Aulani is situated on 21 acres of oceanfront property, on the leeward coast of the island of Oahu. Imagineers used landscaping designed to replicate the traditional Hawaiian ahupua'a, or land divisions that allowed the inhabitants of the area to partake in all they needed to sustain themselves from the forests of the uplands to the fish and plants at sea level. Throughout the resort, astute visitors will notice that the landscaping foliage goes from dry land varieties to more wet and lush plantings as you move from the Makaala to the ocean. Referencing traditional Polynesian structures, or hale, two 15-story towers flank the main lobby building, called Makaala, which means "the beginning of a path."
Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Saturday Savers - Campfire Fun at the Fort!
It’s time once again to take a look at inexpensive options
in or around Walt Disney World to augment your vacation experience. Things that you might do on your own or with
your traveling companions that are FREE or close to being free. Today we'll
take a look at some campfire fun to be found at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
& Campground.
The campfire program at Ft. Wilderness is open to all Walt
Disney World resort guests. There you
can sing around the campfire and watch a FREE Disney movie, in a rustic, wooded
environment, which is quite fitting to the campfire experience!
The campfire is held every evening near the Meadow Trading Post. It starts at about 7:00 pm in the fall and
winter, and at about 8:00 pm in the spring and summer. It starts with an old fashioned sing-a-long
and marshmallow roast. Guests are
welcome to bring their own food or they can purchase supplies from the
Chuckwagon, which offers S'mores kits for around $9-10. These kits have enough supplies to make s’mores for
about 4 people, so plan accordingly if you don’t bring your own supplies. The Chuckwagon also offers other food items
such as hot dogs, pizza and soft drinks.
Chip and Dale will come out and meet the guests and sign their
autograph albums – and of course let you take a picture. Following the campfire
program, a Disney movie is shown on a large outdoor screen., similar to the
poolside movies shown at other resorts.
The Fort does offer some seating on bleachers and benches, but many
guests prefer to lay out a blanket on the grass.
There are no reservations for this program – simply show up
and enjoy. The best part of it all is
that it is FREE to attend, and only a nominal charge if you want to make s’mores.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Where in the World Wednesdays - Destinations to Explore Before Leaving this Life
DISNEYLAND RESORT – Anaheim, California
Disneyland,
the theme park, first opened its’ gates to the public on July 17, 1955 (57
years ago next Tuesday), though Disneyland the idea, first started to percolate
in the mind of its’ progenitor – Walt Disney, as early as the mid-1930’s. It began as a dream of a magical little park,
where parents and children could have fun together – as a father watched his
little girls playing on the merry-go-round and other enticements at Griffith
Park, not too far from Hollywood, where Walt would take his daughters on Sunday
afternoons.
Through
the years his magical little park grew in scope, and was placed on the back
burner as a variety of events around the world played out throughout the late
1930’s and on through the 1940’s – most famous of all of course was World War
II, when many activities at Walt’s studio were halted or at least temporarily
ceased. But after the war ended, the
ideas began to bubble up once again to the surface of Walt’s imagination. In the early 1950’s that magical little park
was to be located across the street from the Studio complex in Burbank,
CA. But the ideas just kept getting
bigger and grander, and Walt knew that there just wasn’t enough land available
for what he wanted to do in his park. So
the search was on for a suitable location to build his dream – Walt’s Folly –
as it came to be known throughout the entertainment industry.
Concept Art for Sleeping Beauty Castle by Herb Ryman - 1954 |
Walt
invited Marvin Davis, Herb Ryman, Ken Anderson and a few select others to help him turn his dreams into concepts
on paper. Soon the park started to grow
again as lands of fantasy, adventure, the American frontier and tomorrow began
to appear. And before long, Walt was
selling the idea not just to those within the Studio, but to some outside the
company. It was a rough beginning, and Walt put much of his own portfolio on
the line in order to get the park built, but his persistence paid off.
Sleeping Beauty Castle - January 2012 |
July 17, 1955 – Black Sunday – as it became known within the management ranks in Burbank – came and the park was flooded with guests. Many more than they anticipated, thanks to some clever counterfeiting of tickets – thereby swelling the guest count by nearly double what was expected. Despite negative publicity following a variety of concerns on Opening Day (non-working attractions, not enough drinking fountains, excessive heat, super-sized crowds, and more) the public quickly embraced “Walt’s Folly”, defying what the critics had to say. And even though the park was closed two days each week, by the end of September 1955, more than one million guests had passed through the park’s gates. What was anticipated to be a passing fancy that would quickly shut down – not only survived, but thrived! And here we are, 57 years later, about to mark another July 17th and the much celebrated continued success of Walt’s magical little park.
