P.M. Enterprises has opened a new tour operation in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Owner Cathie (Priddy) Marshall, formerly with GlobeMasters Travel Network and All Around Branson, identified the need for group tour receptive services which specialize in sightseeing and custom packages for groups touring in the Lake Havasu region. Services being offered include meet-and-greet at both Las Vegas and Phoenix airports, transportation and step-on guides. Other options include various theme and special interest packages, which feature accommodations, theater, entertainment, recreation, gaming, sightseeing and other activities. Contact: 928-680-7949 or email to: mailmore@citylink.net

Nevada

Mystère, the long running Cirque du Soleil production performed in Las Vegas, is at the Bellagio and has added a Sunday matinee to its schedule. Evening shows are performed Wednesday through Sunday. Contact: www.mgmgrand.com

The Mirage Resort in Las Vegas has introduced several new dining options for guests. Cravings, the popular buffet restaurant, has been redesigned to resemble an international bazaar market. It has 13 culinary stations, each representing a different global cuisine. Also new at this hotel is the opening of New York Citys Carnegie Deli.

Oregon

The Woodburn Tulip Festival, mid-March through mid-April, is celebrated at the Wooden Shoe Bulb Company and City of Woodburn at the peak of the tulip blooming season. There are tours of the flower fields, wine tasting, craft fairs and other events. For a complete schedule of events, contact: 800-711-2006 or 503-982-8221

After a three-year hiatus, the Columbia Queen has returned to the Columbia, Snake and Willamette rivers. Its new owner, the American Rivers Cruise Line (ARCL), is completing several enhancements to the luxurious 161-passenger riverboat in preparation for its launch in April. The 2005 season offers eight-night cruise vacations which visit scenic and historic points along these rivers which follow parts of the Oregon Trail and the route of Lewis and Clark. Guests have an opportunity to experience selection of price-included daily shore excursions which are led by historians, naturalists and cultural interpreters. There are several other included features being offered by the company.

Texas

The Texas Historical Commission publishes guides to the states ten Heritage Trail Regions. Its newest guide, The Texas Brazos Trail, follows a path through central Texas and traces its early history and European heritage. It also highlights the regions many attractions, scenic waterways, small communities, commercial centers and the influence of the railroads and cotton industry on its growth and development. This region boasts having seven Texas Main Street Cities, ten notable parks and numerous historic sites. It is part of the infamous Chisholm Trail and home to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. It also features several colleges acclaimed for both their academic status and gridiron action. There are halls of fame celebrating Texas sports heroes and the Texas Rangers and many museums including the Dr. Pepper Museum. There are 36 historic communities in the region, each having sites of interest and most offering several celebrations and festivals at various times of the year. For a copy of Brazos Trail guide contact: 512-463-6100, www.state.tx.us

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This was me, sailing my boat and singing: Come on, Bill, let’s take them for an old country rock. / Let’s go back down on the Rappahannock, down Tappahannock way. / Whip it, Bill, while everybody rocks. The song is Bill Moore’s early blues composition “Old Country Rock,” but my rendition of it could not, alas, have been counted in any way a success, since I am incapable of carrying a tune. However, I thought maybe Moore’s ghost would be okay with it because (a) I was sailing alone and therefore not subject to mutiny, and (b) I was in fact sailing up the Rappahannock on my way to visit Tappahannock, Va.  

Moore, who had been a barber in Tappahannock, was also a leading bluesman of the East Coast or Piedmont variety. He recorded this song and five others of his own making for Paramount Records in Chicago in the winter of 1928. It’s a recording that is now treasured by early blues collectors. In 2005, 54 years after he died, Moore got a historical marker of his own, placed along U.S. Route 17, near where his barbershop once stood. Bill Moore is just one of a fistful of intriguing things about this small town with the quadrisyllabic name on the banks of the quadrisyllabic river.  

