Early in the morning before sunrise, the last stars shine on the blue-black back of Lake Superior. To paddle on such a morning among the Apostle Islands is to kayak among the constellations. By Jeff Rennicke

From June through early October, these 21 islands sprinkled like stars off Wisconsin’s north coast (a 90-minute to two-hour drive from Duluth, Minn., are rainbowed with colorful kayaks. Sandy beaches, black bears and bald eagles, and the lee shores of wild islands, make this one of the best freshwater sea-kayaking destinations in the country. Paddling the islands can be a connect-the-dots affair. A good nautical chart is a must. You can find one online at the Office of Coast Survey site. GPS and compass skills are helpful.

The most popular paddle is a day trip to the Mawikwe Sea Caves, a mile-long maze of burnt orange cliffs carved by the waves, with some caves as big as cathedrals, others as small as a kayak.

Farther out, lighthouses—the largest collection in any national park—and wilderness beckon. Trips to the outer islands are overnight ventures, ranging from a half-day to two weeks—14 days is the camping limit set by the National Park Service (NPS).

 At Raspberry Island you can step back in time as you tour the island’s lighthouse with a National Park Service ranger . Tour the historic Manitou Island fish camp, or walk the silent hallways of old brownstone quarries.

Outer Island, Devil’s Island and some of the more distant destinations sport big waves, wild shores and a designation as national wilderness areas. Still, there are trips suitable for any skill level. Paddling alone beyond the inner islands is best done by moderately experienced paddlers. Those with less skill can go safely with a guide.

Local adventure companies such as Living Adventure offer equipment rental packages with everything you need, including kayaks, life jackets, paddles and paddling instruction. Rental packages start at $32 for eight hours, depending on the type and size of the boat.

Guided trips range from half-day excursions starting at $59 per person to overnight adventures starting at $294.

Campers on the islands will find varying accommodations, from the developed sites of Stockton Island, complete with picnic tables and fire pits with grills to primitive back-country sites (camping permits and a fee required; contact the NPS). But from any camp among the Apostle Islands, paddlers can slip their boats into the early morning waters, silently push off and, with barely a ripple, find themselves paddling among the stars.

Kayaker and photographer Jeff Rennicke is the author of Jewels on the Water: Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands. www.jeffrennicke.com

Michigan’s Fruit Basket

Open your senses to the pastoral charm of southwest Michigan.

Sight Delight in the vision of the late 19th-century covered bridges that dot the roads near Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Sound Dance along with Grand Haven’s Musical Fountain as it performs its nightly water, light and music shows.

Taste Sip wine along the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail.

Touch Sift the sand at Warren Dunes State Park, while hang gliders take off overhead.

Smell Inhale the aroma of blueberries, fresh-picked or in scented soaps, candles and other products, throughout South Haven.

Road Rules

Residents of a foreign country, that signed the 1949 United Nations Convention on Road Traffic who are temporarily in the United States, may drive in Michigan with a valid International Driving Permit and home country license. The vehicle’s registration and proof of insurance or rental agreement must be in the car at all times.

MINNESOTA HOTELS ADOPT LIFE-SAVING SOAP-RECYCLING PROGRAM

Orlando, FL — Thursday, July 15, 2010 — Owning and operating hotels can be grueling.  But the work can be rewarding when there is an opportunity to give back to others – just ask Jami Pogue, CEO of Southern Hospitality Inc., operator of two Minneapolis-St. Paul area hotels that recently adopted Clean the World’s soap-recycling program. 

“My family grew up in the hospitality industry, cleaning rooms and working the front desk, before we got into management,” said Pogue.  “We always hated throwing the barely used soaps away, and we are thrilled that the soap from our hotels will now go to people in need.”

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St. Peters, Mo. (June 15, 2010) – Carlson Hotels, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, today announced the further expansion of Country Inns & Suites By Carlson^SM in Missouri. The opening of Country Inn & Suites, St. Peters, Mo. marks the brand’s accelerated expansion in the region as part of its Ambition 2015 growth strategy.

“With four Country Inns & Suites hotels in the state and more than 175 locations in the Midwest, the brand has established a strong footprint in the region,” said Steve Mogck, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Country Inns & Suites By Carlson. “We are focused on building momentum in North America and India as we increase our portfolio of hotels over the next five years.”

Country Inns & Suites offers caring, consistent, comfortable hospitality with a touch of home, and many distinctive product and service innovations, such as the Friends Hosting Friends^SM employee training program that has generated tremendous employee engagement scores and high overall guest satisfaction.  

“We are thrilled to be joining the Country Inns & Suites family and are confident that the consistency, value and leadership of this brand and the Carlson Hotels system will result in a successful future for this hotel,” said Dinesh Patel, owner of the Country Inn & Suites, St. Peters, Mo. 

