Experience Ski at Breckenridge Ski Resort

Breckenridge Ski Resort is one of several in its immediate area. Summit County Colorado is ski country. Home to Copper Mountain,Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and Breckenridge Ski Resort, the area is a Mecca for destination skiers and residents of Colorado's Front Range cities alike. Taking a Breckenridge ski vacation does not mean you are confined to one resort.

Breckenridge Colorado Ski Resort (simply "Breck" to locals) is one of the most popular of the Summit County resorts. Parking near the resort is at a premium and the pay lot near the lifts often fills up quickly. Not to worry, there are regular shuttles from the outlying parking lots (be sure to remember which one you parked at) and a new gondola to ferry passengers from the downtown transportation center to the base areas.

For many years, a Breckenridge ski vacation was most suited to intermediates and beginners. This changed with the opening of the Peak 8 bowls, the Peak 9 face, and other expert runs. Today, over half of the mountain is labeled double- or single-black diamond. There are still plenty of cruising runs for easygoing skiers and riders, but Breckenridge Ski Resort is now one of the best Colorado resorts for advanced skiers.

The base area at Breckenridge Colorado Ski Resort is at a dizzying 9,600 feet, higher than the peaks of most North American resorts. Breck's Imperial Express Superchair takes riders to 12,840 feet above sea level — the highest lift in North America when it was completed. It opens onto the wide-open face of Imperial Bowl and some great expert pick-your-own-route trails. Adventurous skiers can hike farther, to begin their descent at over 13,000 feet. If you have a few days on a Breckenridge ski vacation, you may want to save this hike until you are acclimatized to the elevation.

Locals love the snow on Peak 7, but some hiking is necessary to reach the best bowls here too. Its worth the effort: the snow here is as good as it gets anywhere in the world. The North Face on Peak 9 is another experts-only area; its runs are a challenge to even the best skiers. Mogul fans should head to Peak 10 and try their luck (and knees) on the bumps of Mustang and Blackhawk.

Intermediates can also find some nice trails on Peak 10; Centennial and Crystal runs are especially recommended. Peak 8 and Peak 9 also have some well-groomed and open trails, but take notice: some of the blue-rated runs at Breckenridge Colorado Ski Resort would be black elsewhere. Novices should stick to the green runs on these hills; they will probably enjoy the trails from Quicksilver lift best.

Snowboarders will not be disappointed at Breckenridge Ski Resort. Breck's Freeway Terrain Park is legendary. It was the first Colorado mountain to build a superpipe, an enormous type of halfpipe. Do not attempt this unless you know what you are doing. The walls can be sculpted to over 15 feet tall and there are always expert boarders around to let you know what you are doing wrong.

A Breckenridge ski vacation has everything: good and varied terrain, slopeside accommodation, other resorts within a short distance, and a charming base town. The only drawback might be its increasing popularity. On weekend traffic to Breckenridge is slow: a trip to Denver can take three or four hours, more than twice the time than on clear roads. All the Front Range visitors can lead to long lift lines, though these are not hard to escape if you head to the bowls.

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Snow Vacation at Aspen Ski Resort

Aspen Ski Resort might be the most famous ski area in the United States, but its legendary nightlife and rich and famous visitors sometimes overshadow the skiing. This is a shame. Four world-class mountains within 12 miles of a surprisingly charming downtown make Aspen ski holidays a treat for more than just the jet set.

Snowmass Ski Resort alone would justify a trip to ski Aspen Colorado. This sprawling mountain has the longest vertical drop in Colorado and over 3,000 skiable acres, mostly geared to intermediate, advanced, and expert skiers and snowboarders.

Buttermilk mountain is perfect for beginners and intermediate skiers — a great place to learn how to ski or to get back in shape on the first day of an Aspen ski holiday. Intermediates will have fun on Jacob's Ladder and Bear. Even the runs marked black, under Tiehack chair for example, are manageable for all except complete novices. The open and gently sloped tree runs off Javelin trail are a great place to learn how to ski in glades. Beginners will love the groomed cruisers and can experience top-to-bottom runs over Buttermilk's 2,000-foot vertical drop just as soon as they master a snowplow or front and back foot snowboard turns.

Aspen Highlands is probably the best-balanced mountain at Aspen Ski Resort — there's terrain here for every level of skier. Expert terrain here is some of the best in Colorado and favored by locals who ski Aspen. The highlight is Highlands Bowl, most of which can be accessed only by hiking or catching a ride with a snowcat. Steeplechase and the Olympic Bowl are also challenging to even the best skier. Intermediates should head up Loge Peak or Cloud Nine. Beginners can find some good runs off the exhibition chair.

