Vacations Blog

A dip in temperatures means that Chicago weather is moving back to its natural state but it also means that it’s the season for ice skating in Millennium Park. A Chicago tradition for 9 years, skaters can spin around the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink until March 14, weather permitting and it always does. Glide around the 200 feet long and 80 feet wide rink with the glistening  Cloudgate “Bean” sculpture as the backdrop. Skate rental is $10 if you don’t bring your own. I defintitely recommend bringing a scarf, hat, mittens and thick socks to shield your skin against the notorious Chicago wind. Read More »

North Idaho’s Silverwood Theme Park, located on Hwy 95 between Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint, is the Pacific Northwest’s largest amusement park.  Each 4th of July, they feature a fireworks extravaganza to light up the sky.  That’s after a day of train rides, rollercoasters, water slides, and a very colorful ice show featuring a cast of champion caliber skaters.

Photo by Phil Corless

The family spent the recent Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend at our Lake Tahoe North Shore compound in Dollar Point. We’d been promising the kids a trip up to the snow for about two years now but I’ve been hesitant to make the drive until I was reasonably sure it wouldn’t snow.

Let me explain.

We’re not really snow people in that we don’t ski or snowboard or take part in any other snow related activities short of building snowmen or sledding. The last time we went to Tahoe during the winter we nearly got snowed in. I couldn’t manage to get the chains on the car and had to be towed out of the Dollar Point development, much to my embarrassment. In short it was an exercise in frustration and one I vowed not to repeat. So when I say I would only make the drive if I was reasonably sure it wouldn’t snow I mean at least during the 48-hours we planned to be there.

As luck would have it the weather was on our side that weekend. The forecast was for clear skies and cold temperatures, which to my way of thinking is just about perfect, so go we did.  We arrived about 12:30 AM on Saturday to a freezing cold cabin and what appeared to be a broken furnace. The house was probably below 50 degrees, and remained so until the following morning when the heater inexplicably decided to begin working. I did not question it I simply enjoyed it, and left it on for the remainder of our visit lest it decide to stop working again.

But this is all background information that I’m sure does not interest you so let’s get to the activities.

The kids wanted to do some sledding so we drove to the summit of Mt. Rose. From Tahoe City it’s about a 45 minute drive on N. Tahoe Blvd (Hwy 28) to the Mt. Rose turn-off (Hwy 431). On the drive up Hwy 431 there are a couple of other places that are great for sledding as well. Don’t ask me exactly where, but they’re right on 431. You can’t miss them. Just look for the people sliding down the hillsides.

According to Wikipedia, Mt. Rose is “the highest point of the highway and the highest mountain pass open-year round in the Sierra Nevada.”  In other words, during the winter you’re very likely to find snow there, which we did. Unfortunately we also found a lot of other people there so we had to share the hillside, alas.  Never the less we spent about two hours having a great time nearly killing ourselves.

If skiing is more your bag there are more than twenty resorts in North Lake Tahoe to…enjoy your bag – including Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl and North-Star, just to name three. Many of the ski resorts offer “sno-parks” for those of you with younger kids.

For lots more on Lake Tahoe winter activities check out Gold Country Best, with information on ice-skating, snowmobiling and even dog-sledding.

Of course we had to hit CB’s Pizza & Grill, our traditional Tahoe dining establishment.  While the pizza is good this time we opted for something other than pizza. CB’s offers a full array of burgers (the girl is a burger fanatic) and sandwiches, salads, pastas and appetizers.  A note of caution; don’t order the eggplant Parmesan.  My wife ordered it and it was basically a thick slab of tough eggplant covered in sauce and melted cheese. Eggplant Parmesan should be sliced thin, fried and then baked with all the accompanying goodies.  Live and learn.

It was a short trip; up late Friday night, home by Sunday evening. But that’s one of the great things about Tahoe. It’s only a 3-hour drive from most locations in the San Francisco Bay Area.  At 188 miles door to door, it’s a very doable weekend trip for us, and one we’re hoping to do again before the spring thaw.

When was the last time you went ice skating?  If you’re like most Californians it’s probably been awhile. Well if you happen to find yourself in the vicinity of Walnut Creek, CA any time between now and January 29, 2009, be sure to check out Walnut Creek on Ice.

Located in Walnut Creek’s Civic Park , WCOI offers skate rentals, gift certificates, skating lessons and field trip specials. Looking for an out of the ordinary idea for a birthday or corporate party?  Walnut Creek on Ice offers private rink rentals and the ability to customize everything from music to catering.

We visited the rink last year and the wife and kids had a blast. Granted, my wife is an ex-professional ice skater and relishes any chance to hit the ice, while the boy just relishes any chance to move quickly on a slippery surface. I, on the other hand, am a danger to myself and others so after the obligatory lap or two I’ll typically grab some hot chocolate and find an out of the way corner to read my book.

The rink is open 7 days a week. Hours of operation are 10 am – 10 pm Monday – Thursday; 11 pm Friday and Saturday, and 11 am – 8 pm on Sundays. Cost is $15 per skater for a 1.5 hour session. Price includes skate rental.  If you go during the “off-peak” hours (*Monday through Thursday, AND Friday until 5pm with the exception of Holiday Weeks (Nov. 24 – Nov. 30 & Dec. 22 – Jan. 1) the cost is just $11 per skater.

