After almost 10 years of planning and rebuilding, the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park finally reopened this past Saturday, Oct. 27.

Renowned architect Renzo Piano designed the new 412,000-sq.-ft. building, a single structure housing several state-of-the-art science centers, including a planetarium, an aquarium, a natural history museum and a four-story rainforest. The design celebrates the interconnectedness of the natural world by intertwining elements of each throughout the museum; for example, you'll find aquarium exhibits in various corners of the building.

The Exhibits

The Academy is home to more than 40,000 animals—six times the number in the previous building. Visitors are raving about new exhibits like the multi-level rainforest dome featuring animals of Borneo, Costa Rica and Madagascar; and the Philippine Coral Reef—a 25-ft.-deep tank said to be the largest interior coral reef in the world—where wired divers can communicate with spectators. And don’t miss the redesigned penguin exhibit located in African Hall.

The Living Roof

One of the coolest new features of the Academy is the 2.5-acre Living Roof, composed of seven hillocks and 1.7 million native plants including the California poppy, the miniature lupine and the scrumptious strawberry. To stabilize the vegetation, the designers created 50,000 biodegradable trays—individual plant boxes that essentially act as roof tiles; as the roots grow, the “tiles” bind together even stronger.  

Not only is the roof aesthetically pleasing, it’s also a knockout when it comes to innovative eco-solutions: it’s a natural heating and cooling system (thus minimizing energy costs), it decreases carbon dioxide by creating oxygen (who doesn’t love breathing clean air?), it captures rainwater, and it’s dotted with skylights, which act as vents and sources of natural light.

Also—I know, I’m almost done—the Living Roof is surrounded by 60,000 photovoltaic cells, which supply up to 10 percent of the Academy’s energy. The eco-amazingness of this building is just endless, so check it out for yourself: www.calacademy.org.

California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr. Open Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets cost $24.95 for adults, $19.95 for youth 12-17, $14.95 for kids 7-11, free for kids under 6; $19.95 for seniors 65 and over, and for students with a photo ID. Free day: third Wednesday of each month. Tel. 415-379-8000, www.calacademy.org.

Did you visit the California Academy of Sciences this past weekend?

What was your favorite exhibit? Tell us about your discoveries!

A few weeks back, my son’s pediatrician told us he might have a condition that couldn’t be diagnosed in our small city and that we needed to take him to St. Louis Children’s Hospital to see a specialist.

Of course our first thoughts were for our boy—no parent ever wants to hear the words “children’s hospital” and “breathing issue” in the same sentence.

Once we got over our initial shock, we started planning our trip, which would require a three-hour car ride with our infant and our 3-year-old daughter.

That meant at least one night in a hotel.

Logistics are the last thing you want to think about when your kid is facing a potentially serious medical diagnosis. Not to mention that, in today’s world, medical costs are mounting. So not only are you concerned about your baby, you also are worried about how you will pay for it all—the co-pays, the gas or plane tickets for the trip, the restaurant and the hotel room.

Hotel Deals for Family Hospital Stays

Fortunately, there are resources for families who need a place to stay near their child’s medical caregivers. Lots of hotels offer special rates for patients of nearby hospitals.

Hotel Nexis in Seattle offers a special block of rooms for patients of that city’s medical centers, along with a complimentary shuttle service to and from area hospitals. The Drury Inn and Suites St. Louis also has a special rate for families of patients, and the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh is a luxury inn that offers a rate of $99 per night for patients of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and their families.

If you are unsure where to stay and whether or not special rates are offered, ask the hospital staff, or do a quick Google search with the name of your hospital and the phrase “special hotel rates.”

Our son is fine, and he saw a doctor here at home. But I rest a little easier knowing that if we ever do need to travel for medical reasons, finding a hotel room will be the least of our concerns.

Social responsibility is a growing concern in businesses around the globe, especially in travel. Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the industry. Some travel suppliers have gone beyond the casual call of duty, changing their business practices to address issues beyond the impact of tourism, to become leaders other companies are beginning to emulate.

