Ride 'em experiences

Ever think about riding, roping, herding and scuffing your boots at a dude or guest ranch? How about solving a murder, yoga, fishing, painting, gourmet dining? You can in Colorado. Here's a list of what and where.

Art/Painting Workshop Weeks:  Art & Color Clinic week at Colorado Trails Ranch Sept 14th-21st. An adult-only week, guests will learn everything from drawing to painting from an exceptionally talented artist. Creative juices flow at 4UR Ranch during Quiller Watercolor Workshop May 31 - June 6, Sept 21- 27.

Women’s Yoga Weeks: Yoga & Horseback Retreat at the Home Ranch features an all-inclusive, luxurious week of health, wellness and relaxation centered on horseback riding, horsemanship instruction, gentle yoga, healthy gourmet dining, massage, and deep relaxation.

Murder Mystery Weekends: Sundance Trail Ranch.

Fishing Groups: North Fork Ranch specializes in corporate and family group fly fishing experiences.

Fall Culinary Retreats/Weekends: Five-course dinners, wine-tastings, and the opportunity to participate in hands-on cooking demonstrations with an extraordinary "farm-to-table" culinary team.

Horsemanship Weeks: Learn or improve their riding skills and understanding the horse psyche.

Cattle Drives: Be real cowboys and help move cattle from their winter range on the ranch to greener pastures in the mountains.

Other specialty or themed weeks: Rodeo Weeks, Weanling Weeks, Adult and Couples Weeks, Girl’s Western Week Hideout, Fall Colors Weeks, Cowgirl Camps, Jubilee Days Weeks, Cheyenne Frontier Days Weeks.

For details: Go to Colorado Dude & Guest Ranch Association (CDGRA), 27 certified ranches located throughout the mountains and mesas of Colorado, www.coloradoranch.com.

Seasons Travels

My gift to you

You'll drool at divine hotels, you'll get itchy feet and you'll jump to get away when Tablet runs special rates.

It's one of my favorite travel sites, www.tablethotels.com.

Historic holidays

Take a special guided Christmas Tour of the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, or one of the historic Adams house in Deadwood, South Dakota.

If only you knew about it. Now you can.

What: The History List, www.thehistorylist.com was launched last year as a way to help historic sites, historical societies, preservation organizations, history museums, house museums, living history sites, reenacting groups, and other history organizations get the word out about their history-related exhibits, reenactments, walks and talks, author appearances, celebrations, and more.  

Introduced first in the Boston area, The History List has grown to be the largest list of history-related events taking place across the country. 

Check it out next time you're heading out of town.

James Turrell's Skyspace "Joseph's Coat, Ringling Museum of Art.

Ringling in the solstice

 Looking for something different? Dance into the Winter Solstice and celebrate the second year of Joseph's Coat, the James Turrell Skyspace at "Greet the Light," a special event Saturday night, Dec. 21, at the Ringling Museum of Art courtyard in Sarasota, FL. 

Activities start at 7 p.m. and include
Music by DJ Imminent
LED Illuminated Furniture
Fire Dancers
Food and Drink Specials
The Joseph's Coat program in the Turrell Skyspace.
http://www.ringling.org/events/greet-light-winter-solstice-celebration
Tickets are $15 so go for the weekend and splurge on a nice place to stay.

Last minute gifts for travelers

• Exchange $20-$30 into the currency of their next destination.
• A pack of compression bags. They don't last long with travelers' frequent opening and closing and this time of year are invaluable for packing bulky sweaters and jackets. Make sure they compress manually; no one packs vacuum cleaners.
• A book, fiction or nonfiction, e or printed, set at a future destination.
• Travel-sized toothpaste, contact lens solution, deodorant, hairspray, especially for those prone to last-minute departures.

Remodeling specials

The historic King & Prince Beach and Golf Resort on St. Simons Island, GA, is refurbishing its lobby area which is a good time to find special room rates, as in under $100. For example...

Georgia Golf Resort, King & Prince, St. Simons Island, GA.

What: Winter Golf Package starts at $129 per night and includes room and tax plus one round of golf for two players per night.

Fine Print: Subject to availability on bookings until Feb. 13, 2014 (excluding holidays).
www.kingandprince.com 1-800-342-0212.

