Country Vacations & Resorts

More updates and royal wedding news from our friends at My Favourite Holiday Cottages…

Ensuring their place in history, a special sheet of postage stamps to commemorate the Royal nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be available in post offices all over the UK from 21st April 2011 (which is also Her Majesty The Queen’s birthday).  The stamps feature the official engagement portraits taken by photographer Mario Testino on 25th November.

It was also announced this week, that onlookers will get their first glimpse of the newly weds when they leave Westminster Abbey in the same open-topped carriage that Charles and Diana used. William and Kate will travel to Buckingham Palace via the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, 10 Downing Street, and Horse Guards Parade in the official state landau, adding to the pomp and pageantry of the day.

North York Moors Railway

Steam trains took the place of horse-drawn carriages for long-distance royal travel, and the first Royal train ran in 1842, carrying Queen Victoria. Visitors can see one of the carriages she used at the National Rail Museum in York.

Stay nearby at Keld Head Farm Cottages, a group of nine traditional stone built barns restored by expert local craftsmen and an ideal base for trips to York and the surrounding beautiful countryside.

A trip on the breathtakingly scenic North York Moors Steam Railway to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Whitby to Pickering line (www.nymr.co.uk) is also highly recommended.

The final section of the Welsh Highland Railway connecting the North Wales coast at Caernarfon through the heart of Snowdonia to Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog will also be opening in April this year (www.welshhighlandrailway.net)

Visitors interested in exploring Wales and the island of Anglesey (where Kate and William will be living after they are married) can stay nearby at Clytiau Teg in Gwynned, a lovely barn conversion with views towards Snowdon.

Friday, April 29th – mark the date! And the viewing times around the world:

~ 3 a.m. in Los Angeles
~ 6 a.m. in New York
~ 10 a.m. GMT
~ 11 a.m. in London
~ 12 noon in Paris
~ 2 p.m. in Abu Dhabi, UAE
~ 6 p.m. in Hong Kong
~ 8 p.m. in Sydney

Whether walking the streets of Williamsburg or navigating downtown San Francisco, one of these Personal GPS Trackers might come in handy.

Mark your location with the push of a button, and then explore at your leisure. This GPS-enabled digital compass is designed to lead the way back to home base. Mark as many as three places at one time, and you’ll always know how far away you are from those sites and how to get back to them. Water-resistant, and backlit for nighttime viewing. Includes a clip for attaching to a backpack or purse.

Great for long walking adventures and compact for all travel excursions.

Allow plenty of time to see all the Williamsburg, Virginia area has to offer. History on every corner, Jamestown, cobbled streets, and a wide range of scenic and historic sites to visit.

Here is a unique vacation rental and the ideal definition of a “country resort.”

Two miles from Colonial Williamsburg, the Historic Powhatan Resort offers a slice of American history with a stay in the restored Manor House (circa 1735).

Amid 256 rolling woodland acres, this resort offers a variety of fun during any season including cascading indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, an outdoor pavilion and playground, many golf courses, and hiking and exercise trails. Plan the ultimate family holiday with fully equipped, three-bedroom accommodations complete with a private balcony, loft and hot tub. Enjoy the convenience of the on-site restaurant and fitness center, and indoor and outdoor pools.

Take one of these street maps with you. Getting lost on foot in Williamsburg will waste a lot of your time and even cobbled streets can be a bit tricky.

No one wants to miss anything in Williamsburg and chances are you won’t run into Thomas Jefferson who no doubt would know where everything is located!

Search here for other vacation rental options:

A water bottle than won’t slosh all over everything! Normally I can drink water and walk (or drive) at the same time, but wide-mouth bottles can present a bit of a challenge for the most graceful consumer…here’s the fix!

Only a few days left to save 10% Off on Orders of $100 or more at Luggage Online.

Use code: GENAFF and shop before March 31st to take advantage of this special offer.

Scoff if you wish, but anyone who hasn’t at least visited the State of California, wishes they could. Beautiful coasts and beaches, fantastic restaurants and resorts, and a few days spent in the California lifestyle are not to be missed. Here are a couple vacation rental options in very prime California locations:

Vacation in sunny San Diego!

This 2 bedroom Oceanfront Vacation Rental is on a private beach in Point Loma on Sunset Cliffs, directly over the Pacific Ocean, next to Ocean Beach. Next to Sunset Cliffs Nature Park.

How about a vacation home inside Yosemite National Park? This 3-bedroom home on a wooded hillside at 6, 000 ft. elevation will provide some wonderful sunsets and starry, starry nights.

Or a week or two in Beverly Hills?

This private Hollywood Hills home boasts exquisite views that stretch from downtown to the ocean. Gated entry. The 4-bedroom Resort Style Home also has a large deck with a pool and Jacuzzi like a resort, with massive views of the hillsides, city, canyons, and ocean. The house has been used for filming many movies, TV shows, magazine spreads, and music videos. It has an open floor plan, with each room sharing the stunning views.

No matter where you are going this year, this Director’s Chair that folds down to laptop size, will be a good choice for seating.

Rated “Best Overall” by The Wall Street Journal, this Messenger Bag Director’s Chair folds to about the size of a laptop and stores in an easy-to-carry messenger bag.

Telescoping legs and a folding backrest enable the chair to fold to less than 4″ thick in seconds. Easier to transport than the bulky sacks that accompany lesser models, the chair’s messenger bag straps over a shoulder and across the chest for simple, hands-free portability to an outdoor concert or campsite.

Weighs only 9 lbs. – supports up to 250lbs.

New Zealand is an exceptional choice as a vacation destination. Weather and scenery from the far end of the North Island to the tip of the South is diverse and exceptional.

I lived in Christchurch for several years and loved it. Thanks to the Internet, I was able to find out from the current owner, that the house I rented 30 years ago is still standing in Christchurch! Good luck for all who were not so lucky.

Find some gourmet and luxury accommodation options in New Zealand here or find out more about this country for your 2011 vacation.