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Oh the Places You’ll Go, Webinars That Have Inspired Us

One of the few incentives of this downtime is the chance to educate ourselves about destinations and properties we’ve wanted to learn more about but never had the time. Lisa and I have been sitting in on webinars with gorilla experts in Uganda to boutique hoteliers in Colombia. We already mentioned two of the better webinars we viewed in the May newsletter, Brush Creek Lodge in Wyoming, and one of the villa companies we like to work with, Villas of Distinction. This week, I’ll delve into other destinations we’ve been digging into:

Panama

Thanks to the direct flights on Copa Airlines from many of North America’s largest cities, we’ve been designing more and more itineraries to Panama each year. Expect the same wildlife, cloud forest, rainforest, mountains, wildlife, and exotic birds as Costa Rica. Then add the Panama Canal and seven unique indigenous cultures of Panama. Where Panama pales in comparison to Costa Rica is unique properties, but we learned about two of the more recent boutique hotels to open in the past several years. El Otro Lado is located on scenic Portobelo Bay, about a 90-minute drive from Panama City. The five 1 and 2-bedroom cottages immersed in 300 acres are as bright as the scarlet macaws and overflowing with local art created on site. They suggest a 3-night stay to kayak, snorkel, fish, hike, take sunset birding boat rides, join in a mojito making class, create sculptures with local artists, and learn to congo dance.

The second property we discussed was Isla Palenque, located on a private island in the The Gulf of Chiriqui. Fly an hour from Panama City to the airport in David, where you’ll be picked up and driven another hour to the port in Boca Chica. From here, it’s a short 15-minute boat ride to paradise. Humpback whales arrive in July, accompanied by dolphins, rays, and turtles. Clients who have already ventured to Lapa Rios, Arenas del Mar, and Finca Rosa Blanca know the level of luxury, sense of local style, and service the Cayuga Collection can offer. They run the 8 beachfront casitas on this private island. Pricing is all-inclusive, replete with daily yoga and five miles of beach to roam. Want to get away from it all? This is the place. Please contact ActiveTravels and we’ll check availability and pricing.

Mustang Monument Makes Its Debut

Mustang Monument in NevadaI was so moved by the webinar on Mustang Monument, I was ready to buy myself a horse and giddy up like Yosemite Sam! Set on 900 square miles of wilderness in northern Nevada and home to more than 750 wild mustangs, Mustang Monument is the pet project of wildlife enthusiast and philanthropist, Madeleine Pickens. A 3-hour drive from Salt Lake City or 5-hour drive from Las Vegas, Pickens has been working diligently for more than 5 years to preserve this land from encroachment, so that America’s largest group of wild horses can always run free. You’ll ride alongside the pack on horseback, or choose to rock climb or go cruising in ATVs. The recently opened property (June 1-September 30 only) is all-inclusive and the highlight are the lodgings, 10 cottages and 10 tipis. Embodying the indigenous spirit of Native Americans and authentically designed, the tipis offer ample living space appointed with leather and plush chairs, hardwood floors, and authentic Native American textiles. They measure 26 feet in diameter and 26 feet tall with 300 sq. ft. of living space and a detached luxury bathroom nearby. Madeleine assured us that they just hired a fantastic chef who takes full advantage of their sustainable farm. There’s also yoga, beading, and a spa in a tipi under a large tree. This is the Wild West with a serious dose of luxury.

A Virtual Visit to Hacienda Bambusa in Colombia

The Spanish colonial city of Cartagena might get all the hype, but if you asked ActiveTravels members who have visited Colombia, the majority would say the highlight of their trip was their time in Coffee Country. Take the 45-minute flight from Bogota to Armenia and you’ll be picked up by your hosts from Hacienda Bambusa for the 30-minute drive to their hidden oasis on a 500-acre farm. Drop your bags off in one of their 8 rooms and then go play. Take a stroll around the farm, go birding with a naturalist, visit a working cocoa farm, hike in a massive bamboo forest, go rafting, horseback riding, even hot air ballooning. Owners Olivier and Diego can arrange all activities and serve tasty authentic Colombian fare outside on a serene patio.