No other
theme park venture has been the inspiration for not just one, but five sister
Magic Kingdoms around the world… in Florida, Japan, France, Hong Kong and
soon-to-be in mainland China – in Shanghai where the next Magic Kingdom is
currently under construction. No matter
which park you visit – the original inspired design concept of the “Main Street”
corridor leading up to the Central Hub is repeated time and again – all leading
to that central structure – the castle – or the “wienie” as Walt liked to call
it – beckoning guests forward to discover more delights that lie further
in.
But what
IS Disneyland? That question solicits a
response that will be different from anyone that you ask. To some, it is just an amusement park, like
many others around the nation. To
others, it is a design inspiration.
Still to others it is a place where youth lives – and relives fond
memories from the past – as well as allowing guests to dream about far off
places, imagining themselves in different worlds or environments… much as they
once did when in childhood playtime they let their imaginations run wild.
As a theme
park, Disneyland is comprised of 6 individual themed lands: Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland,
Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square, Critter Country
and Mickey’s ToonTown. Be sure to check
back next Wednesday for more individual information about Disneyland – the park.
As a Resort Destination, the Disneyland Resort is comprised of two theme parks: Disneyland and Disney California Adventure (opened in 2001) – as well as a dining, shopping and entertainment district – Downtown Disney District – and three resort hotels: Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
Disneyland Resort - Map art © Disney |
For the as yet Walt Disney World only guest - yes, of course the Disneyland Resort is small. But that roughly 600 acres that it encompasses is jammed full of fun and excitement! The resort itself just came off a 5-year expansion program that brought the all-new CARSLAND to Disney California Adventure, as well as a multitude of new and updated attractions, shows and other offerings at both parks, and at Downtown Disney and in the hotels. It is a multi-day destination in itself, but also easily serves as a "home-base" for extended Southern California exploration.
It is a
resort destination that annually attracts more than 15 million visitors. It is home to the original version of many
beloved Disney theme park attractions now found in other Magic Kingdoms around
the world, including: Pirates of the
Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Mark Twain Riverboat, Tom Sawyer Island, Splash Mountain,
Peter Pan’s Flight, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the Jungle Cruise, Star Tours, the
Enchanted Tiki Room and more.
Disneyland
is located in the city of Anaheim in Orange County, and is about 26 miles southeast
of Los Angeles. It is just minutes away
from miles and miles of famed Southern California beaches, and not far from
three metropolitan airports: Los Angeles
International, Ontario International and John Wayne-Santa Ana – plus two
smaller airports: Long Beach and Burbank.
Convenient shuttles and buses can transport air travelers to the resort
in comfort.
For more
information and to reserve your next vacation to the Disneyland Resort, contact
me at 855.776.1733 or via my websites:
www.neverlandadventurestravel.com or
www.neverlandadventurescruises.com. Be
sure to follow me on Twitter, like my page on Facebook, circle me on Google+,
and pin me on Pinterest.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Saturday Savers - Transportation Fun
It’s time once again to take a look at inexpensive
options in or around Walt Disney World to augment your vacation
experience. Things that you might do on
your own or with your traveling companions that are FREE or close to being
free. Today we'll take a look at finding adventure and enjoyment in the Disney Transportation
network.
As the Walt Disney World Resort is a vast tract of land –
nearly 43 square miles of fun – getting around is not quite as easy as simply
walking to your favorite destinations. And
since the Resort is a vacation destination for many visitors from around the
country, as well as around the world, personal cars often are not involved in a
Walt Disney World vacation. Many
visitors to the resort choose to or have to fly just to get there. So the Resort offers an array of FREE
transportation options. Buses, boats and
Monorails are the opportunities provided for getting around within the Resort.
All of these options are available to any guest, even if just a day guest
visiting a theme park, but looking to move between locations (say for moving
between theme park and non-theme park based dinner or dinner show).
But the transportation network does not simply need to be
viewed as transportation. On many visits
that I have made to “the world”, I like to sit back and use the available modes
as part of the fun. Hop on a bus and
just go along for the ride.
People-watching can be an interesting way to pass the time. On solo trips that I have made, when I have
no set agenda, I love to play “bus roulette”, and just hop on the first
available bus, and go until a destination appeals to me. It’s true there is a sense of “need” to plan
elements of your vacation, but that same vacation just becomes a chore when you
are slave to a set, pre-planned to the nth detail schedule.
