Jetsettersblog

2012 guide highlights newest attractions and trip ideas for families and friends-

(Richmond, Va.) The Virginia Tourism Office has just released the 2012 Virginia Travel Guide with new destinations, family favorites, wineries and attractions that put love at the heart of every Virginia vacation. New features this year include vacation ideas for all four seasons, a special section on small towns, scenic drives and a listing of the newest attractions to open in Virginia. The guide is full of trip inspirations and travel resources that make planning a vacation to Virginia easy.

Visitors can request a free copy of the 2012 Virginia Travel Guide in print or electronic form by going to www.Virginia.org  or calling 1-800-VISITVA.

Highlights of the 2012 Virginia Travel Guide include:

Details on the newest attractions and experiences in Virginia including the Patsy Cline Museum in Winchester, new wineries, the Golden Eagle Tree House at Primland, and the upcoming OpSail Virginia 2012 event.

The best places for families to spend time together including beaches, kid-friendly resorts, exciting museums and camping adventures.

An entire section dedicated to Virginia’s many beaches, where families can spend a memorable vacation playing in the sand along Virginia’s 3,000 miles of coastline.

Inspiring scenic drives that traverse Virginia’s beautiful landscape from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Colonial Parkway and the newly designated Journey Through Hallowed Ground.

The latest on wine travel in Virginia at the state’s more than 200 wineries.

Historical highlights including the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and Emancipation.

Small town treasures such as old-fashion soda fountains, hardware stores and farmers markets.

Vacation ideas for each of the four seasons.

Four different cover designs feature Heartwood in Abingdon, Sandbridge in Virginia Beach, the Bluemont General Store in Loudoun County and Fort Monroe in Hampton.

Love is at the heart of every Virginia vacation. Visit www.Virginia.org  to request a free 2012 Virginia is for Lovers travel guide or call 1-800-VISITVA for more information.

Follow Virginia tourism on Twitter at @VisitVirginia and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VirginiaisforLovers

Costa Rica — Once the exclusive domain of jaguars and monkeys, the darkest depths of the jungle have come to light with Rain Forest Adventures’ Costa Rica Atlantic and Pacific eco-tourism parks. This is where education meets thrilling sensations, with aerial tram tours high into the canopy, heart-pounding zip lines and expansive hiking trails—and where having fun is a means of protecting precious rainforest land. More than 400 species of birds make these parks a bird-watchers heaven, medicinal plants such as ginger, vanilla, sugar cane, coffee and bay rum perfume the air, and expert guides lead you every step of the way. Learn more about the fun under the canopy at Rain Forest Adventures Costa Rica. www.rainforestadventure.com

Costa Rica Pacific (Jacó, two hours from San José)
Zip line with 15 platforms and 10 cables – five more than 200 meters long – lets you soar through the treetops and catch a bird’s-eye-view of the Pacific Ocean.
Expert guides lead the bird watching tour, pointing out more than 50 native species that live here.

Incentive and group events can take place right in the rainforest with local entertainment, interactive workshops and dinner parties. Great for families, companies, schools and more!
Costa Rica Atlantic (Limón, 50 minutes from San José)

The AdrenaLine 700-meter zip line packs a full minute of speed and adventure into a single zip trip, a highlight of the park’s 10-cable circuit.

Butterfly and Frog Garden illuminates the rainforest with the brilliant colors of its inhabitants. See butterflies in stages of caterpillar, cocoon, chrysalis and emerging beauty.

The Corinto River Trekking Tour is a pure rainforest challenge. Spend up to three hours hiking completely off-path into the heart of the rainforest. Break for lunch at the Corinto River. Hiking boots are a must!

Rainforest Lodge: After-Dark Adventure
Nighttime in the rainforest – there’s nothing like it. These are the genuine sounds of wildlife under the stars, which no fancy sleep machine could ever hope to replicate. At the Rainforest Lodge in Rain Forest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic, 10 bungalows set the scene for your evening in paradise.

Each room is cozy and inviting, with private baths, wood floors, terraces, and views of the lush forest, the mountains and the endless night sky.

Completely disconnect – there are no televisions or telephones here. This is especially great for bird-watchers for their early morning hikes. Rates for two adults are $150 per night and only $96 for children. www.rainforestadventure.com

Birds of a Feather: Christmas Bird Count

Every year, ornithologists, tour guides and birding enthusiasts alike vie to explore the rainforests of Costa Rica for the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count.

A triumph of conservation and preservation, the Christmas Bird Count in at Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic and Pacific parks has yielded a wealth of important educational and scientific information.

