On December 7th 2009, Virgin Galactic unveiled SpaceShipTwo, the first commercial passenger spacecraft.  This is the successor to the SpaceShipOne prototype that made history last year by becoming the first privately manned craft to reach space.  There are already about 300 people who have paid the $200,000 ticket to ride on this spacecraft when it is ready.  This is obviously much more affordable than the millions of dollars that only a wealthy few have paid to ride on Russian rockets.

SpaceShipTwo will be able to accommodate 6 passengers and 2 pilots.  It is about 60 feet long with an inner cabin designed with maximum space in mind to allow passengers to float around in zero gravity.  Each passenger will get one side window and one overhead window for the best views possible.  It is designed to ride up to an altitude of about 50,000 feet atop the White Knight Two launch vehicle (recently renamed EVE after Sir Richard Branson’s mother).  Once released, it will use its own rockets to soar up to a final altitude of 65 miles – space!  You will then get about 5 minutes of pure weightlessness.  The entire trip would be about 2.5 hours.  You’ll get to experience speeds of up to 2,600 mph, G-forces, amazing views of the Earth, and bragging rights for being included in a very elite club of astronauts.

Virgin Galactic plans to build about five commercial ships and launch vehicles.  The first two have already been named: VSS Enterprise and VSS Voyager.  They are looking to start flying paying customers sometime in 2011.  If you’ve got some disposable income handy, this is truly the opportunity of a lifetime.  Of course, if you are not a trendsetter, I’m sure the price will drop over time as more and more people start flying   Be a part of history and book your next flight with Virgin Galactic!

This is a new luxury hotel by the Trump organization and the first such one that has been built in Waikiki in decades.  It is 38 stories tall and has about 462 rooms, some of which are privately owned.  The amenities sound fantastic!  Here are some of them:

• wine cellar on site
• spa on site
• luxury torches in each room
• marble bathrooms
• fitness center
• a library
• kitchens in some of the suites
• laundry in some of the suites
• a 6th floor lobby with amazing views (lanai deck), an infinity pool, and cascading waterfall
• Trump Attache service
• high-end appliances
• floor-to-ceiling windows
• private lanais
• direct beach access

The views from the suites are also amazing – the Pacific and Honolulu skyline, the shore of O’ahu, and the Wai‘anae Mountains.  The rooms are all decorated with Hawaiian architectural motifs and tropical Deco furnishings.  The hotel also has five food-and-beverage outlets and restaurants.  In addition, they have several rooms available for meetings, weddings, and other events.

It sounds like the hotel prides itself on the Trump Attache service.  The staff makes it a point to ask you what you need before you can ask yourself.  Throughout your stay, they keep track of your preferences to make sure you have the best service.  This information is kept on file if you return to make your next visit even more enjoyable.

The hotel just opened its doors on November 16th.  It is a bit expensive to stay here, but what do you expect?  You are in Hawaii!    Room rates range from $250 per night for a studio (very small) up to $8,000 for a penthouse suite.  But, if you are looking to stay in a very luxurious hotel during your stay in Hawaii, this would definitely be worth the visit.

The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in southwestern Germany.  It is definitely one of the greatest forests of Germany and borders France, Switzerland, and the Neckar River.  The place sounds evil, but it actually got its name from the large concentration of pine trees which makes the forest look black from a distance.

Tourism is very important in this region of the country.  The Black Forest is also highly valued for woodcutting, but they always make sure to replant the trees so tourism is not affected.  People flock here to view the natural beauty of the region, explore the local villages some of which have houses that are hundreds of years old, visit the vineyards and castles, drive the scenic routes, walk the long footpaths, mountain bike, and cross-country ski.  The area also has a rich mythological tradition.  So, if you are into werewolves and witches, I’m sure it won’t take you long to stumble across some aspects of this throughout the forest.  Furthermore, the forest is renowned for the craftsmen who live here that make Cuckoo Clocks.  These clocks are sought after all over the world.

The City of Baden-Baden is a popular tourist destination because of its resorts and spas.  The mountains of Kandel, Fledberg, and Schauinsland are also popular places to visit.  The most popular waterfalls in Germany are located here as well – the Triberg Waterfalls.  Have you ever had Black Forest cake?  That originated in this region, so this is a good chance to try the real version.  If you happen to be visiting around the time of Lent, everyone celebrates by lining the streets wearing masks.

So, if you want to get away and experience nature at its best in a culture that almost seems like you have stepped back in time, come and visit Germany’s Black Forest.

