Fill your senses with the dazzling colors, pungent smells, and quiet sounds of nature as you hike or bike the dozens of state and county parks in Door County, Wisconsin.
- Did you know? It was the French who named the treacherous waters separating Washington Island from the mainland, “Portes des Morts” or Door of Death. This is where Door County gets its name (www.doorcounty.com).
Or treat yourself to a relaxing, scenic cruise by car, boat, or horse-drawn wagon. You can even get an eagle-eyed view of the changing colors with a scenic airplane ride. Fall colors begin to turn in late September and usually peak by mid-October. The fall color hotline at the Door County Visitor Bureau provides updates. Call (920) 743-4456, ext. 3, then 6.
For your taste buds, there are roadside stands and farmers’ markets at every turn, offering crisp apples from local orchards, aromatic hot cider, and the bounty of the local harvest. And what would harvest season be without festivals? Door County has some of the best in the Midwest with pumpkin decorations, parades, collector cars, arts and crafts, and fireworks.
Reluctant to let the glow of summer fun fade? Fall offers one more chance to enjoy some of your favorite summer activities such as golfing, antique hunting, sailing, horseback riding, gallery browsing, fishing, and sightseeing.
Whether you’re staying in an elegant inn, cozy B&B, modern resort, cabin, motel or campsite, fall will put you in touch with the peninsula’s natural beauty at its best.
Check out these insider suggestions sure to get you going…
Enjoy an authentic Fish Boil dinner - a dining experience found only in Door County. A traditional Door County fish boil features fresh Lake Michigan whitefish caught by local fishermen and cooked outside over an open fire, just as it was 100 years ago by the Scandinavian settlers of the Peninsula.
- Did you know? The fish boil tradition began as an economical way to feed large, hungry groups of lumberjacks and fishermen. Churches picked up the tradition to raise money, and people from all over would come to taste the local fish, potatoes and Door County cherry pie. Eventually area restaurants followed and the Door County Fish Boil became a “not to be missed” event for every visitor.
Board the Door County Trolley for a narrated scenic tour to see breathtaking vistas from Door County’s scenic bluffs overlooking the islands, learning local legend and lore along the way (www.doorcountytrolley.com).
- Did you know? Door County Trolley also offers a lighthouse tour, scenic tour, Jewel of the Door tour, progressive dinner outings and more.
- Did you know? Founded in 1985, Orchard Country Winery is a small family owned winery housed in a historic dairy barn, built in the early 1900s.
Explore Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor with its gleaming white tower and keeper’s home of cream city brick. This 1869 lighthouse has withstood countless storms, witnessed great maritime dramas and is well-known as one of the Great Lakes’ most photographed lighthouses (www.dcmm.org/canaisland).
- Did you know? Door County has the second largest concentration of lighthouses for any county in the US.
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".
NEW LODGING & LEARNING PROGRAM “OLD FAITHFUL WINTER EXPEDITION”
The Yellowstone Association Institute and park concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts have added the new “Old Faithful Winter Expedition” to their line-up of popular Lodging & Learning programs this year.
Lodging & Learning programs offer the expertise of Yellowstone Association Institute naturalists/guide during the day and the comfort of park lodges at night. Each program includes accommodations, some meals and Xanterra’s “Snow Card” good for 10 percent off meals, in-park transportation, tours, ski shop services and select retail items.
“We consistently hear from participants that the instructors’ knowledge and enthusiasm about the park create experiences that could not be achieved on a self-guided tour,” said Jeff Brown, director of education for the Yellowstone Association. “The interior of Yellowstone in winter offers so much, especially for groups seeking an in-depth view.”
The Old Faithful Winter Expedition features two nights each at the only Yellowstone lodging open during the winter – the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Under the guidance of an Institute instructor, stops throughout the park will include the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone Lake and various geyser basins. Available Saturday through Tuesday beginning Dec. 27, 2008 and Jan. 10, Jan. 24, Feb. 7 and Feb. 21, 2009, this program features four nights of lodging, breakfasts, lunches, welcome gift, in-park transportation, snowshoes, one-hour hot tub usage, unlimited ice skating and optional evening programs. Rates start at $929 per person, plus tax, based on double occupancy and $1,163 for single occupancy.
The activity level of this program is easy. The class is limited to 12 persons.
This winter the two organizations will also offer Lodging & Learning programs with the titles “Winter Rendezvous,” “Family Winter Holiday,” “Winter Wildlife Expedition,” “Yellowstone on Skis,” “Winter Wolf Discovery” and “Winter in Wonderland.”
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".
Smithsonian.com and Travelocity Offer “Trip of a Lifetime” to Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea
Smithsonian.com, with Travelocity, offers the “Trip of a Lifetime: Voyage to Melanesia” sweepstakes for a chance to experience the history, culture and rugged beauty of Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
Contestants that enter between August 15 and October 31 will be entered into a random drawing for this 16-night adventure, valued at more than $25,000. Prize sponsor Abercrombie and Kent will present winners with 14 days aboard their “Clipper Odyssey” to trace the route of epic battles that helped secure democracy for the allied forces in World War II.
