Explore Australia on the Great Victorian Bike Ride

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers looking for a unique and unusual way to explore Australia should look no further than the Great Victorian Bike Ride, an annual cycling event that offers a healthy dose of the legendary Aussie hospitality with an active, adventurous holiday.

Now in its 27th year, the 2010 GVBR is schedule to take place from November 27 to December 5. This year’s course will highlight some of the best scenery that the Australian state of Victoria has to offer, including gorgeous lakes and rivers, wide open scenic vistas, and stunning mountain ranges. The riders will begin in Yarrawonga and cover more than 599 kilometers (372 miles) before ending in Marysville. On average, they will cover about 70km (43 miles) per day while on the route.

Just because you’ll spend the week on a bike, cycling through the Australian countryside, doesn’t mean you’ll have to skimp on the amenities however. This ride is a full service affair with luggage transportation provide, a licensed cafe at the nightly campsite, and more. In fact, even though you’ll be sleeping in a tent along the way, you’ll still have access to a masseuse, a full featured bike repair facility, and a medical team that will be on hand to take care of those saddle sores.

The Great Victorian Bike Ride is an affordable adventure Down Under to be sure. The cost of the nine day event is just $795 AUD for adults, while kids under 17 and can ride for $595 AUD. Children under 12 are just $295 AUD, and Infants, categorized here as age 5 and under, get to come along for free.

For those who would like to ride, but think this sounds like it might be just a bit too challenging, you might want to consider the Goulburn River Explorer option. This is a shortened version of the GVBR with riders joining the peloton on Day 6 and peddling for just four days rather than the standard nine. This option costs $395 AUD, with discounts being applied for the younger crowd.

Finally, well heeled riders can also elect to take the Gourmet Peddler Ride which takes you out of the tent and puts you into a hotel instead. This package costs $3450 AUD for a 9 night twin share option. For $3950 AUS you can even have your own room.

To register for the Great Victorian Bike Ride click here. Only 5000 riders are accepted however, so if you’re looking to get a true Aussie experience with true Aussies themselves, you may want to sign up soon. As a further incentive, you can get a $100 AUD discount if you sign up before the end of July.

[Photo Credit: Bicycle Victoria]

Florida hotels fend off concerns about oil spill; offer volunteer programs for cleanup efforts

by Melanie Nayer on

As news of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill continues, Florida businesses are working to reassure travelers it’s safe to visit the Sunshine State.

Environmentalists, scientists and engineers are working on solutions to stop the spill, and now Florida hotels are jumping in to help rebuild the disastrous effects the spill has had on tourism to the area. While the BP oil spill has been somewhat contained to a section of the coast, the entire state of Florida has weathered the storm of panic from travelers. Lemon Tree Inn, for example, has had cancellations due to the oil spill but the hotel’s location in Naples, Fla. is no where near the oil spill.

So, what’s the reality of the spill? There’s no denying that the oil spill is a huge environmental issue, but the good news is that many of Florida’s beaches aren’t affected, which means travelers should think twice before canceling their vacation plans.

Hotels in the Florida Keys like Ocean Key Resort and Little Palm Island Resort are using their Facebook pages to update travelers and guests on the status of nearby beaches. Little Palm, for example, has posted photos of their beaches on Big Pine Key, and even included snapshots of guests swimming and kayaking in the water. Representatives from Lemon Tree Inn tell me that if the oil hits, the hotel will create a volunteer package for guests to help the cleanup efforts.

Meanwhile, some Florida hotels are already hosting volunteer packages to aid in the cleanup efforts. Morgans Hotel Group in South Beach is offering 25 percent off to guests who volunteer with the oil spill cleanup efforts. Contribute at least 20 hours to a local environmental group working with the oil spill and you’ll get 25 percent off at South Beach Mondrian, Delano and Shore Club. All volunteers who book under this package will also experience their discounted stay green-style in a carbon balanced room. Mondrian Delano & Shore Club have purchased renewable energy from EarthEra® who will carbon balance every room booked under this special. Every penny spent with EarthEra® is used to build more renewable energy facilities across the nation.

Want to help? To volunteer call 866.448.5816.

Get a one year National Geographic subscription for just ten bucks

by Scott Carmichael on

As a traveler, no publication ever got me more interested in seeing the world than National Geographic. Already in its 122nd year, the yellow border of this magazine is recognized in as many countries as it has written about.

