winter vacation 2011

Uludag, The Right Place to Spend your Winter Vacation

2010-11-12T02:04:00.001-08:00

Uludag is a mountain located in Bursa Province, Turkey. It has an altitude of 2,543 meters and one of the famous locations for winter sports that includes skiing. It also has a national park that is rich in flora and fauna.

Uludag is also popular in summer activities like trekking and camping. In the native language in Turkey, Uludag means Great Mountain but older name Kesis Dagi means Mountain of Monks is still used in slang speech of Turkish.

Uludag is the highest mountain in Marmara region. During the ancient times, Uludag was formerly known as Olympos Misios where the gods from mythology watched the Trojan War. Uludag is one of the favorite’s ski centers in Turkey. The Ski centers in Uludag have apt situations for Alpine skiing, ski tours, cross-country and heli-skiing.

The Uludag Ski Center is outfitted with cable car, chairlifts and T bars. The center also provides qualified skiing instructors and equipment that were made available for the guest for hire. In case unpleasant incident happens, the center is also equipped with first aid kit and rural clinic that will assist their guest in times of emergency.

Uludag skiing area is cloak with forest and 1,750-2,543 meters high. Skiing season in Uludag last for 120 days a year and between December 20 and March 20 is the most likely and recommended skiing conditions. At the beginning of the winter season, snow in Uludag is powdery but as the season ends it became slightly mushy.

Since Uludag is one of the Turkey’s most developed ski resort and a wonderful place to visit all year round, you can find many hotels that are ready to accommodate local and foreign guests. The Holiday Inn, Hotel Uludag is a four star hotel located in the center of Bursa city but one side of it is covered by the most renowned Uludag mountain while the other side by the pine forest. Truly, this magnificent view that the hotel has to offer will attract guests to stay and experience memorable vacation here in Holiday Inn. Here in Holiday Inn, you will experience a resort like atmosphere in the midst of crowded city of Bursa. It has 131 guest rooms and suites outfitted with these room features:

• Private bathroom
• High speed internet connection
• Cable/satellite colored TV
• Telephone line with voice mail
• Wireless data port
• Controlled air conditioning
• Mini bar

The hotel offers dining experience that will indulge your palate. In Placia Restaurant, you will enjoy its International and Turkish cuisine that they offer to their guests. It also has a Kios bar with live music and big screen that will make your night out more enjoyable. Holiday Inn Hotel Uludag has complete health Club with conventional Turkish bath and outdoor swimming pool situated in stunning garden. Your stay in Holiday Inn Hotel Uludag will give you warm in spite of the cold season.

Unique Winter Vacation Points About Canada

2010-11-12T01:19:00.001-08:00

People troop to Canada each year to enjoy the winter season. The place is packed with scenic spots and events like rocking carnivals and premium sports complexes and skiing so there is always something for everyone.

Winter vacation packages for Canada have grown in number since people began taking notice of the place as a possible trip destination. Try packages out like special events or combination ones if done with the usual ski and city varieties. Amazing skiing adventures can be had on Canadian slopes. Banff along with Jasper and Mont Tremblant are names skiers are accustomed to hearing. Ride a helicopter to get to Alberta or British Columbia mountains or stay behind and enjoy the same skiing and food delights at the Laurentians or Quebec.
Skiing is not the only thing that can be enjoyed immensely while in Canada for the winter. One favorite sport in Canada is ice hockey and people love it so much they have an official team for it as well as others in larger cities. There is a four mile ice rink in Ottawa along with others situated indoors as well as outdoors.

The first snowmobile came from Quebec and while countries around the world have adopted it Canada is still the place it is most renowned. Visible marked trails are provided for snow machines and add to that the snowmobile clubs to make weekend excursions totally fun. The snowshoeing winter season sport is both fun and easy to accomplish. Some key locations will soon have snowshoeing trails to offer.

Not even the iced up rivers and lakes can keep fishermen from performing their fave sport. To begin fishing all they require are some roof cover and a carved hollow in the ice. A small village in Quebec known as La Perade provides the vibrant shanties fisher folk use to catch lots of tomcods.

A few of the Ontario lakes and those in other areas feature winter season fishing plus most of the equipment needed for the activity. Toboggan rides are another enjoyable pursuit. Most places provide the toboggans plus the freezing artificial chute to slow down the ride. The enormous slide in the city of Quebec presents an amazing view while rapidly being swooped down the side of a cliff.

Slopes are written off purely for tobogganing in some ski resort places. Wintertime is extra busy too because of the carnivals complete with dog and snowshoe racing plus ice castles and endless drinks and food. It could be a big winter carnival in Canada or a small one and it would not matter as enjoyment is always a guarantee.
Of particular interest are the international competitions that have athletes flying in from all over. These fiesta celebrations put in the forefront the snowshoe classic and sled dog racing. People do not let the forbidding weather stop them from visiting hard to find boutiques in winter.

