Top Travel Days of 2020, Sailing to Anse La Roche on the Island of Carriacou

Sailing the GrenadinesSouth of St. Lucia and west of Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines are known as the world’s best cruising grounds. With a prevailing northeasterly trade wind, you can sail at a good 9 to 10 knot clip, zipping through the swells while watching the fly fish take flight. But what makes this 100-mile sail from St. Vincent to Grenada so enjoyable are the anchorages, wondrous sheltered bays ridged by the hillside and lined with often desolate crescent sand beaches. These are the sights Lisa and I, friends Amy and Josh, and our highly competent 24-year-old Captain Bry, would savor on our weeklong joint in early February. We chartered the 48-foot Andiamo Piano from Horizon Yacht Charters out of St. Vincent, the same outfitter we used two years prior when sailing the British Virgin Islands.

This is the Caribbean of yore, where you anchor and then go snorkeling with turtles near the shoreline or with the multi-colored fish at one of the most pristine reefs in this part of the world. If terra firma calls your name, you can simply swim over to the beach and walk in the sand, practically deserted except for the lone fishermen sewing his nets. At twilight, you zodiac over to the requisite beachside bar and restaurant, dig your feet in the sand, and have a stiff rum punch spiced with local nutmeg, before dining on freshly caught lobster, conch, and red snapper.

We had many memorable meals on this trip, but my favorite dinner was at Anse la Roche Bay on the Grenada island of Carriacou. After another day of fantastic sailing, we dined barefoot in the sand on a sublime stretch of secluded beach lit up by torches. We devoured our last grilled lobster of the trip and ended the night with the chef’s special potion, a shot of homemade liquor that burned my throat called “Under the Counter.” It’s no surprise that Forbes chose our trip as one of the best bucket list trips in the world.

Bucket List Travel to India

Bucket List Travel to India All week, we’ve been discussing the solid relationship ActiveTravels has with local suppliers around the globe to ensure your bucket list travels not only become a reality but an exceptional life experience. I can think of no better way to end the week than a destination that will provide you with lasting memories, India. Nothing is ever easy about traveling to India and this is certainly true with finding an outfitter that consistently offers excellent service. We must have went through at least 6 different suppliers before we felt comfortable with IndoAsia Tours. The owner is a former hiking guide for National Geographic Expeditions in Afghanistan, who we’ve met over coffee on several occasions at the local Starbuck’s. He not only knows India exceptionally well, but has helped us in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

This is only the tip of the iceberg! Those of you who have traveled to Costa Rica with us know we love Aaron at Costa Rica Experts. Our Colombia go-to contact is always Nils at Latin Excursions. For private or guided trips to Israel, we always turn to Kenes Tours. Trails of Indochina have been fantastic for trips to Thailand, Cambodia, Bali and other Southeast Asia destinations. For China, we always turn to Wild China and they never disappoint. Let ActiveTravels know your Bucket List Destination and we’ll happily work with our local contacts to ensure that it lives up to your expectation!

Bucket List Travel, Australia and New Zealand

Cruising Milford SoundHaving traveled around Australia for 3 months, we feel comfortable designing our own ActiveTravels Dream Day Itineraries to Australia. Depending on time and budget, we can send you to Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns/Port Douglas, and add in some special treats like Ayer’s Rock, biking or hiking in Tasmania, or scuba diving off a Great Barrier Reef island, like Heron.

New Zealand, however, was meant for driving at a slow pace. That is, if you can handle driving on the left-hand side of the road. We’ve enjoyed working with a local outfitter, NZSidekick, that will rent you a car and then design an itinerary with suggested activities and stops at small inns they personally inspect and recommend. Pricing is affordable and it’s a fantastic way to see the country’s topography, from fjords to glaciers to massive lakes and long stretches of secluded coastline. Activities include cruising the majestic Milford Sound, dinner at a Marlborough sauvignon blanc vineyard, and strolling along a beach dotted with hundreds of massive elephant seals.

