TravelLeisure

The Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center is now offering a passionate romantic weekend getaway for those cold winter nights better spent cozy together indoors.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, treat that special someone to an intimate retreat they're sure to remember forever. Celebrate love, whether it's after many familiar years together, or falling in love for the first time.

Let the Marriott Atlanta Perimeter Center Hotel help create a backdrop of luxury while you focus on each other. This exclusive romantic getaway package comes complete with:

• Deluxe king room
  
• Chilled bottle of champagne
  
• Complimentary hotel parking
  
• Breakfast for two in the hotel restaurant or delivered through room-service
  
• Prices from $139 per night
  

Holiday Season has come and gone and though we are all back at our desks, most of us are already planning our far away “Winter Getaway”, a honeymoon or weekend trips to ski lodges and resorts with family and friends.

And while there is no way around the daunting “TO DO” check list of making sure we have packed not only all our own toiletries, enough outfits for day into night, as well as ski and / or resort gear, it also entails that you have made sure your husband / fiancée are all packed, even down to their proper amount of boxers. And for families it’s a constant hodge-podge of knowing what your kids cannot live without, while on vacation. If you didn’t pack daughter Suzie’s favorite stuffed animal…you may not be getting much relaxation at all, or you may have another body in bed with you night after night. Read more

Your laptop bag is more than just a bag - it's now an everyday fashion accessory. SOLO has a neat, new line of laptop and business cases called the Urban Collection. These urban-chic and military-style messenger bags, come in both tote and backpack versions and are built to feel just like a favorite pair of jeans - durable, broken-in, rugged, and that fit you just right.

Unlike the typical black faux leather case or black ballistic fabric, the Urban Collection uses soft, brushed poly-canvas in these laptop bags in both Olive Drab and Off-Duty Black tones. Distressed leather trims and accents complement khaki corduroy interiors and, along with military-inspired old-gold hardware, make these laptop cases stylish, rugged, and versatile. Read more

If the mad rush of the holiday gift-buying season has you singing Blue Christmas, never fear. Virginia, the state that’s for lovers, shopping lovers especially, has ten tips to help people add some passion to their holiday shopping with enjoyable, stress-free gift buying getaways.

Tip #1: Shop a Different Century
Virginia is an American history icon with destinations and exhibits stretching back 400 years. Take a trip to Virginia’s historical sites and shop for holiday gifts from a different century. From Jamestown to Colonial Williamsburg to the Museum of Frontier Culture in Staunton, the extensive gift shops at Virginia’s historical sites offer four centuries of the ultimate gift ideas for history buffs everywhere.

Tip # 2: Ditch the Car
Save some gas money and parking hassles and ditch the car. Virginia is full of great places to walk from shop to shop for unique gifts. Check out Carytown, Richmond’s “mile of style”. The shops on Cary Street sell vintage clothing, works of art, antiques, boutique bags and accessories. Other great places to put it in park and stroll from shop to shop include Old Town Alexandria, which offers free on-street parking for visitors, historic downtown Roanoke, and quaint Middleburg in Northern Virginia. Read more

Denali Park Resorts is offering guests the chance to book their Alaskan vacation with incredible discounted rates and a two-for-one deal. Packages are available for early season spring reservations at Denali Park Resort when booked online by December 21 (www.denaliparkresorts.com). Advanced reservations are required and packages/deals are based on availability.

Denali Park Resort’s Spring into Savings package, starting at $275.92 per person for double occupancy, includes a two-night stay at one of the following Denali Park Resort’s properties: McKinley Chalet Resort, McKinley Village Lodge or Grand Denali Lodge. Included are Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theater and Teklanika Tundra Tour tickets for two. The package is available for early season reservations at Denali Park Resort, May 15, through May 23, 2008, offering up to 31 percent savings off peak season rates. These rates are only available online through Dec. 21, 2007. Read more

Having a hard time coming up with a great holiday gift idea for a friend or family member? How about something they'll be talking about for years -- a Soaring Adventures Flight Certificate good for either a hot air balloon ride, glider ride or tandem skydiving ride at any of over 200 locations nationwide.

Hot Air Balloon Rides
Couples of any age seem to enjoy the balloon rides best. First, the crew chief will take your gift recipient to the launch site, where the balloon is being inflated. He or she can help the ground crew if they wish, most people do. Then they'll ascend to between 500 and 1,000 feet, floating for an hour over the countryside, beneath the clouds, through valleys, over treetops and rivers wherever the wind takes them. Breathtaking views. As they touch down in a farmer's field , the flight will be celebrated with a toast of champagne or fruit juice, an old European tradition. Read more

By Jeff Zbar 
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

Sitting in a hotel room in Wildwood, N.J., I can’t help but consider my favorite tech tools (a common mental connecting of the dots, I’m sure). They’re mostly small, easily stocked (if not always easily remembered), and can make or break a road warrior’s or vacation-business traveler’s experience. I’m not talking about the laptop, wireless broadband card or 8-gig flash drive; those are required. I’m talking about the little things that can make a difference in the computing / work experience.

Whether generically or brand specifically, they are: Read more

Wynn Las Vegas’ breathtaking show, “Le Rêve,” was performed for the 1,000th time on Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 10:30 p.m. To celebrate this milestone occasion, the first 500 ticket holders that entered the theater received a signature red swimming cap, a recognizable prop used by the clowns in the show.

“Le Rêve,” the evocative aqua spectacle in-the-round, opened concurrently with Wynn Las Vegas on April 28, 2005 and has since astounded audiences. Six performers and musicians, as well as 14 crew members, have performed in or worked on all 1,000 shows. In addition, 600,000 towels have been used, more than 6,400 pairs of red tango shoes have been repaired, and some 52,000 loads of laundry have been done—just a portion of the work involved in keeping a show like “Le Rêve” running 1,000 performances strong. Read more

While the weather is still nice, travelers can take an out-of-town excursion and save up to 25% off hotels for a 3-night stay or 20% off for a 2-night stay for bookings now through October 6 and travel now through October 8. Below are four examples of package deals available from select cities (prices quoted are per person based on double occupancy). For more information on Expedia’s September Savings Sale or to book, visit www.expedia.com. Read more

Park City Mountain Resort has invested nearly $5 million in improvements for the 2007-08 season. The improvements, which will enhance the overall guest experience, include new terrain, a redesigned trail map, a new heated resort plaza, installation of Fast Tracks lanes at King Con lift, expanded snowmaking and environmental initiatives.

The Resort has dramatically changed the landscape between Single Jack and Sunnyside runs by glading the diseased aspen trees, while leaving the pine trees, creating a different environment and providing a challenging experience for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. This area will be called Motherlode Meadows. In addition, the Resort has added a new run off of McConkey's lift, bringing the total run count to 106. The new trail, named Georgeanna after an old mining claim located in this area, will extend from the top of Tycoon to the bottom of McConkey's Bowl, providing low-intermediates an easier way down from McConkey's lift. Read more