You can get there

When I drove from Boston to Bellingham, Wash., with several detours en route, I never looked at a map or got lost. My portable global positioning system guided the way. The latest tricked-out GPS units, such as the Magellan Maestro 4250, have even more handy features to keep you on track: SmartDetour, which alerts you to traffic jams and offers alternative routes; built-in AAA TourBook information and roadside assistance details; 6 million points of interest, from museums to gas stations; voice command; and hands-free calling for those with Bluetooth phones.

This easy-to-read device, with its 4.3-inch screen, retails for $399, but sells for much less online (recently $199 at Amazon.com). See www.magellangps.com for a list of online and brick-and-mortar retailers, or call 800-707-9971.

KARI BODNARCHUK