By Fred Wright, Jr.

A Gathering of Eagles
Here’s a chance to look to the skies without your travel budget soaring. The area around Brackendale in the Canadian province of British Columbia, about an hour from Whistler and Vancouver, boasts one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles in North America. Each year, between mid November and mid February, special package tours are offered for visitors to come and watch the eagles be eagles in the wild, decorating the trees and riverbanks by the scores. The Eagle Safari takes tourists, bundled in arctic suits for warmth, down the Squamish River to the bird’s natural habitat. The two-hour trip includes lunch. Prices are US$ 94 for adults and US$ 77 for children. For more information, call Canadian Outback Adventures, 800-565-8735 or go to www.canadianoutback.com

Sweet Switzerland
To celebrate the opening of a new restaurant, Nobu @ Badrutt’s Palace, the exclusive palace hotel in the heart of St. Moritz, Switzerland, will offer a variety of culinary events. For example, every afternoon from December 25 through January 7, there will be a buffet of caviar, home-smoked salmon and oysters to complement the hotel’s afternoon tea. The Palace Chocolate Cult, an exhibition and tasting of various chocolate delicacies from around the world, will be offered December 25 through January 7 and January 31 through February 4. There will also be a Russian-style Christmas feast on January 6. Winter rates at Badrutt’s Palace start at US$ 377 per night, double occupancy. For more information, go to www.badruttspalace.com

Santa Tuck-In (Yawn!)
Santa and sun might seem a strange combination, but not in Florida, and especially not at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, where a special package includes a bedtime tuck-in by Santa himself, complete with a stocking stuffed with gum drops and candy canes. The 65-acre (0.18 km) resort also offers other activities, including 26 miles (42 km) of bike paths and 99 holes of golf. The holiday season is also celebrated with the decorated 70-foot (21 m) atrium full of poinsettias, a Christmas tree and frequent carol singing. Rates average US$ 125 to US$ 200 per night, double occupancy. For more information, call 800-457-4653 or go to www.sawgrassmarriott.com

Drive Till it Hertz
Ever got lost on one of Europe’s roadways without a clue of where you are or what that sign in front of you is really saying, since it’s probably not in English? Now Hertz, the rental-car company, is offering its on-board navigation system, NeverLost, already in use in the United States, on its European rentals. Hertz has introduced its system in six European countries and will expand this offer to another 20 by year’s end. It comes with a full-color touch screen, a choice of 11 languages, even a QuickSpell tool for help with unfamiliar signs (ever driven in Wales?). For more information about this option, call 800-654-3001 or go to www.hertz.com

Massage? Ahhhh! Ooooh!
A new spa featuring a mixture of Oriental and Western therapies opened at the La Tourelle Resort & Spa in Ithaca, New York, in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. The August Moon Spa features black slate tile and maple wood floors. Treatments include the Sushi Wrap (US$ 105), the Buttermilk Falls Experience (US$ 105), the Five Elements “Aroma”ssage (US$ 100) and the Ying-Yang Facelift (US$ 95) — all 50-minute sessions. Spa guests can also relax in one of two Tranquility Rooms boasting either a waterfall or a fireplace. For more information go to www.latourelle.com, resort: 800-765-1492 spa: 607-256-2772.)

A Capital Idea
Two central London hotels have come up with a clever way to make guests more comfortable and less foot-weary while visiting the museums, sights and sites of the city. The Westminster Hotel Leicester Square and the Best Western Burns Hotel in Kensington — both three-star hotels — provide a free shuttle-bus service to major tourist sites. The shuttle also goes to the West End, the city’s theater district, in the evening. In addition, the two hotels offer 20 percent discounts to a variety of attractions, from the London Aquarium to the London Zoo as well as food discounts at 30 Slug & Lettuce pubs throughout the city. Hotel rates start at US $ 77.22 to US $ 145.85 per night, double occupancy. For more information, go to www.thewestminsterhotel.com or www.burnshotel.co.uk