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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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Stowe Mountain Lodge Continues to Evolve and Impress

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Having just spent the weekend with the family at the resort, I was excited to see the latest changes. A skating rink has opened behind the property near a branch of the popular Burlington creperie, Skinny Pancake. Behind the skating rink, construction workers were hard at work atop a new building that when complete in March will feature a climbing wall and recreation center for kids, along with 19 new condominiums (all sold out). Next door is another new wooden building with large stone chimney in the center that will soon transform into a wine bar. On Saturday afternoon after a day of skiing, kids were making s’mores around fire pits outside as adults swigged their Switchback Ales at the Hourglass bar. The place was a buzz of excitement as a world class ski-in/ski-out resort should be. 
 
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Costa Rica Highlights, The Exquisite Arenas del Mar

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First up is a property just outside the rainforest of Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenas del Mar. Built into the cliffs overlooking the Pacific, five minutes from the entrance to the national park, this boutique resort has everything you dream about in a Costa Rica vacation. It’s where the verdant foliage of the rainforest meets the beach. The spacious suites, all with balconies overlooking the expanse of ocean, are socked into the forest. So you wake up looking at white-faced monkeys and those slow-moving sloths climbing the vines and trees. Golf carts drive you up the hillside to have breakfast of fresh papaya, mango, and pineapple, with baked goods, high overlooking the neighboring islands. Then the carts bring you back to your rooms, where you can walk down to the private beach or swim in the pool. With so much rain, the high tides were incredibly dramatic when we were there. The pounding surf slammed against the rocky outcroppings, with foam spewing into the air. Add guided hikes into Manuel Antonio with the hotel’s knowledgeable naturalist, Ercel, and nearby ziplining in the mountainside with the professional staff at MidWorld and you understand why this was my family’s favorite of six stops on the trip. 
 
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Africa Week—Extending Your Trip to Cape Town at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve

Lisa just returned from the We Are Africa conference at Sundance in Utah, where she met close to 100 suppliers and property General Managers from across the African continent. This week, I’d like to discuss the 5 contacts that got her the most excited. While the wine country of Stellenbosch/Franschhoek and Cape of Good Hope appear in all of our itineraries to South Africa, we rarely place clients in Hermanus, which is best known for its whale watching. That will change now that we know about Grootbos, a Nat Geo lodge and private game reserve located about 2 hours southeast of Cape Town, just off Cape Nature Walker Bay. Spend 3 days at this eco-resort to go on nature walks and see more than 100 endangered plant species and rare birds, whale watch and dolphin boat rides on the ocean waters, horseback ride through 2500 hectares of forest, even sign up for scenic flights and great white shark cage dives. Then head back to the lodge for gourmet meals, washed down with all that excellent South African wine that never leaves the country. Lekka, mon!  

 
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Cape Cod’s Ocean Edge Resort Teams Up With Orvis

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The Debut of The Boxer in Boston

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I’m off to Miami to bike Shark Valley, sea kayak at Oleta River State Park, and sail a Hobie Cat in Biscayne Bay. I’ll be back on Wednesday, May 4th. In the meantime, keep active!

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