Madden Lake, Okanagan Valley (Creative Commons)

Located in the heart of southern British Columbia, the Okanagan Valley is the perfect spot for a romantic getaway, a high-flying adventure, or a memorable family vacation.  In the summer, the valley is perfect for outdoor explorations along its sandy beaches while the winter offers an abundance of skiing and other wintertime fun.

After just a single visit to this amazingly diverse area, the Okanagan Valley will beckon one back time and time again.  Beloved by thousands of visitors each year, this part of Canada is known for its variety in climate, landscape and culture, offering something for everyone.  From orchards and vineyards to mountains and valleys, this is one of the most desirable locations in all of British Columbia.

The rolling hills of the valley make for a spectacular backdrop for golfing, skiing, relaxing, and touring the many wineries in the region.  Beginning in the south, one will find the Okanagan Valley’s stunning backcountry, complete with the remains of old mining settlements along the edges of the highways.  From the Oliver and Osoyoos regions, head north toward the valley, which is filled with lush orchards and vineyards.

Because of its location, the Okanagan Valley is home to dozens of parks and recreational areas, many of which surround the gorgeous Okanagan Lake.  No matter what time of year one chooses to visit, the open terrain of the region makes it the ideal destination for backpacking, hiking, and mountain biking.  The breathtaking landscapes do make for a challenging outdoor adventure, but there is something for every experience level.  For those looking for a true outdoor adventure, visit the valley in the winter for some prime skiing at Big White, Silver Star, and Apex.

Sun-drenched and snow-covered in the winter, the Okanagan Valley boasts some of the best downhill slopes in British Columbia. Home to several top-of-the-line resorts, the facilities for ski lovers and outdoor enthusiasts is simply second to none.  For those that don’t enjoy skiing, there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy the snowcapped mountains by throwing on a pair of snowshoes or hopping on a snowmobile.

Okanagan Valley wines

Though the original appeal of the Okanagan Valley was its natural beauty, the area is also beginning to emerge as a serious wine-producing region.  Canada’s wine industry traditionally hails from Ontario, but this region has truly blossomed in the past few years.  In fact, some of the most successful wines come from the Okanagan Valley.  Knowing this, a tour of the many wineries and vineyards is a must-do for anyone interested in wine; however, be sure to make a plan, as there are more than 9,000 acres of vineyards and almost 200 wineries!

The major centers of this region include Penticton, Osoyoos, Vernon, and of course, Kelowna.  Kelowna is a sanctuary nestled within the glorious mountain range, with abundant gardens, vineyards, and orchards.  This lakeside paradise is the largest city in the Okanagan Valley.  There are a variety of accommodations available, with Kelowna hotels along the lake, resorts on the mountain, and plenty of camping sites throughout the area.  Be sure not to miss the golfing, visit some of the 28 wineries, and take a stroll along the main street that actually ends at a beach!

American Airlines continues its pioneering work in the area of cognitive behaviour therapy with the introduction of a new incentive to travel without cabin luggage. Those travelling with no luggage at all, not even the little shoulder bag to which we all resorted initially to avoid waiting at the baggage carousel for longer than we just spent flying across the Atlantic but now need just to circumvent extortionate checked baggage fees, now enjoy the dubious luxury of boarding first.

Ostensibly this innovation is meant to encourage travellers to check more luggage, paying the progressively higher rate per bag to participate in the lost luggage lottery that may result in having some of your own things to wear when you get where you’re going. But of course that’s not the real intention at all. The real intention is to change our cognitive evaluation of the carry-on so we start thinking of it as an extra, ancillary to the business of travel. Something for which eventually, naturally, we’ll be willing to pay.

Early boarding for those travelling with no more than they can fit under the seat accomplishes this nicely with the added advantage of dividing dissent — I don’t need to change my underwear every day, why should I have to pay for your compulsive hygiene habits? If you want your precious insulin so much you can rent it some space in the overhead compartment, sucker.

This is the evolution of air travel. There once was a time that a passenger on a flight was assumed to want to take something along and was allotted a little spot in the cargo hold. If you needed more space, you could pay for it and if you wanted to get out of the airport before your return flight boarded you could travel without luggage at all, just a little carry-on. Once we got used to that it was natural that those without checked luggage could pay less or, put another way, those with checked luggage would pay more. American Airlines is merely the first to apply this next logical step to cabin luggage. Soon enough the practise will be widely emulated and we’ll all be enured to the prospect of paying a fee to fly with anything more than the clothes on our back.

