5 Unique Ways to See the Grand Canyon http://ift.tt/1ROxb1J

With its vast size, sheer beauty, and unique geological formations, there’s really no way around it: The Grand Canyon is a must-see for every traveler. Outdoor enthusiasts flock here to take advantage of the hiking, rafting, and camping opportunities, while families come to learn about geology and wildlife. There’s no wrong way to visit, but there are ways that will help you beat the crowds and make sure you snap some unique pictures. Here are five tips to make your Grand Canyon experience different, whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth.

Go in Winter

Summer is prime national park season across the United States and for good reason: The sun is shining, there's less chance of rain, and there are hotels and restaurants aplenty. But summer and spring also mean crowds, and the Grand Canyon is no different. Most of its 5 million yearly visitors come between May and October, when hotels closest to the rim are booked solid (often a full year in advance), camping permits are sold out, and just wandering the rim seems a little too similar to Disney World. But going in winter opens up a whole new side of the park. Yes, it’s colder and yes, it often snows even in the middle of the Arizona desert, but you’ll be able to wander freely without crowds and will have a much better chance of staying in historic lodges like El Tovar. Plus, you can still hike into the canyon on snowshoes, take part in various holiday celebrations, and capture the unforgettable image of snow falling in the canyon. Note that the North Rim is closed from October to mid-May.

Bike the Edge

News flash: The Grand Canyon is pretty big. Many visitors don’t actually make the trek into the canyon, but there’s nothing wrong with keeping your viewpoint high—just be sure to take advantage of it. Grab a bike and set off on the many trails lining the canyon. While you won’t make it around the entire thing (it’s nearly 221 miles), you will be able to see more than you would on foot and perhaps discover some hidden photo ops. Bike rentals are available at the South Rim at Bright Angel Bicycles, which offers guided tours (you can also bring your own bike). Be sure to stay on the marked trails and note that you can’t bring your bike into the canyon.  

Head to the North Rim

Due to the ease of accessibility, most visitors head to the canyon's South Rim, where parking and shuttles are plentiful, as are hotels, restaurants, and other visitor facilities. The West Rim is also easy to get to, especially for visitors coming from the West, and is home to the Skywalk (which has brought in even more crowds since opening). But to those who don’t mind taking a little extra travel time, the North Rim offers gorgeous views (some say the best in the whole canyon) in a much less frenzied setting. The North Rim is nearly a thousand feet higher than the South, resulting in a more alpine climate. You won't find as much in terms of lodging or dining, but campers and hikers will feel right at home. A shuttle between the two rims leaves daily, and the trip takes nearly five hours. It's pricey and advance reservations are required, but it’s a great way to see a lot of the canyon at once.

Examine the Stars

If you don't stick around for a Grand Canyon sunset, you're going to miss out on glimpsing the stunning night sky, one of the most spectacular national park experiences. Whether you’re lucky enough to nab a room at one of the hotels within the park or have decided to camp at the bottom, the complete lack of distracting city lights makes for one of the brightest stargazing spots in the country. A yearly stargazing party happens every June, complete with constellation tours, astronomy programs, and telescopes.

Explore on a Mule

Hiking to the bottom of the canyon is no easy task, but luckily there are some guys willing to help you out. Donkeys were the original way many of the first Grand Canyon adventurers explored, and today several companies offer mule tours ranging from three hours to overnight stays. Expert guides point out interesting flora and fauna along the way and inform you about the canyon’s geological and human history. Note that these are very popular and often booked over a year in advance.

from Fodor's Travel Wire http://ift.tt/1HvmJMS
via IFTTT

Long Weekend in South Lake Tahoe http://ift.tt/1HvmIZu

South Lake Tahoe is a city with two faces. Technically, it’s a California leisure destination with stunning natural scenery and year-round outdoor recreation, but it also shares a border with Stateline, Nevada, home to casinos and nightclubs, qualifying as distinctly indoor recreation. The good news is that a long weekend here brings the best of both worlds, making a mini-holiday feel ample. Even better, Tahoe is now an easy-access playground for East Coast travelers, thanks to JetBlue’s new nonstop flights between New York’s JFK and Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Friday

Travelers coming from Reno will arrive in South Lake Tahoe in about an hour, with the easy option of hopping aboard a South Tahoe Express shuttle ($53 round trip) from the airport. Plan to arrive Thursday and arise Friday morning to the dappled sunlight beaming through the pines.

