Top New England Fall Foliage Spots – 2009

New England is poised to put on quite a Fall Foliage display this year – Fall 2009. Hurricane Bill has passed with minor damage – the leaves are still on the trees waiting for the autumn weather to arrive. Its just around the corner – by mid-September, the show starts at the higher elevations.  As in the past, we have to stay flexible – we suggest visiting our friends at Foliage Network for the latest Fall Foliage Reports.  The best fall foliage viewing in the US is in New England (fans of the golden Colorado fall colors may disagree), so we will pick from these destinations for a few weekend “Fall Foliage Staycations” this year:

• Around Columbus Day more people show up in Vermont than have ever lived there.  Vermont Fall Foliage is truly world-class.  Combined with some harvest festivals and visits to quaint towns and you can’t go wrong.  If the kids are not impressed by the views, take them to Ben and Jerry’s factory of overload them on maple sugar.
• Maine Fall Foliage is best along the coast.  You get the colorful leaves as well as a rocky coast. Something you will not get in Vermont.
• If Vermont is too quaint and Maine too far, go for some historic and urban Boston Massachusetts fall foliage, which is also a good idea once the Vermont colors have peaked. Another choice urban spot, on the border of New England is New York City – think Central Park, the Cloisters, the Ice Age ponds of Alley Pond Park and more for some subway-accessible NY foliage.
• Also bordering New England – Hudson Valley and Catskills Fall Foliage is a great day trip from New York. Try a biplane ride in Rhinebeck or enjoy the views from the Hudson River mansions.

Have a fun fallstaycation!  Save some vacation time for ski season.

Top 12 places to play Golf

I need to thank Jon for reminding me to do this. A few months ago I reported to you about public golf courses ranked 13-24 according to Golfer’s World magazine and since they’ve finally posted their top 12, I’m ready to pass them over to you. I find it strange that there are no New England golf courses represented on this list. In fact, the only one from the East Coast at all is number six, Kiawah Island Ocean Course in South Carolina, which I’ve been to, and which truly is worthy of it’s placement there. I’m just surprised there aren’t more East Coast chart toppers.

Anyways, enjoy the list, and hopefully I’ll make it to all of these, one day so I can give more first hand experience…

1. Pacific Dunes – Bandon, Oregon
2. Links at Spanish Bay – Pebble Beach, California
3. Pebble Beach Golf Links – Pebble Beach, California
4. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort & Course – Bandon, Oregon
5. Whistling Straits Golf Club – Kohler, Wisconsin
6. Kiawah Island – Ocean Course – South Carolina
7. Shadow Creek – North Las Vegas, Nevada
8. Kauai Lagoon Golf Club – Kiele Course – Lihue, Hawaii
9. Reflection Bay Golf Club & Course – Lake Las Vegas, Nevada
10. Spyglass Hill Golf Club – Pebble Beach, California
11. Troon North Monument – Scottsdale, Arizona
12. Red Sky Ranch – Wolcott, Colorado

Looks like I need to start planning some vacations to Vegas ,  Pebble Beach, and Bandon, Oregon

Buckhead, Atlanta

I just read an article in the New York Times travel section (albeit a year old) about Buckhead, which is just north of Atlanta’s central downtown area—or we say “uptown” since it tends to be classier, more upscale, and a lot more expensive. According to the NYTimes article, it’s “one the of the nation’s wealthiest communities…the Beverly Hills of the South.” Now I don’t know if I’d go THAT far, but it certainly is a very nice area, with beautiful malls, great restaurants and bars (yes, I’ve created for myself a bit of a social life), museums, and stunning houses and hotels.

Here are some places in the Buckhead area that are worth checking out:

• Atlanta History Center – has the world’s largest Civil War collection
• Lenox Square Mall
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Atlanta High Museum
• Photography Center of Atlanta
• Margaret Mitchell House and Museum
• Cathedral of St. Phillip
• Swan House

Thanksgiving in Virginia

The other great colonial communities (other than the one in Plymouth, that is), was in Virginia. Jamestown and Yorktown were two of the first settlements in the New Country, established as early as 1607. For an authentic Thanksgiving experience, head out to these famous landmarks in Virginia. (Quiz your kids—they should definitely be able to talk about these!)