Ride a Bus! Buses make up the largest portion of the Walt
Disney World transportation network. The
Disney fleet is vast, with buses transporting guests between every resort and
the theme parks, water parks and the Downtown Disney area. Routes are often combined as very few buses offer
a single-purpose route (the Animal Kingdom Lodge to the Magic Kingdom is a
single-purpose route), since many buses are shared between resorts and their
primary destination (i.e. a bus might leave Old Key West, and make a stop at
Blizzard Beach before going on to Animal Kingdom Theme Park; while others might
leave the Wilderness Lodge, and make stops at the Polynesian, and Grand
Floridian before proceeding along to Downtown Disney and Typhoon Lagoon). While the buses go just about everywhere,
they do NOT go between Downtown Disney and the theme parks. If a guest wants to go to a theme park from
Downtown Disney (or from a theme park to Downtown Disney), they need to get on
the bus that will take them to a resort… typically the closest resort to the
theme park in question, and transfer to either another bus or another form of
transportation that will get them to the theme park. (i.e. a guest going to the Magic Kingdom
could ride a bus to the Wilderness Lodge and them ride a boat to the park; or a
guest going to Animal Kingdom Theme Park could ride a bus to the Animal Kingdom
Lodge and then transfer to an Animal Kingdom Theme Park bus).
Ride the Monorail! What
was once thought to be the “transportation system of the future” still is a
very cool way to ride in style. Sure
during the early morning hours and the end of day times the Monorail will be
very, very full with excited or tired guests – but throughout the day, it is
just a fun way to explore. From the
Transportation & Ticket Center you can take the “Epcot” Monorail, and enjoy
a few miles of high in the sky fun on the way to Epcot, with an inside the park
overview of both Future World and World Showcase. Or take the "Resort" Monorail which circles
the Seven Seas Lagoon making stops at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian and
Contemporary resorts. You can get off
and on at each of these resorts and explore if you choose, as well as at the
Magic Kingdom, where if you aren’t entering the Magic Kingdom, you could
explore the lagoon walk. It’s an easy way to orient yourself and get a look at
the resorts and an overview of the Magic Kingdom.
Enjoy a Boat Ride! There are a number of boating opportunities
throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, which can be enjoyable any time of
day, but particularly beautiful at night.
They can be a bit romantic as well.
From the Magic Kingdom area, there are boats that connect
the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge and Ft
Wilderness resorts with the Magic Kingdom.
Any of these are available to you, and you could easily cruise the Seven
Seas Lagoon and adjoining Bay Lake. The
boats operate continuously throughout the day from shortly before the Magic
Kingdom opens until shortly after it closes.
From the Epcot area resorts, the Friendship Boats cruise
Crescent Lake and the adjoining canals making stops at Epcot, the Boardwalk,
Yacht & Beach Club, Swan & Dolphin and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The loop is continuous throughout the day from
shortly before the theme parks open until shortly after the theme parks
close. Get on and off as you please,
exploring the resorts along the way.
From the Downtown Disney area, boats cruise Lake Buena
Vista visiting Old Key West, Port Orleans and Saratoga Springs resorts. Each is a separate line, but all provide
beautiful vistas and the opportunity to visit and explore the resorts. There’s also a West Side to Marketplace boat
that operates strictly within Lake Buena Vista taking guests from one end of
Downtown Disney to the other. These
boats operate continuously throughout the day, typically from about 10 am until
11pm at night.
While it’s true the Walt Disney World Resort is vast, and
getting between destinations can and does take time, getting around doesn’t
have to be considered a chore. It can be
a fun part of the adventure!! The best part about the above options is that they are all FREE, and if you are a resort guest visiting theme parks - will help you skip the theme park parking charges!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Where in the World Wednesdays - Destinations to Explore Before Leaving This Life
Valley Forge National Historical Park - Valley Forge, PA
In the picturesque, rolling hillsides of eastern
Pennsylvania, only about 23 miles northwest of Philadelphia, lies the 3,500-acres that
make up the Valley Forge National Historical Park - a peaceful reminder of the
hard-fought war, and sacrifices were given long ago (nearly 235 years ago) helped
secure the national freedoms we still enjoy today. It was here at Valley Forge
that General George Washington forged his Continental Army into a fighting
force during the winter encampment of 1777-78.
Though no battles were fought there; and no bayonet charges or artillery bombardments took place, some 2,000 soldiers died (more Americans than were killed at the battles of Germantown and Brandywine combined); Valley Forge tells the epic story of an army’s very real struggle to survive. The odds were immense – hunger, frigid temperatures, and disease. But survive they did. And their tenacity was a turning point in the War for Independence – the Revolutionary War.
The Park serves as a reminder of those troubled times. Visitors are able to see for themselves
Washington’s original stone headquarters, which has been lovingly restored and
furnished; along with several log soldier huts that have been reconstructed.
Nearby a train station from 1913 features interactive exhibits of Washington
and his confidantes and the town just to the west of the Park is a very quaint reminder of America’s Colonial past.
