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Offering unparalleled hospitality and southern charm, The Homestead sits on 3,000-acres within the Allegheny Mountains of southwestern Virginia. Cool off this season at The Homestead's -  Allegheny Springs - that offers thrills and spills for all ages. Ride along the 400-foot lazy river or take a thrilling drop down one of two tall water slides Featuring 483 luxurious guest rooms and suites, 72,000 square feet of meeting space, a wide array of fine and casual dining choices, The Homestead is a ideal family friendly getaway destination. There is also a new miniature golf course, the Mini Cascades and the tranquil Jefferson Springs spa garden to enjoy during your getaway. Among the other amenities to sample is a  world-class spa, three championship golf courses that include one of the nation's finest mountain courses called The Cascades, the South's first downhill ski area, a 48-stable Equestrian Center and show ring, and one of the top-rated Shooting Clubs as well as many mo...

Nantucket Island is well known for the freshest seafood, and has a rich history that wraps you in memories of a simpler times when folks sipped iced tea and enjoy good conversation while watching the boats sail across the horizon. The beautiful Century House was one such place to relax. Providing a unique combination of history, comfort, style and grace, the Century House is the oldest continuously operating guesthouse on Nantucket Island. This means the there are many tales to be discovered about this former Whaling Captains home that features 18 rooms, a large wrap-around veranda, a lush garden area and patio where you can to sit and relax. Fans of the NBC television show "Wings," may find the Century House sign or facade familiar. Executive producers David Lee, Peter Casey and David Angell chose the Century House as their B&B when first visiting the island in 1989 to scout locations. In the following years, scenes of the inn have often been featured on the show, and th...

The historic Christmas Farm Inn and Spa, a 200 year old Inn nestled in New Hampshire’s picturesque Mt. Washington Valley, offers guests wonderful amenities and a memorable setting for a romantic getaway. Pass through Jackson’s famous covered "Honeymoon Bridge" that is the gateway to a quintessential New England village and you'll find the Christmas Farm Inn & Spa that features the personal touches of a country inn with the amenities of an upscale modern resort. Settle in to your uniquely handcrafted cottage and enjoy the full service spa after a day of Tax-FREE shopping outlets in North Conway. Share a romantic evening of culinary delights at the Restaurant & Pub or head out on the town. For families and groups the Christmas Farm Inn and Spa has Family Rooms & Spacious Suites, and there are Wedding & Business Facilities available for any occasion. A visit to the Christmas Farm Inn and Spa is always a pleasure. The Inn's guest rooms and suit...

Located in one of the most diverse areas in Germany, the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region offers great food and wine, half-timbered houses, beautiful countryside. And, it is home to amazing sites to enjoy as well as Celtic Sites to explore and the original Frankenstein Castle. Discover the enchanting rivers and historic towns within the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region: 1. Pack your copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to read or download it from your favorite site to read on the way to the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region, where you'll find the original Frankenstein Castle. When you visit this castle that dates back to 1252, you can easily see what inspired the author. 2. If you're visiting in February, the it’s time for Carnival ! And, Germany has a great carnival tradition, and Mainz is one of the major carnival capitals of the country. The main parade on Shrove Monday, which is a huge party for all ages, with decorated parade floats, people wearing costumes waving and collecting sweet...

  Located in Brewster, the Ocean Edge Resort & Club on Cape Cod is a perfect, family friendly getaway, where you can enjoy all the recreation and fun the majestic coast of the Cape offers. When planning your trip be sure to pack your bikes, or bike rentals are available, so you and your loved ones can ride along through the state parks and cranberry bogs along the Cape Cod National Seashore. The 26-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail runs through the Ocean Edge Resort & Club, and is a great starting point for your bike tour. The paved trail sits atop a former railroad right-of-way with few hills and well-marked automobile crossings, and there are plenty of opportunities to get off trail to visit beaches. Open year-round, Ocean Edge Resort & Club occupies 429 pine-scented acres on a majestic bluff overlooking Cape Cod Bay in picturesque Brewster, MA on historic Route 6A, Old King’s Highway The centerpiece of the resort is the 1912 Victorian-style Nickerson Mansion, which is listed...

  Offering elegant accommodations, with luxurious touches, the Rosewood Country Inn is a home away from home set on 12 hilltop acres in Bradford, part of New Hampshire’s Dartmouth Lake Sunapee Region. Their beautiful suites have antique beds with fine linens, private baths, whirlpool tubs, and romantic fireplaces. In the morning relax on the Inn’s sunlit porches or guest chambers before breakfast in the large dining room that can seat up to 65 people, and has a full-service bar. The Rosewood Country Inn host's are always there to make you feel right at home, and can suggest local sites to visit, and festivities to join while visiting Bradford. In the evenings relax and enjoy a sip of crème sherry in your room. Or, if you'd like a snack visit the butler’s pantry on the second floor for special late-night snacks. In case you want to keep in touch with the world you left behind there is wireless internet is available in all rooms. Then again, why use your laptop when there's s...

