Christmas at the Gaylord Opryland

One of the best places to see Christmas lights and an outdoor life-size Nativity with audio Jesus story is at the colossal Gaylord Opryland Hotel, which is a sight all its own. Situated in the heart of Music Valley, the hotel is comprised of five atriums, one of which our favorite — the Garden Conservatory — features cascades of lights and decorative hot air balloons suspended overhead.  We loved reaching the indoor gazebo by strolling along the serpentine walkways with its lush display of exotic flowers and plants.  At 4.5 acres, the Delta is the largest of the five atriums and even has its own island with bars, restaurants and a riverboat that floats along the encircling half-mile-long river. In addition to lights, they have several tall, decorated Christmas trees, one of which is made purely of poinsettias and a second with full-size teddy bears.

Overall, the Gaylord is a gorgeous sight and well worth the trip. This hotel is huge so allow at least 1.5 hours for a walking tour, including your time to stop and take pictures. Admission is free, but parking is $10-20, which you can avoid by parking off-site at one of the adjacent restaurants or shops and walking over.  Tip: Don’t miss the life-size Nativity Scene located outside that’s replete with angels, animals and wise men.

Sightseeing One Day in Nashville, Tenn.

The District in downtown Nashville, Tenn. is where you can hear live music along Broadway St. all day everyday.

If you happen to be in Nashville for the day, there’s actually quite a lot you can do and all within a short walking distance. For first time visits, we recommend sticking close to The District and Broadway Street east of Interstate-30 where you’ll find such attractions as the historic Ryman Music Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. 222 5^th Ave. South St. Nashville/(615) 416-2001. The Hall of Fame is a giant, three-story club sandwich filled with country western music history and culture that’s enough to really sink your teeth into. See performance gowns worn by Dolly Parton and guitars played by Gene Autrey. Thankfully, the museum is more than a collection of music artifacts in display cases. At one of the many listening booths, I got to hear to rare country recordings: one of Dizzy Dean’s “The Wabash Cannonball” from Colonial Records and another rare recording of Gene Autrey singing “I’ve Got the Jailhouse Blues” from Rex Records. The sound was tinny and beautiful. At another kiosk was a giant LCD touchscreen flipped on its side, which played at least 65 songs by Buck Owens. The listening station allowed you to hear not only the original recording, but watch a TV clip and listen to the old 45 recording. All in all, it’s well worth the visit. You’ll leave the museum with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

The Ryman Auditorium. 116 Fifth Ave., Nashville/(615) 889-3060. If you visit the Ryman, there’s a good chance you’ll recognize it on TV. Nashville’s most storied live music venue is a popular location where TV shows, concerts and commercials are filmed. But the true brilliance of this music hall is not measured by what you see but by what you hear. The auditorium’s solid wood form and amphitheater shape makes for superb acoustics. As for the touristy stuff: yes, you can take the self-guided tour and look at all the memorabilia; and yes, you can take the back stage tour and see where the singers and celebs hang out before and after a show. Country western music fans will delight over the stories and trivia the guide imparts. But, the best way to experience the Ryman is to take in a music show there, then follow it with a tour the next day. The site of the Grand Ole Opry until 1974, the Ryman was restored in the mid 1990s and now takes in such popular and diverse musical acts as Wilco, Keith Urban, Coldplay and Yo-Yo Ma. For $17, a tour guide takes you around to the back stage dressing rooms and back stage, which is nice, but is no replacement for the raw energy of a live music show. Our advice: take the tour after you attend a show.

Frist Center for the Visual Arts. 919 Broadway, Nashville / (615) 244-3340. Art fans will get their fill at this delightful art center, which is actually one of those Art Deco-themed post offices built during the 1930s. The Frist Center doesn’t maintain a permanent collection, but rather hosts exhibits from around the world. When we were there, the museum features a collection of photography and videography by renowned artist Carrie Mae Weems on the first floor and an exhibit on German expressionism up the escalator on the second floor, both of which were fascinating and challenging. The museum is free to visitors 18 and under. Seniors pay half price the third Monday of each month and college students get in free on Thursday and Friday evenings. Call ahead for current exhibits.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Little Rock Arkansas

The biggest, trendiest city in Arkansas has a secret Central Park. Just a 10-minute drive from anywhere in Little Rock, the heart of commerce in the natural state, Pinnacle Mountain State Park awaits.