Throughout the Park statues and monuments illuminate America’s heritage
for Park visitors, including statues of General "Mad Anthony" Wayne
and Baron Friedrich von Steuben as well as the Monument to Patriots of African
Descent.
Valley Forge is quite easily accessible via the Valley Forge exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Park itself is located at Route 23 and North Gulph Road in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The Visitor Center and other park buildings are open from 9 am to 5 pm year-round, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day - while the park grounds themselves are open from dawn to dusk.
Many visitors will find the Visitor Center’s exhibits and artifacts to be very informative and interesting. The Encampment Store offers books, souvenirs, gifts, light refreshments and more. The Park offers both self-guided auto and walking tours, as well as Ranger-led hikes and during the summer months, a trolley tour, as well as bicycle rentals. Valley Forge National Historical Park includes roughly 20 miles of multi-use trails that wind throughout the park’s rolling hillsides.
Valley Forge is quite easily accessible via the Valley Forge exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Park itself is located at Route 23 and North Gulph Road in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The Visitor Center and other park buildings are open from 9 am to 5 pm year-round, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day - while the park grounds themselves are open from dawn to dusk.
For more information about Valley Forge or other National Parks, Monuments, or Historical Parks, or to reserve your next vacation, contact me at 317.776.1733.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Where in the World Wednesdays - Destinations to Explore Before Leaving this Life
Located
along the northern coast of California, between the city of Eureka and the
Oregon border, the Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) – comprised of Redwood
National Park and California's Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie
Creek Redwoods state parks, the combined RNSP contain 133,000 acres and are
located entirely within Del Norte and Humboldt Counties. Together the four parks protect about 45% of
all remaining old-growth coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). These trees are
the tallest and one of the most massive tree species on Earth.
Found
within the ecosystem of the RNSP, a number of threatened plant and animal
species are preserved – species such as the Brown Pelican, Tidewater Goby, Bald
Eagle, Chinook Salmon, Northern Spotted Owl, and Steller's Sea Lion. In 1980 the park was designated as a World
Heritage Site by the United Nations. The
National Park itself is located about 260 miles north of the city of San
Francisco, and about 300 miles south of Portland, Oregon.
It has
been estimated that old-growth redwood forest once covered nearly 2,000,000
acres of coastal northern California, but unfortunately through decades of unchecked
logging throughout the latter 1800’s, more than 96% of all old-growth redwoods
have been removed. Nearly half of the
redwoods that remain are found in Redwood National and State Parks. The parks
protect 38,982 acres of old-growth forest.
While you might not yet have personally visited the natural wonders of
the RNSP, more than likely you have encountered these majestic trees on tv or
on film. The RNSP has been the featured
backdrop in many major motion pictures, including “Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi” where it played a major role as
the forest home of those lovable Ewoks, who lived on the Forest Moon of
Endor. Additionally it was featured in
films such as “Jurassic Park: The Lost
World”, “Time of the Titans”, “Dinosaurs Alive!” and most recently in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
While the
state parks have front country campsites that can be driven to, the federal
sections of the park do not. Hiking is
the only way to reach back country campsites within the national park
portion. Front country campsites are
found at Mill Creek campground in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park; in Jedediah
Smith campground in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park; in Elk Prairie campground and Gold Bluffs
Beach campground in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Combined there are a total of 351 campsites
available. Other than camping facilities, lodging is not directly available
within the borders of the RNSP, but nearby communities to the south, north and
east provide ample accommodations.
While the
parks are more sedate than other national parks, RSNP does provide various
recreational opportunities. Back country
camping is by permit only and is only allowed in designated sites, but access
to the back country is highly regulated to prevent overuse. Therefore camping
in the back country is limited to five consecutive nights, and 15 nights in any
single year. As with any habitat that is home to bears, proper food storage is
strongly enforced, and hikers and backpackers are required to take out any
trash they generate.
With nearly
200 miles of hiking trails in the parks, park guests will find an abundance of
up close and personal opportunities to discover these natural wonders. But be forewarned, some temporary footbridges
are removed during the rainy season since they would be destroyed by high
streams. Throughout the year, trails are often wet and hikers need to be well
prepared for rainy weather. Additionally, mountain biking and horseback riding are
popular but only allowed on certain trails. Kayaking is popular along the
seacoast and in the various rivers and streams, and both kayakers
and canoeists frequently travel the Smith River, the longest remaining undammed
river left in the state of California.
Fishing is a favorite pastime in the parks and is best in the Klamath and Smith rivers. Salmon and steelhead, a highly
prized species of rainbow trout are common catches in the parks. A
California sport fishing license is required to fish any of the rivers and
streams. Hunting is not permitted
anywhere in the parks, but is allowed in nearby National Forests.
