Travel and ideas for specific destinations such as cities, countries, parks, or areas of interest
The Anguilla Youth Sailing Club that teaches local as well as visiting kids to sail (look for programs through the Viceroy Hotel and others) “Kids really rally round the boat racing…we start to teach them at age four,” says Paul Koeniger, who oversees the youth sailing club.
This January, of course, also marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and I can’t think of a better time than this winter — February is Black History Month — to explore civil rights in Washington and beyond.
We spent the afternoon at the stunning Viceroy Resort down the road from where we are staying that employs 600 people for their 166 rooms. Did I mention the five-bedroom villas that rent for as much as $17,500 a night?
At the CuisinArt Resort in Anguila. I indulged in a facial (anti-aging of course) and a soak in the “healing waters” pool that offers a combination, I’m told, of mineral sea salt and fresh water that is supposed to help my aching knee.
We’re here on a girlfriends’ getaway ensconced in a huge three-bedroom villa with its own pool, kitchen, and beach. I’m sitting aside the pool and hear the crashing waves as I write this. Did I mention the mile-long beach?
Africa and in particular Ethiopia may not cross many minds as being a number one choice for a family holiday. What you should know is that with 8 world heritage sites, some stunning scenery, and many opportunities to inspire and educate the children, Ethiopia may well be a fantastic destination for a family holiday.
You can have as much fun off the slopes as on at a snow resort, especially in January, which is designated as Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month with special programs at resorts around the country.
Charlottesville, VA and the surrounding Piedmont region offers remarkable history, breathtaking scenery, a dining scene that blends upscale with down home and boutique inns that make for a uniquely charming getaway for your family.
Yhe Bretton Woods Ski Area Canopy Tour is a combination of nine progressively thrilling zip line rides, two hikes across suspension bridges way up in the trees, and a couple of incredible rappelling experiences. It was the latter that really tested our mettle.
There is plenty to do at this historic resort—from NH largest ski area, plenty of groomed cross country and snow shoe trails, dog sledding, sleigh rides and indoor and outdoor pool and gargantuan spa where my daughter and I indulged in blissful massages yesterday.
We’re hiking in the snow—micro crampons on our feet on the Crawford Trail in New Hampshire, with a guide from the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highlands Center. In case you are wondering, the needles on the spruce are spikey–thus “spikey spruce” and the needles on the balsam are soft (“friendly fir”!).
Welcome to the Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center, a short drive from Mount Washington, New England’s tallest peak. Some of the families we meet the weekend before Christmas have made a visit here an annual tradition, like the Canes, who have come nearly every year since their nine year-old was a baby.
As I thought back about this past year’s trips, I realized that each one enabled us to challenge ourselves in different ways, whether in the outdoors, navigating in an unfamiliar culture, or learning a new skill. That’s not counting the challenge of getting along with each other along the way — not always easy, especially these days as families who don’t spend a lot of time together gather for vacation.
Did I mention this resort is owned by Sandals? Yet it couldn’t be more different than Sandals expect that your stay is all inclusive. That means your villa is stocked with every food and drink you want. We fix our own breakfast and hot freshly baked muffins and fruit are delivered every morning.
Did you ever think it was possible to eat too much chocolate? If you are a chocolate lover, The Chicago Fine Chocolate Festival might just be the challenge for you.
We creep up on them. Clifton casts in a line with a gob of hermit crab for bait. There’s a small tug, them a bigger one and then “Wham,” a bonefish takes the bait and runs. And I mean runs. The drag on the spincast reel screeches as the fish tries to get off the line. Clifton hands me the rod and says “hang on.” I’ve had a lot of fish on the line in my day and this one fights better than most, if not all.
This tiny resort and these outer islands are the antithesis of giant resorts like Atlantis in Nassau. It is also expensive—over $1500 a night for a villa that sleeps four. But you could easily be spending that much at many tony Caribbean resorts for two rooms and not have the comfort or exclusivity as here, not to mention your own boat for the length of your stay.
I love this place! Where else can you feed swimming pigs and snorkel amid schools of brightly colored fish. We can putter around our kitchen but don’t have to shop for groceries or clean up.. There are plenty of books and movies in the library as well as a pool table. Did I mention the outdoor shower with views of the water? Nice!
Think Black Friday at the busiest mall — times 1,000 — combined with Times Square on New Year’s Eve. That only begins to describe Hong Kong on Christmas Eve when thousands take to the streets — no cars are permitted in the hotel district — to shop and shop some more until 2 a.m. (the subways run all night).
Welcome to Disney’s new Art of Animation Resort with four different wings that celebrate favorite characters—Finding Nemo, Cars and Lion King. And there’s plenty of room to spread out with 1120 family suites (there are 864 rooms too).