If you’re tired of the same old restaurant experiences, why not try a restaurant on your next vacation that offers a completely new type of dining experience? One option for a new sort of dining experience is in Los Angeles, California. There, the restaurant Opaque offers a 3-course gourmet meal in a pitch-dark room, where you’re served by blind or visually-impaired waiters. This “Dining in the Dark” might leave you with a whole new appreciation for all of your senses.

If you’re bored with chef cooking tableside, try Ninja in New York. There, in a setting designed to resemble a samurai’s castle, ninjas meander among the tables performing various tricks and ninja feats. Feeling adventurous? The Linger Lodge …

If you’re thinking about setting out across America in an RV this summer, there are some things you should know before you sit behind the wheel. Think before you hit the road. If you’re not an experienced RV driver, then do a test run and rent an RV before you buy one. That way, you’ll be able to tell quickly–and cheaply–whether you actually like the whole experience.

On your test run, be sure to try out different types of campsites. Some offer power outlets and plenty of amenities, while others are pretty bare with little more than an open space to pull over. But one you’ve gotten some experience, you’ll be able to handle yourself no matter where your RV stops. …

Most people know that electrical devices won’t work abroad without a converter or transformer or plug adapter. But which of those do you need, and when do you need them? Basically, most of the Americas uses one voltage, 110, while the rest of the world uses another, 220. Some electronics, usually laptops or camcorders, can support both voltages. Others have a single voltage and will usually be marked as such, either 110 or 220. For these, you’ll need a transformer that converts it to the proper voltage. Your transformer should be able to handle twice the wattage of whatever item — like the dreaded hair dryer — you plug in.

But what you’ll almost always need is a plug adapter. …

Readers have been responding to Annette Lang’s piece on Basic Fitness on the Road, and a trainer writes in with his own advice on staying fit and healthy while you travel.

Dear Peter,

I just read your report on controlling weight as you travel and I have to comment about my experiences with hotel fitness equipment.

I do want to preface this with saying that I work out five days a week when I am at home, so this is important to me.

It’s no secret that Japan is an expensive destination.

In fact, Tokyo has recently reclaimed its spot as the world’s most expensive city, with Osaka-Kobe right behind, according to the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey.

Well even in one of the world’s most expensive countries, a vacation doesn’t have to bring on budgetary meltdown.

We’ll show you how to defy the naysayers and survive your trip to Japan with a few extra bucks left in your wallet.

Most grandparents love traveling with their grandchildren, but did you know that there are more and more companies which cater to grandparents looking to create their ideal intergenerational vacation? Grandtravel is a relatively new term given to grandparents and grandkids traveling together, and it’s a growing trend. Here are some of the many companies getting into the Grandtravel act:

Generations Touring Company offers more adventure-oriented programs, such as volunteering in New Orleans, or forest adventures in British Columbia. Grandtravel is a company that creates packages with summer trips available all over the world. Prices start at $2,000 per person. Grandkids And Me Camp is another summer program, which allows grandparents and grandkids to bond during a camping week …

Voluntourism is a great way to have a meaningful vacation, but nowadays, the entire family can actually take a volunteer vacation together. So if your family is looking for a vacation where you can have fun and make a difference, there are more and more options out there.

The Crooked Trails organization has developed specialhome stays with the people of Peru’s Sacred Valley of the Incas for families with kids aged 9 and younger. The 9-day program is about $1700 for adults and $1000 for kids. For kids who can wield a hammer, Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village trips welcome families on their projects, which could have you and the kids building houses for needy families from Tajikistan to South Dakota. …

Editor’s Note: The following is the second of a series of columns about fitness on the road, by personal trainer Annette Lang. It goes without saying that you should always check with your physician before beginning any fitness routine.

If traveling is becoming a pain in your neck…or shoulders…or back, here are some quick tips for maintaining good posture and preventing aches and pains on the road.

FREEZE! Don’t move.

The first thing you have to do to improve your posture is to become more aware of it.

Are you slouched down in your chair?

Is your upper body curled forward, so that your head is out in front of the rest of your body?

Many times the …