World Savers Congress

Many of those companies were honored this week at Condé Nast Traveler’s World Savers Congress 2008, which took place in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 24. This was the second year for the event, which is an outgrowth of the magazine’s Environmental Award, a 14-year tradition that recognizes individuals who are fighting to preserve the natural beauty of their homelands and protect their communities.

For a list of all award winners, speaker highlights and panel discussions, check out Concierge.com's Daily Traveler blog, written by Traveler staffers who posted updates throughout the day. Onsite commentary can be found on Twitter @ NerdsEyeView. Type in #wsc for related tweets.

The Business of Being Green

I was fortunate to have attended the event, and in addition to being wowed by the winners and speakers, was particularly interested in the Consumer panel, moderated by Wendy Perrin, Condé Nast Traveler’s consumer news editor and author of the popular blog, The Perrin Post.

Essentially, the group addressed whether social responsibility is smart business—in terms of whether a company’s social practices will influence travel consumers’ decisions. Panelists included Robert Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts; Sven Lindblad, founder and president of Lindblad Expeditions; Adam Steward, CEO of Sandals Resorts International; Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance; and Andrea Ross, director of tours and marketing of Journeys Within, an operator in Cambodia.

The panelists have incorporated several socially responsible practices into their businesses, from saving $4,000 per year and helping the environment by replacing plastic amenities bottles with refillable dispensers, to using solar panels and converting cooking oil into biofuel, and more.

Do Customers Even Care?

Some of these practices come at a cost though—not just in terms of the direct cost of implementing them, but the indirect costs of potentially turning guests off. Will someone who pays upwards of $1,000 per night for a suite balk at being asked to contribute to a local charity or want to get their soap and shampoo from a dispenser? Will average travelers think that if a property goes green, that means roughing it, backpacker style, and they’ll go elsewhere?

Ross said her well-heeled guests, not the average or budget travelers, were the ones most interested in her company’s practices and wanted to chip in, not just when on site, but even before their trips. Vail’s Katz said one of his pet peeves is walking into an empty hotel room and seeing all the lights and TV on, but acknowledged that there are plenty of guests who prefer to enter a well-lit room for safety concerns. Lindblad noted that the health of the community or destination needs to be in good condition in order for the business environment to be healthy, but that idea isn’t always instinctive.

Environmental Tipping Point

Still, it seems more people than not say they prefer to patronize companies that practice social responsibility and have incorporated green practices into their business models, at least according to several recent polls. Perrin wanted to know whether we’ve reached a tipping point where travelers make decisions based on environmental and human considerations. If not, how far away are we from that point?

What do you think? Are you more likely to use a hotel, restaurant or tour company that has green practices and contributes back to its community, even if that means paying a premium or cutting back on some comforts? Do you think it depends on the traveler’s economic situation? Their education level? Something else?

Let us know!

With my hectic schedule of eating, playing, sleeping and writing—I recently needed to get outta Dodge for some nice downtime. Luckily, my people decided to take me to Carmel, Calif., for a weekend treat.

Talk about treats! Hotels, restaurants, store owners and even people on the street offer Scooby snacks to deserving pooches. Business establishments have water bowls just outside their doors for thirsty canines like me. And one of the sweetest leash-free (and clean!) beaches is just walking distance from dog-friendly hotels. Carmel is a dog’s dream. Well, besides mountains of kibble.

Here are a few of my favorites from my Carmel weekend:

Cypress Inn. With this elegant hotel’s comfortable rooms, courtyard, library bar and living room all open to pets, I had plenty of places to chill out. The front desk even has a large bowl of biscuits for your buddy.

PortaBella. I was treated like a king at this Mediterranean restaurant, and was given a sparkling silver water dish placed on a white napkin and dinner plate to quench my thirst. Now, that’s service!

Diggidy Dog. I couldn’t decide between all the edibles at this dog and cat boutique, so my people got me some luscious peanut butter biscuits. Besides all the food, there are more pet accessories and toys than you can imagine.

Carmel City Beach. The white sand crunching beneath my toes, the body-surfable waves, the friendly people and their dogs—what more could I want in a beach? The city takes great care of this pretty, leash-free beach, leaving it one of the cleanest I’ve ever seen (remember to bring a bag to clean up after your pal). If your pup isn’t friendly, please keep it on leash. The people and other dogs will thank you.

