November 3, 2007-January 1, 2008 Biltmore's 35-foot Christmas tree is hoisted and decoratedby dozens of employees each year.
Daytime Visit Dream big and recall the youthful wonder of Christmas. Our house-America's largest home-will be brimming with more than 30 Christmas trees, holiday music, and miles of garland. Advanced ticket purchase required.
Passholder Upgrades Only $20 Visit Biltmore November 1-30 and upgrade your admission ticket to a Twelve-Month Pass for $20. Read More...
“WHAT’S NEW” IN THE CHARLESTON, SC AREAWINTER 2007
NEW HONORS & AWARDS
ˇ For the fifteenth consecutive year, readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine honored Charleston as a Top 10 travel destination in the U.S. Charleston was honored with a No. 3 slot. Only San Francisco and New York City ranked higher. Last year, Charleston ranked No. 5 in the poll. Additionally, the Boardwalk Inn at Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms received a No. 8 ranking in the Top Resort category. ˇ Condé Nast Traveler readers also recognized several individual properties in the Charleston area. The list of top hotels in the U.S. included No. 26 Charleston Place, No. 50 Market Pavilion Hotel, No. 51 Wentworth Mansion, No. 65 The Woodlands Resort & Inn and No. 69 John Rutledge House Inn. ˇ Charleston has been lauded by a recent Travel + Leisure and CNN poll. In a survey that generated 60,000 responses, it became apparent that Charleston, SC has struck a chord with travelers. When compared to other top cities such as Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and more, Charleston was honored with several distinctions. The Holy City scored well, grabbing the No. 1 spot in the Friendly People category. The city was ranked No. 2 for its Architecture & Notable Buildings, Antiques, Flea Markets, Home Design stores and Pedestrian Friendliness. Additionally, Charlestonians were rated No. 3 in the Attractive People category. ˇ The Holiday Inn-Charleston Airport/Convention Center has received the IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] 2007 Newcomer Award as one of the best properties that joined the system within the last year as either a new development or conversion from another hotel chain. IHG is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms. www.holidayinn.com/chastnairport.
ˇ The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort recently received the following awards:
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- Five Diamond Award – American Automobile Association
- Top Resort Hotels in America (No.1)– Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report
- Top Family Resort in America (No.1) – Travel + Leisure Family
- Top Continental US and Canada Hotels (No.5) – Travel + Leisure
- Among Top 10 North American Resorts – Conde Nast Traveler
- Gold List Award – Conde Nast Traveler
- No. 2 Ranking for Hotel Spa in Continental U.S. and Canada by Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards http://www.kawahresort.com/
BLUE SPRING MANOR: Vincent, Alabama
By GERRY H. DAVIS
I was on my way to Vincent, Ala. A dot on the map. Take the Pell City Exit and then 231 S. I drove and drove taking Highway 231S to Vincent. At the traffic light in Vincent you turn right onto Shelby County 83. The countryside was beautiful and farms were well manicured making the combined 231 S and 83 drive very pleasant. Finally, I see a small sign denoting Blue Spring Inn.
BLUE SPRING MANOR,2870 Highway 83,Vincent, Ala. 205-672-9955 http://www.bluespringmanor.com/ .
1. Upon entering you are in welcoming surroundings. You immediately knew you were at a very special B&B. The large main room is comfortably appointed. You can look out to the back porch, flowers all around, and on to the back yard with pool and hot tub.
The open kitchen is to your right. Huge bright red tomatoes fresh from the garden, were on the kitchen counter. You knew immediately they would not taste like the red card- board balls you buy in desperation at the grocery store. There were various other fresh produce items and a big basket of breads. The air was filled with delicious tempting aromas many for what you knew would be the ingredients of delectable dinner selections.
I was immediately greeted by Doris Harris. She and her husband Ray are the Innkeepers. What a warm friendly greeting. You could tell she enjoyed what she did. I quickly knew I was in for a delightful stay. After some chatter and viewing of the downstairs, Doris shows me to the steps and upstairs and to my room.
Covered Bridges
By MARK STITH (Southern Ledger Writer)
Three covered bridges in northeastern Alabama may be some of the prettiest sights you've never seen. Tucked away in the rough and rocky ridges that mark the end of the Appalachians, these wooden spans do more than just take you over the river and through the woods (to grandmother's house, we go...). They let you in on the beautiful secrets that reward any weekend wanderer. You. Me.
Let's set the scene first. Swann, Easley, and Horton Mill bridges- sit nestled within a stone's throw (read: a few miles) of each other. Crafted from local, hand-hewn timbers in the early 1900s, they are still in use. People drive their cars, trucks, mo-torcycles, whatever across their tire-smoothed planks every day (with the exception of Easley, which is closed for repairs).
All of them are single-lane, so you have to make sure no one's coming in from the other direction. Driving across them is like an amusement park ride. For free. The long wooden planks creak and complain as your car rolls over them (kinda scary). The rushing river splashes over smooth, gray boulders beneath the boards. Sun-light blinks in and out like a strobe light as you pass the massive, criss-crossed beams that form the long sides. Horton Mill, just out side of downtown Oneonta, has a little parking spot with picnic tables. The other two have little pull-offs where you can park the car and explore. But, there's more to these bridges than just pretty places out in the country. They make you slow down.
Case in point. Me. I arose before dawn to see the bridges bathed in morning light and the last flickers of autumn. Not only did I get to admire them in the golden glow of a new day, but many more sights, sounds, and smells of the rural (and dis-appearing) South revealed themselves.
New Research Profiles Visitors to Western North Carolina
FLETCHER, NC – June 4, 2007. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and Appalachian State University announced the findings of a recent survey of visitors to Western North Carolina. The surveys were collected at heritage sites and welcome centers across the 25-county region in the late summer and early fall of 2006.The survey research shows that the typical visitor to the North Carolina mountains is a baby boomer (51 years old on average) who is college-educated and fairly prosperous (average household income of $67,111).On average, overnight visitors spent $108 per day while day trippers spent $61 per day during their visit to the mountains. Overnight visitors stayed 3-4 nights on average.The top three reported motivations for visiting the region were: relaxation/escape (48%), spending time with family and/or friends (28%), and outdoor adventure (10%).The top five reported activities of visitors were: scenic drive/Blue Ridge Parkway (64%), natural/scenic attractions (42%), historic downtowns (40%), Biltmore House (36%), and gorges/waterfalls (27%). “This research provides more hard data on who our visitors are, what they are doing when they get here, and what kind of economic impact that has,” said Penn Dameron, Executive Director of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. “It can help tourism businesses refine their marketing messages and develop new experiences and services.”
