featured hotels near …

For anyone who wants to enjoy a vacation which allows them to be immersed in the activities and events of the area, as well as become immersed in the lifestyle of their travel spot, a bed breakfast is an agreeable option. Generally speaking, you will find that the places you decide to stay in are emblematic of the local history and culture they preserve and give you an opportunity to relax and learn about the remarkable points of interest that are not found in vacation guides.

When on the look out for the ideal rental to spend your break, there are a few steps to take to ensure that the location you decide upon will fulfil the needs and requirements for your entire family. These homes are generally substantial and spacious with ensuite bathrooms and the availability of home cooked meals.

Generally speaking, the home will be located in, or by, a main historic plaza or events for which the town is famed. In Fredericksburg, TX, the downtown area is within walking distance and you’ll find numerous museums, galleries and events to enjoy. You might prefer to reserve a rental that is joined to the noted steakhouse where you can enjoy fabulous meals without going to a restaurant.

There are plenty of first-rate libraries for the times when you’d rather unwind while reading a riveting book. The homes are usually heritage spots which have been renovated and are adorned with the same stately trappings they would have fashioned in their glory days. Leisurely strolls in the gardens lead you to wonderful landscapes and undisturbed scenery that will bring out the romance and artist when you are enjoying the tranquility of a B&B.

In Napa, CA it is easy to locate a number of vacation accommodation equipped with excursions to the Napa Valley, wine tasting and even things to do that will enable visitors to participate manufacturing the wine. Napa is set in a beautiful area with rolling hills and landscapes, it is famed for both the world-class wine made there and the spas that supply the tranquil haven that makes a romantic and relaxing vacation marvelous.

Should you be on the hunt for an illustrious place to enjoy with your children, most of these accommodations propose special amenities for groups. A few rooms are designed with Jack and Jill bathrooms so that kids can have a room of their own, but can be effortlessly monitored by parents or guardians. These sorts of properties also offer things to do for children that make their vacation a special memory.

Most bed and breakfasts are homes that provide an intimate setting to unwind and experience the events and activities of the area where they are located. Because of the popularity of these types of accommodations, it is essential to reserve romantic travel inns early if you wish to experience a well-attended event.

The bed and breakfast hosts will be able to meet your needs and, if you have special dietary requirements, it shouldn’t be difficult to cater for you in these small and intimate settings. The folks who provide these kinds of accommodation benefit from having new people visit their region and are typically well informed about the surrounding area, its’ history and points of interest that you will not want to miss.

You may have known that the expression “totally tubular” originated in Southern California, but you may not have known exactly what it means. Typically, it means something is really awesome or amazing, but the phrase really was first uttered by the surfing society to describe a wave that curls over the top of your head, making a tube shape.

If the Beach Boys’ surfer songs embody romance to you, fly to California and find out what influenced this fantastic band first hand. Converse to popular belief, the finest surfing is not essentially limited to California’s southern coast. It is possible to find great surfing all the way up the coast. Plan your beach rental accommodations right near the ocean, grab a board and drop right in!

Actually, if you have never surfed before, you will most likely want to buy your surf equipment and take a few lessons to start with. Based on which section of California you opt to visit, you will have a few options here. As it is with skiing, you have a choice between group lessons or personal instruction. Surf School Guide is an online listing of surfing schools and instruction all over the country, and can be searched by area.

Once you are up to speed or you are an experienced surfer by now, you will also want to check out the site SurfingCal to get all the up-to-the-minute conditions as well as look at photos and even videos of California surfers riding the waves.

Huntington Beach close to Los Angeles, with almost nine uninterrupted miles of unspoiled sandy beach, is perhaps California’s best recognized and visited surfing spot. Southern California’s climate is comparable to that of the Mediterranean, which translates mild temperatures year ’round. Through the winter months, Southern California starts experiencing the “Pineapple Express” air flows from Hawaii and the Santa Anas start blowing in in the direction of the coast. This makes for huge swells and what some surfers describe as “glass surf.” Besides that, there are fewer swimmers throughout the winter months, and it’s feasible to get in several great waves all the way up to Half Moon Bay next to San Francisco.

You are likely to obtain a better deal on California beach rentals and bed and breakfasts through the off season as well. Owners generally discount rates appreciably to attract guests to this fantastic area all year round. 

Not into surfing? Not a problem as California contains a large diversity of attractions for the whole family. While surfers from all over the world come for California’s beaches, the state contains several distinct areas that include deserts, alpine country and a few of the world’s leading wine-growing regions.  All the drama of the big cities in San Diego, Los Angeles and  San Francisco with their theme parks, cultural institutions and museums as well as world class golf and lively night life are also widely available.