The RNSP offers
three different visitor centers where park guests can obtain general
information, as well as guided nature walks. For more information about the
RNSP area, or to explore the possibility of creating your own vacation memories
in or near this majestic playground in America’s portfolio of National Parks,
don’t hesitate to visit my website, or call 855.776.1733.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Where in the World Wednesdays - Destinations to Explore Before Leaving This Life
Yosemite National Park – California
Yosemite
was established as a National Park back in 1890, though parts of it were set
aside for preservation and protection as far back as the 1860’s when Abraham
Lincoln was residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The park itself contains more than 800 miles
of hiking trails and 300 miles of paved roads within the approximately 1,189
square mile park (about the size of the state of Rhode Island) – and about 95%
of the park is designated wilderness.
Yosemite
ranges in elevation from 2,127 to 13,114 feet and boasts five major vegetation
zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane forest, upper montane forest,
subalpine zone, and alpine. Of
California's 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the Sierra Nevada and more
than 20% within Yosemite, and Yosemite boasts about 160 rare plant species.
Highlights
within Yosemite Valley, the parks central area where the majority of the park’s
established camping and lodging facilities are located include numerous
waterfalls (Yosemite Falls being the highest waterfall in the nation), as well
as a variety of well-known mountain formations popularly documented in famed
photographs by noted photographer Ansel Adams, such as Half Dome, and El
Capitan – the largest single granite rock on the planet.
Activities
abound within the park, for naturalists and adventurists alike. Hundreds of
miles of hiking trails, as well as nearly 20 miles of scenic Class IV rapids
for white water rapids enthusiasts. The moderately strenuous Mist Trail offers
a close-up look at Vernal Falls, a 317-foot waterfall on the John Muir Trail,
as well as Bridalveil Fall, a 620-foot waterfall. The John Muir Trail itself works its’ way through
211 miles, and up to 11,000 feet in elevation.
Lodging
within the Yosemite Valley includes hotel accommodations, tent-cabins and
traditional campsites. The beautiful and
majestic Ahwahnee hotel, constructed in 1927, is a master showpiece of stone
and native timber, with heart-stopping views and breathtaking public
spaces. Winters at the Ahwahnee are a
glorious experience, especially during the holiday season when the lodge
features its’ beloved, traditional, Bracebridge Dinner, which dates back to the
1930’s, and features Old English Yuletide cheer.
For more
information about Yosemite, or to explore the possibility of creating your own
vacation memories in or near this crown jewel in America’s portfolio of
National Parks, don’t hesitate to visit my website, or call 855.776.1733.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Where in the World Wednesdays: Destinations to Explore Before Leaving This Life
So way back in January, I thought about starting a new feature about destinations. It never quite got off the ground as I tried it once, and never got back to it. But in thinking over what I've been doing, and what I'd like to do, I decided it was time to mix things up a bit, and add in to the mix. So the shuffling process began last week when I decided to stop doing "Wordless Wednesdays", and instead, moved the wordless photo feature to Fridays with the renamed, "Featured Foto Friday". In doing so, it freed up Wednesdays for what I truly do hope to be a new regular feature here in stopher's stuff - "Where in the World Wednesdays: Destinations to Explore Before Leaving this Life."
Let's face it, we all have bucket lists for our lives, and many of our lists include places to see or explore. Many of us are stuck in the same rut of going to the same place for vacation year after year. I grew up doing that, as my parents would take us to the same mountain resort community for a time of fishing, horseback riding and just enjoying nature. I have family and friends who return to the exact same place year after year... some have been doing so for 50+ years; I also have family and friends who mix it up and like to explore new places every time they go on vacation. Everyone's different. Some own cabins or beach houses, some own timeshares, some own nothing and always look for something new. While there is nothing wrong with returning to places that feed our soul, or bring joy and happiness - the world is truly FULL of wonderful locations. Many of which are, even in the 21st century, still somewhat remote and full of beauty. As I continue to research and share about destinations, I will touch upon many that I have been to personally, and others that are on my own bucket list. When appropriate, I'll add my own photos, when it's somewhere I haven't been, I'll add a photo or two that I secure someplace else. I hope you enjoy this new feature, and please, comment and share it with your friends.
The Columbia River Gorge – Oregon & Washington
Separating
the states of Oregon and Washington, along the trails that Lewis & Clark
explored more than 200 years ago when they first saw the Pacific Ocean, lies
the great Columbia River Gorge. This
80-mile-long gorge passes through the Cascade Mountains, and is one of the most
dramatic destinations to explore in the Pacific Northwest. It was designated by Congress as the first of
America’s National Scenic Areas in 1986.
