Great Lakes Options (16)

A visit to Gettsyburg

By the time the three days of fighting ended on July 3, 1863, between 48,000 and 51,000 soldiers had been killed, wounded or captured, making the Battle of Gettysburg one of the bloodiest of the Civil War. On April 6 and 7, Pennsylvania's Gettysburg National Military Park will host "I Ordered No Man to Go When I Would Not Go Myself," a seminar exploring the leadership during the attack. Speakers include author Glenn LaFantasie, who will scrutinize President Abraham Lincoln's relationship with his generals; and retired U.S. Army Col. Tom Vossler, who will analyze Union and Confederate strategies during the campaign. A series of walking and bus tours of the battlefield site will also be available. For hours and registration fee information, call (717) 334-1124.

April in Paris

April in Paris? It's doable, even if everyone you know is a party-pooper. Chicago's Best Friends in Paris travel agents will customize a weeklong excursion according to your hobbies and interests, whether they're cooking classes or shopping soirees at designer boutiques. Tours are conducted by an experienced guide. Trips are scheduled in April, May, June and October. Cost, excluding airfare, is $3,590. For more information, visit www.bestfriendsinparis.com or call 1-866-799-3202.

Ski season's last hurrah

Want to make your last ski trip of the season memorable enough to carry you through a long, hot summer? Journey to Wausau, Wis., April 1 through 7 for Avalanche Days at Granite Peak Ski Area. The fete, which takes place atop 700-foot Rib Mountain, the tallest in the region, features snowboard half-pipe and aerial competitions, lessons and race clinics, live music, fireworks and an Easter-egg hunt. Call (715) 845-2846 or log on to www.skigranitepeak.com for more information.

The Soul of Africa

Journey on safari without leaving the state. Through July 21, the Canton Museum of Art presents "The Soul of Africa," 40 bronze sculptures of wildlife created by artist Bart Walter. Focal points of the exhibit include life-sized replicas of cheetahs, as well as lions, hippos, elephants, warthogs and a giraffe. A video featuring the artist with Masai tribesmen, as well as his close encounter with mountain gorillas in Rwanda, will also be screened. Call the museum at (330) 453-7666 for times and ticket information.