Where To Go Next for Wednesday, July 16

Today's Travel News Wednesday, July 16, 2008 A Historic Hotel Jackpot in Deadwood By Tom Adkinson Marco Polo member, Society of American Travel Writers DEADWOOD, S.D.-Sometimes, old hotels are classic. Sometimes, old hotels are just fun and funky. I like both kinds, and I've added one to my "old, fun and funky" list here in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It's the Historic Franklin Hotel. The majesty of its past is evident from the Franklin Hotel's bold exterior (look closely and you might see a worker hanging holiday lights on the roof). You have to love a place named for a guy whose first business in town was a liquor store and where the first floor is a blinking, clinking, coins-down-the-slot, cards-on-the-table casino. I stayed in the Willie Nelson Suite, which ironically enough is non-smoking. Deadwood itself is a treasure of a town. It exploded on the scene during the Black Hills gold rush in the 1870s. Fires and floods plagued its years as a miners' camp and then a roughhouse frontier town, but it fairly quickly got rather sophisticated with brick buildings, electricity and that new contraption called the telephone. Early business leaders yearned for a large downtown hotel. A developer got started, but he faltered after laying the foundation. A spring turned the construction pit into a swimming pool for local children as the project lay idle. ...More Recent Articles • TSA News • Tips & Bits • Arizona's Canyon De Chelly: No Long Lines or Hot Tempers • Spectacular Bryce Canyon • 7 Tips for Choosing an Adventure Travel Company Accommodations www.Rentalo.com is easy to use and provides full information, pictures and even-sometimes-videos of the vacation rentals. Its SmartSearch feature lets travelers choose the number of bedrooms, price, amenities and more. ...More In staging its first yoga retreat, Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort turned to acclaimed spiritual yoga instructor, MeShall of Mystical Sojourn Retreats, who balances a career as an Environmental Specialist with teaching yoga and wellness consulting for the Ritz-Carlton, to launch her signature Mystical Sojourn Retreats at Tabacón's magical, mineral-rich thermal springs setting. ...More Cruises/Tours Pacific Delight Tours is unveiling four autumn 2008/spring 2009 SuperValue China packages that enable travelers to explore the country's innumerable ancient and historic attractions, but without having to grapple with post-Beijing Olympic crowds who will have departed by the end of August. The 12- to 19-day locally guided tours offer guests an easy and affordable way to see the Imperial cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an, as well as a host of other destinations, with land-only prices ranging from $1,588 to $3,638 per person, double. ...More Ritz Tours has expanded its program in Vietnam and Cambodia with the introduction of the 14-day Indochina Excursion with air-inclusive prices starting at $2,801 plus taxes per person, based on double occupancy, including air transportation, hotel and sightseeing. Ritz Tours made its first foray into Vietnam and Cambodia last year; for a more comprehensive and exciting itinerary in 2008/2009, the company added new sightseeing in those countries plus several days in Bangkok. ...More Travelers seeking the ultimate in luxury, relaxation and fascinating cultural experiences for their 2009 European vacations need to look no further! Trafalgar introduces its 2009 River Cruise Collection, featuring five new expertly designed travel experiences and a brand new vessel. ...More Enriching its portfolio of wellness opportunities, Crystal Cruises is introducing onboard acupuncture, along with a menu of Chinese herbs revered for restoring and enhancing health, beauty and longevity. A menu of optional acupuncture treatments, launching this month on Crystal Serenity, focuses on weight loss, pain management, stress reduction, detoxification, smoking cessation, facial rejuvenation and even sea sickness. ...More Briefly Ala Moana Hotel prepares to break out dirndls and polka shoes for its 38th annual Oktoberfest, which kicks off this year, October 7 - 12, 2008. As Hawaii's longest-running authentic Bavarian-style Oktoberfest, the event attracts more than 8,000 guests from across the state to Ala Moana Hotel's Hibiscus Ballroom to partake in an extensive selection of German fare, beer and entertainment. Emirates Airline, the Dubai-based international airline that flies to six continents, has announced the launch of Vision Beijing - a series of Beijing Olympic promotional films - onboard Emirates' award-winning Information, Communication and Entertainment (ice) system, starting July 2008. This summer, CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa is inviting guests to have fun and go shopping with the resort's new Shop n' Tan Package. Available now through December 18, 2008, the Shop n' Tan Package starts at $267* for a Deluxe Ocean View Room This August, food lovers can enjoy Restaurant Week in Boston with a delectable dining package at the Hilton Boston Back Bay Hotel and Doubletree Guest Suites Boston. Newsletter Options Email to a Friend Printer-Friendly The Wire The Apparel Wire The Outdoor Wire Home Subscribe Archives Submit Releases Advertise FAQ Press Room About Contact Us
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