In 2008, the Atlantic Park won for most species spotted—397 in total. With exciting attractions and an aerial tram that takes adventurers on up-close and personal encounters with the local flora and fauna, Rain Forest Adventures Costa Rica is a “natural” for an extraordinary bird watching vacation. www.rainforestadventure.com   

Green from the Get-Go

Rain Forest Adventures Cost Rica’s Atlantic and Pacific parks may be famous for aerial tram and zip line adventures, but at their heart is a mission as green as the lush rainforest they protect.

Both parks were shaped to sustain natural, cultural and social resources, while providing a world-class eco-tourism experience.

No wonder they’ve received Costa Rica’s Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) Level 5, the highest tier.

It all started with careful construction….aerial tram towers were delivered by helicopters to avoid damaging forest floor. Tree platforms and welding machines were carried by hand from location to location. Local workers were hired and trained to support the community’s economy.

Today, Rain Forest Adventures’ mission is maintained in daily operations. Parks are protected jungles, so vegetation and wildlife live undisturbed by man. Trees are planted as often as possible – each will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime. Efficient electricity practices, water conservation, recycling and re-usable utensils in the cafés are integral operations, and both parks are nearing carbon-neutral classification. School and community outreach programs together with natural disaster clean-ups cultivate Costa Rica’s vast social resources and spread the green. For more details, visit www.rainforestadventure.com

Miami, Fl – The Lord Balfour is managed by a division of Trust Hospitality, Desires Hotels, a collection of independently created boutique hotels. High in style, distinct and creative, each of these lifestyle hotels have one-of-a-kind architecture and interior design, allowing guests to expect just as much from their hotel as they do from their destination.

The Lord Balfour, will be making its debut in winter 2012 after a multi-million dollar renovation.

This South Beach hotel is situated directly on Ocean Drive, South of Fifth Street, in a neighborhood better known as “SoFi” to the locals, sitting steps away from warm turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. The 64 bright and airy guest rooms offer a refreshing spin on its interior design by weaving in a bit of the history of Lord Balfour, a Prime Minister of England and an Earl.

Fully entrenched in his formal titles and British traditions, Balfour was considered to be totally irreverent. It is whispered that he and Lady Elcho were greater than friends and less than lovers, which was a liberated idea for their time and titles. We live in a new era – and this is South Beach.

Enter the hotel’s public space comprising lobby and bar, and you’ll discover a chic vintage setting combined with animated and witty design details.

A prominent display of mirrors, on a backdrop of soft textures is a playful homage to Lord Balfour, a man who was considered thoroughly vain.

Clever expressions he coined loudly resonate today: “A good speech, like a woman’s skirt, should be long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.”

Guest rooms feature natural and sustainable bamboo hardwood floors and all of the modern comforts required of traveler’s today.

Oversized windows overlook the interior palmed courtyard, Ocean Drive, or offer city views of the SoFi neighborhood. Furnished with custom designed writing desks and chairs, and leather lounge seating, additional amenities include ETRO bathroom products in a scent that will satisfy both men and women. Comforts include luxurious bed linens along with plush robes, towels and slippers. Fully modernized for today’s guests, rooms feature docking stations, 40″ televisions and complimentary WiFi.

The Lord Balfour molds well into the rich diversity of Art Deco styles as its exterior is marked with forms of the industrial era.

Originally opened in 1940, the Lord Balfour hotel opened its doors as the influx of tourists streamed to Miami Beach, with an enthusiasm for the warm and sunny climate – continuing to do so today.

The hotel sits in close proximity to the city’s ever growing arts and culture scene. Room categories include Balfour Suites, King, Queen Double, or Queens, with rates starting at $199 during low season and $299 during high season.

The Lord Balfour is currently taking reservations and welcoming guests in winter 2012. For more information, and to sign up for news, special offers, and introductory rates please visit www.lordbalfourmiami.com  or call 305.673.0401 US toll free 1-800-501-0401.

About Lord Balfour

The Lord Balfour is a boutique hotel of 64 rooms and suites situated directly on Ocean Drive, south of Fifth Street, in a neighborhood better known as “SoFi” to the South Beach locals.

Sitting steps away from warm, turquoise waters and white sandy beach, the hotel is located within the heart of the Art Deco district and in close proximity to the city’s every growing arts and culture scene.

The hotel delivers a distinctive experience and chic vintage style merging with a thoroughly modern setting. An expansive veranda provides perfect place to people watch while enjoy a refreshing beverage from the lobby bar.