Bucket List Travel, Slice of Europe

Amalfi Coast First-time visitors to ActiveTravels often ask us what’s our expertise? That’s not an easy question to answer, because we delight in sending you to the most remote corners of the globe, whether it’s the chance to see the orangutans of Sumatra or hiking the W Trek in Chilean Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. Yes, we know New England like the back of our hand. But we also know Europe exceptionally well and wow, do we love our local suppliers, especially TFL in Italy, Madrid and Beyond in Spain, Celebrated in Scotland, Ireland, and the UK, and Original Senses in Greece. It’s easy for us to design itineraries in major cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome. Yet, if you want to get a real taste of Europe away from the masses, please give us the chance to show you Puglia, Provence, and Paros, where the Europeans go on vacation. Whether you want to bike to Monet’s house in Giverny, go out on a tasty tapas tour in Madrid, hike the Dolomites, or sail to Greek’s undiscovered islands, we’ll create those lasting memories! Also consider slowing down on two wheels with Backroads, DuVine, VBT and Ciclismo Classico, biking and hiking outfitters, who know how to get you off-the-beaten-track to more isolated and scenic locales.

Bucket List Travel, Galapagos Islands

The Tortoises on the Galapagos Islands Yesterday, we discussed how to make your dream of going on an African safari a reality. Today, we’ll continue with the wildlife theme and visit that mythical home of the blue-footed booby and far too sociable sea lion, the Galapagos Islands. Lindblad has made the Galapagos their number one priority and it shows with their naturalists and new ships. But if you want to go smaller, you certainly can. We’ve put a number of ActiveTravels clients on Haugan yachts, housing 6 to 8 berths and more crew than passengers. They have wonderful naturalists and the ability to anchor in smaller harbors. We’ve also had families and couples go on guided sea kayaking jaunts with ROW, a renowned sea kayaking and rafting outfitter. So there are a number of ways to see the islands. We can also combine the Galapagos Islands with stops in Quito, Lima, and Machu Picchu. Please let ActiveTravels know your desire to visit the Galapagos Islands and we’ll find the best way for you to go eyeball to eyeball with a century-old tortoise!

Bucket List Travel, African Safari

Kissing a giraffe in KenyaWith promising news of a vaccine finally arriving and pent-up demand for travel, ActiveTravels clients have already begun to inquire about travels in the second half of 2021 and 2022. Of course, many of you have already rescheduled trips that were cancelled in 2020. We’re hoping those go smoothly after such a turbulent year. We’re also starting to receive new requests to what we consider bucket list destinations. Places like South Africa, New Zealand, and Thailand. After losing a year of travel due to the pandemic, it looks like people are going for the gusto when they travel again, hoping to visit a dream destination. Well, we’re happy to help make those dreams a reality!

We’ve been fortunate over the past 8 years to develop fantastic relationships with local suppliers. We’ve put them through the ringer and a few have succeeded with flying colors, receiving only rave reviews from clients for their authentic and inventive itineraries. They’ve gone overboard to arrange a private dinner atop the Eiffel Tower, visit the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the public, arrange a sunset sail out of Santorini, or champagne for two for a private marriage proposal in the Serengeti. Ask and we’ll do our best to turn your dreams into reality! Based on our solid relationships with suppliers, we’ll be devoting this week to the bucket list destinations we’re excited to send you:

First up, African Safaris. For guided group African safaris, it’s hard to top Abercrombie & Kent. I’ve been fortunate to go on six safari trips to the continent, but the two A&K jaunts, first to Kenya and then Botswana with Lisa were the crème de la creme. They boast exceptional guides like our good friend Kebby in Botswana and small upscale lodges like Sanctuary Olonana on Kenya’s Mara River, where I would wake up each morning to have my poached eggs with the hippos.

A&K trips, however, can be expensive, which is why we’ve developed wonderful relationships with local suppliers in South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya who can design private personalized itineraries. We’ve really enjoyed working with African Scenic Safari in Arusha, who design driving tours of the Tanzania circuit on a more moderate budget. Stops include Ngorongoro Crater, private lodges in the Serengeti, and a beachfront stay in Zanzibar after safari. Some of the money you spend on the trip helps to run an orphanage just outside Arusha’s city limits. Personal Africa in South Africa can combine a week’s stay in Cape Town, visiting the Cape of the Good Hope, the wineries, and all the sites in the city, with 4 nights at Kruger National Park. Origins Safaris in Kenya have been in business since 1963, designing trips to the most distinctive lodges in the Masai Mara, before adding on a 2-might stay in Rwanda to see the gorillas. If you want to go on safari, we have you covered!

