With a backdrop of over 700,000 acres of protected White Mountain National Forest and boasting the tallest peak in the East (Mt. Washington 6,288 feet.), visitors to the North Conway area have many activities to choose from which span all four seasons. This includes some of the finest skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, golfing, fishing, canoeing, camping, family attractions, scenic tours, shopping and leaf peeping in the entire country! These activities are complemented by a wide array of lodging choices. While in the area visitors can shop at the outlet malls, and other local hand-craft, antique and gift shops, see a play at one of the area playhouses, ride one of the area’s scenic train rides, visit one of the many area family attractions and enjoy the local cuisine in one of the nearly 100 area restaurants and cafes. And remember, it is all tax free!
For shopping, the Settlers Green Outlet Village on Route 16 and the White Mountain Outlet Stores on White Mountain Highway attract most of the traffic. Log on to www.northconwaynh.com.Santa’s Village and Storyland are nearby and big favorites with the kids, who also have outdoor waterslides, mini-golf, go-karts, museums and trains to select from. This was our third visit to the area. We discovered, for the first time, North Conway Village. This amounts to a few blocks of neat shops and restaurants.
WHERE TO STAY: One of North Conway New Hampshire’s newest hotels, the Hampton Inn and Suites (www.hamptoninnnorthconway.com), boasts a four-storey, attached, indoor water park as well as an on-site fitness center! The hotel only opened in 2006, yet it still looks spanking new. When you check in, there is a large plate of soft chocolate chip cookies to welcome you.
There are 97 rooms and suites here. Our family decided to get connecting rooms, which translated into a very nice suite-like atmosphere. One room had a king size bed and a large walk-in shower; the other two queen beds. We requested a small fridge for the room. A few doors down was a large on-site laundry room. People tend to come here for extended stays to enjoy all of the attractions in the area, so having such an option can be a real bonus.
The hotel has complimentary wireless high-speed internet access, a hot breakfast buffet served until 10 a.m. each day, “on the run” breakfast bags for folks on the go, an on-site fitness center, a business center with computers and a printer, an on-site suite shop convenience store and even a babysitting service.
Hampton’s new Cloud Nine bedding boasts pillow top mattresses and all white duvets. I really appreciated the small portable cushioned laptop tables, which makes typing while sitting in bed or in a chair a great deal more comfortable. There is no extra charge here to bring your pet. Ditto for cribs or rollaways.
The hotel plans different activities, such as movie nights and BINGO games.
Rates here include unlimited use of the indoor water park, home to Fernando the Frog, a six-foot amphibian with a mini water slide connected to a heated pool. The water park features dozens of interactive water activities and slides, twisting flumes, a raining umbrella, and more! I must have gone down the open yellow slide more than a dozen times, lying flat on my back and plunging at a rapid speed. It was a blast. Afterwards I decompressed in the nice warm jacuzzi. There is nothing quite like having access to such a facility and being able to go back and forth to your room in the same building. If you are in the area and staying elsewhere, you can pay a fee to gain entry to the water park.
Water parks have been known to be popular activities for children with autism.
“For the water park, I would suggest this only for a child who would not be over stimulated by the environment,” says Tania Piperni, an Autism Spectrum Disorder consultant at the English Montreal School Board. “If planning to go to an indoor water park, I would suggest parents try going to a local water park first, in order to see what reactions are elicited and it would help them prepare for a future visit.
There are 10 handicapped accessible rooms. Three are specifically for the hearing impaired; five others are accessible for hearing impaired, with bath tubs that have grab bars. One other, also equipped for the hearing impaired, has a roll in shower. The hotel is owned and managed by Olympia Hotels (www.theolympiacompanies.com), headquartered in Portland Maine.
The Hampton Inn and Suites is located at 1788 White Mountain Hwy. For more information call toll Free: (888) H20-PARK or (603) 356-7736.
MINI GOLF: Whenever our family goes on summer vacation, we always seek out a good spot for miniature golf. The much respected Pirates Cove Adventure Golf (www.piratescove.net) chain is present here in North Conway at 2001 White Mountain Highway with not one, but two 18 hole courses. Some people do both of them back to back. Our plan was to do so over two evenings. We started off on what was considered the more challenging course, featuring a neat mountain cave, cascading waterfalls and some tricky holes. It was a great deal of fun. The course itself was nicely arranged and the pirate theme was present throughout. If you are headed to North Conway with a group and wish to arrange a mini-golf tournament, call ahead to Josh Power at 603-356-8807. Oh yes, regrettably it rained the second evening we were there so we will just have to head back to this impressive course on our next trip. This was the first time I played mini golf in two years and I was excited to sink two holes-in-one. There are nine holes on the front course that are accessible and can be played twice., notes manager Josh Power.
DINING: Close to the Hampton Inn and Suites is Merlino’s Steakhouse (www.merlinosteakhouse.com), independently owned and operated by the Luciano family since 1967. Merlino’s features only Certified Angus Beef, which assures customers the finest quality beef available. They also serve some of the finest Italian food, using time tested family recipes, chops and ribs, fish and poultry, Merlinos has a great children’s menu, featuring ziti with jumbo meatball, kids smoothies, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chicken fingers and pizza. You can even get a kids smoothie. There is a generous assortment of appetizers, soups and salads. I strongly recommend the Prime Rib, which comes in six, 12 and 18 ounce portions. The garlic mashed potatoes on the size are delicious. If Caesar salad is to your liking, a large bowl will be brought to the table for everyone to share. They even serve lobster, in the shell or a lazy man style (all cut up). The lobster macaroni and cheese is a new creation. I had the 14 ounce Delmonico steak and it was tender and juicy. Our server Dan, recognizing that we were from Quebec, brushed up on some of the French he learned in high school and gave us a nice “Bonjour” upon taking our orders and even a “Merci.” The two floor facility was busy on the evening we came, including a spirited engagement party just across the room from us.
Over the course of many years my family and I passed the exit for Lake Placid, New York on Highway 87 and wondered when we would actually visit the former Olympic Village. Well, over the recent holidays that day finally arrived – several days in fact.
On our way back from New York City, Lake Placid was added to our itinerary and I can now strongly recommend others do the same. This is a four season destination. We got a taste of the winter experience and now we are tempted to go back in the heat of the summer. I cannot say enough about the personnel at the Lake Placid Convention and Visitor’s Bureau/Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (www.lakeplacid.com), who really helped point me in the right direction.
In Lake Placid, winter brings the sparkle of snowflakes, the twinkle of lights reflecting on Mirror Lake and the soothing glow of crackling fireplaces in Lake Placid. The area boasts a world-class array of trails for skiing and riding Of course things were a bit different this year. Not much snow had fallen up until early January, when we departed. Therefore the lake was not frozen and automatic snowmaking machines had to work overtime.
For those readers already looking for good March Break options, pencil in Lake Placid. By then you should be able to slide down the toboggan chute on frozen Mirror Lake, go ice skating, take an invigorating dog sled ride, and revel in the beauty of the Adirondack wilderness by snowmobiling, cross-country skiing or ice climbing. There is also the option of exploring the endless Adirondack snowshoeing trails to see the forest from a whole new perspective.
Whether you’re an expert, or it’s your first time trying a new winter sport, Lake Placid is the perfect place to enjoy a winter getaway.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We stayed at the 92 room Northwoods Inn (www.northwoodsinn.com), situated right on Main Street, a short walk to the Olympic Arena and Oval, a public beach, numerous restaurants, a movie theatre and quaint shops of Lake Placid. The hotel offers a sidewalk café, two restaurants and “The Cabin,” a warm and cozy fireplace bar overlooking Main Street. Their rooftop bar presents a majestic view of the entire town plus the High Peaks and Whiteface Mountain. The breakfasts and gourmet burgers here have been voted “The best in Lake Placid.”
This is an all suite hotel and includes extended stay spots with kitchenettes and affordable rates. The lakeside rooms offer great views of Mirror Lake and the Adirondack mountains while others include balconies where guests can sit outside and enjoy the fresh mountain air. All of the rooms feature air conditioning, cable TV and separate sitting areas. There is complimentary onsite parking for overnight hotel guests only. Parking is limited, and in high demand periods, overflow spots are available, for a nominal fee, in the Lake Placid Municipal Parking Lot, one block from the hotel.
The Inn features the Tempur-Pedic “Weightless Sleep” mattresses, coddling you as no other mattress can. The revolutionary pressure-relieving material conforms to every point on your body, with relaxing molecular memory that gives you the best night of sleep you’ll ever have.
The Northwoods Inn is a hotel with lots of character and an interesting history. Since the 1800s, Lake Placid has been a destination to tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. By 1900 the village was recognized as a resort destination with seven major hotels and several smaller inns and cottages. A hotelier named Frank Swift had the dream to build a modern, fireproof hotel, where he could host high profile guests with all of the luxuries and comforts of a city hotel. In 1926 he achieved this goal with the construction of the Hotel Marcy. It was named for Mount Marcy, the grandest mountain in New York. In addition to the new building, the Hotel Marcy included several former summer homes to be rented as cottages and the old Northwoods Inn, which was used for housing staff, storage and kitchen facilities. In total, the hotel included 160 guest rooms, 125 bathrooms, a dining room and meeting space.
The Marcy was unlike anything else in Lake Placid and it immediately became popular with both local residents and visitors. It was a choice location for weddings, parties and community events. The hotel also attracted many tourists, including celebrities George Burns and Gracie Allen, Kate Smith, and others from that bygone era.
The Northwoods Inn was purchased by the Smith family five years ago. Gary Smith has handed the day-to-day operations to his son Garrett, who has innkeeper spends a lot of time mixing with guests and getting their feedback. He is working hard at building the property Free WiFi was recently added to all guestrooms and public areas. The renovation of guest rooms is next. For more information you can call 518-523-1818 for special packages, group rates or to make a reservation.
The hotel is well suited for guests in wheelchairs. The parking lot leads to the back entrance of the hotel, where there is a ramp bringing you to either the lobby or the elevator to your room. Door entrances are large and the suites themselves have a nice passageway when you first enter. The elevator will also take you to the street level, where both sides of the street offer some lovely shops and restaurants to explore.
MEALS: From traditional American cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere to a delicious buffet dinner, such as we were treated to on New Year’s Eve at the Northwoods Inn, you’re sure to find something to satisfy your craving. We discovered Milano North (www.milanonorth.com). Modeled on its Albany cousin, this 110 seat, Northern Italian bistro features a dynamic open kitchen design, wood-fired oven pizzas, freshly-prepared homemade pastas and entrees using only the finest of ingredients. Located one block from the Northwoods Inn, Milano North offers a warm and contemporary Adirondack ambience. We absolutely loved our meals: a piping hot and delicious tomato soup, delicious salads and beautifully prepared entrees of grilled scallops, the best veal parmesan I can remember having (with some linguini on the side) and a grilled shrimp dish with fettuccini.
The restaurant offers a nice second floor view of the charming downtown. You can also catch your favorite game at the bar in its relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Head Chef Ryan Preston oversees a very impressive menu and general manager David McKenty greets everyone with a smile and some Lake Placid trivia.
Milano North is fully handicapped accessible from the upper tier of the municipal parking lot. There are a number of handicapped parking spaces located just outside the front entrance to the restaurant and everything inside is all on one level.
WHAT TO DO: Visit Lake Placid and invent your own perfect day. Sheltered among the Adirondack Park’s six million acres, the alpine village offers endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, unique attractions, shopping, dining and a variety of fun. There are mountains to climb, rivers to fish, serene lakes to kayak and vast evergreen forests to explore. Bring your bike and cruise through the region’s dramatic landscape, from quiet country roads to scenic mountain passes. Or pack your clubs and play a round on some of the beautiful Lake Placid golf courses—the region boasts 13 including five signature championship layouts. You can also attend one of the many enriching events at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts or catch a movie at the old-fashioned theater on Main Street.
OLYMPIC PASSPORT: Lake Placid was the proud host of the 1932 and 1980 winter Olympic Games. In all of the four seasons, this celebrated history can be experienced with a full range of activities from ORDA – the Olympic Regional Development Authority (http://www.orda.org/corporate). Make sure to purchase the Olympic Sites Passport, which gives you access to every one of the Olympic venues—from Whiteface to the Olympic Sports Complex and everything in between. Sold for $29 at the ORDA Store and all of their ticket offices, the passport saves you time, money, and gets you into the venues at a good value.
ORDA was originally created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates the Whiteface Mountain ski area located in the Town of Wilmington, just 15 minutes outside the Village of Lake Placid; the Olympic Center; the Olympic Jumping Complex and Olympic Sports Complex; and Gore Mountain ski area located in North Creek, New York — 80 miles south of Lake Placid.
Whiteface’s Adaptive Snowsports Program is for adults and children with disabilities who want to learn how to ski and snowboard. First-timers needn’t worry; lessons range from “Never-Ever” to the advanced skier/snowboarder. Lift ticket, lesson and rental adaptive equipment are included. The duration of the lesson is usually two hours, depending on the student. Payment is required at the time of reservation.
ACTIVITIES: Fun in the Adirondacks takes on a whole new meaning when shared with the family. With Lake Placid’s storybook setting, it’s no surprise that this quaint alpine village offers unrivaled thrills, unforgettable adventures and historical exploration for all who visit. From museums and theater performances to classic family amusements such as bowling and miniature golf, the Adirondacks have an array of activities and attractions for moms, dads and kids of any age.
For sports fans, be sure to check out the Olympic facilities including the Lake Placid Olympic Museum and the various sports venues such as the hockey arena, home to the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” If you’re seeking an adrenaline rush, take a ride on the bobsled run or ski or ride down the highest vertical drop in the East at Whiteface Mountain. For some history and culture, visit the nearby Wild Center Museum or plan on catching one of the family friendly shows at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts.
SKIING: As America’s very first winter resort, Lake Placid has skiing and riding covered. Whiteface, the only ski area in the East to have hosted the Olympic Games, boasts the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies with terrain for any skill level. The mountain’s 86 trails are serviced by high speed lifts and the Cloudsplitter Gondola—and with terrain parks, slides, glades and miles of groomed runs, you’re sure to find something that suits you. Whiteface is open generally from the very end of November until the middle of April
TOBOGGAN CHUTE: The Lake Placid Toboggan Chute (www.northelba.org/html/toboggan_chute_.html), located on Parkside Drive, adjacent to the Post Office, has been in operation since the 1960’s. The North Elba Park District currently operates the slide. A 30 foot high converted ski jump trestle sends toboggans down ice covered chutes onto frozen Mirror Lake. Depending on weather conditions, toboggans can travel over 1,000 feet once they reach the frozen lake surface. To insure the safety of riders, only one sled is sent down at a time. Families have always said that their visit to the Toboggan Chute was a highlight of their winter vacation.
Since the actual outrun of the slide is the frozen lake surface, the official opening day for operation varies from year to year. They have been open as early as December 26 and one year it wasn’t until February before they were in operation. A good 10 to 12 inches of good solid ice is necessary to insure the safety of the guests.
Admission prices allow guests to slide as much as they can during the scheduled time. Toboggans are rented and can hold two to four people. During Christmas and President’s week lines are often long and the wait can be 15 to 20 minutes between rides. Info 518-523-2591
OLYMPIC JUMPING: See firsthand the ramp that ski jumpers launch from before flying over the length of a football field. Take the chairlift alongside the jumping hills to the glass enclosed elevator to the observation deck of the 120K jump. At the top you will find a panoramic view of the Adirondack High Peaks as you stroll through the ski jumpers preparation room. Then get a bird’s eye view of what the jumpers see as they start to accelerate towards the end of the ramp. Nearby, aerialists will spring off steep kickers on the freestyle hill in a flurry of twists & turns.
Please log on to http://www.whiteface.com/activities/index.php.
You can also ride the 26-storey elevator to the top of the tower and view the world from a ski jumper’s perspective while you take in the panoramic view of the beautiful Adirondack High Peaks and other Olympic Venues.
TUBING: The newest attraction at the Olympic Jumping Complex goes downhill fast. Ride a tube down their newly constructed chute for over 700 feet of fun under the lights. With every tubing ticket purchased, funds go to support USA Ski Jumping. This is opened December 26 through March 20 (or as weather permits). The rate is $9 per hour. Log on to http://www.whiteface.com/activities/tube.php
OLYMPIC SPORTS COMPLEX: Home to the combined bobsled, luge and skeleton track – the only one east of the Rockies – as well as 50 km of groomed cross country ski trails and a biathlon shooting range, the Olympic Sports Complex is a study in extremes. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be a comet, this is the place to start. Bobsled rides, with a professional driver and brakeman, begin at the half-mile point on the track (the same one used by Olympic racers) and wind through Shady, Labyrinth and The Heart–turns known by racers the world over.
You’ll feel the rumble of the sled’s blades passing over the track’s iced surface, slide through one turn, bank high on the next one and pick up speed on the straightaway. You’ll go faster than you’re allowed to drive a car through town. Then you’ll get to the bottom and want to do it again. That is the way the one daring member of our family described the experience. For your bravery, they give you a bobsled lapel pin, a four by six commemorative team photo, t-shirt, a Lake Placid Bobsled Experience sticker and membership in the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton
SKELETON: At the Olympic Sports Complex, you’ll have the chance to try the sport of Skeleton. This is your childhood sled on overdrive. Thirty miles per hour never seemed as fast as when you are lying on your stomach rocketing down an icy chute. Your experience includes: sliding from Start five, a four by six photo of you and your sled, a team t-shirt, a one year membership to the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.
