Vacations Blog

The red, sandstone buttes of Sedona are picture perfect.

There’s no escaping the overwhelming awe one experiences during a visit to Sedona, Arizona. The majestic red sandstone buttes in contrast with a vast blue sky combined with the mystical aura of the region have been a place of wonder since the days of the Wild West.

Take in the tranquility of Sedona's landscape in a private, creek side cottage.

Today, the cowboys and Indians of the past have been replaced by throngs of tourists eager to experience one of Mother Nature’s most remarkable landscapes. Whether enjoying an exhilarating off-road adventure, exploring many of the area’s hot Vortex spots, shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts in its abundant gift shops and art galleries, or tasting the unique flavors of its many dining options, Sedona has everything necessary for an exciting family vacation.

There are many places to stay during a Sedona vacation, ranging from the small, no-frills motel to the luxury resort and spa. One of our family’s favorites is the quaint L’Auberge De Sedona Resort. Nestled at the bottom of a cliff and situated on the banks of Oak Creek, guests are invited to stay in The Lodge, The Creek House or in a one or two-bedroom private cottage. The cottages, in particular, offer an opportunity for guests to truly experience the natural beauty of the region from their private front porches.

Restaurant on Oak Creek offers an incredible fine dining experience.

L’Auberge De Sedona is also home to one of our favorite restaurants, the famous Restaurant on Oak Creek. Hugely popular with visitors and locals alike, the restaurant offers an unparallel outdoor dining experience along the trickling creek side. Its seasonal menu of French-inspired American cuisine is an outstanding epicurean treat and its vintage wine selection is superb. Wine Spectator has awarded the restaurant a “Best of Award of Excellence” for 14 years in a row. It’s a “can’t miss” during a Sedona vacation.

Tlaquepaque Village

A great place to find a variety of dining and shopping options is the nearby Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village‎. It’s always on our list of places to visit. Resembling an authentic Mexican village, Tlaquepaque is an epicenter for the Sedona experience, with eclectic live entertainment, artisans and flavors all in one beautiful, natural setting. If you love Mexican food, a “must try” is El Rincon. Their food is influenced by the Navajo and is “muy delicioso.”

Tlaquepaque is also a great starting point for an off road tour of the area’s majestic landscape. Sedona Off Road Adventures offers Hummer and Jeep tours at the Village as well as from The Adventure Store located in the Uptown Mall. Many tour options are available and the vehicles can accommodate groups of up to 12 at a time and always offer an adrenaline-filled trip. Off road tours are very popular, so reservations are encouraged. Also, don’t forget your camera as the panoramic views are absolutely breathtaking. You’ll want to capture the experience.

Get up close and personal with the Sedona landscape with an exhilirating jeep tour.

Sedona Off Road Adventures, as well as other tour operators, also offer wilderness horseback tours as well as mountain bikes rentals for the extreme outdoor enthusiasts.

While in Sedona, you can also hike the rugged terrain in search of the area’s many purported spiritual Vortices (Vortexes). Sedona has been labeled as a spiritual center for many generations, because power emanates from vortexes producing some of the most remarkable energy on the planet. This energy is the reason why Sedona is home to a lot of people that are “on the path” of spiritual growth. It is also the reason that a large New Age community and tourism industry has sprung up in the Sedona area, bringing with it a variety of spiritual practices and alternative healing modalities. Sedona is now often referred to as a spiritual Disneyland. Popular Vortex spots include Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Schnebly Hill. Maps of these locations can be found at all of Sedona’s New Age shops.

If you do decide to hoof it into the Sedona wilderness, as always, please take proper precautions, like packing plenty of water, a map and a cell phone. You wouldn’t want to become a permanent part of the landscape.

Finally, if the weather’s warm and you need to cool off, take the family over to the famous Slide Rock State Park. There the Oak Creek has transformed the red rocks into a natural, slippery water chute. You can take a ride down the chutes, sunbath, wade or swim in the cool waters. It’s a blast.

Getting To Sedona

Sedona is located approximately 115 miles north of Phoenix. Take Interstate 17 north to Highway 179 west. Travel time is just under two hours. Flagstaff is about 30 miles north of Sedona. The best, and most scenic route to take from there is Highway 89A south. The route will take approximately 45 minutes. And it’s a 288-mile, nearly five hour drive from Las Vegas.