Aspen ski holidays are incomplete without a trip to Aspen Mountain (often referred to as Ajax), which overlooks the town of Aspen. Aspen Mountain is the oldest of the four areas at Aspen Ski Resort. It had the longest chairlift in the world when it opened in 1946.

Beginners should practice at Buttermilk before attempting to ski Aspen Mountain. This is the only ski area in the United States that has no designated green runs. As a rule, the intermediate terrain is around the top of the summit and in the gullies between the ridges, the expert terrain drops from the ridges into the gullies. Beware, though: there is quite a jump from blue to black runs at Aspen Mountain and the black runs are difficult enough to challenge any expert.

Tickets at Aspen Ski Resort may be more expensive than at most resorts, but Aspen ski holidays don't have to break the bank. There is plenty of affordable housing, even some cheap student dorms. Aspen Colorado is home to some four star restaurants, but there is also a lot of cheap fast food and satisfying bar food.

Aspen airport has flights from Denver, Phoenix, Memphis, and Minneapolis. Eagle County airport is a little farther away (about 70 miles), but has flights from more cities. Shuttles are also available from Denver International Airport, but the 150-mile drive from Denver can take more than three hours. This has its advantages: the drive deters day-skiers from Denver, so it is less crowded on weekends than Winter Park, Vail, or the Summit County resorts. Most people at Aspen Ski Resort are locals, workers from across the world, or families enjoying Aspen ski holidays. Then, of course, there is the rich jet set that has made the town famous.

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Natural Beauty of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park, first established as a federally protected park in 1872, was the first park to reach this status in the United States. The park spans three states, stretching from Wyoming out into Idaho and Montana. The largest section of the park, however, is located within the state of Wyoming, and for this reason travel to this state is centered on the park attractions. Yellowstone is famous as a park which allows animals to run free throughout its hundreds of thousands of acres undisturbed. Bears, elk, bison, birds and more wander unhindered through this beautiful park, and travelers can drive or walk through the park at their own will.

In 1872 President Ulysses S Grant, "set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. This park contained 2.2million acres of wilderness that was completely unspoiled beauty. However, within 20 years financial support for the park began to dwindle, because of the lack of the ability of the common man to see the glory of Yellowstone National Park. Eventually, through litigation and luck the railroads began to cater to the common tourist bringing money and visitors to a Yellowstone. With the invention and mass production of the automobile visitors to Yellowstone more than quadrupled. Making Yellowstone one the premiere destinations for family holidays in the 1940's and 1950's.In the 1970's attention strayed away from the History of Yellowstone National Park and became more about the conservation of Yellowstone Park itself.

Picnicking in Yellowstone National Park has long been a favorite activity for park goers. The Mount Washburn Trail has long been a favorite. This 2-mile walk through the upper forests eventually gives way to a sweeping view of the park below. At the top, visitors can unpack their lunch and enjoy the scenery while they munch. Be sure to pack out everything you pack in. The beauty of Yellowstone Park relies on the responsibility of its visitors, so never leave trash behind. The Lonestar Geyser is another great place to picnic. You can watch the Geyser or stroll around the surrounding area. Though there are favorite places to picnic, some of the fun of a trip to Yellowstone is exploring, so do not be afraid to pack your lunch and find your own favorite place to picnic.

Camping in Yellowstone is another popular activity and a nice way to avoid the cost of Yellowstone lodging or Cody hotels. Slough Creek Campground is a major favorite in the park and is found in the Lamar Valley. This is a good choice for travelers who want the most rugged experience available, as you will be close to some great fishing holes and close to an area filled with Yellowstone wildlife. For a more modern experience, try the Norris Campground. Here, you will be treated to toilets that flush, running water and showers. Rangers also make visits to Norris to offer information during the day and their own "fireside chats" at night. Both of these campgrounds fill up fast, so get in as early as you possibly can.

For nearby lodging, check out the Old Faithful Inn. This hotel fits beautifully into its surroundings as it is completely constructed of logs and is located within the park boundaries. The Lake Yellowstone Hotel is another great option for a hotel located within the park boundaries. This hotel is a modern get-away; an enormous stone fireplace compliments the classy décor and upscale surrounding at the Lake Yellowstone. You will also want to make reservations well in advance for these popular hotels due to their central location.

In 2004, the Yellowstone Inn celebrated its 100th anniversary with a year long celebration. Yellowstone vacations now require permits, license and registration. The number of emissions is limited from snowmobiles and vehicles, also patrons are restricted from certain areas of Yellowstone Park to maintain the parks integrity. Education on wildlife, ecosystem and history are vital when visiting Yellowstone. Not only can you appreciate all that Yellowstone has to offer, you can be aware of all the effort it takes to keep Yellowstone as the, "Grand Canyon of all Parks".