“Smithsonian magazine brings the world’s most diverse cultures from around the globe to our readers every month,” said Kerry Bianchi, Group Publisher, Smithsonian Media. “But there is no better way to understand the essence of a locale than by experiencing it on the ground, and the Voyage to Melanesia sweepstakes gives entrants a chance to do just that.”
To enter, visit http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/ads/experiences-sweepstakes/melanesia/sweeps.html, follow the links and complete the online entry form. Contestants are limited to one entry per day
Source: The Rosen Group
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".
Wondering how to use that new GPS device? How to choose a tent? Or, fix a bike flat? The folks at REI have pooled their considerable knowledge into more than 350 articles on travel, outdoor gear and activities.
Here are just a few articles you’ll find there:
- Adventure Travel Checklist
- Combating Jet Lag
- Health Risks: Sun, Bugs, Plants
- Choosing Travel Clothing
- Packing Smart
- Choosing Batteries
- Working and Living Abroad
They’re free and yours for the learning - just CLICK HERE
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".
Austin-Lehman Adventures Founders Outline Top Inn Favorites Included in 2009 All-Inclusive Itineraries
When you’re on a panel of experts, what kind of advice do you give? Dan Austin and Paul Lehman, founding partners of Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA) that specializes in immersive, active travel experiences, enjoy positions on the Forbes Traveler 400 Experts Panel. As travel authorities, they recently outlined the top 10 favorite inns ALA will utilize on its 2009 all-inclusive itineraries.
“Narrowing the field to 10 really challenged us,” says Lehman. “But it was a good exercise because it was strongly influenced by guest feedback so it gave us an insight into what folks look for when it comes to choosing an active travel vacation.”
As longtime travel veterans and founding partners of ALA, Austin & Lehman have served on the Forbes Traveler Panel of Experts Since 2006. They just completed their nominations for the Forbes Traveler 400 Luxury Hotel List, due out Oct 1.
Lehman notes that while ALA seeks the best accommodations in each of its destinations spanning Alaska to South Africa, in ALA terms “best” doesn’t necessarily mean the most exclusive, the biggest or most expensive.
“We look instead for intimate, locally run inns, lodges, B&Bs and resorts whose unique charm and history give our guests a true feel for the region. Each of our properties offers surprising luxury with an absence of pretension. From claw-foot tubs to wood-fired saunas and overstuffed pillows, we’ll indulge you in all the comforts and then some,” notes Lehman.
Austin & Lehman’s 2009 Top 10 Accommodations Picks:
- Fox Island, Kenai, Alaska: Guests boat-in to log-hewn cabins sited in rocky cove on a private three-square-mile island. ALA’s Alaska: Best of the Greatland.
- Burrowing Owl, Okanagan Wine Region, BC: Dramatic views of mountains and vineyards from the balcony of a charming 10-room guesthouse. ALA’s Okanagan Valley: Canada’s Wine Country.
- Spring Creek Ranch, Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Year-round luxury resort on a wildlife sanctuary enjoys Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List designation. ALA’s Grand Teton: Valley Floors to Jagged Peaks.
- Hotel San Juan de Dios, Chiapas, Mexico: Gardens and private gardens, antiques and chimneys grace guest accommodations of this one-time hacienda in the historic region of San Cristobal de las Casas. ALA’s Mexico Chiapas: Rainforest to Ruins.
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".
According to PCWORLD, Over 85,000 phones, 21,000 PDAs and 4,500 notebook computers are left behind in taxis every year. Well, now there is an easy way for someone to turn those items in as well as have them returned.
Founded in 2004, Atlanta-based ImHONEST.com is a non-traditional lost and found service that provides identification and recovery for items of value. In addition to offering an affordable and user-friendly solution for owners to proactively label and register their valuables, ImHONEST.com makes it easy for the finders of lost items to act on their honesty.
Two of the most common reasons that lost items are not returned to their owners are the inability to identify the owner of the lost item and the lack of an easy way to return the found item. The ImHONEST.com system, with its user-friendly label registration and reporting system, solves both of these issues. ImHONEST.com makes it easy for finders of lost items to return the items to their owners by providing:
- Personalized labels containing a unique ID code
- Choice of toll-free and online “found item” reporting
- Over 4,000 drop-off locations at all of The UPS Store® locations
- Pick-up service from any residence or business location
- Support for international shipping of found items
- A gift rewarding the finder’s honesty
In keeping with the company’s mission to promote honesty and aid those in need, 20% of the online purchases of ImHONEST.com labels are donated to charities. Before finalizing an online purchase, customers choose a charitable organization from a list that includes organizations such as World Vision, Doctors Without Borders and March of Dimes.
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".