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What is your dream winter vacation?

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:00:00 PST

Lately I have been thinking about getting out of dodge for a winter vacation.

These shots of Cameron really inspire me to head for the waves, but a week skiing could be great too. Ahhh...but it is just a dream for me. What about you -

What is your dream winter vacation? Do you escape the cold or celebrate it?

This Winter, Hit the Swiss Slopes at New Hotel Nira Alpina

Elka Karl — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:20:24 PDT

For the alpine sports enthusiasts with a keen design eye, Switzerland's new hotel Nira Alpina, a glass-and-timber-built mountain sanctuary, is the place to be this Winter.

From award-winning hotelier MPS Puri, Nira Alpina is the only hotel in Switzerland's Engadin Valley to offer guests a true ski in, ski out experience. Just five kilometers away from the Swiss resort town of St. Moritz in the village of Silvaplana, Nira Alpina's location grants guests access to some of Switzerland's highest mountains, including Corvatsch, the highest mountain in the upper Engadin skiing region.

With 120 kilometers of ski runs, outdoor recreation and natural beauty abound, with gorgeous views over Lake Silvaplana, as well as up to the mountains. Skiers can access a private, glassed-in covered walkway that leads directly to the Corvatsch cable car, which guests can take to reach the mountain peaks and virgin powder snow.

Keep reading to find out more about the Nira Alpina's design and offerings.

Summer Travel Guide: Sicily

Brittney Stephens — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:05:42 PDT

Sicily is home to heavenly beaches, majestic mountains and Europe's oldest active volcano. The coasts are gold with orange and lemon orchards, and each scenic region offers something totally different. When it comes to Sicilian vacation style, the most important thing to keep in mind is your shoes - it's inevitable that you'll do tons of walking, so comfortable footwear is essential. The climate during the Summer months is dry and hot, so keep cool with lots of easy, breezy cotton and linen fabrics. Skirts and sundresses are favored over shorts, so feel free to pack all your ladylike favorites. Whether you're stretched out on the beaches of Lido Mazzarò, hiking Mount Etna, or getting dolled up for La Passeggiata, we've put together some looks that will have you living la dolce vita in no time.

Lonely Planet: The Most Surprising (and Often Neglected) US Cities

Guest Writer — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 03:05:11 PDT

Editor’s note: Summer travel is heating up! The following guest post was written by Robert Reid, the US travel editor for Lonely Planet. He will be guest blogging on Savvy for the Summer, helping you find some great ideas of how to get your vacation on this travel season.

Some cities in the US will always be prime-time tourist attractions. The New Yorks, the LAs, the Vegases, the San Franciscos. And they justify their fame. For the penultimate article of Lonely Planet’s 15 Weekends of Summer season, I’d like to pay a nod to five of the most surprising US cities – ones that are sometimes zipped through and given less time as we blaze trails elsewhere. And if you want a free mini-guide to NOLA, we’re giving one away on the Lonely Planet website.

Pittsburgh

No city has improved more in the past 15 or 20 years that Pennsylvania’s burg with the "h." Steel town doesn’t quite describe what you find in this walkable downtown area of golden bridges, with funicular trains going up the Allegheny mountains and a serious investment in art. There are sculptures across downtown, but the best museums are across Andy Warhol Bridge where you can see the Warhol Museum, huge rotating fish on sticks outside the Children’s Museum and the avant-garde Mattress Factory, built from, um, an old mattress factory.

North of downtown, the Strip District is lined with eateries and bars; big for breakfast is the timeless Deluca’s. Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Fallingwater is near Ohiopyle, a 90-minute drive southwest.

Denver

Long dismissed as just the gateway to the mountains – yes, the mountains! – Denver has never made a better case for sticking around a couple days. They’re easily filled by a visit to the superb collection of Western art at the avant-garde Denver Art Museum. Catch a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and spend lazy hours in the historic LoDo district, which is filled with good restaurants and bars (Denver takes beer very seriously; the governor rose to fame based on his microbrew credentials). Stay at the Brown Palace Hotel, one of the country’s great historic hotels.

And, yeah, there’s always the mountains.

Read on for more surprising US cities.

Don't Let Camping Break the Bank - Rent Gear Instead

Michele Foley — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:42:28 PDT

I love renting bikes when I am on vacation. It's a great way to incorporate exercise when traveling and an easy way to test out the waters if you're thinking about buying one. But bikes aren't the only fitness-related things you can rent, which is something I learned when visiting my favorite outdoor gear store, Sports Basement.

While I was waiting in line to make my purchase I was surprised to see someone renting all the essentials for a weekend of camping: tent, stove, sleeping bag, and even trekking poles. When I spoke to the salesperson, he told me that more and more local gear stores are renting equipment because it encourages people to hit the outdoors without having to make a major investment up front. I was also happy to find out that national chains like REI, Sports Authority, Eastern Mountain Sports, and Sport Chalet also rent gear. But if you're nowhere near a sports store, don't fret, you can also rent gear online or by phone from LowerGear, who will ship the equipment to you. Besides camping equipment, most stores rent gear for snow sports, tennis, water sports, and cycling. In general, the rental prices are up to 90 percent off what it would cost to buy the same stuff.

I'm pretty stoked about the idea of renting gear and am already making plans to rent a two-person kayak with a friend. It's a great way to get in shape without having to commit yourself to a huge investment, especially for sports that have a limited season.

How to Be the Perfect Houseguest

LearnVest — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:15:17 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

At the beach, in the mountains or in the big city, being invited to a friend’s place not only lets us catch up with loved ones but also lets us save on hotels.