An interior palm courtyard provides a more tranquil retreat to enjoy a morning coffee or evening cocktail. Lord Balfour opens its doors in winter 2012 and is located at 350 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida. Telephone: 305.673.0401 US Toll Free: 800.501.0401 Fax 305.674.9634

Vacation Packages in Boulder, Buffalo, Los Angeles and New York City
Feature Free Skiing, Complimentary Breakfasts, Cocktails, Dining Credits and More

Millennium Hotels and Resorts is taking the chill out of winter by offering travelers irresistible incentives to get away and have fun. New vacation packages at the company’s properties in Boulder, Buffalo and New York City feature a variety of complimentary extras, discounts and other value-added amenities.

The “Boulder Ski Escape” at the Millennium Harvest House features accommodations and breakfast for two plus two adult lift tickets at Eldora Mountain with discount vouchers for lessons, rental equipment and a slope-side beverage as well as transportation between the RTD station in Boulder and the ski resort. The package is valid through April 17, 2012. Package rates start at $225 per room per night based on double occupancy.

The Millennium Harvest House, Boulder, is nestled in the foothills of the Rockies, adjacent to the University of Colorado campus. The 269-room, recreation-oriented property features indoor and outdoor swimming pools and whirlpool spas, 15 tennis courts (five covered for winter play), exercise room, jogging track, bicycle path and basketball court as well as dining and entertainment options.

Eldora Ski Resort is located just 21 miles from Boulder and has 680 acres of skiable terrain in all categories from beginner to double diamond. The longest run is 3 miles long. The resort receives over 300 inches of snow each year but also has one of the best snowmaking systems in Colorado that covers 100% of the ski areas.

The “Winter Getaway” at the Millennium Airport Hotel, Buffalo offers superior accommodations and free parking as well as a $100 food and beverage credit and complimentary use of the hotel’s all-season swimming pool and fitness center. The package is valid through December 31, 2011. The winter package is priced from $125 per room per night based on double occupancy.

The Millennium Airport Hotel, Buffalo, is located three miles from the Buffalo-Niagara Airport, 15 minutes from downtown Buffalo and 20 minutes from Niagara Falls. The hotel offers 300 rooms and suites with all the latest amenities, the popular Waldens Restaurant and Twigs Sports Lounge, and quick access to the adjacent Walden Galleria, the largest and most upscale shopping mall in the region.

The “Winter Getaway” at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, a downtown landmark since its completion in 1923 and the “star” of numerous movies and TV shows filmed at the property, features signature cocktails – two per evening – in the Gallery Bar. The package also includes overnight accommodations, continental breakfast in the Club Lounge, and valet parking. The 1920’s style drinks include the Agave & Elderflower, a refreshing mix of St. Germain and Don Julio tequila matched with apple, cinnamon and citrus flavors. The winter package is priced from $199 per room per night based on double occupancy.

The Millennium Biltmore has long been the “host of the coast” for high society, celebrities and conventioneers from around the globe. Known for its Spanish-Italian Renaissance-style architecture, the stately 683-room property includes 27 one-bedroom suites and 28 Executive Suites. There is a Club Level on two floors and a Club Lounge featuring concierge service, breakfast and afternoon hors d’oeuvres and beverages. The AAA three-diamond-rated hotel also features Smeraldi’s for fine dining, the famed Rendezvous Court, an Art Deco-inspired fitness center and indoor swimming pool, two lounges and 24-hour room service.

In New York City, the “Millennium Loves New York” package is available at the Millennium Broadway and UN Plaza. The package includes accommodations and breakfast for two in the hotel restaurant plus an NYC T-shirt, a $10 Metro card, a map of the city and access to the hotel’s fitness center. The Millennium UN Plaza’s fitness center also includes an indoor swimming pool. The package is available until March 15, 2012 and rates start from $286 per person based on double occupancy.

The Millennium Broadway is located in the heart of New York’s theater district within walking distance of Times Square. The Millennium UN Plaza is conveniently situated on the city’s fashionable East Side near the headquarters of the United Nations. Both hotels are perfectly located to enable guests to take full advantage of New York’s midtown shopping districts, from Times Square to Fifth Avenue.

For more information, visit www.millenniumhotels.com.