As a busy tourist town, there are plenty of lodging choices. Size won’t matter as much as a decent rate, location, and experience, so for a pleasant stay on a personalized scale, try the Black Bear Inn Bed and Breakfast. There you’ll wake to a gourmet, homemade breakfast to get your day going.

In warmer seasons, South Lake Tahoe is a dreamy biking spot, and a long ride makes a great first-day adventure. Stop by centrally located Sierra Ski and Cycle Works on the main drag, Lake Tahoe Boulevard, to rent a cruiser. (As you may guess, you can pick up rental ski gear here and at a number of other shops around town, like the friendly Powder House Ski & Snowboard.) The knowledgeable staff will help plot your course on a bike-trail map and point you where you want to go.

Camp Richardson is about six miles west, and you can ride along the city’s paved bike trails and quiet neighborhood side streets to get there. The “camp” is more like a year-round wonderland of recreation, with a full-service marina and beachside dining, as well as cross-country skiing trails in the winter. Bring your swimsuit to take full advantage of the paddleboards, kayaks, pedal boats, waverunners, motorboats, and more for rent from Memorial Day through mid-October.

Cap off an active day with a bite at the camp’s Beacon Bar & Grill or make time for a detour on the ride home at the Burger Lounge—a cute roadside joint serving juicy burgers and fried delights (even zucchini and mushrooms).

Once back in the city center, decompress with a signature cocktail at Riva Grill, where you can gaze past Ski Run Marina to the lake and snow-capped mountains beyond.

Saturday

Kick off Saturday with a classic breakfast at Red Hut Café, a favorite local chain of diners. With breakfast served all day since 1959, the central Lake Tahoe–Ski Run Boulevard outpost, with its bona fide soda fountain, has been the daytime pit stop for lunch and treats.

From there, stroll to Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe’s central shopping and entertainment hub. Pick up anything from souvenir bear figurines to hoodies to assorted sporting goods. Catch a movie or get in a round of mini golf at the outdoor pavilion (or ice skate in the winter). Scenic gondola rides 2.4 miles up Heavenly Mountain are available on weekends, with awesome views from the 9,123-foot-high observation deck. In the winter, Heavenly Ski Resort becomes one of the most popular parks in the area, and next year a new zip line will be the newest addition to the adventure-ride roster.

With Stateline, Nevada, just blocks away, cross the border and settle into some relaxation with a spa treatment at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. At the luxurious Onsen Salon & Spa you can indulge in an array of massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, or even a new ‘do.

In the spirit of an easy Saturday, go directly from the spa to Harvey’s Lake Tahoe across the boulevard and head to 19 Kitchen & Bar. From your nineteenth-floor perch, you’ll find the ultimate Tahoe lounge for well-made martinis with a view. Fine dining here leans toward the refined and indulgent, including excellent surf-and-turf choices like lobster tail, rib eye, and rack of lamb.

Sunday

Wrapping up a short, sweet getaway means hitting all the elements that make you feel you really did a place. In Tahoe, it’s all about the lake. One lovely option is to drive around the southern shore for sightseeing and hiking at Emerald Bay State Park, home to one of the most picturesque vistas in all of California. In fact, back in 1862 Mark Twain was so awestruck by Lake Tahoe’s crystal-blue waters that he declared, “It must surely be the fairest picture the whole world affords.”

Another option is to climb aboard a Zephyr Cove sightseeing or sunset dinner cruise. The Tahoe Queen and M.S. Dixie II paddle wheelers set off for 2.5-hour tours to Emerald Bay several times daily throughout the summer, conveniently making shuttle pickups from downtown.

But perhaps the best and most historic attraction in these parts is Thunderbird Lodge. Built by millionaire playboy “Captain” George Whittell Jr. in 1936, this lakeside mansion is among the last fully preserved residential estates in the region. Along with its fascinating history are tales of Whittell’s wild eccentricities, including his pet lion and elephant, a dungeon with a secret tunnel, and his gorgeous mahogany and stainless-steel yacht outfitted with twin V-12 Allison airplane engines—for that little extra oomph. The lodge is a short drive north from South Lake Tahoe and is open for tours daily, as well as Friday-afternoon wine tastings through September.

As night falls over Lake Tahoe, head to the Blue Angel Café for an equally delicious and low-key farewell dinner. The restaurant has mastered a menu of comfort and flavor that works in any season, from beef-and-ale stew to steamed mussels to one of the best kale salads. (How do they get those cauliflower croutons so perfectly roasted?) They’ll even prepare fresh-caught fish for those who spent the day angling.

