Snow in Love at New Hampshire’s Glen House

Glen House in the White MountainsIf you’re looking for a quick escape to snow country, consider a night or two at the Glen House, the 68-room resort at the base of New England’s largest peak, Mt. Washington. Drop your bags off in the room and then head next door to the Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center to go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat-tire biking, or snow tubing down a short hill. Across from The Glen House is the departure point for the Mt. Washington Snow Coach, which travels four and a half miles up the snow-covered Auto Road to the 6,288-foot peak. For downhill skiers, take the quick drive over to Attitash or Wildcat. Through April 17, the Glen House is offering a Snow in Love package that features standard guest room, two welcome cocktails, and dessert for two. A 3-hour drive from Boston, the property is ideally suited for a much-needed getaway. Please let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll check availability.

Caribbean Destinations to Visit Now

Puerto Rico beachIf you truly need to get some warmth and Florida just doesn’t float your boat, we have the intel on where to go south to get thawed out from the cold and incessant snowfall this winter. Most of you now know that all travelers, even US citizens, need to provide a negative COVID test within 72 hours prior to boarding your flight home. This new CDC requirement, which began on January 26th, can be an obstacle and a nuisance that you may not want to deal with. Please note that since this rule was announced, many of the major hotel suppliers (Marriott, Hyatt, Melia, Velas, Aman, Belmond, Nayara, Iberostar and many, many more) in the Caribbean region have stepped up to offer their guests pre-travel testing. See the list of hotels participating here. If you are curious about all the rules and requirements for the various Caribbean countries, this article offers up-to-date information and is a daily tool we use to help our members plan their travel.

One warm-weather destination we highly recommend is Puerto Rico. Since Puerto Rico is part of the US, not only don’t you need to bring your passport, but the CDC rule of testing within 72 hours of your arrival back home does not apply. This makes for one less hassle on your warm weather getaway. There’s a lot to love about Puerto Rico from the fantastic lodgings available to their glorious beaches, opportunities for relaxation, adventure and exploration in their El Yunque Rainforest and their Bioluminescent Bay. We know the best food tours, surfing locales, wellness hotels and spots for your romantic rendezvous.

Let ActiveTravels know your available dates and we’ll help you pick a great Caribbean resort.

Book Your Backroads Trip Now

Backroads Grand TetonsFor those of you who have credit or interest in booking a trip with the biking and hiking outfitter, Backroads, please note that many of their late summer and fall trips in 2021 are already selling out. This is especially true for North American destinations. We recently checked on trips to both the Grand Tetons and Newfoundland and were surprised to find that they were sold out. There is a possibility that more trips will open up due to demand, but it would be wise to book sooner rather than later. Realistically, this is how it’s going to be for many scheduled trips with outfitters in 2021, selling out early due to pent-up demand. Like most travel companies, Backroads is providing new, more flexible booking policies. Deposits are fully refundable for new reservations on 2021 trips if canceled before 4/1/21 or when final payment is due (whichever comes first).

Please let ActiveTravels know your interest and we’ll be happy to discuss our clients favorite Backroads itineraries around the globe.

Dream Day Itineraries Ideally Suited for 2021: Last Stop, Hawaii

Live Ukulele Music on a Big Island BeachThis week at ActiveTravels we’ve been discussing our favorite Dream Day Itineraries for 2021. For close to a decade, we’ve created hundreds of these detailed day-to-day itineraries that include every aspect of your vacation, from hotels to guided tours to reserved restaurants to best places to stop along your drive. As more and more clients take similar routes, we’re able to get feedback directly from you, refining these itineraries so they’re as close to perfection as can be. We’ve also aligned ourselves with the AXUS app, so all information is now within easy reach on your smart phone.

The final destination we’d like to discuss is Hawaii, where we’ve already begun designing routes for clients this coming summer and winter. We usually recommend spending at least 10 days in Hawaii, with stops at two of the islands. It’s really hard to go wrong with any of the islands. Oahu offers the honky-tonk Waikiki Beach, the history of Pearl Harbor, a wonderful Honolulu Chinatown, and the surfers at the Banzai Pipeline. Big Island has it all, from the Wyoming-like horse ranches of Waimea to the black sand beaches of Kona to the very active volcano at Volcano National Park. Maui offers the best golfing and scuba options, and who can resist waking up at sunrise to bike down Haleakala. Then there’s the serenity of Kauai and the chance to take a helicopter ride or private boat charter near the striking Na Pali cliffs. We work with wonderful scuba and deep-sea fishing charters, horseback riding and hiking guides, cooking classes, historians, even a vulcanologist on the Big Island.

Let us know which North American destination interests you in 2021 and we’ll be happy to dive in!

Dream Day Itineraries Ideally Suited for 2021: Northern California

Dream Day Itinerary to Northern CaliforniaSan Fran is the gateway to so many spectacular locales, it’s often hard to choose. Most of our clients first head to the vineyards and fine dining of Napa and Sonoma. The dilemma is what to do next because all the choices are amazing. You can head east for 5 hours and reach arguably the most scenic locale in America, Yosemite National Park. Just as remarkable is the drive down Big Sur, which starts outside of Carmel, about a 3-hour drive south of Napa. But don’t overlook the seaside village of Mendocino and then a memorable drive through the redwoods at Avenue of the Giants, about a 4-hour drive north of Napa. You can continue on to Eureka and the Lost Coast of California, where the beaches are populated with far more seals than humans. You really can’t go wrong with any choice you make! Give us a week or more and your travel interests and ActiveTravels will get to work creating a memorable Dream Day Itinerary to California.