The city also has a small airport (SEZ) accommodating private aircraft and offering charter flight, scenic air tours as well as car and jeep rentals.

Photos courtesy of the City of Sedona, L’Auberge De Sedona, Tlaquepaque Village and Sedona Off Road Adventures.

The M resort features progressive architectural style and design

In Las Vegas, resort builders are always pushing the envelope to create something new and exciting for the millions of tourists that visit the city each year. Rising from the desert floor on the far southern edge of the Valley, Las Vegas’ newest vacation destination, the M Resort, is no exception. As a matter of fact, with a view of it from my front yard, I’d call it immaculate example of cutting-edge architecture and design. It’s simply spectacular.

Scheduled to open on March 1 at Las Vegas Boulevard South at St. Rose Parkway, the 390-room M Resort is the first property travelers along I-15 from California now see. Its location also places the resort 400 feet higher than any other Las Vegas resort property, offering guests sweeping views of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip from the majority of its guest rooms and restaurants, many of which feature outdoor terraces overlooking its 100,000 square foot pool and events piazza as well as the Las Vegas Valley.

Here’s some the M Resort’s other great amenities:

• A truly one-of-a-kind design, the M Resort does not feature reflective glass like many of the areas resorts. Instead, it includes skylights on the casino floor allowing natural light in – a rare feature in the casino industry. The architecture is progressive in style, incorporating horizontal lines, natural lighting and a rich color palette of natural materials. It’s definitely not your run of the mill cheesy theme resort.
• Oversized guest rooms and suites ranging from 550 to 2,400 square feet. More than 70 percent of the rooms at the M Resort offer views of the Las Vegas Strip through floor to ceiling windows.     
  

  The M Resort features 351 guest rooms and 39 suites.

• Guest rooms equipped with high-technology amenities including Bose Wave sound system, iPod docking station and 42” HD LCD flat screen television. There’s also inlaid mirror television in the bathroom. Now that’s cool.
• Wireless internet connectivity throughout the entire resort, allowing guests to access wireless voice and data services, mobile phones, BlackBerry devices, PDAs and laptops.
• More than 92,000 square feet of gaming excitement, including 1,900 video poker and slot machines, 64 game tables, high limit area, live action poker room, race and sports book and poolside gaming.
• Nearly 30,000 square feet of kitchen and culinary work areas dedicated to the culinary arts. The resort will own and operate all of its nine restaurants and five destination bars, which feature the next-generation dining experience with unique culinary concepts and innovative social dining atmospheres.
• A buffet featuring a live action cooking studio – the first of its kind. The studio will engage diners providing them with ringside seats to cooking demonstrations and broadcasts. Perhaps it’ll feel like you’re in the Iron Chef Kitchen Stadium on Food Network.
• A 23,000 square foot, world-class spa, salon and fitness center will offer 16 treatment rooms, sauna, steam and hot tub wet areas and a state-of-the-art fitness center.     
  

  The 100,000 square foot pool overlooks the Las Vegas Valley.

• An on-site gas station and M Pharmacy provide unique amenities for locals and tourists.

So what’s nearby to enjoy during your vacation at the M Resort?

If you enjoy shopping, you can travel 30 minutes south on I-15 to the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas on the California state line in Primm or just minutes north on Las Vegas Boulevard to the Las Vegas Outlet Center.

You can also tee up for a round of golf at the nearby Rio Secco Golf Club in Seven Hills, located just a few minutes east off of St. Rose Parkway. Or you can try the Bali Hai Golf Course, located adjacent to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Take a scenic drive through the loop at Red Rock Canyon. Take I-15 north to Blue Diamond and head west. If you’re into adventure, take a hike on one of the canyon’s many trails.

Whatever you’re in the mood to do during your next Las Vegas vacation, you’re sure to find it.

The M Resort is now taking reservations, so check it out.

All photos by The M Resort.

Seattle From West Seattle

 

A telephone ringing

Operator: Hello, Directory assistance

Santa Claus: Uh, yeah this is Santa Claus and I was wondering if you could help me with a potentially huge problem I have.

Operator: Santa Claus? Ok, buddy, I’m hanging up now.

