MENDOCINO – If the mere mention of chanterelles and morels gets you salivating, consider a trip to a mushroom festival this fall.

Mendocino County, about 90 miles north of San Francisco, hosts a Mushroom Festival Nov. 7-16 (gomendo.com), with hunts for chanterelles, porcinis, morels and rarer varieties like the candy cap and hedgehog mushroom. Mushroom-themed dinners are offered throughout the area, along with mushroom cooking classes and a seminar on the healing power of mushrooms.

The Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden hosts mushroom walks on Mondays between Nov. 17 and Jan. 26, at 1:30 p.m., and mushroom identification workshops Nov. 22 and 29 and Dec. 20 (gardenbythesea.org).

Other events include a Mushroom Exhibit at the Ford House Museum in Mendocino Village and a Wine and Mushroom Train ride Nov. 15, departing Fort Bragg or Willits Depot, on the Skunk Train (skunktrain.com).

Hard time for park

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Hard Rock Park has closed for the year after losing a whole lotta money.

The owner of the Myrtle Beach amusement park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sept. 24, ending an inaugural season that fell far below projections for the 55-acre, $400 million rock 'n' roll attraction. When it opened in April, park officials planned to stay open through what it called “rocktoberfest” and even have some programs during the Christmas season.

The park, which included roller coasters based on Led Zeppelin's classic “Whole Lotta Love” and the Eagles' “Life in the Fast Lane,” plans to reopen in 2009, park spokesman Jim Olecki said.

Snow is flying

GEORGETOWN, Colo. Skiers take note: The snow is starting to fly, even if it is man-made.

Loveland Ski Area fired up its snow guns Sept. 23 with a goal of opening for the season sometime in October. An exact date hasn't been set.

Nearby Arapahoe Basin Ski Area hasn't started making snow yet. A-Basin opened for the season last year on Oct. 10, making it the earliest resort to open in the nation for two straight years.

Getting wild

BOULDER, Colo. – A tour company is offering a sweepstakes to win a series of once-in-a-lifetime wildlife expeditions to Antarctica, the Falklands, Tanzania, the Galapagos, the Amazon and Machu Picchu and the polar-bear country of Manitoba, Canada.

Natural Habitat Adventures' “Wild Wonders Sweepstakes” runs through Feb. 28. You can enter daily at nathab.com/wildwonders. The winner gets five nature expeditions for two, including airfare, over a period of five years. Details: nathab.com.

Protecting key cards

While most hotels now issue electronic key cards to guests, few remind customers that the cards can become demagnetized easily. How? With the ubiquitous cell phone.

Any cell phone, Blackberry or strong magnet can deactivate hotel key cards. To avoid any problems, carry your key card in a different place from your phone or Blackberry, or try keeping it in the paper sleeve the hotel clerk tucked it in originally. Otherwise, the clerk will have to reprogram your demagnetized card for you to get into your room.

Hawaii on sale

Hawaii visitors face ever-increasing airfares, but current resort specials may make an island vacation affordable. For example, Castle Resorts & Hotels offers fall discounts at many of its properties, including Waikiki's Maile Sky Court, where a city-view room can be had for $69 a night plus tax, valid until Dec. 21. Information: (800) 367-5004 or castleresorts.com.

Maui's luxurious Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa offer a free fourth night for every three consecutive nights booked, valid through Nov. 20 and Nov. 29-Dec. 18. Room rates start at $375 per night, plus tax, tips and resort charge. Information: (800) 888-6100 or grandwailea.com.