Vacations Blog

You don’t have to be a mountain goat or buy a truckload of mountain climbing gear to take a hiking day trip out of New York City. And you won’t be needing maps, or have to spend half a day traveling to the Adirondacks, and neither will you have to pay for one of those fancy upstate New York vacations. The only thing you have to do is get a Metrocard and optionally, join the NY-NoJ Chapter of the AMC.

The AMC does more than 2000 trips each year, and most are for beginners, are free and can be reached from NYC by public transport (so your Metrocard is sufficient). Plus they give you a monthly magazine listing hikes and instructions for newbies, and the hikes are led by volunteers. All said and done, its well worth the annual membership fee ($25 to $40, depending on your age), but if you don’t want to join, you are allowed to join in as a guest to try out how it works. You just need to be there at the starting point of the hike. Be that as it may, listed below are some of the hikes which you can take on your own.

Palisades Interstate Park, NJ - The trails are easily accessible by public transport from New York City. If you’re taking the subway, take the A express subway line to 181st Street, and walk across the George Washington Bridge. And then you have to hike.  More details about the trails, directions and maps available here.

Cold Spring, NY – Its a quaint and beautiful place on the banks of the Hudson River with breathtaking river views and a lot of historical things to see. Best thing to do is to take the Metro North from Grand Central to Cold Spring, and from there its a 7.5 mile round trip hike to and from Mt Taurus. A bit strenuous, and occasionally hair-raising, but if you’re upto it, then the view along the way, with abandoned estates dotting the Hudson River Valley… Let’s just say it’s worth the sweat. Ask around in Cold Spring for directions to Mt Taurus, maps, and any other help you might need.

Then there’s Anthony’s Nose, which offers one of the most spectacular trail views you’ll ever see. Its a 900 ft mountain on the eastern side of the Hudson. From the top, you can see the entire Bear Mountain Bridge (see pic above) exactly below you spanning across the river, which stretches left and right as far as you can see. Again a bit strenuous, but you’ll remember the view for a long time to come. You might also want to make note of Cold Spring as a cozy weekend getaway.

Photo by jothenomad via flickr (creative commons)

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

Are the triple-digit temperatures getting you down? How about immersing yourself in a vat of bubbling hot water? Believe it or not, it can be a refreshing experience, as long as you’re in a Jacuzzi at a nice spa. In other words, don’t try this at home.

Here are some spa retreats that you might want to check out for a cooling, calming break from the summer heat. Don’t forget to hydrate!

A popular destination for spa-loving Angelenos, Burke Williams is a chain so there’s probably one close to where you are. Definitely in the upscale realm of spas, they offer a standard menu of massages, facial treatments and spa facilities in lush surroundings. I’ve been to the Pasadena and Santa Monica locations, and while I got a decent massage at both, I found the experience unremarkable considering the steep price: $125 for only a 50 minute session, much more than what I’ve paid at other spas. Perhaps you’re lucky enough to have a rich friend (or husband) who will gift you with the $790 all day spa experience, titled ‘A Day Beyond’ (apparently they left out the words, ‘My Budget.’)

For a more down-to-earth experience why not try the Beverly Hot Springs, located in Koreatown. This no-frills spa boasts L.A.’s only pure-alkaline mineral water spa, and also a celebrity clientele. I tried to impress at a party once by telling them how I had seen Brooke Shields in the lobby, but was quickly trumped by someone else who had seen Madonna, naked, in the boiling-hot spring pool. Their prices are reasonable – $30 will get you the use of the hot springs and for another $60 you can have my favorite, the Body Care treatment, which consists of a 50-minute massage and skin conditioning session using milk, oil and cucumber. Besides feeling great, you come out of there smelling like a nice salad.

