The Desert fun awaits!  The era of the "Rat Pack" of the 50's started the craze in California to escape to the Desert Oasis Playground of the rich and famous!  Golf courses, restaurants, shopping, museums, art galleries and many, many, other options await the visitors of today when vacationing in the area. 

There are 7 cities that make up the area that are connected and grown together so much so that you hardly notice you have left one and enter another.  The streets are all very wide and easy to get around, well marked signage and not lots of traffic.  Starting in the West you have Palm Springs where you fly into their International airport where you can rent a car and start your adventure.  Palm Springs is a little "dated" and older hotels and condos mostly built in the 1950's - all very well kept and safe and clean.  The next city is Cathedral City, newer area, 1980's + with a few hotels, condos, RV parks and vacation houses to rent, more of a "working" class community but nice options to stay here as well.  Then you come to Rancho Mirage, golf courses, country clubs, condos and resorts, built in more 1990's + this area is a much "higher" end area with expensive and reasonable areas to stay. Next is Palm Desert ,very nice resorts and rental houses and condos- lots of golfing in this area! La Quinta, Indio and Indian Wells is all next and also have lots of golfing and country clubs, houses & condos to rent.  Older 1950's amenities as well as modern up-to-date areas.  Most of the shopping and restaurants are in Rancho, Palm Springs, Palm Desert areas, but if you want Premium Outlet shopping, a 20 minute drive West of Palm Springs in Cabazon, they have a huge outlet mall of moderate to high end shopping . 

Also just a short 2 hour drive from this area is Los Angeles, 2.5 hours to San Diego as well as Pasadena, Glendale, San Bernardino, Ontario and Chino are all within 1.5 - 2 hrs drive.  Joshua Tree National Park - 30 minutes away, Salton Sea - 40 minutes. Car lovers will enjoy the abundance of car shows!!! Every weekend there is a car show somewhere!  Race fans are a short 1.5 hr drive to Pomona and Fontana raceway for NASCAR, NHRA racing as well as motorcycle and open wheel racing!  Skiers and Snowboarders can drive 1.5hrs to Bear and Summit mountain's for skiing and snowboarding!   The Desert has it ALL!!!  Golf in the morning, suntan by the pool in the afternoon and ski the next day, what a perfect world!

The City by the Bay............beautiful landscape, great food and lots of sightseeing!  See the Golden Gate Bridge, painted ladies, Alcatraz, Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, Chinatown, North Beach Italian district.  Whatever your taste in food and entertainment - it's all here to enjoy!  When staying in San Francisco stay in the Fisherman's Wharf area and treat yourself to a quaint, hotel - Best Western Plus Tuscan Inn a fabulous hotel with  personalized service and great location!  Also for a different experience of the city be sure to book Chris Milano with Foodie Adventure tours for a culinary experience you'll never forget!

Yes!  Whistler in the summer is a great vacation destination!  So much to do for the outdoors person!   Mountain biking, terrain parks, ride the gondola PEAK to PEAK and see the beautiful majestic mountains of coastal BC, take a zip-line ride or spend the day in the Family Adventure Zone - Luge Coaster, bungie trampoline, pony rides, human Gyroscope and many more activites!   Take the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Whistler for a unique and luxurious train ride through the canyons and waterfalls!  Gourmet restaurants everywhere and lots of outdoor patio parties and BBQ's with bands playing for great nightlife, not to mention terrific shopping!

Posted by Colleen Wolframe at 7/17/2013 8:15 PM

In all my dreams I never imagined how clean/friendly and green Manhattan, New York would be!  29 Ladies from Kenora, Ontario went on a whirl wind trip this September, as part of our Prelude Travel group.  We experienced the somber 911 memorial, the beautiful views from Rockerfeller Centre, the enormity of Central Park, great dining (including the hot dog stands!)and awesome shopping!    Us, small town girls could not believe the "village" atmosphere we felt all around Manhattan!!  I'm sure we will all be back at some point in our lives!!

Posted by Colleen Wolframe at 9/27/2012 4:58 PM

Papeete, Tahiti - largest island in the French Polynesia.  Most populated.  Staying at the Manava Suites Resort approx. 15 miles from Papeete.  People are VERY friendly, food is delicious with a mixture of Classic European French food and island treats! Weather is very HOT and humid, the water is so blue and clear it's amazing.