Winter festivals are an effective way of keeping down on the socially unacceptable craziness often brought on by cabin fever by replacing it with socially acceptable craziness, instead.

The natives of cold places with long winters tend to pull out all the stops for these rowdy town parties. Most of the events are held outdoors and nearly every form of ice or snow related competition is included. The McCall, Idaho Winter Festival is no exception.

There’s snowshoe golf, snow sculpting, tubing races, a snowmobile fun run and a closing ceremony with fireworks over the very frozen Payette Lake.

My pick for maximum entertainment value is the Monster Dog pull. They load down plastic sleds with weight about equal to the dog’s weight. Then, they see which dog can pull it the fastest in a monster dog drag race. There are different weight classes and the proceeds go to the regional animal shelter, Mc Paws.

Related Post: Idaho Skiing-Brundage Mountain

Hey, Thanks for stopping by! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Some of the best ski areas I’ve ever been to are those undiscovered, hometown-syyle gems that your friends have never heard of. They only get a quick mention once a year in the big ski magazines and then fade back into obscurity again.

These are the true snow lover’s mountains. The mountains where more of the snow sliders are local season pass holders than destination vacationers.

These are the mountains where the kids playing hooky on powder days are there with their moms and dads, who are also playing hooky.

These are the mountains that every kid in town knows like the back of their hand and where nearly every adult has worked at one time or another when they needed the respite of a season in the snow.

Well, that’s the kind of ski resort you’ll find at Brundage Mountain, near McCall, Idaho. If you’d like to see what mountain lovers look like at Brundage, see these ski Idaho videos. Then make plans to visit a hometown ski area this year-you may never go back to a mega resort.

They didn’t name it it WINTER Park for nothin’! This place is the poster child for winter…and not just any winter, either. We’re talking a classic Colorado Rocky Mountain winter. That’s what you get when you visit Winter Park - at least in the winter. And winter means snow. Lots and lots of snow. So much snow that if you don’t get out there and embrace it, revel in it, maybe even wallow in it, you could get more than a little crazy with cabin fever.

There’s the skiing, of course, on Denver’s favorite slopes at the Winter Park Ski Area. Or cross country or snowshoeing or sledding. Ah, did I hear sledding? Not that tame pastime you remember, but motor sledding - snowmobiling! Yeeeeehaw!

Winter Park and snowmobiling were made for each other. Even if you’re not sure you’ll like it, take a quick 1 hour guided tour and find out. It’s long enough to get a feel for it and not too long to suffer if you hate it.

Another option is a 2 hour tour to the Continental Divide. Absolutely awesome views at 12,000 feet, as well as untracked powderfields just for you.

I have to admit, I don’t know much about the Northern European sport of Curling - but it’s something that draws and holds my interest whenever the Winter Olympics roll around. What exactly is the object of this game, and why do I get so excited when the slidey-things (I later learned these were called “stones”) bash into each other? I think I’m going to have to plan a little getaway to Norfolk, CT to find out.

Of course you’re asking yourselves, “Why Norfolk, CT?” Well it has it’s very own Curling Club - with lessons and something exciting called a “Bonspiel.” Further research reveals that a “Bonspiel” is a Curling Tournament.  Any sport with it’s own secret language that doesn’t cause muscle cramps and perspiration is the sport for me.

I have no idea how the scoring is done though - but apparently knocking the opponent’s “stone” out of the bullseye or “house” is a good thing. Curling is thought to have originated in Scotland sometime between 1520 and 1550 - the first club in North America was founded in Montreal in 1807 - who knew this odd but exciting sport was so ancient! They describe it as chess on ice, but I think it’s more like shuffleboard on ice with bigger pucks!

Norfolk isn’t only about Curling, I was intrigued so I searched out some more information on the area.  It seems that there are lots of cool things to see and do in Norfolk. Romantic sleigh rides in the summer or hay rides in the winter (bring your allergy meds for that one.)  There are a ton of antique shops and a local historical society. Visit an authentic Shaker Village or have tea in the Harney & Sons Tea Room.

In the summer time you can enjoy a relaxing horseback ride through the Berkshires and a visit to one of the area Golf Courses - stay in a bed and breakfast that offers Spa services and relax with an in-room massage. I found a new neat places online - the Manor House offers a unique Connecticut bed and breakfast experience.

