Travel

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Travel Bug October 2018

Fairmont Vancouver Airport offers unique amenities

In-room telescopes with plane-spotting guides are just one of the many unique amenities at the recently renovated Fairmont Vancouver Airport Gold Floor. Featuring 35 soundproofed rooms, two suites and a spacious lounge overlooking the North Shore mountains and the active runways of the Vancouver International Airport, the elevated Gold Floor experience features a deluxe continental breakfast served daily in the Fairmont Gold Lounge (with option for it to be delivered to guest rooms for early check-outs), evening hors d’oeuvres and desserts as well as complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. Seniors save 20 per cent off rates. Recognized as North America’s Best Airport Hotel at the annual World Airport Awards, the Fairmont Vancouver is the only hotel located within Vancouver International Airport (YVR). fairmont.com/vancouver-airport-richmond

 

The Mob Museum tours Old Havana

In the 1950s, American crime bosses such as Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano invested millions to make Havana, Cuba the Las Vegas of the Caribbean. Now guests can explore the Mob’s Havana heyday on a specialized tour led by Frank Reno and Scott Deitche, an organized crime expert and a Mob Museum Advisory Council Member. The tour takes place October 18 -21, 2018 and also includes a stop in Tampa, Florida to explore Ybor City Mafia hangouts. In Old Havana, tour participants will learn about many of Havana’s historic sites and enjoy the rich culture of this Caribbean gem. The Mob Museum, officially known as the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, is a not-for-profit history museum located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. themobmuseum.org

Experience sports history with New York Sports Tours

A new three-hour multimedia tour through Manhattan created by New York Sports Tours shows participants how sports people, places and events in Greater New York have helped shape culture and society. Conducted in a comfortable luxury vehicle and featuring a live narrator and on-screen content, the tour begins near Grand Central Terminal and passes more than 50 points of interest, with stories demonstrating sports’ influence in fields such as advertising, architecture, civil rights, entertainment, fashion, finance, politics and science. All tours end at Keens, an iconic restaurant that has hosted sports figures for more than 130 years. On select days, the experience features an intimate lunch or dinner with a New York sports personality. Each guest receives a complimentary New York Sports Tours baseball cap. newyorksports.tours

SpiceRoads Cycling rolls out E-bikes in Vietnam and Sri Lanka

Popular among commuters in Europe and North America, E-bikes are an attractive option for cycling holidays. Riders with less experience, recovering from injury, or with less confidence in their abilities can enjoy trips without worrying about being able to keep up with the rest of the group. SpiceRoads Cycling are cycle touring specialists based in Bangkok, Thailand offering cycling tours to suit every type of cyclist. Founded in 1995, they lead over 10,000 passengers per year on cycling adventures in 32 destinations worldwide. They’ve now added E-bike options in Vietnam (SCOTT Cross-E Sub 20 bikes) and Sri Lanka (Giant Explore E+ bikes). The new e-bikes can be hired per tour and use “pedal assist” technology. The more the rider pedals, the more the motor is activated, making e-bikes great for tackling climbs or comfortably cruising. spiceroads.com

Buenos Aires on the move

Buenos Aires has always been a city on the move, and vast new improvements in urban infrastructure and highway connections aim to keep it that way. With a multi-million-dollar investment, the Paseo del Bajo is one of the Argentine capital’s largest major infrastructure improvement projects. Scheduled for completion in 2019, the new bypass will improve transit circulation connecting the Illia highway to the Buenos Aires-La Plata highway near the San Telmo, Barracas and La Boca historic districts. In addition to reducing transit time and pollution levels, the Paseo del Bajo will create new urban green space with landscaped plazas, parks and pedestrian and cycling paths making it possible to explore the Corrientes Theater District, have dinner in Puerto Madero or visit the nearby Ecological Reserve. buenosaires.gob.ar

Michele Peterson is an award-winning travel journalist who can be reached via michelepeterson.com