Get A Hefty Dose of Holiday Cheer at Winterlights

Winterlights at the Bradley Estate

The Trustees of Reservtions just announced that a limited number of tickets have been released for Winterlights. Do yourself a favor and grab them now! We went last night and were overjoyed to be out of the house in a safe environment enjoying some semblance of Holiday festivities during this dismal year. Winterlights is located at the circa-1902 Bradley Estate, just off Route 128 in Canton. The 90-acre country estate and Italianate gardens are the perfect backdrop for the more than 150,000 LED lights found on the half-mile one-way route. First stop is the snack shack to grab a hot chocolate or hot cider, and gingerbread cookies from Ginger Betty’s in Quincy, donuts from Phillipston’s Red Apple Farm, and chocolate-covered pretzels from Pinches & Pound in Whitman. Then bundle up and stroll the illuminated grounds of the estate as piped-in Holiday tunes serenade you. This is the second year the Trustees have held Winterlights at the Bradley Estate. The event runs Tuesdays through Sundays 4:30 to 8:30 pm until January 2nd. Some 200 to 240 people are allowed to enter each night, down from the usual 600 to 1,000 people. So snag one of those coveted remaining tickets and you’ll feel like you have the place to yourselves!

(Photos by Lisa Leavitt)

Support Local Innkeepers This Holiday Season

Holiday Season at InnsFew businesses have been hit harder during the pandemic than small innkeepers, forced to continue paying rent while catering to a limited number of travelers. So when I heard that 24 innkeepers and B&Bs are banding together this Holiday Season to help promote their industry, I was happy to spread the word. This new promotion aims to forge a connection with regional travelers who need a break from being stuck at home and want a necessary dose of Holiday cheer. Aimed at travelers who can visit on one tank of gas round-trip, participating inns are offering free gifts to guests who check in between December 1-31. These gifts include everything from complimentary glasses of wine with keepsake glasses, to homemade holiday cookies, kettle corn, honey, and bath bombs. Every morning, seasonal breakfasts will have an added holiday twist. Inns include the The Artist’s Inn & Gallery in Amish Country, Pennsylvania to the Huron House on the shores of Lake Huron in Oscoda, Michigan to the Rookwood Inn in the Berkshire Mountains of Lenox, Massachusetts. Even if you have no desire to travel now, please think about buying a gift card for next summer or fall. ActiveTravels is here to help check availability and pricing, and give you other sights to see in the respective regions.

Costa Rica to Give Away 15 Trips to Essential Loved Ones This Holiday Season

Costa Rica Giveaway15 lucky couples from America and Canada will be heading to Costa Rica on a 7-day package for free in 2021. Let Visit Costa Rica know of someone who’s been essential to your life during the pandemic and their reward could very well be a chance to hang with the howler monkeys and scarlet macaws for a week. The giveaway, which started last week, calls on travelers to nominate a person who has made a meaningful difference in your lives through the Who Is Essential to You campaign. Participants are encouraged to share their unique stories. Submissions will close on Jan. 31, 2021, when the 15 winners will be announced. Give it your best shot!

Daytrip Comes to America

Daytrip private drives Since Daytrip debuted in 2015, we’ve worked with them to book a number of drives for clients around the European continent. They’re a fantastic alternative to train or plane travel, especially when you want to stop along the way to visit an off-the-beaten track town or sight. For example, Lisa and I used the company in Spain on a 3-hour drive from Granada to Seville. We stopped for lunch in Ronda and toured the picturesque town and bullring that Hemingway made famous with the driver/guide before continuing on to Seville. It was one of the most relaxing days of the trip, lounging in the back of a comfortable Mercedes sedan while taking in the scenic Spanish countryside. We were happy to see that Daytrip finally made it to American shores, offering their private services on the East and West coast. I plugged in Boston to New York and saw that they’re offering a chance to break up the trip by hiking in Purgatory Chasm outside of Worcester or visiting the Mark Twain House in Hartford. Let ActiveTravels know when you want to leave the driving to someone else and we’ll go over the options from Daytrip.