Jae-Ha Kim

“Mexico is pretty amazing,” says singer Tristan Prettyman. “From San Diego, it’s so close to drive to Rosarito and rent a house for cheap and relax, surf and chill out. My parents also have property about 19 hours down in a little surf town. I love going there to get away. No phone service or Internet. It’s the perfect unplug-from-everything getaway.”

Kevin Michael Connolly, photographer and author of “Double Take: A Memoir” (HarperCollins, $14.99), can now add television personality to his resume. The 27-year-old adventurer, born without legs, is the host of the new Travel Channel series, “Armed and Ready.” A resident of Bozeman, Mont., Connolly was a medalist at the 2007 X Games’ monoski event and on his show he challenges himself to try feats such as climbing a 50-foot tree in the Smoky Mountains and diving from a 40-foot cliff on Hawaii’s Big Island.

“The Bachelor” host Chris Harrison says, “When I travel to any country, my goal is to really try to get lost in that city and hit the local haunts. I’m never a big fan of doing touristy stuff. Sometimes you have to do these things like in Rome seeing all the sights and historic places. But even there I like to get off the main streets and find little shops and cafes you wont find on most maps. I talk to locals everywhere. I go and ask for bars, restaurants, shops and activities.”

Los Angeles-based actress Tracey Heggins knows how fortunate she is. Besides appearing in Common’s indie film “LUV,” the statuesque actress also plays Senna — one of the Amazonian vampires — in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.” “It was so much fun shooting ‘Twilight’ in Squamish (which is halfway between Whistler and Vancouver, B.C.),” says Heggins. “It was a really amazing experience. Then we shot in Baton Rouge going up to New Orleans. There’s no city like New Orleans. We went into all these little voodoo stores, which were interesting. I love the French Quarter. They did a great job of making the French Quarter look like France. I remember when I was in France; I kept thinking how much it reminded me of New Orleans!”

Opera star Placido Domingo, 71, was born in Spain. At the age of eight, he traveled to Mexico, where he studied piano and conducting at Mexico City’s Conservatory of Music. Since then, his repertoire includes more than 140 stage roles, 100 recordings and multiple television appearances. For his work, he has won an Emmy and 13 Grammys.

Melissa Francis has an unusual background for a news anchor. As a child, she was a regular on “Little House on the Prairie,” portraying Michael Landon’s adopted daughter. Later, as a student at Harvard University, she was captain of the university’s polo team. The host of the FOX Business Network’s “Money with Melissa Francis” has also written a soon-to-be-released memoir, “Diary of a Stage Mother’s Daughter” (Weinstein Books, $26).

Best known for his music, R&B/gospel vocalist BeBe Winans has won six Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards and three NAACP Awards. He’s also worked with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and the late Whitney Houston. It was his 28-year friendship with Houston that inspired him to write the book, “The Whitney I Knew” (Worthy Publishing, $19.99). He has just released his latest CD, “America America.”

Born in San Diego, Calif., actor Bobby Lee’s career started after he dropped out of college. He got a job doing whatever needed to be done at the Comedy Store, before he worked up the nerve to try his hand at doing stand-up. Many television viewers remember Lee from his days on Fox’s MADtv.” He may currently be seen in the Blu-ray release of “The Dictator,” which is being promoted as ‘“banned and unrated,’ the version you couldn’t see in theaters.” Lee also is one of the co-stars of the NBC series “Animal Practice.” To stay in touch with the comedian, you may follow him on Twitter @bobbyleelive.

A bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics, swimmer Kim Vandenberg is hoping to be part of the United States contingent that will compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London this summer. “You never know what can happen at the Olympic Trials,” says the 28-year-old Californian. “I’m more experienced than the last time and I feel well prepared. There’s definitely some nervousness when you compete, but since this is my second time trying to make the Olympic team, I know what to expect in terms of emotional requirements at trials. I’m looking forward to it and try to take things one day at a time.”

Elinor Donahue enjoyed television success playing Robert Young’s eldest daughter Betty Anderson (also known as “Princess”) in the 1950s series “Father Knows Best.” The actress had a slew of fans that wanted to emulate her beauty, grace and character, but for the most part they let her be.