If you want to experience sea life in an unusual way, book an excursion with Sea Quest Expeditions.  They offer sea kayaking tours in the following standard locations:

• Washington’s San Juan Islands
• Mexico’s Baja Peninsula
• Alaska’s Inside Passage

If you wish to have a more exotic custom adventure, you can also go to Belize, Chile, Fiji, Palau, Thailand, Vietnam, Costa Rica, or New Zealand.   The tours are lead by biologists and environmental scientists so you not only get a great adventure, but you can also learn something too!  No prior kayaking experience is necessary and all necessary training and safety is provided by the guides.

Their tours are designed for whale watching and they make every effort to track them down so you can view them.  Your odds are pretty good because they kayak only in the world’s best whale-watching habitats.  They look for orca whales in the San Juan Islands, humpback whales in Alaska, and gray whales and blue whales in Mexico.  If you are on a multi-day excursion, you also get to camp at a location chosen by the guides.  The tours also may include hikes, snorkeling, and tidepool excursions to give you the best opportunities to see the wild life.  Obviously, the longer you stay, the more you get to do.  Sea Quest offers half, full, two, and three day adventure tours.  They provide the paddling gear, tents, cooking items, meals, and safety systems.

So, why view whales from the shore or a cruise ship when you can get right down to the water and practically swim with them, cruising alongside in a kayak?  Kayaks also don’t disturb the environment or cause any damage.  Book your next vacation with Sea Quest and you won’t be disappointed!

Looking for somewhere different and memorable to celebrate New Year’s this year!  Then you have got to head over to Times Square in New York.  It is the most famous and biggest New Year’s Eve party in the nation.  The celebration is most notable for the large ball atop One Times Square that descends the flag pole slowly over the last minute until midnight.  The ball is about 12 feet in diameter and covered in over 2,000 crystals and over 32,000 LED lights which can produce 16.7 million colors.  The ball first made its appearance in 1907 and has been part of the celebration ever since.  And, for the first time ever, the ball now remains up all year round about halfway up the pole (as of 2009).

Upwards of one million people manage to cram into Times Square to watch the ball drop.  So, to be part of the action, make sure you are staying at one of the hotels in the area.  Police check for this before allowing you into the square.  Once you are in, get ready to party.  The festivities are broadcast all over the nation on most major networks.  The most famous broadcast is Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.  There are also parties all over the place including musical performances, confetti, pyrotechnic displays, balloons, and more.  Several restaurants in the area have celebrations with special menus and live bands.  There are also plenty of clubs with before and after parties (i.e. Eden Rooftop, Iridium Jazz Club, The View, Tonic).  Once you enter the square, though, make sure you are already dressed warmly and you have your own food/drink with you.  If you leave the square, the police may not let you back in.  And get there EARLY for a good viewing area – the square fills up from front to back.  The later you arrive, the further back you’ll be.

When you are in the square, they will certainly keep you entertained.  Giant video screens show sound effects and music with about 30 seconds of video at the end of each hour.  Later, officials move through the crowd handing out American flags, pom-poms, disposable cameras, balloons, and confetti bags.  You also will possibly be picked up by the live video feed which is sent to broadcasters around the world.  Be sure to check footage later   By the time you get down to the last hour there is continuous music and singing.  And, of course, after the ball drops (the big moment), there are pyrotechnic displays and lots of confetti!

If you want to offer your holiday wishes, head over to the Times Square Information Center.  You can write your wishes on a piece of paper which will then be displayed on the Confetti Wishing Wall and then included in the confetti that gets dumped on the crowd during the celebration.

So, book your hotel accommodations early to make sure you can share in this unique experience with one million of your closest friends!

Yes, I’m writing about another cruise vacation.  Can you tell that I like cruises? 

The Oasis of the Seas is the largest passenger vessel in the world and is owned by Royal Caribbean.  It set sail from its shipyard in Finland on October 30th and is due to arrive in its home port of Port Everglades in Florida on November 13th.  This ship is absolutely massive.  It is 20 stories high and is about 40% bigger than the next biggest ship out there!  About 30 feet of the ship sits underwater.  Ok, let’s get on to the really cool stuff – the unique amenities:

• An ice rink
• A mini-golf course
• 750-seat outdoor amphitheater which has the ship’s largest freshwater pool (complete with diving tower and spring boards).  It is modeled after an ancient Greek amphitheater.
• An indoor theater seating about 1,300 guests.
• Volleyball and basketball courts
• A zip-line
• A casino
• A carousel
• “Neighborhoods” – 7 themed areas centered around the ships entertainment, athletic, and recreational activities:  1. Central Park (live trees, bars, restaurants), 2. The Pool and Sports Zone (beach pool and two surf simulators), 3. Youth Zone (nurseries, science lab, computer gaming), 4. Boardwalk (rock-climbing walls, tattoo parlor, restaurants, bars, shops), 5. Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center (spa for teens), 6. Royal Promenade (restaurants, shops), 7. Entertainment Place

The Central Park theme sounds very cool!  It will have the very first park at sea with live plants and trees.  It sounds like there will be over 12,000 plants and about 56 trees on board!  The Oasis of the Seas could probably almost be considered the first city at sea, especially with the “neighborhood” concept and the fact that the ship can carry over 5,000 people!  It sounds like the ship will primarily be cruising in the Caribbean.  So, book your tickets today and experience the cruising adventure of a lifetime!