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Trip to Venice Italy

Tourism in Venice reaches its peak during Carnavale, the annual celebration before lent, where millions of visitors come from around the globe to take part in festivities. Other attractions include St. Mark's Basilica, also known as "The Church Of Gold". The cathedral takes its names because it houses a golden altar measuring 40 square feet and set with thousands upon thousands of jewels. Hundreds of other treasures culled from centuries of wealth and privilege also remain inside.

The gondola is the primary mode of transportation throughout the canals, not to mention the enduring symbol of tourism in Venice. Though speedboats have become more commonplace nowadays, they are unable to drown out the traditional songs of the gondoliers, with most of these ballads reciting tales of true love or the magnificent history of Venice Italy itself.

And a storied history it is. Like Genoa, Venice used its waterways to develop into a powerful city, a hub for trade and commercial exploits, until it dominated a large portion of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and hundreds of vital trade routes. The city thrived for centuries, becoming a center of the arts that made all others pale in comparison. Bellini, Titian, Tintoretto and Longhi all called Venice home at some point, and their works live on in the many galleries and museums spread throughout the city's maze of canals. The Academy Gallery is surely the most famous, where many of the city's masterpieces are displayed. Take a gondola ride down the famous Grand Canal and it will lead you to Ca' Rezzonico and Ca' d'Oro, the former famous for its ornate ballrooms and aristocratic balconies, the latter for providing shelter for the great works of Titian, Mantegna and Carpaccio.

The pageantry and history of Venice Italy are still alive and well for the time being. And don"t worry about getting lost, either - it is said by locals that there are no wrong turns in Venice. See for yourself.

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Florida Keys Beach

The Florida Keys bring to mind an emerald necklace of ecological gems for some travelers, while others see it as a superhighway cruise ship. A Florida Keys vacation can include charming Key West hotels and a Florida Keys dive to subtropical reefs, fishing for tarpon, or a memorable stop at Fantasy Fest.

 Geographically, the Keys are separated into The Upper Keys, the Middle Keys, and the Lower Keys. Along the way, these include Key Largo, Marathon Key, Bahia Honda Key, Big Pine Keys, and Key West.

Less than a century ago, the Keys were unreachable except by boat. In 1912 Henry Flager built a railroad to Key West, connecting to his steamship trade with Havana, only 90 miles further. The railway washed out in a 1935 hurricane, but three years later was reborn as the Overseas Highway, which today connects more than 30 of the populated "mainline" keys.

The hundreds of remaining undeveloped islets are known as the "backcountry." In 1990, Congress established the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary over 2,800 square nautical miles of coastal waters. These marine environments include sea-grass meadows, mangrove islands, and one of the only living tropical reefs in North America. These fragile environments support sponges, anemones, jellyfish, crabs, rays, sharks, turtles, snails, lobsters, and thousands of types of fish.

At the top of the chain is Key Largo, only an hour’s drive from South Florida’s two major airports. This “Diving Capital of the World” is home to one of the best diving sites in the world, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The 78-square-miles marine park features 40 species of living coral and 650 varieties of fish. The visitor center features floor-to-ceiling aquariums. Amenities include glass-bottom boat trips to the reef. At the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary you can dive to the wreck of the Spiegel Grove, a 510-foot Navy ship intentionally scuttled to start a new coral reef.

The “Sport Fishing Capital of the World,” Islamorada makes fishing Florida Keys for sailfish, tuna, tarpon, and bonefish all in one day a possibility.

Marathon calls itself "The Heart of the Keys." Sombrero Beach is the largest and nicest beach in the Keys, with picnic facilities, a playground, and a protected cove for kids. Marathon holds the annual Seven Mile Bridge Run. Parallel to the Overseas Highway between the Middle and Lower Keys, the Old Seven Mile Bridge, on the National Register of Historic Places, includes a 2.2-mi segment is open for biking, walking, and rollerblading.

The beautiful Bahia Honda State Park and Recreation Area has a 2.5-mile stretch of sand that tops “best in America” beach lists. Activities include swimming, fishing, kayaking, biking, snorkeling, and hiking on the Silver Palm Trail.

Big Pine Key is home to the National Key Deer Refuge, as well as a great place to charter a Florida Keys dive cruise.

At the end of the road, Key West was once home to John Audubon, Ernest Hemingway, and Jimmy Buffet. This tiny laid back “Conch Republic” now gets 1.6 million visitors a year.

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