Is Biking The New Running?

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand

We’re starting to really see a trend – a demand for vacations that feature a bicycling component and while May is National Bike Month, we’re seeing trips for cycling enthusiasts pop up from Nantucket to New Zealand.  Adventure travelers are now seeking an endurance challenge that long-distance cycling provides; it’s no longer just about a quick-fix adrenaline rush.  Others enjoy biking as a way to stay fit on a vacation while exploring the destination. (Is it perhaps the death of the hotel fitness center?) By riding through a locale, travelers have the opportunity to meet new people, feel the fresh air, see the scenery, and venture off the beaten path.

Be it a Bhutan trek or a brewery tour, itineraries exist to suit all interests.

Here are some to inspire you!

1)      Cycle from Mountains to Monasteries

To fully engage with the Kingdom of Bhutan, its people, culture, and landscapes, there are few better ways than by bike.  One can bike the 350 miles between COMO’s two Bhutan properties, Uma Punakha and Uma Paro.  Highlights include the first designated mountain biking trail in Bhutan, a descent from the highest road pass in the country, a roundtrip ride in the magical Phobjikha valley, and cultural rides in the Paro, Punakha, and Haa Valleys.

Bike & Brew in Nantucket

2)      Bike and Brew on Nantucket

For bikers and beer enthusiasts, The White Elephant Village and The Wauwinet offer a “Bike and Brew” package for two that includes a two-night stay in a one bedroom residence overlooking the stunning Nantucket Bay, bike rental, tour of the local Cisco brewery, and a picnic to go.

3)      Heli-Bike in New Zealand 

Bikers at the Matakauri Lodge in Queenstown, New Zealand, can ride on the same trails as the world’s top mountain bikers by heli-biking.  Guests are flown to the mountains above Queenstown and are given the freedom to ride down at their own pace.

4)      6,000 Acres of Bike Trails on The Farm

While Queenstown caters to the thrill-seeking crowd, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in the Hawke’s Bay of New Zealand offers three diverse trails across 6,000 acres of sheep farm, coastline, wetland, and wineries.

5)      Mountain Bike Treasure Hunt

Explore The New Forest, the original hunting ground of William the Conqueror, by taking part in a treasure hunt.  Chewton Glen in Hampshire, England, offers themed treasure hunts for teams of up to eight people, all armed with mission packs containing clues, photo challenges, digital cameras, and maps.  Treasure hunt themes include “The Olympic Challenge” and “The Italian Job.”

6)      Aquabiking: St. Barth’s Answer to Spinning

Sibarth, the trend-setting villa rental company on St. Barth, is now leading the latest fitness trend, aquabiking.  The underwater fitness equipment tones muscles with minimal joint strain.  Instructor Jean Marc Outil leads in-villa and pool sessions that involve a series of cycling rhythms set to his specially selected tunes.

Sibarth’s Aquabiking

7)      Bike Valet in Napa

Napa Valley visitors can experience miles of vineyards from the seat of a bike rather than through the window of a car.  Many Napa Valley hotels such as Solage Calistoga, Bardessono, Auberge du Soleil, and Villagio Inn offer complimentary bicycle rentals to guests, and some area resorts, restaurants, and other venues offer a bicycle valet service so that biking does not hinder the ability to shop along the way.  Many tour operators offer organized packages and guided bicycle excursions that include pick-up and delivery of wine purchases.

8)      Biking Adventure by Day, Casinos and Musical Performances by Night

Crystal Cruises offers offshore biking excursions, available for different age groups and skill levels, that feature historical monuments and famous restaurants.  New for 2013 is the “Montenegro Bicycle Discovery.”  Guests on this trek ride through olive groves with backdrop views of the Adriatic Sea and the bays of Herceg Novi and Tivat.  Along the way, bikers enjoy lunch at a restaurant with local specialties and panoramic bay views.

Bike Paris? Oui.

9)      Bike like a Local in Paris

Pavillon des Lettres and Pavillon de la Reine make it easy for guests to take advantage of the many bike routes throughout Paris with their complimentary bike service.  Parisians have long been infatuated with biking.  It has grown even more popular since the city implemented its bike-sharing service that provides 20,000 bikes and 1,800 stands that are available twenty-four hours a day.  Join the groups of fashionable Parisian cyclists on a ride along the Seine or through the Marais.

