Get Inn-Side Scoop From The Web
The complete Independent Innkeepers’ Register has been put on the Web, which means travelers with Internet access can get the scoop on more than 300 inns in North America and Western Europe.
Not every inn is listed, of course. But each state and Canadian province has a small selection. For example, those listed in Washington are Turtleback Farm, Captain Whidbey Inn, Wilcox House Country Inn, Shelburne Inn, Birchfield Manor and Haus Rohrbach. All of these are in Western Washington and the Cascades, though.
In addition to lodging info and room descriptions, each inn is pictured. The Web address: http://www.innbook.com
An occasion worth noting
Kudos to Hill’s Resort at Priest Lake which is celebrating its 50-year anniversary today with an all-employee reunion.
The year-round lodge has drawn national attention and has become nearly as popular winters among cross-country skiers and snowmobilers as it is summers when vacationers flock to the resort to enjoy the beach and water activities.
The celebration today is open only to employees and former employees, but we didn’t want to let this festive occasion go unnoticed.
Fall color is fleeting
We offered the Forest Service fall color hotline number last week, but the peak season for autumn hues comes and goes quickly so it bears repeating. To get an update on the state of fall color in any national forest, call (800) 364-4595.
The snow will fly soon enough
The Edgewater in Sandpoint is newly renovated and all set for ski season. The 55 guest rooms now have queen- and king-size beds and the dining room can accommodate 55 people.
Ski packages this season begin at $44.84 per person (based on quad occupancy), although the packages are not available during holiday weeks. For information: (800) 635-2534 or e-mail edgwater@netw.com
Just a walk in the country
A vacation walking in Great Britain sounds so, well, bucolic. British Coastal Trails offers a variety of walking tours in the Lake District, Cotswolds and Cornwall. The walks cover six to eight miles daily and lodging is in bed and breakfast inns. Group size is a maximum 18.
For information about the walking tours, call BCT tollfree at (888) 925-5228.
For a view not often seen
Underwater aquariums aren’t exactly rare - Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, B.C. all have one and the aquarium at Monterey, Calif., now a decade old, remains a fine example of this type of attraction.
San Francisco has just joined the list with the opening of UnderWater World. The new attraction is at Pier 39 on the San Francisco Waterfront. Visitors can walk 300 feet of see-through acrylic tunnels that are underwater, allowing views of rays, sharks, salmon, crabs, halibut, sea stars, sea urchins, rockfish and all sorts of plant life not otherwise visible from above the surf.
Admission’s $12.95, $9.95 for seniors, $6.50 for kids. For information, call (415) 623-5323.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo