Travel Planner: Dover AFB, DE

This 370-acre complex is the Eastern Shore's first full-service, year-round resort, and one that takes full advantage of the soothing natural light and spectacular views of the Choptank River. The resort includes an 18-acre Blue Heron rookery, an 18,000-square-foot spa, and a golf course designed by Keith Foster. All rooms and suites have a private balcony; those on the upper level have raised ceilings. The resort's restaurants include the self-service Bay Country Market and the Blue Point Provision Company for seafood. Two outdoor sandstone fireplaces make perfect s'more hubs, and a 30-foot-high wall of windows welcomes you to Michener's Library. Pros:

features and amenities worthy of any world-class resort; expensive.

strangely isolated in a region devoid of comparable lodging; can be overwhelmingly large. www.chesapeakebay.hyatt.com. 384 rooms, 16 suites. In-room: safe, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurants, bar, golf course, pool, tennis courts, gym, spa, beach. Credit cards accepted.

With turndown and room service, a copy of the New York Times

delivered to your door each morning, and privileges at local golf clubs, the Virginia is a full-service hotel on an intimate scale (24 rooms). Owned by the Congress Hotel group, the Virginia makes a little Victoriana—fringed lamp shades and potted palms—look modern with up-to-date color palettes. Rooms have down comforters and terrycloth bathrobes, as well as Bulgari Parfums soaps and lotions. Its Ebbitt Room Restaurant is one of the town's best. www.virginiahotel.com. 24 rooms. In-room: Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar. Credit cards accepted. Rate includes: Breakfast.

This modern, family-oriented, oceanfront hotel has patrons who have been coming for more than 20 years; reservations are taken a year in advance. There's a heated pool, a separate children's pool, an outdoor whirlpool, and a exercise room with sauna; plus there's free on-premises miniature golf, a game room, and activities for the kids in July and August. Every one of the motel-style rooms has a refrigerator and coffeemaker, and efficiency suites have kitchens. Don't feel like cooking? Sit back and have room service delivered. www.capemayfun.com. 22 rooms, 48 suites. In-room: kitchen (some), Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pool, children's programs, laundry facilities, parking. Credit cards accepted. Closed late Oct.-mid-Mar. Rate includes: No meals.

On 12 acres sloping gently to a gazebo on the edge of its private Chesapeake beach, this stately 18th-century Georgian brick manor house provides a taste of Eastern Shore gentility. Its antique furnishings and Oriental rugs, along with an airy sunporch, re-create a bygone era. Of its 11 impeccably decorated guest rooms, 5 have working fireplaces. The manor's formal library is well stocked with both books and films. If needed, guests are provided transportation to the restaurant of their choice for dinner. Golf and tennis are available at neighboring Great Oak Landing. Pros:

stunning waterside location.

formal period decor may be stuffy. www.greatoak.com. 11 rooms. In-hotel: beach, some age restrictions. Credit cards accepted. Rate includes: Breakfast.

Part thoroughfare, part three-ring circus, the Boardwalk is center stage for every imaginable oddity. Conceived in 1870 as a way to allow Victorian-era visitors to experience nature without getting sand in their shoes, the Boardwalk became the

place to see or be seen. Named for Alexander Boardman, the promenade's inventor—and not as you might think, for its wooden boards—the 4-mi-long Boardwalk begins in Atlantic City's Inlet section (at Maine Avenue), and heads south into neighboring Ventnor, where it continues for another 1½ mi (to Jackson Avenue). Saltwater taffy was invented on the Boardwalk in 1883, as legend has it, when a storm flooded a candy dealer's wares. The Boardwalk's attractions include amusement piers, museums, arcades, bars, restaurants, carnival games, and miniature golf. The

which once hosted the best music acts of the day as well as the famed diving-horse show, is now home to rides and carnival games. On the

you can ride go-carts or fire paintball rounds at human targets. Aside from strolling up and down the boards, the traditional way to experience the Boardwalk is to be pushed in a rolling chair. These wicker chairs evolved from the wheelchairs that infirm visitors used back when the city's promoters' claimed the salty ocean air could cure all diseases. Despite medical evidence to the contrary, after a long stroll on the Boardwalk, you might have to agree.

The two-story bayfront complex is 2 mi from the casinos and loaded with amenities. Rooms overlook either the pool, the bay, or the Atlantic City skyline. The golf shop offers packages to nine area courses, along with free shuttle service. www.clarionac.com. 110 rooms. In-room: safe, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pool, tennis courts, gym, laundry facilities, business center, parking. Credit cards accepted.

