After the desert sun goes down over San Jacinto Mountain, Palm Springs really heats up. The nightlife is colorful, diverse and exciting with a casually elegant vibe that’s all California.

Hunters is a trendy club with spirited DJs, go go dancers  and a pounding dance floor that gets busier and wilder as the night goes on. While the party’s getting started, play billards, surf the ‘net or lounge on the finely misted outdoor terrace with a happy hour special. It’s all good. 

The Oasis has charismatic DJs running an amazing sound system, two bars, an indoor courtyard, a game room, theme nights, a piano bar with sing a longs, and perhaps the biggest dance floor you’ve ever seen.  And The Oasis stays open until 4 am!

For the ultimate bash, rent an incredible house for the weekend and throw your own party. It’s not uncommon for luxury Palm Springs vacation rentals to have sleek custom pools, completely private courtyards with incredible gardens, stunning architecture and one-of-a-kind furnishings. Many homes are large enough to accommodate all your guests in a rich and famous lifestyle they will never forget. Ya gotta do it once!

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When visiting the Central Rockies in Colorado, one usually has to go near or through the town of Vail.  Summer and winter activities abound here and therefore attract many a visitor from Denver and beyond.  I know that when I think of Colorado cuisine, elk, venison, trout and buffalo come to my mind but that is only the tip of the iceberg.

Vail amongst other neighboring mountain towns has global influence when it comes to dining and cuisine as well as its’ residents and visitors.  Vail and Beaver Creek come together to provide the valley guest luxury home rentals and amenities second to none. 

Culinary imagination is unleashed in a variety of ways when ingredients are the focus of attention.    European influence is fairly easy to find in the mountains of Colorado.  From gazpacho and veal sweetbreads to escargots and grilled lamb, the French have made a nice home in the central Rockies.

Seafood in the mountains typically is not mentioned together in the same sentence so restaurants go the extra mile to obtain fresh seafood and execute a beautifully prepared dish.  From Ahi Tuna to Dungeness crab dining establishments can really compete with the port towns of the surrounding coastal world.

Mountain fare is represented very well in Colorado to say the least and must be experienced among the other cuisine styles.

Beaver Creek which is just west of Vail brings the same type of culinary sophistication to the plate as well.  From Foie Gras to fresh Maine lobster the variety of cuisine covers all of the bases.

Many of us think of Palm Springs as a destination for the rich and famous, but toss that mind set out or you’ll miss the exhilarating outdoor adventures you can have around this desert oasis. You don’t have to be a die hard to enjoy them, either. Here are just a few ideas to get the family outside during a Palm Springs vacation.

Big Wheel Bike Tour’s Earthquake Canyon Express is an unforgettable ride and it’s almost all downhill. Just about anyone who can ride a bicycle can enjoy this trip. Kids can be accommodated in tag-a-longs behind an adult bike. Descend 1200 feet in 20 miles through the heart of the San Andreas Fault on a quiet paved road that winds through narrow canyons down into the Mohave Desert. The rewards at the end are stunning views of Mt. San Jacinto and the Salton Sea and a unique and tasty date shake at the Oasis Date Gardens. It’s a great way to spend a day in the desert, see the sights and get some exercise, too.

Guided horseback rides are another Palm Springs adventure almost anyone can enjoy. The one to two hour trips into the Indian Canyons don’t require reservations and the scenery is unforgettable. Be a cowboy or cowgirl for a few hours and be sure to bring your camera.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes you up, up, up. Up two and and half miles from Chino Canyon on the north edge of Palm Springs to the top of San Jacinto Mountain. At over 10,000 feet, the climate is considerably cooler and often frosted with snow. Once on top, there are hiking trails, camping, guided nature walks, sledding, snowshoeing and cross country skiing, depending on the season. Pick a day when it’s sweltering on the valley floor and head up on the tram for thrilling views and refreshing temperatures. Take a live peek through the Tram Cams here.