About Millennium Hotels and Resorts
Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR), established in the United States in 2000, is the North American arm of London-based Millennium and Copthorne Hotels plc (MLC). The MHR portfolio includes 14 hotels in the U.S. including: Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City; Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York City; Millennium Airport Hotel, Buffalo, New York; Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles; Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Chicago; Millennium Bostonian Hotel, Boston; Millennium Hotel, Minneapolis; Millennium Hotel, St. Louis; Millennium Hotel, Cincinnati; Millennium Harvest House, Boulder; Millennium Hotel, Durham; Millennium Alaskan Hotel, Anchorage; Millennium Resort, Scottsdale, McCormick Ranch; and the Millennium Maxwell House, Nashville. For further information on Millennium Hotels and Resorts, call 866-866-8086 or visit www.millenniumhotels.com

Couples won’t have to go far to plan the Maui wedding or Maui vow renewal of their dreams with the all new Romance Center located onsite at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. With a full-time Romance Specialist, Tracy Flanagan, at their service to make their Maui wedding dreams a reality.

Professional wedding planner and Maui wedding expert, Tracy Flanagan has been makingMaui destination wedding dreams a reality for couples from all over the world for over 20 years.

As a result of Tracy’s imagination and experience, guests of the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa have one of Maui’s celebrity-caliber wedding planners to coordinate one of the most anticipated days of their lives with style, elegance and creativity.

Tracy Flangan is the owner and CEO of A Dream Wedding Maui Style, a full service wedding coordination firm.

From your first contact with Tracy, you get the sense that she really cares about every couple that she works with.

She works closely with her clients and executes their wedding vision with the help of the top wedding vendors on the island of Maui.

Tracy handles all of the planning and allows her clients to be the guests at their event. Services include: venue selection, on-site coordination, catering, decor, entertainment, florals, hair & makeup, photography, wedding cake and anything else that the couple requires.

When the wedding is long over and our wedding couples are home basking in wedded bliss, the one thing that we hear over and over again is, “Tracy, thank you for making everything was so easy for us. We didn’t have to worry about a thing on our wedding day, being able to relax and enjoy our day was priceless!”

One of the trends that has gained in popularity in recent years is the popular dates of 8.9.10, 10.10.10 and most recently, 11.11.11 which was definitely the hottest wedding date of the year.

A Dream Wedding Maui Style coordinated 18 weddings on just that one date alone!

Many of our brides had different reasons for choosing that date, aside from the fact that it is a pretty easy date for husbands to remember! Some liked the fact that 11.11.11 is the last binary date of the 21st century, others said that it was meaningful because numerologists tie 11:11 to beliefs of synchronicity and others thought of 11:11 as a romantic moment to make a wish. Whatever the reason, it was an extremely busy yet fun date for wedding professionals on Maui.
We are already getting ready for 12.12.12 and suggest that our clients do the same! Aside from being another easy to remember date, after 12.12.12 another triple digit date will not happen again until the year 3001. Numerologists believe that the number 12 is the number of what is completed, which forms a whole, a perfect and harmonious unit, and that is the best reason of all.

About Tracy Flanagan

Tracy Flanagan is the owner and CEO of A Dream Wedding Maui Style, celebrating 22 years of successful wedding coordination on the island of Maui. She has organized thousands of weddings and vow renewals with couples from around the globe and still enjoys every single one!
About the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

The Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is located adjacent to Wailea and Ulua beaches to provide guests with a breathtaking oceanfront setting ideal for a rejuvenating family vacation, romantic island getaway, panoramic Hawaiian destination wedding or inspirational business gathering. Offering 45,000 square feet of state-of-the-art event space and magnificent outdoor oceanfront venues, this captivating Maui resort with its white sand beaches and sparkling blue waters offers extensive services, spectacular Maui fine dining and upscale amenities for a perfect travel experience.

ON PARTIES, PROMOTIONS & MORE!
Ring in 2012 with island deals on accommodations, meals, parties and spa treatments galore

WILLEMSTAD, CURAÇAO  – A champagne toast… to Curaçao! Ring in the New Year with perfect weather, exotic cuisine, culture and champagne galore in Curaçao by taking advantage of a host of New Year’s Eve deals on accommodations, meals, island parties and spa treatments! 3…2…1… BON AñA!!!

Before the clock strikes midnight, head to one of the Hyatt Regency Curaçao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina’s unique celebrations! Book the Arabian Night at MEDI for a night of champagne, a four-course dinner and live entertainment at the resort’s oceanfront, Mediterranean restaurant on New Year’s Eve starting from $135 per person. This and the three other celebration options are open to resort guests only and children under age 12 can participate for half the price. For more information on these packages and others, please visit www.curacao.hyatt.com  or call 1-800-55-HYATT.

Guests will save big on luxury when they book a stay at the Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino for New Year’s! The hotel is offering its Winter on Sale Deal, which entitles visitors to 35 percent off all nightly rates on Christmas and New Years and 40 percent off all other nights through Feb. 29, 2012.

