Winter sun & fun

Ebony, Jan, 1994

Why risk a heart attack shoveling snow when ordering a tropical drink is as easy as lifting a finger?

If you are stressed out from work and frustrated with winter's oppressive weather, escaping to a winter getaway of sun and sand may be the perfect remedy.

Whether it's the family-fun of Walt Disney World, the white-sand beaches of Jamaica, the spectacle of Mardi Gras in New Orleans or duty-free shopping in the U.S. Virgin Islands, this winter-travel season offers a smorgasbord of destinations and activities that are invigorating and affordable.

The first step to planning an enjoyable and reasonably priced vacation is to consult with a reputable travel agent to find the best hotel and airline rates. Ask about package deals that provide discount hotel rates, baby-sitting and supervised activities for children. Travelers should also check newspapers, individual airlines, Amtrak, Greyhound bus lines, hotels, charter groups, credit card companies and car rental firms for discount specials. Additionally, free Black historical guides of Florida, Alabama and Tennessee and listings of Black cultural events in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston and other major cities can help broaden your options.

If travel to the Caribbean is your pleasure, cruises offering jazz and photography themes are fast becoming one of the most popular getaways of the '90s. With increased competition among the Florida-based cruise lines, prices are affordable for the average consumer, says Larry Fishkin, president of Cruise Line, Inc. in Miami. "Cruises are an excellent value because they are all-inclusive," he says.

One of the most popular cruise ports in the Caribbean is Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands. For example, some Virgin island hotels offer romantic and secluded honeymoon packages for three nights priced under $1,000. Island hopping to St. Croix's biggest tourist attraction, the Buck Island Reef National Monument, and scuba diving in St. John's Cruz Bay are more accessible since American Eagle added daily flights.

To get your vacation off to a festive beginning, jet down to the Bahamas for the Junkanoo Parade on New Year's Day. Visitors are encouraged to participate in this colorful extravaganza that lasts until the wee hours. The Bahamas also offers miles of white-sand beaches, a variety of straw markets, and the nightlife in Freeport and Nassau sparkles with lively casinos and dance clubs.

Another Caribbean getaway hot spot, Jamaica, has several vacation packages to warm up frost-bitten travelers. If trimming your waistline is among your New Year's resolutions, there are back in shape spa programs at some hotels and villas in Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. All-inclusive resorts in Negril and Ocho Rios are complete with meals, drinks, airport transfers, hotel service charges and gratuities.

In March, college students can take advantage of Jamaica's "Spring Break 94" program, which offers discounted rates at selected hotels, attractions and restaurants in Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. In April, the island pulsates with the sounds of calypso and reggae at the Jamaica Carnival '94 which features street dances, parties and a kiddie street parade.

If you prefer a more peaceful vacation, consider Bermuda. This horseshoe-shaped island, located just 240 miles off the coast of North Carolina, combines British charm and sophistication. It also has pristine beaches and offers excellent golf courses. The "68-Degree Temperature Guarantee" offers guests of participating hotels 20 percent off their daily room rates--in addition to the traditional 15 to 20 percent savings--any day when the temperature doesn't reach 68 degrees. In addition to room-rate deductions, designated island retail shops offer discounts.

Hawaii remains one of the more popular winter destinations outside the Caribbean. These luscious islands, lapped by the blue Pacific, wreathed in salt spray and crowned by mountain mists, are also a favorite of honeymooners. Hotel and tour rates in Hawaii this winter are considerably lower than last season. United Airlines and other airlines offer special packages that include roundtrip fare from Los Angeles to Honolulu and hotel accommodations for three nights.

Closer to home, sunny Florida offers an array of popular and warm weather vacations. Walt Disney World outside Orlando has three new hotels, an all-new Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction at Disney-MGM Studios, Mickey Mouse's Sorcerer's Apprentice stage show at Epcot Center's Future World, and a new venue for adults, Pleasure Island Jazz Company, showcasing jazz and blues nightly.

In Orlando, Universal Studios Florida continues to attract families to its multisensory ride adventure "Jaws." Another attraction is the "Fifth Annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities" held jan. 20-24 in Eatonville, Fla., which will examine Hurston's life and the international impact of African-American art and culture.

Miami, a traditional winter vacation spot, is a vibrant metropolis with pastel-colored hotels, clean beaches and a diverse ethnic population. Some airlines offer vacation packages to scenic Miami that include roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations, rental car, and airport transfers.