travel

As you careen along the narrow road between Positano and Amalfi on a hairpin turn, a rocky wall on one side and a 100-foot cliff on the other, you hold your breath at the sight of a tour bus filled with tourists coming directly at you.

When it comes to the winter holidays, there's nowhere quite as splendid as New York. And as the season of giving is inevitably also the season of shopping, there's also no better place to get gifts for everyone on your list and enjoy yourself at the same time.

Cruise tickets are $29 for adults, $21.50 for children and $18 for toddlers. Tickets may be purchased online at www.tnaqua.org/VisitorInfo/rge.asp or by phone at 800-262-0695. Combination tickets that also include admission to the Tennessee Aquarium and IMAX 3-D Theater are available.Chattanooga tourism information: www.chattanoogafun.com. Tennessee River Gorge Trust: www.trgt.org.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Mother Nature is redecorating "Tennessee's Grand Canyon" this time of year. The Tennessee River Gorge ignites with color and life. Cool weather orchestrates autumn's pageantry to a crescendo. The Tennessee River is one of the prettiest rivers anywhere in the world, claims Capt. Mike Hosemann. He and his brother, Capt.

A state-of-the-art ski and snowboard school for children, the arrival of snowboarders where none had been welcomed before, a variety of multimillion-dollar improvements at a premier resort and a new tram.Those are just some of the developments at these major Western resorts.COLORADOBeaver Creek

All the great travelers travel alone. It's the only way to go, they insist: There's no one trying to drag you to the Goya exhibit when you'd rather sip grappa in a cafe; there's no one lobbying for a stroll on the cobbled streets when you'd rather watch a Premier League game in a pub.

For months, Brian Davis and his four Duquesne University buddies plotted their May getaway -- a trip to celebrate his 21st birthday at the intersection of chance, kitsch and cleavage, better known as Las Vegas.

OSLO, Norway -- Call it the bridge of happy babel. The joyous crowd thronging across the wide stone arch seem to speak a dozen languages. In addition to Norwegian, I detect snatches of German, English, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese and several other tongues about which I have no clue.

PHILADELPHIA -- A first-time visit to Philadelphia revolves around key attractions such as Independence Hall, Liberty Bell Center and the National Constitution Center. When people pay a second visit or have more time to stay, a different spectrum of attractions moves into focus.