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is one of the most famous carnival celebrations in the world.  The celebration is well known for its parades, masquerade balls, and parties all over the city.  The festivities usually begin two weeks before and during Fat Tuesday.  The most recognized feature of Mardi Gras is the large floats during the parades and the many people on the decks of surrounding buildings throwing strings of colored beads down at the crowd.  The many activities cover Bourbon Street, the French Quarter, and the Uptown and Mid-city districts.

This is definitely worth a visit if you’ve never done this before.  It is a one-of-a-kind party.  But, you had better be comfortable with large crowds!  The population of the city more than doubles during this time.  The parade season starts about three weekends before Mardi Gras and there is about one parade each night.  The celebrations are all rooted in a rich culture dating back to the 1600’s.  Many different organizations participate bringing their own unique style.  Costumes and masks are a big part of the celebration.  You’ll see lots of people, especially the Carnival organizers, dressed up in colorful outfits.  Make sure you grab yourself some beads!  Many people collect these as mementos of the day and you might be lucky enough to receive limited edition, Fiber optic, or glass beads.  The organizers may also throw small toys, LED-powered prizes, or doubloons.

Visiting New Orleans won’t break the bank either.  This can be a very affordable vacation.  While strolling around taking in the Spanish-style architecture, it won’t take you long to find establishments that play live music.  New Orleans is well known for its brass bands.  If you are there in advance of Mardi Gras, head over to Jackson Square to see the street performers.  If the crowds of Mardi Gras are a little too much for the kids to handle, take them over to “Mardi Gras World”.  It is a little version of the holiday for families – small parade floats and sculpted characters.  Your visit includes a movie, free king cake, and you can dress up in a Mardi Gras costume.  And, of course, there are plenty of hotels to stay in for all budgets.  Don’t forget to sample the southern cooking at the many restaurants in and around New Orleans.

Dale Jarrett is a former NASCAR Champion and co-owns a racing school with Brett Favre called the “Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure“.  The school allows regular folks to drive a race car for a day!  Ever wanted to scream down a real racetrack behind the wheel of a genuine stock car?  Now is your chance.  The cars can reach speeds of up to 170 mph and the many different types of tracks allow you to experience different track shapes, lengths, and banking angles.  You can race at one of the following locations:

• Talladega Speedway
• Lowe’s Motor Speedway
• Kentucky Speedway
• Atlanta Motor Speedway
• Kansas Speedway
• Homestead Miami Speedway
• Chicagoland Speedway
• Texas Motor Speedway
• Gateway International Raceway
• Nashville Super Speedway
• Michigan International Speedway

Their racing packages differ by the number of laps you want to take on the tracks – from 3 laps up to 80 laps.  Typically, the more tracks you do, the more comfortable behind the wheel you are and the faster you go.  All the packages have a similar experience.  You start off with classroom orientation and instruction.  This covers the basics of hand signals, driving the car, entering the track, passing, drafting, etc.  You then participate in some demonstration laps with an instructor to get a feel for the car.   The next step is an orientation recap covering safety and more about driving the car.  From there, you suit up in a Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure Tri-Star racing suit and helmet and then get into the driver’s seat.  And then, you are off to the races!  After you are done with your adventure, you can purchase a DVD and pictures of your experience.

One of the differences between this school and others is that you actually get out on the track with other drivers and you can pass them!  It is not just following a leader car.  You can also bring your friends and family to cheer you on as you drive around the track.  Furthermore, the Dale Jarrett Racing school prides themselves on safety.  They have a 10 year record of 100% safety.

So, if you are an adrenalin junkie looking for the next unique thrill or just someone who likes adventure (and going really, really fast), make your next reservation here.

