Sunday, December 30, 2012

Between November and early spring, Cataloochee Ski Area, a half hour northeast of Bryson City, opens




At Hidden Creek Cabins, tucked into the Smoky Mountains, the crackle of a campfire and hearty laughter often punctuate quiet nights. It's appropriate, then, that on the porch of one of the rustic log cottages, a carved wooden sign reads, "Here Let the Fires of Friendship Burn." Other thoughtful accents—from hand-stitched quilts to decorative cast-iron cookware—are sprinkled throughout the homey accommodations.
Forest russian tour packages views and all-wood furnishing are staples of each Hidden Creek cabin, but locations vary from hilltop sites with expansive russian tour packages Smoky Mountain vistas to quiet, creek-side digs. A roomy hot tub on the deck at Maggie's cabin offers a balmy counterpoint to the crisp creek waters running their course a scented russian tour packages candle's throw away.
While the hot tub at Pop's Cottage heats up and burgers sizzle on the gas grill, take to the hammock or swinging love seat to watch the sun dip behind the Smokies. The similarly sited Skytop cabin overlooks an indigo ridgeline and thousands of acres of protected forest. Rocking chairs share patio space with a charcoal russian tour packages grill and hot tub, and high-backed adirondacks surround a campfire site below.
Set in the heart of North Carolina's Blue Ridge about an hour west of Asheville, the town of Bryson City lives up to its nickname as "Base Camp for the Great Smokies." The nearby Nantahala National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains russian tour packages National Park each provide endless year-round opportunities for hiking, biking, and stealing picnic baskets.
Between November russian tour packages and early spring, Cataloochee Ski Area, a half hour northeast of Bryson City, opens its 14 slopes to the public. The Blue Ridge Parkway rewards drivers with stunning vistas free of charge, but many visitors are happy to pay for a half-day ride in a vintage train car on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad , which winds through 53 miles of pristine mountain country. Niagara Falls, ON: C$125.00 for 4-Star Suites Overlooking Niagara Falls (C$358.00 value) Four-Star Sky-Rise Hotel Steps from Niagara Falls
A never-ending deluge of water barrels over Horseshoe Falls, russian tour packages creating russian tour packages a thunderous roar and a constant spray of mist. As the largest waterfall at Niagara Falls, Horseshoe russian tour packages Falls is one of the world's most famous natural phenomena—and it's just steps away from the 42-story Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls. The hotel's two-queen and whirlpool suites offer stunning views of the cascade, as well as separate living and dining areas.
russian tour packages In the morning, hit up the complimentary russian tour packages breakfast buffet, which includes an omelet station. You'll also get a C$40 dining voucher to the onsite Keg Steakhouse Bar and a C$20 voucher russian tour packages to Outback Steakhouse, located nearby. A pair of shuttle passes gives you easy access to the Falls, casinos, and other local attractions.
With Option 1, you can choose to receive two passes to the nearby Waves Waterpark at the Americana. For more grown-up entertainment, use your gaming credit at Dave Buster's, home to hundreds of video and arcade games. Those who choose Option 2 can try their luck at nearby Seneca Niagara Casino , with thousands of slot machines and more than a hundred table games.
Niagara Falls straddles the border of Canada and the United States, with segments located in both New York and Ontario. russian tour packages But the Canadian side of the Niagara River is universally hailed as the finest vantage point to take in views of photogenic spots, including the American, Bridal Veil, and Horseshoe Falls.
Year-round, Journey russian tour packages Behind the Falls gives you a glimpse behind the curtain of Horseshoe Falls. Visitors board an elevator that descends 150 feet into the bedrock, then stand at an observation deck steps away from the cascading water.
russian tour packages A 10-minute walk from the falls, you'll see the neon glow of the Clifton Hills neighborhood. Its Fallsview Boulevard has plenty of Vegas-style kitsch, including glitzy casinos, indoor water parks, restaurants, and soggy Elvis impersonators.
Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions. Online: $69.00 for Riverfront Four Points by Sheraton Niagara Falls ($147.00 value) Riverfront Hotel Minutes from Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls flows along the border of both New York and Canada, and it's essentially consensus that Canada has the best panoramic russian tour packages view of the cascades. But where the Canadian side features russian tour packages fun houses, high-rise hotels, and sprawling russian tour packages commercial sites, Niagara Falls, New York, taps more into the roughhewn wilderness of the area. You can sense the raw power of the rapids russian tour packages in the winter, when attractions close, ice bridges form over the Niagara River, and chills crystallize the surging mist onto the surfaces of trees and railings.
Situated right along the river, Four Points by Sheraton Niagara Falls is about 5 miles east of Niagara Falls State Park. After you explore the natural wonderland, the hotel is a comfortable home base: there's a fireplace in the lounge, and the heated pool is housed in a glass atrium overlooking the river.