When leaving Denver in the rear-view mirror and heading up I-70 going West, one starts to see the Rocky Mountains in front and the plains behind. After going through Eisenhower Tunnel and Loveland Pass one starts going down the other side only to meet Summit County head on. There are three towns adjacent to each other, Frisco, Dillon and Silverthorne. There are five ski areas that can be accessed rather easily and those are Breckenridge, Copper, Keystone, A-Basin and Loveland ski area. A-Basin and Loveland tend to be used by the locals but should not be overlooked by any skier or snowboarder. Most of the skier traffic to Summit County comes from the Front Range and Denver just because it is so convenient and the ski area options are so great.

Transportation is very easy to obtain from Denver and one can stop driving once getting to Summit County because everything is at your fingertips – retail shopping, dining, rental shops, clothing outlets, grocery stores, lodging and transportation.

Breckenridge has their own brewery – Breckenridge Brewery which serves food and beer and actually is so big that they distribute their beer all throughout Colorado.

In the winter, Summit County is known for their skiing and snowboarding and is a winter wonderland. With five ski areas available to play on, Summit County really gives the visitor a plethora of choices for “sliding around”. Arapahoe Basin just added a new lift that opened up an additional 400 acres and 36 runs which account for 80% more terrain. The new terrain is called the “Montezuma Bowl” and it opened up last season.

Copper Mountain is a host of several ski race events during the winter for both young and old competitors. Copper Mountain is located just west of Dillon and is conveniently situated right off of I-70.

Breckenridge is tucked away a little ways off of the interstate and is known for being one of coldest ski areas in central Colorado. The town of Breckenridge is a quaint old town with tons of charm and spirit and should be visited during the winter or summer.

Keystone ski area has the only night skiing available in the state and is therefore the largest night ski operation.

The nightlife is just that – lively both day and night. In the tri-town area which is Frisco, Dillon and Silverthorne there are three micro-breweries – Backcountry Brewery, Pug Ryan’s and The Dillon Dam Brewery (which I have personally been to all three and they are all very good).

Keystone has plenty of nightlife as well with saloons, taverns, bars, lounges and a nightclub in River Run.

All in all, Summit County has enough to do for just about anybody at anytime. Head west from Denver and in a short amount of time you are in Summit County, a Rocky Mountain playground.

Fishing in the Keys incorporates just about every type and style of fishing ever imagined.  From deep-sea fishing with heavy tackle to fly and light tackle fishing and even spear-fishing on the reef, the Keys offer excitement to every angler.  The fish that are usually caught are tarpon, bonefish, barracuda, shark, dolphin, sailfish, marlin, wahoo and yellowfin tuna just to name a few. 

One can book a charter trip for a half day, full day, 10 hours worth and even a night fishing adventure.

From early March until late July one can catch tarpon day and/or night.  Locally known as “Silver Kings”, tarpon arrive in the Key West area in the early summer to spawn.  One of the most exciting ways to catch tarpon is on a flat boat with a fly rod in the clear, blue salt flats.  This kind of fishing is called “sight fishing” and the angler must be able to cast accurately in order to attract the fish.  The salt flats are very shallow (one to two feet deep) so you can imagine the exhilaration when there is a “fish on”. 

From Key West or “The Conch Republic” deep-sea or off-shore fishing takes the angler out far where one is most likely to catch larger fish but not necessarily.  Backcountry fishing takes place along the edges of the flats where the water is slightly warmer and therefore home to big tarpon as well as shark and barracuda.  Guides will typically also offer reef and wreck fishingwhich produces amberjack, cobia, snapper, grouper and large shark.   Guides will advise you to “catch and release” but you can keep your catch if you want to have it prepared by a local restaurant and serve it up to your friends and family.

The greatest reward for an angler is to have his or her catch be served up on a platter at the local restaurant.  What better way to enjoy your hard day’s work (fishing) than to savor the fresh taste of the fish that has been prepared by a professional.  It has been said that there are over 365 places to eat in Key West – that’s one for every day of the year!

So if you like to fish or just eat them, come down to Key West, Florida and enjoy both or either past-times.