Disney will soon be coming out with its new cruise ship – its third in the lineup.  Called the “Disney Dream“, it is currently scheduled to launch on January 26, 2011 and will be taking a cruise to the Bahamas.  It will be larger than the other 2 ships in the fleet and can accommodate 4,000 passengers.  Well, let’s get down to the cool features and amenities that this ship has to offer:

• Virtual Portholes for the inside staterooms – there will actually be small video portholes hanging over the beds in these rooms that will stream live footage from cameras on the outside of the ship shooting the water and the sky.  Occasionally a Disney character will appear in the porthole
• The “AquaDuck” water coaster (pictured above) – this is the longest ride at sea (2.5 times the length of a football field) and will employ a raft and water jets that push you along.  It travels the perimeter of the ship, spans four decks in height, and part of the ride sticks out about 13 feet over the side of the ship – directly above the ocean!  In the immortal words of Peter Griffin: “Freakin’ Sweet!”
• There are two main areas for children up to 10 years old – “Disney’s Oceaneer Club” and “Disney’s Oceaneer lab”.  These areas allow kids to play with characters from “Toy Story”, “Monsters, Inc”, Nemo, and Tinkerbell within interactive play rooms.  The lab provides a seafaring adventure experience with ship navigation, maritime instruments, animation, and more.
• Tweens can have fun in the “Edge” lounge.  Here, they can make a karaoke video and participate in lots of other high-tech entertainment.  Teenagers can hang out in the “Vibe” club.  This is a private indoor/outdoor area just for them.  It allows kids to play computer games, mix dance music tracks, sunbathe outdoors, play outdoor deck games, and much more.

There are lots of other cool features of the ship.  There are pictures in the hallways throughout the ship that become animated when someone walks by.  They also have themed restaurants where you can rotate between three different ones for dinner (your server comes with you).  The atmosphere and environments of the restaurants will change as well from day to night.

Don’t worry, they haven’t left out the adults completely.  “The District” is a set of lounges for nighttime entertainment.  Or, you can escape to the “Senses Spa and Salon” for both indoor and outdoor treatments.  There is even a restaurant just for adults called “Palo”.  But, if you are looking for lots of adult-only time, then you are probably on the wrong cruise ship

The decor of the ship is fantastic.  Everything has Disney touches to them.  The atrium looks like something out of Cinderella’s palace.  The “It’s a Small World” nursery is very colorful and has a three dimensional landscape built along the walls of the room.  The “Pixie Hollow” room of the “Oceaneer’s Club” looks like a little forest with toadstools as seats around a central tree.  The “Oceaneer Lab” is extremely well decorated and looks like you are on the bridge of a submarine.

If you have kids at the right age or if you are just a kid at heart, then book your tickets today and travel on the maiden voyage of the “Disney Dream”!

Yes, winter is approaching.  If you want to try a truly unique experience, travel up to northwest Montana and book a reservation at Dog Sled Adventures.  They have a dog team of about 100 Alaskan huskies and can accommodate groups of any size.  You are taken on a breathtaking backcountry tour of the Stillwater State Forest which is on the western flank of Glacier National Park.  They operate roughly from late November to mid-April and average about 500 tours each winter.  The typical trail they navigate is about 12 miles long (the “Eskimo Roller Coaster”) and the day trips are usually about 2 hours.  It sounds like the standard team of dogs that will be pulling you along is 10, each of which can easily pull its own weight.  That amounts to them easily being able to pull the driver, two adult passengers, and a 120 pound sled.  So, they can definitely handle another passenger or two   The dog teams can reach speeds up to about 30 mph so hold on and enjoy the view!

And the end of your tour, you can return to the cabin to sit by a warm fire, drink hot chocolate, and share your stories.  Or you can head over to the winter resort of Whitefish to have some fun.  You can stay at the Whitefish Mountain Resort and then take in some alpine or Nordic skiing.

Not very many people can say that they’ve done this.  If you want you try something new, travel up to Montana this winter and see the sights on a dog sled.  Better yet, take your significant other up there with you.  The sleds are tight on space, so who better to snuggle up with!

The Silver Star Mountain Resort is a fantastic ski resort located in Vernon, BC, Canada.  They have received awards for having the best groomed ski runs in the country, being among the best family resorts, and the “Best Small Resort in North America”.  Their season runs from late November through mid-April.  They also provide mountain biking during the off-season from June through Labor Day.  The entire resort spans two mountain faces and is split up into 4 areas: Vance Creek, Attridge, Silver Woods, and Putnam Creek.

The resort village is very cool.  Lots of multi-colored buildings (pictured above) with a Victorian alpine theme.  There are over 10 hotels, over 100 homes/condos for rent, over 10 restaurants/pubs, shopping, and several places to enjoy the nightlife with music and dancing.