Just make sure that you book your vacation rentals well in advance – as you can imagine, California is an exceptionally world-famous destination!

North Carolina beaches are not particularly known for surfing and that may be a good feature, since your conventional North Carolina beach vacation is likely to be less crowded. Besides that, North Carolina’s beaches and coastal islands have a great deal more than than merely swimming and surfing.

Nevertheless, if you are interested in surfing North Carolina, one of the more legendary beach rentals has the telling name of  Blockade-Runner.  If you remember your history, “blockade runners” were Confederate privateers through the Civil War. Situated on Wrightsville Island, Blockade Runner is a full service resort where boys and girls 12 and younger stay with their families for at no cost. You can literally walk from your seaside vacation rental to your surfing adventure in minutes.

If your preference in a vacation rental leans more towards quaint bed and breakfasts, Topsail Island is one of North Carolina’s best-kept secrets. Not only is this vicinity much less crowded, but many of the rental homes have amenities such as a private pool.  Ocean-front condos present private balconies facing the ocean, and both vacation and long-term rentals are on hand.  Also, a number of these residences have been completed in the last four years and include some of the most up-to-date in comfort and technology and are pet friendly.

The centerpiece of North Carolina’s coast however is Carolina Beach, which offers interesting experiences for everyone in your group. In addition to swimming, surfing and beach combing, guests during the summer will get a kick out of the community’s Film and Fireworks Series which has live music and recent movies shown outdoors after sunset. History affectionatos may enjoy the Fort Fisher Historic Site and Civil War Museum, and if music lovers don’t get their fill at the Fireworks, there is the Beach Music Festival  as well as the “Boardwalk Blast”  Summer Event Series each Tuesday night from the beginning of June until Labor Day.

Of course, what is a beach exercusion without some deep sea fishing? The Outer Banks are ample with tuna, mackerel sailfish, mahi mahi and shark. Charters average ranging from $450 for half day deep sea trips to $1300 for full-day trips out into the open ocean.

You will discover there is much more to North Carolina when you travel out from the beach and start moving into the rustic Blue Ridge territory. The flourishing deciduous forests of North America’s most ancient mountain range are the perfect background for a romantic getaway at one of the area’s quiet North Carolina cabin rentals. North Carolina genuinely is a colorful vacation destination with something for everybody.  

It is said that there are almost as many aspects to California as there are citizens who live there. While this may be a bit of an embellishment, the fact is that California is a fantastically unique location with something for each person including lovely wine tours of some of the world’s premier viticulture regions. The Napa Valley is as close to old Tuscany and Provence as you are likely to come across in the United States.  North of this locale is the spectacular northern coast of California, where many say the Pacific Northwest actually starts. This is home to the recognized Redwood forests, where the largest trees on the globe still thrive.

Of course, this is merely a sample of the many areas that California romantic bed and breakfasts are available, which vary from warm, sandy beach vacation rentals on the state’s southern shore to unspoiled desert cabin rentals, snowy mountain cabin rental facilities in the High Sierra, and more.

One of the most romantic vacation destinations in California is Big Sur, near Monterey. With a varied terrain that ranges from sea level to over a mile up (Cone Peak, the highest mountain on the Pacific Coast of North America outside Alaska and British Columbia), Big Sur contains some of the most amazing vistas in the world. One of the most well-known beach vacation rental facilities in Big Sur is the Post Ranch Inn which has in fact won quite a lot of awards over the past two years.

One of the best-kept secrets in what is known as California’s “Steinbeck Country” (so-named for the reason that it was the set of novels such as Cannery Row and Of Mice and Men) is a charming little town known as Occidental. Formed in 1876 when the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived, it is no “occident” that it evolved into a popular destination for romantic getaways early on. Two Italian bistros built in the 1880s are still doing a thriving business, and the two-block long business district is lined with a variety of unique stores. The town has a weekly Farmer’s Market on Fridays from June until October as well as a unique Japanese-style health resort in neighboring Freestone.

Located in Sonoma County, Occidental is not far off from California’s most romantic city, San Francisco. Rich in history and culture, there is not room here to depict everything that the City by the Bay has to offer (books have been written on the subject), but a good place to start is the city’s own approved tourist guide.

