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Ski your Cares Away in Bartlett

There are many attractive ski destinations to choose from when the urge to hit the snow comes upon you and your family, but sometimes, for whatever reason, it makes sense to stick to the East Coast. New Hampshire has a surprising array of options, as skiing is actually the official state sport. For a good taste of all that is offered in the White Mountains region, which includes winter sports and year-round activities of all kind, take a look at Bartlett.

Bartlett is located on Attitash Mountain amidst a wonderland of wintertime delights, as Mount Washington Valley and North Conway are known for being ideal vacation settings. Many cozy towns dot this area and are equipped with shops, restaurants, recreation facilities, and much more. Bartlett is one of the shining stars, however, so focus your energy here if you’d like an experience worth remembering and repeating.

This region of the state might look familiar when you first arrive because it has been commonly captured by artists looking to create pleasant scenes of country bliss and natural beauty. Quaint covered bridges, folksy towns, and rolling hills that give way to the magnificent mountains will quickly boost your mood and make you feel a million miles away from your previous responsibilities. Enjoy the setting and get ready to immerse yourself in these painting-worthy pictures.

As you speed down the slopes via skis or snowboard or as you traverse a flatter stretch of frosty land on snowshoes or snowmobile, you’ll remember why winter vacations are so much fun. Not only are you getting back in touch with Mother Nature, you’re also burning off a few calories without an ounce of boredom and spending an exhilarating day alongside the ones you love. Finish it off with a cup of cider and a session of roasting your toes in front of the fireplace and it’ll feel like life is pretty good.

Not that the only time to come here is the winter; Bartlett is lovely during all seasons and is just as packed with things to do before or after snow season. Autumn reveals the kind of colorful explosions that foliage-watchers dream about, and the crisp-but-not-yet-cold weather is perfect for hiking and strolling through the town in search of antiques and unique souvenirs. It’s also good cuddling weather, so bring your honey along and catch up on some quality snuggle time.

White Mountain National Forest makes a fine venue for warm weather pursuits that will ignite your senses with the sights and sounds of the earth and sky. Hike and bike on the web of paths the weave in and out of the ancient forests and rugged terrain. Hop aboard a canoe or squeeze into a kayak for a river or lake adventure, and be sure to note the healthy glow that exists in the cheeks of your companions. Several facilities are available that will rent out equipment and provide basic instructions for all the weekend warrior types, so rest assured that you’ll be well-prepared for a good time.

After working up an appetite, be sure to visit a café or tavern for a one-of-a-kind meal. In addition to local theatre, dinner shows and special events, Irish pubs, jazz brunches and après-ski during the winters all add magnetism to the area and will round out your Bartlett experience.

Another way to add dimension to this trip is to reserve a vacation rental. There are many to choose from in this region, and their unique amenities, convenience to the slopes and capacity for privacy make them intriguing options. Chalets, condos, ski lodges and town homes are abundant and often offer special deals and off-season rates, so consider forgoing the traditional hotel experience in favor of something new and different.

Between your willingness to leave it all behind and the Bartlett Vacation Rental that awaits you, your upcoming trip to the mountains of New Hampshire is sure to go smoothly. Start preparing today, mentally and logistically, and be ready for a fabulous time.

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Get Away In Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg, TN used to be a sleepy little mountain town, but now it has become a four-season resort town.

Attractions

As the most-visited national park in the country, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has driven most of the tourism and growth in Gatlinburg. Visitors come to enjoy fishing, biking, camping, white-water rafting, hiking and skiing in the mountains or spend the day in town at shops, the aquarium, miniature golf courses, museums, arcades and theme parks. With so many activities to choose from, Gatlinburg is well-suited for families and a wide variety of ages.

Another fun attraction in the area is the Arts and Craft trail. This trail is an eight-mile loop that is lined with shops and artisans who make and sell all kinds of goods. Along the way you will find things like quilts, candles, furniture, blacksmith goods, baskets, hand-made pottery, art and food stuffs for sale. Even if you don’t buy a souvenir during your walk, watching the craftsmen at work will be a rewarding experience.

Accommodations

Because of the vast amount of tourism that the city enjoys, there are all kinds of accommodation in Gatlinburg. The most economical option is camping. There are several RV parks and a few tent campgrounds as well. If you are an outdoor enthusiast and you don’t mind roughing it, camping could be the best option.