Santa: No. Wait, wait.  I really am Santa Claus and I can prove it.

Operator: Ok, you have 5 seconds.  Impress me.

Santa: Uhh…ok, ok.  Remember how you asked me for The George Forman Grill last year? You wanted to lose a few pounds around the middle to impress that cute girl in the apartment next…

Operator: Ok, Ok. Enough said.  I’m starting that tomorrow.  So you are really Santa Claus huh?

Santa: I love doing that.  Yeah, the one and only real Santa.  That’s me.

Operator: Wow! How exactly can I help you Santa? Or should I call you Mr. Kringle?

Santa: Season’s over, so call me Nicki.  My problem is this.  Valentine’s Day is this weekend and I haven’t done anything at all for Mrs. Claus. I’m desperate!  I’m already in the doghouse for spending too many weekend nights hanging out at the pool hall with Dasher and Dancer.  Those guys are real hustlers.  Have you seen The Color of Money? Anyway, they nearly cleaned me out of all my spending money for the month. I need to find a place to take the Mrs. at the last minute, which will also be easy on the pocketbook.

Operator: Hmmmm….Well, I am based out of the Seattle area, which is a short flight down from the pole. I’m assuming you won’t get any reindeer this time of year.  And with Airfare deals at Alaska Airlines being some of the best in quite some time, you could bring her down here for the weekend.  There are loads of great romantic places you could potentially book at the last minute.

Santa: Ooooh, that’s a great idea.  I like it a lot.  Any specific places you had in mind?

W Hotel Room: Seattle

Operator: Well, if you are looking for a romantic evening in the city, I might be able to help you out.  I have a copy of ‘The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest’  here on my shelf.  Let’s see, if you are looking for a downtown hotel for the evening you could try Alexis Hotel, which has an Aveda Spa and wine tastings, or the W Hotel with its “chocolate colored velvet drapes on soaring windows.”  There are also the Hotels Monaco, Andra, and Vintage Park which all get great reviews from the book…but all will most likely be out of your price range if you are really on a budget.

My Personal recommendation would be to stay just outside of downtown proper at the Villa Heidelberg, a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in the western part of the city with rooms starting at $100 a night double occupancy.  It is romantic and best of all affordable.  It doesn’t take kids, but I’m guessing you and the Mrs. won’t be bringing any along.

Santa: No, we are a bit old for that.  That actually sounds real nice.  What about dinner options?

Icon Grill Seattle

Operator: If you stay at Villa Heidelberg, you are just up the hill from one of the most romantic Italian restaurants in Seattle La Rustica.  Or you could travel to downtown for dinner at The Icon Grill with all of its beautiful blown glass, which I can attest exudes romance. For other romantic options, there’s the Dahlia Lounge, Café Campagne, Chez Shea, or Andaluca.

Santa:  Wow, you are giving me some terrific ideas. Thanks.  How can I top it all off?

Operator: Well, I would suggest that before dinner you take Mrs. Claus over to Charles Richey Sr Viewpoint, otherwise known as Constellation Park to gaze over the Puget Sound and watch the sun set over the Majestic Olympic Mountains.  It’s simply magical.  The Park is along Beach Drive in West Seattle and just down the road from La Rustica.  It will be the perfect start to an amazing evening.

Santa:  I’m sold!  I am going to go book something right now.  I can’t thank you enough.  Man, tell me what can I do for you??  You name it.

Operator:  Awesome. Well, it would be nice to get a new iphone as a late Christmas gift.  Can you do that?

Santa:  Sure!  Consider it done.  I’ll send it special delivery with Rudolf tonight!

Operator:  Thanks Santa!! You are the Best.  Maybe I’ll see you in Seattle.

 Seattle photo by: joiseyshowaa (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0); W Hotel photo from starwoodhotels.com; Icon Grill photo from Icongrill.com

Since hardly anybody gets the paper anymore (and obviously the LA Times is feelin’ it, because it’s laying off many of the humans who work there and, like, write stuff) I feel an obligation to tell you about a wonderful feature that the Times ran last Sunday.  Hopefully they won’t be getting rid of Christopher Reynolds anytime soon, considering that he is a one-man travel section for the paper.