OLYMPIC CENTRE AND MUSEUM: The site of the historic 1932 and 1980 Olympic Games, including the legendary “Miracle on Ice” hockey game in 1980, the Centre houses three ice surfaces, the Convention Center at Lake Placid and the Lake Placid Olympic Museum. This unique venue is active year round. The Olympic Center hosts numerous international and national events, youth and adult hockey tournaments, and Figure Skating Championships throughout the year. Log on to http://www.whiteface.com/activities/museum.php.
ARTS: It’s no surprise that the Adirondacks have such a thriving arts community—the region’s vast forests, peaceful waterways and scenic mountains have long served as a muse for the creative. The region’s striking landscape offers an inspirational backdrop more beautiful and more vivid than one can imagine—and it changes with each new season. Today, artists and musicians of all genres are inspired by the natural setting and sheltered solitude of the mountains. Lake Placid boasts several venues for the arts and hosts a variety of performances — from classical music, to family-friendly shows, to rock concerts and community plays and musicals.
The Adirondacks are home to professional and community theaters, studios and renowned music schools. Likewise, museums and historical societies dot the region, preserving Lake Placid history and displaying artifacts of the Adirondacks’ storied past.
The Lake Placid Center for the Arts offers programs in the areas of music, theater, dance, art and film in addition to galleries, exhibitions and workshops. Similarly, the Lake Placid Institute works to enhance and celebrate cultural life throughout the Adirondacks. Working with other regional art organizations, the Institute develops and presents programs including chamber music seminars, roundtable discussions, and poetry and photo contests, among others.
SHOP: Saunter down Lake Placid’s Main Street and prepare yourself for a singular shopping experience. At first glance, it may seem like Main Street, USA– from the local bakery to the old fashioned movie theatre to the public library. But if you look closer there is a discernible cosmopolitan flair as Lake Placid’s Main Street fuses the special character of the region with the goods, sundries and cuisines of the rest of the world.As you wander in and out of this retail menagerie you may notice that many of the shops’ owners can be found behind the counters. Strike up a conversation—and be sure to take a piece of the Adirondacks and your perfect day in Lake Placid home with you. Whether you’re looking for a fun souvenir, rustic Adirondack furniture, handmade keepsakes, high-tech gear or designer clothes, shopping in Lake Placid offers the full spectrum of unique gifts, necessities and must-have mementos. There are a number of excellent outlet stores , Gap and Van Heusen to name a couple.
If you have never been to Smuggler’s Notch Resort in Vermont (www.smuggs.com), then you are missing out on something exceptional.
This is a year round mountain vacation resort, located 30 miles east of the Burlington International Airport and five miles south of Jeffersonville on Route 108. The resort is easily reached from Montreal (91 miles), Boston (225 miles) and New York City (342 miles). We actually came via Toronto, spending a couple of nights first in Burlington –a great place to shop.
Smugglers’ Notch offers a complete Mountain Village with convenient restaurants, lounges, entertainment, sport shop, 10 tennis courts, a driving range, multiple and magnificent pools, Rum Runners’ Hideaway reservoir, playgrounds, woodland miniature and disc golf courses, a full service conference and banquet center, a U.S. Post Office, a real estate office, a country store, TREASURES child care center, a welcome and reservation center, and two teen centers.
Summer programs go from June through September. All accommodations are mountainside condominiums ranging from studios to five bedroom townhouses with fully-equipped living spaces and kitchens. Lodgings and facilities are all located in the walkabout Village. A free on-demand shuttle service also runs daily throughout the Village. We stayed in a beautiful two bedroom slopeside condominium. Homes are prepared for your arrival with bath towels, linens, blankets and pillows. Your condominium will also have hotel size bars of bath soap, toilet paper, paper towels, dish towels, dish soap, sponges and trash bags. The kitchen in your village home includes pots, pans, plates, glasses, silverware, cooking utensils, a toaster and an auto-drip coffee maker. All homes have a stove , refrigerator, a stacking washer and dryer or access to a washer and dryer in the building. We had four flatscreen televisions, a DVD/VCR player and a sound system. Private rooms do not have a kitchen.
Smugglers’Notch currently has 660 units, with a new phase of 35 on the way. “We are growing by about five percent per year,” says managing director Bill Stritzler, who became a homeowner in 1977, was hired in 1986 and bought the resort in 1996.
There are presently more than 7,000 owners, ranging from time-shares of two weeks a year to those who are permanent owners and share in the profits when their units are rented during the year. This is a year-round vacation paradise, with visitors coming from across Eastern Canada, the United States, Europe and Puerto Rico. It is a favorite spot for family and organization reunions.
Here is a look at the summer deals in place:
-New is the Adventure Connection Vacation Package, which maximizes vacation fun for active families with the best adventures Smugglers’ has to offer. Guests on this comprehensive package can create special memories by enjoying thrilling activities like the Zip Line Canopy Tour, llama treks, Segway tours, kayak rental, and more. The Adventure Connection also includes children’s programs for ages three to 17 that include nature discovery, games, arts and crafts, and pool and waterslide fun; in addition, children ages eight to 15 may elect to concentrate on performance, arts and crafts, nature and hiking or adventure and games. This package, with a minimum four night stay, starts at $,2132 for a family of four in a one bedroom condominium.
-The Adventure Connection joins Smugglers’ popular FamilyFest and SimplySmuggs Vacation Packages. Offering fun for kids and freedom for parents, the FamilyFest Vacation Package also includes Smugglers’ award-winning daylong children’s programs. Rates for a family of four in a one bedroom mountainside condominium start at $1,348 for a four day/for night stay on FamilyFest.
-The SimplySmuggs Vacation Package offers flexibility to families who want to make a-la-carte selections from the Resort’s varied menu of award-winning children’s programs for ages three to 17. When registering for those programs prior to arrival, families will enjoy a discounted rate of 25 percent on the children’s programs they select. Vacation package rates for a family of four in a one bedroom mountainside condominium start at $1,060 for a four day/four night stay on the SimplySmuggs Vacation Package.
The SimplySmuggs and FamilyFest Vacation Packages also offer discounts for families interested in children’s specialty camps focusing on outdoor adventure, tennis, skateboarding, and videography, which are included in the Adventure Connection Vacation Package. All three packages include fully-equipped mountainside condominium lodging; unlimited use of eight heated pools and four waterslides; daily guided walks and hikes; two teen centers; mini golf; disc golf; and use of the skate park. Family programs and entertainment included in the package are bingo, dance parties, a family magic show, and more. Nightly entertainment for adults is also included. Each package features unlimited use of the FunZone Family Entertainment Center, an indoor play center for all ages featuring climbing and bouncy inflatables such as a giant slide and obstacle course, plus a kids’ climbing wall, miniature golf, and arcade games.
WATER PLAYGROUNDS: Smugglers’ has four water playgrounds with eight pools and four waterslides. At the Mountainside Pool there is the Giant Rapid River Ride, the Turtle Slide, Little Smugglers’ Lagoon, bathhouse, snack bar, and sun decks. Over at the Courtside Pool, you can enjoy the Flume Waterslide, wading pool, Olympic-sized pool, two 14-person jacuzzi tubs and a bathhouse and snack center. Rum Runners’ Hideaway features 10-acres of natural water, Fidget Ladder, Aqua Jump, fishing, canoe and paddleboat rentals, a picnic pavilion and changing room, with spectacular mountain views. Then there is Notchville Park, a family playground amidst towering maples with the Giant Swing, Raven’s Roost Climbing Tower, three terraced pools with nearly 5,000 square feet of water area, Peregrine’s Picnic Pavilion, sand volleyball court, croquet, tumbling brook, frog pond, and bathhouse. Notchville also features the Twister, a 140 foot body flume waterslide.
The Village and Sterling Ponds provide great trout fishing, and the Lamoille River and Lake Champlain (the “Sixth Great Lake”) are nearby.
SUMMER FUN UNIVERSITY: Each family member is entitled to join in the daily Summer Fun University programs included in the FamilyFest and Adventure Connection Vacation Packages: Discovery Dynamos (for 3-4 year olds), Trail Blazers (5-6), Adventure Rangers (7-10), the Notch Squad (11-15), Mountain Explorers (16-17), and Adult Adventures. Dozens of family activities spanning the ages are also included.
ZIP LINE: Following a mountain brook from high above Smugglers’ Notch Resort Village, the ArborTrek Zip Line Canopy Tour at Smugglers’ descends through mature stands of hemlock, white birch, and sugar maple. The two and a half to three-hour tour includes riding down more than 4,000 feet of zip lines, crossing sky bridges, and rappeling from trees, offering a memorable and thrilling experience for ages eight and older. The tour is included in the Adventure Connections Vacation Package. It just opened last December. “Our partner in this venture, Mike Smith, was driving through the area looking for a spot to introduce zip lining,” explains Lisa Howe, vice-president of new marketing opportunities.“When he pulled into our lot, he said ‘this is it.”
Other unique fee-based programs include fishing and paddling adventures, golf instruction, health and wellness offerings, arts and crafts classes, and more. Special Facilities
TREASURES Child Care Center is a 5,400 foot modern center for youngsters six weeks to three years old with special parent and kid-friendly features such as three age-appropriate playrooms, a fenced adjacent playground, and dedicated parking.
Four playground sites scattered around the resort are fitted with play structures for kids between the ages of six months and 12 years of age. They include the TREASURES Playground at the day care center, the Secret Playground near the Courtside Pool and the Big Kid’s Park nestled among the condominium clusters. Three additional playgrounds are located in condominium neighborhoods for use by those guests.
There are two teen centers: Teen Alley for ages 13-15 and Outer Limits for ages 16 and older.
An on-site outdoor golf driving range with Professional PGA and LPGA instruction for all ages includes equipment. There are 15 stations for golf clinics, private sessions, family fun events, and many organized programs for youth and adults. Several great golf courses are nearby.
Smugglers’ Summer family vacations start at $1,060 for a family of four staying for four nights in a mountainside one-bedroom condominium. Pricing is determined by the length of the stay, the rate period, and the size of the condominium. In addition to lodging, packages include unlimited use of Smugglers’ pools, waterslides, and hot tubs; use of the FunZone Family Recreation Center; daily guided hiking and walking treks; and special entertainment for families and adults. Additional programs are available that are fee-based.
Vacation deposits are refunded on cancellations received seven or more days prior to the guest’s scheduled arrival. Later cancellations will have the deposit credited to a future stay within the next two years. This place guarantees family fun.
AUTUMN FUN: In the fall the Smugglers mountains – Morse, Sterling, and Madonna – in the Green Mountain chain rise to a 3,610 foot elevation from the Village. Historic Smugglers’ Notch pass is an interesting drive; the Long Trail, a hiking path through the entire length of Vermont, crosses Madonna for easy access.
Open daily through mid September, warm weather permitting, is the Mountainside Water Playground with an outdoor lap pool, Little Smugglers’ Lagoon, 330′ Giant Rapid River Ride and Turtle Mini-Waterslide. There is also a bath house with showers and changing rooms. The courtside pool is an indoor heated facility with hot tubs and bath house, available from mid-September on. The Village Pond and Sterling Pond provide great trout fishing, and the Lamoille River & Lake Champlain (the “Sixth Great Lake”) are nearby. Special Facilities
Disc Golf offers 18 holes on a beautiful woodland course. Disc rentals are available. This is a game for all ages that combines a walk through the woods with the fun of throwing a disc.Tennis is available daily and features eight outdoor clay courts and two outdoor hard courts. Equipment is available.
Six playground sites scattered around the resort are fitted with play structures for kids between the ages of six months and 12 years. They include the Pirate Ship Playground, the Fairy Castle Playground, and the Firefly Garden in the main Village; and the Star Playground and the Big Kid’s Park nestled among the condominium clusters. There is also a playground at TREASURES child care center. Vacation Value with Smugglers’ fall packages
An AutumnFest package offers Smugglers’ exceptional lodging and programming at the lowest rates of the year! The package includes lodging and use of the pool and hot tubs. Guests also have the opportunity to enjoy Smugglers’ woodland miniature golf, shuffleboard, basketball and volleyball. The cost for AutumnFest for a family of four staying two nights in a two bedroom condominium is $410; other lodging sizes and stays are available. With stays of three nights or more, an additional night is free.
WINTER: Ski and snowboard season is from late November until mid-April. Three interconnected mountains comprise northern Vermont’s biggest vertical drop at 2,610 feet. Skiers and snowboarders are welcome on all trails. Morse Mountain, the beginners’ haven, rises directly out of the Resort Village. Sterling Mountain’s terrain appeals especially to intermediates, while Madonna Mountain is the expert skiers’ mountain. Snowfall
Smugglers’ Notch averages 316 feet of snow per season(based on a five year average). Snowmaking covers 62 percent of total terrain. The $2.5 million in improvements over the last several years include a 20 million gallon reservoir and additional pumps and guns. More than 100 snow guns are water and energy efficient. Grooming capabilities are enhanced by a winch cat groomer, power tiller, and Zaugg groomer to maintain and contour terrain park features. Lifts
On Morse, The Village Lift is 5,200 feet long and Mogul Mouse’s Magic Lift, a special low-to-the-ground beginner’s chairlift, is 4,600 feet long. The Morse Highlands Lift is 1,400 feet long. The Sterling Lift is 5700 feet, the T-Bar on Sterling is 1,300 feet. Madonna I is 6,600 feet, and Madonna II is 4,700feet long. Sir Henry’s Learning & Fun Park on Morse also has a handle tow. Total: six chairs and two surface lifts. On Morse, two conveyor lifts service learning areas. There is an additional conveyor lift at TREASURES Child Care Center to serve the Little Rascals on Snow, a ski instruction program for toddlers.
Smugglers’ famous base-to-summit Madonna 1 Lift offers 360-degree views of Canada, New Hampshire’s White Mountains to the east, and Lake Champlain to the west. Lift Hours Three of Smugglers’ lifts–one each on Morse, Sterling, and Madonna–open at 8 a.m. on weekends. On weekdays, all lifts open at 9 a.m. except the Village Lift and the Sterling Summit Lift, which open at 8:30 am. All lifts close at 4 p.m.
Smugglers’ has 78 trails on 300 acres of marked and patrolled acreage. There are an additional 700 acres of unmarked and patrolled terrain, for a total of 1,000 acres, the largest in Vermont. The longest run is 3 miles from the Madonna summit to the Village. Popular trails include the Garden Path on Morse, and Chilcoot, FIS, Rumrunner, Treasure and Black Snake on Madonna and Sterling. The Black Hole on Madonna Mountain is the only triple black diamond trail in the East. The trail system can be broken down as follows: 19 percent easier, 50 percent intermediate, 25 percent expert, and 6 percent extreme.
Smugglers’ Snow Sport University offers group and private instruction for all ages and ability levels. All-day ski and snowboard camps include Discovery Dynamos (ages 3-5; snowboard camp begins at age 4), Adventure Rangers (ages 6-10), and the Notch Squad (ages 11-14). Mountain Explorers is for teens ages 15-17 and includes two hours of on-slope instruction or a full-day camp during holiday weeks. For beginner boarders, Night School for Boarding is offered evenings twice weekly. The Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Adventure Center provides snowshoe and cross country skiing instruction and outings. Sir Henry’s Learning and Fun Park is worth a gander. Five acres on Morse Mountain make up this park, which is the site of Night School for Boarding for rank beginners on selected evenings, and a tube-sliding area. The Jib and Jump Park on the Log Jam Trail on Morse Highlands offers more space for beginner features such as rolls, a table, a box, and a sculpted trail. Perfect for those new to parks and the fun offered in them!
Birch Run Park has 1,000 feet of park on the lengthened Birch Run trail on Sterling Mountain. This trail is peppered with modified table tops, rolls, and spines for entry and intermediate level skiers and riders – the learning place for those aspiring to big air at Prohibition Park.
The Zone is located on the Practice Slope on Sterling with the biggest hits and rails for expert and championship riders.The Zone is the site for Altitude Adjustment events in which intermediate and advanced skiers and boarders can show their stuff with freestyle stunts. Music, prizes and product giveaways add to the fun. Family Fun Guarantee!
Smugglers’ Notch guarantees Family Fun at Snow Sport University! Smugglers’ guarantees that each member of the family will learn to ski or snowboard or will improve technique, regardless of ability level – or the entire lesson portion of that person’s vacation package will be refunded.
DINING: Three Mountain Lodge (www.threemountainlodge.com) is located on scenic and historic Smugglers’ Notch Road (Route 108) in Jeffersonville, Vermont, just a five minute drive from the resort. Originally built in 1966 by the University of Vermont for their Outing Club, the lodge has a 30 year tradition of hosting good times. It later housed the UVM & Johnson State College ski teams, as well as a state-run alternative school. In the late seventies, Smugglers’ Notch Resort purchased the property, gave it the name Three Mountain Lodge, and returned it to use as a ski dorm. In 1983, Steve and Colleen Blood came to Jeffersonville and began their operation, at first continuing the ski lodging tradition business in winter and a restaurant the rest of the year. In 1984 they purchased the property. With the restaurant’s continued growth, it became hard to accommodate ski groups. To the disappointment of many loyal guests and friends, lodging had to be phased out. This is a popular spot to dine. They are open six days a week and closed on Mondays. Steve or Colleen usually greet you at the door and bring a large whiteboard to your table containing all of the specials. There are plenty of meat and seafood selections. The prime rib is one of their specialities, charcoal broiled in 10 and 16 ounce servings. It comes with two sides. I opted for the mashed potatoes and baked macaroni. Scallops can be prepared broiled or grilled.The steaks, broiled trout, shrimp scampi, slow cooked ribs and rack of lamb also looked great. Make sure not to leave without trying their homemade ice cream . We sampled the blueberry and vanilla flavors. You can call 802-644-5736 or email threemt@together.net.