Barichara, ColombiaThey recently added another property to their expanding portfolio, Casa Yahri, a private villa in the Colonial town of Barichara. Located in the mountains, a 4 ½-hour drive from Bogota, Barichara is one of those towns straight out of a movie set, with narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, and red-tiled roofs. It’s the perfect place to unwind and roam the streets checking out all the local handicrafts the region is known for, like papermaking and ceramics. Nearby adventures include hiking, biking, canyoneering, and whitewater rafting. Afterwards, head back to one of the 4 suites and lounge in the infinity pool. Sounds pretty good right about now.

A Daily Dose of Rick Steves

Rick StevesSimilar to the many webinars Lisa and I have attended, Rick Steves’ weekday broadcasts on PBS have been a wonderful source of insider information. I always grab one of his guidebooks before visiting a European destination, appreciating his honesty and opinions, like “Bordeaux is boring.” But his 25-minute shows really highlight his top picks, because he doesn’t have much time to discuss the Croatian, Czech, or Danish countryside. So if he raves about the Plitvice Lakes region of Croatia, the mountain village of Cezky Krumlov in the Bohemian region of the Czech republic, and the Danish island of Ærø, take note. Few know the continent better. If you’re fortunate, he might even throw out the name of a pension or inn he’s staying at, like the house built in 1784 by a sea captain as a dowry for his daughter called Pension Vestegade No. 44 in Ærøskøbing harbor. Or Albergo Milano, located in the historical center of Varenna on the shores of Lake Como. An added bonus were the two episodes of his travels through Iran. Loved it!

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February Newsletter Now Available at ActiveTravels

In the February newsletter, my mind happily wanders to one of my favorite locales in the world, Chile, which is becoming an increasingly popular destination for clients. We break down the country into the five regions travelers enjoy. Lisa divulges four hotels we love in the Italian lakes district, a Quick Escape to one of our favorite inns in Vermont, Blueberry Hill, and the latest travel apps you should have on your smart phone. Finally, I want to introduce you to VOYAGE Charters and their upscale catamarans that sail the British Virgin Islands out of Tortola. Their 8 to 10-person yachts are comparable in pricing to staying at an all-inclusive resort. Only this time, you won’t have to share the sweeping stretch of beach, because most likely it will be on a deserted island.

 
We’re off next week on a college road trip with our daughter. I’ll be back the week of February 23rd. In the meantime, stay warm and safe travels!  
 
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Nova Scotia Week, Visiting Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Park

One of my favorite reads this past summer, Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard, detailed the assassination of President James Garfield. As with Millard’s first book, River of Doubt, a spellbinding account of Theodore Roosevelt’s deadly descent down a river in the Amazon, the finest characters in the books are not the presidents. Garfield has a buffoon of a doctor who does everything wrong according to modern day standards, like plunging his none-too-sterile hands into Garfield’s wound. Most striking however, was the work of Alexander Graham Bell in trying to save the president’s life. Already famous for his invention of the telephone, Graham Bell worked feverishly night and day to invent a device that could magnetically detect where the bullet was lodged in Garfield’s body. Millard’s conclusion was that the device did indeed work in the end, but Graham Bell was looking at the wrong side of Garfield’s body, thanks once again to that buffoon doctor. 

 
So when I heard that the small town of Baddeck on the shores of Bras d’Or Lakes in Cape Breton was home to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Park, I was there when the doors opened in the morning. Graham Bell and his wife Mabel, a former student of his at Boston School for the Deaf, first built their summer home in Baddeck in 1886, a decade after he stated those first fateful words on the telephone to his assistant, “Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you.” I really wasn’t expecting much, since this was Graham Bell’s summer home, the one that reminded him of his Scottish youth. Wrong! In 1955, Graham Bell’s two daughters donated thousands of original artifacts to the museum, including all of the models that consumed him during his lifetime. There’s a metal box he created to distill salt water into drinkable water, a bicycle that he hoped one could pedal on water, the first air conditioning blowers. He created only to satiate his curiosity, which only ceased when he died. And his experimentation was successful countless times. His invention of the gramophone improved Edison’s phonograph, the metal detector he used on Garfield was the precursor to X-rays. A hydrofoil he helped build later in life, called HD-4, reached a speed of 70 miles per hour on water, a record that wouldn’t be broken for another decade. 
 