In one issue alone, Reynolds provided the following:

-a travelogue of his road trip along the California coast, south end to north end.

-a list and review of hotels along the coast that offer good deals.

-a guide to the restaurants he visited.

And his picks for the top five coastal CA campgrounds, which includes my favorite, Leo Carillo beach.  And I know my SoCal beaches (see photos below).

I feel this need to tell you about it because I, unlike many other travelers, still actually read the physical newspaper.  While I get fantastic travel ideas from Uptake, nothing grabs my attention like a well-written travelogue that smells of newsprint that I can enjoy while I’m drinking my lazy Sunday morning coffee.  That is, until my toddler comes along to shred it out of my hands.

Oh, they still have other writers on staff, who provided more gems in this very same issue, including this item about luxury hotel renovations, a gold mine of info about California’s national parks , monuments, and historical sites.  If you do read the newspaper and you fear the day it starts arriving as one long sheaf of advertising and no information whatsoever, Uptake will be here to make you feel better.  Might as well start using us more regularly now (and subscribe, even!) to soften the blow.

If only Uptake smelled like newsprint.  But maybe they’ll come up with smell-o-vision for computers.

All photos by Kim Tracy Prince

Ocean Drive in South Beach

Sometimes the best thing about writing about travel is getting ripped off – and knowing you’ll get to tell people about it later. I had to remind myself of this on a recent trip to South Beach.

It was my first exposure to the Miami restaurant experience, and while I will definitely be back to South Beach and eat out on Ocean Drive again, I will keep these tips and lessons learned in mind and hopefully save myself several hundred dollars.

I’ll also never eat at the Beacon Hotel’s Rendezvous Restaurant again.

Ocean Drive is the place to eat in South Beach.  The sidewalks are lined with rows and rows of umbrellas and tables offering dining al fresco and world class people watching.  Navigating Ocean Drive means walking directly in the middle of the open air restaurants – and coming face to face with an aggressive sales pitch.

Hostesses, waiters, bartenders and restaurant managers will shout specials and bargains at you as you walk from one cafe to another.  Hostesses will hand you business cards and promise you free drinks and special seating if you come back.

It seems like a dream for a diner looking for a great deal!

Until you get an $800 bill with prices you’ve never seen and items you’ve never heard of.

How can you really save money eating out in South Beach?

1. Read the signs, ignore the waitress.

This is common sense, right?  But when you’re being led to a table and a waiter is using words like “half off everything” and you confirm “half off everything?” you assume that means “half off everything”.  In reality, “half off everything” usually means “sit down, eat, we’ll worry about the bill later”.

The actual sale, along with the terms and conditions, are printed on large signs on the sidewalk.  Usually what you’ll find is that only drinks and select menu items are on sale.  Every restaurant is offering something different, so be sure to read the sign at the cafe you finally sit down at.

Yes.  I know.  This should be common sense.

2. Ask for comps and freebies.

Competition is fierce among Ocean Drive restaurants, especially with a struggling economy and slow tourist seasons.  Don’t be afraid to use this to your advantage.

Remind one hostess that their neighbor has offered you a complimentary bottle of wine or round of drinks.  But be realistic and remember that their goal is to make money.  A free round of drinks or appetizers is a reasonable request – a free steak and lobster dinner is not.

Confirm whatever freebies you’re promised with another staff member to avoid another surprise on your bill later!

3. Avoid off menu items.

Whether it’s an appetizer or a chef’s special, this is where South Beach restaurants capitalize on the tourist’s “sure! whatever! I’m on vacation!” attitude.  On my recent visit, the final cost of the “special”, unlisted appetizers was three times the price of similar menu items.

Ask the price of everything.  Do not assume that the prices on the menu are a fair indication of the prices of everything being pitched to you.

I paid over $100 for a special entree that normally sold for $42 on the menu.  Needless to say, it was not included in the “half off everything” sale.

For all of my complaining about shady marketing and outrageous billing practices, the food on South Beach is phenomenal. The seafood is fresh and everything is perfectly prepared.  The service is slow – I suspect because the waiters are doubling as salespeople – but most staff you’ll run into are friendly.  The experience would have been just about perfect if I had known what I was getting into ahead of time and been a little less naive.

