SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 23, 2004–He has almost a whole year to ponder, make amends and, yes, travel. Basketball player Ron Artest needs places to go, and Travelocity(R) is looking for help in giving him travel advice. You can vote from one of ten Travelocity-nominated locations and/or submit a write-in candidate at www.travelocity.com/vote. Here are Travelocity’s nominees:
-- Knockemstiff, Ohio -- Legend has it that, fittingly, a brawl
in a local establishment spawned the name. Knockemstiff is
located just west of Chillicothe, near a lonely country road.
Stay at the Christopher Inn and Suites in Chillicothe (from
$72 on Travelocity), one of the area's best-kept secrets.
-- Ding Dong, Texas -- Located in Bell County (get it -- like the
bell in a boxing ring) in the north-central part of the state,
approximately 60 miles North of Austin, Ding Dong is a rural
community with a trading post. The saying goes that, "If you
find yourself in Ding Dong, you had to have been looking for
it." There are several hotels in Killeen, just eight miles
away. The La Quinta Killeen (from $81 on Travelocity), is a
good bet for the comfort-loving but budget-minded traveler.
-- Deep Hole, Nevada -- Located northwest of Gerlach, about two
hours from Reno, this ghost town is right on the edge of the
Black Rock Desert. Locals recommend that anyone in the area
stop at Bruno's in Gerlach for lunch or dinner. Bruno's also
has a motel, complete with TVs that may be black and white,
but still pull in major sporting events. Another must-see spot
near Deep Hole is Planet X Pottery, where nationally
recognized artist John Bogard creates beautiful pots and
dishes in his solar-powered studio.
-- Lake Placid, New York -- This town in the Adirondacks is named
for the calm lake it borders, but it's best known for hosting
the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980. There's skiing (North
Face is already open), fishing, hiking, and sightseeing.
Visitors can chill out at the Holiday Inn Resort in Lake
Placid for rates starting at $112 on Travelocity.
-- Mars or Moon, Pennsylvania -- Sometimes you need a little
distance to see things clearly. And sometimes you need a lot.
Mars is 20 miles north of Pittsburgh, and is home of Max &
Erma's, where visitors can load up on comfort food and highly
touted chocolate-chip cookies. Travelers on a budget can stay
at the Comfort Inn in Mars (from $69 a night on Travelocity).
Moon Township is located near the Pittsburgh airport, so there
are plenty of restaurants and hotels, including the Crowne
Plaza Pittsburgh Airport for rates starting as low as $129 a
night on Travelocity.
-- Solitude, Indiana -- There's not much to do in Solitude, but
that's just as well, because if you're in Solitude, you're
looking for solitude, right? Just west of Evansville, halfway
between Louisville and St. Louis in southern Indiana, this is
a farming community so down-to-earth that even a big star
would feel grounded. The Quality Inn North in Evansville is a
good bet at $69.95 on Travelocity.
-- Hope, Arkansas -- Made famous by hometown hero and
comeback-kid Bill Clinton, Hope was originally known as the
home of the world's largest watermelons. When not spitting
seeds, you can tour the birthplace, childhood homes, and
former schools of Mr. Clinton. The Holiday Inn Express in Hope
(from $68 on Travelocity) received a five-out-of-five rating
in Travelocity's hotel reviews. It's a great place to get some
rest and dream of good times ahead.
-- Purgatory, Colorado -- It's been renamed Durango Mountain
Resort, but it will forever be called Purgatory by locals.
Huge peaks surround the resort on three sides, and the high
desert country borders the resort to the south. Purgatory has
an abundance of fine ski days with light snowfalls followed by
sun. There are several hotels to choose from, including the
Doubletree (from $79 on Travelocity) --downtown Durango's only
luxury hotel. The property sits on the beautiful banks of the
Animas River, located just minutes from downtown shopping and
the historic Durango & Silverton narrow-gauge railroad.
-- Friendly, West Virginia -- Located in Tyler County, near the
Ohio River in the northwestern part of the state, Friendly is
approximately 230 miles from Washington, D.C., and 85 miles
from Charleston. You'll feel recharged after experiencing
Southern hospitality at the Wells Inn (from $59 on
Travelocity) in nearby Sisterville -- established in 1894.
-- Truth or Consequences, New Mexico -- Located in southwestern
New Mexico, on I-25 between Las Cruces and Albuquerque, the
city formerly known as Hot Springs is renowned for its
wonderful climate and recreational facilities. Named after a
1950s radio show, Truth or Consequences is known as the "The
Water Wonderland of New Mexico." Wash your cares away with a
stay at the Best Western Hot Springs Inn, where rooms start at
just $52 per night on Travelocity.
About Travelocity
Travelocity’s industry-leading technology and straight-talking, honest information help travelers take more rewarding and affordable trips. With 44 million registered users and booking nearly $4 billion of travel in 2003, Travelocity negotiates thousands of low-priced deals with the world’s most reputable travel providers — top airlines, hotels, car rental companies, cruise lines, and other destination attractions and services. Additionally, Travelocity offers deeply-discounted rates for weekend getaways and dynamic packages through its Last Minute Deals and TotalTrip shopping engines, and provides customer service support over the phone 24 hours a day. Based in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also operates Travelocity Business(SM) for corporate customers, powers international travel Web sites in eight languages, and has been recognized for its consumer advocacy and global leadership in online travel. More information about Travelocity is available at www.travelocity.com. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE:TSG), a world leader in travel commerce. More information about Sabre Holdings is available at www.sabre-holdings.com.
CONTACT: Vollmer Public Relations
Judy Haveson, 212-554-7425
judy@vollmerpr.com
or
Sie Soheili, 972-488-4790
sie@vollmerpr.com
SOURCE: Travelocity