The mountains as seen from inside the Skamania Lodge on the Washington side, spring 2009 |
The river
itself is about a mile wide, and is flanked by the majestic volcanic sentinels
of Mount Hood on the Oregon side, and Mount Adams on the Washington side. It is the only sea-level passage through the
Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges, and therefore has served as a major transportation
corridor for centuries, and was the final passage along the “Oregon Trail” for
pioneers seeking a new life on the western frontier.
Multnomah Falls, from my spring 2009 visit |
Throughout
the gorge, along the banks of the river on either side, travelers will find
charming towns and villages, as well as bountiful farming communities and
vineyards. Hiking and biking trails
abound, providing access to many of the beautiful waterfalls found along the
Historic Columbia River Highway along the Oregon side of the river. Multnomah Falls is the most spectacular of
these waterfalls, and is the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation
with a 620 foot drop, second only to Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park
in California. The gorge is home to the greatest concentration of waterfalls in
North America.
In
addition to a number of charming resorts and inns along the river, the Columbia
River serves as a wonderful destination experience for river cruising
passengers. There are a couple of
different lines providing exceptional service for guests, especially during the
splendors of the fall season when the foliage is at its peak and the wineries
are at their peak of production.
For more
information about the Gorge, or to explore the possibility of creating your own
vacation memories along the Columbia River Gorge, don’t hesitate to visit my website,
or call 855.776.1733.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Sunday Spotlight - Disney's Vero Beach Resort
Disney's Vero Beach® Resort first opened October 1,
1995. It is a Disney Vacation Club® (DVC) timeshare property, and
was the first DVC resort to be opened outside of the Walt Disney World®
Resort.
Disney’s Vero Beach® Resort is a blended resort featuring
both traditional guest rooms and Disney Deluxe villas. It is comprised of 115 guest rooms and 95 villas
comprised of Deluxe Studios, 1-Bedroom, 2-Bedroom and 3-Bedroom Beach Cottages.
- Deluxe Studios are 375 square feet and can accommodate up to 4 guests, plus 1 child under age 3 in a crib. They include a kitchenette, 2 queen-size beds and a private porch or balcony.
- 1-Bedrooms are 880 square feet, and can accommodate up to 5 guests, plus 1 child under age 3 in a crib. They include a fully equipped kitchen, washer & dryer, king-size bed in the master bedroom, a queen-size sleeper sofa plus a sleeper chair in the living room, whirlpool tub in the master bathroom, and a private porch or balcony.
- 2-Bedrooms are 1,255 square feet, and can accommodate up to 9 guests, plus 1 child under 3 in a crib. They offer all that a 1-Bedroom has plus a 2nd bedroom with 2 queen-size.
- 3-Bedroom Beach Cottages are 2,175 square feet, and can accommodate up to 12 guests, plus 1 child under 3 in a crib. They offer all of the amenities of the 2-Bedroom, plus they include a 3rd bedroom with 2 queen-size beds, a full dining room, additional private balcony and are 2-story rooms.
The resort features 2 table service restaurants: Shutters
and Sonya’s. It also features lounge/bar locations: The Green Cabin Room and Bleachers. A Character breakfast is offered on weekends
as well.
Disney’s Vero Beach® Resort is a deluxe villas level resort located
on the eastern coast of Florida, along the Atlantic Ocean, about 2 hours away
from Walt Disney World®
Resort.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Tuesday Trivia - Pioneer Hall
Pioneer Hall at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, the home of the ever popular "Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue" was constructed using 1,283 hand-fitted logs, shipped by rail, from Montana.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Destination Today: Places to See Before You Leave This Life: Denali National Park
Prior to the creation of Neverland Adventures Travel, I used to pride myself on having been to 44 states within the U.S.; to Canada & Mexico; and having traveled a lot for both of the companies that I worked for over the past 19 years. But I always lamented over not having yet taken trips to Europe, South America, Asia or Africa. I've dreamed of those places many times, but always figured I'd get to them... someday. Fast forward to today, and here I am selling those destinations and so many others. Time to take a crash course in destinations, as well start sampling them for myself - thus I've entered the world of FAM (familiarization) travel available to the professionals within the Travel Industry. But FAM trips take time and effort on the individual professional's part to accomplish, time that isn't always a resource in plentiful supply when clients want to know about a possible destination they're interested in visiting themselves.
