Direct Flight

A few years back, there was the man (no names, as he's been given enough ink) who slept in a New Jersey Ikea. Perhaps that's where the Scandinavian retail giant got the lightbulb burst to start a budget hotel chain?

Whatever planted the seed, the home goods monolith is doing it big, not surprisingly. Inter Ikea, owner of Ikea's intellectual property rights, has plans for 100 European hotels,...

OK, it's fantasy time. But, really, isn't that what travel is all about? I'm sticking with that, because right now I'm dreaming about going to Monterey, Calif., for the RM Auctions on Friday and Saturday.

RM offers automobile auctions around the globe, and, as usual, the one in Monterey is stocked with collectibles that would be pretty great to see in person. A number even have celebrity connections,...

Friday

JAZZ LEGENDS: CHARLIE PARKER TRIBUTE

Celebrating its 20th year, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is taking place at various New York City venues during the next couple of weeks. Some events are free, some aren't, but all aim to pay homage to the saxophonist known as Bird as well as the larger jazz scene he grew out of. The Sugar Hill Quartet performs 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Whole...

VietJetAir decided its inaugural flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang should be something special. For most travelers, that might mean an extra pack of peanuts, perhaps a heavier-than-normal pour of orange juice. For VietJet flyers, special translated to a bikini-clad dance performance.

Unfortunately for the new airline, Vietnam's Civil Aviation Administration lobbed a fine for the in-cabin...

On Aug. 12, Discovery Channel's Shark Week turns 25. That's a lot of celebratory years for the pit bulls of the sea, a whole lot of education and giving of mad props to the gilled guys that terrify and fascinate us.

But does it all feel just a little two-dimensional? If so, take that crazy excitement for the great white, tiger, blue, hammerhead and all their brethren into the real world with...

The Caribbean's St. Martin is idyllic, yes, but it's also a bit of an anomaly. At just 54 square miles, it's one of the smaller sea islands to be divided in two: the French Saint Martin, to the north, and Dutch Saint Maarten.

The remainder of this geography lesson is probably best had in person, and a deal from the Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa is perhaps an excuse to fill...

All month

TICKETS FOR “SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE”

If you want to sit in the audience of “SNL,” it's absolutely free, but you can only apply for tickets one month out of the year. And this is your month. Tickets for the 2012-2013 season are awarded via a lottery system, with recipients getting a pair of tickets. Get your name in the system by sending an email to snltickets@nbcuni.com by Aug....

Sometimes, it seems as if JetBlue runs deals just to give its sales team a fun assignment. Regardless, the Fall Shipping and Handling Sale results in some great deals, so let's focus on that.

With fares available only at jetblue.com (take that, Orbitz and co.), one-way bargains from New York include:

- $44 to Burlington, Vt. - $70 to Portland, Ore. - $89 to Orlando, Fla. - $139 to Bermuda...

Surfers and wannabes alike, brush off your beach-speak and get ready: The Surf with a Legend package at California's Montage Laguna Beach includes plenty of wave time with two greats.

Participants will hit the waves with Pat O'Connell, a competitive surfer who was featured in “The Endless Summer,” and Jon Rose, a professional surfer and the founder of the eco-minded Waves for Water; the two...

Friday

INTREPID SUMMER MOVIE SERIES How's this for a backdrop to an outdoor film: The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Two films remain in the free summer series, with “Jurassic Park” Friday and “The Goonies” Aug. 17. Seating is limited, and you'll want to bring a chair or blanket. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with the film beginning at sunset. Check intrepidmuseum.org if the sky looks scary;...