Wednesday Travel Ticker: Honoring Ben in the buff

In honor of Ben Franklin’s birthday Jan. 17, the American Assn. for Nude Recreation is telling the public that the Founding Father was fond of spending time in the nude as part of his daily routine. “You, too, can enjoy an ‘air bath’ just as Benjamin Franklin did 260 years ago, not just in your own backyard and pool, but also at over 260 AANR facilities,” the organization says . . . . Sixty vehicles passed through a sobriety checkpoint at Grand Canyon National Park just after Christmas. Eight citations were issued for violations ranging from failure to wear a seatbelt to open container violations. No arrests were made . . . . The Tahoe Symphony Orchestra & Chorus presents “Mendelssohn in the Mountains” Jan 21, 4 p.m., at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach. Adult admission is $25; $5 for students; 12 years and younger are free . . . . Portland’s glamorous Old Hollywood-inspired Hotel deLuxe is offering a “My Chocolate Valentine” package that includes gourmet cookies, a bottle of Argyle Brut and restaurant discounts, from $179 per night, plus tax. For info, call (866) 986-8085 or click here . . . . Las Vegas hosts the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, April 1, MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets are available to the public. For info, visit www.ACMcountry.com . . . . In one of the bolder Valentine’s promotions, Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach is hosting a week of Sensuality & Sexuality from Feb. 13-18. Topics and classes are designed to appeal to men, women, couples and singles alike. Rooms start at $605 a night. For details, click here . . . . Berlin’s version of “Night at the Museum” incorporates admission to 100 museums large and small, with shuttle buses running between. For details, click here . . . . Bombardier Aerospace unveiled plans Tuesday to expand its Learjet site in Wichita, Kan., creating 450 new jobs . . . . Travel quote of the day: “Being naked approaches being revolutionary; going barefoot is mere populism.” (John Updike)