Q: Sometimes we need to use our hotel room into the afternoon before we leave. Is it OK to stay an extra hour or two for last minute shopping, packing and other needs? Will we have to pay extra for the time? LLM, Providence RI

A: You're expected to be gone by check-out time. However, if you need it and call the front desk at least an hour in advance of the deadline, you’ll probably get another hour or so in the room at no extra cost. Always remember that a busy hotel needs the required schedule to clean and prepare rooms for arriving guests. Your cooperation is expected.

Experienced senior travelers to Sin City never had access to these new places to stay until a few years ago. In case you’re not familiar with them, Airbnbs are privately owned homes, condos and other residences that are available nightly to travelers, with many available in resort, beach and big city locations.

Now that they’ve progressed from some homeowner’s extra room to hostels to luxury penthouses throughout the world, travelers find them not only conveniently attractive, but usually much cheaper than hotel rooms. For traveling families and other group trips, an Airbnb rental can be a great bargain.

As years go, 1957 was a relatively quiet one. No major wars nor natural disasters. Time Magazine Man of the Year was Nikita Khruschev, the average home cost $12,000, a bottle of soda was 10¢, a restaurant steak dinner $2.50, a gallon of gas was 25¢. President Truman visited newly-opened Disneyland and Elvis recorded All Shook Up.

Bette Nash started her job that year as a 20-year-old stewardess, now called flight attendant, on Eastern Airlines, today with all the company changes and merges, it’s American Airlines. So, if flying on one of your senior air journeys you encounter Bette, join travel4seniors.com in wishing her another 60 years of safe, enjoyable air journeys.

You can get around as many as 40 blocks of downtown Chicago with the Pedestrian Walkway System. No matter the weather, stroll through five miles of the combined route of underground tunnels and overhead bridges.

There are many exits and entrances to shopping, bars, restaurants, museums, transportation stations, government offices and other mid-city tourist destinations. The experience is enhanced by contemporary design and lighting, as well as frequently changing displays of art and graphics.