Of course, the flip side is that there’s a totally different set of expectations (read: you can’t throw your towels on the floor). If you’re not a master of houseguest etiquette, you might come off as ungrateful and inadvertently ruin your chances of visiting again next year.

We don’t want you to break a long tradition of shacking up at your aunt’s cute beach house every summer, so we’ve put together a guide to being the perfect houseguest.

Be Clear About How Long You Will Stay

Make sure you lock down your visiting dates far in advance with your hosts . . . at their invitation. Don’t ever be vague or hope to stretch out your visit after you arrive. If your BFF says she’ll be busy after Labor Day, book your return ticket to leave a full day before so she has some time to herself.

No Surprises, Please

Never show up unannounced - or, even worse, with a puppy, child, significant other or friend (even if it’s a mutual friend), unless you've cleared it with your host beforehand. You may call it spontaneous and fun . . . your cousin and her husband may call it inconvenient.

Read on to find out how to be the perfect houseguest.

From a FitSugar Reader: Mini Workouts in 15 Minutes or Less

Fit Community — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:53:00 PDT

It's the season to be busy! Luckily, FitSugar reader getfitgirl has your crazy schedule in mind. She posted these suggestions for fitting in a few exercises, no matter how booked your social card, in the FitSugar Community.

With Summer here, everyone seems to be short on time. Vacations are being planned, friends and family are visiting, and you just can't seem to find 20 minutes to get in a workout. Try these tips to fit in mini workouts throughout the day. Something is better than nothing when trying to stay fit and healthy.

Run the rack: Pick a body part to train. Start with a light weight, 5 lbs and do 8 reps, rest 10 sec, proceed to next weight on rack, do another 8 reps, rest 10 sec., then 8 reps with the next weight. etc. Work your way up the rack until you can't do more than 2 reps. Rest 20 sec. and proceed back down the rack. It should take about 15 min.

Check out more mini workout suggestions after the break!

Lonely Planet's Picks For US Islands That Won't Break the Bank

Guest Writer — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:00:32 PDT

Editor’s note: Summer travel season has officially begun! The following guest post was written by Robert Reid, the US travel editor for Lonely Planet. He will be guest blogging on Savvy for the next two months, helping you find some great ideas of how to get your vacation on this Summer.

Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July weekend! That means summer travel season is stepping up a notch. For most, that means beach time, and on Lonely Planet’s 15 Weekends of Summer, we’re giving away a free itinerary on how to “Escape to the Beach.”

Why just go to a beach, when you can find one on an island? This week I’m giving suggestions of my favorite US islands that won’t break the bank. Some of these are your classic sun-and-swim spots, others are a bit more adventurous.

Florida’s “other coast” is really something special and Sanibel Island is our top getaway for our free itinerary give-away this week. With some 50 miles of accessible coastline, there’s a beach for everyone: from unspoiled ecosystems to fun seaside communities where you can order cocktails and go clubbing, or take in local art and even Thomas Edison’s summer home. The area has all the outdoor recreation you could dream of with mountain biking trails, kayaking opportunities, but also has great shopping, restaurants and nightlife. I visited last year and managed to squeeze in a couple kayak hours to see manatees and dolphins on the way to the airport.

Fire Island is well-known as a popular weekend getaway for New Yorkers but the real beauty of it lies in the east, where most villages are blissfully car-free. At night, you can walk among the boardwalks through the dunes that connect the houses or take advantage of water taxis to take you between villages. Hike the Sunken Garden and Otis Pike Wilderness Area or check out the views from the Fire Island Lighthouse. Try to go mid-week to snag the best rates.

Read on for more islands that won't break the bank.

First Steps When Shopping For a Bike

Leta Shy — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:02:47 PDT

I'm in a cycling state of mind, and not just because the Tour de France starts this weekend. After a stint roaming around city streets while I was on vacation, I'm hooked on finding the best bike to do the same at home. But as a beginner city cyclist I'm overwhelmed by all the information and choices available. To dip my feet in the bicycling waters, I checked out the bikes at Lombardi's Sports, a local sport shop, and learned some tips from the bike specialists there. The first thing they recommend is to figure out the main purpose for your shiny new ride. Knowing a rough percentage of the time you envision yourself commuting to work or whether you primarily want to use your bike for exercise will help you decide whether a road, hybrid, or mountain bike is for you. Read on for more recommendations for first-time bike buyers.

The Americana Holiday: Lonely Planet’s Best Places to Celebrate Independence

Guest Writer — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:00:06 PDT

For most of us, July 4 - unlike family-oriented holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving - is a true Americana community day. It’s when the modern world takes a backseat to simple pleasures like hot dogs and Little Leaguers marching in small-town parades. Basically we all become a bit more like a character in a John Cougar Mellencamp video.

For Lonely Planet’s 15 Summer Weekends website, we’re highlighting a drive that cuts through the heart of Americana - Route 66. But that’s only one of a few classics to consider if your July 4 plans aren’t set in stone. Probably the best place to be – everyone should try it once – is where it all started, Philadelphia, where independence was signed and the first Fourth of July celebrations were staged a year later in 1777. The parade, centered around Independence Hall downtown, is a colorful mix of international dancers, Civil War reenactors, drummers, and the like. At night, homegrown band the Roots takes over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, capped with a fireworks show. Stick around to July 8 for the reenactment of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. I volunteered as a Loyalist last year.

Read on for more places to celebrate Independence.