Volunteer vacations are hot, and tour companies are scrambling to come up with a way to add some kind of outreach to their travels so they too can get in on the action. How to know what’s real? Decide what your interests are, and then check out a book such as “The 100 Best Vacations to Enrich Your Life” ($19.95, National Geographic), which explores not only volunteer trips but also personal enrichment, including cooking vacations and learning retreats, wellness escapes and artist getaways. Always wanted to design your dream home? Check out the Architecture Fantasy Camp (who knew?) in Oak Park, Ill. Love sea turtles? Patrol the beach for the loggerhead hatchlings at the Wassaw National Wildlife Reserve in Georgia. Author Pam Groat describes the trip in detail and gives contact info, pricing and what’s included.
