Bountiful blooms

Visit Rochester, NY, and its 2007 Lilac Festival

May 11 to 20, Rochester, NY, celebrates itself while its 1,200-plus lilac bushes are in bloom. But the crowd's not gathering for some lush horticultural event. Nope. Not hardly. Check it out at www.lilacfestival.com.

If you plan to go, add a few days to take in the sights that make Rochester unique: the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, the Susan B. Anthony House and the Strong National Museum of Play with its National Toy Hall of Fame.

The Greater Rochester Visitors Association is at www.visitrochester.com.

Armchair traveling

"Diving" for treasure

It's all about product placement and, corny as it may sound, Volvo's shifted into full gear to get its name out there in conjunction with the May 25 release of the third installement of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End."

Volvo has sunk a treasure chest full of money and the keys to a new car somewhere in the watery world. Online treasure seekers use clues to chart the booty's location. This virtual advertising scheme has a hint of "Myst," a dash of "The Amazing Race" and about 30,000 players. Get clues at volvocars.us/thehunt. Volvo's treasure hunt blog and message board is at thehunt07.spaces.live.com