Sherman's Travel

May is National Bike Month, when hardcore cycling enthusiasts and newbies alike can enjoy a bevy of bike-related activities, deals, and discounts across the country (and why not make a mini-vacation out of it, with a visit to one of these top bike-friendly cities?). Here, some of our favorite offerings – saddle up and strap on your helmet for a month of fun on two wheels. Read more

After a long, bitterly cold winter, we’re beginning to see the first signs of spring. Flowers of all types are in bloom, and in many places throughout the country, that blossoming is celebrated with festivals featuring music, food, fun and games, and naturally, flowers. We’ve picked five of our favorite floral festivals in April and May to help you get a spring in your step. Read more

There’s hardly ever a bad time to visit Portland, Oreg. and as spring weather does its best to creep in, one of America’s most revered convention halls is opening up. The Pacific Northwest as a whole has long since been a gem of the U.S., and Portland in particular has a wealth of beauty just a few short hours (or less!) away. In an effort to get you outside the boardroom and into the wilds of the Rose City, 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

This season’s bi-coastal airfare has hit rock-bottom rates, making travel from coast-to-coast more attractive than ever. From the Big Apple to sunny Southern California, here are some of today’s best hotel deals from East to West – and the cheap flights to get you there.

Fly to New York City for as little as $98 this winter, and then stay at the 4-star Millennium Broadway in Times Square for only $179 per night. You’ll receive $50 in “fun bucks” to be used towards your choice of city spending, like museums, theater, cab fares, or shopping. The Hotel Belleclaire, in the cultural hub of the Upper West Side (home to spots like Lincoln Center, The Museum of Natural History, and Central Park), starts from an incredible $89 on dates in February; choose the “holiday special” to book your room, which is valid for stays through March 31. Or, book a room in stylish Chelsea – known for its trendy galleries, bars, and restaurants – from just $161 per night in February at the 4-star DoubleTree by Hilton New York City. Read more

Hemmed in by the Pacific Ocean, Tualatin Mountains, and a network of converging rivers, outdoorsy Portland takes food and drinks very seriously. After all, with millions of acres of nature to explore, its residents are a hungry and thirsty bunch who won’t settle for anything but fresh – especially when it comes to cocktails. It’s this natural penchant for farm-to-table everything coupled with Oregon’s pioneering spirit that’s produced a tall order for lofty libations. Outpacing the country’s larger spirited settings, the City of Roses has emerged as the hotspot for craft cocktails.

Before we imbibed the city’s most sought-after sips, we caught up with Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Portland’s unofficial master of mixology and barman at local tavern Clyde Common, to see why’s he’s shaking up the country’s cocktail scene. Morgenthaler approaches the art of the cocktail with an academic detail derived from dual degrees in physics and interior architecture, proving there’s art and science in every pour. Not satisfied with run of the mill rum, apple juice, or egg nog, he makes or ages his own, perfecting the flavor over months of tinkering. Part of an elite team of cocktail stars – the equivalent of celebrities in these parts – it’s these local bounty-to-beverage fanatics who are making your mixed drinks. No basic beverages here, only time-tested, barrel-aged, and passionate pours await your palate in PDX.

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Check out one of the nation’s coolest cities this fall or winter and stay at a 4-star hotel in Portland, Oregon, for just $126 a night. The charming Hotel Vintage Plaza, a Kimpton hotel, turns 21 this September and is offering a 21 percent discount on current rates on select dates through December 31. You’ll also receive valet parking for just $21 a day (regularly $37) and a $21 mini bar credit if you’re a Kimpton InTouch member (the program is free to join and also provide complimentary Internet access).

The $126 price point can currently be found on December 10, 16, 23, and 30. For just $8 more a night, stay on November 4, 11, 18, 15, or December 2, and 12-13. A $141 rate is available on November 5, 19-21, 26, 28, and December 3, 11, 14, and 17-19. Other dates from September 14 through the end of the year are also available at a 21 percent discount. Read more

In recent years, Portland has made a name for itself through its growing beer and coffee industry and alternative music scene. Its reputation as a hipster mecca has attracted people from all walks of life, creating a diverse culture that cannot be found anywhere else in the United States. Come visit the “City of Roses” and stay at the Vintage Plaza Hotel, where their fall special saves you up to 20 percent on bookings through March.  Rooms start at $152 per night for bookings of three nights or more.

