World’s Most Picturesque Routes According to Instagram Data

Chapmans Peak Drive, South AfricaJudging from the amount of driving routes ActiveTravels is designing right now for clients headed across America, this summer proves to be the year of the road trip. The UK’s Pentagon Motor Group analyzed over 7 million Instagram hashtags to find the most scenic road trips around the world, calculating the number of photos posted on Instagram of each road per mile. Australia’s Great Ocean Road came in first with 8418 pictures per mile. The rest of the top five are California’s Big Sur, Jebel Hafeet in the United Arab Emirates, Hai Van Pass in Vietnam, and Chapman’s Peak Drive in South Africa, which I can personally attest to stopping every 5 minutes to take another photograph of stunning jagged mountain peaks and ocean. Check out the list of the Top 20 Drives and make sure all are on your wish list!

Saranac Waterfront Lodge Opens in the Adirondacks

Saranac Waterfront LodgeIf you’re looking for a waterfront escape this summer or fall, consider the new Saranac Waterfront Lodge in the Adirondacks. After more than 7 years of planning and development, the resort had a soft opening this winter. But to take full advantage of this lakefront property, you should check it out during the warm weather months. Saranac Waterfront Lodge features 93 rooms, a lakeside pub, restaurant, pool, hot tubs, fire pits, a fitness center, even electric car charging stations. With the reopening of nearby Hotel Saranac in 2018, these two properties transform Saranac Lake into the Adirondacks travel hub it was a century ago and will compete with nearby Lake Placid. If you’re interested in my boyhood stomping grounds of the Adirondacks, please contact ActiveTravels and we’ll check availability and pricing at these two resorts and design a detailed itinerary that includes recommended hikes, restaurants, and driving routes.

Holland America Launches New Cruise from Boston to Iceland

New Boston to Iceland Cruise Holland America just announced a new 24-day voyage from Boston to Iceland and back, set to make its inaugural jaunt on August 3, 2022. Aboard one of Holland America’s newest ships, the Pinnacle-class 2,650-passenger Nieuw Statendam, the trip will make six calls in Iceland along with stops at Bar Harbor, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Greenland. In addition to sailing to Iceland, Holland America has announced that Nieuw Statendam will operate a series of 6 to 8-day “Canada & New England Discovery” voyages in 2022 between Boston and Quebec City, with weekend departures. Stops will include Bar Harbor; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; and Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The eight-day sailings add Saint John, New Brunswick. Holland America also said Nieuw Statendam would operate longer “Newfoundland & New England Discovery” cruises between Boston and Quebec City. Ports on this 10-day cruise include Baie-Comeau and Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec; and Corner Brook, St. Anthony, St. John’s, Halifax and Bar Harbor. If interested in any of these cruises, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check pricing and availability.

The World is Your Oyster Volume 3: Andy Levine and Tom Coppock of DuVine Cycling

The World is Your OysterOur third episode of The World is Your Oyster brings us closer to home as we speak with Andy Levine and Tom Coppock of DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. about their new trips in Hudson Valley, Shenandoah Valley, and New Mexico.

Andy Levine started his company decades ago creating bike trips in and around the vineyards of France. Since then, DuVine has offered small group trips (only up to 14 people per trip) with fantastic guides, farm-to-table experiences and carefully curated scenic rides designed to see the world slowly and intimately. Their motto is “Bike Eat Drink Sleep” and on their trips, you’ll do each of these in style!

We were lucky enough to pin Andy down long enough to find out what’s new this year. Tom Coppock, trip designer extraordinaire, joined us as well and tells us how he planned tours in the US with the same attention to detail as their trips in Tuscany and France. He discovered that you don’t need to look beyond our borders to find the distinct character, culture, and history of different regions of the US, not to mention, exquisite culinary experiences and magnificent scenery.

Thank you so much Andy and Tom for participating in this episode of The World is Your Oyster and for sharing your passion for what you do with our valued members. If anyone is interested in DuVine’s summer or fall trips, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check availability.

Salt Hotels To Open Hutton Brickyards in May

Hutton Brickyards in KingstonI’ve been a big fan of hoteliers David Bowd and Kevin O’Shea ever since they unveiled their first property in Provincetown, the Salt House Inn. Their sense of style and service was more artisanal than corporate and not surprisingly, it quickly caught on with the guests. Soon they would open a second property in Provincetown, the Eben House, and two more properties in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Their biggest venture yet, Hutton Brickyards, will soon debut along the Hudson River in Kingstown, New York. 31 cabins will overlook the water, joined by a spa, outdoor restaurant, fire pits, biking and hiking trails, and an event space that’s perfect for a wedding or small business retreat. Other activities will include morning yoga, guided kayak jaunts on the river, and a chance to do some beekeeping. Can’t wait to check it out!

