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January/February 2005
Top Stories:
Ski Update
Before you head to the slopes, check out the current information on ski resorts in the West.
Yellowstone: Winter Wonderland
Visit Yellowstone National Park in the winter for fantastic wildlife viewing and some of the best cross-country skiing on the continent.
Tahoe for Nonskiers
South Lake Tahoe offers nonskiers sleigh riding, ice skating, soaring in a hot-air balloon, and cruising on a paddlewheeler.
Windward Oahu Winter Getaway
Head to the windward side of Oahu for Lanikai and Kailua beaches, the Haiku Gardens, Byodo-In Temple, and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Utah’s Cottonwood Canyons
Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon harbor four lesser-known ski resorts with lots of dry snow and solitude.
Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Just south of the resort of Ixtapa on Mexico’s west coast, lies a sunny town where you can swim, snorkel, and parasail.
Meditation on Western Deserts
For the quintessential Western landscape, head to deserts in California, Nevada, and Arizona.
Skiing on the Cheap
Next time you hit the ski slopes, ease your wallet and your nerves with these simple tips.
Avoiding Germs on the Road
Here’s the lowdown on how to safeguard against germs when you travel: Wash your hands.
Airport Baggage Debate
Do you carry luggage on or check it? Two travelers weigh the pros and cons.
Reading in the Car
An optometrist offers suggestions to help squelch queasiness when you read in the car.
Senior Savings
A book by Joan Rattner Heilman provides a bounty of bargains and discounts for people over 50.
Hawaii’s Famed Road
On the southwest coast of Hawaii, you can travel through history along the 65 miles from Kailua-Kona to South Point.
Nordic Trailside Sleeps
Here are some favorite resorts, inns, and huts in the West that cater to cross-country skiers.
Weekenders:
Chinatown and North Beach
Two San Francisco neighborhoods beckon winter travelers with everything from the Chinese New Year Parade to opera in an Italian café.
Lincoln City, Oregon
Lincoln City, on the Oregon coast, boasts great whale-watching and kite-flying in winter.
Nevada’s Cowboy Country
Elko, in eastern Nevada, hosts the Cowboy Poetry Gathering every year and delivers a bit of Basque culture as well.
Mount Bachelor, Ore.: Family Winter Getaway
Mount Bachelor’s winter playground has plenty of appeal for families.
San Francisco’s Cliff House
Cliff House, in its fourth incarnation, offers good eats and a fireside lounge on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Oscar Night Parties
Local Academy Award bashes in California, Nevada, and Utah offer non-celebrities a part in the Oscar festivities.
Indoor Fun Hot Spots
VIA readers share their favorite places and pursuits in the West, from the Exploratorium in San Francisco to the Silliman Family Aquatic Center in Newmark, Calif.
Salt Lake’s Secret Garden
Gilgal Garden in downtown Salt Lake City contains 12 sculptures ringed by stones engraved with poems and passages from scripture.
NW Toy Museum
Kidd’s Toy Museum in Portland, Ore., has 15,000 toys from the 1900s to the ’80s.
The Atomic Museum
Las Vegas’ new Atomic Testing Museum explores the role that the Nevada Test Site played in U.S. history.
Halls of Fame
Museums throughout the West pay homage to such unexpected things as mountain bikes and casino legends.
Food:
Dim Sum
For bits of tasty Cantonese dishes, try these dim sum restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area.
Island Fast Food
Surfboards, aloha shirted employees, and Hawaiian food greet customers at the ever-expanding chain L&L Hawaiian Barbecue.
Automotive:
Leaking Oil and Choosing Gas
AAA experts weigh in on oil leaks and whether 85 octane gas is as good as 87.
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