Country Vacations & Resorts

If June, (don’t forget Father’s Day, June 19th) passes by as fast as May has, the 4th of July holiday weekend will be upon us quicker than we expect. For any who want to plan a little getaway, accommodations are still available but you need to act immediately. Beach and resort locations and hotels are booking reservations fast and furious right now.

Here are a few “beach suggestions” in Hawaii (Oahu), Florida, California, and Anguilla, British West Indies.

This 2 bedroom Bellows Beach/Waimanalo Beach property is located in the Waimanalo Beach area, which is only 20 minutes from Honolulu and Waikiki. Waimanalo Beach is one of the largest, cleanest, and most private beaches on Oahu. I’ve been to Bellows Beach – astounding beach views and surfing (if the tides are with you!)

A luxurious 5 bedroom home waterfront home on one of the prime beaches of Naples. This mature landscaped family beach home is located in Naples on the Gulf just 6 blocks south of the Naples Pier. Yard and screened pool are maintained year round. Naples is a great destination for a vacation – town and beach areas! It was the “N” choice on our “Destinations” list.

The 7 bedroom Zenaida Beach and Tennis Estate property is nestled on three acres of lush tropical gardens with sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea, and the mountains of St Martin and St Barths beyond. Luxuriate in the white powdery sands of this nearly deserted and very private beach.

This romantic 1920′s Venice Beach 3 bedroom cottage cottage located steps to one of the best Southern California beaches. Also the cottage is on one of the famous Venice Walk Streets where no cars are allowed. This makes for a very safe and quiet area.

Safe and quiet sound like a good time to me! But the cottage is also just a block to nice restaurants and shops, a great surf spot, and the historic canals.

Book your 4th of July flights at up to 65% OFF!

Welcome to the start of Memorial Day Weekend in the United States and the beginning of “Water Holiday Season” – a time to get out and play and just have some F-U-N near, in, or around the water.

Toys are good for the soul – but most of us lose the enjoyment of a simple bucket and shovel and a beach full of sand as we get older. Here are a few items that might be fun for “older” children who could really use a mental break from the world of being an adult.

Let’s not forget that Memorial Day Weekend is to honor those who have fought and died for our country’s freedoms. Spend a minute or two remembering that this weekend is thanks to them…

The Hydrofoil Water Scooter looks like WAY too much fun!

Unlike other watercraft, this unique hydrofoil frame allows you to skim across water simply by hopping gently up and down, propelling you as fast as 17 mph (more than four times faster than some world champion freestyle swimming speeds). At only 26 lbs., the lightweight aircraft aluminum and fiberglass frame is easy to transport to a dock or boat for each launching!

A great use of technology!

The Digital Camera Swim Mask with an integrated waterproof digital camera, eliminating the need to carry an underwater camera, keeping hands free while swimming. The 8MP camera can operate to a depth of 15′, making it ideal for use when snorkeling or swimming in pools. The camera’s lens provides a wide 74º field of view. The mask’s eye pieces are made of tempered glass and have integrated crosshairs that line up shots easily; simply press the shutter button to take pictures or videos.

This Stand Up Fisherman’s Kayak is the only kayak available that uses a patented extendable outrigger system to stabilize the craft, enabling outdoor enthusiasts to fish from a standing position. Made of durable polyethylene with stainless steel and aluminum hardware, the kayak has two independent outriggers that pivot outward 45\u00B0 to its centerline, yet both swing back into position to form the aft section of the craft to allow for smooth paddling. Both outriggers can be removed for easy transport and each has a watertight storage compartment. The kayak has an adjustable nylon-covered padded foam seat and adjustable footpads, allowing you to achieve an optimal paddling position.

I have 5 siblings – we could have really used one of these!

Try this 18 Foot Splashing Soaker Slide – the 18′ long inflatable water slide that splashes children and soaks them with a fusillade of water from a built-in water squirter. Hand- and foot-holds built into the side of the slide’s tower provide easy climbing. An inflated archway at the top has a handlebar squirter that allows children to shower sliders and wet the slide. The slide’s two bumps deposits riders into the 6′ wide x 10″ deep pool.

Grab a book and a cold drink and you’ll be set to relax for hours!

