* SAVE ON ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE BIG APPLE. A free NY96 Funpass MetroCard lets you get in on hundreds of dollars of savings including special packages at hotels such as the Sheraton New York, the RIHGA Royal and the Hotel Beacon. It also offers discounts on dining, shopping, entertainment, sightseeing and attractions. Call 1-800-NYC-VISIT for more information or pick up a free card at Two Columbus Circle beginning July 1.
* FAMILY DISCOUNTS AT ELKHORN RESORT. The Elkhorn Resort's Family Package, available from Oct. 21 through Dec. 20, is one way to save money on a family vacation. A deluxe room at the resort, located in Sun Valley, is $79 per night, plus tax. A second room is $30. Children 17 and under stay free, and up to two children 12 and under eat free when dining with an adult at The Plaza Grill or Tequila Joe's. Midweek family rates, available through Oct. 20, are $119 per room plus tax. An extra room is $50. Also included are two-for-one golf, Rollerblade and bicycle rentals. Family packages are subject to availability. Call 1-800-355-4676.
* ALL ABOUT SAN DIEGO. In August the nation's attention will focus on San Diego for the Republican National Convention. Conventiongoers may receive information about the city from a free, online news service of the San Diego Daily Transcript. The address is (http://www.sddt.com). The site offers restaurant guides, hotel guides, movie listings, data on local attractions, an arts and events calendar, weather reports, an airport guide and a guide to Baja Mexico. The site also has a clickable map. The GOP Convention Home Page will feature the Transcript's local coverage, a map of the San Diego Convention Center and biographies of candidates.
* EUROBUS BEGINS DAILY SERVICE. The innovative bus service between major European capitals is adding express buses to meet higher-than-expected demand. The service links 23 cities using a pass system similar to Eurail that allows passengers to hop on and off along the route. Unlimited travel for two weeks is $199 for adults and $150 for people 26 years old and under. One-month, two-month and three-month passes are available at prices ranging up to $440. The service is adding double-decked buses to its fleet. The buses have onboard toilets and stop at a hostel or a budget hotel in each city instead of bus stations. Eurobus passes include a roundtrip crossing of the English Channel with service to London. The company also offers a separate Great Britain Pass for travel in England, Scotland and Wales. One-month passes are $145 for adults and $110 for people 26 and under. Eurobus began service in 1995. For information call 1-800-387-6287. For information on student rates call 1-800-727-2437, ext. 6184.
* UPCOMING ART EXHIBITS IN SAN FRANCISCO include "The First Emperor: Treasures from Ancient China," Oct. 12-Jan. 5 at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. It showcases artifacts from the most significant archaeological find of this century that were taken from the royal tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, the first emperor of China; "Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipai," Oct. 24-Dec. 8 at the Asian Art Museum in Golden Gate Park; and "Masterworks of Modern Sculpture from the Nasher Collection," Oct. 26-Jan. 12 at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. Approximately 65 pieces of the Dallas, Texas, Nash Collection include works by Auguste Rodin, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Alberto Giacometti.