Hiking trails ring the scenic mountains, rivers and lakes and the visitor center hosts a gorgeous panoramic view of the Arkansas River. You can watch the live honeybee colony at the visitor center until you discover the more invigorating things the park offers.

Our personal favorite is the horseback trail rides on the west side of the park. For $25 a person, you and your guide explore woods, water and open fields. This tour is anything but the typical sleepy trail ride… steep inclines and water crossings give such a diverse and exiting experience.

The park also offers guided kayak and canoe river tours. While the guides are nice and attentive in their standard river kayaks, the “teacup” ride is not. Teacup meaning the infernal spinning of mis-ordered white-water kayaks and paddles that gayly flip even the most experienced kayaker at the slightest wind gust or paddle stroke.

Four hours of spinning was only righted by our discovery of Buster’s Real Ice Cream shop turning right on Cantrell Street leaving the park. Particularly, Buster’s Key Lime Pie ice cream, is well worth the trip.

Steamy Times in Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs, Ark. is the place to visit for a great bath.

If Hot Springs, Arkansas were its own country, the national bird would be the “rubber duckie.”  Yes, Hot Springs can rightfully claim the status of “Bathing Capital of the South.” And just to prove we’re not blowing bubbles, the area remains Arkansas’ #1 tourism attraction, with more than 2 million visitors annually.

The city is indeed charming and accessible. Several filling stations along Bathhouse Row on Main Street let you fill up bottles and jugs with fresh spring water for free. Take an afternoon stroll down Main Street, which is broad, very walkable and lined with boutiques and antique shops. At the north end of Bathhouse Row is the inimitable art-deco styled Arlington Hotel, which offers mineral bath guestrooms for only $105 in the off-season.

Crystal blue bathing waters at the newly renovated Quapaw Bathhouse located on Bathhouse Row

Despite the squeaky clean visage, Hot Springs is a city with a steamy past. Politicos, movie stars, sports heroes and gangsters alike rolled through here in the 1920s and 40s to soak their bodies and entertain their vices. Gambling, racketeering, violence and prostitution ran rampant before lawmakers cracked down on all illegal activity in the 1960s, ending the mischief – and consequently, the mystique.

Trips to Hot Springs now are usually connected with some element of nostalgia: family reunions, weddings, anniversaries, etc. Modern fat cats looking to blow a ton of dough on spa retreats usually turn to the fancied likes Palm Springs; Sedona, Arizona; or Hawaii, areas that blend hydrotherapy with spiritualism or outdoor pursuits.

That’s not to say Hot Springs, as a destination, is forever stuck in a powder-blue leisure suit (even though one of the hotel owners does drive an old Excalibur). You’ll always meet tons of nice folks and enjoy a great meal here. The Brau Haus is still our favorite place to grab brats and kraut.

Some other reasons to like Hot Springs:

Quapaw Bath & Spas 413 Central Ave. Hot Springs/501-609-9822 The recently reopened and restored Quapaw is a bathhouse situated in a beautiful 1920s era Spanish-colonial mansion. Features a mosaic-tiled central dome and several private soaking rooms. In addition to massage and facial treatments, you can soak in one of three gigantic community pools.

Bathhouse Soapery and Caldarium 120 Central Avenue, Hot Springs/ (501) 318-0997. This place makes soaps and sundries that smell delicious and look good enough to eat. They also have a healthy assortment of salt scrubs, lotions, and performs, all of which are handmade right there in the back of the store. It’s scrub-a-dub good.

One of several creative displays at the Poet’s Loft on Main Street, Hot Springs

The Poet’s Loft 514-B Central Avenue, Hot Springs/ (501) 625-7704. This local haunt is actually a renowned center for local, national and international poet alike. In addition to open-mic Wednesdays, the Loft hosts several annual poetry competitions and showcases local singers and songwriters. The coffee bar serves up terrific Joe, plus soups, salads and desserts.

Muir Woods Good, Paper Bad

Janice next to a majestic California redwood at Muir Wood National Monument

Long-term travel will certainly change your perspective on things. Take Muir Woods National Monument, for instance. Redwoods are the gentle giants of the forest world. One glance at a tall, melancholic redwood is enough to turn even the hardest city dweller into a mandolin-strumming crunchy.

Example: Was in an office supply store the other day and saw shelves of printer paper. You know; those heavy, thick packs of 8-1/2 x 11 paper that look like neatly wrapped gifts. After strolling the hallowed grounds of Muir Woods, but I was horrified to think about defenseless trees, chopped down, ground into pulp, mixed with water, and turned into paper – bulk paper, wrapped in more paper. Seems downright inhumane. No offense, International Paper.

