Travelers visiting Expo ’86 in Vancouver might...

Travelers visiting Expo ’86 in Vancouver might enjoy a side trip to Cascade Mountain Inn in the Skagit Valley. This is about two hours by car from Expo. The inn is operated by Ingrid and Gerhard Meyer, a couple of German expatriates. Warmth, hospitality, Old World goodness. A view of Sauk Mountain.

Six guest rooms are designed after countries the Gerhards have visited. Feather quilts in the German room, rattan furniture in the Philippine room, hand-woven bedspreads in the Peruvian room, a tartan comforter in the Scotland room, a Rockwell collection in the American room, tiles and wall hangings in the Bremen room.

No rush here. Just get lazy or go fishing, rafting, hang gliding, biking, golfing. Day trips to Seattle, the San Juan Islands, Victoria, B.C., Mt. Baker, North Cascades Pass. No pets, children under age 10. Rates from $49 single, $62 double with full breakfast. Address: Cascade Mountain Inn, 3840 Pioneer Lane, Concrete Birdsview, Wash. 98237. Call toll-free (800) 826-0015.

Italy by Rail

A note from Agostino Petti of the Italian Government Travel Office in San Francisco tells about discount rail tickets on sale here or in Italy. Prices (second- and first-class) are $72/$114 for eight days, $87/$139 for 15 days, $102/$166 for three weeks, $127/$200 for one month.

For details contact Italian Railways C.I.T., 15760 Ventura Blvd., Encino 91336. Telephone (818) 783-7245. Or write to the Italian Government Travel Office, 360 Post St., Suite 901, San Francisco 94108. Telephone (415) 392-5266. (Answers all questions about Italy, supplies brochures, advice on itineraries.)

Hotel Bargains

Holland is heating up a campaign to attract visitors. KLM is giving passengers a $25 discount on round-trip air fare between LAX and Amsterdam till March 15. Car rentals for $30 per person (based on two to a car) for one week. And there’s a Happy Holland offer (hotel rooms, $5/$22 first night). Discounts on canal rides, museum entries, shopping.

For $7.50/$15 the tourist office is issuing “Holland Leisure” and “culture cards” good for discounts at concerts, operas, museums and other attractions. Details from the Netherlands Board of Tourism, (213) 678-8802.

Barge Trips

Etta Ross of Covina asks for the address of Continental Waterways, the barge tour operator. Telephone toll-free (800) 227-1281 or write directly to Continental, 118 Beacon St., Boston, Mass. 02108. Other information locally from Lang Communications, 1801 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 640, Los Angeles 90067, or telephone (213) 277-2971.

Continental does deluxe barge tours in France. Three and six nights from $590/$1,140. Travel in Chablis, Burgundy, the Upper Loire and Sancerre, Bordeaux and Midi, Alsace and Franche-Comte. English-speaking crews.

VIP Treatment

Al Osborne of Chatsworth is shopping around for an unusual “bon voyage gift for my girlfriend.” VIP’s International sends vacationers off in real style. Airport representatives greet passengers at curbside, assist with baggage check-in, obtain boarding cards, seat assignments, special meals in flight. Passengers are escorted to the airline VIP lounges at LAX (VIP promises to run interference during prime hours at the airport). Contact VIP, 1100 18th St., Manhattan Beach, Calif. 92066, or telephone (213) 374-1265.

Student Bargain

Families in Germany, Belgium, Holland and France are volunteering to host American students for three weeks this summer (July 6-27). Ages 14 and older. From the West Coast you fly to Brussels, Rome, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid. Price ($1,480) includes round-trip air, lodging, all meals. Contact Rudolph Winner, Franco American Cultural Exchange, Euler Chelpin St. 32A, 8900 Augsberg, West Germany.

