New Year's Resolution Trips
Looking to start 2011 on the right foot? Here are some trips to get you motivated.
By Katrina Brown Hunt, Colleen Clark
To keep a New Year's resolution from becoming more than a joke, some say you need to start with a plan of action—and what better plan of action than to plan a trip? When you take your resolution on a vacation, you can immerse yourself in your new mind-set, whether your goal is to eat better, quit smoking, or overcome a fear.
Cantabria, Spain
Resolution: Eat Better
What to Do: Fall in love with fish and veggies again. The Greeks and Italians have long taken credit for having the most heart-healthy diets, but a recent study found that tapas-loving Spaniards—especially in coastal Cantabria—are doing the best job of embracing the produce-heavy Mediterranean diet. Locals reportedly consume 40 percent more veggies, five times the olive oil, and twice as much fish as their European neighbors. Two renowned restaurants in the province’s capital, Santander, showcase the cuisine’s blend of seafood and fresh countryside ingredients: El Serbal, which sports a Michelin star, and Zacarias, helmed by a local celebrity cookbook author.
Where to Stay: The palatial Hotel Real was built in 1917 to house the then-king’s entourage, and it still has a royal vibe—plus, it’s close to the beaches of El Sardinero.
Costa Rica
Resolution: Exercise More
What to Do: Why jog around a track when you could be among invitingly lush surroundings with temperatures in the seventies? The peninsula has countless hikes through its nature preserves, up to waterfalls, or along beaches, all to help you get in the habit of at least walking every day. Outfitters like Backroads offer trips that swing through this area with hiking, biking, kayaking, or horseback riding, all at your fitness level.
Where to Stay: Get inspired at the Lapa Rios Ecolodge, where you can sleep in a plushly appointed bungalow and hike through the neighboring, trail-rich nature preserve.
Maui
Resolution: Help Green the Earth
What to Do: Okay, so you took a giant, fuel-eating plane to get here (at least you shared it with other people), but you’re in a place where you can become a hands-on environmental steward. The Hawaii Nature Center offers “Volun-tourism” projects where you can, say, help restore wetlands (808/244-6500; www.hawaiinaturecenter.org), while the Sierra Club offers one “volunteer vacation,” among others, where you can help stabilize an archaeological site while also taking time to snorkel and watch whales (415/977-5500; http://www.sierraclub.org/).
Where to Stay: The Fairmont Kea Lani is pretty green for a big brand hotel: it recycles 80 percent of its laundry wastewater and also participates in local programs to clean beaches, protect local turtles, and restore the island’s taro plant population.
Caicos
Resolution: Work Less, Play More
What to Do: East of Cuba in the Caribbean, this group of islands solidly removes you from the office—and there’s plenty to remind you of life beyond the BlackBerry. Kite surfing—where you ride on a board, pulled by a motor-propelled kite—is a local favorite here, thanks to the accommodating winds. If you still crave the thrill of closing a deal, do a conch-diving cruise, where you can free-dive to score your conch, then have it barbecued ashore.
Where to Stay: The Grace Bay Club gives you a serene setting for kicking back post-playtime: there are spa-treatment tents and daybeds along the beach.
Vermont
Resolution: Spend More Time with Your Family
What to Do: This is an all-season playground for families. On the town’s five-mile recreation path, you can rent either bicycles or snowshoes, depending on the time of year. And there’s always the kid-friendly (and adult-friendly) Ben & Jerry’s Factory tour.
Where to Stay: What says “family” better than the Trapp Family Lodge? There are horse-drawn sleighs, snow sports for all skill levels, and a kids’ club for tots three and up. And yes, by Trapp you can deduce von Trapps, of The Sound of Music fame. Hey, a family that escapes together stays together.
Big Sur, California
Resolution: Explore Your Spirituality
What to Do: This rugged coastal community is considered a meditation hotspot, and it’s no wonder. With a multitude of solitary perches and dramatic waves-against-the-rocks scenery, Big Sur is an idyllic spot to contemplate, pray, or just relax. The famed Esalen Institute (831/667-3005; www.esalen.org), which claims to be an “Olympics of the body, mind, and spirit,” offers classes ranging from “Money and Spirituality” to “That Was Zen, This Is Tao.”
Where to Stay: The Post Ranch Inn elegantly walks the line between rustic and chic, with 39 contemporary rooms and two private houses set in the bluffs. The Inn offers free daily meditation and yoga classes and (for a fee) private sessions.
Tucson, Arizona
Resolution: Overcome Your Fears
What to Do/Where to Stay: Take your inhibitions to the Miraval Resort & Spa, where you can go beyond the usual spa treatments and yoga classes. Some guests engage in “Challenges”—feats of daring involving various tall poles, cables, and logs—that promise to help you safely confront your demons. When you feel sufficiently fearless, you can retreat to the resort’s tennis courts, painting classes, or the plasma TV in your room.
Jamaica
Resolution: Stay Fit
What to Do/Where to Stay: Ian Fleming penned the James Bond character at the GoldenEye Hotel & Resort, which just reopened in Jamaica. On-site trainer and Olympian Iona Wynter draws on 007’s athleticism with Jet Ski workouts and snorkel classes.
Wexford, Ireland
Resolution: De-Stress
What to Do/Where to Stay: In Ireland, Monart Destination Spa helps guests get back to the day-to-day grind with physical therapy–inspired exercises that seek to improve posture at the desk, stimulate circulation, and promote relaxation.
