Las Vegas Art Museum closing next week

By Kristen Peterson

The Las Vegas Art Museum is closing its doors.

The museum will close Feb. 28. Staff and board members say the museum will remain an entity and keep its name so that it can possibly reemerge when the economy improves. Members and docents were notified this afternoon.

“We’ve tried everything to keep this afloat. It’s just a challenging time,” says Patrick Duffy, president to the museum’s board. “The economic climate has eliminated several of our donations and or reduced them significantly.”

The decision comes less than three months after executive director Libby Lumpkin resigned because the board announced that budget cuts would affect salaries and result in possible layoffs.

Lumpkin joined the museum in 2005 and with the board took the institution from a community art center to a contemporary art museum, featuring exhibits that included “Southern California Minimalism,” including work by Robert Irwin, John McCracken and James Turrell; a Frank Gehry exhibit; and “Las Vegas Diaspora: The Emergence of Contemporary Art from the Neon Homeland.”

“Las Vegas Diaspora” featured the work of artists who had studied at UNLV with Dave Hickey.

It’s current exhibit “L.A. Now,” curated by art critic David Pagel, features work by Los Angeles contemporary artists.

The museum formed 59 years ago as an art league. In 1974 it became a fine art museum and in 1997 it moved into the Sahara West Library on 9600 W. Sahara Ave.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/feb/20/economy-leads-closing-las-vegas-art-museum/

Spring break: Should you stay or should you go?

By Helen Anders

A lot of Texans are playing wait-and-see with their spring break plans this year, and the result is a lot of last-minute deals as destinations try to boost their crowds.

In past years, if you didn't have your spring break destination booked by January, you were in danger of not finding a place to stay.

That's not the case this year. There are still plenty of rooms available with prices at or below last year's rates in South Padre Island, Corpus Christi and Galveston, as well as such other spring break destinations as Orlando and Panama City, Fla., and Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Ski resorts in Utah and Colorado also are offering good rates.

Austin-area resorts such as Horseshoe Bay Resort and Hyatt Lost Pines Resort also have deals on the table, hoping to lure people who can't afford to travel far.

Procrastinators who want to go to Cancún, Quintana Roo, might be out of luck, though. There are hotel rooms available, but "air to Mexico is hard to find now," says travel agent Sally Watkins of Century Travel.

Most schools and colleges in Texas have their spring break the week of March 16 this year. Austin's South by Southwest festival is also that week, and some people might be staying for that, if the number of festival volunteers is any indication.

"We had almost twice the number that normally show up" to volunteer, says SXSW publicist Elizabeth Derczo. "Our speculation was that people weren't going to be going out of town at spring break, so they wanted something to do, or perhaps they were out of a job and either wanted to volunteer so they could attend because they couldn't afford to otherwise, or to attend to network and hopefully find a job."

Spring break destinations are keenly aware that the economy is working against them this year, and competition is so fierce that some tourism pitches are starting to sound like political campaigns.

In one television interview, Corpus Christi Beach Hotels Sales Director Carla Ligon said that city expects heavy spring break bookings because hurricanes hit both South Padre Island and Galveston last year, and "we are truly the only beach destination in Texas."

That's not the case. South Padre Island's beaches are in good shape . Galveston had more erosion, although it has beaches open, including a lot of freshly replenished beaches along the sea wall. The big beaches on the island's west end have been cleaned but are still badly eroded.

Travel agents and student booking companies agree more people are waiting to plan spring break this year.

"For whatever reason, to wait and see about the weather or maybe whether they have any money, the trend seems to be last-minute," says Patrick Evans, spokesman for Dallas-based STA Travel, which books student trips.

Although some Galveston hotels are still filled with disaster workers, the visitor Web site, www.galveston.com, shows numerous rooms available the week of March 16 for between $55 and $120. Weekends are a bit higher. Galveston is primarily a family destination.

South Padre Island, where students predominate during March, has hotel rates similar to last year's - starting about $200 a night booked directly through hotels - although South Padre-based Inertia Tours books seven-night packages in major condo complexes, meals and parties included, starting at about $400 a person.

Inertia President Chad Hart says its bookings are nearly sold out, with most of its students coming from Texas State University-San Marcos, Texas Tech and the University of North Texas rather than the University of Texas.

