Your travel4seniors.com editor recently visited the Sunshine State for a family celebration. One day at the pool of our leased Airbnb house, this friendly five-foot-long, ring-tailed, spike-backed critter came ambling by to pose for a portrait. Sometimes called a water dragon, it’s official name is Lepidosauria Iguana.

The no-kill Animal Care Center of St. John takes in victims of cruelty, neglect and abuse of the island's dogs and cats. If your upcoming vacation plans include a visit to tropical St. John, give some of your time to help with the center's VolunTourism program.

You can participate in feeding, walking, grooming, training or just cuddling with some of the center’s homeless inhabitants. Shelter officials report that many visitors come to volunteer, and then find they can’t leave without taking a new furry friend home with them. For more info, go to www.stjohnanimalcarecenter.com

How can you keep those evil little bugs from getting at you in the sky? Just ask anyone who has flown from New York to London or similar hours-long air journey while squeezed into a five-across row of sardine-can sized seats. They'll know that Murphy's Law of inevitable germs too often kicks in for the haplessly trapped, formerly healthy flyer.

Worst scenarios: Seated on one side will be an old sneezer with a bad cold and big red nose that could easily guide Santa's sleigh. He'll spend the flight coughing, dripping and spritzing. Of course, he'll turn his head each time he explodes... right into your face.

A summer visit, which is not advisable, offers Mars-like landscapes with 100-plus temperatures that can kill in minutes. Autumn and winter visits offer stunning experiences with both flora and fauna against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Those contrasts make it one of the most beautiful  National Parks in the U.S.

Its close proximity to both Los Angeles and Las Vegas makes it a convenient visit to the southwestern United States.There are almost endless opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, photography, exploring and other activities.