RETREAT from civilization on a six-night Sierra Club volunteer vacation in the Tahoe National Forest.
Participants on the trip, which begins Aug. 27, spend four days working in the forest or housekeeping at the Sierra Club's Clair Tappaan Lodge, built by volunteers in 1934.
Tasks include sawing low-hanging limbs, clearing brush, repairing trails or doing dishes and setting the table.
But it's not all work and no play, said Tanya Tschesnok of the Sierra Club. And no one is asked to do anything he or she is not comfortable doing.
Two days are for leisure, allowing time to hike area trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail, or visit nearby Lake Tahoe.
The rustic, 140-bunk lodge has large common areas, including a great room with a stone fireplace. Rooms sleep two to four.
Cost: $495 per person, including all meals and lodging. Transportation from L.A. is not included.
Contact: The Sierra Club, San Francisco; (415) 977-5522, www.sierraclub.org/outings.
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FRANCE
City of Light for survivors
CELEBRATE life on a leisurely Paris tour for breast cancer survivors and their friends.
The six-day trip, which begins Sept. 25, includes visits to the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysees and museums, including the Louvre.
Participants also will tour chocolate boutiques, gourmet food emporiums and antiques stores. A part of the proceeds will benefit the Wellness Community-West Los Angeles.
Cost: $3,100 per person, double occupancy ($600 single surcharge), including hotels, most meals, Paris transit pass and museum pass. Airfare from L.A. is extra.
Contact: Take My Mother Please, Los Angeles; (323) 737-2200, www.takemymom.com.
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ITALY
Sorrento, with a female focus
SEE Sorrento from a woman's point of view on a tour of the region that begins Sept. 28.
The nine-night women's tour includes two nights in Rome and seven in Sorrento, with trips to Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius, the Amalfi Coast, Positano, Naples and the Isle of Capri.
The trip includes cooking classes and meetings with Italian businesswomen and professionals to discuss issues, including divorce, education and the social roles of women.
Marty Sarbey de Souto of Vista Community College in Berkeley will escort the group.
Cost: $3,995 per person, double occupancy (single supplement $500), including airfare from L.A., hotels, most meals, ground transportation, excursions, taxes and most tips.