Meanwhile, American Youth Hostels’ 1986 World Adventure Catalogue is free for the asking. More than 50 trips (9 to 70 days). Everything from biking through Pennsylvania Dutch country to pedaling along the Great Wall of China. Hiking in the Rocky Mountains, safaris in East Africa, llama pack trips in Oregon. Sleep in a castle in Scotland, a lighthouse in California. Trips geared for all types. For a copy of “The World Adventure 1986,” write to AYH Inc., 1332 Eye St. N.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20005.

Reader Recommendations

Santa Ynez Valley--Pearl A. Schiffer, Los Angeles: “A delightful B&B;, The Ballard, 2436 Baseline, Ballard, Calif. Telephone (805) 688-7770. Every room has a private bath. Rates, $120/$150 per night for single or double occupancy.”

Hong Kong--Doris Adams, Los Angeles: “Planned to stay in the Holiday Inn in Hong Kong at well over $100 per night. Instead stayed in an apartment for $46. Daily maid service. The building is locked, elevators are TV monitored. Within walking distance of popular shopping streets. Contact Luxury Court, 9 Hau Fook St., T.S.T. Kowloon, Hong Kong.”

Hawaii--Mr. and Mrs. W. Williams, Irvine: “An elegantly furnished one-bedroom, two-bath villa overlooking the golf course in Kapalua, Maui. Rates, $800 a week ($550 after April 15). Two heated swimming pools, free shuttle service, garden-like grounds. The Ridge is part of the Kapalua Bay resort which includes two golf courses, 10 tennis courts, four restaurants, a private beach, etc. Elegant without hordes of people. Contact Jack Nowell, Ridge Rentals, 888 Wainee St., Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii 96761.”

Thailand--Fred J. Bowman, Van Nuys: “Excellent French food at Chez Danier Le Normand, 1/9 Soi 24 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok. Telephone 258-8636. About two miles from the American Embassy. Chef is French and the assistant chef spent several years in Los Angeles so communications is not a problem.”

Austria--Dick M. Blue, Camarillo: “Romantik Hotel Schlosswirt, A-5081 Anif, Salzburg, Austria. Paid $45 a night, including breakfast.”

Denmark--Letha Grutzik, Buena Park: “A bed-and-breakfast dairy farm in Harby, Denmark. On the island of Fyn about 20 miles south of Odense. Write to Birgit and Lars Stougard, Snave Vej 16, 5683 Harby, Denmark. Rates, $15 single, $20 double.”

Scotland--George Morton and Donna Reeve, San Diego: “A cozy little B&B; called the Bayview, 3 Bayswell Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland. Rates, 9 per person per night. Proprietors have a little restaurant called Klownz and the owner is an international-caliber chef. Prices modest. Dunbar is a historic and interesting coastal town about 20 miles east of Edinburgh. It’s where John Muir was born.”

Scotland--Kathy Highstrite, Huntington Beach: Enjoyed Baltier Farm, Whithorn, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire DG8 8HA, Scotland. “Meals are generous and well-prepared. One feels immersed in Scotland. It was truly the high point of our two-week trip. Rate was only 11 per person per day for B&B; plus dinner. The farm is sheep and dairy mix.”

Scotland--Mrs. John C. Bixby, Newport Beach: Recommends three B&Bs; in Scotland: “Neish House, St. Fillans, Portshire ($7.50); Bank House, Inverzarry, Invernesshire ($7.50); Seamore House, Acadamy Road, Moffat, Dumfriesshire ($7.50).

England--Mildred G. Moore, Long Beach: Spent two weeks studying embroidery and touring English gardens with Ann Dyer c/o Westhope College, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9JL, England. “One of the best things is the price--$900 for two weeks. Ann picks you up at the airport and returns you to the airport. Rooms are attractive, with twin beds. All meals are provided. Instruction for embroidery and all materials are included in the price. (Sherry before dinner.)”

England--Frances Romano, San Diego: A two-week trip in James Herriot country operated for retired people by Meg Knight, 32 Piece Fields, Threshfield, near Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 5HR England. Cost 450 per person. Flight is extra. (“Meg is especially good with older people with various handicaps.”)