winter

New Ski Runs & Ski Lifts a Hit With Skiers & Boarders in Winter Park Resort, Colorado, Usa

Intrawest has been investing significant sums of money into the little known resort of Winter Park. The area is still flying under the radar compared to the world renowned resorts of Vail, Aspen & Breckenridge. Winter Park Resort is about to become of age and join the other Colorado resorts in delighting guests from all over the world with its terrain, superior snow conditions and yet still quiet slopes.

Two years ago the main lift accessing Mary Jane Mountain was replaced by a high speed 6 pack chairlift, called the Super Gauge, which whisks skiers quickly to the top of the mountain, where they can ski the bumps on Mary Jane, the groomers on the Winter Park side or head down sunnyside to access the Parsenn bowl. This really speeded up access to the whole mountain and the new equipment means the lift runs smoothly with very few stoppages…

However the more important developments have been new lifts leading to new terrain. In the 2006/7 ski season the Eagle Wind lift was introduced on the backside of Parsenn Bowl. Now skiers & riders can easily access “natural” terrain and enjoy skiing the powder in the trees in really untouched conditions. Although there are a couple of runs cut through the trees, the vast majority of the Eagle Wind area is designed for skiers to make their own paths through the trees. Dropping off points are from just below the lift where most people start, but traverse a little further around the corner and you can find untouched powder days after the latest snowstorm. The Eagle Wind lift now makes the circuit to get back to this terrain extremely easy and avoids the old problem of having to take three lifts to access the backside of Parseen of the more extremem Vasque Cirque. This rugged terrain is an advanced skiers paradise and yet still remains quiet for skiers to enjoy a truely rural mountain experience.

Then in 2007/8 came the Panoramic Express which every level of skier can benefit from. The Panoramic lift replaced the old Timberline lift and added much more vertical to Parsenn bowl skiing. Extending from the bottom of Mary Jane’s Edelweiss trail next to the Sunnyside lift, to the top of Parsenn Bowl at 12,060 feet above sea level, the Panoramic Express provides skiers and riders access to over 1,123 acres of terrain including Parsenn Bowl, Vasquez Cirque and last year’s addition of the Eagle Wind terrain.   The 6 pack chairlift is the highest in North America and part of the 8 million dollars spent on capital improvements at Winter Park Resort this year. The lift is powered by renewable energy, supporting the resorts environmental policy. Once at the top, skiers have a choice of skiing anywhere in the Parsenn bowl which ranges from rare intermediate blue run bowl skiing to more advanced blue/ black (red) runs to black level runs through tighter trees, all around where the old Timberline lift used to be. But now the runs lead into Bluebell and Edelweiss, blue runs, to take you all the way back down, giving much longer runs and much more vertical than before. The Panoramic Express will quicken guests ride to the top from the original 11 minutes it once took guests to get there to seven minutes. Due to the speed of the 6 pack you can be back at the top to choose another route down before you even know it!

But there’s another bonus – Winter Park has gladed 100 acres of terrain on skiers right and added 2 brand new fairly long runs to get back down to the Panoramic or Sunnyside lifts via a different route. These 2 new trails are called Forever Eva and Parry’s Peak and are intermediate trails, winding gently through the newly gladed forest, for everyone to enjoy. Parry’s Peek and Forever Eva were named after a well known area botanist, Charles Parry and his wife, Eva.  Both trails provide spectacular views of Parry’s Peak and Mount Eva, two significant mountain peaks along the Continental Divide. These trails are groomed, allowing even the most tentative skier to enjoy this high mountain experience.  

“The Panoramic Express, with its unmatched view, and the addition of two new intermediate trails, not only provides guests with quicker access to the top of Mary Jane’s Parsenn Bowl, but also provides more elbow room to play once they’re there,” said Gary DeFrange, president & chief operating officer for Winter Park Resort. “Mary Jane has developed a loyal following of passionate regulars that will welcome these changes whereas first time visitors will fall in love with Winter Park in no time at all. We have retained the spirit of Winter Park Resort with a fresh outlook.”

