What’s New in the West: July 2008

• If you visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium this summer, check out Basta Basura! (Enough Trash!). The musical skit tells the story of a girl who considers tossing a plastic water bottle into the ocean until superhero Basta Basura stops her. Daily performances on the Great Tide Pool deck. montereybayaquarium.org [2].
• Are you prone to motion sickness? Try Psi ("sigh") Bands, waterproof bracelets that use acupressure to relieve nausea. $14. psibands.com [3].
• Mono County's new Motor Touring in the Eastern Sierra brochure takes you beyond California’s Highway 395 and onto back roads that lead you to old mining towns, sparkling lakes, and jagged mountains. Available at ranger stations and for download at monocounty.org [4].
• McArthur–Burney Falls Memorial State Park, an hour outside Redding, Calif., is now home to 24 camp cabins with bunk beds and heaters. From $65. (800) 444-7275, reserveamerica.com [5].
• The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center is now open after a $28.4 million transformation. New galleries create space for the permanent collection, which holds pieces by Dale Chihuly, Georgia O'Keeffe, and John Singer Sargent. csfineartscenter.org [6].
• Prone to motion sickness on the road? Try Psi ("sigh") Bands, waterproof bracelets that use acupressure to relieve nausea. $14. psibands.com [3].
• Paul Allen's collection of 15 rare World War II planes is now on display in a hangar at Paine Field Airport in Everett, Wash. Don't miss the Polikarpov U-2/PO-2, flown by female Soviet pilots during nighttime raids against German forces. (206) 342-4242, flyingheritage.com [7].
• Hold on to your stomach: The new Aftershock ride at Silverwood Theme Park, near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, drops you 177 feet and turns you upside down before flinging you backward. (208) 683-3400, silverwoodthemepark.com [8].
• Founded 100 years ago by prospectors who struck it rich in the Klondike gold rush, Seattle’s newly restored Arctic Club Hotel honors its history in the Alaskan marble­lined foyer and the Dome Room, whose stained glass ceiling depicts the northern lights. Modern in-room amenities include Kiehl’s bath products, French press coffee, and free Wi-Fi. From $275. (206) 340-0340, arcticclubhotel.com [9].

This article was first published in July 2008. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.