Only Stowe, Vermont combines a classic 200-year-old village with Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak. This unique juxtaposition imbues Stowe with a character reminiscent of great European mountain resorts. Just log on to www.gostowe.com, where you will find a chalk full of ideas to enjoy at this year-round vacation spot. You can also call 1-877-GOSTOWE.
My family and I recently spent some time in the area. It was in fact our first visit there in a decade. Though Stowe enjoys an international reputation as a winter destination, it is just as exciting in summer. Sparkling streams attract anglers, splashers, and paddlers. Horseback riders gallop through wildflower strewn meadows. Bikers and hikers take to the recreation path and to more challenging mountain trails as well. Stowe’s golf and tennis offer challenges for newcomer and old pro alike or enjoy a glider ride soaring above Stowe’s spectacular terrain.
Stowe was charted on June 8, 1763 when Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire designated 64 men as “Proprietors.'” However, no settlement occurred until 1793, two years after Vermont, as the fourteenth state joined the original thirteen of the U.S.A. The town has 4,700 residents, over 70 unique shops, more than 45 restaurants and cafés and some 50 different lodging options.
Autumn in Stowe deserves special mention. Vermont is world-famous for its spectacular fall foliage, and Stowe is Vermont ‘s most beautiful and dramatic fall foliage viewing venue. You’ll be surprised at how much there is to do in Stowe. You can visit Vermont’s number one tourist attraction: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream plant, a mecca for lovers of premium ice cream. Take a tour of the facility and watch those delicious flavors being made. Samples and gifts are available. Not far up the road are a number of specialty food shops: Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Visitor’s Center and Cafe, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Cabot Creamery Annex, plus maple syrup and other goodies for which this part of Vermont is famous. At the Cold Hollow Cider Mill you can watch them making cider from local apple orchards, and sample unique mustards and jams for which they are famous. There are antique shops and craft outlets too.
Of course, downhill skiing and snowboarding are the most popular winter activities, but there are also plenty of other fun things to do! For example: snowshoeing, cross country skiing (there are four touring centers in Stowe), skating, indoor tennis and sleigh rides. Stowe has over 60 retail stores for shopping year round and every one is locally owned! There are many more activities and special events of all sizes!
Stowe is a wonderfully eclectic village that is home to a thriving arts community and exciting cultural happenings. Gifted performers and artists are attracted and inspired by this natural splendor. They, in turn, enrich Stowe with cultural and artistic sophistication more typical of large cities.
There are museums and art galleries right in the village, and an incredible array of artists, artisans and crafts people plying their talents and selling their wares. From painting, photography and sculpture, to jewellery, glass and fashion – something unique and intriguing is always on exhibit somewhere in the village. So, while Stowe is a great place to eat, drink and play outdoors, it’s also a great place to shop and feast on arts and culture.
It is never too early to plan ahead for the summer of 2012. If your trip is targeted for late July try and sample The Taste of Stowe Arts Festival (http://craftproducers.com). This is an unusual event, combining a market for handmade crafts, original art, music, and an array of gourmet edible treats. A colossal 100 foot wide tent houses the artists and artisans and other smaller tents host the culinary components.
The Arts and Craft Tent is a veritable cathedral of creativity. Come on out and see the extraordinary items the artists have presented: birdbaths and marble patio tables; end tables, pitchers, mugs, plates galore; hand painted clothing; furniture; sparkling jewellery; leather purses and bags; photography; original paintings; leather work; wall sculptures; exotic dark chocolates; wall art with clever cartoons poking fun at us all; handmade dog treats; and more. You get to stroll into 150 boutiques and meet the actual artists; that’s right you meet the maker of the works presented!
Stowe’s diversions and activities are as varied and exciting as its lodging and dining. The resort is justifiably world-famous for Mt. Mansfield’s downhill skiing. Stowe is also North America’s finest cross country skiing destination, with hundreds of kilometres of interconnected groomed and backcountry trails. And as if that were not enough, Stowe — home of Tubbs Snowshoes — is the birthplace of modern snow-shoeing. There’s even dog sledding and snow-mobiling!
Laughing Moon Chocolates on Main Street in Stowe Village offers Chocolate Dipping Demonstrations & Tours – Handcrafted candy as an art form! Stop by and learn how they make delicious hand-dipped chocolates with the big picture in mind! Demonstrations are held every day at 2 p.m. Laughing Moon Chocolates is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Boyden Valley Winery Tours is part of a fourth-generation farm in the pastoral Lamoille River Valley. Also on site: corn maze, ice cream stand, Milk House Market (featuring local food products), petting zoo, playground, music pavilion. Winery tours are at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily.
ACTIVITIES TO RECOMMEND: From June to Labour Day (and weekends after that through mid-October), you just have to try the Alpine slide. What you will experience is an exhilarating 2,300 foot ride down Spruce Peak. This is fun and exciting for people of all ages. Hours of operation are 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is free for kids aged five and under; $21 for one adult ride and $42 for three; $19 for one junior/senior ride and $38 for three. I could not believe how fast I was going!
You can also take the easy way up the mountain in the famous Stowe gondola. Spectacular views await you near the peak of Vermont’s highest mountain. From the gondola, access hiking trails or stop for a bite in the lift summit snack bar. This runs daily from mid June until mid-October.
The Summer Inflatable Obstacle Course, located on the same site as the alpine slide, is also a blast. Put yourself to the test and try your luck. This is no easy task, I must tell you. This runs from mid-June to Labour Day and then continues on weekends until mid-October from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Adults can get three runs for $21; juniors and seniors pay $18 for the same three. Children aged five and under go free with a paid adult.
WHERE TO STAY: The historic Green Mountain Inn (www.greenmountaininn.com) has been offering travellers respite for over 175 years. Located at 18 Main Street, it features 107 accommodations, ranging from traditional guest rooms to luxury suites and townhouses.
The Inn is owned by the Gameroff Family Trust. Marvin Gameroff was a Canadian businessman who took a liking to Stowe in the 1970s and purposely worked for its preservation through investments that would be both profitable for him and supportive of the village community. One of these, in 1982, was purchasing the Green Mountain Inn, a then–somewhat tattered facility with about 90 acres of land, on Main Street. Built as a home in 1833, it had been an inn for a century when Gameroff bought it. He also bought what’s now known as the Whiskers Building Farmhouse and owned a home in Stowe with about 150 acres of land. He passed away in 2004. His two sons, David and Simon, have carried on the tradition with innkeeper Patti Clark overseeing the day to day operations.
Last year a major renovation project completely refurbished nearly a quarter of the historic hotel’s Main Inn room inventory. Twelve of the hotel’s second floor rooms within the property’s central Inn building underwent a substantial revitalization. There was a complete remodeling of bathrooms, air conditioning system improvements, floor plan readjustments to maximize space, the installation of new high grade noise-dampening windows and the addition of new large screen plasma TVs.
Says Clark, “Our goal has always been to offer comfortable, inviting accommodations which provide our guests real value for their travel dollars. Over the years we have continually re-invested in our facilities to update, renew and enhance our offerings. Every upgrade project – such as this one – has been undertaken with a commitment to preserving the hotel’s unique character and charm so that the Inn remains a destination of choice for our loyal customers.”
The Inn is also home to the wonderful Whip Bar and Grill (http://www.greenmountaininn.com/whipbarandgrill.html). This spot provides travellers respite, refreshment, and fine dining in a casual atmosphere. It features an extensive menu full of flavorful food prepared with Vermont products and the freshest ingredients from local farmers. There are fresh homemade breads and incredible desserts. It is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The bar offers a great selection of Vermont and New England microbrews on tap and a newly revised wine list sure to tempt occasional wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.
I would strongly remember the grilled swordfish, which cuts like butter. It comes with vegetables, but you can switch this for the mashed potatoes.
We shared some garlic shrimp as an appetizer. It came with two sliced baguettes. You can order a half Caesar salad here to save more room for the entrée. There is a kids menu, but the younger ones might want to try the delicious flatbread pizza from the main selections. This is the place for fish – salmon, tilapia, wild striped bass and oven roasted Boston cod. There are also steaks, chicken, burgers and sandwiches.
DINNER AT GRACIES: Many veteran Stowe vacationers also strongly recommended Gracie’s Restaurant (www.gracies.com) at 18 Edson Hill Road. Owners Paul and Susan Archdeacon are wonderful hosts. Paul, known simply as “Archie,” came here in 1972 from Boston to ski and never left. This is where he met Sue. In 1991the couple opened the restaurant, naming it after their new shelter rescue dog Gracie, a Yellow Lab Air dale mix from the South Burlington Humane Society. The name stuck and the restaurant took off. Right from the start Gracie’s was committed to producing as much of their menu as possible themselves. All the breads, rolls and desserts are made on the premises. This led to the introduction of Gracie’s “Doggie Bag.” A penny candy bag painted on the inside with white chocolate, frozen and filled with chocolate mint mousse. When ordered the paper bag is peeled off and the chocolate sack is served over double boil hot fudge. The “Doggie Bag” is garnished with fresh baked sugar cookies cut to look like milk bones. I have not tasted such an exceptional dessert in a long time.
The doggie theme carries throughout the menu with all the burgers, made with Boyden Farms all natural ground beef, named after particular breeds. There is some type of canine logic to the names with the Chihuahua served with a side of quacamole. The barbeque ribs are slow roasted for 12 hours, Memphis style, and slide right off the bone. I combined my order with chicken, garnished in fabulous bbq sauce, along with wild rice and cole slaw. The bar steak, a six ounce filet mignon, is another house favorite. All steaks here are handcarved in the kitchen by Gracies’ chefs. Reservations are recommended. Call 802-253-8741.
Mike Cohen’s email address is info@mikecohen.ca. Follow his travels at www.sandboxworld.com/travel and follow him as well on Twitter @mikecohencsl.
When I was young, Burlington, Vermont would often be the destination for our annual summer vacation. We’d stay at a nice hotel with a pool, do a lot of shopping and enjoy the great restaurants. It was a novelty to do so only two hours from home.
My most recent visit to Burlington was an interesting one. We had actually started off our trip in Toronto. The way the schedule worked out, our next stop was to be a five night booking at the Smugglers’ Notch Resort. Given the fact this was nearly an eight hour drive from Toronto, it did not make a lot of sense to arrive the in the late evening. Burlington was on our radar screen, particularly for its excellent shopping, so we elected to head directly there. It is only 45 minutes from Smugglers’ Notch and Stowe, known as four season destinations.
WHERE TO STAY: This was actually our second trip in as many years to Burlington, as we stopped there on the way back from Cape Cod a year ago.
One of the incentives to return, in fact, was the Doubletree Hotel Burlington (www.burlington.doubletree.com). Located just off I-89 on Williston Road and near the airport, this is a large and attractive property. All standard guestrooms include the Sweet Dreams bed, coffeemaker, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, refrigerator, easy chair, in-room remote printing, Lodgenet with web access and Game Cube, speakerphone and complimentary wireless high speed internet access. In the suites there is a main bedroom with a king size bed and flat screen TV, separated by a door to spacious living room area featuring a pullout couch, a working desk with two chairs and another flat screen televisions. The bathroom is conveniently accessed from the living room area, which is especially convenient for families with small children who needn’t wake up parents as they charge to use the facilities early in the morning.
The hotel has a nice pool, connected to an outdoor patio and an amazing workout gym open 24 hours a day. Its treadmills have small television monitors attached, with headphones, making one’s workout so much more pleasant. There is an onsite restaurant called Trader Duke’s.
We were greeted with hot chocolate chip cookies upon checking in. General Manager Rick Milliken has been in the local hotel industry for 33 years and converted the hotel from a Clarion to a Doubletree in 2005, at which time 33 suites were constructed. There are 161 in all. Richfield Hospitality, the company which manages this hotel and a plethora of others across the USA, thinks so highly of Milliken that they regularly assign him to visit other locations to share his expertise.
The hotel also has a beautiful banquet and conference centre.
“Those that come for a weekend, a few days or during the holiday periods and those who stay over to catch a flight,” says Milliken. “ You can leave your car here for two weeks and we only charge $25.”
It actually turned out to be a great idea to come here first before Smugglers’ Notch as we spent our final day in Burlington doing a little extra shopping before heading up the mountain.
The hotel has five handicapped accessible rooms, two with roll-in showers.
All of the necessary equipment for the hearing impaired is in place. Both the main and banquet entrances are fully wheelchair accessible, with wide sized elevators to transport those booked on the second floor.
This hotel is constantly being upgraded. When we were there, new carpets were being installed in all of the hallways. They will soon introduce a grab and go breakfast option. “Often people check out and then drive to the closest Starbucks to get a coffee and Danish,” said Milliken. “We will now have that option right in front of them when they checkout.”
DINING OUT: We were thrilled to find an Outback Steakhouse (www.outback.com ) only minutes from our hotel at 150 Dorset Street. This has always been one of my favorite chains. Montreal’s West Island had a franchise for about a two year period which we happily frequented. Why it shut down I still do not understand.
Well, if you want to experience this spot, best known for grilled steaks, chicken and seafood, then Burlington represents the closest opportunity for Montrealers. Torontonians can experience it in Niagara Falls.
The Outback also offers a wide variety of crisp salads and freshly made soups and sides. New creations and grilled classics are made from scratch daily using only the highest quality ingredients. Franchise owner Derek Gorman and manager John Legere appreciate the steady flow of Montreal diners.
Our server was a gentleman named Errol Rule and his Australian accent turned out to be the real thing. Errol is from Down Under who actually met a girl named Fiona from Burlington there who just happened to work at the Outback in Burlington. The couple met through a mutual friend on April 24, 2009 at the Gearin Hotel, a local pub, in Katoomba New South Wales (NSW), Australia. In January 2010 Errol decided to come to Montreal to work at Hurley’s Irish Pub downtown while waiting for his US paper work to come through. That process took 11 months. « We finally got married on December 31, 2010, the day before my birthday » says Errol, who started at the Outback the following May of 2011. « The odds of me warning at the Outback Steakhouse in Burlington were very slim to none, but it is warning out well and it is turning out to be an excellent job. »
We had a superb meal. I would recommend the clam chowder, the lobster tails and of course the steaks – either the rib eye or Victoria’s filet. The new menu actually has a calorie count in brackets for every single item, which is great for folks who are watching what they eat. This Outback is opened seven days a week. Call 802-862-0003 for reservations.
The restaurant is wheelchair accessible.
SHOPPING: The Church Street Marketplace pedestrian mall is an amazing place to shop. With over 100 retail shops, restaurants and street vendors, this popular destination for shopping, dining and people watching. A recipient of the prestigious Great American Main Street Award, the Marketplace is recognized as one of the most successful pedestrian malls in the country.
Burlington Town Center is considered Burlington’s premier indoor shopping center, featuring an exciting retail mix including J.Crew, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Ann Taylor Loft, Abercrombie & Fitch, Aabercrombie, Aéropostale, Gap/Gap Kids/Baby Gap, Crabtree & Evelyn and Macy’s Department Store.
Then there is University Mall, Vermont’s largest enclosed shopping center, with over 70 shops and services. Here you can choose from a major selection of major department stores like JC Penney, Sears and the Bon-Ton. Within walking distance you’ll find HomeGoods, Hannaford Food & Drug and the Sears Automotive Center. Plus, there is plenty of free parking!
The Burlington region offers outdoor activities from lake-based kayaking, fishing and sailing to mountain-based hiking, cycling and skiing – and everything in between. Spend your time in Vermont enjoying the area’s fantastic dining, shopping, concerts and special events. Unwind in one of the area’s many excellent hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and resorts. And, of course, enjoy the spectacular natural beauty of Vermont’s Lake Champlain and Green Mountains.
Northern Lights, Vermont’s premier cruise boat, offers daily scenic, lunch and brunch cruises. Weekly dinner cruises including entertainment. This floating venue is an ideal setting for weddings, anniversaries, corporate functions and special events or to simply enjoy the spectacular beauty of Lake Champlain. Departing from the King Street Ferry Dock from May through October.
The Flynn Theatre is a 1,453-seat art-deco treasure and 150 seat “black box” facility hosting over 100 world-class live performances annually – broadway, dance, music (jazz, classical, pop, folk, world), cutting-edge, family and student matinees.
A : Plattsburgh is a small Amercian city located on the western shore of Lake Champlain in the northeastern part of the state of New York. It is only 60 miles from Montreal.
Plattsburgh was founded by Zephaniah Platt in 1785 after he was granted the land for it by George Clinton. The city government was established in the former Village of Plattsburgh in 1902. With its significant location on a major water thoroughfare and close to the US-Canadian border, Plattsburgh has been the site of a number of historic events including the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Valcour and the War of 1812’s Battle of Plattsburgh. In more recent times, the city has been distinguished primarily by its United States Air Force base and the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh, although it is also a node for tourists headed to the Adirondack Mountains. The city beaches and camp grounds are packed all summer long. It is also a spectacular place for boating, wind surfing, or fishing. There are some fun dining spots as well.
Plattsburgh has great shopping, including the large Champlain Centre North with anchor store JC Penny. There are a lot of Montreal Jews who have country homes here. Many Jewish students attend SUNY. I know many Torontonians visiting Montreal who wakeup with a desire for a change of pace from trips to Niagara Falls and Buffalo and check out this type of New York experience. The Olympic village of Lake Placid is less than an hour’s drive offering you world-class recreation and relaxation year round.