The guests have given very positive feedback too. Helen & Rob Brown who run Chalets USA in Winter Park have found their guests have been thrilled with the new lifts & terrain, especially Forever Eva & Parry’s Peak, which guests have described as “fantastic runs in beautiful snow conditions” and “a really good addition to the resort”. For more info on their ski chalets in Winter Park, Colorado, USA visit www.chalets-usa.co.uk

winter

Resorts Offer Cool Deals For Winter Travelers

Resorts Offer Cool Deals For Winter Travelers
It’s a cold winter with hot deals and incentives in Park City, Utah all winter long from free lift tickets to bonus spa treatments and lodging nights – it’s your time to get a breath of fresh cool mountain air for you winter vacation in Park City. Ski free, stay free is offered in participating hotels. If you purchase 3-nights lodging, 3-days lift tickets, you get an extra night free and an …

Read more on CBS4 Miami

winter

Early winter helps ski resorts

Early winter helps ski resorts
Many Colorado ski resorts are holding prices steady or giving customers flexibility in booking lodging and lift tickets to encourage mountain visitors.

Read more on Louisville Courier-Journal

winter

Selling a Home in the Winter

When it comes to selling, the winter season is often not an ideal time to put your house on the market. If you live in an area where it gets cold, rainy, or snowy, trying to sell a home in winter presents a different set of challenges than in spring or summer. It gets darker earlier, the weather is treacherous, lawns are brown or snow covered, and then of course there are the holidays. But not everyone can wait until the warmer seasons to put their home on the market. There are steps you can take to enhance your home’s allure and make it more appealing to potential buyers, even during the winter.

The first thing you can do is to make sure there is a clear a path to your home. If home buyers can’t get to it easily, the house is less likely to sell. Keep walkways and driveways free of snow and ice. If there is street parking, make sure a path from the street to your sidewalk has been cleared. Sprinkle a layer of sand or salt on the walking path to prevent buyer’s from slipping and falling.

Next, make sure to light up your yard. Having a cleared path is of little help if buyers can’t see where they are going. Additionally, having a well-lit driveway and front porch will make your home look more inviting in the darkness of winter.

Now that yours home’s exterior is well lit, its time to brighten its interior. If visitors are coming during the day, clean your windows thoroughly, then open the blinds and push back the drapes to let in as much natural light as possible. If potential home buyers are coming after dark, turn on every light in the house. Brighten dark rooms with additional lighting if needed. The illumination will make your home more cheerful and attractive.

When preparing your home before potential buyers arrive, turn the thermostat up a little bit. If you have one, light your fireplace, but only if it will not be unattended for very long. Having the home heated a degree or two warmer than usual will make it feel inviting and cozy on those cold winter days.

Turn off the television and turn on some soft music. Jazz or classical can be quite soothing and will add to the ambience of the home. Don’t turn on a local radio station, as the commercial interruptions can be loud and annoying. Use a CD or MP3 player to cycle through music and turn it down low so that you just hear it in the background.

As with any other time of the year, you will want to make your home as visually pleasing as possible. Clean the home from top to bottom, starting with ceiling fans and light fixtures and ending with the floors. Clean up dirt, dust, and cobwebs, in addition to making small repairs like re-caulking sinks and replacing cabinet handles. Don’t forget to do the dishes and take out the trash before your guests arrive!

Once it’s clean, set the scene by making your home look comfortable and cozy. In this case, it’s the small things that count, like putting a soft throw on the sofa, folding back comforters on the beds, or hanging plush hand-towels in the bathroom. Set the dining room table as if a meal were about to be served, with nice plates and silverware. Even if the holidays have passed, some festive decorations like wreaths and dried arrangements look attractive all winter long.

Look and sound covered, scent is important, too. Without windows letting in fresh summer air, homes can begin to smell a little stale in the winter, especially if you smoke or have pets. Infuse your home with an inviting scent by baking cookies, cinnamon rolls, apple pie, or by simmering spiced apple cider on the stove. Don’t burn candles or spray deodorizers as some people are allergic to them. Don’t over-do it with sweet smells either, as it can leave buyers wondering what you’re trying to conceal.

Even if you’re not actually going to be present, treat your potential buyers as if they were guests: feed them. If you have baked a pie or simmered spiced cider, have some available for buyers to sip and snack on. Fresh brewed coffee and donuts or pastries are always a hit. Some people have even offered popular winter comfort foods, like soups, stews, and chili, providing paper bowls and plastic spoons to make clean-up easy. Treating buyers as company will help your home leave a lasting impression on them. Also, providing them something to eat or drink gives buyers a reason to linger longer and perhaps notice aspects of your home they might otherwise have missed.

