Your family can have a memorable vacation at Cave City, Kentucky, on a more modest budget than many other high-profile attractions available today. Cave City, known as the "Gateway to Mammoth Cave" is a small town in mid-Kentucky, located halfway between Louisville, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee on Interstate 65. Have a look at www.cavecity.com for more information or to sign up to receive their brochure or call 1-800-346-8908.

While Mammoth Cave is the major attraction of Cave City, there are lots of other unique and unusual attractions there as well. For instance, kids (and adults) will love Dinosaur World where you can walk amongst a collection of life-size dinosaurs displayed in a wooded habitat. Or if wax museums are your thing, try the Mammoth Cave Wax Museum. Antique shops, stores with hand-crafted items and souvenir shops are also a part of Cave City.

Gun Town Mountain, which is reached via a 5-minute chair-lift ride up the mountain features a western town complete with can can dancers, a shoot-out in the middle of the main street and a country band. For a minimal fee, you can even have someone thrown in "jail" for a few minutes!

The main attraction of the area, however, is Mammoth Cave at the Mammoth Cave National Park. For a list of cave tours, the length of time they take and the distance travelled, tour fees (which range from $4 to $45) and lots of other information and pictures, visit www.nps.gov/maca. Other area highlights can be found at www.mammothcave.com. Horseback riding and camping are also available in the park.

While enjoying Cave City, you might want to consider a stay at Wigwam Village, located at 601 N. Dixie Highway, where their motto is "Sleep in a Wigwam". Their website, where you''ll see pictures of this unique motel, is at www.wigwamvillage.com or you can call ahead to (270) 773-3381. The village features 15 rooms which are individual "wigwams" with their own bathroom and cable TV. Built in a giant circle, the kids can enjoy the big playground in the center. A picnic shelter with grills is also available. More traditional motels are there too and camping in the area is another option.

For dining, Joe''s Diner, at 1040 Mammoth Cave Road can be fun. For information call (270)773-3700 or visit www.joesdinermammothcave.com. Their menu is filled with various burgers and other sandwich choices, fries and other sides or even peanut butter and jelly. Top it all off with one of their delicious ice cream sodas, milk shakes or sundaes with up to four scoops of ice cream.

Good fun and food, learning about nature, getting some exercise and enjoying vacation time together can all be found in the Cave City, Kentucky area.

Beautiful Siesta Key is an eight-mile long barrier island, off the central western coast of Florida and located between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Just 55 miles south of Tampa, it has two bridges connecting the key to Sarasota so you''re never far from the action, just far enough.

Siesta Key boasts three beaches, each with soft, powdery crystal-white sand that stays cool to the touch all year long. For public beach goers, there''s Siesta Beach which is within walking distance of Siesta Village where you''ll find shops, sidewalk cafes and restaurants to suit every taste. There''s also Turtle Beach and the private Crescent Beach.

Temperatures in the area range from highs in the 80''s and lows in the 60''s from April through June and again from September through November. December through March is the cooler season with highs in the 70''s and lows in the 50''s while July and August are the hotter months with highs in the 90''s and lows in the 70''s. No matter what time of year you''re in Siesta Key, the weather will be generally sunny and great for outdoor activities.

You can charter a boat for sailing or sport fishing, rent jet skis, go parasailing or take a kayak tour. If you prefer to stay dry, try one of the many golf courses in the area. Of course you may want to just lie on the beach and soak up the sunshine or enjoy the undulating surf in the Gulf of Mexico.

If you can''t wait to stay on the beach, Tropical Shores on Crescent Beach is a 3-diamond resort with four styles of rooms from which to choose, including a mini-efficiency, a one or two-bedroom suite, or the most popular option, a deluxe efficiency. Each choice has a fully-stocked kitchen and beach towels are provided so you don''t have to worry about bringing your own and doing laundry. There''s shuffleboard, a pool, Tiki Hut BBQ areas and it''s only a one-minute walk from gorgeous Crescent Beach. Take a virtual tour at www.tropicalshores.com or call them at 941-349-3330 or 800-235-3493 for reservations.

