Plan your Passover trip

SORIYA DANIELS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

When you close your eyes and dream of a faraway utopia, what do you see? Are you swimming in a five-acre swimming pool overlooking a white sandy beach with tropical music in the background? Are you aboard a cruise exploring a new Caribbean island almost daily, while top chefs prepare exquisite meals for you and your family? Or maybe you are galloping on a horse through the Midwestern plains or relaxing at a desert spa. Or, is your greatest joy watching your children having the time of their lives at Disney World? This Passover, the choice is yours, as various kosher tours provide a potpourri of opportunities to transform these dreams into fabulous vacations.

If you envisage your little ones chasing Mickey Mouse around Disney, or the whole family on a roller-coaster, then MatzaFun Tours' complete Passover package might be the choice for you. The Passover package includes three gourmet, Glatt kosher meals daily and traditional family seders, family theme nights including western barbecue and Oriental nights, daily synagogue services, guest lecturers and nightly entertainment. Children also enjoy complementary two-day Park Hopper passes for full-stay guests and transportation is included to all Disney theme parks. To learn more, call 1-866-GO MATZA.

For those destined to spend Passover at sea, Celebrity Cruise Line's elegant and exciting Summit will sail to the southern Caribbean on April 14. In addition to the typical amenities and activities offered on large, luxury cruise ships, the Summit will provide a separate area of the dining room, under Conservative supervision, for 250 kosher passengers, including traditional seders on the first two nights of Passover. The Summit will depart Fort Lauderdale and embark on exotic Central American and Caribbean destinations in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Aruba and Grand Caymen. The 11-day itinerary also includes a morning in Key West, off-shore tours and on-board recreation and entertainment. For information, contact the Ontario Travel Bureau at 1-800-893-5617.

For nature lovers, Kosher Expeditions offers an adventure in the Wild West with a horse to ride the plains, a raft to run the rapids and your feet to explore one of America's most spectacular national parks. The ranch is located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, 26 miles from Yellowstone National Park. All meals are Glatt kosher, served family-style at the ranch dining room with several barbecues during the week. Following a day of riding, clinics, hiking and fishing, relax in a hot spring or listen to one of the daily guest lecturers. The Kosher Wild West Adventure provides modern cabins with private baths and maid service. For further details, call 1-800-923-2645.

Club Kosher once again provides its spectacular five-star Gran Melia Cancun Passover program. Situated at a glamorous resort on the Caribbean, the facilities boast a full-service spa, daily and nightly entertainment, babysitters, a par-3, executive nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, oceanfront thatched-roof dining, gourmet menus at a choice of restaurants and a 1,500-foot, white sandy beach. During the Chol Hamoed period, guests will enjoy a traditional Mexican party. Orthodox synagogue services and lectures are included in the package, as are children and teen programs. Details are provided at www.ClubKosher.com.

If you fantasize about paraffin treatments, body wraps, stress management and Tai Chi, you might want to consider Afikomantours' 10-day Passover getaway to a desert oasis in Scottsdale, Ariz. As warm breezes under the desert sun enchant you, relax at a charming resort. When you desire a change of pace, this vacation destination is brimming with upscale shopping, sightseeing and nearby attractions. All meals are Glatt kosher and vacation stays may be lengthened or shortened. For more information about this trip and Afikomantours' companion excursion to Puerto Rico, call 1-888-AFIKOMAN.

Other warm-weather options, provided by Presidential Kosher Holidays (1-800-950-1240), include the family-friendly Hyatt Cerromar Beach Resort and Casino in Puerto Rico, the Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort and the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona. The Hyatt Cerromar features one of the world's longest river pools, water sports, a spa, golf, tennis and a vacation playground for the whole family. In Aruba, guests enjoy programs and private balconies that take full advantage of the tropical setting and experience gourmet Glatt kosher cuisine prepared by Manhattan's elegant Levana restaurant.

Soriya Daniels is a freelance writer living in Commack, N.Y.

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