Announcements

Lucky to have Leap Year since I forgot to post a blog about our February Newsletter. In this issue, one of our clients writes a great piece on China from her travels there last summer with the wonderful outfitter, Wild China. Other topics focus on destinations closer to home like America’s National Parks celebrating their centennial birthday in 2016; the classic New England town, Jackson, New Hampshire; Montreal for some international flair; and a tip on avoiding mosquito bites due to mounting fears of the Zika virus. Have a look and enjoy this bonus day of the year. 

In 1990, I left my job as an insurance broker in Manhattan and booked a four-month trip to the South Pacific, New Zealand, and Australia. The day before I left on that fateful journey, I was strolling through the Fifth Avenue Book Fair when I found a book titled “Travel Writing, For Profit and Pleasure” by Perry Garfinkel. I did exactly what the author advised, kept a journal when I was away, and when I returned home I sold my first story, “Learning to Scuba Dive in the Cook Islands” to The Miami Herald. It was the start of a prolific travel writing career, where I would write more than 1500 articles and close to a dozen books. Thankfully, Perry is still teaching his secrets to travel and memoir writing to anyone who has a desire to put a pen to paper. Join him in Baja at the CostaBaja Resort, April 14-19, for “A Writing Retreat: The Journey to Self Discovery.” Participants will learn how to find the soul of their story and source for new ideas, research in the field, conduct interviews, pitch editors, plan social media content, and make a business of writing. Cost of the 5-day, 4-night event is $2,139, double occupancy, and includes rooms with an ocean view, all meals, and inspiring lectures that will change your life.  

After working diligently with our website designer this past year, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new ActiveTravels website. We hope you are as happy as we are with the new streamlined look and user-friendly tabs, now easier to use on your mobile phone as well as desktop, laptop, and tablet. We want to thank those of you who provided testimonials! We also hope members take full advantage of the archives section, where more than 3 years of newsletter content can be found on hundreds of destinations. So if you’re thinking of a new locale to travel, this is a good place to start your research. Please tell us what you think. Thanks again for your continued support as we all make 2016 another memorable year of travel!

Tradewind Aviation, the private charter service, best known for their flights from White Plains to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard in the summer, has now expanded their service to Boston’s Logan Airport. The 40-minute flight to and from the White Plains Airport is offered 8 times daily. Shuttle flights depart from private charter FBO terminals with no TSA delays. Arrive just 30 minutes before departure and relax in the FBO lounge. The flights are operated in Swiss-built Pilatus PC-12 jet-prop aircraft flown by two pilots with air-conditioning, a pressurized cabin and plenty of room for luggage. Skiers will want to know that Tradewind Aviation will also begin flights between Westchester and Stowe, Vermont, starting December 11th. 

Head south on Highway 61 through the rolling green farmland of the Delta and you’ll find the zig-zag shaped trenches Union and Confederate troops dug during the Civil War’s bloody Siege of Vicksburg, now a National Military Park. Another hour of driving and you’ll reach that gem on the Mississippi River, Natchez. During its heyday prior to the Civil War, when cotton was king, Natchez had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the country. They built palatial estates that were largely spared during the Civil War due to its proximity to Vicksburg. The Union soldiers that survived that battle and made it to Natchez burned the cotton fields but left the homes intact. More than 150 of these structures still stand, including many that are still in private hands.

On the road one-third of the year, you can often find me at night watching the latest House of Cards or Boardwalk Empire episodes on my laptop. Rarely do I find something worthwhile to watch on the hotel television. That’s why I was excited to hear last month that Marriott has signed an agreement with Netflix that will allow guests to access their accounts via Internet-connected TVs. Already at a half-dozen Marriott properties, the company hopes to roll out this option at 100 of their American locales by the end of the year. 

San Antonio might be best known for its River Walk, but one of my favorite outings in the city is the opportunity to bike to the Spanish colonial Missions. My personal favorite of the five is Concepción, built in 1731.  The crumbling lime stone exterior, which leads to a still operable church, is incredibly photogenic, especially with the early morning sunshine pouring down. Afterwards, I bike down Mission Road 3 miles to reach the largest mission, San José, known for its popular Mariachi Mass each Sunday. At its height, the missions would hold close to 300 people, working as a church, farm, and ranch. Franciscan friars gathered the native population, converted them to Catholicism, and taught them to live like Spaniards. At Mission San José, you can still see the small living quarters that surround the square layout. Inside the stone walls, overlooking the green and the church, the setting is serene. Now the world will get to know these majestic structures, thanks to the news on Sunday that the San Antonio missions were chosen as one of the latest UNESCO World Heritage sites. It’s a perfect time to view the largest collection of Spanish colonial architecture in America.

In 1990, I left my job as a broker in Manhattan and booked an open-ended ticket to Sydney, stopping at numerous South Pacific isles along the way. The day before I left, I was at the 5th Avenue Book Fair, when I spotted a book titled Travel Writing, For Profit and Pleasure. More than 1500 stories and 9 travel books later, I can honestly say that the author of that book, Perry Garfinkel, changed my life. Now you have the rare chance to have Perry inspire your life. He’s teaching a 5-day workshop in that glorious travel locale, Martha’s Vineyard, from August 30-September 5.