Sherman's Travel

Many come to Santa Fe for the mouthwatering New Mexican cuisine, Southwestern art scene, or rich Native American and Latino culture. But with such wide-open spaces surrounding the city, it’d be a shame to visit without getting in a little outdoor adventure as well. Read more

Food trails are about more than just, well, food – they provide a unique opportunity to explore a region through a specific culinary item or dish. Because trails are usually a loose collection of food-themed destinations rather than a Point-A-to-Point-B route, you can plan a vacation around them or incorporate them into existing travel plans. These six mouthwatering food trails will tantalize your taste buds and satisfy your sense of adventure. Read more

The southwest sun is probably reason enough to look forward to an escape to Albuquerque, but there’s plenty more to enjoy in New Mexico’s largest city than warmth. In an effort to get you outside the boardroom and into Burque (as the locals say), we’re offering up two restaurants, two attractions, and one bar that you can hit with just a few extra hours between meetings. Read more

Last week, President Obama designated five new national monuments. The White House noted that the monuments “help tell the story of significant people and extraordinary events in American history, as well as protect unique natural resources for the benefit of all Americans.” Read on to find out where they are and what they commemorate. Read more

For a last-minute July getaway, stay in New Mexico’s largest city for $130 per night. This rate from the Hotel Parq Central – ranked by TripAdvisor.com users as Albuquerque’s number one hotel – reduces current rates by 30 percent and is available throughout July, including weekends.

Nightly rates includes round-trip transportation from the airport, on-site parking, continental breakfast, and free WiFi (a total savings of $56).

Stay in either Traditional King Room or Traditional Single Room accommodations. Each room is furnished with either a king bed or a double bed, flat screen cable TV, a mini-fridge, and modern bath amenities. For $20 more per night and more square-footage, stay in either a Traditional Double Room or a Deluxe King Room. Pet-friendly rooms are also available.

The Hotel Parq Central is situated in a historic neighborhood on the edge of downtown Albuquerque, close to the city’s Rail Runner and train stations. The recently-restored Italiante structure was originally constructed by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1926. Today the hotel provides contemporary amenities such as an outdoor garden dining terrace, a complimentary coffee and tea bar on each floor, a jetted hot tub, a business center, a fitness center, and rooftop yoga with skyline and mountain views.  A nearby park offers jogging trails and dog walks. Read more

When it comes to summertime fun, not every town is satisfied with state fairs and carnivals. These intrepid communities celebrate quirky bits of history and time-honored traditions that make simple petting zoos seem boring. While some of these festivals might look bizarre at first glance, they serve the same purpose as the more run-of-the-mill gatherings: Get a bunch of people together to have fun. Read more

Valentine’s Day is a popular time for hotels to offer packages with champagne and romance concierges (you know, to help your hopeless partner plan a romantic evening out), but it’s not as easy to find packages that include spa treatments and massages. Luckily, we’ve done the searching for you, and we’ve found some great budget options as well as some luxurious extravagances. For both a romantic and relaxing February 14 (or thereabouts), try out these hotels and spas, from East Coast to West.

The Budget Picks:

The Westin Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sunsets on the beach are already dreamy, but the Westin Beach Resort & Spa is taking the swoon factor a few steps further with its “Rekindle Romance” package. It starts at only $319/night and is available for stays from February 10-15. What do you get? The package includes breakfast in bed, a visit to Shula’s on the Beach (for dinner, the Chef’s Tasting Menu, and wine!), champagne and strawberry turndown, and the Heavenly Healing couple’s spa treatment at the Heavenly Spa.

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Every October, hundreds of hot air balloons take to the skies over Albuquerque, NM, for Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest balloon festival. People and teams come from all over the world to compete and watch this spectacular event.

As dazzling as the sight of about 600 colorful balloons filling the skies is, there are plenty of opportunities for those seeking a more active experience. But while actual rides are thrilling, they’re also expensive: Expect to pay about $375 per person, per hour-long ride, during the festival, which is October 2-10.

A more affordable, hands-on option that just might earn you a free ride? Joining a chase crew: the on-the-ground support team that inflates the balloon and keeps overzealous onlookers from stepping on it, tracks and follows it in-flight from a vehicle, and, depending on the wind, makes sure the balloon doesn’t drag along the ground after landing.

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Every now and then Omaha favorite son Andy Roddick shows up at Texas Hill Country’s Horseshoe Bay Resort. But that’s not why you bring your little ones to the Andy Roddick Kids’ Courts. It’s all about scale: Larger, depressurized balls and smaller rackets and courts mean children 4-10 can get their game up to speed more quickly. Your kids can serve for a mere 25 bucks a day: the $15 resort fee you’d be paying anyway plus a $10 racquet rental. Junior tennis clinics and private lessons are also available.
 
If you’re not a tennis family, Horseshoe Bay also has a kids club for the 4-12 set ($75 full day, $40 half day, $55 dinner session), but if your children are like mine and refuse to leave your side during a trip, the club rolls out such activities as hula hoop contests and “dive-in” movies (set amid the pool) for the entire brood. Read more