So, as I said, I was singing to myself and sailing along, holding a generally northwest course in a generally southwest breeze. I had plenty of time to sing, since Tappahannock is about 35 miles upriver from Stingray Point at the mouth of the Rappahannock. Tappahannock has been around for a longish time, not counting its many, many centuries as a Native American settlement. English-settler-wise, though, it is nearly as old as you can get. Captain John Smith slept here—at least he tried to, but was immediately given the bum’s rush by the area’s highly annoyed occupants. A few decades later, the colonists returned the favor in spades, pushing out the Indians, and the area became English, first under the appellation Hobbs His Hole, named for trader Jacob Hobbs and his anchorage. (That “His” in the middle of Hobbs His Hole is just the old-school way of making a possessive, by the way, like “the dog his dinner.”) Then the name was changed to New Plymouth and,finally, in 1705, back to the name Smith had written on his map—Tappahannock, or “town on the rise and fall of water.” Rappahannock meaning apparently “rise and fall of water.” Tapp instead of Rapp, I mused dreamily in the warm sun. Rapp, Tapp . . . hmmm.

Here I am sailing and singing: When ev’ry stock you take is making money / When ev’ry heart you break / Is such a cinch, it’s funny / Careful, Sonny / Rap-tap, rap-tap . . . on wood. No, a historical marker to Cole Porter is not another interesting thing about Tappahannock. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t have hurt Tappahannock to do some rapping, tapping on wood. Like dozens of other strategically placed settlements on the Chesapeake and its tributaries, Tappahannock by the mid-18th century was a bustling center for trade, with ships stopping on their way up and down the river. But like many of the other early centers for trade, business dropped off as natural resources dwindled and overland routes developed. Pretty soon, the passage of time, like commerce, slowed to a trickle; and Tappahannock, like Rip van Winkle, pretty much dozed through the next couple of hundred years.

It’s a long way to Tappahannock / It’s a long way to go . . . As the sun grew warmer and I got sleepier, it seemed to me that dozing for a few years was not altogether a bad idea. I was making some progress, though. I had passed the Corrottoman River, then the town of Urbanna, Va., then Belle Isle State Park. As I sailed on, the dozens of boats that had flocked near the mouth of the Rappahannock dropped behind me, until by the time I reached Farnham Creek I was all alone. Not much of anybody makes the trek up to Tappahannock by sail these days—not only is the distance substantial, but the channel gets narrow for tacking and the current is often stronger than the wind.

Finally, the tiny inlet of Muddy Gut slipped by to port, and then Totutskey Creek to starboard. I stopped singing and sat up straight in my seat because right about Lowery Point the water on either side of me had gotten thinner than a Bryant Park model during Fashion Week. I started the engine and gave up my career as the Rappahannock’s first lady of song. I was nearly there. The U.S. Route 360 bridge, which connects the Northern Neck with the Middle Peninsula, was only about three miles ahead. Now I also began keeping a close lookout for the vestigial remnants of another of Tappahannock’s intriguing points of interest. And I found it, just outside the channel, about a mile past flashing green “29″. 

For 25 years, from 1924 to 1949, the most striking thing about Tappahannock was that it had a 273-foot wooden ship grounded just offshore. The ship, the Caponka, had been built in Portland, Ore., in 1918 in a world-record 49 days to help in America’s supply effort during World War I. Unfortunately for her, however, the war ended a mere seven months later. In 1920, after only 52 days of active service, she was mothballed with 500 other members of the wooden fleet on the James River. But unlike most of her sisters, who were eventually taken up the Potomac and scuttled in Mallows Bay, the Caponka was purchased and taken to Reedville, Va., where her engines were removed for use in the menhaden fleet. Then she was purchased again and taken to her new owner’s home of Tappahannock—where she ran aground about halfway between Jones Point and Hoskins Creek. It was here that she spent the rest of her inglorious career as a blot on the local landscape. But she was an interesting blot, and something of a local attraction. In fact, many residents felt that having a 273-foot wooden boat of uncertain derivation sitting offshore set their town apart from other, less-interesting towns. And when she burned in 1949—over two spectacular days, residents recall—many were sorry to lose their local landmark. A section of her charred hull still breaks the surface of the water.