Across the sizzling, dry Central Valley that is nonetheless one of America’s major foodbaskets, there is a much diverse side to California to be discovered in the High Sierra. This is where the thrill of the Gold Rush was played out in the 1850s, and contains a number of the most dramatic alpine landscape in North America. From condo rentals, one can discover renowned Yosemite National Park, one of the country’s most valuable natural treasures and home to excellent backpacking trails with consistent conveniences along well-market routes.

When it comes to romantic California getaways, there is a endless supply of attractions awaiting you.

Pennsylvania means “Penn’s Woodland,” and if the idea of staying in a secluded Pennsylvania cabin rental in wooded hill country sounds lovely to you, then a vacation in the Keystone State is designed for you. But there is a great deal more to this historic and charming area than the rich rural countryside.

In fact, the perfect place to begin your tour of Pennsylvania might be to go to see Philadelphia, long thought of as the gateway of the state. At the Independence Visitor Center, you can get started planning your exploration of the city and by going to their web page. Here, helpful individuals can enlighten you about Philadelphia’s countless historical sites, cultural institutions, tours and activities during the year.  You can also get free or low-cost passes to ride many of the city’s mass transportation facilities.

One of Pennsylvania’s terrific attractions is the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, which you witness almost as soon as you start traveling west out of Philadelphia. By the way, “Dutch” does not indicate these folks are from the Netherlands.  The word is a corruption of deutsche, denoting “German.” They are Old Order Amish and Mennonites whose ancestors arrived from Southern Germany and Switzerland greater than 300 years ago and they have been amazingly successful at preserving their customary way of life.

From the romantic travel inns in Lancaster, you can visit their farms as well as buy their wares and produce for sale and experience first hand how farms operated prior to the 20th Century. While you are in Lancaster, you should check out the Mennonite Information Center to get started. By the way, if anyone says “You look plain, English,” smile and say “Thank You,” as it is a compliment.

Moving west, you will come to Gettysburg, where the only battle of the American Civil War to be waged north of the Mason-Dixon was fought. Historic inns and recreations, including ghost tours, are well-liked events here. The certified thorough guide to tours of Gettysburg, including cabin rentals and other lodging facilities, is an Internet site known as “Gettysburg Address”.

One of the more interesting developments in travel these days is agritourism, where people stay, gain knowledge of and even help on an authentic working farm. Butler County is not only one of the state’s most picturesque places, it is also the breadbasket of the state and home to significant fairs and even wineries. Nestled in the magnificent Alleghenies, Butler County might be the high point of your Pennsylvania vacation.
 

With a total land area of nearly 360,000 square miles, and most of it rugged alpine country, hiking tours of British Columbia are plentiful and diverse. British Columbia also has a population density of fewer than five residents per square kilometer as most of the province’s 4.5 million inhabitants live in the metro areas of Vancouver and Victoria.  With this sort of open space, you will locate solitude and natural vistas that in many places have been seldom explored on foot by Europeans and a clear understanding of B.C.’s motto, “Splendor Without Diminishment”.

Canada’s department of ecology, Environment Canada, has categorized British Columbia into six distinct ecological zones, each of which provides hikers a unique experience. Of course, as hiking and other forms of outdoor recreation has gained in popularity, so have the amount of vacation rentals and Canada romantic getaways through the province. Lodgings at a scope of prices from as low as $24 (CDN) per night may be located in even the most out-of-the-way vacation destinations.

If you are interested in an all inclusive resort that is truly a pampering experience, consider Cathedral Lakes Lodge near Penticton in south-central British Columbia.  Hiking trails at 7000 foot elevations can take you to any one of seven unspoiled mountain lakes where the trout fishing is superb.

Ecotourism is just one appealing hiking opportunity that is broadly available in British Columbia. These are tours, frequently taken on foot, in which people have the chance to travel to a number of the more ecologically susceptible regions including the coastal temperate rainforests that stretch from the Alaskan panhandle to northern California and the delicate sub-arctic taiga and boreal plains.

Sponsored by the province’s municipal governments and non-profit organizations, these ecotours are handled in a fashion so that individuals leave a minimal footprint on the region while having a chance to enjoy local flora and fauna in a natural state. Because so much of British Columbia is unspoiled by people, hikers will have a chance to see many types of wildlife that have become rare in the more heavily populated U.S.

If you are looking for a change from hiking in British Columbia’s picturesque mountain country from one of the region’s cabin rental accommodations, you should also take into account agritourism. As is the case in Washington and Oregon to the south, British Columbia is an important agricultural center, particularly in the southern and eastern segments of the province.  Agritours give hikers a chance to see and even take part in the workings of green farms in a few of Canada’s most diverse farmlands.
 