Still not convinced? Maybe you’re thinking “Well, it sounds nice but maybe it’s really a dump.” Well put those fears to rest with a quick gaze through the WCOI webcam. Seriously now, doesn’t that look like fun? What are you waiting for, let’s hit the ice!

Photos by Lisa Romano

Located just 17 miles from the Las Vegas Strip and nestled along a majestic mountainside, the Mediterranean-themed Lake Las Vegas Resort offers vacationers a special brand of tranquility that can’t be found anywhere else in Southern Nevada. Along its 10 miles of shoreline, you’ll find three championship golf courses, world-class hotel accommodations, shopping and fine dining as well as abundant recreation, in and out of the water.

The centerpiece of the resort is the Monte Lago Village, a charming, Tuscan-inspired enclave that’s home to the MonteLago Resort  and Casino, The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, the Lake Las Vegas Vacation Villas as well as dozens of smalls shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants. Favorites for our family include breakfast at Café Positano, delicious gelato from Tutti Gelati and dinner and wine at Sunset & Vines or the Medici Café and Terrace at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas.

Each weekend, the MonteLago Village features live, outdoor entertainment from music performances to movies “al fresco.” You can visit the village’s calendar for a listing of events available all year long. 

The village’s full-service marina offers watercraft rentals for sailing and fishing, and yacht cruises on the 320-acre lake. You can also take a ride of an Italian Gondola, enjoying the picturesque view while enjoying a gourmet meal and sipping champagne. During the winter months, the village unveils its floating ice skating rink at the marina, providing fun for the whole family. Skate rentals are available on site.

 

For those looking for a more relaxing vacation, take a stroll through MonteLago Village’s quaint and narrow, Italian-style streets, or take a walk along miles of walking trails that encircle the lake’s 10 miles of shoreline. 

For the golf enthusiast, tee up at one of the lake’s magnificent golf courses, including The Falls, Reflection Bay or Southshore. The views from the fairways are breathtaking.

Located on the northwest end of the lake and encompassing 21 acres of lakefront property, the Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort is a great option for families and for vacationers traveling with pets. The resort features four restaurants, a 9,000 square-foot spa and a children’s camp. An onsite concierge also offers a range of adrenaline-inducing excursions, including treks to the Grand Canyon, kayaking on the nearby Colorado River and Hummer tours of Nevada’s Valley of Fire.

To get to Lake Las Vegas Resort, take US 95 South or I-215 East to Lake Mead Boulevard and travel east until you reach the entrance. Travel time is about 25 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.

The resort’s hotels offer great seasonal packages making a trip to Lake Las Vegas an affordable one for the entire family.

 

All photos by Jason Roth.

Sun Valley, Idaho, is a great place to visit, whether you seek a romantic weekend getaway, or a fun-filled family vacation. My husband and I just returned from a quick trip last week, and even though we were only there a short time, we came up with a list of our favorite outdoor activities in Sun Valley:

Biking
Sun Valley, a planned resort community near Ketchum, Idaho, boasts miles of paved and unpaved bike paths, perfect for leisurely rides into town for ice cream, or an over-the-bar, single-track mountain bike adventure up one of the many trails in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. I rented a bike from one of the local shops and headed out with a group to conquer the Copper Basin – my personal recommendation? Go for a higher-end bike with multiple shocks. That single track can get a little bumpy!

Fly Fishing
The river runs right through town, and during the summer, locals hire out as guides to tourists interested in learning or perfecting their fly-fishing technique. My husband went out with Silver Creek Outfitters on the Big Wood, just above the Magic Reservoir, and enjoyed an afternoon of catching (and releasing!) rainbow trout. Although, he did add that it was a good thing the scenery was so beautiful, as sometimes the fish did not cooperate!

Horseback Riding
Just north of Ketchum, in Galena, Idaho, several outfitters offer guided trail rides ranging from 1.5 hours to all day. Our friends took their daughter up one afternoon and enjoyed a lovely trail ride with spectacular mountain views.

River Rafting
Alas, the water was very low in the Snake River when we visited, but early in the season, white water rafting is an exciting way to see the Sun Valley. With Class II and III rapids perfect for family adventures, and Class IV rapids for those seeking more thrilling rides, river rafting looked like a great activity. Next time we will make sure we visit in May and June, when the waters run high.

Ice Skating
That’s right, ice-skating. Even in the summer, the ice rink at Sun Valley Lodge offers open-skate, private lessons, and ice hockey. And for those of who would rather leave this sport to the professionals, Saturday nights during the summer, Sun Valley is host to The Sun Valley Summer Ice Show, featuring Olympic and World Champion skaters.

In between these activities, we also took in a tennis lesson or two, went swimming in the pools, and enjoyed a few retail therapy opportunities. Sun Valley also offers golfing, hiking, and other family activities. We are already planning a winter trip, with all the cold-weather sport options!