Skiing at Beech Mountain, N. C.

Resolve to ski

What: Celebrate Learn to Ski and Snowboard month with a package deal at North Carolina's Beech Mountain.

The Deal: A ski or snowboard lesson, ski or snowboard equipment rental including a helmet for safety, a full-day lift ticket, one-night's lodging based on double occupancy.

How much? $101 per person.

Who? Offer open to anyone age 8 or older.

When: January 1-31, 2014.

Fine Print: Lesson package available Monday through Friday with lodging available Sunday through Thursday nights.

1-800-468-5506

Participating lodging:
4 Seasons at Beech, www.beechgetaway.com
Beech Mountain Chalet Rentals, www.gobeech.com
Charlie's Beech Mountain Rentals, www.mrbeech.com
Guest Quearters, http://www.fredsgeneral.com/Guest%20Quarters.html
Pinnacle Inn Resort, http://pinnacleinn.com

Bidding for bargains

 

Maine Windjammer Vacation.

Give yourself or a loved one a travel treat.

What: The annual Society of American Travel Writers' travel-oriented, online auction.

Where:  http://auctions.readysetauction.com/societyofamericantra/

How: Sign up, pick your faves and start bidding.

Deadline: Auction closes at 11:45 p.m. EST, Nov. 15, 2013.

Samples:
4- Day Maine Windjammer Sailing Vacation
Starting Bid:    $250.00 — Be First to Bid!
Win It Now Price:    $1,700.00
Bidding Ends:    Fri Nov 15, 2013 - 11:45 PM US/Eastern
Time Left:    17 days 14 hours 55 minutes
ESTIMATED VALUE: $1,500.00

Oyster Bay Beach, St. Maartens.

Also ...
• Online Travel Journalism Courses
• City Passes
• Condo in Destin, FL, and a cotttage in Palmetto Bluff, SC.
• Stays in Aspen, Palm Springs, Prague, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Indianapolis, Boston, St. Maarten, Punta Cana, Disney World, Tacoma, Natchez, Miami and Los Cabos, Mexico to name drop a few.
• A stay and a round of golf at St. Andrews.
• River rafting
• Trip, including air, to Branson
... And many more, including a round-trip, transcontinental excursion Toronto to Vancouver in Sleeper Plus Class on VIA Rail Canada.

Cross Canada VIA Rail

Tip: Don't forget to keep track of your picks; bidding picks up as the auction ends.

 

Best of China bargain

Summer Palace, Beijing. Photo © by Judy Wells.

What: 15-day "Mighty Yangtze" tour

Where: Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace), Xian (Terracotta Warriors), Chengdu (Giant Panda Breeding Center), a 3-day Yangtze cruise on five-star Victoria Katarina, and Shanghai, China. Hotels are in four- and five-star.

How much: $2,339, based on double occupancy, includes round-trip airfare from San Francisco or Los Angeles. Add $60 for a New York departure.

Fine print: Cash-only, subject to availability.

Log onto www.chinaspree.com and click "China tours" then "specials".

Art in the Park special

Alfond Inn, Winter Park, FL.

What: Art in the Park package includes two nights (double occupancy), $100 credit at Hamilton's Kitchen, admission to the Cornell Fine Art Museum, The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art with its superb Tiffany collection and a guided tour of the Alfond Collection.

Where: The Alfond Inn, Winter Park, Florida's newest and poshest hotel, where its net operating income goes to the Alfond Scholars program fund for scholarships at Rollins College.

When: Now through December 31, 2013.

How much: $395.

www.alfondinn.com, 407-998-8090.



Hate orange and blue and red and black?

Dillsboro Pottery Festial.

And for Jacksonville, FL, area residents who want to escape the World's Largest Cocktail Party hullabaloo (otherwise known and the annual Georgia-Florida game), you just have time to get to...

What: Western North Carolina Pottery Fest with more than 40 professional ceramic artists from 15 states throwing, demonstrating, exhibiting and selling their creations.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, rain or shine.

Where: Front Street in the friendly mountain village of Dillsboro, NC.

How much: $3 per person, children under 12 free.

www.wncpotteryfestival.com. Call the Jackson County Visitors Center, 800-962-1911, for lodging info.