Over the past few months I have gone through various training courses with the various cruise lines that I market and sell, as well the land providers and other destinations, and I've learned a lot about the geography of the world that I never learned in school. Not physical geography of the land - but rather PORTS OF CALL, and the numerous attractions to be found in and around those port cities. Which has led to me do additional research on various "must see" attractions, in cities and destinations around the world. While researching some of those attractions at my local Barnes & Noble store, I found this interesting little book standing on the shelf. "1,000 Places to See Before You Die - A Traveler's Life List", by Patricia Schultz. I was intrigued, and so I picked it up. After thumbing through for just a few moments, I realized I must have this book. And over the course of the past few hours, realized that I would incorporate a new feature into stopher's stuff, using this book as a guide - inspiration, if you will, for me, but also for you. Places that Cruise Planners~Neverland Adventures Travel can help you get to, either by land, air or sea. But even if you just plan it yourself, destinations of some historic, geographic, or visual significance that will enrich your life for having visited.
So welcome to the first installment of DESTINATION TODAY: PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS LIFE. I'll be sharing destination information in the vein of the aforementioned book, without using or abusing the source material, all the while going in no particular order. The book breaks down the world in the following chapters:
- Europe
- Africa
- The Middle East
- Asia
- Australia, New Zealand & The Pacific Islands
- The United States of America & Canada
- Latin America
- The Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda
Today we'll take a look at Denali National Park in Alaska.
Mount McKinley, 20,230' is the tallest peak in North America, is the primary attraction in Denali National Park. The mountain is named after the 25th US President, but is also referred to locally by indigenous Athabascans of central Alaska as Denali.
The park is located about 125 miles south of Fairbanks is accessible by car during the months of May-September. The Alaska Railroad operates from June - early September. The best times to visit are June for the wildflowers, or August & September for the fall foliage.
This 6 million acre park is filled with grizzlies, moose and golden eagles, and contains vast tundras of subarctic splendor. The glaciers, massive peaks of the Alaska Mountain Range, as well as McKinley itself keep visitors returning year after year. Throughout the summer you can enjoy 16-20 hours of daylight each day to take in the dazzling scenery as you cam or enjoy North Face Lodge. Numerous plane and helicopter sightseeing excursions are available to get up in to the back country, not accessible by car or rail. You might also enjoy the 365 mile rail journey aboard the Denali Star, which takes you from Anchorage to Fairbanks, traveling through frontier towns of Wasilla & Takleetna, along with numerous "middle-of-nowhere" stops along the way.
This is a national park not to be missed, and can be added as a land or cruise tour to many Alaskan cruise itineraries.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Sunday Spotlight - Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa® first opened August 29, 2011 in the Ko Olina resort area on the leeward coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Inspired by the natural beauty, culture and traditions of Hawai’i, this beautiful resort was designed with families in mind. Sharing a secluded lagoon with the JW Marriott resort, and another future-resort that is still to be developed, Aulani is situated on 21 acres of oceanfront property, with spectacular views.
The resort towers surround the Waikalohe Valley, which comprises the various water and recreational amenities. These amenities include:
Waikalohe Stream – an exhilarating yet refreshing waterway meandering throughout the Waikalohe Valley.
For guests looking for relaxing spa treatments - no worries, the Laniwai Spa offers unique, blissful, customized treatments, and includes the only outdoor hydrotherapy garden in Hawaii. Additionally, for the teens, Aulani offers the only Teen Spa in Hawaii - Painted Sky - which offers special treatments and options just for teens.
For the adventurist looking to augment their beach vacation with some really neat, self-guided Hawaiian “local color” - Aulani is not far from many fun, exciting, and enjoyable destinations around Oahu. In the mood for a Dole Whip? The Dole Plantation is just 30 minutes away. Want to catch some waves or go surfing on some of the best beaches in the world, the North Shore, home of famed surfing competitions is just 45 minutes away. Looking for the stereotypical Hawaiian tour? The famed beaches and experiences at Waikiki are just about an hour’s drive from the resort. Hiking to the top of Diamond Head, or through a rainforest? Both are just about an hour’s drive from the resort. Of course the island is also home to numerous historic sites, significant in how the world changed so dramatically one December morning in 1941. The World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor is only about 20 minutes from Aulani, and is a must-see for so many different reasons. This very moving site includes the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Bowfin, the USS Missouri, the USS Oklahoma Memorial and the USS Utah Memorial – plus a handful of Exhibit Galleries, Museums, artifacts and a 23-minute film discussing the attacks on Pearl Harbor that December morning.
The resort is comprised of both traditional hotel accommodations and Disney Vacation Club timeshare villas. There are 359 hotel rooms, including 16 suites, and 460 villas comprised of deluxe studios, one and two bedroom villas, and 21 three bedroom Grand Villas (18 of which directly overlook the ocean).
