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Buy a Weekend at a Vermont State Park

Still not sure what to get for the holidays? Well, you’re in luck. Vermont State Parks is offering Holiday Gift Packages for next summer. The Weekend Getaway Package includes two nights of tent, RV, or lean-to camping, two VT State Parks water bottles, a bundle of firewood for your campout and a VT State Parks tote bag, all for $79. Sample two of my favorite state parks, Silver Lake and Button Bay. Just north of Woodstock, Silver Lake is open to non-motorized boating only. Thus, this gem of a lake is the perfect place to swim, canoe, or catch perch from the shores. The 47 campsites are in the woods, close to the lake. Located on the southern shores of Lake Champlain, all of the 72 sites at Button Bay have exquisite views of the Adirondacks across the lake. The exceptional biking through farmland that borders the lake is an added bonus.  Call 888-409-7579 or book online at www.vtstateparks.com.

 

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33-Year Old British Woman Tries to Cross Antarctica

As you snuggle with your loved one near the fireplace this holiday season, think of Felicity Aston. The 33-year old British adventurer left last week on a 1,000-mile trek across Antarctica. Pulling a sled with supplies, she hopes to reach the Leverett Glacier first before completing the entire journey in 70 days. If Aston were successful, she’d set the longest solo polar expedition for a woman and also be the first person to cross Antarctica alone using her four limbs. You can follow her travels on Twitter @felicity_aston. Good luck, Felicity!

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Norwegian Airlines to Offer Low-Cost Flights from Logan

Great news out of Boston where Norwegian Airlines announced this week that they will be offering reasonably priced flights to London’s Gatwick Airport, Oslo, and Copenhagen, starting May 2016. Flights are already up for next summer and costs are as low as $545 round-trip to London, including all taxes. Also under the radar is the fact that they’re offering direct flights from Logan to Martinique and Guadeloupe, starting this winter. I checked this morning and was delighted to find the price to Guadeloupe over popular Christmas Week is $517 per person direct. Flights on JetBlue and other carriers that fly direct to the Caribbean from Boston during that same time period are already well over $1200 per person. So this is great news for travelers. The competition will hopefully result in other carriers lowering their costs. 
 
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Cross-Country Ski at Notchview Reservation in the Berkshires, Massachusetts

Last Friday, my wife and I headed to the Berkshires in the western part of Massachusetts to check out the incredibly detailed 500 year-old prints of Albrecht Durer at the Clark Art Museum and the wildly inventive bird and flower sculptures of Petah Coyne at Mass MoCA. The highlight of our trip, however, was cross-country skiing on the grounds of the exquisite Notchview in Windsor. Run by the Trustees of Reservations, Notchview’s trails were groomed with a fresh layer of powder when we arrived. We went counter-clockwise on the Circuit Trail, passing meadows and skiing under a tunnel of snowed-under pines. The web of white branches kept us snug within the forest, protecting us from any wind. After passing a small shelter, we turned onto the Whitestone Trail and entered a winter wonderland of uprooted trees and branches arching over the serpentine path. A downhill run brought us back to the main lodge, invigorated by the fresh smell of pine and the exercise. To top it off, we went to the Old Creamery in Cummington, a favorite local haunt that features homemade soups, grilled panini sandwiches, salads, and pies. The perfect ending to a perfect outing.
 

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Wizarding Week at Cape Cod’s Ocean Edge Resort During School Break

If the thought of going to the Cape during February break seems absurd, take a look at the weekend weather, where Sunday could top 50 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s prime beach walk weather in these parts. But even if there’s a blizzard outside, your family will have a blast at Brewster’s Ocean Edge Resort during next week’s school break. Expect pizza pool parties around the two indoor pools, arts & crafts, family movie nights, indoor camping replete with your own teepee, and all the fun associated with Wizarding Week. Meet your fellow witches and wizards, grab your broomstick and wand, and compete in quidditch matches and other games to help win the House Cup. Another added perk is that kids eat free when parents dine for breakfast at Ocean Terrace. 

 
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Stowe’s Topnotch Resort Unveils “Boys Will Be Boys” Package

Tennis players and mountain bikers of the male persuasion, take note. The Topnotch Resort is now offering a guy’s getaway that includes a two-night stay at the upscale property with breakfast daily, a local Vermont brew and pretzel amenity delivered to the room after check-in, a burger and beer dinner at The Roost, and a $100 resort credit per room to be used towards tennis, spa treatments or food/beverage. Consistently listed among the top 10 tennis resorts in America, Topnotch offers daily tennis instruction by seasoned pros at the property’s six outdoor courts and four indoor courts. Surrounding the property is also a good 50 miles of stellar mountain biking trails like the technical singletrack, Kimmer’s Trail. Afterwards, you’ve earned your 80-minute deep tissue sports massage at the spa. You can also play a round of golf at the highly touted Country Club of Vermont. Rates start at $279, per person for two nights, double occupancy. 

 
I’m off to Phoenix Monday to Wednesday, back with a new blog on Thursday. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend and keep active!
 
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Six Nights in Beijing Including Air from America and 4-Star Lodging, $799

Now and then I get deals that come across my desk that are absurdly low. If I didn’t have the responsibility of being a father of a 15 and 13 year-old, I’d probably be on the next flight. China Spree is offering an 8-day trip to Beijing this winter that costs a mere $799, including nonstop flight on Air China from San Fran, 6 nights lodging at the Huabin International, six breakfast buffets, three lunches, and three guided tours of the city. The price increases to $849 if you’re flying out of LAX, $1129 if you’re flying out of JFK. Add another 100 bucks if you want to split your time between Beijing and Shanghai. Add another $500 for additional meals, transport, and government taxes and you’re spending a total of $1300 to see the Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the alleys and courtyard houses of Old Beijing. That’s less than the amount one pays to spend a week at a hotel in Dominican Republic in winter, including flight.
 

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