  Featuring four luxurious and individually decorated rooms, and two comfortable suites complete with a queen size bed and private bath, The Bradford Inn is a charming and intimate getaway option in Bradford, New Hampshire. This victorian style Inn invites you to leave the world outside behind and relax in the welcoming parlor by a cozy fireplace. This is especially nice when you're visiting in the fall when the weather's cooler and you can enjoy sipping a delicious cup of hot apple cider. Or, relax and catch up on your reading and mingling with other guests staying at The Bradford Inn. When staying at The Bradford Inn you'll feel welcome as part of the family by your host. This warmth and hospitality is part of the charm of visiting the Bradford area, where everyone is known to be friendly. When planning your days you'll find there are many sites and attractions to enjoy, and your hosts can be very helpful by offering suggestions for local sites to explore on ...

To celebrate Boston’s history and heritage the Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston introduces eight culturally inspired suites. Built on the original site of the Museum of Fine Arts, the Fairmont Copley Plaza has stood as one of the city’s architectural jewels and part of the fabric of the community for over 90 years. To celebrate this connection with Boston’s cultural community curators and archivists have created suites to highlights the communities’ cultural and historic sites and attractions. In Suite 341 explores the roots of the Museum of Fine Arts. Step back in time to the 1890’s with photographs of the original museum and reproductions of MFA Masterworks including a sculpture of Degas’ Ballerina, John Singer Sargent watercolors and Claude Monet’s Poppy Fields. Each suite features framed artwork and other accoutrements showcasing the partner organizations, including John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Museum of Science, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Other partners contributing to ...

Warmth and sunshine is an invitation to play to waterside. Offering unparalleled hospitality and Southern charm, The Homestead sits on 3,000-acres within the Allegheny Mountains of southwestern Virginia. And, now you can enjoy even more fun at The Homestead's Mountain Rush water complex that offers thrills and spills for all ages, including two 100-foot water slides and a 400-foot lazy river. While two of the water slides move at a quick pace, the lazy river lets you float through the natural landscape on inner tubes at comfortable speeds. And there's more to enjoy, including a charming spring house poised over a babbling brook that feeds the lazy river; winding footpaths; a separate family pool and whirlpool; and a sandy beach. In the winter the family pool remains open for you to relax in the steamy waters or on chaise lounges set upon a stone-face deck warmed by radiant heat, while the water play zone is transformed into an ice skating rink. This means you'll enjoy all t...

  The Annual Great Maine Apple Day held in Late Oct is just the place to enjoy sampling recipes cooked with Maine apples. The event celebrates the History, Flavor and Tradition of Maine Apples, while honoring the importance of a diversified, perennial agriculture. Yes, there will be a pie baking contest, but if you want your dessert to literally stand up for the judges, you'll need to get out of the Macintosh rut. "The only thing a Macintosh does is make apple sauce in a pie," says Apple Day co-organizer and state apple expert, John Bunker. "There are many apple varieties that are just good for pies and people can learn about them at Apple Day." Learn the names of the apples that grow year after year on trees in their yard by bringing in samples and find almost 200 labeled varieties of apples on display. Who knows, you may be the owner of a rare Black Oxford, a medium-sized round apple with deep purple skin that was grown in Oxford County as early as 1790. Main...

Bar Harbor, Maine and Acadia National Park are full of beauty and adventure. So if you are looking for a relaxing, adventurous and enjoyable vacation with a lot to do, or nothing to do this is a great place to go. The coastline of Maine has many breathtaking scenic views form Kittery Point at the southern tip to the town of Robbinston bordering Canada at the Bay of Fundy. Wildlife in Maine is noted for its Moose, Bear and a bird called the Loon. Its not everyday you see a bear or moose crossing in front of you as you drive down a road or you hear in a distance a wild bird called the Loon calling out in a quiet unique and distinctive sound. A great way to see the wildlife and beautiful coastlines of Maine is by visiting Maine's State and National Parks. Maine is the home of the well known National Park of Acadia. The park is located on Mount Desert Island on the Atlantic Ocean along with the well known small coastal harbor town of Bar Harbor. After you’ve entered the Park you can en...

  Boston, Massachusetts is certainly glowing when it comes to history. Five miles south and over the Neponset River take you into the city of Quincy (pronounced Quin-zee), the only city in the United States that is the birthplace of two presidents; John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams. Add the birthplace of John Hancock, and you have the makings of the Declaration of Independence. What better way to celebrate the Declaration than attending a reenactment of the Continental Congress. I am taken to a place called The House, located at 65 Adams Street, the residence of the Adams family (not to be confused with the Addams Family) for four generations. The grounds are known as “Peace field” and include the gardens and Carriage House. We are directed to the Carriage House where Abigail Adams is giving us a bit of information as to what is going on and addresses us all as being men who own land. We are attending the finalizing of the Declaration of Independence to decide on what should...

