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Croatia, Western Dude Ranches, Pack for a Purpose, and More in Our May Newsletter

In the May ActiveTravels newsletter, Lisa reports on her latest trip to Croatia and delves into why the country has become such a European hot spot. We also list some of our clients’ favorite dude ranches, promote Pack with a Purpose, and talk about an outfitter who designs custom-made trips to America’s National Parks. With the National Park System turning 100 in 2016, this is a good time to think about a trip to Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, or Acadia National Park. 
 
I’ll be in Ithaca, New York, next Monday and Tuesday, back Wednesday. Enjoy the weekend and keep active!
 

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A Memorable Trip to New Brunswick

Guest Post and Photos by Amy Perry Basseches 

Continuing my exploration of Canada, I recently spent 3 glorious sunny days in New Brunswick, part of "Atlantic Canada" (along with Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland). Although New Brunswick is more than 80% forest land, I was on the southern coast, in Saint Andrews and Alma, adjacent to the Bay of Fundy and Passamaquoddy Bay, not far from Maine. This area was full of trees but oriented towards the sea.
 
My first stop: Ossie’s Lunch in Bethel, just outside of Saint Andrews, for the best lobster roll I’ve had in a long time (identifiable lobster parts, minimal mayonnaise). Family-owned since 1957. Got here just in time. They closed September 16 for the season. Once in Saint Andrews, I had the pleasure of staying at the Rossmount Inn, a 3-story country inn with 18 rooms, situated on 87 acres, at the base of Chamcook Mountain. I thoroughly recommend its ambiance and dining room. My Bay of Fundy haddock was mouthwatering. 
 
It was easy to while away the hours in Saint Andrews, visiting historic sites like the Blockhouses built to protect New Brunswick against the Americans during the War of 1812, drinking local beer at The Chandler Room on the main drag, admiring flowers at the 27-acre Kingsbrae Gardens, driving on the seafloor at low tide out to Ministers Island to admire the 500-acre summer estate of William Van Horne (the driving force behind the Canadian Pacific Railway), and marveling at humpback whales with Island Quest Marine’s afternoon whale watch. Lots of American tourists were in Saint Andrews on road trips, and I can see why.
 
My second base was in Alma, population 232 (in 2011), the hopping-off point for Fundy National Park. Locals rely on lobster and scallop fishing. Thus, fortified by Bay of Fundy scallops and a good night’s sleep, I headed off to hike on Matthew’s Head Trail (many lookout points of vast coastal views, about 1.5 hours, not difficult), and to visit Hopewell Rocks. Fundy National Park boasts the highest tides in the world, up to 48 feet of change. Each tidal flow contains 100 billion tons of water, and its strength carves the formation at Hopewell Rocks. You can only visit at or near low tide. 
 
My only regret in Alma: I didn’t get a chance to sea kayak with Fresh Air Adventure. I observed lots of people taking part, and it looked great. Plus Gina, the owner, winters in Hong Kong and summers on the Bay of Fundy coastline. How fascinating! Steve has written about kayaking with Gina here: 
 
In closing, my idea of a terrific getaway includes seeing new places (especially small towns and natural things of quiet and beauty); being outdoors in the sunshine with time to walk, read, and think; being near the water/on the coast (seeing it, smelling it, hearing it, feeling the breeze); and eating good healthy local food and drink — just fresh and simply prepared. New Brunswick had it all! Let ActiveTravels know if you are interested in "Atlantic Canada."
 
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Riu Palace Peninsula Week in Cancun

Last October, the Washington Post published a story of mine on how I learned to love the all-inclusive property. I have reviewed more than 25 all-inclusive resorts, but I never appreciated the appeal until I stayed with the Spanish resort company, Riu. I spent a week with my family at Negril’s Riu Palace Tropical Bay and it exceeded all expectations. The white sand sloped down gently into the warm waters, where I would spend a good portion of the day swimming, kayaking, and watching the reddish-yellow sun melt into the sea. If I felt hungry, I would get up from my chaise lounge and grab a plate of hot jerk chicken from the resort’s jerk hut or wander over to the pool bar for another dirty banana. The kids and I played a lot of games, winning bottles of rum at the pre-sunset bingo bash. Best of all, I relaxed more than I’ve been able to do on a trip in a long time. 
 
So when the opportunity arose to visit the recently unveiled Riu Palace Peninsula in Cancun, I was excited to get on a plane and check it out. Especially since it was snowing in Boston yesterday. This week, I’ll be blogging and tweeting about all aspects of the resort, from the rooms to the amenities to the food and the entertainment. So stick around, mi amigo. 
 
