Wondering where you can go to enjoy autumn’s finest hues without leaving the comforts of an inn’s porch or the privacy of your room’s deck (or Jacuzzi tub)? To help you make the most of the season, here are 10 inns where laid-back leaf peepers can sit back, relax and take in the foliage from the best seat in the house.
Lucille’s Mountain Top Inn & Spa —Sautee Nacoochee, GA: Sitting atop a mountain does have its advantages. This 10-room inn boasts 360 degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia. Admire the canopy of color from a rocker on the wide deck before taking in a game of badminton or croquet on the lawn with the foliage as your scenic background.
Wildberry Lodge — Leicester, NC: This rustic log cabin lodge is situated on 45 acres in the Great Smokey Mountainsand a short drive to downtown Asheville. You can step out onto their sundeck or flagstone patio to admire the foliage or soak up the views from the private porch off the Blackberry Suite.
Lookout Point Lakeside Inn —Hot Springs, AR: Indulge in deep relaxation at this retreat situated in the Ouachita Mountains overlooking placid Lake Hamilton. Enjoy your morning coffee and the foliage view from your private deck before taking a walk along the labyrinth waterfront trail.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
a guest blog by Nick Ball
CÉSAR´S EMPIRE
For centuries philosophers and geographers have debated whether the Canary Islands are the remnants of the lost continent of Atlantis. According to Plato, civilization here was wiped out. The inhabitants had “fallen prey to the worst vices”, he said.
Today these seven islands off the coast of North West Africa still have a slightly uncivilized image. They are often regarded as just a cheap and chirpy holiday destination.
Four-hour flights, year-round minimum temperatures of 20C and tax-free prices attract huge flocks of migratory northern Europeans every year. Their nesting grounds are well established. Especially on Gran Canaria and Tenerife, the two largest and most populous islands. Here the full-English experience has long since eroded any remnants of authenticity. Much of the countryside wears more concrete than a Mafia victim.
But if that is enough to deter you from visiting the Canaries, think again. For these islands are not all birds of a feather.
Unlike its Canarian cousins the easternmost island of Lanzarote remains largely untouched and boasts a primeval natural beauty. The volcanic interior and lush palm-packed valleys in the north of the island are breathtaking. Rural tourism is growing and small chic hotels are taking root in the countryside.
But possibly the biggest surprise of all is this little island is earning a growing reputation for it’s cultural attractions. After all, this is the place Monty Python’s Michael Palin once dubbed “Lanzagrotty”.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".