Here are some of the sensory experiences that are part of north Georgia:

Sight
Near Cartersville, you’ll find the Etowah Indian Mounds, which were constructed sometime between the 1300s and the 1600s.

Sound
If the day’s warm enough, consider a walk on one of the many trails that crisscross North Georgia. Once you’re in the woods, you’re likely to hear little more than the wind or the occasional bird call.

Taste
Stop by Colonel Poole’s Bar-B-Q , just south of Ellijay on Highway 515, for some tasty pork barbecue or Brunswick stew.

Touch
Feeling adventurous? Take a white water rafting trip on the Chattooga River with Southeastern Expeditions.

Smell
Near Helen, take in the smells, sights and sounds of Nora Mill Granary, where grits are ground from corn on stones that were first used in the mill in 1876.

 Road Rules

If you’re from outside the United States and visiting for less than a year, Georgia recognizes your valid driver’s license as long as it hasn’t expired. Motorists are required to carry liability insurance. Rental agencies can advise you concerning Georgia’s insurance requirements.

For Starters and Stay-Overs

Nearby cities such as Atlanta, Georgia; Huntsville, Alabama; and Chattanooga, Tennessee, make excellent starting points for exploring the towns and back roads of north Georgia.

Last year, “buy 1, get 1 free” promotion was so successful that we’ve decided to offer it again!  Visit our website to learn all about our fabulous spring getaway offer — and make sure to check back here often to follow some of our favorite bloggers as they share their adventures on the road… and tell us all why two nights isn’t as good as three!

Book now!  We’re taking reservations right now, and valid stays must be completed by May 15!

Wheeeeeeeee!

I love this Country!
~Emily

Here are 10 other ways that you can stay green on the road:

1. Re-use sheets and towels – A typical U.S. hotel uses 218 gallons of water per day per occupied room, and fresh linens account for a significant share. Many hotels now allow guests to simply place a card on the bed indicating they would like to use the same linens throughout their stay.
2. Keep showers short, and don’t run the water while you brush your teeth – Good advice at home, and even better on the road.
3. Turn everything off – That includes the air conditioning, heat, lights, television and radio. Closing the drapes offers natural insulation against the weather.
4. Pack a small nightlight – That way, you won’t have to leave bathroom lights on overnight.
5. Bring your own toiletries – This leaves the prepackaged hotel toiletries unopened and helps to minimize waste.
6. Recycle the newspaper – Leave it at the front desk or hotel restaurant, or put it in a designated recycling bin.
7. Walk and/or use public transport at your destination – The hotel front desk staff can help with maps and info on nearby transit.
8. Dine in – Patronize eat-in and hotel dining rooms to decrease the number of disposable items associated with take-out meals and eating on the road.
9. Donate those hotel points to a green cause – For example, Radisson Hotels & Resorts offers members of its goldpoints plus^SM program the option to minimize the impact of CO2 emissions by redeeming points with community-based CarbonNeutral projects.
10. Check out electronically – Many hotels offer this option on the room’s television. You can view your bill, approve it and reduce paperwork.

The largest city in Southern Arizona is home to the new 79-room Country Inn & Suites Tucson City Center. The hotel boasts several green initiatives, including water and energy conservation, and exemplifies the hotel’s eco-friendly outlook. Conveniently located off of I-10, the hotel is only minutes from the University of Arizona, perfect for guests coming to town to check out their favorite Wildcats sporting event.

Additional Energy Star amenities, including compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) and equipment make the hotel a geo-friendly property. The 100 percent non-smoking hotel features the brand’s new interior design package along with an outdoor pool, whirlpool and fitness center and meeting space for up to 35 people The hotel offers a variety of guest room styles including standard rooms, studio suites, one bedroom suites and Jacuzzi rooms. All rooms feature complimentary wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, microwave and refrigerator.

Visit http://www.countryinns.com/princetonwv or call 1-800-596-2375 to book your stay today!