For a super place to eat, complete with wild parakeets in the coconut palms outside, drive or go by boat on the Intracoastal Waterway to Turtles Restaurant, located on Little Sarasota Bay. If you choose, you can dine on their deck overlooking the Bay. Located at 8875 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota, Florida, Chef Julian Ortega features a different fresh catch daily, but grouper is most always on the menu in the form of salads, sandwiches, medallions and bites. Various steaks, salads and seafood and even a children''s menu, along with pictures of Turtles Restaurant can be seen at www.turtlesrestaurant.com or give them a call at 941-346-2207.

For the perfect beach vacation, try Siesta Key. It''s hard to resist the super soft sand and balmy breezes you''ll find there.

At the northernmost tip of the 125 mile stretch of barrier islands of North Carolina known as the Outer Banks lies a fairly new beach destination: Corolla. This town has a year-round population of just 500. However, during the summer months, more than 50,000 people visit Corolla each week.

Corolla was an undeveloped area until 1984, when state officials extended Highway 12 from the Dare County line into the small village of Corolla, changing a quiet town into an upscale vacation destination made up of million dollar homes. Today, over 2750 homes are in the Corolla area, most of them being second homes and vacation rentals.

In the summertime, there is much to do in Corolla. On one side is Atlantic Ocean and on the other side, the Currituck Sound, so visitors have much water in which to play. You can hit the beach, swim, kayak, rent a Jet Ski, tennis, golf, fish, go cart, and much more. About 70 wild horses have lived in the northern dunes of Corolla for the past 400 years. If you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of one during a horse-finding tour. This area is accessible only via four-wheel-drive.

Those who vacation in Corolla during the off-season (fall, winter, and early spring) describe it as quiet and relaxing. Most businesses and restaurants stay open, and rentals are much cheaper. One of the highlights of the fall is the Haunted Corolla Village, at Currituck Heritage Park (http://www.ncbeaches.com/OuterBanks/Corolla/CalendarOfEvents/cDetails-1338 ), in October. Other places to visit any time of the year include the Whalehead Club house and museum http://www.whaleheadclub.org/) and the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education (http://www.ncwildlife.org/pg08_EducationWorkshops/Outer_Banks_Center.htm), both located at Currituck Heritage Park. Climbing the Currituck Beach Lighthouse is a favorite pastime of visitors, as is shopping in Corolla Village.

Monteray Shores Plaza on Albacore St. houses shops including Birthday Suits swimwear, The Farmer’s Daughter country store, and Kitty Hawk Kites. On the sound side, there is the Timbuck II Shopping Village (http://www.timbuckii.com/) . Shops there include Cotton Gin collectibles, Corolla Surf Shop, Grays Department Store, and Try My Nuts Nut Co.

Corolla does not lack its share of eateries. For rib lovers, there’s Sooeys (252-453-4423) at Timbuck II Shopping Village. A popular family eatery and sports bar, the Tomato Patch pizzeria (http://www.obxpizza.com/) (252-453-4500) can be found at Monteray Shores Plaza. More expensive area restaurants include Bunkers Grill and Bar at the Currituck Club (252-453-0926) and Mike Dianna’s Grill Room at Timbuck II (252-453-4336).

Nestled in the mountains of West Virginia just over the Maryland border is a hidden little slice of heaven: Alpine Lake Resort, in Terra Alta, WV (http://www.alpinielakeresort.com). This resort that is about a 30 minute drive from the better-known Deep Creek Lake of Garrett County, MD exists at an elevation of 2800 feet and is made up of 2300 wooded acres. It features the 148 acre Alpine Lake, fed by springs and mountain streams, and an award-winning 18-hole golf course.