• Jamestown National Historic Site – Yorktown, Virginia
• Colonial National Historical Park – Yorktown, Virginia
• First Landing State Park – Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Yorktown Battlefield – Virginia (The Yorktown Battlefield is a Revolutionary War site, but once you’re in the area, you should definitely visit, even though it’s really post-Colonial times.)
• Yorktown National Cemetery – Yorktown, Virginia
• Colonial Williamsburg – Virginia

Wine spas in the U.S. (mainly California)

Now there’s a concept. I only recently became introduced to the concept of the “wine spa” recently when I treated my girlfriend (who is now an ex-girlfriend, but I promise it was not spa related) to a weekend up in Wine Country that included some spa going. We discovered that it’s quite a trend to include wine and grapes in spa treatments. Apparently it’s a tradition from Bordeaux, France that made its way over to the U.S., and particularly to Northern California. Most of these spas (following) are located in vineyards or are at least nearby. I’ll list the spa and then one or two treatments offered on their spa menu that includes grapes or wine.

• The Spa at the Carneros Inn – Napa, California – Chardonnay Anti-Oxidant Wine Therapy Facial
• Bernardus Lodge & Spa – Carmel Valley, California – Lavender Grape Seed Bath
• Silverado Resort and Spa – Napa, California – Chardonnay Sugar Scrub
• The Raindance Spa at the Lodge of Sonoma – Sonoma, California Grape Seed Antioxidant Facial
• Meadowood Resort – Napa Valley, California – Cabernet Crush Body Polish
• Spa Vigne at the Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn – Los Olivos, California – Grape Seed Body Butter Massage, Wine Infusion Wrap
• Auberge du Soileil Resort & Spa – Rutherford (Napa Valley), California – Rosehip and Grape Seed Body Masque, Warm Grape Seed Oil Massage
• Mount View Hotel & Spa – Calistoga, California – Rosemary Grape Seed Scrub
• Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa – San Louis Obispo, California – Chardonnay Anti-Aging Wrap, Chardonnay Antioxidant Sugar Scrub
• Waterstone Spa at the Lithia Springs Resort & Gardens – Ashland, Oregon – Champagne and Rose Body Scrub
• Chateau E’lan Winery & Spa Resort – Braselton, Georgia – Chateau Winery Harvest Crush, Antioxidant Winery Bath

Ski season already? Early season ski resorts get ready!

I was watching the news the other day and heard “lizard watch” which I thought was odd. My friend said that they had said “blizzard watch” but I dismissed that because I thought it was an impossibility for blizzards to start so early in the year. But he was right—a blizzard watch started in the mid-northwest. I don’t think there was a blizzard in the end, but there was definitely snow. And the first snowfall means…ski season is here! I would check with each of these for specific dates, but some of these places open as early as now, others not until late November or December.

• Steamboat Springs Ski Resort Area – Colorado
• Loveland Ski Resort Area – Georgetown, Colorado
• Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort Area – Vail, Coloradao
• Beaver Creek Ski Resort Area – Vail Colorado
• Winter Park Ski Resort Area – Colorado
• Wolf Creek Ski Resort Area – Pagosa Springs, Colorado
• Copper Mountain Ski Resort Area – Colorado
• Alta Ski Resort Area – Albion, Utah
• Solitude Ski Resort Area – Salt Lake City, Utah
• Snowbird Ski Resort Area – Salt Lake City, Utah
• Powder Mountain Ski Resort – Huntsville, Utah
• Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort Area – Bend, Oregon
• Grand Targhee Ski Resort Area – Alta, Wyoming
• Jackson Hole Ski Resort Area – Teton Village, Wyoming
• Mt. Baker Ski Resort Area – Glacier, Washington
• Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort Area – Bishop, California
• Killington Ski Resort Area – Killington Mountain, Vermont
• Jay Peak Ski Resort Area – Vermont
• Sunday River Ski Resort Area – Bethel, Maine
• Bretton Woods Ski Resort Area – New Hampshire

See you on the slopes!

Read More…

• Top 10 Earliest Places to Get Your Ski On
• The History of Snowboarding in 2 Minutes
• Dog-Friendly Ski Resorts in California
• Highest Rated Ski Resorts by Google
• Other Blog posts on Skiing
• Yoga and Meditation Resorts in the US
• Halls of Fame across America

Real Men go to Spas

There is nothing unmanly about relaxation. Some guys play video games, some guys work out, and some guys go to spas. When I leave a spa, either after a simple shiatsu massage or after a full day go at skin care and specific body work, I feel so relaxed and distressed that I feel the effects of it for weeks afterwards. According to Men’s Health magazine, “Any vacation is a good vacation. But the best ones can calm your mind, refresh your body, revive your relationships, and maybe even extend your life.” I couldn’t agree more. And it’s a great way to meet chicks…or make one very happy if you’ve already got one. It’s a romantic valentine’s gift or anniversary idea. Or, more likely (for me at least) a way I can get out of the city (or feel like I’ve left the city) and completely relax and take care of my body. A lot of spas have fitness centers on their premises, so you really get to feel like you’re working towards a healthier existence.

