Gadling Take FIVE: Week of Nov. 15—Nov. 21

by Jamie Rhein on

Where I’m sitting winter has arrived. Snow flurries and windchill. Brrrr. Now that winter looks like it’s settling in, let’s see if anyone has come up with places to that are warmer.

  • Brenda’s post on the drop in tourism in Hawaii. and what there is to do in this tropical paradise this time of year, ought to be reason enough for a person to rethink the budget and see if Hawaii is doable after all.
  • Meg suggests sitting in the scariest swimming pool ever–Devil’s Pool at the top of Victoria Falls
  • Jeffery pointed out that Cuba knows how to treat its 2 millionth tourist--with an ice-cold mojito and a salsa band
  • Along with the warning that snacks in India could cost more than you counted on, Josh sounded a warning to be careful of the party scene in Mumbai–you could find yourself drug tested.
  • And, although New Mexico is not THAT warm, the great thing about traveling here to ski is that it feels warm during the day when the sun is out–kind of. The best part is that the sun almost always shines in New Mexico. Every day. All day.

Instead of Utah as a ski destination, head to New Mexico

by Jamie Rhein on

Let’s say you’re interested in boycotting Utah but you really want to ski at an affordable destination. Consider New Mexico. The mountains are steep and become packed with powder; the sky is blue; and skiing is near places worth heading to whether you ski or not.

Consider this: Santa Fe and Taos

I’m not saying that Utah isn’t a lovely state–It’s gorgeous–breathtaking even. Then there’s David Archuleta who is cute as a button. He’s from Utah. So are the Osmonds. But let’s say you want to boycott the state because it’s been suggested as an appropriate response as of late. (See Meg’s post.)

If you do think about heading to New Mexico for a ski vacation, here are details to tip your decision-making in New Mexico’s favor.

  • Lift tickets are $6 cheaper at Santa Fe’s resort than at Utah’s Alta.
  • Lift lines in New Mexico, in my experience, are not particularly long.
  • If you ski in Santa Fe, head to the Japanese onsen-like Ten Thousand Waves for a glorious soak in a private outdoor hot tub. Some tubs are located in the midst of trees that glisten in the snow and moonlight. This is a perfect stop after a day of swooshing down a mountain over and over again.
  • Santa Fe is a place to shop like no other. Friends of mine– who never shop, said they’ve never been to a place that has given them the urge to buy things more than here. Canyon Road is filled with galleries and stores that are the definition of eye candy.
  • The best folk art museum in the world is in Santa Fe. Head to the International Folk Art Museum for a visual treat and a reminder of all the markets you passed through in your world travels. You’ll possibly be reminded of that item you didn’t buy, that very thing that is in the display case in front of you–specifically an odd painted piece of pottery that is shaped like a chicken–kind of. It’s from Senegal to be exact.
  • A meal at Cafe Pasqual is fit for a weekend that’s meant to be special. This is fine dining with an organic, Old Mexican, New Mexican and Asian twist. I can’t remember what I ate specifically, but I was on a date with a guy who wanted to impress. He did. Fine dining doesn’t mean you need to get all gussied up either.

If you head to Taos, you can stop at Taos Pueblo, the oldest continuously inhabited Native American town that is both an National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Photo of the Day (11.18.08)

by Grant Martin on

With all of the crazy fares to Salt Lake City that have been popping up all over the radar, I’m sure that I’m not the only person with skiing on his mind this week. The plan, as I have concocted with dear friends, is to rent one of these puppies in the Park City neighborhood next January, ski all day and then crash on the couch with a bottle of spiced rum and some oatmeal for the best sleep ever. The perfect ski weekend.

This photo of was taken by Martin O’Connell and if you’re any bit of a snowsports person, it should have you all riled up for the winter. Thanks Martin!

Have any cool photos you’d like to share with the world? Add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr, and it might be chosen as our Photo of the Day.

Travel deals abound for the holidays: Go for that dream vacation

by Jamie Rhein on

The downward slide of the economy is creating an upswing of excellent opportunities for less expensive travel. Because people are holding off on making their holiday plans, the travel industry is cutting prices to attract customers. That’s true whether you are into luxury travel or the budget version.

That’s the buzz as reported in this article from The New York Times. Reading the article is like a trip to the travel candy story.

Want a ski vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming? Other places in the Colorado Rockies? There’s a deal. How about a luxury beach vacation in Bermuda? To St. Lucia? Perhaps Las Vegas entices you. Or Miami. What about Aruba, Mexico or the Cayman Islands? The article outlines details about each.

Sure, you have to have some money in order to plop down dough for a plane ticket and a hotel room in the first place, but bargains range from free nights, and are along the spectrum of several dollars to 30% off. One popular reduced rate offer is that if you stay in a hotel on the actual holiday, the holiday is free. That means if you’re in the hotel for Christmas Day, Ho! Ho! Ho!, Santa has brought you a present.

The hitch is you have to bookend your free night with nights you are paying. Still, bring out the spiked eggnog and give yourself a toast to your good fortune on at least one day of the year. Many deals also apply for Thanksgiving.

The article points out one adage that I’ve also found to be true. Don’t assume a trip is beyond your means unless you check first and check often. If you can wiggle around dates and desires, a vacation could happen.

A couple years ago, we flew to Ft Lauderdale, Florida for much less than it would have cost to drive there, about $160 per person RT from Columbus. I just happened to check airfares on a whim about this time of year and was pleasantly surprised. Our hotel room, complete with an efficiency kitchen, was $75 per night. That flight costs about $100 more today, but I bet the room rate still holds. Ft. Lauderdale does not hit tourist season until after the holidays. If a bargain could happen for us, it could happen for you.

Top ski resorts list by Outside Magazine

by Jamie Rhein on

Now that temperatures have truly dropped, and the snow is starting to gather on some mountains, planning for a ski vacation is perhaps next on your things to do list.

Outside Magazine has released their ranking of the top ski and snowboard destinations in North America. Looking them over could help you narrow down the choices if you want a top notch place.

Although places like Vail and Aspen are the ski buff resorts that come to my mind first when I think of skiing, perhaps because I can recall shots of some famous person decked out in ski gear at one of them, there are others rank higher.

Here’s the list in order:

Alta, Utah and Snowbird, Utah are tied for first place.

Whisler Blackcomb, British Columbia

Vail, Colorado

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Snowbasin, Utah

Fernie Alpine Resort, British Columbia,

Silverton, Colorado

Aspen, Colorado

For the rest of the list, click here.