In this article you will find an eclectic panoply of vacation options. The list circles the globe and even includes a few choice spots in the good old USA. Here you should find at least one location that will fit your vacationing taste.
1. Pamushana Lodge, Zimbabwe: Let me just say from the outset, though this is an African vacation, it is definitely not roughing it. In fact, you would be hard put to find more lavish accommodations anywhere. We're talking luxury with a capital L, and you do pay for such beauty and pampering at a price of at least $800 per night. You are in the middle of a prime African game reserve, and the price also includes gourmet meals, all drinks, Land Cruiser safaris, mountain biking, horseback riding, archery, and even tennis. There is always someone available at your beck and call---the service is impeccable.
2. Heber Valley, Utah: Heber what? Yes, you probably haven't heard of this little town, but it's a best kept secret. It is situated between the towering Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges amidst picturesque lakes, trout streams, and top-rated golf courses. Yep, that's five different championship golf courses. Winter brings drifts of dry snow to enjoy at eight different ski resorts nearby. In summer, hike or horseback-ride the miles of mountain trails. At Homestead Crater you can swim, snorkel, scuba dive, or take a warm mineral bath inside a 55-foot limestone cavern. I'll recommend two resorts, though there are many other great ones. Homestead Resort offers a wonderful spa package. For $330, two adults receive deluxe cottage lodging and 60 minutes per person from a choice of massages, body treatments, or facials. A bed and breakfast called Invited Inn also comes highly recommended. Trip Advisor has rated it a number one B&B and former guests are fiercely loyal to it. One guest wrote, "We've been to 43 inns in five countries and we were treated the best here! Astonishing detail and thoroughness..."
3. Zambezi River, Zambia: For those who love adventure and action, the Zambezi offers all you can handle. Several popular activities on the river are the River Run, River Rafting, the Jet Boat, or a Cruise. Some safari-type experiences are the wild game drives, elephant trails, lion encounter, or the horse trails. Two rather laid back tours include sightseeing to Victoria Falls or an up close and personal visit to Chief Makuni's Village. Then for the fearless there is the bungee jump, the gorge swing, or the cable slide. Any one of these thrills is guaranteed to never be forgotten. For four nights, five days the cost is approx. $660 per person, double occupancy. Not bad.
4. Angkor Wat, Cambodia: Thailand and Cambodia are rapidly becoming travel hot spots and for good reason. They are unspoiled by crass commercialism, the travel packages are relatively inexpensive, and their service is outstanding. The temples of Angkor are an architectural marvel, the towns are charming, the food is delicious, the people are genuinely friendly. Take a boat trip on the Tonle Sap with stops at the Fisherman Villages and the Siem Reap Market. This trip is more than impersonal sightseeing. When you leave Cambodia you will feel like you've connected with the Cambodian people and have gained a feel for their culture and lifestyle.
5. Old West Bisbee, Arizona : Founded as a mining community in 1880, Bisbee became, by the turn of the century, the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. This early prosperity meant that Bisbee was built in a far grander style than most of the era's boomtowns. Today its historic downtown streets are lined with stately brick buildings and its hillsides crowded with Victorian homes--all remarkably well preserved. The Arizona heat isn't a factor. It's located up in the Mule Mountains where temps are consistently 20 degrees cooler than in Phoenix. Hikers will find stunning views of both the Huachuca and Chiricahua mountains. And bird watchers flock to Bisbee in early July, when the nearby San Pedro River Valley turns into a hummingbird highway. Visitors also love following the popular self-guided walking tour which winds its way up the thousand-step serpentine stairway and the narrow paths of the neighborhoods surrounding downtown. Kids love what is probably the best staged gunfight in the West at the infamous OK Corral in Tombstone. Tours of the Copper Queen Mine, complete with hardhats and slickers, take you 1,500 feet belowground aboard open-car trains. The Copper Queen Hotel (800-247-5829), which was built in 1902 with no expense spared, is celebrating its centennial year with a summer package: $101 gets you a double room, continental breakfast and mine and museum tour passes. Then there are offbeat offerings such as the spooky Tour in a Hearse, the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, and the Evergreen Cemetary historic tour. This is a perfect family vacation.
6. Grenada and Carriacou: These islands form part of the Windward chain of islands connecting North and South America. You would be hard put to find any place in the world that is better for snorkeling and diving. The spectacular reefs are teaming with tropical fish and creatures. There are scads of wreck dives including the Bianca C, known as the "titanic of the Caribbean." Then there is the Underwater Sculpture Garden off the coast of Grenada in Moilinere Bay. The bay is now home to 65 sculptures, which are not only stunning to view, but create artificial reefs for marine life. The sculptures lie in clear, shallow waters easily visible to snorkelers and glass-bottomed boats. There are also magnificent natural waterfalls where you can jump in for a swim. A program is in place by which you can come and stay as a guest in the home of a native Grenadian. The community will surprise you with their warm hospitality and friendliness, and you will learn the charming life of an island family. If interested, contact grenhome@spiceisle.com). Two other terrific places to stay are the Plantation House and the La Source Resort. The Plantation House is an 18th century historical stone building located on a hill looking down on the grandeur of misty mountains and lush, romantic hills and valleys blooming with poinsettias and bougainvilleas. The prices at the inn are amazingly reasonable: For a double, it is $55 off-season and $70 in season. La Source is a bit more pricy but the price includes all meals and beverages, tai chi, body treatments, and sports such as golf, tennis, archery, fencing, and scuba diving.
So what is your pleasure? Are you looking for an African safari, an island paradise, or a unforgettable family vacation? We're trying to make everyone happy here. Whatever you choose, we hope it is the best vacation you have ever had, bar none! Let us help you plan it.
