| Flyaways
Vancouver, B.C.
Cosmopolitan city with gorgeous views
 Greater Vancouver really does have it all. Pure azure waters, pristine beaches, verdant forests, soaring mountains, temperate climate, a dazzling skyline, arts and culture galore, and attractions that rival any city in the world. You can hike a towering mountain in the morning, then lunch in splendor downtown. You can hit the beach in the afternoon, then enjoy dinner in splendor downtown. You can bask in shimmering starlight on the waterfront, then toast your marvelous day at a classy Yaletown pub to end the evening. ... |
Victoria, BC
Ghostly visit to an enchanting city
 An opportunity to experience "the most haunted city in British Columbia" has to be one of the best reasons to visit Victoria on Halloween weekend. We enjoy hearing ghost stories wherever we go, and Halloween in Victoria seemed like the perfect occasion for ghost overload. Although the Maritime Museum of British Columbia in Bastian Square might be able to boast the most hauntings, just finding any building near Victoria's inner harbor that isn't haunted may be the real challenge.... |
Washington State
Leavenworth like trip to Bavaria
 If you're like us and have been captivated by the modern log homes you've seen in those glossy magazines, be comforted in the fact that you don't actually have to build a log home to enjoy it on your next vacation. Just rent one for the week, or week-end for that matter. On our most recent trip to Leavenworth, Washington, we did just that when we rented a place called "Log Haven" that certainly qualified for prominent display in any magazine on log homes. ... |
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MORE Cities
While you once had to be rich and/or famous to take advantage of a bi-coastal weekend getaway, aggressive pricing by both airlines and hotels is putting a New York City weekend well within reach for the middle class. Easy red-eye flights out of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco are priced and timed to get you there and back with a minimum of hassle or financial outlay.
We wanted to find a cozy, romantic beach bungalow with its own beach on an island with thick forests and a lush natural landscape, so we headed for the San Juan Islands, right? Well not exactly. If you live in the Seattle area think a little closer - think Bainbridge Island.
There is a reason those people who live on Bainbridge Island pay through the nose for daily ferry commutes and put up with the relative inconvenience of timing any trip to Seattle so that there is a minimal wait at the ferry terminal. ...
To cruise or not to cruise — that's a question many of our middle-age friends are asking as they consider ways to spend their vacation time and hard-earned money. A lot of people have one of two images — the Party Animal Special with 20-somethings being rowdy and stupid, or the God's Waiting Room cruise with a demographic roughly equivalent to your local Senior Center. The truth is that most cruises fall somewhere in between....
Many California residents have a distinct advantage when it comes time to try out a cruise vacation -- they can drive right to the dock. With frequent departures from San Diego and Los Angeles, there's no need to invest a lot of time or money flying cross-country to reach your ship. This is the ideal scenario for the first-time cruiser who wants a no-muss, no-fuss way to test the cruise waters. Our recent cruise on Holland-America out of San Diego was an excellent example....