Go Advice:From a music trail in the Appalachians to a trip to Rome and self-catering in Frisco JOAN SCALESanswers your queries
Music in the Appalachians
I am planning a trip to the US in late September/mid- October to walk on the Appalachian Trail in the southern states. As I am a big fan of Bluegrass, country and folk music, it would be great to hear some when I am in this part of the world. Many festivals and concerts take place in the summer months, but I am finding it hard to find anything at this time of year. Perhaps you have some tips?
BD, Munich
The Appalachian region includes all of West Virginia and parts of 12 other states and is famous for music. As it’s such a large region I asked Fly Drive USA to look at an itinerary for you from Germany. It’s come up with a route from Washington through West Virginia and into North Carolina taking in some cities with music links.
On the tour there is Winchester, Virginia, birthplace of Patsy Cline and home of the Shenandoah Valley Museum and the Blue Ridge Skyline Parkway Drive. Bristol, Virginia, is the birthplace of Country Music Alliance and Tennessee Ernie Ford, and the home of the Paramount Theatre of the Arts. A stay in Abingdon, Virginia would bring you into contact with the Carter Cash clan and Barter Theatre.
In Galax, North Carolina, there is the Blue Ridge Music Centre and Asheville is the home of the arts in North Carolina. In the Bryson City area there is also a number of events on in September, see greatsmokies.com for details. The trip ends in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The price for this tour is around €1,785 with flights from Germany, 14 nights hotel accommodation and car hire. Tel: 01-8535000, flydriveusa.ie.
I also asked some colleagues in the US and they have come up with music events and festivals around your time frame. On September 24th the Mountain Heritage Day is on at the campus of Western Carolina University at Cullowhee, North Carolina, and this is a day of music and dance (mountainheritageday.com).
The father of Bluegrass music, Bill Monroe, is being remembered with a festival to mark his 100th birthday in Kentucky. The festival is from September 10th to 13th (see billmonroe100birthday.com).
The Treasure Mountain Festival in Franklin, West Virginia is from September 15th to 18th. See the programme on treasuremountainfestival.com.
On the last Sunday in September the Cranberry Mountain Shindig is at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
Rome for silver travellers
I am 73 and my husband 80 in June. I would love to visit Rome on an organised trip in late September or October. I would also love to visit Montecatini, and/or Florence. Some years back I could go into travel agencies and come away with a cartload of brochures – not any more. Where can I get some information? CIE Tours used do city tours but I never see them advertised now.
EE, Dublin
CIE Tours stopped offering international tours a few years ago. You can get brochures at your your nearest travel agent – see itaa.ie. I have some ideas for you: the first is from Topflight – a week from September 17th touring Tuscany to include Montecatini, San Gimignano, Pisa, Lucca, Florence and Siena. There are escorted tours, walks, visits to museums and churches, and food tastings.
You will stay in two hotels, one in Montecatini Terme and the other in Siena. The price from €1,479 includes flights, half-board accommodation in hotels, some lunches, all the tours and entrance fees. Tel: 01-2401700, topflight.ie.
From September 28 the Travel Department has an escorted tour to Rome, Perugia and Assisi for seven nights. The tour, based in Fiuggi near Rome, is on a half-board basis. There are day tours to Rome and the Vatican, Perugia, Assisi and an ancient Rome trip. The cost from €699 includes flights, half-board accommodation and tours. Tel: 01-6371600 or thetraveldepartment.ie.
Joe Walsh Tours has a tour from September 11th for a week with three days in Rome and four in Sorrento. In Rome there is two half-day tours and in Sorrento there is a trip to Pompeii included. The cost from €824 includes flights and tours. Accommodation is B&B in Rome and half-board in Sorrento. Tel: 01-2410888 or joewalshtours.ie.
Self-catering in San Francisco
My husband and I are hoping to visit San Francisco with friends for a week or 10 days in July on our way home from Canada. We had planned to go for a self-catering option, such as you find on Homelidays or in a European-style aparthotel but we are not having much luck locating any such short-term options. Could you recommend any websites we could check?
BF, Dublin
July is a busy time in San Francisco and while there is some short term accommodation there is not a lot available. Have a look at VRBO.com, where you will find some city apartments and suburban houses for rent for around $300-$500 (€213 to €355) per night.
Embassy Suites is a range of hotels which has good value rooms with kitchenettes. It has a property in San Francisco, but not downtown (see embassysuites.com).
Go ask Joan:E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com