1. Pamushana Lodge, Zimbabwe: Let me just say from the outset, though this is an African vacation, it is definitely not roughing it. In fact, you would be hard put to find more lavish accommodations anywhere. We're talking luxury with a capital L, and you do pay for such beauty and pampering at a price of at least $800 per night. You are in the middle of a prime African game reserve, and the price also includes gourmet meals, all drinks, Land Cruiser safaris, mountain biking, horseback riding, archery, and even tennis. There is always someone available at your beck and call---the service is impeccable.
2. Heber Valley, Utah: Heber what? Yes, you probably haven't heard of this little town, but it's a best kept secret. It is situated between the towering Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges amidst picturesque lakes, trout streams, and top-rated golf courses. Yep, that's five different championship golf courses. Winter brings drifts of dry snow to enjoy at eight different ski resorts nearby. In summer, hike or horseback-ride the miles of mountain trails. At Homestead Crater you can swim, snorkel, scuba dive, or take a warm mineral bath inside a 55-foot limestone cavern. I'll recommend two resorts, though there are many other great ones. Homestead Resort offers a wonderful spa package. For $330, two adults receive deluxe cottage lodging and 60 minutes per person from a choice of massages, body treatments, or facials. A bed and breakfast called Invited Inn also comes highly recommended. Trip Advisor has rated it a number one B&B and former guests are fiercely loyal to it. One guest wrote, "We've been to 43 inns in five countries and we were treated the best here! Astonishing detail and thoroughness..."
3. Zambezi River, Zambia: For those who love adventure and action, the Zambezi offers all you can handle. Several popular activities on the river are the River Run, River Rafting, the Jet Boat, or a Cruise. Some safari-type experiences are the wild game drives, elephant trails, lion encounter, or the horse trails. Two rather laid back tours include sightseeing to Victoria Falls or an up close and personal visit to Chief Makuni's Village. Then for the fearless there is the bungee jump, the gorge swing, or the cable slide. Any one of these thrills is guaranteed to never be forgotten. For four nights, five days the cost is approx. $660 per person, double occupancy. Not bad.
4. Angkor Wat, Cambodia: Thailand and Cambodia are rapidly becoming travel hot spots and for good reason. They are unspoiled by crass commercialism, the travel packages are relatively inexpensive, and their service is outstanding. The temples of Angkor are an architectural marvel, the towns are charming, the food is delicious, the people are genuinely friendly. Take a boat trip on the Tonle Sap with stops at the Fisherman Villages and the Siem Reap Market. This trip is more than impersonal sightseeing. When you leave Cambodia you will feel like you've connected with the Cambodian people and have gained a feel for their culture and lifestyle.
5. Old West Bisbee, Arizona : Founded as a mining community in 1880, Bisbee became, by the turn of the century, the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. This early prosperity meant that Bisbee was built in a far grander style than most of the era's boomtowns. Today its historic downtown streets are lined with stately brick buildings and its hillsides crowded with Victorian homes--all remarkably well preserved. The Arizona heat isn't a factor. It's located up in the Mule Mountains where temps are consistently 20 degrees cooler than in Phoenix. Hikers will find stunning views of both the Huachuca and Chiricahua mountains. And bird watchers flock to Bisbee in early July, when the nearby San Pedro River Valley turns into a hummingbird highway. Visitors also love following the popular self-guided walking tour which winds its way up the thousand-step serpentine stairway and the narrow paths of the neighborhoods surrounding downtown. Kids love what is probably the best staged gunfight in the West at the infamous OK Corral in Tombstone. Tours of the Copper Queen Mine, complete with hardhats and slickers, take you 1,500 feet belowground aboard open-car trains. The Copper Queen Hotel (800-247-5829), which was built in 1902 with no expense spared, is celebrating its centennial year with a summer package: $101 gets you a double room, continental breakfast and mine and museum tour passes. Then there are offbeat offerings such as the spooky Tour in a Hearse, the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, and the Evergreen Cemetary historic tour. This is a perfect family vacation.
6. Grenada and Carriacou: These islands form part of the Windward chain of islands connecting North and South America. You would be hard put to find any place in the world that is better for snorkeling and diving. The spectacular reefs are teaming with tropical fish and creatures. There are scads of wreck dives including the Bianca C, known as the "titanic of the Caribbean." Then there is the Underwater Sculpture Garden off the coast of Grenada in Moilinere Bay. The bay is now home to 65 sculptures, which are not only stunning to view, but create artificial reefs for marine life. The sculptures lie in clear, shallow waters easily visible to snorkelers and glass-bottomed boats. There are also magnificent natural waterfalls where you can jump in for a swim. A program is in place by which you can come and stay as a guest in the home of a native Grenadian. The community will surprise you with their warm hospitality and friendliness, and you will learn the charming life of an island family. If interested, contact grenhome@spiceisle.com). Two other terrific places to stay are the Plantation House and the La Source Resort. The Plantation House is an 18th century historical stone building located on a hill looking down on the grandeur of misty mountains and lush, romantic hills and valleys blooming with poinsettias and bougainvilleas. The prices at the inn are amazingly reasonable: For a double, it is $55 off-season and $70 in season. La Source is a bit more pricy but the price includes all meals and beverages, tai chi, body treatments, and sports such as golf, tennis, archery, fencing, and scuba diving.
So what is your pleasure? Are you looking for an African safari, an island paradise, or a unforgettable family vacation? We're trying to make everyone happy here. Whatever you choose, we hope it is the best vacation you have ever had, bar none! Let us help you plan it.