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Kimpton Hotels Invite Pets for a Visit with Santa
The super pet-friendly Kimpton Hotels chain (read our recent blog post, Kimpton Provides On-the-Road Pooch Pampering) is inviting guests and locals alike to have themselves a “furry little Christmas” at select hotels nationwide next weekend (Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11). The “Santa Paws” events will feature a complimentary opportunity for pets to pile onto Santa’s lap, meow or bark their secret Christmas desires, and to grin big for a family photo (note that human companions should bring their own cameras) in the festively decorated hotel lobbies. Read more
Hot Air Balloon Safari at Kenya’s Olarro Lodge
Soar above the savannah in a hot air balloon in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve during a stay at Olarro, a seven-cottage (plus one suite) luxury lodge. The journey starts at sunrise with a helicopter ride from Olarro to the reserve. Next, you’ll board the balloon for an hour-long flight ascending up to 12,500 feet – with stunning aerial views of lions, zebras, wildebeest, and more. After the tour, indulge in a Champagne breakfast back on the ground before boarding the helicopter to return to the lodge. The price is $700 per person, for a minimum of six people. www.olarrokenya.com
For general trip-planning information, see our Kenya Travel Guide.
Polar Bear Encounters in Manitoba, Canada
We’ve all seen pictures of polar bears on receding sheets of ice, but it wasn’t until I flew to the western shore of Hudson Bay, in northern Manitoba, that I understood you could get so close to them you could appreciate the fearsome moistness of their snouts, the awesome sharpness of their claws and teeth, or the fact that the thousand-pound predators still look like fat, furry white blobs you want to leap on and hug.
Or that you can see them in the summer, in weather that sometimes approaches 70 degrees, against a backdrop of purple fireweed, gentian, primrose, buttercup, and cloudberries, as well as potbellied Arctic ground squirrels. Except that you might also see one of those winsome squirrels hanging limply from a polar bear’s teeth.
How to Get Up Closer at the San Diego Zoo
“Where’s the two-headed snake?” the boy asked Mindy Scott, who hears that question a lot and has been questioned a lot during her 20 years as a tour guide at the San Diego Zoo.
Scott, who took my daughter and me around the zoo this past Saturday, directed the boy to the reptile house but cautioned him that the two-header may not be on display that day (it wasn’t). A few minutes later a woman approached Scott and asked where the penguins were. Donated to Sea World, it seems.
I can’t really speak for the questioners, but I doubt they were disappointed for long, given how many other creatures there are to see here. If you tour the zoo on your own, as I first did ten years ago, your family will be able to see a lot over a six hour stretch if you pace yourself, wear sensible shoes, and make use of the free buses: a 35-minute bus tour covers 75 percent of the zoo and hill-beating express buses stop every 20 minutes or so at five points throughout the zoo.
Luxury Walks for Dogs
Every dog will have a great day thanks to the new “Doggies Day Out” program at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Guests of the resort who miss their furry friends while on vacation will not only do good to walk a shelter dog from the local Humane Society of the Cayman Islands, but also get the chance to explore the property by walking the finely curated doggie paths around the Blue Tip Golf Course and the North Sound Club.
The program and walk, created by Marcus Caudill, housekeeping manager for the property, provides plenty of resting spots and shade along the way. Caudill is also the owner of “Charlie” an alumni of the local Humane Society chapter, and advises that guests sign up early to reserve a dog walking spot.
Why Not a Family Haycation?
If your family’s exposure to farming has thus far been limited to petting zoos and blurry country drives (Look, cows!) then I’ve got a word for you: haycation, the term that’s been coined for a vacation on a working farm. This type of trip has emerged almost as a way of life in Europe and has been quietly catching on in the United States, where some farms more than others are reaching out to families.
A good pick for first-time haycationing families is Apple Pond Farm in New York’s Catskills, whose guest accommodations are limited to a three-bedroom guesthouse that sleeps five and runs $400 for a minimum two-night stay, $975 for the week. Meals are not included – the house has a kitchen if you want to fix your own food – but if you like, the staff will help pull together a breakfast that might run $6 per grownup, $4 per child. You’re welcome to help out with the daily chores – which might include gardening, milking does, and feeding hay and grain to goats, sheep, and horses. Or, co-owner Sonja Hedlund assures me, it’s okay if you do nothing at all. But you came to work, didn’t you? And if you’re in residence on a Friday or Saturday you and your children are welcome to go for free to “farming with kids” sessions that cost non-guests $4 for kids, $5 for adults. The guesthouse books up quickly in summer, but can be rented year-round.
The Science of Romance
Romantic notes and poems. An unexpected bouquet of flowers. Heartfelt gifts and gregarious displays of affection. It’s true that love is an art form. But there is a science to it as well, and the biology of it all is often overlooked.
This Valentine’s Day rediscover the biological side with the ‘Science of Love’ hotel package from the Sheraton Fisherman’s Warf and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
Do your mating displays compete with the dance of the male tarantula?
Pet Psychic
Dogs have been mans best friend for centuries, and they are finally starting to get some much-deserved love from the hotel industry. If your pooch needs a little R&R, book a room at the Hotel de Luxe in downtown Portland, OR.
A trip back in time to the golden days of Hollywood, Hotel de Luxe is heavy on perks… for your pup.
Beehives Take Over D.C. Hotel Rooftop
With honeybees rapidly disappearing in the U.S. over the last couple years, one hotel is stepping in to save black and yellow buzzers and the sweet golden nectar they provide. The Fairmont Washington D.C. recently let 105,000 honeybees check in to three new hives on the hotel’s roof. The 300 pounds of honey that the bees are expected to yield within the first year will be used in soups, salad dressings, pastries, ice cream and other delectable creations in the hotel’s Juniper restaurant.
Of course, this begs the question: Will guests want to stay in a hotel that is also home to over 100,000 bees? Would you?
Dogs Rule At Hotels
We’re crazy about our pets–and the White House is too. But just because Bo is getting all the special attention doesn’t mean that your pooch can’t be treated the same as “First Dog.” We’ve found some unique hotels and packages that cater to man’s best friend—with some interesting amenities to boot (or would that be to paw?)
Each guestroom at The Resort at the Mountain, in Mt. Hood, Oregon comes stocked with freshly baked homemade dog treats, dog dish, bottled water, and a dog-friendly hiking trail map, making your pet feel like White House royalty. Pampering your pooch doesn’t end there—the “First Dog” package includes a $30 credit towards a Canine Cuisine entrée from the in-room dining menu.