Overall, though, South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Dan Quandt says, South Padre's bookings are a little behind last year's pace. And last year wasn't a banner year: About 60,000 students visited the beaches in March. Quandt is hoping numbers get to that point this year.

Rates might be staying high because a few big hotels, notably the Sheraton, still haven't reopened after being damaged by Hurricane Dolly. The hotel closest to the spring break stage, the Radisson, changed ownership this year and is now Isla Grand . It still has rooms available at $289 a night, with a maximum of four people per room.

Neither South Padre tourism officials nor tour operators are urging students to visit Mexico while they're in South Texas. A U.S. State Department alert warns about drug violence in the border regions.

Cancún, on the other hand, is a Yucatán tourist haven and isn't included in the State Department alert. Hart says, however, that the destination isn't as popular this year.

"International spring break destination travel is down across the board for spring break by over 50 percent from year," he says. "Parents are pulling back."

On the other hand, STA's Evans says his agency has booked as many trips to Cancún as last year and that Texans have also booked trips to London, Rome and Madrid, where money exchange rates have improved from last year.

Domestically, many destinations, including Orlandoand Lake Havasu City, are offering third or fourth nights free, along with buy-one-get-one-free attraction tickets and "kids eat free" promotions.

In Panama City, Fla., prices are about like last year's, according to Dan Rowe, president of that city's convention and visitors bureau.

"Students are calling around shopping for a deal," Rowe says.

Cancun Hotels, Cancun Travel

http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/travel/02/21/0221springbreak.html

Spring break still goin' strong

NEW YORK -- College students don't seem to be planning staycations for spring break. Bookings to beach destinations are strong, according to travel companies, and volunteering vacations continue to gain steam. Here's how students will be spending their break:

Beaches: Jamaica and, in Mexico, Cancun and Acapulco are top destinations, according to Patrick Evans of STA Travel. About 30,000 revelers are expected to visit Cancun this year, about the same number as last year.
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In the United States, Panama City Beach, Fla., remains a top destination for the college crowd, according to Jason Chute, director of operations for StudentCity.com. Once again the beach hosts mtvU's Spring Break party March 8-21.

Adventure: Demand for trips to Asia and Australia is up, according to Atle Skalleberg of StudentUniverse.com. France, Italy, Spain and the U.K. remain popular, he said.

"The exchange rate is still not great for Americans, but it is a lot better, and that seems to be enough," he said.

Alternatives: Spring break volunteering is growing exponentially.

"We're farther away from Katrina, but President Obama was just elected," said Steven Roy Goodman, educational consultant. "There has been a real resurgence of a spirit of service."

And students can solicit donations to cover the cost of alternative spring breaks, said Goodman.

Jimmy Camacho, 26, a senior at San Diego State, will be working in Honduras to bring clean water access to a village.

About 40 students are going, and many of them are interested in the Peace Corps.

"I think this program was attractive in that it's only a week and not a two-year commitment," Camacho said. "It gives you work experience while allowing you to experience a new country and make a lot of new friends."

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090221/LIVING/902210315/1007/LIVING

Surviving Spring Break in Cancun for adults

by John Frenaye

The beach was pristine. The clear blue water of the lagoon-style pool beckoned. The food was fabulous and the room exquisite.

After years of planning, Brian Mayers was finally able to escape the pressures of his job with the Anne Arundel County, Md., Fire Department to take a well-deserved break from his three kids. He had arranged for the pet, house, and baby sitters. He and his wife were finally headed to the paradise called Cancun to celebrate an anniversary.

But when Mayers landed in the tropical paradise on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, he found he wasn’t alone.

Thousands of spring breakers were also there, waiting to spoil his dream. “They took over the pool, and when they weren’t in the pool they were taking over the bars,” he remembers. “Kids passing out and vomiting all over this luxury property was not what I had in mind. The hotel even removed all of the fire extinguishers because the kids were stealing them.”

Mayers went on to describe the other antics he encountered, ranging from being flashed from the balcony to having other guests pound on his door at 4 a.m., to enduring food fights at the buffet.

What’s an adult to do?

