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Broadmoor’s Wilderness Gem, The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Reopens June 24th

The Ranch at Emerald ValleyAnyone planning a driving trip out West this summer should consider a lengthy stay at that classic resort, Broadmoor, in Colorado Springs. It’s not just the championship golf courses, ziplining, tennis courts, and hiking in the Rockies that entice. Broadmoor also runs two lodges nestled deep into the mountains that were once owned by the resort’s founder, Spencer Primrose. I had the pleasure of checking out both lodges on an Austin Adventures trip back in 2017. The Ranch at Emerald Valley, ringed by 11,000-foot peaks, is a bucolic slice of heaven. Indeed, it’s hard to tear yourself away from the vista of pasture, trout ponds, and towering peaks. I could have easily spent the day on the pond throwing out my fly and seeing if luck was in my favor. But I’d be foolish not to take advantage of the horseback riding routes that lace the outskirts of the property.

The Ranch at Emerald ValleyI hopped into a saddle on a stallion named Lady Bug and off we went on a 90-minute ramble through dense forest high atop a ridge peering at the craggy summit of 10,073-foot Mount Vigel. Many of the trails we rode that day were created by mules and workers to lay down a pipeline built in the 1930s that once brought water from a nearby reservoir to Colorado Springs. After a full day of hiking and horseback riding, I returned to Emerald Valley to soak my weary body into a cedar-lined hot tub while snacking on a favorite dessert at the ranch, peach-filled donut holes.

The Ranch at Emerald Valley’s 13 one-, two-, and three-bedroom cabins are ideally suited for social distancing. Please contact ActiveTravels if you’d like us to check availability.

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Club Med Quebec Charlevoix to Open in December

Club Med Quebec Few industries have been impacted more than travel this past year and a half. Navigating through the dizzying array of restrictions and requirements is no easy feat and can leave this eternal optimist exhausted and disheartened. But then I read about a new hotel opening in an area of the globe I’d like to check out and I’m just as excited as I was 30 years ago when I first entered the travel world, writing a story on the hotel Robert Louis Stevenson stayed when visiting Levuka, Fiji in the late 19th century. This pandemic has been a long slog, yet remarkably hotel groups continue to build and invest in the travel industry. That alone gives me a glimmer of hope.

Opening December 2021 is Club Med’s first foray in Canada and it’s a beauty. Having written about skiing Le Massif for the Boston Globe, I’ve had the good fortune to witness the exquisite views of the St. Lawrence Seaway from the slopes. Located 90 minutes northeast of Québec City in the Le Massif de Charlevoix region, the four-season all-inclusive mountain resort is spread across 300 acres. The new Club Med offers 302 rooms and a private luxury space featuring 25 suites. All-inclusive dining features the main restaurant, Le Marché, the gourmet lounge, Le Chalet, and the family restaurant, Terroir & Co, where kids and parents will enjoy fondue and raclette, local Québec cheeses and charcuteries, freshly baked cookies, and Québec’s famous maple taffy. Aside from ski-in/ski-out access, guest will enjoy ice skating, dogsledding, and sugar shack visits in the winter; biking, guided hiking tours, and whale watching in the warmer months. Let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll check availability and package together with Quebec City.

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Head to Puglia, the Heel of the Italian Boot

Tuscany has been hyped ad nauseum, leaving the rest of Italy open to folks who prefer not to follow the masses. This is especially true in September, when most of the backpackers have left the country with guidebooks in tow and the Italians return from their August vacation. One of my favorite parts of the country is in the southeast, Puglia, known as Giardano d’Italia, the Garden of Italy. With its rich soil, the region is known for its bounty of fruits, vegetables, and wines. Couples can bike through olive groves, picnic on the Adriatic shores, visit the Roman ruins of Egnazia, and spend an afternoon hiking through the beehive-like buildings of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alberobello. Spend your nights at Masseria Torre Coccaro in Savelletri, where acres of olive groves and gardens surround a 14th-century watchtower. 

