Archive for November, 2009

Atlanta Hosts the SEC Championship

November 30th
2009
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast destinations events and festivals

secIt’s hard to believe that the regular season for college football is pretty much over—seems like the first kickoff was just the other day. But Championship Week is here, and the game involving the most impact on the national championship landscape will be packing out Atlanta hotels  this coming weekend. It’s the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, where the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide, two undefeated teams, will collide with the winner advancing to the BCS title game.

BTW, if you’re not a sports fan, you might as well skip down to the next  post—some great holiday travel ideas in the Northeast—but if you are, and if you’ve booked a cheap flight to Hartsfield-Jackson airport already to root on the Heisman messiah or the Red Elephants of Bama, here are some things to keep in mind before making your way to the kickoff at the Georgia Dome.
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Ho, Ho, Ho! Christmas Attractions of the Northeast

November 28th
2009
by Jessica Mordo
posted in:
U.S. Northeast events and festivals family

xmasfigurinesNow that Thanksgiving is behind us, the countdown to Christmas has officially begun. There’s no reason to wait until December 25 to experience caroling, sleigh rides, twinkling ornaments, and run-ins with the big guy in the red suit–and I’m not talking about heading to the nearest mall for snapping photos with Santa as holiday tunes play in the background, either. The Northeast is home to a bunch of Christmas-themed family attractions, perfect for drumming up some yuletide cheer in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Whether you’re on a Boston, New York, or Philadelphia vacation, here are the region’s best.

Santa’s Village, Jefferson, NH
At Santa’s Village, located a two hours’ drive from Boston hotels, the whole family can enjoy holiday-themed rides, feed Santa’s reindeer, watch 3-D animated Christmas films, and pick up a signature “good luck ring” crafted by the village smith. What’s more, young guests become Santa’s helper at the North Pole Workshop, where they can fashion their own hand-made gifts such as T-shirts, candles, wood ornaments, and other crafts. For pre-fab gifts, browse Christmas souvenirs and get fresh-made fudge at the village shops. (more…)

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Take the Train with Santa in Ohio

November 25th
2009
by Robin Bruns Worona
posted in:
Uncategorized

Christmas04Ah the final countdown to Thanksgiving. At this point your plane ticket is bought, your hotel room booked, and your rental car rented. You’ve packed your fat jeans and resigned yourself to a weekend of eating, eating, and eating. But then what? Snap out of that food coma and get on the right track. What track is that? If you’re just about anywhere in Ohio, it’s a historic and/or scenic railroad track. Sure every kid loves choo choos, but grownups like them too. If nothing else, it’s a great way to spend an hour or so doing nothing but gazing out the window and letting your mind wander. If you do have kids in the bunch, all the better, a train ride is classic family activity, and right after thanksgiving is a great time to go because apparently Santa is a big fan himself. The weekend after Thanksgiving he starts making the rounds and visiting with kids on many of Ohio’s railways. Seems a bit more exciting to take a train ride with Santa than to wait in line to meet him at a mall, doesn’t it?
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Thanksgiving Road Trip Travel Tips

November 24th
2009
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
tips

trafficGet your motor running, and head out on the highway—along with the other 38 million Americans (as estimated by AAA) this week for Thanksgiving related travel. While you can still try to get a cheap flight with some last minute deals, the majority of holiday travelers will be crowding the roads and driving 50+ miles or more to see relatives, dine on turkey, and watch the hapless Lions play football.

It’s something I’ve sworn off for four years now, following back-to-back years of gridlocked interstates and drive times doubling from the usual seven hours to 14 (and with justifiably irritated kids crying in the back seat—you can only take so much Elmo or VeggieTales after all). But after initially planning to serve turkey at home, we made a late decision last week to brave the highways this Thanksgiving—higher gas prices, gridlock, I-75 road construction, and check engine lights be darned—and visit family for the holiday.

So to help us all with our cross-state or cross-country travel frustration (because you’ll get enough of that having to sit next to that cousin you don’t like all that much or your weird Uncle Ted at the dinner table), here are some Thanksgiving road travel tips to make sure you won’t be belly aching before taking that first bite of turkey.

Know Where You’re Going – GPS is great. But it never hurts to have written directions that you’ve confirmed with your destination host, whether it’s the concierge at the Orlando hotel where you’re staying, or your Aunt Martha. Nothing’s worse than being lost when you’re stuck in bad traffic—well, almost…
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Go Really Green: Tree Farms Near Chicago

November 24th
2009
by Robin Bruns Worona
posted in:
U.S. Midwest activities family outdoor adventure

800px-Christmas_tree_farm_IA-1For many people, the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving are all about shopping. Certainly with this year’s tight budgets, those crazy Black Friday discounts are bound to be popular. But why not ease into the Christmas spirit in a slightly mellower way? Visit a Christmas Tree farm. Get the actual tree before you start obsessing on what to put under it. Sure, it’s still shopping in a way, but there’s something about strolling through acres of fir trees on a beautiful autumn day. The super oxygenated air, holding hands with your significant other, sipping a cup of hot chocolate, even the sticky sap and prickly needles—it all just feels so good after a few days cooped up indoors overeating. It dovetails perfectly into many family Thanksgiving trips. For example, if you drove to visit family in the Windy City, there are plenty of farms you can stop at within an hour of checking out of your Chicago hotel.
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Capital Fun: Top 10 Holiday Weekend Activities in Washington, D.C.