Here are some great spas that offer spa treatments for men—sports massages, facials, back skin care, and male manicures and pedicures, among others.

• Fairmont Scottsdale Princess – Spa Willow Stream – Arizona
• New Age Health Spa – Neversink, New York
• Lake Austin Spa Resort – Lake House Spa – Austin, Texas
• Ocean Place Resort and Spa – Long Branch, New Jersey
• Canyon Ranch Spa Club at Venetian Resort – Las Vegas, Nevada
• Oasis Spa at Luxor – Las Vegas, Nevada
• Doral Golf Resort and Spa – Miami, Florida
• PGA National Resort and Spa – Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
• Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa – Hollywood, Florida
• Vail Mountain Lodge and Spa Resort – Colorado

10 Great Places for Fall Foliage

Fall Foliage trips are a great addition to a business trip or for a quick weeeknd away or even for a longer family vacation. First 10 reasons why it is great –

1. Weather has cooled off
2. Crowds are less (if you pick the destination right) – like Long Island Fall Foliage
3. Apple Cider
4. Harvest Festivals – like Pennsylvania Fall Foliage in Amish country
5. Close to East Coast population centers
6. Apple Cider
7. Can be done on a tight budget
8. Can spend lots of money (e.g. Cruise to see Maine Coast Fall Foliage)
9. New England Fall Foliage makes the quaint and historic towns even MORE quaint and historic
10. You can still do all the usual vacation stuff – golf, museums, theme parks, zoos, etc.

And, 10 destinations:

1. Vermont
2. New Hampshire
3. Upstate New York – Fall Foliage Trips, Catskills Fall Foliage , Adirondack Fall Foliage
4. Central Park, Alley Park, Prospect Park – New York City Fall Foliage
5. Massachusetts Fall Foliage in the Boston suburbs (e.g. Concord, MA)
6. DC, Virginia and Maryland Fall Foliage – its not just the Cherry Blossoms that are famous, here
7. Virginia Fall Foliage is at its best in the Shenandoah, and Blue Ridge Mountains.
8. Colorado Fall Foliage just a month or two before the skiers arrive. Enjoy the Colorado Rockies Fall colors less than an hour from Denver.
9. New Mexico Fall Foliage for a different experience
10. Fall Foliage in the Four Corners region – don’t expect crowds.

And an honorable mention for Pittsburgh for Southwest Pennsylvania Fall Foliage. Who would guess that one!

Business trip to Austin, Texas

I’m in Austin, Texas for five days, spending three nights at the Hilton near the Austin Convention Center, and two nights at the Lake Austin Spa Resort, which I am really looking forward to (last two nights). As you know by now, I don’t ever plan a business trip without a significant pleasure portion. I’ll really be busy this trip (not like my last trip to Jackson, Wyoming where I spent most of time out on the green), but of course have scheduled some time at the Barton Creek – Crenshaw Cliffside Course, which, coincidentally, I just wrote about in 10 Great Places to go for the Green, so that’s certainly a highlight.

Here are my goals for the week: Get work done, golf, eat some good BBQ and Mexican food, and get a few massages. That shouldn’t be too hard. One of my coworkers suggested the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum—does anyone know if that’s worth going to?

10 Great Places to go for the Green (Golfing)

1. Amelia Island Plantation – Amelia Island, Florida
2. Barton Creek Resort & Spa – Austin, Texas
3. The Broadmoor – Colorado Springs, Colorado
4. Kapalua Resort – Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii
5. Pebble Beach Resorts – Pebble Beach, California
6. Kiawah Island Golf Resort – Kiawah Island, South Carolina
7. Mauna Lani Resort – Big Island, Hawaii
8. Pinehurst Resort – Pinehurst, North Carolina
9. Reynolds Plantation – Greensboro, Georgia
10. Turning Stone Resort & Casino – Verona, New York

(Thanks, USA Today.)

By the way, I’m back from Jackson Hole where I enjoyed some golf myself at Jackson Hole G&TC. I wouldn’t put it on a top ten list, but it was fun and it’s nice to play golf in warm air with snow capped mountains in the background.