Finally, when trying to sell your house during the winter time, point out and emphasize the positive attributes it has which might not be as obvious at first glance. Does living at your home provide convenient access to a bus route, local park, shopping venue, or major thoroughfare? These may be points you want to mention to the buyers. Does your home have a nice view? It may be even more apparent in the winter months when trees are bare of leaves. You can never be quite sure about what amenities may click with individual buyers, so think of what makes it great to live in your home and let them know about it.

In some parts of the country, like in the warm southern states where snowbirds flock or popular skiing areas like in Colorado, winter weather doesn’t have that big of an impact on the real estate market. In most parts of the U.S., though, snow, rain, and cold can put a damper on home buying activity. The statistics don’t have to dictate your sale, however. If you put some effort into making potential buyers feel like they’re at home, they just may decide to make it their own.

winter

where to move next winter for ski resort job?

My husband and I are thinking about moving out west to work at a ski resort. I just wanted to see if anybody knew of a resort that maybe offers housing or even just somewhere with cheap housing. And if anyone knew of just a good resort. we just wanna go out there for the winter to work and go snowboarding we dont care about anything else. so any suggestions will help.

winter

New Ski Runs & Ski Lifts a Hit With Skiers & Boarders in Winter Park Resort, Colorado, Usa

Intrawest has been investing significant sums of money into the little known resort of Winter Park. The area is still flying under the radar compared to the world renowned resorts of Vail, Aspen & Breckenridge. Winter Park Resort is about to become of age and join the other Colorado resorts in delighting guests from all over the world with its terrain, superior snow conditions and yet still quiet slopes.

Two years ago the main lift accessing Mary Jane Mountain was replaced by a high speed 6 pack chairlift, called the Super Gauge, which whisks skiers quickly to the top of the mountain, where they can ski the bumps on Mary Jane, the groomers on the Winter Park side or head down sunnyside to access the Parsenn bowl. This really speeded up access to the whole mountain and the new equipment means the lift runs smoothly with very few stoppages…

However the more important developments have been new lifts leading to new terrain. In the 2006/7 ski season the Eagle Wind lift was introduced on the backside of Parsenn Bowl. Now skiers & riders can easily access “natural” terrain and enjoy skiing the powder in the trees in really untouched conditions. Although there are a couple of runs cut through the trees, the vast majority of the Eagle Wind area is designed for skiers to make their own paths through the trees. Dropping off points are from just below the lift where most people start, but traverse a little further around the corner and you can find untouched powder days after the latest snowstorm. The Eagle Wind lift now makes the circuit to get back to this terrain extremely easy and avoids the old problem of having to take three lifts to access the backside of Parseen of the more extremem Vasque Cirque. This rugged terrain is an advanced skiers paradise and yet still remains quiet for skiers to enjoy a truely rural mountain experience.

Then in 2007/8 came the Panoramic Express which every level of skier can benefit from. The Panoramic lift replaced the old Timberline lift and added much more vertical to Parsenn bowl skiing. Extending from the bottom of Mary Jane’s Edelweiss trail next to the Sunnyside lift, to the top of Parsenn Bowl at 12,060 feet above sea level, the Panoramic Express provides skiers and riders access to over 1,123 acres of terrain including Parsenn Bowl, Vasquez Cirque and last year’s addition of the Eagle Wind terrain.   The 6 pack chairlift is the highest in North America and part of the 8 million dollars spent on capital improvements at Winter Park Resort this year. The lift is powered by renewable energy, supporting the resorts environmental policy. Once at the top, skiers have a choice of skiing anywhere in the Parsenn bowl which ranges from rare intermediate blue run bowl skiing to more advanced blue/ black (red) runs to black level runs through tighter trees, all around where the old Timberline lift used to be. But now the runs lead into Bluebell and Edelweiss, blue runs, to take you all the way back down, giving much longer runs and much more vertical than before. The Panoramic Express will quicken guests ride to the top from the original 11 minutes it once took guests to get there to seven minutes. Due to the speed of the 6 pack you can be back at the top to choose another route down before you even know it!