This Hand Pedal Float is the raft lounger that’s propelled by hand-powered propellers. Two four-blade propellers (one on each side of the seat) rotate with a simple turn, moving the float forward, backward, or turning it in either direction. The angled backrest enables reclined relaxation while drifting aimlessly or paddling to a destination.

There is still time to grab one of any of these great items in time for the 4th of July holiday. Look for these and hundreds of other “treats” from Hammacher Schlemmer.

After waiting for the Royal Wedding, we’re back to something on a countdown clock in the UK – the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Mark your calendars for the 27th of July to the 12th of August 2012 for this spectacular event. If you are even thinking about making plans to stay in the UK during this time frame don’t wait, or you will not be able to find accommodations.

Here’s a link to a great web site that has a lot of valuable info regarding the Olympics – schedules, etc, and also some helpful info for tourists. You can even check out a few of their web cams of the Olympic site area. Some of the buildings are incredible!

We’ll be hoping for some in-country travel and accommodation tips from our friends at My Favourite Holiday Cottages as the event gets a little nearer. Until then, have a look at our UK Cottage of the Month series – and start planning!

Cottage of the Month: Rye Cottage
Location: Barnstaple, Devon
Weather: Devon
Pets: Yes

Our latest Cottage of the Month is actually one of several available at North Hill Cottages in North Devon. It has been brought to my attention by several readers that it is often difficult to find vacation rentals that are not meant for large groups or families. As part of this fantastic vacation enclave, Rye Cottage is a perfect option.

Great things do come in small packages and Rye Cottage is no exception. With its 4-poster bed tucked into a cozy recess, Rye would be perfect for a romantic getaway or as a honeymoon destination.

According to Hyacinth, the main character on the BBC’s television show “Keeping Up Appearances,” Rye Cottage would hit all the marks for a “cozy, charismatic, country cottage.”

For anyone who needs a short break, a last-minute escape, or who wants to take full advantage of a long holiday weekend, Rye Cottage certainly provides a relaxing and luxurious 3-Star alternative.

This 1 bedroom, 1 and a half bath self-catering cottage is south facing with an open-plan layout meaning sunny, spacious rooms without that cramped hotel feeling. The complex itself, which contains a total of eight, 3-Star cottages, is on 8 acres – allowing guests from each cottage to have quiet and private time to roam the fields at their leisure. Benefits of staying at North Hills include access to both an indoor heated swimming pool and a new games room.

Any “free-range children” or active adults will not be disappointed at this location. Nearby, visitors will enjoy the famous gold-coast sandy beaches, Exmoor National Park, and the village of Barnstaple which is the main shopping area for North Devon and claims to be the oldest borough in the United Kingdom. Take a stroll through the Pannier Market with its high glass and timber roof, or take in the Barnstaple Fair which opens on the Wednesday prior to the 20th of September each year.

Plenty of things to see and do (or just do nothing at all!) in this scenic area of England. Rye Cottage provides a great accommodation from which to begin.

Since I’m always in search of great places to visit in a country setting, Mountain Meadows Lodge in Killington, Vermont was quite a find. A beautiful location for a holiday, vacation, or wedding – surrounded by forests, and on a lake.

Mountain Meadows Lodge is a popular lake-side wedding venue, situated in the picturesque New England town of Killington on Kent Lake, in the midst of national forest and state park lands. Originally built as a dairy barn and farm-house in 1857, the resort has been in operation as an event site and Country Inn (Bed and Breakfast) for over 45 years.

Much of the original character of an early American farm has been retained, perhaps most notably by the huge fieldstone fireplace and hearth or the original exposed hand-hewn post and beam timbers in the dining room and guest rooms.

There is a lovely homely country warmth about of the place, maybe it’s the sweeping lawns, the serenity of the lake and surrounding Green Mountains, but if that’s not enough, guests are further charmed by the friendly farm animals living on the grounds including Alice, to pot-bellied pig, Alex the Shetland pony and Charlie, the pygmy goat.

With breathtaking views of the lake and woodlands adjacent to mountains, the serene location is ideal for retreat and relaxation, hiking and water- and winter-sport holidays but the primary focus of Mountain Meadows Lodge is hosting weddings. It’s a venue where groups come together to spend an extended period of time together enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, great food, terrific amenities… and each others company, but every event has some personal flair or nuance.