Choosing your Gateway Airport

Nothing is worse than arriving loggy after a cross-ocean flight only to find half the world in the passport control lines ahead of you.

May stats are in and according to Business Insider, the longest waits in May were at
• JFK Terminal 4 - 93 minutes average daily peak wait time, up 34.6% from 2012

• Miami North Concourse - 75.1minutes average daily peak wait time, up 23% from 2012

• Miami South Concourse - 72.7 minutes average daily peak wait time, up 18.8% from 2012

Lowest?

• Atlanta New Terminal (F) - 38.9, down 25.3%

• Seattle - 34.4, up 26%

• Atlanta Old Terminal (E) - 22.9, down 48%

Off and traveling

Amicalola Falls. Photo © by Judy Wells.

Georgia on My Mind

What: Pick a Georgia mountain lodge, stay two nights Sunday through Thursday and get the third night free. www.BrasstownValley.com  or call 800.201.3205.

Where: Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa near the foot of Brasstown Bald, Georgia's tallest mountain, starting at $169 per night. and get the third night free. www.BrasstownValley.com  or call 800-201-3205.
            The Lodge at Unicoi State Park in the Chattahoochee Forest and near Helen, starting at $89 a night. Call: 800-573-9659, or online at www.gastateparks.org.
             The Lodge at Amicalola Falls at the Southeast's highest waterfall, beginning at $109 per night. 800-573-9656 or online at www.gastateparks.org.

When: Now through May 23, 2013.

 Delaware Savings Passport 

 What: The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport provides discounted one-time admission to 11 members of the Brandywine Museum and Gardens Alliance:
. Brandywine River Museum, www.brandywinemuseum.org

. Delaware Art Museum, www.delart.org

. Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, www.thedcca.org

. Delaware Historical Society (includes Delaware History Museum and George Read II
  House and Gardens in Historic New Castle), www.dehistory.org       

. Delaware Museum of Natural History, www.delmnh.org

. Hagley Museum and Library, www.hagley.org

. Longwood Gardens, www.longwoodgardens.org

. Mt. Cuba Center, Inc., www.mtcubacenter.org

. Nemours Mansion & Garden, www.nemoursmansion.org

. Rockwood Park and Mansion, www.rockwood.org

. Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, www.winterthur.org

When: May 25 through September 2, 2013.

How Much: Passports are $35 per adult or $75 for a family of two adults and three children, a savings of $100 per adult, $300 per family. Passports can be bought at any of the 11 attractions or ordered online at  www.VisitWilmingtonDE.com/passport.

Golfer, Get Better

 What: GolfTEC, a leader in golf improvement, offers a deal on their 60-minute swing evaluation.

Where: At more than 170 improvement centers throughout the U.S., plus sites in Canada, Japan and South Korea. Go to  http://www.golftec.com to find the center nearest you.

How much: $99.

When: Now through May 29.               

Round trip airfare to Africa for $999

Safari time?

What: South African Airways round-trip flights from New York to Nairobi, Kenya, for $999 including taxes and fees; $1,019 from Washington, DC.

Limitations: Book by April 11 for travel May 1 through 31, 2013.

800-722-9675.

WellsWorld on the radio: Spring flings in Europe and the U.S.A.

Timing tip

Planning a quick, impromptu getaway? If it's to the south of Europe better do enough planning to have confirmed reservations for transportation and lodging.

After Easter northern Europe residents surge to the south and sunshine like swallows to Capistrano. Planes and trains that may have been mostly empty before Easter, are crammed and overbooked. Same with hotels, ferries and cruise ships to sunny islands.

Viva! Tallahassee

Timucuan Chief Saturiba. Photo © by Judy Wells.

As Florida celebrates Viva Florida, the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon landing on its shores, the Museum of Florida History has added an exhibit to show what followed that momentous event.

Herman the giant mastadon, an earlier resident of the state, has been joined by  Timucuan Chief Saturiba, a Spanish galleon and dozens more characters and interesting objects.