Dream Day Itineraries Ideally Suited for 2021: Utah/Arizona National Parks

Hiking in ZionOutside of New England, this is probably our second most popular Dream Day Itinerary. Start in Las Vegas and 2 ½ hours later, you’ll be staring up in awe at the rock formations at Zion National Park. We work with fantastic guides to get you up high on the trails or inside a slot canyon on the Virgin River. Another 90-minute drive, you’ll be staring down at the hoodoos at Bryce National Park. From Bryce, you can continue east to Canyonlands and Arches National Parks and Moab, or head 2 1/2 hours south to Lake Powell on the Arizona border, a fantastic spot to rent a houseboat and relax. From Lake Powell, it’s only a 30-minute drive to the otherworldly walls of Antelope Canyon. Another 2 ½ hours south and you’ll reach the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where we can arrange a private helicopter ride or a small group hike with a guide. Continue on to the red rocks of Sedona (we adore the Enchantment Resort) and you’ll soon be in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area for some more hiking and golfing. Please let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll design a fabulous itinerary, including our favorite lodging, guides, backcountry roads, and suggested restaurants.

Dream Day Itineraries Ideally Suited for 2021: Atlantic Maritimes, Canada

Skyline Trail, Nova ScotiaAnother part of the world I know exceptionally well are the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, where I try to return at least once a year. Drive Cape Breton and you feel like you’re in the Scottish Highlands, cruising atop scenic bluffs, taking hikes with moose, visiting whiskey distilleries, and listening to fantastic foot-stomping live Celtic music. But there’s so much more! In New Brunswick, visit the charming seaside village of St. Andrews and then go whale watching, stroll the stunning Hopewell Rocks formation, sea kayak on the greatest tidal shift in the world at Fundy National Park, and search for chanterelle mushrooms with a French chef on the Acadian route to create a memorable seafood meal that evening. PEI offers incredible biking on the 449-kilometer Confederation Trail that runs from one end of the island to the other, a chance to visit the town of Cavendish, best known as the home of Anne of Green Gables, and is known for its gluttonous seafood feasts called lobster suppers. Please let ActiveTravels know the number of days you want to travel to the Atlantic Maritimes and we’ll happily come up with an exciting itinerary.

Dream Day Itineraries Ideally Suited for 2021: First Stop, New England

Dream Day Itinerary to New EnglandMany of you already have first-hand knowledge of what we like to call the Dream Day Itinerary. From a weekend away in the Berkshires to a 4-month sabbatical in South America, these detailed day-to-day itineraries include every aspect of your vacation, from hotels to guided tours to reserved restaurants to best places to stop along your drive. At first, many of these recommended activities stemmed from my own research based on years of being a travel writer. But as more and more ActiveTravels clientele took similar routes, we were able to get feedback directly from you, refining these routes so they’re as close to perfection as can be. We’ve also aligned ourselves with the AXUS app, so all information is now within easy reach on your smart phone.

As we write this, one of our clients is traveling cross-country on a Dream Day Itinerary with stops in DC, Charleston, Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Austin, Santa Fe, Taos, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Phoenix, and finally La Jolla. We’ve created itineraries around the world, from a month in Peru to a month in Australia. But as we slowly get back to traveling again in 2021, these tried-and-true 7 to 10-day North American routes are well suited for getting you back on the road again.

By far our most popular Dream Day Itinerary is New England, where we’ve designed over 100 itineraries. Depending on the time of year, we can guide you along the coast from Mystic to Bar Harbor, with possible stops in Newport, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Portsmouth, Portland, Camden, and Bar Harbor. Or we head inland to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Berkshires in Massachusetts to see the foliage. Some of our favorite activities we organized over the years are hot air ballooning over Lake Champlain, finding moose with a guide in Greenville, Maine, having a clambake on a quiet Nantucket beach, and going lobstering with a genuine lobsterman off Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Want more? How about visiting the Museum of Fine Arts with a curator, biking to the 5 lighthouses outside Portland, or sailing on an original America’s Cup sailboat in Newport. Best of all, having written about this region for half my life, I know the most scenic backcountry routes to find foliage and the apple cider mill without the crowds.

A Millennium-Old Castle Now a Resort in Umbria, Italy

Millennium-Old Resort in Umbria, ItalyWhen a castle dating from 1050 transforms into a magical 36-room hotel in the Umbrian hillside, it gets our stamp of approval. The ancient farmhouses that dot the 3,700 acres of pastoral countryside at Reschio have already been transformed into luxurious private homes by three generations of the Bolza family. But by the end of April 2021, the property’s crown jewel, Castello di Reschio, will finally debut. Glass-enclosed lounges and hidden libraries are all part of the upscale mystique of this estate. An added plus is the onsite Equestrian Center. Interested in traveling to Italy in 2021? Let ActiveTravels design an exciting route using our fantastic contacts in the country.

Spend the Night at Versailles

Spend the night at Versailles If you ever wanted to have a good night’s sleep like Louis XIV, you’ll have that chance this spring when the only hotel located within the Palace of Versailles will open its stately doors. Chateau de Versailles Le Grand Contrôle will feature 14 suites, a restaurant by Alain Ducasse, and an indoor pool and wellness center, where guests will enjoy unrestricted access to the Orangery and the Lake of the Swiss Guard. Live in the lap of luxury for a night or two on your next trip to Paris. Please let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll check pricing and availability.