Where to Stay

Cruise right past Lake Tahoe Boulevard’s big resorts to something far more authentic at the Black Bear Inn Bed and Breakfast. Owners Kevin Chandler and Jerry Birdwell share their master hospitality on this lush, landscaped property. With five rooms in the main lodge and three spacious cabins out back, it’s a home away from home, complete with shady patios, homemade breakfasts, and early evening wine hours. It’s a quintessentially Californian retreat that rounds out a leisurely long weekend at the lake.

from Fodor's Travel Wire http://ift.tt/1ROxcm3
via IFTTT

London's 15 Best New Hotels http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

For the fifth time in seven years, London has been named the most popular city for international visitors. According to MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities Index, the British capital is expected to end the year with 18.82 million overnight visitors, beating out Bangkok, Paris, Dubai, and Istanbul. It’s a good thing, then, that London’s hotel scene is hotter than ever, with a dizzying number of new properties opening every year to accommodate the ever-growing tourist numbers. There are still several highly anticipated openings later this year—The Old Street Courthouse Hotel, The Tobacco Dock Hotel, and citizenM Tower of London among them—but our list includes the best of the bunch that have opened since fall 2013. With private butler services, eye-popping décor, bars with dramatic views, and cutting-edge technology, these are London’s best new hotels.

By Michael Alan Connelly

from Fodor's Travel Wire http://ift.tt/1ROxaL4
via IFTTT

Fodor's Week in Travel: Book Your Next Stay http://ift.tt/1GQ9BhZ

With summer trips on the horizon and fall vacation planning underway, we have a huge crop of new and improved hotels and resorts for you. Whether you want to relax in an all-inclusive retreat or dangle over a city in a glass pool, these stays are sure to please. Our weekly roundup has your next accommodations covered, from touchscreen, news-displaying mirrors to the world's largest hot-springs pool.

10 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the U.S.

Make the focus of your next vacation relaxation and check out one of these retreats, knowing you'll be in good hands.

What's New in the World of High-Tech Hotels

Key cards are a thing of the past now. With new mobile apps, you can open your room from your phone and so much more.

10 Amazing Outdoor Hotel Pools for Summertime Swims

These hot pools all offer an escape from the heat, while delivering extras like canyon views, rooftop beer gardens, and king-sized daybeds.

Miami's 10 Best New Hotels

Among these newcomers are boutiques and big brands, but each of Miami's best new hotels is stunning in its own right.

from Fodor's Travel Wire http://ift.tt/1GzvzTX
via IFTTT

Miami's 10 Best New Hotels http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

For one of the hottest hotel scenes in the country, look no further than Miami. Adding to its already dazzling lodging portfolio, the city has ushered in a new era of hotels, with many big openings in the past year and plenty more to come in 2015 and 2016. Among these newcomers are boutiques and big brands, but each one is stunning in its own right. For your next jaunt to Miami, consider booking a stay in one of these outstanding new properties.

By Kate Donnelly

from Fodor's Travel Wire http://ift.tt/1GzvzDx
via IFTTT

Madrid's Best New Cocktail Bars http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Madrid has long been a mecca for gin lovers, who routinely hop from bar to bar sipping goblets of flamboyantly garnished “gin tonics,” as Spaniards call them, until sunrise. But until recently, those with a taste for well-made Martinis and other classic cocktails had largely been out of luck. Not anymore: The capital is in the midst of a cocktail renaissance, with a new wave of innovative coctelerías—all featuring distinctively Spanish flourishes—that would impress the most discerning mixology buff. To imbibe like a sophisitcated Madrileño, cozy up to the bar at these new hot spots.

By Benjamin Kemper

from Fodor's Travel Wire http://ift.tt/1Gzvzn5
via IFTTT

Beyond the Grand Canyon: 5 Must-Visit Places in Arizona http://ift.tt/1GQ9zGV

Outdoor adventurers have long been drawn to Arizona, and a big reason for that is, of course, the Grand Canyon. This natural wonder is (understandably) on every traveler's bucket list, and yes, finally seeing just how vast and beautiful it is will take your breath away. But trust us when we say there's so much more to the state. Its dazzling diversity is evident both in the landscapes and the culture: In the south, deserts are sprinkled with looming Saguaro cacti that flourish in the dry heat, while further north, towering Ponderosa pines and snow-covered mountain peaks beckon hikers and skiers alike. Wild West towns, American Indian reservations, and former stops on the historic Route 66 add to the charm. Here are five Arizona adventures you can't miss.

