Still looking for that perfect gift? We’ve got even more hotel shopping packages to help you get away and find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Bloomington, MN Spend the weekend taking on America’s largest mall, the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. With more than 400 stores to explore, you should have no problem finding that perfect gift. The Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Bloomington’s “Shop ’Til You Drop” package includes a Mall of America coupon book, shopping bag (to fill up with all your great purchases) and two bottles of water to quench your thirst while power shopping.
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Bothell, WA
For shoppers on the hunt for deals in the Pacific Northwest, look no further than the Country Inn & Suites, Bothell, near Seattle. This package includes a $10 dining voucher for room service, discount coupons to Country Village Shops and Seattle Premium Outlets and a pedicure at Blooming Nails & Spa (because your feet are going to be super tired). And don’t forget, after you’ve had your fill at the mall and the spa, make sure to relax your mind and body in your room (or upgrade to a suite)—where else are you going to store all your shopping bags?
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Deer Valley, AZ
Shopping isn’t a treat for everyone. Which is why Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Deer Valley (outside of Phoenix) wants to help you make it an enjoyable experience. Their shopping package comes with an Arrowhead Towne Center goody bag that includes a $40 gift certificate to spend anywhere in the mall! And when you’re all shopped out, the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service will pick you up and bring you back to your room where you can relax and take a dip in the heated pool and whirlpool.
Ready to shop ’til you drop? The holidays are here, along with the best sales of the year! Several Country Inns & Suites By Carlson hotels offer shopping packages to help you save even more at some of the best destinations in the country. Make Country Inns & Suites By Carlson your home away from home as you breeze through your holiday shopping list and enjoy some great perks along the way (such as a complimentary hot breakfast to start your day out right) and to help you unwind after your shopping is finished.
Westfield Mall in San Diego
Marathon shoppers will be in heaven at Westfield Mall in San Diego. With 114 stores, including Macy’s, Nordstrom and the Apple Store, you’ll have no problem finding something for everyone on your list.
The shopping package from Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, San Diego North, makes your day even sweeter with a $100 gift card to the mall and a welcome bag with an energy bar, bottled water and more! A complimentary shuttle with take you from the hotel to the mall and back.
Legends Outlets in Kansas City
See the savings stack up at Legends Outlets in Kansas City. The stores and restaurants stretch over 1.2 million square feet! Your shopping package from Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Kansas City at Village West includes a $50 gift card you can use at any of the stores or restaurants. After a day of exploring Legends, rest your tired feel at the hotel’s heated indoor pool and hot tub.
Shop Your Style in Covington, LA
Browse through the antique shops in search of a one-of-a-kind gift, or hit the new shopping districts for the latest designer fashions. Your shopping package from the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Covington, LA, includes a $50 Visa Gift Card you can spend wherever you’d like. The hotel is convenient to fantastic shopping, and you’ll get coupons and shopping guides to help you navigate the deals. Warm chocolate chip cookies will be waiting upon your return. And you’ll have plenty of room for all of those shopping bags in your upgraded suite.
There’s nothing like seeing a new place through the eyes of a local. Although you might not have a pal in a city to show you around, taking a walking tour led by a local expert is the next best thing.
Consider that with a walking tour, the legwork is done for you. Instead of spending your time navigating an unfamiliar landscape, you can follow along and soak up the experience.
Another benefit is the opportunity to meet interesting people. Some tours, such as New York’s Big Apple Greeter, actually pair travelers with resident New Yorkers based on language, neighborhoods requested and interests. All that, and it’s free of charge.
Your Walking Guide:
There’s a tour for that. Is your passion architecture, food, history, gardens or neighborhood culture? Chances are, in most cities and towns, a walking tour awaits. Some tours, such as those offered by Philadelphia’s Mural Arts program, or the Coronado Historical Association in San Diego, are also offered on bicycle.
Take a foodie tour and skip lunch. Sign up for a stroll through Pittsburgh’s Strip District with ‘Burgh Bits & Bites or San Francisco’s Chinatown with Wok Wiz, and you’ll eat your way through colorful storefronts selling everything from homemade sausage to Peking duck.
Calling all preservationists. PreservationDirectory.com is a great resource for history buffs. The website is a clearinghouse for history-focused strolls, both guided and solo. Searching by state and region, you may find a route through bewitching Salem, Mass., or along the Art Deco facades of South Beach in Miami.
Dabble in the weird. If you’re looking for the offbeat, Weird Chicagofits the bill. Follow in the steps of serial killer H.H. Holmes, relive the bloody St. Valentine’s Day mob massacre or chase elusive ghosts for a few hours. With its voodoo-laced past, New Orleans is another city that loves to make you shiver. Explore the shady and sinister side of the Vieux Carré with Haunted History Tours or trek to an above-ground cemetery for a lesson in Big Easy burial customs and a gander at Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau’s final resting place. (Or is it?).
All by yourself. Sites like City Slicker (Charleston, S.C.), GPSmyCity (multiple, including Indianapolis and Portland, Ore.)and Trek Exchange (multiple, including Philadelphia and San Antonio) offer self-guided tours you can download to your smartphone and do on your own schedule. Check the city’s local tourism or convention and visitor’s bureau sites for more, and sometimes even free, options. Your job is just to show up with a curious mind and a good pair of walking shoes.
While the warm weather is still with us, why not squeeze in a vacation while you can? Late summer/early fall is the perfect time to spend a long weekend soaking up the sun or visiting family-friendly attractions. Here are some of our top picks for last-minute trips!
Sunny San Diego Southern California is beautiful year-round, and San Diego has cultural attractions and sandy beaches to make everyone happy. The Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, San Diego North is 7 miles from downtown and is a great home base for your trip.
