Hop over to Kangaroo Island
It sounds like an amusement park. But Kangaroo Island, 30 minutes by air from Adelaide, Australia, is just the opposite. With more than a third of the island protected by natural reserves, this remote, pristine wilderness — seven times the size of Singapore — has immense stretches of unsullied bushland. Birders, animal lovers and nature buffs flock here to wander the largesse of Flinders Chase National Park, which offers penguin colonies, the sea-sculpted Remarkable Rocks and the stalactite-dripping Admirals Arch. KI's wild beaches, historic lighthouses and rugged scenery can be accessed by ranger-supervised roads and pathways. Opened to the public in May, the new Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a nearly 38-mile, five-day hike, ushers audacious trekkers on a botanically distinctive immersion. Independent trekkers pay about $124 to do the walk (tourkangarooisland.com.au).
Chicago Tribune
Save in the Bahamas
Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas, a new adults-only, all-inclusive resort overlooking Nassau Harbour, is celebrating its opening with savings of at least 30 percent. For example, two people sharing an island-view king room in early February pay $409 a night, a savings of $271. Rate includes meals, drinks, activities, tips and taxes. Stay through Oct. 31, 2017; holiday blackouts apply. Book by Dec. 21 (1-888-645-5550, warwickhotels.com/paradise-island-bahamas).
Washington Post
Dinosaurs of Montana
With one of the nation's largest collections of dinosaur bones, the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont., is a feast of excitement for dino fans — especially for those who adore the frilled Triceratops, the fierce T-Rex and the poignant, birdlike spectacle of dinosaur eggs in nests. The dinosaur collection is introduced rather slowly, with a quiet section for families and a window where you can watch paleontologists work on specimens. The second room is a moody and slightly dark exploration of dinosaur evolution, punctuated by a model of a sly raptor, Deinonychus Antirrhopus, in full-feathered, garish glory as it attacks a Tenontosaurus. Then, pow. Turn a couple corners and you walk into a giant room full of gorgeously astounding dinosaur skeletons. There is a whole row of Triceratops, from small juveniles to heavy adults. We also loved the exhibits about dinosaurs' ties to present-day birds. In front of the museum is an Allosaurus (replica) skeleton named Big Mike. He is happy to be in your selfies.
Detroit Free Press
More free Wi-Fi, parking
Hotels are plying guests with more freebies, including wireless internet, parking and a hot breakfast. But some extras that have long been a staple of the hotel industry are disappearing, including swimming pools, minibars and room service. Among the findings of an online survey of more than 8,000 U.S. hotels, 98 percent said they offer in-room Wi-Fi and only 9 percent of them charge for the service. But some of the extras that travelers have come to expect at hotels are going away, including room service, which is offered at 22 percent of hotels this year, compared with 37 percent in 2014. Only 3 percent of hotels now install minibars in rooms, down from 6 percent in 2014. Swimming pools are also evaporating: 43 percent of hotels have them, down from 47 percent.
Los Angeles Times