You certainly won’t be bored on your visit.  Here is a generous listing of all the activities you can participate in:

• Skiing – pick your ideal course out of 115 marked runs (20% easiest, 50% more difficult, 20% most difficult, 10% extreme).  They are renowned for dry, featherlight champagne powder snow, the largest chair lift of its kind in Canada, and black diamond runs with deep powder snow.
• Outdoor skating
• Snowmobiling
• Sleigh rides
• Snowshoeing
• Indoor rock climbing
• Snowboarding
• Nordic Skiing – they are world renowned for their cross-country skiing facilities.  They have 37 miles of trails.  Some of the best skiers in the world train here and Silver Star will be playing host to Canada’s National Team for the upcoming Olympics.
• Mountain Tours
• Tube Town – Take the tube lift up to the top of the hill and tube down in big inner tube sleds with safety handles
• Telus Park – a terrain park that has a halfpipe, Aerial Training Site, a Dual Moguls Race Course, and a race center.
• Snowmobile tours

If you are a winter sports junkie, this place has it all.  You can even unwind after a hard day of outdoor activities at their day spa or get in a little relaxing Yoga.  If you are inexperienced with many of the activities, Silver Star has a Snowsport School with group, beginner, and private lessons.  If you really want to make a trip out of this, check out Silver Star’s sister resort, called “Big White Ski Resort”, located in Kelowna.  Passes are available to ski at both resorts (owned by the same company).

So what are you waiting for?  The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and with all of the activities available, you won’t be disappointed.

If you’ve got $7500 lying around and not quite sure what to do with it, try a unique whiskey-making tour.  Neiman Marcus is providing a two-person tour hosted by Master Distiller Kevin Smith.  You’ll get to see every step of the process of making Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey along with a tour of the entire facility located in Loretto, KY.  The package includes two rare bottles of the whiskey dipped in gold wax with 24-kt. gold flecks, etched with your likeness.  In addition, you get to dip six of your own bottles in their signature red wax and take them with you.  Finally, you get a gourmet dinner hosted by Bill Samuels, Jr. and luxury accommodations in Louisville.

This trip will probably only appeal to whiskey fanatics who have lots of disposable income lying around, but it sounds like a trip like none other.  If anyone ends up going, please lend me your comments.  I’d be interested in hearing about your experience

Now here is an unusual amusement park.  The Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is both an amusement park and water park all in one.  The park is located in Santa Claus, Indiana and, as you would expect, they celebrate Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the 4th of July.  They have tons of roller coasters, water rides, and wave pools.  They also try to make the trip easy on your pockets by offering free amenities including parking, sunscreen, inner tubes, and unlimited Pepsi soft drinks. The park also just recently set an attendance record – more than 1 million visitors for the fourth year in a row!  Here is an interesting piece of trivia – this was the first themed amusement park in the United States.  It existed even before DisneyLand!  They are currently set to undergo an expansion in 2010 to include a new water ride called the “Wildebeest”.  This is going to be the longest water coaster in the world at 1/3 of a mile!  There will be plenty of hills, drops, and turns with a top speed of 24.5 mph.  There are even some hills which propel you upward!

The park is divided into four sections covering the holidays mentioned earlier.  Each of these sections celebrates the respective holiday with games, attractions, themed-rides, and live entertainment.  For example, the Christmas section has Santa’s Storytime Theater and a ride called “Reindeer Games” (among others).  The water park area is called “Splashin’ Safari” and is the largest such park in Indiana.  In addition, there is another section of the park called “Holidog’s FunTown”.  This is a children’s play area featuring a three-story treehouse with slides, climbing nets, rock-climbing walls, and more.  This area also has a children’s car ride, a train ride, a small roller coaster, and a spray park.

Now, for a little about the rides.  They are known for their wooden roller coasters.  “The Raven” (themed after Edger Allan Poe’s poem of the same name) opened in 1995 and has been rated repeatedly as one of the top wooden roller coasters in the world.  Another popular wooden ride is “The Legend” and is also ranked very highly (themed after the Legend of Sleepy Hollow).  “ZOOMbabwe”, located in the water park, is the world’s largest enclosed water slide.  “The Voyage”, located in the Thanksgiving section, was rated in Amusement Today as the #1 wooden roller coaster on the planet in 2007, 2008, and 2009.  It it 1.2 miles long with five underground tunnels!  The entire amusement park has so many rides across all themed sections, that I couldn’t possibly list them all here.  But, they have rides covering the major categories including roller coasters, family rides, children/toddler rides, and water rides.

The park also conducts several entertainment shows.  They have the “HoliDazzles” which takes place in the Holiday Theater (songs, dancing), “Dive, Dive” (a tribute to the Olympics), “It’s Country Y’All” (country music and dancing), “Fusion” (pop music with costumes and dancing), “Sing Praise” (Gospel music show), “Santa’s Storytime Theater” (Santa reads stories and sings), and “Holidog’s Dance Party” (dance with the kids).

If you are a roller coaster or amusement park enthusiast, you have got to check this place out.  It has been around for over 60 years and is not going anywhere.  Come celebrate the holidays like you never have before!