Take a picnic to Balboa Park, home to the San Diego Zoo and 15 museums. The grounds of the park are free to explore, and you can choose to visit the attractions based on your interest and budget. The park also has miles of hiking trails, a miniature railroad and a carousel.
San Diego also has beautiful beaches close to downtown. Drive or take the ferry across the bay to Coronado and enjoy one of the wide, family-friendly Coronado Beaches. And while you’re there, stroll the charming shops and restaurants of this lovely seaside town.
Action-Packed Atlanta This southern city is brimming with attractions and events for families or couples. And there are plenty ofCountry Inn & Suites By CarlsonSM locations to choose from, all convenient to major sites.
Enjoy the warm, late-summer weather by exploring Piedmont Park, more than 180 acres in the city center with a lake and walking trails. It’s adjacent to the Atlanta Botanical Garden where you can spot native birds and walk through the treetops on a canopy bridge.
San Francisco and its surrounding coastal areas accommodate a spectrum of moods. By Nancy Oakley
An improvised swing through San Francisco and south along the sunny California coast to Monterey delivers variations on a theme of scenic terrain and a parade of watchable people. (more…)
Our pal Sheri Wallace, editor of roadtripsforfamilies.com, grabbed her husband and hit the road — Sun and Surf Country, otherwise known as sunny San Diego! In addition to providing a great overview of our property, Sheri did an excellent job of showcasing all there is to do in the area.
Thanks SHERI — and thanks again to Chelsea @JVC_USA for donating the wonderful JVC Everio HD Camcorders… they certainly helped to create memories that will last a lifetime!
In 1789, Spanish Jesuits brought olive trees to California. The trees flourished until the early 20th century. Since 1995, though, California has been riding the wave of an olive oil renaissance. By Marlena Spieler (more…)
Many travelers to Southern California choose the opulent “Gold Coast” of Orange County as a favorite destination for its water sports, shopping, entertainment and sunshine. Blessed with a near-perfect Mediterranean climate, the Gold Coast also boasts a botanical diversity seldom encountered. For a sampling of this green bounty, three enchanting California gardens welcome visitors year-round. By Sharon Lovejoy (more…)
Sunglasses are a necessity on a drive along the Southern California coast, where the rays blanket the blue Pacific with shimmering flecks of light. Skip the air conditioning, though. Just roll down a window, stick out your hand and feel those balmy breezes rush between your fingers. The year-round Mediterranean climate sparks romance, just one of the reasons why cheerful San Diegans are always boasting about the weather.
On Saturday, experience San Diego’s beach culture at Mission Beach. Start the day early with the sound of breaking waves in the background while you enjoy a breakfast of eggs and bagels at North Shore Café for $7 to $10. It’s right on a boardwalk that parallels the ocean and is a great spot to watch the parade of swimmers, skaters and beach bums passing by. The café is adjacent to the Belmont Park amusement park, and you can choose to rent bicycles and cruise the boardwalk, or, if you dare, cuddle close and scream on the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, one of two original oceanfront roller coasters operating on the West Coast ($6 per person).
Spend the afternoon at SeaWorld (admission $69, $59 children 3–9 and children under 3 free; parking $12), just 15 minutes away, and feed fun-loving bottle-nosed dolphins or slide your hands over the slick surface of a California bat ray. Be sure to see “Believe,” a show in which trainers interact with magnificent killer whales.
At the end of the day, the two of you can sip margaritas and watch the sun set from the Ocean Terrace at George’s at the Cove. This romantic La Jolla restaurant is famous for specialties such as garlic roasted shrimp and Asian marinated skirt steak with garlic spinach and buttermilk onion rings (entrees $16.50–$25). Stroll down tree-lined Prospect Street after dinner and explore the fine art galleries and specialty shops that stay open late.
Start Sunday downtown at homey Hob Nob Hill. Locals have enjoyed hearty breakfasts here since 1944. Mimosas are made with fresh-squeezed orange juice, and the made-on-the-premises cinnamon rolls are a sweet start before a corned beef omelet or a waffle sprinkled with pecans ($1.95–$15.25).
After breakfast, head for Balboa Park, where the San Diego Zoo ($26–$35) and more than a dozen museums are situated on 1,200 verdant acres abundant with floral gardens, and towering palm and eucalyptus trees.
The zoo houses approximately 4,000 animals, and besides lions, tigers and bears (oh, my!), you’ll find many endangered species and the largest number of giant pandas in the United States. Steal a kiss on the Skyfari Aerial Tram, an airborne shortcut that sails over the whole park ($4 each way). Once you’ve toured the zoo, head over to Balboa Park’s Botanical Building to view the exotic orchids before a light lunch at The Prado. Sample the tortilla soup ($6.95) and chopped salad with mango and grilled chicken ($9.95-$14.95), then drive down Broadway to the Gaslamp Quarter.
Don’t miss Westfield Horton Plaza, an open-air shopping complex that looks like a fantasyland, with turrets, domes and twisting stairways in sherbet shades of strawberry, grape and orange. Use the handy parking garage, then search for souvenirs at the kiosks, where you’ll find everything from shell necklaces to straw hats. Dine at Beach City Market, a gourmet market specializing in fresh and healthy food that is owned by Culinary Institute of America graduate, Brian Jackson. Afterward, walk a few blocks to Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar and end the evening with a sweet, slow dance.
If you have another day, stop by Old Town San Diego, the first European settlement in California. The nine-square-block area has historic buildings, and plenty of shopping and fine dining.
Though romance may come and go, Marcia Manna is happy to report that her secret love affair with San Diego and all of its hot spots remains an enduring passion.
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Bloomington, MN