Artwork by Indians and Eskimos specifically soap rock carvings are quite popular souvenir items. A peek at the ballet company performing in the city or the symphony in Ottawa conducting a concerto will give tourists a taste of the culture. A musical group from Vancouver or the opera plus Montreal theaters available in French as well as English are a visual and auditory delight to behold.

Priceless treasures can be seen any day of the year in the Toronto as well as Saint John and Vancouver and Ottawa museums. Canadian night life is filled with a combination of tiny watering holes and extravagant night clubs with majority of hotels providing the entertainment themselves.

Montreal offers refuge to those tired of the rain and snow through its underground city. Lengthy interconnected tunnels hook theaters and railway systems plus shops and hotels with office business complexes and the major subway Le Metro as well as numerous apartment towers. Cities including Winnipeg and Toronto are appreciating the underground development concept. Most travelers are content just to walk by a pile of brilliant snow.

There is food provided from all over including Quebec French fare as well as Saskatchewan steaks and the delectable stuff from the Atlantic province British Columbia. There is little argument why Canada is such an exceptional vacation place.

10 Most Popular Destinations

2010-11-12T01:18:00.001-08:00

With the holidays in full swing, many families find themselves with a little bit of extra vacation time during the winter. While some may spend that time planning large family gatherings or trying to relax after the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, a number of families use this time as a way to enjoy a vacation away from home before the kids have to be back in school and everyone has to go back to work. If you are thinking of a winter getaway, here are 10 of the most popular vacation destinations during the winter months.

Mont Tremblant, Quebec

Located in the Laurentian Mountains, Mont Tremblant is a popular venue for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. With over 600 acres of useable snow, Mont Tremblant is renowned as one of the best destinations for wintertime fun. Skiers from all over the world travel to Quebec in order to take advantage of Tremblant’s pristine slopes.

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Home to Hershey’s candy, this Pennsylvania town can be a wonderful place to visit if you are travelling just before Christmas. Each year, Hershey Park is completely transformed into a Christmas candy land that absolutely must be seen in order to be believed. This can be an especially rewarding trip if travelling with children, as it can give them amazing stories to tell when they get back to school.

Sundance Ski Resort

Sundance, Utah, is home not only to the world-renowned Sundance Film Festival but also to a ski resort beyond compare. In addition to being able to enjoy well-manicured slopes for skiing and snowboarding, the resort is located within an hour of three major Utah cities so that you can enjoy some shopping and fine dining after a fun time in the snow.

Yellowstone National Park

Mostly known as a summertime destination, Yellowstone features a number of winter programs as well as those, which encourage visitors to learn more about the natural world around them. While not everyone thinks that a learning vacation sounds like fun, few sights can compare to being able to see and learn about Yellowstone in wintertime.

New England

A number of destinations in the New England area are transformed into a portrait of years gone by when winter comes. The New England that was captured in the beloved paintings of Norman Rockwell comes to life as the historical towns and cities put on their best winter decorations, while the Sugarloaf ski resort opens for business to accommodate those interested in winter sports.

Lake Tahoe

A popular winter destination for years, Lake Tahoe provides visitors with access to ski resorts as well as the nearby excitement of Carson City, Nevada. Those looking for a beautiful vacation destination should not be disappointed by the amazing view of the Rocky Mountains that can be seen from the slopes of Lake Tahoe.

Caribbean

For a completely different type of vacation, consider taking a cruise of the Caribbean. Not only can this help you to get away from the cold weather, but it can also give you a taste of what the holidays are like for those who do not live in an area that traditionally receives a lot of snow. Once you experience a Caribbean Christmas, you may never be able to look at a traditional Christmas the same way again.

Aspen, Colorado

Aspen is one of the most famous ski destinations in the world and a winter spent in Aspen is a winter that can always be remembered. In addition to having some of the most beautiful ski slopes that can be found anywhere, the town surrounding the ski areas has a rich culture and history that simply is not to be missed. From a day on the slopes to a night enjoying the amazing artistic community that exists in and around Aspen, you should never regret your choice to spend a vacation in Aspen.

Rockefeller Center, New York

Nothing says Christmas quite like the image of Rockefeller Center decked out in all of its holiday glory. Used as an icon of the holidays in films, stories, and photographs, a winter vacation to New York simply is not complete without taking the time to visit Rockefeller Center and see exactly how much effort is put in to transforming it into a symbol of peace and Christmas joy.

Orlando, Florida

If you just want to get away from the cold of the holidays but are not interested in travelling too far from home, Orlando can be the perfect winter destination. With a multitude of theme parks (and the holiday programs offered by each), there is plenty for the whole family to do. You can also set aside some time to simply enjoy the Florida weather, ignoring the fact that it is much colder at home.
Stephanie Larkin