All indications that fall is sneaking up on us. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter and begs for last minute outdoor activities before the cold, dark days of winter are upon us.

If you have young, school age children, chances are you will need to collect some autumn leaves for art projects and science lessons. So why not get a head start and make your child look like an over-achiever (even if they’re not) and get out and explore where the best species and colors are found?

Garrett County’s Autumn Glory Festival would be the perfect place to gain inspiration with their fine arts exhibits and craft shows.

 Plus, it’s a great time to relish the recreational activities and get outdoors!

You can spend plenty of time indoors sorting your finds and counting all the money you saved with Deep Creek specials after you’ve worn yourself out with biking, hiking, golf and a plethora of family activities.

So, RUN don’t walk!

Fall colors!

Fun activities!

Affordable, comfortable vacation homes!

Plan your arrival before the cold winds of winter begin to blow.

Too many choices? MyrtleBeachGolf.com has started a three part series entitled, “MyrtleBeach.com’s Spring Golf Guide: Everything you need to know about the packages, the courses, and all things Grand Strand.” The Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach’s main strip, “presents the traveling golfer with a seemingly infinite matrix of golf courses and accommodations, and an even longer laundry list of providers that want to package the entire deal for the best price available.” Depending on what type of golfer you are and what type of vacation you seek (family trip, gentleman’s weekend, or a romantic escape), Myrtle Beach is sure to have the golf package to fit your needs.
If you are looking for a Myrtle Beach golf vacation with Southern Style Plantation Living, try Brunswick Plantation and Golf Resort. Three night and three round lodging and golf packages are around $200 and include a cart. This package is based on four golfers in a two bedroom condominium with a choice of a free breakfast or lunch at an on-site restaurant. Plus, non-golfers and children stay-free.
Brunswick Plantation and Golf Resort also offers daily golf packages with lodging under $100 per person per day. Contact the resort directly to book a vacation for you or your large group at 800-332-8576 or book online at http://www.brunswickvillas.com.

Many a golfer has planned a vacation solely around the courses nearby, and now there is a service available to help you plan your next golf vacation, if you’re so inclined.  Premier Golf sells Ryder Cup travel packages to golf pros and enthusiasts alike.  From traditional golfing destinations such as Florida’s PGA Village to some more unconventional golf trips, including exclusive golf-centered cruises, Premier Golf is your one stop golf vacation shop!  They will help you plan everything from which courses are best suited to your ability level to what time of year to go and where to stay.  Having such a great resource on your side ensures that you’ll get the trip you’re looking for at a great rate.

Premier Golf works with the top rated courses in the US and around the world to provide you with your dream golf vacation!  They offer great packages for single golfers and large groups alike.  A great service for a family trip or even a Mancation -if you love travel and golfing, one of these trips is just right for you.

Image Courtesy Shoebappa

When one mentions “Memphis” there is only one place in the world which bears that name.  Many know it as the home of Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Martin Luther King and fine barbecue.  To say the least, Memphis is home of the Delta Blues and Beale Street where the muddy waters began to flow for the first time at the turn of the 20^th Century.

A must visit when in Memphis is the legendary Beale Street Historic District located in downtown Memphis.  Whether you want to listen to street performers play the blues or check out the museums that cater to the birthplace of rock-n-roll it’s all here in the Beale Street Historic District.

A perfect compliment to the muddy blues is a rack of ribs and an ice cold beverage.  Memphis is home to one of the oldest barbecue establishments around named “Rendezvous” which started smoking ribs in 1948.  Good old fashioned charcoal ribs are prepared here daily and they have won many awards over the years for their fine tasting barbecue.

You can’t say you’ve been to Memphis without taking a ride on a river boat on the “Mighty Mississippi”.   One can do a dinner cruise or just go to sight-see for the afternoon.  Listen to historical educators talk about the past while cruising up and down the river. 

Memphis is also the birthplace of the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr.  Located right in downtown is the Civil Rights Museum where one can revisit and explore our nation’s past as well as learn about civil rights movements all over the world.

Past winners of the National Freedom award include Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Sidney Poitier just to name a few.

Lodging in Memphis is very convenient and fun and there are many choices for the discerning visitor.   From Elvis’ Heartbreak Hotel to more fashionable and modern Memphis Hotel lodging with southern charm a visitor seeking a quality experience will have no problem making their trip to Memphis, Tennessee a memorable one.

There’s so much to do in and around Lake Tahoe, that it’s hard to squeeze it all into one trip. If you can only get away for a few days, try South Lake Tahoe which is, of course, on the southern end of the lake where California and Nevada meet.

The Nevada side of the state line is home to the casinos. When I spend my money, I like to get something in return, so I’m not much of a gambler, but the casinos offer much more than a spin of the wheel, a roll of the dice and the magic of disappearing money. They also provide plenty of options for dining and entertainment that impart a vibrancy and flare to the area. Not many ski areas come with casinos and that is part of appeal of this world-class resort.

The California part of Tahoe is another world. A world of natural wonder and scenery that truly has the power to take your breath away. To most of us, the lake is is so large and deep and blue that they may as well call it an inland sea. Water sports rule in the summer. The mountain biking is classic and you can get a taste of the cowboy life while saddled up on a scenic trail Ponderosa style. The skiing offers so many options, you’ll feel as juiced up as a kid in a candy store, but if you haven’t tried Heavenly, yet, start there.

