Ice skating in the desert

For the second winter, the Lake Las Vegas Resort has erected a ice-skating rink over a floating stage on the lake near the resort's MonteLago Village. Tickets are $15 a day, $12 for ages 12 and under. The rink will be open Dec 16 until Feb. 14. Resort guests can take advantage of a Holiday Skate, Stay and Shop package at $164 a person a night, double occupancy, which includes a studio condominium, skate rentals for two and free skating. Information: 1-866-399-2753, www.iceskatinglakelasvegas.com or www.montelagovillage.com.

World Heritage vacations

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has designated 812 places in 137 countries as World Heritage sites based on their unique environmental, historic or cultural significance.

Trips to Yosemite, Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu and eight other World Heritage areas are being jointly promoted by Expedia and the United Nations Foundation, with proceeds going to foster locally run tourism enterprises at lesser-known World Heritage sites.

The other eight destinations promoted are Pueblo de Taos, N.M.; Prague's central city, in the Czech Republic; Taj Mahal and sites near New Delhi, India; Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park; the Great Pyramids and Nubian Monuments in Egypt; Chichen-Itza and Uxmal, near Merida, Mexico; the fortified town of Campeche near Merida, Mexico; other Buddhist temples throughout Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam; and the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.

The first site to benefit from the program will be Sian Ka'an, Mexico, a pristine natural area on the eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula.

For more information about the project or to donate, go to www.friendsofworldheritage.org or www.expedia.com/worldheritage.

Early-season deals give skiers a lift

Airlines are rolling out promotions to get snow riders onto the slopes, including free lift tickets in Colorado or Utah and some kids-fly-free packages.

Fly to Colorado on United and receive a free lift ticket at your Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone or Vail ski resorts. The offer also applies when tickets include a stopover in Colorado. Travelers who buy tickets online at www.united.com/ski by Feb. 7 for travel to Colorado Jan. 3 through Feb. 10 will receive a coupon for a free lift ticket, which must be must be redeemed by Feb. 15.

Also if you fly on United to or from other Western destinations, you can stop over in Denver for $60 each way on many routes that normally involve a connection. You must request the stopover at the time of booking. For information: 1-800-864-8331 or www.united.com.

If you're flying into Salt Lake City from out of state, you can receive a free lift ticket for use at three nearby resorts. The Park City Visitors Bureau is offering a free same-day lift ticket for use at The Canyons, Deer Valley Resort or Park City Mountain Resort. The offer is valid through Dec. 24, Jan. 2 through Feb. 16, and March 27 through April 16. For details: 1-800-453-1360 or www.parkcityinfo.com/skiing/quickstart.

Kids 12 and younger fly free (one per adult) with winter packages to Steamboat, Colo., on American, Northwest and United. Steamboat also offers kids-ski-free and kids-rent-free programs (two-night minimum). The offer is valid on American from Jan. 2 through Feb. 16; on Northwest from Jan. 2 through Feb. 17; and on United now through Dec. 22 and Jan. 2 through Feb. 16. Contact: 1-877-237-2628; www.steamboat.com.

American Airlines Vacations is also offering Kids Fly Free (one 12 or younger per paying adult) promotions to Crested Butte, Telluride and Vail, Colo., and Jackson Hole, Wyo. The offer is valid with three-night stays for travel (restrictions apply) Jan. 2 through Feb. 16 to Colorado; and for travel March 20 through April 1 to Jackson Hole. Contact: 1-800-321-2121; aav8.aavacations.com/specials (scroll down to Ski & Mountain).

Alaska Airlines Vacations has a Kids Fly Free, Stay Free and Ski Free offer for travel to Whistler, Canada. One child age 2 to 11 may travel per paying adult. Buy packages by March 31 for travel Dec. 1 through April 17 (restrictions apply). Contact: 1-800-468-2248; www.alaskaair.com/.

Travel books

"Leaving Home at 72"

Two years ago, longtime Pittsburghers Don and Dana Manges wrote an article for the Post-Gazette's Destinations section, recounting their experiences when, at age 72, they sold their Fox Chapel home and went off for 18 months to sample what life was like in Rome, Vienna, London and Paris.

Now they have expanded their story into a 290-page book. In a series of breezy essays, they tell of European daily life, of explorations in museums, of family history as they cope with French doctors, Italian subways and a moonlighting Bulgarian philosopher hired to fix their computer.

They also explain how they solved problems s from health and finances to communications with those back home.

Retailing for $21.95, "Leaving Home at 72" has been self-published by iUniverse (www.iuniverse.com), Barnes and Noble (www.BN.com) and independent bookstores, including the Aspinwall Book Shop.

"Rick Steves' European Christmas"

Travel guru Rick Steves has a new book out called "European Christmas," full of recipes, history and descriptions of the holiday season in seven countries -- England, Norway, France, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. The $14.95 book, from Avalon Travel Publishing, offers less of the nitty-gritty practical advice Steves' guidebooks are known for, but you'll still find recommendations for holiday sightseeing around the continent.

"Fodor's Caribbean 2006"

Fodor's "Caribbean 2006" guide profiles 25 Caribbean destinations, from Anguilla to the Virgin Islands, with separate sections on destinations in countries composed of more than one island (such as St. Vincent and the Grenadines).

The "Island Finder" chart in the front of the book can help you decide on the right island for you, depending on your priorities. Fodor's says the most beautiful beaches in the region are found in Anguilla, Antigua, the British Virgin Islands, Grand Cayman, the Dominican Republic, the Grenadines, the Turks & Caicos Islands, and St. John. For the best shopping, Fodor's recommends Grand Cayman, St. Thomas and St. Bart's. The best nightlife, the books says, is on Aruba, Puerto Rico and Trinidad.

Fodor's rates the golf courses most highly on Barbados, Little Cayman, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Nevis and the Grenadines, while the best islands for families, according to the guide, are Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Kitt's, Nevis and St. John.

Christmas at Disney World

December at Disney World means Christmas, Mickey, and this year, Narnia.

"Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party" takes place at the Magic Kingdom Dec. 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18 and 20. Separate admission is required.

The "Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights," a display that started in an Arkansas home 18 years ago and was brought to Disney in 1995, can be seen through early January.

The World Showcase at Epcot features holiday celebrations from around the world and across various cultures, from Kwanzaa and Hanukkah to Pierre Noel and Santa, through Dec. 30.

A candlelight processional, choir and celebrity narrators telling the Christmas story unfold each night through Dec. 30 at Epcot's America Gardens Theatre at 5, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.

Disney's 22nd annual Christmas Day parade will be hosted by Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. If you can't make it to Florida to watch it in person, don't worry -- it airs live on ABC on Dec. 25.

The final attraction opened just this weekend. Disney-MGM Studios has a walk-through experience based on the new film "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Guests enter the set through a giant wardrobe to find the wintry landscape of a frozen world, and exit through a gallery showcasing props and costumes from the film.

Central Park online

More than 25 million people visit Central Park each year, but few know about the park's many tours and events. A new Web site, www.centralpark.com, is the first fully interactive guide to the park. It provides aerial as well as traditional maps; a comprehensive guide to the zoo, including names, ages, histories and images of every animal housed there; and an events database.

The Web site also contains hundreds of links to park-related history, articles and photographs, a runners map and more.

The 152-year-old park makes up 6 percent of Manhattan's total acreage and features 843 acres of trails, lawns, woodlands and ponds.