TRIP TIP

In Canada, dollar for dollar: Now that the Canadian dollar is worth about the same as the U.S. dollar, you'll have to work harder to find travel bargains from our neighbor to the north. You can usually save on both air fare and car rental if, instead of flying to a Canadian city, you fly to the closest U.S. city and rent a car to drive the rest of the way.
WASHINGTON POST
MAGAZINE RACK

Get Glimpse of European life: If you're planning on traveling or studying abroad, check out Glimpse magazine -- www.glimpse.org -- which is geared to college students and young adults interested in international issues. "We publish articles written by students living abroad to get at real life, rather than tourist attractions or news stories," said editor-in-chief Kerala Goodkin, who co-founded the magazine five years ago with a friend, Nick Fitzhugh. "We're trying to provide a cultural context to current events in the world." The quarterly magazine is published by an independent foundation, but is largely supported by the National Geographic Society. Glimpse prints about 10,000 copies per issue, with most copies distributed through study-abroad offices, but it's also available on newsstands and by paid subscription -- $17.95 for a year.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
FOOD ON THE ROAD

'Ratatouille' inspires chefs: The movie "Ratatouille" has inspired New York's Roosevelt Hotel to offer a package of nearly the same name. The "Ratatouille -- Anyone Can Cook Package" ushers families into the Roosevelt Grill kitchen for a cooking lesson with the chefs and then sits them down for dinner to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Priced at $1,443 for a family of four, the culinary caper also serves up two nights' accommodations, a DVD of the movie and, for the most discerning of rats, a gourmet-cheese turndown. "Ratatouille" reaches its sell-by date March 31. (1-888-833-3969; www.the roosevelthotel.com)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
AROUND THE REGION

'National Treasure' in S.D.: Tourism officials believe that the new Nicolas Cage movie, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," could bring more visitors to South Dakota. Locations where filming took place include Mount Rushmore and Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park, in the Black Hills. The state has posted information about the sites, along with movie trailers and interviews -- on the state tourism website, www.TravelSD.com/nationaltreasure. The film opens Friday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
THIS JUST IN

Last-minute spring break: If you're looking ahead to spring break, some folks would say you're already too late. A survey of 217 Carlson Wagonlit travel agents asked "When should spring break travelers book vacations to lock in best value?" The survey, conducted Oct. 31-Nov. 9, found that 53 percent said, "They should have done so a month ago or earlier." Only 2 percent said spring break planners looking for value have until the end of December.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WEB WATCH

Expedia scores with NFL: Expedia.com announced a multiyear deal to become the official travel sponsor of the National Football League. In addition to travel deals and NFL-focused destination information, Expedia.com customers can purchase vacation packages including tickets to league events such as the 2008 Pro Bowl. Book a hotel on a Monday for a stay of two or more nights in any NFL team city and receive as much as $100 to spend on NFLShop.com. Visit www.expedia.com/daily/promos/deals/nfl.
WALL STREET JOURNAL
ODDBALL OFFERINGS

ABBA museum, karaoke, too: Fans may want to book a trip to Stockholm in June 2009 for the opening of a museum dedicated to the Swedish pop group ABBA. The museum will chronicle the quartet's journey toward global stardom in the 1970s and their split in the early '80s. Band members -- Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Reuss -- are not participating in the project, but have donated costumes and materials. The 70,000-square-foot museum will include a dance floor, recording studio, wardrobe and karaoke-singing -- to ABBA songs, of course.
ASSOCIATED PRESS


TREND WATCH

More choices for solos: As travel companies look for new ways to expand business, they are increasingly courting solo travelers. Roughly one in 10 leisure travelers hits the road alone, according to the Travel Industry Association, and more travel companies, from specialty tour operators to individual resorts, are creating packages that cater to those customers.
NEW YORK TIMES