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 Chicago fits 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.

Autumn is the season for romance. The air is crisp and the changing leaves create a beautiful backdrop for a couple’s getaway. Now is the perfect time to explore some of the country’s most romantic cities! Choose a romance package from Country Inn & Suites By Carlson for special touches, such as chocolates and champagne, to make your vacation memorable (varies by hotel).

• New York’s Adirondacks. The Lake George area in New York’s Adirondack Mountains is bursting with yellow, red and amber hues each fall. Get a close-up view of the beautiful scenery as you hike one of the many trails winding through the mountains. Or enjoy the peaceful lakes and charming towns that dot the countryside. This region is known for its fine wines, and you’ll get a souvenir bottle and two tickets to the Adirondack Winery as part of the romance package at the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson in Lake George.

• North Carolina High Country. Wildflowers along the Blue Ridge Parkway and fall foliage against the Carolina-blue sky greet you in Boone, N.C. Relax in a rocking chair and do some people watching at the famous Mast General Store downtown. The mild autumn weather is ideal for taking a hayride at The Orchard at Altapass. This 102-year-old apple orchard is a cultural hub where you’ll find local art and plenty of mountain music and storytelling. For a panoramic view of the mountains, head to Grandfather Mountain and cross the Mile High Swinging Bridge. At the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson in Boone, your romance package includes a Jacuzzi Suite, a bottle of champagne and breakfast in bed!

• Discover Denver. The Mile-High City offers restaurants and attractions to keep you and your loved one busy. Browse the fascinating American Indian art collection at the Denver Art Museum, which includes Pueblo ceramics and Plains beadwork, or look through more than 150,000 titles at the Tattered Cover Book Store. If your sweetie has a sweet tooth, be sure to visit Hammond’s Candy for a complimentary tour. Hammond’s has been making homemade lollipops and candy since 1920. If craft beer is more your style, stop at one of the city’s many local breweries to enjoy a pint. After your day of exploring, watch a complimentary pay-per-view movie as part of your romance package at the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson in Denver.

Are you the adventurous type? Do you absolutely love the outdoors? Would your “ultimate day” include canoeing, whitewater rafting, hiking, horseback riding or fishing? If so, make sure to check out these amazing outdoor packages currently available at Country Inns & Suites By Carlson^SM hotels.

• Escape Into Bass Country – There’s nothing more relaxing than hitting the open water and passing the day away fishing with friends and family. Head to Portage, Ind., and test your bassing skills before checking out the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World. This package includes:
  • $50 gift certificate to the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World (per stay)
  • Complimentary gift bag
  • Complimentary upgrade

• Dam Release Whitewater Rafting – Get ready to get soaked! Paddle on over to Lehighton, Pa., and take on 17 rapids while screaming, laughing and having an excellent day. Enjoy 12 miles and five hours of Class III whitewater rafting on this exciting package.
  • Admission for two on the whitewater raft trip

• Escape in Town Trail Ride – Hit the trails by horseback in Shoreview, Minn., and encounter a true north woods experience. Begin at Bunker Park Stable-Anoka County Parks for a one-hour trail ride before taking the plunge on the giant weekend water slide, pool and whirlpool at the Country Inn & Suites Shoreview. This package includes:
  • $10.00 discount trail ride ticket

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 Carlson^SM 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.

Montana is a beautiful state with majestic scenery and great sites all over. From the elk, bison and bear in Yellowstone, the nation’s first national park, to the site of “Custer’s Last Stand” at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana has a rich variety of things to see. Head west and explore America’s distinct mountain and valley country.

But before heading off on your Montana adventure, make sure you add these must-see sites to your itinerary:

• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument – Take in the sites of one of the most significant battles in American history. At Custer’s Last Stand, in 1876, 263 soldiers were killed in combat with several thousand Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. Admission is $10 per vehicle, and $5 for pedestrians and motorcycle riders.
• Billings – Bordered on the north by distinctive rock formations known as rimrocks, Billings was established in 1882 and is where Montana Territory began. Don’t miss the Western Heritage Center, Zoo Montana and MetraPark. After a long day of exploring the city, rest up at Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Billings, where you can curl up by the fire with a book from the Read It & Return Lending Library^SM, relax in the whirlpool or enjoy some fresh cookies before bed.
• Yellowstone National Park – Teddy Roosevelt declared Yellowstone the first national park in 1872. Home to hundreds of varieties of wildlife (elk, bison, grizzly bears and wolves), the park also includes geysers and hot springs, geological wonders that are more spectacular than words can describe. Drive through the park yourself or enjoy a guided bus tour. Prices range from $29 to $68 per person.
• Glacier National Park – Picture wide, open and rugged landscapes. Craggy peaks jut into the sky that the resident mountain goats climb. A gravity-defying two-lane road named, appropriately enough, the Going-to-the-Sun Road, stretches 50 miles while clinging to the edge of the world as cars—and bikes—cross over the Continental Divide. With wildflowers, alpine vistas and waterfalls along the way, prepare for an experience you’ll never forget.

Did you know that the state of Virginia is the birthplace of more presidents than any other state? Eight of our U.S. presidents were born in Virginia. Learn other interesting U.S. facts by booking one of our Tours & Sightseeing hotel packages. These activity filled destinations make the perfect summer getaway, just in time for Fourth of July weekend.