So much for shipwrecks and whimsy, though, it was now time to come to grips with Tappahannock’s shortcomings as a destination—no entirely satisfactory place to drop the hook. [See Cruiser's Digest.] Since the wind was still clipping along smartly, I opted for weather-friendly Hoskins Creek. After following the dredged channel inside, I edged out of the way until the lack of depth became alarming and then quickly toppled the CQR overboard. A short dinghy hop to the fishing dock, and I was ashore.

Now that I had Tappahannock firmly under foot, I had a couple of hours of daylight left to play with and a choice to make. Walking up from the dock, I passed White’s Home and Auto (which carries a fair number of boating and fishing supplies), a gas station/fish store and a seafood restaurant/fish store before reaching the main highway, U.S. Route 17/360. (This took me 60 seconds. In a mild and entirely temporary attack of obsessive-compulsive behavior, I actually timed how long it took me to get from one place to another.) Here I had to choose. I could turn right and go into the historic section of town (10 minutes), visit the library (15 minutes) and then find a place for dinner (1 minutes, 3 minutes or 5 minutes), or I could turn left and enter the world of fast food, clothes shopping, Lowe’s and Wal-Mart. Of course, I turned right. No, just kidding. I turned left, but only because I needed AA batteries. Besides, I was meeting a friend the next day to take the walking tour downtown, so why spoil it? The point is not so much that in Tappahannock there is history to the right and Wal-Mart to the left, but that both are within only a few minutes’ walk—an ideal situation for boaters, who have to depend on their own 10 toes for hunting up culture as well as creature comforts.

After securing the AAs and poking about the shops for a bit, I retraced my steps and headed for Lowery’s Restaurant, which has been serving food in Tappahannock for a mere 70 years, ever since Wesley and Lorelle Lowery opened a lunch counter in 1938. Lowery’s remains a family business and a local institution. It even has three separate parking lots and nearly as many parking spaces as Wal-Mart. It’s on the main highway, too—but in the cultural direction. I dined (gorged might be a more appropriate word) on crabcakes, hushpuppies and sweet tea, then retired to Hoskins Creek and a night onboard.

The following morning, over coffee and fresh muffin tops at Java-Jacks Coffee House (10 minutes), my friend Kathy Hubbard and I planned our trip through. Tappahannock history, which fortunately had already been done for us at www.tappahannock.us. All we had to do was follow the map we had printed out and read the history bits aloud to the other’s annoyance. (A tour brochure is also available at the Essex County Museum on Water Lane for those who like to read silently.) The tour starts with Beale Memorial Baptist Church, which was the courthouse in 1728—though it looks suspiciously Greek Revival now—and then moves on to the customshouse, an early 19th-century building that sits on a lot once owned by prosperous merchant Archibald Ritchie. An interesting thing here is that Ritchie, who thought the Stamp Act was a jolly good idea, was the target of local independence rabble-rousers like the Lees and four brothers of George Washington, who hated the Stamp Act and thought the jolly good idea would be to tar and feather Ritchie. Apparently, they thought better of it because they never did. Ritchie’s actual house is another block up from the river on Prince Street and is now an attorney’s office. Its interior is . . . in Delaware. Specifically, it is in the Tappahannock and Essex Rooms at the Winterthur Museum near Wilmington. Don’t ask me why, though I’d guess it had something to do with piles of du Pont money. The oldest house on the tour is Scots Arms Tavern, which dates to 1680 and is now a private home. 

Eventually, the tour wanders down Water Lane to take in several majestic buildings at St. Margaret’s School, an Episcopal girls boarding and day school. Now, if you ask me why Tappahannock, an unprepossessing town of only 3,000 inhabitants dripping wet, has a clearly prosperous private girls school nestled comfortably in its midst, that I can tell you. It’s on account of the sunrise. How do I know that? Because I went into St. Margaret’s Hall (stop number 12 on the walking tour) to talk with the head of school, Margaret Broad. She explained that back in the 1930s the Diocese of Virginia sent a delegation to find a location for a school somewhere in the middle section of Virginia. While visiting Tappahannock, the committee saw the sun rise over the Rappahannock River and it knocked their Episcopal socks off. This is where the school will be, they decided then and there. The sunrise over the Rappahannock has been knocking the socks off generations of prospective students and their parents ever since. Broad swears this is a true story, though I did make up the part about the denominational socks. 