Sedona

If you’re looking for awe-inspiring natural beauty, there’s no better place than the town of Sedona, which has built its must-see reputation on the surrounding red rock buttes and the mystical relaxation they seem to inspire. Take a hike through Red Rock State Park or Slide Rock State Park (the latter also features a natural water slide that kids and adults alike will love), both of which offer trails and programs that highlight the area’s geology, vegetation, and wildlife. For the less active but just as adventurous, jeep tours take you up close to the rock formations on an off-road trek.

Sedona is also known as one of the world’s most sacred healing spots (you’ll notice many shops in town touting alternative medicine via crystals and meditation), so visitors will find plenty of ways to relax and rejuvenate both outdoors and at the many luxury hotels and spas. Amara Resort Hotel and Spa offers free morning yoga classes and an infinity pool overlooking the rocks, while L’Auberge de Sedona exudes romance with its luxurious cabins with panoramic views of the rocks and creekside spa treatments.

Insider Tip: Be sure to schedule in time to see the sunset or sunrise here, both of which light up the rocks spectacularly and make it clear why Sedona has often been called the most beautiful place in the world.

The Wild West

Before Arizona became a state in 1912, it was known as a Wild West frontier, where the likes of legends Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday earned their outlaw reputations. In the south, the old mining town of Tombstone still stands as the most popular example of this rough-and-tumble history, and the “Town Too Tough to Die” still draws visitors with its recreation of the famous shoot-out at the O.K. Corral and the notorious Bird Cage Theater.

Farther north, Prescott and its Whiskey Row offer plenty of saloons that transport you right back to the Wild West heyday (The Palace is the oldest and most authentic). Finally, once known as the “wickedest town in the west”, Jerome now proudly owns its ghost town status. Perched over the Verde Valley, visitors come for the beautiful views, Wild West recreations (and ghost tours), and the artists who helped create a community of studios, shops, and galleries among the small 500 plus population.

Verde Valley

Arizona is officially known as the Grand Canyon State, but don't ignore its other nickname: the Copper State, a designation partially due to central Arizona's Verde Valley and its mineral riches. The valley formerly held several copper mines that helped lure settlers to the area and allowed the surrounding towns to develop. Jerome and Clarkdale are both must-stops on this route. Clarkdale is also home to Arizona’s newest museum, the privately run Arizona Copper Art Museum, which showcases the scientific, historical, and artistic importance of the mineral. Be sure to take a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad, which takes you into Arizona’s “other grand canyon” and through gorgeous scenery you can't get to by car.

Flagstaff

Nestled under the shadow of the San Francisco Peaks, this laid-back city is part mountain retreat and part college town, resulting in the ultimate Southwest experience for anyone looking for outdoor adventures and hip restaurants, bars, and shops. During the summer, Flagstaff is a welcome respite from the triple digit temperatures that hit the rest of the state, and visitors take advantage of this with plenty of hiking, biking, and rock climbing activities, as well as more than fifty-five miles of urban trails and dozens of city parks. In the winter, visitors head to the Arizona Snowbowl for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter fun. Local eateries and breweries like Proper Meats + Provisions and Mother Road Brewing Company make sure you don’t go hungry (or thirsty), and as a stop on the former Route 66, Flagstaff also indulges those looking for good ole Americana nostalgia.

Insider Tip: Get up close and personal with some Ponderosa pines at the Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course located within Fort Tuthill County Park, a self-guided adventure course complete with obstacles, zip lines, and plenty of tree climbing.

Navajo Nation

Long before the gunslingers and mountain climbers came to Arizona, American Indian tribes settled the land, and today twenty-two distinct tribes still call the state home. There are several museums dedicated to their cultures and customs, as well as monuments that serve as historical testaments to their contributions, including the Wupatki National Monument, Canyon de Chelly, and Monument Valley.

The largest area is known as Navajo Nation (divided into East and West), which spans the northeast quarter of the state. Note that each reservation is considered its own government and has its own unique, and often strict, visiting hours and rules; many sacred places are off-limits to non-American Indians. Just outside the confines of Navajo Nation is the small trading post of Cameron, which was originally created as a spot for settlers to trade with American Indians and today has a restaurant and hotel and is considered the best place to find authentic Indian products and crafts.

from Fodor's Travel Wire http://ift.tt/1fLMFYn
via IFTTT