If you’re really feeling crazy on one of those sweltering days, why not drive for two hours to the blazing hot desert to Two Bunch Palms. Located on what was once Al Capone’s hideout in Desert Hot Springs, this resort is also a celeb favorite – Meryl Streep and Bette Midler have been known to escape to this ultra luxurious resort. Known for theier mineral springs, they also offer a full menu of spa and pampering services ranging from a standard Swedish massage (a fairly reasonable $115 for 60 minutes) to something called Watsu, which has you “cradled in the water in the amrs of your therapist” while your receive a shiatsu treatment. Sounds a little freaky to me, but whatever floats your boat, er, body.

1. Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: This is a spectacular display of color….thousands of balloons are released against a blue desert sky. People come from all over the world to see this one of a kind festival of hot air balloons. You can go for an unforgettable scenic ride or just enjoy the festivities from the ground level. But, don’t miss out!

2. Maryland Renaissance Festival: Dust off your armor and get ready for turkey legs, chivalry, and sword fights. This is one of the largest Renaissance festivals in the country with more than 1300 participants and 280,000 guest every year.

3. Mardis Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana: An obvious but essential choice. The wild costumes, spectacular floats and raucous crowds make this one of the country’s best festivals. Head down in February for Fat Tuesday and have a blast!

4. Fire Ant Festival in Marshall Texas: Marshall might be a little out of your way. But, if you ever find yourself in East Texas in October. …mosey on by. This festival is an ode to the pesky fire ant, complete with “stinging” hot chili cook-offs and giant fire ant floats.

5. Gilroy Garlic Festival: If you are a fan of this versatile herb, then you don’t want to miss this festival. Snack on it whole, sauteed with pasta, or flavoring a scoop of ice cream—this a three day “ode to garlic”. Breath mints not included!

6. Monterey Jazz Festival: Another classic. This fest is in its 51st year and going strong. It is a celebration of Jazz music with over 500 musicians and 9 stages. You can sip on a glass of wine and take in a sunset over the Pacific Ocean while grooving to a smooth beat.

7. Austin City Limits Festival (ACL) in Austin, Texas: This incredibly popular music festival arose from the famed television program of the same name. It takes place over a full weekend every September and has 100’s of bands, both large and small. Added bonus: when you get overheated in the hot Texas sun, you can cross the street and go swimming in the 68degree water of Barton Springs.

8. Taste of Chicago: This summer festival in Grant Park involves music, libations, and a sampling of food from more than 60 of Chicago’s best restaurants…what more can you ask for. Oh, and the entrance is free!

9. Testicle Festival in Clinton, Montana: If you have ever wanted to try a Rocky Mountain Oyster, this is your chance! But, it is only for the brave.

10.Gulf Coast Rhythm and Rib Fest in Palmetto Florida: Who doesn’t like good music and delicious food. This festival brings together the nations top Rib Masters from the gulf coast states in a legendary cook-off. Sample the entries and decide for yourself. You can also enjoy live music and games as well as a bike and auto show.

11. World Grits Festival: Visit St. George, South Carolina where more grits are consumed per capita than anywhere else in the world! This town is proud of their claim to fame and have created quite the celebration over this yummy dish. Bring the whole family and enjoy music, recipes, games, and as much grits as you can handle!

12. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Visit the beautiful town of Ashland,Oregon and enjoy theater at its finest. This isn’t your typical festival as it is an entire season of Shakespeare productions and events. “To go or not to go”…that is the question. I say, “Go”!

13. National Apple Harvest Festival: This is your chance to celebrate the nations “favorite fruit” in the heart of Pennsylvania’s apple country. In addition to apples galore, there are arts and crafts booths, an antique car show, and a petting zoo.

There are so many great festivals around this country every year that it can be hard to choose! Did I miss any of your favorites? Feel free to share!

Thanks to Aoife Mac for the lovely balloon pictures!

