Actively seeking relaxation? Unwind in Kosterhavet Marine National Park

Anyone who visits Sweden’s west coast can’t help but be struck by its uncluttered beauty. Everything sits so well together it’s a real pleasure to just look out, casting your eye over the smooth rocks emerging from the sea, scattered islands dotted with wooden houses, and behind them leafy swathes of green set against a deep blue Swedish sky. But it’s not long before you want to get active and get closer to it all and one of the best places to do so is Kosterhavet Marine National Park, centred around the Koster Islands, near Strömstad and the border with Norway. Typically idyllic, the islands and waters of this new national park, which opened in September 2009, are unique in Sweden. Kosterhavet contains Sweden’s highest level of marine biodiversity and, with a deep fissure known as Koster-Väderö Fjord between the Koster Islands and the mainland, it is connected to an oceanic environment. Such deep water leads to a valuable range of marine species, including cold water coral.... Read More →

Calling All Aspiring National Park Travelers: There Is “Room at the Inn” This Summer

Austin-Lehman Adventures’ Active National Park Vacations Feature Accommodations At “Sold-Out” Yellowstone National Park Lodges Billings, Montana– For those who have their heart set on a Yellowstone National Park summer vacation but are deterred by sold-out National Park Lodges, Austin-Lehman Adventures still has availability on its exclusive, small-group trips to Yellowstone, where accommodations include Jackson Lake Lodge, Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Old Faithful Inn. Thanks to a 35-year-old legacy in operating small-group National Park Vacations, Austin-Lehman Adventures maintains a block of rooms at these historic and conveniently located lodges, thereby guaranteeing accommodations while providing the opportunity to enjoy an “insider’s” experience at Yellowstone. With more than 282 million visitors expected at the National Parks this summer, the surge in demand for National Park lodging makes Austin Lehman Adventures the best option for national... Read More →

Classic Journeys Steps Up Value On Walking Tour Of Greek Isles

Revitalized itinerary adds more walks, new cultural connections La Jolla, CA – Call it a full-blown Greek revival. You might not know it from recent media coverage, but there’s good news in abundance coming out of Greece…especially for those lucky enough to be exploring its legendary islands on foot. Edward Piegza, president and founder of Classic Journeys, just returned from a week in-country on Crete and Santorini. Our mission quickly moved from renewing ties with our native guides to reinvigorating our entire Greek Isles cultural walking adventure,” Piegza observed. Wholesale improvements include four fewer hours of driving time, three new countryside walks, two new cultural visits to local artisans, and one new boutique hotel. Day 4 of the itinerary, for example, features the excavations at Eleftherna, one of Crete’s must-see archaeological sites. Explains Piegza, “To our minds, there was too much time in the vehicle and not enough time in the open... Read More →

Family Adventures with Western River Expeditions Offer a Cure for Digital Overload

River Adventures for Families Structured To Accommodate Children Ages 5 and Up – and Detox Is Free SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Seeking an antidote to communication overload and the digital world? How about journeying off the grid, unplugging and just “rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river” this summer. Brandon Lake, Vice President of Western River Expeditions, worries about decline in quality family time as our lives become filled with constant communication and media. In an average day, AC Nielsen company reports that a typical teenager will watch over 3 hours of TV, spend nearly 1 hour on a PC, 23 minutes on the internet, 6 minutes talking on a mobile phone, send or receive 96 text messages, watch 17 minutes of a DVD and, play 25 minutes on a game console, watch 13 minutes of a mobile video, 6 minutes of online video, and listen to one or more songs on an MP3 player. Contrast this digital overload with the amount of time being spent with family. TV Free America reports that average... Read More →