If the 670-acre property has a country-club feel to it, that's because it got its start in 1914 as the Seaview Country Club and offers such refined diversions as golf and tennis. Rooms, a classy blend of traditional fabrics and wood furniture, avoid going overboard with frills. The spa is an Elizabeth Arden Red Door facility. www.seaviewgolf.com. 260 rooms, 37 suites. In-room: Internet. In-hotel: restaurants, bar, golf courses, pools, tennis courts, gym, spa. Rate includes: No meals.

Founded more than 175 years ago to honor Benjamin Franklin, this science museum is as clever as its namesake, thanks to an abundance of dazzling hands-on exhibits. To make the best use of your time, study the floor plan before exploring. You can sit in the cockpit of a T-33 jet trainer, trace the route of a corpuscle through the world's largest artificial heart (15,000 times life size), and ride to nowhere on a 350-ton Baldwin steam locomotive. You'll also be able to explore Sir Isaac's Loft,

which combines lessons in art and science, delve into the mechanics of more than two-dozen mechanical devices in

and see Franklin's famous lightning rod. One don't-miss: the 30-foot-tall statue of Franklin.

The Franklin Air Show

celebrates powered flight with the Wright Model B Flyer.

conveys the physics, physiology, and material science behind your favorite sport by simulating surfing, climbing a rock wall, and comparing your sneakers to Shaquille O'Neal's size 22s. The

—which has a state-of-the-art aluminum dome, lighting and sound systems, and a related astronomy exhibit, "Space Command"—has shows about the stars, space exploration, comets, and other phenomena.

is a venue for 3-D films. The

includes the Tuttleman IMAX Theater, with a 79-foot domed screen and a 56-speaker sound system; recent movies include

and

.

Run by the Franklin Institute, the Kids Science Park

presents interactive displays in an outdoor setting—which means children get a chance to run around and play while they learn. Swings demonstrate the laws of gravity and energy, and golf illustrates physics in motion. 21st St. between Winter and Race Sts., 19103. Admission: Free with admission to Franklin Institute or Please Touch Museum. Hours: May-Sept., daily 10-3. www.fi.edu. Admission: $14.75-$22.25. Hours: Daily 9:30-5.

Smorgasbord meals, large rooms, a duck pond, and indoor pools make this large, stylish resort a great family place. Rooms are spread out over three buildings; those in the Atrium Building surround a striking skylighted lobby. The extensive Sunday brunch in the Palm Court is a favored feast. Since the resort is Mennonite-owned, liquor is not permitted on the premises. Pros:

indoor pools; fresh baked goods; central location.

restaurant gets mixed reviews; no alcohol served. www.willowvalley.com. 342 rooms, 50 suites. In-hotel: restaurants, golf course, pools, tennis courts, gym. Credit cards accepted.

This sprawling family resort is in the heart of the busy Pennsylvania Dutch tourist area and features cherrywood furnishings. You can jog or rent a bike and ride around the beautifully landscaped golf course and grounds. Pros:

knowledgeable staff; indoor pool; plenty of activities.

some dingy hallways; gym needs upgrading; smell of manure from nearby fields. www.lancasterhost.com. 330 rooms, 8 suites. In-room: Internet. In-hotel: restaurants, bar, golf course, pools, tennis courts. Credit cards accepted.

The grande dame of Hershey, this gracious Mediterranean villa-style hotel is a sophisticated resort with plenty of options for recreation, starting with the golf course that wraps around the hotel. Inspired by the fine European hotels Milton S. Hershey encountered in his travels, elegant touches abound, from the mosaic-tile lobby to rooms with maple armoires, paintings by local artists, and tile baths. The Spa at the Hotel Hershey has body treatments that include chocolate bean polish, cocoa butter scrub, chocolate fondue wrap, and a whipped cocoa bath. Outdoor activities include carriage rides, a ropes course, and nature trails, while newer amenities include an ice-skating rink and wing of boutique-style shops. Pros:

gourmet dining; swimming pool and lush grounds; attentive service.

some guest rooms are small; front desk not helpful; overcrowded spa. www.thehotelhershey.com. 234 rooms, 20 suites. In-hotel: restaurants, bar, golf courses, pools, tennis courts, gym, spa. Credit cards accepted.