Province, Thailand
Resolution: Quit Smoking
What to Do/Where to Stay: Do away with nicotine for good at Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa, in the Trang province of southern Thailand. A naturopathic doctor leads support sessions, treats withdrawal symptoms, and recommends Ayurvedic treatments.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
New York Travel With Kids
USATODAY.COM
New York Travel With Kids
by Lils H. Lee, Demand Media
New York is an excellent vacation destination for families with children of all ages. The reliable mass transportation system and pedestrian-friendly streets makes traveling within New York and all of its boroughs easy. Additionally, visiting families can enjoy towns outside the city such as the Hamptons on Long Island and the Catskills in upstate New York that New Yorkers go to when they need a quick getaway.
When to Go
New York City is one of the few cities families can enjoy all year round. Summer and winter are two popular seasons when families appreciate the many free activities such as outdoor movie screenings at Hudson River Park and the Christmas decorations along Fifth Avenue. However, the warm weather in the spring and the fall foliage in the autumn are equally favorable. Visiting during the school holiday is convenient but requires much more planning, particularly during Thanksgiving and New Years.
Transportation
Manhattan streets run east to west, and avenues run north to south with Fifth Avenue dividing the East side from the West. Walking is an excellent way of exploring the city; however, families with young children must take precautions with the busy streets. Riding the subways and buses is a memorable experience. Single fares, "Fun Day" (1 day), weekly and monthly Metrocard passes are purchased from vending machines at the subway stations. Yellow cabs are an alternative transportation for short or late-night trips. Cab drivers are required to turn on the meter when the destination has been given and a 10% tip is typically given. Renting a car is required when exploring the outer boroughs (Long Island and Staten Island) and upstate. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles requires car seats for all children weighing less than 40 pounds and booster seats for children younger than age 8 years or less than 4 feet, 9 inches tall.
Accommodations
Hotels in New York are notoriously tiny; however, hotel suites with adjoining rooms are available in some hotels. Greenwich and the West Village, located downtown, are family-friendly neighborhoods. Most museums are located uptown, and staying near Central Park is an excellent option. Alternatively, hotels in Times Square are convenient and typically larger. Renting an apartment from listing services such as Airbnb.com is another option. Families with young children, in particular, can take advantage of the larger living space, kitchen and less expensive rates.
Sightseeing
The New York Pass is a sightseeing pass that permits free entry to more than 55 attractions without having to wait in line and a guidebook containing maps and information on many sites, restaurants and shops. Passes can be purchased online, shipped and delivered before the trip or picked up at the Planet Hollywood in Times Square.
Food
Pizza, bagels and hotdogs are famous New York foods all kids enjoy. Additionally, there are many kid-friendly restaurants such as the outer space themed Mars 2112 in Time Square and Peanut Butter & Co in Greenwich Village, which serves more than 20 different types of peanut butter sandwiches. Black and white cookies (large cookies covered in chocolate and vanilla icing) and egg creams (drinks with milk, seltzer water and chocolate syrup) are quintessential New York desserts kids will love.
New York Travel With Kids
by Lils H. Lee, Demand Media
New York is an excellent vacation destination for families with children of all ages. The reliable mass transportation system and pedestrian-friendly streets makes traveling within New York and all of its boroughs easy. Additionally, visiting families can enjoy towns outside the city such as the Hamptons on Long Island and the Catskills in upstate New York that New Yorkers go to when they need a quick getaway.
When to Go
New York City is one of the few cities families can enjoy all year round. Summer and winter are two popular seasons when families appreciate the many free activities such as outdoor movie screenings at Hudson River Park and the Christmas decorations along Fifth Avenue. However, the warm weather in the spring and the fall foliage in the autumn are equally favorable. Visiting during the school holiday is convenient but requires much more planning, particularly during Thanksgiving and New Years.
Transportation
Manhattan streets run east to west, and avenues run north to south with Fifth Avenue dividing the East side from the West. Walking is an excellent way of exploring the city; however, families with young children must take precautions with the busy streets. Riding the subways and buses is a memorable experience. Single fares, "Fun Day" (1 day), weekly and monthly Metrocard passes are purchased from vending machines at the subway stations. Yellow cabs are an alternative transportation for short or late-night trips. Cab drivers are required to turn on the meter when the destination has been given and a 10% tip is typically given. Renting a car is required when exploring the outer boroughs (Long Island and Staten Island) and upstate. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles requires car seats for all children weighing less than 40 pounds and booster seats for children younger than age 8 years or less than 4 feet, 9 inches tall.
Accommodations
Hotels in New York are notoriously tiny; however, hotel suites with adjoining rooms are available in some hotels. Greenwich and the West Village, located downtown, are family-friendly neighborhoods. Most museums are located uptown, and staying near Central Park is an excellent option. Alternatively, hotels in Times Square are convenient and typically larger. Renting an apartment from listing services such as Airbnb.com is another option. Families with young children, in particular, can take advantage of the larger living space, kitchen and less expensive rates.
Sightseeing
The New York Pass is a sightseeing pass that permits free entry to more than 55 attractions without having to wait in line and a guidebook containing maps and information on many sites, restaurants and shops. Passes can be purchased online, shipped and delivered before the trip or picked up at the Planet Hollywood in Times Square.
Food
Pizza, bagels and hotdogs are famous New York foods all kids enjoy. Additionally, there are many kid-friendly restaurants such as the outer space themed Mars 2112 in Time Square and Peanut Butter & Co in Greenwich Village, which serves more than 20 different types of peanut butter sandwiches. Black and white cookies (large cookies covered in chocolate and vanilla icing) and egg creams (drinks with milk, seltzer water and chocolate syrup) are quintessential New York desserts kids will love.
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