Medford mail tribune., May 29, 1960, Image 33

7W
Catalina Island offers a Riviera setting.
FIVE FUN VACATIONS
ON A BUDGET
(Continued J
the Carolinas to rocky, pine-studded
islands in New England, Minnesota,
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Washington.
At many of these islands you can
have all the privacy you like and yet
not want for things to do. Sanibel
(reached by ferry from Punta Rassa,
Fla.) has a permanent population of
only 100. A low, lonely, lovely strip of
sand right out of an old Dorothy La
mour movie, it is covered with lush
vegetation and tens of thousands of
shells (the beach is one of the nation's
best shell-gathering grounds). It is un
excelled for swimming and fishing.
Depending on the particular island
you choose, you can also enjoy boating,
hiking, golfing, tennis, or exploring.
The cost of vacationing on an island
varies widely. Housekeeping cottages
may rent from $20 to $50 a week, while
room and board may range from $5 to
$10 a day. Some islands, like the 172
that make up the San Juan group
(reached by ferry from Anaeortes,
Wash.), have camping facilities for
which there is only a nominal charge.
3. Fun on a Farm
At a farm you will experience a Viay
of life completely different from the
one you know in the city or suburbs.
Thousands of farms all over the coun
try welcome paying guests to share
their pleasant hours, activities, peace,
and contentment. However, since taking
in guests is only a side line to their reg
ular routine, few farms offer anything
resembling plush hotel service. But ac
commodations are usually comfortable
and modern, and you'll live at least as
well as your host; in fact, you'll become
practically a member of the family.
On the smaller farms (which rarely
accommodate more than 10 guests),
you eat family-style around one big
table where second and third helpings
are. routine. You can, if you wish, also
pitch in with the farm chores milking
10 Fmriilu Weekly. May 29. I960
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the cows, feeding the chickens, and
churning butter. You'll probably find a
good swimming hole or trout stream
nearby. Depending on how energetic or
lazy you feel, other activities for you
usually include hay rides, country auc
tions, square-dancing, antique-shopping,
hunting, wiener roasts, or simply
lounging under a shade tree.
Rates for adults arc seldom more
than $35 to $40 a week; for children,
they usually range from $15 to $25.
4. Learn About Nature
If you have a place to leave the chil
dren for two weeks and want to learn
more about nature and the great out
of doors, you will find it rewarding to
enroll for a two-week session at one of
the four nature camps operated by the
National Audubon Society. Nearly 10,
000 adults have attended these sessions
at camps in Wisconsin, California,
Maine, and Connecticut.
The "tuition" fee of $105 covers all
living expenses as well as instruction,
which is extremely informal. You take
bird-watching tours and field trips by
foot, station wagon, and canoe,
i Only about 35 campers are accepted
for each session at the various camps,
so it's a good idea to make reservations
early. For application blanks and
further information, write to the Na
tional Audubon Society, 1130 Fifth
Ave., New York 28, N.Y.
5. Two-Wheel Vacations
Other outdoor lovers of a hardy na
ture will find an American Youth
Hostel bicycle trip just about the cheap
est vacation imaginable. Don't trke the
term "youth" too literally. Membership
in the AYH is open to all who are young
in spirit and who like getting places
under their own steam and meeting
new people. To qualify for an AYH
trip, you must be an AYH member
(cost: $2 to $6 a year; family member
ship, $7), be able to bicycle 30 miles a
day, be prepared to live ruggedly
(hard beds, cold water, sleep in the
open), and be willing to pitch in with
the group to make the trip successful
trippers take turns doing the cooking,
shopping, and other chores.
On these trips, you generally spend
the night at one of the 90-odd hostels
a school, lodge, camp, church, commu
nity center, farm, or private home.
Where no hostels are nearby, you stay
at a "Y," hotel, or camp out. (Among
the items of equipment you need are
a sleeping bag and eating utensils.)
Typical of the all-expense summer
trips sponsored by the AYH are four
week tours of New England (total cost:
$155), the Great Lakes region ($235),
Mexico ($345), and a five-week tour of
the Canadian Rockies ($350). For those
who have more time, there are all-expense
trips to Europe, such as a seven
week jaunt through France and the
Low Countries for $660.
If you are willing to forego the cusv
tomary camaraderie of traveling with
a group, or if you have young children
(15 is the minimum age required for
the group trips), you and your family
can plan your own itinerary and hostel
on your own. With overnight fees aver
aging only 75 cents, total expenses per
person need not be more than $2.50 or
$3 a day. AYH has a helpful fact sheet
for family hostelers, and further infor;
mation may be obtained by writing to
American Youth Hostels, 14 West
Eighth St., New York 11, N.Y.
To make the most of your vacation
time, tie in any of the foregoing ideas
with any special interests you may
have. For example, do you like music?
Then pick your vacation spot or plan
your trip so that it brings you near
one of the dozens of music festivals
(including jazz) that will be held all
over the country this year. If you have
the urge to learn to write, you can
attend any one of 50 summer writers'
conferences, lasting anywhere from
two days to two months, many con
ducted by famous authors.
Or you can combine any of these
ideas with others of your own. Are you
and your family torn between the de
sire to relax on a farm and sight-sec
in New York City? Well, some farms
are not more than 35 miles from New
York, so you can do both!
FitmilD Weekll, Moi29, I960 11