Motels and small hotels are right behind camping for affordable options, but some of their best rooms are only about $30 cheaper than nicer rooms and suites at local inns and bed and breakfast establishments.

Because of the mountain setting, cabins are also a popular accommodation. Built in the mountains, many of these cabins are nestled in beautiful, wooded areas and command breathtaking views. If you want to be away from the city a little and enjoy privacy and peace, a cabin would provide the right atmosphere.

Surprisingly, a full one-bedroom cabin (complete with a furnished kitchen, bedroom, hot tub and living room) could cost as little as $125 a night. This is the same price as one normal hotel room.

The larger cabins may see expensive at first glance (as much as $1,200 a night) but when they can sleep 24-60 people, it’s clear that they would be much more affordable than hotel rooms; especially when the kitchen facilitates meals at home.

Of course, the rates for both hotels and Gatlinburg cabins fluctuate with the high and low seasons. Holidays are the most expensive times to visit Gatlinburg but all of October is pretty busy too. If you can visit the city any time of the week, weekdays are sometimes more affordable than weekends. You’ll probably have smaller crowds to deal with as well.

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Enjoy Christmas Away From Home – Christmas Hotel Breaks

Enjoy Christmas Away From Home – Christmas Hotel Breaks

Description

Ideas and inspiration for a holiday season adventure away from home this Christmas in some of the world’s most festive destinations.

Article

Love it or dread it, Christmas is inevitable. No sooner have the stores taken down their Halloween displays than they’re replacing them with huge spangly icicles, gold stars and beaming Santas. The pressure’s on to fight late night shoppers, order turkeys and vast pork pies, and work out how to be in three different places on Christmas Day. There’s no escape.

Or is there? Maybe it’s time to start thinking outside the festive box.

For those fortunate families who love the annual round of feeding fourteen relatives, closing the curtains against the drizzle and huddling round for the TV Christmas specials and yet more chocolates – great! But what if you’re one of those countless people who secretly yearn to be rebellious and dare to do something different?

Celebrating Christmas away from home doesn’t mean that you have to lose the festive atmosphere – unless, of course, you want to! The possibilities are endless. All it takes is a bit of imagination and planning – and, if you stay at home, aren’t you doing enough of that anyway?

As with anything involving travel and accommodation, budget will be a key consideration. The least expensive option is likely to be simply treating yourself to a ‘day off.’ Instead of spending hours in a steamy kitchen, returning to wrestle a pile of washing-up and trying to squeeze some relaxation in between, many people turn to a local restaurant or hotel. Served with good quality food and all the hassle taken care of, they can make the most of the day and enjoy it from start to end.

Spending the festive season at an all-inclusive British holiday park/camp can be a great way for mums and dads to take it easy while the kids still get to enjoy a fun-packed Christmas. As ever, there’s tons for children to do, loads more room for them to let off steam… and Santa still drops by for the ones who’ve been good!

For younger children, where better to see Father Christmas than at home in Lapland… and if he’s already whizzed off on his sleigh, well the elves will still be around to give a warm welcome, taking a well-earned break after all that hard work! As well as day trips, there are plenty of tours around, lasting from two days upwards. Huskies, snowmobiles and those all-important reindeer will all leave magical memories that the kids will treasure for ever.

When it comes to the grown-ups, city breaks are always a popular choice and there are plenty to be had at a reasonable price for those shopping around. Prague, with its rich history and opulent beauty, is a firm favourite and the wonderful Christmas markets are open throughout the festive season, including Christmas Day itself. In Vienna, the Christkindlmarkt in the City Hall Square is famous the world over for its elaborately decorated trees, dozens of wooden huts selling gifts and food and, of course, welcome glasses of hot Gluhwein.

Curiously, although renowned as one of the most romantic and magical places in the world, Venice is comparatively overlooked when it comes to spending Christmas away from home. Gone are the souvenir stalls and sweltering August crowds, as the population seeps to just half of its summer size. Spending Christmas in Venice gives the visitor a chance to enjoy the real city, with its wonderful architecture fully on show and evening concerts in its vast, albeit chilly basilicas.

If it’s that traditional White Christmas you’re dreaming of, then the ski resorts of Switzerland, France and Austria are great places to head for. Sunshine on crisp snow, pine-covered mountains and crackling log fires all make for that perfect Christmas card scene. And, away from the slopes, a glass or two of hot punch always goes down well as the snow softly falls.

