Summer vacations tax, then r-e-l-a-x you

It's time to head straight for them hills

It's time to live and have some thrills

Come along and have a ball A regular free-for-all . . .

It's summertime . . .

Summertime, Summertime (1958)

The Jamies

Yes, the price of gasoline is high. Yes, planes are crowded. And, yes, various travel providers are adding fuel surcharges to their prices. But so what ! There are only so many summers in a lifetime and travelers should let nothing stop them, while still keeping an eye peeled for discounts. If you haven't made any plans yet, here are some intriguing possibilities:

Hit the trail. In Alberta, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is offering a Trail Mix package that has nothing to do with snacks. Guests can hike the area with a naturalist or mountain heritage guide, and thus get exercise, learn the history of the early mountaineers, and experience the flora and fauna of the Rockies. The package includes a luxury room, a full breakfast, gratuities, valet parking, a gift, and a choice of either a half - or full-day guided hike. The package, available through Sept. 15 starts from about $360 US for two people in a room.

Call 800-441-1414 or, for information on the resort, visit www.fairmont.com/lakelouise .

Get away with the girls. For $89 a person a night, based on six people sharing, Elite Island Resorts has girls' getaways at villas in Antigua, St. Lucia, and Tortola. Pools and spa treatments are readily available.

Visit www.eliteislandresorts.com or call 800-858-4618 .

Get away with the guys. The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C., is featuring a Masts, Mulligans, and Marinas package starting at $390 per person through Sept. 17. The fellas get two nights at the Inn at Harbour Town, a round of golf on the Ocean Course, cigars or a beverage upon check-in, and a kayaking, sailing, or fishing expedition, provided there are four fisherguys participating.

Call 800-SEA-PINES (732-7463) or visit www.seapines.com .

Take the plunge. The Colorado River Outfitters Association lists more than 45 licensed river outfitters around the state, offering packages for all levels. For more adventure, many outfitters also offer combination packages that pair rafting with fishing, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, camping, and horseback riding. Prices vary.

Visit www.croa.org . For complete Colorado vacation information, visit www.colorado.com or call 800-COLORADO .

Go Rving. Get a free DVD or CD-ROM that tells you all about traveling in a recreational vehicle, including tips on buying or renting. Visit www.gorving.com .

Have an Asian adventure. A 19-day Singapore to Bangkok expedition from Adventure Center is not your average escorted tour. True, there is an experienced group leader, but you use public transportation, dine in local restaurants, and often stay in small, family-run hotels that are not necessarily fancy. Land and air prices start at $1,299 from the West Coast and $1,399 from California, with dates in July, August, and September available. Meals (costing about $12 a day) and entrance fees to museums and national parks (about $25 total) are not included, and there is a $135-a-person charge for the guide.

Visit www.adventurecenter.com or call 800-228-8747 .

Stay on a farm. Check out the livestock and the crops while staying in a farmhouse and enjoying the peace of the countryside. Prices vary but are usually reasonable.

Two websites that feature several farms are www.pafarmstay.com , for Pennsylvania, and www.vtfarms.org , for Vermont.

Barge around. Go Barging , which calls itself the largest luxury barge company in Europe, is offering a summer discount of $650 per person for an all-inclusive six-night cruise through the South of France on Aug. 27. With the discount, prices for a cruise onboard L'Impressionniste start at $3,300 per person for a junior suite . Or, what the heck, be a sport and book the entire vessel for a family reunion or other gathering. A $5,000 charter discount is available for July 30 and Aug. 13 departures on L'Impressionniste . Including the discount, prices start at $34,800 for eight passengers. Other prices and departure dates are available.

Call 800-394-8630 or visit www.gobarging.com .

To celebrate Pablo Picasso's 125th birthday , both the Museo Nacional del Prado and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía are staging Picasso exhibitions through Sept. 3. The Hotel Ritz Madrid has an Art Discovery Madrid package that gives you a three-night stay, admission to those museums and to the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza , daily breakfast, one dinner, and other extras as well. Rates start at about $960.

Visit www.ritzmadrid.com , click on News & Offers, then Packages, then Cultural Experience in Madrid, or call 800-237-1236 .

A Maritime Magic fly-drive vacation visits three of Canada's picturesque provinces with a 10- or 14-night fly-drive vacation that takes you to some of the most famous sights in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick, as well as little-known gems.

Beginning at $1,539 US per person, the package includes round-trip air fare on Air Canada from Boston, 10 nights' lodging, and a midsize car rental with unlimited mileage. Also included are such extras as a Halifax city tour, a traditional Prince Edward Island lobster supper, and visits to Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick and the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic and historic Pier 21, both in Nova Scotia. A 14-night vacation is priced from $1,949.

Call 800-567-6666 or visit www.maxximvacations.com .

Children age 9 and younger get a free, two-day multipark ticket at Universal Orlando for every adult two-day multipark ticket purchased at the regular price of $99.95. The offer is available online only where, as a bonus, guests will receive an extra three days free, making their ticket good for five consecutive days.

Visit www.universalorlando.com , where you can find other discounts, too.

Through Oct. 22, Hilton Garden Inns are offering guests whose stay includes a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night, complimentary greens fees for two, valid at participating golf courses throughout the United States and Canada. Guests also will receive a complimentary golf tips booklet.

Visit www.stayhgi.com/golf or call 877-STAY-HGI .

The world of travel is so complex that it would take many volumes to decipher it all. However, Susan Stellin does a commendable job in about 300 pages in her latest guide, ``How to Travel Practically Anywhere: The Ultimate Planning Guide" (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). She Stellin tells ways to keep costs down and takes on such dicey topics as hidden fees and change penalties, what your credit card covers when you rent a car, and when a senior discount may not necessarily be a deal.

Forty years and 9 million riders later, the Jackson Hole, Wyo., aerial tram, which climbs more than 4,000 vertical feet, will be decommissioned after this summer season. A tram package starts at $120 per person and includes three nights in a two-bedroom, one-bath condominium in Teton Village and four tickets for the tram. The offer is based on quadruple occupancy and will be available through Oct. 1.

``There Is Room at the Inn" by Candy Harrington (Demos Medical , 2006) calls itself the first guidebook devoted entirely to accessible inns and bed-and-breakfasts. The book, subtitled ``Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers," features 117 properties in 40 states, including mountain retreats, a dude ranch, and even two safari parks.

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. Contact Richard P. Carpenter at carpenter@globe.com.