By Fred Wright, Jr.

Nellie and Lilly, Back in Business
Nellie and Lilly are back! Did you miss them? They are the stars of Marineland in St. Augustine, Florida, which had been closed since the fall of 2004 due to damage from Hurricane Frances. The attraction, which reopened in March, boasts the world’s first “oceanarium,” dating back to 1937. It’s home to Nellie, 52, the oldest-known bottlenose dolphin in captivity, and Lilly, described as the last-known blonde-colored bottlenose dolphin. Guests can now participate in “Dolphin Design” activities, in which they pick up to three colors for dolphins to paint with, on a canvas the participant holds over the water. Cost is US$ 60. For more information, call 904-471-1111 or go to www.marineland.net.

Own Your Own Town
Don’t like your local government? Easy. On your next vacation, rent your own town for a weekend. Yep, Lajitas, which bills itself as Texas’ ultimate destination resort, tucked away in west Texas between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park, will rent out its facility — exclusively — for three nights for a mere US $1 million. The Lajitas property includes a 92-room resort, a private club and a real estate operation. Up to 92 couples will be flown by private jet from any major city in Texas to Lajitas International Airport, where they will be given almost unlimited access to the private estate, which includes transportation around the 25,000 acres (101 km²) as well as all meals in one of Lajitas’ three restaurants. Guests also get access to the resort’s Ambush Golf Course or visits to the spa; Jeep and river tours; horseback riding; and more. Oh, yes, and gratuities are included. For more information, call 877-525-4827 or go to www.lajitas.com.

Now It’s Time for Italy
If you’ve been waiting for all those Olympic fans to leave Italy and go home before making your own visit, now’s the time to see the countryside at ground level — on foot. The Wayfarers features walking tours of various venues, including the rich and varied Umbria region of Italy. The tour begins at Spoleto, home of a celebrated arts festival, with a walk that leads from the castle at Poreta to a farmhouse where olive oil is produced. Another stop is the town of Spello, constructed of pink stone and still retaining its original Roman walls. The 6-day tour will be held May 21-26, June 25-30 and September 17-22; it’s priced at US$ 2,895, double occupancy. For more information, call 800-249-4620 or go to www.thewayfarers.com.

Batter Up!
For baseball fans — and fanatics — annual baseball tours are gearing up for the summer baseball season. The Baseball Hall of Fame Tour (by Roadtrips) runs from July 26-30 and includes a behind-the-scenes tour of Boston’s Fenway Park stadium; games in New York, Boston and Philadelphia; and a chance to pay homage to the best of baseball in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The tour begins in New York City with the first game at Shea Stadium, when the Mets play the Chicago Cubs. Cost of the tour, without airfare to the departure point of New York City, is US$ 1,295 for double or triple occupancy and US$ 1,695 for singles. For more information, call 800-465-1765 or go to www.roadtrips.com/baseball.

Alaska without the Aches
For those who want to visit the wild frontiers of Alaska, but aren’t interested in the hardcore rigors of backpacking, kayaking, ice-climbing, mountain-climbing, dog-sledding or biking, Xtremely Alaska Adventures is offering something a little more leisurely. Custom-designed tours can be arranged, starting at US$ 86 per person, for evening bird-watching or short hikes to scenic views where participants paint with watercolors. For more information, call 877-914-2735 or go to www.xtremelyalaska.com.

Don’t Look Down. Well, Okay
An over-water spa opened earlier this year at Kamalame Cay, a 19-room, 19-acre (1,900 m²) private-island resort just off the coast of Andros Island, in the Bahamas archipelago. The spa is situated at the end of a 200-foot (61 m) pier. Guests in the five treatment rooms enjoy floor-to-ceiling windows with ocean views. Custom spa packages offered by the 2,000-square-foot (185 m²) facility include champagne lunches on the spa’s veranda, where yoga sessions are held, plus a wide selection of massage, body and facial treatments. Nightly room rates, through May 31, range from US$ 740 to US$ 3,620. The resort is a 20-minute taxi ride, plus a 3-minute ferry, from Andros Town Airport. For more information, call 242-368-6281 or go to www.kamalame.com.