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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!

Bike Bourbon Country with Backroads

Biking Bourbon Country Having visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, stopping and touring historic distilleries, after rolling up and down bucolic horse country, I can easily say I can’t wait to get back. Sampling bourbon, dining on exceptional Southern food, and viewing the seemingly endless green hillsides of the Bluegrass State, it’s hard not to be hooked. We were excited to see that Backroads introduced a 5-day itinerary to this region of the country last year and it’s already immensely popular. The first trip leaves April 11-15 and if you’re a little leery of drinking high-proof liquor while biking, realize that most of the drinking is at Happy Hour and you can always grab an e-bike for those challenging hills. Please let ActiveTravels know which dates look good and we’ll check availability.

Cruise Alaska This Summer with UnCruise

UnCruise AlaskaAs the world slowly starts to open up again, we’re focusing this week on group trips in North America. We’re hopeful that Canada will open to Americans by July 1st. Europe might also be safe to travel by summer, but more than likely, that will be a last-minute decision for most of our clients. Many outfitters have expanded their North American itineraries this past year to satisfy the growing demand. First up is UnCruise’s trips in Alaska.

By now you might have read that the cruise season to Alaska is over thanks to Canada closing all ports to cruising until 2022. But what you might not realize is that you can fly directly to Alaska and take a cruise that focuses solely on the exceptional scenery and wildlife of the state, not wasting time cruising up the coastline from Vancouver or Seattle. For folks who like their cruises with a dose of activity, it’s hard to top UnCruise, who will whisk you away on Zodiac rafts to sea kayak and hike in or along protected coves. You’re guaranteed to find whales, sea lions, and otters in the water, grizzlies on land, and eagles flying overhead. Please let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll find the best UnCruise Alaskan itinerary during that time.

Boston’s Newbury Hotel to Debut in April

The Newbury Hotel to Debut in BostonOne of the first assignments I received after moving to Boston in 1996 was to pen a story for Town & Country magazine on Boston’s grand dame of hospitality, the venerable Ritz-Carlton. Located at the end of Newbury Street, across from the Public Garden, the Ritz occupied one of the most enviable locations in the city and played host to such luminaries as Winston Churchill, Charles Lindbergh, and Rin Tin Tin since its opening in 1927. When it changed ownership to the Taj Boston, I was called back to the property to write a story for Boston Globe Magazine about the new General Manager. Tragically, he had lost his entire family when Pakistani militants stormed the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, where he had worked previously. He now has a beautiful new family and resides in New York.

In other good news, the latest iteration of the Ritz, called The Newbury, will be making its debut next month. Part of the Highgate Hotel Group, which includes both James properties in Manhattan, The Newbury has aligned themselves with master chef Mario Carbone. Carbone runs the Major Food Group, the hospitality company behind such restaurants as Carbone, The Grill and Sadelle’s in New York, Hong Kong and Las Vegas. For the Newbury, he has plans for a fine dining restaurant on the roof and a bar off the lounge called The Street, that will be the perfect place to congregate after shopping Newbury Street or grabbing a Swan Boat ride across the street. With tulips in bloom, the early spring has always been one of my favorite times of year to visit the Public Garden. Now with the opening of The Newbury, I have even more incentive to head downtown.

Incredibly Grateful for the Referrals to ActiveTravels

A Toast to Our Members at ActiveTravelsAs I prepared for this interview with NBC Boston News on Sunday night, I was in a good mood having just had the best week at ActiveTravels since the beginning of this hellish pandemic a year ago. Our bookings last week included a Switzerland multisport trip with Backroads in August, a family getaway to Costa Rica to celebrate a college graduation in May, and a much-needed wellness retreat to the new Miraval property in the Berkshires in April. When I realized that all three of these bookings were with new clients that were referred to us by our loyal ActiveTravels member base, I was even more elated. As we bounce back from a year of PPP loans and little business, I’m entirely grateful knowing that we’re not starting from square one again. Many of you have been with us since the start of ActiveTravels almost a decade ago. We can’t thank you enough for your support over the years and trusting us with your travels! Please continue to spread the word to your friends. It can only help to jumpstart the business after a year in hibernation.

The World is Your Oyster: Liz Coleman of Paul Gauguin Cruises

Paul Gauguin Cruises to French PolynesiaActiveTravels is excited to announce our new web series, The World is Your Oyster! As the world begins to open up and the pandemic starts to fade in the rear-view mirror, let’s look forward to rediscovering new and exciting destinations across the globe. We have been pent up too long!

To inaugurate the first episode, we speak to one of our favorite people in the travel industry, Liz Coleman of Paul Gauguin Cruises. She tells us all about experiencing the beauties of French Polynesia on a Paul Gaugin Luxury Cruise. If you are celebrating a honeymoon or an anniversary, Liz explains the romantic Tahitian Blessing Ceremony you can enjoy with your loved one while cruising.

Liz also informs us about a very special promotion happening right now, their Two Week Sale, where you can save up to $3,350 per person on a 2021 sailing. This includes roundtrip airfare from LA, an all-inclusive cruise experience including all meals and alcohol and so much more. If you’re not ready to sail right now, rates are very good for their 2022 cruises as well.

If you have a group of people you’d like to travel with and can book 5 rooms or more, we can get you their group rate, a 30% discount!

Have a listen to the video below to hear all about the Paul Gauguin Cruise experience. If nothing else, it will take you away for a few minutes outside of your homes to the wild blue yonder of French Polynesia.