HERE
A new display at Old Sturbridge Village
See the new Cabinetmaking Shop at Old Sturbridge Village, which celebrates the region’s 19th-century woodworkers. The shop, created by local craftspeople and the village’s interpretive staff, includes a wood-burning stove, a small external woodshed, and period tools, doors, and shelves. The village used historic and modern building methods to construct the shop and milled the large timbers for the project on its sawmill. Old Sturbridge Village is one of the country’s oldest and largest living history museums. It celebrates its 75th anniversary this year with commemorative items for sale, a gala event next June, and an exhibition on the history of parades in New England, which runs through July 2023. Admission: free for age 3 and under to $28 for age 18 and older. 800-733-1830, www.osv.org
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Hotel pampers visiting dogs
Tempted to take your pooch on your travels? You’re not alone. Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza has seen a 62 percent increase in the number of guests traveling with their dogs over the past two years. In response, the hotel has launched its Fairmont Furiend room package, in partnership with the Boston Barkery, which creates all-natural doggy biscuits at its new Copley Place location. The hotel will treat your dog as a VIP (Very Important Pup) from the minute you walk through the door. All visitors with dogs receive a 20 percent discount card for Boston Barkery, a printed dog-friendly guide to Boston, and access to a biscuit bar with yummy treats. Book the package and get a Fairmont bandana, a biscuit box from Boston Barkery, and in-room amenities such as a dog bed, water bowl, and mat. Package rates start at $349; regular rates for pet-traveling guests start at $319. 617-267-5300, www.fairmont-copley-plaza.com
THERE
Say aloha to Hawaii and the whales
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Hawaii welcomes travelers again starting Nov. 8, just in time for kohola (“whale”) season. More than 10,000 humpbacks visit the islands to breed and nurse their young from November through April. Heading to Maui? The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa on the island’s west side has launched its new Kohola in Kaanapali whale season package, valid Dec. 1 through April 15. It includes two complimentary cocktails and top whale watching views from its new open-air lobby restaurant The Sandbar (try the tuna poke cones and garlic-parmesan fries), a s’mores kit, and access to beachside firepits for roasting marshmallows, reef-friendly sunscreen, and fish ID cards. The Sheraton sits in a protected bay with some of the area’s best snorkeling (look for the giant sea turtles), and offers a lagoon pool with cabanas for rent, spacious rooms that include a private lanai or patio, and easy access to town. As a highlight each night, the resort’s cliff diver leaps off the 16-foot-high Pu’u Keka’a (“Black Rock”), believed to be one of the island’s three portals to the afterworld. Packages start at $709 per night with a minimum three-night stay. 866-716-8140, www.sheratonmaui.com
See San Diego with CityPASS
Get close to orcas and beluga whales, stand on the bridge of a US warship, and take a trolley ride to one of the country’s top zoos. CityPASS has just launched its new San Diego CityPASS program, which offers access to SeaWorld San Diego and/or LEGOLAND California in addition to three of the following attractions: the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park (pick one), the USS Midway Museum, a one-hour harbor cruise with City Cruises, and a Silver Pass tour with Old Town Trolley Tours, which lets you hop on and off at 11 different sites, offers a full day of unlimited re-boarding, and includes many perks and discounts. Take nine days to visit these sites after activating your pass. If your plans change, you have 365 days post-purchase to return your unactivated CityPASS ticket for a full refund. Insider tip: Book advance reservations even if they aren’t required, since capacity restrictions at some sites still apply. Passes start at $129 ages 3-12, $149 for age 13 and older. www.citypass.com/san-diego
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EVERYWHERE
An ultra-compact tripod
Vanguard’s new VEO 3T camera tripods are packed with features, and compact and light enough for travel. The VEO 3T 265HCBP carbon fiber tripod weighs just 4.2 pounds, including the Arca-compatible ball head, the QS-72T quick-shoe plate that lets you attach a DSLR camera or a smartphone (the plate has a built-in phone mount), a Bluetooth remote control for hands-free shooting, and a lightly padded shoulder bag. The legs have five adjustable sections that extend the tripod height to 65.4 inches; one removable leg attaches to the ball head to turn the tripod into a 67-inch-tall monopod. The tripod supports up to 26.5 pounds and has two built-in bubble levels to ensure accuracy. It also comes with removable spiked feet and a removable hook (just hang a bag or other weighted object for support) that help secure the tripod when shooting outdoors. The easy-to-adjust legs quickly fold up, with the tripod measuring just 17.3 inches long when packed. $299.99. www.vanguardworld.com
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Plush and palatial glamping tents
Extend your outdoor living space or take your glamping adventures to a new level with Life inTents’ canvas bell tents. Choose from the Fernwah or the Stella Stargazer, which has clear roof panels. The 16-foot versions of both tents offer 212 square feet of floor space — enough to fit two queen-size beds or eight sleeping bags — and 9 feet 8 inches of overhead space at the center pole. Take a tent adventuring or pitch it in your backyard to serve as a bug-free hangout zone or a home base for visitors. Each tent sets up in about 30 minutes — faster once you get the hang of it. Zip open the half-moon-shaped windows or roll up the entire lower half of the tent for ventilation; mesh netting keeps bugs and critters out. The tent, which is made of military-grade waterproof cotton canvas, shrugs off driving rain and stands up to 50 m.p.h. wind gusts. If you leave it up longer than a couple of weeks or in drippy weather, make sure you treat it with fabric guard to prevent mildew, as with any canvas. $1,590-$1,690. www.lifeintents.com
KARI BODNARCHUK
Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at travelwriter@karib.us.