Today’s news is full of stories of poor families crossing US borders. It brings back memories of similar hardships more than a century ago. The Tenement Museum on 103 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan tells the story.

It portrays the life of poverty, large families living in small ghetto rooms, racial prejudice and daily efforts to survive. The museum exhibits furniture, clothing and other authentic items of the era. Visitors are greeted by guides dressed as immigrants to explore the buildings and surrounding neighborhood where it all happened from the 1890s through the 1920s. For tickets and other info, go to www.tenement.org

If travels find you on Hollywood Boulevard next to the famous Chinese Theater, take an hour or two to visit the local branch of Madame Toussauds. Since 1831, when the French sculptress first exhibited her realistic waxworks in London, 23 other branches have opened throughout the world.

The Hollywood museum features 120 famous characters, including many from filmdom’s past. They include Marlin Brando as the Godfather, Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, Shrek the cartoon giant, Judy Garland as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and many others.

A recent addition is the Virtual Room Experience, where goggled visitors play realistic games of space travel and other unearthly thrills. Bring camera and smartphone for some of the best selfies you’ll ever create. For ticket prices, visiting hours and other info, go to www.madametussauds.com/hollywood/en

Providing a taste of the Old West since 1868, Tanque Verde Ranch is the largest guest ranch resort in North America. Picturesquely located, it’s near the Rincon Mountains, Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest. For $250 a day you can enjoy riding and hiking in the nearby Arizona desert, as well as ranch dining, live entertainment, sunning and swimming.

Tucson temperatures in February average 70º daytime and 45º nights. In March, they warm to springtime 75º and 48º. Summer is busy family season, so seniors can avoid sharing the ranch with families and kids by booking winter visits. www.tanqueverderanch.com

Passengers can find some moments of relief from the usual crowds and noise at the Canadian terminal. Seven trained Ambassador Dogs are there to calm nerves and offer friendly tail wags from 11 am to 1 pm weekdays. Also, swimming in the airport aquarium, among other sea creatures, are equally friendly nettle jellyfish to help passengers pass away the wait times.