On June 19, 2007 the Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG) opened its doors for passenger service. The tiny facility remains very much a work in progress. But it is easy to get to and offers free parking for however long you are away. It is already touting itself as “Montreal’s U.S. Airport.” Delta and Allegiant Airlines presently fly out of there. Allegiant, a Las Vegas based carrier, is presently offering well priced direct flights to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
ACCOMODATIONS: Given the backups at customs these days due to the strong Canadian dollar, I would strongly recommend you head to Plattsburgh the day before your flight. We did just that, staying at the Comfort Inn and Suites (plattsburghcomfortinn.com) at 411 Route 3. It worked out exceptionally well. There was no need to wake up especially early. Waiting for us was a generous hot and cold breakfast absolutely free. If you sleep in, a new Perkin’s Restaurant is attached and it serves breakfast 24 hours a day. There is also a Boulangerie Café, a lobby coffee shop featuring Starbucks™ Coffee and fresh baked pastries. And Legends Sports Bar is the place to catch the latest game on the tube.
You might want to find time to check out the hotel’s health club and fitness center, entertainment room, indoor heated pool complete with a waterslide. It was so nice, we wanted to stay longer. Of their 114 rooms, 28 are suites. They come complete with fridges, microwaves and a kitchenette sink. A gigantic Wal-Mart Super Store is literally in the parking lot while the Champlain Mall and Price Chopper supermarket are a short walk away.
Owner Jim Murray and his partner Terry Meron opened the locale in 1988. Murray was a teacher by profession. Meron owned an Italian restaurant. He wanted to get into the hotel business and asked Murray to come aboard. Before you could say “reservation” they had a Comfort Inn franchise, which they have expanded substantially over the years. It has a games room, party room and banquet facilities. They secured the Perkin’s franchise in 2006 to give customers another reason not to have to leave the facility. Canadian clients come to Plattsburgh for the great merchandising deals. One guest bought four winter tires for his car. “They cost him $240,” said Murray, “compared to $700 in Canada.”
Rooms range in price from $69 to $99 per night. And if you forgot to bring along any necessities, the front desk has a magic drawer complete with toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream and razors.
For more information you can log on to their website at www.plattsburghcomfortinn.com, e-mail info@plattsburghcomfortinn.com or call (518) 562-2730.
Both sides of Niagara Falls – New York and Ontario – are spectacular. This was our first visit to the area in more than five years. This trip was during the winter. After spending the first several days in the USA, we stopped over in Canada, settling in at the Sheraton By The Falls (www.niagarafallshotelsheraton.com).This place has a lot of things going for it, notably a passageway to North America’s largest indoor water parks and, if you are lucky, a breathtaking view of the actual Falls.
The Fallsview Indoor Waterpark (www.fallsviewwaterpark.com) is over 125,000 square feet of water park fun across from the Falls. Located on the Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex, this is North America’s largest indoor waterpark and hotel complex. It offers 16 waterslides (some up to six stories high), a 1,000 gallon tipping bucket, a full size wave pool, oversized adult only whirlpools, the Planet Hollywood Beach Club, a beach house, a tiny tots play area, a year-round outdoor pool and sundeck, the Canadian Plunge Bowl and the Fallsview indoor beach. The waterpark features direct connections to the Sheraton, the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Skyline Inn. Admission is $34 per person. There is also a $10 fee ($5 refundable) for a small locker.
Niagara Falls, Ontario is home to the Winter Festival of Lights from early November until the end of January each year. There are lots of events, concerts, activities. The newest other activity is skating at the TD Rink at the Brink -an ice rink right beside the Falls( http://www.wfol.com/TDRINKatTheBrink/index.html). Also taking place in January is the Niagara Ice Wine Festival ( www.niagaraicewinefestival.com), which takes place in Twenty Valley, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and St. Catharines. February brings The Days of Wine & Chocolate (http://www.wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com/dowac.html) , which pairs 25 VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) wines alongside decadent chocolate pairings. This takes place each weekend in from 11 a.m.to 5 p.m.
I know that we will have to go back again in the near future during a warm weather period. With attractions like Marineland, the Maid of the Mist Boat Tour, Casino Niagara, Niagara Parks Conservatory, Skylon Tower, the Butterfly Conservatory, the Imax Theatre and the Clifton Hills “fun” district, it is no wonder why the area attracts more than 20 million visitors annually. Incidentally, when we were there the attractions were all going full tilt. Between visits to the wax museum, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, the 4D rides, the Fudge Factory and the Hershey Store and Canada’s only Ruby Tuesday restaurant we managed to spend a lot of money in a short period of time.
Tourism Niagara (www.tourismniagara.com) is responsible for promoting all 12 municipalities that make up the region of Niagara and they do a fabulous job. Check out their website, which will lead you in the right direction. There are over 60 wineries you can tour. The performing arts in Niagara includes several facilities that offer wonderful performances, including the Niagara Symphony, Shaw Festival, and the Centre for the Arts of Brock University.
Attraction destinations include the Welland Canal Centre at Lock 3 and Welland Mural Route, the Niagara Wine Route, the Niagara River Parkway, Niagara’s Freedom Trail and the Bruce Trail. Of course, it is the spectacle of the Falls itself which proves most breathtaking. To some, Niagara is the aroma of ripening grapes and the taste of succulent fresh fruit. For families, it is theme parks, 20 historical museums and two reconstructed forts. Sportsmen can take advantage of over 40 golf courses, 30 private campgrounds and fishing on Lakes Ontario and Erie. To newlyweds, Niagara is the honeymoon capital of the world! Gamblers get their fix at Casino Niagara and the Fort Erie Racetrack.
Marineland (www.marinelandcanada.com) is indeed the area’s biggest tourist attraction. At Friendship Cove you’ll enjoy the largest whale habitat in the world. It is surrounded by walkways for above water and dramatic underwater viewing of these amazing marine mammals. Best of all, guests can have the chance, and unique thrill, of being able to feed and touch these friendly ocean giants. Arctic is home to the belugas. Sky Screamer – the world’s highest triple tower ride, will take you over 137.2 metres (450 ft.) skyward giving you a thrilling ride not to mention a spectacular view of the Falls and surrounding Niagara landscape. Marineland has several Jewish school groups and camps that book day outings each year, primarily originating from Toronto and New York. Marineland is open from mid-May to Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend.
Don’t miss the historical ride aboard the world famous Maid of the Mist (www.niagaraparks.com), which is accessible via both the American and Canadian sides. Since 1846, millions of visitors have enjoyed the Maid of the Mist boat tours. The powerful diesel-engined boats take visitors to the base of the American Falls and then on to the basin of the magnificent Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Water rushes all around as you “soak” in the excitement and feel the thunder of the Falls. It’s a half hour thrill of a lifetime! Reusable, souvenir rain coats are provided with admission. Trips run approximately every 15 minutes from the Canadian and U.S. sides of the river. And feel the thunder and explore the Journey Behind The Falls. You emerge far below the rim of the gorge. Before you, the mighty river explodes after free-falling more than thirteen stories. The sound is deafening, the sight, awe-inspiring. And this is only the beginning.
The Clifton Hills district is a strip of the major attractions and dining facilities of Niagara Falls for the entire family. A number fall under the auspices of the Clifton Hill Group (www.falls.com) and include the amazing Guiness World Records Museum, the Haunted House, Cinema 180 Adventure Dome, the Fun House and Mystery Maze. And don’t miss out on the MGM Experience which features the MGM Great Movie Journey, the Dino Island and 7th Portal 4D moving theatre rides, the Ride Over the Falls experience and the Pink Panther Balloon Ride.
For more information, call Tourism Niagara toll free at 1-800-263 2988. Stop at the Niagara Gateway Information Centre located at the Casablanca exit off the QEW in Grimsby where Tourism Niagara operates a year-round information centre. Travel counselors can assist you with finding same-day accommodations at discounted prices, booking sightseeing tours, purchasing passports for wine events and even getting last minute theatre tickets. As well, visitors can save even more by purchasing discount tickets at Gateway for Niagara’s most popular attractions. The Centre is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm. and 8 am to 8 pm during July and August.
When visiting the Niagara Falls, NY area, take my advice and stay in the town of Grand Island, located smack in between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, New York (www.niagara-usa.com) The Holiday Inn Grand Island Resort and Conference Centre (www.holiday-inn.com/grandislandny) was our base for the second time in almost six years and we simply loved this gorgeous 263 room property, located at 100 Whitehaven Road. We were lucky to get a reservation, selecting a comfortable Jacuzzi suite. This is a great year-round choice. In the winter, the fitness centre, large indoor pool and whirlpool are real bonuses. The property is ideal for business and leisure travel alike. In the summer an attractive outdoor pool is in operation. There is also an on-site health and fitness center, a gift shop and yes, for the business executive, secretarial services.
Standard Guest rooms have private balconies, flat screen televisions with on command movies and free wireless high speed internet. The hotel has two room executive suites, two room jacuzzi suites or two room hospitality suites, each of which has pull out sleeper sofas and large private balconies facing the majestic Niagara River. They also are equipped with microwave ovens and mini refrigerators. Right next door is the River Oaks Golf Course. On site you can enjoy a delicious meal in Currents “A Bistro on the Niagara” or unwind over a cocktail in the hotel’s comfortable lounge. On Fridays, there is live entertainment. If you are a member of the Holiday Inn Priority Club, then you have access to an exclusive lounge featuring free refreshments. The hotel recently installed new carpeting new vinyl wall coverings and received new bedding.
In the summer you can look forward to a number of fireworks displays at the annual Canal Festival. The hotel is conveniently located just a few minutes off of Highway 190, yet secluded from the hustle and bustle of the busy Falls tourism trade. “Sedate” is the best way to describe it. Parking is free in the large outdoor lot and you are only a short drive from a large Tops grocery store and two pharmacies. There are two beaches nearby – Beaver State Park and Sandy Beach. For more information you can call 716-773-1111.
SHOPPING OPTIONS: There are two fabulous shopping options to consider. The Fashion Outlets (www.fashionoutletsniagara.com) , with 150 stores, can keep you busy for hours, with bargains galore. There is also a Target store nearby. In Buffalo, the Walden Galleria (www.waldengalleria.com) is a fabulously large shopping centre, with major anchors such as Macy’s, JC Penney, Lord and Taylor and Sears. It is a 25 minute drive from Grand Island. We spent six hours there. Our only disappointment was the two hour wait to get into the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant.
ATTRACTIONS: Niagara USA (www.niagara-usa.com) offers visitors “A Great American Getaway” filled with exciting events, one-of-a-kind attractions, fascinating history and adventure that the entire family will enjoy. This place exerts its powerful pull on young and old alike. But anyone who has ever seen the look in a child’s eyes as they experience the Falls region – with its unforgettable natural beauty; year-round activities and enriching diversions for families – will have their own sense of childlike wonder re-kindled, and not soon forget the experience they shared.
Centered by the awesome majesty of the Falls, Niagara USA is a destination unto itself, capturing the hearts of families and drawing them back throughout their lives. And the attractions in the surrounding area are fun, active and exciting for parents and kids alike. The main attraction, Niagara Falls State Park, is the perfect spot for experiencing this magical landmark. There are a number of viewing platforms here, as well as some unusual opportunities to get even closer. For those who don’t mind becoming one with the water, the Park’s Cave of the Winds is a thrilling guided walking tour along wooden platforms at the base of Bridal Veil Falls. Participants will inevitably get wet as they walk through the spray. Another wet adventure is the famous Maid of the Mist (www.maidofthemist.com), a boat cruise which takes guests right up to the roaring water at the base of Horseshoe and American Falls (don’t forget to don your free plastic poncho). The Maid of the Mist can be accessed from both sides of the Falls. It is one of North America’s oldest tourist attractions, and its history is resplendent with stories of daredevil rescues and visits from royalty.
Nearby is the Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride. Blasted out of solid rock over 140 years ago, the cave system initially served as a tunnel to provide river water for mills and electrical power. Today visitors can walk through the mysterious tunnels as guides talk about the history of the area and point out fossils and other geologic formations in the rock walls. The tour finishes with an eerie half-mile underground boat ride. Every Halloween, the attraction becomes a “Haunted Cave,” drawing thousands of visitors through the month of October. Families with older kids who want a little more adventure have several options. A helicopter tour over the Falls with Rainbow Air provides a unique perspective for viewing the natural wonder of Niagara. Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours takes guests on a thrillingly fast upriver Jet Boat ride into the whitewater rapids in the magnificent stonewalled Niagara Gorge canyon. For those seeking a slower-paced journey, two-hour water tours of the historic Erie Canal and its dual locking system are available at Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises. The nearby Erie Canal Museum and cruise exemplify the living history that is widespread throughout the Niagara region.
History-themed attractions will educate younger minds and capture the attention of their mature companions. Old Fort Niagara is a wonderful chance for families to travel back in time, together. Preserved as they stood in the 1700’s, the Fort’s structures (the oldest buildings in the Great Lakes) include several barracks, powder rooms, a bakehouse, an officers club and more. Visitors enjoy touring this large fortress and chatting with the park’s “historical re-enactors” who, dressed in period costume, explain, in character, the various aspects of 1700’s life at the Fort. The Niagara Aerospace Museum lets kids learn about aviation through fun, interactive exhibits. Flight-simulators, aircraft, rocket engines, aircraft models and even personal memorabilia of local servicemen and women illustrate the history of American aviation. Here, you can earn about the extraordinary accomplishments of world-renowned aviation pioneers such as Glenn Hammond Curtiss, Lawrence D. Bell, “Rosie the Riveter”, Chuck Yeager and many others. The “Niagara Frontier Vintage Aircraft Group”, a group of highly skilled and dedicated volunteers, can be seen at the Museum working to bring a classic World War I airplane – the Curtiss J-N4D Jenny — back to life. The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum is the only museum in the world housed in an authentic, original carousel factory building. Located in North Towanda, the building is listed on both the New York State and National Registers of Historic Sites and features a series of seven interconnected structures. Open since 1983, the museum hosts some 20,000 visitors each year. Perched above the Niagara river, the Niagara Power Project exhibits the history of energy, electricity and the community’s past through fun, kid-friendly exhibits. The Niagara Wax Museum features life-like wax figures of many of the Niagara frontier’s early explorers. Other displays include Indian villages and historical street scenes. The museum also has a collection of maps and other artifacts related to the Niagara Frontier. Admission is free.
Niagara Falls USA’s Daredevil Museum is noted for holding the barrel used by Steve Trotter and Lori Martins, who went over Horseshoe Falls in 1985 amongst many other artifacts from death-defying feats. The Aquarium of Niagara has more than forty exhibits showcasing 1,500 aquatic animals from around the globe, including a colony of the rare and endangered Peruvian Penguin. Niagara USA’s great outdoors, with its diverse seasonal changes, is also host to its share of family-friendly attractions. Becker Farms in Royalton features a petting zoo, hay and pony rides and live entertainment, along with several summer and fall weekend festivals. A magnificent celebration of the arts happens every summer at Artpark, which is nestled atop the Niagara River Gorge. Artpark offers a full spectrum of entertainment from Broadway musicals, swinging big band and celebrity performances, to free concerts and cultural festivals. The opportunities for enjoying picnics, relaxing, and fishing are endless. Clearly, whatever age or interest, there’s something waiting for everyone (and their families) in Niagara USA.
But for the kids, there is no better place to go than Martin’s Fantasy Island (www.martinsfantasyisland.com), located at Exit N-19 (Whitehaven Road) in Grand Island. It is recognized as Western New York’s most affordable and fun theme park, with more than 100 rides and attractions. That includes a neat water park, complete with slides, a lazy river and a wave pool. There’s theatre, a petting zoo and games. This is, in fact, a place for kids of all ages. Kiddy and thrill rides include the spectacular Chaous, Up, Up and Away Ballooon, Sea Ray, Patriot, Giant Gondola Wheel, Super Sizzler, Wildcat Coaster and The Silver Comet, the latter of which happens to be the newest classic wooden roller coaster in Western New York. We loved getting soaked on the log flume. It is open from mid-May until Labour Day Weekend.
During the baseball season, keep in mind that Buffalo’s beautiful downtown Dunn Tire Stadium is only 15 minutes from Grand Island off Highway 190. This is the home of the Triple A Buffalo Bisons (www.bisons.com), the minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.
The Staybridge Suites Oakville Burlington offers one and two-bedroom suites, with all the conveniences of home to suit your extended stay or short-term needs. The hotel offers apartment-like suites featuring fully-equipped kitchens, cable TV, free wired and wireless internet and direct dial phone number with personalized voicemail. There is a 24-hour business center with free internet, print/fax/copy capabilities, free laundry facilities, a fitness center, an indoor pool, a home theatre room with a 50-inch plasma TV, gas BBQ grills, a putting green, the Bridgemart “Suite” Shop, a free deluxe breakfast buffet, evening sundowner receptions (Monday through Thursdays) and signing privileges next door at the Marquis Bistro Restaurant and Grill, which is also under the WHG umbrella. You can help yourself to free soft drinks and juices in the lobby 24/7. This hotel is pet friendly so that of course includes service animals. It is fully wheelchair accessible and has one room with accessibility standards and handicapped parking at the front entrance.
A vibrant and impressive community within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Oakvilleis a beautiful lakeside town with a strong heritage, preserved and celebrated by residents and visitors alike. Founded in 1857, this thriving municipality of about 165,000 residents provides all the advantages of a well-serviced urban center, while also maintaining its small-town ambiance. Along historical downtown streets, Oakville offers a mix of converted 19th-century buildings which accommodate over 400 fine shops, services, and restaurants.
