Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 6:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I was at an event in Annapolis this week and spent some time at the new Westin Annapolis hotel. It's very European in its decor and architecture -- you could maybe blink and have a momentary delusion. I'm not saying it's Paris or Prague, but it was a respite.

I liked that you could walk right out of the hotel into the Aveda Spa or an Irish pub or Carpaccio, a Tuscan eatery. (I actually dined at the Indian restaurant across the street.) Plus it has a soothing lounge area called Azure and an indoor pool. (The pool chemicals must have been a little strong during my visit,  because I could smell the chlorine in the elevator.)

If you're looking for a quick detour that's close to home, the Westin has a sale going on right now with room rates starting at $159. They also have an offer where you get the third night free, but the room rate is slightly higher. Book by Sept. 11.

(Photo: Azure Lounge at the Westin Annapolis. Photo courtesy of Starwood Hotels)

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

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Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

If you have relatives or friends who want to visit Baltimore, there's a good deal on Baltimore hotels. A citywide promotion offers the third night free for guests who stay two nights. More than 30 hotels are participating in the deal ending Sept. 1. Go to Baltimore.org for the details.

Also, if your visitors want to avoid the hassle and cost of driving, Amtrak is offering 50 percent off for companion fares. Use code V828 at Amtrak.com.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I'm sure many of you are already soaking up the sun in O.C. -- and the rest are headed there tomorrow. But, please, don't everybody leave at the same time. Or come back on Sunday at the same time. Because when you do, the Bay Bridge backup becomes the monster that ate the last six hours of my happy holiday.

My colleague and savvy driver, Mike Dresser, wrote last month about how to avoid the inevitable backup at the end of the holiday. Basically, avoid peak times, stop gaping at the bay (it is a bridge, hence there will be water) or skip the bridge altogether and head home via Elkton. Whatever you do, please drive safely and put down that cell phone.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

If you're headed to the shore this weekend you might want to check out a new Web site developed by state officials to educate beachgoers about healthy beach habits, including keeping our Maryland coastline clean and safe. Some of the tips include not swallowing ocean water (done that) and not feeding the seagulls (oops again).

(Photo: Ocean City by Glenn Fawcett, Sun photographer)

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Apparently, there were some thorns in the briar patch over at the four-star Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. Employees have been working without a contract for several months and have left open the possibility of a strike. Just a whiff of the labor troubles had some clients pulling out of planned summer stays and group meetings at the historic resort, according to Travel Weekly.

But late last week the resort and the union came to a "no lockout, no strike" agreement, meaning those who wanted a peak at the Greenbrier's recent $50 million renovation, including new foodie hotspot Hemisphere, will not be disappointed.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The finalists for JELD-WEN's Lighthouse Restoration Initiative contest have been selected and the Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse, the last lighthouse built on Chesapeake Bay, is one of the 12 semi-finalists. The winner gets all new windows and doors and will be based on which lighthouse gets the most votes.

According to the owners, who bought it at auction for $260,000 a couple years ago, no original windows or doors remain on the 100-year-old lighthouse on the Magothy River. Instead, the openings are covered by plexiglass, steel plates or concrete blocks -- now that sounds like Baltimore.

So be a homer, hon, and cast your vote here. You can only submit one vote per e-mail address, so tell all your friends.

(Photo courtesy Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

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So I've heard the reports: vacant hotel rooms in Ocean City and empty highways on the road to Pittsburgh. Where is everyone? Staying close to home - or as it's been dubbed: the staycation. Unfortunately, the trend seems to be catching on so why fight it?

To do my part, here are five totally unoriginal, but totally worth it vacation spots within 50 miles of Baltimore. And you can get there and back on less than half a tank of gas.

1. Taneytown - 48 miles. It's historic, picturesque and it has the terrific, former plantation turned country hotel, Antrim 1844. Plus you can venture a little further from here to Gettysburg.

2. Alexandria, Va. - 46 miles. Another historic spot, but this one has views of the Potomac. Stroll the cobblestone streets or take the new free King Street Trolley. There are too many historic sites to mention, but you can view many of them here. 

3. Havre de Grace - 41 miles. Visit the boardwalk along the Susquehanna River, tour the Concord Point lighthouse and then take a peek at the Decoy Museum. If you want to stay overnight, the I've heard good things about the Vandiver Inn, a victorian-style B&B.

Continue reading "5 vacation spots within 50 miles of Baltimore" »

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

If you're not headed for the beach this weekend, why not head for the heartland of Pennsylvania for the first annual FlavorFest.

The event takes place at the Mount Hope Estate & Winery near Lancaster and features food, wine tasting, craft breweries, cooking demonstrations, Dutch artisans and music, including the Peasall Sisters (memba them from the O Brother, Where Art Thou movie soundtrack?).

Gates open at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $15.95 for adults and $6.95 for children ages 5 to 11. Part of the proceeds benefit the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

See, you can help feed people or you can go to the beach. Seriously. Think about it.