For those with a higher budget and looking for a decidedly less chilly Christmas, what better than a Caribbean island or the Maldives. With softly swaying palms, turquoise seas and freshly prepared gourmet food and drink, how much further could you get from rainy streets, empty sweet wrappers and yet another turkey sandwich?

But for Christmas with an even bigger difference, imagine being out in the deep, silent snow at night, lying on a reindeer skin as amazing colours dance and shimmer their way across the sky. Imagine the spectacular Northern Lights. Several destinations offer a great chance to see the Aurora Borealis in all its magnificent glory, including Finland, Norway, Sweden and The Yukon.

We hope we’ve offered something for everyone in our variety of Christmas hotel breaks. Before you dig out those fairy lights for another year, stop for a moment. Do you really want to spend another Christmas half asleep on the sofa with indigestion? Go on… dare to do something different.

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how far away is snowbird ski resort from utah state college?

i was just wondering cuz i’m planning 2 maybe go there 4 college and u don’t have 2 but mileage from college to resort would b good and average time traveled by car would also be helpful… pretty much any information will b helpful. thank you!!

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Away Resorts to Manage Chumphon Resort

Chumphon, Thailand – September 2008 – Astudo Hotel & Resort Management, manager of X2 Resorts, Away Resorts and Le Bayburi, is proudly announcing the opening of Away (Tusita) Chumphon, scheduled in September 2008.

Being the first southern province to be reached from every other part of the country, Chumphon is regarded as a gateway through which southbound visitors will have to pass before continuing on their routes to the western or eastern coasts. Chumphon is not only renowned for its abundant seafood, but  also known as a province of succulent fruits with various marvelous attractions like beaches, islands,  forests and caves.

Chumphon covers a total area of 6,009 square kilometers with a long coast stretching for 222 kilometers and 47 islands. Its boundary reaches Prachuap Khiri Khan in the North, the Gulf of Thailand in the East, Suratthani in the South and Ranong and Myanmar in the West. Geographically, its landscape is alternate plains and mountains. Coconut, rambutan, durian, mangosteen, banana, and pineapple are some varieties of fruits densely grown on eastern plains.

The resort, (previously known as Tusita Resort), covering a total area of 25 Rai (40,000 square meters), is located on a beautiful unspoiled beach, Had Arunothai. Dozens of stunning limestone islands rising out of the sea are in full view. Nearby is Paknam Tako, an estuary where guests can observe the lifestyle of the local fishermen and watch the fishing boats bringing home the day’s haul close to sunset. Koh Tao, the premier diving area in the Gulf of Thailand is directly to the east with Arunothai providing the closest access point on the mainland and is closer to Koh Tao than the usual point of departure Koh Samui.

The 22 accommodations in the resort comprise of:
- 1 Residence Villa of 150 sqm,
- 2 Beach Suites of 80 sqm,
- 1 Beach Pool Villa of 90 sqm,
- 2 Beach Rooms of 60 sqm,
- 16 Garden Villas of 80 sqm.

The facilities of the resort include a restaurant serving Seafood, Thai and International cuisine, a spa with two treatment rooms and two outdoor massage “Salas”, a swimming pool, a bar, a lounge/library, a fitness centre and Wi-Fi (wireless Internet access system) without entering the password throughout the resort.

Away resorts are the epitome of peaceful hideaways. All resorts offer guests every opportunity to truly slow down and enjoy their holiday but at the same time provide an interesting and unique array of activities and tours to provide a perfect balance for your holiday. A key hallmark of Away Resorts is their relaxed casual atmosphere, blended with high levels of individual service.

About Astudo Hotel & Resort Management
Astudo Hotel & Resort Management (www.astudo.com) is an international hotel management group based in Thailand. It manages 3 brands, with several properties in a growing portfolio and a fourth brand soon to be released.

X2 Resorts (www.X2resorts.com), Thailand’s first designer hotel chain, first launched in Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan – December 2007 and followed by Samui, Suratthani – June 2008. Future X2 resorts anticipated to open in mid 2010 are X2 Koh Tan and X2 Koh Kood.

Away Resorts (www.awayresorts.com), Tropical Polynesian favour resorts, first launched in Koh Kood, Trat – October 2007, Chumphon, Mae-Rim Chiang Mai in end 2008, Koh Pha-Ngan and Koh Samui in late 2009.

