Desert Delight

can you imagine opening your
window and waking up to this eye-popping wonderland every morning? Look no further than the Sorrel River Ranch (Highway 128, Mile 17) in Moab, Utah. Just 75 minutes’ drive from Grand Junction, Colorado, the AAA Four Diamond ranch is the perfect playground for hikers, bikers, rafters and riders—or anyone who wants to soak up the richness of Moab’s red rocks. Speaking of soaking, after a day out in the arid desert, go for the Ultimate Hydrating Treatment in the ranch’s spa ($120)—it puts the “aahhh” in Utah. Room rates start at $219.

Info: 877-359-2715 or 435-259-4642,
www.sorrelriver.com

Get Smart!
Etiquette in general is foreign enough to many Americans, but when faced with foreign etiquette, what's a U.S. traveler to do? Enter Culture Smart!-a series of pocket-sized guidebooks for navigating the cultural divide (Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company, $9.95 each). For example, when in Spain, keep both hands in view above the table while dining, but don't feel shy about eating shrimp with your fingers. Just refrain from belching afterward.

Row to Ho(tel)
It’s a sunny morning, and I’m kayaking along the Charles River, blissfully with practicing crew teams. Later, I hop on a mountain bike and ride along the river. The loop of bike paths takes me back to Hotel Marlowe (25 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, Massachusetts), which offers loaner kayaks and mountain bikes—a great way to take the measure of a city. Room rates from $209. Info: 617-868-8000 or www.hotelmarlowe.com.
—John Grossmann

Just Say “Aaaah-vocado”
Or better yet, mosey on down to Carpinteria for the 19th Annual California Avocado Festival (October 7–9) and start humming to the music coming from three sound stages. Take a gander at local arts and crafts, hoist yourself up the avocado rock climb, find out who won the Largest Avocado Contest, and take a dip— in some award-winning guacamole. Info: 805-805-684-5479, www.avofest.com.

Hey, Ladies!
The places we’re callin’ out to ya span the globe, from Greece to New York City. How ’bout a desert hike? A rumble in the jungle? A city shopping spree? Then take a peek at Adventurous Wench, which arranges trips for women who want a little adventure without sacrificing creature comforts—or company. You go, girl . . . to www.adventurouswench.com—or call 866-419-3624 or 480-827-3922.

The Joy of Roy
You have two spots in New York to spot Roy Lichtenstein’s eye candy: The uptown and Chelsea locations of the Mitchell-Innes & Nash gallery (1018 Madison Avenue and 534 West 26th Street, respectively) will host Lichtenstein: Surrealism until November 12. Among the 40 works on view, look for a 9-foot painting, Cosmology, an homage to Picasso, Dalí and Magritte—in Lichtenstein’s distinctive comic-book style—and the whimsical Portrait, 1977 (above). And you thought cheeseheads were in Wisconsin. Info: 212-744-7400 or www.miandn.com.

Touch the Puppethead
You’ll see these in every souvenir stand in Sicily, Italy, home to puppet opera. Once a popular amusement—before the advent of TV—the opera traditionally recounts tales of knights and princesses and invading hordes. And in spite of his hand-painted cross ex-pression, this fellow amuses me, because he’s a reminder that the world of imagination, more than of joysticks and remotes, is the most potent.

Jet Fuel
And we’re not talkin’ crude, either, but 130 premium vodkas, the center-piece of Chicago’s new Jet Vodka Lounge (1551 North Sheffield Avenue). JVL’s interior resembles a 777 airplane’s, but instead of seats, you’ll find a slick white bar, plus block ice tabletops to chill your drinks while you’re flyin’ high. Info: 312-440-9140 or www.gojetgo.com.

Sweet Georgia Red
. . . and gold and orange is what you'll see if you take advantage of the Georgia State Parks & Lodges Leaf Watch 2005. To see the birch, dogwoods and maples in the north or the cypress in the south, go to www.gastateparks.org to follow Nature's kaleidoscope-before it changes to sweet Georgia brown. Reservations: 800-864-7275 or 404-656-2770.

Hooray for Raleigh-wood!
Or The Raleigh hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, anyway. One of the original Art Deco divas, The Raleigh (1775 Collins Avenue at 18th Street) was built in 1940, but its interior is all 21st-century. Don’t miss the hotel’s pool, where Esther Williams did a few arabesques. Rates start at $325. Info: 305-534-6300 or www.raleighhotel.com.

Gallivanting Through the GalÁpagos
Consider: Seven nights in Peru, including a visit to Machu Picchu; seven nights in the Galápagos Islands aboard a luxury expedition vessel, the Eclipse, and one night in Quito, Ecuador, not to mention the company of sea lions, giant tortoises and exotic birds. That’s what you get with the Best of Both Worlds package from outfitters Inkaterra (800-442-5042, www.inkaterra.com) and Ocean Adventures (877-262-3496,
www.oceanadventures.com.ec). Price: $5,885, double occupancy—and well worth it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SORREL RIVER RANCH;PHOTOS BY JOHN KUCZALA; BY ANDY CAULFIELD/PANORAMIC IMAGES; BY LINDA HOLT AYRISS/GETTY; AND COURTESY OF MITCHELL-INNES & NASH GALLERY, © ESTATE OF ROY LICHTENSTEIN; BY JOHN KUCZALA, BY GETTY, COURTESYOF THE RALEIGH, BY JERRY KOBALENKO/GETTY AND COURTESY OF JET VODKA LOUNGE