Travel

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – We were expecting to see plenty of wildlife on a winter outing to Yellowstone National Park, but – silly us – we thought we might have to get through the entrance first. As we drove through the gateway community of Gardiner, Mont., toward the Roosevelt Arch, the century-old ceremonial north entrance to Yellowstone, we were distracted by the action on the gridiron at Gardiner Public School.

Man vs. Wild

Welcome to the Eco-Traveler

REYKJAVIK, Iceland – We figured the driver taking us to a New York airport didn’t know much about our destination when we said we were going to Iceland and he asked us to spell it. “Oh,” he said. “The bankrupt country.” Yes, the bankrupt country. Not the volcanic island south of the Arctic Circle with the near-lunar terrain that astronauts once practiced on. Not the home of a swinging Reykjavik nightlife, and other-worldly native musicians like Bjork and Sigur Ros. Not the land with spectacular scenery and bubbling geothermal pools.

The value of the U.S. dollar  is surging, gas prices are at their lowest levels in four years, and hotel rates are softening. If you can afford a vacation, 2009 will be “the year of travel deals,” predicts Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor of Travelocity. “As long as the economic slowdown continues, deals will abound for people who do have discretionary income to travel,” she says. Pauline Frommer, the guidebook writer, agrees. “Because of the sharp drop off in bookings, we’re seeing some pretty deep discounts to just about everywhere,” Frommer says, citing as an example Walt Disney World’s offer of seven nights for the price of four. “It’s definitely going to be a buyers’ market next year,” she says. But even though travel is becoming more affordable, more people are expected to stay home due to the recession. The Travel Industry Association predicts a 1.3 percent drop in 2009 leisure travel. Here’s a closer look at some travel trends for the coming year: Travel abroad: In April, it cost $1.60 to buy a euro. As of mid-December, a euro cost just $1.36, meaning your dollar went nearly 20 percent further.

LAS VEGAS – Things are noticeably quieter on the Las Vegas Strip these days, and casinos usually known to boast excess are dropping prices to cope with a bad economy that has hit Sin City particularly hard. It might seem weird, since people generally think one thing when they come to Las Vegas: Big money. But enough inexpensive fun exists here to fill a trip without stinging stakes. Examples: $45 rooms at the Monte Carlo, slow-paced poker games and free attractions, from lion-watching to a manmade volcano. Among the low-cost options: Free entertainment: Lounge acts and good people-watching posts are plentiful on the Strip, but it’s tough to beat the beauty of the fountains at Bellagio.

Big Mountain They just renamed this “Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain,” but it’s just Big Mountain to Montanans.

NUREMBERG, Germany – This time of year, the Christmas spirit descends on Germany’s cities and towns in the form of wooden stalls laden with pretzels, toys and baked goods of all shapes and sizes. More than 130 places in Germany host Christmas markets, each one emphasizing regional specialties and flair.