I guess even in Miami the old adage holds true.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Photo by Britt Reints, naive diner and tourist.

By Sebastien Tobler of Colliding Continents

Barack Obama & family

Inauguration insanity has slowly been closing in on the DC area over the past month and now it seems like its vice-like grip has taken full hold. Washington D.C. hotels within a 50 mile radius are all booked up (a great thing for hoteliers considering the economy). Bars have been given the green light to stay open until 5AM and for restaurants to serve food 24hrs a day from January 17th – 20th. Nothing says party town like 24hr food and late-late night beverages. For those of you headed in to DC and haven’t had a chance to taste the District life before, you may be missing out on a lot fun. Good thing I live in DC and am here to help you out.

U.S. Presidential Inauguration 2005

An Inauguration Ball… or Three

It is all about change this inaugural season so don’t fret if you didn’t get tickets to one of the ten official inauguration Balls, there are so many unofficial ones that are likely to be as fun, so change it up! Take The Art of Change Ball for example, held at the Warehouse Arts Complex, celebrating Barak Obama’s special day with performance art and DJs on 5 stages. Artomatic and Playa del Fuego come together to bring you this unique inauguration experience and the best thing is that it only costs $50.

If you are looking to be seen try and head over to the Be The Change Inaugural Ball hosted by MTV in celebration of the massive youth-voter turn out on election day. 24 million people between the ages of 18-29 voted in 2008, a fantastic reason to throw a ball at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

If you are looking for a completely different approach why not take the ball to the Potomac? The Spirit of Washington and Odyssey III will take you on a cruise on the Potomac before and during the inauguration! Enjoy great food and entertainment as Barak Obama takes the presidency.

Ben's Chili Bowl

DC Party Scene

Ok, so maybe you aren’t looking to go to such an organized party, maybe you are looking for something more…DC? You need to go to U St. otherwise known as Little Ethiopia. When Barak Obama was declared the next president of the United States U St. residents came rushing out to party on the streets forcing the local law enforcement to shut down the road completely. U St. provides rows upon rows of great restaurants and is also home to the very popular Ben’s Chili Bowl. Make sure to check out Marvin for great drinks, Café Saint Ex for their sweet potato fries and Bar Pillar for their killer tapas selection, and yes Saint Ex and Bar Pillar serve fantastic cocktails.

If you REALLY want to party and completely bypass the restaurant scene then Adam’s Morgan is for you. 18th St. is packed with rows upon rows of bars and clubs, given the extended “last call” combined with record numbers of visitors I highly recommend you to be careful!

Stay posted for more DC inauguration updates.

With its upscale restaurants, landmark buildings, beautiful bridges and breathtaking views, San Francisco always tops the lists of favorite US cities and tourist destinations.  Many people come to visit during the summer months and get disappointed by the cold fog and damp weather. However you would be pleasantly surprised if you made a trip to the city during this time of year.  The winter months often bring cold temperatures but very blue skies during the day and nights full of stars.

San Francisco is almost more beautiful at night during the holidays than any other time of year – and that is saying something.

During the holidays living in the City is such a gift: the bright lights on the Embarcadero Center row of buildings, outlined to look like giant present boxes; the beautiful window displays in high-end stores like Gump’s and multi-colored lights adorning neighborhood parks and homes. Walk through any of these areas of the city and you can’t help but smile and get a little more into the holiday spirit.

If you are visiting the City or planning to in the future and want to experience a uniquely San Francisco evening, I have the perfect recipe for you. The itinerary will need a little planning but should only require one phone call for the dinner reservation.  This evening is a local favorite for a romantic date but it can be adjusted for just a great night out with friends or family.

First thing you want to do is plan on wearing some warm layers of clothing, especially a scarf and gloves.  San Francisco at night, during this time of year, can be very cold. Wear some nice holiday clothes and comfortable shoes and you will be set for the evening.

Begin the evening with a drink at the beautiful Big Four Restaurant on Nob Hill. Located inside the Huntington Hotel, this secret spot doesn’t have the view that you can get from the Top of the Mark, but this is the place locals go. Filled with beautiful dark wood, the bar area is rich and a historic reminder of the robber barons that built San Francisco.

