* FOR A FREE COPY OF "Iowa's Amana Colonies" call (800) 245-5465. The color brochure includes a map of the seven villages, all Registered National Historic Landmarks, and a list of gift shops, bakeries, restaurants and museums. The colonies are replete with antique, craft and specialty stores. To reach the towns, take the Little Amana exit (#225) off I-80. German immigrants who were members of a religious sect called the Community of True Inspiration established the colonies approximately 140 years ago. The Amana Colonies Trail is a 14-mile route connecting the villages. The largest is Amana where you can see craftsmen working at the Amana Furniture Shop, the Amana Woolen Mill, the Broom and Basket Shop, Colony Candleworks and Roger's Anvil. The Middle Woolen Mill is in Middle Amana. In South Amana are the Barn Museum, the Communal Agriculture Museum, the Schanz and Krauss furniture shops and Fern Hill Gifts and Quilts.
Not far from the Amana Colonies is the Tanger Outlet Center, Iowa's largest factory outlet shopping center. Take the Williamsburg exit (#220) off I-80. The center's 55 stores include Jones New York, Boston Traders, Coach Leatherwear, Galt Sand, Woolrich, Ruff Hewn, Reebok, Black & Decker, Fieldcrest, Cannon and Corning Revere. All stores are open Monday thru Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For a free brochure listing names and locations of stores, write the Tanger Factory Outlet Center, I-80 Exit 22, Tanger Dr., Suite 150, Williamsburg, IA 52361 or call (319) 668-2811.
TAKE A SLOW BOAT TO CHINA or anywhere else in the world. Freighter travel is one of the least understood modes of getting around. To enlighten yourself on its advantages and disadvantages, request a free pamphlet called "35 Most-Commonly Asked Questions about Freighter Travel" by calling (800) 872-8584. Freighter travel isn't for everyone. "Accommodations, food and service exceed the expectations of most people, but there are still a lot of misconceptions among consumers," says Ed Kirk, president of TravLtips Cruise & Freighter Association. "The key is knowing that moving cargo is the shipping line's first priority and that itineraries, ports-of-call and the length of the voyage revolve around this activity. Passengers are well-looked after but they're basically along for the ride."
* BED & BREAKFAST IN NEW YORK CITY. City Lights Bed & Breakfast Ltd., offers rooms from $60 a night (for a single room in someone's home including tax and the fixings for continental breakfast) to $300 for an unhosted loft or townhouse. For more information call (212) 737-7049, or write City Lights Bed & Breakfast Ltd., P.O. Box 20355, Cherokee Station, New York, NY 10028. Examples: W-1, a beautifully furnished single room with private bath in refurbished apartment in the West 80s convenient to Lincoln Center and the theater district; E-8, a three-bedroom apartment on the 32nd floor near Bloomingdales; W-4, food writer offers a huge wood-panelled room with carved ceilings, bay windows and sliding doors in low 90s; M-1, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment on Central Park South owned by a philanthropist. City Lights' autumn package called "Live Like A Millionaire" offers Friday and Saturday-night accommodations in prime locations for $160 to $225 per night. Included are a gift basket upon arrival, a bottle of champagne, continental breakfast and maid service.
* FOR A FREE COPY OF THE 1993 edition of "Experience Kennebunk Kennebunkport" call (207) 967-0857 or write the Kennebunk Kennebunkport Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 740, Kennebunk, Maine, 04043-0740. The 56-page color brochure lists accommodations, restaurants, retail stores, craft shops and bouqitues, antique stores, sightseeing tours, art galleries, museums and special attractions. It also has a map.
AUTUMN IN NEW ENGLAND. For an update on where to find the best in Massachusetts fall foliage, call (617) 727-3201. If you're calling from the Northeast states, the number is toll-free: (800) 632-8038. You will also receive a free fall calendar of events and fall foliage guide. It suggests itineraries and fun ways to view autumn colors such as by canoe, chairlift, train or bike.
* TAKE A BETTER PICTURE. The Nikon School of Photography will hold a weekend session in Salt Lake City Sept. 25 and 26 at the Salt Palace Convention Center Little Theatre, 100 S. West Temple. Tuition is $80 and includes lunch and a copy of the Nikon School Handbook. The one-day seminars cover subjects such as portrait, scenic, fine art, sports and special-purpose photography as well as general techniques in SRL photography. Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Among the topics that will be discussed: camera handling; camera controls; exposure; metering; film; composition; filters; understanding light; electronic flash; creative techniques; close-ups; lens selection; travel/photo tips. For ticket information call (516) 547-8666. Major credit cards accepted.
* THE EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS BEGINS SERVICE Sept. 19 between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. The luxury train will cover 1,200 miles in approximately 41 hours and will make a weekly roundtrip from Singapore on Sundays and Bangkok on Wednesdays. It will pass through Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth, Padang Besar, Surat Thani and Hua Hin along the way. The train will offer three classes of accommodations for up to 132 passengers. Cars include single and double-berth sleeping cars, a buffet car and generator cars. Built in Japan in 1972, they have been completely overhauled to offer first-class comforts including an open-air observation deck. Prices begin at $1,130 per person for the three-day trip. All meals included. Special rates for groups. For information or reservations contact your travel agent or call 1-800-524-2420.
THE GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE ATTRACTIONS GUIDE is available free by calling (800) 22-SUNNY, ext. 711. It describes more than 150 attractions including public and private golf courses, shopping, diving and fishing outfitters and 23 miles of beaches. It also lists a variety of sightseeing opportunities such as waterway tours. Among the area's newest attractions are the Florida Marlins (major league baseball) and the Museum of Discovery & Science.
* GOING TO IRELAND? Do you have a Visa card? If you can answer yes to both these questions, you're entitled to discounts or upgrades at more than 90 restaurants, hotels, rental car agencies and clothing stores throughout the country. All you have to do is order a free voucher book from the Irish Tourist Board. Discounts are in the range of 10 percent. Call (800) 822-6100.