(Photo: Amy Davis, Sun Photographer) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

There's some disagreement among experts about the summer travel forecast. Some say people really feel they deserve a vacation so they'd rather give up lattes or eating out than skip a trip. That's why, for instance, AAA predicts international travel will actually tick up this summer despite the weak dollar. (But they also say Memorial day travel will be down.)

Still, others believe people are going to hangout closer to home - known as the staycation or the stay-at-home vacation. I tend to believe this version a little more based on higher airfares, rising fuel costs, foreclosures etc.

If you are planning a staycation, my colleague Rona Kobell, has some great local travel ideas over at the Bay & Environment blog.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Tired of Bay Bridge traffic?

US Airways said it is launching weekly weekend service between BWI Marshall and Salisbury on the Eastern Shore. Beginning June 6, the 40-minute BWI-Salisbury flight will depart Fridays at 9:55 p.m. Sunday return flights to BWI will leave Salisbury's airport at 10:45 a.m. Piedmont Airlines, a regional carrier for US Airways, will operate the flights on small turboprop planes through the summer.

It's a 40-minute flight versus a 2 1/2-hour drive. But is it really worth the hassle of going to the airport? Would anyone consider taking this flight for a weekend beach getaway?

(Photo: Doug Kapustin, Sun Photographer) 

Posted by Laura McCandlish at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Good morning travelers. Happy Monday - now let's all put our lives on speedwarp and maybe the three-day weekend will come sooner. Here are a few stories that you may have missed from yesterday's Sun:

The fee friendly skies: Blog contributor Laura McCandlish looks at all the add-on fees fliers are now paying - bag fees, curb fees, call fees, fuel fees - you name it. All that ca-ching just to breathe the pressurized air on a plane. Soon they'll be charging for the bathroom.

$500 Getaway: Reporter Joe Burris takes his daughter on a weekend museum tour of Washington, hitting up the newest spots for journalism, science and spies. 

Politicians trippin': It seems Gov. Martin O'Malley and his Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown have racked up some $172,000 in travel expenses -paid by you and me - during their first 15 months in office. Brown had the mostly costly trip - a $96,000 week in China to talk about trade. That's a lot of noodles in one week. I could spend a year (or more) in China on that sum.

So tell me, if you had $96K, what kind of dream vacation would you take? Where would you go? What would you do? Who would you take?

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Lighthouses are favorite places to visit in summer. There are nearly 700 lighthouses in the U.S. and many of them, challenged by extreme weather, are in need of repair.

Here's where you come in. Each year since 2005, Jeld-Wen (maker of windows and doors) has asked lighthouse, architecture, history and travel enthusiasts to recommend a lighthouse to be restored with new windows and doors. It's part of their "Most Reliable Lighthouse Initiative."

Maryland's own Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse had boards over some windows before they were replaced by Jeld-Wen a few years back. Last day for nominations is Sunday.

(Photo: Sun Staff Photo) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I'm a Florida girl, so I love the beach. I love the water. I love the waves. I love the warm sand. So I look forward to Memorial Day -- the unofficial start of summer and beach season. The holiday is early this year, which means a few extra days at the beach. Who can argue with the calendar?

To help you plan your summer at the beach, pick up the Sun's annual Beach Guide in tomorrow's paper. We've scoured the sands of Cape May, Rehoboth, Bethany, Ocean City, Virginia Beach, Outer Banks and Myrtle Beach to find what's new, what's improved and what's worth seeing over and over again. You can also find the guide online here.

Check it out and let me know what we missed. 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

By the way, when was the last time you visited Annapolis?

It's one of my favorite lazy Saturday destinations. The Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau last month launched a snazzy new web site for visitors. It has event listings, hotel info and other details to plan your trip.

Check it out here.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Young people are getting in on it.

According to the Student and Youth Travel Association, the “voice of student travel,” Baltimore/Annapolis is among the Top 10 U.S. hot spots for student and youth travel. OK, we're not at the top of the list, but we're on it. We even beat out Hawaii, which just seems so wrong. Inner Harbor or Honululu -- you make the call, but I don't think swimming in the harbor is encouraged.

Let me know what you think of the list and if you're a student, tell me what U.S. city is your favorite place to visit.

Here's the list:

1. Washington, D.C.

2. New York City

3. Orlando

4. Chicago

5. Greater Boston

6. Historic Virginia

7. Southern California

8. Philadelphia Area

9. Baltimore/Annapolis (yay!)

10. Hawaii

(Photo: Amy Davis, Sun Photographer) 

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

How do you travel internationally without leaving the country? You head to "Passport D.C.," an annual event by Cultural Tourism D.C., which throws open the doors of embassies to the public to showcase international culture.

Tomorrow is the EU Open House, which offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at more than 20 European embassies, many of which are among Washington's historic and architectural treasures. On May 17, another 22 embassies, including Africa, Asia and the Middle East, open their doors for the Around the World Open House. Passport D.C., featuring many other events and celebrations, runs May 3-17.

This sounds like fun. So pack lightly and I'll see you there.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)