Nothing can stop this trend because it works and when it’s worked on cabin baggage it’s going to be applied to other travel perks that today we think of as being fundamental to the service. In time we’ll regard it as commonplace to pay a little extra if we want to be seated in proximity to our travel companion or children or if we aren’t willing to go on the standby list or are fussy about our destination. It seems inevitable that this practice will most certainly carry on.

Gris’s Portrait of the Artist’s Mother, 1912

In the unending and unmeasurable and, probably, unjustifiable race to have the most absurdly expensive collection of coloured canvas hanging in the same place the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) has taken a sudden and substantial lead in the form of a billion dollar gift of representative cubist art from the billionaire philanthropist and cosmetics tycoon Leonard Lauder.

And it’s spectacular. Whether or not 78 paintings from the previous century can actually be “worth” a billion dollars is a debate for lawyers and insurance brokers and no doubt the internal revenue service who may be a little vexed at Lauder’s charitable deductions for fiscal year 2013. But for those of us for whom cubism is at its root simply nice to look at (among whom the estimable Mr. Lauder is apparently counted) this is a significant wrinkle in the process of deciding where to go next — Paris and the Pompidou, Chicago and the Art Institute, St Petersburg and the Hermitage or, in 2014 when the full collection goes on display, New York and the Met.

Picasso’s Woman in an Armchair (Eva), 1913

The inventory is 33 works by Picasso, 17 by Georges Braque, 14 by Juan Gris, and 14 by Fernand Léger and in addition to being worth an obscene amount of money they’re highly representative of a watershed period in modern art. I’d be particularly anxious to see that many Juan Gris in one place — he died young and left relatively few cubist examples compared to the prolific Picasso and that which exists is spread thin, but even more so than his contemporaries when you’re looking at cubist ephemera like posters or the credits at the beginning of Poirot or a Dubonnet ad, you’re looking at something derivative of Gris and it would be an unrivaled pleasure to see 14 essential pieces in one place.

Among them is Portrait of the Artist’s Mother which convincingly demonstrates Gris’ partiality to the geometry that became inseparable from the populist manifestations of the movement.

Braque’s Fruit Dish and Glass, 1912

Also in the collection which was assembled over forty years of disciplined concentration on a few select artists and Cubism is Picasso’s portrait of his mistress, Eva Gouel, regarded as his most radical and erotic work.

The Cubist movement incorporated non-traditional materials which, at the time, meant anything that wasn’t paint and canvas, and Braque’s Fruit Dish and Glass apparently was the first of papier collé and so it’s very very important and, obviously, expensive. I just think it’s beautiful and I really want to see it in real life.

Lauder has said that he knew that this unprecedented gift would be transformative and he chose the Met carefully, although he lives in New York and it seems the obvious choice. In any case it absolutely is transformative and has taken the Metropolitan Museum of Art from being the single most important art museum in the United States to the possibly the single most important in the world.

As Colorado becomes the latest state to concede a half-assed acceptance of the inevitability of time and tide and begins the slow process toward the legalization of cannabis possession, two Denver entrepreneurs have jumped the gun with America’s first marijuana tours.

There appears to be no effort to hide the obvious gimmick — the company is called Four-Twenty Tours after the achingly uncool seventies urban slang for “somehow related to marijuana” and, although the term finds its origins in the after-school hour ripe for smoking up, the first tour will be on April 20th (4.20). April 20th 2013, that is, fully eight months before anyone without a medical marijuana prescription will be able to buy product any more legally in Colorado than they could in any of its less progressive neighboring states.

Which means that those experienced with similar tours to, say, Amsterdam, may need to modify their expectations or break the law or, perhaps more safely and efficiently, go back to Amsterdam, because this tour includes a stay at a “pot-friendly” hotel (so, a lot of perfectly sober people hanging around the lobby asking each other if they have glaucoma), a hash-making demonstration, visits to dispensaries and legal grow-houses, and tickets to cannabis-themed events, and no dope. In short, a school field trip just with marijuana instead of maple syrup.

Four-Twenty Tours is proceeding without, unsurprisingly, the endorsement of the Colorado tourist office, which prefers to keep the focus on the traditional family-friendly activities for which Colorado is already a destination for visitors who spend nearly $10 billion a year in The Centennial State. Colorado’s reputation for quality conventions, tours and camping could be undermined, they feel, by an influx of a new breed of tourist who find their hands hilarious.

Having spewed all that, it should be pointed out that Four-Twenty Tours is probably only slightly before its time and there’s a good chance that the currently unclear implementation of the state’s new consensus on legalization could be dedicated marijuana specialty shops with a legal mandate to sell to tourists, and this could happen as early as 4.20.14.