“Come and look at this,” Broad said to me, and I followed her out of the administration building and into the dining hall, which is all rounded glass several stories tall and feels for all the world like the command bridge of the Queen Mary (or what I imagine it to be). “How would you like to eat all of your meals in front of this view?” she asked. And, looking out on the Rappahannock, with the bridge arcing about a mile over the river to the left and marsh-edged riverbank as far as you could see to the right, I felt compelled to keep a close eye on my own socks, and it wasn’t even sunrise.

Broad, a lifelong sailor, admits that the Tappahannock section of the Rappahannock is tough sledding for sailors. She and her husband David have sailed and chartered all over the world, but here they have given the sport up in favor of a pontoon boat. “Having sailed all over, I can say that this is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” she said. “[The creeks] are the area’s greatest charm. You are truly alone with nature. Up the creeks, you are surrounded by reeds, with no sound but the birds, and only the sun shining down you.”

The 160 students at St. Margaret’s make good use of the river, too, especially with their new three-season crew program. And each year, during River Days, students spend time at the river’s edge, learning to take water samples, to identify native species of plants and animals, and to enjoy the water resource that flows by their front door.

Like many other small towns on the Bay, Tappahannock is finally turning its attention back to the river, as well. I left Hubbard to finish the tour, while I walked over to David Broad’s office on Jeannette Street, backing up to Hoskins Creek (6 minutes). Broad, a twice-transplanted Englishman who grew up in France (where he and Margaret met while she was teaching there), is now very much rooted in Tappahannock’s civic life. He was part of the group that organized the town’s big annual summer shindig: Rivahfest. Now in its sixth year, the event, which will be held June 21 this year, draws thousands of visitors and a lot of boats—largely powerboats, pontoon boats and kayaks. Increasingly, David Broad said, organizers of Rivahfest are trying to incorporate river-based events. This year, plans are in the works for a raft race, a boat show and boat rides. “We’re also looking at putting a water taxi service from the marina to the dock at St. Margaret’s.” 

Another of David Broad’s projects, the ongoing Main Street Program, is advocating the construction of a city pier. “We want to put Tappahannock back on the water to welcome visitors from the river,” he said. Although it’s a small town, he continued, it has a lot to offer boaters. “The whole population of Essex County is only 8,000, but we are the market place for 60,000 people from eight counties. That’s why we have such a wide variety of businesses.”

I walked back to Duke Street (7 minutes) and found my friend Kathy trying to decipher a typically time-damaged headstone in the graveyard next to St. John’s Episcopal Church. “Stop!” I cried. “Enough culture, let’s shop!” And we proceeded to sample every antiques store, gift shop and gallery we could find from A to Z, and including A to Z Antiques, Nadji Nook, Mayhew’s, Queen Street Ltd., Coffman’s and a lot more—Tappahannock is for some reason (don’t know why) a veritable hotbed of antiques shops. We put the finishing touches on the whole shopping shebang at Hoskins Creek Table Co., presided over by John Vaughan, who used to just sell tables, but now makes them as well.

As we emerged from that shop with yet more packages, we saw that good fortune had put us only about 60 seconds away from Riverbank Cafe and Seafood. We were so hungry we made it there in under 45. More crabcakes for me, fried clam strips (“better than Howard Johnsons”) for Kathy and a great heap of french fries for mutual plunder. We went from hungry to immobilized in minutes. I was nearly, but not quite, too full to waddle down to T n’ L BBQ (3 minutes) to put in my order with Jimmy and Linda Taylor for tomorrow’s lunch on the rivah (sorry, it’s the law to write it like that down heah). While Kathy returned to Kinsale with all our loot, I secured a heap of barbecued pork ribs to go. Yes, I know, the Coast Guard disapproves of eating ribs while steering a boat, but I figured I’d have plenty of time to wash myself and the cockpit down before I reached the mouth of the Rappahannock.