10)   Biking Globe Trekkers Choose Park Hyatt

Spin the globe and land at one of the 31 Park Hyatt hotels and resorts worldwide.  The Park Hyatt Bicycle Valet Program invites guests to uncover the city’s best sites with the use of a bicycle and the following amenities, a lock, helmet, lights, pump, kickstand, bottled water, and biking maps.  From Beaver Creek to Sydney, bikers can explore their natural surroundings and find a shady spot to enjoy a gourmet picnic basket provided by Park Hyatt.

Fun Fact: According to a study in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal, just FIVE minutes of exercise in a green space can improve mood and self-esteem.

Maui Wowie… Yoga-Style, Brah

The grounds of Lumeria Maui

We’re a little obsessed with yoga retreats… we know, we know. And, since we’re also Kama’aina (local Hawaiian, bradah), we wanted to share Lumeria Maui‘s latest. Lumeria Maui is Hawaii’s newest luxury retreat for yoga, well-being, and personal growth, if you must know, and they’re presenting Symphony Of The Senses with four retreats in 2013.  These retreats integrate yoga, music, movement, sensory awareness, nature, and gourmet organic cuisine (check!)  in, as they say, “a nurturing, supportive, holistic, and vibrantly energetic environment.” Certified Anusara teacher, Skeeter Tichnor, plans to facilitate the movement of energy in participants’ bodies through the practice of yoga.

The goal?

To guide attendees in accessing and experiencing beauty, peace and compassionate awareness. As a leading innovator of contemporary healing and transformational music, Peter Kater will also provide the soundscape to a deeper experience of our emotional bodies and a heightened awareness of our essential selves with music created specifically for these retreats.

A room at Lumeria

The first retreat will consist of a four night and five day stay from April 27 – May 1, 2013 and starts at $1,500 per person based on double occupancy.  In addition to the retreat, this package includes three meals per day at Harvest Café as well as all classes, sessions, and on-property activities. The second immersion is a five night and six day retreat from July 20 – 25, 2013, which starts at $1,700 per person based on double occupancy. Dates and details on the last two Symphony of the Senses retreats are soon to be announced on Lumeria Maui’s website.

Lumeria encompasses six ocean- and mountain-view acres between the seaside village of Paia and the upcountry paniolo (that’s “cowboy”, for all you city slickers) town of Makawao. In addition to its 24 luxury guest accommodations, the retreat also features a spacious yoga studio, 900-square-foot outdoor yoga platform and 8,000-square-foot lower terrace suited for group activities. The Harvest Café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week with menus featuring local, organically grown produce.

Relaxing at Lumeria. Not too shabby, eh?

Daily instruction in yoga and meditation are included with accommodations. Further education is made available through customized programs in therapeutic healing arts, water sports, personal growth and transformation, and the history and practices of indigenous Hawaiian culture. Located just 2.5 miles from the Maui’s famed North Shore, Lumeria Maui’s adventure experiences include surfing, kite-surfing, stand up paddle board and windsurfing sessions, all led by world-class athletes and instructors.

The property is a restored historic site, originally constructed in 1909, and features classic Hawaii-style neo-colonial fusion architecture. We love. In light of its adaptive reuse, the project is also listed in the National Registry of Historical Places, and was an honored recipient of a 2012 Preservation Award from the Historic Hawaii Foundation.

Now that’s da kine.

www.lumeriamaui.com

Full Moon Hikes, Red Rock Jeep Tours, Wine, and Qi Gong… Sign me up!

Mountains of Sedona

If you’re planning a girls’ getaway, think outside the box this time and head to the raw red rocks of Sedona, AZ for a truly unforgettable experience. The “Wild West” is no longer the perilous destination that tested the mettle of pioneer women.  No, sir. The sweet city of Sedona offers the best of food, wine, spa treatments, galleries, shops (zen crystals and palm readings, anyone?), outdoor adventures, all within one of the most beautiful and inspirational natural settings to “girls” of all ages. Whether it’s a Girlfriends’ Getaway, Mother-Daughter retreat, Female Family Reunion – Sedona is idyllic.

El Portal – Sedona Exterior

One fantastic home base for a girls’ getaway in Sedona is El Portal Sedona Hotel.  This 12 room luxury boutique hotel offers truly personalized concierge services for Sedona and area, spectacular gourmet breakfasts and spacious Sedona accommodations. Guests appreciate the attention to detail in the stunning turn of the century Southwestern design, as well as the fact suites feature all modern amenities. Each guest suite includes a private entrance, patio or balcony, fireplace, whirlpool bath, entertainment center with DVD player, free wireless and more. (It is a pet friendly Sedona hotel with never a fee for pets, and offers free pet sitting).