Le Bayburi (www.lebayburi.com), Luxury private residences, first launched in Pranburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan – July 2007 and followed by Koh Samui, Suratthani – scheduled to open in mid 2009.

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Ski and feel like you’ve gotten away from it all

Ski and feel like you’ve gotten away from it all
Destination resorts » For Utahns longing to hit the slopes while feeling like they’re on vacation, many options are within reach. While Wasatch Front skiers can sample great skiing by driving less than an hour from home, some enjoy comparing their home turf to other resorts.

Read more on The Salt Lake Tribune

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Discover a Treasured Hide Away for Winter Sports

A skier’s paradise is in store for those that visit Crested Butte, Colorado.  The last ski town in Colorado is 4 hours from Denver, and 3 scenic hours from both Colorado Springs and Grand Junction; and offers a tranquil escape to reconnect with both nature and the entire family. I have been there – and the scenery is phenomenal!

A pleasant change of pace from escaping the cold and heading to “St. Somewhere”, Crested Butte is every bit as relaxing as it is exciting.  Adventure junkies can tackle any number of ski resorts that line this wonderful little town, while nature lovers can sit and marvel at some of the most serene snow-cap mountains anywhere in the world.  Yes, the holidays are here, and the people at Gunnison Crested Butte, Colorado have every intention on making this holiday season one to remember.

Currently Gunnison is offering Thanksgiving and Christmas deals for families, friends and couples alike. If your vacation ranges December 26, 2008 – January 3, 2008, the fifth night is free.  Ranging from hotel suites to four bedroom condos, you can save up to $1138; not to mention up to 20% on your equipment rentals.
 
Though skiing seems like the main winter sport here, they also offer boarding, Nordic, Sno Shoeing, Ice fishing, Ice Skating, Ice Hockey, tubing, dog sledding and an array of educational and recreational children’s’ activities. 

If this has peaked your interest, the ‘Stay & Ski Free’ promotion is offered with a number of their fabulous lodges.  That’s two free lift tickets for every night you stay; and the places to choose from to rest your head after tackling the white powder are premier. 

I spoke to the tourism board to find out what the best deals around were – and after my own investigation, this is what I have found:

The Ruby, a luxurious Bed & Breakfast starts at just $60 per night including breakfast to get your day started and free shuttle bus to one of the best mountains in Colorado, Crested Butte Mountain Resort.  After a long day of swooshing around in the snow, come to your holiday home and receive an in-house massage with your 20% discount. 

Another homey type hotel is the Water Wheel Inn, here you can take full advantage of the ‘stay and ski free’ offer, You can marvel at some of the most spectacular views from any turn of the resort.  From Blue Mesa Reservoir to the rock walls of Black Canyon, this resort captures the ‘postcard’ image of what a ski vacation should be.  One of the best parts of this vacation was what happens after nightfall.  With its wide open skies, the stars put on a light show that gives some July 4 fireworks celebration a run for there money.  If this wasn’t enough, you can enjoy the whole show while soaking the night away in one of the hot tubs; quite frankly, the best part of the vacation for me!

Staying with the theme, another lodge to consider when out in ski country is the Elk Mountain Lodge.  Old world elegance meets modern day comfort in this 1880s miner’s lodge in downtown Crested Butte.  Whether it’s a full skiing experience or a quiet getaway for two, the Elk Mountain Lodge offers the perfect balance.  Along with your amazing mountain views, you also get breakfast and two lift tickets.  $125 is the price for both you and your companion.  Everything needed for a nice nature loving vacation can be found at the Elk Mountain Lodge.

Along with receiving a chance to ski some of the best mountains for free, there is more discounts for those that are planning on spending their next vacation out west.  Of course, these are just two of the many resorts that are offering some out of this world savings to come out and experience Crested Butte; an outdoor adventure where nature’s artistry is your playground.  A place to ski, get a muscle relaxing massage and enjoy a nice warm hot tub all while allowing your senses to be at one with your surroundings. 

The ‘Stay & Ski Free’ offers are going on right now; get out and take full advantage of it.

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Slip away to dunes

Slip away to dunes
Sleeping Bear park is home to mountains of sand, stunning views of Lake Michigan South Manitou Island has three campgrounds

Read more on Akron Beacon Journal