10 Surprising Facts About The Adirondacks In New York

by Jessica Festa on

Most people think of the Adirondack region in New York for its great hiking opportunities, but the area also holds a lot of records and history that many people don’t know about, locals included. To provide some information on the uniqueness of the Adirondacks, here is a list of 10 fun facts you probably didn’t know. Additionally, if you’d like a more visual tour of the area, check out the gallery below.

1. The Adirondack Chair was created in Westport, New York, on the Adirondack Coast of Lake Champlain.

2. The source of the Hudson River is located on the highest lake in New York State – Lake Tear of the Clouds on Mount Marcy – at 5,344 feet.

3. In 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the United States at North Creek Station. This was after learning that President William McKinley – who had been shot a few weeks earlier – had died.

4. The Adirondack Mountains are growing faster than the Himalayas, at a rate of one foot every 100 years.

5. Lake Placid, located in the northern Adirondack Park, is one of three places in the world to host the Winter Olympic Games twice, once in 1932 and 1980. The village was the first place in North America to host the event twice.

6. The term “vacation” is said to have originated in the Adirondacks. Wealthy New Yorkers would “vacate” the city during the sticky summer months and head for the cool northern woods.

7. The Adirondack Park spans 6.1 million acres and is larger than the state of Massachusetts. In fact, several National Parks could fit inside the Blue Line (the line on a map that designates the outline of the park), including Glacier, Yosemite, the Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.

8. The Adirondack Park is the largest park in the continental United States.

9. The Prospect House, built in Blue Mountain Lake, was the first hotel in the United States to have electric lights.

10. Painted Pony Rodeo in Lake Luzerne – five miles west of Lake George – is the oldest weekly rodeo in the United States.

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India Tiger Population Increasing Says Ecotourism Guide

by Chris Owen on

India’s threatened tiger population, once on the verge of extinction, has increased by 20 percent in the last four years. As the Albany Times Union reports, wildlife officials and naturalists report most tigresses in the central India reserves either have or will have their cubs soon. This information makes 2012 a good year for eco-travel to India.

“These days in the course of a 10-day tiger safari people may see five, 10 or more tigers, and often with close-up views,” says Dr. Will Weber of Journey’s International. “This is partially due to increasing skill and knowledge of the guides, but there are more tigers.”

In the past, viewing a tiger was rare. In 2010, India’s Bengal tiger was classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Now, the total population of Bengal tigers is probably still under 2,000. A nationwide census carried out in 2011 estimated a total of 1,706 up from 1,411 from the previous count in 2007.

“If you know where, how and when to look, you will certainly find pleasant surprises,” says Avi Sakhrel, noted Indian birder, naturalist and wildlife guide who leads India wildlife tours. Sakhrel notes, “The Indian conservation community is very pleased to see positive results of efforts to save our wildlife. Even some of the lesser known parks now offer regular big cat sightings.”Thinking of travel to India for tiger viewing?

Journeys International of Ann Arbor, Michigan offers some unique travel options for small groups that travelers can join or they can “request a private journey or custom plan for yourself, your family, your student travel group or your organization. Journeys promises immediate, enthusiastic and meticulous attention to your international adventure travel needs,” says Journeys on their website.

We like Journeys International because the company was born out of the experiences of its founders in the Peace Corps as teachers, conservation workers and travelers in Nepal in the early 1970’s. They learned how inspirational and satisfying that environmentally-sensitive travel can be. Today, Journeys International is the longest standing family-owned global ecotourism company in the United States offering full-service exotic, guided cross-cultural explorations, nature safaris, treks and eco-tours in remote corners of Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Pacific.




Looking for more information on travel to India? Check Gadling’s three-time India visitor Sean McLachlan’s recent posts on the topic

Flickr photo by Graybeard763

These US Hotels Are Helping Guests Celebrate Earth Day With Eco-Friendly Programming

by Jessica Festa on

,Want to travel while also doing something good for the planet? These hotels are offering packages and promotions in honor of Earth Day.