But there’s another bonus – Winter Park has gladed 100 acres of terrain on skiers right and added 2 brand new fairly long runs to get back down to the Panoramic or Sunnyside lifts via a different route. These 2 new trails are called Forever Eva and Parry’s Peak and are intermediate trails, winding gently through the newly gladed forest, for everyone to enjoy. Parry’s Peek and Forever Eva were named after a well known area botanist, Charles Parry and his wife, Eva.  Both trails provide spectacular views of Parry’s Peak and Mount Eva, two significant mountain peaks along the Continental Divide. These trails are groomed, allowing even the most tentative skier to enjoy this high mountain experience.  

“The Panoramic Express, with its unmatched view, and the addition of two new intermediate trails, not only provides guests with quicker access to the top of Mary Jane’s Parsenn Bowl, but also provides more elbow room to play once they’re there,” said Gary DeFrange, president & chief operating officer for Winter Park Resort. “Mary Jane has developed a loyal following of passionate regulars that will welcome these changes whereas first time visitors will fall in love with Winter Park in no time at all. We have retained the spirit of Winter Park Resort with a fresh outlook.”

The guests have given very positive feedback too. Helen & Rob Brown who run Chalets USA in Winter Park have found their guests have been thrilled with the new lifts & terrain, especially Forever Eva & Parry’s Peak, which guests have described as “fantastic runs in beautiful snow conditions” and “a really good addition to the resort”. For more info on their ski chalets in Winter Park, Colorado, USA visit www.chalets-usa.co.uk

winter

Share Winter Activities with you

Winter won’t keep back our activity outdoor?skiing, skating, snow tubing, and even dog sledding.

When the first snowflakes fall, most kids think “sledding!” and “snow day!” instead of “shoveling” and “salting.” Take a page from their book and get outside to enjoy the white stuff. Go sledding or snow tubing in your backyard, a local park or golf course, or at a designated tubing hill. You don’t even need a sled—a piece of cardboard or sturdy plastic does the job (do consider having your child wear a helmet, though).

If your yard or nearest park is too flat for sledding, there’s still plenty to do. Make a snow fort, snowman, or angel. Use a snow shovel to create a twisting, turning maze. Adapt summer backyard games for snow play: Frisbee, soccer, tag, hide and seek, follow the leader. Break out sand toys (buckets, scoops, and molds) for snow castles and other creations.

Some of the best winter workouts involve slip-sliding your way from here to there over snow and ice. Hiking, snow-shoeing, and cross-country skiing are all super-easy for kids (and klutzy adults—trust me, I am one) to master. Check local nature centers and state and national parks to see if they have trails and equipment rental. (Or use one of these handy trail finders.) To keep kids’ interest, play I Spy or look for animal tracks as you go, and don’t forget Thermoses of hot cocoa.

For a bigger challenge, downhill skiing or snowboarding have huge kid appeal. What could beat flying down a mountain at top speed, or shredding some awesome jumps and flips? Admittedly, cost and logistics can make it harder for families to participate in these sports. Find out if your state has a program like Maine’s WinterKids that gives kids special discounted activity passes (click the link for a listing).

These winter classics can be enjoyed indoors or out, depending on your local facilities. The parks and rec department in my city floods several parks each winter to create outdoor rinks, with adjacent warming sheds. And if you want to be really ambitious (and have a large, flat area in your yard), you can even build your own rink—team up with neighbors or friends to defray costs and share the workload. Find a basic ice skating skills program at the U.S. Figure Skating Association web site.

You can also play golf outside?it is very popular sport.

winter

Three Fantastic Ski In, Ski Out Resorts to Try This Winter

With the weather outside turning chilly, you might think it’s time to store your Road Trip Planner in the closet next to your hiking shoes till next year. Perhaps you’re enjoying the vision of relaxing in your recliner with woolly slippers adorning your feet all winter long. Nice image, sure, but hibernation’s for bears, not for active people. Soon, whilst reclining, other images emerge… blue-white slopes, roaring lodge fires, rosy cheeks…that’s when you remember…

There’s a whole WINTER WONDERLAND waiting to be explored! So fire up that Road Trip Planner and head towards the nearest Ski In, Ski Out Resort. Now imagine how delicious it will feel when you slip your tootsies into a pair of mukluks after spending the day out in the snow.

The following three top the “short” list of FAVORITE SKI IN, SKI OUT RESORTS for ardent backcountry skiers. All are already known for their grand summer offerings but skiers know these areas stand out during the winter as well. Choose one that’s closest to your home base for your road trip planning or, if you’ve got the time (& money) plan one trip per month and hit all three this Winter!

