New Zealand Top Choice for North American Adventure Travelers

One of my favorite inns in New England, the Wildflower Inn, is perched atop glorious Darling Hill Road in Lyndonville, Vermont, with expansive views of meadows, mountains, and rivers. I’ve brought the children here a handful of times and we’ve always had an unforgettable stay as we sled, downhill and cross-country skied, took horse-drawn sleigh rides, and pet the sheep, cows, and resident donkeys in the big barn. Now the inn is doing their best to get families outdoors by hosting a season long contest called Project Snowman 2010. Simply build a snowman and send the photo to the inn and you could win a 7-night stay, dining, skiing at nearby Burke Mountain, and more prizes. Owners Jim and Mary O’Reilly hope to get shots of 10,000 snow or sandmen sent from across America.
I’m taking a 2-week hiatus to enjoy time with my family and ski Stowe this upcoming week. Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2010!
There’s a reason Travel & Leisure magazine named Cape Breton the number one island destination in North America and third in the world. The landscape is a mesmerizing mix of rolling summits, precipitous cliffs, high headlands, sweeping white sand beaches, and glacially carved lakes, all bordered by the ocean. The Cabot Trail hugs the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the rugged northwestern edge of the island, where around every bend you want to pull over, spew expletives of joy at the stupendous vista, and take another snapshot. Indeed, it’s as close to Big Sur as the East Coast gets. Add bald eagles, moose, coyotes, and pilot whales fluking in the nearby waters and you want to leave the car behind and soak it all up.
All you have to do is take one look at the 35-foot long lobster sculpture at the entrance to the seaside town of Shediac to know that you’ve reached the crustacean capital of the Maritimes. You’ll soon pass a lobster plant and many restaurants offering lobster rolls and PEI mussels. Yet, the best way to have a taste of lobster is aboard the Lobster Tales Cruise with Ron and Denise Cormier. For 29 years, Ron worked as a lobsterman scouring the waters of Shediac Bay and Northumberland Strait, the large body of water between New Brunswick and PEI. Now he passes on his vast knowledge of lobster to the fortunate visitors who board his boat for a 2 ½-hour cruise. Not only will you pull up traps to find lobsters, crabs, and a rubber chicken (Ron has a great sense of humor), but you’ll also learn to tell the difference between a female and male lobster (wider tail, of course) and how to eat a lobster properly. And eat you will, out at sea overlooking Shediac Island. Listen to traditional Acadian music while digging into the sweet lobster meat, which needs no butter to savor. If you need something to wash it down, the boat is well-equipped with a full bar.
It’s one of those rare days in Boston where there’s no humidity and the breeze is blowing through my window as I crank up Yes’ “Siberian Khatru.” What could be better? How about staying at a kick-ass resort in Costa Rica, heavily discounted this fall? The six upscale eco-lodges run by Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality, including two of my personal favorites, Lapa Rios and Finca Rosa Blanca, are offering a discount based on your age. That’s right. If you just hit 80, start celebrating. That’s 80 percent off the price of your room. Centurions get the room for free! The offer is valid for stays between August 28 and November 15, 2011.
Roaring 44 miles through northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah, the Green River is one of the most desolate runs in the States. The Class III whitewater snakes through rarely seen Dinosaur National Monument, where red walls rise sharply to some 2,500 feet to effectively block out civilization. In its place, you’ll find one of the largest concentrations of endangered peregrine falcons in the States, bighorn sheep, and mule deer. John Wesley Powell explored the Green in 1869 and was so impressed with the river that he gave the most exciting rapids names like Disaster Falls, Triplet Falls, and Hell’s Half Mile. Adrift Adventures features a four-day run on the Green during June and August. Cost is $785 for adults and $250 for kids ages 6-12. Also ask about their Jurassic Journey and Rock Art and Rafting options, which add an extra day to the trip before heading down the Green. Jurassic Journey takes you to Dinosaur Quarry, where dinosaur bones have been found. The Rock Art package visits several sites near the Ute Indian Reservation to view southwestern Indian rock art.