Travel tips

Weekends on the road. For those whose weekends have become too predictable, a New Jersey travel organization, Weekends on the Road, will design untraditional itineraries that capitalize on ``hidden'' America. Among the ethnic and historical events suggested are an Indian powwow, a frog jumping contest, and a blues and Cajun festival. Most often the accommodations are high quality and comfortable inns, lodges, or bed-and-breakfasts. All clients will be offered a quarterly newsletter as well as a guide to events throughout the year. Write Weekends on the Road, Box 4262, River Edge, N.J. 07661. Prince Charles initiates footpath. On July 8, Prince Charles officially opened the newest addition to the British Tourist Authority's 52 long-distance walking routes -- Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path. The 93-mile footpath stretches between the Suffolk-Norfolk border near Thetford, north to the coast near Hunstanton. Peddars Way follows an ancient Roman route, and the Norfolk Coast Path runs along the beaches and marshes of North Norfolk to Cromer. The route, rated ideal for novice hikers, is described in ``Walking in Britain,'' a new leaflet available from the British Tourist Authority in New York City -- (212) 581-4700.

Touring Alaska by motor home. A 12-day tour of Alaska that includes white-water rafting, picnicking, and fishing, plus other activities, is being offered this summer. Six-member groups will travel aboard a Class-A motor home whose licensed driver also serves as expedition cook. The tour begins and ends in Fairbanks but stops at Denali National Park as well as at points along the Gulf Coast. Tours depart about every two weeks during July and August. For more information, write Midnight Sun Excursions, Box 82553, College, Ala. 99708.

Summer in Hawaii. One week on Maui's southwestern Gold Coast plus a condominium and air conditioned rental car -- these are guaranteed in a summer package assembled by Hawaii's Maui Connection, a condominium vacation rental company. Package rates vary according to a condominium's size and location, though all include complimentary airport pickup and return and optional concierge service. And the company's information center will help visitors plan their vacation activities on the island. Call the Maui Connection, 800-MAUI-PRO, or in Hawaii or from outside the United States, call (808) 879-6343 collect. Or write Ron LaRue, executive vice-president, Box 1746, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii, 96753.

Inter-Tribal Fair in Gallup, N.M. Indian dances in traditional costume, horse racing, and a fry-bread contest are a few of the activities planned for the Inter-Tribal Fair and Rodeo. The fair is one stop on a Far Horizons tour of the American Southwest's Four Corners area. The 16-day trip, which begins Aug. 16, will also include a visit with a Navajo family, a rafting adventure down the San Juan River, and an overview of such regional canyons as Chaco and Crow. Mary Dell Lucas, an archaeologist and tour leader, has limited the group to 15 members. Contact Far Horizons Cultural Discovery Trips, Box 1529, 16 Fern Lane, San Anselmo, Calif. 94960; (415) 457-4575.

The personalized safari. Percival Tours now invites clients to design their own African safaris around a core package of five nights in Nairobi, Kenya. From a selection of 10 East African tour packages, the traveler can choose an itinerary that suits his or her individual interests, budget, and schedule. For those who wish a tailored itinerary, specialists will custom-design a safari to include such extras as lodging in a small family home in the bush. Standard safaris vary in price and duration and concentrate on Kenya and Tanzania. For more information, contact Percival Tours, One Tandy Center Plaza, Fort Worth, Texas 76102; 800-433-5656.

Water sports in Australia. Australia's Great Barrier Reef will be the setting for snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, beachcombing, and just plain having fun this fall. From Oct. 18 to Nov. 1, Arlene Blum is taking a group of travelers down under to the world's largest reef. From a 65-foot yacht anchored in a peaceful lagoon, eight crew members and guides will supervise the group members as they dive to the colorful reef below. The yacht will make day trips to nearby uninhabited islands and spend nights anchored in secluded coves. A finale to this Australian adventure is a two-day visit to the mainland's dense rain forest -- a perfect opportunity to see the duckbill platypus. Write Arlene Blum's Great Himalayan Treks, c/o InnerAsia, 2627 Lombard Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94123, or call (415) 922-0466 from inside the state or 800-551-1769 from outside.

Bed-and-breakfast in New England. A brownstone penthouse in Boston's chic Back Bay, a stately Cambridge home minutes from Harvard Square -- these are among the bed-and-breakfast ``host homes'' singled out for their superior service by Bed and Breakfast Agencies of New England. An agency in each of the six New England states inspects B&Bs, rating them on comfort and helpfulness to their guests. The New England B&B Agency is a branch of Bed and Breakfast -- The National Network, linking B&B reservation services throughout the country. Most of the homes are near major cities and tourist attractions. Contact Bed and Breakfast -- The National Network, Box 4616, Springfield, Mass. 01101.

1986 Marathon in Berlin. Lufthansa/Hapag-Lloyd Travel is offering a package to runners who want to be in Berlin Sept. 28 for the race. The tour runs Sept. 25 to Oct. 2. The day before the marathon, a warm-up race, the 6-kilometer ``international breakfast run,'' starts from Charlottenburg Palace and ends at the Olympic Stadium, site of the 1936 games. After the Marathon, tour members will visit such sites as the Brandenburg Gate (which divides the east and west sectors), the State Opera House, and the Berlin Wall. Then the group will cruise from Cologne down the Rhine to R"udesheim and will spend its last evening in D"usseldorf. Write Hapag-Lloyd Travel, 17 Battery Place, Suite 2433, New York, N.Y. 10004; (212) 785-5552. The deadline for the Berlin Marathon is Aug. 1.

Montreal World Film Festival. This year 10th Montreal World Film Festival -- the only competitive festival in North America, and one that has attracted such celebrities as Jane Fonda, Ginger Rogers, and Stanley Kramer -- runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 1. Seven theaters will feature films in categories ranging from the official competition of feature films and shorts to British cinema of today, Latin American cinema, and new trends in films. Tickets range from $5 for a screening to 10 coupon tickets for $40. Write the World Film Festival, 1455 Boulevard de Maisonneuve Quest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3G 1M8; (514) 848-3883.

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