Evening star., 1942-02-01
BY JACQUES FUTRELLE, Jr.,
Travel Editor

Indication of the drawing appeal
of "quickie vacations'-week-end
respites and weekday jaunts to
places within 100 miles of Washing
ton-is found in the report of the
Virginia State Travel Bureau, To-
Gated in Washington Mills Build
ing, for the last travel year. AL
though it embraced the period be-
fore Pearl Harbor and consequently
covered a time when the accent was
on defense and not on total war
efforts, subsequent monthly reports
bear out the fact that 'quickies"
still afford relaxation for key de-
fense executives and some Of their
Staffs.
Reporting to the Virginia Con-
sevation Commission on the free
service maintained to advise resi-
dents of the Washington Metropoli-
tan Area and visitors on places of
travel interest in the Old Dominion,
Miss Evelyn Mullen, bureau director,
said:
The bureau received hundreds of
requests for information on small
inns and quiet retreats within a
couple Of hours driving distance of
Washington. Those interested in
this type of accommodation for the
most part were officials and others
connected with defense agencies who
could get away only for a few days
at time While some of those in
quiring specified they wanted to
play golf or get in some riding, the
majority were only interested in a
very quiet place with comfortable
accommodations and good food.
I'm view of the increased demand
for places not too far from Wash
ington Casually not more than 100
niles, many persons reported that
after making their first reservation
here, they made a standing reserva-
tion for repeated weekend visits to
the same place every two or three
weeks. Frequently, in order to get
to make reservations, particularly for
week ends, from three to four weeks
In advance"
A key to Virginia's top-ranking
travel spots for the year ending
September 80 is given in the in
formation and literature distributed
by the bureau. Primary interest was
centered, according to the figures,
on Shenandoah National Park, with
1911 distributions: Williamsburg,
9.140; caverns, 6,903: Colonial Ma
tional Historical Park, GIG: Vir-
ginia Beach hotel and cottage in
formation, 6,340; Virginia seashore
map. 6,147; Tidewater Virginia by
motor, SOTO; Skyline Drive Char
lottesville. 6,043; historic Virginia
peninsula, 5,519; tour of historical
Richmond, 5,196; Charlottesville,
1898; Waynesboro-Skyline Drive,
ALSO; Luray and Skyline Drive,
1850; Natural Bridge, 4,595, and
Shenandoah Valley. 4.525.
Paying tribute to the ingenuity of
the Yankee" tourist to adjust him.
self to such handicaps as tire ration
ing is the trend reported from
Miami that private autos are being
parked, leaving rubber troubles dor
mant, while visitors flock to the
public transportation services.
Rental car companies, taXis and
buses are reported doing rushing
business, with no curtailment be-
cause of the rubber shortage. Boat
trip operators, to whom the situation
is a problem only when they step on
land, also are on hand to satisfy the
urge for recreation trips.
An official of one of the Miami
taxicab services reports that his
firm brought into the sun-basking
city an unusual number of cabs
from Chicago. And we are not
worried about the rubber situation
for the balance of the season, any,
way" he said. 1--WE made tire pur-
chases early in October for the
present season."
The manager of one of the largest
bus operators in the State reported,
Our Miami-to-Key West run of five
buses day is going ahead as usual.
This is the most we've run and we
are not planning to cut the Sched-
ule during the present season
Hourly departures to Jacksonville
and from Jacksonville to Miami are
in force"
E1editetions by a Florida hotel
man:
Florida with it's mellow sunshine
and its vacation atmosphere seems a
long way from the theater of war,
but hope and believe we are fully