Resorts X Hotels - Vacation Zone

Aspen, CO — Based in Aspen, Colorado in the heart of the magnificent Rocky Mountains, Aspen Expeditions has been guiding and teaching rock, ice, ski & alpine mountaineering skills since 1976. With 32 years of professional guiding under its belt, Aspen Expeditions has just recently launched a comprehensive program of worldwide trekking, climbing and skiing adventure travel trips. “We want to offer our clientele challenging and exciting adventure vacations overseas and give them a chance to experience different cultures”, says AE’s Managing Director Dick Jackson. “The mountains around Aspen make for a wonderful backyard and a fantastic base to learn the necessary skills to travel safely in the hills. The Himalayas, Andes, Alps and high peaks of Africa are just some of the destinations we now travel to and make for a logical Next Step from the Rocky Mountains.”

And Dick Jackson knows adventure. He has spent most of his professional life climbing and skiing in the mountains of Colorado. With wife Paulina and daughter Tashi, Dick calls Aspen, Colorado home and is an active hands-on owner of Aspen Expeditions. Dick is an internationally certified IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide. He is IFMGA/AMGA certified in all disciplines of Rock & Ice Climbing, Ski Mountaineering and Alpine Mountaineering. He has guided climbing expeditions and ski trips extensively around Colorado, Utah and the West as well as Chamonix, the Himalaya, Alaska and Ecuador.

Most working professionals just don’t have the time or the experience needed to arrange an international trip. The logistics involved can be rather time-consuming, says AE’s Worldwide Manager Andy Crisconi.  
Dick has climbed and skied extensively in the Colorado Rockies, the Himalaya, Alaska, and the European Alps. His first ascents include the Voie Jackson in Chamonix, France in 1976. He was on the first American summit ascent of Himulchuli, Nepal in 1984. Dick has several first technical ascents to his credit in Colorado and Chamonix, France. Dick was a board member and President of the American Mountain Guides Association from 2001-2005.

Jackson states that “Aspen Expeditions distinguishes itself by its full commitment to formal guide training and certification through the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). We emphasize this commitment and our 30 plus years of experience, together with the best equipment available in the industry, offer our students and clients the safest, finest and most enjoyable service possible! A student’s well-learned skills apply to an outing here in the Elk Range or when trekking and climbing in Nepal. What we teach are the building blocks for safe and fun worldwide adventures.”
    
With busy schedules and limited vacation time, more and more people are opting to arrange their adventure trip through a reliable tour operator. “Most working professionals just don’t have the time or the experience needed to arrange an international trip. The logistics involved can be rather time-consuming, says AE’s Worldwide Manager Andy Crisconi. “What we provide at Aspen Expeditions is a professionally guided trip and quality service at a competitive price.”

Whether rock climbing, ice climbing, backcountry skiing, trekking or alpine mountaineering, time in the mountains will rejuvenate one’s spirit. “And it’s not just about the mountains”, says Andy. “It’s immersing oneself in the entire experience. The moment you land in a Third World country, you are overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells. Once we let go of the hustle and bustle at home, we can truly start living in the present.”

Aspen Expeditions takes pride in the service it delivers and this is confirmed by our high percentage of repeat clientele and referrals. Our commitment to guides’ AMGA certified or trained status is Aspen Expeditions’ credentials. Come join us for a memorable experience. More at www.aspenexpeditions.com.

Key Largo, FL — Instead of bright flower gardens and green grass, the Easter egg hunt off Key Largo is to be staged near coral heads teaming with colorful tropical fish or a bed of sea grass in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. After all, when the Easter bunny is a scuba-diving gentle giant nearly seven feet tall (including ears), he can hide eggs anywhere he wants to — as long as it’s underwater. Key Largo holidays are always the best vacation value.

Captain Spencer Slate of Atlantis Dive Center, mile marker 106.5 oceanside in Key Largo, is to host the annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt in the warm, clear waters off Key Largo on Sunday, March 23.

The fundraiser for Kids In Special Situations, which provides gifts and holiday cheer to the area’s needy children, is to launch from the Atlantis dock at 8:30 a.m.

Florida is popular destination to British visitors and for good reason, the diversity of holiday destinations in Florida range from theme parks to beaches and beyond with plenty to see and do. Online booking companies like On The Beach Holidays to travel services.

Divers seeking underwater eggs are to check in at 8 a.m. at the Atlantis dive shop. There is no charge to participate in the hunt, and the dive charter fee is to be discounted to $60 per person.

Once divers are aboard, the Atlantis boat will head out to a secret location on one of the Keys’ pristine reefs. The scuba-equipped Easter bunny, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Captain Slate himself, is to submerge to hide his eggs, followed soon after by the egg-hunting divers.

All Easter egg hunters are to win prizes, with a dive trip for two awarded to the diver who finds a specially colored egg. Real eggs and non-toxic colorings are used to prevent any negative ecological impact.

Dottie Travel & Tours, a Chicago-based tour company, has designed a Mardi Gras 2008 Group Tour Promotion to New Orleans, Louisiana, with ’safety nets’ built in. The tour company recognizes that there’s ’safety in numbers’, especially, when a group is merging into a city that has a 24-hour night life like New Orleans. Many times when people travel to new destinations that offer the kind of excitement New Orleans has, they tend to let their personal guard down, so that they can have fun. Dottie Travel & Tours is aware of this. To combat all of this, they have made sure that safety and security is a ‘must have’ feature in all of their Mardi Gras 2008 tour packages. This means choosing hotels and activities in walking distance of all of the Mardi Gras weekend fun.

