“Navigator: Vacation Rentals Near Home” plus 1 more

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Navigator: Vacation Rentals Near Home Posted: 30 Jul 2010 03:19 PM PDT Skip obvious weekend retreats for something more secluded (like a Frank Lloyd Wright house)—and still within four hours of downtown By Alex Pasquariello Round Barn Winery offers tastings of its own wine, beer, and vodka Jim Powell Advertising Photography/Aurora Chicago: Sawyer, Mich. Travel time: 2 hrs. Chicagoans have escaped to the eastern shores of Lake Michigan for ages. Yet few venture to the Sawyer area, which boasts three miles of shoreline backed by wildflower-strewn dunes and elm forests. Cottage at the Dunes is a three-bedroom jewel with a wood-burning stove, quaint cottage decor, and proximity to Warren Dunes State Park's 240-foot sand banks ($1,700 per week). Drive 20 minutes east and you're in Michigan wine country. Round Barn Winery produces several worthwhile whites and fruit brandy. Nearby Lemon Creek is known for its dry reds. Dallas: Bend, Tex. Travel time: 4 hrs. The rough-and-tumble antidote to Dallas, Colorado Bend State Park has a deep canyon rimmed with limestone bluffs and a fertile floodplain of lush groves. Canoe downstream to Lake Buchanan, hike 60-foot Gorman Falls, or take a ranger-led caving trip. Stay at rustic Sulphur Springs Camp, which has a spring-fed swimming hole and five air-conditioned cabins with cliff views ($69 per night). Each has a barbeque pit, but the nearby Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (a Dubya favorite) is famed for mesquite-smoked brisket and pork ribs (Bush's pick). Atlanta: Asheville, N.C. Travel time: 3 hrs. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville balances boho culture and Appalachian tradition—and it's less trafficked than antebellum Savannah, Ga. Rent Rainbow Ridge, a two-bedroom cabin with a hot tub and sunset views. It's 15 minutes from town but still woodsy and remote ($578 for three days). The Biltmore Estate, a museum and 8,000-acre park (day pass, $60), is a glimpse at the town's Gilded Age glory. At night, locals bring fiddles to Jack of The Woods for impromptu jam sessions; others hit The Orange Peel, ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the coolest live music venues in the U.S. Seattle: San Juan Island, Wash. Travel time: 2 hrs. It's easy to find a place to paddle along the Puget Sound, but the most impressive experience is off San Juan Island's west coast, where some 80 orcas prowl the waters during salmon season each summer. If money is no object, book the stunning, three-bedroom Seas the Day, a rental perched on a rock above the Haro Straits ($990 per night, $225 cleaning fee). Paddle through crowds of killer whales—don't worry, they're only after the salmon—on a one-day sea kayak trip with Outdoor Odysseys ($95 per person). Later, venture into town for applewood-smoked oysters at Duck Soup Inn. Baltimore; Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.: Laurel Highlands, Pa. Driving time: 4 hrs., 1.5 hrs., and 3.5 hrs., respectively A patchwork of picturesque forests and country clubs, the Laurel Highlands was once the hunting and fishing playground of Industrial Revolution-era barons. It's now better known for a few of Frank Lloyd Wright's best works, like Fallingwater and the cypress-and-sandstone Kentuck Knob. Rent your own Wright for a weekend at Polymath Park Resort: The 100 acres contains Duncan House, a one-story ranch built in 1957 ($425 per night, two-night minimum). Bring your fly rod to fish the teeming trout streams nearby. Denver: Grand Lake, Colo. Driving time: 2 hrs. The best jumping-off point for exploring Rocky Mountain National Park—while avoiding the tourists in Estes Park—is Bear Crossing, a secluded three-bedroom cabin on the western banks of Grand Lake. It has a boat dock as well as a jaw-dropping view of Shadow Mountain ($475 per night, two-night minimum). Spend a day or two exploring the alpine tundra atop Flattop Mountain and taking in views of Ptarmigan Glacier with a local guide from Kaiyote Tours ($180, full day). When your legs are eventually burned out from all the hiking, rent a Sea-Doo speedboat at Trail Ridge Marina ($250 for four hours) and search for osprey; these beautiful hawks fish for rainbow trout in these waters. Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Criminal Minds Star Opts for Paris Luxury Vacation Apartment Rental instead of a Hotel Posted: 31 Jul 2010 12:01 AM PDT Award winning actor, Joe Mantegna enjoyed the City of Light (Paris, France) in a gorgeous 3 bedroom Paris luxury vacation rental facing the river Seine instead of a luxury Paris hotel. As the World's #1 Paris Luxury Experience Curator, Paris Luxe, a NYC based boutique Paris luxury rental agency is accustomed to heavy hitters like Mr. Mantegna and has all the resources in place to ensure a remarkable Paris stay that would rival any luxury Paris hotel. New York, New York (PRWEB) July 31, 2010 -- As Joe Rossi on Criminal Minds, television and movie actor Joe Mantegna doesn't have the opportunity to jet to Paris with his family. But fortunately, family man, Joe Mantegna and his lovely wife Arlene were able to celebrate daughter Gia's birthday in the City of Light, Paris, France, a city he holds dear to his heart. Where did he stay? If you are thinking the Four Seasons, George V, le Hotel Crillion or le Bristol, think again. Joe enlisted the services of a New York City based boutique luxury rental agency Paris Luxe to locate the Paris apartment of his dreams or at least Arlene's Paris vacation apartment fantasy. You see, Joe proposed to Arlene on top of the Eiffel Tower back in the 70s so Paris is quite the magical city for the lovely couple. After a detailed discussion, Paris Luxe knew the Coco Paris Apartment, an Architect Digest style 3 bedroom, 3 bath with a private suite downstairs worthy. Situated in Ille St. Louis, the Coco Paris Apartment faces the river Seine and would be perfect for the Hollywood family of seven. This elegant Paris vacation apartment had previously hosted Oscar nominee Colin Firth and other well heeled guests. "Hotels are hotels. From one city to the next, the experiences are going to be somewhat similar." Mantegna said. "Paris Luxe is different from hotel life and I recommend it because when you go to a foreign city, it gives you a taste of what it would be like to be a resident, a native, opposed to just being a temporary guest." As the World's #1 Paris Luxury Experience Curator, Paris Luxe is not limited to just placing guests in luxury Paris vacation apartment rentals. Paris Luxe hand holds each guest every step of the way unlike other Paris luxury apartment agencies or luxury Paris vacation apartment owners that just hand over the keys and tell you to close up when you leave. Paris Luxe orchestrates the entire Paris luxury stay for guests. From the moment, a guest reserves a Paris luxury apartment, the process commences. Paris Luxe guests are welcomed to Paris VIP style with an arrival appropriate for the luxury guest. The VIP arrival allows guests to bypass customs and immigration lines upon landing in the airport. Luxury guests are whisked to a private car and the luggage is picked up on their behalf. The entire time in the arrival airport is less than 10 minutes. By utilizing the services of Paris Luxe's Paris based concierge Rik Gitlin who was featured on the Travel Channel's Passport To Europe, Paris episode with Samantha Brown, takes care of Paris Luxe guests before and during their time in Paris. Paris guests have all of their needs taken care of since Gitlin is available 24/7. "Since coming to Paris Luxe, I feel really great about the level of service, I have been able to provide our guests." says Gitlin. Not only does Gitlin liaison with the New York City agents, he is the bridge to the property managers as well securing novelty items, flowers upon arrival not to mention restaurant reservations and day trips. The Mantegnas wanted to re-visit Versailles since Joe had done a movie there several years back, he wanted to return to some of his old haunts and introduce his younger family members to the historical location. Gitlin coordinated a private excursion with a fluent English speaking guide and capped the night off at a restaurant that Joe remembered from his time in Versailles. "At Paris Luxe, we give guests the most sought after gift available in today's fast pace world: time and peace of mind" says Rita Borges, Managing Director of Paris Luxe. There aren't many US agencies that can boast that they have visited each vacation rental apartment and Paris Luxe goes one step further by insisting that their agents spend a minimum of 7 nights in each apartment showcased. "It's a nice compromise between just staying in a luxury hotel and someone just handing you the keys to a luxury apartment and saying lock it up when you leave. The Paris Luxe experience has the best qualities of both." Mantegna explained. Guests who want to create a Paris experience that they will remember for a lifetime are encouraged to visit, www.parisluxeapt.com or call toll free 1 800 708 7659. Ironically now is the best time to start planning your 2010 holiday Paris vacations and your 2011 summer vacations especially since June and New Years are the busiest times of the year. # # # Paris Luxe Apartments Lindy Stendhal 1800 708 7659 E-mail Information Trackback URL: http://prweb.com/pingpr.php/Q291cC1UaGlyLUNyYXMtUHJvZi1TaW5nLVNxdWEtWmVybw== Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

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