 
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Fogo Island Inn Set to Open in June

Nine miles off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland lies Fogo Island, a barren land of marsh and lichen-covered rock where salt houses cling to the shoreline. In early summer, herds of caribou graze while icebergs and whales float by. When cod was king, the island was bursting with activity. But after the moratorium on fishing cod in the 1990s, the population dwindled to 2700, seemingly lost to the world. Then something remarkable, almost Dr. Seuss-like, happened. A woman who grew up on the island, Zita Cobb, created a philanthropy called The Shorefast Foundation with her brother, Tony. Not only would they offer microloans to small local businesses, they were intent on revitalizing the island through the arts. Cobb founded the Fogo Island Arts Corporation in 2008, hiring another former native, architect Todd Saunders, a rising star on the Norwegian architectural scene. Saunders would create ultramodern, angular art studios that would garner attention from numerous publications, including The New York Times. Now the philanthropist and architect have teamed up again to debut a 29-room inn that will open in June. Drive one hour from Gander, Newfoundland, to Farewell and board the 45-minute Fogo Island ferry. Cost is $415 to $720 per room, including breakfast, dinner, afternoon tea, supper, snacks, and all beverages, including premium wines and spirits.

 
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Gurney’s Opens Second Resort in Newport, Rhode Island

Great news out of Newport last week as Gurney’s, the iconic Montauk hotelier, has announced they have taken over the Hyatt Regency property on Goat Island. The sprawling 10-acre waterfront locale is one of the best in town, a short walk from the restaurants and shops, yet far away from the crowds to feel like a seaside resort. Gurney’s Montauk knows how to please families and I expect the same dynamic in Newport, where they plan to expand the pool deck, start a Kids’ Club, and offer daily activities for families. Gurney’s Newport will also be home to a full-service spa, state-of-the-art fitness facility, and indoor pool, good for a dip any time of year. They also plan to add the brand’s signature restaurant Scarpetta, set to make its debut in May. 

 
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Lodging and Food Picks in Quebec

Last week was such a whirlwind of exhilarating adventure in the Saguenay and Charlevoix regions of Quebec that I didn’t have a chance to discuss my favorite stops for lodging and food. After a busy day of stand-up-paddleboarding on Lac-Saint-Jean and whitewater rafting down the Métabetchouan River, it was a treat to spend the night at Auberge Presbytere Mont Lac-Vert in Hébertville. Not only is Danielle a gracious owner, but a fabulous chef. Her salmon, smoked at her house, followed by freshly caught John Dory fish was easily the best meal of the trip. Especially sitting on the patio with a crisp breeze, next to a big moose head hanging on the wall. Just as homey is Motel l’Islet set on a spit of land surrounded by water on Isle-aux-Coudres. The writing came easily that morning, sitting at picnic table at sunrise and presented with a large latte, thanks to the owner, a professional jazz musician. I’d happily return with Lisa next time to see one of their Sunday night concerts in summer. Le Germain is my go-to boutique hotel brand in Canada, having stayed at the wonderful Le Germain Hotel Toronto Maple Leaf Square and Le Germain Hotel Charlevoix. Hotel Le Germain Quebec is another highly recommended gem, perfectly situated in old town near many of the best restaurants in town, like the Italian restaurant, Matto, and the inspired Quebecois fare found at Legende. This was my 4th trip to the province of Quebec in the past 8 years and I’ll know I’ll be back again soon. The mix of adventure, stunning scenery, French food and hospitality is too hard to pass up. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hotels We’re Booking Right Now

Cliff House, Maine We currently have a group of 15 family members at the Cheeca Lodge in the Florida Keys and a couple who flew in from Atlanta with a negative COVID-19 test to stay at the Cliff House in Maine. We recently booked a family vacation at Wequassett Resort and a romantic retreat at Chatham Bars, both in August on Cape Cod. We also designed a 10-day itinerary for a family headed to South and North Dakota in early August and are currently working on a late September 50th birthday celebration in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains at Primland Resort, where you can stay at a luxurious treehouse. If you want to get away this summer or fall for a therapeutic escape from the pandemic and the news (like we recently did for a week on Cape Cod), please let ActiveTravels know.

Depending on where you’re located, we’ll work within the travel restrictions to not only find you a perfect getaway, but lodging that you feel comfortable in, like an isolated private house or cabin. And since we’re part of Virtuoso, we’ll get you those free amenities. At Cliff House, that translates into upgrade upon arrival, daily continental breakfast, and a Cliff House signature “Sea Bag” tote, made from recycled sails and valued at $150. Don’t forget that we design our coveted Dream Day itineraries across North America. So we’re more than happy to create a detailed tailor-made road trip that includes lodging, all activities, recommended guides, restaurants, and scenic routes. This is easily accessible on a phone app we create. As the motto on our website states, “We Help You Get There.”

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