It's an easy way to learn and appreciate the state's fascinating history that ensued from the arrival of Europeans.

www.museumoffloridahistory.com

Museum of Florida History
R.A. Gray Building
500 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250
(850) 245-6400

Austrian Beauty Week

GrandHotel Lienz

What: Special Beauty Week package for men and women includes seven nights in a Superior Suite with scenic views from your balcony, breakfast buffet, 5-course gourmet dinner, fitness program of  full body toning and aerobics, a series of special massages and scalp treatments, steam bath, use of all facilities and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Where: GrandHotel Lienz, named World's Leading Medical/Wellness Spa by World Travel Awards, amid the mountain scenery of Lienze, Austria. 

When: May 8 to Oct. 31, 2013 and Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, 2013.

How Much: $1,690 per person per week May to October; $1,300 from November to December 15, based on exchange rates as of March 8, 2013..

http://www.grandhotel-lienz.com/en/

Luxury Tour of China

Great Wall

What: Stay in 5-star hotels - Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La and boutique ship Victoria Anna - during a 16-day Dragon Heart of China Tour from China Spree. Includes 15 American buffet breakfasts, 26 other meals, guides, special shows, InSites Cultural Program, entrance fees, baggage handling and airfare. 

Where: Fly from San Francisco to to Beijing, Xian, Guilikn, Chongqin, Yangtze River cruise, Suzhou, Tongli and Shanghai.

Cost: $4,799 per person, double occupancy ($5,099 from New York) if booked by March 31. Prices are cash only (add $200 for payment by credit card), subject to availability.

www.chinaspree.com
(Click on "China Tours" then "Luxury Tours".
1-866-652-5656

VIP Packages for South Walton Beaches Food and Wine Festival

What: "Grand Tasting Getaway" includes upgraded beach-view accommodations at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa and two tickets to to the Grand Tasting April 27 starting at $409 per night.
"VIP Wine Lover's Weekend" includes beach-view accommodations; two tickets to the the Exclusive Vibrant Rioja Reserve and Grand Reserve Tasting and Food Pairing event Friday, April 26; two Upgraded VIP tickets to the Grand Tasting Saturday, April 27; and two tickets to the "After-Party Party" Saturday, April 27; for $769 per night.

When: April 25-28, 2013

Details: Use code WP for Grand Tasting Getaway; code VP for the VIP Wine Lover's package.
www.hiltonsandestinbeach.com
800-559-1805
www.sowalwine.com

 Book early to save at Disney Resort Hotels

For: Florida residents

What: Book by March 31, 2013, for lower rates at Disney Resort Hotels, slightly more for bookings April 1 to May 30, 2013.

How Much: 
• All-Star Music Resort, $82/$88 per night
• Coronado Springs Resort, $136/$145
• Animal Kingdom Lodge, $221/$238
• Old Key West Resort, $240/$258

Add Discover Disney tickets and save on those too.

http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=flfy13q3room&market=flfy13q3room&CMP=EMC-WDWFY13Q3FY13Q3RES0006A

Free Guide to N.C. Mountains

What: A 48-page, full-color guide to leisure pursuits in Jackson County's popular mountain towns of Cashiers, Cherokee, Cullowhee, Dillsboro and Sylva. Information on unique destinations like the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail, the nation's only fly fishing trail, and the Richland Balsam Overlook, the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 6,053 feet in elevation. Also on where to stay, dine and shop including a pull-out map of hiking trails and waterfalls.

How: Call 800-962-1911, request online at www.mountainlovers.com or download.

Segway through historic St. Augustine

What: St. Francis Inn, the oldest inn in St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city, offers special deal on newest form of transport.

Details: Stay two nights at the Inn Sunday through Thursday and receive a complimentary two-hour ride through town on a Segway ($59 value) per person. Advance reservations at regular rates required.

Where: St. Francis Inn, 279 St. George S', St. Augustine, FL.

www.stfrancisinn.com
904-824-6068

Moms rule at Mainsail Beach Inn

Anna Maria Island

What: "Month of Mom" package. Reserve a three-night or more stay Sunday through Thursday and receive a $250 American Express Gift Card  for Mom.

When: Month of May, 2013.

Where: Mainsail Beach Inn, Anna Maria Island, Florida, 40 miles south of Tampa.

How Much: Rates begin at $234 for a two-bedroom suite.

amireservations@mainsailhotels.com

www.mainsailbeachinn.com

888-849-2642