It is inaccurate to call St. Augustine, Florida as America’s oldest city. Native American mound cities in the Upper Midwest and the Anasazi Pueblo cities of southwestern Colorado predate St. Augustine by several hundred years, as do Mexico City and the ancient Mayan city of Tikal further south. Furthermore, St. Augustine was the original permanent, named European community in what is at present the United States, established only a little more than seventy years after Columbus’ historic voyage.

As you can expect, there is a lot in this vicinity for the history buff, from the ruins of the original fort to the old town neighborhoods with colonial Spanish architecture and numerous museums. With an abundance of picturesque, historic romantic travel inns, you and your family will have no trouble setting up a cozy base of operations for your St. Augustine holiday vacation.

It was actually 1513 when voyager Ponce de Leon, then governor of what is now Puerto Rico, landed in the area, claiming it for King Ferdinand of Castile and Queen Isabella of Aragon as Spain was not an officially unified kingdom until 1516. Contrary to popular belief, he was not looking for a “Fountain of Youth” but more tangible commodities such as gold, slaves and land. It was decades before a permanent settlement could be established.

Once you and your family are happily established in one of St. Augustine’s beautiful bed and breakfasts or beach vacation rentals, you will discover enough interests and venues to last a lifetime ranging from outdoor sports and instructive trips to sheer enjoyment and fun. Get started by exploring some of the area as the initial residents and early Spanish explorers saw it with St. Augustine Eco Tours, rated the number one experience among tourists. Traveling by kayak, you will see salt marshes and wetlands and may even encounter natural dolphins at play. And even though it’s vacation time, you can keep the kids learning with Sheriff’s Historical Tours, which brings you through 350 years of St. Augustine’s history. Another piece of St. Augustine history worth exploring is El Castillo de San Marcos, an early Spanish military installation dating from the late 1600s.

Of course, the history of St. Augustine, like so many areas in the state, is closely connected to the Golden Age of the Pirates of the Caribbean who commonly made forays up the Florida coast. Kids of all ages will want to climb aboard the Black Raven for a feel of shipboard life on a 17th-Century privateer.

Budding herpetologists will enjoy seeing the last living kin of the earliest dinosaurs up-close and personal at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm which contains much more than just alligators. This is only a small illustration of what awaits you and your family in this beautiful town filled with sunshine the majority of the year.

Hiking in Pennsylvania is not like hiking in the Rockies or High Sierra and that’s a good thing! A hiking adventure in the Keystone State presents a much different experience in a venerable area of the country that is abundant in natural and human history in America’s eastern woodland area. From a Pennsylvania cabin rental in Butler County or elsewhere in the scenic Alleghenies, one can unearth plentiful opportunities not only for hiking and backpacking, but for a diverse range of outdoor activities ranging from fishing and wildlife watching to whitewater rafting and canoeing.

There are also hiking trails in Pennsylvania for all ages and fitness levels. If you are simply getting started, the Clarion-Little Toby Creek Rail Trail is a skillfully marked, easy route that parallels the Clarion River for almost twenty miles. As an old railbed, the trail is quite level and for that reason an easy hike and is apt for biking in the spring, summer and fall months and cross-country skiing in the fall. With two excellent entrance points from bed breakfasts in the charming and historic towns of Ridgway and Brockway, the Clarion trail is an excellent starting point for viewing the Pennsylvania countryside on foot.

Speaking of picturesque hikes, you are no doubt aquainted with Arizona’s Grand Canyon but did you know that Pennsylvania had its own Grand Canyon as well? The Pine Creek Rail Trail is another old railbed and therefore a flat, easy hike that extends the length of the Keystone State’s breathtaking Pine Creek Gorge. Set up your base of operations from one of the cabin rental accommodations in Colton Point, then depart up the gorge and enjoy a feast for the senses that include ancient rock formations and spectacular waterfalls in a flourishing deciduous woodland teeming with wildlife. A person can almost picture what the region was like 300 years ago, when the continent west of the Appalachian Mountain range was unspoiled wilderness. 

Individuals who are touring Pennsylvania for the first time should consider going to Keystone Ramblers, a website that is a broad guide to hiking in that state. In addition to a guide to various hiking experiences, you will find information on issues such as stretching, nourishment and gear as well as potential hazards such as poison ivy and oak. This group also organizes guided group hiking tours for those who are interested.