Here’s another good Halloween attraction, located in the San Francisco Bay area.  This is a haunted house covering about 5 acres with a pirate ship theme set in the 15th century.  They make use of robotics, animation, special effects, and interaction to create a very scary experience.  They actually recommend that no one under 13 years old participate.  They try to provide a unique experience by changing the scenes every year and setting up the facility to make people feel like they are part of the action, instead of just watching it.  All of the scenery is very realistic which includes vortex tunnels, strobe lights, and trap doors.  The pirates and creatures of the night exists in 3 different attractions throughout the haunted house:

• The Pirate ship and village – you are led into a dark elevator with a small group of other guests and scream your way downward into the lowest level.  From there, you are guided through a maze of rooms with dead and undead pirates.  Everything is amazingly detailed and there is organ music playing throughout.  You also often are presented with multiple ways to go – making you feel like part of the adventure.
• Pirates of the Deep in 3-D (tour through the underwater world of Davy Jones’ locker) – the scenery is very nicely detailed to make you feel like you are underwater.
• Bilge Rat Maze – an open-air maze with strobe lighting, making it difficult to determine where you are going.  There is also loud music playing so you can’t hear the actors before they get a chance to scare you.  It is common for people to get lost in the maze

So, if you happen to be in the San Francisco Bay area already and want to go to a really fun and scary haunted house, give The Pirates of Emerson a try!

Ok all you snow virgins!  If you’ve lived somewhere warm all of your life and have never seen snow (and want to), then you should sign up for this contest.  The Colorado Tourism Office is sponsoring a contest, called  “Colorado Snow at First Sight“, where three winners will receive an all expenses-paid, three-month trip to Colorado!  Of course, this means you will need to be available over that period of time (January-March 2010).  The contest is not just open to US residents – it is open internationally.  To qualify, you must not have had any prior experience with snow conditions and you must submit a 60 second video showing off your creativity and personality explaining why you should win.  The three most popular/creative videos will be chosen as the winners.

The purpose of this contest is to draw more tourism to Colorado.  To that end, the winners will get to go skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, hot-tubbing, and night-clubbing.  They will also be able to visit many of Colorado’s hot springs, spas, and restaurants.  To spread the good word, the winners will be required to talk about their experiences on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter on a daily basis.

You won’t know if you like snow or not until you experience it firsthand.  Why not give it a try?  All you have to do is put together a 60 second video?  How hard is that?  It sounds worth it to me for the experience of a lifetime.  I would enter myself, but I live in a snowy area already

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I thought it would be nice to present you with a travel option to creep you out.  The city of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, has an attraction called “Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride“.  Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, the Bates Motel is the famous motel at which Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Psycho was filmed.  This particular motel is not the same one used in the movie, but the setting is perfect for a freaky good time.

They have several attractions on site:

• The Haunted Hayride – this is a 20 minute hayride through a dark, haunted forest.  The forest is filled with computer controlled animations, live actors dressed as ghouls and monsters to jump/fly out and scare you, special effects, explosions, chain saws, and much more!
• The Haunted Corn Maze – this is a maze in a tall corn field that you have to navigate trough amidst demons, goblins, high tech automation, and sound effects.  Monsters are everywhere – even under the ground!
• The Bates Motel – this is a walk-through haunted house with lots of action, special effects, digital sound tracks, computerized lighting, and live actors intent on scaring the hell out of you.  Of the 3 attractions on site, this one is the scariest.  They even have a “chicken exit” if you are too scared and want to leave early.

This place is consistently ranked as one of the top haunted attractions in the country by Hauntworld Magazine, USA Today, and CNN.com.  On busy nights (typically weekends), they have 5,000 – 6,000 guests come to the Bates Motel.  They  have a staff of over 200 people and pride themselves on changing the facility every year so repeat visitors always have a unique experience.

So, what are you waiting for?  Stop going to those piddly carnival-style haunted houses and step up to the big leagues!  Just try not to pee your pants

The Six Flags White Water water park is located near Atlanta, Georgia and was first opened in 1999 (originally called White Water Atlanta).  This park made Travel Channel’s top 10 water park list recently.

Let’s start with the thrill rides.  They have one called “Dragon’s Tail” which has a 250-foot triple drop.  Another one is called “The Cliffhanger” which is a bare-backed 9-story drop (one of the tallest free falls in the world).

The largest category is family rides.  There is an activity pool for kids as well as a couple of wave pools:  “The Tidal Wave” which has gentle waves that drop you into “Little Hooch River” (lazy river) and “The Atlanta Ocean” which generates 4 foot waves.  There are several inner tube rides (”Bermuda Triangle”, “Black River Falls”, ‘Caribbean Plunge”, “Gulf Coast Screamer”, “Run-A-Way River”, “The Rapids”, and the “Tornado”), bare-back rides (”Lizard’s Tail”, “Mutiny Chute”, “The Banzai Pipeline”, “Three-slide Body Flume”), and a rafting ride (”Bahama Bob-Slide”).