If you were planning on travelling within or to or from the US this Spring but are restrained by the financial crisis engendered by the intractable conflict in Washington between the ideologies of those who want to cut spending and taxes and the social safety net and those who are not living in a parallel Randian dystopia of roaming gangs of welfare cheats and steaming sewer grates, there’s a bit of good news.

It turns out that even if after paying the health insurance premiums that make you the laughing stock of the rest of the civilised world and investing your tax reduction in enlightened and self-interested job creation you had enough to fly somewhere you wouldn’t want to anyhow. As part of the austerity measures imposed on it by the suicide pact signed by senate Democrats and Republicans last year as a means to narrowly dodge the wholly artificial debt-ceiling crisis, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is shuttering some 149 control towers and simultaneously giving hundreds of air traffic controllers rolling three-day weekends. There are those who think that this might have some impact on air traffic.

The most positive, happy-clown-on-valium perspective is that there’ll be some delays. While almost certainly true, this view seems to betray a limited grasp of the big picture. Presumably every air traffic controller we have — and will have and until April 7 when this total capitulation to political petulance kicks in — performs some sort of role in the safe and smooth operation of US air traffic. Even if that role is redundant backup, it’s redundant backup that — during an era of lush abundance that afforded the luxury of air safety — somebody who studies these things thought was at least a good idea, if not absolutely necessary. Some things — say taking on a mortgage or selecting a gift for a child — should be planned in crisis mode. Others need to be planned in an environment of ostentatious luxury and the assumption that you’re going to be able to pay for all the silk lining and brass knobs that the dealer offers. Among these things is air traffic control.

Cold comfort is that the closings are limited to small and mid-sized airports, unless of course you happen to be flying into or out of small to mid-sized airports, and in any case the rolling four-day weeks and subsequent manpower shortages apply across the board. More worrying still is the icy sang-froid with which this announcement is delivered from the FAA, which claims that service will be largely unaffected and in any case the towers to be closed only add to the 5000 airports nationwide that already operate without them. In these cases pilots follow existing FAA procedures for underserviced airports and radio each other to negotiate right-of-way.

So the bad news is that there are certainly going to be worse delays than usual this Spring and for as long as it takes a mature and reasoned consensus to be reached in Washington, so in pretty much forever. Let’s hope that’s as bad as the news gets.

Are you looking for a new travel destination? A place where you can relax with lots of activities and attractions? Then do not look further and check out the beautiful city of Boston. I know that when you hear about America, the more popular cities to visit are Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York or Miami, but unknown to many, Boston city has actually lots to offer to tourists and anyone who visits Boston will surely love it. This article is like a travel guide to Boston, everything that you need to see and visit will be written here.

First of all let me give you a brief background about Boston. The best seasons to go to Boston are during spring and fall, avoid going there during winter as it will surely be miserable and cold! Boston is also one of the of the oldest cities in America and the biggest in New England. When in Boston, the first place to go to is the Freedom Trail. It is a 2.5 mile stretch showcasing 16 sites about American Revolution. For the ultimate in privacy and freedom, look into Boston Vacation Rentals rather than check into a hotel.

Guided tours are available for the Freedom Trail but if you want to check it out by yourself ensure to download a map to not get lost. Going to the Freedom Trail will definitely enlighten you on the things that happened in the American Revolution. Now if you love the nature, then you will surely love the Boston Public Garden. During spring, swan boats are available for a more relaxed sight seeing of the Boston Garden. Of course shopping is a must do when travelling, make sure to also stop by Quincy market. Aside from the souvenir that you can buy, if you get hungry there are also dining places at the market.

Even if you are not a fan of the Red Sox, it is still worthwhile to visit the very famous Fenway Park. And of course, Boston also offers world class museums. One that is perfect for the kids is the Museum of Science. This is actually the most visited museum in Boston as it showcases more than 400 exhibits which include a planetarium.

Another museum to go to is MFA or Monet. If you are travelling with family, one must-see site is the New England Aquarium, your children’s enjoyment will surely be guaranteed! Be sure to also visit these landmarks and attractions like Boston Common which is a city park, Bunker Hill Monument which is one of the most famous landmarks in Boston city, Old State House, City Hall and South Station.

Boston is definitely a great place to visit not only once but many times. It is a place perfect for family and friends of all ages. There are definitely lots of places to see and visit in Boston, a few days would definitely not be enough. A travel guide to Boston is really needed as there are many places to see, we would not want to miss the best attractions right? So do not think twice, plan your next vacation and go to the beautiful city of Boston!

