A summer place to suit every urge, every taste

Golf, hiking, swimming, and more make the Village at Squaw Valley USA a year-round California destination. (VILLAGE AT SQUAW VALLEY USA)

As the song says, forget your troubles, come on get happy. Summer and sunshine are here and, despite the price of gasoline and those annoying new airline fees, the urge to travel remains strong for most of us. Here is a potpourri of summery offers:

• Travelers who book a two-night stay at bedandbreakfast.com through Sept. 1 will get a $50 bonus rebate check within 4-6 weeks of their stay. Prices vary, but are usually reasonable. Most include breakfast, and many inns charge nothing extra for snacks and beverages, Wi-Fi, parking, and local phone calls.

  Visit bedandbreakfast.com/gasrebate.aspx, and while you're there, check out the Tanks a Lot deals.

• Take a hotel barge cruise with France Cruises during July and August and pay nothing for your companion's cruise. Prices before the discount start at about $2,115 for a weeklong cruise on the 10-cabin Litote. The price includes all meals, wine with lunch and dinner, and daily excursions.

  Visit francecruises.com/specials.html or call 866-498-3920. You also may want to ask about an alternative offer of up to three free nights in a Paris hotel.

• Baltimore can be a pleasant, if warm, summertime destination. For the first time, a citywide hotel promotion offers one night free with the purchase of two nights. The specials are for stays July 1-Sept. 1, and prices vary among the 40 participating hotels. In addition, train travelers can save 50 percent off the best available rail fare for one adult companion traveling coach with a paid regular adult, senior citizen, or disabled discounted ticket.

  Visit baltimore.org for the hotel and other offers, and amtrak.com, using code V828 for the train deal.

• Prince Edward Island, Canada, is celebrating the 100th birthday of the publication of "Anne of Green Gables," Lucy Maud Montgomery's book that continues to captivate young readers and has spawned a musical and, indeed, a tourist industry. The Rodd Charlottetown hotel has several packages that include tickets to "Anne of Green Gables: the Musical" at the nearby Confederation Centre of the Arts. For instance, a two-night hotel stay with a show ticket costs about $225 a person.

  Visit roddvacations.com, click on Charlottetown, then Packages & Specials, or call 800-565-RODD (7633). For information on PEI, visit gentleisland.com.

• A Family Fun in the Sun Lodging package is available at the Village at Squaw Valley USA, starting at $332.35 and including a two-bedroom condo, passes for four for the Cable Car and High Camp Swimming Lagoon, a round of 18-hole mini golf for four, two passes for the Skyjump Bungee Trampoline, and a hiking guide to the surrounding area. Although probably best known for its winter sports, the Village is a year-round resort at North Lake Tahoe in California.

  Visit thevillageatsquaw.com or call 866-818-6963.

Put 'em up!

To celebrate the FBI's 100th anniversary, the Liaison Capitol Hill in Washington has a G-Mania package that includes two nights' accommodations, two tickets to the Newseum to see the "G-Men and Journalists" exhibit, which debuts on July 26, and a $50 credit toward food and beverages. In addition, the hotel's DVD library will be stocked with FBI- and spy-oriented films, and a custom-designed podcast walking tour, "D.C. Undercover and Under the Covers," will be available for guests to download and will take you to sites such as Monica Lewinsky's apartment, the Watergate, and places featured in spy-themed movies. Prices start at $179 per night for a weekend stay, and the offer is available through Labor Day. At extra cost, guests may also book tickets to the Spy Museum and the National Museum of Crime and Punishment through the Affinia Hotels e-concierge at the time of reservation.

Visit affinia.com, click on hotels, then on Liaison Capitol Hill, and look for G-Mania on the right-hand side, or call 202-638-1616.

Cheaper calls

Pingo, which uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology to make phone calls throughout the world, has reduced calling rates to 70 countries. For example, you can now phone a serviceman or woman in Iraq for 7 cents a minute when calling from a land line. Pingo says its prepaid service works with fixed-line and mobile phones, and can be accessed in 35 countries. There is an account maintenance fee of 98 cents a month in addition to the cost of the call. Pingo is currently offering $5 in free calls for signing up.

Visit pingo.com.

When not included, hotel taxes, airport fees, and port charges can add significantly to the price of a trip. Most prices quoted are for double occupancy; solo travelers will usually pay more. Offers are subject to availability and there may be blackout dates. Richard P. Carpenter can be reached at car penter@globe.com.