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The Debut of the Nantucket Hotel

If you’re fortunate to have spent a night or two at the Winnetu Resort on Martha’s Vineyard, you quickly realize that owners Mark and Gwenn Snider have a passion for entertaining, especially the little ones. The parents of three go overboard to keep kids happy, whether it’s a drive aboard a 1947 fire truck Mark found on EBay or free lemonade and fresh baked cookies every afternoon at 3 pm. Expect the same genuine welcome at their new property, the Nantucket Hotel on the neighboring island of Nantucket. One of the last grand dames still standing on the island, the Nantucket (previously the Point Breeze) was built in 1894 in a sprawling neo-classical style. Smack dab in the heart of Nantucket town, the resort will undergo a major refurbishment, retaining the classic façade while vastly improving the interior, making its debut on June 29, 2012 with 60 guest rooms and suites. 

 
With a high-speed ferry that connects Martha’s Vineyard with Nantucket in a little over an hour, the Sniders have the unique opportunity to offer their guests the first ever two-island resort package. Spend the first part of your vacation at the ultra-sybaritic Winnetu, waking up to morning yoga on the resplendent front lawn, walking to that long stretch of fine white sand at South Beach, swimming in the pool, playing tennis on one of the many courts, and savoring an authentic New England clambake. Then simply shuttle over to The Nantucket to stroll on the cobblestone streets, under gas lamps and gaze at more than 800 buildings that were built before the Civil War. The historic setting is so remarkably preserved that you’ll feel like young Herman Melville himself, doing research on the book that made him famous, “Moby Dick.” 
 

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Gems of India Tour, Maharajas’ Express

When British tour operator Cox & Kings joined forces with Indian Railways to create the most luxurious train in the world, they spared no expense. Unveiled in 2010, and limited to 88 passengers on each trip, the Maharajas’ Express features lavish private suites with marble baths and large panoramic windows to take in the views. On the four-day, three-night Gems of India loop, which starts and ends in Delhi, passengers make stops to visit the resplendent Taj Mahal at Agra, take a tiger safari at Ranthambore National Park, and shop and watch an elephant-polo match in Jaipur. Along the way, passengers can marvel at the Hindu temples, village roads plied by camel carts and rivers lined with fishing boats.
 
The Gems of India tour is just one of ten scenic train rides I describe in my latest story for Executive Travel. Have a great weekend! 
 
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Cross-Country Skiing to the Sugarhouse at Trapp Family Lodge

I used to hate March in New England, yet another month of harsh winter weather when I’m more than ready for spring. Now I’m excited when March rolls around because this is the time of the year that the Maples thaw, the sap pours, and maple syrup is made. Last March, I brought the family to Trapp Family Lodge and their fabulous network of cross-country trails in the hills above Stowe, Vermont. It was the first day of spring, but you wouldn’t know it at Stowe, with flurries falling and the conditions perfect for cross-country skiing on the groomed trails.

 
We took Sugar Road, where the tall pines and birches stand on the side of the trail like spectators at a marathon. At Picnic Knoll, we headed up the Parizo Trail, cutting our v-shaped wedges into the soft snow. Then we skied downhill on one of my favorite runs, the Old Country Road, before making a turn onto the Russel Knoll Trail and making our way to the Sugarhouse. 
 
When it comes to sugaring, the von Trapps do it the old fashion way, picking up the sap in buckets with a horse-drawn sleigh and delivering it to the sugarhouse to boil off the water and create Vermont’s “liquid gold.” The 1200 taps produce 300 gallons of syrup annually and the season lasts until late April. Every Saturday during the sugaring season, you can cross-country ski, snowshoe, or grab that horse-drawn sleigh to the sugarhouse for a traditional Sugar-on-Snow party. We tasted the freshly made maple syrup while a Trapp employee explained how the process worked. Then we went back outside to pour the hot syrup on the white snow and create a chewy maple taffy, served with donuts and dill pickles. Talk about a sugar high! 
 
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Favorite Fall Outings in New England, Climbing Mount Willard, New Hampshire

If the thought of climbing a mountain makes you sweat long before leaving your car, wipe your brow and give 2,804-foot Willard a try. In less than an hour, you’ll make it to the peak where jaw-dropping views of Crawford Notch stand below you, a reward for your slight efforts. The hike begins behind the Crawford Notch Visitor Center, former site of the Crawford railroad station. The trail starts off sharply but becomes more gradual as you crisscross through a forest of dense pines. Eventually, sunshine seeps into the woods and you’ll reach a large opening, the light at the end of the tunnel. Look down from the rocky ledge at the old railroad line, carved into the mountainside, and the onslaught of cars that snake through Crawford Notch on Route 302. Then pat yourself on the back for climbing a White Mountain. 

 
Photo by Ava Honan/FLICKR
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Top 5 Beaches in New England to Be Active: Multisport East Beach, Rhode Island

For the hardcore jock, we’ve created your own personal triathlon. Start at the western end of East Beach, one of the wildest stretches of sand in Little Rhody. You’ll be swimming for 3.5 miles to the Charlestown Breachway. Don’t worry. This is not Cape Cod or Maine ocean water. Touched by the Gulf Stream, temps here can reach a downright balmy 70 degrees. At the Breachway, your canoe will be waiting to take you across the state’s largest coastal pond, Ninigret, to the shores of Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge. Keep on paddling and don’t even think of reaching for those binocs to view the more than 250 recorded species of birds. The Refuge has more than three miles of trails to walk on, but we expect you to sprint.
 

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Introducing the Dream Day Itinerary

Some of our clientele already have first hand knowledge of what we like to call the Dream Day Itinerary. Ideally suited for the independent traveler, these fleshed-out itineraries detail each day of your vacation, from activities to restaurants to hotels. We try to incorporate as much local flavor as possible, hiring local guides to take you to sites based on your particular love of art, architecture, the outdoors, and history. If we have not visited the restaurants first-hand, we ask locals we know and trust in the area for recommendations. In fact, many of the suggested activities, hotels, and restaurants on the Dream Day Itinerary stem from my own articles as a travel writer or come highly recommended from my travel writing buddies who have a specialty, like dining in Spain or skiing the Alps. So rest assured that these itineraries are personally curated by trustworthy sources. Just another perk of joining ActiveTravels.com!
 
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Top 5 Paddling Spots in America, Adirondack State Park, New York

The weather in Boston has been sunny and warm this past, which, believe me, is a rarity in spring. It’s a great time to grab a canoe and paddle one of the rivers or lakes before the mosquitoes start to swarm. This week I’m going to discuss my top 5 places to paddle in America. First up, the Adirondacks in upstate New York.

The countless rivers, lakes, and ponds in the Adirondacks are connected by short trails, resulting in a seemingly endless combination of canoeing options. One of the finest is a 4-day figure eight loop in the St. Regis Canoe Area that includes eight ponds and the Upper and Middle Saranac Lakes. Creeks, inundated with beaver dams and lily pads, connect the placid waters of the ponds. Mountains hovering over 2500 feet surround the lakes. St. Regis Canoe Outfitters will help plan an itinerary and provide all the necessary amenities for a canoe trip including canoe, paddles, maps, tents, backpacks, and sleeping bags. 
 

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