CALIFORNIA – TIOGA PASS RESORT – During the summer, you can take the Tioga Road all the way from Yosemite National Park’s west entrance out through the park’s east entrance (a wonderful road trip, by the way). But from November – May, this upper road is closed and the only way to reach the rustic lodge (9,641 feet elevation) is to ski in, ski out from the east entrance. This is not a cushy resort like you could find at Aspen or Vail, Colorado, but it’s a favorite among die-hards who appreciate the extreme couloirs found here. You’ll find rustic cabins, a roaring fire in the store/lodge and a restaurant that probably seats no more than 25 folks at a time. Ingrid McCleary, a long-time Californian, stayed there a few summers ago and can attest that their food is particularly hearty, freshly made, and generously portioned. Their winter rates are charged per person & include 3 meals per day. Guests must ski in to the Resort, usually between two and six miles, over moderate uphill and flat terrain. The surrounding terrain varies from gently rolling open meadows to sheltered, north-facing powder glades to 50-degree, 800-foot icy couloirs for the vertical extremists. Expert-only runs have names like Cocaine Chutes, Dana Couloir, Ellery Chutes and Powerhouse, a 4,000-vertical-foot descent that has skiers coming back every winter.

WYOMING – JACKSON HOLE – Some visitors use their road trip planner to come here during the summer for the pristine mountain landscape and abundant wildlife but it also offers world-class skiing. There’s a power to this place that seems to make a fundamental connection with nature. A big reason why this place attracts so many visitors each year is that it offers many choices for your lodging, from luxurious indulgence to true affordability. The gorgeous outdoors surrounding you stays the same; it’s only the “after hours” experience that differs according to your preferences and budget. If you prefer the extreme terrain, then runs like Corbett’s Couloir can test your last steely nerve. BONUS: In the Grand Teton Village a few miles away, you’ll find another luxury ski in, ski out resort, the Snake River Lodge & Spa. It offers 88 guest rooms and 46 luxury condominiums…and a 17,000-square-foot Avanyu Spa!

CANADA – WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Picturesque, expansive, and has its own village…that’s the quaint part of your Whistler Road Trip. For “weak-kneed” parts, try the runs like the Couloir Extreme and Spanky’s Ladder. The scenic village is very lively and offers varied after-skiing activities. The skiing is superbly varied and the new Peak-2-Peak gondola, linking Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains, will be the world’s longest continuous lift system when it opens in December, 2008. I was here last winter and it’s an amazing resort. It tops my list of favorites. You can choose among drive-up or ski in ski out accommodations like the Residence Inn By Marriott Whistler Blackcomb. Of the three resorts noted here, this one is probably the best suited for families with guest suites that sleep up to 6 comfortably. Bonus Activity: Make this a Train Road Trip by taking the Whistler Star Express. This is Vancouver’s only door-to-door shuttle service from Vancouver International Airport to the world-famous Whistler Village and Resort.

Whichever one you add to your road trip planner, you’re guaranteed rosy cheeks, so grab your parkas, snow boots, and yes, those mukluks and get thee to a mountain slope!

winter

The Winter Magic of the Dolomites

Residents of the Alto Adige region of Italy will tell you that it is impossible to understand the true majesty of mountains until you have seen the Dolomites. For while every mountain landscape is spectacular in its own way, the Dolomites have something extra. Perhaps it’s their position in the heart of Europe, or it may be the pink hues of their sunsets caused by the fact that they were once coral formations that rose up from the seabed 25 million years ago. Maybe it is the host of stories and history they have played witness to, invasions and exodus, as the portal to and from Austria. The colors of the Dolomites make it akin to an enchanted garden: the fresh, verdant meadows framed by the darker greens of the woods, the pink hue of the mountains against the white of the glaciers at their peaks and the sky that resembles a cut canvas with the sharp outline of the peaks against blue sky and white cotton-candy clouds.

Merano, the heart of the Dolomites, is a geographic anomaly. Predominantly German-speaking, it seems to belong to neighboring Austria, but is 70 miles inside the border of Italy, a consequence of the redrawing of borders after World War I. Many street and shop signs are bilingual, but to Germans and Austrians, Merano is still Meran. The architecture of the region is decidedly Tyrolean, with wrought-iron balconies making way for classic wooden carved ones characteristic of the Austrian and Swiss alps, a change in shape of church bell-towers that is almost Byzantine, and food that leans towards Italy’s northern neighbors rather than the traditional Italian dishes.

