It’s never the wrong time to stock up on books with Wisconsin connections, but the holiday season is the perfect time to give the gift of good reading—especially when it involves travel tips, murder mysteries, golf, coffeehouse lore or being kind to wild birds.

If I simply want a massage, I open the phone book at home and pay about half the price of a resort massage. When traveling, what I’m seeking in a spa is a one-of-a-kind experience, not value.

According to Cruise Lines International, the cruise industry has been growing at about 8% a year since 1980 and almost 10 million people enjoy a cruise each year. If you’re one of the few who has yet to dip a toe in the water, here’s a place to start.

I`m the first to show thin skin when the mercury drops, so I know that planning a warm-weather vacation can be a therapeutic way to soften the approach of winter. But I`m getting fussier. A long stretch of beach, by itself, is no longer enough to satisfy me—particularly if local character is lost to big-name hotels and chain restaurants. And booking an all-inclusive resort, no matter how posh, will seem too confining if the property is isolated. Those are my peeves, and you`ll have your own.