Our spacious, new Princeton hotel rooms are sure to make your stay comfortable and convenient. All of our 77 guest rooms feature high-speed, wired and wireless Internet access, a microwave, a refrigerator and many other amenities. King, queen, studio and whirlpool suites, as well as handicap accessible suites, are also available at our Princeton, WV hotel.

Guests of our Princeton hotel can relax in our indoor pool and hot tub or keep up with their exercise routine in our on-site Fitness Center. Guest laundry facilities are available, as well as daily local and national newspapers. Traveling on business, or just need to check your e-mail? Our Princeton hotel’s Business Center is open 24 hours.

At the Country Inn & Suites Princeton, we offer a 650 square foot meeting room perfect for small groups of up to 35 people. Our Princeton, WV hotel’s meeting room features high-speed Internet access, a TV and a DVD player. Chairs, classroom tables and a projector with screen are available.

At the Country Inn & Suites Princeton hotel, we offer a complimentary breakfast buffet every morning. Enjoy delicious options such as eggs, bacon, sausage, gravy and biscuits, fresh fruit, yogurt, freshly made waffles, bagels, cereal and a variety of beverages. Our Princeton hotel’s free breakfast is sure to get your day started right.

Our Princeton hotel’s location just off I-77 and US 460 makes it easy to enjoy the beautiful outdoors of West Virginia. Our guests have easy access to nearby activities such as horseback riding, skiing, snow tubing, golf, hiking, biking and scenic mountain views. Within minutes of our Princeton, WV hotel you can enjoy a Princeton Rays baseball game or check out the city’s Railroad Museum. With our convenient location, superior services and comfortable guest rooms, you’re sure to see what puts us a step above other hotels in Princeton, WV.

Traveling through the area last spring, I checked with the experts at the Elk River Touring Center in Slatyfork for advice on where to go. Gil Willis, owner and operator of the mountain bike center, steered me to a one-day, self-guided tour of the Greenbrier River Trail. “The Greenbrier is a perfect blend of wildness and rural civilization,” he assured me, “as welcoming a trail as any biker can hope to find.”

Formerly a part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, this 75-mile-long trail crosses 35 bridges and two tunnels on its way through the Green-brier River Valley. Much of the route is next to the Monongahela National Forest and is surrounded by summits of the Allegheny Mountains, but the trail itself is level, making it perfect for the whole family, or in my case, a solo getaway.

One great section for a ride is accessible from the historic logging town of Cass. As I made my way south to Marlinton, 25 miles away, I passed by steep bluffs and through hardwood forests—home to deer, wild turkeys, hawks and a variety of songbirds. My rented mountain bike was the perfect steed from which to admire the countryside.

Old water towers, depots and trestles of the steam-driven locomotive era dot the trail. During my ride, I skirted abandoned little towns from the big-timber days, like Clover Lick. And about five miles south of Clover Lick, I came upon Sharp’s Tunnel and bridge. The tunnel is 511 feet long, dark and spooky inside, and the bridge spans 229 feet. A couple of teenage riders I met thought the tunnel was “way cool.” I did, too—especially when I emerged on the other side.

The Engine That Could

The town of Cass is also home to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, the site of a recreated logging train.

The restored Shay steam locomotives pull old flatcars made into passenger coaches to nearby Bald Knob, elevation 4,842 feet. 

Writer, photographer and outdoor enthusiast Larry Rice has traveled to seven continents from his home in Buena Vista, Colorado.

I love this Country!
~Emily

“Everything just fell into place,” says Swanson, noting that 97 people trekked to the 2003 reunion from across the country. “We had a great time.”

Planning Your Reunion

To organize a stress-free reunion or other group trip, Swanson advises planners to start early. His reunion took about six months to plan. Some trips can take 12 to 18 months to arrange, especially if they involve large groups, holiday travel, or trips to state or national parks, where lodgings and other facilities often fill quickly.