Another online resource for Pennsylvania hiking tours is Pennsylvania Hiking and Trekking Tours. This site features links to businesses and organizations offering set tours, which may be a fine alternative for newcomers to the state.
 
 

It appeared unlikely 125 years ago when an attorney from San Francisco named J.G. McCallum decided to trade his home in the refreshing, damp, hazy Bay Area for a new one in the Mojave Desert, but the communities of Palm Springs and nearby Palm Desert are two of the most loved and fastest developing spots in Southern California today.  Home to desert golf courses and convenient to historic Death Valley, Palm Springs and Palm Desert offer infinite opportunities to the public and presently, there are some hot travel deals as well.

For example, today visitors can get great bed breakfasts. In addition, there are many activities for the family that are inexpensive, and in a lot of cases, are free. Folks who are interested in outdoor activities, such as discovering colorful native desert plants and the local ecology will find enough to engage them for weeks, if not months. Palm Desert has also developed a flourishing arts community, which is continually shown throughout the year.

Human presence in the Palm Desert-Palm Springs area dates back at least to the mid-1600s, and possibly as far back as 1500. The first people to live there were the Cahuilla Indians.  The Cahuilla Nation is still the principal landowner in the Coachella Valley. In the 1890s, the federal government divided the land between the Cahuilla Indians and the Southern Pacific Railroad, the latter as an incentive for progress.

Since the late 1940s, when the earliest commercial real estate development was started, Palm Desert has been visited by celebrities that over the decades have included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bob Hope. Palm Springs took a little more time to catch up.  It was practically a ghost town until the early 1970s, but is nowadays a year round vacation destination with numerous cabin rental accommodations.

Because of its cloudless climate, with over 350 days of sun every year and a mere 5 inches of annual rain, golfing is one of the main activities in the area.  Many resorts in the area are providing golf rental deals for the summer.  Based on the day of the week and tee times, green fees start at under $20.

Of course, just because its summer vacation does not mean the kids have to stop learning. Palm Springs is also home to the Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium, which has exhibits of desert fauna and flora from all over the world.

Visitors will also like the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in which you and your family can travel from the Southwest desert to the Arctic tundra in what was once a hike that took many hours in under ten minutes. At the top of the San Jacinto Mountains, visitors will find miles of hiking trails, lofty views of 200 miles in all directions and even an opportunity to ride a burro. Afterwards, folks can refresh themselves at one of the two delectable restaurants at Mountain Station.

The beauty of New England in the fall is legendary, but the roads can get a bit crowded that time of year. However, did you know that Pennsylvania has the same romantic landscape along its rural highways and those roads typically have less traffic? You could spend your whole life exploring just the rural Pennsylvania countryside by car, and the rustic landscape is perfect anytime of the year for a retreat with that special someone.

One of the first places you run across travelling westward out of Philadelphia is Lancaster County and the Amish Country, and there’s no shortage of info on seeing these friendly individuals and their farms but the Pennsylvania Dutch country has a great deal more, including the Dutch Wonderland Theme Park and the American Music Theater. Beautiful historic romantic travel inns are all throughout this colorful area. 

One thing is sure, you will not have any trouble booking vacation cabin rentals, since Lancaster County has an abundant source of vacation rentals ranging from rustic to deluxe at the area’s numerous fine inns.  For a different kind of romantic experience, check out Mechanicsburg. Nestled just north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, this historic community offers a variety of activities that will appeal to him as well as her.

For him, there’s the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing, which features exhibits of fully restored race cars from the earliest days of competitive road racing as well as other displays.  Afterwards, she will love a day at the Revalations Day Spa, which offers not only lodging but also a hot springs, massage, and mud bath for couples.

Halfway between Philadelphia and Lancaster is Chester County, which includes most of Pennsylvania’s rustic Brandywine Valley. The individuals who reside here have been steadfast about shielding their historic heritage. As a result, as you drive through the vicinity, you will come across a number of quaint small towns that date back 250 years and more. Deciduous forests, rolling pasturelands, covered bridges over brooks and streams and more await your discovery.

More active couples who really want to see Pennsylvania should check out the Allegheny Passage C&O Passage, which offers over 300 miles of off-road cycling paths winding from Pittsburgh all the way across the Keystone State and into Washington D.C. This is another part of a budding network of old rail lines that are being modified into bicycling and hiking trials that are relatively level and hard-packed with crushed limestone and gravel. For couples who are on the go and have the time, there’s no better or more unhurried way to view the romantic Pennsylvania countryside.