Jetsettersblog

Collette Vacations is offering commissionable helicopter tour options on all new and existing Collette bookings of its five tours to the Canadian Rockies.

Helicopter tour options have always been a top seller in the Rockies, according to Bethany Manchester, product manager for Canada. “They provide passengers with an opportunity to see the Rockies in a new light and showcase sections of the region only accessible by the air,” Manchester said.

Collette is offering three different Helicopter Tours on all its Canadian Rockies Programs, including Resorts of the Rockies, Canadian Rockies by Train, Rockies Highlights by Train, Canadian Rockies and Glacier National Park, and Canada’s Winter Wonderland.

The helicopter tours vary in flight time and cost.

Depending on the option selected, passengers will fly over Spray Valley; the mountain ranges of Goat and Sundance; or the “Matterhorn” of the Canadian Rockies, Mt. Assiniboine, which rises majestically 11,870 feet along the Great Divide.

A minimum of two passengers is required for this option to operate.

For more information, call 800-611-3361 or visit

www.collettevacations.com

Travelers can get out and play in the great outdoors of Pennsylvania

The great outdoors of America is evident in every region of Pennsylvania. From scenic vistas to majestic rivers and challenging mountain biking trails, there’s something to challenge every outdoors enthusiast.

Whether that challenge involves careening down a mountainside, trekking to an overlook to view valleys below, or simply enjoying a leisurely walk in the woods, there are plenty of opportunities to “get out and play” in Pennsylvania.

Visit www.ExplorePATrails.com  for a full listing of all the walks, hikes, and bike trails available throughout the commonwealth.

UPSTATE PA

The Pocono Mountains region has long been known as one of the most scenic in Pennsylvania, and mountain bikers see it firsthand at the Jim Thorpe Experience.

From relaxing rail trail rides on the Lehigh Canal path to extreme mountain biking trips over the technical terrain on the Twine Peak Trail, the Jim Thorpe Experience (www.thejtx.com) gives guests a wild journey via guided biking tours along some of the most epic trails in the state.

If bikers are seeking a more relaxing ride or walk, the D&H Rail Trail in Upstate PA is the perfect choice.

This 32-mile pathway stands in place of the historic Delaware and Hudson railroad and alternates between tree-lined sections and open stretches as it winds along the Lackawanna River. This semi-rugged trail is comprised of cinder, original ballast and hard-packed dirt; visit

www.nepa-rail-trails.org/dandh.html

for a look at the route and history of the trail.

LAUREL HIGHLANDS

With obstacles like ladder bridges and 20-foot jumps, mountain bikers can kick up some serious dirt on Seven Springs Downhill Park’s trails. The 10 trails on the property of the luxurious Seven Springs Resort are packed with exciting twists and loops for bikers ranging from beginners to professionals. Visit www.7springs.com for a look at the property and other outdoors activities to be found.

The Great Allegheny Passage starts in Pittsburgh and crosses through five counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, crossing former railroad bridges, passing through tunnels, and offering bikers and hikers the chance to view some spectacular scenery. Considered to be one of the nation’s most popular rail trails, the Great Allegheny Passage continues a total of 320 miles to completion in the nation’s capital, making it the longest unpaved bike path in the East.

LEHIGH VALLEY

The 6.5 miles of wooded mountain biking and hiking trails at Bear Creek Mountain Resort give an entirely new reason to visit this popular ski resort. The trails are all rugged singletrack and doubletracks with plenty of rocks and a few bridges. All trails are cross-country oriented.

Visit www.bcmountainresort.com  for a look at the trail map and regulations.

DUTCH COUNTRY ROADS

William H. Kain County Park in York offers a superb trail system in the middle of the rolling farmlands and scenic beauty of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Mountain bikers are able to pick from a number of different well marked trails and loops to create the perfect ride.

There are more than 12 miles of marked trails open to mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders.

Visit www.yorkcountyparks.org  for a look at the park trails and other activities available.

For hikers, the Dutch Country Roads region offers up one of the best Appalachian Trail experiences for those seeking to traverse the entire trail or just sample it.

The Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia, reaches its midpoint at Pine Grove Furnace State Park west of Harrisburg.

Visit www.appalachiantrail.org  for a look at the route and where to stop in on the trail. At Pine Grove Furnace, join other hikers for a customary ice cream at the General Store – it’s a legend among those who travel the Trail!

THE ALLEGHENIES

Made by mountain bikers for mountain bikers, the Allegrippis Trail system at Raystown Lake is a 30+ mile single track trail system that’s quickly earned a reputation of being one of the top mountain biking trails in the country.

With endless combinations of routes all surrounding scenic Raystown Lake, there are opportunities for bikers of all skill levels. Visit www.raystown.org  to plan a trail route and to explore the region.

Meanwhile, the Rothrock Ride near State College offers 30 miles of some of the most extreme mountain biking in the state.