Ribs in hand, I returned to the boat, where I watched the Rappahannock cruise boat Captain Thomas return to its dock on Hoskins Creek and then a tug nudge its barge up to the Perdue granary. Finally, and humming quietly to myself, I watched the sun set over busy U.S. Route 17/360 (not a sight that would have attracted many school committees, perhaps). I dove down into the icebox for a very cold bottle of ale and gloried in my discovery of Tappahannock as a boating destination—even for a sailor. In the immortal words of the Trade Winds’ surf classic: ooh, ooh, ooh, ahh, ahh, ahh . . . New York’s a lonely town / When you’re the only surfer boy around . . . ooh, ooh, ooh, ahh, ahh, ahh . . .Tappahannock’s a lovely town / When you’re the only sailor girl around . . . ooh, ooh, ooh, ahh, ahh, ahh. Fade.

With the holidays in full swing, many families find themselves with a little bit of extra vacation time during the winter. While some may spend that time planning large family gatherings or trying to relax after the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, a number of families use this time as a way to enjoy a vacation away from home before the kids have to be back in school and everyone has to go back to work. If you are thinking of a winter getaway, here are 10 of the most popular vacation destinations during the winter months.

Mont Tremblant, Quebec

Located in the Laurentian Mountains, Mont Tremblant is a popular venue for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. With over 600 acres of useable snow, Mont Tremblant is renowned as one of the best destinations for wintertime fun. Skiers from all over the world travel to Quebec in order to take advantage of Tremblant’s pristine slopes.

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Home to Hershey’s candy, this Pennsylvania town can be a wonderful place to visit if you are travelling just before Christmas. Each year, Hershey Park is completely transformed into a Christmas candy land that absolutely must be seen in order to be believed. This can be an especially rewarding trip if travelling with children, as it can give them amazing stories to tell when they get back to school.

Sundance Ski Resort

Sundance, Utah, is home not only to the world-renowned Sundance Film Festival but also to a ski resort beyond compare. In addition to being able to enjoy well-manicured slopes for skiing and snowboarding, the resort is located within an hour of three major Utah cities so that you can enjoy some shopping and fine dining after a fun time in the snow.

Yellowstone National Park

Mostly known as a summertime destination, Yellowstone features a number of winter programs as well as those, which encourage visitors to learn more about the natural world around them. While not everyone thinks that a learning vacation sounds like fun, few sights can compare to being able to see and learn about Yellowstone in wintertime.

New England

A number of destinations in the New England area are transformed into a portrait of years gone by when winter comes. The New England that was captured in the beloved paintings of Norman Rockwell comes to life as the historical towns and cities put on their best winter decorations, while the Sugarloaf ski resort opens for business to accommodate those interested in winter sports.

Lake Tahoe

A popular winter destination for years, Lake Tahoe provides visitors with access to ski resorts as well as the nearby excitement of Carson City, Nevada. Those looking for a beautiful vacation destination should not be disappointed by the amazing view of the Rocky Mountains that can be seen from the slopes of Lake Tahoe.

Caribbean

For a completely different type of vacation, consider taking a cruise of the Caribbean. Not only can this help you to get away from the cold weather, but it can also give you a taste of what the holidays are like for those who do not live in an area that traditionally receives a lot of snow. Once you experience a Caribbean Christmas, you may never be able to look at a traditional Christmas the same way again.

Aspen, Colorado

Aspen is one of the most famous ski destinations in the world and a winter spent in Aspen is a winter that can always be remembered. In addition to having some of the most beautiful ski slopes that can be found anywhere, the town surrounding the ski areas has a rich culture and history that simply is not to be missed. From a day on the slopes to a night enjoying the amazing artistic community that exists in and around Aspen, you should never regret your choice to spend a vacation in Aspen.

Rockefeller Center, New York

Nothing says Christmas quite like the image of Rockefeller Center decked out in all of its holiday glory. Used as an icon of the holidays in films, stories, and photographs, a winter vacation to New York simply is not complete without taking the time to visit Rockefeller Center and see exactly how much effort is put in to transforming it into a symbol of peace and Christmas joy.

Orlando, Florida

If you just want to get away from the cold of the holidays but are not interested in travelling too far from home, Orlando can be the perfect winter destination. With a multitude of theme parks (and the holiday programs offered by each), there is plenty for the whole family to do. You can also set aside some time to simply enjoy the Florida weather, ignoring the fact that it is much colder at home.

