What’s New in the West: May 2007

A summer can be more than sun and mai tais. Pam Grout’s book The 100 Best Vacations to Enrich Your Life lists experience-driven holidays throughout North America. $20.shop.nationalgeographic.com [3].

• A Taste Napa Downtown card ($20) gets you 10-cent glasses of wine at 10 Napa, Calif., tasting rooms, as well as discounts on wine purchases to go and museum fees. The card is good now through March 2008. (707) 257-0322,www.napadowntown.com [4].
• A 1930 wood-bodied Stutz, a 1982 DeLorean, and a Packard given to Jean Peters by Howard Hughes are among the 70 classic vehicles on display at the new Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, Calif. Check the Web site for hours: www.automobiledrivingmuseum.org [5].
• Use your cell phone Web browser to access more than 180 audio sightseeing guides for seven cities, including San Francisco and San Diego. Best for users with unlimited data plans. www.tourgi.com/go [6].
• The Historic Oregon City Pass grants free access to three museums and discounts at restaurants and attractions. Available May 25; $7 adults, $5 kids ages 5–17. (503) 657-9336, www.historicoregoncity.org [7].
• On June 9, Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho, debuts four new attractions in its Boulder Beach Water Park, including a raft ride that plunges 70 feet into a canyon. (208) 683-3400,www.silverwoodthemepark.com [8].
• The Snake River Valley, stretching between southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon, is the newest wine appellation in the United States. For details on the 23 wineries in the area, go to www.idahowines.org [9].
• In Portland, get close to wildlife at the new Oregon Zoo Black Bear Ridge exhibit. www.oregonzoo.com [10].
• Experience the sights and sounds of the 1890s in Ketchikan from the Alaska Queen, an authentic steam-powered sternwheeler. The cruises, with narratives and entertainment, start May 7. (800) 323-5757,www.bestofalaskatravel.com [11].
• With views of Victoria, B.C.’s Inner Harbour, the Oswego Hotel opens on May 15 in the city’s James Bay neighborhood. Its 80 rooms, which include studios and two-bedroom suites, feature kitchens and living areas. From $110. (866) 602-1447, www.oswegovictoria.com [12].

This article was first published in May 2007. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.