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

Just because it’s a sweltering night in L.A. doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself in your air-conditioned house downing pints of Ben and Jerry’s. Sure it’s fun, but sooner or later that freezer of yours will be empty and you’ll have to run out for more ice cream anyways, so why not make a night of it? Here are some ways to enjoy the nightlife in L.A. – don’t stay out too late and you can still stop at 7-Eleven on the way home for another pint of Cherry Garcia.

A movie at a cemetery may not be your idea of a fun (and even romantic) evening but lots of people think this event is anything but dead. Join the crowds at the Cinespia outdoor movie screenings at Hollywood Forever Cemetery where you can enjoy old classics and new hits like “The Thin Man” and “27 Dresses” alongside the final resting places of stars such as Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin. Bring along a meal, a bottle of wine and party with the festive crowd amongst the crypts. Don’t forget to bring some dessert to share with the ghost of William Randolph Hearst, who is said to frequently visit the crypt of his mistress, Marion Davies.

I can only describe Summer Sessions at the Getty as a sort of highbrow wave. The well-heeled denizens of the art world come together with the pulsating bodies of twenty-somethings looking for a good free outdoor event with strong booze. But it sure is fun! Come dance to high-energy electronica and world music spun by first-rate DJs in the Getty Center courtyard, and then cool off with a drink at one of their outdoor bars. The strangest thing I saw the last time I was there was an elderly museum employee tearing up the dance floor to a techno remix of “I Will Survive.” Really!

Technically not in Los Angeles, but only a short 90-minute drive for the adventurous. The W Hotel in San Diego has a great rooftop bar called the Sand Bar that features a heated sand floor (yes, real sand to get inside your shoes), fire pits, private cabanas and nightly movie screenings. The best part? Unlike a real beach, there’s no sunscreen required, and a waiter delivers your drink on a tray instead of you having to fish it out of your own ice chest.

For a rooftop bar closer to home, there’s the Roof Bar at the Standard Downtown. Order a mai-tai and then lay down on one the vibrating space-pod waterbeds (you may have to wait a while for your turn.) This place is teeming with hipsters, so make sure you have your best Prada bag (or excellent knock-off) slung over your shoulder that night. There’s a live DJ on Sunday afternoons, but the cover is a steep $20 – I guess with a name like Roof Bar you’d have to expect the prices to be sky-high.

Photo: StandardHotels.com

Best way to beat the heat and grime of New York City is to head upstate. But not everyone is fortunate enough, or filthy rich, to be able to own a cabin in the Adirondack Mountains. And New York hotels don’t come cheap either. So, for those of us stranded in the City, NYC offers a splendid collection of zoos, an aquarium and plenty of gardens.

Central Park Zoo & Tisch Children’s Zoo: The zoo recreates the natural habitats of over 130 species. Star attractions include Ida & Gus, the polar bears in the Polar Circle. Then there’s the Ice Pack building with penguins tottering about, the noisy and vibrant rainforest with all sorts of exotic specimens including tropical birds, snakes, frogs and lizards. If you’re there with your children, don’t forget to visit the Tisch Children’s Zoo. Details here.

New York Aquarium: New York City’s only aquarium, situated by the sea next to the Coney Island Amusement Park, boasts over 350 species of aquatic wildlife with over 8000 specimens. The latest addition, and a huge draw, is Baby Akituusaq aka Tuusaq, a roly-poly walrus calf born a year ago in June 2007.

Tuusaq, now weighing 400 pounds with tiny teeth just beginning to show, is a pampered brat, with everyone at the Aquarium, including his mother, Kulusiq aka Kulu, doting on him. His father, Ayveq, passed away a few weeks back, on June 22, 2008. More details about the New York Aquarium’s animals, hours and rates here.

Other zoos and wildlife parks include the Bronx Zoo, the Queens and Prospect Park Wildlife Centers. Major gardens include the Brooklyn and New York Botanical Gardens. Then there’s also the Staten Island Botanical Garden, which you can visit by taking a free ride on the Staten Island ferry, which would be a good idea for a summer afternoon anyway.