There’s also a history and tradition of opulence to Tahoe that exhibits itself in castle ruins, perfectly polished wooden speedboats and gated mansions peaking out from forests of cloud-high pines. The Emerald Bay steamboat cruise across the southern part of the lake to Vikinghome is a don’t miss trip that doesn’t cost too much or take too long.

For camping, you can’t beat the California State Parks along the southwestern side of the lake. Some of these are equipped to accommodate RV’s year ’round and are popular with the budget ski crowd. If you like it a bit more civilized, look around for one of the great South Lake Tahoe vacation packages that include lodging and popular activities, like skiing and helicopter rides, along with a meal or two.

Step back in time a bit and consider taking the train to your next ski vacation. RMA Tours is offering great deals from Minneapolis or Chicago to ski destinations in Colorado and Montana – other departure cities are available, just give them a call or visit their website for details.

Enjoy a change of pace with RMA Tours’ Throw Momma on the Train mid-Season Amtrak ski train vacation special to Whitefish, Montana, home of Big Mountain Ski Resort. Starting at $669 per person (based on double occupancy) you will receive round trip coach rail fare to Whitefish, MT from Minneapolis or Chicago, transfers; 5 nights lodging, a 4 day lift ticket taxes ARE included in this price. Rates are good through March 25, 2007.

If you’ve always dreamed of taking a train trip but haven’t known how to approach booking one, let RMA Tours help you. Call them at 800-841-9800 or contact your travel agent.

Punta Mita means gateway to paradise. You’ll agree when you stay at La Palmas Punta Mita, a gated resort community on the Bay of Banderas 26 miles north of Puerto Vallarta.

Imagine an ideal year ’round climate with complete resort amenities and more than 9 miles of private, white sand beaches to enjoy with your friends and family. If your dream vacation is all about relaxing in luxury, this is the place!

To introduce you to this beach vacation destination, they offer these Spring Specials:

Hot Deal: Between now and April 6, 2007, you’ll receive a 10% discount off your entire stay.

American Express Special: Use your AMEX card to stay 6 nights and you’ll get a seventh night free at a 3 bedroom, 3 bath luxury golf villa with a private plunge pool.

See more photos and details about this incredible place at the Las Palmas Beach Club website, then call reservations at 800.332.5523 to book your Mexican vacation today!

Through April, 2007, Keith and Susan Charak will wine and dine you at their Victorian mansion in the woods along the shore of Lake Michigan. Book the entire inn for 2 nights or more and they’ll have a feast catered for you and your companions.

Some of the best chefs of Saugatuck and Douglas have agreed to come cook for you and these epicurean wizards of gastronomic delights will amaze you in what will be your own private dining room. You pick the date and and we’ll pick the chef.

Here are the details: dinner is $50 per person, guests provide their own alcohol, and a 2-night minimum stay is required. So, bring your appetite and your friends and whatever you need to wet your whistle. Then sit down, and an unforgettable dinner is served.

To book your gourmet dinner, call Keith or Sue at 800-838-1246. See some of our past gourmet dinner menus .

Another interesting area offering – and excuse to getaway to Saugatuck – is the Hope College Visiting Writer’s Series. The free readings are open to the public and usually held at the Knickerbocker theater in downtown Holland. Upcoming writers include Percival Everett, Anele Rubin, Mary Ann Samyn and Joan Silber.

Grizzlies and Wolves Safari 2007
Choose from Four night Packages:
April 21-25, April 25-29, April 29-May 3, May 3-7, May 7-11, 2007
Choose From Three night Packages:
May 11-14, May 14-17, May 17-20, May 21-24, May 24-27, 2007
The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa, in conjunction with the non-profit Teton Science School, presents exclusive packages to explore Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and the abundance of springtime wildlife.

Guests will arrive in Jackson for a night’s stay at the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa, before departing for Yellowstone National Park’s grizzly and wolf territory. Accompanied by Wildlife Expeditions biologists, adventurers can observe predator such as grizzlies, black bears and wolves roaming in the park’s evergreen forests and rolling meadows. See baby elk and bison frolic at their mothers’ sides while bald eagles soar overhead and trumpeter swans and white pelicans nest near sparkling lakes. The small groups (8 per naturalist) will travel in custom safari vehicles, most with opening roof hatches.

Package includes two nights lodging at the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa, one or two night’s lodging in Cooke City, Montana (three and four night plans, respectively), expertise of a biologist/guide, specified meals on the expedition, snacks, beverages, dinner gratuities, round trip transportation from Jackson in the safari vans, use of optics, park entrance fees, and dinner for two at the Four Diamond Wild Sage restaurant upon returning from Yellowstone

$925 per person, three night plan
$1,275 per person, four night plan

Based on double occupancy, first floor king or double queen room.
Plus tax and resort fee.
Fireplace, King-Fireplace-Jacuzzi rooms, and extra nights available

The Wentworth Hotel Mid Week Ski Packages:
Our midweek package includes accommodations for two guests, a full country breakfast for two guests and two lift passes for one of the following mountains, Attitash, Wildcat, Bretton Woods, Cranmore, King Pine, Black and Shawnee Peak. Nordic skiing includes a trail pass at Bretton Woods, Great Glen, Jackson Ski Touring, MWV Skiing and King Pine and includes rentals and a group lesson. Rates from $97.50 per person per night double occupancy. Not available holiday weeks.