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The Trustees Welcomes Guests Back to Two Iconic Inns

Inn at Castle HillThe Trustees just announced the reopening of the two inns they run in Massachusetts on April 2nd. Inn at Castle Hill in Ipswich is a 10-room property located within the Crane Estate and next to Crane Beach. Talk a long walk on the beach by your lonesome in spring and then return to the property for a yummy breakfast. The Guest House at Field Farm is just outside Williamstown, perfect for an art lover’s retreat to the nearby Clark and Mass MoCA art museums. Wander outdoors around Field Farm’s sculpture garden and you’ll have excellent views of the slopes of Mt. Greylock. The six guest rooms are a treat for interior designers, created in the mid-century-modern style.

Hotel Week Returns to Rhode Island April 17-30

Hotel Week in Rhode IslandTop hotels and inns around the Ocean State have significantly discounted their rates April 17-30, just in time to welcome visitors in need of a quick getaway or school vacation trip. The Second Annual Hotel Week features flat rates of $100, $200, and $300 per property as well as packages. For example, your family can spend the night at Newport’s Hotel Viking for $100 and enjoy the indoor pool. Or treat yourself to a cozy room with a fireplace and balcony at the Shelter Harbor Inn in Westerly or a junior suite with breakfast at the Stone House in Little Compton for $200. $300 a night will get you a master junior suite and hot breakfast at the Auberge Collection property, The Vanderbilt in Newport, or a midweek night at the Weekapaug Inn in Westerly, which Travel & Leisure named “One of the Best Hotels in the World.” If you need help with what to do in Rhode Island, pick up a copy of my latest book, New England in a Nutshell, where I include more than 75 entries on Rhode Island.

Let Tauck Do the Driving to the National Parks this Summer

Tauck Visits Yosemite Sure, you could say we’re Ken Burns groupies, watching practically every documentary he ever created, on such far-ranging topics as The Civil War, Baseball, and The Brooklyn Bridge. But if you really want to learn about the history and beauty of America’s most spectacular scenery, Burns’ National Parks series tells the story. So when we heard that Tauck joined forces with Ken Burns to add commentary on all their itineraries through the American West, we knew it would be a big hit. Tauck has itineraries to many of the National Parks in summer, including Yellowstone and Zion, but we really like the 8-day trip to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks that begins and ends in San Francisco. Spend your days hiking through the majestic groves of sequoias or atop the stunning mountain ridges, then lap up the luxury at night at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, the classic Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite and the Wuksatchi Lodge in Sequoia. Trips start in mid-May and half the dates this summer are already sold out. But let ActiveTravels know your interest and we’ll find dates that will work.

DuVine’s Long Weekend to the Smoky Mountains

Biking Smoky Mountains with DuVineDuVine, the Massachusetts-based biking tour operator who brought Lisa and I on a fantastic trip to Puglia, Italy, introduced shorter 4-day trips around America last year, including itineraries to Santa Barbara and Tucson. But it’s hard to top their newly revealed trip to Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, where you can bike to your heart’s content on the rolling backcountry roads and then dine and lodge each night at one of the most decorated restaurants in the country, the Relais & Chateaux property, Blackberry Farm. You’ll squeeze in 4 day of riding, averaging 25 to 30 miles per day, before rewarding yourself with a feast of southern specialties like barbecued ribs and catfish, washed down with local microbrews and Tennessee whiskey. First trip out is May 24-27, 2021. Please let ActiveTravels know which itinerary looks the best and we’ll check availability. Also be on the lookout for the next The World Is Your Oyster segment, where we interview DuVine founder, Andy Levine, and discuss his new partnership with Lindblad.

The World is Your Oyster Volume 2: Don Martinson and Steve Selden of Natural Habitat Adventures

The World is Your OysterOur second episode of The World is Your Oyster brings you to Northern Canada to Churchill, Manitoba. We had the privilege to speak to two incredibly knowledgeable people at Natural Habitat Adventures about this Northern Wonderland where you can experience nature and exquisite wildlife up close. We’ve known and worked with Don Martinson at NatHab for years and he introduced us to one of their excellent guides, Steve Selden, who’s been with the tour operator since its beginnings. Steve also designed the topic of our discussion, their Belugas, Bears & Summer Wildlife of Churchill Tour.

Did you know that over 3000 Beluga whales come into the Churchill River each summer? Get in a Zodiac or a kayak to see them in their habitat. Next you can climb aboard a helicopter and search for Polar Bears from above. If you’re super lucky in the wee hours of the night and if you’ve put your “Please Disturb” sign on your door, you may be awoken to see the Northern Lights! That’s what they call the Trifecta!

Have a listen to the video to hear all about the joys of seeing Churchill, Manitoba, in the summertime. Don and Steve share wonderful stories of their time up in this beautiful part of the globe. Then contact ActiveTravels so we can put you on one of their July trips!