Alpine Lake has become a popular site for a second/vacation home. Some retirees live at Alpine Lake year-round. Lots are still available for sale, as are many homes. Although over 480 homes have been built on the resort, and more are in the works, the West Virginia Department of Commerce gave Alpine Lake Resort an Award of Excellence for the way progress has been planned, so as not to disturb the natural resources and beauty of the area. Indeed, Alpine Lake is like a natural wildlife preserve. As you drive up and down the mountainous roads of the resort, it isn’t uncommon to see deer feeding along the side of the road, turkeys, possums, chipmunks, and even the occasional bear!

In addition to golfing, there is much more to do at Alpine Lake. Sailing with non-motorized boats is allowed, as is fishing, swimming, canoeing, and kayaking. Hiking is popular within the resort. You can also enjoy the beach, tennis courts, miniature golf course, restaurant, bar, exercise room, basketball courts, and more.

Visitors to Alpine Lake have a choice of accommodations. They may stay in the 35-room motel (1-800-752-7179) which costs from $70 per night in season, and as low as $50 per night off season. Or, if they are staying at least 2 nights, visitors may rent one of the 33 private homes available from Clutter Realty (304-789-6933) (www.clutterrealty.com) . These range in price from $90 per night for a 2-bedroom cabin to $300 per night for a 6 bedroom house on the lake.

If one wants to drive off the resort, there are many things to do and places to eat in the local area. Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo (http://www.westvirginiazoo.com), located about 20 minutes from Alpine Lake in Kingwood, WV, (304-329-3122), features a variety of native and exotic animals including tigers, monkeys, and bears, for a reasonable entrance fee. The nearby small town of Terra Alta, WV has a population of just 1500, but also boasts a Subway (304-789-2808)and Fox’s Pizza Den(304-789-5550) (which share the same building at 1206 E. State Ave). If you prefer a sit-down meal, you can drive to Englander’s Fountain Grill (301-533-0000) (http://www.oaklandmd.com/business/englanders.htm) on Alder St. in nearby Oakland, MD, which also features a nice antiques /collectibles shop. Another choice is the Long Branch Saloon (301-334-4533) (http://www.garrettchamber.com/attraction.php?attraction=152) at 1501 Maryland Hwy in Mt. Lake Park, MD, about 15 minutes from Alpine Lake. Or you can drive half an hour Deep Creek Lake to partake of the many shops and restaurants offered there.

Ocean City, MD is a nine mile long resort town along the Atlantic Ocean with a year-round population of 8000. It is located in Worcester County in Maryland and hosts 8 million visitors every year. Although this is a beach town, there are plenty of things to do all year long. In the summer, of course, there is the beach itself and the town?s famous boardwalk. Along the boardwalk one finds all sorts of exciting entertainment, such as Trimper?s Rides, arcades, and shopping in the little stands and shops lining both sides of the 2.5 mile long boardwalk, and tempting eateries such as Thrasher?s Fries, Fisher?s Popcorn, Dollies Salt Water Taffy, the Atlantic Stand, and Dumser?s Dairyland. In town there are a variety of shops, amusements, and restaurants to keep tourists busy. There is also fishing, kayaking, parasailing, surfing, and golf, for those more actively inclined. At the end of the summer, the annual Summerfest heralds the coming of fall. This September festival features carnivals, music, shops, food, and is considered the end of summer blowout for the town. In the winter, although most shops and restaurants along the boardwalk and a few in town close down, many golfers visit the area, and the town also plays host to business conventions. Winterfest Village (http://www.ococean.com/calframe.html#winterfest) opens in late November and runs through the beginning of January and features dazzling light displays, Christmas carols, and a train to give visitors the best view of it all. Springfest, (http://www.ococean.com/springfest.html) which occurs in May, ushers in the start of the summer tourist season, and also features music, food, rides, and more. When visiting Ocean City, there are some restaurants you must not miss. One of them is Philips Crab House (http://www.phillipscrabhouse.com), located at 2004 Philadelphia Ave (410-289-6821). A highlight of this restaurant is its seafood buffet, which starts daily at 3:30 p.m. Another place for buffet lovers is the