Boldly go to Nimmo Bay
And the winner of Most Contrived Travel Come-on is…
Nimmo Bay Resort.
The Vancouver Island hostelry has parlayed an episode of “Boston Legal” into the “Exclusively Yours Boston Legal ” package.
They had me at Shatner.
I’ve made no secret of my love for the Canadian scenery-chewer, and if the resort baits the trap with The Shat, it just might lure my fellow devotees in – with or without legal briefs and phasers set on stun.
In December 2004, William Shatner and James Spader brought their TV characters to the resort – located off the coast of the island’s northernmost tip – prompting The Shat’s Denny Crane to declare Nimmo Bay “the best fishing resort in the world.”
The series came back in December for its final episode. That inspired the resort to mark the show’s passing with “off-screen fun for the masses” from July 16 to Oct. 20.
It’s no “Fishing with the Stars,” but they do invite guests to “shine their lines amid pristine B.C. rivers.”
They also promise “celebrity-style treatment, minus the legal eagle status.” (They’re really sticking to their theme, aren’t they?)
Here’s what that will get you: A three-day “Heli-Adventure” wherein your own personal helicopter transports your entire party to fishing, hiking, rafting, bear-viewing, whale-watching or beachcombing sites, among others. Then it waits around for you to finish your business.
The “Boston Legal” part of the package offers tchotchkes from the show like mugs, Shat and Spader bobbleheads and DVDs of the entire series.
There’s a limited supply of those, but every man Jack of you will receive a Shat Hat – a red, yellow and green tam he had specifically made for himself and his pals at the resort, including owner Craig Murray.
“We’re pretty much the same character,” Murray says, “twin sons of different mothers.”
Take a look at their family portrait on www.nimmobay.com. There’s a slide show of the resort there, too.
All this starry-eyed excitement includes accommodations, all your meals, guides, gear and transporation to and from Port Hardy.
That’ll run you $7,250 Canadian based on double occupancy. Bump it to $9,650 Canadian for the four-day version.
Learn more at the Web address above or call (800) 837-4354.
Regional events
•30th Annual Southeastern Montana Juried Exhibit, through March 8, Miles City. See paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and more by professional and amateur artists throughout Montana and surrounding states. ( www.visitmt.com/ 406-234-0635)
•Gem and Mineral Show, Feb. 28-March 1, Boise. They’ve got gems, they’ve got minerals, they’ve got fossils. What more could you want? ( www.idahogemclub.com/ 208-287-5650)