Auberge Resorts
Various U.S. Locations

Auberge Resorts has six properties in the United States, each of which is committed to what CEO Mark Harmon calls “Responsible Luxury.” In honor of Earth Day, each resort is featuring special programming for the month of April. Some of the activities include:

  • Palmetto Bluff (Bluffton, South Carolina) – The property will host a “New Earth Year Resolutions” two-hour nature walk on Monday, April 23.
  • Auberge du Soleil (Napa Valley, California) – Guests can partake in a “Napa Valley Dream Experience” package, part of which includes a visit to the winery and vineyards at Long Meadow Ranch, followed by a three-course winemaker’s menu prepared with local ingredients and a private tour of the organic and biodynamic Quintessa winery.
  • Encantado (Santa Fe, New Mexico) – On Earth Day, Taos Pueblo tribesman Robert Evan Trujillo will lead a special Earth Day blessing and drumming ceremony at 6:00 p.m.

For more information on properties and Earth Day activities, call 866-282-3743 or click here. St. Julien Hotel and Spa
Boulder, Colorado

St. Julien Hotel and Spa is an upscale accommodation immersed in the laid-back beauty of the Rocky Mountains. To help reduce its impact on the environment, the property is working with UHG Consulting to minimize their waste, use eco-friendly products and implement greener practices. During the week of Earth Day, St. Julien Hotel and Spa will be featuring special promotions and programming. Moreover, a portion of the proceeds raised during Earth Week will be donated to the Center for ReSource Conservation. Some of the events include showing a sustainability-themed movie on April 22, and a happy hour benefit on April 28.

Call 720-406-9696 or click here to book.

Terranea Resort
Los Angeles, California

Terranea Resort is an eco-luxury getaway, located on the picturesque Palos Verdes Peninsula. From April 18 to April 22, the property will be hosting an array of green activities to commemorate Earth Day. Clean-ups by kayak, an edible landscaping workshop and tidepooling excursions will be part of the programming as well as:

  • Sea Lion Release and Volunteer Drive – Volunteers will work with the Marine Mammal Care Center rehabilitation and rescue team to help reintroduce sea lions into the wild.
  • Tree and Habitat Restoration – Participants will trek through Terranea’s Discovery Trail with a guide, and assist in restoring indigenous plants.
  • Hawk Walk – The hotel’s ornithologists and falconers will educate guests on the area’s native birds and discuss their environmental contributions.

Call 866-802-8000 or click here to book.

Kimpton Muse Hotel
New York, NY

Kimpton Muse Hotel is a fashionable boutique accommodation located near Manhattan’s theater district. In honor of Earth Day, the property will be hosting an Eco Chic Boutique on April 19, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. During the event, guests can browse eco-friendly stalls while sipping organic cocktails. Some of the vendors that will be in attendance include:

The entrance fee is $15, which includes one signature drink. Proceeds from the event go to benefit the New York Restoration Project.

Call 212-485-2400 or click here to book.

Royalton
New York, NY

Royalton is a sophisticated property located in midtown Manhattan that introduces elements from all over the world into its design. For instance, while the building’s facade is from France, the wall patterns reflect African tribal art. In observance of Earth Day, the hotel is featuring four special “Earth Day” cocktails from April 16 to April 27. Ingredients for the cocktails will be purchased from the Union Square Farmers Market to help ensure freshness, quality and sustainability. Each drink will be $16, with $2 of the profit going to benefit Grow NYC. Moreover, to give guests something to take home, menus will be printed on seed paper that can be planted to grow herbs and flowers.

Call 212-869-4400 or click here to book.

Red Mountain Resort
Ivins, Utah

Red Mountain Resort is a holistic accommodation focused on relaxation and helping guests to get active in nature. On April 22, the property is offering a 40 percent discount at their spa on their Nature Inspired Treatments. Some of these discounted menu items include the “Four Directions,” which offers a full-body cornmeal tobacco exfoliation and sweet grass herbal wrap, or a body wrap made of Great Salt Lake mineral salts, sesame, avocado, apricot kernal, shea butter and jojoba oil.