From now on, though, we’re thinking about buying paper only made from tree alternatives: hemp, plastic, eco-friendly products. One Ventura, Calif.-based company called Ecopaper is making paper by spinning fibers out of things like sugar cane, coffee and bananas. There you go. Put those fruit peelings to good use.

Hot Secret of Klamath Falls, Oregon

Volcanic beds and Crater Lake, Klamath Falls was an unusual route to take from northern California. We enjoyed some much-needed springtime rest in the lush Oregon countryside, oblivious that the small streets contained a big geo-thermal secret until this article.

We love the ending quote from the Klamath County museum manager …”I’ve always said the city should adopt a slogan, `City ofWarm Sidewalks,’” he joked. “But I’ve been told we’ll get every hobo in America who will be drifting into town.”

Well, thank you, Klamath Falls, for hosting two Texan tumbleweeds for a few weeks. :0)

Vancouver sans Winter Olympic Games

Downtown Vancouver near Seymour Street

If you’re in town for the games, you might notice Vancouver’s ultra-hip residents and bus system. BC Transit is how many Vancouver residents get around town. The service is super clean and runs like clockwork. If you can’t figure you’re way around, you can contact BC Transits hotline (250) 382-6161, which provides operator assistance until midnight.

Oh, did we mention: most of the downtown dwellers wear dark, grey or otherwise muted colors, sharply offset by their gleaming white earbuds. This city is hooked on their iPods, MP3 cellphones or other music devices that mutes the urban din and preserves personal space. But in the rush to look hip, the earbuds makes everyone look a bit alike. It’s very Orwellian …. So, when’s the next bus run? Oh, just after midnight. Mmm, say about 13 o’clock.

My Frugal Valentine: On a Dime

The Paul Mitchell Partner School in North Dallas

Stress-free affordable Valentine gift ideas, sexy savings to enjoy at your leisure.

Nothing says says “I love you” like a spa package, especially when you get 6 facials for the price of 1-2 luxury facials. How to snag this miraculous deal? The Paul Mitchell Partner School on Midway in Addison, TX offers buy 5 get one free packages for just $200. Facials range from pamper-me to dermatological grade resurfacing and micro-dermabrasion.

Want to save the tip? Buy 15% off Great Spa Escapes gift cards at your local Sam’s Club and Yes, you can book via their reservation line (that’s an extra 15% off $40-50 facials).

Afternoon tea at Patti's Place Tea Room & Bakery serves homemade teas

From “me”-time to tea-time, schedule a tea party with the girls or with Mother’s Day just around the corner-plan a mother-daughter tea. Patti’s Place Tea Room in Plano, TX offers $25 gift certificates for their five-course afternoon tea with a Texas twist, served Tuesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m by reservation only. Just want the goodies? Drop by for tasty tea and fresh-baked desserts at a fraction of the cost. The bakery offers tea, coffee and goodies for home consumption as well, open daily.

Gratuity is optional at Paul Mitchell while Patti’s assesses a 20% gratuity per person for their high tea (real cost $30 per person). Outside Texas? Most major metros have similar schools and tea services, so check your local listings.

“Geysers” of Yellowstone Praise

 

One of several haunting and gorgeous landscapes near Yellowstone's Midway Geyser Basin

Our trip through Yellowstone National Park still has us talking. Because of road closings and altitude, our visit was confined to the geysers and thermal pools of the southwest. We’ve still yet to see the Yellowstone Grand Canyon and surrounding terrain in the northeast. According to the park rangers, the grasslands north of the park are the best area for grizzly bear and moose sighting. We can’t wait to go back and see more. Read more.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Goes Deep

Jellyfish are the "Mona Lisa" of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Constantly swarmed by fascinated onlookers.

If you’re in San Francisco ever, take a day trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium. Only a 1.5 hour drive and well worth it. This world renowned attraction ranks among the world’s finest aquariums and it definitely gets high marks from us. You can see more Monterey Bay Aquarium highlights on our most recent hiptravelreview story. Here’s a peak:

“My eyes went buggy seeing the colossal Outer Bay aquarium: a deep-blue world swirling with barracuda, hammerhead sharks, stingrays and 8-foot tuna. At 1.3 million gallons, Outer Bay is the largest fish tank in the world. The viewing window alone is roughly the size of an IMAX movie screen.” Read more