USA’s 50^th state and a majestic archipelago of nineteen volcanic islands, Hawaii is home to some of the most magnificent beaches in the world. Economically dependent on tourism, Hawaii is one of the greatest places for travellers who want to spend their holidays in a relaxing, exotic environment, next to the Pacific Ocean. Extremely popular among travellers from around the Globe, Hawaii’s official languages are English and Hawaiian, Honolulu being its capital city. Although exotic, Honolulu has developed an urban edge due to its increasing number of tourists.

Located in the Big Island, Hapuna Beach State Park is perfect for the exciting summer activities, including snorkelling, swimming or simply sunbathing. The ocean in this part of the island is overflowing with beautiful corals and colourful fish, which make this place ideal for snorkelling. For those who are looking for a more relaxing holiday, Hapuna Beach State Park has a wide range of hotels that offer amazing spa treatments. Moreover, the beach is great when it comes to sunbathing, as the environment is pretty tranquil and restful.

Formed thousands of years ago by the flooding of a volcanic crater, Hanauma Bay is one of the most popular destinations in Hawaii. Situated in the beautiful Oahu, this astonishing beach is mostly known for its superb variety of fish, which make this place perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. The pristine ocean is extremely quiet, and this is why a lot of people come here just to swim.

A white sand beach, Poipu Beach seems to have been especially designed for families with kids. The water forms a pool-like area, which is very safe for the little ones and for the adults who love to swim freely in the ocean. As a result, there are a lot of families visiting this beautiful beach all year long, especially because its safety and the many possibilities that it offers. The hotels located on this beach are great when it comes to beauty treatments dedicated to the ladies and massages for the whole family.

Bordered by the Waipa River to the west and the Hanalei River to the East, the Hanalei Bay Beach is perfectly located in the fascinating Kauai. With its mesmerizing white sand, this superb beach is viewed as one of the top Hawaiian beaches, due to its breath-taking setting. The largest beach on the island, Hanalei is an astonishing blend of crystal clear ocean water, bright green mountains and wonderful waterfalls. Moreover, this impressive place is famous for the amazing surfing conditions that it offers.

Lanikai Beach in Oahu, Kaanapali Black Rock Beach located in Maui, Ke’e Beach Park in Kauai, Hulopoe Beach in Lanai and finally Papohaku Beach situated in Molokai are other breathtaking beaches that are worth visiting . Ideal for swimming, snorkeling, bodysurfing, body boarding, and surfing, these magnificent beaches are a must see among Hawaii’s astonishing landscapes. One last thing that one should know before visiting Hawaii is that no matter what your choice is, all the beaches are absolutely fascinating!

Do you know your options? Resort Option Notification wants timeshare owners to know how they can vacation without the maintenance fees!

As a once and future New Yorker, I say with no little authority that Manhattan is the greatest place on earth to spend your Christmas. And while that assertion may be wholly biased and entirely subjective, it is based on some pretty real magic that seems to take hold of the city during the holidays. Christmas is virtually the only time of year that I’m not traveling, but for many, it’s the one annual chance to take a trip. If the latter is the case for you, here’s my case for packing your bags (with cold weather clothes) and heading to New York City for the Christmas season.

New York Christmas: Larger Than Life Decorations

New York City isn’t exactly known for subtly, and the city’s love of the holidays follows that general rule. From the day after Thanksgiving (and often earlier, to my personal chagrin,) the city starts decking its metaphorical halls (and many literal ones) with some of the world’s most beautiful Christmas displays. Right off Harold Square, Macy’s puts its famous “Believe” sign on display. The word – and all the joy and hope it has come to represent – glitters and shines in lovely script across the store. Just a couple blocks away Madison Square Garden displays bright Christmas cheer too, with red bows and garland galore. Other notable spots to check out include a walk down Fifth Avenue (always a pleasure but especially lovely during the holidays) and Chinatown, where a unique mix of Christmas and traditional Chinese decor can be seen. New York is always a beautiful city, but it really pulls out all the stops during Christmastime.

New York Christmas: Unforgettable Shows

I’m lucky in that I used to live in Manhattan, so getting to experience more than one of the legendary shows the city puts on during the holidays has been possible over the years. But even if you only have a short amount of time in the city for Christmas, make sure to reserve a night at the theater. Tickets can be on the pricier side, but it’s worth it. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is legendary almost entirely thanks to the unreal high kicks performed by The Rockettes. But the show also features quite a few other performances. And then there’s The Nutcracker ballet, a truly special Christmas event for any family that’s put on annually at Lincoln Center. Make sure to buy tickets well in advance, since these shows tend to sell out. But keep in mind that most Christmas shows in Manhattan continue giving performances about a week past December 25th, so don’t fret if you can’t get in beforehand.

