Celebrity chef Martin Yan — cookbook author and host of the TV shows "Yan Can Cook" and "Quick & Easy" — would be a great guide for your visit to New York's Chinatown.

But since he can't escort each us of personally, he's sharing his top five favorite things about Chinatown.

Chinatown New York City (ENLARGE)
New York's Chinatown is about more than food, and so is celebrity chef Martin Yan's list of favorite things about the area.
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Here goes:

1. Bubble tea at Ten Ren's Tea Time. 79 Mott St., 212-732-7178.

2. Peking duck at Peking Duck House Restaurant. 28 Mott St., 212-227-1810.

3. Red bean ice cream at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. 65 Bayard St., 212-608- 4170.

4. Museum of Chinese in the Americas. 70 Mulberry St. (second floor), 212-619-4785.

5. Chinatown Visitors Information Kiosk (corner of Canal and Baxter streets).

New York's Chinatown — the largest in the United States — is home to more than 200 restaurants, numerous Asian bakeries and tea houses, jewelry shops, arts and antiques stores, lively nightlife and dozens of cultural attractions and landmarks.

On the east side of lower Manhattan, the neighborhood has been growing steadily since the mid-1800s.

Information: http://www.explorechinatown.com.

Ritz-y getaways

Three out of four Americans plan to visit friends and relatives this summer, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.

This bodes well for family and friends who want to take advantage of the Ritz-Carlton Reconnect Package being offered at Ritz-Carlton Resorts and Hotels of the Southeast, Caribbean and Mexico.

The Reconnect Package, good through Sept. 5, includes such experiences as spa treatments, nature excursions and boat tours, shopping and dining, watersports and beach activities.

Some of the inclusions:

• Two tickets to the renowned Bass Museum of Art, from the Ritz-Carlton South Beach, Miami. $239.

• Two tickets to Vizcaya, a European-inspired estate and National Historic Landmark, from the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami. $199.

• "Cafe con Leche" body exfoliation — a detoxifying body scrub with the Caribbean fleur of Puerto Rican coffee followed by an application of warm coconut milk and a pineapple lotion massage — at the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino, Puerto Rico. $369.

• A sailing excursion on the 53-foot Lady Lynsey catamaran, anchoring on neighboring islands for snorkeling and a sunset sail, with tropical drinks and gourmet snacks, at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas. $389.

• Unlimited use of kayaks, canoes and fishing equipment for fun on Lake Oconee at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation. $285.

• A Bayou Airboat Swamp Tour for two, at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. $299.

All Reconnect Packages offer accommodations for one night with breakfast for two adults. Rates range from $179 to $389, but most are between $199 and $299.

Information: 1-800-241-3333, http://www.ritzcarlton.com.

A cool deal

W Hotels launches its "Warmth of Cool" branding campaign with the Whirlwind Weekend Warmth of Cool Getaway, which will include summer treats valued at $86.

Guests will receive a W tote bag of goodies including Havaianas flip-flops and Bliss Sunban, a new SPF 20 skin shielding lubricant. The weekend package also includes two summer cocktails and a copy of the "Warmth of Cool Overture" CD, featuring artists such as Wax Poetic, Natacha Atlas, Federico Aubele and Galactic.

Rates start at $135 but vary widely depending on location. The promotion continues through Sept. 5.

Reservations: http://www.whotels.com/warmthofcool.

O.C. for golfers

The Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa — in Southern California's Orange County — has teamed up with Tustin Ranch Golf Club to offer the ultimate O.C. golf experience.

The golf package for two includes luxury accommodations at the area's newest oceanfront resort and a round of golf, including cart rental, at the 6,800-yard Tustin Ranch course, rated four stars by Golf Digest.

The price is $440 per night through Sept. 8; Sept. 9 through Dec. 30, the price is $380 per night Sundays through Thursdays and $440 per night Fridays and Saturdays.

Payment in full is required at the time of booking. Tee times should be arranged through the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa concierge.

The 517-room resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean is home to three restaurants, including the Californian, a AAA four-diamond award recipient; a lounge; a lagoon-style swimming pool; and the Village, an eclectic shopping experience with everything from ice cream to surf memorabilia and fine art.

Guests also can enjoy year-round recreational activities ranging from tennis and surfing to taking advantage of the sandy Southern California beaches via the resort's lighthouse bridge.

Reservations: 714-698-1234, http://www.huntingtonbeach.hyatt.com.

Beach vs. theme park

Americans who travel to beaches and/or theme and amusement parks tend to take longer vacations and spend more money per trip than overall travelers.

That's the word from the Travel Industry Association of America's TravelScope survey. These travelers also are more likely to take their kids (duh!), fly to their destination and rent a car.

Beach-going households spent $854 vs. $433 for the average U.S. trip and stayed 6.2 nights vs. 4.1 nights. Theme park-going households spent an average of $839 per trip, excluding transportation to their destination, compared with $433 on the average U.S. trip. They stayed an average of 5.4 nights vs. 4.1 nights.