Top 10 Winter Break Tips for Seniors

by Janet Groene

1. Amelia Island FL can get frosty in winter, so stay and play at off-season rates. Seniors 55 and over and AARP members ages 50 and over get a double room with continental breakfast, refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker at the Best Western Fernandina Beach for $59.46. Walk deserted beaches, fly a kite, play tennis or golf, and shop and dine the old city.

2. Bethel ME offers Silver Strides, Golden Glides vacation ski packages any Sunday through Thursday for those 50 and better. For $199 per person, double occupancy, get three nights with breakfast at a choice of inns, a three-day trail pass, use of snowshoes and the latest X-C ski equipment, and a daily lesson or guided ski tour. Tel. 800-442-5826.

3. Cruise West, known for small ships that nudge into harbors that cruise liners can't visit, goes winter whale watching in Baja. For under $5,000 per couple per week get meals, programs, exploring in zippy Zodiacs with professional naturalists, taxes and port fees. Sign now for early booking discounts; AARP members also get a $100 per person shipboard credit. Tel. 888-851-8133.

4. Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, Winter Haven FL, had a near-death experience with hurricanes and financial woes but is open again with gardens that have been awesome since 1938. New are rides, a killer coaster, and concerts. The butterfly conservatory and glass-bottom boats are still here. Seniors pay $5 less than the $34.95 admission and get a second day free within six days. Tel. 863-324-2111

5. Fort Myers FL is so eager to show how well it survived the 2004 hurricanes, motel rooms go to seniors for as little as $47.50. (That's the Quality Hotel Historic District.) Other senior discounts are found at the ultra-classy Hyatt Regency Coconut Point (from $132.50), Admiral Lehigh Golf Resort ($67.50) and Holiday Inn Riverwalk (from $72). Tel. 800-237-6444.

6. Homewood Mountain Resort, Homewood, CA on the west shore of Lake Tahoe offers Senior Moment Mondays when guests over 62 get a lift ticket, lunch and a group lesson for $25. Buy lift tickets for two days in a row for $10 a day. Tel. 877-525-7669. If you're 75 or over, lift tickets are always free at Squaw Valley USA, 530-583-6985.

7. Juneau AK is a hushed wonderland in winter after cruise crowds leave. See nightly aurora borealis spectacles and Native American events. Hike snowy woods, go dog mushing, and dine in snug restaurants and pubs. Seniors 55 and better and AARP members 50 and over get a double room with full breakfast at the Best Western Grandma's Feather Bed for $107.96 nightly. Tel. 800-982-3785.

8. Norway is the "old country" to thousands of Americans who love visiting their ancestors' homeland. With Norwegian Coastal Voyage, sail the fjords in a snug cabin with private bath. Attend winter festivals in fishing villages, feast on Norwegian specialties, and be hilariously initiated when you cross the Arctic Circle. Only in winter can you see Northern Lights at their best. Seniors ages 67 and up get $115 off per person; AARP members ages get $100 off per cabin. Discounts can be combined. NCL is one of the few cruise lines that does not charge a single supplement. 800-666-2374.

9. Seattle WA is a vibrant city to walk, shop and sightsee in winter yet socko skiing is just a stone's throw from downtown. Visit museums, hang out in coffee shops, dine at the waterfront and save on AAA Four-Diamond luxury by booking the Glam-Ma package at Hotel Monaco, 206-621-1770 or the Grandparent Package at Hotel Vintage Park., 206-624-8000.

10. Steamboat up a lazy river on board the paddlewheeler American Queen. Unlike "loveboat" cruising, steamboating is laidback and folksy. For one price (from $695 per person for a three-night cruise), enjoy a spacious cabin decorated in Victoriana, New Orleans-inspired cuisine, shows, ice cream on the "front porch", plantation visits, and exciting Mississippi River scenery around the clock. Visit Cruises.com and click on the Over 55 box or call 800-288-6006.

List courtesy of Janet Groene, author Fantastic Discounts & Deals for Anyone Over 50