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Summer Family Package at Amanyara

Singapore-based Amanresorts group has announced that their lone Caribbean property, 

Amanyara in the Turks and Caicos, will unveil a new family package this summer called 
“Season of Discovery.” Visit the property from June 1 to October 31 and book the 
Two-Bedroom Pool Pavilion Suite or Villa and you’ll be entitled to slew of family-friendly offerings:
 
• private family movie night in Amanyara’s screening room, complete with popcorn and canapés
• guided family snorkeling trip
• family eco-hike with a resident naturalist from Amanyara’s Nature Discovery Centre
• tailor-made, naturalist-led daily program for kids at the Nature Discovery Centre
• Special poolside ice cream social around guests’ private suite or villa pools. 
 
All rates include breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and families who book a 
stay of four nights in any pavilion, suite or villa category will receive a fifth night free.
 
 

New England in a Nutshell Raffle Winner to Be Announced Friday

New England TravelThank you to everyone who purchased a copy of my latest book, New England in a Nutshell! Three months after publication date, I’ve finally been paid by Amazon. So let’s have some fun! As I mentioned before, anyone who purchased a copy of the book is eligible for a raffle giveaway for one of the outfitters, inns, or restaurants I’ve included in the manuscript. First up is a chance for you and a guest to bike with Summer Feet Cycling on a day ride on the outskirts of Portland. You’ll be biking to 5 lighthouses, including the exquisite Portland Head Light, where you’ll stop at a food truck for yummy lobster rolls. You’ll be going on the same ride I did with my family and friends when I turned 50. If I don’t already have your name, please let me know. I’ll announce the raffle winner this Friday. Good luck!

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Holiday Stocking Stuffer No. 1, Don Papa Rum

Already a phenomenon in Paris, Don Papa Rum has just arrived in New York and Boston. I went to a rum tasting last week at Shojo in Boston’s Chinatown and was even more enamored with this rum than the last time I tried it in France. The 10-year-old bottle has hints of vanilla which stems not only from the sweeter Noble Cane found in the Philippines, but the result of aging in former bourbon and American oak casks. As the story goes, founder Stephen Carroll was sailing around the volcanic island of Negros, when he learned about the centuries-old Noble Cane and the reason they coined the island Sugarlandia. He went on land and discovered the remains of a small rum distillery. Carroll bought it out and started creating his own “black gold” molasses. In less than a decade, he’s created quite a buzz in the liquor world. Grab your bottle of 7 and 10-year rum at Vinodivino in Boston and Needham, Charles Street Liquor in Boston, Gordon Liquor in Waltham, among many other Boston area liquor stores, and you’ll soon believe the hype. 

 
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5 Favorite Travel Days in 2014, Biking Lake Geneva’s La Côte Region

Traveling to the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland this past September with Lisa, every day was a dream that could easily make this list. Seeing Dubuffet’s collection of art from the insane at Lausanne, strolling through the sculpted vineyards of the Lavaux, and taking a cruise over to the magical 12th-century castle on the rock, Chateau de Chillon, were all worthy of being chosen as my favorite days of the year. But the day that sticks out most in my memory was the most authentic experience, electric biking through the La Côte vineyards just outside the town of Nyon.
 
If you want to bike through vineyards with only locals on charming hillside towns reminiscent of Burgundy, follow in my footsteps. When we arrived at the Nyon train station to meet our guide, there were no more bikes to rent, only electric bikes. So off we went, zipping on a paved trail through the neighboring community of Prangins, staring in awe at 15,781-foot Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, which rises from the French side of Lake Geneva. In the town of Gland, we filled up our water bottles in one of the many public fountains, where water comes from the same reservoir that supplies the nearby homes. 
 
Then we headed for the hills and were instantly enchanted by the town of Luins. We met Laurent Vigneron, the winemaker and owner of the picturesque Chateau de Luins, ready to start his fall harvest in less than a week. He took us into rooms holding immense oak barrels, some dating from as far back as 1922. We sampled his wines, a smooth pinot noir and a dry white created from the region’s favored grape, Chasselas, realizing instantly why the Swiss keep most of their wine for themselves. From Luins, we biked on a trail through the vineyards into the storybook town of Bursins, where a Medieval Cluny church still stands with requisite watchtower in the town center. A historic whitewashed chateau, now an upscale lodging called Chateau Le Rosey, peered down from the hillside. Across the street was a house straight out of a French countryside movie set with a wooden tile roof covered in moss. 
 
We had lunch at Café de L’Union, known for its deep-fried gruyere cheese puff they call the Malakoff. Another specialty was the blue trout caught at a nearby river, which did arrive on our plate the color blue. It was served with cornichons and French fries. Perfect. After lunch, we headed downhill through cornfields waiting to be reaped and apple trees bending over with the latest crop. We past a horseback rider and soon took Route 1 along the lake to the town of Rolle. Quickly changing into swimwear, we had a paddleboard lesson at the Paddle Center. Soon we were gliding out on the placid blue waters of Lake Geneva, again mesmerized by the mountain panorama. An image I won’t quickly forget. 
 

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