Recently, graphic novels have gained recognition as legitimate literature thanks to such groundbreaking graphic novels as Watchmen and 300. They have inspired many Hollywood films, and now, they’re inspiring us to travel.

Pixar artist Enrico Casarosa’s newest book, a graphic novel entitled The Venice Chronicles, is part travelogue, part graphic novel and part love story. The 144-page book is filled with drawings, watercolors and inner-dialogue that detail the author and his girlfriend’s humorous adventures during their few weeks in Venice. Casarosa takes the reader on a stroll through the narrow streets of Venice and through its emblematic canals in his native country of Italy.

The Venice Chronicles: a Travelogue in Pencil, Watercolor and Varying Shades of Silliness will hit comic book stores in November 2008. A teaser for the book gives readers just one warning: “It’ll make you want to jump on the next flight to Italy with your significant other … or in search of one.” For more information on the book or Enrico Casarosa, visit www.enricocasarosa.com.

Read more about Venice, one of this week’s featured destinations at TravelMuse.com.

I have never been one to exercise while on vacation; I mean, it’s my vacation after all.

Besides, what if I get lost?

It’s valid concern for many travelers who want to continue their exercise routine, but feel daunted in an unfamiliar environment. If you are a business traveler with back-to-back meetings or a busy mom looking to squeeze in 30 minutes of cardio before daylong family gallivanting, your time is precious. You can’t waste it getting lost.

The answer? Bring a map. A really, really small map.

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has recently partnered with Athletic-Minded Traveler (AMT), to provide its guests with palm-sized route maps for their walking and jogging adventures.

A new feature in the hotel chain’s StayFit@Hyatt program, these map cards (designed by San Diego-based AMT) provide directions from the hotel, two- to eight-mile customized routes and mileage markers, to guide your workout course. The cards are available at Hyatt front desks and fitness centers.

If you’re ready to venture even farther, Hyatt also offers GPS-tracking armbands—available at its 24-hour gyms—that monitor your heart rate and track your route.

Got to www.hyatt.com for more information about the hotel chain’s StayFit@Hyatt program and www.athleticmindedtraveler.com to learn about the designers.

I’m no francophile, but I have the French to thank for more than a few of my favorite things—pommes frites, coffee made in a french press, the croissant.

And now, the world’s fastest train.

Air France recently announced that it would launch high-speed rail service to Paris from London’s St. Pancras station within the next two years, and that its state-of-the-art trains will travel at a maximum speed of 224 mph, besting the current Eurostar service by at least 38 mph.

That means you could travel by rail from England to France in well under two hours.

While some may see irony in an airline developing a high-speed train, it makes perfect sense to me. More and more people are turning away from air travel as high fuel prices and new fees make it cost prohibitive, not to mention the delays and poor service.

In fact, according to The Independent, Eurostar’s passenger numbers jumped by 18 percent in the first six months of 2008. The original high-speed rail service between London and Paris, the Eurostar’s monopoly ends in 2010, opening the door for Air France to compete.

The company is also planning service between Paris and Amsterdam, and snazzy British air carrier Virgin Atlantic is rumored to be planning it’s own European rail service.

This is terrific news to me, considering that the idea of hurtling through the air in a giant metal tube at 32,000 feet makes me queasy. 

What about you? Planes, high-speed trains or automobiles? What is your preferred mode of travel? Do tell.

When I was a child, one of my favorite books was my mother’s autographed copy of The Useful Dragon of Sam Ling Toy, by Glen Dines. Set in San Francisco, the story tells of a laundry man who discovers what he thinks is a lizard. But as the lizard grows into a dragon, he finds that his new pet has many uses. The fantastical story certainly caught my attention, but it was also the San Francisco setting that kept the book high on my list. Growing up only 30 minutes away, I already thought the city was magical—and reading about a lizard turning into a dragon only proved me right.