After a glass of wine or cold cocktail, walk slowly across California Street, watching out for the cable cars and taxi drivers heading across town. Criss-cross the street and stroll through Huntington Park, a wonderful small city park situated between Grace Cathedral and The Fairmont Hotel.  It is one of my favorite parks to visit at night during the holidays because the neighborhood association installs beautiful old-fashion lights in the trees.

Walk through the park towards your dinner reservations, at Venticello Ristorante on Taylor Street. This wonderful Italian restaurant has a warm intimate setting that reminds you of San Francisco society pages from the 1920s. I have had dinners where I have watched patrons walk in that could have been related to Grace Kelly or Kim Novak, in their style of dress and manner. The food is classic Italian with homemade pastas, risotto and roasted meats. The fireplace and wood oven add warmth to your dinner setting along with a backdrop of cable cars going up and down California Street.

After your dinner walk down Taylor Street to Jackson Street and catch the Powell-Hyde Cable Car, with its maroon colored sign, to head towards the waterfront and Hyde Street Pier.  The cable car ride will be very chilly but you can cuddle up inside the center of the car or wrap your scarf tighter and hang onto the outer poles like a local.

Your ride will take you up past Nob Hill and across Russian Hill until you head down Hyde Street to the end of the line. Hop off and turning your back to the bay, walk into The Buena Vista Cafe – home of the perfect Irish Coffee!

Irish Coffee

The recipe of this famous drink was created in 1952 when the restaurant owner and a well known travel writer worked to re-create a highly touted “Irish Coffee” served at Shannon Airport in Ireland.

The Irish Coffee served here at the Buena Vista is the perfect night cap any night of the year, but especially in winter.  How and when you decide to end your evening is up to you, but after all the lights, rich foods, fresh air and drinks – I recommend taking a cab home. Enjoy!

If you’re planning a trip, check out flights to San Francisco.

Photo credits to bill lim, tinou, shayne kaye and rick

What’s the first thing you think of when you imagine a vacation in Los Angeles?  Disneyland.  Okay, yeah, that’s been covered here already, so what’s the second thing?  The beach, of course!  If you live in Wisconsin and you’re planning to visit Southern California, you’re not coming here for the art museums.

Santa Monica on Veterans' Day

The obvious beach destinations are the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach, both places that are good for classic photo opportunities.  But if you’re the kind of beach lover who wants to see more beach than people, head north.  Once you pass Sunset Boulevard you leave the tourist traps behind in favor of some of the most beautiful beach spots in the area.  If you have the time and enjoy a beautiful drive, keep going even farther than the vast stretches of Zuma Beach, itself a great destination for a quick two-hour out-of-town getaway.

Family fun at Zuma Beach

The steep terrain that drops off away from Pacific Coast Highway makes some of these beaches a little bit more difficult to access, but that’s what keeps the crowds away, and almost guarantees that you will have a pristine view once you get down there.  Nicholas Canyon and El Matador are two beautiful less populated spots.  Look closely for the brown signs directing you to the turnoffs – they’re easy to miss.  Parking here is paid for at a machine, then you display your ticket in your window.  Solidly constructed staircases get you down to the sand, but there are a LOT of stairs, so make sure you pack lightly.

El Matador

Just up the coast, Leo Carillo State Beach has a campground to the east of the highway, and plenty of parking along the sand if you take the turnoff to the west.  There’s also a stretch of beach there that allows dogs.  Not just for sunbathing, you can watch surfers, windsurfers, and parasailors, or poke around in the tidepools at low tide.  Parking is $10 a day, so make sure you’ll be there long enough to make your visit worth the cost.

The last chance beach in Los Angeles county is called County Line.  No longer the true line that ends the county, this is a local surfing spot famous for its dual breaks, perfect for long- and shortboarders alike.   You’ll know you’re there when you see the turnoff for parking on the west side of the highway, right across from from Neptune’s Net, an old-school beach shack that attracts local color as well as beach visitors for bottled drinks, grilled meats, and steamed seafood.  (Warning – there are only portable toilets at this beach and restaurant, so leave your daintiness back at Leo Carillo’s flush toilets.)  It’s a perfect destination for your drive – sit on the porch and have a snack and drink while you watch the surfers, then head back south to that turnoff that you missed on the way up.