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Find Peak Colors on the Drive from Asheville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The 80-mile stretch of roadway between Asheville and Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a joy anytime of year, but it’s hard to top this coming week when the leaves on red maples, dogwoods, and sassafras trees are at the height of their fall foliage. Spend your first night in the heart of downtown at the Renaissance Asheville. Then it’s time to hit the High Country, where the drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway reaches its highest elevation at 6,047 feet, surrounded by row after row of ridges like the flanks of Mount Pisgah and Cold Mountain, the setting for the best-selling novel. There are numerous opportunities to stretch your legs and stroll to lonely mountain streams and waterfalls amongst the 120 species of trees, the greatest variety in the US. A good place to start is the self-guided Harwood Cove Nature Trail that begins at the Chimneys Picnic Area.

 

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Family-Friendly Rafting Trips on the Salmon River

Western River Expeditions will celebrate its 50th year in 2011. Founded by Colorado River rafting pioneer, Jack Currey, the outfitter quickly expanded beyond the Grand Canyon to the other great rivers in the West, heading north into Utah and Idaho. Next summer, the company will unveil a new adventure for families with children as young as five. Called the Salmon River Canyons Family Magic Trip, the five-day, four-night jaunt will include a River Jester, whose sole duty is to keep the kids happy, leading nature-oriented games and activities for the kids, cooking a separate kids dinner at night, and telling stories and singing songs around the campfire. The Class II-IV rapids are mostly on the mild side, well-suited for the youngins. Trips meet and end in Lewiston, Idaho, and cost $1,435 for adults, $1,245 for children ages 5 to 15.
 

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Soon-To-Be-Opened Cabot Cliffs Already Called An Instant Classic

I’ve already mentioned on these pages that this is the year to visit Canada, with the exchange rate now $1.22 Canadian to the US Dollar. Recently I was in Manhattan at Canada Media Marketplace, where Canada’s finest PR representatives discuss what’s new in the country. This week, I’m going to share with you my top five story angles. 
 
First up is Cabot Cliffs golf course set to make its debut in July in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Golf Digest has already called the Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore designed course an instant classic. Here’s what they wrote: “It has eight glorious holes along the coast above the Gulf of St. Lawrence. One of them reminds us of Turnberry, another looks like it came from Pebble Beach, and yet another brings to mind Ballybunion.” Cabot Cliffs sister course, Cabot Links, opened 3 years ago and is already ranked as the 42nd best golf course in the world according to Golf Digest. This one might break into the top 10. If you’ve ever been to Cape Breton, you understand the allure. The seascape is spectacular, comparable to the cliffs of the Scottish Highlands. So it should come as no surprise that the golf is just as good as Scotland. 
 
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Rafting the Classic North American Rivers—The Middle Fork of the Salmon River

May is the start of the whitewater rafting season in North America, and since I’ve been receiving a lot of inquiries lately about the best multi-day rafting trips on the continent, I’m going to review the classics this week. First up, the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. 

 
One of the original rivers in the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and a centerpiece of Idaho’s 2.2 million acre River of No Return Wilderness, the Salmon River deserves its reputation as one of the premier whitewater runs in North America. Especially the Middle Fork which boasts more than a hundred rapids in as many miles. What this means is a rip-roaring ride through narrow canyon walls, with glimpses of bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain elk on the shores and eagles and ospreys flying overhead. Once you reach land, you can hike up side canyons, soak in natural hot springs, fish to your heart’s content, or use the time to gather your thoughts.
 
Outfitters have gone overboard in the past five years attracting clientele to the Middle Fork, featuring wine dinners with a Sonoma County sommelier or learning about travel writing with two pros in the business, Tim Cahill or Michael Shapiro. One outfitter hired a clown to entertain the kids at night. So whatever your interest, there’s a specialty tour for you. 
 
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Okemo Mountain Resort Adds Second Bubble Chair

Excited to head back to Okemo this coming weekend to check out their latest additions, including a second bubble lift. Called Quantum Four, the bright orange retractable, transparent dome will replace the Jackson Gore Express Quad. The four-passenger bubble chairs protect skiers from wind and weather as they ascend Jackson Gore summit. Always included in my round-ups of top 10 ski resorts for families in America, Okemo is known for their snowmaking and impeccable grooming, which allows novice skiers to feel like Olympic downhill champions as you cruise down the long boulevards. Of course, we’ll also take an exhilarating run on the Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster and taste those fresh baked waffles dipped in chocolate. Can’t wait! 

 
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Bird Watching in Costa Rica

Just as divers think of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef as that ultimate diving locale, bird watchers flock to Costa Rica. In a small country the size of West Virginia, you can find more than 850 species of birdlife. Take the entire United States and combine it with Canada and you won’t come up with that many birds. And we’re not talking ordinary birds in Costa Rica like the backyard sparrow, but spectacular toucans, scarlet macaws, quetzals, 50 types of hummingbirds, and tall storks. The great multitude of birdlife in Costa Rica stems from its diverse terrain sandwiched into a sliver of Central American terrain. Within a relatively short driving distance, you can be atop 12,000 foot peaks or down at sea level on the Pacific coast, immersed in the dense rainforest or slicing through the hazy cloud forest. Sendero Tranquillo in the Cloud Forest, La Selva Biological Station, and Carara National Park are great places to start.
 

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The Debut of Canada Goose Adventure Trips

Luxury tour operator, Butterfield & Robinson, has just announced their new partnership with warm-weather fashion apparel designer Canada Goose. Called Canada Goose Adventure Trips, these small group adventures will head to Iceland and Newfoundland to snowmobile, hike on glaciers, snorkel between the continental shelf, and soak in the renowned Blue Lagoon, all while wearing the latest Canada Goose garb. The six-day Iceland adventure runs March 5-10 while the 4-day Newfoundland trip to Fogo Island runs June 8-10. Nine miles off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland, Fogo Island is best known for its ultramodern, dramatically colored amorphous art studios that have garnered attention from numerous publications, including The New York Times. 

 
 

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