Unfortunately, the book is now out of print (it was published in 1956), but that shouldn’t stop you from finding some fun books for kids set in San Francisco. Here’s a short list to start with:

This Is San Francisco (Universe Publishing, 2003), $17.95. Written by Miroslav Sasek.

Originally published in 1962, this book was reissued in 2003. I remember reading this one as a child also. It takes the reader on a cable car through Golden Gate Park, Chinatown, Union Square, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf and more. I don’t care how old it is—the story and illustrations are still wonderful.

Maybelle the Cable Car (Houghton Mifflin, 1997), $16.00. Written by Virginia Lee Burton.

Another oldie but goodie, this book tells the story of the city of San Francisco’s efforts to keep their beloved cable cars running. Illustrations show locations of cable car grips and levers, for kids into the mechanics of things.

Journey Around San Francisco From A to Z (Commonwealth Editions, 2003), $17.95. Written by Martha Day Zschock.

This book is more than just an alphabet book. It also provides a wealth of information about San Francisco locations, interesting to older kids as well as adults. A pelican (sometimes in disguise) serves as your guide—which is especially appropriate on the “Isolated Alcatraz” page, since the island was named after pelicans.

Earthquake in the Early Morning (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2001), $3.99. Written by Mary Pope Osborne.

Here’s one for the older kids—an adventure that teaches a little about the history of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. It’s part of the Magic Tree House series, so if you or your child is a stickler for order, you might want to start at the beginning, before jumping to this one—number 24.

Here’s a cool deal to snag this winter: Get a free night of lodging during the busiest holidays of the year—Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day and Easter Sunday—for the 2008/2009 season at any RockResort property, as well as participating Vail Resorts properties.

The Holidays on Us package features a free fifth night of lodging when you buy four consecutive nights, for a savings of 20 percent over the holidays.  The deal is good at a variety of properties, including Snake River Lodge & Spa in Jackson Hole and Hotel Jerome in Aspen. It’s even good at The Landings, RockResort’s beach resort in St. Lucia for those who prefer sand over snow.

Rates for RockResort lodgings start at $359 per person, per night; rates at other participating resorts start at $218. Packages must be booked before Oct. 15, 2008. Call 800-239-9290 or go to www.holidaysonus.com for more information.

I normally wouldn’t dedicate an entire blog post to one hotel company, but I just received word that Pacifica Hotels, a Santa Barbara–based California hotelier I discovered while living on the West Coast this past year, is having a fall rate sale, but it’s good only for this week.

The Discount

Act fast! Book your stay in a Pacifica Hotel by this Saturday, Sept. 6, and receive 30 percent off its regular fall rates. There are 18 participating coastal properties, from San Francisco to San Diego. Click here for a complete list with links to those hotels.

The Product

Pacifica has properties up and down the California coast that offer good value for your money. I stayed at the Inn at Venice Beach last February during the Los Angeles Marathon weekend and found it to be clean, convenient, had free Wi-Fi and a nice continental breakfast in a lovely tiled, center courtyard—all for an affordable (especially considering much of the city was sold out that weekend) $200 per night, including taxes. (The hotel has been popular for years with European travelers.) This fall, rates start at about $111 per night for weekdays, $132 per night for weekends. The beach is a pleasant, short walk from the inn.

I also toured the Half Moon Bay Lodge, a beautiful property managed by Best Western overlooking the Half Moon Bay Golf Links, with balconies and fireplaces in many of its spacious rooms. Weekends in September and October are already booked, but you can still find rates starting at $118 per night weekdays throughout the fall, or $125 per night weekends in November and December.

What are you waiting for?!

Stack a bunch of shipping containers together like Lego bricks and what do you get? In London’s Uxbridge area, you get a 120-room Travelodge hotel.

The 86 steel containers were outfitted in China with electric wiring, walls and bathrooms before being shipped off to their assembly location in the United Kingdom. After being stacked in their hotel configuration (two different sizes of containers were used), windows were installed and the rooms were decorated—before the outer skin of the hotel was built.

If the containers are ever needed for another location, they can be disassembled and used for another hotel—or go back to their previous job as shipping containers.

A second container hotel is underway at London’s Heathrow airport.