A 30-minute drive from downtown Toronto, and an hour’s drive from the U.S. border, Oakville boasts an $88 million tourism industry, with over 1.4 million visitors annually. On our recent trip to the Niagara Falls area, we decided to stop over in Oakville for a day. We checked into the beautiful Staybridge Suites Extended Stay Hotel Oakville Burlington (www.staybridge.com/oakvilleon), located at the QEW and Bronte Road at 2511 Wyecroft. This three-year-old property still looks spanking new. It is managed by the Westmont Hospitality Group (WHG), which I hold in high regard, having stayed at their locales in Ottawa, Toronto and Windsor.
Our one night there went too quickly and we will definitely be back. For reservations call 1 877 660 8550, 905-847 2600, or email staybridgeoakville@whg.com. The hotel lobby is fully wheelchair accessible.
DINING: When in Oakville I would recommend you make it a point to dine at the Marquis Bistro (www.marquisbistro.com), a 60-second walk from the Staybridge Suites lobby. It is open for breakfast, lunch and supper. We chose to have dinner there and were very pleased with the quality of the selections. The menus are all online. We shared the lemon calamari and the pan-seared scallops to start and give high marks for the spaghetti bolognese, the chicken parmesan and the delicious chocolate bundt cake for dessert. There are also a number of soups and salads to choose from, such as other pasta dishes, steaks, racks of lamb, and seafood. For reservations call 905-465-4480.This is a very pretty restaurant, with booths and tables. There is a large flat-screen television and an attractive wine cabinet when you walk in.
WHAT TO DO: Residents and visitors enjoy theatre, dance, music and comedy performances at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. They can visit the museum at Erchless Estate, located in the home of the Chisolms, Oakville’s founding family. Other points of interest include galleries, historical societies and local architecture, especially in heritage neighbourhoods.
Among the many special attractions and activities for the whole family, Oakville’s annual WaterfrontFestival and Jazz Festival draw crowds from around the GTA. The community also provides plenty of recreational opportunities. Golfers can play at one of seven golf courses, including PGA-recognized Glen Abbey Golf Course, which has hosted the Canadian Open for many years.
Enjoy over 2,400 acres of park space, many with groomed hiking trails, or join a recreation center that provides programs for all ages. For boaters, Oakville features two picturesque harbors with docks and slips for sail and powerboats. The Oakville Public Library’s Events Calendar is the ultimate resource for everything happening in the Town of Oakville, including the acclaimed Jazz Festival.
The Town of Oakville hosts the Community Spirit Awards, and the ever-popular Santa Claus Parade, and is often the host venue for the Black History Month Kickoff Celebration at the beginning of February. The Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate also celebrates Oakville’s Black History with a travelling exhibit as well as a permanent bilingual exhibit called, The Underground Railroad – Next Stop, Freedom!
Every November, in honour of Remembrance Day, Town Hall hosts the Shadows of War exhibit, which is generously provided by the Oakville Museum of Erchless Estate. The Oakville and Bronte legions also organize their own public Remembrance Day ceremonies in early November.
A vibrant community filled with culture and natural heritage, Oakville is renowned for its beautiful shopping districts which include the historic, yet sophisticated Downtown – one of the foremost shopping and dining destinations in Ontario – with architecturally preserved storefronts, the quaint waterfront Village of Bronte and the eclectic multicultural Kerr Village. Each shopping district offers an assortment of cafes, restaurants, spas, galleries, and nearby parks and trails to unwind and enjoy the change in seasons.
On our way back from a recent winter trip to Niagara Falls, we had no intention of just passing by Toronto on the way home. We always enjoy spending time in Canada’s largest city and look no further than right off Highway 401 and the Radisson Toronto East. We stayed at this property three years earlier and enjoyed it. The location is terrific, for it is one exit away from the Don Valley Parkway – a quick 20-minute route to the theatre district and Eaton Centre.
The Radisson is managed by the Westmont Hospitality Group, which also oversees Les Suites in Ottawa, the Hilton in Windsor and the Staybridge Suites in Oakville ( places I have stayed at).
Nestled in a corporate hub, surrounded by malls and major attractions, the hotel is precisely located at 401 and Victoria Park. All rooms have Sleep Number Beds, where the firmness of the mattress can be adjusted for your best sleeping comfort. Complimentary high-speed internet is available in each room as well. You can unwind in the bar lounge, take a splash in the indoor swimming pool or tone yourself in the fitness center. Other convenient amenities include a complimentary shuttle service to local businesses within the vicinity. There is a full-service restaurant, Le Café, and room service to take care of your taste buds. While I usually seek out a suite for my family when travelling, the Radisson Toronto East is excellent for seeking out the option of an adjoining room. We had two rooms, one with two double beds and another with a king. Upon request, we got a fridge and microwave. With a large grocery store only two blocks away we were able to stock up on our own foods to make breakfast and lunch. The rooms have comfortable desks, perfect for working on a laptop, chairs, ample cupboard and drawer space and two telephones. At the front desk, the staff is very attentive to all of your needs.
There are handicapped parking spots in the lot and the entrance is fully wheelchair accessible, leading to three good-sized elevators. Handicapped accessible rooms are available.
The exact address is 55 Hallcrown Place. You can make reservations by calling 1- 1-800-395-7046 or emailing rhi_toea@radisson.com
SHOPPING: There is plenty of shopping in the area. Near the hotel, you will find the Fairview Shopping Centre and the Yorkdale Mall. In terms of dinner and entertainment, Toronto is home to one of the phenomenal Dave and Busters (www.daveandbusters.com) franchises at 120 Interchange Way in Vaughan. This is a gigantic facility where you can “eat, drink and play.” The menu is extensive and the choice of terrific games is pretty endless. You won’t want to leave this place. If you have kids under 19, keep in mind Ontario liquor laws will force you to depart by 10 p.m.
ATTRACTIONS: Toronto has a lot of fun options year-round. Just log on to www.seetorontonow.com for many options. Of course, this place is now kind of famous for its huge musical theatre offerings. We saw the second to last showing of Rock of Ages at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Just go to www.mirvish.com to see what is playing when you are in town. If you are looking ahead to next summer, Canada’s Wonderland and the Toronto Zoo are musts. So is Ontario Place.
If you plan to visit the CN Tower (www.cntower.ca), the world’s tallest building during the busier summer season, the following are a few suggestions from marketing director Irene Knight to shorten or eliminate any potential wait times at the CN Tower and also some cost saving tips: the busiest season to visit is from May to October so come outside of these months and you can usually avoid any potential waits; from May to October, the busiest time of the day is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m; CityPass provides express elevation to see the world-famous LookOut and Glass Floor observation levels at the CN Tower; Total Tower is a “do it all” CN Tower ticket providing express elevation to the Look Out and Glass Floor observation levels at the CN Tower as well as admission to all the attractions available here; online ticket purchases allow you to go directly to the ticketholder line and avoid the box office. At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), it is the world’s tallest building, a Wonder of the Modern World, an important telecommunications hub, the centre of tourism in Toronto and a first-class dining and event centre. Each year, approximately two million people visit. Each year, approximately two million people visit.
The Ontario Science Centre (www.ontariosciencecentre.ca) is barrier-free, offering extra-wide parking, free wheelchairs and strollers, wheelchair seating in the Shoppers Drug Mart® OMNIMAX® Theatre and Imperial Oil Auditorium, barrier-free elevators, a washroom for special needs persons and safe areas of refuge in case of emergency. Their Access Guide for Visually Impaired Persons lists exhibits that can be experienced through touch, taste, hearing and smell. Organizations serving disabled people are admitted for free to the Ontario Science Centre, as part of a registered program of therapy. Escorts of disabled visitors are admitted free to the Ontario Science Centre.
Ontario Place (www.ontarioplace.com) is an internationally acclaimed cultural, leisure and entertainment parkland, extending throughout three man-made islands along the Lake Ontario waterfront. It opened in May 1971 and features a five-pod pavilion complex- The Forum, pedal boats, a marina, restaurants and the world’s first permanent IMAX®theatre, the Cinesphere. Built as a showcase for the province of Ontario, this is a great spot to cool off in the summer thanks to Soak City. Toronto’s biggest outdoor waterpark, it features the Pink Twister, Purple Pipeline and Hydrorefuge water slides, as well as the Rush River Ride which allows up to four people to go down Rush River’s eight-story tower in a giant yellow raft. Soak City is also home to Canada’s tallest tipping bucket. There are some 30 other fabulous attractions to explore here, including a variety of rides and live shows on stage.
Canada’s Wonderland (www.canadas-wonderland.com) is Canada’s premier theme park and features over 200 attractions, more than 60 thrilling rides, North America’s greatest variety of roller coasters, and Splash Works, a 20-acre water park featuring over two million gallons of heated water fun. Check out The Plunge, Supersoaker, The Lazy River, and Pumphouse. The park, located in suburban Vaughn just off Highway 400, opens in early May and closes on Canadian Thanksgiving Day Weekend.
Mike Cohen’s e-mail address is info@mikecohen.ca. Log on to www.sandboxworld/travel for his online travel advice.
Who does not love the Vermont city of Burlington? Less than two hours from Montreal, it features great shopping, good places to eat and fabulous accommodations. It is also a great place to stay during the ski season as you are near some superb hills, notably in Stowe.
When I was young my family went to Burlington each summer for an extended stay. Looking to break up the drive home from Cape Cod last summer, I decided to extend our family vacation with a few days in Burlington.
Your Vermont vacation is sure to include a stop on Burlington’s award-winning Church Street Marketplace (www.churchstmarketplace.com) pedestrian mall! With over 100 retail shops, restaurants and street vendors, this a popular destination for shopping, dining and people-watching. A recipient of the prestigious Great American Main Street Award, the Marketplace is recognized as one of the most successful pedestrian malls in the country.
Burlington Town Center (www.burlingtontowncenter.com) is considered Burlington’s premier indoor shopping center, featuring an exciting retail mix including J.Crew, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Ann Taylor Loft, Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie, Aéropostale, Gap/Gap Kids/Baby Gap, Crabtree & Evelyn and Macy’s Department Store.
Then there is University Mall (www.umallvt.com), Vermont’s largest enclosed shopping center, with over 70 shops and services. Here you can choose from a major selection of major department stores like JC Penney, Sears and the Bon-Ton. Within walking distance, you’ll find HomeGoods, Hannaford Food & Drug, the Sears Automotive Center and one of the most fresh-looking IHOP restaurants I have ever dined at. Plus, there is plenty of free parking!
The Burlington region offers outdoor activities from lake-based kayaking, fishing and sailing to mountain-based hiking, cycling and skiing – and everything in between. Spend your time in Vermont enjoying the area’s fantastic dining, shopping, concerts and special events. Unwind in one of the area’s many excellent hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and resorts. And, of course, enjoy the spectacular natural beauty of Vermont’s Lake Champlain and Green Mountains.
Northern Lights, Vermont’s premier cruise boat, offers daily scenic, lunch and brunch cruises. Weekly dinner cruises including entertainment. This floating venue is an ideal setting for weddings, anniversaries, corporate functions and special events or to simply enjoy the spectacular beauty of Lake Champlain. Departing from the King Street Ferry Dock from May through October.
The Flynn Theatre is a 1,453-seat art-deco treasure and 150-seat “black box” facility hosting over 100 world-class live performances annually – broadway, dance, music (jazz, classical, pop, folk, world), cutting-edge, family and student matinees.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We stayed somewhere new for me. The Doubletree Hotel Burlington (www.doubletreevt.com) is just off I-89 on Williston Road and near the airport. I was struck immediately by what a large and attractive property this was. All standard guestrooms include the Sweet Dreams bed, coffeemaker, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, refrigerator, easy chair, in-room remote printing, Lodgenet with web access and Game Cube, speakerphone and complimentary wireless high-speed internet access. In the suites, there is the main bedroom with a king-size bed, a pullout couch, a working desk with two chairs and two flat-screen televisions. There is a pool, connected to an outdoor patio and an onsite restaurant (Trader Duke’s).
We were greeted with hot chocolate chip cookies upon checking in.
General Manager Rick Milliken has been in the local hotel industry for 32 years and converted the hotel from a Clarion to a Doubletree in 2005, at which time 33 suites were constructed. There are 161 guest rooms in all. You can leave your car here for two weeks when using the nearby airport for a charge of only $25.
DINING OUT: The Sadie Katz Delicatessen (www.sadiekatzdeli.com) is located at 189 Bank Street, just off Church. It is the closest thing the city has to a kosher restaurant. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch there. Owner Glenn Walter opened the place two and a half years ago and the Jewish-style diner has a loyal following. You can enjoy Meredith Mann’s Matzoh Ball Soup, a chopped chicken liver plate, latkes, and knishes. While the fresh deli sandwiches are their specialty, they also have a nice breakfast menu.
One of the more established fish restaurants in town is Shanty on the Shore (www.shantyontheshore.com), located at 181 Battery Street overlooking Lake Champlain. Open from 11 a.m. daily, the restaurant is owned by the husband and wife team of Al and Kim Gobeille. There is free parking, which is a bonus, and a menu that features excellent clam chowder, tasty appetizers, plenty of seafood, chicken, steaks, sandwiches and some tantalizing desserts. General Manager Christian Chardin and his staff merit some applause for the way they will break open a lobster for you and serve it minus any shells. A lot of restaurants won’t go to that trouble. Ask if Big Al’s Platter is available on the night you dine. It consists of flounder, shrimp, clams and either fries, baked potato, or rice.
For those looking for some standard fish options, there is broiled haddock, classic Boston scrod, grilled Atlantic salmon and grilled swordfish. For dessert, save some room for the fabulous Shanty pie – silky chocolate mousse with chocolate crust and whipped cream on top. For reservations call 802-864-0238.
My family and I recently returned from our first trip to Cape Cod in six years. Based on previous experience I started the process of booking accommodations in January. We began our summer vacation with a four-night stay at the Red Jacket Beach Resort (www.redjacketresorts.com) in beautiful South Yarmouth and what an excellent choice this was. We actually squeezed an additional full day at the beach by packing our car up before checkout time, keeping our safety deposit box and requesting the front desk to place our cooler of perishables in their fridge. That turned out to be an excellent decision.
Nothing can quite compare to this locale. Situated directly on the beach, we secured a spacious family room with a balcony overlooking the ocean and only seconds from the heated outdoor and indoor pool, the latter of which also has a whirlpool. You can practice your swing on the private tennis court or enjoy a quiet afternoon game of shuffleboard. There is also a spa on the premises. Wireless internet is available throughout the complex and in each room. The resort has 150 guest rooms and 14 cottages totaling 164 total guest units.
The convenience of being able to go back and forth to your room cannot be understated. Upon entering the private beach you are provided with towels, beach chairs and umbrellas. Because this is the South Side of the Cape the water is exceptionally warm. The hotel is humming with different family activities. You can also choose from a variety of water sports offered by Gold Coast Parasail (www.goldcoastparasail.com). We opted in favor of the jet ski ($115 plus $15 per passenger) and banana boat ($25 per person for 20 minutes) options. Just a mile down the road from the Red Jacket are sister properties the Blue Water and Riviera Beach Resorts. The former is where we went for the banana boat ride, which I strongly recommend. You need to actually swim over to the boat, which found kind of cool.
Gold Coast Parasail is operated by Kurt Kossman and his wife Sarah. Kurt, 39, is also a race car driver. One of the most amazing aspects of his successful career is the fact that he lost his left leg to cancer in 1988. Kurt was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and had to have an above-the-knee amputation. Even with the amputation, Kurt was given only a 30 percent chance of survival. He underwent 13 months of chemotherapy and through strength and perseverance, he survived. While in the hospital Kurt designed a unique prosthetic so that he could shift the race car flawlessly and continue his racing career. He parasails, jet skis and in the winter skis down the steepest hills of snow. His message to others in his predicament? “You have to learn to adapt. It definitely changes the way you do things. “ The staff here aim to please. Ken Smith, director of operations for the Red Jacket group, has been with the company for 25 years while Red Jacket Beach general manager Thomas Moore has been on board for a decade. As explained, every effort is made to organize different activities for the kids such as hermit crab races. There are evening buffets, with live music.
You can call 1-800-CAPECOD or email info@redjacketresorts.com.
The area: Three villages make up the 17 square mile town of Yarmouth: West Yarmouth, Yarmouthport, and South Yarmouth. Each village has a distinctive character formed by over 350 years of history. A community shaped by its seaside heritage, Yarmouth has retained much historic charm while integrating the present into its surroundings. To gain a true perspective of this town you must stray from the major roadways of Route 6 and 28 that traverse from Hyannis to the West and Dennis to the East. Yarmouth is the second oldest town on Cape Cod, and it is filled with historic charm.
Yarmouth’s rich history has grown a Cape Cod seaside community that offers a potpourri of activities for area vacationers. For the outdoor-minded, Yarmouth boasts 15 of Cape Cod’s finest fresh and saltwater beaches to laze away the days, four golf courses challenging all levels, 14 tennis courts for the more active, and many hiking, and conservation trails. Yarmouth truly has something for everyone. On the Northside in Yarmouth Port, tree-lined historic Route 6A hosts an array of country inns and quaint bed and breakfasts, complemented by antique and craft shops. The Southside along Route 28 offers the hustle and bustle of a summertime resort town, from factory outlet shopping to sea lion shows to the most adventurous mini-golf.