The hotel is also planning a special three-course New Year’s Eve dinner menu at the Astrolab Observatory Restaurant, featuring beef tenderloin with shrimp, Jacob’s molten chocolate cake, and more, starting from $65 per person!

For more information or to book your stay, please visit www.kurahulanda.com  or call 877-264-3106.

Relax yourself right into 2012 at the Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino! The hotel is offering a Pure Magic Spa Package, available for stays of four nights or more, which allows guests to experience island-infused relaxation with a $100 spa credit for use at the hotel’s Okeanos Spa.

Enter the New Year calm and collected and benefit from the healing elements of Curaçao.

For more information or to book a Pure Magic package, please visit www.renaissancecuracao.com  and use using promotional code “XMA” when booking.

Step back in time at Breezes Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino this New Year’s for their Roaring 20s New Year’s Eve! The event is free to all guests and includes live music from 7 p.m. to 11:55 p.m., a New Year’s countdown and a fireworks display at midnight! For more information or to book your stay at Breezes Curaçao, please visit www.breezes.com/resorts/curacao.

Ring in the New Year at the Hilton Curacao, with a full dinner buffet at Aqua Restaurant and live music provided by Son CC. Dinner is 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for $41 per person and the party continues at the BeachBar with live music from the Energi band!

The cost includes a glass of champagne and a fireworks show at midnight. Please contact the Hilton at + 599 9 462 5000, extension 6063 to make your dinner reservations or visit www.hiltoncaribbean.com.

Already have New Year’s Eve plans? Start the New Year with savings at the luxury beachfront Avila Hotel with their Dutch Treat Promotion, offering 13 percent off the published rack rates for stays between January 3 and March 31, 2012.

Book a stay and enjoy the hotel’s two private beaches and freshwater infinity pool, or a night of live jazz music at Blues Restaurant on Thursdays.

The Dutch Treat offer is valid on all room categories except the Bolivar Suite. For details and restrictions, please visit www.avilahotel.com/dutch-treat  or call 800-747-8162.

Start your 2012 countdown around the pool of the Floris Suite Hotel and enjoy a succulent New Year’s Eve Buffet/Bubble-Q for only $54 per person! Enjoy a delicious selection of food, while tapping your toes to the live entertainment.

The next day, stroll to the hotel’s private beach, the Pirate Bay Beach Club and Restaurant, or over to colorful, downtown Willemstad, just a five minute ride away.

For more information or to book your stay, please visit www.florissuitehotel.com/ 

Despite the name, you’ll want to remember the World Trade Center Curaçao’s At World’s End Amnesia New Year’s Eve event! The Clarion Hotel & Suites is offering a special “Amnesia” package for the party, starting from $426.67 for a single room for a three-night stay, which includes a ticket to the New Year’s Eve Amnesia event.

For more information on Amnesia, please visit www.amnesiacuracao.com

To book a stay with Clarion, please contact reservations@clarionhotelcuracao.com , call +599 9 433 6666 or visit www.clarionhotelcuracao.com.

Save room for the Plaza Hotel Curaçao & Casino, which is offering a New Year’s Eve Dinner Party in the Penthouse with all-inclusive beverages and live music!

The party will be rocking 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. for only $86 per person. Nurse the post-party haze the next morning at the New Year’s Lazy Late Breakfast in the Waterfort Restaurant from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. for only $20 per person!

For more information or to book a stay, please visit www.curacaoplazahotelcasino.com/.

About Curaçao

Selected as a ‘Top Destination 2012’ by Frommer’s, one of the ‘Top 21 Places We’re Going in 2011’ by Fodor’s, one of the ‘Hottest Destinations for 2011’ by AOL Travel and one of the ‘Destinations to Watch in 2011’ by SmarterTravel, Curaçao is a unique Caribbean island paradise, boasting 35 uncrowded beaches, and an eclectic mix of history and culture. Explore the vibrant, culturally diverse capital city of Willemstad – a UNESCO World Heritage site – with its distinctive architecture, museums, monuments and world-class shopping. Indulge in Curaçao’s vast selection of flavorful restaurants, with a mix of sophisticated international and tasty local cuisines. Discover Curaçao’s abundant natural beauty, pristine dive sites and spectacular snorkeling at secluded beaches – including Cas Abao Beach, selected as one of the ‘Top 10 Beach Destinations for 2011’ by SmarterTravel. Curaçao offers idyllic weather, situated outside of the Hurricane Belt. To learn more about the island of Curaçao visit Curacao.com. To request a FREE Curaçao information package  call toll free 1.800.328.7222.