  I have to admit that there may never be another close encounter with a wild animal as one that I had holding a three-month-old lion cub on my trip to South Africa. Swimming with dolphins would be great if only I could swim. So I settled for a close encounter with a beluga whale at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration in Mystic, Connecticut. The beluga meeting was scheduled for 1 p.m. Having arrived during the morning hours there was time to explore much of the aquarium’s facilities beginning with a peek at the Arctic Coast exhibit featuring the three adult beluga whales. Kela, aka Kellukak, underwent the first-ever beluga whale artificial insemination in 2005. Inuk, completely white and the largest animal in this exhibit, weighs 2,300 lbs. It is Naku, born in 1981, 11 feet long and weighing 1,350 who is often found in the holding pool, where my encounter will take place. There is no “show” regarding the belugas, but scheduled times of feedings and trainings to view....

  Mankato features an abundant array of activities and festivals to enjoy throughout the year, and is home of the Minnesota Vikings Training Camp. It's Mankato's small town charm which draws us back. We love visiting festivals, fairs, and annual celebrations around the USA. It's a wonderful way to learn more about the people and culture of an area. In Mankato there are a number of great festivals and celebrations to experience. Spring is a wonderful time to savor a taste of cultures at the International Festival . Summer heats up with the annual Rockin' in the Quarry Festival , Fourth of July Fireworks show, the North Mankato Fun Days, and the Annual Hickory Street Ribfest in August. In September guests arrive from around the country to discover Native American traditions at the Mdewakanton, Mah-kato Traditional Powwow where you'll find unique craftsmen and cultural exhibits. History comes to life in October at the Historyfest. The beauty of winter takes hold and ev...

  Drive the highways and byways and spot many styles of homes, both large and small. Curious about the “wide load” multi-sectional homes Anne often passed on highways, she toured the Champion Home factory... Here, she saw first-hand how they build the roof in reverse order, starting with the ceiling. They lay out the sheet rock for the ceiling, put the trusses on top, frame it all up, and put holes in the sheet rock wherever there are light fixtures or vents to go through the roof. Then both sides of the rafters are sprayed with a foam product with adhesive in it. This glues the sheet rock to the rafters with no nails or screws used. Finally the electric wires are run. Then this unit will be picked up and set in a bay with two support walls for the ceiling to be textured and painted, and the light fixtures hung. Everything at the Champion factory is streamlined. Siding is put on in full sheets with window and door openings routed out later. Six guys working together shingle a roof...

  The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Holiday Helpers program is set to kick-off the summer travel season. The Holiday Helpers are a special group of volunteers that can be found out in force with Airport Ambassadors distributing summer travel goodies to passengers. Look for fun, live entertainment playing  throughout the terminals as these cheerful characters welcome all to DFW. We thank the Holiday Helpers for their dedication. This all volunteer employee group was born after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 to brighten our travels. They will also distribute free drink samples, from Pepsi and bring a smile to passengers they meet.  While visiting Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, look for art located in the Skylink Stations and throughout International Terminal D, DFW showcases a world-class $6 million visual arts program featuring paintings, floor medallions, sculptures and interactive pieces as well as the Nasher Sculpture Garden outside of ...

  Orange County, Virginia has a connection to two presidents.  Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States, who served in office from 1849-1850, was born November 24, 1784 in Montebello, Orange County, Virginia.  While the fourth President of the United States and "Father of the Constitution," James Madison, who lived in Montpelier. Plan A Trip To Orange County, Virginia Orange County is considered the cradle of American patriotism, with over 30 historic landmarks to explore.  To find out all there is to do in Orange County and plan your trip go to the  Visit Orange County  website.

  Lake Winnipesaukee nestles in the foothills of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. It's the states largest body of water and one of the deepest. Centered in the popular vacation area known as the Lakes Region it provides 4-season pleasure for millions every year. Before Europeans visited the native people had been enjoying the lake for 10,000 years. They gave Lake Winnipesaukee the Indian name meaning "Smile of the Great Spirit." Spend a week on the lake and you'll understand what they mean. The area is a magnificent playground for both water and hiking activities. These days people still fish and canoe on the lake but it's shared with modern day jet skis and motorboats. But essentially Lake Winnipesaukee is an area to take your time exploring, and enjoy the lazy feeling of messing around on water. The lake is spring fed and clean, and many homes on the lake take their water supply directly without any filtering. The towns around the lake are mindful of conser...

  Imagine traveling the prairie, collecting water from a river or creek, everything you needed was tucked  in a covered wagon. Years later, you witness the moving stream train for the first time. These are the tales you can discover in Nebraska, where people's dreams and hopes were tested as they made their way across the state.  There are places like the  Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer  in Grand Island that celebrate the courage of these early settlers.  The Stuhr Museum is one of the nation's Top Ten Living History Museums  - and has been named "one of the top '10' places to relive America's past" by Good Housekeeping magazine, They also have Railroad Town to explore that offers a hands-on living history experience that tells the story of town buildings of days long ago in Nebraska. Nebraska Historic Sites Travel on to  Kearney to explore  the G reat Platte River Road Archway Monumen t, where you'll discover a gallery of interacti...