• Visit America’s oldest city and enjoy the great weather in sunny St. Augustine, Florida. With this hotel package from Country Inn & Suites – St. Augustine, Florida you’ll be treated to:
  • Two tickets per reservation for either the Red Sightseeing Train or the Old Town Trolley, which include unlimited on-and-off privileges for shopping, attractions and restaurants at more than 20 stops
• Tour New Orleans’ waterways by airboat. Country Inn & Suites New Orleans is proud to offer this Airboat package where you’ll ride through the depths of nature and experience a unique, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. This hotel package includes:
  • Two passes to Airboat Adventure
  • Pick-up and drop-off from hotel
• Explore Stone Mountain Park and enjoy this great family vacation destination from Country Inn & Suites – Stone Mountain, Georgia. Located on 3,200 acres of natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety of fun family activities. This offer includes:
  • Four all day, all attraction passes to Stone Mountain Park
• All Aboard! Take the trolley tour of Watertown. Enjoy VIP perks at all of Watertown’s Trolley stops with this hotel package from Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Watertown, South Dakota. This package includes:
  • One-night stay in a single king or double queen room for two at the newly renovated Country Inn & Suites
  • Free trolley fare and VIP perks at all Watertown trolley stops
  • Two tickets to Bramble Park Zoo
  • Keepsake cookie cutter and Mellette fan from the historic Mellette House
  • Terry Redlin exclusive edition print from the Redlin Art Center

And, as always at Country Inns & Suites, enjoy complimentary hot breakfast and free high-speed Internet in the U.S. and Canada.

Make this Fourth of July one to remember forever!

Spring into your next family getaway by adding a touch of the unexpected to the timeless pleasures of a good old American road trip. Plug one, or all three, of these family destinations into your GPS and you’ll find adventures to keep everybody happy.

Quirky St. Augustine

There’s more to St. Augustine than meets the eye. With its strategic coastal location, once a magnet for plundering pirates, and deep Spanish roots, St. Augustine offers a Florida experience best suited to visitors interested in something beyond the usual. Yes, this town of 12,000 has great beaches, restaurants, historic sites and plenty of shopping. But wouldn’t you rather go gator tracking? Or see the world’s oldest rug? Sure you would.

Don’t Miss

•          Villa Zorayda, a Moorish castle and museum patterned after the Alhambra in Spain, complete with a cursed Egyptian rug woven from the hair of the sacred cats that used to roam the Nile.

•          Adrenaline Alligator Adventures, an interactive gator adventure that almost always gets its reptile. Sign on and you’ll be in the middle of the action, helping the pros snag and snare the beast while keeping those sharp teeth at bay.

•          Yarrr! The new timber-shivering interactive St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum transports your family back in time to the pillaging and plundering Golden Age of Piracy, complete with gold doubloons and treasure maps.

Springtime in DC

The cherry blossoms are in bloom until the end of April in America’s hometown, an ideal multi-generational destination. Between the grandeur of the national monuments, the Smithsonian complex and the National Zoo, home to giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Tai Shan, Washington D.C. has all the bases covered. Just keep in mind that the distance between wherever you are and the Washington Monument is farther than you think. The Mall — the heart of D.C. main attractions — is almost two miles long. And here’s a tip — if there’s a line to climb the Washington Monument, head for the Pavilion at the Old Post Office (Pennsylvania Ave., between 11th and 12th Sts. NW), where the clock tower affords an equally dramatic view. A food court on the main level offers snacks to keep everybody’s spirits high.

Don’t Miss

•          The Newseum, with its section of the Berlin Wall, gallery of Pulitzer Prize winning photos and an interactive newsroom, which gives kids the chance to be an on-camera TV reporter.

•          The National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall showcases some 8,000 artifacts including totems and both historic and contemporary art.

•          Fly high at the National Air and Space Museum, home to the original Wright 1903 Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 command module, and a lunar rock sample that kids (of all ages) can touch.

Jazzfest in New Orleans

There’s always a party going on in the Big Easy but especially during Jazzfest, the annual music, roots and heritage fest held this year April 29-May 8 at the Fair Grounds Race Course.  What’s so special about this music event?

Depending on whom you talk to, it’s a tie between the 12 stages of music and the food, followed by, in no particular order, the people watching, the after-fest shows around town, and did we mention the food? With 2011 headliners including Jimmy Buffett, The Roots, local trumpet sensation Kermit Ruffins and Jersey boy Bon Jovi, Fest is an annual tradition for a legion of locals and music fans of all ages coming together for love of jazz and blues, Zydeco and gospel, and cochon de lait po’boys. Despite the thrumming crowds and weather that can range from gorgeous to blistering and torrential, the vibe is pure love fest.

Don’t Miss

•          Catch a Fest parade by the Mardi Gras Indians, a feathered and bejeweled tribal tradition that dates back more than a century.

•          New Orleans still needs a helping hand. With the sixth anniversary of Katrina approaching, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities to aid in the city’s rebuilding. For a full list of options, visit Volunteer Louisiana.

Now that summer’s in full swing, it’s time to put on those hiking boots or sandals, gas up the car and head for the outdoors. America’s parks are top recreational destinations, and with more than 520 U.S. national parks and forests to choose from, you can easily find one that’s right for you, whether you have in mind a drive, a hike, a swim beneath a waterfall or a frolic at a beach. Be sure to take a picnic or try some local eats, and stop in the souvenir shop, too. To jump-start your vacation plans, Voyageur’s correspondents explore three parks, which represent a cross-section of natural settings—desert canyon, mountain peaks and sandy beaches. You’ll find each holds the promise of adventure.

By Annette McGivney, Cyril Manning and Larry Rice
 

 
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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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