Ideas For Travelers And New Trails In 2012

Bellingham, Wash. – Snowshoeing is a popular winter activity in Whatcom County, which is located in the Northwest corner of Washington state.

Many locals and visitors enjoy a quiet snowshoe to take in the fresh, crisp air in the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Most snowshoe trails can be found off the Mt Baker Highway (State Route 542), about a one-hour drive from Bellingham.

These trails offer scenic views, beautiful waterfalls, majestic old-growth forest, unique geologic formations, mountain peaks and wild river valleys.

Plentiful feet of snow can be found throughout the Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest every winter. Fresh snow falls regularly on trails near and on Mt Baker from November-April.

New Trail in 2012:

The finishing touches are being made on a new 2-mile snowshoe route near the Mt Baker Ski area. Snowshoers will enjoy this new loop that starts at White Salmon Road, goes over the Razor Hone Creek Recreation Bridge, then back up a different route to complete the loop. Just last year, a different new snowshoe route was established leading from White Salmon Road to the lower trail system around Razor Hone Road.

Bellingham-based organizations like Whatcom Events (the group that organizes the annual Ski to Sea Race), the Mount Baker Club and REI are working together, along with volunteers to establish more snowshoe routes and events in Whatcom County.

Other snowshoeing trials off the Mt Baker Highway (State Route 542):

Coal Pass, FS 39: Just east of the town of Glacier and milepost 34, turn south on Glacier Creek Rd/FS 39.

Excelsior Trail: There is a sizeable parking lot at the trailhead on the north side of SR 542, east of milepost 42. A steep, forested trail leads to the open meadows of Welcome Pass.

Hannegan Pass: Just east of the DOT equipment sheds by milepost 46. There is a sizeable parking area where Hannegan Road meets SR 542.

Silver Fir Campground: Across from the large SnoPark east of milepost 46. Flat, amid old growth, by the Nooksack River.

Bagley Lakes: Just west of Mt. Baker Ski Area. Drive SR 542 to the end. Park in the farthest corner of the farthest parking lot to access the Bagley Lakes Trail.

Artists Point: Follow SR 542 to the end. Park in the farthest corner of the farthest parking lot.

For more information on other snow-related activities, such as downhill skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing, visit

www.bellingham.org/activities/skiing-snow-sports/.

To see video of outdoor snow adventures on Mt Baker, click here http://youtu.be/ngsL42DD5Ho 

Additional info: the Mt. Baker Ranger District in Sedro-Woolley for other trail information at (360) 856-5700 or Glacier Public Service Center at (360) 599-2714.

Fireworks Displays, Family Friendly Activities, Concerts and Decadent Parties Make Denver the Place to Ring in 2012

DENVER, CO – This year, Yahoo! declared the Mile High City as one of the best cities to ring in the New Year. With two dazzling fireworks displays in Downtown, family-friendly events, live music and all-night parties, it’s easy to see why.

DENVER’S BIG BANG

Two spectacular fireworks shows will take place on Dec. 31st high above the 16th Street Mall, Downtown Denver’s mile-long pedestrian promenade. A family-friendly show occurs on New Year’s Eve at 9 p.m., followed by the traditional midnight extravaganza.

The Mall is lined with 28 outdoor cafes, many of which will be open for the evening with heat lamps, creating a ski town atmosphere. While thousands of revelers stroll the Mall, costumed entertainers, magicians, mascots, balloon artists, stilt walkers, and comedians will interact with the crowds. From 6 p.m. on, horse drawn carriages will clatter up and down the pedestrian mall, while after 7 p.m., all public transportation in Denver is free, making it easy – and safe – to come downtown by bus or Light Rail.

To make a night of it, there are many deals and packages at Denver’s 8,400 downtown hotel rooms. For details visit Mile High Holidays online.

FAMILY FRIENDLY NEW YEAR’S EVE

Noon Year’s Eve
The Children’s Museum of Denver
The Children’s Museum of Denver is ringing in New Year’s Eve just like Times Square with five ball drops every hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children can yell the countdown, watch colorful confetti splash the plaza and make fireworks with their feet when they jump on massive sheets of bubble wrap.

Zoo Year’s Eve
Denver Zoo
On the brink of a brand new year, children can also experience the fun of Zoo Year’s Eve, a wild New Year’s Eve party beginning at 5 p.m., with entertainment and activities that lead up to an early countdown to the New Year at 9 p.m. Kids will also love Zoo Lights, with thousands of glittering lights all over the Zoo’s 38 acres.

NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERTS & PARTIES

Night in Vienna
Boettcher Concert Hall

Colorado Symphony Orchestra keeps New Year’s Eve classy at Boettcher Concert Hall, with a Vienna-themed selection of the beloved waltzes, polkas and classics.

The show starts early at 6:30 p.m., and ends in time for you to catch the first downtown fireworks display at 9 p.m.

Denver’s Grandest New Year’s Eve Party
Grand Hyatt Denver

Enjoy an open bar with premium pour, buffet supper, champagne toast at midnight, party hats and favors and balloon drops galore.

Revel in three parties in one as the party moves from one ballroom to another. The entertainment lineup includes The Nacho Men, Dance Party Music and Dueling Pianos.

New Year’s Eve Olive Drop & Fireworks Display
Tavern Downtown

Revelers will have a front row seat to fireworks on Denver’s largest rooftop patio. At the 60-second countdown to midnight, the Tavern’s Olive Drop will begin to descend.

The two-foot illuminated olive will drop 20 feet into a 15-foot tall/seven-foot wide illuminated martini glass placed on the Tavern’s rooftop.

Decadence NYE
Colorado Convention Center

Get ready for a night of lavish self-indulgence. When the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins, it’s time to make vows to leave the year’s sinful habits behind. This is 2011′s final night to indulge.

Flappers & Gangster’s New Year’s Eve Bash
The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar
Swing dance the night away at a Roaring 20′s themed party right in the heart of Downtown Denver. Get in the mood with swinging tunes from The Hot Club of Pearl Street Band, prohibition-era cocktails and a champagne toast at midnight.

White Rose Gala
Hyatt DTC
A party that is over the top with beautiful people, amazing entertainers and the best DJ’s in Colorado playing the hottest hits. White Rose Gala has a flair of “upscale” but still very accessible by anyone with just the slightest sense of style and appreciation for quality.

Ultimate Untracked Trio, Winter Wildlife Safari and more winter packages now available.

Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole welcomes guests for the 2011/12 ski season with the opening day of the ski slopes at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort taking place on Saturday, November 26, 2011. With more than 2.5 feet (.76 metres) of fresh snow on the ground, bringing the total snowfall to more than six feet (1.83 metres) to date, Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole and Jackson Hole Mountain look forward to another epic season on the horizon with prime conditions in abundance.

Jackson Hole Mountain enjoyed one of its biggest opening days with Teewinot, Apres Vous, Casper, the Bridger Gondola, Thunder and the new Marmot lift all open, and more than 3,000 vertical feet (914 metres) of skiing and riding available.

Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole officially re-opened its doors for the season on November 20, 2011 and is already celebrating with new awards of excellence under its belt.

The Resort has once again received a Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide and has also been awarded the coveted Five Diamond hotel rating from AAA.

Additionally, The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole has been rated as a Four Star Spa by Forbes.

A true ski-in/ski-out resort, Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole is situated at the base of the slopes, mere steps from the lifts of Jackson Hole Mountain. The Resort offers the ultimate winter/ski getaway with an enviable location, surrounded by the peaks of Grand Teton National Park and the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park, as well as world class dining, Spa retreat, après ski offerings and new, one-of-a-kind experiences and value-added packages, including the Ultimate Untracked Trio experience and the Winter Wildlife Safari Package.

With its signature amenities – such as its Base Camp Ski Concierge – and renowned, personalised service, Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole can be placed in a class of its own among winter destinations.

“We couldn’t be more excited to receive these incredible conditions for our guests to enjoy during the opening of the ski season at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort,” says Cory Carlson, director of sales and marketing for the Resort. “Our team is looking forward to another great winte,r offering our guests the highest standard of services and amenities, along with record snowfall and champagne powder in our back yard for all to enjoy.”

February 7, 2012 marks an international literary celebration: Charles’ Dickens 200th birthday. In the City of Brotherly Love, visited by Dickens in 1842, the Free Library of Philadelphia leads the festivities for 365 days during A Year of Dickens, highlighting the renowned institution’s collection of Dickens letters, first editions and other works and including literary salons, a birthday party, tours, shows and special deals. Also inside the library, book lovers swoon over Dickens’ actual desk—where he wrote his unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood—plus a stuffed raven that serves as a literary mascot. For up-to-date information on all-things Dickens, visit freelibrary.org/dickens.