Kids will have a lot of fun here too.  They’ve got “Captain Kid’s Cove” which is an area containing over 100 interactive play activities.  “Little Squirt’s Island” is for toddlers and is a shallow water play area with lots of water chutes, fountains, and pulleys.  Finally, “Tree House Island” is a 4-story structure with a large water bucket, chutes, slides, and bridges to cross.

White Water has regular activities during the year (their web site has a events calendar) and there are plenty of places around to get a bite to eat.  If you want to make a weekend out of your trip, make sure you visit “Six Flags Over Georgia”.  This is more of a roller coaster/thrill park.  They also have family attractions and some water rides.

If you’ve been to a Six Flags before, this park certainly lives up to the reputation.  They have rides for everyone.  I’m a little surprised that they actually have a season – at the time of this writing, the park is closed and won’t reopen until May.  I figured a park like this down near Atlanta would be open all year.  Maybe it gets cold enough down there that visitor numbers fall off significantly over the winter?  So, you’ll have to hit this park during the summer, but I’m sure it would be worth the trip!

Do you like cruises?  Are you fascinated with the story of the Titanic?  Then I found the perfect vacation for you.  Borton Overseas is offering a Titanic Memorial Cruise in 2012 to mark the 100th anniversary of the tragedy.  Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is the company who owns the ship (chartered by British firm Miles Morgan Travel).  The cruise ship Balmoral will follow the exact itinerary as the Titanic.  It will leave from Southampton, England and stop at Cobh, Ireland which was Titanic’s last port of call.  You will then travel out to where the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic where a memorial service will be held at sea.  From there, you’ll go to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where you can visit the cemeteries where many of the victims were buried.  Throughout the cruise are lectures, demonstrations, and other activities relating to the history of the time period and the Titanic itself.  They will even be serving the same type of food that was offered on board at the time as well as period-appropriate live music and dancing.  The trip will end in New York, which was the original destination of the Titanic.

At the time of this writing, much of the lower-grade inside cabins were sold out already.  So, if you want to experience a piece of history, book your vacation today!

Looking for a place to take your kids on vacation?  Try Nickelodeon Family Suites in Orlando, Florida.  It is the only Nick Hotel in the world and it was just renamed this year and was formerly associated with the Holiday Inn.  The entire facility is centered around kids.  It has themed-rooms, two pools areas that are styled after a water park , a mall, fast food restaurants, a kids salon/spa, a photo studio, a 3,000 square foot arcade, a miniature golf course, day and night programs, and a 4-D theater.

The hotel earned several awards in 2008:

• 2008 “Best for Children” (Orlando Magazine)
• 2008 Top 10 “Best Pools” (TripAdvisor)
• 2008 Finalist for “Outstanding Deals by an Individual Hotel” Award (Travelzoo)

Let’s start with the water parks (probably the biggest attraction).  It has “The Lagoon Pool” containing zero-depth heated pool and a 4 story interactive water tower with water slides, climbing nets, and water jets.  This tower also features a 400-gallon bucket that dumps slime on the crowd once per day and water at regular intervals!  There are also two whirlpools, a basketball court, a kid’s play area, daily Nick-themed activities, and poolside cabanas containing a TV, towels, lounge chairs, and a fan.  There is also lots of poolside entertainment from the staff which apparently involves throwing pies at your parents, group sliming and music.

The other water park is called the “Oasis Pool”.  It’s main feature is an Olympic sized swimming pool with water slides.  There is also a kid’s play area, a section for toddlers, a snack bar, and poolside cabanas.

The 4-D theater sounds like a lot of fun also.  If you haven’t heard of one of these before, it is basically a high-tech film that is interactive.  So, you are not only watching the film, but also feeling it (i.e. wind, water, scents, and of course slime).  The hotel also provides a Nick workshop where kids can create their own souvenirs such as art, suncatchers, T-shirts, and books.  In addition, you can sign your kids up for swim lessons (extra fee).

Furthermore, there are plenty of shows and other entertainment going on.  There are live shows, family improv, and karaoke with plenty of singing, shouting, smiling, and slime.  “Nick at Dark” allows the kids to participate by themselves (without parents) in a dinner, a Studio Nick show, a workshop, and a hands-on slime experience.

For the adults, there is a bar.  So, if the kids are driving you crazy, you need some quiet time, or you just need to stop smiling for a bit, go have a drink   I’m betting the staff smiles so much during the day that they go home and kick their pets   Joking aside, the staff is very professional and very enthusiastic.  The hotel is also very close to Disney and Universal Studios (including CityWalk) in case you want to get away from the hotel for a while and do something else.

This is an excellent place for kids to have fun with great activities designed just for them.  After a visit here, they’ll probably want to return over and over again!