Consequently, the tour company has created unique tour packages for 500-plus special people who want to enjoy Mardi Gras and feel safe at the same time. Each tour package includes a chartered 2 ½ hour riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River, complete with live jazz music and New Orleans cuisine on the Steamboat Natchez and an invitation to the ‘Lundi Gras Music Festival’ at the foot of Canal Street and the river front on Mardi Gras Eve; hosted by the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club. This music festival event will feature local and renowned entertainers performing on two main stages outside. Everyone in the group will also experience a nostalgic one hour horse and buggy ride through the historic French Quarters and dinner at the world famous Court of Two Sisters Restaurant on Bourbon Street. The activities within the tour packages are reserved for the group and pre-paid. All a person has to do is: GO.

Dottie Travel has designed a Mardi Gras 2008 Tour to New Orleans for 500-plus fun loving people with ’safety’ in mind. The company believes there’s ’safety in numbers’. The tour includes 4-star hotels on the Mardi Gras Day parade route, chartered riverboat cruise, dinner at the Court of Two Sisters Restaurant and more! Organize a small group of 11 people and you can travel free. Want to ride a float on Mardi Gras Day?

All of the tour package hotels are located on the official Mardi Gras Day Parade Route. This means that all of the Mardi Gras Day Parades will pass ‘in front’ of the selected hotels. You won’t get lost looking for the next parade! The promotion hotel headquarters will be the Marriott on Canal Street with its ‘back door’ to the French Quarters. You will be able to see all of the parades from Canal Street and be in walking distance to the nightlife in the famous French Quarters.

The Staybridge Suite Hotel has been selected as the luxury hotel for triple or quad occupancy choices or for adults traveling with children. Their studio suites are larger and have full kitchens to accommodate children and store that delicious food brought home from the many restaurants in the area.

For the ‘Elite’ Mardi Gras traveler, the company has selected the Hilton New Orleans on St. Charles Avenue. This Hilton property is considered to be an intimate ’boutique’ style hotel with special features; such as ‘Private Reviewing Stand’ seating on Mardi Gras Day. This means that you have a reserved seat in a reviewing stand, away from the crowds jumping all over you. All of the floats and bands STOP in front of the reviewing stand to entertain you and throw loads of beads and other Mardi Gras stuff to you. In other words, you are treated like ‘Royalty’ because you are in a private reviewing stand. This tour package is called the ‘Ultimate’ Tour package.

Last, but, not least, Dottie Travel & Tours, can, for the first time, cordially invite 100 prospective float riders to ‘Ride with Zulu!’ on Mardi Gras Day. This means riding in full costume and make-up on a Mardi Gras Float on Mardi Gras Day and throwing lots of beads, coconuts & things to thousands of parade revelers from all over the world. All float riders will be staying at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel located on the banks of the Mississippi River. This luxury hotel is the official headquarters for all of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club activities such as the ‘Lundi Mundi’ Music Festival on Mardi Gras Eve. In addition, all of the Zulu Parade entourage will be staying at this hotel. All of the float riders get ready to ride (put on costume & full makeup/mask), have Mardi Gras Day breakfast together, and depart together enroute to the Superdome to board the Mardi Gras Floats for the Zulu Parade. Remember, the Zulu Parade starts Mardi Gras Day.

This is ‘pure’ fun. The locals know that to ‘Ride with Zulu’ in the Zulu Parade is a ‘coveted’ honor, along with the ‘coveted’ coconut ‘throw’ and the special theme beads to be thrown on Mardi Gras Day. All interested parties should go to: dottietravel.com. As an extra promotion boost, Dottie Travel & Tours will be launching ‘Ride with Zulu! Mardi Gras 2008′ radio promotion with a local ’smooth’ jazz radio station @ 95.5FM. The radio station will be giving away a trip for 2 to, not only, go to Mardi Gras 2008 in New Orleans, but the winners will be riding in the Zulu Parade on Mardi Gras Day on a float in full costume. All interested parties can register to win this trip by going to the radio station’s website @ www.wnua.com.

St Augustine, FL - Located in Northeast Florida and south of Jacksonville, St. Augustine is the oldest European established city in the U.S. Years before St. Augustine became a vacation paradise for families, it became St. Augustine in 1565. The settlement was already forty-two years old when Historic Jamestown was founded, and today as the oldest European town in the United States. Now St. Augustine is one of Florida’s favorite travel destination with attractions, beaches and historical significance.

The beaches of St. Augustine located on Anastasia Island home of Anastasia State Park. There is pier that is a favorite of fishermen and those who want a panoramic view of the beach. The beaches here are a favorite and considered by many the best Florida beaches.

The Castillo de San Marcos, the historic Fort was built after the city was attacked by Pirates. The fort was never taken by force, only by treaty and was built of coquina rock, native to the area. The entrance to Castillo de San Marcos is heavily fortified and was surrounded by moat. Six different flags have flown over Castillo de San Marcos and you can view the Spanish and English barracks. On weekends, they fire the cannons in a demonstration.

With so many places to see in St. Augustine, the historic district is full of restaurants, coffee shops and small shops with craftsmen who are knowledgeable in the trades of the period. The small narrow streets are a excellent for taking a romantic stroll. Trolley tours offer transportation along a route with over 100 points of interest throughout Saint Augustine.

There is also lighthouse on Anastasia Island which favorite for history tourist. It’s 219 steps the top, you’ll get a spectacular view of the surrounding area as the observation deck is 165 feet above sea-level. St. Augustine Lighthouse is one of the most popular Florida Lighthouses.

Families and couples will find many things to keep occupied with the attractions like The Alligator Farm, San Sebastian Winery, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum and The Fountain of Youth. St. Augustine is a perfect place to spend a vacation.

Kirby Collins performs Web Design on Florida’s Space Coast and maintains a web site about Places in Florida.