Destination spotlight is travel stories and information on cities in the USA and around the world for senior travelers and family travel with discounts, cruise information and more

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Destination spotlight is travel stories and information on cities in the USA and around the world for senior travelers and family travel with discounts, cruise information and more

Stories on individual destinations in the USA and around the world.

Montezuma Castle AZ: Ancient Rocky High Rises

No, retired Marines. This place has nothing to do with your hymn’s Halls of Montezuma. And for other senior travelers who’ve eaten bad food from an ethnic food cart, it isn’t Montezuma’s revenge.

A thousand years ago, cliff-dwelling Native Americans lived in these high-rise primitive condos, that were hollowed out over eons by Mother Nature. Montezuma Castle was named by early European explorers, who mistakenly thought it was the home of the historic Mexican emperor.

A National Park Service area, Montezuma Castle is located along Beaver Creek in Camp Verde, off Highway I-17, about 45 minutes south of Flagstaff and 90 minutes north of Phoenix. For visitor and other info, go to www.nps.gov/moca

New York NY: The Algonquin Is The Cat’s Meow

Since 1902, the Algonquin has been the destination of literary, entertainment and intellectual names. The famed Round Table group met regularly there in the 1920s thru 1940s. They included John Barrymore, Harpo Marx, Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, Marc Connelly, George S. Kaufman and Alexander Woollcott.

Another tradition is the Algonquin cat. Greeting guests there has been a succession of shelter-rescued cats since the 1930s. Males are named Hamlet, and females Matilda. If your travels take you to Manhattan, stop in to meet the current resident cat. Algonquin, 59 West 44th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, now owned by Marriott, offers rooms from $269. www.algonquinhotel.com

Philadelphia PA: Philly’s Famous Soft Pretzels

Whether you get ‘em fresh from a South Broad Street sidewalk vendor or in a posh Walnut Street deli, a famous Philly soft pretzel is always a salty, tasty treat, especially when topped with mustard.

Pretzel historians say the earliest were pretiolas in 7th Century Rome, then bretzels in 15th Century Germany. They sailed to America in the 18th Century with Pennyslvania Dutch settlers, and are now enjoyed in Philly since the 19th Century.

New Orleans LA: Free PB&J At Le Pavillion

We all loved them as kids. It was Elvis’ fave snack, and still a classic American lunchbox staple. N’Awlins is beignets, prawns and jambalaya, but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are also a beloved treat.

A local tradition of the posh Le Pavillion Hotel on Poydras Street is the setting out of complimentary PB&J makings for guests every night at 10 pm. Alongside are choices of cold milk and hot chocolate. Room rates are from $159 per night. For more info about the hotel and current events, go to www.lepavillon.com

Viking River Cruise: Would You Return To ‘Nam?

On August 2, 1964, an attack on Navy destroyer USS Maddox started the Vietnam War. It dragged on for more than a decade, and resulted in the loss of more than 50,000 American lives. Are 50 years long enough for those who served there to forgive, forget and return?

Of course, many even older senior travelers, vets of WWII and Korean War, often return to former enemy nations Germany, Italy, China and Japan. At this anniversary year of the Vietnam War, maybe the old slogan applies to aging ex-GI wanderers: Time heals all wounds.