Travel Agenda: Philly please, Pedal power, 56, Seasonal spectacle, All Aboard, New flight from Southend, Head north and Winter Warmer

Where to go and what to know

Kimpton opens Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia this Thursday. The colourful 268-room retreat will have a Red Owl Tavern restaurant with a deli and classic American dishes, plus a rooftop cocktail lounge on the 11th floor overlooking the Liberty

Philly Please

Kimpton opens Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia this Thursday. The colourful 268-room retreat will have a Red Owl Tavern restaurant with a deli and classic American dishes, plus a rooftop cocktail lounge on the 11th floor overlooking the Liberty Bell Center (monaco-philadelphia.com).

Pedal Power

Exodus's new cycling tours include the 16-day "Burma by Bike" trip, which spins around Rangoon, Bagan, Mandalay for £2,449pp with flights included (exodus.co.uk).

Seasonal Spectacle

From 10-21 Oct, 50 of Berlin's landmark buildings will be illuminated for the Festival of Light. Special "light-seeing" bus and boat tours will be offered, alongside art and cultural events (festival-of-lights.de).

All Aboard!

Two themed train rides, based on the The Polar Express film, will depart at 5pm and 7.30pm from Stanhope in Durham and Okehampton in Devon, daily between 16 Nov and 30 Dec. Expect music, characters and an appearance from Santa. Tickets £20/£15 (UKpolarexpressride.com).

Winter Warmer

Four self-catering apartments have opened in the rural heart of Lanzarote. A week's rental at Tiagua 81 is €270 in October. Each sleeps two and comes with a kitchen, iPod docks and TVs, plus a shared pool and barbecue (tiagua81.com).

Head North

The Scandinavia Show is at Earl's Court in London next weekend (6-7 Oct). Travel companies and tourism boards from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland will be on hand to offer tours and advice on where to see the Northern Lights, stay in an igloo or ski (scandinaviashow.co.uk).

56

The number of US presidential elections held to date. The 57th is on 6 November. Political Tours has a week-long trip through Ohio and Washington DC in the run up. Highlights include meeting campaign managers and access to CNN's studios with Wolf Blitzer on eve of poll. It costs £3,200pp excluding flights to Ohio, where the tour starts on 31 Oct (politicaltours.com).