November 23rd
2009
by Jessica Mordo
posted in:
U.S. Mid-Atlantic activities events and festivals family

You’re soon checking into your Washington, D.C. hotel, have your Turkey Day feasting plans all set, and already have a solid sightseeing plan mapped out around the National Mall and beyond. While hitting up all of the Capital City’s monuments and museums is a surefire way to have a fun-filled Thanksgiving weekend, here are some special, limited-time activities to put a seasonal spin on your Washington, D.C. vacation.

iceskatingSkates and Sculptures
Every city has its wintertime ice-skating rink, but how many set theirs at a sculpture garden featuring famed international artists? The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden’s rink has recently opened for the season, giving you the opportunity to enjoy one of the season’s best pastimes in an idyllic, park-like setting on the National Mall, surrounded by the works of Calder, Oldenburg, Lichtenstein, and others, no less. What’s more, the onsite cafe’s hot cocoa is a little cup of bliss to keep you warm after your turn on the ice. (more…)

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Strut Down to Salley, South Carolina for Chitlins – A Unique Thanksgiving Tradition

November 23rd
2009
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast destinations events and festivals food

chitlogo2After stuffing yourself with stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy, save some room. Not for dessert. But rather deep fried pig intestines. Especially if you’re in the Salley, S.C. area this coming weekend, where tens of thousands will descend on this tiny town of 450 people to strut their stuff and stuff themselves with 10,000 pounds of chitlins.

For 44 years, the Salley Chitlin Strut has honored the traditional southern delicacy with a three-day festival full of music, activities, and contests crowning beauties, hawg callers, strutters, singers, and, for the first time ever (believe it or not), eaters. And of course, tasty fried pig guts will be part of the occasion, as this week is more about hogs than turkeys here.

I’ve actually had the pleasure opportunity of dining on chitlin before (or chittlings or chitterlings—depending on where you are). The taste is an acquired one, while the smell is, well… repugnant would be a gross understatement. While it is technically considered pork, I don’t know if you could still qualify it as “the other white meat.” But if you have the guts to experience something a little different than a weekend stay at a swanky Charleston hotel room or a fancy Hilton Head vacation when visiting South Carolina after Thanksgiving, strut on down to Salley.
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Arizona Turkey Trots

November 23rd
2009
by Becky Youman
posted in:
U.S. West destinations events and festivals

turkey trotDid you know that the typical Thanksgiving meal usually weighs in at a whopping 4,000 calories? Forget the tryptophan, most people are sleepy after the meal simply because they are in a food coma or an alcohol induced haze. While some folks are content to write Thanksgiving Day off to gorging and inactivity, others try to get a little exercise in during the morning to justify the indulgence in the afternoon. If you are going to be in Arizona this Thanksgiving, there are plenty of opportunities to leave your Phoenix hotels and burn some calories before the meal begins.

Many people in Arizona take advantage of the sunny climate to walk, hike, or bike on their own on Thanksgiving morning. Those who prefer more organized activities have plenty of opportunities as well. Here are some of the happenings around the state on Thanksgiving morning:

Anthem Turkey Trot:  This event, in its seventh year, features a 10k, a 5k, and a .5 mile “kids dash.” The predominantly flat course offers desert and mountain views in the suburb north of Phoenix. (more…)

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Mt. Aleyeska – The Season Starts Soon

November 20th
2009
by Robin Bruns Worona
posted in:
U.S. Pacific Northwest activities destinations family outdoor adventure

800px-Snowboard,_Silvia_Mittermüller“Go that way, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.”—Charles De Mar on skiing

That’s right, it’s that time of year when the lovers of “pure snow,” or in the case of Alaska’s Mount Alyeska, pure powder, can hardly contain themselves. Can’t you feel the buzz in the air? Mt. Alyeska opens the slopes next week on November 25. Well, it’s not completely official yet but things are looking good. Uphill traffic on the mountain is currently closed while the snowmakers do their thing. But everyone knows the real stuff is better so the upcoming week’s forecast of snow is cause for celebration. The more the better.

Alyeska is located just 35 miles southeast of Anchorage in the town of Girdwood. So you can make the trek from your Anchorage hotel, book a place in Girdwood, or stay right on the mountain at Alyeska Resort.
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Mexico’s Revolution Day

November 20th
2009
by Becky Youman
posted in:
Mexico destinations events and festivals

mexican revolutionToday celebrates the 99th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. Officially known as “Día de la Revolución”, or Revolution Day, most Mexicans simply call the day “20 de Noviembre” or “November 20th.”  The national holiday was formerly marked on November 20 every year, but now the official close of schools and government offices happens on the third Monday of the month. That would be a bit like us changing our 4th of July celebrations to the first Monday in July. Yes, it means a guaranteed long weekend, but it’s a little strange to celebrate a holiday named after a specific date on any day other than that date.

The anniversary is usually marked a bit like Independence Day in Mexico, with parades and other civic ceremonies. Many children in these parades, especially in small towns, dress like Revolutionaries with sombreros, fake mustaches, and criss-crossed bandoliers al la Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.  Most Mexico City hotels,  especially those in the city’s centro, or downtown, are festooned in the colors of the Mexican flag. Even resort destinations like Cancun and Ixtapa hold some type of civic celebration. (more…)

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