West Yarmouth offers the visitor a variety of family attractions, various lodging establishments, beaches and fine restaurants. West Yarmouth houses the historic Baxter Grist Mill, a 27-hole public golf course, miniature golf, trampolines, a small children’s petting zoo, fishing piers, and close proximity to island ferries. In the summer months, ride Yarmouth’s Easy Shuttle along Route 28 to public beaches, downtown Hyannis, local shops and dining establishments. West Yarmouth offers any family or individual traveler a number of exciting things to see and do. The South Yarmouth/Bass River village blends the past and present. You will find oceanfront resorts, cottages for rent, bed and breakfasts, a driving range, two 18-hole golf courses, boat tours, a windmill dating back to the 1800’s historic homes, and churches. The large Cape Cod Mall in Hyannis is an easy 15-minute drive from the hotel. That could be a little longer during the very busy traffic season.
Dining Out: When seeking out a dining spot in Yarmouth, someone pointed me to the website of the Skipper Restaurant and Chowder House (www.skipperrestaurant.com). As an old fan of the TV show Gilligan’s Island, I was immediately intrigued by Skipper’s take on the show’s theme song. The Skipper was established in 1936, and it is one of Cape Cod’s oldest waterfront restaurants with pristine views of the Nantucket sound. The Skipper Crew has made this restaurant the huge success that it is, by hard work and taking care of customers.
Owner Alan Delaney and his chefs work hard to present the finest and freshest fish you can find, Angus cuts of beef and not to mention their award-winning clam chowder. All entrees are cooked to order and they have a great kids’ menu. Located at 152 South Shore Drive, the Skipper is open from mid-April until October 31 and only minutes from the Red Jacket. Delaney bought the restaurant in 1998 and has expanded the building’s size in recent years and just added an ice cream bar. The night we went folks were lined up outside the door for tables. It is no wonder why. The chowder was superb. Ditto for the crispy calamari and my family’s selections of the skipper scampi, the seafood trio (shrimp, scallops and lobster sautéed in a saffron tomato cream sauce with rice or pasta) and a pound-a-half lobster which our waitress Miriam cut up nicely for us.
Since there are no kosher restaurants in the area, Skipper’s swordfish, haddock, salmon and yellow fin tuna are all good options. You can also choose from among the different salads or opt for a dish of angel hair pasta.
Open for lunch and dinner, you can call 508-394-7406 for reservations. The Skipper is wheelchair accessible, with a ramp at the entrance. Make sure to book a table on the first floor.
There is a marvelous restaurant chain in Massachusetts called the 99. I had never heard of it before. We went to the South Yarmouth location, got a beeper and waited 30 minutes. It has an extensive menu.
In the affluent Cape Cod town of Chatham, visitors are drawn to the expansive and magnificent beaches, the lighthouse, wildlife, nature trails, bike path, and stunning views of the ocean. Chatham (www.chathaminfo.com) has a special blend of the past and present with quaint streets lined with historic sea captains’ homes, a fine selection of historic museums, and a walking downtown area with unique shops, galleries, and restaurants.
Lodging options range from a spectacular oceanfront resort like the Chatham Bars Inn, to lovely bed and breakfast inns tucked in throughout this picturesque seaside village.
Chatham is located on the elbow of Cape Cod surrounded on three sides by water. Located halfway between Falmouth and Provincetown, it extends out to sea as the most easterly point in Massachusetts. Once a quiet farming and fishing community, Chatham has become a vibrant tourist destination. Rich in its maritime heritage, as well as a spirited New England town with a variety of small businesses, Chatham is a special place for year-round residents and visitors alike.
Chatham Bars Inn (www.chathambarsinn.com) is a gorgeous property catering to a very affluent clientele. I had the opportunity to tour the facility and then spend the day at their private beach and enjoy lunch at their Beach House Grill.
The Chatham Bars Inn has been an idyllic Cape Cod family vacation retreat noted for its excellent service, fine cuisine and beautiful surroundings since 1914. The Inn is nestled near the heart of Chatham on 25 beautifully landscaped acres overlooking Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
This world-famous turn-of-the-century landmark has a remarkable ambiance. The expansive lounge, front veranda and main dining room have been returned to their original grandeur, affording panoramic ocean views and gentle sea breezes. If you’re looking for boat charters on Cape Cod, you’ll love the top-notch fleet operated by Chatham Bars Inn. A variety of luxury boats offer unforgettable Cape Cod experiences. Memorable and unique boating excursions offered by Chatham Bars Inn include Cape Cod sunset cruises on Pleasant Bay, big game sport fishing, sailing tours, family activities, and private charters to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. You’ll also love their Cape Cod sailing packages, including the popular Cape Cod Sunset Cruises Package.
In addition to popular Cape activities such as golf, tennis, fishing, water sports, and bird watching, guests also enjoy summer beachfront theme dinners, spa treatments, and an array of children’s programs and family activities: everything you need for a summer vacation in Cape Cod. Most important, the grand tradition of relaxing in casual, unhurried comfort continues year-round at this historic Cape Cod vacation resort.
In 2007, Chatham Bars Inn completed a $14 million upgrade to the resort, including guestrooms, landscaping, dining and public facilities. They also added the Japanese gardens and a year-round relaxation pool at The Spa at Chatham Bars Inn.
In 2006 Capital Properties, the New York-based residential and commercial real estate development and management firm purchased the property for $166 million. The transaction marked the first venture into hospitality real estate for Capital Properties. “This year-round landmark resort holds a lot of personal significance for me,” said Richard Cohen, founder and president of Capital Properties. “I grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts and continue to maintain offices in Boston, so my ties to the East Coast remain strong, as does my commitment to maintaining the charm and integrity of this historic gem.”
A noted Historic Hotel of America and a member property of Leading Hotels of the World, Chatham Bars Inn is New England’s celebrated oceanfront resort and a classic Cape Cod landmark. Consistently maintained and updated since its initial construction in 1914, the historic Main Inn sits gracefully atop a seaside bluff, offering spectacular views of Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic. Two hundred and seventeen distinctively appointed guestrooms occupy this main building, including 68 sumptuous suites, each designed to preserve an elegant turn-of-the-century ambiance. There are 34 quaint Cape-style cottages offering guests an exceptional level of privacy and housing luxurious guestrooms and master suites.
Renowned as an ultimate, year-round getaway, the Inn offers a variety of meeting and banquet facilities ideal for lavish destination weddings or other special events, as well as extensive conference space equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology. Celebrated local caterers and professional event planners wrap up every necessary detail.
A Visitor Information Center is located in the town-owned David T. Bassett House, 2377 Main Street, at the intersection of Routes 28 and 137 in South Chatham. The Information Booth is located at 533 Main Street, next to Town Hall. It is under the supervision of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce and maintained by the Town of Chatham.
The sport of kings is the sport for everyone. For the boys and girls, there are flounder, and the experts match their skill against the striped bass, bluefish, and tuna. The waters of Cape Cod off Chatham offer some of the best-striped bass fishing in the world. No permit is required for saltwater fishing. There is excellent fishing in many of the freshwater ponds near Chatham. You may purchase a freshwater fishing license from the Goose Hummock Shop in Orleans at 508-255-0455. Non-resident shell fishing may be done in any area that is not marked “Closed to Shell Fishing,” but only by special fee permit available from the Permit Department on George Ryder Road. Harbor and gray seals are the most common species in Chatham, and can often be seen resting or hauled out on rock piles, ledges, sand bars, and jetties exposed during low tide around the Chatham shoals from the North Beach break-through to South Beach and Monomoy. They’re also found resting on isolated beaches, in marshes, and on floating docks at all tide stages.
The best time to see seals is within two hours of low tide on a sunny midday afternoon. Because seals cannot move well on land, during high tide they position themselves over submerged jetties. When the tide goes out they are left exposed, sitting on the jetty basking in the sun. If left undisturbed, they will stay on the rocks until the tide comes in again. If conditions are right, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 seals can be seen in the afternoons at Monomoy Island. There are several local companies offering exciting seal tours along the beautiful Chatham Harbor waterways between North Beach, Chatham Light, and the Break
Every Friday evening at 8pm from July 2 to September 3 all roads on the Cape lead to the band concert at Whit Tileston Band Stand—Kate Gould Park on Main Street in Chatham. As many as six thousand people attend these concerts, and it will be one of the highlights of your Chatham summer. There will be dance numbers for grownups, folk dances for the children, and community singing for everyone. Members of the colourfully uniformed 40-piece band live in Chatham and the surrounding towns. Each Monday evening during the winter the band meets for rehearsal. Funds for the maintenance of the band are voted on at town meetings. The band members are not paid and the concerts are their contribution to the summer life of Chatham. Don’t miss these concerts. They’re great fun!
With miles of sandy coastline, the Cape Cod towns of Eastham, Orleans and Wellfleet represent a haven for beachcombers and pail-toting youngsters. Only 25 miles up Route 6 from the bustle of shopping in Hyannis, this Gateway to the National Seashore is often referred to as the Cape’s little secret. If you are planning a holiday here, consider this area for your base.
The western border of Eastham is lined with six miles of beautiful beaches overlooking Cape Cod Bay. Just as magical as the National Seashore, Cape Cod Bay offers calmer and warmer waters, amazing flats at low tide and breathtaking sunsets. We enjoyed Coast Guard Beach, only a few blocks from our hotel. It is $15 to park your car and take a shuttle. Limited handicapped parking is available directly on the beach, where they also have beach wheelchairs. There is a free beach pass for those who are permanently disabled or legally blind.
The most notable and largest Eastham bay beach is First Encounter, the location where the native Indians first encountered the pilgrims in 1620. It’s great for kids, with its extraordinarily low tides. Buy them a net and watch as they scoop up crabs of all shapes and sizes in water up to your ankles.
Where to Stay: When we last visited this area six years ago we discovered the Four Points by Sheraton Eastham Cape Cod (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=786), a modern full-service hotel which just kind of appears before your very eyes as you travel on busy Route 6, which consists mainly of small motels. For summer trips, an early winter booking is highly recommended. Hyannis is only 45 minutes away. The hotel has beautiful indoor and outdoor swimming pools and is close to the beaches. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the indoor pool, which is beautifully heated and a fabulous place to go after returning from the beach. There is also a jacuzzi. This hotel has one of the most magnificent suites I have seen in a long time. The Nauset Suite has two separate bedrooms – one with a king bed and another with two twins. There is ample cupboard space. Each has a flat-screen television The very large living room also has a flat-screen, a couch, four comfortable cheers, two end tables, a large working desk, a dining room table for four, another clothing closet and a small kitchen with full-sized fridge, a microwave, dishes and silverware. In the bathroom, you will find a large shower with glass doors. Oh yes, let me tell you about the balcony. It is gigantic, with two lounge chairs, two picnic tables and 10 plastic chairs – ideal for entertaining friends or family. This is traditionally used for businessmen, as the hotel hosts a lot of conferences. But for a family seeking good space for everyone, this is a luxury.
The free wireless high-speed internet is indeed “high speed” and faster than what most other hotels offer.
There is also great service from the front desk, starting with the printout of descriptions and directions to the local beaches.
This hotel also has a fitness facility, a game room, refrigerators and coffee makers in each standard room, an on-site restaurant (Bellamy’s) and five meeting rooms in case you want to hold a company conference here. The front desk will get you anything you need, be it a dining reservation, tickets to a show, or a car rental. Check out the Cape Cod Rail Trail Bicycle Trail, only 100 feet away.
The hotel has two rooms with a roll-in shower and five handicapped-accessible rooms in all, located on the first floor. They have wider doorways, raised commodes, hearing-impaired smoke detectors and lowered thermostats, etc. The hotel also has TTY equipment and closed captions on all televisions. General Manager Jacqui Frost says all staff is required to watch a video on disabilities to have a better understanding of guests with disabilities and how best to accommodate them.
Hyannis is a town made famous by the Kennedy family. The Kennedy Compound can be seen from afar and is always under tight security.
There are 100 miles of splendid public beaches in Barnstable County. On the quiet north side is Sandy Neck, an eight-mile-long barrier beach with dunes, beach grasses and marshlands alongside Cape Cod Bay; to the south are the warm waters of Nantucket Sound and popular Craigville Beach; Kalmus Beach, where windsurfing is available; Orrin Keyes or Sea Street Beach and sheltered Veterans Beach, which I personally would not recommend. A major summer highlight is the Barnstable County Fair (wwwbarnstablecountyfair.org), which takes place annually at the end of July. This is an extraordinary experience, featuring a variety of shows, exhibits, concerts, food, animals and carnival rides. The petting zoo and livestock displays are an experience, especially for the younger ones. They’ll also enjoy the 40-minute circus show. The large fairgrounds where this event takes place are in East Falmouth, a mere 11 miles from Hyannis. However, given the fact you must take one-lane Routes 28 and 151 to get there, the drive there will be very long unless you depart early.
Cape Cod (www.capecodchamber.org) is located in the midst of a major migration pattern for saltwater fish, which provides for a plenitude of fishing from early spring until late fall. The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce really does a marvelous job promoting this area. Get a copy of their official guide before you start planning your trip. They also produce an excellent restaurant book (www.capecoddiningguide.com) and offer gift certificates for travel, dining and shopping.
In addition to the beaches, fishing, golf and kite flying, the Hyannis area has playgrounds, miniature golf courses, bike paths, tennis and racquetball clubs, windsurfing beaches and a bowling facility. There are amusement centers located on Main Street and Route 132. Be sure to allow some time to sample some of the area’s fine retail shops and art galleries and the very large Cape Cod Mall. In addition to the historic Hyannis Main Street Waterfront District, investigate the 100-plus stores in the climate-controlled Cape Cod Mall on Route 132. There is also Cape Town Plaza, Southwind Plaza, and Festival at Hyannis along the same route as well as the wonderfully imaginative Christmas Tree Promenade. The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum is a multimedia exhibit designed to open a window into the days JFK spent on Cape Cod. The exhibit features over 80 photographs spanning the years 1934 to 1963 and is arranged in thematic groupings to reflect John F. Kennedy, his family, his friends and the Cape Cod he so dearly loved. In addition to photography, a video narrated by Walter Cronkite depicts the president’s experiences on the Cape. Several themed areas include charged oral histories of JFK’s friends.
Before you go, log on to www.kidsonthecape.com and check out the best guide for parents and grandparents available in the region. You can order a hard copy by mail, which I strongly recommend, allowing you to plan your trip accordingly. Copies are free once you arrive. Inside you will find a wide array of activities and attractions, such as the Cape Cod Children’s Museum (www.capecodchildrensmuseum.pair.org). .
Nestled between spectacular Nauset Beach on the Atlantic and tranquil Skaket Beach on Cape Cod Bay, Orleans offers something for everyone. One of the primes draws in Orleans is its Academy of Performing Arts (www.apacape.org), Cape Cod’s finest quality theatre and studio. Located at 120 Main Street in what was once Orleans Town Hall, the Academy Playhouse delivers the best drama, musicals, comedies and original works you can find on the Cape. It is a year-round source of great entertainment for all ages. Established in 1975, this non-profit organization is dedicated to producing high-quality performances and nurturing the artistic development of our community. Last summer my family and I attended a performance of Rent. I must tell you that I am still humming the songs to this day. This is not an easy show to put together, with 36 songs in all, but the young cast pulled it off beautifully.
The cozy 162-seat theatre, which captures the essence of the live theatrical experience, hosted an enthusiastic crowd the evening my family was in attendance. The cast is all volunteers, hoping for future stage careers. Take Nic Chad for instance. The 19-year-old was the “Season’s of Love: soloist. At my hotel, the Four Points Sheraton in Eastham, there was Nic working behind the front desk. He spoke about what a thrill it is to be part of this theatre group. “We rehearsed for two months straight and we the show six days a week,” he said. “It is a great experience. We all want careers in this business. I will be pursuing mine by going to school in Los Angeles.”
I would strongly recommend you make a visit to the Playhouse part of your itinerary. It is fully air-conditioned, something which was not the case six years ago when I last visited.
The Playhouse is not presently wheelchair accessible. You need to climb stairs to get to your seats. Plans are now in place to mount a rigorous capital campaign to restore the front of the theatre, as well as to provide ADA-compliant handicap accessibility by installing an elevator
Dining Out: The top restaurant on our list from the last trip was the Orleans Waterfront Inn (www.orleansinn.com). Right on Route 6A, in a beautiful setting overlooking the water and next to Windmill Park. Just like last time we made this our dinner prior to going to the theatre. Our waitress Kara, an aspiring performer herself, was wonderful in getting us our dinner in enough time for us to get to the show on time.
This is a family-owned establishment. Ed Maas, his wife Laurie and their eight children have all played a role in making this historic property a must-stop since purchasing it 14 years ago. The restaurant offers the finest menus, from a varied selection of fresh local seafood, produce and grill specialties. There is a kid’s menu, offering everything from chicken fingers and burgers to pasta and pizza. Homemade desserts, specifically the chocolate layer cake, are to die for. If you order lobster, this place will crack it up for you. Also, try the clam chowder.
Ed’s two twin daughters and his eldest son now manage the restaurant. Three of his children were adopted and each of them has special needs. Two work at the restaurant, which is fully wheelchair accessible with a ramp at the front.
The Inn itself was built in 1875 and eventually served as a boarding house, a summer vacation hotel and a restaurant. While it presently boasts 11 beautiful guest rooms, the place is mainly used for weddings and corporate functions in the elegant downstairs Cove Room. It leads to the waterfront deck and has a seating capacity of 150. Ed Maas told me that there have been many Jewish Simchas held at the Inn. Ed’s brother Fred is the chief of police in Sunny Isles, Florida, the home of a large Jewish community.