Photo by Stig Nygaard via flickr (creative commons).

I attended the travel bloggers meet-up at Blogher on Friday afternoon. The travel meet-up was originally discussed by Pam Mandel at nerdseyeview and on Blogher.  It was moderated by Suzanne Reisman at  cussandotherrants (who has also written a new book, Off the Beaten Subway Track, more on that later) The majority of our time was spent on introductions, but we did have a few moments to discuss how we could create a more tightly-knit travel blogger community.  Delicious Baby collected cards from everyone who is interested in building the community and will be posting the list of bloggers on her site.  I captured a few names during the introductions and subsequent discussion of some great travel blogs I want to add to my google reader in addition to the blogs already listed:

ms.adventuresinitaly

perceptivetravelblog.com

Jet Set Girls Blogspot–all about girls getaways

See Jane Fly–for the female road warrior

Mommy Poppins–telling us how to get more out of NY

TasteFood

Headed to Margaritaville

everyday adventures

What A Trip written by Nancy Brown, a contributor to Uptake

Mile High Mamas–(the Denver Post)

KitchenGadgetGirl (and consultant to Uptake) has an idea for creating a page with RSS feeds  from all the sites that wish to participate. I think this is the best idea yet, but I may be biased sine I have been working with her for nearly a year.

Uptake also have  a travel blog search widget we created in cooperation with the t-list to make it easier to find travel bloggers everywhere.  If you are interested in participating, please go here to join the search widget and here for information on the twitter t-list..

A few corporations sent some representatives including SeaWorld, DisneyWorld Orlando, Teleflora, and the Hilton were all there to gain insight into the travel blogger community.  They want to reach travel bloggers of all kinds (see Blogher, travel is big business….)

Many of the bloggers were interested in building a more cohesive community and wanted to make ourselves more available to other bloggers, publicists and corporations trying to reach us.  Please add to the conversation.  Give us your ideas to build a more connected travel community.  Next year, we hope Blogher ‘09 will have a panel devoted to travel.

Girl’s Getaway and Camping don’t usually go together in the same sentence, except when you are talking about my girlfriends and Costanoa, the something-for-everyone camp experience located half way between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. Last month, I dragged my two intrepid girlfriends, Kim and Marie, with me for a weekend away from the boys and kids. Wow, what a great girl’s getaway!

We arrived on Friday afternoon to find our Pine Village Tent Bungalow all ready for us. A bit of a tight squeeze for three friends, it nevertheless offered us the opportunity to channel our inner 12-year old and pretend we were on a sleepover! That, and conveniently located comfort stations, allowed us to relax while still communing with nature.

As much as I enjoy lugging out my Dutch oven to cook dinner when we family camp at Big Basin, I was thrilled to visit the Cascade Bar & Grill for our meals. Wonderful local cuisine and wines ensured the three of us were well fed. After dinner, while my friends went back to our bungalow, I stayed at the lodge to meet up with a group of other travelers for a little Naked Eye Stargazing.

Saturday morning, we had our choice of many activities, including horseback riding, surfing lessons and yoga – in the end, we decided to join a hike to Franklin Point with a local tour guide. On the way, my friend Kim ooh’d and aah’d over the coastal flora and we took in the gorgeous views of the Northern California coast. We had to hurry back, as we had reservations for massages at the spa – well worth it, as the masseuses erased all of the week’s tension.

On Sunday, after check out, we headed out to Harley Farms Goat and Dairy Ranch for a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the operation, plus a special cheese tasting at the end. I also insisted we stop at the Pie Ranch Farm Stand to pick up pie, claiming this was much easier than actually picking our own berries at Swanton Berry Farms!

Driving back home over the hill, I reveled in the time spent with my good friends and the chance to get away from my everyday life in such a beautiful retreat. Already looking forward to our next girl’s getaway. Paris, anyone?

Photo courtesy of Henryk Kotoviski