Upon arrival at Four Points by Sheraton russian tour packages Niagara Falls, you'll get a bottle of wine and an appetizer at the onsite Bella Vista Ristorante . The Italian eatery's russian tour packages menu was crafted by celebrated chef Jason Chmiel and features hand-rolled pastas and housemade pizzas. All the wines hail from CK Mondavi Family Vineyards—a third-generation family winery that uses cold fermentation and sterile filtration techniques russian tour packages to create bold, crisp varietals. Feel free to enjoy a meal on a seasonal patio overlooking the Niagara River, or in a casual dining room, where you can catch sports on large flat-screen TVs or make your own milk shakes by roasting scoops of ice cream in the flickering fireplace.
russian tour packages Included with this getaway is a $30 casino voucher, which can be redeemed for slot play at the Seneca Niagara Casino , located a few miles west of the hotel. The casino is home to more than 4,200 reel-spinning and video slot machines, as well as more than 100 table games such as blackjack, craps, and roulette.
Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the United States, and its rustic beauty has been preserved partially because of its resistance to overcommercialization. Many nearby attractions russian tour packages can help heighten your appreciation russian tour packages of the falls. The Hurricane Deck is a wooden platform located a mere 20 feet from the rushing russian tour packages rapids of Bridal Veil Falls; there's also a nearby aquarium that houses more than 1,500 marine animals from both local and nonnative ecosystems.
Nearly 15 miles of hiking trails wend through the park; along the way, learn about the area's history at the discovery and visitors centers russian tour packages or by eating the informational panels russian tour packages that pop up along the trails.
russian tour packages Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions. Online: $599.00 for All-Inclusive Adults-Only Caribbean Resort ($1,200.00 value) Adults-Only, All-Inclusive Resort russian tour packages with Lively Nightlife
russian tour packages From the rolling rhythms of its reggae music to its dress code of swimsuits russian tour packages and flip-flops, Jamaica embodies russian tour packages the concept of "laid-back." Club Ambiance, an adults-only, all-inclusive resort located on the island's secluded north coast, channels that concept of free-spiritedness: it has live entertainment, unlimited cocktails, a clothing-optional beach, and a disco club that stays open until the last person russian tour packages leaves. This laissez-faire atmosphere is one of the reasons russian tour packages the hotel attracts repeat guests, many of whom reportedly refer to Club Ambiance as a home away from home.
You can enjoy a lazy afternoon on one of the property's three white-sand beaches, which stretch along the Caribbean Sea. Wade in small swimming russian tour packages coves, sunbathe on the secluded nude beach section, or take to the water on complimentary paddleboats and kayaks. There's a lively scene at the ocean-view pool, where people frequently partake in volleyball games and aerobics classes.
The tempo picks up when the sun goes down. The resort's weekly theme nights, such as reggae Mondays and Saturday barbecues, include live music and cabaret shows, and restaurants serve buffets and à la carte dinners (extra fee). After the bars stop mixing cocktails at 11 p.m., head to the Disco Club, where the party doesn't end until the last person leaves or melts the stereo system.
Runaway Bay is tucked into the northern coast of Jamaica, between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. The secluded town is one of the island's smallest— Lonely Planet calls it "a one-street village"—and it's noticeably quieter than its tourist-clogged neighbors. But what it lacks in size Runaway Bay makes up in natural attractions. Some of the best underwater sights in the Caribbean can be explored during scuba-diving tours of the coral reef just offshore. And about 4 miles (7 km) west of town, you can explore the limestone vaults and subterranean lakes of the Green Grotto Caves, which were used as a hideout by Spanish russian tour packages die-hards during Jamaica's 18th-century colonization by the English.
A scenic 25-minute drive brings you to one of the island's most popular attractions— Dunn's River Falls . This natural wonder consists of a series of terraced waterfalls cascading from the mountains to the sea like a gigantic flight of stairs. Thousands of travelers visit the site each year, and it even served as a filming location for the first James Bond movie, Dr. No . Today, russian tour packages tour groups frolic russian tour packages at the bottom of the falls or make the 600-foot climb to the top behind local guides.
Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions. Online: $79.00 for AAA Four Diamond Hotel in Downtown Chattanooga ($179.00 value) AAA Four Diamond Hotel in Downtown Chattanooga
Lookout Mountain , a forested summit to the south of downtown Chattanooga, is one of the city's most popular outdoor attractions. Its rocky knolls are crisscrossed with more than 30 miles of hiking trails, but the best way to get to the top is on the Incline Railway , a trolley-style tram that travels up and down the mountain at a near-vertical russian tour packages incline. You can also travel deep into Lookout Mountain on a tour

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