This is quite the indoor water park!  Located in Wisconsin, it is the largest indoor water park in the nation, in terms of square footage (250,000 square feet).  Wisconsin, itself, has more indoor water parks than any other state (the first indoor water park in the nation started here).  This particular water park is called Wisconsin Dells Wilderness Territory.  It has 4 indoor waterparks and 4 outdoor waterparks which include all kinds of slides, lazy rivers, wavepools, and other thrill rides.  The combined area that all of these waterparks cover is roughly equivalent to 12 football fields!

Let’s start with the indoor waterparks:

• Wild West – this is a western-themed park.  Brand new for 2009 are the bumper boats.  They also have the “Black Hole” (thrill ride), “Fantastic Voyage” (5-person raft ride), “Ransack Ridge” (play area including slides, cannons, water guns, 750-gallon tipping bucket), 4 speed slides, hot spas, and a toddler pool.  This area also has 2 places to get a bite to eat – Grizzly’s Grill and The Thirsty Buffalo Saloon.
• Klondike Kavern – this is a Klondike-themed park.  It has a 180-foot body slide, two 500-foot tube rides, a lazy river, a hot spa, “Bonanza Bluff” (play area with lots of play and spray features, 14 foot body slide, 4 foot children’s slide, and a 750-gallon tipping bucket), “The Hurricane” (4 person raft ride).  You can get a bite to eat here in the “Kodiak Kanteen”.
• Wild Waterdome – This area contains a tan-through roof allowing guests to tan indoors and for plants to grow inside.  It also has a huge 15,450 square foot wave pool and can generate 5 foot waves.  Other attractions include “Dueling Mammoths” (family raft racing ride), a 2,200 square foot ‘zero-depth’ pool, and “Cuddle Bunnies” (place for kids to build their own stuffed animals).  If you want to get something to eat, you can visit “Survivors Sports Bar & Grill” or “Wooly’s Eatery”.  And then go relax in a private cabana which has A/C, wireless internet, television, a bar, and seating both inside the cabana and out.
• Cubby’s Cove Indoor – this park is mainly for children.  The atmosphere in here is calmer than the bigger areas and has a multi-level aquatic play structure, small body slides, water basketball pool, and lots of play-and-spray features.  There are also some indoor/outdoor hot spas.  You and your kids can get some food in the “Lakeview Eatery”.

Wow!  Certainly a lot to do indoors!  If you visit the waterpark on a nice day, why not hit the outdoor waterparks?  Here they are:

• Lost World – This is a dinosaur-themed area.  New for 2009 is an 18-hole mini-golf course, go-karts, and a zip-line.  They also have the “Lost World Adventure River” (river adventure with lazy rivers, fast rapids, uphill currents, and slides), “Halley’s Comet Racers” (4 lane mat racing slide), and an outdoor spa.  For the little ones, they have several swimming pools, a play-and-spray structure, a water basketball pool, and “Dinosaur Crossing” (activity area).  There are also private cabanas that you can use.  Food options include “Stegosaurus Shack”, “Jurassic Joe’s”, “T-Retreat”, and “Big Dig”.
  
• Lake Wilderness – this area has a 13,000 square foot swimming pool!  They also have a tube slide, 3 body slides, lap pool, water basketball, hot spa pool, and a children’s area (wading pool with water activities).  There are private cabanas for rent and the “Mackinac Tap & Snack Shack” to satisfy your hunger.
• New Frontier – This park has all kinds of things to do.  It has a lazy river, a 400-foot tunnel slide, a fast body slide, “Bear Foot Island” (kids play area), three separate pools with waterfalls, “Toddler’s Cove” (zero-depth play area), two activity pools, and a large hot spa.  Grab some food and drinks at the “Raccoon Saloon”.
• Cubby’s Cove Outdoor – This is the outdoor portion of Cubby’s Cove and is catered towards families.  They have a beach (surrounding Lake Delton), an infinity pool, hot spa, a zero-depth play area, and a large deck for relaxing.  In the evenings, they have a series of firepits that can be used for toasting marshmallows or just gathering around to talk about the day.

In addition to the waterpark, Wilderness Territory also has laser tag, a couple of mini-golf courses, an arcade, and the Timberland Play Park which is a 4-story interactive play area containing attractions like foam ball blasters, crawl spaces, slides, and a soft-foam play area for little ones.  Another attraction opening this year is “Tombstone Town”.  It is basically a haunted hotel also containing the “Mine Shaft Mirror Maze” – both designed to send shivers up your spine

If you are interested in water parks, this place can’t be beat.  It is the Meca of waterparks!  I’m sure I didn’t list everything above.  You could probably spend a week here and not hit everything.  So, come for a visit and see where the nation’s waterparks got their start!