Dinner on the evening we went was delicious: clam chowder, an appetizer of seafood cakes, a 12-ounce teriyaki ginger-crusted sirloin steak, lobster and scallops. The triple-layer chocolate cake was perfect to share for three. Ed was busy attending to two of his grandchildren. He has four in all and a fifth on the way.
There are no kosher restaurants in Orleans, but the Inn offers a number of salads and items such as grilled Atlantic salmon, fish and chips and pasta.
Also worth checking out is Hearth and Kettle, a small Cape Cod chain of restaurants that serves breakfast items from morning until close. They have an extensive menu with other options as well. We ate at the Orleans location on West Road, located in a large strip mall with Shaw’s grocery store.
A huge Stop & Shop grocery store is across the street from the Orleans Inn. It is conveniently opened till midnight and has everything and more you wish to stock your fridge with. A CVS Pharmacy is just a few more blocks up the road.
Mini-Golf: The Lower Cape’s largest and best 18-hole mini-golf course is located right at the Orleans Rotary (next to Wendy’s). Cape Escape Adventure Golf (www.capeescapeadventures.com) is operated by the McCarty family and has the backdrop of a beautiful nautical setting, featuring waterfalls, fishing vessels and live koi fish you are encouraged to feed. Michael McCarty has been working at the course for 19 years since he was 12. It is open from April until October ( 9 a.m. until the last group enters the course at 10:30 p.m.). We really enjoyed the ambiance. The course itself was fun. Good music played in the background and everyone was friendly. Each hole is named after a different town in Cape Cod, with Plymouth, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket added in for good measure. While individuals in wheelchairs cannot navigate this course, McCarty says clients with crutches have managed to complete the course. There have also been many visually impaired individuals as customers.
The McCarty clan actually operates this entire block. Across the street are Mike’s Bike Rental, Mandy’s Cape Creamery and the Cape Tradewinds gift and beach shop. Make sure to give this spot a visit the next time you are in this part of the Cape.
A trip to Cape Cod is not complete without exploring Provincetown (www.provincetowntourismoffice.org)—literally the last town on the Cape until you run out of land.
Located 120 miles from Boston along the National Seashore on the outermost tip of Cape Cod and surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Cod Bay, Provincetown is a year-round destination with a fascinating history and extraordinary qualities. From incredible beaches and boundless natural beauty to an eclectic arts and culture scene and world-class dining and shopping, Provincetown offers something for each of the diverse visitors it hosts throughout the year.
The entire Atlantic Ocean coastline of Cape Cod was preserved as the Cape Cod National Seashore Park (CCNSP) by then President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Provincetown – better known as Ptown – is bounded by the sea on three sides at the tip of Cape Cod and two thirds of the town’s natural resources are managed by the CCNS. From Long Point to the town line, the Cape Cod National Seashore provides miles of federally protected and preserved seashore, ponds, and woods. The CCNS is run by the National Park Service with the dual goal of protecting precious, ecologically fragile land, while allowing the public to enjoy incredible resources. Opportunities abound for swimming, picnicking, beach walking, dune hiking, biking, bird watching and viewing Ptown’s famous sunsets – one of the few places on the East Coast where it’s possible to see the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean. Dune tours of the National Seashore are offered by Art’s Dune Tours and are a fantastic way to experience the dune landscape. A tour highlight is viewing the legendary dune shacks that were widely used by playwright Eugene O’Neil and poet Harry Kemp. For the hardy and adventuresome, hiking the dunes on foot is possible by entering at the Snail Road entrance. (www.nps.gov/caco/index.htm)
CCNSP is also home to the Old Harbor Life Saving Station, one of three of the original 13 life saving stations on Cape Cod. These oceanfront buildings were equipped to launch a rescue into the surf to pull survivors from sailing ships that had landed on the sand bars 1,000 feet off shore. It is open to visitors and is the only Life Saving Station where life saving history is preserved. A ‘breeches buoy’ rescue is re-enacted by Park Rangers every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. during the summer season. (www.nps.gov/maritime/park/oldhbrls.htm)
During the 19th century the only human dwellers in the Provincetown Dunes were transient campers from Provincetown who fished and hunted there seasonally, the lighthouse keepers and their families, and the hardy men who manned the Life Saving Stations and patrolled the beaches for shipwrecked sailors. The Life Saving service eventually evolved into the Coast Guard, but the CCNSP has moved an authentic 19th century Life Saving Station from Chatham to Race Point Beach to provide a permanent exhibit of the seminal government service which has saved many thousands of lives.
Besides these mariners, there were artists, writers, and playwrights who found creative space in dune shacks in the early 20th century and lived, mostly in isolation from each other, during the warmer months. Today a local non-profit, Peaked Hill Trust, manages the shacks for CCNSP and offers week-long stays at affordable rates in a lottery system.
Art’s Dune Tours (www.artsdunetours.com/index.html) is the only tour company offering four wheel drive access to the dunes. Art Costa began giving “dune buggy” tours in 1946. Today, the tours are given using modern SUVs and arrangements can be made for lobster bakes, and sunset and champagne tours. Tours depart daily from the center of town. For the hardy and adventuresome, hiking the dunes on foot is possible by entering at the Snail Road entrance. The hike in takes approximately 40 minutes, but is rewarded with incredible vistas and the quiet of the giant dunes.
Provincetown is surrounded on three sides by water and is home to some of the best beaches in the country, most of which are accessible by bike trails. At Herring Cove Beach, which is one mile from town, there is beautiful sand, gentle surf for swimming, opportunities for spotting whales in the distance, ample facilities, and great sunsets. Bonfires are allowed with a permit. Race Point Beach, which is two miles from town, is great for families for its Atlantic Ocean surf, facilities, and lifeguard station. Long Point is a local beach favorite. It’s literally at the end of Cape Cod, has a lighthouse, and offers splendid beaches for sunning, swimming, and picnicking. It can be accessed by walking across the West End Breakwater near the Provincetown Inn or by a shuttle boat that runs regularly during the season both from MacMillian Pier and Flyer’s Boatyard in the West End.
The recently renovated National Seashore Bike Trails, particularly the Province Lands Trail, provide unparalleled biking adventures – the bonus is the spectacular views of dunes, forest, ponds and the ocean along the way. Bike trails lead to Herring Cove and Race Point Beaches for swimming and sunning. Biking in and around town is free and easy. Commercial Street, Ptown’s main street, is “one way” for cars, but “two way” for bikes. Rentals shops are located on Commercial Street.
Provincetown is the closest port to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS), a federally protected marine habitat that is home to an amazing variety of marine life, including whales, dolphins, sea turtles, deep sea fish, and sea birds. Its proximity to SBNMS makes Provincetown one the best places in the world to whale watch. Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch, a family run whale watch company since 1975, worked with the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies (PCCS), an internationally-known marine organization, to develop incredible science-based excursions to SBNMS. Today Dolphin Fleet has its own public education and research program run by Dr. Carole Carlson, a leader in the large marine mammal conservation internationally. Trips are appropriate and enjoyable for people of all ages. (www.whalewatch.com)
Shiver your timbers with the jewels and treasures recovered by world-renowned explorer Barry Clifford. Clifford discovered the pirate ship, the Whydah, which sunk off the coast of Provincetown in 1717. The Whydah is the only verified pirate shipwreck ever discovered. Recommended for “ages 6-98” visitors will learn how the discovery took place, how artifacts were rescued off the ocean floor, and how pirates lived and died. All of the excitement unfolds at the end of Macmillan Pier in the Expedition Whydah Sea Lab and Learning Center. (www.whydah.com)
The Pilgrim Monument, which commemorates the Pilgrim’s First Landing in the New World, is the largest granite structure in the United States, and the adjacent museum houses a collection of Provincetown art, artifacts, history, and culture. After a history lesson on Provincetown, climb to the top of the granite structure for beautiful views of Provincetown and beyond. The monument opens for special, free events during the off-season: Lightings before Thanksgiving (always the Wednesday before Thanksgiving) and during President’s Day/Valentine’s Day weekend, and on April 1st, April Fools Day and PMPM’s Opening Day. (www.pilgrim-monument.org)
No visit to Provincetown is complete without seeing the town’s historic and beautiful library. A replica of the famous schooner, The Rose Dorothea, is exhibited in the library, which offers gorgeous views of the harbor. It also contains a great children’s section, is open on Sundays, and offers free internet access. (www.ptownlib.com)
Dining Out: Bubala’s By The Bay (www.bubalas.com),at 183 Commercial Street, not only has a delightful menu for all three meals of the day. It also offers free parking, a true luxury on what is the best place for people watching in town. Before or after dining, take a walk and check out all of the interesting shops. You can also log on to (www.provincetownpocketbook.com) and order this neat little publication.
Bubala’s began in 1993 upstairs at the Cafe Edwige. Noreen Bahring ran the floor and Rose Kennedy was the executive chef. Bubala’s moved to its current location at the beginning of the West End of Provincetown in 1994. John Yingling is the owner, Liz Roberts runs the bar and floor, Tom Conklin is the general manager, and Gui Yingling is the kitchen manager. They even have a chef named Mike Cohen, who I was unsuccessful in meeting the night we went.
The clam chowder is outstanding. I would also recommend the Cajun calamari as an appetizer while the grilled lamb rack cuts like butter and is very tasty. The pan seared scallops and cod in parchment are also worth considering. A children’s menu for those 12 and under includes penne pasta, pasta alfredo, pasta with tomato sauce and chicken fingers.
There is a nice selection of homemade desserts to choose from, notably the chocolate truffle torte.
Wellfleet on Cape Cod offers something for everyone. Located some 30 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean, Wellfleet has an abundance of quaint seaside character and charm. Bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the west by Cape Cod Bay, 61 percent of the land area of Wellfleet is in the Cape Cod National Seashore Park. Wellfleet has a total upland area of approximately 13,100 acres (20.47 square miles). Of this total, about 8,000 acres (12.5 square miles) are within the Seashore boundaries, leaving 5,100 acres (8 square miles) outside.
The miles of beautiful sandy beaches are perfect for swimming, surfing, flying a kite or just relaxing. If you’re willing to walk a short distance, you can enjoy complete solitude on your own private beach.
The calmer waters of Cape Cod Bay and their harbor are a haven for boating, windsurfing, kayaking, swimming, and fishing. Don’t miss taking a refreshing dip in one of the many cool, clear, fresh water kettle ponds! If biking or hiking is what you’re looking for, there are many miles of trails both in the National Seashore and at the 1000 acre Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. So you’d rather go shopping? The quaint Central Village area offers a wide array of fine art galleries, and shops all within a short walk.
This unique town offers a variety of lodging choices including motels, bed and breakfasts, cottages and houses to rent and country inns. The comfort of Wellfleet motel and lodge accommodations will make your beach vacation complete. Dining can be anything from fried clams on the beach to white tablecloth restaurants. After dinner you can catch a movie, a theatre performance or live music ranging from classical to rock, or you can head down to the harbor for one of Wellfleet’s spectacular sunsets.
Do you prefer to travel in the quieter months? Wellfleet is usually blessed with great weather through October; most businesses are still open, crowds have dissipated, the beaches are nearly deserted. We celebrate the end of each season with a send up of our world famous shellfish at the Wellfleet Oyster Festival on the weekend following Columbus Day. Come join the fun!
The Wellfleet Drive-in, Mini-Golf, Flea Market and Cinemas (www.wellfleetcinemas.com) , located right on Route 6, are a popular spot. You can call 508-349-7176 for more details. There is also the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (WHAT) , Julie Harris Stage & WHAT For Kids (www.what.org) at 2357 Route 6 & 1 which we did not have a chance to experience this trip in.
Dining Out: We did venture to Wellfleet for dinner. Van Rensselaer’s (www.vanrensselaers.com) has been family owned and operated for over 35 years. In 1968, Howard and Anne Hall opened Southfleet Restaurant , serving a variety of Cape Cod fare. Many a customer today recalls those summer nights when a Wellfleet entertainer by the name of Arnie would fill the place with song. But 1980 marked the beginning of Van Rensselaer’s, a name chosen from Peter Hall’s Dutch ancestry. A trace of the family line leads to Steven Van Rensselaer, a name highly associated with New York’s Rensselaer County and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Today, Peter and Diane Hall proudly continue to serve the freshest locally caught seafood and superbly prepared meats. As Peter told me, his wife was originally a dental hygienist before they were married and assumed running the restaurant from April until October. It is fully wheelchair accessible, with an accessible washroom as well.
Van Rensselaer’s hosts two to three special wine dinners each year – generally, one in the spring and two in the fall. These five-course dinners are a wonderful opportunity to try some innovative, new wines paired with some delicious and creative courses from their chef and kitchen staff.
Located on State Highway 6 in South Wellfleet, opposite the entrance road to the Marconi area of the Cape Cod National Seashore, the restaurant actually draws diners from as far away as New Hampshire who drive in for the evening. My family enjoyed a wonderful dinner. The virgin pina colada was a quenching beginning while the salad bar and homemade New England clam chowder were excellent. We were urged to try the house speciality appetizer, lobster cakes, a creation of Peter’s brother-in-law. They were spectacular. For the main course I would recommend the barbeque beef short ribs, braised in red wine, green and wax bean sauté, corn bread and zesty barbeque sauce or the one and one quarter outer cape roasted lobster.
There are no kosher restaurants in Wellfleet, but Van Rensselaer’s has some excellent fish choices: the baked chatham scrod, with lightly seasoned crumbsm, fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes is light. Ditto for the sword fish, salmon and the tuna. For the kids there is a cute and low priced menu offering grilled cheese, hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, fried chicken tenders or penne pasta with marinara sauce.
If you are looking for a casual meal with plenty of choices, check out PJ’s. It is also on Route 6. Here you line up at the counter, select a meal and wait for your number to be called.
A destination once famous – or infamous – as the top U.S. Spring Break haven, Greater Fort Lauderdale today stands as South Florida’s transformation story and one of the most revitalized destinations in the country. During its peak in the mid-1980s, Spring Break in Greater Fort Lauderdale attracted some 400,000 college students over a six-week period, a non-stop party where motel railings were used as pool diving boards and the area’s beautiful golden sand beaches were left littered with beer cans and cigarette butts.
It took a dedicated effort to bid Spring Break adieu. Despite concerns from local businesses that thrived on the annual phenomena, a public and private sector initiative was created to rid the destination of Spring Break for good. The hospitality industry expanded, modernized and improved. Millions were spent on new hotel developments and upgrades. New facilities such as the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the 600,000-square-foot Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center were built. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport – which now stands as the fastest growing large airport in the U.S. over the past decade – was greatly expanded and Port Everglades emerged as the country’s top luxury cruise port.
Today, Spring Break has been transformed into beach chic. Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Blue Wave beaches – so certified for their outstanding beauty and cleanliness – have been complemented by upscale hotels and a wide variety of top attractions and activities. Casual, yet sophisticated, Greater Fort Lauderdale is South Florida’s renaissance story. Trendy boutiques and luxury retailers line Las Olas Boulevard, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s unofficial “Main Street,” and the upscale Galleria mall is the result of a recent $100 million renovation. More than 60 golf courses make the destination a golfer’s paradise. Attractions such as Butterfly World – the largest butterfly aviary in North America – and the natural wonder of the Everglades bring visitors in touch with nature and native culture. A three-tiered coral reef system and more than 75 wreck sites draw novice and expert scuba divers, while kayaking, parasailing, kiteboarding and snorkeling entertain those looking to stay above water.
Need proof of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s transformation? Just head to the Intracoastal Waterway, where some 42,000 registered yachts make Greater Fort Lauderdale the yachting capital of the world. Or see an acclaimed exhibit at the Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale. Or dine at one of the destination’s trendy nightspots or chic restaurants.
Two of my favorite Greater Fort Lauderdale destinations relate to shopping. Sawgrass Mills at 12801 W. Sunrise Blvd. is simply Florida’s largest retail and entertainment center , featuring 350 name-brand stores, outlets, restaurants cinemas and entertainment venues and home to Wannado City, America’s first indoor role-playing theme park for kids!
The Swap Shop , at 3291 W. Sunrise Bvd is the largest indoor-outdoor flea market in South Florida, featuring an air-conditioned entertainment and food court area and a 14 screen drive-in theatre.
The new Greater Fort Lauderdale is a vibrant, year-round destination offering more than 33,000 hotel rooms at a variety of hotels, resorts, and Superior Small Lodgings, plus several new upscale resorts opening soon. More than ten million annual visitors enjoy Greater Fort Lauderdale’s 23 miles of Blue Wave Beaches, 300+ miles of inland waterways that run from the Intracoastal to the Everglades, 4,000 restaurants, top shopping, and a thriving arts and culture scene. For more information, contact the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 22-SUNNY or visit ( www.sunny.org ).
DINING OUT: I must admit that a particular fish restaurant proved to me the real draw. Many people I know had been raving about the 15th Street Fisheries ( www.15streetfisheries.com ) , a Fort Lauderdale legacy since 1979. It is located at Lauderdale Marina (1900 SE 15th Street), providing a spectacular view of the Intracoastal Waterway. In addition to their world-famous award-winning cuisine, the location is by far one of the best in South Florida. You just can’t get closer to the water or to the nautical history of the area. Dine here above the docks where a daily parade of boats keeps the vistas fresh. We sat in a room called “The Porch.” Manager Guillermo Puthon, who just a few years ago worked on the cruiselines, pointed to some large fish swimming below. The large tarpons are fed by customers throughout each day. This is quite a sight, especially at night. Lights have conveniently been installed at the bottom of the water. There are some other pretty fish to view upon your entry. And just in case you wondered, there is no fishing permitted here.
