For all its beloved medieval charm, Bologna has more than a few unexpected and contemporary surprises up its sleeve.

  Throughout the country, nonprofit soaring clubs seek to make recreational flying as accessible as possible. And nowhere is this more true than at the Valley Soaring Club in Middletown, N.Y.

  On a sea-horse-shaped strip of land on Puget Sound the scenery varies, and so do the inhabitants.

  This former hacienda is now a spa with geothermal pools and Turkish baths, all sourced from the same hot springs that soothed the aching bones of the Inca Emperor Atahualpa five centuries ago.

  With a sketch artist?s touch and an eavesdropper?s ears, the Dutch journalist Geert Mak keeps readers engrossed in his book, ?In Europe: Travels Through the Twentieth Century.?

  The city may target adult visitors, but resort attractions, theatrical spectacle and regional sites appeal to the whole family.

  The Grand Del Mar is set to open in San Diego on Oct. 6.

  Bulls Island, an uninhabited barrier island, is populated by a staggering variety of creatures both local and migratory.

  Southwest Airlines said Wednesday that it would start numbering boarding passes so that passengers would no longer need to line up early.

  Conversation and a couch are plenty for the young, networked traveler.

  Arthur Frommer, the founder of the omnipresent Frommer?s Travel Guides as well as Budget Travel magazine, has kindly agreed to answer whatever questions you may have. Fire away.

  For last week?s column, I asked the T.S.A. to describe its rationale for its rules for carrying liquids. And oh, did the e-mail messages pour in.

  Angry after finding herself stranded on a plane, Kate Hanni became an advocate for passenger rights. Now her campaign is taking off.

  Complaints from foreign business and leisure travelers have led the United States government to take steps to improve the treatment of travelers upon arrival.