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Carve That Perfect Turn and Then Watch It on YouTube

“What’s on that guy’s helmet?” my daughter Melanie asked as we made our way outdoors this past weekend at Jay Peak. It was a video camera or helmet cam, the latest fad to hit the ski slopes. GoPro’s new model, the HD HERO2, has been selling like hot cakes since it made its debut last year. Retailing for $300, you can mount the video camera on your helmet, poles, or jacket and start filming those runs, easily uploaded to your YouTube page later in the day. The HERO2 also has models that work well with surfers and mountain bikers, so expect to see more action on the water and singletrack trails this summer. You think you’re worthy of being watched by millions? Prove it!

 
I’m off to San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta, back on February 28th. Have a great two weeks and keep active!
 

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Excited to Add Amy Perry Basseches to the ActiveTravels Team

One of the true signs of any successful business venture are loyal customers. If our members return to us again and again to design their travels, then we know we’re doing something right. Amy Perry Basseches was already one of our closest friends in Boston when we started work on her travels 5 years ago. We have since planned trips for her family in one form or another (mother/daughter, father/son, father/daughter, mother/son, husband/wife, entire family) to Scandinavia, Italy, Morocco, Turkey, Croatia, France, Estonia, the UK, Costa Rica, Colorado, Oregon, Louisiana, California, even a college trip that passed through my hometown of Schenectady, New York on the way to Rochester (though I couldn’t recommend my favorite local burger joint, Jumpin Jack’s, because her daughter is a vegetarian). Each time she returns home with another travel request and we value her repeat business. 

Her passion for travel and gregarious personality are ideally suited for the travel industry so it’s no surprise that we’ve been trying to woo her to ActiveTravels for several years now. Our persuasive tactics have finally paid off. Amy is officially part of the ActiveTravels team, assisting us with marketing, travel planning (especially to her beloved Azores), and creating content for our newsletters and blogs. We’re overjoyed to welcome Amy to ActiveTravels and know that the honesty we value in our friendship and the love we share for authentic travel can only enhance the ActiveTravels brand.
 
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California, Costa Rica, and Toronto In June/July ActiveTravels Newsletter

Northeasterners who are considering hitting the Caribbean over February or March 2018 school break can now book flights on JetBlue through May 1, 2018. This is the time to make your plans before the airfare jumps. In our June/July ActiveTravels newsletter, we also break down our favorite locales in California, an increasingly popular year-round destination, select our top picks for lodging in Costa Rica, and devote our Quick Escape column to Toronto, where our colleague Amy Perry Basseches lives and can give you the inside scoop. 

We’re off to Switzerland with the family tomorrow to visit Zurich, Montreux, Bern, Lucerne, and go on a 6-day hiking and biking adventure with Backroads in the Swiss Alps. We’ll be back on August 1st to tell you all about our experiences. Enjoy the rest of July!
 
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A Worthy Stop at Farm Sanctuary in Acton, California

Guest Post by Amy Perry Basseches

My daughter Sophie and I have done many road trips together, and she is quite used to stopping in unusual places along the way (often with the assistance of ActiveTravels resources). On a sunny Friday in Southern California, we shared another such adventure. Visiting her for Parents’ Weekend at the Claremont Colleges, but this year wanting to spend time away from the crowds, we set out for Acton, California, with the explicit goal of visiting Farm Sanctuary.
 
Sophie has been an ardent vegetarian since the age of 7, and spent many hours in her youth as a member of the Sunnyrock 4H Sheep Club in Sharon, Massachusetts. She’s just always loved animals, and a wide range of them too. So, when I heard about Farm Sanctuary from an ActiveTravels member last fall, I knew I had to visit with her.
 
Farm Sanctuary is a national non-profit whose goal is to end farm animal abuse. They have 3 locations where they rescue, rehabilitate, and provide long-term care to farm animals who have previously been in factory farms, stockyards, and slaughterhouses. Of course, the staff at Farm Sanctuary also educates the public and advocates for policy reform. The 26-acre Acton Shelter is located on a hacienda ranch northeast of Los Angeles, in the Sierra Pelona Mountains. The town has a rural western theme, which can be seen in its homes, commercial buildings, and historical buildings, some of which date back to the late 1800s.
 