A honeymoon is a wonderful excuse to really get away from it all. One of the best ways to make your honeymoon trip a true escape is to vacation on the water. These are some great ideas for honeymoons that you can take on water.

A cruise can be a fantastic idea for a honeymoon trip. Most cruise ships are like floating cities, complete with everything from fine dining to swimming to nightlife and sporty activities. There is a huge variety in cruise types, as well. If time is short, take a weekend party cruise out of New York or another major port city. Or take a traditional tropical cruise which visits numerous ports of call all along the Caribbean.

There are more exotic cruises, as well, such as those to Alaska, the Greek islands, or the fjords of Scandinavia. The experience of being out at sea with your new spouse taking in breathtaking sights will truly make your honeymoon memorable. One thing that most cruise lines have in common is the expectation that guests will dress up for dinner, so be sure to pack some pretty dresses, and bring along your crystal bridal jewelry to add that touch of elegance. It will be fun to wear your bridal jewelry again, and it is safer to travel with beautiful crystal pieces rather than very costly diamonds.

If you love to sail, you might prefer something smaller than a cruise ship. A fantastic voyage for sailing aficionados is a sailboat cruise. On many of these excursions, there is a crew, but the newlyweds also get to take part in sailing the boat. It is a great balance between getting the fun of sailing, without having total responsibility for the vessel 24 hours a day. Most of these types of honeymoons will be on sailboats with sleeping cabins, so you will call the boat your home for the duration of the trip. To keep things interesting, plan on visiting a few spots along your journey where you can share a romantic dinner in a great restaurant. Even newlyweds cannot live on love alone, after all.

Many couples love the water, but would prefer to have a honeymoon based on dry land. Even if you choose to stay in a hotel, there are many terrific options for including fun on the water into your honeymoon trip. If you travel to a destination like Hawaii, become a sightseer on the water

If you’re planning a trip to the Mid-Atlantic region, you might be thinking New York City is where all the action is. Not so fast. The Big Apple’s cousin to the south, New Jersey, is a great vacation hot spot in its own right. In particular, Atlantic City is steeped in history and teeming with activities, making it a fun-filled destination for couples and families alike. Incorporated in 1854, the seaside resort city has gradually blossomed into one of the country’s go-to places for casino action, vibrant nightlife and relaxation, thanks in part to its prime location along the Atlantic Ocean.

One of the area’s biggest draws is the historic Atlantic City Boardwalk, whose history stretches back to 1870 and along which travelers will find a host of shops, resorts, hotels, piers, arcades, museums and much more. (The Boardwalk is a whopping 60 feet wide and more than 4 feet long.) Among the Boardwalk’s notable attractions are the Atlantic City Aquarium, with more than eighteen exhibits including a 25,000 gallon tank; Gardner’s Basin, a bayside park boasting everything from fine dining to sightseeing cruises; and the Garden Pier, which now houses the Atlantic City historical museum and Art Center. The annual Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival – slated to run July 29 through August 1 – features four jam-packed days of events, celebrity appearances and food and wine tastings. Even if you’re not an aviation junkie, you’ll enjoy “Thunder Over the Boardwalk,” where impressive aerobatics maneuvers and flybys that reach up to 150,000 feet and as low as 50 feet over the water are sure to hold spectators spellbound.

Boardwalk Hall, declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987, once held one of The Beatles’ largest-ever concerts and currently hosts the Miss’d America Pageant and men’s college basketball games. Lovers of the outdoors can commune with nature at Wharton State Forest while boating buffs will feel right at home at the Farley Marina, whose 640 floating slips can accommodate yachts as long as 300 feet. If traveling from New York City to Atlantic City by train, travelers can take advantage of Atlantic City Express Service (ACES), which runs Friday through Sunday and takes passengers from New York’s Penn Station to Atlantic City Rail Terminal in less than 3 hours on average.

The Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort is conveniently situated at the top of the Boardwalk. Though you’re more than 2,000 miles away from Las Vegas, you’ll feel immersed in the excitement Sin City gaming while inside the casino, which offers slot and table games including Blackjack, Poker and Roulette. The resort also has a state-of-the-art theater built to showcase the talents of such noted celebrities as KC & the Sunshine Band. Plus, the resort’s 13,000 square-foot Health Spa comprises a steam room, sauna, hot tub and indoor swimming pool.

Affording splendid views of the Atlantic City skyline are Travelodge Bayside and Comfort Bayside Inn. Though a little further from the world-famous Boardwalk – two and four miles away, respectively – both properties suit business travelers and pleasure seekers alike. Travelodge Bayside features an expansive outdoor swimming pool and meeting rooms, while Comfort Bayside Inn offers free Continental breakfast and complimentary shuttle service to the Tropicana Casino on Fridays and Saturdays.

Half a block from the Boardwalk and adjacent to the Tropicana lies the Ascot Motel, a great option for the budget-minded. The outdoor pool is open seasonally (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend) and guests can start their day off right with complimentary coffee in the lobby. Though the property might be thinner on amenities than its hotel counterparts, that doesn’t mean travelers will have to sacrifice comfort, let alone good service – the front desk is open 24 hours a day. The AAA-rated La Renaissance, meanwhile, is synonymous with family-friendly. Its One and Two Bedroom Suites, all with balconies, feature separate living and dining areas and are spacious enough to sleep anywhere from four to six people.

Though New York City may still lay claim to the title of most popular destination in the Mid-Atlantic, there is no denying Atlantic City holds its own as a place where couples and families alike can lap up a profusion of great attractions.

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You could be sitting in a comfortable deck chair soaking in the sun and sipping a drink (perhaps champagne) as your private luxury cruiser takes you over the serene waters of the Great Barrier Reef on your Sydney Harbour cruise. Across the waters you see in the distance liners, ships, cruisers that cater to the holiday dreams of the ordinary and the rich.

If you board a cruiser and it has just a five or six-member crew, you can fulfill your heart’s desires—whether it means lolling on the deck or biting into a gelato or grilled fish or relaxing in a spa. All this holiday means for you is rest. And lots and lots of relaxation.

But that’s not all. Between all your rest and relaxation, you’re sure to do some sightseeing too—your captain will make sure you see Port Douglas, the Whitsunday Islands, Cairns, Lizard Island and Michaelmas Cay.

In summer in Sydney, you could go on a voyage through the Coral Sea with breathtaking sights for stopovers in New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Torres Strait, the Solomon Islands and the Islands of Eastern New Guine and then return through the outer Great Barrier Reef from Cape York to Hamilton Island.

However, if you wake up early, you could savor a breakfast buffet and the five-star amenities of your state room and then go on to enjoy freshly baked pastries and more over a large brunch. Then, after fighting off much laziness, you’ll perhaps sit down on a deck chair with a pair of sun glasses and sunscreen and you’ll look far into the ocean length and enjoy the blueness of the waters.

But if you are sporty, you could go in for some windsurfing, snorkeling or scuba diving and enter the marine world. You could fish too and eat your catch for dinner. Or just go swimming—what could be better than that?

For lunch and dinner, enter the bar and dining rooms and while you watch the view of the water from there while you tuck into delicious Japanese, Moroccan and Indonesian cuisines—all under a star filled sky.

You’d be extra fortunate to board a cruiser around New Year’s Eve because of the fantastic fireworks display which begins at midnight for the
New year’s Eve Sydney Harbour. This usually begins at 9 p.m. and is followed by the Harbour Light parade. East and West of the Harbour Bridge you’ll find a fleet of vessels beautifully decorated with dazzling lights, sailing on a 15 km circuit, from Clarke Island to Cockatoo Island. This is undoubtedly the most sought-after sight here with people milling around to get a glimpse of the action. Once this parade is over, the fleet of vessels goes back to a viewing area from where they can see the fireworks.

And lastly, the piece de resistance—the 12 minutes of color and sound that transform the Harbour with light and sound. Millions of people—natives and tourists—throng to catch the sound and light show that will perhaps stay in their minds all through the year, until the next year rolls along.

So much for your few days on a Sydney Harbour cruise. Will you come aboard again? Who knows—perhaps yes.

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