featured hotels near …

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.
 

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.

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.
 
 

We don’t usually associate the word “Alpine” with the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia, but the town of Helen is a small piece of the Bavarian Alps that found its way into this expanse of Dixie.  In addition to the hiking trails and whitewater rafting you would expect to discover in this part of the southern Appalachians, there is a three month Oktoberfest that lasts from the late summer until the midpoint of fall every year, a time-honored Bavarian Christmas Alpenlights celebration, and yet another transplanted Germanic tradition, das volksmarch. The best place to participate in Oktoberfest is from one of the various cabin rentals in the area, or a deluxe room in one of Helen’s fine European themed inns.

Originally inhabited by Cherokee Indians, the vicinity was the locale of a gold discovery in 1828. For over seventy years, prospectors and commercial mining companies worked deposits that rivaled those in the Rockies and the Sierras. The gold fields were mostly dredged out by 1900, but the wood industry moved in shortly afterwards. With the installation of the railroad, the township of Helen was established in 1913. The timber industry was short lived.  By 1931, the trees were gone and by 1960, all that remained was a row of cement block houses. The town’s revitalization began in the early 1970s as it begun to reinvent itself in the Bavarian style, influenced by an artist who had served with the U.S. Army in Germany. Today, Helen is one of the top getaway resorts in the region.

The Chattahoochie River provides recreational opportunities for whitewater rafting and inner tubing, while the encircling mountains offer hikers a chance to experience nature and the diverse woodland species up close and personal. Mountain lodges that include hot tubs are accessible for romantic getaways, and the town itself is residence to various specialty shops and four star dining establishments, including an authentic Bavarian Hofbrau Haus, featuring the rich food of Germany’s southern region. German and northern Italian cuisine may also be enjoyed at The Troll, one of Helen’s more flavorful eateries.

Easily available family outdoor activities include golf, mountain biking, fishing and horseback riding. In fact, there is almost no better way to see this part of the Blue Ridge than from the back of a horse.  Check out Chattahoochie Backcountry Treks and  Sunburst Stables for more information.

For hikers, one of the most spectacular sights is Anna Ruby Falls, one of the four waterfalls in the immediate area inside Unicoi State Park. The falls are just over 800 yards from an enhanced public access area, and are actually two separate falls with the better of the two topping out at greater than 150 feet high.

Of course, just because you are out in and in the company of nature does not mean you have to rough it. North Georgia bed breakfasts possess all the comforts of home including cable TV and wireless internet access.  The proprietors of these lodgings are more than pleased to share the unique history of the vicinity as well as suggest other interesting site seeing tours and wonderful regional bistros. 

The Wine Country of Northern California is a destination for wine lovers from across the country and around the planet. Napa, Sonoma, and Calistoga offer visitors a splendid vacation experience with the laid back attitude of Northern California. From the romantic bed and breakfast tour to the pleasure of winery tours for the wine affecionato, the Wine Country is really a fabulous destination.

The area has unquestionably been developed on the wine industry’s success. In 1975, Napa Valley had roughly 20 wineries. Today tourists can select between an extraordinary 275. Nearly all of these wineries suggest tours and tastings and several are open to the community daily. The Wine Country continues to mature and to attract visitors who are interested in the best wines that California has to offer. 

The city of Napa is the biggest in the valley and has all of the accommodations one might expect from a city of its magnitude. There is mainstream shopping and many options for guests looking to have a convenient base of operations in the valley. Prices for vacation rentals and hotels are generally less in Napa than beach rentals directly on the coast line. The disadvantage is that the city is less refined and certainly more mainstream than the rest of the valley’s wine areas, but the proximity to the rest of the valley might make that a lesser price to pay.

If you are on the lookout for something out of the ordinary, then Calistoga should be on your list of adventures. The town is bedecked with false fronted shops in the manner of the Old West. There are real 19th century hotels and fabulous opportunities for visitors looking for bed and breakfast inns in the wine country. The fine dining found elsewhere is replaced by unpretentious cafes and a relaxed attitude that permeates the town. The town was founded as a resort vacation destination, and some of the earliest hotels and hot springs are still in operation. This is absolutely the place for visitors who are fascinated in the Wine Country but also have a need to see Northern California the way that it once was.

Another 19th century creation, and the oldest town participating in the Wine Country, is Sonoma, California. There are a variety of sights here and many of them are unrelated to the cuisine and wine culture of the surrounding region. There are places preserved from the Spanish Mission era, 19th century adobes, old hotels, and even a theater preserved from the 1930s. Sonoma is undeniably an outstanding place to find vacation rentals to set up your base of operations, although there are genuine hotels and a variety of bed and breakfasts here as well. Make a stop in the city’s central plaza to catch sight of what real life is like for locals of the California Wine Country.

It is unfortunate that the Garden State often gets a bad rap and is often the butt of jokes such as Woody Allen’s quip: “I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and it was New Jersey,” or the inevitable “You are from New Jersey? What exit?” or the supposed state motto: “You have the right to remain silent…”

In fact, there is a entirely different area of New Jersey that is possibly one of the East Coast’s best kept secret: Cape May. Located on the southern point of Cape May Peninsula, the town of Cape May is a delightful seaport featuring great Victorian architecture and quaint inns, and various points of interest. Cape May is drenched in historical sites and museums and home of one of the country’s top ten beaches, with many beach vacation rentals from which to choose.

Of course, with a lengthy maritime history that contains a prosperous fishing industry as well as quarters to both the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, it goes without saying that boating and sailing is outstanding.  Competitive sailors often use local waters as a practice ground for the famous Nantucket Race.

Cape May was named for the area’s earliest European visitor, Captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mej of Hoorn, Netherlands, in 1620. The city’s significance as a top seaside destination resort predates the founding of the United States.  It was popular with wealthy Philadelphians from about 1750 onward, and was a top holiday spot by the mid 1800s. All of that early colonial architecture burned in the great fire of 1876, which effectively leveled the town. This is why the Victorian style of architecture is prevalent today.  In fact, Cape May has the biggest assembly of Victorian architecture of any city in the nation other than San Francisco with Port Townsend Washington being a close third.  A large amount of this interesting Victorian architecture can be seen in the various comfortable bed and breakfasts located through out Cape May. 

While it may be great to stay right on the beach, you will find that a rental can be much less expensive if you are willing to walk even a few blocks. That said, the owners of these vacation rentals are exceptionally conscientious about preservation and maintenance, so even if you have to reserve it long distance over the internet, you can be assured of first-rate lodgings for your Cape May holiday.

If you plan on doing any fishing, your initial stop may be the South Jersey Marina in order to pick up the gear you need to reel in the big ones. If going to sea on a boat is not your thing, you may be surprised to know that the Hidden Valley Ranch is right nearby. This is where you can go horseback riding and birdwatching and it is one of the best birding locations in the country and see the scenic, rural segment of New Jersey that is faraway from any freeway exit.

Theater lovers have quite a few alternatives while staying in Cape May; Elaine’s Dinner Theater, the East Lynne Theater Company and Cape May Stage, all impart fine theatrical productions through the year. And, to get a genuine sense of Cape May history, do not miss the Cape May Gingerbread Tour by Trolley.