So on your next trip to New England, consider learning something about an ancient sport and taking in some historic culture.

Maui is the second largest in the Hawaiian Island chain. The island, known as “Valley Isle,” is covered with lush verdant valleys which are full of tropical foliage and colorful flowers. A visitor to Maui will never want for exciting activities from hiking to swimming to basking in the tropical sun. With so much to do, when will you have time to relax?

1. A scenic drive up to Haleakala National Park takes visitors from sea level to the summit of a massive volcano over 10,000 above the ocean. Watch as the ecosystems change at each turn of the road. Hiking trails through the crater valley offer views of rare plant life and the remnants of volcanic activity from nearly 200 years ago.

2. For the ultimate mountain biking experience, book an amazing Haleakala Downhill Bike Ride. It is the world’s longest downhill bicycle cruise down the slopes of Haleakala, the largest dormant volcano in the world. Cruise down the ever-changing landscape from the lava encrusted top of the crater, to the lush seaside plantation town of Paia, 38 miles away.

3. For the animal lover, try the Haleakala Ranch Horseback Ride. Saddle up “paniolo-style” and ride across the rolling hills of Haleakala Ranch, Maui’s largest operating cattle ranch. Your seasoned wranglers will take you on an uplifting ride across some of the Ranch’s 35,000 picturesque acres, passing some of its 7,000 heads of Hereford/Santa Gertrudis cattle.

4. Drive the road to Hana. Hana is an elegant, yet quiet, community once prized by Hawaiian royalty for its beauty and serenity. The road to Hana is an unforgettable experience, in part because the narrow road twists and turns all the way along Maui’s north coast, but mostly because of the spectacular scenery the drive offers. The drive takes you through a lush green tropical rainforest marked by crystal water-falls and gulches full of tropical plants and flowers.

5. To get your feet off the ground, fly like a tropical bird above two of the most famous sites on Maui - Hana and Haleakala Crater - and everywhere in-between on a Hana-Haleakala Helicopter Tour. Cruise over the alien vista of Haleakala, the “House of the Sun,” and see the terrain change right before your eyes.

6. Driving along the Hana Highway you will find beautiful Wailua Falls in the lush Wailua Valley. A short hike takes you to the base of the 200 foot waterfall for an extraordinary view of the rushing water.

7. Experience the Valley Island from a different perspective as you paddle gently along Maui’s golden coast on an Ocean Kayak & Turtle Adventure. This kayak adventure opens you to the world that exists both above and below the ocean. Safe and wonderfully unique, this paddling adventure is perfect for both first-time and seasoned paddlers.

8. Experience Hawaii’s aquatic journey at Maui’s world-class aquarium with a Maui Ocean Center Tour. Filled with exhibits of colorful marine life and interactive displays and activities, the Maui Ocean Center is the only aquarium devoted solely to Hawaii’s unique underwater world. This extraordinary destination was named “Top-Rated Attraction in Hawaii” and one of the “50 Top-Rated Attractions” in the country by Zagat Survey, “US Family Travel Guide.”

9. Plunge into a world of enchanting beauty and natural wonder aboard a Maui Atlantis Submarine Tour. Departing from Lahaina, you’ll board a specially designed ferry for a scenic sail to the dive site. Once aboard the sub, you’ll dive more than 100 feet below the surface. Relax in air-conditioned comfort as you watch the underwater seascape unfurl through the large portholes. Schools of exotic fish swim by in a rainbow of color among fans of ocean foliage waving gently with the current. Drift past rare coral formations and keep your eyes open for moray eels, giant sea turtles, sharks and other amazing creatures that call the living reef their home.

10. The steam engine of the Lahaina Ka’anapali & Pacific Railroad was once used to transport crops of sugar and plantation workers around the island, but now the “Sugar Cane Train” takes its passengers on a scenic 6-mile route up along Hahakea Trestle which offers spectacular views of the ocean and the West Maui Mountains. The “Sugar Cane Train” is fun for young and old.

Maui is full of activities to suit just about anyone. These 10 only scratch the surface! Amazing tours like this book up in advance, so if you have a vacation planned don’t wait any longer to book your Maui tours. If you haven’t yet booked your Hawaii vacation yet…what are you waiting for?

Mahalo!