How to escape the winter blahs

Ebony, Jan, 1989

How To Escape The Winter Blahs

HEMMED in by winters woes? Stressed out from job pressures? What better reason to take a short vacation than to escape the dreaded winter blahs!

You can choose from Caribbean resorts to ski slopes to sightseeing trips across the U.S. Whether you travel by air, rail, bus or boat, your holiday can be a memorable experience -- and frugal, too. Contrary to popular belief cruises are affordable and within reach of most people. Indeed Florida-based cruise lines are luring vacationers with an array of entertaining but low priced trips.

For example, Premier Cruises of Port Canaveral, Fla., has a "Cruise and Disney Week" that allows passengers a side trip to Walt Disney World, before or after a four-day cruise to the Bahamas, for as little as $495 per person. Arrangements include a three-night stay at a deluxe hotel in Orlando, rental car, unlimited admission to Disney's Magic Kingdom and a free tour of the Kennedy Space Center.

Airlines, too, can recharge your batteries at low cost. To fill empty seats on weekends when few business trips are taken, Eastern Airlines has established a "Weekender Club" to lure budget-conscious travelers with hassle-free fare discounts. Members pay a nominal fee to join ($175 for two adults, with no charge for children under 12) but can quickly recoup the investment with just a single trip from New York to, say, Puerto Rico. Two nights at the Sands Hotel and Casino in San Juan cost the weekender just $248-- a savings of $539. Several U.S. airlines can take you to just about every other major Caribbean destination.

The U.S. Virgin Islands is so popular with honeymooners and vacationers alike that travel agents claim there is something special about St. Croix, St. John's and St. Thomas--most beautiful water, best diving area, and so on; and the quota for duty-free shopping is $800 per person, double that of other Caribbean islands.

For a vacation with a difference, you can experience the decidely British charm of Barbados; motor through miles of sugarcane fields, frolic in the invigorating surf of a coconut-fringed beachfront, and party cruise on a pirate ship with plenty of rum punch while the night comes alive with calypso and steelband music.

When travelers say it's better in the Bahamas, they refer to a broad spectrum of tourist amenities that appeal to the casino gambler, golfer, tennis enthusiast, deep-sea fisherman, water sports enthusiast or disco dancer. The Bahamas can turn winter's scowl into a sunny smile in the length of time it takes to book a four-day, three-night package on the Bahamas Express from Newark, N.J. You can find your own Shangri-la for about $421 per person, double occupancy, by calling your travel agent for details.

For a Dutch treat with a twist, Aruba and Curacao are the places to be. Thrifty travelers can vacation in style and enjoy tremendous bargains. Aruba's charming guest houses and apartments cost as little as $20 a day. And Curacao, where the cuisine ranges from continental to the adventurous, offers three nights at the Princess Beach Hotel for $430 per person double occupancy including air fare from Miami.

If your are searching for a more sedate, peaceful vacation, though, consider the Lesser Antilles. St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Dominica combine unspoiled charm, scenic views and creole food with cooling dips in gin-clear waters for those with retreat in mind. Get there before the secret is uncovered by hordes of vacationers wanting to get off the beaten path.

They aren't teeming with traffic nor do they cater to heavy crowds, and their night life features no casino gambling at all, but St. Kitts and Nevis and Dominica offer hospitality and tranquility.

For jetsetters, Hibiscus Holiday of New York City can fly you to St. Lucia on a Sun-Shuttle package that includes accommodations for a three- to seven-night stay at rates ranging from $420 to $495 per person double occupancy. Also, Anchor Travel in Tenafly, N.J., puts together trips to St. Vincent that are tailored to the individual's needs. A five-day stay in Bequia in the Grenadines costs $878 per person double, including discount air fare from New York and two meals daily, and you get to rub elbows with the rich and famous, too.

There are many other winter destinations of interest besides Carribbean resorts. Massachusetts, in particular, is famous for its blend of rustic grace and historic appeal. Sample Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace, enjoy downhill skiing, or explore the Black Heritage Trail. You can travel to New England by train and ride in style and comfort.

What sets Amtrak apart from all other modes of transportation is the number of places the train can take you. Now is a good time to visit relatives in the South. Better yet, combine several routings and really see America. Call Amtrak for a free brochure on touring the country at great savings. Or, call Greyhound and inquire about discount-travel bus tickets, including a $59 moneysaver special to your favorite city. All it takes is a desire to escape the winter doldrums.