Avoid hot dates. Spring break comes into full swing every year in early March and continues through early May and it is no longer limited to the college crowd. Today’s spring breakers are younger and more apt to be inexperienced in traveling, and in the case of the spring break ritual — drinking. When you book your trip, keep these two months in mind. Your travel agent can discretely inquire about the guests and get a good feel for you. Some subtle questions to ask your travel planner might include:

* How many rooms will accept four people? (Most spring breakers pack as many people in a room as possible.)
* Are there any groups that are booked into the resort? (Sometimes schools and travel agencies will sponsor spring break trips.)
* How many vacant rooms are there now? (Spring break is a coming of age ritual and is typically planned at least 5 to 6 months in advance.)

Grow up. There is a growing segment of the vacation market that caters to the adult community. While spring breakers are technically considered adults, many of these properties require that you be at least 25 to book your trip, and many will not allow more than two per room. You will see very few spring breakers at resorts such as Sandals, Secrets, The Grand Lido or Couples resorts. If you are looking for a family oriented trip, Beaches or Breezes might be the best choice. What tends to separate these from the rest of the pack are inclusions and price. Any of these resorts will set you back a bit, but if you are seeking a civilized vacation, especially during the danger months, look to an adults-only resort that advertises itself as a resort for adults or couples.

Go to sea. Sometimes, the best way to avoid the spring breakers is to get on a boat as they are getting off of a plane. Again, most cruise lines do not accept individual passengers under 25. While a land-based resort may have hundreds of acres and many buildings, a cruise ship is a big floating hotel with 2,000 or more people. While they are very spacious, they are still relatively small and the crews are not very obliging towards behavior that would disrupt another guest. Cruising is still a growing business and they want you to return time and time again, and will go to the extreme to disembark a happy sailor.

Avoid the hotspots. While you probably want to go to a beach, think about avoiding the hot spots for spring break. Currently, Cancun, South Padre Island, Daytona Beach, and Key West are the “in” places for spring break with close to 70 percent of all spring breakers heading to one of those destinations. Why not avoid it entirely and head someplace else? To steer clear of the crowds, look to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico’s Riviera Maya, or even the Bahamas or Bermuda if it is a little later in the season. Hotspots will change, however. Fort Lauderdale went to great lengths to shed its spring break image after the city realized that it did more damage to its reputation than good. Any competent travel consultant will be able to give you a good idea where the kids are heading in any given year.

Complain now. If you somehow end up amid a throng of kids, make your dissatisfaction known at the time. Speak to the manager and ask to be relocated to another part of the resort or to another hotel if needed. It is always best to complain at the time of your displeasure. When you return, it is likely that the details will not be fresh — and possibly embellished since you have been stewing for a while and you will not get the resolve you want. The people who have the power to make you happy and correct the situation are on the boat, or in the hotel. If you still can’t resolve it, then get your agent involved when you return.

With a little common sense and some good planning, you can avoid a spring break disaster. There is no reason that your vacation should end up with pool full of anything more than the crystal clear water and other well-behaved guests.

Water Temperature in Cancun

http://www.examiner.com/x-3804-Baltimore-Family-Travel-Examiner~y2009m2d17-Surviving-Spring-Break-for-adults

Toes in the sand

By TIMOTHY MONAHAN

Sunshine, stiff drinks and miles of open coastline await travelers looking to escape brisk winds and frozen sidewalks this spring break. Students looking for the best way to battle the lion's roar next month can trek south of the border to thaw out their body, mind and adventurous spirit.

Cancun, Mexico has been a college favorite for years with its gorgeous Caribbean waters on the country's tropical Yucatan Peninsula. Avid travelers will find familiar territory, but those heading south of the Tropic of Cancer for the first time will receive the most unforgettable experience.

The Mexican city boasts archaeological sites, scuba diving, fishing tours, colonial sites, golf courses and plenty of beaches. According to www.cancun.com, the area around Cancun is small enough that visitors can conveniently traverse the countryside to visit world-renowned ecological parks and Mayan ruins.

The key to making spring break in Cancun more than just another beach bash is leaving the resort and experiencing the exclusive treasures of the Yucatan.

There are three primary Mayan sites within close proximity of Cancun as well as the Xel-Ha ecological park. According to www.cancun.com, Xel-Ha is known worldwide as the largest natural aquarium and includes a massive blue lagoon amid luscious green jungles.

The city of Cancun has plenty of buses and taxicabs available for visitors to travel in safety from location to location, with the bus being the cheapest form of transportation. Taxi fares are set depending on city zones, while buses can take students pretty much anywhere for 6.5 Mexican Pesos, according to www.cancun.travel.

