Travel briefs

TRAVEL BRIEFS Colonial Williamsburg opens new exhibition building

Colonial Williamsburg will open the historic area's newest exhibition building -- Charlton's Coffeehouse -- on Nov. 20.

The coffeehouse is built on its original foundations on Duke of Gloucester Street using 18th-century construction techniques.

The new site will reflect the role of a coffeehouse as a gathering place to discuss political and social issues during the 18th century.

A fall retreat

Irvington was named a Best Secret Retreat as part of CoastalLiving.com's top-five fall break sites

Irvington is in the Northern Neck on the shore of Carter's Creek, a tributary to the Rappahannock River. A former steamboat port, Irvington has re-established itself with first-rate inns and a hip shopping district, offering visitors a low-key respite.

The other four destinations to be recognized were Vancouver, British Columbia; Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan; Bainbridge Island in Washington state; and Nantucket Island, Mass.

iPhone apps for adventurers

Outside magazine tested dozens of iPhone programs for outdoor adventures and settled on these five as the best apps, as described in the October issue:

• Google Earth, a free program that offers 3-D views, navigation and detailed high-resolution imagery.

• Topo Maps, $5, recommended as the cleanest of GPS-enabled U.S. Geological Survey topography applications, allowing you to easily plot your location.

• iTrailMap 3D, $5, which lets you track vertical distance and map a ski run, in real time, on a 3-D rendering of any ski resort in America.

• RiverGuide for Kayakers, $5, providing U.S. Geological Survey flow data for rivers.

• Surf, $5, providing Web cams, tides, and swell data for every major surf spot in the world.

-- The Associated Press