And couples really do make it their own! Some have hired a local fire performer to add an exotic twist to an evening campfire while some have arranged for horse-drawn sleigh or wagon ride as part of the weekend festivities. Most summer couples host an informal Friday evening welcome or rehearsal dinner cookout, and then on Saturday, after a gorgeous outdoor ceremony overlooking the lake, an elegant tented reception on the grounds. Lodge staff assist with all the arrangements such as lighting options, tableware, linens, tent amenities, flowers, etc.

Many brides will get creative in one way or another. A recent bride had been collecting dinner plates since she got engaged – the dinner plates were an exquisite collection of vintage china, all of different patterns and colors. She used these (augmented by a few from Mountain Meadows Lodge) for the wedding reception meal – the table settings were so interesting and unique – everyone was talking about them! Others have planed scavenger hunts as part of their Wedding Weekend, a hike to nearby waterfalls or even a mountain biking or a skiing excursion – just about anything goes at Mountain Meadows Lodge.

Mountain Meadows Lodge offers a great deal for a couple looking for affordability in a destination wedding venue particularly when it comes to exclusive use of a property for an extended period of time. The casual atmosphere, on-site lodging, menu flexibility, scenic beauty, and family-friendly atmosphere or Mountain Meadows Lodge are all important attributes for couples looking to pursue their own idea of A Perfect Country Wedding.

Horse-drawn carriages, woodlands, a beautiful lake, and a fully restored dairy barn and farmhouse…whether a wedding is in your immediate future or not, Mountain Meadows Lodge is a great get-away destination.

For more information contact the Innkeepers.

After being on the road a bit lately and being a person who works mainly at home and usually does not wear a watch, I realized that knowing the time – whatever “zone” you are in, is pretty important. Phones and other electronics can give you the time, but a nice watch is always going to be a good travel partner.

What I hadn’t done in awhile was to review the really wide option of watch designs available. All sizes, shapes and colors are out there – with a watch to fit nearly every person’s likes and requirements. Here are a few that might help with that question – “What time is it?” One is even solar!

This Pathfinder Solar Watch from Casio adds more features for outdoor adventurers. New backlit, dual-layer LCD shows even more info at a glance. Includes sunrise/sunset data, 48-city world time, altimeter, barometer, compass, thermometer, stopwatch, and five alarms, and is powered by a self-charging solar battery.

The Pathfinder Global Atomic Watch is the ultimate in reliability. Ideal for travelers and outdoor adventurers, the solar rechargeable battery never needs replacing, and signals from the U.S., U.K., Japanese, and German atomic clocks keep precise time wherever you are on the globe. With digital compass, altimeter, barometer, thermometer, stopwatch, 29 preprogrammed world time zones, and five alarms, it delivers the instant information that travelers need.

The Expedition Altimeter Watch blends classic analog style with advanced functionality, displaying your current altitude and recalling your maximum and minimum records from well below sea level to some of the highest mountaintops. The altimeter is driven by a digital barometric pressure sensor and has an analog display with a range from -400 to 25,000 feet (-120 to 7600m).

You never know when one of these Carabiner Clip Watch with LED Micro-lights will come in handy!

You can be on time and color-coordinated!

And for those with smaller wrists…

Women’s Traveler’s Atomic Watch – this stainless steel and leather watch automatically synchronizes to the split second once per day using the radio signal emitted from the U.S. atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado. Can also be manually set for different time zones, and keeps time even when your explorations take you out of the atomic clock’s range.

Don’t miss the National Geographic Gear and Gadget Sale! Save up to 50% – check their site for Free Shipping offers too!

One of the ultimate destinations for a “country vacation” has to be Tuscany. Why not combine a holiday there with a working farm experience? You can even find seasonal work in this beautiful region of Italy that will help pay for your Italian vacation…

Here is some great information from Matt, our Tuscany expert!

Have you ever stomped grapes after a day in the fields harvesting and cleaning out the vineyards for the upcoming wine production in Tuscany? Or have you ever participated in the daily work of a farmhouse in the middle of the Tuscan countryside? If you feel like doing so to have a new life experience while also paying for your vacation, you can participate in a working holiday in Tuscany.