The Vintage Plaza Hotel, located in Portland’s Cultural District, is a newly renovated historic hotel with a luxurious touch. Stay in a Queen Deluxe Room, which features impressive city views, a queen bed, a 37” flat screen TV, and luxury amenities such as top-line bath products, organic selections in the minibar, and even pet-friendly services. From the Pazzo Ristorante—an award-winning Italian restaurant adjacent to the hotel—to the in-room spa services, guests will feel right at home. And don’t forget about the evening wine receptions, a Kimpton specialty, featuring Northwest wines in the hotel’s fireside living room.

This special is valid for stays from August 26-September 9, 2012, and October 7, 2012-March 31, 2013. To book, visit the Vintage Plaza website and use rate code SP3. For more information, call 503-228-1212 and mention ShermansTravel.

See our Portland destination guide for more trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rate on flights, hotels, packages and more travel deals.

Many people often write off the Northwestern U.S. for having never-ending gloomy weather.  Au contraire.  Visit the region’s gleaming metropolises, like Portland, Oregon, during spring and summer to experience plentiful sunshine, and pleasantly mild temperatures. Travel to Portland to enjoy the great weather on select dates now through April and stay at the brand-new RiverPlace Hotel - a Kimpton hotel for 30% off seasonal rates.  Discounted pricing starts at just $179 per night for a King Deluxe Room in March, compared to $229 in July.

The RiverPlace Hotel, located on the banks of the Willamette River, has Kimpton’s signature touch of modernity, with a twist of homey comfort.  The hotel’s laid-back luxury garnered an AAA Four Diamond Award, and the number eleven slot on the Travelers’ Choice 2012 Best Hotels in the United States list.  The RiverPlace Hotel’s plush rooms provide picturesque views of the city, Wi-Fi access, flat panel TVs, superior bath amenities, and nightstand MP3 music players.  The Three Degrees Waterfront Bar and Grill, adjacent to the RiverPlace Hotel lobby, offers cool outdoor seating, and a menu full of fresh, seasonal dishes.  Best of all, the excitement of downtown Portland, with it’s stunning mountain backdrop, is just minutes away from the RiverPlace Hotel.

Visit Kimpton’s RiverPlace Hotel website and enter the promo-code “RIVERP” when selecting travel dates.  This deal also provides a choice of one of the following perks: free daily parking; $25 dining credit; a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir; or a local beer flight.  Book by March 20.

Kimpton is one of the most pet-friendly hotel brands by far, with each of their properties touting a robust list of pet-friendly perks that are typically tailored to the individual hotel, to its region, or to their very own four-legged pet concierge. All of their 50-plus boutique hotels nationwide welcome furry friends at no additional charge (nor are there restrictions on pet size or weight) and pamper pet guests with complimentary welcome treats, in-room bowls, beds, toys, and an endless supply of pooper-scooper bags.

What’s more, thanks to their fun “Guppy Love” program, most Kimpton hotels offer the company of a complimentary fish friend to guests who might be missing their pets at home (or who are just eager for some local companionship). In addition to Kimpton’s signature pet amenities, every hotel celebrates pet patrons in their own unique ways – read on for some of our favorite offerings of the pampering and spa-centric varieties. Read more

Crack open a cold one and book one of these beer-themed hotel packages.

Hop over to the newly opened Hotel Ignacio in St. Louis with the Bike and Brew package for weekend stays in September and October (except September 23-25 and October 7-9 and 21-23). Each weekend, guests will get VIP tastings at four St. Louis breweries (Schlafy Brewery, Urban Chestnut, Sixth Row, and Square One Brewery) as well as breakfast daily, parking, and use of the hotel loaner bikes each day. For stays September 17-19, the package also includes two VIP tickets to Schlafy’s annual “Hop in the City,” with food, live music, and 40 beers for tasting. Guests staying from September 30-October 30 will receive passes to a haunted house and a haunted brewery tour. The two-night package starts at $479. Call 314-977-4411 to book.

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