El Portal Lobby

After settling in at El Portal, a quick trip into town will introduce girls to an array of shops and galleries, including Sedona Wineworks and The Art of Wine.  This wine shop and tasting room features Arizona wines and wine-inspired original artwork, and is open for tasting seven days a week.  After sampling some unique wines, head to Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village to browse in the shops and galleries, then relax over dinner at Rene’s or El Rincon, both just steps away from El Portal. After reconnecting over a great meal, make yourself at home back at El Portal with a glass of wine (and complimentary chocolate-chip cookies) around the campfire or on your a private patio or balcony. Taking a look back at women’s history in Arizona is a great way to celebrate the bonds of friendship while in Sedona. Through Labor Day, the Sedona Heritage Museum will be featuring the Arizona Women’s Heritage Trail traveling exhibit, which is a celebration of women who have made significant contributions and left a lasting mark on Arizona.

El Portal Courtyard

Sun Country Adventures jeep tours of Sedona also allow girlfriends to connect with the rich landscape in a unique way, exploring seldom seen parts of the area on exhilarating jeep rides. Sun Country tour guides work with visitors to incorporate yoga or Qi Gong, meditation and ceremony if desired on customized hikes. Guests at El Portal Sedona Hotel can arrange full moon hikes, sunset hikes, hikes to high places, exhilarating and challenging hikes, as well as gentle hikes suitable for beginners. El Portal will even pack picnic lunches or arrange cowgirl cookouts.

Sun Country Adventures – Sedona Jeep Tour

One of the most popular hiking destinations in the area is Sedona’s majestic Red Rock State Park.  The park is a 286-acre preserve and environmental education center with breathtaking scenery of red rock and flowing water.  Unusual local rock formations such as Devil’s Bridge, which is considered the largest natural arch in the Sedona area, are great hiking destinations. Devil’s Bridge features dramatic views of the canyons, mountains and red rock cliffs from atop the cracked and fractured sandstone arch. The trail utilizes natural rocks as stairs to the top of the arch, making the trail suitable for hikers of most abilities and a great spot for memorable photos.

Of course, no girls’ trip is complete without spa treatments.  Guests of El Portal Sedona Hotel can walk over to Sedona Spa to indulge in everything from facials to massages and full-body treatments. These are just a few of the activities you can include in a unique and memorable girls’ getaway. Sedona offers biking, golf, musical performances, wine tours, hot air balloon rides and much more.  Contact El Portal Sedona for assistance in “rocking” the ideal girls’ trip.

www.ElPortalSedona.com

About the Author: Wendy Rubicam is a freelance writer and marketing consultant based in Las Vegas, NV.  Wendy specializes in all things written for a wide variety of business clients, as well as freelance feature stories for magazines. Find out more about Wendy at www.rubicamwriting.com

Spa Week’s Latest Sweepstakes!

Two words: Spa. Week. Three more: Biltmore Santa Barbara.

Anything with the two words: Spa and Week and we’re on it like white on rice. The best part of Spa Week, however, is the concept behind it. Spa Week’s mission is to deliver affordable health and wellness to the masses, and what better time to remind yourself to slow down and de-stress than the Holiday Season? In order to help alleviate the unwanted stress, fatigue and weight-gain that often accompanies the hustle and bustle of the holidays, Spa Week has partnered with nationally recognized nutrition expert and author, Keri Glassman, in order to give one lucky winner the chance to de-stress and feel their best by entering this exclusive Holiday Giveaway – Celebrate Wellness.

Nutritionist (and Beauty!), Keri Glassman

During the month of December, visitors to SpaWeek.com can enter for a chance to win a Four-Night De-stress Getaway for Two at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. Included in this fab prize package is a 4 night stay for the winner and guest in a premier room, two spa treatments per person, private cooking classes with a resort chef, two dinners at the resort’s gourmet restaurants, yoga, Pilates, aqua aerobics classes and more!

PLUS, the winner will also receive two autographed copies of Keri’s book, The O2 Diet, one 3-day supply of Keri’s Nutritious Life Meals, a fresh, daily, home delivery diet plan, one personalized nutritional counseling program designed by Keri herself, two Nutritious Life Water Bottles and $100 in Spa & Wellness Gift Cards by Spa Week® at his/her choice of over 4,500 spas nationwide.

Who needs a massage now?

www.spaweek.com