Providing a mix of dirt roads, technical single tracks and rock garden trails, this riding experience has extra meaning for Pennsylvania – riders travel through an impressive, old-growth patch of Pennsylvania’s state tree, the Eastern Hemlock. Local Rothrock Outfitters (www.rothrock-outfitters.com) can provide guided half, full, and weekend guided biking trips for all skill levels.

PENNSYLVANIA WILDS

A cross-country ski area in the winter, the Rockton Mountain Trail System is fast becoming a premier destination for mountain bikers. The Rockton Mountain Trails offer a rugged mixture of rocks and roots to attract the bikers exploring the trail network throughout Moshannon State Forest. Although relatively flat, this incredibly maintained and well-marked trail system also offers optimal wildlife viewing and a variety of route options.

For those who want to focus on the amazing view rather than a challenging ride, the Pine Creek Rail Trail is the perfect solution. This historic 60-mile trail, once used to transport freight by train from Wellsboro to Williamsport, was once hailed as one of the “10 best places to take a bike tour” by USA Today. The trails traverse through Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon, the Pine Creek Gorge, and catch a glimpse of the amazing scenery, some incredible bird species, or fall foliage. Visit www.visittiogapa.com/railtrail.html for a look at the trail or to schedule tours.
Continue reading Biking, Hiking along Pennsylvania’s Trails…

The Turn On: Shopping has taken its place aside gaming as a must-do pastime.

High-end establishments, name-brand outlets and traditional Boardwalk options now abound.

• Atlantic City Outlets – The Walk, a 15-city block wide retail, dining and entertainment district between the Boardwalk and the Atlantic City Convention Center includes Coach, Polo, Nautica, Levi’s, H&M, Nike Factory Story, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, J. Crew, Eddie Bauer and BCBGMAXAZRIA Factory Store to name a few.
(609) 343-0081 www.acoutlets.com

• Central Square is located where Central Avenue meets Route 9 in Linwood. With everything from a chocolate shop to jewelry and clothing boutiques, this shopping center is one of the area’s most popular places to shop.
(609) 926-1000

• Consumer Square, located on Wrangleboro Road in Hamilton Township, has everything from Old Navy to Manhattan Bagel and boasts big names like Target, Best Buy, Staples and Kohl’s.
(609) 645-8455

• Hamilton Commons, located on the Black Horse Pike in Hamilton Township, is the talk of the town, boasting stores like Marshalls, Ross, Chuck E Cheese and Regal Movie Theatre.
(609) 645-8555

• The Hamilton Mall, located in Mays Landing has every store imaginable for the shopping enthusiast. 150 to be exact, including Macy’s, JC Penney and Sears.
(609) 646-8326;
www.shophamilton.com

• The Quarter at Tropicana, located off of Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City. The Quarter features a large array of shops including Chico’s, Jake’s Dog House, Brookstone and White House / Black Market, just to name a few.
(800) THE TROP;
www.tropicana.net

• The Pier Shops at Caesars is a high-end retail, dining and entertainment complex across the Boardwalk from Caesars Atlantic City.

More than 100 elite retailers include Gucci, Hugo Boss and Tiffany & Co.

• The Shore Mall, located in Egg Harbor Township, offers quality shopping that’s convenient, affordable and friendly. A sixty-store lineup includes Boscov’s, TGI Fridays and movie theaters. (609) 484-9500;
www.shoremallshopping.com

• The Atlantic City Boardwalk and casinos are also great spots to shop. They offer everything from jewelry and designer clothing to the classic Boardwalk T-shirt and souvenir shops.

LearnToSail.Net Celebrates National Safety Boating Week with Free Safety and Rules of the Road Downloads

In observation of National Safety Boating Week, LearnToSail.Net is running a free downloads campaign of The Rules of the Road and discounts on their educational CDs to raise safety awareness.

This week, to celebrate National Safety Boating Week, LearnToSail.Net is offering free safety downloads and 10% off all CD’s plus a Free Cruising Ebook and Free Sailing App with every order.

The Sailing App topic is “The Points of Sail” and is available for iPad, iPod, iTouch, iPhone and Blackberry. The apps also run on Mac or Windows PC. The Points of Sail App is one of 16 beginner Sailing Apps from Apps4Sailing.com, sister site of LearnToSail.Net.

In addition to the free App, free for download without purchase are The Rules of the Road, and articles on Wearing a Life Jacket and Anchoring.

Apps4Sailing.com is a website featuring beginner sailing applications for iPad, iPhone, and Blackberry, allowing new or rusty sailors access to affordable, individual sailing lessons anytime from anywhere. Taught by a US Coast Guard Licensed Captain and Instructor of American Sailing Association Classes, the lessons are arranged in the order a typical sailing course. Starting with Parts of a Boat, the lessons continue on to other topics such as Wind Theory, Balance, The Points of Sail, Leaving Docks and Moorings, Tacking, Person Overboard Techniques, Righting a Capsize, Knots, Anchoring and much more. These topics are taught using narration, animation and digital video. The user is free to select whatever class she or he wishes to take at anytime and from anywhere on Earth.