An increasing number of farming accommodations offer this opportunity to those who want to experience Tuscany to its fullest. This is an excellent way to get really involved with local traditions, people, food, and to feel great after a day’s work in the fields.

The Tuscan land has very strong rural roots. All Tuscan villas and farmhouses that nowadays are for weekly rentals, once used to be the home of farmers that either owned the land they worked or, and this was the majority of times, worked for land owners as sharecroppers.

After three decades between the 60s and the 80s that saw the abandonment of the Tuscan countryside, a renewed love for farm work brought about the beautiful renovated properties of today. However, the new owners are independent entrepreneurs and passionate about country life and the products of the land. The real agritourism in Tuscany does not only include weekly rental accommodations, but it should also include actual work activities in the countryside as its main mean of sustenance.

The new trend that sees more and more people participating in working holidays in Tuscany does not come as a surprise after all. It is a great way of combining the love for the land of Tuscan country land owners and the love of people from all around the world for the Tuscan land. Exchanging your work for food and lodging is not only a clever way to save money for your holidays, but will also allow you to learn a great deal about the natural environment and farm life that brings food on your table every day. Additionally, and most importantly, you will have the chance to build great human relationships with your coworkers and accommodation providers, which will be your mentors all through your new experience.

Participating in a working holiday in Tuscany does not mean that you will have to break your back in the fields all day long. Although some periods of the year are more labor intensive than others, you should ask your employer/accommodation provider what kind of work you will be required to do, for how long, and what skill level is required. Be really honest with yourself and your prospective employer, as you want this experience to be a rewarding and pleasant one for both of you. Otherwise you risk getting yourself into a very stressful situation you might not be prepared to face.

Needless to say, the most popular time for working holidays is the grape harvest period in September and October. Tuscan wine is famous all over the world and the yearly production is very high. Therefore, there are many wine producing farms that open their fields and accommodations to tourists willing to get their hands dirty and their feet violet-stained! In fact, after the harvest you may be asked to stomp on grapes, although almost all producers nowadays do it with machines. If you decide to be in Tuscany during a different time of the year you may also look into non-country related jobs such as babysitting, table waiting, or being a private tour guide. However, if you want a summer vacation in a Tuscan villa or farmhouse, you will most likely be doing farm work. So pack your mosquito repellent and lots of will to learn, Tuscany awaits you!

Matt authored this article on working holidays in Tuscan villas and farmhouses. He is an expert on this region and really endorses this kind of experience as a new way of living Tuscany and its beauties.

And our latest and last comments on the royal wedding from My Favourite Holiday Cottages. Can’t believe it’s already been nearly two weeks since the big event!

What a lovely wedding! Everyone enjoys a fairytale romance, and the beautiful commoner finally marrying her handsome prince was a dream come true. Friday 29 April was a real day of celebration here in the UK; a glorious pageant of history, colour and music and something that made us Brits feel rather proud.

I don’t like to say I told you so of course, but I did tip you off about the wedding dress designer (Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen) back in early March, and I hope that you all saw the sprig of myrtle from the Isle of Wight in amongst the white flowers of the wedding bouquet. The bouquet was placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey the next day and visitors to the Abbey were able to see it, along with all the other beautiful decorations (including the trees) this past week.

After all the excitement, Kate and William headed off for a UK weekend break in a secret location. They could have had a peek at My Favourite Holiday Cottages as we have a few especially romantic cottages that we could recommend.

16th century Little Owl with its inglenook fireplace and original beams is hidden away on the edge of Exmoor in Devon and perfect for stargazing and lovestruck couples.

Wheal Jane near Truro in Cornwall has an inviting king-size four-poster bed and whirlpool bath, and Pulley Mill in North Devon has a hot tub in the woods where you can sip champagne together.

The beautifully decorated and sumptuous Little Orchard with its high vaulted ceilings and lovely views is also ideal for honeymooners.

Our thanks again for all the info on the local goings-on surrounding the wedding. If you’re in the mood for a little UK-based wedding of your own, take a virtual tour via our Cottage of the Month series.