From the 10th Floor, looking out to the ocean |
- Menehune Bridge – an interactive water play area which features interactive water elements, 3 slides and a climbing structure
- Two sparkling pools & four unique hot tubs
- Two waterslides, Tubestone Curl – an inner tube slide for 1 or 2 guests at a time, and Volcanic Vertical – a single rider body slide
- Rainbow Reef – a snorkeling experience at the largest inland snorkeling reef on the island (this is a fee-based activity)
- Makai Preserve – a conservation lagoon where guests can interact with stingrays and other marine life (this is a fee-based activity)
- Pau Hana Room – video gaming, foosball, board games, storytelling, TV viewing area and arts & crafts (some but not all activities are fee-based)
- Aunty’s Beach House – this fun-filled destination for the kids is a place of discovery, magic and exploration where kids can learn about the Hawaiian culture while they play. Supervised playtime at Aunty’s Beach House allows mom and dad the opportunity to spend some adult time on the beach, at a romantic dinner or any other excursions of their choice.
- Located directly across the street from the resort, is the Ko Olina Golf Club, and discounted greens fees are available for resort guests.
Riding the Waikalohe Stream |
Menehune Bridge |
One of four distinctive hot tubs |
The resort features several unique places to wine and dine. These include:
- ’Ama ‘Ama, a table-service restaurant offers spectacular ocean-front views for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Seafood is plentiful on the menu, along with traditional Hawaiian specialities.
- Makahiki, offers an all-you-care-to enjoy breakfast and dinner buffet, and features a character breakfast, Aunty’s Character Breakfast at the Makahiki, currently offered on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays. The food selection includes a generous mix of Hawaiian, Japanese and Chinese fare.
- One Paddle, Two Paddle, is a counter-service location with a variety of delightful Hawaiian dishes, fresh made sandwiches and wraps.
- Off the Hook is a colorful, pool and beachside lounge designed after a Hawaiian fisherman’s seaside shack, and features libations and appetizers.
- The ‘Olelo Room is a pub-like gathering place where visitors can learn a variety of Hawaiian words while enjoying favorite cocktails.
- The Lava Shack is located in the heart of the Waikalohe Valley, and features cold fried chicken, cured meats & cheeses and other grab & go snacks.
The view from 'Ama 'Ama |
The parade during Aunty's Breakfast Celebration at the Makahiki |
For guests looking for relaxing spa treatments - no worries, the Laniwai Spa offers unique, blissful, customized treatments, and includes the only outdoor hydrotherapy garden in Hawaii. Additionally, for the teens, Aulani offers the only Teen Spa in Hawaii - Painted Sky - which offers special treatments and options just for teens.
For the adventurist looking to augment their beach vacation with some really neat, self-guided Hawaiian “local color” - Aulani is not far from many fun, exciting, and enjoyable destinations around Oahu. In the mood for a Dole Whip? The Dole Plantation is just 30 minutes away. Want to catch some waves or go surfing on some of the best beaches in the world, the North Shore, home of famed surfing competitions is just 45 minutes away. Looking for the stereotypical Hawaiian tour? The famed beaches and experiences at Waikiki are just about an hour’s drive from the resort. Hiking to the top of Diamond Head, or through a rainforest? Both are just about an hour’s drive from the resort. Of course the island is also home to numerous historic sites, significant in how the world changed so dramatically one December morning in 1941. The World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor is only about 20 minutes from Aulani, and is a must-see for so many different reasons. This very moving site includes the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Bowfin, the USS Missouri, the USS Oklahoma Memorial and the USS Utah Memorial – plus a handful of Exhibit Galleries, Museums, artifacts and a 23-minute film discussing the attacks on Pearl Harbor that December morning.
For those guests looking to enjoy different aspects of Hawaii but choose to do so on guided excursions, you won’t be disappointed! Just as cruise ships offer a plethora of land excursions on “port days” – Aulani provides similar opportunities for its’ guests as well. The range of offerings can change from time to time, but currently there are about 14 different excursions. Each day there are 1 or 2 different guided tours and experiences for guests to select from. Costs range from about $50 per adult up to about $400 per adult. These excursions can be reserved in advance on Aulani’s website, or in person at the Holoholo Desk just to the left of the Lobby. Excursion possibilities include learning to surf, riding horseback through lush valleys, hiking in the rainforest, setting sail on a catamaran or kayak along protected islets, cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, island hopping to explore volcanoes and so much more.
Were Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa® to be located at the Walt Disney World® Resort, it would be considered a Deluxe level. Transportation to and from the resort is not provided. Guests can arrange for their choice of rental car, shuttle, taxi or limo service. Rental Cars are highly recommended for a variety of self-guided excursions, grocery shopping (for villas guests) and other local visits away from the resort.
Looking at the resort from the ocean side of the Lagoon |
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