The Cd’s “Learn to Sail with Multimedia VOL I and II” and “Learn Coastal Navigation” at LearnToSail.Net are structured to follow the order of a typical sailing or boating course. The topics are taught using Narration, Animation and Digital Video.

There is a Nautical Dictionary, Sailing Terms Glossary and Quiz.

The user is free to move around the program as she or he pleases and at whatever pace they set.

Both programs are designed to run on all versions of Windows and are easy to install.

“It is very important that all boaters know the Rules of the Road and safety measures.”, states Linda Cullum, CEO of LearnToSail.Net. “I am hoping boaters will come to our website just for the free downloads on safety. There are alot of newbies out there every season and I surely hope they are up to date with rules and safety gear.”

Sailing instructional software is a useful tool and beneficial to those who want to learn or brush up on their skills.

Sailing maneuvers can be taught and practiced anytime of year and conveniently at home.

The user controls the pace and level of learning.

This allows more time to absorb new information.

When it is time for those hands on summer classes, the educated beginner, familiar with terms and technique, will have a greater return on investment.

Advanced lessons are also on the agenda for Apps4Sailing.com. The lessons were created using “Learn to Sail with Multimedia VOL I and II”. Adding 20 years of instruction experience, Captain Susan Smith enriches the learning environment by going into great detail with each lesson and adding valuable sailing tips. The Apps can be played on PC or Mac as well.

Currently, the lessons are downloaded onto the user’s computer in the requested device format and can be played on PC or Mac as well. Android and other formats are in production.

For more information, please visit http://LearnToSail.Net

Ometepe Island, located in Lake Nicaragua, recently became Nicaragua’s third place in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

The nomination was approved unanimously by the 22nd Session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.

Ometepe, composed of two volcanoes (Madera and Concepcion), is considered the largest island in the world located within a freshwater lake. According to the UNESCO, the island has plenty of pre-Columbian archaeological ruins, petroglyphs, statues and ceramics that show the antiquity of human settlement on its soil.

The island is surrounded by Lake Nicaragua, an important source of freshwater supply hosting numerous underwater species, such as sawfish and freshwater sharks.

With this classification, Ometepe Island will have access to funding and technical assistance from the UNESCO, and will become a world example of how human beings can live in harmony with nature and generate economic development without creating a negative impact on the environment.

With the addition of Ometepe Island, Nicaragua now contains three sites within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The first, granted in 1997, was the Bosawas, the largest unaltered tropical forest in Central America, with approximately 800,000 hectares covering 14 percent of the country and has been, throughout history, the living space of the ethnic communities of the Mayangnas and Miskitos.

Subsequently, in 2003, the UNESCO included the San Juan River reserve in southeastern Nicaragua, a region that concentrates a high amount of biodiversity in rain forests, important areas of forest development and sources of surface and subterranean water.

Biosphere reserves are sites recognized under the UNESCO’s MAB Program, which innovate and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development. They are under national sovereign jurisdiction, and share their experience and ideas nationally, regionally and internationally within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. There are 564 sites worldwide in 109 countries.

MAB proposes an interdisciplinary research agenda and capacity building aiming to improve the relationship of people with their environment globally. Launched in the early 1970s, it targets the ecological, social and economic dimensions of biodiversity loss. It uses its World Network of Biosphere Reserves as vehicles for knowledge-sharing, research and monitoring, education and training, and participatory decision-making.

PRONicaragua is the Nicaraguan Investment Promotion Agency, established in 2002. It is a non-profit, public-private institution whose mission is to generate economic growth and job creation in Nicaragua by attracting high-quality foreign direct investment. The agency provides complimentary support services to qualified investors seeking investment opportunities in our country.

For further information, please contact us at (505) 2270-6400 or http://pronicaragua.org

Kindred Resorts & Hotels, the recently launched collaboration of independent U.S. hotels, announced the addition of three iconic resorts to its portfolio — Arizona Inn, located in Tuscon, Ariz.; Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas; and Wequassett Resort and Golf Club on Cape Cod, Mass. In addition, new enhancements have been added to www.staykindred.com, which serves as a one-stop shop for a variety of travel alternatives from Kindred Resorts & Hotels members.

The website now features a selection of targeted travel packages for travel agents, meeting planners and leisure guests, some of which are only available via the Kindred website.

In addition, the website now features a comprehensive events calendar highlighting activities taking place at Kindred member properties across the country.

Featured events in June 2010 include an Artisan Table dinner at the Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif.; a “Celebrate the Sun” yoga retreat at The Carneros Inn in Napa, Calif.; and a Cooking Session with Sarah Moulton at Lake Austin Spa Resort.

