Tours Of Palouse Start In Rosalia

Would you like to learn more about our own back yard? A company called Country Tours is offering historical tours of the Palouse from now through autumn.

The van rides, which begin near Rosalia, have a different focus on every trip, ranging from gardens and farms to historical sites and natural wonders like Palouse Falls and Steptoe Butte.

The cost is $13.50 per person, which includes a continental breakfast. For information, call (800)-9-PALOUSE or (509) 569-3312.

Oregon trail: Thanks to a wet spring, wild flowers in the hills and meadows of northeast Oregon are staging one of their most impressive displays of the last 15 years, says Odos Lowery, a Bureau of Land Management forester.

Some suggested drives for viewing: the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road, east of Halfway, Ore.; the Summit Creek Road, between Richland and Halfway; and Highway 7 south of Baker City.

For more information, contact the Baker County Visitor and Convention Bureau at (800) 523-1235 or (503) 523-3356.

Ski stuff: Summer activities for people who just can’t stay off the slopes:

Apex Resort, near Penticton, British Columbia, offers summer programs this year for the first time, with offerings ranging from sightseeing chairlift rides to guide horseback rides and mountain bike tours. For information, call (604) 292-8111.

Sun Valley, the world-famous resort in south Idaho, features activities from golf to music festivals, weekly ice skating exhibitions, hiking, mountain biking, wine auctions, arts and crafts festivals and more. For information, call (800) 786-8259.

Bargains and discounts:

Kananaskis Inn, in the Canadian Rockies near Banff, Alberta, is offering a summer special rate of $99 Canadian (about $70 U.S.) per night, single or double occupancy, including a full breakfast. Call (800) 528-1234 or (403) 591-7500.

Red Lion hotels throughout the West are offering “Summer Dream Deals” packages through Sept. 5, ranging from $54 to $179 per room, depending on the location and the day of the week. For information, call (800) REDLION.

Short takes: Quick hits from around the region:

The 22nd annual Heritage Festival, honoring America’s ethnic and rural past, is July 1-2 at Marymoor Park in Redmond, a Seattle suburb. Events include music, dance, crafts and food. For information, call King County Parks at (206) 296-2964.

The Shoreline Resort, operated by the Quileute tribe in the Olympic Peninsula town of La Push, offers traditional salmon bakes every Saturday from June through September.

The resort also has about a dozen cabins with prices ranging from $42 to $55 per night. For information, call (800) 487-1267 or (360) 374-5267.

Heading north: A free guide to Anchorage is now available, featuring 112 pages of photos, maps, an events calendar and driving tours. Call the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau at (907) 257-2385.

, DataTimes MEMO: Send information about travel opportunities around the Pacific Northwest to: Travel Editor, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.