The 100 percent non-smoking hotel features an indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness center, business center and meeting space for up to 50 guests. The 63-room hotel offers studio suites, one-bedroom suites, executive king rooms, whirlpool suites, extended stay suites and guest rooms featuring complimentary wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, microwave, refrigerator and flat screen televisions. 

The hotel is located 12 miles from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

For reservations and information, visit www.countryinns.com or call toll-free +1-800-456-4000.

It was another adventure-filled day for our 1K Country Crew!   Our fabulous road trippers woke up, snug in their beds in our beautiful Naperville, IL hotel and (cookies in hand), departed for destinations unknown.  At the end of the day, they arrived at our historic St. Charles, MO hotel.

There are a few pictures above highlighting their adventures – but take a minute to check out the beautiful camera work of the Suite Stops below, and have an adventure without ever leaving your chair. 

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I’m not even really sure where to start – so much to share and say, and today is only day 3 of the 1K Country Adventure.  It’s been a whirlwind of fun so far, and I have a bit of a “techno-glazed” expression on my face from spending the lst 72 hours glued to the computer, watching twitter, facebook, and our participant blogs.  The stories, pictures, and videos have been so heartwarming that I wish Iwas on the roadtrip adventure!  Make sure you click on “MORE” to see all the various multi-media gems that have already cropped up, courtesy of our adventure families!  A sampling?  Pictures of a giant orange moose, Ross riding a giant deer, kids reflection in the Chicago Bean, a Kare 11 news clip, and a “meet the bloggers” video segment, in addition to the SWEET Suite Stops that are guiding the travelers along the unknown roadtrip path!  I’m exhausted from just writing this post!
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Minnesota’s Twin Cities are consistently ranked among the top cities in which to raise a family, so naturally they’re a great place for families to visit. With all the recreational activities surrounding the parks and waterways and the kid-friendly amusements and museums, it’s a challenge to pack the possibilities into just one weekend. By Rachel Hutton
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Most ski towns are lucky to have one world-class mountain: Park City, Utah, has three!

Deer Valley Resort is a luxury mountain with immaculate grooming and the best on-mountain cuisine in the industry, but it allows only skiers, so don’t bring your snowboard. Beginners, intermediates and those who love perfect corduroy conditions flock to the resort, which added a new lift, 75 acres and 1,000 feet of vertical drop for this winter.

The Canyons Ski Resort is the newest of the trio and the largest in Utah, with modern lifts, minimal lift lines and maximum terrain. Park City Mountain Resort  bridges the gap with plenty of terrain for all abilities. It is also the closest to Main Street with a town lift, but all three are linked by a network of free shuttle buses.

Park City also has a lot of unique off-slope experiences for winter sports fans. The public facilities at the Utah Olympic Park are the nation’s best: You can try half-day camps in luge, skeleton or even ski jumping. When your heartbeat settles down, tour the Alf Engen Ski Museum.  Advanced intermediate and expert skiers should not miss the Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour, a guided back-country excursion that departs from Deer Valley four days a week and links runs at six alpine resorts in a day, all connected by hiking and traverses on alpine equipment. Whichever activity you choose, at the end of the day you may find yourself on Main Street, perhaps starting with a beer at the Wasatch Brew Pub, followed by a visit back in time to Shanghai’s decadent 1930s at Wahso, which replicates the setting and has innovative Asian fusion cuisine.

INSIDER’S TIP:
Park City is home to the Sundance Film Festival, the U.S. answer to Cannes. With A-list celebs filling the town the last week of January, many come for the Hollywood star sightings and industry atmosphere. But the secret is to pop in the day after the festival ends, when the winning films are shown for free and the slopes are virtually empty.

Download adventure

Want to create your own sports-focused getaway? Whether it’s kayaking in Europe or golfing in Mexico, these sites offer tips, equipment and information on places to play around the world. Check them out and ski, dive, bike, surf, hike, paddle and swing your way to your next vacation.

• Global Surfers http://globalsurfers.com
• Dive Travel Information Network http://www.divetravel.info/
• International Mountain Bicycling Association https://www.imba.com/
• Great Outdoor Recreation Pages http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/hiking.htm 
• World Golf.com http://www.worldgolf.com/ 
• Playak.com http://playak.com
• Ski Central http://www.skicentral.com/

Chicago offers architecture, culture, history, professional sports and a variety of cuisine that is sure to please any palate.  Chicago is a foodie’s paradise. By Roberta Sotonoff
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On the Great River Road, the Mississippi is never far away. Take a drive and you’ll discover the people and places shaped by this mighty waterway. 

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