Bisected by the Passirio River, which pours into the Adige, the city of 32,000 residents combines red-roofed arcaded buildings, historic churches and flower-embroidered parks, Merano, is tucked into the intersection of four mountain valleys spilling down from lower Alpine ranges. Its protected location, about 1,000 feet above sea level and shielded from the north, east and west, has given it a climate mild enough to nurture vineyards as well as palm trees, oleander and fruit trees that blossom against a backdrop of snowy peaks.

This Alpine town has been famous as far back as the 1500s for its milk cures in the spring and grape cures in the fall for digestive disorders. These recuperative remedies kept a constant flow of tourism into the region, especially during the 1800s when Sisi, beloved empress of Austria, became enamored with these cures. Subsequently, Merano was ravaged by World War I and II and the tourism trade did not return until sometime in the 1960s.

In summer, the mountain peaks are alive with wildflowers and pasturing creatures. But it is winter here that has captures my fancy. The peaks are snow-capped and still, but below the passegiata along the river is bustling with the Christmas mercatino, and every street is strewn with decorative no stunning holiday lights as charming as a Hans Christian Anderson Fairytale alla italiana. True to their Italian and Germanic roots, the merchants sell everything from the colorful sarcastic-looking befana, the satirical witch who brings candy to Italian children who leave their shoes by the front door on the eve of the Epiphany, to the weihnachtspyramide, a Germanic wooden Christmas decoration that moves and twirls with the natural thermo-dynamic heat of candles. Shoppers sip warm vin brule, a lovely mulled wine with blended spices, and eat huge salted pretzels. Children ice-skate to the tune of a Tyrolean band, and the smell of roasting chestnuts wafts through the air.

There are so many hotels in this area, one for everyone’s taste and pocketbook, but I was on a mission to find the one that had it all. I was searching for an ambiance of old-world charm with modern amenities, a staff trained to sophistication, but friendly and unassuming, a restaurant with healthy, but sumptuous cuisine, and perhaps even a small spa as a respite from holiday shopping.

Talking to locals, I was surprised and pleased to find out that a hotel fitting my description existed. It is called Castel Rundegg Hotel & Beauty Farm, and it is, indeed, a castle, a hotel, and if you think the “beauty farm” connotes something old-fashioned, think again. The Chinese philosophy upon which most of the treatments are based, is obviously of ancient origins, but the spa and treatment area itself is renovated to the most modern and elegant of standards.

Descending the stairs from the ancient castle to the bright new spa, is like transcending instantaneously from the 16th century to the present.

Many of the treatments, from facials to massages are based on bioenergetic Tai Yang principals that use acupressure to combat a multitude of ailments. These are no warm and fuzzy weekend-getaway “relax” treatments. They are real, honest-to-goodness curative treatments that leave you feeling as if you explored some kind of long-term anatomical improvement couched in pleasure from scalp to toe. Above all, and this is my favorite part, these are treatments, the results of which, transcend the treatment room and stay with you for days, weeks, or if you’re lucky enough and open enough a life time.

A dream-stay would be the Rundegg “Get in Shape” week which includes seven days full-board, six massages, a hydrotherapy treatment, a facial, a peeling, and a manicure and pedicure. Picture beginning every morning with acqua gymnastics, followed by a healthy, but sumptuous, breakfast. Every meal eaten in their elegant dining room will be the height of haute cuisine, but carefully tailored to your needs. Should you chose, you may have a complete medical and diet evaluation. But either way, guests enjoy unlimited use of the indoor pool, Finnish sauna, steam bath, Kneipp pool, Scottish shower, and yoga classes. The entire package is 2,100 Euro per person, per week. A month sounds good to me. Best of all, you’ll be in the loving hands of Peter and Adriana Castelforte and regardless of your age, they will treat you like their own son or daughter while you are entrusted to their capable hands.