A little early for our 1 pm tour, we had lunch at Wences Bistro, a small restaurant in town serving “Italian, Chinese, American, & Mexican” cuisine. Then we met our group for the tour. Let’s just say that Sophie had to cover her eyes for the short video which depicted various terrible conditions at factory farms. But then we met Jumper the 700-pound pig, various cows, goats, sheep, chickens, roosters, and horses…and we were smitten.
 
A vegetarian or vegan lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but there is no doubt that factory farming is problematic on a number of levels (even if you aren’t too concerned about animal care, they are usually polluters of the surrounding environment). We appreciated the work that Farm Sanctuary does and the chance to learn more. If you ever find yourself on a road trip from point A to point B, please ask ActiveTravels if there is anything interesting to do on your route. We’d be glad to help!
 
(Photo by Sophie Basseches) 
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Under Canvas, Grand Canyon, Arizona

This week, I’m excited to feature five of the most highly participated resort debuts in 2018. Anyone who’s been on a mobile safari in the Serengeti knows that living under a tent can often be as luxurious as a suite in the Four Seasons. All the modern comforts of space, lighting, and private shower can be found inside. Now the upscale glamping scene is starting to catch on with America’s National Parks, thanks to Upscale Canvas. The company already offers luxury tent options in Zion, Yellowstone, Moab, Glacier, Mount Rushmore, and now have their sights set on the Grand Canyon. Located in Williams, a 40-minute drive from the South Rim, 56 secluded acres of forest will be transformed into the ultimate glamping experience. Head over to that big gaping hole for a hike or enjoy a sampling of nearby activities like horseback riding and mountain biking. 

 

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Top 5 Wildlife Viewing Experiences, Sitka, Alaska

Unlike Juneau and Ketchikan, where cruise ship passengers are quickly immersed in streets filled with jewelry, T-shirts, and other souvenir shops, Sitka has more of an authentic feel. Stroll through the totem poles found at Sitka National Historic Park to the Alaska Raptor Center. Every year, 100 to 200 birds of prey, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tail hawks and owls are brought to this large aviary hospital to rehabilitate. After your fill of town, splurge for the 3-hour Sea Otter & Wildlife Quest.  Not only will you view exquisite scenery like volcanic Mt. Edgecomb and the snowcapped peaks that rise dramatically from the shores of Redoubt Bay, but the abundance of marine life is astounding. Within moments of leaving the docks at Sitka, humpbacks raise their tales, followed by harbor seals, bald eagles standing in the tall spruces, a colony of more than 50 sea otters lounging in the kelp, puffins with their orange beaks, and sea lions.

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La Jolla and Its Silly Seal Problem

Boasting a stunning rocky coastline, where sand-lined coves are hemmed in by the rock, La Jolla is always a highlight on any trip to San Diego. Add the numerous seals that like to sunbathe on those beaches and swim in the nearby waters and you have a great destination for families that’s far cheaper than visiting nearby Sea World. I brought my family here last Saturday to stroll the boardwalk that leads to the famous La Jolla Cove. We stopped first at Children’s Pool Beach to see the seals and was surprised to find a women with a megaphone harassing visitors who were getting too close to the seals on the beach. I was even more surprised to find another guy with a megaphone harassing the seal advocate. Here’s how the conversation went:
 
Seal Advocate: “Please get off the beach. You’re too close to the seals. There are pregnant mothers who need to sleep.”
Dude at Other End, A Diver Advocating for Access to the Beach (to Seal Advocate): “Please stop harassing humans. They have every right to be on the beach.” 
 
This is ridiculous, I thought, straight out of a Saturday Night Live skit. Adding to the confusion was a rope on the beach that served as a barrier. Yet, it was only three-quarters of the way across, with signs that read, “Beach Open.” Huh? Listen, San Diego City Council, make a finite decision. Either the public is allowed on the beach or not. Then arrest any person with a megaphone, which is probably doing more harm to the seals than approaching them with a camera. At least it would stop the noise pollution at such an incredibly scenic and serene locale. 
 

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