Despite all the advances in technology, and the decline in print, there is something fantastic about carrying reading materials the old fashioned way – and if you head over to Amazon.com, you’ll be able to order a one year subscription to National Geographic for just ten bucks.

The promotion takes $5 off the normal price of $15 – and you may not see the final discounted price until the final stage of the payment process.

Best of all – your subscription will help the society, and all the fantastic work they do helping people discover more of our planet.

Subscription page / promotion details

Luxury Lodges of Australia reflect sense of place, intimacy

by Laurel Miller on

Economy, be damned! Fifteen of Australia’s leading, independent luxury tourism properties have formed Luxury Lodges of Australia. The new association launched in late May to promote a distinctly Australian breed of high-end, ecologically-aware, experiential accomodations.

The group represents both long-established and new properties, ranging from wilderness lodges, vineyard retreats, and island hideaways, to outback and beach camps. Many of the properties are small- some have between four and ten rooms or luxury tents. Most are located in remote, geographically stunning, culturally-rich areas.

Depending upon location, outdoor activities may include snorkeling, diving, sea kayaking, overnight bushwalking safaris, wildlife viewing, indigenous culture, wine tasting, or swimming with dolphins or whale sharks. Some properties, such as Bamurru Plains, Sal Salis, and Southern Ocean Lodge, are located adjacent to national parks.

All of the properties share a common theme of outstanding guest service, high-end standards, and often, destination dining using locally-sourced ingredients. What separates them from other cushy resorts, however, is a definitive sense of place, combined with an eco-sensible, Aussie-contemporary style (think ultra-mod amenities, reclaimed materials, exquisite craftsmanship, and locally-sourced art and interior elements). Don’t be surprised to see solar panels or a rainwater catchment system on-site.

The properties are spread across more than a dozen diverse regions of Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, and Queensland. They include Wolgan Valley; Lizard and Bedarra Islands; qualia; Longitude 131; Cape Lodge; Lake House; Spicers Peak Lodge; Capella and Southern Ocean Lodges; and Wild Bush Luxury’s Arkaba Station, Bamurru Plains and Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef.

[Image credit: Southern Ocean Lodge; Capella Lodge]

Washington’s farm tour season kicks off at Tonnemaker Family Orchard

by Laurel Miller on

Despite a late spring, Western Washington is gearing up for farm tour season. At Seattle’s U-District, Ballard, and West Seattle farmers markets (as well as the flock of smaller, seasonal neighborhood markets), stalls are advertising celebratory summer kick-off tours of dairies, cheeseries, farms, and ranches. One of my favorite vendors is Tonnemaker Family Orchards, a 132-acre, third-generation, certified organic farm in Central Washington’s Frenchman Hills. The family grows over 400 different varieties of fruits and vegetables. At the height of summer, their stall is an explosion of color, overflowing with crates and bins of melons, heirloom tomatoes, and up to 230 varieties of peppers. The family’s produce turns up in some of the Seattle region’s most acclaimed restaurants, including Spring Hill, Tilth, Poppy (chef/owner Jerry Traunfeld recently vied for the title on an episode of “Top Chef Masters”), and The Herbfarm.

The Tonnemaker’s are hosting a farm tour on June 27th, to coincide with the beginning of their cherry harvest: they grow over 12 varieties, including esoterica like the Black Republican, and Sonata. There will be a guided walking tour led by the Tonnemaker brothers (farmer Kole, and his brother, market manager Kurt), and a chance to shop at the farm stand. Lunch is by Seattle chef Matt Dillon (not that Matt Dillon, but still a celebrity in the world of chefdom), using ingredients from the farm. Dillon, co-owner of The Corson Building and the opening-at-any-second, relocated Sitka & Spruce, is a 2007 Food & Wine Best New Chef, and champion of local farmers and food artisans.

The Corson Building, a miniature urban farm-in-industrial-neighborhood, is one of my favorite restaurants on the planet. It’s not cheap, but it’s a beautiful example of how the parameters of “locally-sourced” food are changing within the restaurant industry, and how communal dining can be a unifying experience. Did I mention Seattle has what is perhaps the most progressive urban farm scene in the nation, and that summers are spectacular, even if you never leave the city?

Farm tour tickets are $60.00 self-drive, or $100.00 with chartered bus; registration deadline is June 13th. Fees for all farm tours help support family farms, local food security, and education about sustainable food systems. Local Harvest is a great national resource for finding farm tours, markets, and other events in your area.