District (with his parents). We will have our own car, so we have some flexibility there; just looking for a few ideas to enjoy my trip more. (And, OK, to also keep me sane.)
A: From Oxford, you could head to the Cotswolds or to Stratford-upon-Avon. Lots to do in the Lake District — hiking, boating, or trips to nearby Windermere or Grasmere.
Q: In terms of accommodations, what are the chances of getting something decent in New York City close to Central Park for less than $200 a night?
A: Central Park is huge. It stretches from 59th Street to 110th Street and from Fifth to Eighth Avenues. I am not sure whether you have your heart set on any specific area of the park. Astor on the Park at about 107th Street has decent rates. There’s also a Comfort Inn at 71st Street. Both are on the west side of the park.
Q: We are heading to Hawaii and Oahu this summer. Are there any adventures that shouldn’t be missed? Or unique dining experiences that we should be sure to try? Talking about swimming with dolphins, but looking for other ideas.
A: There’s so much to do in Oahu, it’s hard to fit it into a single answer. But check out Waimea Valley near the North Shore, which is a great place to learn about the real Hawaii, and Kualoa Ranch, where “Jurassic Park” was filmed. Yes, there are lots of terrific luaus and swim-with-dolphins experiences, but those other two experiences are highly recommended.
Q: My husband is going to Amsterdam in September for a three-day meeting, so I’m tagging along. We have enough vacation days to turn it into an eight- or nine-day trip (including travel). Do we want to spend all of our time in Amsterdam (considering that for three of the days, we won’t have daytime available)? What should we see? Is it worth it to add another European location? I’ve always wanted to go to Venice.
A: Add another city. Easyjet offers cheap flights between Amsterdam and Venice, so why not go to a city you’ve always wanted to visit? Amsterdam offers an extensive list of good museums and galleries. The Anne Frank House and Rijksmuseum are two of the more famous and popular ones. The tourism Web site publishes an extensive list.
Q: I will be heading to London in late June for 10 days. Are there any good discount websites you know of, say for theater and restaurant deals?
A: Time Out London for restaurant and theater deals. The Society of London Theatre website is another resource.
Q: I don’t know why I feel so intimidated by travel insurance, but I do. I’m hoping you can provide some guidance. We are traveling to Europe in mid/late October to celebrate a milestone birthday. The trip will also be serving as our babymoon! I will have just crossed into my seventh month of pregnancy (third trimester) when we leave. I know that it’s OK to travel on a plane at this point, but I would like to be smart and get insurance just in case the doctors don’t agree later in the pregnancy that I should be traveling. What would be a good insurance where we could get back most or all of our money in this type of medical situation? We plan on booking free-cancellation rooms, so the main thing to recover would be airline fare.
A: You might consider a more expensive “cancel for any reason” policy. Other policies may not cover any preexisting medical conditions, so if you had complications before your trip, a claim might not be honored. Cancel-for-any-reason insurance will cover a percentage of your trip cost, and true to its name, you can cancel your plans with any explanation.
Q: We (four of us, ages 18 to mid-70s) are going to Barcelona for a week in July. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for places to go/stay or things to see and do? I hear Barcelona is great and has lots of fun opportunities, so any advance ideas or guidance you have would be great!
A: Visit the markets and its beaches. Barcelona tourism offers a very good website to get you started
Travel experts from the Washington Post answer readers’ questions:
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