Travelers looking for a taste of adventure can swim with dolphins and whale sharks, rent wave runners and take jungle tours, while those with experienced sea legs can take to the high seas.

According to www.cancun.travel, visitors interested in getting the most out of the Caribbean setting can put on their best Jack Sparrow

If sailing off into the sunset sounds intriguing, there are many Cancun dinner cruises that combine the beauty of the tropical seas with high quality cuisine and entertainment.

For the more timid travelers who like to keep things simple, there are plenty of activities to engage in right in the comfort of the resort area, but they center more on relaxation than adventure.

Helping students forget their studies for a week are miles of beaches, resort spas and shopping centers, according to www.cancun.travel.

Visitors can pamper themselves with a Thalassotherapy session, which combines natural seawater, marine algae and mud for the premium therapeutic experience. Following in ancient Mayan traditions, the popular Mayan Massages use essential oils and hot stones to help ease the pains of Buffalo winters.

When it comes to spending money at the shopping centers, students will find souvenirs for friends, as well as themselves, for any budget. According to www.cancun.travel, travelers will find everything from designer stores and famous brand names, to flea markets and handcrafted souvenir shops.

Helping visitors afford not only their travel and hotel, but also their vacation spending habits, is the considerable exchange rate.

According to www.economist.com, the currency rates as of Feb. 17, 2009 are 14.57 Mexican Pesos for every one U.S. dollar. This means hotels, travel and drinks will seem like great values compared to prices in the States; even a McDonald's Big Mac costs a dollar less in Mexico.

Plane tickets from Buffalo to Cancun range anywhere from $300 to $500 round-trip and give students plenty of choices for departure and arrival times, according to www.priceline.com.

Hotel prices range from the budget vacationer $100 per night up to a luxurious and ritzy $700 each night, with well over 100 hotels and resorts to choose from.

Spring break 2009 is right around the corner and it's never too late to plan an unforgettable experience that includes a bit of history, water sports and lots of drinks with little umbrellas.

Cancun Water Temperature

http://spectrum.buffalo.edu/article.php?id=39274

Money for high speed train could soon be coming to Las Vegas

Eight billion dollars from President Obama's stimulus package could be on its way to Nevada to help fund the long talked about high speed train.

The train would extend from Las Vegas to Anaheim, California and would only take 86 minutes to get from one city to another.

Its been talked about for more than a decade, but the funding was never there.

The train is called a Mag Lev.

Mag Lev stands for magnetic levitation, which is how the train travels on the track, by using magnets and electricity at a speed of 300mph.

To build one from Anaheim to Las Vegas would cost 12 to 14 billion dollars.

While the stimulus package doesn't say a word about the train, it does provide eight billion dollars for unspecified high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects.

"Money that shouldn't be spent right now, we need to worry about other things," Californian Eric Bragg says.

Bragg says we should worry about things like filling our gas tanks, or education, or even the housing crisis.

This eight billion is not ear marked to any specific project, so there is no guarantee Las Vegas will get all or any of the money.

There are several proposals for rail projects like this one across the country.

There's a 33 billion dollar plan to build one from Anaheim to San Francisco that will also compete for money from this package.

http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9850113

Antigua, Guatemala, is Wanderlust's top city for travel

Readers of the U.K. travel magazine Wanderlust voted the Guatemalan city of Antigua tops for travel in the magazine's annual awards. The Central American city bested Luang Prabang in Laos, winner for the previous two years, to the title.

The decision by U.K. readers and voters was noted with pride by the Guatemala Times in this report, in which Barbara Schieber wrote that it "is a great pride for Guatemala that La Antigua has been chosen as number one city in the world to visit. Number two is Kyoto in Japan, that is a tough one to beat. Paris and New York did not make it to the top ten."

Latin America has been doing well in travel awards of late. Mexico City was declared the world's top religious tourist destination in January, and Peru and Mexico's Michoacan were named two of the top ten cultural destination in the world by Forbes magazine.

Latin American countries dominated the Ethical Traveler's top 10 travel destinations and Conde Nast Traveler's readers' choice awards voted Mexico's San Miguel de Allende and Oaxaca among hemisphere's top 10 cities to visit.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2009/02/antigua-guatema.html