Brand new to Merano are the thermal baths and spa at the Therme Merano. The Merano Thermal Baths offer 25 pools and treatment baths for a full spa experience, from the cold dip pool for the sauna to a warm whirlpool with its clouds of vapor. You’ll be carried by water-power through the current-pool, swim with the buoyancy of the sea in the brine pool, and enjoy the 240 meter pool, where you may start indoors and simply swim out to the mountain scenery. There are also two steam baths, a solarium, a hay bath, a caldarium and an outside Finnish log-cabin sauna. If the cold water dips aren’t adequate to cool you off after a hot sauna, try the Snow Room, where it literally snows from the ceiling, the walls and floor are snow-packed, and you have the feeling of being in the midst of the glaciers of South Tyrol regardless of the season.

Lastly, you’ll have a myriad of restaurants to choose from in addition to the one at Hotel Rundegg. For variation, I highly recommend at least one dinner at Restaurant Sissi, named after the Empress herself, where owner-chef Andrea Fenoglio will mesmerize you with cuisine that is modern in its presentation, but respectful of Tyrolean tradition, sauteed with a bit of playful imagination. My favorite dessert was called www. quattrobanane.com, but don’t try to look it up on the internet, it’s strictly for human consumption, not for your computer’s search engine. Literal translation, four bananas; culinary translation is that you will just have to try it for yourself.

More idyllic than this, you’ll have to create your own fairytale.

winter

Winter Festivals Light Up the Holiday Season

You’ll have no shortage of activities to add to your road trip planner if you plan it around a Winter Festival. While some are scenic drives through a myriad of animated lights, others include many activities for kids and adults alike.

The following Festivals stretch alphabetically from East to West and from November through February. Who knows, you might even find some shopping malls between home and there, making this a shop and play road trip.

CALGARY WINTER FESTIVAL IN CALGARY, ALBERTA: Curing the February blahs – Originally conceived in February 1989 as relief to the year-long hangover Calgarians were suffering after hosting the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, this 11-day festival has grown into one of Calgary’s favorite events. This celebration of everything snowy, frosty and cold, includes ice sculpture contests, human curling championships, music, clowns, winter crafts, snowboarding demonstrations and more. Most events are free and take place in various venues throughout the city. And in spite of the theme of the festival, many are held indoors or in heated tents.

WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA: Making Light of Family Fun – Touted as Canada’s largest light festival, this annual event combines incredible landscape lighting with live concerts, parades, fireworks, and a spectacular New Year’s Eve celebration shown live around the world all with the Falls as a backdrop. The festival kicks off with several weekend Disney shows, making this event a perfect family outing. As well, there’s the Annual Niagara Talent Showcase, Candles in the Park, and a Tribute to Elvis. BONUS: All these events are FREE from November though January.

WINTER FESTIVAL & PARADE OF LIGHTS IN GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO: This annual December parade features floats, music, holiday fun and events, and thousands of sparkling holiday lights.

ELY WINTER FESTIVAL IN ELY, MINNESOTA: This annual festival is held in February and offers ten days of fun-filled activities, including snow sculpturing, dog sled rides, snowmobile rides, exhibits, the Mukluk Ball, a variety of great food, and a craft fair.

CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Visit this famous light show which began in 1955 and has since become one of Philadelphia’s most cherished traditions. Originally created for Wanamaker’s, it’s continued to create the beautiful Grand Court displays that had helped make Wanamaker’s famous. A tradition that’s passed on from one generation to the next, visitors usually first come as children and look in awe at water fountains, 1000s of lights, animated figures while listening to a Christmas story with organ music throughout. The show runs continuously from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year’s and starts on the even hours while the store is open. The best part…it’s free!

NEWPORT WINTER FESTIVAL IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND: Ten-day festival – The American Bus Association awarded this one of the Top 100 Events in North America so you know this would be a great activity to add to your road trip planner. The Newport Winter Festival offers 10 days of fun, food, music and entertainment for the whole family. The festival features horse-drawn hayrides, sand sculptures, a chili and pizza cook-off, scavenger hunt, an ice sculpting competition, a children’s fair and the Annual Frosty 5K Run. Musical entertainment includes swing, pop and blues bands, as well as the United States Air Force Band, Liberty. Activities are held at various venues throughout the city.

WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA: Lasting from November to January, this event has grown into the nation’s largest holiday light show and it attracts over a million visitors per year. It’s an amazing 6-mile drive including 50 displays and covering more than 300 acres and using over one million lights.

The holiday season is a busy one, filled with many “To Do” lists. We can sometimes fly past some of the wonders this season holds. So grab the mittens, beanies, and your Road Trip Planner and go get yourself some Winter Wonderland Fun.

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