American writers as diverse as Dickens and Edgar Allan Poe to the members of the Algonquin Roundtable have found inspiration and made their homes in the Philadelphia region. Although many of them are now deceased, their legacies live on at the sites where they lived and worked. Here’s a guide to some of the region’s other literary locales:
A stunning Beaux-Arts building along the culture-heavy Benjamin Franklin Parkway serves as the hub for the Free Library of Philadelphia, which includes 50 branches around the region. In addition to typical library activities—checking out and returning books—visitors to this Central Library can explore a massive collection that boasts some notable and rare works, such as collections of Edgar Allan Poe, Beatrix Potter and medieval manuscripts. Author readings and lectures, special exhibits and events and an annual festival keep Philadelphians celebrating Ben Franklin’s idea of free public literature all year long. 1901 Vine Street, (215) 686-5322 , www.freelibrary.org

The Edgar Allan Poe House, where the critic, editor, poet and author lived for one year and is believed to have begun work on The Raven, offers self-guided and 30- to 45-minute Park Ranger-led tours Wednesday through Sunday. As guests wander the six rooms and basement of the house and listen to works read by actors such as Christopher Walken, they conjure images of the erratic and gifted Poe, best known for his macabre mysteries and credited with inventing the detective fiction genre. If the need to read hits, they indulge it in the reading room, patterned after Poe’s essay The Philosophy of Furniture.7th & Spring Garden Streets, (215) 597-8780 , nps.gov/edal
In pastoral Bucks County, the Pearl S. Buck House at Green Hills Farm keeps alive the legacy of the first female to receive both the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes for literature. Home to Buck and her family for 38 years, the author of The Good Earth penned most of her 120 books, more than 400 short stories, 10 children’s books and numerous non-fiction articles from this homestead. Now, visitors can appreciate her life and works through her still-furnished house and permanent and rotating exhibitions that display her prizes, manuscripts, letters from Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt, memoirs and personal effects. 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, (215) 249-0100 , pearlsbuck.org
Bucks County has been home to many more famous authors throughout the centuries, as evidenced at the James A. Michener Art Museum, named for the Doylestown native son and Pulitzer Prize winner who penned such books as Tales of the South Pacific. The art museum uses original items to recreate the Bucks County office where Michener worked for more than 35 years. Objects on his desk include two autographed baseballs from the Baltimore Orioles, his dog license issued to him in 1965, his Gypsy Witch fortune telling playing cards and his Doylestown High School T-shirt. 138 S. Pine Street, Doylestown, (215) 340-9800 , michenerartmuseum.org
Many of the world’s greatest literary treasures can be found at the Rosenbach Museum & Library, an 1860s rowhouse that holds the personal collection of the Rosenbach brothers, who dealt in fine and decorative art, rare books and manuscripts. Perhaps the best known feature of the collection is James Joyce’s manuscript for Ulysses, but equally impressive are 10,000 original drawings, notes and rare editions belonging to Maurice Sendak; important first editions of Don Quixote and other works by Cervantes; William Blake’s original drawings and books; more than 600 Lewis Carroll books, letters and rare photos; portions of Charles Dickens’ manuscripts; notes and outlines for Bram Stoker’s Dracula;Dylan Thomas’ manuscript and typescript for Under Milk Wood; and almost all of modernist poet Marianne Moore’s manuscripts and correspondence, plus many personal effects. 2008-2010 Delancey Place, (215) 732-1600 , rosenbach.org
Constructed in 1848, the only home ever owned by Walt Whitman can be visited on the revitalized Camden, New Jersey waterfront. The Walt Whitman House is where Whitman grew to international fame as the author of Leaves of Grass, hosted visitors from around the world like Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker and completed his last comprehensive volume of poetry before his death in 1892. Today, as a New Jersey State Historic Site and a National Historic Landmark, the restored Whitman House contains Whitman’s original letters, personal belongings, the bed in which he died and the death notice that was nailed to the front door, as well as a collection of rare 19th-century photographs, including the earliest known image of Whitman. 330 Mickle Boulevard, Camden, NJ, (856) 964-5383 ,state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/historic
The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University serves as one of the nation’s leading research facilities for the study of the history and culture of people of African descent. The compilation of more than 500,000 items includes rare books, prints, photographs, slave narratives, manuscripts, letters, sheet music, foreign language publications and ephemera and boasts first editions by Phyllis Wheatley, W.E.B. Du Bois, George Washington Williams and other notable authors. Visitors to this impressive collection can page through narratives by Olaudah Equiano, Ignatius Sancho, Prince Lee Boo, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass and Nancy Prince in the slave narratives section. Sullivan Hall, 1st floor, 1330 W. Berks Street, (215) 204-6632, library.temple.edu/collections/blockson
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit visitphilly.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to HearPhilly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676