Globetrotting

• PLAN AHEAD: If you're thinking about vacationing with extended family in some of the country's most popular national parks, it isn't too early to make reservations. Rooms at Xanterra-operated lodges in Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Death Valley, Crater Lake and the Grand Canyon can be reserved up to 13 months in advance. "Booking rooms now ensures that travelers have their pick of the rooms and lodges that are most suitable for their group," said Judi Lages, vice president of sales and marketing for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, in a press release. Contact information: www.xanterra.com; www.travelyellowstone.com, 866-439-7375; www.grandcanyonlodges.com, 888-297-2757; www.zionlodge.com, 888-297-2757; www.brycecanyonlodge.com, 888-297-2757; www.craterlakelodges.com, 888-774-2728; and for Death Valley, www.furnacecreekresort.com, 800-236-7916.

Vacation in Wales

• SELF-CATERING HOLIDAYS IN WALES. Under the Thatch, www.underthethatch.com, offers 23 unique accommodations that range from 17th-century farmhouses to converted railway carriages to traditional cottages. At least one is near Brecon Beacons National Park, pictured above. Profits go toward rescuing historic buildings, according to a press release from VisitBritain, the tourism marketing organization for England, Scotland and Wales. The term "self-catering" means the accommodations come with facilities in which you prepare your own meals and do your own housekeeping. Linens and towels are provided.

Sunshine State

• FLORIDA ON FILM. The Sunshine State has had a role in many a movie and TV show, from the Tarzan films to Jim Carrey's "Truman Show," shot in Seaside, to Arnold Schwarzenegger's "True Lies," filmed in the Keys, to "Miami Vice." To make note of the state's appearances on celluloid, the state's tourism promotion entity, Visit Florida, and the Governor's Office of Film and Entertainment have collaborated on a Map and Guide to Florida Movies brochure and Web site, movies.visitflorida.com. A free copy of the brochure is available at Visit Florida's Welcome Centers.

Rooms with a view

• THE GEORGIAN HOTEL in Santa Monica, Southern California's ever-so-hip beachside community, is renovating its 84 guest rooms. Located on Ocean Avenue with an ocean view and a big front porch from which to enjoy it, the Georgian caught our eye on a trip to Los Angeles a few years back. Built in 1933 as an homage to Art Deco, it is a five-minute walk from the Santa Monica Pier and only a couple of minutes from Third Street Promenade. See for yourself what it has to offer at www.georgianhotel.com.

E-mail: kclayton@desnews.com