Call 877-246-4453 or click here to book.

Turnberry Isle Miami
Miami, Florida

Turnberry Isle Miami is a tropical resort located in North Miami Beach. Being that the property’s design is focused around the continued growth of a 100-year-old banyan tree, it’s no surprise the hotel is going all out for Earth Day. On April 22, Turnberry Isle Miami will be hosting an array of green activities, like a 2.9 mile Earth Day Run that will benefit Operation Green Leaves, a complimentary Chef’s Garden Tour and a night of Glow-in-the-Dark Solar Drop cocktails.

Call 855-201-8027 or click here to book.

JW Marriott Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

The JW Marriott Chicago is a deluxe accommodation in downtown Chicago, located near Millennium Park and the Magnificent Mile. In honor of Earth Day, the property is offering a Midwest Craft Beer & Cheese Flight from April 20 to April 22. Locally crafted beers and cheeses will be paired by Chef Michael Reich in the hotel’s stylish Lobby Lounge. In his culinary and beverage creations, Reich focuses on using high-quality organic ingredients. The beer and cheese flights will cost $12.

Call 800-228-9290 or click here to book.

Tubohotel Takes Exotic Camping To The Next Level

by Jessica Festa on

Just when you thought you’d seen it all – tree hotels, salt palaces, undersea lodges and enormous boot-shaped bed and breakfasts — something new comes along that tests the limits of accommodation possibilities. Located in Tepoztlán, Mexico, is the Tubohotel (shown right), a unique experiential property that allows guests to sleep in massive tube pipes stacked like pyramids.

In line with ecotourism, the tubes are made of recycled tube pipe materials. While this may sound like you’ll be sleeping in a sewer, the company claims the experience is actually very comfortable. The rooms each come with a queen bed, fan, desk light, storage compartments under the bed, a towel rack with towels, a plush comforter and soft sheets. Furthermore, the tubes are apparently quite warm. Or, as Tubohotel says, the rooms maintain a “comfortable, almost tubo-licious temperature during the day and night.”

While you won’t be able to bathe in the room, the property boasts two clean, spacious bathrooms with hot water, private showers and toilets, although you will have to bring your own robes and slippers.

No matter how nice the rooms at Tubohotel are you’re not going to want to spend all day sitting in a pipe. Luckily, the hotel also has an onsite Infinity pool and can arrange for cultural cooking classes with celebrity chef Ana Garcia. Nature activities like mountain climbing, hiking and biking are also abound. Not to mention, a bar and restaurant are coming soon to the property.

Prices start at 300 pesos (about $24) per night, based on double occupancy. Click here to learn more or make a reservation.

Dying To Cruise? New Website Spreads The Excitement, And Ashes

by Chris Owen on

Rabidly loyal fans of cruise vacations would be reluctant to cancel their trips, even with news of Norovirus outbreaks among passengers. Stories of ships tragically grounded or on fire do not even make them blink. These travelers are going to cruise no matter what, skipping other travel options to feed their addiction. With these travelers in mind, a new service is available to assist with even more luxurious cruise reservations — in the afterlife.

My Final Cruise handles the spreading of ashes at sea, complying with all environmental laws and allowing a great deal of input from their clients in a pre-need sort of way. Clients can choose to plan their own final cruise catering to their needs whether they want an accompanied service with friends and family in attendance or would prefer that their ashes be delivered and placed by the ship’s senior officers.

Those with a vision for what kind of service they might want can specify if they would like a meal following the service, a specific prayer or a poem to be read, a function in a private bar or to have those in attendance participate in a favorite activity they previously enjoyed.My Final Cruise also has a world map online that will record and display that final resting place at sea. In addition to the longitude and latitude, clients may add photos, a memorial and even a short video to share with others. The map is public, allowing government agencies to verify the exact location.

With a selection of biodegradable urns priced from $149.95, My Final Cruise caters to eco-concerned cruise travelers who can be sure their carbon footprint is low, even on that final cruise.

[Flickr photo via Official U.S. Navy Imagery]