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Spending a Night at the Shaw Festival

Long before people headed to Niagara on the Lake to sample the world-class chardonnays and rieslings, and prior to outfitters like Butterfield & Robinson arriving on the scene to design exceptional day rides, there was the renowned Shaw Festival. Held from the beginning of April to early November, the theatre festival celebrates the works of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries. More than a dozen productions are performed each year at four stages from works created by Noel Coward, Arthur Miller, Oscar Wilde, Lillian Hellman, and a slew of other noteworthy playwrights. This year, expect to find Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls, Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan, and Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara. Last night at Royal George Theater, I took in Our Betters, a rarely performed play by one of my favorite writers, Somerset Maugham. Set in 1920s London, the play is based on a familiar story line from the popular television show, Downton Abbey, where a down on his luck British aristocrat marries a well-to-do American gal for her money. Yet that’s where the similarity ends. Our Betters is much more of a satire, a predictable romp that gets big laughs. Though it’s not Maugham at his finest, it’s still a delight to watch due to the exemplary acting, absorbing sets, and the art deco costumes that take you back to the Roaring 20s. Kudos to the Shaw Festival for continuing to produce plays where biting wit and rapid-fire repartee entertain. 

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Head to Manly Beach for the Inaugural Australian Open of Surfing

If you happen to be in Sydney this coming February, make your way to Circular Quay and the 30-minute ferry to Manly Beach. From February 11-19, 2012, the birthplace of Australian surfing will be the home of the Australian Open of Surfing. Grab your “cozzie” (Aussie slang for swimsuit) and head on out to one of Sydney’s favorite beaches to watch the surfing elite compete for close to $500,000 in prize money. Live music, fashion, and art shows will accompany the spectacle. If you’re feeling hungry, order some oysters, scallops, or the salt and pepper squid at local seafood favorite, Garfish. If you have to order shrimp on the barbie just to practice your Australian accent, go for it. Whatever happens in Manly stays in Manly. 

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Deal of the Week: Cruising French Polynesia with Paul Gauguin Cruises

French Polynesia will always hold a special place in my heart. It was here and other South Pacific locales like Fiji and the Cook Islands that I received my start in travel writing, penning stories for Rodale’s Scuba Diving and resort reviews for Bride’s Magazine. In 1994, Lisa and I went on a freighter cruise to the Marquesas Islands that still to this day is one of the highlights of my career in travel. But you don’t have to deliver food to the locals to savor French Polynesia. Go in style aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin, a luxury cruise ship that has been plying these waters for 20 years. Now through May 18, The Gauguin is offering a savings up to $3,650 per person on select voyages, including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco. It’s only a 7-hour flight from LA to Tahiti, a mere two hours past Hawaii. Then you arrive in dreamy French Polynesia, where the emerald green mountains rise from the aquamarine waters. I’ve been all over Hawaii and the South Pacific and these are my favorite islands in the world, half of them deserted motus, specks of land surrounded by pristine white sand that are ideal for snorkeling and then walking the lonesome beach. Summer is the ideal time to visit French Polynesia, without the threat of cyclone. So if you’re considering a river cruise in Europe this year, maybe you want to head to the South Pacific instead. For the same price, you can follow in Paul Gauguin’s footsteps. Let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check pricing and availability. 

 
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Ski Stowe

Thanks to Vail Resorts $41 million acquisition of Stowe, their first ski area in the East, New England skiers now have a good reason to purchase their Epic Pass. For $899 a person, ski as much as you want this season at Stowe, Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, Breckenridge, Park City, Keystone, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Wilmot, Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton, Perisher (2018 access) and Arapahoe Basin. Also included is access to 30 European resorts across Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland. There are no restricted dates but you do have to purchase the Epic Pass by Sunday, November 19th. Compare that to the current lift ticket price for an adult at Stowe, $99. That can add up quickly. 
 
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Best Road Trips for Fall Foliage

Of America’s four seasons, fall might have the most star power. There are 24-hour toll-free hotlines to keep you informed of nature’s progress, and even webcams pointed at maples and aspens to report daily changes in leaf color. Then there are the traffic jams—fall-crazed paparazzi pouring out of cities like New York and Boston to snap forest-themed Instagrams. You don’t have to spend hours behind the wheel, though, to enjoy the season’s kaleidoscopic splendor. Avoid the crowds by sticking to one of my slower, off-the-grid routes, just posted on the Executive Travel website. Better yet, leave your ride behind and walk to a scenic vista or hidden waterfall, where autumn’s vivid colors reflect off the water. Enjoy! 

 
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Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

If you love Christmas lights, then you’ll be dazzled by Gardens Aglow held at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor. Not that you need any excuse to visit CMBG, one of my favorite stops on the Maine coast. More than 650,000 LED lights are woven through 14 acres, illuminating the trails and creating winter-themed exhibits. Visitors begin their journey by passing through an ethereal corridor of dancing lights evoking the aurora borealis before immersing themselves in the festive wonderland. Gardens Aglow runs through Dec. 31 on Thursday through Sunday evenings from 4-9 p.m. (closed on Christmas Eve). Tickets are timed for three separate arrivals each night at 4 pm, 6:30 pm, and 7:30 pm. 

I’m off to Nashville and Kansas City to see friends, hear live music, and catch 2 NFL games. I’ll be back next Wednesday. Have a great week! 
 
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Hiking The Narrows, Zion National Park

This week I’m celebrating the upcoming National Park Week, April 19-27, with some of my favorite hikes in America’s National Parks. Remember that all National Parks are free this weekend, April 19 and 20.

Zion’s most impressive hike is in the Narrows, where you walk in the Virgin River through a 1,000-foot-deep-chasm that’s a mere 20-feet wide. Check with a ranger on water levels, but usually a minimum age of 8 is advisable. You’ll need a wet suit and booties because of the cool water temperatures, but that’s a small price to pay to have this monster slot to yourself. With each step, the walls become narrower and narrower, and you quickly became lost in this paradigm of sandstone. Sun peeks through the notch of blue sky above, illuminating the walls in various shades of caramel, rouge, and tan. Water pours down sides of the curved walls to enhance the slick appeal. Amble through as much of the river as you want before turning back.  

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