Against miles of open water and sky, the nautical show unfolds. Gulls tip their wings to yachts sailing the calm waters of the Intracoastal. Giant silver tarpon leap along the dock. Boaters in the know tie up at the pier, a favorite table in sight. Winter, spring, summer and fall, the 15th Street Fisheries – just a water taxi ride away -always feels like home.
Emphasizing seafood, the restaurant offers a casual dining environment on the lower floor, featuring sandwiches, oysters and peal and eat shrimp. Upstairs dining is more formal, with an abundance of seafood appetizers and entrees, along with steaks, ribs, prime rib, and chicken as well as exotic foods from around the world and local specialties.
Homemade breads, a specialty, come with a cheese-and-chive spread and they are served by a “bread girl.” Grilled mahimahi and alligator are among the more than 50 entrées. Our servers Rich and Veronica were superb, welcoming us with a unique menu displayed on a large billboard. Rich provided detailed explanations of each dish. We began with salads and some clam chowder and then decided to share an order of stone crabs as an appetizer. For the main course, three of us split a pair of two pound Maine lobsters which were beautifully pre-cut making then dining experience that much easier. The key lime pie for dessert was outstanding.
The 15th Street Fisheries is located on SE 15th Street (of course) in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. From I-95, take I-595 east to US-1 (Federal Highway). Travel north on US-1 for 1.5 miles to SE 15th Street. Turn right and go all the way to the end of the street. You’ll find us inside Lauderdale Marina Reservations are required for dining upstairs. Call 954-763-2777 Valet parking costs $2 at dinner, but it’s free at lunch.
What is there not to like about Sunny Isles Beach, the city of Sun and Sea located on a barrier island in the northeast corner of Miami-Dade County, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west. Situated midway between downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale, with easy access to business centers, Sunny Isles also includes entertainment, sports and recreational facilities, and tourist attractions. Residents and visitors can fly into either Miami International or Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International airports, or cruise into the Port of Miami or Port Everglades and be in Sunny Isles Beach within 20 to 30 minutes.
Almost one million vacationers visit Sunny Isles Beach annually to enjoy the two and a half mile-long fine sand beach and outdoor amenities such as water sports, boating, fishing, and tennis as well as the abundant shopping, dining and entertainment options nearby. Sunny Isles Beach has a significant Jewish population and enjoys close ties with its Israeli sister city of Netanya. Mayor Norman Edelcup and a number of town commissioners are Jewish. There are no shortage of synagogues in the area. The Young Israel of Sunny Isles is located at 17395 N Bay Rd while the Temple Bnai Zion is at 200 178th St. The Chabad Lubavitch of Sunny Isles Beach (www.chabadsib.org) is at 17555 Atlantic Blvd. Jewish Snowbirds also line the many condos which line Collins Avenue.
THE TRUMP: My family and I recently returned to the spectacular Trump International Beach Resort in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.
The Trump International Beach Resort is a lavish oceanfront oasis, complete with its own private and pristine beach and delightful grotto-style pool complex. This facility offers 390 over-sized guest rooms and suites, each with a private balcony and spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean or Intracoastal Waterway. Luxurious amenities at Trump International include a full-service spa and fitness center, two restaurants, three lounges, tennis, a business centre and 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting and banquet. The property opened in 2003 and has been consistently hailed as one of the best Miami Luxury hotels. It is managed by the newly-formed International Resorts Management Group.
This masterpiece was created by Donald Trump and Dezer Properties, and rises as a striking landmark to luxury amidst the white sands of South Florida. You can shop on site and at nearby boutiques that rival those of the world’s fashion centers or spend a relaxing day at the spa. There is no shortage of indulgences here.
FOR KIDS: When it comes to vacationing, kids are seeking to have the most fun. An interactive adventure designed just for the little one ages 5 to 12, “Planet Kids” is a high-energy program tailored to provide children with the opportunity to experience the many cultural and educational environments South Florida has to offer. Children are sure to enjoy the many activities that include off-property excursions, beach and pool games and arts and crafts projects. Recreation Director Tom Card and his staff play a very active role poolside. One of the highlights of each day is when Card tosses in a giant ball that the kids try to toss about.
While the kids are busy on their adventures, parents can indulge themselves and slip into a sultry oasis amidst the resort’s private stretch of pristine beachfront and its magnificent grotto-style oceanfront pool complex. Adults are invited to enjoy a taste of the tropics at Gili’s Pool Bar featuring a sensational Piña Colada menu promoting an extensive list of twelve one-of-a-kind Piña Colada concoctions or check out the trendy Lime Lounge featuring nightly entertainment and a selection of tapas and specialty cocktails.
Guests can also unwind at the resort’s cutting-edge full-service spa, Aquanox. The spa’s extensive menu includes an array of the following treatments: customized spa packages, massages, facials, body treatments, enhancements and waxing. Accommodating the most discriminating palates, especially those little picky eaters, the Trump International Beach Resort offers a variety of dining options where the whole family can spend time together over delicious cuisine. The resort offers Neomi’s Grill, a Mobil Award-winning restaurant featuring American and tropical-inspired fare in an elegant yet casual oceanfront setting and the Lime Lounge, serving a light, casual lunch and appetizers. While soaking up the sun, families can enjoy a poolside meal at Gili’s Pool Bar featuring a delightful menu of lighter fare with the added luxury of spectacular ocean views.
THE CABANA EXPERIENCE: For the true experience of luxury, try to reserve the new pool and beach cabana food and beverage experience. I cannot understate how strongly I recommend it. We have been fortunate to experience this on more than one occasion.
The over-sized air conditioned cabanas redefine the hotel experience and include a refrigerator stocked with soft drinks and water, a television, wet bar area and microwave, a table and chairs, couch and chaise lounges. Beach cabanas are equipped with private bathrooms and showers. Overlooking either the pool or beach, your cabana attendant will serve you three separate culinary offerings throughout the day, based on two adults. Additional items may be ordered and charged to the guest room directly. Start off with the Rise & Shine experience at 10 a.m. with some smoothies, fresh fruit and berry blend accented with Brazilian acai berry, French press coffee, citrus scented tea scones with agave honey, Vermont butter and sour cream pound cake with yogurt topping. The Siesta at 2 p.m. features a choice of fresh muddled Mexican margaritas or Miami mojitos, beef empanadas, cilantro chili salsa and mini Cuban sandwiches. In between , if you have room in the tummy, you can sample some dessert. The club sandwiches are extraordinary. At 4 p.m., our server stopped by the cabana with the Sunset snack: Floridian mango champagne cocktail, bittersweet chocolate dipped fruits and champagne biscuits. All cabanas can be rented on a daily or half day basis – they are simply the ideal place to conduct business, plan a family outing or simply unwind. Prices range from $200 for a half day to $325 for a full day.
For more information on Sunny Isles Trump International go to www.trumpmiami.com or call 305-692-5600.
South Beach is the section of Miami Beach, Florida that encompasses the southernmost 23 blocks of an island separating the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. This area was the first section of Miami Beach to be developed, starting in the 1910s, thanks to the development efforts of Carl G. Fisher, the Lummus Brothers, John S. Collins, and others. The area has gone through numerous man-made and natural changes over the years, including a booming regional economy, increased tourism, and the 1926 hurricane, which destroyed much of the area.
In both daytime and at nightfall, the South Beach section of Miami Beach is a major entertainment destination with hundreds of nightclubs, restaurants, boutiques and hotels. The area is popular with both American and international tourists (mainly from Europe, Latin America, Canada, Israel, the Caribbean and within the United States), with some having permanent or second homes. The large number of European and Brazilian tourists also explains their influence on South Beach’s lax and overall tolerance of topless sunbathing, despite it being a public beach.
The reflection of South Beach’s residents is evident in the various European languages, as well as Semitic languages and many other languages spoken. As of 2000, all of Miami Beach residents, including those of South Beach, spoke Spanish as a first language, which accounted for 54.89 percent of residents, while English made was spoken by 32.75 percent of the population. Reflecting the European and Brazilian community, Portuguese (mainly Brazilian Portuguese) was spoken by 3.38 percent of residents, while French (including Canadian French) was at 1.66 percent German at 1.1 percent Italian 0.99 percent and Russian was 0.85 percent of the population. Due to the large Jewish and Israeli community, Yiddish made up 0.81 percent of speakers, and Hebrew was the mother tongue of 0.74 percent of the population.[5]
Another unique aesthetic attribute of South Beach is the several colourful and unique lifeguard stands, still used today by South Beach’s lifeguards. After Hurricane Andrew, Architect William Lane donated his design services to the city and added new stops on design tours in the form of lifeguard towers. His towers instantly became symbols of the revived City of Miami Beach.
On a nice night, there is nothing better to do than find a good parking lot and spend some time walking the streets of South Beach.
Lincoln Road is an open-air pedestrian mall, considered South Beach’s premiere shopping area. It is home to many restaurants and several night clubs, such as Score and Funktion, as well as many retail outlets. While Lincoln Road was one time rather downtrodden, with its unique boutique shops and restaurants, since the 1960s it has had “an esoteric chic that maintains its trendy appeal.” It is located in between 16th Street and 17th Street and spans the beach in an east-west direction.
Ocean Drive is the easternmost street in South Beach, and stems from south of First to 15th Street, running in a north-south direction. Ocean Drive is responsible for the South Beach aesthetic that most out-of-town visitors expect. It is a popular Spring Break and tourist area, including the famous, yet predominantly local, Pearl and Nikki Beach night spots.
Washington Avenue is one of the best-known streets in South Beach. Running parallel with Ocean and Collins. Washington is notorious for having some of the world’s largest and most popular nightclubs, such as Crobar and Mansion. During “season” (October 15 to May 15) the street is jammed with traffic until early in the morning (as late as 6 am) every night of the week. In the 1990s explosion of South Beach as a nightclub venue, its nightclub moguls included Ingrid Casares, whose investors included the singer Madonna Ciccone.
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA: If you’re vacationing in South Florida anytime soon and it begins to rain, here is a great indoor activity. The Jewish Museum of Florida chronicles the little-known nearly 250-year history of Jewish life in Florida as an example of the immigrant acculturation process of all people in Florida – and in America.
The Jewish Museum of Florida opened in April 1995 when a group of visionary Floridians rescued an abandoned art deco historic synagogue on Miami’sSouth Beach from demolition. They restored and transformed the building as a place to house the growing collections and as a bright and sunny showcase for an award-winning historical exhibit, MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida. This core exhibit project was begun in the mid-1980s in a statewide grassroots effort to collect and preserve photos, artifacts, documents and oral histories of thousands of Jewish families throughout the state of Florida. The Museum received accreditation in 2002 by the American Association of Museums, an honor granted to only 3% of the nation’s museums.
Florida hosts the nation’s third largest Jewish community – 850,000 people, but is perceived to have a “new” Florida Jewish history starting after World War II. In reality, Jews have been allowed to live in the state only since 1763 when Florida was taken from the Spanish, who permitted only Catholics, and turned over to the British in the Treaty of Paris following the French and Indian War. The first Jews settled in Pensacola that year. The man who brought Florida into statehood and served as its first U.S. senator (and the first Jew to serve in the U.S. Congress) was a Jew, David Levy Yulee.
The Jewish Museum of Florida has been heralded as a cultural jewel of Miami Beach and in 1980 earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The building, with a unique copper dome, was completed in 1936. It was designed by noted Art Deco architect Henry Hohauser as an Orthodox synagogue for Miami Beach’s first Jewish congregation. Rabbi Moses Mescheloff, who served the congregation from 1937 to 1955, designed the marble Torah-reading bimah and 80 colorful stained glass windows, which are still intact. The Museum is located at 301 Washington Avenue. For more information call 305-672-5044 or log on to www.jewishmuseum.com. It is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Mondays and civil and Jewish holidays .
CHINA GRILL: Prominent American restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow’s commitment to the idea that serious food and dazzling spectacle are not mutually exclusive has led him produce some of the most original, critically acclaimed and wildly popular dining hotspots across the globe. Today, Chodorow’s China Grill Management and its affiliates operate 26 restaurants in the US, UK and Mexico. His global restaurant group consists of an impressive array of first-class dining spots. CGM and its affiliates own, operate, create concepts, and /or consult in creating some of the most acclaimed and innovative restaurants in Miami, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, London, San Francisco, Chicago and Mexico City. His organization’s phenomenal reputation is a result of his culinary ingenuity and unyielding commitment to excellence. It is this combination of uncompromising vision and gourmet expertise that has enabled China Grill Management and its affiliates to provide the public with restaurants of the highest quality. CGM’s flagship restaurant, Manhattan’s venerable China Grill, opened in 1987. Without sacrificing China Grill New York’s distinctive atmosphere or the quality of its cuisine, a sister property in Miami was opened to rave reviews in 1995.
Instantly anointed the place to “see and be seen,” China Grill has become celebrity central for the international set in South Beach. Oprah Winfrey is crazy about the low fat cuisine and dines there whenever she’s staying at her Fisher Island home. Madonna, a really big fan, got a thrill dining there the same night as Miami Heat coach Pat Riley. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett enjoyed a honeymoon dinner following their New Year’s nuptials. Michael Caine dines there when in town. George Clooney had to be escorted in through the back door due to the many paparazzi trying to get a photo of him. Jack Nicholson likes to enjoy a cigar after a meal befitting a Hollywood legend. Supermodels Cindy Crawford, Nikki Taylor, Naomi Campbell, Daisy Fuentes and Vendela, superstars from Sly to Cher to Prince, Brooke Shields, Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Lenny Kravitz, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Julio Iglesias, Enrique Iglesias, Anna Kournikova, director Oliver Stone and actor/director Sean Penn, sport ‘s stars Ken Griffey Jr., Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Livan Hernandez, Wayne Gretzky, and Emerson Fittipaldi have all wielded chop sticks here. Senator Bob Kerrey, Magic Johnson, Donald Trump, Placido Domingo and George Stephanopolous fill out the list of the legendary and the distinguished.
My family and I made our first visit to the China Grill South Beach location and I must tell you it was an experience to remember. This was an entire evening out. Our server, Stepha Diamond, has been with the place for three years. She is a walking encyclopedia of the menu. More importantly, she gives excellent suggestions and what to order and share.
Virtually every dish at China Grill is prepared on the grill or in a wok, using sauces strictly for flavor. Portions are generous, and artfully presented on bold, oversized plates, and above all, meant for sharing. We started off with some fabulous crab cake, some salads (crackling calamari and confucius chicken) lamb spareribs and regular calamari) and perhaps the best sushi rolls I have tasted in a long time – the kaleidoscope (salmon, tuna, cream cheese and spicy mango) and crunchy tuna.
Spectacular entrees, large enough for two to three people, include Shanghai lobster with ginger, curry and crispy spinach, Korean kalbi rib eye with truffled artichoke-potato hash, wild mushroom profusion pasta with sake Madeira cream sauce, duck two ways, sweet soy marinated skirt steak, tempura sashimi with hot mustard-champagne sauce, lobster pancakes with wild mushrooms and red chili and coconut milk. A selection of nine popular side dishes include wasabi mashed potatoes, crispy spinach, and five vegetable fried rice among others. Do not worry about over ordering. The staff will package any of the leftovers up so you can continue to enjoy the China Grill experience. Save some room for dessert. We receommend the cheesecake pot stickers (with the five spice chocolate raspberry, mango and ping sauce), the Great Wall (vanilla, chocolate and caramel ice cream, toasted meringue, fresh berry and whipped cream) and the hazel nut chocolate torte (blackberry and orange cream and anglaise sauce).
In an area known already for it’s architecture and design, China Grill stands out. Spectacular from the outside, breathtaking on the inside, the restaurant captures the pulse and energy of Miami. The landmark glass, onyx and limestone building encompasses three separate dining and drinking areas. A 250-seat main dining room pulsates at the center. Interiors designed by noted architect Jeffrey Beers include passages from Marco Polo’s travel diaries emblazoned in marble mosaics that run the length of the restaurant’s imported Egyptian limestone floors. One of the most striking features of the restaurant is Beers’ signature — almost ethereal custom light fixtures that hang from the restaurant’s soaring ceilings like clouds.
One of Florida’s most highly acclaimed restaurants, China Grill has twice received from the Miami Herald their highest rating, EXCEPTIONAL. The restaurant has been featured as one of the region’s “hot new restaurants” in the March 1996 issue of Esquire and hit the cover of New York Magazine’s February 12, 1996 edition, accompanied by a story that tracked the migration of chic from New York to Miami Beach. The April 6, 1997 issue of The New York Times’ travel section, China Grill was praised for its invigorating, light and inventive food. The October 1997 issue of Travel & Leisure deemed the restaurant’s Shanghai lobster a to-die-for dish. Voted one of Miami’s most popular ( top 40s) restaurants by the ZAGAT Survey.
Special Needs: The China Grill offers valet parking. This establishment is handicapped accessible. If any member of your party is in a wheelchair, ask to be seated at the main level. There are special handicapped accessible washrooms for males and females. For those with vision problems keep in mind that the restaurant is very dark, with candles at each table. The servers will be happy to provide you with a small flashlight to help you better navigate the menu.
China Grill is located at 404 Washington Avenue in Miami Beach, with easy access directly off the MacArthur Causeway from 1-95. Dinner Sunday through Thursday from 6:00 p.m. – midnight, Friday/Saturday from 6:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. Major credit cards accepted. For reservations, call (305) 534-2211. You can see their entire menu at www.chinagrillmgt.com.
