Acapulco promotion campaign

Battered by recent storms, Acapulco plans to wage a campaign announcing that neither its resorts not its beaches were damaged by recent storms that hit residential areas. Backed by state government funds, Acapulco says it also will be helped by Apple Vacations and Go-Go Vacations, while press support is expected from Travel Age West, Recommend, Travel Agent Magazine and others. Acapulco in recent years has seen a decline in international tourism, but grown as a holiday destination for Mexico City, which has a metropolitan area population exceeding 20 million.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

San Miguel de Allende The Best

Readers of Conde Nast Traveler this year  decided that San Miguel de Allende is Mexico’s best tourist city. Roughly in the center of the country, charming and picturesque, San Miguel gained fame as an expatriate art colony and now is a favorite with retiring baby boomers. Recently it announced that November and December will be festival months, starting with the Day of the Dead on November 2, followed by a  jazz and blues fest, a series of theatrical productions, restaurants serving favorite dishes of Frida Kahlo and Diego Riviera, etc.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Mazatlán–Durango Highway completed

Twelve years after it was started, and after the construction of 166 bridges plus viaducts and more than 11 underground miles in 61 tunnels, the 140-mile-long Mazatlan to Durango Highway opened this week. It is the biggest single public works project undertaken in Mexico this century. The Baluarte Bridge, 3,688 feet over the valley floor, is the highest of its kind in the world. Although not built with tourism in mind, the road now makes possible day trips from the port to legendary, Brigadoon-like Durango, least-visited state capital in the country. Isolated by ore-rich mountains, Durango is the town the Colorado ski resort is named for.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Xanterra Resumes Normal Operations

Now that the federal government shutdown is behind us, Xanterra Parks & Resorts — the country’s largest national park concessioner — has resumed normal operations of lodges, restaurants, gift shops and activities in parks open year round. Operations in several other parks have closed for the season.

“Naturally, we are very pleased that we can welcome travelers from around the world back to our national parks and that our dedicated employees can get back to work,” said Andrew N. Todd, president and CEO of Xanterra. “During this difficult period, I have been especially proud of the patience and dedication of our employees.”

Fall is a terrific season for traveling to several of the national parks where Xanterra operates, including the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Utah’s Zion National Park and California’s Death Valley National Park.

For more information on park operations, go to www.nps.gov.

Color Peaking in Mountain Areas

It’s the middle of October and color is peaking in all mountain areas of California. Color has now dropped to the 7,000-foot elevation in the Sierra and Cascades, with peak now occurring throughout Mono County (Eastern Sierra). It is now past peak in the upper reaches of Inyo County’s Bishop Creek Canyon, west of Bishop, though color is appearing in the Owens Valley.  
Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains are at full peak with the San Jacintos approaching peak. The Shasta Cascade reports approaching peak in Siskiyou and Plumas Counties at 6,000 to 7,000 feet in elevation.  US 101 (Redwood Highway) is at full peak, with spots of color to be seen along the drive.

—Submitted by John Poimiroo

Maya Festival

The International Maya Cultural Festival opens Friday in Merida, which, as capital of Yucatan, likes to consider itself capital of the Maya World as well. The Maya World generally is considered to include five Mexican states and four Central American republics. The Maya Festival will be inaugurated with a performance by Italian opera soprano Filippa Giordano. The festival will continue for 18 days and is scheduled to become an annual event.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Sonoma Creek Inn’s New Stay, Tour Package

You want to go wine tasting when you visit the wine country. But you don’t know the area well; how will you navigate the back roads to find the smaller, hidden-gem tasting rooms? And what about drinking and driving — one of you better forgo tasting to be the designated driver? There’s a better way, and Sonoma Creek Inn has found it, partnering with Platypus Wine Tours to provide a carefree and fun wine country getaway package.
    The Stay & Tour Sonoma package includes one night in a queen or king guestroom at Sonoma Creek Inn, two tickets for a full-day Platypus Wine Tour to four wineries, and a picnic lunch for two. 
    The package is valid Sunday through Thursday nights, Oct. 27 through March 31, for $229 per couple in a queen guestroom and $239 for a king room. Additional nights at the inn are available for $79 per night. (Additional nights do not include wine tours.) Wine tasting fees are not included, and are payable to the wineries directly.
    A favorite with discriminating visitors to Sonoma County, Platypus Wine Tours focus on smaller, less crowded wineries, places typically skipped by the big bus tours. The company’s experienced guides are well-versed in the region’s wine-making history and culture.
    Located in Sonoma on Boyes Boulevard, just down the road from the world-renowned Sonoma Mission Inn, Sonoma Creek Inn’s 16 rooms do not skimp on amenities. Many rooms have private outdoor patios or porches. All rooms have individually controlled heat and air-conditioning, complimentary wireless Internet access, telephones with data ports, in-room refrigerators, hairdryers, ceiling fans and cable TV. 
    For reservations or more information, call (888) 712-1289 or visit the website at www.sonomacreekinn.com. 

Birding Tours Scheduled

Naturalist and birding expert Rob Fowler will be leading groups in search of fall migratory birds in and around Redwood National and State Parks on Oct. 19 and Nov. 9. The tours depart from Elk Meadow Cabins (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), north of Orick, and include transportation, guide, interpretation, a snack and water for $115 per person.  Participants should bring binoculars (8 x 42 is ideal) and dress for predicted weather. Limited to 7 participants. Visit www.redwoodadventures.com to register.

Ad Agency Named

According to a column is the financial section of the newspaper Excelsior, the Leo Burnet agency is to be the advertising agency for the Mexico Tourism Board. It will use the slogan “Live It to Believe It.” The designation comes just in time to promote the busy winter season that starts in about two months.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

The Future Lies Ahead

During the next 20 years, airlines in Mexico will need to buy anywhere from 435 to  590 new planes, according to projections made by Boeing. Boeing itself, however, will have to share the market with Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer and possibly others. Mexico now has half-a-dozen passenger airlines operating and all have announced expansion plans.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Centro Woodfired Pizzeria: Yum!

Once again, on a stay in Cedar City, Utah, en route home from Colorado, my wife and I dined at Centro Woodfired Pizzeria. The gourmet pizzas are amazing. This is Utah, but I was able to get an outstanding 9 percent IPA beer (Squatters Hop Rising Double IPA) brewed in Salt Lake City. Who knew?
Centro has expanded since the last time we passed through Cedar City and that was only a year ago. Our favorite pizza on the menu is the fennel sausage for $13. It has hand-crushed tomato sauce, house-made fennel sausage, aged and smoked mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Another of our favorites is the Margherita pizza for $10. This time around we had half fennel and half of a special classic, with garlic, that was recommended by our waiter, Chris. 
Centro also has a wonderful bruschetta for $5. House made garlic crosstini topped with fresh chopped tomato and basil and finished with a balsamic reduction. 
Cedar City is close to Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks, Cedar Breaks National Monument and Brian Head ski resort.
Centro Woodfired Pizzeria is at 50 W. University Blvd. (Center St.). It is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. Phone: (435) 867-8123 or go to www.facebook.com/CentroPizzeria.