For more information, visit www.staykindred.com

The Oasis at Gold Spike has opened in downtown Las Vegas. The redeveloped, three-story, 50-room boutique hotel is owned by The Siegel Group, whose collection also includes Rumor (opening this summer), Artisan and The Resort on Mt. Charleston.

Formerly the Travel Inn located on the north section of Las Vegas Boulevard, the Oasis at Gold Spike has retained its mid-century design while undergoing a makeover that features a minimal design.

The color scheme is cream with dark brown wood furniture and aqua accents. Guestrooms feature classic black and white photographs, flat-screen televisions and iPod docking stations.

At the center of Oasis is a new pool and wet deck with an unobstructed view of the downtown buildings.

The Oasis is connected to the 112-room Gold Spike, which also underwent a major renovation by The Siegel Group.

For more information, call 702-947-8330

or visit www.siegelcompanies.com

CSA Travel Protection now offers coverage for missed ports of call. The new policy will be officially announced at cruise3sixty, CLIA’s travel agent conference taking place in Vancouver this week.

CSA said the program, which offers monetary consolation for missed port calls, is a first in the cruise and travel insurance industries. With recent events, such as the Icelandic volcano eruption, Gulf Coast oil spill and political unrest, trip interruptions and missed ports of call are on the minds of cruise passengers.

CSA’s new coverage rewards up to $200 per person per missed port. Some cruise ships offer a refund for a missed port of call in the form of shipboard credit to be spent on the cruise.

“We understand missed ports of call happen, resulting in disappointment but not necessarily interrupting or delaying a trip,” said Bob Chambers, CSA operations executive.

“We innovated this coverage to sympathize with cruise passengers weathering the storm.”

Missed port-of-call coverage is now available to select business partners of CSA.

For more information, call 800-873-9855 or visit www.csatravelpro.com

Marriott Vacation Club announces the opening of Marriott’s Lakeshore Reserve at Grande Lakes in Orlando, Fla. Located on the pristine grounds of Grande Lakes Orlando, at 11248 Lakeshore Reserve Drive, the resort is the first Marriott Vacation Club property to be co-located with a JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton.

The first phase brings on 85 villas (out of 340 proposed villas upon build-out) to the 500-acre Grande Lakes campus. Located steps from the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes and The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, owners and guests will enjoy a combination of impressive campus amenities, including The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club,

The Ritz-Carlton Spa, boutique shopping and exceptional dining. Six villa floor plans range from 1,185 to 1,655 square feet of living space, and for the first time in North America, Marriott Vacation Club introduces two-story townhomes in addition to traditional two- and three-bedroom villas.

Each floor plan features a fully equipped gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances; generous living and dining areas; multiple flat-panel LCD televisions with DVD players; oversized shower with dual shower heads in master suite; washer and dryer; and wireless high-speed Internet access.

Three-bedroom villas and townhomes can accommodate up to 12 guests. Lakeshore Reserve amenities include a main pool with zero-entry, two dueling waterslides and two whirlpool spas; fitness center with full men’s and women’s locker rooms including sauna and steam rooms;

The Marketplace convenience store; Blossoms Pool Bar & Grill offering lunch and dinner daily; tranquil fountains and themed courtyards; covered outdoor living area with views of the main resort pool; and brick-paved promenade from the resort to the adjacent hotels.

The Leading Hotels of the World unveils “Leaders Club Rewards,” a new benefit offering free nights for members of Leaders Club.

Available to long-time devotees as well as newcomers to Leading Hotels’ loyalty program, “Leaders Club Rewards” is exciting, straightforward and simple.

Members who complete five stays at a minimum of two Leading Hotels by Dec. 31, 2010, will receive one complimentary night to be redeemed at any Leading Hotel in the collection within one year.

Designed for the discerning global traveler who desires an authentic and culturally enriching experience, Leaders Club was launched five years ago to provide loyal guests of Leading Hotels around the world with personalized attention and enhanced travel benefits.

The Leaders Club’s latest perk goes beyond recognition by granting hotel aficionados gratis access to the entire Leading Hotels portfolio of independent, iconic hotels.

There is no limit to the number of complimentary nights earned, so ambitious travelers can book to their heart’s content, knowing that for every five stays they complete, a free night and unique experience await them.

Details of the program, which requires members to make their reservations through The Leading Hotels of the World, are as follows: a minimum of two hotels must be represented in the five stays, only non-contiguous stays will qualify, and all publicly available rates are eligible.

Ongoing advantages of the program include early check-in and late check-out, room upgrades upon availability, exclusive member offers, special rates, and event invitations. Registration is complimentary and can be done via www.lhw.com.

For additional information, call 800-650-CLUB or visit www.lhw.com/leadersclubrewards