New York Christmas: An Abundance of Holiday Cheer

New Yorkers aren’t famed for being the friendliest of folk, and I often contest that stereotype. But I’ll concede we aren’t always the most open books. During the holidays, however, that inwardness seems to melt away like so much snow. The city’s millions of residents seem to walk a little lighter, feel a little merrier, and just generally be more willing to share the joy of the season with others. That warmth manifests itself in countless ways around the city, from the Salvation Army bell ringers that set up posts on each street corner to the holiday goodies and specials that can be found in so many stores. We start ice skating in Central Park and Bryant Park, which is an absolute must-do for anyone visiting during the holidays. We promote various holiday charities and try to truly share the love during Christmas.

Photo Credit: _Fidelio_

When it comes to cities in America, each one of them has photogenic sites that you can take advantage of. However, some of the cities are simply better than others since they offer the best photography spots.

Given below are three of the best photographer friendly U.S. cities:

#1: San Francisco

This is one city that can be seen as one of the best photogenic cities in the U.S. Here you’ll find unusual housing and streets along with world famous landmarks inviting you to snap them. Right from the Golden Gate Bridge to the curving Lombard street, your camera will love the angles it can work with. There are many such sites that can be a real treat for the photographer in you.

If you’re into architecture photography then the Palace of Fine Arts is where you can truly experiment with your lens. And in case you like rock music and love mixing your music interests with your photography skills, then the Fillmore Auditorium is where you should be with your camera. The vibrant colors that make San Francisco the city of bay can prove to be truly inspiring for any photographer.

#2: New Orleans

New Orleans which is also fondly called the “Crescent City” is known for its culture and architecture. And being a photographer you should know that they make the perfect combination. The oldest neighborhood in the city, the French Quarter or the “Vieux Carré”, holds attractions like the Old Absinthe House, Preservation Hall and the Jackson Square Park, which you’d love photographing.

The wildlife on Bourbon Street comes alive after dusk which can offer the best to you if you are one of those “good times” photographers. Venturing outside the French Quarter, you’ll find some of the most picturesque, expensive houses in the Garden District, giving you the opportunity to snap them.

#3: New York

What makes New York a photogenic city? Times Square and the Empire State Building are the two most obvious answers, but it’s actually its rich culture that makes it a hot spot for photographers.

Looking around, you’ll find people dressed in all types of dresses since they all come from varied cultures and nations. New York is a city that never sleeps, which means as a photographer you need to be quick enough to capture the best of it. And if by any chance you want to enhance your skills, you’ll find that the city has a number of good colleges for photography for you to choose from.

While every U.S. city offers something, your success with the lens boils down to your choice of photography and how passionate you are.

The west coast offers many outdoor adventure possibilities. California beaches, sun, surfing, hiking, and boating are often thought about as commonplace for the west. But there’s more than just hot weather sports, California has really great winter sports too. There are terrific and affordable places you can go with your friends, spouse, or even great escapes for a family retreat.

Alpine Meadows is a resort in Tahoe City California that offers ski and snowboarding adventures for anyone who might be interested. They have schools at the resort to teach people at whatever level they may be at, and Alpine even supports the Disabled Sports USA. Prices for a Tahoe Super Pass range from $229 for children and super seniors, to a gold version of the pass for adults for $749. There are discounts for college students, military, groups, and cooperate gatherings too.

Another fun lodge is Heavenly, also at Lake Tahoe. Heavenly is a very family friendly resort with lots of activities kids can enjoy including tubing, gondola rides, hot air ballooning, lake and helicopter tours, and snowmobile rentals. The prices are really reasonable too with a basic lift ticket only beginning at $37 for children and $63 for adults. Heavenly even offers some child care options for children from six weeks old, all the way up to six years.

Boreal is definitely a snowboarder’s haven. They not only have amazing mountings to ride but they offer four separate terrain parks including a bag jump area, mini shred and shred park, as well as a core park all having different boarding features to allow for tricks, ramps, jumps, and so much more invention and fun on a board. A day lift ticket will only run you around $50, but with the special features this resort offers it may be worth a season pass for only $399. They have very affordable lodging for a little over a hundred dollars so it would be easy to spend a lot of time at Boreal whenever you wanted.

If you don’t want to spend all of your time in the cold or on a mountain there are other fun things to do at these west coast winter resorts. Shopping, dining, nightclubs, and casinos are just a few options you would have. With very affordable prices you can get everything from seafood to duck, and even a simple lobster salad. If you want something a little more modest and traditional, check out the Base Camp Pizza Company with amazing pizza and pasta that will fill you up without breaking your wallet.

Wherever you go and whatever you do, don’t forget that the west coast can be fun all year round. Many resort companies offer entertaining and fun activities for everyone at any age or ability, as well as at all price ranges.