Tips for Group Travel

• Ask for help. Swanson’s ad-hoc committee reserved hotel rooms and banquet facilities, hired a caterer, produced the reunion program and even arranged local media coverage of the event. 
• Choose destinations that suit group interests and budgets. Travel in off-peak months to save money. Just be sure to plan for the weather. Costa Rica during the rainy season or Phoenix in August may not be enticing. 
• Arrange meals and snacks. For catered meals, consider members’ dietary needs—diabetic, vegan, kosher. 
• Think of details. Select lodging with appropriate amenities or meeting space. Create a packing list for travelers, and bring a first-aid kit.
• Encourage interaction. Plan get-acquainted games or team-building activities. Don’t forget nametags.
• Wrap it up. Document what worked and what didn’t. Go online to set up a group photo-sharing site.

 Then, if you want to follow in Swanson’s footsteps, do it all again. His group did so in 2005 and will have a third reunion this year. “As long as people are interested,” he says, “I’ll keep planning them.”

Tennessee-based writer Melany Klinck recently survived a 10-day bus tour of Florida with a group of 35 teenagers.  Need help planning an event?  From from weddings to reunions, meetings, and more, our experts can help!  Visit www.countryinns.com and click on “Groups and Meetings” to request information or submit an RFP.

May is Better Sleep Month. The Better Sleep Council recommends getting a good night’s sleep and taking control of your sleep environment to reduce stress and improve your quality of life at home or on the road.

While you can’t take your bed with you, there are things you can do to make it a little easier to get some real rest.

Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment

• Ask for a room away from typically noisy areas like elevators, stairs and vending areas.
• Set the thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees. If the room is too hot or too cold, it will be hard to get comfortable enough to sleep.
• Use the “fan only” setting on the air conditioner to create a steady hum that masks unwanted noise.
• Test the hotel’s pillows. You can exchange them if they’re not to your liking.

 Test and Set the Alarm Clock

• Make sure the alarm time has the right a.m./p.m. designation.
• Check the alarm or radio sound level to make sure it’s loud enough to wake you.
• If you’re worried about the alarm not going off, put your mind at ease by asking for a wake-up call.

 Diet and Exercise

• Always avoid a heavy or spicy meal before bedtime. An overfull or upset stomach can keep you awake.
• Try to avoid caffeine after 2 p.m.
• If you work out, it’s best to do it at least several hours before bedtime. Exercising right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult.

 One tip from the Better Sleep Council is to evaluate your mattress. That’s easy to do at home, but what about when you’re traveling? With some hotels, you never know what kind of mattress you’re going to get. When booking a room, always ask about mattress quality. Some hotels do offer premium mattresses.

 The next time you travel, take a few simple steps toward better sleep — you’ll be glad you did.

I made my way to the venerable urban respite of Central Park, where skaters, joggers, pedestrians and pooches were out in full force, ambling along the well-worn, leaf-strewn paths. Mothers and children were frolicking, students reading, lovers cuddling. In the quiet enclave of Strawberry Fields, I stopped at the sprawling Imagine mosaic and contemplated all the possibilities that the city had to offer.

Washington Square Park was busy, too—chess devotees with furrowed brows planned their moves amidst rowdy street performers playing to the bohemian crowd of NYU students and denizens of Greenwich Village. At dusk I watched a performance of Antigone in the basin of the park fountain, emptied for the season. Nearby, a guitarist strumming popular tunes competed for the crowd’s attention. Somehow, the ancient Greek drama and the 21st-century music blended seamlessly, along with everything else going on in the park. After the play, not ready to leave yet, I noshed on falafel from Mamoun’s on MacDougal Street and strolled through this lively corner of the Village.

I found myself amazed at the end of that first day by all I had witnessed—in the city that never sleeps I found tranquility in New York’s parks and a warm welcome from Manhattan’s diverse residents. New Yorkers have been hardened by tragedy, but the spirit of the city and those who call it home are as worthy a sight to see as its many famous landmarks.