Western Montana is known as “glacier country,” and it comes to life this time of year.
For snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, Glacier National Park is a winter wonderland – minus the crowds of summer. Or warm up from the cold in hot springs, like the one at historic Symes Hot Springs Hotel &Mineral Baths
Skiers and snowboarders can take their pick of resorts. Big Mountain Resort, just north of Whitefish, has an average snowfall of 300-plus inches, and its amenities include new handicapped-accessible features such as a wheelchair ramp, wheelchair availability and new parking spaces in the village reserved for guests with disabilities.
Just west of Flathead Lake, Blacktail Mountain has ski instruction and runs for all levels, with $30 lift tickets, $13 for kids.
The Montana Snowbowl near Missoula offers 950 acres of deep, powdery bowls and 2,600 vertical feet for skiers and snowboarders.
The Gelandesprung Lodge offers ski-in and ski-out accommodations, and the Snowbowl Cup Gelande Championship, Feb. 26 and 27, will feature athletes performing stunts on a natural terrain jump.
At Lost Trail Powder Mountain in the Bitterroot Mountains, you’ll find a 2.5 mile-long run.
At Lookout Pass, on the Montana/Idaho border, you can ski in two different states at the same resort, and enjoy two terrain banks and a 1,111-foot quarter pipe. Check out the nearby Silver Dollar Bar, where the walls are covered with real silver dollars.
Amtrak trains stop at Libby, Whitefish, West Glacier, Essex and East Glacier, and there are daily flights into Missoula and Glacier Park International Airport.
For more information, go to www.glacier.visitmt.com or call 800-338-5072.
Wyoming wildlife
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has compiled a listing of more than 550 species of wildlife that can be found in the state.
The new “Atlas of Birds, Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles” can be found on the agency’s Web site, by clicking on “nongame wildlife” at gf.state.wy.us.
“From the most avid bird watcher to the casual tourist, the atlas can help provide insight into understanding and enjoying Wyoming’s wildlife,” said Andrea Cerovski, a nongame bird biologist for the department.
The 206-page atlas lists all of Wyoming’s species’ common and scientific names, habitat, distribution, management status and other details.
Cerovski said the agency plans to update the atlas at least twice a year.
Quebec carnival
In Quebec City, they know how to enjoy the pleasures of winter.
From Jan. 30 to Feb. 15, the snowy city will hold its annual winter carnival, with snow sculptures, nighttime parades, a dogsled race and an ice palace. Take a ride in a snowmobile or a horse-drawn carriage, or go hurtling down a hill on a giant snow raft.
Package deals are available for hotels and tickets to various events. Call 866-4-CARNAVAL or visit www.carnaval.qc.ca for details.
Jacksonville Super Bowl
Jacksonville, Fla., is hosting the Super Bowl for the first time, and the Feb. 6 game is giving the area an excuse to show off its attractions.
The city is along the Atlantic Ocean and the St. Johns River, providing plenty of opportunities for fishing, birdwatching and kayaking from nearby waterways and islands like Big and Little Talbot. You’ll find white-sand ocean beaches just a dozen miles from downtown Jacksonville.
Jacksonville’s zoo has the largest collection of jaguars in North America, and the World Golf Village in nearby St. Augustine is home to the Golf Hall of Fame and two championship courses, plus a Golf Academy where you can improve your swing.
Football fans will enjoy the NFL Experience, an interactive theme park with 50 games and attractions, open Jan. 29 to 30 and Feb. 3 to 6 in downtown Jacksonville. “Quarterback Challenge” lets you try out your passing skills, while a fantasy play-by-play lets you announce the greatest plays in football history.
From Wednesday through Sunday of Super Bowl week, an outdoor festival will take place near ALLTEL Stadium, with live entertainment and refreshments. Fireworks will light up the skies for three nights in Jacksonville before the big game, while nearby communities are planning their own celebrations, including a shellfish festival in Fernandina Beach and a beach festival in Ponte Vedra.
For more information on the Jacksonville area, go to www.jacksonville.com or call 800-733-2668.
Different strokes
Brush up on your painting skills or learn to sculpt during one of three four-day workshops offered in January by the Desert Caballeros Western Museum and Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Ariz.
The first is a Jan. 10 watercolor class by Raleigh Kinney, followed by a Jan. 17 sculpture course taught by Cynthia Rigden and a Jan. 24 Western art class taught by Bill Anton.
Cost: $2,035 per person, double occupancy ($402 single surcharge). Includes lodging, all meals, three days of instruction, entertainment, taxes and gratuities. Air fare is not included.
Contact: Rancho de los Caballeros, Wickenburg; 800-684-5030, www.sunc.com or the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 928-684-2272, www.westernmuseum.org.
Women’s tour of Tuscany
Wander Tuscany during a seven-night stay beginning March 17.
This leisurely women-only tour, based in Florence, visits Siena, Pisa and Chianti. A day of winery hopping includes stops in Passignano, Montefioralle, Greve and Volpaia.
An optional one-day tour of Venice is available.
Cost: $1,795 per person, double occupancy ($400 single surcharge). Includes accommodations, most meals, wine tastings, excursions, guides, tour manager and ground transportation. Airfare is not included. Membership, $35 a year, is required.
Contact: The Women’s Travel Club, New York, 800-480-4448 or 646-723-2188, www.womenstravelclub.com.
Travel deals
Good bargains around the globe:
Book a trip for two to Europe with Insight Vacations for travel in April, May, September or October, and the second person flies for $199 round trip, plus taxes. Deal applies to flights out of Seattle on American or British Airways to London, Paris, Zurich, Madrid or Frankfurt. Fare is $499 round trip for June-August packages. Book and pay in full by Dec. 29. Taxes vary. Info: 888-680-1241, www.insightvacations.com.
Cathay Pacific’s “Deal of the Month” is a round-trip fare of $863 from San Francisco or Los Angeles to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Travel between Feb. 12 and May 15. Taxes are an extra $136. Other airlines’ fare is about $1,177. Buy at www.cathay-usa.com/dotm by Dec. 31, or until sold out.
The Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau in Northern California is “Wild for Nature.” Twenty-seven hotels and a dozen nature tours and attractions are discounted. For example, a room at Marina Dunes, a beachfront hotel adjacent to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, is $119 a night, plus 10 percent tax and $15 dunes restoration fee; normal rate is $162. Promo is good Jan. 1-Feb. 28. Info: 888-221-1010, www.wildfornature.montereyinfo.org.
Save 25 percent on tickets to the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in New York, plus get a free soda and popcorn with each ticket. The “Holiday Gift &Get” deal is good for select non-peak performances through Jan. 2. For example, a midweek matinee orchestra seat that’s normally $68 (plus $9.60 service charge) is $51 (plus $9.10 service charge). Show your ticket stub for discounts at more than 100 NYC museums, restaurants, stores and attractions. Info: 212-307-1000, www.radiocity.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Use promo code GIFTGET.
US Airways has reduced first-class fares to dozens of Caribbean destinations. Complete travel by June 30. Info: 800-428-4322, www.usairways.com.
Prices, dates or itineraries may change. These should be confirmed with travel agents or tour operators.
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