Also on display is a portrait his wife made of Graham Bell when they were first dating. At least that’s what she told him. It’s actually a painting of an owl. She painted the bird not because it symbolized wisdom, but because Graham Bell stayed up all night obsessed with finding answers. Throw in his work with the deaf, especially giving voice to Helen Keller, and you realize why his compassion and intellect are still an inspiration. 
 
This has been a terrific week for me in Nova Scotia! I hope to return with the family some time soon. It’s an auspicious start to a big month of travel that will send me on a bike trip to Zion National Park next Sunday . I’ll try to keep you posted as much as possible, but please be patient. In the meantime, stay active!
 
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Cuba, Colombia, Hartford, and More in August ActiveTravels Newsletter

Lisa and I recently had the pleasure of meeting Megumi Gordon, granddaughter of ActiveTravels member, Naomi Gordon. Megumi, along with her husband, Michael Laverty, and his brother, Collin, is co-founder of Habana Live, a tour operator in Cuba that custom-designs trips to the island based upon your interests. With new nonstop service on JetBlue starting on November 10th between Boston and Havana, (JetBlue already offers direct flights from JFK to Havana), there’s no better time to visit Cuba. Along with Megumi, many outfitters and cruise lines are adding Cuba to their list of destinations this winter. To see the five ways we recommend visiting Cuba this winter, please see our latest ActiveTravels newsletter. We also include highlights of my recent trip to Colombia, as well as a fun quick escape to Hartford, Connecticut. And if you’re heading to Europe this year, read about the great (and free!) audio tours by travel author Rick Steves.

 
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Hurricane Irma’s Impact on the Caribbean

Yesterday, United Airlines issued a waiver to change all flights for free to St. Thomas, St. Martin, and Providenciales, Turks & Caicos through December 31, 2017. Word is starting to trickle in from the islands and it’s not good. Most resorts on St. Barts, St. Martin, and St. John have structural damage. Anguilla, St. Thomas, the British Virgin Islands, Turks & Caicos, and Cuba were also hit hard. Forbes just issued an extensive run-down on specific properties if you already have reservations this upcoming winter. Many other islands were thankfully unscathed like Jamaica, Aruba, St. Lucia, Barbados, and the Caymans. So if you’re thinking of visiting the Caribbean this winter, contact ActiveTravels and we’ll give you all the information we have.  
 
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An Ideal Maine Island Getaway, the Inn at Diamond Cove

When the owners of the Portland Harbor Hotel decided to create a new property from the former barracks of circa-1896 Fort McKinley, I was intrigued enough to include it in a round-up for Yankee Magazine on the latest New England resorts to debut. Unfortunately, the Inn at Diamond Cove was already closed for the season when I wrote the article. I finally paid a visit to the property over the weekend and came away impressed. As soon as you board the Casco Bay Ferry in Portland and start cruising to the islands, the stress of the mainland is washed away by the salty sea breeze. Thirty minutes later, you arrive at Great Diamond Island and are whisked away to the hotel past a vast village green that was once the military parade. 
 
We dropped off our bags in the spacious room and began to explore the island. Children were biking and skateboarding on the paved trails to an indoor basketball court, bowling alley, tennis courts, and outdoor pool. We strolled through the forest to find an exquisite beach where sea glass and its soft edges could be spotted all over the sand. A lone kayaker and whole parade route of ducks, some who looked like they were just hatched, drifted by as we skipped rocks. This is just one of the five beaches on island available to hotel guests. We also wandered past blooming lilacs and sweet honeysuckle lining the summer estates to see Sunset Point on the western shores of the island. When we returned back to the hotel, we dined on tasty blackened bluefish paired with lobster hash. 
 
With full kitchens in each room, families could easily spend a week in summer here. Portland Paddle leads guided sea kayaking and SUP jaunts, a tennis pro is on staff for round robin tournaments, and a yoga instructor teaches both outdoors and indoors. This is the perfect place to unwind and relax far from the crowds. 
 
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Disney Opens First Resort in Hawaii

While we’re on the subject of theme parks, Disney just opened their first resort not affiliated with a theme park. Called Aulani, the resort is located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu and features Mickey, Goofy, and all your other favorite Disney characters hanging out next to the large water park. My friend and fellow travel writer, Lissa Poirot, has been blogging about the experience of staying at the Aulani all week from Oahu. Check it out at FamilyVacationCritic.
 

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